Spartacus Episode Review Season 1 Episode 11 - Old Wounds
Written by MaryD

Spartacus struggles with a fellow gladiator's death. The Magistrate is declared missing as Batiatus and Numerius begin the search for him

Favourite Quote: "He will be remembered as a husband, a father and a friend amongst enemies..." Spartacus to Doctore

Spartacus is mourning the death of Varro in a big way. Varro's body is delivered to his mourning wife and Spartacus can't focus on anything. The wound to his side is worrying him and Crixus taunts him.

Meanwhile other plans are afoot. We had Batiatus The Clueless last episode and this episode we get Batiatus The Ruthless..he's baaacck! I do love ruthless Batty. John Hannah is INCREDIBLE. Batiatus the clueless drives me crazy. Batiatus the Ruthless makes me cheer (something is very wrong here but who cares, I love this show!)

You had to wonder since the last episode when the Magistrate basically ignored the first rule of hospitality...don't diss the friend who invited you to their home and don't kill their gladiators (there is a list like that right? If there isn't, there should be). He basically ate, drank and allowed his son to kill. Not a nice thing to do at someone's home.

Oh you can bet your last Roman coin that Batty doesn't give a flying toss if Varro is dead. Nope that's not what he got so worked up about. Varro was a gladiator and that's all he was. He was a slave.

Batiatus doesn't care about slaves; you just had to see the way he ruthlessly killed Barca. No this was much more personal. The Magistrate, poor sod, did something more injurious than just kill a gladiator. He hurt poor Batty's pride. As Batiatus took great delight in repeating the Magistrate's words back to him; the very words that sealed the poor guy's fate:

"Leave politics to the men who have the breeding for it..."

You know by this stage the Magistrate should steal a clue that he is not coming out of this in a healthy state but noooo he continues to dig a big hole for himself when he says...

"I only thought to spare you further humiliation!"

Oh man, are you in serious poop or what?! He rightly gets his head kicked in by an enraged Batiatus. In all of the violence directed at the man, there is a tiny bit of humour that did indeed made me chuckle and it was delivered by none other than Ashur Good Twin. Suggesting that the Magistrate would be able to reply to Batiatus' accusations if he took his foot off the man's throat...well that does usually allow someone to talk <g> Okay back to Ruthless Batiatus without Ashur's comic relief...

Okay so now you've had the crap beaten out of you, what do you do? You try and make nice with the bully who beat you right? Of course you do. What does the silly magistrate do? He insults Batiatus...man, stop digging, you're going to end up in China! Seriously now, stop digging! Too late.

What's really surprising about this scene is Ashur. Remember ruthless, evil Ashur? Well someone must have slipped him something because he suddenly has a heart and tries to get Batiatus to show mercy?! This must be Ashur's good twin because it's the same dude who ruthlessly sold out Barca. Someone send out a search party for Ashur The Evil Twin...good twin is boring.

Batiatus tells him "We're committed". Yeah. Right. Wow Batiatus is totally off the rails here...wounded pride and all.

Meanwhile back at the Ludus Spartacus is going a little crazy. His grief over Varro's death brings some unusual visions. It's not surprising he would be in mourning for his friend. As he said to Doctore

"He will be remembered as a husband, a father and a friend amongst enemies..."

Varro was more than Sparty's friend. He was a brother. That wound is deep and I don't see it being healed any time soon. Spartacus is out of commission due to his injury being infected which leads Batiatus to give Crixus a chance to prove himself once again.

I'm not sure if a 2x4 across the back of the head would give Crixus a real clue that he is second choice to fight Pericles and only fights because Spartacus is out of commission. I did enjoy the chat between Naevia and Crixus. She does the long suffering girlfriend so well <g> I love Naevia's spunk; I do. Crixus needs someone like her in his life. Crixus on this occasion actually stops puffing out his chest long enough to show her some gentleness and soothes her worried mind. Awww. There is hope yet.

Away from the love birds...Ashur Evil Twin has been found! Yeay! Oh Solonios you poor Sod #2...run man, run! I wonder if Solonios realises that he is meeting with Ashur Evil Twin? Probably not..ah well.

