On Spartacus 3x08, and why it is my own damn fault.
Why did I decide it was a good idea to watch this show?
( Cut for almost entirely unspecific, but very unhappy rambling. )
( Cut for almost entirely unspecific, but very unhappy rambling. )
Lucretia and Batiatus were kick ass. I never thought I could like such rotten (perfect word for those two!!) characters that much! But I am glad to be rid of Ilithya and Glaber. They were meant to be hated and gods, did I hate them.
They did a good job on the “villains” of this season. Crassus and Ceasar are almost likeable, I even can understand their motivation. I was rather perplexed to what happened to Ceasar, didn’t see that one coming.
As for Tiberius. Haven’t we had at least one good-looking young and overachieving Roman who’s only purpose was to be cruel and unlikable and eventually die. Tiberius in this season, Seppius (who lusted after his sister) in the last, I didn’t, watch “Gods of the Arena, so I don’t know about that, but there is Numerius in season one (the one who force Spartacus to kill his Friend Varro).
And more importantly, I think that if Agron were truly dead, he would have gotten a different send-off.
Absolutely. I think, Agron had almost more screen time this season than Crixus and we definitely had more Agron/Nasir moments than Crixus/Naevia. So at some point Agron became more important than Crixus and therefore he will have a glorious death. Which will include Nasir in the scene, one of them will witness the death of the other, I’m sure of it. Also Agron and Nasir’s farewell were not “dramatic” enough. Didn’t seem like a final thing.
Other than that, a promo pic (or screen cap, I don’t know) shows a wounded and bandaged Agron standing next to Nasir, a scene we clearly haven’t seen yet. And there is a screen cap from a season trailer that shows Agron, Nasir and some others standing on a battlefield waiting for the battle to begin and as some tumbler user pointed out, we didn’t have that scene either. (I’m looking for the caps while typing but I can’t find them right now).
There are no signs that Nasir likes Castus more that on a friendly base, it's just Castus wishful thinking (and faulty logic), that there is more. Nasir is just polite. I think it’s interesting. Castus is a creeper and if Nasir were a woman, everyone would say how Castus constantly oversteps and harasses Nasir and we would call it sexual harassment.
Have you seen the trailer for next episode yet?
But you know, next episode is in two weeks.
Can't some of them escape over the Alps...? *whimper*
Sure, just nobody we care about.
Who do you like best?
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I think the show does a good job with almost all of the characters - there are very few whose motivations aren't understandable, and with the more important ones, you can almost always see why they don't think what they're doing is unjustified. And there's always moments that make them sympathetic... or almost, depending on how much they've done up to that point.
Tiberius, I think, it a less well motivated villain in that it's clear why he does what he does, but he goes too far overboard, too quickly. I think he would have been more effective if he'd started the downward slide somewhat less abruptly.
As for Crassus the Elder - no. Really don't like him at all. In my view, he is exactly like Tiberius, but smarter, more experienced, and thus better able to gauge what he can and can't get away with (beating up a senator = can be gotten away with, raping Caesar = uhm I think not a good idea kiddo), and how to cover his tracks.
I have heard tell of the promo pics, and while I don't know how much importance can be attached to them, I have taken hope from them, as well. :-)
Not that it won't be horrible if everyone dies later on. But... it would still be better than this, and maybe there is yet hope.
There are no signs that Nasir likes Castus more that on a friendly base
Well, to be honest I do think Nasir enjoys the flirting. I don't think he'd necessarily go further, but this is also a part of freedom - he can flirt! He is free to decide whether or not he wants to do anything more! And he can also turn down the pirate himself if he wants. It's all up to him.
I think that, for Nasir, this is in itself an exciting situation. He could shut down the flirting easily enough if he truly wanted, but he never does, because he does enjoy it (and probably does also think the man is attractive).
No, I don't think he'd cheat on Agron, or that he even really wants to. But I do think he enjoys the attention, and the context, and that Agron's jealous "I command you!" reaction is entirely the wrong one. So entirely, in fact, that I was surprised Nasir didn't react far more negatively than he did.
As for Castus, I actually like him, and I don't think he's harassing Nasir. Sure, he's pretty forward, but Nasir never does try to shut him down, and I did get the impression that Nasir was not displeased.
Hard to say, though, because Agron was always angrily hovering. Maybe with him gone (though not dead!) Nasir will get the chance to speak up on the matter himself - at least that's what I hope!!
Have you seen the trailer for next episode yet?
But you know, next episode is in two weeks.
Yes! I was hoping to catch a glimpse of Agron. :-) And argh, I didn't know that, I thought it's be this week... but, yeah, Easter.
I love an astounding number of the characters, really. :-) I never thought I would, but they grew on me... Spartacus, Crixus, Onomeous, Naevia before S3, Mira in S2, Lucretia and Batiatus as characters though not people in S1 and S0, and of course Agron and Nasir! Especially Agron, I confess, which is unexpected for me.
(Sorry, I am the queen of editing today.)
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I think I "like" Crassus because he is smarter and thinks before he does something. I can kind of see why Tiberius does what he does, but you are right, it's too abruptly. Crassus is cruel, sure, but it’s kind of a measured cruelty, that has purpose to some extent. Tiberius is just random. I hate random (I know, I’m weird). I truly hope Tiberius will die in the next episode.
Heee, I just posted an entire new post because my reply to your first comment got out of hand. :-)
*off to read the new entry"
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Whether Kore killed herself, tried to kill Tiberius, told his father what Tiberius had done (which Tiberius would of course have denied) or run away - in any case, his father would have lost her.
Mission achieved. Actually a very good plan. Very cruel, but that's the point, and all but bound to be successful. So, good.
In the case of Caesar, the plan was far less well considered (and hit upon in the heat of the moment), but there was still a point: It was a simple show of force and dominance, putting Caesar in the subordinate position Tiberius wants him in. And in the immediate aftermath, it does work - or seems to, at least.
It is, in effect, the same thing Crassus does with the senator by beating him up and then telling him that he can't do a thing about it. Rape is, of course, more horrific a choice of weapon than fists. And Tiberius is an idiot for not realizing that he *can't* allow himself this show of force and temper and get away with it.
So, because I see the same kind of cruel, ruthless purpose behind Tiberius' actions as behind those of his father, for me the difference between them really is only that one has the intelligence and the experience to be better at what he does, and so also seems to have cleaner hands.
I truly hope Tiberius will die in the next episode.
Same here. Most definitely.
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