Blood Relation – Episode 6 opens in the wake of Mount Vesuvius’s eruption. As ashes rain down around the city, Elia (Goncalo Almeida), Andria Eneko Sagardoy), and Fonsoa (Pepe Barroso) make preparations at the stables. Scorpus (Dimitri Leonidas) only takes a brief respite to admire the ashes before turning his attention back to Xena. After learning Pompeii and Herculaneum have been buried, Titus orders Porto (Adrian Bouchet) to begin preparing for those who can make it to Rome. Saving the worst for last, Porto tells Titus about the Vestal flame going out.
Although Domitian (Jojo Macari) pretends otherwise, it’s evident from his proceeding discussions with Hermes (Alessandro Bedetti) that he is disturbed that Kwame (Moe Hashim) was going to attack him before Mount Vesuvius intervened. Meanwhile, Kwame explodes in anger when Atticus (Bruno Bilotta) tells him that he’s got a rematch with Flamma (Martyn Forn).
After Jula (Alice Ann Edogamhe) overhears Marsus (Rupert Penry-Jones) conspiring with Antonia (Gabriella Pession) to solidify their power, she relays the news to Tenax (Iwan Rheon) at the betting parlor. While there, she also briefly meets with Cala (Sara Martins) and Aura (Kyshan Wilson).
Jula gets lost on her way to the Esquiline which leads to her meeting and bonding with Elia. While personally escorting her, they share their backgrounds. At the same time, Tenax shares what he just learned about the meeting with Domitian. Domitian sarcastically jokes about swooping in and saving the day, but much to his surprise, Tenax tells him that he only needs to be present during the meeting to see what happens.
Domitian, Tenx, and Titus later covertly attend the meeting where Marsus claims the volcanic eruption was the God’s vengeance for Titus lying with a heretic Judean Queen. Titus has all he can take when Marsus begins vilifying his opening Rome’s gates to the refugees of the volcano. Not long after this, Domitian has Marsus, Torel (Michael Bundred), and Sepulcius (Marco Gambino) arrested for treason.
While tending to stable duties, Elia learns that Gavros (David Wurawa) was once a revered chariot racer, with 11 first-place wins to back his reputation. Gavros claims he was always tempted by the wine and fine living but it was the fear of death that ultimately sidelined him. Gavros claims that a chariot racer’s career is over the second he begins faring death.
With the help of a guard, Viggo (Johannes Haukur Johannesson) secures a brief meeting with Kwame. During their short time together, Viggo not only plies him with wine and food but he teaches him a battle mantra of his people: ‘Take me if you will, O Death, but is it not better to let me live and serve you by killing others?’
Titus is not only immensely grateful for Domitian’s help but he even takes his advice on how to solve the grain riots. Part of that strategy involves extending the Inaugural Games and reinstating the Gold Faction. Domitian later shares the victory with Tenax who further convinces him to make him master of those games. Domitian agrees under the condition that Tenax put Scorpus back in the Gold Faction. Tenax immediately sets out to accomplish this by having Scorpus arrested for illegal betting.
Now that Cornelia (Alice Lamanna) is named as the Vestal Madden, Antonia pleads with her to speak on Marsus’s behalf, in hopes that it will help with the treason charge. It becomes immediately clear that Cornelia will not and blames both Marsus and Antonia for being so easily handed over to the Vestal Order. Elias immediately looks to take advantage of Marsus’s arrest as well by plotting with Jula to secure her freedom. Jula isn’t at all opposed but still fears Antonia’s retribution and the fact that Elias cannot afford to pay the fee. He might not be able to buy her freedom but he can take her virginity and that is where things are left for the moment.
Later that day, Rufus (Michael Maggi) shares his work on the chariots with Tenax. Although Tenax gives him a satchel, he assures Rufus that payment will be discussed later. It is merely moments later when the satchels are revealed to be extra weight. The water skins are later slit open before the racing begins. The sham proves effective as does Domitians and Titus could not be happier.
During the races, Cala notices that by stopping the betting as soon as the races start is causing Tenax to miss out on tons of money. She later brings this to his attention and learns that it’s illegal to take bets once the event has started. She already has a solution for that and he is right in the middle of considering it when his attention is drawn to another blackmail note. This too is interrupted by Hermes on behalf of Domitian, who is eager to collect his earnings. Tenax tells him that will be a bit of a problem because the biggest bets are taken on credit. He promises to pay first thing tomorrow.
When Tenax makes arrangements for the payments, Scorpus and Senator Leto (Vincent Riotta) also approach him. Scorpus is equally eager to collect his payment but Leto is upset that he stole Scorpus back to the Gold Faction. Neither of these brief encounters end on a good note and things only get worse for Tenax when he learns there haven’t been any reported sightings of Ursus (Daniel Stisen).
Things do not go any better for Cala when she returns to Cornelia and is denied help with Jula because of her involvement with Tenax. Tenax learns about this much later that evening with Cala tells him that she is reconsidering her association with him.
It is not much later after this that Tenax receives word of a sighting of Ursus. Unfortunately, this only amounts to him being led into a trap. He does manage to escape his captor and Ursus kills the guard that betrayed Tenx, but still beats Tenax to a bloody pulp and leaves him in a pool of his own blood with the room burning around him. Ursus also tells Tenax that he is of Patrician blood.
Those About To Die
Is Tenax the new Jon Snow? This certainly does make for an interesting twist, although it reminds me too much of Game of Thrones. I don’t know if the series is starting to draw on me, but I feel much better about it than when I initially began. It is without a doubt far too long, but it is becoming interesting. There are also far too many characters and I am not so as much interested in the betting side of the story.
I’d much rather hear about the lineage and dissidents in the ranks. The gladiator aspect of the story is somewhat interesting but it is so predictable and as far as the slaves go, I could care less. I’d have to give this episode a 5.5 out of 10.
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