The Gilded Age Season 3’s New Rivalry Is A Powderkeg Waiting To Explode

June 30, 2025

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Warning: SPOILERS For The Gilded Age Season 3, Episode 2 – “What the Papers Say.”

One of the central relationships in HBO’s The Gilded Age season 3 is potentially heading towards an explosive confrontation. Just two episodes in, The Gilded Age season 3’s characters have shown that they are willing to risk more than ever for love and power, with some finding out the hard way that these gambles do not always pay off. In particular, The Gilded Age season 3, episode 1’s ending saw Gladys fighting for her new love, only for those hopes to seemingly be dashed in episode 2.

Meanwhile, Aurora Fane’s marriage is coming to a shocking end, and Marian Brook and Larry Russell are forging a new love. The Gilded Age season 3 teased that it will explore new relationship drama and divorce, and the first two episodes are already expanding impressively into that new territory. Relationships have certainly already come to the forefront in The Gilded Age season 3, but not all are romantic. One of The Gilded Age’s biggest relationships is getting more dicey than ever, thanks to a big rivalry brewing between sisters Ada Brook and Agnes Van Rhijn.

Ada & Agnes’s Power Struggle In The Gilded Age Season 3 Explained

The Sisters Are Both Vying For Power

Two Gilded Age characters sitting in ornate chairs

Ada and Agnes have always been very different characters. Where Ada is often soft and understanding, Agnes is much more rigid and forceful. This was the case for all of seasons 1 and 2, but The Gilded Age season 2’s ending saw their dynamic completely change. After Oscar lost all of Agnes’ Van Rhijn family fortune, his mother was saved by Ada’s surprise inheritance from her late husband, Luke Forte.

Thanks to Ada, Agnes, Marian, and Oscar would not lose their home on East 61st Street, but her sudden income also meant that she became the person paying the staff. While this was teased in season 2’s ending thanks to Bannister’s confusion over whom to address as his boss, The Gilded Age season 3 has upped the stakes. Ada is now technically the servants’ employer, leaving Agnes Van Rhijn’s servants confused over who is really in charge.

It finally came down to Aurora Fane to definitively give the lead over to Ada.

The Gilded Age season 3, episode 2 escalated the tension between Agnes and Ada. With the staff still unsure which sister is the true mistress of the house, it finally came down to Aurora Fane to definitively give the lead over to Ada. Although Aurora has no authority in the Van Rhijn household, her proclamation came as a relief to everyone in the room, aside from Agnes. Aurora’s confirmation also shows just how annoyed all the other characters are with the current squabble.

The Gilded Age Marian smiling with an umbrella

HBO’s The Gilded Age season 3 is set to premiere after an extremely long wait, and it debuts with a record-breaking Rotten Tomatoes score.

Compared to Aurora facing a divorce in The Gilded Age season 3, Ada and Agnes’ feud may seem petty to their family members and staff. However, Agnes’ desire to maintain her power and Ada’s willingness to finally grasp some power of her own may have much bigger ramifications in the coming episodes, as their sibling relationship is the primary bond each of the women has.

Ada & Agnes’ Rivalry Is More Personal Than Other Feuds In The Gilded Age

Unlike The Other Characters, Their Relationship Makes Things More Complicated

The Gilded Age has a lot of rivalries, it’s part of what makes the show such a fun watch. The characters make petty, dramatic decisions, and it is great. This is particularly the case for characters like Bertha Russell and Mrs. Astor, who are each willing to fight to remain (or get to) the top of New York City’s social hierarchy. The current conflict between Agnes and Ada feels much different, though, and far more likely to have a longer-term impact on their relationship as sisters who have lived together their whole lives.

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Christine Baranski is an amazing part of The Gilded Age, but she’s just as good in her other projects, including this underrated legal drama.

The Gilded Age’s other feuds often revolve around the desire for power, and to a certain extent, that is still true for Agnes and Ada in season 3, but their problem feels much deeper. Because Agnes married someone who she did not love to maintain her way of life and provide for Ada, she feels some sense of responsibility for and control over Ada. Agnes sees Ada’s decision not to marry until later in life as one of privilege. Agnes inherited her house from her late husband, hence it’s hers, but Ada now pays for everything, so really is in charge?

Because of Agnes’ own personal history with the house, it would be jarring to suddenly find that she is no longer in charge.

Thus far in The Gilded Age season 3, Agnes has continued to prove that she cannot handle not having that power over the house, and by extension, Ada. While Aurora is right that Ada should technically be considered the staff’s boss now, and Ada always deserved to be treated better by Agnes, it seems unlikely that either sister will fully recognize exactly how much they are hurting each other until it is too late.

Ada’s Controversial Temperance Cause May Make The Van Rhijn Family Turn On Her

The Other Members Of The House Are Skeptical Of The New Cause

What-Is-The-Temperance-Movement-&-Why-The-Gilded-Age's-Ada-Joined

Agnes has often been a more unlikable character in The Gilded Age (though Christine Baranski plays the character so beautifully, I can’t help but love her at times), especially compared to Ada, who is so full of love for those around her. Ada became even more sympathetic in season 2 when she lost her husband shortly after getting married, making it impossible not to root for her to find happiness again. However, Ada’s new cause in The Gilded Age season 3 is already turning other characters against her.

Though some people do consider signing it, the pledge itself highlights just how seriously Ada is taking the temperance movement, despite the growing disdain of her family.

Ada’s growing involvement in the temperance movement in The Gilded Age season 3 is quickly putting a damper on her relationships with everyone in her household, both family and staff. Ada’s temperance meeting in episode 1 had already drawn judgment from Agnes, Marian, Aurora, and Oscar, but episode 2 takes it a step further. Ada shockingly asks her staff to sign a pledge, stating that they will refrain from consuming any alcohol, much to the chagrin of everyone around her.

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The Gilded Age’s Carrie Coon and Morgan Spector have voiced their views on Bertha’s season 3 plan for Gladys, hinting at the exciting drama to come.

Naturally, the Van Rhijn servants are confused about why they would give up one of the few pleasures they have. Though some people do consider signing it, the pledge itself highlights just how seriously Ada is taking the temperance movement, despite the growing disdain of her family. If she continues down this path, I would not be surprised to see characters like Marian or Aurora become more vocal about their disagreement, giving Agnes the upper hand again in The Gilded Age season 3.