Spartacus: War of the Damed Series Finale Review “Victory”
I must say coming into this episode I expected a bitter-sweet end, that is, I knew it would be epic but I also anticipated the death of spartacus because at it’s core this series has stayed true to the history of spartacus. I must say though that I’m happy that spartacus would fall to someone like Crassus and not Glaber.
The beginning of the episode really shed light on the fact that spartacus’ movement has far surpassed the man himself, so it makes complete sense that they use his name to continue to place fear on the hearts of the romans.
I was also glad to see that Crassus didn’t allow his loss of Tiberius to cloud his judgement, he still is not underestimating Spartacus.
As suspected Gannicus does hold Sybil in his heart which is giving him even more incentive to want to help Spartacus but he still doesn’t seem to embrace that he is as much an integral part of the movement as spartacus is, will he live on to take the leadership roll after the final battle ensues and spartacus meets his demise? Was a question I asked myself as I watched the episode. If you’ve watched any of my previous vlogs you would have heard me mention that I think Sybil would be a good thing for Gannicus and in his own words he did say that she was sent to save him and not the other way around, to me that’s proof that she did make him want to become a better man.
Kore made a brave move surrendering herself to go back with Caesar to Crassus but I guess she knew that he wouldn’t kill her because of his love for her as farfetched as it seems though I do wish that he would forgive her. Since the introduction of Crassus, Kore has been one of the things that make us see his softer side and part of what has made me appeal to his character, that and the fact that he never underestimated spartacus and also had himself trained by a gladiator, he doesn’t see gladiators like the other romans and that makes him admirable. It was nice to see him preparing himself to face off with spartacus in battle, though if I’m to think about it, it’s almost not a fair fight because spartacus has been fighting all along and has amassed injuries, etc, while crassus has just been waiting for the final stand.
I was brought to tears when spartacus gave the parting speech, it was really touching to see the love the people have for spartacus.
Crassus bringing the fire balls to the battle was overkill in my opinion, I think he went from underestimating spartacus to overestimating spartacus, I guess an honourable battle went out the back door when tiberius died? Then when he sent the scout to summon spartacus I was thinking hmm Crassus has something up his sleeve now, because it made no sense to me that he was prepping himself to face off with spartacus when he brought those fire balls which could end spartacus before he even got to fight with him. I must say the talk between crassus and spartacus was very exciting, we got to actually see the similsrities between both men up close and I bet they both saw that in another life they probably could have been friends, the handshake at the end just proves the twisted connection they now have.
I figured the truth about Kore and Tiberius would come out at some point I just didn’t envision it would be through spartacus but that was only because I didn’t forsee Crassus having a talk with him before battle, I too thought that Kore should have told him because even though his faith in tiberius was strengthened at the time I think he would have beleived Kore over tiberius, what he would have done about it I’m not sure but I don’t doubt he would have believed her, anyways this made for an exciting twist in the storyline, I thought maybe there was hope for forgiveness of kore afterall and that proved to be true.
Spartacus gazing at the map of thrace brought me back to season 1 when he had just gone into battle alongside Glaber and afterwards how they took him as a slave, those were the days, well at least before ensalvement. But just thinking about how the show has evolved from those days and the days of the arena and batiatus, it has been an awesome ride.
Also it seemed Gannicus finally embraced the leadership position spartacus has been trying to get him to embrace all season. I waited to see what final plan spartacus had up his sleeve, if the promo was any indication I thought part of that plan would have him leaping off a ramp.
I feel like when Crassus gave his little speech to his men there was no heart in it, I think he doesn’t care about the so-called glory of rome, he just wants to gain respect from rome by beating spartacus, I am not saying there’s anything wrong with his motives but he’s definitely cloaking his ambitions with that speech.
When I saw the trap spartacus layed for the romans I couldn’t hold in my screams of excitement, then an archer top off, can’t expect any less from the bringer of rain am I right? and of course I knew it wouldn’t shock Crassus as much as it would other romans, it just made it that much more exciting, caesar was visibly shocked though which I found hilarious, you would think his time among them would have taught him that spartacus is no imbecile.
and as if the trench and archers wasn’t enough, our bringer of rain layed those ramps on top of the romans and lunged forth, that my friends proves my earlier prediction from the promo of that being part of the spartacus’ master plan, I didn’t envision all of what occured though, saying it was awesome is an understatement, now I did see crassus look slightly surprised when that started to happen.
Agron showed form with the weapon Nazir fashioned for him, I’m glad he got to stand on the field of battle.
Every time I thought the episode couldn’t get more exciting, another strategy from spartacus rears it’s head, when Gannicus and the men rode in behind crassus I couldn’t stifle my screams of excitement once again, I know all season I’ve been prediciting spartacus’ fall but all these magnificent ideas spartacus came up with made it harder ad harder for me to hold to my opinion, I felt myself clinging to the hope that he would win this battle.
Glad to see that at the end of the day Crassus still kept himself in check and didn’t panick, formidable foe indeed.
The salecian proved himself worthy in battle. RIP.
I bet Crassus never expected beat down off his horse by spartacus, but really he hasn’t underestimated spartacus’ strategy and intelligence all along so why did he underestimate his fighting abilities, I mean spartacus fought other gladiators too not just romans and won, so just because crassus has training as a gladiator means he can defeat spartacus so easily, I mean he’s never even been on the sands of the arena before, let’s face it he’s only fought one person/gladiator to the death. It was somewhat disappointing to him allow the soldiers to wisk him away after spartacus gave him a flesh wound, what happened to all the confidence he had before and that need to fight spartacus?
I was excited but scared to see the inevitable showdown between gannicus and caeser and also spartacus and crassus because the looming threat of the series staying true to history has been present this whole season.
RIP saxa.
I prepared myself to see a lot of characters I love die in this finale. As morbid as this sounds better they die than they leave us hanging with some uncertain future for these characters for all eternity.
RIP Naevia.
RIP other dude that I can’t recall your name but you’ve been around since beginning.
Even with the wounds that put spartacus at a disadvantage, I am 100% sure he would have won if the soldiers didn’t come to Crassus’ aid. I’m sure Crassus say his life before his eyes.
Gannicus and Caesar now, Caesar is a fassy, he’s a vag, he wouldn’t even show down with Gannicus by himself. I must admit I did not see this end for Gannicus, I thought all along he would lead the rebellion in Spartacus’ stead.
I must admit, I know Crassus has his ways but I didn’t expect him to crucify Kore, I probably should have though, I mean he did sentence his own son to decimation for disobeying his command.
RIP Spartacus.
That was an epic finale to an epic series. I am going to miss it dearly.
I love that they showed all past characters in the end credits and also including Andi Witfield.
