| Shadow Games | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Season | 1 | |
| Number | Episode 05 | |
| Date Aired | February 19, 2010 | |
| Writer | Miranda Kwok | |
| Director | Michael Hurst | |
| Guests | Reuben De Jong (Theokoles) | |
| Previous | The Thing in the Pit | |
| Next | Delicate Things | |
"Shadow Games" is the fifth episode of Spartacus: Blood and Sand. It is the fifth episode of the Spartacus series overall.
Plot Outline
Batiatus is presented with a gladiatorial oppurtunity of a lifetime. Spartacus and Crixus must overcome their mutual hostility to fight as a team against a legendary and unbeaten opponent.
Synopsis
Practice continues within the Batiatus' Ludus, with Spartacus and Crixus resuming their heated rivalry, despite the admonitions of Oenomaus. On the upper level, Batiatus continues to entreat the gods for rainfall, as he nurses the wound from his encounter with the assassins. Lucretia arrives with what she considers good news: Magistrate Calavius has expressed interest in hiring gladiators from their house for the games to appease the gods and call for rain - Batiatus, to great delight, realizes he has an offer to take part in the coming primus. Meanwhile, in the city, Ashur, along with Barca, interrogates a man for information on the mark the slave that attacked Batiatus had.
Magistrate Calavius and Solonius arrive at Batiatus' ludus. They speak casually about Batiatus' father and the ongoing drought, before revealing to Batiatus an upcoming gladiatorial event. Batiatus is pleased and he shows them a gladiator that he believes is eligible for the event: Crixus. Titus too, is pleased, and says that it will now be "a contest among legends." He reveals that Solonius has registered the undefeated arena legend Theokoles in the upcoming event. This worries Batiatus; However Calavius suggests that Spartacus should fight alongside Crixus against Theokoles, to even the odds. Batiatus, afraid of becoming more in debt, accepts the suggestion.
In the ludus, a handful of gladiators are playfully assaulting their cook, Euclid. Spartacus reveals to Varro that he would rather not have Crixus at his side in their upcoming match. Varro says that he is a fool, as Theokoles has been cut a thousand times and still lives.
Later that evening, Oenomaus tries convincing Batiatus to let himself face Theokoles instead, as he is the only person to fight him and live. Batiatus repels the suggestion, and instead insist he prepares Spartacus and Crixus for their match. Ashur and Barca return, and reveal to Batiatus the identity of the mark — belonging to a slave trader named Remus. Below the villa, Naevia gives Crixus water from Lucretia to aid in his training. The two share a brief moment of romance before leaving. As Crixus heads back inside the ludus to his cell, he is surprised to see Spartacus waiting for him. Spartacus says that if they do not work together to slay Theokoles, then they will both fall. Crixus brushes off his advice, wanting to take the glory for himself.
The next morning, Ashur and Barca engage in a conversation. Ashur believes that Spartacus and Crixus will fall against Theokoles, while Barca believes otherwise. The two wager a bet on the outcome of the upcoming contest. Ilithyia arrives at the ludus, expressing to Lucretia her excitement to finally see the Thracian die. Meanwhile, Oenomaus trains Spartacus and Crixus in preparation for their match. As they train, Ilithyia expresses an intimate interest in Crixus. She also addresses Lucretia's inability to produce children. She tells her that she has heard of a Priestess of Juno, blessed with gifts that could help Lucretia. Ilithyia asks to arrange an appointment for her, and Lucretia accepts.
Later that night, Ashur informs Batiatus that Barca has returned, bringing Remus with him. Batiatus interrogates and tortures Remus to the point of nearing death, before Remus reveals to Batiatus that it was Ovidius who moved his hand.
The next morning, Oenomaus continues to train Spartacus and Crixus, as their match is now one day away. Spartacus and Crixus struggle to cooperate with each other, much to Oenomaus' displeasure. Stressing the importance of the teamwork that they will need, he takes off his cuirass and shows the two the scars that Theokoles inflicted upon him in their past battle. Later that evening, the priestess arrives at the villa.
Lucretia with the Priestess of Juno.
During the ritual, she asks Lucretia if she has ever laid with another man. Lucretia says yes, much to Ilithyia's delight. The priestess blesses Lucretia, stating that if she lay with a man within an hour, she will have a child.
Meanwhile, Batiatus secretly invades Ovidius' home in the middle of the night. Batiatus interrogates Ovidius
Ovidius beside his dead wife.
— with Ovidius revealing that Solonius paid him to kill Batiatus. After the interrogation, Batiatus has Barca kill Ovidius, his son, and burn his house to the ground. Back at the villa, Lucretia summons Crixus to her room and attempts to lay with him, but he rejects her since he needed strength for battle. Once he leaves, Naevia expresses her fear for him in his match tomorrow. He comforts her, they kiss and soon lay together.
The next day, Spartacus and Crixus step into the arena to begin their contest as they are met by their opponent Theokoles. As the match begins, the duo attack Theokoles in a cooperative fashion, quickly overwhelming him. They strike him down and win an apparent victory over him, cheering over their success. However, despite his several wounds, Theokoles rises to his feet seemingly unharmed. The battle continues, however, this time Crixus does not work together with Spartacus, rejecting any action of teamwork. Due to this, the match slowly shifts to Theokoles' favor, as the two continue to suffer his attacks. At the climax of the battle, Crixus suffers a mortal attack from Theokoles, eliminating his ability to continue fighting. As Spartacus takes on Theokoles alone, Crixus reaches for his nearby helmet and reflects the sunlight off of the helmet, directing it at Theokoles' eyes and disrupting his vision. Seizing this advantage, Spartacus strikes Theokoles' legs, immobilizing him, and repeatedly swings his sword into the
"The Bringer of Rain".
neck of his opponent, until finally decapitating him. As the match comes to a close, rainfall finally showers upon the city, putting an end to the extensive drought. The crowd cheers Spartacus' name as he revels in his victory. This victory eventually earns him the title "The Bringer of Rain".
Characters in Order of Appearance
- Spartacus
- Crixus
- Oenomaus
- Varro
- Gnaeus
- Pietros
- Batiatus
- Santos
- Lucretia
- Naevia
- Barca
- Marcellus
- Ashur
- Calavius
- Solonius
- Euclid
- Hamilcar
- Ilithyia
- Thessela
- Remus
- Priestess of Juno
- Ovidius
- Laelia
- Ovidius' Son
- Domitia
- Numerius
- Valerius
- Septimus
- Theokoles
Quotes
Ilithyia: "Do you fear being in the arena with Theokoles?"
Crixus: "I long for it."
Ilithyia: "As I long to see it."
Ashur: "Ovidius is cousin to the Magistrate ..."
Batiatus: "He could be cousin to Jupiter himself, I don't give a shit! I will have satisfaction!"
Oenomaus: "My failure: your lesson. His first cut, dealt when I thought him vulnerable, and pressed my attack unwisely. His next assault came as I fell back, to regain position. Yet these wounds are nothing. A game of blood, to amuse the crowd. And when he tires of playing, he will move to separate your head from your neck. I lived, because I survived longer than any man that stood against him. Some herald that as a victory. I am not among them."
Batiatus: "May the gods grant us a miracle. They fucking owe us something ..."
Theokoles: "CAPUA, SHALL I BEGIN?"
Promo
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| The Thing in the Pit | Delicate Things |