As episodes of Spartacus go, this is one that contains very little of the man himself. Spartacus’s influence is now less as the leader of a slave rebellion and more as a symbol that changes the idea of slavery for all those under Rome’s rule.

Whether the show’s hero will survive War of the Damned remains very unclear, and this episode further displays just how significantly he has been outmanoeuvred by Crassus. As the rebel army flees the city, the series takes some time to develop the Romans and put some real focus on Gannicus.

There are some issues with the revelation at the episode’s end; they’re less to do with the fact that Crassus was able to plan a trap and more to do with his ability to seemingly plan ahead for anything. It’s a bit of a cumulative problem that seems a little more present at some points in ‘Spoils of War’. Of course, it is undercut by how oblivious he is to more immediate concerns (such as the actions of Tiberius and Kore, or the inevitable jealousy of his wife) that are bound to affect him later.

Before the episode concludes with the rebels trapped, though, it puts considerable effort into examining the character of Gannicus. The ferocious ex-gladiator has had a great character arc, and everything that he does here shows how he has learned from Spartacus. His protection of Sibyl (Gwendoline Taylor) is especially interesting and it is clearly laying the foundations for a realisation of how effective he is at not just fighting for Spartacus but fighting for the same idea that he does.

Caesar is also at the forefront of the episode’s narrative as he finds himself able to return to a more Roman appearance and celebrate his role in the capture of the city. His rivalry with Tiberius continues and it is what leads to the eventual gladiatorial confrontation between Caesar and Donar (Heath Jones) during the Roman victory celebrations.

It’s important to note that despite his wounds, Donar fights with more conviction and passion than Caesar can muster. He’s a character who escaped the ludus and has been around since the first episode of Vengeance so it is fitting that he takes his own life rather than allow the Romans the satisfaction of killing him.

The concept of freedom that fuels the rebellion is everywhere in this episode and that very effectively reflects that it will be impossible for the Romans to truly end the uprising. An idea can’t be killed, especially one that has such power and reach.

Viewers of this show are used to the notion that any character can die at almost any time, but with this season Spartacus is showing us that no death is meaningless. Donar may be a minor character, but his demise hammers home a central theme of the show. The same will be true for numerous characters before the end, and it looks like we may just have glimpsed the setting for the final battle.

Aired at 10pm on Monday 18 March on Sky1.

> Buy Spartacus: Vengeance on DVD on Amazon.

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