Spartacus: War of the Danmed, Episode 9 - The Dead and the Dyingby Wolfen MoonsgetReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Network
Credits Grade: 9 After learning of the death of Crixus and the defeat of those who followed the man, Spartacus and his followers capture Tiberius and several Romans, and hold a series of gladiatorial matches in honor of the fallen. Vengeance is had.I love how this show can make me feel sympathetic to people who commit evil actions, and feel sick at times towards the heroes! There's some brilliant symmetry in the fates of a few characters. Also, while the grief of the previous ep carried heavily into this ep, there is a happenstance that made me overjoyed! Spoiler time. It strikes me that the divisiveness of the Roman armies somewhat reflected the divisiveness of the rebel army, especially when Crixus and Sparty were at each other's throats. It was rather hypocritical of Crassus to remark that Agron's people (meaning the Germans, not the rebels) didn't even trust each other, considering how willing Crassus has been to beat or kill his own people. Even in this episode, Crassus showed a great reluctance to join with Pompei. At least with the rebels, there were family-like bonds between many of them, and disagreements were about deciding what their goals were and how to meet them, not about vying for political position. For that matter, Caesar was more like the rebels, at least in the grief and concern he showed for the Roman citizenry in Sinuessa and Rome itself. One might even say that Crassus lost everything that was important to him on a personal level specifically because he was too focused on his ambitions. I enjoyed the war of words between Caesar and Tiberius as they both struggled to win Crassus, a mastermind himself whom they would use as a pawn, over to their whims, and the tricks they played (Tiberius killing Caesar's whore but making it look like it was a matter of the follower's campo was under threat, and Caesar manipulating Tiberius into going to Pompei, to his death). I also loved the trap the rebels laid that allowed them to catch Tiberius. I like the veiled stab Tiberius took at Crassus, over the Decimation and the death of Sabinus, with the line, "I shall stand as my father: unforgiving in command" -- as well as Caesar's own jibe towards the boy a moment later when he stares that Tiberius is a man now and that he hopes Tiberius will get "all that he deserves." And I love how Caesar's plan backfired on him some because he was good at his work and Crassus had come to trust him like a son (yes, the fact that you would mourn Caesar if he died must have been such a comfort to him, Crassus). I liked the surprise of the death of Tiberius -- especially that it was Kore rather than Naevia who killed him, and that he was stabbed from behind, just as he did to Crixus. Kore was such a bad-ass this ep, in a heart-breaking way. I won't deny that Tiberius had become a dangerous, mad dog that needed to be put down (even if his path to get there was a bit tragic), but it was still unsettling to see, a mother speaking so viciously to her child (loved how she seemed sympathetic for a moment and then turned on him during their first conversation of the ep), then slaying him. Even worse was that she killed him without thought for the 500 people who were supposed to be traded for the boy -- and that so many rebels were likewise screaming for the death of Tiberius. Did they not care about their comrades? At least Kore redeemed herself somewhat by offering herself for trade in the boy's place. (Not that it was really a sacrifice in her mind, since she still loved Crassus and she'd eliminated her problem with being with the man). I wonder, when Crassus told her to call him Dominus, if he somehow suspected she played a hand in the death of his son, or if it was a simple matter of not trusting her because she'd left. I also wonder if Naevia was threatening Kore when she spoke of grabbing opportunities when they arise, since she partially blamed the woman for the death of Crixus because Kore didn't kill Crassus when she had the chance, or if she was just further musing aloud about taking opportunities when they were presented. Either way, it's ironic that she talks about the repercussions of one's actions, when her own words right then seem to have played a part in Kore killing the boy and nearly dooming the rebel prisoners, including Agron, in the process. It's too bad the two women couldn't have been shoulders for each other to lean on, seeing as they'd both been raped by their masters. Caesar did seem a bit teary-eyed over the death of one of his slave-girls. I don't think he thought of her as a person, didn't love her that way, but maybe he loved her as a pet rather than property, and they at least seemed willing partners instead of him raping them as he tried to do to Kore. It amuses me that Kore robbed Ceasar of his chance for vengeance against the boy who raped them both, so