SPARTACUS WAR OF THE DAMNED SERIES FINALE: VICTORY

What defines victory? According to Spartacus, who has had plenty of experience with victory and also time to unlock the true meaning of the word, life defines victory. The lives of the rebels are what matter most. Freedom is what matters. In that sense, Spartacus came out of this series victorious. He died free, which is probably the most we could have ever realistically hoped for for the character. Because let's face it, not only was he historically supposed to die, but in Spartacus, everyone dies sooner or later. Could anyone have imagined a version of this series that ended with Spartacus walking away to live happily ever after? No, he had to die. And so did just about everyone else. Agron and Nasir were spared, along with Laeta and Sibyl, and the lady with her symbolic baby. They live on to define Spartacus' "Victory." And they live on to tell his story.

We expected a giant battle, and by the gods, we got one. The episode didn't waste a whole lot of time with set-up, though there were a couple of things set in motion from the start. The episode began with a nod to Kubrick's film and the classic line, "I am Spartacus!" spoken by Spartacus' men, and the man himself, whose real name we'll never know.

Spartacus and Crassus had a little chat on the night before the battle. During the conversation, Spartacus happened to mention that a woman was responsible for Tiberius' death, which contradicted Kore and Caesar's story about some nameless male slave being the one to kill his son. The confrontation that resulted from that little nugget of information led to Kore confessing to Crassus that she killed Tiberius, after which Caesar backed her up and told Crassus that Tiberius raped Kore and did some other horrible things. Crassus seemed far too forgiving, and it was almost obvious that this business would be tended to later. So I wasn't especially surprised that he saw Kore dead by the end of the episode, though crucifixion seemed like a harsh punishment. Ok, she killed his son, but he had it coming.

If we want to get deep with this situation with Kore and Crassus, we could suggest that her death was more than just Crassus punishing a disloyal slave. Maybe he killed her because he knew he'd never be able to look at her without thinking about what a failure his son turned out to be (and have to accept at least some of the blame for it). With Kore gone, maybe he'll be able to look at the bust of Tiberius and pretend he wasn't a rapist.

Other pre-battle set-up had Spartacus sitting down with Gannicus and talking about his wife, Sura and the love he felt for her. Spartacus has always been good with words. We saw that later in the episode when he spoke to the rebels who were marching on toward freedom, and again when he motivated the troops just before the battle. As good as he is with rally cries, he's just as good one-on-one, because he knows how to observe and connect with people. That skill proved useful tonight in getting Gannicus on board to lead. Gannicus told Spartacus he'd gladly give his life to save the lives of others. He was looking at Sibyl when he said it, and I'm thinking the leader caught that and realized Gannicus was a changed man. Love has changed him and maybe that change is enough that he might be willing to lead.

With Agron unable to wield a sword, Gannicus and Naevia are really the only two people remaining in Spartacus' inner circle who could take on the responsibility. Naevia is certainly a capable warrior, but Gannicus has been prime for a leadership role for a while. So it was he who led some of the army around to attack Crassus' army from the back and snatch up their spear-shooter things (I'm sure those giant crossbow weapons have a more formal name, but that's what I'm calling them). Before his departure, Gannicus and Sibyl were together one last time, and he informed her that she was mistaken to believe he was sent by the gods to save her. It was she who saved him.

With the non-fighting rebels sent north to the mountains, the rest prepared for battle.

Better to fall by the sword than by the master's lash.

Highlights from the battle included the amazingly terrible spike-filled trench used to slaughter the Romans on the front line as they marched forward. And then came the ramps, which were perched atop the shields of some of the Romans on the other side of the trench, who were obviously too trained to hold formation that they didn't consider just tipping the ramps over and letting the rebels fall into the spike trench. The rebels had archers. The Romans fired back with catapulted fireballs. And then things got really messy.

Here's how everyone died:

Lugo - Got hit with flames when one of the fire balls flew past. But he didn't let that stop him from throwing around his giant hammer and fighting until he was too melted and stabbed to keep going. His last words: "Fuck your Mothers" (in German). RIP Lugo. You and your giant hammer were awesome.

Castus - Got slashed in the chest. He was fortunately near the man he loved when it happened. Nasir was at his side as Castus died. But his final words were not to Nasir, but to Agron, saying "Would that I have been you, but for a day." RIP Castus. You were a sweet guy, and a positive representation of pirates but Nasir/Agron forever!

Saxa - Got stabbed to death, and Gannicus was there to hold her one last time as she died. Her final words were, "I again find myself in your arms." (in German). Gannicus let out a roar the second she was gone. RIP Saxa. You were beautiful and scary-awesome.

