Freedom – As the episode opens it is four years later, 12 BC. Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (Ben Batt) tries to get his children under control when Julia (Liah O’Prey) announces their baby is coming. He asks if she can delay the birth until they return to Rome. Hearing her first exclamation of pain, he orders the children out of the carriage Julilla takes off running. After a quick game of hide-and-seek, he and his children take a seat behind a large tree. He tells his children how his father brought him there as a child. He describes those times as “magic.” The children get up, allowing Agrippa’s body to fall to the side. After failing to wake him, the children return to the carriage where Julia holds their new brother. They lead her back to Agrippa’s lifeless body.

Livia Drusilla (Kasia Smutniak) wakes suddenly to see Gaius Augustus (Matthew McNulty) standing before her. She asks, “What.” Agrippa’s body is cremated as his family and friends watch.

Augustus describes Agrippa as his “friend, brother, and Senator.” He promises his name will be remembered as long as Rome stands. During an intimate romp, she assures him that he no longer needs Agrippa.

The High Priestess delivers Agrippa’s will to Augustus. A short distance away, Tiberius (Benjamin Isaac) questions what is in the will. Tycho (Alex Lanipekun) warns against joking about the forging of a will. Tiberius says controlling the Temple of Vesta is controlling the future. Livia assures him that Augustus is Agrippa’s sole heir.

Marcella (Alais Lawson) questions how Julia is fairing since her move back home. When they do not offer a response, she asks if Augustus has announced her new husband. Julia assures her that it is over for her after two marriages and five children. Marcella reminds her that she is only 27 before offering her husband, Iullus (Joseph Ollman) if it were possible. Octavia (Claire Forlani) says that is enough. Marcella says Iullus is more suitable for Antonia (Hannah Chinn). Julia asks if there has been any news. Marcella claims Domitius (David Avery) is interested in her before calling off several other of their husbands. Julilla observes from a short distance away. Fed up, Julia dumps a cup of wine on Marcella’s head when a physical dispute breaks out. Vipsania (Joelle) urges Julilla to run without looking back.

When Drusus (Ewan Horrocks) and Tiberius approach, Antonina (Isabelle Connolly warns that one of them may be chosen as Julia’s next husband. Tiberius points out that Livia is with Piso (Darrell D’Silva). He quietly orders Vipsania to pack quietly.

Livia admits to loving Agrippa. Piso says his death will not change the succession, his sons whom Augustus adopted will remain first in line to inherit everything. Reminding her of the will she made, he assures her that it covers everything. He warns against finding Julia a husband. She tells him that Augustus will marry her off. He suggests whoever is chosen as her husband will have a significant political impact. She says their only option is Drusus when Iullus approaches. She tells him that it is impossible to fix his marriage with Julia now or potentially ever. He reminds her of the promise she made. She promises to pay for his Consul candidacy. He demands to have Julia. Walking away, he promises to bring it crashing down. Julia demands to say unmarried. Livia agrees with her.

Livia tells Drusus that he will need to be Julia’s next husband. He confesses to loving Antonina before describing their union as “just a marriage.” He says restoring the Republic is all that matters. Tiberius warns that Domitius will want Julia as well.

Augustus orders Tycho to bring him Scribonia (Christine Bottomley), Livia, and Octavia. Elsewhere, Livia tells Domitius to tell Augustus that Julia should not be his wife out of respect for Antonia. After saying he expects to be among those considered, he assures her that he would never refuse the offer. As he walks away, she says Augustus still does not know he and Marcus Cassius Elva (Edmund Wiseman) is the grain famine organizer. He accuses her of lying. She informs him of her people locating Tomi who acquired the grain in Egypt before walking away.

Antonina asks Drusus if he will divorce her to marry Julia. He says if everything works out. She asks if they are going to Germany tomorrow. He assures her that the marriage will not take place until never year. She says it has been fun. Tiberius suggests Drusus is loved by everyone, including Augustus who also fears and envies him.

Livia returns to find Augustus under the weather. Octavia informs her of Domitius’ request to not be considered as Julia’s next husband. Augustus tells Livia, Scribonia, and Octavia that Julia is to marry Tiberius. She thanks him with an embrace. Octavia expresses relief that his decision will not impact her daughters.

Scribonia informs Julia of Augustus’ decision to marry her to Tiberius. Irate, she calls his decision a “joke.” Antonia reminds her of Domitius which would be way worse. Scribonia suggests a deal that excludes sex and children to secure her sons’ futures. Julia asks what about her own future.

Drusus assures Livia that Augustus does not trust him. Piso tells Drusus that his name is listed on Augustus’ will as his successor. Drusus asks Livia if she forged his will. She warns that there can never be another civil war. Drusus suggests leading the Army of the Rhine into Rome, not Germany. She says he will fight back. He tells her to poison him like Marcellus (Finn Bennett) to keep him from fighting. He questions how committed she is to getting the Republic back and avenging her father. When she says they wait, he says no when Tycho announces Tiberius and Vipsania departed the city this morning. She pleads with Drusus to bring him back.

Antonina accuses Augustus of killing her and Livia’s fathers. She claims Drusus sleep-talked about restoring the Republic. She promises to be there whenever she needs her. Livia confesses to love her before asking her to spy on Drusus.

Tiberius digs up a metal box of treasures from his childhood. The treasures remind him of his father’s cruelty. Holding up a dress, Vipsania asks if it belonged to Livia. He orders her put it on.

