Fans have eagerly awaited season 3 of Hulu’s The Great since season 2 ended on a shocking cliffhanger. Their wait is about to be rewarded: the third season of the historical dark comedy/drama drops on May 12, and it’s clear that things are about to get wilder in the court of Empress Catherine (Elle Fanning).

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Though the central relationship between Catherine and Peter (Nicholas Hoult), former Emperor of Russia, propels the plot forward, it’s also a precarious one. The two have tried to kill each other before, and fans have long wondered when Peter might be killed off in the series. The series, which proclaims itself to be “an occasionally true story”, covers the life of Catherine the Great, who famously had a more modern sensibility about dating. The real Catherine had several lovers following the death of her husband, but The Great has yet to cover this period (though it has teased it), leaving fans to wonder: Will Peter die in The Great season 3?

What happened in season 2 of The Great?

Season 3 picks up where season 2 left off: following a coup attempt, Catherine and Peter were once again pitted against one another after having previously found common ground. Unfortunately, Catherine’s mother, Joanna (Gillian Anderson) had died while trying to seduce Peter, a fact which Peter tried to keep hidden from Catherine.

The two had finally seemed to admit their feelings for one another, and Peter kept a shocking and devastating development away from Catherine, which left her feeling betrayed and unable to trust Peter. As a result, she stabbed Peter’s body double, Pugachev (also Hoult), in a violent frenzy, before breaking down, thinking she had killed her husband. Upon discovering that he was actually still alive, both Catherine and Peter seemed uncertain of what to do next.

A Complicated Relationship

Catherine and Peter have a complicated relationship, to say the least. Their courtship was a short one: way back in episode one, viewers see Peter quickly select Catherine as his bride, following a cursory glance, because he finds her attractive and needs a Royal consort. Catherine, meanwhile, believes that Peter is going to be a storybook Prince who has come to sweep her off her feet.

What follows over the next two seasons of the period piece is a series of events in which see Catherine sitting on the throne of Russia after deposing her husband, the birth of Catherine and Peter’s son Paul, and a case of severe political instability spreading throughout Russia. Throughout it all, it becomes clear that Peter and Catherine have an undeniable chemistry together. But while Catherine initially has hope Peter will grow on her, she comes to hate him. And while Peter at first sees Catherine as dull, he comes to love her and want her to be with him.

The chemistry between the two of them eventually resulted in a growing heat between Catherine and Peter last season. Before the events of the finale, Catherine had actually admitted that she did hold love for Peter, who had grown over the course of the season, and the two had sex. Following the violent altercation Catherine had with Peter’s body double, it’s uncertain what relationship the two might have.

An occasionally true story

The Great and the play which it adapts are proudly inspired by true events – and season 2’s finale even decided to forgo this conceit entirely and dive purely into fictional waters. At its most faithful, many facts are smudged in The Great so that it can better fit the narrative of Hulu’s unfolding story.

For instance, the real Catherine the Great had been married to Peter for nearly 20 years upon his death. Quite a few of those years together occurred before Peter even ascended the throne; Catherine and Peter’s relationship timeline is significantly sped up in the series.

Catherine’s mother was also not a master matchmaker whom had managed to put her daughters on the thrones of powerful places like France and other European nations. In fact, Catherine had only one sister whilst having three brothers. Her relationship was not spontaneous but meticulously planned, as is customary for the romantic dalliances of a royal, with a one year courtship.

Finally, the real Peter died quite quickly after the coup which placed Catherine on the throne. Already, Peter’s expected lifetime has gone far past what the audience might expect in a more straightforward retelling of Catherine the Great’s life. Peter’s death early on in Catherine’s reign is actually the reason that many expect him to die on the series sooner rather than later.

Why fans don’t want it to be true

Hoult and Fanning’s chemistry is a pillar of the series. Their turns as Catherine and Peter have been widely praised. As a showcase of their artistic talent, The Great could stand as one of the premier projects in their careers. To see them separated might harm the series.

It’s an irrefutable fact that Hoult’s performance has altered how Peter has been portrayed. Originally, the character was smarmy and purposefully unlikable. Hoult’s charisma as the character has softened him tremendously, however, and has made him into a fan favorite. Some might say he’s the heart of the show.

The Great may feel like a very different show without Hoult’s presence. While the writers on The Great, including creator Tony McNamara, are amazingly talented, the possibility that the show would lose one of the main performances that made it so unique is a disappointing prospect for fans.

So, will Peter die?

The short answer is: there’s no way of truly telling until season 3 drops on May 12. But the possibility is there. Though Hoult is a central performer in the story, the focus of the series is firmly on Catherine. Peter’s own presence is incidental to hers – unless the series decides to fully embrace being a work of fiction, Catherine is destined to become a great Russian Empress, but the fact is, Peter wasn’t at her side for most of that, and the series has teased the possibility of Peter’s death before.

In season 2, following the death of Catherine’s lover Leo (Sebastian de Souza), she becomes incredibly distraught. To cheer her up, Elizabeth (Belinda Bromilow) and Marial (Phoebe Fox) cheer Catherine up with the idea of future lovers and the possibilities they may bring.

While not a confirmation, such a scene does indicate that the show isn’t tying Catherine and a happy ending to a relationship with Peter. So, while Peter may not be on the show throughout its entire run, a separation of the two doesn’t necessarily mean an unhappy ending, nor does it mean that Peter must live throughout the entire series. In fact, even if he does die on the show, the series could go on, with plenty of material still left to cover.