Naevia - She was killed by Caesar, who stabbed her down the back of her neck with her own sword. Or technically, Tiberius' sword, I think. And he called her "slave" right before she died, which I hated. It's also a shame that she had to be taken down by the man who should have been defeated by Crixus. RIP Naevia. You died a warrior and were one of the most-changed-for-the-better characters of the series for the way you rose up from timid servant to fierce fighter.

Gannicus - Gannicus would probably still be fighting Romans if those people would only fight fair. After some fierce battle with Caesar, Gannicus found himself boxed in by Romans, who conveniently protected Caesar. We knew Caesar wasn't going to die, so Gannicus' fate seemed all but sealed the moment those Romans moved in on him. I thought Caesar would execute him there, but no, he saved Gannicus to be crucified alongside Kore and the other captured rebels.

It's a horrible way to die, but we were given some solace, first when Gannicus saw Oenomaus standing nearby, an indication that death was near. And maybe it was a little of Oenomaus' promise being fulfilled. He did tell Gannicus he would be there to greet him in the afterlife. And then Gannicus had his Titanic moment. The last we saw him, he was standing at the center of the arena, the crowd roaring his name, which was surely a heavenly sight and sound for this champion. RIP Gannicus. I wanted you to survive this, but you died a champion.

Lots of rebels - In addition to the men and women who died in battle, Pompey's men came upon half the group of rebels headed north to the mountains and killed many, if not all of them. Pompey, incidentally, would be the one to claim the credit for Spartacus' death. A maneuver Crassus used to gain favor with the man.

There is no justice. Not in this world.

Spartacus - Spartacus chased down Crassus, first knocking him off of his horse and then chasing him and his guard up a hill and away from the mayhem, where Crassus then hid behind his men, each of whom Spartacus killed until it was just the two of them. We know Crassus can fight. We've seen it before and we saw it tonight when he and Spartacus finally faced off, but he proved to be no match for Spartacus in the end.

Spartacus is charged by all of the loss he's experienced, and while Crassus has experienced loss too, Spartacus has had much longer to turn that anger into fuel, and that worked in his favor when squaring off against Crassus. During the fight, we saw him flash to Sura, and Varro, and Mira. These are people he loved, whose lives were taken by Romans. Even with the loss of his son, Crassus hasn't yet built up enough outrage to match what Spartacus had going on inside.

Man to man, Spartacus beat Crassus. He caught the man's sword by the blade just as he was about to be run through, flipped Crassus over and prepared to kill him. The moment was frozen and then unfrozen as Spartacus prepared to deliver the final blow, when he was halted by the spears coming through his back. A bunch of Romans showed up in the nick and took away his victory.

I get that they're supposed to protect the Imperator, but all of the back-stabbing among these people is ridiculous! On the bright side (kind of), Agron and Nasir showed up in time to save Spartacus from being executed by Crassus, which would've been a really crappy way for our hero to go out. I'll admit, I was holding my breath in that moment, wondering how I was going to be able to accept the ending of this show and find a positive way to look at it if Crassus was the one to take Spartacus down, in an unfair fight, no less. But fortunately, it didn't go down that way. Crassus got away and Spartacus was taken away with Nasir and Agron and reunited with the Laeta, Sibyl and symbolic mother and baby. But there's no coming back from spears through the chest. Not spears that big anyway.

Do not shed tear. There is no greater victory than to fall from this world a free man.

Spartacus died in the grass, speaking Sura's name in anticipation of finally meeting the only woman he's ever truly been in love with, in the afterlife. And he'll finally hear his name spoken again when he meets her there. The moment he died, it began to rain. A fitting way for the gods to pay tribute to the fall of Spartacus, Bringer of Rain.

Agron pointed out that Rome will one day crumble, but Spartacus would be remembered in the hearts of all who crave freedom. The series ended with the remaining rebels walking away, presumably north to the mountains.

Just a random theory to throw out there, but Sibyl was last seen holding her abdomen, which makes me wonder if it's meant to be implied that she's pregnant. She and Gannicus did share one last romantic night together before the battle. Maybe that's just my wishful thinking talking, but I like the idea there might be a little something of Gannicus left behind, beyond his legend.

But legend is enough. In fact, Agron's words about Spartacus' name being remembered proved to be true, and that's as much of a happy ending as we could have expected for this series. Spartacus has always been a series that's more about the journey than it was its destination. Like many great stories, its value was in evolving plot and the character development. In that respect, Spartacus proved to be one of the better and truly underrated dramas in recent years, and it will certainly be missed.

The series closed out with credits that showed the character stand-ups we usually see at the end of each episode, only this one included all of the characters from the series' run, and ended with original Spartacus Andy Whitfield's triumphant cry, "I am Spartacus!" Fitting tribute for actor, character and series.

