Exquisite Corpse

**Exquisite Corpse** is the fifth episode of the of Season Two of *Russian Doll* and the thirteenth episode of the series overall.

## Synopsis

*Nadia tracks down the stolen valuables and formulates a plan to secure her family's future. But she comes to a grim realization.*

## Plot

Nadia disembarks the train in Budapest in 1944. She catches a glimpse of her reflection in a mirror, and realizes she’s a young Vera! Nadia speaks fluent Hungarian like her grandmother, so she asks a nearby soldier about the Nazi on her grandfather’s itemized receipt.

Suddenly, a woman refers to her as “Erzebet” and yanks her away from the soldier. She chastises Nadia for not flying under the radar and revealing her real name. Nadia, a.k.a. Vera, is a widower, and that’s her story. The woman warns her that if Vera’s not careful, she’ll wind up like her mother. So, Vera’s family didn’t survive World War II.

After encountering this woman, Nadia ventures out into Budapest and returns to her grandmother’s apartment building. Nadia enters said apartment to find it mostly empty, save for a few belongings haphazardly strewn about as someone packed and left in a hurry.

Someone calls out to Nadia, and she follows the noise to another woman wearing all black. It’s young Delia, and she invites Nadia to join her in a secret compartment behind a mirror.

The pair trade swigs from a flask while Nadia asks her questions in English about the gold train. However, Delia reveals that all of their possessions reside in a warehouse courtesy of the Nazis. The Soviets haven’t arrived in Budapest yet. Nadia plans to break into the building and take back her family fortune.

Then, Nadia finds the warehouse, and it’s chock full of Hungarian-Jewish possessions that are up for sale to the general public. Nadia wanders downstairs and searches through countless crates and containers; all labeled numerically.

Finally, she discovers her family’s belongings, including the duffel bag housing the Krugerrands. Nadia swipes it and stuffs the bag with as many jewels as she can carry before departing.

Later, we see Nadia concealing the duffel bag of possessions in a hole in a wall in an abandoned subway tunnel. She sketches a map to presumably leave for the real Vera so that she can find it.

Next, Nadia wakes in a church, still in 1944 Budapest. She encounters Father Laszlo, the priest whose grave Maxine and Nadia had previously found in present day, where Father Laszlo’s tombstone had pebbles sitting atop it, a Jewish burial custom.

Anyway, Nadia approaches Father Laszlo, and asks him to mail the map to the family treasure to Vera Peschauer in New York. Father Laszlo suggests they meet outside the church later that evening.

So, Nadia waits at the train station for Father Laszlo. Unfortunately, she drops the map. One woman retrieves it, calling out for Vera Peschauer. Nadia quickly grabs the map and shoves it in Father Laszlo’s hands, who arrives just in the nick of time. Nadia hops aboard the train before the soldiers get to her.

Later, Vera is excavating the spot in the subway tunnel where Nadia hid the duffel bag. She later boards the train with Delia and relishes in her victory. It’s 1968 in New York, and the duo plans to trade their prized jewels and riches for gold.

Next, Nadia as Vera and Delia are at the bank while the employees examine the jewels to determine their worth. Delia reveals they want Krugerrands as payment. However, this declaration gives Nadia pause. By accepting the Krugerrands, she’s repeating history. Nadia tells Delia they need to obtain a different currency, but Delia insists that Krugerrands are the most stable currency.

Feeling deflated, Nadia heads home to her grandmother’s apartment. Young Nora dances for Nadia, and she regales the former with a tale of cyclical trauma. History repeats itself. She did precisely what Vera did all those years ago to secure the Krugerrands.

After dancing with a young Nora, Nadia returns to New York City in 2022. She watches while a mother and young daughter gleefully chat together. When Nadia overhears a passerby saying something rude, she follows him into the next car.

Back in the 1980s,Vera, Delia and Ruth greet a confused Nora, who continues walking past them. Nadia waltzes into the next car, and she transforms into a younger Vera in the 1960s. Then, Nadia wanders into the next car, morphing her into the Vera from 1944 Budapest.

Finally, Nadia returns to 2022, but she continues the cycle again by revisiting 1982. Suddenly, Nora’s water breaks, and it’s time to give birth to Nadia! Ruth, Vera and Delia quickly surround Nora.

## Cast

### Starring

* Natasha Lyonne as Nadia Vulvokov
* Chloë Sevigny as Lenora Vulvokov

### Guest Starring

* Irén Bordán as Vera Peschauer
	+ Ilona McCrea as Young Vera Peschauer
* Annie Murphy as Young Ruth Brenner
* Ákos Orosz as Father Laszlo Kiss
* Franciska Farkas as Young Delia