We next go back to the Ludus where Spartacus is in the middle of a fever and some very strange things happen likes money coming out his wound....very disturbing imagery...with Varro saying "This is what you are to him..." Next is a woman coming out of the water with a mask with blood coming out of her eyes and mouth...Sura. Poor dying Sura.

Back to the Arena where Crixus is getting a welcome from the crowd that he didn't expect. Aww poor Crixus. He is getting booed and rotten fruit is thrown at him much to Lucretia and Naevia's disgust. I think I've figured out Doctore as well. Does he believe Crixus is the true champion of Capua or does he think that by playing to Crixus' pride that he would get the best out of him? I believe the latter.

Smart (and extremely cute) man that Doctore.

Young Numerious seems to want Crixus to kill Pericles; what a departure from the last episode but then his birthday present must be a distant memory by now..she's gone back to Rome.

Lucretia and Naevia have near heart attacks during Crixus' battle with Pericles...Lucretia mysteriously nearly falls over as she goes to stand to cheer for Crixus...hmm I wonder if all her baby making activities has finally paid off. Interesting. It's either that, too much wine or a very big red herring from wicked Steven <g>

Crixus gives Pericles a gut wrenching send off (sorry, I couldn't resist). He is disappointed when he looks up and doesn't see Naevia but a kill is a kill, right Crixus? He is once again the victor and going to be insufferable once he gets over Naevia not watching the disembowelment of poor Pericles.

Batiatus stops gloating long enough to set his plan in motion for the poor Magistrate. Off he goes in search for the missing Magistrate with Numerious by his side. Meanwhile Ashur Evil Twin goes to Solonios to tell him about Batiatus' treachery. Oh dear. Ashur leads Solonios to where the Magistrate is being kept...

Meanwhile back at the Ludus, Spartacus is in one of his fever dreams...and this time Spartacus sees himself dead. The same self (that sounds odd) he killed in the Arena in episode 7 "Great and Unfortunate Things" where he decided to lay down his resistance and stop being a Thracian to being Spartacus, Gladiator. Creepy. He then sees Sura where she asks "Why did you kill him?"

"A man must accept his fate..." Spartacus

"or be destroyed by it..." Sura

"You have always been destined for great and unfortunate things..." Sura again.

We next see Sura dying in Spartacus' arms again...and Varro telling him he must tend to the wound...he sees the driver telling Batiatus about the attack, we then see the blood on his hands and a wound, Figment Varro as a Roman soldier pushes him into the room where the driver is enjoying the pleasures of the women and Sura...who says...tend to the wound...
Spartacus has an epiphany (and his fever breaks)! The driver has no wound..he wasn't attacked..oh dear...Spartacus asks Mira to release him. I fear for the driver's health.

Ashur Evil Twin and Solonios is on their way to finding the Magistrate to free him before Batiatus can kill him. Just as they arrive Ashur gets an attack of the scaredy cat about him and flees. Solonios you silly silly man. He discovers that the Magistrate is dead...way way dead with his throat cut. Unfortunately for Solonious he is holding a dagger...slit throat, dagger...Numerous coming round the corner and finding his dead father..

oh dear Solonios just booked his debut in the Arena.

Ashur Evil Twin is right beside Batiatus with an evil smirk on his face. That was shifty, nasty and just plain evil. Deliciously evil.

Back at the Ludus Spartacus kills the driver but not before the driver tells him what we all knew...Batiatus The Ruthless Version killed his wife. Mira helps Spartacus cover up the death. Batiatus believes the driver died of his wounds and Sparty is off the hook.

Batiatus sees a very healthy Spartacus and asks him if he is well.

"Yes Dominos, I am my self again."

Oh yeah the Thracian is back!

Rating: 8/10

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On the next episode of Spartacus Blood and Sand:

Spartacus Season 1 Episode 12 "Revelations"

Lucretia and Batiatus await the arrival of Glaber with the intentions to receive his patronage, while Spartacus focuses his attention on his plan for revenge. Friday, 4/9 at 10pm et/pt on Starz.

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