To series creator Steven DeKnight, the other writers, the cast and the crew, sincerest gratitude for many entertaining episodes and a satisfying conclusion.

SOURCE: CINEMABLEND

SPARTACUS: SEASON 3, WAR OF THE DAMNED, EPISODE 9: THE DEAD & THE DYING

With last week's "catch-up" night creating a gap between new episodes, we were given an extra week to grieve the loss of a certain beloved character at the end of "Separate Paths." Even with the added time between episodes, it was still impossible not to get emotional at the end of tonight's episode, which took a moment to honor Crixus and remember the fallen brothers. Just hearing the names Varro, Oenomaus, Mira and others makes me want to start from the beginning and watch all of the seasons just to revisit the fallen brothers and sisters of this war. 

"Victory" awaits! It's not entirely impossible to predict what might happen in next week's finale, but this show has always been a bit more about the execution than it is the outcome. Case in point, do we miss Lucy Lawless on this series? Absolutely. But it's impossible to regret her fantastic final scene. So, my optimistic approach to next week's finale is that, no matter who lives and who dies, I just want it to be amazing. This show has yet to let me down in that regard.

Tonight's episode had Spartacus catching himself a gaggle of Romans, one of whom just so happened to be Tiberius. This happened only after Naevia returned with the head of her beloved and news of the Romans' victory against Crixus' army, and how the "boy of scant years" stabbed her beloved in the back. 

The table's turned fast tonight, when Tiberius and his guys were captured - falling prey to a trap set when Spartacus and his men had the good fortune of taking down some of Pompey's men - and Crassus sent Caesar off to Spartacus to offer a trade. He offered the captured rebels (or 500 of them) for Tiberius' life. As much as I'm sure we all wanted to see Tiberius come to a bloody death, would it be worth it if it meant Agron's life? Poor Agron was literally crucified and left to suffer on a cross while the details were sorted out. And to think, had it not been for last week's catch-up night, this episode (and that crucifixion) would have taken place Good Friday, the day Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Christ. 

It's been so long since we've seen some arena fighting in this series. Tonight, rather than the enslaved gladiators being forced to fight each other, it was the captured Romans being fought and killed for sport by fighters far more experienced and far more motivated than they were. It was no contest. There was even a cliff. It was just like old times.

I wanted Naevia to be the one to kill Tiberius. Given what she's been through and the abuse she's suffered at Roman hands, added to Tiberius' proven appreciation for sexual assault as a means of asserting himself, it seemed fitting that Naevia be the warrior tasked with killing him. Plus, he killed Crixus, so there's that too. The justice wouldn't just be poetic, it'd also be plain-old-eye-for-an-eye vengeance. 

As it turned out, Naevia didn't get her eye, but Tiberius did get the stab in the back he had coming to him, and it came from another one of his victims. Naevia did get to fight and defeat Tiberius in the arena. Her battle with Tiberius was another demonstration of just how far she's come, especially when we consider the live she lived when they were all still in Capua. I don't think I ever would have pictured that Naevia battling anyone in the ring. This Naevia is a warrior. 

Naevia had Tiberius down, and it was just a matter of landing his own sword against his neck. But she chose not to when Spartacus informed her - at the very last second - of the trade Caesar offered. Earlier Naevia had a conversation with Kore about the choices they've made, essentially calling Kore out not killing Crassus when she had the chance. Well, she had the chance to kill Tiberius in the arena, but when moment presented itself to "balance scale," she ended up choosing not to follow through. It was the right call, even if she hated to do it. And the victory is still hers where it counts. 

Tiberius was set to be returned to his father, and Caesar assured them they'd honor the deal. Then Kore showed up and stuck a dagger in Tiberius' back, clearly deciding now was the time to "balance fucking scales." Tiberius had just long enough to realize what happened and know he was dying, and then he died. He had it coming, not only for raping Kore (and Caesar, who played his part in all of this), but also for stabbing Crixus in the back. Just a little bit of Karma to go with the carnage. 

Of course, with Tiberius' dead, the arranged trade was on the verge of collapsing. But earlier, Tiberius revealed to Kore that Crassus missed her dearly. So Kore offered herself up as something else Crassus wanted to honor the trade. It probably wasn't the hugest sacrifice on her part, when you think about it. She seemed pretty content to be Crassus' slave/mistress. They were even on a first-name basis. It was being raped by Tiberius that Kore didn't appreciate, and that's what led her to join the rebels. Now that he's dead, she can return to Crassus and they can live happily ever after, right? Crassus did welcome her back with open arms, seeming to buy Caesar's fudged version of the truth. But he wants her to call him Dominus now, which suggests he's cooled to her since she left him. So maybe she'll regret this choice down the line, especially considering she had her freedom. Or maybe she'll think it's worth it because she got to put a knife in her rapist's back.

