The English crown has been fiercely contested throughout history, and during the Middle Ages, a series of major civil wars becomes known as the War of the Roses. Asserting a right to the throne, the Duke of York aims to depose King Henry VI and his heir so that he may become king himself. On a dark day marked by numerous ill omens, the Duke fathers a son: Richard Plantagenet, third of his name. Neither male nor female, but possessing traits of both sexes, Richard III is immediately reviled by his mother. Her hatred shapes his childhood, fostering a deep disgust for his own body and a negative reaction to being called a demon. Richard grows up haunted by visions of England's former enemy, Joan of Arc, who taunts him that he will bring ruin to all who know him. He believes he can find salvation by helping his father fulfill his destiny of becoming king. However, cursed by the expectations of both his mother and Joan, will Richard's actions instead drag his family into darkness?