‘Brigands’ Season 2 Theories: Is Carmine Crocco Inspired By A Real-Life Person?

Brigands: The Quest for Gold season 1 left us on a cliffhanger, and a very interesting thing happened at the end, which made me think in which direction the narrative is going to proceed if there is a season 2. As of now, there hasn’t been any official announcement about a second season, but let’s find out in what direction the lives of the characters would lead them if the makers decide to extend the franchise.

Spoiler Alert

What will happen to Michelina? 

The only leverage that the Piedmontese army had at the end of Brigands was that they took Michelina into custody. The damage had already been done. The army had been defeated, and the gold had been stolen from the church, even if, in the end, Filomena realized that she had been duped and Sparrowhawk had taken everything with him. The battle is clearly not over as of yet, as the Piedmontese Army, under the leadership of the oppressive king, would try to gain their lost authority before taking the big decision of leaving the South and going back to their land. Michelina was not the kind of person who would sit quietly, and if she did not succumb to her injuries, she would create problems for the royal army in season 2.

The brigands would try to get her released from the prison at any cost, but for that, somebody would have to assume the role of the leader like Michelina did in season 1, as acting separately and in their own capacity would not lead them anywhere. One thing that Michelina had realized was that the royal army was not infallible, and it was only a matter of time before the common citizens who had accepted the authority ruling over them would realize that they didn’t deserve to be subjected to such behavior. Michelina gave the citizens hope, and they knew that if they put their faith in her, then their lives would probably become better, and they wouldn’t have to live such miserable lives. The Piedmontese army had all the resources to create a welfare state, but the high-ranking officials only cared for their own vested interests. So the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. I believe that in Brigands season 2, there will come a time when the people will realize that they have had enough, and an internal rebellion will shake the foundation of the sitting regime and force the leader out of power. 

What’s next for Filomena? 

Filomena put her trust in Sparrowhawk even after, time and again, everybody told her that he was not to be trusted. Filomena had a tumultuous life, and she endured so much pain without any fault of hers. In Brigands season 1, we saw how she was tortured by her own husband in the worst possible manner. People on the outside thought that just because she had nice clothes to wear and good food to eat, she was happy. But it was not so. She was abused and tortured for no rhyme or reason, and she was pushed to such an extent that a non-violent person like her took the decision to kill her own husband. After Filomena ran from her palace, she wasn’t trusted by Pietro and his gang for the longest time. Once she proved her allegiance, she was given to Sparrowhawk, and then later, once again, she found herself in the custody of the Piedmontese regime when Fumel took her in. At the end of season 1, Filomena made a grand plan, and she succeeded in her endeavors. Southern gold, which was considered a myth for a long time, was taken by the British. But a twist came in the end when the Sparrowhawk took it and went away.

Filomena had seen so much in her life that, at this juncture, I don’t think she would just quietly sit down and resign to her fate. In the absence of Michelina, I believe that in season 2, we could see a new leader of the British emerge. Filomena had the capability to unify the forces, and I believe that until now, she would have realized that if they didn’t act together, then they wouldn’t stand a chance against the royal army. Once again, the British didn’t have any money, so they would have to resort to guerilla tactics to procure the resources, wage war against the oppressive regime, and, most importantly, get Michelina out of prison. I believe we are going to witness certain radical changes in Filomena’s personality in Brigands season 2 (if there is one), and she is going to proceed in a more authoritative manner, shedding off all that innocence and vulnerability that was an intricate part of her personality. 

Is Carmine Crocco Inspired By A Real-Life Person? 

At the end of season 1, we saw that Sparrowhawk went to meet a man named Carmine Crocco, and that made me speculate if the character is based on or inspired by the real-life outlaw who was once called the Napoleon of the British. Sparrowhawk had a lot of explaining to do, as he had taken the gold without telling anyone and gone straight to Crocco to get a woman released who initially seemed to be his lover. In Brigands season 2, Sparrowhawk will obviously cross paths with Filomena, and she will not spare him as she was hurt.

As for Crocco, history tells us that he was a part of Garibaldi’s expedition that happened in 1860. So basically, the man had fought against the Piedmontese forces once, and he had created an army in a faraway land that was considered to be as lethal as any royal army. Crocco was seen as a terrorist by many, and some who knew him personally believed him to be the hero who would get them their independence back. It will be interesting to see how the makers intertwine the real-life facts with fictionalized elements. I believe if there is a season 2, Carmine Crocco and his army will play a crucial role in the scheme of things, and probably Filomena’s brigands will join forces with them and uproot the oppressive regime in the times to come.