Caesar did make good on the trade, and many rebels were returned, Agron among them. Nasir - who believed him to be dead - was there to help him the moment he arrived, barely able to walk on his own. Castus looked sad, but given his feelings for Nasir, that's not surprising. 

For Crixus!

The episode ended with an emotional tribute to the fallen gladiators and rebels as Crixus' head was burned. It was a fitting moment to reflect on the men and women who died over the course of this story, and it may be the only time the show has left to do that. There's just one episode in this story. "Victory" airs next Friday night and the distant thunder promises storm and blood! 

SOURCE: CINEMABLEND

SPARTACUS: SEASON 3, WAR OF THE DAMNED, EPISODE 8: SEPARATE PATHS

Heartbreaking. Was the ending of "Separate Paths" especially surprising? No, not really. The installment being one of only three episodes left in the series and a bloody war growing ever bloodier, deaths were inevitable and it was only a matter of time before we lost someone major. But that didn't make tonight's final moments any less devastating. Given the events of the episode, I can't say I'll be disappointed to see Tiberius die bloody before all is said and done. Whether or not he meets his end in the final two episodes remains to be seen, but given his treatment of Caesar, the past assault on Kore and his most recent kill, I'd say he has an ugly death coming. I'd like to see Naevia to do the honors, if she manages to survive long enough for that to happen. Factoring in her own brutal history and Tiberius' misdeeds, Naevia seems like the prime candidate to exact justice on the man. But justice won't bring back Crixus or give him and Naevia the future they so very much deserved.

Let's wipe tears from eyes for a moment and go back to the beginning. The season has been setting us up for Spartacus and Crixus to part ways for a while now. Crixus has been chomping at the bit to kill Romans and Spartacus has taken a more tactical approach at maneuvering the army. Tonight's episode saw the birth of a child, which seemed to be a catalyst to some of what was to come. Given how much sex these people have, I'm honestly surprised there aren't more pregnant women wandering around. Were there contraceptives in those days? (Insert Trojan joke here.) The birth of the child seemed to prompt Spartacus to choose the "flight" approach to protecting the rebels. With plans to move the freed slaves up toward the Alps so that they can get on with being free, Crixus voiced his opinion on heading toward Rome and finishing what they started.

At this point, Spartacus wasn't going to force Crixus or anyone else to move on. As he put it, they've all fought for the chance to forge their own path. He's no longer going to stand in the way of Crixus' or anyone else's. So Crixus was free to move toward Rome and take whomever wanted to go with him. There was no animosity on either side, which opened up the departure to celebration and tearful goodbyes.

The group stormed a villa and set up a place to drink, sing that ridiculous "My Cock Rages On" drinking song, have sex - for one couple, in the very fountain where one recently slaughtered Roman was left to die - and enjoy a brief reprieve from the war. The scene was a stark contrast to the icy encampment last week. And that's when the goodbyes started to happen.

Agron and Nasir have been on the outs of late, but the two seemed to be coming back together in recent episodes. When Agron revealed that he was going to fight with Crixus, Nasir was on board to come along. But Agron insisted he go with Spartacus. While Agron is a warrior at heart, it was important to him that Nasir survive all of this. The two shared an emotional goodbye that felt like the real deal. And given the events that transpired later, it may very well have been.

Naevia and Crixus shared a moment earlier, talking about their own future. But it was clear from the conversation that this war comes first and that they stay together. When Crixus was called away, Naevia looked on at the newborn baby and it seemed like she knew she was never going to have that future. She and Crixus are fighting for the baby's future and the future of other slaves, not their own, unfortunately. It was that conversation that seemed to decide that they would move on with the war no matter what.

Speaking of the baby, the birth revealed to Spartacus that one of Crassus' slaves was in their midst. When Kore openly revealed to him that she left Crassus because his son was raping her, Spartacus took pity on her and put her in Laeta's care. Of course they're going to think she's another Crassus spy, but given what happened to his wife, it's not entirely surprising that Spartacus would show mercy on another abused woman. Or maybe he hopes she'll leak information to Crassus. There's always that possibility.

Spartacus allowed himself some down time tonight when he and Laeta put their differences aside and went at it as though it was only ever a matter of time. Maybe it was. Spartacus made sure she knew he could never love a Roman. She assured him she wasn't after his heart. And then they got to it. 

Crixus and his army marched toward Rome and prepared to fight. Crixus rallied the troops and gave a speech, drawing inspiration from Oenomaus in his approach. That in itself should have been a sign that we were seeing the last of this great warrior.

