We see her history in flashes: a woman who used her beauty and intellect to seduce kings and generals, clawing her way up from a concubine to the most powerful political figure in Silla. By the time the episode begins, she controls the Hwarang (the elite warrior corps) and strikes fear into the King himself. The narrative establishes early that Mishil represents "Power by Force," while the soon-to-be-born Seondeok represents "Power by Virtue."
And that, dear viewer, is the sign of a legendary show. The reign of Queen Seondeok has not yet begun—but the prophecy has been set in stone. the great queen seondeok ep 1
Deokman, bruised and tear-streaked, looks toward the distant palace spires glowing in the sunrise. Voiceover (adult Deokman): “They said I was the forgotten twin. The cursed one. But curses are just stories told by the afraid. And I… I will write a new story.” We see her history in flashes: a woman
In a heart-wrenching sequence, the royal nanny, , is tasked with the unthinkable: protecting the children. Due to a chaotic assassination attempt and a mix-up, So-Hwa is forced to flee the palace with one of the twins, Deokman, leaving the other twin, Cheonmyeong, behind to be raised as the official princess. The reign of Queen Seondeok has not yet
This episode establishes the twin birth, Mishil’s villainy, the sacrifice, and the first spark of destiny—grounding Seondeok’s future rise in loss, intelligence, and resilience.
She ignores the order to retire and instead helps Prince Geumnyun (the King's second son) take the throne as King Jinji , bypassing the King's designated successor, his grandson Baekjeong.