If the reality of his situation hasnt yet sunk in, its about to.
Across the battlefield, Andrei has it worse.
The rest of him isnt looking much better.
Credit: Laurie Sparham
He and Andrei take hands; theres no use for grudges when youre dying.
Kutuzov plays a long game.
Napoleons spirit wont be fully broken until winter hits; for now, hes free to take Moscow.
He might need to do something about that communication breakdown.
Natasha and Andrei are reunited (and it feelsmostlygood Id prefer it if he werent dying).
Natasha and Andrei have both grown up since their botched courtship.
He apologizes for leaving her and for breaking off the engagement; she takes responsibility for being foolish.
By the time Marya arrives with Andreis son, her brother has taken a turn for the worse.
They could both use the friendship.
Natasha hasnt seen Pierre since the day she left Moscow.
A soldier pushes him out of the line without explanation, sentencing him to imprisonment instead.
NEXT: Dog days of winter
Pierres captivity is, at first, just a lot of sitting.
I cant handle when dogs are in danger.
The peasant develops a cough, and hes shot as soon as he stops to rest.
As the snow piles up and the prisoners move on, Platons dog refuses to leave his side.
Id like to get through the day, so Im telling myself that the dog will eventually be rescued.
If Pierre could be liberated by the same man he once shot in a duel, anything could happen.
The Rostov family is, to quote Natashas mother, RUINED.
As if Sonya hadnt already accepted the inevitable, theres no way Nikolai can marry her now.
Marya feels the same.
Pierre is a new man after his ordeal.
Its as if hes fresh from the bathhouse all pure and clean, Natasha marvels.
Helenes pregnancy ruined her in Russian society, and she died attempting to abort the baby.
The friends reconnect, and Pierre works up the courage to ask Natasha if she could love him.
She could, and she does.
This epilogue could not be more aggressively happy if it tried and Ill take it.
They fought for this optimism.