They used great balls of fire as part of their attack against the army that stood in their way. An idea Crixus seemed to come up with watching a piece of burning coal roll past the fire after he and Naevia shared some alone time together. After assault by fire, they quickly took down the troops and began to celebrate the victory when Crassus and the rest of the army showed up like a swarm of red ants on a picnic. It was evident that they were outnumbered, but Crixus and his people didn't retreat. They continued to fight until they were completely boxed in.

We saw Tiberius take a swipe at Agron and it looked like he was down, but I'm not 100% sure he's dead. Recalling Heracleo's return after being seemingly dead earlier this season, I'm reserving full judgment on Agron's status until the next episode - which just so happens to be titled "The Dead and the Dying" - confirms it one way or the other. But given Agron's emotional farewell scene with Nasir, it's very possible that we've seen the last of the funny, kind and fierce warrior.

Agron's fall was swift and unceremonious by comparison to Crixus'. He and Caesar were fighting and just as Crixus was about to take the future leader of Rome down, Tiberius put a sword through his back. He dropped to his knees and Crassus moved in, announcing that they would use Crixus' death as a message. While Naevia watched on, Tiberius beheaded Crixus, and we saw the worst of it in the reflection of Naevia's eye. An emotional way to confirm his brutal death without forcing us to see the worst of it straight on.

I hate that Crixus is dead, but I get it. And it's at this point that I want to say just how awesome Manu Bennett has been playing the strong but emotional and passionate character. He's been one of the best things about this series from the beginning. In many ways, Crixus has helped shape who Spartacus is as this story's hero, from his days as a gladiator, when Crixus was his rival, and on to his life as a leader, when Crixus fought at his side but occasionally openly opposed him. We've seen Crixus' evolve as a character throughout the series, from his days of fighting in Gannicus' shadow in Gods of the Arena, through his time as Lucretia's man-on-the-side, his budding romance with Naevia and his life - and death - as a fierce warrior. His death mattered, as did the fact that he and Spartacus parted on good terms and acknowledged each other as brothers in this life.

Grief over Crixus should serve to fuel our anticipation of the last two episodes, as much as it will hopefully fuel the rebels to fight harder and destroy the Romans.

Speaking of Romans, up until the battle, much of what was going on in Crassus' side of the story had to do with Kore's departure. The leader was clearly upset over it, and is prone to fits of rage at the very mention of her absence. Senator Metellus learned that lesson the hard way. Crassus hasn't seemed to put two and two together when considering the tension between his son and Caesar. Tiberius and Caesar had it out tonight when Caesar called Tiberius out for raping Kore. What did Tiberius do in response?

He raped Caesar.

Seriously.

I guess that's like his thing now. Tiberius flexes his authority with sexual assault. A few weeks back I was talking about the tension involved in Caesar's scenes since we know it's unlikely he'll be killed off. The rape scene in tonight's episode seemed almost like a direct response to that. Even Caesar managed to point it out, yelling, "I am Julius Fucking Caesar!" when Tiberius had two guards holding him down. As if to say, "I know you don't die yet," Tiberius penetrated him in a different way in an awful and somehow shocking display of violence.

Of course, the moment was acknowledged later when a pouting Caesar was on foot rather than horseback when the Romans rolled in to attack Crixus' army. Crassus even noted it, but he seems absolutely none the wiser of the problems between his son and Caesar. Or if he does, he's refusing to acknowledge it.

Tonight's episode was brutal. And we're left to wonder what's to become of the rest of Crixus' army, including Naevia. And what's going on with Spartacus? Did he really leave or is this a part of some bigger plan? He has Gannicus with him, which may have been an effort on the writers' part to spare Gannicus from being part of the slaughter for now. Or else, he's with Spartacus because the leader has some other bigger plan in mind and he needs Gannicus to be a part of it. It's hard to say, but either way, I can't imagine the "message" the Romans plan to send Spartacus will go unanswered. 

SOURCE: CINEMABLEND

SPARTACUS: SEASON 3, WAR OF THE DAMNED, EPISODE 7: MORS INDECEPTA

Looking back at Spartacus: Blood and Sand, I remember feeling vicarious discomfort for all of the slaves and gladiators that had to fight and work in that sweltering heat, especially during the drought. Watching tonight's episode of Spartacus: War of the Damned, I'm thinking many of the rebels probably miss that weather, if nothing else from their days of enslavement. Freedom comes at a cost. Tonight's episode was evidence of that, as what it evidence that bad weather brings out stronger emotions.