she got a little revenge against Caesar at the same time she got it against Tiberius. I suppose I should feel bad that Kore robbed Naevia of vengeance for Crixus as well, since I don't approve of vengeance, and since Naevia technically had already given up on the idea at that point anyway in favour of saving their friends, I can't. While I feel Crassus can blame himself at least some for how Tiberius turned out, and I haven't really liked the imperator much of late, I did feel sorry for the man as he mourned his son, the whole scenario an excellent example of the show's emotional complexity. So were the gladiatorial matches. To some extent, it struck me as hypocritical, finding entertainment in the humiliation and death of others -- as Spartacus said of other activities the rebels indulged in, what made them better than the Romans? -- but it was counterbalanced by the fact that some rebels participated, rather than just pitting the Romans against each other (historian Appian claimed that Spartacus forced soldiers of two regiments to fight each other in honour of Crixus). And at least these were soldiers rather than innocents. Aside from that there was an audience, this was basically like fighting on the battlefield. Not to mention, if the Romans didn't want to die as entertainment, they should have set a better example and not used death as entertainment themselves. The conversation between Sibyl and Gannicus did s nice job expressing both the horror (through her) and the appeal (through him). A similar conversation between Spartacus and Laeta offered some slightly different perspectives on the matter, as did one between Sparty and Naevia. (I still could have used less of it, myself, though, even if the fights were well choreographed.) Naevia fighting Tiberius seemed beneath her at first, considering other fighters we've seen her defeat, but then Tiberius reminded me that he's actually a good fighter himself. I like that she hesitated when she went to strike the killing blow, as if the terrified look in his eyes touched her, even if ot was only for a moment. I was annoyed, though, at how she insulted herself regarding his sword, when she said that the way it fit her hand, she thought it forged for a woman or sickly child. Remarking that the sword was made for a smaller hand would just have been an observation on its own, but clearly she the line was meant to suggest that he was womanly or childish and either way weak, that there's something less than desirable about being a woman. I appreciate that, when Spartacus first broached the subject of honoring Crixus with gladiatorial games, Naevia spoke of honoring all who'd died, not just her beloved. Spartacus kind of annoyed me in that regard -- the ever-loyal Agron deserved the honour more than Crixus (though I will agree that the Gaul did deserve the memorial too, just not being the sole or top figure honoured). And of course I loved everything involving Agron. The remorseful look in Naevia's eye when Nasir asked after Agron, and the heartbreak in Nasir's eye when he though the man had been killed. Agron's defiance in the enemy camp; while I didn't actually like seeing him nailed on the cross, the hurt / comfort fiend in me enjoyed how broken he was after. Nasir's ferociousness as he fought the Romans in homage to his beloved. Their touching reunion, highlighted by the beautiful upswelling of the music, is one of my fave moments in the series. And the music stayed heart-achingly beautiful throughout the ceremony in honour of Crixus and the rest of the fallen. I was glad to see Agron honour the long-past Duro. You can imagine how relieved I was myself when we first saw that Agron was still alive. I had hoped for it, but part of me worried that, since the pair represented the rebellion, if Crixus and everyone was dead, Agron would be to maintain the symbolism. But of course the symbolism is still there, since 500 rebels returned. Now there's just the worry that the show will pull another Donar and kill him off anyway -- or Nasir. I'm holding onto the hope that the fact that they aren’t historical figures -- and that they are so popular, even with DeKnight himself -- will see them spared. Other thoughts .... I strikes me as odd that Gannicus would automatically assume the returning Naevia, all alone, was a Roman just by her cloak, considering how many of the rebels wear pieces of Roman armour scavenged off the battlefield .... I find it odd that Spartacus didn't have a guard preventing Kore from talking to her former master's son, especially as her loyalty to the rebels was highly in question. Seeing Naevia carry the head of Crixus around was somehow both creepy and sweet. I liked the worry Castus showed for Nasir while Nasir fought the Romans. Apparently there was a scene between them, where Nasir got hostile towards him, that was cut out -- I hope it makes it onto the season box set! Written: April 21, 2013
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