A lot of happy flail about Spartacus: Vengeance
You know, I haven't been posting about Spartacus this season because I think there's only one other person on my flist that's into it. (kuwdora WHERE ARE YOU OMG!) But I'm still completely baffled why fandom is not all over this like a big fluffy blanket. Fierce, fascinating women who scheme and plot and fight and are awesome! Men who love other men, both platonically and really REALLY not platonically! Amazing characters! IDEK. Is it because it's on Starz? Is it because people have a negative impression of this show and what it's about? Is it violence-aversion? I don't get it. I had to retreat to Tumblr to find people who are excited about it. And that made me die a little inside, not gonna lie. Because for me, Tumblr is like a trip to the dentist's office: painful, but sometimes necessary.
ANYWAY. Below is a lot of nattering about everything, plot and characters and speculation and EVERYTHING.
OK, I was going to start with how hard it is to watch the show without Andy Whitfield (because it really is, even tho Liam McIntyre is pretty super in the role) but NO, I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT AGRON/NASIR. Agron was just some asshole last season, am I right? He and his brother were annoying to the nth degree, and when the brother was killed off, I was not really into Agron. But this season, he has come out swinging as a leader of the rebellion, and even more importantly -- as a gentle, tender man who LOVES NASIR. OMG, NASIR, he is tiny and adorable, and he will GUT YOU, DO NOT MESS WITH HIM. And he was so brainwashed about his status as a house slave, until Spartacus saw his potential and took him under his wing and helped him, and then you could just see Agron falling for him. That was such a surprise. I am so, so thrilled that they have allowed a relationship between two men to progress so naturally - that conversation between the blonde slave and Nasir about Agron favoring him, wow. WOW. Also that conversation between Naevia and Agron, where she gave him perspective about lost chances. So, yeah, I ship it like burning, and when Agron kissed him this week, I nearly fell off the couch with glee. I wondered if they'd let the two of them become the romantic couple that Barca and Pietros never were set up to be, and that Barca and his former lover (whose name escapes me, from the prequel) were too passionate to be.
AGRON/NASIR FOREVER. (There is no fanfic for this pairing on AO3. That is TRAGIC.)
OK, now I can move on to Liam. I like Liam. He isn't Andy, tho, and I'm resisting all the 'you're not Spartacus!' jokes because they feel disrespectful. Liam does ok, tho, and now five episodes in, I'm used to him. He's physically capable of the role, and he has those same shining eyes from which all emotion springs. I was so invested in Spartacus/Mira at the end of season 1, and he is making it work for me this season, like crazy.
MIRA. Oh, wow, Mira! Refusing to be any kind of a victim. In ep 4, when she leaped on that Roman in the woods and started stabbing the hell out of him, her speed and accuracy, wow. She was like some kind of ferocious cat, quick and nimble, too deadly to be caught. AMAZING. She and Spartacus are so well-matched. She is not fearless; she is courageous. I LOVE HER.
CRIXUS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Listen, I am a Crixus fan from way back. When I make this post, I will have a hard time deciding whose icon to use, Crixus or Oenomaus. *g* Anyway, wow. To think that this big, badass warrior would sacrifice everything for Naevia, I just melt a little. I shivered all the way through the scene where he finally, finally found her in the mines, only to have her escape and him be captured. BUT NOW THEY CAN BE TOGETHER, BECAUSE SPARTACUS IS A CRAZY MOTHERFUCKER WHO BROKE INTO AN ARENA AND BUSTED HIM OUT BY SETTING FIRE TO LIKE 5000 ROMANS. *flail!!* Crixus and Spartacus' heart to heart when Crixus thought Naevia was dead, wow. I just love him as a man who wants to be Spartacus' brother, and is caught between being a co-leader and wanting that respect and glory, and just wanting to follow Spartacus like his heart demands. It's kind of awesome. It was kind of lovely, the way he was accepting his fate in the arena. It would be a fitting death, for a former champion. He was so ready for it. And then when he was saved, all he could think of was finding Oenomaus. <3!
OENOMAUS!!! He is so lost right now. I think when he turned on the House of Batiatus, he lost a piece of his soul. He literally owes his life to Quintus' father, and I so loved the flashback that showed us a piece of his backstory (and Batiatus the Elder, from Gods of the Arena, EEEEEEEEEEE!). To know how he came to be, and to then understand why he put himself back in the pit to die...WOW. Oenomaus is historically one of the former-slave leaders of the Third Servile War, along with Crixus and Spartacus, so I'm quite sure he will soon be getting reluctantly with the program.