The episode began with a pile of rebel bodies, indicating bad things to come as the story pulled back and showed what led to that horrible decimation. As it turns out, it was a snowstorm that took the lives of a thousand rebels. I suppose Crassus and his army can take credit for that, since they're the ones that have the rebels cornered at the ridge. When the storm came in, some died due to lack of proper shelter. Others out of choice, deciding to stay outside and pray to the gods to "reveal path." They revealed path alright, in the form of a thousand rebel bodies, which were used to stack up in the trench and give the rest of them safe passage across and out of reach from the Romans. A dark means of escape sure, but effective. Kind of like that wall of bodies the soldiers used in 300, except in that case, I'm pretty sure the bodies were their enemies.

This war is as much of the minds as it is the numbers. Spartacus and Crassus are constantly trying to anticipate each others' moves and use that to their advantage. Donar - the rebel and former gladiator who was killed (or killed himself, technically) at the end of last week's episode - was crucified and left as a message for Spartacus and his rebels when they stormed a Roman camp. The words "Mors Indecepta" were carved into his chest. "Death is Undeceivable." The ploy was only a partial victory for Crassus, as Spartacus and his men escaped, though Naevia suffered from injuries.

Spartacus and Crixus threw down after the battle with the Romans, and once again, the difference in their approach is made evident. Spartacus leads with his mind, trying to make good strategic choices based on his experience with war and his knowledge of his enemy. That may not involve simply throwing his entire army's weight against the enemy at every turn, which seems to be Crixus' preference for attack. And that applies to Crixus' approach to dealing with Spartacus tonight. When yelling didn't work work in making his frustration clear, he settled for smashing a jug over Spartacus' face. I can't help but wonder if maybe Crixus is a little bit jealous of Spartacus. I want to believe he's above that though, even with the memory of their Blood and Sand rivalry still floating around, so let's say that Crixus' increased aggression tonight is due to Naevia's brush with death after Spartacus made the choice to attack without more people.

Gannicus and Saxa seem to be about five seconds away from over. Has Gannicus fallen in love? It's been pretty clear for a few episodes now that there was something between Sibyl and Gannicus. That grew stronger last week when Gannicus rescued her from the city. Tonight, they sealed the deal during the storm in a love scene that was more romantic than it was steamy as the two found a way to get warm in their flimsy shelter while the worst of the storm passed through. This came after Gannicus shot down Saxa's offer of sex. After the storm, Saxa eyed Gannicus and Sibyl like she knew something might have happened, but with so many lives lost, it wasn't the time to talk about it. That seems inevitable though. And I wonder how Saxa will take it. She and Gannicus seem to share a mutual appreciation for sex and wine, but how deep do her feelings really go? And the same question for Gannicus and Sibyl?

Castus and Laeta seem to be the odd man/woman out among the rebels. Castus is taking heat from people for his connections with the pirates, even though his participation in their betrayal seemed minimal-to-non-existent. But Agron cut Castus free tonight and he and Nasir seemed to exchange a bit of amusement, if not warmth between each other, which I'm taking as a good sign. Laeta, meanwhile, is recovering from her injuries and trying to deal with the reality that she's now officially a former slave… even though she was only a slave for like two seconds. She's still been through a lot, having lost her husband, her home and then her freedom, cast out by the Romans and now stuck with the rest of the rebels. On the bright side, she's alive and she's on a first-name-basis with Spartacus, which puts her in the VIP tent… if there was one.

Kore enlisted the help of Caesar in dealing with Tiberius when she learned she was going to be forced to serve him. Her plan seems unclear. It looked like she was going to tell Crassus just how "deeply" she'd been "pierced" by his son, but instead, she slept with Crassus and then snuck out of his tent in the middle of the night, off to join the rebels.

It seems fitting to end this write-up with a nod to Caesar, considering today is March 15, otherwise known as the Ides of March - the historical day Caesar was known to fall. With that in mind, Caesar's comment about giants falling seemed particularly well timed…

"Many a giant has tumbled to the afterlife believing himself too big to fall."

SOURCE: CINEMABLEND

SPARTACUS: SEASON 3, WAR OF THE DAMNED, EPISODE 6: SPOILS OF WAR

Spartacus is getting seriously exhausting. Talk about edge-of-your-seat suspense. The series is roaring toward its finale, slashing and stomping on anything in its wake. In the words of Willy Wonka, "The suspense is terrible. I hope it will last." Something tells me it will, all the way until the last drop of blood is spilled. Blood was most definitely spilled during "Spoils of War," an episode penned by Jed Whedon. Spoilers if you haven't seen it yet!

I feared that the Roman attack would leave tonight's episode with a body count. With only a handful of episodes left of War of the Damned, loss seems inevitable. While many rebels did die during tonight's episode, some in gruesome fashion, the core group of Spartacus' men (and women) was left intact.

