The500,000strongNapoleon'sarmymovesthroughRussiaandcausesmuchdestructionculminatinginthebattleofBorodino.TheRussianarmyhastoretreat.Moscowisoccupied,lootedandburneddown,butsoonNapoleonlosescontrolandhastoflee.Bothsidessuffertremendouslossesinthewar,andRussiansocietyisleftirrevocablychanged.
AsMoscowissetablazebytheretreatingRussians,theRostovsfleetheirestate,takingwoundedsoldierswiththem,andunbeknownsttothem,alsoAndrei.Pierre,dressedasapeasant,triestoassassinateNapoleonbutistakenprisoner.AstheFrenchareforcedtoretreat,heismarchedformonthswiththeGrandeArmée,untilbeingfreedbyaraidingparty.TheFrencharedefeatedbyKutuzovintheBattleofKrasnoi.Andreiisrecognizedandisbroughttohisestate.HeforgivesNatashaonhisdeathbed.ShereuniteswithPierreandtheymarryasMoscowisbeingrebuilt.
画家皮埃尔·博纳尔有众多缪斯,其中如果没有神秘的玛莎,他就不会成为今天的著名画家。假扮成身败名裂意大利贵族的玛莎,让皮埃尔·博纳尔疯狂迷恋。然而她不知道,自己很快就会成为一部传世巨作的主角。