When the Papacy falls into a coma, who holds the keys to the Vatican?
In short: In Paolo Sorrentino’s satirical drama The New Pope, the Vatican descends into chaos when Pope Pius XIII falls into a coma. As a cult of personality forms around the comatose leader, power-hungry cardinals scramble to elect a replacement, triggering a surreal sequence of political maneuvering, radical reform, and personal collapse.
The series, a continuation of the 2016 drama The Young Pope, explores the volatile intersection of faith and institutional power. When Pope Pius XIII remains comatose, Cardinal Secretary of State Voiello fears the rise of dangerous idolatry among the faithful. His attempt to install a malleable candidate, Pope Francis II, backfires spectacularly when the new pontiff initiates radical reforms, such as redistributing church wealth and welcoming refugees, before meeting a sudden, suspicious end.
The Vatican then turns to Sir John Brannox, an aristocratic theologian known for his work, The Middle Way. Played by John Malkovich, Brannox is a man defined by deep guilt over his twin brother’s death and a fragile psyche. As he assumes the papacy as John Paul III, he attempts to modernize the Church, including proposing marriage equality for the clergy. However, he is quickly ensnared in a web of blackmail and corruption, while his own past drug addiction and plagiarized legacy threaten to unravel his leadership.
The narrative reaches a fever pitch when Pius XIII miraculously awakens, setting the stage for a brutal reckoning. The Church faces internal blackmailers, external terror threats, and the fanatical devotion of those who refuse to let the original Pope fade away. The climax involves a hostage crisis orchestrated by Pius XIII’s own followers, leading to a final sermon on moderation before his death. Ultimately, the series concludes with Voiello ascending to the papacy, leaving the characters to find a bittersweet resolution as faith and humanity collide.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The New Pope
- Also: Wikidata — The New Pope · CC0
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