Spartacus Finale: One day, Rome shall fade and crumble.
I just finished watching the finale. What a brilliant end to a show which I began watching for the beefcake (let's be honest) and ended up absolutely loving for the characters and the magnificent storytelling which dealt with issues of consent, power and freedom.
We all knew what was coming. There's no happy ending here. And although previews of the finale were very positive in tone, I was dubious. After having invested so many years in these characters, to know that virtually everybody was going to die -- how do you prepare to watch that kind of finale?
But the show pulled it off. Everybody had their moment. I was particularly impressed with Gannicus' final scene. We knew at least one of the main characters was going to end up on the Appian Way, but that transposition from the crucifix to the arena was beautifully done. And to see Oenomaus once again, ready to welcome Gannicus to the afterlife as he'd promised, was another link in the circle of completion that this episode was. As for Spartacus? Liam McIntyre was amazing throughout in this episode. And it was during his final scene when he said, "Spartacus. That is not my name. I shall finally hear it again ... given voice by loving wife ... in greeting longed for.", that I actually had to pause the episode for a minute to recompose myself. In a just few deft words, the writers summed up his arc. He began a loving husband, content with his world, but became a figurehead for freedom under a name given to him by his Roman masters.
And that collage as the credits rolled? Utterly perfect -- particularly with Andy Whitfield's final roar of "I am Spartacus" which pulled the beginning and the end together. And to see the roll call of characters who've been on the show? It really reminds you of how much "Spartacus" achieved in a relatively short run.
And finally -- Agron and Nasir!! I was so desperately hoping they'd survive but never, ever expecting it to happen. And yet it did. Now that I've seen the finale, I can finally go online and read the various reviews and articles about it. There's a really fascinating interview with the showrunner, Stephen DeKnight about who survived and who died and why.
When questioned about whether or not he'd considered having Spartacus survive, his response: DeKNIGHT: No, actually I was pretty adamant that he had to fall. Story-wise, it just didn’t ring true for me, that he slips away. I was also pretty adamant that somebody we cared about had to get away and carry on the story of Spartacus. I'm so glad he chose Agron and Nasir to be those characters to carry on the story of Spartacus.
In another interview, he actually says: DeKnight: Nagron lives! There was a lot of debate about who should live at the end. Some people thought it should be Naevia because she was one of the characters who started at the very beginning. My feeling though was that Naevia without Crixus doesn't feel right. She should go. And it goes to that thing I wanted to do with that ray of hope - even in defeat, there's some sense of victory. I thought it was important to have a loving couple make it out of this. Besides Crixus and Naevia, the Agron-Nasir romance was the longest-running in the series. It just felt right to have those two make it out... after some close calls.
And on that note, let me leave you with Agron's final words which ended the entire series: "One day, Rome shall fade and crumble. Yet you ... shall always be remembered ... in the hearts of all who yearn for freedom."
We all knew what was coming. There's no happy ending here. And although previews of the finale were very positive in tone, I was dubious. After having invested so many years in these characters, to know that virtually everybody was going to die -- how do you prepare to watch that kind of finale?
But the show pulled it off. Everybody had their moment. I was particularly impressed with Gannicus' final scene. We knew at least one of the main characters was going to end up on the Appian Way, but that transposition from the crucifix to the arena was beautifully done. And to see Oenomaus once again, ready to welcome Gannicus to the afterlife as he'd promised, was another link in the circle of completion that this episode was. As for Spartacus? Liam McIntyre was amazing throughout in this episode. And it was during his final scene when he said, "Spartacus. That is not my name. I shall finally hear it again ... given voice by loving wife ... in greeting longed for.", that I actually had to pause the episode for a minute to recompose myself. In a just few deft words, the writers summed up his arc. He began a loving husband, content with his world, but became a figurehead for freedom under a name given to him by his Roman masters.
And that collage as the credits rolled? Utterly perfect -- particularly with Andy Whitfield's final roar of "I am Spartacus" which pulled the beginning and the end together. And to see the roll call of characters who've been on the show? It really reminds you of how much "Spartacus" achieved in a relatively short run.
And finally -- Agron and Nasir!! I was so desperately hoping they'd survive but never, ever expecting it to happen. And yet it did. Now that I've seen the finale, I can finally go online and read the various reviews and articles about it. There's a really fascinating interview with the showrunner, Stephen DeKnight about who survived and who died and why.
When questioned about whether or not he'd considered having Spartacus survive, his response: DeKNIGHT: No, actually I was pretty adamant that he had to fall. Story-wise, it just didn’t ring true for me, that he slips away. I was also pretty adamant that somebody we cared about had to get away and carry on the story of Spartacus. I'm so glad he chose Agron and Nasir to be those characters to carry on the story of Spartacus.
In another interview, he actually says: DeKnight: Nagron lives! There was a lot of debate about who should live at the end. Some people thought it should be Naevia because she was one of the characters who started at the very beginning. My feeling though was that Naevia without Crixus doesn't feel right. She should go. And it goes to that thing I wanted to do with that ray of hope - even in defeat, there's some sense of victory. I thought it was important to have a loving couple make it out of this. Besides Crixus and Naevia, the Agron-Nasir romance was the longest-running in the series. It just felt right to have those two make it out... after some close calls.
And on that note, let me leave you with Agron's final words which ended the entire series: "One day, Rome shall fade and crumble. Yet you ... shall always be remembered ... in the hearts of all who yearn for freedom."