After intimacy with a strange woman, Julia assures her that they are the same when Gracchus (Jack Brett Anderson) approaches. She invites him to have sex with her like everyone else.

After recalling Marcellus, Domitius asks Marcella if she remembers Julia’s missing lover, Vilvia (Elliot Barnes-Worrell). He questions if Agrippa was responsible for killing him. She assures him it was not Iullus before claiming Livia forced Octavia to back off on Antonina’s wedding. She says Livia uncovering the famine contributed to Ursa (Mia Jenkins) living with Piso. He suggests Livia having Vilbia killed would be very risky for her. She tells him that the validity does not matter, only that specific people believe it. She says he will never have power in Rome until Livia is gone.

Continuing to feel under the weather, Augustus informs Livia of Agrippa left her a lot of land. He warns of the risk of pushing Julia’s remarriage too quickly. He asks if Gallus would be a good choice for Vipsania’s next husband. Later, she has Antigone’s (Colette Dalal Tchantcho) poisons when Tycho approaches. She says Tiberius and Drusus are out of control and the situation is unstable.

Tiberius dreams of his father telling him that Livia suffocated him to death when he was a baby. He wakes up gasping for breath. Vipsania comforts him when Drusus approaches. Tiberius asks about his memories of their father. Drusus claims to only remember his corpse. Tiberius pleads to be left alone. Drusus tells him that he cannot do it alone. Hitting his legs, Tiberius calls himself a “monster.” Drusus reminds him of his being his brother.

Livia denies Tiberius’ marriage to Julia was her idea. Vipsania tells Livia that she is not sorry. Livia agrees with her when Julia demands to speak with Tiberius. Livia informs them of Augustus’ illness. Elated, Julia assures her that he deserves it. After they walk away, Livia demands Vipsania not force Tiberius to choose between her and Julia. Tiberius and Julia thank Augustus for their impending marriage. Before leaving for Germany, Drusus warns Julia that Tiberius has someone dangerous living inside him. He agrees to keep his army in Germany for Livia. Tiberius pleads with Drusus to not return to Germany because Augustus wants him there. Drusus says there is nothing to worry about.

Antonina helps Drusus write a coded letter to Tiberius, saying it is time to act. He says if they take their legions to Rome, Augustus will be forced to surrender and they can restore the Republic. He urges Tiberius to not say anything to Piso or Livia. Antonina sends Livia a letter alerting her of Drusus’ plan. Vistilius (Ethan Moorhouse) to deliver the letters in Rome. Ordering Tiberius to hand over Drusus’ letter, Livia burns it. Vipsania accuses Antonina of informing Liva. He says Livia wants him to write Drusus pledging his support for Augustus. She asks if they have other options. He suggests poisoning Augustus and producing the forged will with Drusus as successor. He asks if she suffocated him when he was just an infant. She claims to have done it to muffle his cries, so the bounty hunters would not find them. She says Antigone brought him back by placing him in the stream. He tells her that he was not alone when he returned from the underworld.

Livia says “bad Tiberius” is nothing more than something Drusus concocted when they were children. She orders him to write the letter. He betrayed Vipsania, now Drusus.

Handing Augustus a letter, Vistilius says Tiberius received a duplicate. Augustus orders him to bring the key square, so he can break the code.

Vipsania asks Tiberius if he will choose her or Livia. He says Livia never loved him before calling her a “monster.” Taking a seat beside a sleeping Livia, he says, “It is me or you, Mother and it isn’t me” before suffocating her with a pillow. Vipsania watches from a short distance away. When Livia stops breathing, Tycho rushes in to pull Tiberius off of her. After two slaps, Livia wakes up gasping for breath. He assures her that it was nothing more than a nightmare.

Domitius tells Musca (Nathan Welsh) that Livia killed Vilbia as the episode ends.

 

Domina Review

Agrippa dies while Julia is in childbirth. Julia and Livia agree she doesn’t need to remarry. Augustus, on the other hand, has another plan in mind. Drusus readily steps up to marry her but Augustus chooses Tiberius instead. Livia supports his decision.

Fleeing Rome, Tiberius wrestles with his inner demon. Drusus believes Agrippa’s death has weakened Augustus’s resolve. He wants to bring the Army of Rhine and Tiberius’ army to Rome to force Augustus out of power. Livia believes it is too dangerous.

Once Tiberius is back in Rome, Drusus agrees to delay military action in Rome. Antonina learns about his plan to restore the Republic through his sleep-talking. Knowing Augustus is responsible for her father’s death, she agrees to spy on Drusus for Livia. As Drusus leads his army to Germany, she volunteers to help him write a coded letter to Tiberius urging him to unite their armies in Rome. She alerts Livia of the letter. Livia forces Tiberius to turn over the letter for it to be burnt and write Drusus a letter pledging his loyalty to Augustus. Recalling his father’s claim of Livia suffocating him as an infant, he suffocates her with a pillow. Tycho revives her but swears it was a nightmare.

Livia orders Domitius to refuse Augustus if he offers him Julia. When he refuses to go along with it, she threatens to tell Augustus that he orchestrated the famine. Vowing revenge, Domitius informs Muscua of Livia killing Vilbia.

An outstanding episode that deserves a 7.0. Get more Domina recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by donating to our site. Our onsite advertising builds brand awareness, click the link to learn more.