On the way to said speech, we’re treated to our first glimpse of Lieutenant Grigory Potemkin (Jason Clarke) , who is best known for the village ploy that bears his name , and second-best known for being Catherine’s long-time lover. Right now, though, he’s just another soldier admiring the Empress from afar, and having a steamy affair with her BFF, Countess Bruce (Gina McKee). Still, that strong jaw quickly catches Catherine’s eye, which causes her current lover, Orlov, to fret. If she no longer wants him, that means he and his brother lose power, and power is pretty much all the Orlovs care about. They get back at Potemkin by attacking him after a game of pool, beating him senseless. But their brute force can only take them so far in a court that operates on intrigue and intelligence above all else.