Gladiator ending explained – Death of Maximus, how this sets up Gladiator 2

Maximus was one of cinema’s most iconic heroes, but the Gladiator the ending gave it an unexpected conclusion. Gladiator follows the life of a fictional Roman general named Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe). Maximus approaches the current Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), who informs Maximus that he will be named Protector of Rome as soon as Marcus Aurelius dies. Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), son of Marcus Aurelius, learns of this plan and kills his father, then orders his men to execute Maximus and kill his family.

Although Maximus escapes, he is unable to save his wife and son. Afterwards, Máximo ends up being captured by slavers and forced to become a gladiator. After many victories, Maximus is taken to Rome to fight before the Emperor, now Commodus. After Commodus discovers Maximus’ identity, he attempts to arrange his death in the arena, but the plan fails. Maximus hatches his own plan to turn the army against Commodus, but Commodus learns of this and captures him. Commodus challenges Maximus to a duel, and although Maximus kills Commodus, he dies from his wounds..

Why Maximus Dies in Gladiator

Maximus’ Ending Was Bittersweet

Maximo dies in Gladiator from the stab wound to his lung, which was given to him by Commodus before the final duel. Commodus wanted to regain the respect of the Roman people by killing Maximus, their champion. However, Commodus knew he could not defeat him in a fair fight, so he visited Maximus before the fight and stabbed him in the back.

Despite this serious injury, Maximus managed to kill Commodus in single combat, but bled out shortly after the fight. Máximo’s difficult breathing and the position of Commodus’ stab wound show that it was a punctured lung that killed him.

Gladiator kills its main character for a few reasons. Firstly, revenge must have consequences, and Máximo’s revenge must not have an entirely happy ending. In the end, Maximus is trying to kill someone in retribution for the murder of his family, and while the murder may be justified, this type of violent revenge is always self-destructive.

Secondly, death was the natural conclusion of his arc. Maximus’ family was his purpose, and after their deaths, revenge was all he had left. After taking revenge, he has no reason to continue living. In fact, Maximus was clearly ready to meet his end and reunite with his family in the afterlife.

What did Lucilla mean when she said to Maximus: “You are home”

Lucila understood that Máximo found peace

How Maximus dies at the end of GladiatorLucilla whispers to him that he is home. His last words to Maximus reach him as he sees visions of his wife and son on his farm in Trujillo.. Lucilla says he is home because she knows he will be with his wife and son in the afterlife. Although his home may have been destroyed in the world of the living, she knows he will see her again in Elysium and be reunited with his family.

Maximus’ death led to a new Rome

The fall of Commodus gave way to Marcus Aurelius’ dream

In terms of what happened to Rome after the events of Gladiatornone of these events happened in real life. The real Commodus ruled for 12 years after his father’s death and the Republic was never close to restoration. However, it can be assumed that the Roman Senate regained power after Commodus’ death. Commodus has no children in the film and never names an heir, so it’s reasonable to assume that the Senate was left to fill the power vacuum.

The only living character of Gladiator The one who could claim to be emperor would be Lucius, son of Lucilla. However, Lucilla was in favor of Marcus Aurelius and Maximus’ plan to restore the Republic, so it is unlikely that she would have presented her son as a suitor. Furthermore, the Senate already had enormous power and influence, so it wouldn’t have been difficult for them to take control.

The Roman people seemed to resent Commodus and are unlikely to have yearned for another emperor after his reign. That said, the only logical conclusion is that the Senate restored the Republic as Maximus desired.

The True Meaning of Gladiator’s Ending

Gladiator is a simple story of good vs. evil. Evil

GladiatorCommodus’ ending is about the triumph of Maximus’ honor and discipline over Commodus’s cowardice and sadism. Furthermore, it is about the complex morality of revenge. Maximus has an honorable reason for seeking revenge, but it becomes his only purpose in life. His death at the end of the film shows that a person consumed by revenge loses the rest of himself. After killing Commodus, the only thing Maximus wants to do is be with his family again, so there would be nothing to do with his character if he had lived.

Although Maximus’ death may serve as a warning about revenge, his victory over Commodus serves to elevate the virtues emphasized by Marcus Aurelius shortly after. GladiatorThe epic opening. Commodus mentions his father’s belief in four main virtues: wisdom, temperance, justice, and fortitude. Although Maximus has these characteristics, Commodus admits that his virtues, such as ambition, lie elsewhere. Maximus’s victory in the arena symbolizes the triumph of his virtues over those of Commodus.

Ridley Scott’s Original Plan for Gladiator’s Ending Explained

Maximus originally survived

Although the final version of Gladiator sees Maximus die at the end, director Ridley Scott’s original plan was for Maximus to live. However, during filming, Scott reportedly decided it would hurt Maximus’ arc to keep him alive after his duel with Commodus. Maximus has fulfilled the only remaining purpose in his life at this point, so it’s best for him to die and be reunited with his family. It’s interesting that Scott decided this well into the filming process, but regardless, it may have saved Gladiator because any other ending for Maximus would feel wrong.

Maximus’ death sets up Gladiator II

Lucius returns in the sequel

Gladiator II follows the life of Lucilla’s son, Lucius. He is a boy of about 8 years old during Gladiatorand although Commodus may subtly threaten him to coerce Lucilla, he is alive and well at the end of the film. Gladiator 2Lucilla’s cast also features Lucilla returning to guide her son and provide some continuity between the sequel and the original.

Gladiator II Cast

The sequel also shows Lucius following a very similar path to Maximus in the first film. Gladiator II sees Lucius living a peaceful life with his wife outside the Roman Empire when a Roman general (Pedro Pascal) leads a raid on his home and Lucius is taken as a slave. He then seeks revenge on the man who took everything from him, just as Maximus did.

How Gladiator’s Ending Was Received

Fans hailed Gladiator’s moving conclusion

Gladiator was a critical success and won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2001. For many, the final confrontation between Maximus and Commodus was an effective end to the fairly standard story of good versus evil. However, decades after the film’s release, the ending was criticized by some for its glaring historical inaccuracies, specifically in the way the real Commodus’ death is portrayed. Although historians and critics disagree with some of the small details, the ending of Gladiator continues to be acclaimed by many fans.

Editor fat boy called the film’s ending in which Maximus triumphs over Commodus and reunites with his family in the afterlife, “the final scene of the saddest and most moving film of all time.” That’s it a sentiment that highlights the film’s reception as a thrilling action adventure that appeals to fans of the genre while also offering a gripping story at its center. Editor AHRA1225 also pointed out the moment in which the soldiers carry Máximo’s body out of the arena while leaving Commodus on the ground as a great moment of karma for the villain.

However, some fans feel that the ending of Gladiator it’s so well done that the idea of ​​the sequel continuing the story in some way seems unnecessary. Editor Cheshire_Jester shared their concerns about Gladiator II, saying:

As a standalone original, you’d expect them to leave it as is, but there’s money on the table, so I guess we’ll see what happens next in the world Maximus left behind.