Diksha Sundriyal
Showtime’s ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ wraps up the story of Count Rostov with its final episode, where a chaotic few days decide the future of Rostov and his loved ones. For decades, he was sequestered in the Metropol, never getting to step out of it, knowing he would be killed for it if he tried. So, he made peace with his situation and called the hotel his home until Sofia came along. As she grew up to be a talented young woman, Rostov realized he couldn’t have her spend the rest of her life in the Metropol just because she was tied to him. She needed to have the freedom to live her life the way she wanted, and he loathed the fact that she couldn’t have that in Russia anymore. The only way to save her was to get her out of the country. SPOILERS AHEAD
Sofia’s Freedom Costs Her Her Family
If the Bolsheviks were ruthless, Count Rostov discovers that the new regime following Stalin’s death might be even more unpredictable. The intolerance about all sorts of things increases with time, leaving the citizens wondering which action of theirs would be considered an infraction and land them in trouble. Over the years, Rostov has learned all the things he must and mustn’t do to keep himself safe, but Sofia is a young and vibrant force that cannot be contained. In the dissent that only youth can bring about, she plays all the songs she is told not to, and as mild as it may sound, this is something that can have her sent to the prisons in Siberia, from where she, like her parents, will never come back.
When Sofia’s piano skills bring her to the attention of the authorities, Rostov realizes that it has only tightened the noose around her, and if she doesn’t get out of it now, she never might. So, when the time comes for her to go to Paris for a performance, Rostov decides that it’s best for her to leave there and never come back to Russia. The opportunity must also be exploited because things might not be aligned again. Paris not only puts Sofia at a safe distance from Russia to use the lapse in scrutiny to flee, but it also puts her closer to the American diplomat, Richard Vanderwhile, who owes Rostov a favor and will help protect Sofia and take her to America, where she will have a much better chance at living the life she wants.
According to the plan, once Sofia’s performance is done, she must immediately go to the restrooms and change her appearance by cutting off her hair and wearing man-like clothes, allowing her to become slightly, if not entirely, unrecognizable. Then, she must try to get out of the place undetected and go directly to the American embassy, where she will meet Richard. She is to hand over the recording of the secret meeting of the higher officials, which happened at the Metropol, which Rostov got at his behest. In return, the Americans know what must be done. Once Sofia is safe, she must let Rostov know by getting Richard to call on all the lines of the Metropol at once.
Despite a couple of hitches, things go mostly as planned. The timing of Sofia’s performance is changed at the last minute, giving her a very small window to escape before being noticed. She blends into the crowd flowing out of the building following the end of the performance and slips away despite coming very close to being caught. Once at the embassy, she meets Richard, and through the ringing of all the phones, Rostov knows that his daughter is safe and sound.
The next part of the plan was for Rostov and Anna Urbanova to flee Russia from a different route and eventually make their way to America, where they would meet Sofia. However, things go too wrong for them to go through with that plan. Instead of fleeing Russia, they settle at the abandoned grounds of Rostov’s family home in Idlehour. They never leave Russia, and Sofia never comes back to it. This means that they never get to see each other again, nor does Sofia ever find out what really happened to Rostov and Anna. The only thing left for her to do is to live the life they wanted her to have, for which they sacrificed everything.
