Episode Title: “Missio”
Writers: Maurissa Tancharoen & Jed Whedon
Director: Rick Jacobson
Previously on “Spartacus: Gods of The Arena”:
Five years before the arrival of Spartacus, Batiatus (John Hannah) was barely known among the gladiatorial promoters except for his star champion, Gannicus (Dustin Clare). With his wife Lucretia (Lucy Lawless) at his side, Batiatus made a bold play to gain the favor of an influential man named Tullius (Stephen Lovatt). Batiatus challenged his rival, Vettius (Gareth Williams) and boasted that Gannicus could beat Vettius’ best fighter while blindfolded. Despite his obvious annoyance at the stipulation, Gannicus overcame the odds and defeated his opponent.
Social climber Gaia (Jaime Murray) wormed her way into Batiatus’ home and into the loving arms of Lucretia. And although Batiatus was sure that Tullius would now aid him, he was confronted by both Vettius and Tullius, who tried to force him to sell them Gannicus. Batiatus refused and he was beaten to a pulp and urinated on in response. Then Tullius warned him to reconsider his decision or face expulsion from the gladiatorial games forever.
Story:
The morning after the attack, Batiatus stumbles through the streets and finally passes out from his injuries. He wakes up in his bed with his wounds treated, but he knows that he can not take on Tullius directly. Solonius (Craig Walsh-Wrightson) encounters Tullius in the market place and he is given a more friendly warning to make his friend change his mind. Solonius brings the message to Batiatus, who instantly flies into a rage about “kissing the cock” of the man who pissed on him. Solonius then tells him that he will also be banned from the games if Batiatus refuses, but he promises to stay by him either way.
Elsewhere, Gannicus spends time with Oenomaus (Peter Mensah) and his wife Melitta (Marisa Ramirez), both of whom he is apparently good friends with. Melitta asks Gannicus what would happen if he and Oenomaus ever had to fight, but he simply laughs off her question. The quickly improving Crixus (Manu Bennett) seeks Gannicus’ advice on how to become champion and he is coldly told to “never lose.” While watching his men fight, Batiatus witnesses one of the gladiators submit in combat and instantly condemns the man to the salt mine.
Doctore (Temuera Morrison) convinces Batiatus to give the condemned man one last chance and he relents. Using all of his remaining resources, Batiatus conducts a scheme to win the approval of another important man named Vargas. First, Batiatus sent the formerly condemned man to help incapacitate Vettius just as Batiatus was beaten earlier. But even though the man was successful, his comrades kill him in the alley because Vettius had seen his face. While Titus awaited Vettius, Gaia and Lucretia lured him back to Batiatus’ estate. Since Vargas was looking for gladiators, Batiatus was only too glad to arrange a demonstration fight to the death between Gannicus and Crixus.
To everyone’s astonishment, Crixus nearly gives Gannicus all he can handle before facing a sword to the throat. However, Gaia unexpectedly voices mercy for Crixus, allowing him to be spared. Later, Doctore is demoted by Batiatus and told that Oenomaus will be the new Doctore. Gannicus is also told to submit himself to anything that Vargas desires. But Vargas is more of a voyeur and he wants to watch the warrior have sexual relations with a woman. He picks out Melitta from amongst the slaves and Batiatus forces them to comply with his wishes.
Outside Doctore forces Oenomaus into a life or death battle which ends in Oenomaus’ favor. Inside, Gannicus and Melitta start to enjoy their tryst, much to their apparent shame. But their display wins over Vargas, who tells Batiatus that Gannicus will be in the next games. In celebration, Batiatus has a three-way encounter with his wife and Gaia. Meanwhile, Melitta comforts her husband as he mourns the friend and mentor he was forced to kill, while she hides her own pain and secrets from him.
Breakdown:
Watching “Gods of The Arena” is starting to remind me of Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut.” At some point, the nudity, violence and shock moments become so prevalent that they lose all impact. I had the same feeling watching this episode that I did while viewing that film. I thought “Enough already. Just tell a f***ing story.”
One moment of brutality actually stood out, when the man formerly condemned to the mines got his throat cut by his fellow gladiators. I don’t recall if they gave him a name in the script, but the way his throat bloated upon his death rattle was effective in gaining him some sympathy. That guy got nothing but s*** from his relatively short life as a gladiator.
But for the most part, the background characters are little more than props. Like the two gay gladiators making out from near the beginning of the hour. I’ve only seen a few episodes of “Spartacus: Blood and Sand,” so I’m not sure if they’re preexisting characters; but I literally know nothing about them aside from their sexuality. I don’t even know their names. They’re just there. Compare that to “Shameless,” where Ian and Kash have actual personalities and lives. They come off as people, whereas most of the gladiators here don’t even have one dimension of characterization.
There are a few exceptions to that. Oenomaus and Gannicus are the most compelling of the warriors, but their friendship seemingly came out of nowhere. The betrayal in this episode is obviously going to come back to haunt them later and it will probably lead to a climactic fight between them by the end of the miniseries. But it was such an important detail that it should have been seeded in the first episode. By shoving it in here, it seems like the writers were overcompensating in order to make the moment resonate.
As it stood, the scene between Gannicus and Melitta played out like a violation on both of them. Although there are hints that they both enjoyed it more than they would have liked. I wouldn’t be surprised if one or both them seeks out an affair with each other. Neither one of them appeared in the first season, so anything goes when it comes to their final fate.
At the very least, there were two great duels this week: Crixus vs. Gannicus and the more emotional battle between Oenomaus and Doctore. That friendship also didn’t have much time to develop, but Oenomaus’ tears for his friend were very telling.
The con operated by Batiatus and his house on Vargas was a thing of beauty. Kind of like a B.C. version of the Leverage team. And I have to admit that I thought Gaia was just pushing Titus towards herself rather than the originally settled upon plan. But just when you think she’s completely cold, Gaia was the one who saved Crixus. However, I still think she’s extremely devious. So much so, that I bet she winds up married to someone rich and powerful by the end. There’s no way someone that driven will die easily.
“Gods of The Arena” has some interesting pieces and characters in play. If it can focus on its narrative instead of its next shocking moment, then it might be something worth watching all the way through.
Crave Online Rating: 7 out of 10.
