Leonardo da Vinci is arrested for poisoning Caterina de Cremona; after protesting his innocence to Stefano Giraldi, Leonardo remembers back to his days as an apprentice in Andrea del Verrocchio's studio, where he first meets Caterina.

With Leonardo's successes recognized and his reputation growing, a risky decision sets to destroy everything he has worked for; Leonardo receives support through new commissions but pays the price for his actions.

Leonardo ventures to Milan with a determination to claim an offer of patronage from the Duke Regent, Ludovico Sforza; the reality of the situation turns out to be less appealing.

When Ludovico asks Leonardo to create a sculpture in honor of his father, Leonardo's ambitions reach new heights as he endeavors to exceed the expectations placed upon him.

Following the death of Ludovico's wife, Leonardo is assigned a new commission but struggles to deal with his inner turmoil; after taking on board some wise words from Fr. Luca Pacioli, Leonardo seeks assistance.

Returning to Florence, an uninspired Leonardo accepts to paint the portrait that will become the Mona Lisa; after failing to repair his relationship with Caterina, Leonardo goes to Imola, where he receives much praise from his employer.