For a man who denies a leadership role, Gannicus certainly rises to the occasion when a hero is called. Not only did he volunteer to stay behind in the city to serve as a distraction while Spartacus and the other rebels fled, he came to Sibyl's rescue when he found her hiding. A scuffle cost him one of his guys, but he managed to get Sibyl to temporary-safety while the Romans scoured every corner of the city, looking for leftovers.

Elsewhere, Caesar came upon Laeta and kindly (seemingly) offered her villa back to her, along with a rosewater bath and a naked lady to do her hair and make-up. Laeta happily took him up on the opportunity, seeming thrilled at the prospect of getting to be prettied up again. Of course, her elation was short-lived, as she was delivered to Crassus, who delivered her to Heracleo to fulfill the terms of their arrangement. I thought he was dead. I think that's what we were supposed to think. The last we saw of the pirate, he was having his head slashed open and his body tossed into the sea. Tonight. he's back, his head stitched up and appearing happy to accept his reward.

That brings us back to Gannicus, who spied Heracleo and took a detour to confront him and his men. I like to think that part of his motivation was seeing another woman in distress, and needing to intervene, but even if it was only to tie up a loose end, it's another demonstration of Gannicus' courage and moxie. Of course, it nearly got Sibyl killed, which I'm pretty sure would have stayed with him for as long as he lived. Judging by the way he hugged her after Heracleo was dead, I'd say there are genuine feelings there. And judging by the look Saxa gave Sibyl when they finally made it to the rebel's camp, I'd say she's well aware of it. Or she suspects, anyway.

Laeta also showed bravery, or sweet burning vengeance. I'll leave that for you to interpret. Just as Heracleo was about to slash Sibyl's throat, Laeta stabbed him through the back of the throat with the very same branding iron he had used on her just moments earlier. Heracleo died a painful death that not only involved a poker through the neck, but also the horrible agony of being burned as he grabbed it with both hands. RIP for real this time, Heracleo… unless he shows up next week with a scar on his neck and gloves on his hands.

Laeta made it out of the episode alive too, escaping the city with Gannicus and Sibyl on horseback, by the skin of her teeth and arriving at Spartacus' camp, where everyone's looking icy cold, thanks to the snowy weather. Assuming she survives her injuries, she's now sort of a slave like them, having been traded to a pirate and then branded. Ok, so it's just a small sample of what some of the rebels have been through. Getting burned and having to kiss a pirate isn't pleasant, but on a scale of torture to rosewater, she's still closer to the latter. Either way, she's over the line and among the rebels, at least for now.

Over on the Roman side of things, Kore hasn't told Crassus about what TIberius did to her. Tiberius offered a fresh set of threats on her, and has expressed absolutely no remorse on pressing his pain hard against her. In fact, I think he takes a certain measure of glee in knowing what he did, and knowing how enraged his father would be if he knew about it.

Tiberius and Caesar are still at each others throats, a fact Crassus is either ignoring or is too busy schmoozing Roman Senate elite and trying to claim rewards for his victories to notice. Either way, it's going to cause problems. Caesar rubbed his infiltration victory in Tiberius' face, and Tiberius tried to pay him back by setting Caesar up to be attacked by one of the captured rebels. He slipped the man a key and called for Caesar to be the one to take the man's life during a murder-torture victory ceremony for the benefit of Crassus and the celebrating Romans. A big ceremonial slashing would have at least given that rebel a little more digit than the man who was tied at the arms and legs and torn apart, or the rebels who were capped with metal helmets and beaten to bloody pulps.

When the rebel broke out of his cuffs, Caesar ended up fighting him, and the rebel got a few good shots in. But in the end, he was on his knees, his gut slashed open and his death eminent. Rather than letting Caesar do the honor of taking his life, making a big display of it as representation of Rome defeating the rebels, the man told Caesar off and took his own life. This was followed by a couple seconds of awkwardness as the guy died in front of Caesar, letting all of the air out of the big-kill momentum the leader had built up. Crassus made a fair attempt to save the situation by joking about rebels fearing Caesar so much that they'd rather kill themselves than face him. That got a chuckle, but I like to think the rebel had the last laugh from the afterlife.

The episode ended with the reveal that Spartacus and his men have been cornered at a ridge, which is just as Crassus wanted. It sort of explains the man's confidence all episode. But Spartacus seems determined to overcome this latest challenge, and hopefully he will.

Four episodes left. 

SOURCE: CINEMA BLEND

SPARTACUS: SEASON 3, WAR OF THE DAMNED, EPISODE 1: ENEMIES OF ROME

The first episode of the final season of “Spartacus” has only just finished and already it feels like we’ve been through a war.

