Charles is a full-time features writer who covers movies and television, with expertise in Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, and Dune.
Gladiator 2 is the long-awaited sequel to the classic Ridley Scott Ancient Rome epic, and there are several references and callbacks to the original. The idea of a Gladiator sequel after over two decades may have come as a shock, given the sheer length of time since the original. But Ridley Scott has gotten the band back together, or at least a new iteration of Gladiator's cast that's worthy of the 2000 Best Picture winner.
It's a pleasant way of rehashing old material without having to play these scenes directly, and it allows for nostalgia to begin flowing as the movie starts. After the credits, Gladiator 2 opens with text cards that explain the current state of Rome under emperors Caracalla and Geta . This is reminiscent of the first movie, which opened with a similar exposition.
The line is delivered in a particular way that calls back to the first movie, in the iconic scene where Maximus reveals his face and name to Commodus in the arena. It's one of many lines that finds its way into the Gladiator sequel in a somewhat awkward manner, but it ultimately works in reminding Lucius of where he comes from.
✕ Remove Ads In the first movie, Marcus Aurelius spoke of the dream, and the phrase was later repeated by Maximus. The dream of Rome is essentially an ideal that the ancient civilization could become a utopia for the world, where all people could be given a fair chance to survive and prosper. It's counter-intuitive to the version of Rome seen in the movie, ruled by corrupt tyrants.
6 Lucius Wears Maximus' Armor In The Climax Lucius Gears Up In His Father's Armor After discovering Maximus' armor in the shrine and deciding to embrace his destiny after Acacius' death, Lucius puts on Maximus' armor for his final confrontation. The final Colosseum battle of Gladiator 2 sees him attempting to save his mother, who's declared a traitor by Caracalla and Macrinus.
The line is repeated by Lucilla, and eventually Lucius, in Gladiator 2. When wearing Maximus' armor, he leads his men into the final battle and uses"Strength and honor" as his tagline. The gladiators then chant the phrase in response, hyping them all up for the climactic confrontation. When speaking to Macrinus after he decides not to kill Acacius in the arena, Lucius says,"I will never be your instrument, in this life or the next." Rather than execute the man responsible for killing his wife, Lucius decides to defy Macrinus, refusing to do his duty work. Defiance against tyranny remains a crucial aspect of both Maximus and Lucius as characters.
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