3.7 Mors Indecepta Indeed, this was a good episode on every level, not just because we saw the rebels get a much-needed and unequivocal win, but because the tension was ratcheted right up. Cold, hungry, trapped between an impassable wall and an undefeatable legion and with a storm incoming, it was no surprise things were getting fraught in the rebel camp. As the tension rose, the emotions became heightened, and subplots spilled over into the main plot making every twist more satisfying as a result. This time, the division that fell between Spartacus and Crixus felt far more organic than when they were in Sinuessa, and seeing the pair go fist-to-fist reminded us of how far they’ve both come since the first season. Of course, it also brought back memories of their earlier fights, which highlighted how a huge component feels absent without the weekly gladiatorial match-ups that made season one so engaging, but it’s a different show now. Not necessarily more character-led (it was always quite heavy on character, despite appearances) but certainly more organically constructed. While the show’s romantic subplots have taken something of a back seat this season, this episode did inch most of them forward in some way. Gannicus and Sybil finally got together in a scene as inevitable as it was unrealistic (seriously, mid-blizzard was not the time to be removing anyone’s clothes) much to the upset of poor Saxa, who didn’t even need to ask to see what was going on. Agron and Nasir finally seem to have patched things up, with Agron even coming to some kind of truce with Castus. And even Spartacus and Laeta found common ground, although it’s too early to call that a romance (and with only three episodes to go, maybe too late as well.) It’s interesting that this episode once again teased viewers with the idea of a Spartacus and Crixus separation, knowing that many viewers will be familiar with the historical account. The next episode is called Separate Paths, though, so if anything’s going to finally break the rebels into two armies, that’ll be it. It’s worth noting that without Crixus, Spartacus loses his most powerful deputy (and the only person capable of giving him the hard truth about his constant failure to anticipate Crassus’ plans) but on the other hand, maybe it’s time Crixus got the field promotion he’s long deserved. Next week’s episode has a lot of promise indeed. Follow our Twitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here. And be our Facebook chum here.
