WARNING: Full spoilers for the episode below.
After the brutal actions of Crixus and many of the other rebels last week, tensions are still high between Crixus and Spartacus this week. In fact, Spartacus is now doing things without telling Crixus and who can blame him for not fully trusting the mad Gaul? Meanwhile, Caesar is still in the rebel city stirring up trouble.
“Blood Brothers” wasn’t quite as good as last week’s episode, but it was still a really enjoyable episode. I continue to be impressed with both Crassus and Caesar (the roles, not so much their actions). Caesar finally revealed himself a Roman and took out a few rebels, and even had a brief battle with Gannicus and later Agron (and Saxa too). Hell, Caesar even managed to stab Spartacus himself in the back. Going up against some of the best of the rebels and living to tell about it isn’t bad at all.
You knew the betrayal by the pirates was coming, it had to, but the betrayal was very well done and allowed Romans entry to the city while thwarting Spartacus’ well thought out plan to attack Crassus. You would think Spartacus would have known better than to trust people whose only concern was with having their hands full of coin (especially when up against the wealthiest man in Rome), but apparently not. At least the head pirate, whose name escapes me and I care not to look it up, finally met his demise at the hands of Spartacus.
It was nice to see Crixus and Spartacus tease a confrontation throughout the episode, only to join together in battle against the Romans at the end. The scene with Spartacus and Gannicus fighting back to back against a horde of Romans, only to have Crixus come literally leaping into the fray to help them, was quite as a sight to behold. Afterwards, the blood soaked warriors embraced arms showing that yes, they are indeed blood brothers once again.
Spartacus finally freed the Roman slaves in this episode, as part of a plan to try and trick Crassus. It was nice to see Laeta and the others, including some children, get to leave the city after so many of them were needlessly killed last week thanks to Crixus and Naevia. Yes, the slaves were threatened by Crixus on the way out, and others spat on, and even pissed on them, but at least they got to go free.
Tiberius was forced to kill his best friend last week because of Crassus’ decimation, and this week Tiberius showed he too could be cold by raping his father’s true love, the slave Kore. As the rapes always are, it was brutal to watch. The character of Kore has been a good one; she’s a slave, but one who does truly care for her master, Crassus, and his son Tiberius. To see her work in trying to mend their relationship and help Tiberius end with Tiberius raping her was had to watch, and I really do like the character. It’s going to be interesting to see how Crassus responds.
The ending with Caesar setting the gates on fire and the Romans busting through the city walls was a great cliffhanger ending. There are only five more episodes to go now, and things are really picking up. The rebel city is about to be seized, and I can’t wait to see how Spartacus and his army get out of this one and who, if anyone, will die in next week’s episode. I have my fingers crossed for Naevia, even though she wasn’t that bad in this episode. At least the rebels are on the same page once again, or at least appear to be so.
Spartacus: War of the Damned – “Blood Brothers” gets a three out of five: GOOD.