The show lost its original Spartacus (the charismatic Andy Whitfield, who passed away of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma), enlisted another (Liam McIntyre), and, all told, muscled its way through two seasons and a mini-series. Now, finally, the really epic part of this epic begins.

The first episode, titled “Enemies of Rome,” baptizes us in blood in the opening scenes. Spartacus and his men have broken through the lines of the Roman troops, who have once again foolishly underestimated them. And then we see Spartacus himself, mounted on a horse and armed with a sword, coming for the commanders, who are now realizing, far too late, the peril they are in.

Some of our old comrades from past seasons are there–Crixus, Gannicus, Naevia (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) and the gang. But the backdrop this time is a whole theater of war, not just an arena. The stakes have been raised, and the bloody conclusion is in sight. “Underestimating your opponent is a Roman trait,” Spartacus says later.

The Roman leaders are having a meeting about their losses, as they are washed by naked servants, naturally. They give us a recap within this recap–Spartacus has seen a string of victories on the battlefield, we hear, and former slaves are rallying to his side and swelling his army. The current leaders of the Roman legions are running out of denarii to fight the battle. So the decision is made to get someone with deep pockets (do togas have pockets?) to lead the fight: Marcus Crassus (played by Simon Merrells).

We first see Crassus sparring with a gladiator slave, while his son Tiberius watches. Crassus loses the bout, but he’s learning the slave’s tricks. It’s all good preparation for fighting Spartacus and his gladiator army. An emissary arrives and asks Crassus for assistance to fight Spartacus–they want 10,000 men. In exchange, he’ll be given a command–below the current commanders. Surprisingly, Crassus agrees to the lousy terms, even though he has all the leverage. After the emissary leaves, Tiberius questions his father’s decision. Crassus give him a knowing look and says it’s all about the glory of Rome. He’s a wily one, that Crassus, and he’s playing a long game.

There’s a brief Starz-y interlude in which, gratuitously, Gannicus takes on a couple women at once, followed by a scene with Agron getting it on with his warrior lover, Nasir.

Spartacus later takes Gannicus to task–he’s got to stay sharp. He asks him to take his rightful place as a leader. Gannicus says “I would not be set above my brothers” as Spartacus is.

Spartacus comes down from his high horse–literally, he was riding a high horse in the opening scenes of this show–to tour his military encampment incognito. He finds that the men are hungry and are eating horses.

Spartacus decides it’s time to take some action. He hatches a plan for a stealth attack against the enemy commanders. “A few men might penetrate defense unnoticed,” he says. Agron is to lead the men in his absence as Spartacus, Gannicus, and Crixus go on the mission.

Another Starz break as we see Naervia and Crixus make out a bit. But it doesn’t go as far as Starz usually goes, just a few kisses. This is only a one-hour show, after all.

Tiberius and Crassus argue about how worthy an opponent Spartacus really is. Crassus says they have to look out for him; Tiberius thinks that his wealth and position clearly give him advantage over a common slave like Spartacus. Crassus, to teach his son a lesson, asks him to test his theory by taking on his gladiator slave. Tiberius is easily bested. Crassus tells him Spartacus has done the same to other nobles, “and laughs as they tumble from the heavens.”

Crassus fights the slave himself. This time he makes the contest to the death, so the gladiator slave is forced to do his best. “Come at me as you would an opponent in the arena,” Crassus demands. Crassus wins the match, and thus demonstrates that the slave has taught him all he knows, and his usefulness, to him at least, has come to an end. Crassus kills him. Thus we see Crassus is both crafty and cruel. “A man’s true enemy is doubt, a thing I would not carry into battle against Spartacus,” Crassus says.

Spartacus, Gannicus, and Crixus surprise the Roman commanders and cut them down with a bold stealth attack. Blood is spurting like the fountains outside the Bellagio. Or rather, I should say, like the fountains around Rome.

Spartacus pins down the two Roman commanders. He is asked for his terms of surrender.

“There are none that I would trust a Roman to honor,” Spartacus snarls.

He then executes a double decapitation, as the headless bodies fall before him in slow motion.

News of the death of the commanders reaches Rome. An emissary suggests that Crassus’s own messenger may have helped lead the rebels to the fallen commanders. In any case, Crassus is now the only option and is placed in sole command of the war against Spartacus. Everything has worked out as he planned it. He’s like Machiavelli, 1500 years in advance, playing his enemies like a game of chess (to borrow a line from Lauryn Hill).

“I serve the glory of Rome,” Crassus says.

With Crassus soon to be at his sandaled heels, Spartacus looks to find his army a city in which to camp.

To borrow a line from “Game of Thrones,” winter is coming.

And so is Caesar. Alea iacta est!

SOURCE: SPEAK EASY