Then there's Ashur. Who still is a sneaky, manipulative, awful bastard, THANK GOD. His machinations are bringing down and raising up people left and right! Look what he did to Illythia! And to Oenomaus! And yet he saved Lucretia, because I'm sure he had a plan. He always has a plan, that magnificent bastard. Killing Glaber's second in command, that was interesting. VERY interesting.
GLABER. I have to take a second to say how he has grown on me. I'm totally captivated by him. That guy isn't going down without a fight, and he has totally pwned Varinius, and has Illythia right where he wants her, now that he took advantage of the opportunity to bash her father's skull in. YES. Heh. History has already written his ending, but I can't wait to see how he survives up to that point.
Illythia continues to be a badass scheming bitch. I was amazed at the boldness with which she went about ridding herself of Glaber, and I'm pretty sure she's not done yet. Her confrontation with Lucretia was one of my all-time favorite moments on this show. OH HOW THE TABLES TURNED. But she was too quick to assume Lucretia was back on her side. That is not going to go well. Oh hell no.
Lucretia is also a badass, and she is going to burn this entire place down and take all her enemies with her, I'm pretty sure. She is the true definition of a survivor. <3 <3 I'm so glad she's not actually crazy. I was wondering there, for a moment. But this is much much better.
Let's see, who have I forgotten...HOW ABOUT GANNICUS!!! Man, this show pays out huge dividends to the fans who have stuck with it over time and given loyalty to each of its incarnations. To see Gannicus, and see the entire plot of Gods of the Arena paying off - facing Oenomaus!!!! -- is so amazing. Now they will have to deal with all the fallout. Gannicus' rudis left on the sand of the arena is so perfect. He hasn't changed at all, tho; still fucking and drinking his way through Capua. Now it's just because he wants to forget. That poor guy.
So going forward, here are the things I'm wondering about. When is the show going to cast Crassus? If there's going to be another season, it will probably have to involve the whole Crassus thing, since he ultimately is the one who brings down Spartacus. I can't wait to see who gets that job. But I'm not in any hurry for Glaber to go, since I love him utterly.
Meanwhile, I am desperate for Agron and Nasir to hit the sheets, and for neither of them to die. Seriously, all three gay characters in the original series and prequel bit it, and that is not a great track record. I'm terrified for both of them. DO NOT DIE, BEAUTIFUL GAY WARRIORS, or I will be super-pissed.
And finally, I ship three relationships on this show hardcore, and a fourth secretly. Agron/Nasir, Spartacus/Mira, Crixus/Naevia, and...Gannicus/Oenomaus. Oh, show. GIVE IT TO ME. I want it all.
WOW, so that post is totally tl;dr. Short version: I love this show.
ANYWAY. Below is a lot of nattering about everything, plot and characters and speculation and EVERYTHING.
OK, I was going to start with how hard it is to watch the show without Andy Whitfield (because it really is, even tho Liam McIntyre is pretty super in the role) but NO, I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT AGRON/NASIR. Agron was just some asshole last season, am I right? He and his brother were annoying to the nth degree, and when the brother was killed off, I was not really into Agron. But this season, he has come out swinging as a leader of the rebellion, and even more importantly -- as a gentle, tender man who LOVES NASIR. OMG, NASIR, he is tiny and adorable, and he will GUT YOU, DO NOT MESS WITH HIM. And he was so brainwashed about his status as a house slave, until Spartacus saw his potential and took him under his wing and helped him, and then you could just see Agron falling for him. That was such a surprise. I am so, so thrilled that they have allowed a relationship between two men to progress so naturally - that conversation between the blonde slave and Nasir about Agron favoring him, wow. WOW. Also that conversation between Naevia and Agron, where she gave him perspective about lost chances. So, yeah, I ship it like burning, and when Agron kissed him this week, I nearly fell off the couch with glee. I wondered if they'd let the two of them become the romantic couple that Barca and Pietros never were set up to be, and that Barca and his former lover (whose name escapes me, from the prequel) were too passionate to be.
AGRON/NASIR FOREVER. (There is no fanfic for this pairing on AO3. That is TRAGIC.)
OK, now I can move on to Liam. I like Liam. He isn't Andy, tho, and I'm resisting all the 'you're not Spartacus!' jokes because they feel disrespectful. Liam does ok, tho, and now five episodes in, I'm used to him. He's physically capable of the role, and he has those same shining eyes from which all emotion springs. I was so invested in Spartacus/Mira at the end of season 1, and he is making it work for me this season, like crazy.
