A prince's journey from fractured brotherhood to unifying the Slavic tribes against internal corruption and external invasion.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
The Tripartite Rule
Three pagan princes initially share rule over ancient Rus' under the guidance of volkhvy priests. The land remains peaceful until a power-hungry student murders his master, triggering a curse.
Key Events
Tripartite Rule Established — Three pagan princes initially share rule over the land under priestly guidance. Characters: Vladimir (voice), Yaropolk (voice)Location: Ancient Rus
Volkhvy Priestly Guidance — The princes operate under the spiritual and political guidance of wise volkhvy priests. Characters: Vladimir (voice), Yaropolk (voice)Location: Sacred Grove
Student Kills Master — A power-hungry student murders his master, triggering a dark curse. Characters: Krivzha (voice)Location: Volkhvy Sanctum
Birth of Krivzha — The cursed student adopts the name Krivzha, marking his descent into darkness. Characters: Krivzha (voice)Location: Volkhvy Sanctum
Krivzha's Priestly Rise — Krivzha ascends as a high priest, driven by an insatiable quest for dominance. Characters: Krivzha (voice)Location: High Priest Throne
Conspiracy with Kurya — Krivzha secretly allies with Pecheneg khan Kurya to destabilize the region. Characters: Krivzha (voice), Kurya (voice)Location: Secret Chamber
The Shadow of Krivzha
Krivzha rises as a high priest and conspires with Pecheneg khan Kurya to pillage villages and undermine princely authority. He manipulates Vladimir into becoming a cruel ruler.
Key Events
Pecheneg Raids Begin — Kurya's forces launch devastating raids on Slavic settlements. Characters: Kurya (voice)Location: Rural Frontier
Vladimir's Corruption — Krivzha manipulates Vladimir, twisting his rule into cruelty and paranoia. Characters: Krivzha (voice), Vladimir (voice)Location: Palace
Oleg's Assassination — Prince Oleg is killed, shattering the initial peace among the brothers.
Location: Drelinia
Vladimir's False Accusation — Vladimir accuses Yaropolk of murdering Oleg and prepares to strike. Characters: Vladimir (voice), Yaropolk (voice)Location: Throne Room
Attempted Regicide — Vladimir attempts to kill his brother Yaropolk in a fit of rage. Characters: Vladimir (voice), Yaropolk (voice)Location: Throne Room
Dobrynya's Intervention — Uncle Dobrynya intervenes and kills Yaropolk during the confrontation. Characters: Dobrynya (voice), Yaropolk (voice)Location: Throne Room
Vladimir's Profound Regret — Vladimir deeply regrets his uncle's action, blinding him to the true conspiracy. Characters: Vladimir (voice), Dobrynya (voice)Location: Palace
Blood and Regret
Oleg is assassinated, prompting Vladimir to accuse and attack Yaropolk. Uncle Dobrynya intervenes and kills Yaropolk, leaving Vladimir consumed by regret and blind to the larger conspiracy.
Key Events
Unification Vision — Vladimir shifts focus to uniting the fragmented Slavic tribes into one state. Characters: Vladimir (voice)Location: Court
Uncovering the Conspiracy — Vladimir gradually realizes the priest and khan are manipulating events. Characters: Vladimir (voice), Krivzha (voice), Kurya (voice)Location: Hidden Archives
Gathering the Tribes — Vladimir successfully rallies the tribes, overcoming political and military obstacles. Characters: Vladimir (voice)Location: Assembly Grounds
Victory and Consolidation
Vladimir shifts his focus to uniting the Slavic tribes, overcoming political and military obstacles. He ultimately defeats Krivzha and wins the decisive battle against Kurya.
Key Events
Final Confrontation with Krivzha — Vladimir directly confronts and defeats the corrupt high priest. Characters: Vladimir (voice), Krivzha (voice)Location: Battlefield
Battle Against Kurya — Vladimir leads his united forces against the Pecheneg khan in open combat. Characters: Vladimir (voice), Kurya (voice)Location: Open Field
Victory and Consolidation — Vladimir wins the battle, securing peace and establishing a unified state. Characters: Vladimir (voice)Location: United Rus
Legacy of Unity — The narrative concludes with Vladimir's successful unification of the Slavic lands. Characters: Vladimir (voice)Location: Ancient Rus
Story Breakdown
Pagan Brotherhood Setup — The narrative introduces three ruling princes and their initial peaceful coexistence under priestly guidance.
Three Princes Rule — Vladimir, Oleg, and Yaropolk share authority over ancient Rus'.
Priestly Guidance — The volkhvy priests provide spiritual and political direction to the realm.
The Cursed Ascension — A violent betrayal within the priesthood creates the antagonist Krivzha and sets the stage for corruption.
Student's Betrayal — A power-hungry student murders his master, triggering a defining curse.
Name of Krivzha — The cursed student adopts a new identity, marking his descent into darkness.
Dark Conspiracy Unfolds — Krivzha seeks dominance by allying with foreign forces and manipulating internal leadership.
Pact with Kurya — Krivzha secretly partners with the Pecheneg khan to destabilize the region.
Village Raids — Coordinated attacks devastate Slavic settlements to weaken princely authority.
Fratricidal Conflict — The assassination of Oleg triggers a chain of violence and regret among the brothers.
Oleg's Assassination — Oleg is killed, shattering the initial peace and prompting Vladimir's rage.
Vladimir's Regret — Dobrynya kills Yaropolk during the confrontation, leaving Vladimir consumed by guilt.
The Unification Quest — Vladimir pivots from personal vengeance to a grand political mission of consolidation.
Gathering Tribes — Vladimir successfully rallies fragmented tribes despite significant political obstacles.
Overcoming Obstacles — Strategic and military challenges are resolved through leadership and unity.
Final Confrontation — The protagonist directly faces the sources of corruption and invasion to secure peace.
Defeating Krivzha — Vladimir destroys the corrupt high priest and breaks his influence over the realm.
Battle Against Kurya — United Slavic forces engage and defeat the Pecheneg khan in open combat.
Legacy of Unity — The narrative concludes with the successful establishment of a consolidated Slavic state.
State Consolidation — Vladimir secures lasting peace and formalizes the unified political structure.
Historical Impact — The film closes on the enduring legacy of Vladimir's unification efforts.
The plot follows the events surrounding Vladimir from childhood and into adulthood. In the beginning of the film, being under the influence of the high priest Krivzha, the Prince is a young, impulsive and cruel pagan. Fighting for supreme power, Vladimir wins a battle that kills his brother. Regretting what he has done, Vladimir does not suspect a conspiracy between the priest and the Pechenegs. Vladimir is concerned about gathering the Slavic tribes into one united state. Solving this major task, he faces obstacles, which Vladimir overcomes in the end, defeating Krivzha and winning the battle against Kurya, a Pecheneg chief.