MIRA. Oh, wow, Mira! Refusing to be any kind of a victim. In ep 4, when she leaped on that Roman in the woods and started stabbing the hell out of him, her speed and accuracy, wow. She was like some kind of ferocious cat, quick and nimble, too deadly to be caught. AMAZING. She and Spartacus are so well-matched. She is not fearless; she is courageous. I LOVE HER.
CRIXUS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Listen, I am a Crixus fan from way back. When I make this post, I will have a hard time deciding whose icon to use, Crixus or Oenomaus. *g* Anyway, wow. To think that this big, badass warrior would sacrifice everything for Naevia, I just melt a little. I shivered all the way through the scene where he finally, finally found her in the mines, only to have her escape and him be captured. BUT NOW THEY CAN BE TOGETHER, BECAUSE SPARTACUS IS A CRAZY MOTHERFUCKER WHO BROKE INTO AN ARENA AND BUSTED HIM OUT BY SETTING FIRE TO LIKE 5000 ROMANS. *flail!!* Crixus and Spartacus' heart to heart when Crixus thought Naevia was dead, wow. I just love him as a man who wants to be Spartacus' brother, and is caught between being a co-leader and wanting that respect and glory, and just wanting to follow Spartacus like his heart demands. It's kind of awesome. It was kind of lovely, the way he was accepting his fate in the arena. It would be a fitting death, for a former champion. He was so ready for it. And then when he was saved, all he could think of was finding Oenomaus. <3!
OENOMAUS!!! He is so lost right now. I think when he turned on the House of Batiatus, he lost a piece of his soul. He literally owes his life to Quintus' father, and I so loved the flashback that showed us a piece of his backstory (and Batiatus the Elder, from Gods of the Arena, EEEEEEEEEEE!). To know how he came to be, and to then understand why he put himself back in the pit to die...WOW. Oenomaus is historically one of the former-slave leaders of the Third Servile War, along with Crixus and Spartacus, so I'm quite sure he will soon be getting reluctantly with the program.
Then there's Ashur. Who still is a sneaky, manipulative, awful bastard, THANK GOD. His machinations are bringing down and raising up people left and right! Look what he did to Illythia! And to Oenomaus! And yet he saved Lucretia, because I'm sure he had a plan. He always has a plan, that magnificent bastard. Killing Glaber's second in command, that was interesting. VERY interesting.
GLABER. I have to take a second to say how he has grown on me. I'm totally captivated by him. That guy isn't going down without a fight, and he has totally pwned Varinius, and has Illythia right where he wants her, now that he took advantage of the opportunity to bash her father's skull in. YES. Heh. History has already written his ending, but I can't wait to see how he survives up to that point.
Illythia continues to be a badass scheming bitch. I was amazed at the boldness with which she went about ridding herself of Glaber, and I'm pretty sure she's not done yet. Her confrontation with Lucretia was one of my all-time favorite moments on this show. OH HOW THE TABLES TURNED. But she was too quick to assume Lucretia was back on her side. That is not going to go well. Oh hell no.
Lucretia is also a badass, and she is going to burn this entire place down and take all her enemies with her, I'm pretty sure. She is the true definition of a survivor. <3 <3 I'm so glad she's not actually crazy. I was wondering there, for a moment. But this is much much better.
Let's see, who have I forgotten...HOW ABOUT GANNICUS!!! Man, this show pays out huge dividends to the fans who have stuck with it over time and given loyalty to each of its incarnations. To see Gannicus, and see the entire plot of Gods of the Arena paying off - facing Oenomaus!!!! -- is so amazing. Now they will have to deal with all the fallout. Gannicus' rudis left on the sand of the arena is so perfect. He hasn't changed at all, tho; still fucking and drinking his way through Capua. Now it's just because he wants to forget. That poor guy.
So going forward, here are the things I'm wondering about. When is the show going to cast Crassus? If there's going to be another season, it will probably have to involve the whole Crassus thing, since he ultimately is the one who brings down Spartacus. I can't wait to see who gets that job. But I'm not in any hurry for Glaber to go, since I love him utterly.
Meanwhile, I am desperate for Agron and Nasir to hit the sheets, and for neither of them to die. Seriously, all three gay characters in the original series and prequel bit it, and that is not a great track record. I'm terrified for both of them. DO NOT DIE, BEAUTIFUL GAY WARRIORS, or I will be super-pissed.
And finally, I ship three relationships on this show hardcore, and a fourth secretly. Agron/Nasir, Spartacus/Mira, Crixus/Naevia, and...Gannicus/Oenomaus. Oh, show. GIVE IT TO ME. I want it all.
WOW, so that post is totally tl;dr. Short version: I love this show.