Why would Pullo be out of the scene? He walked off into the sunset with Eirene, but he’s still a hero in Rome and no longer accused of any crimes. I’d say he was very much on the scene and will be someone whose favor will be courted by the factions vying for power (though I think he’ll side with Octavian, his former student).
No, the only person who is definitively out of the scene is Caesar, more’s the pity b/c I was really enjoying him.
The first season was meant to be self-contained. The final scenes are meant to provide closure. The sunset scene symbolizes that Pullo & Eirene are off to a new life, somewhere in the countryside. They can always contrive something and get him back in the second season, but I find that doubtful. Vorenus is likely because he’s alive, alone, in Rome, and now a senator. They might introduce a new fictional lead, hopefully an important slave (in the Posca sense), and showcase that life.
I agree it’s possible Pullo won’t be back, but from everything I’ve read, the story’s focus was intended to be Pullo and Vorenus. The original concept pitched to HBO was these two regular guys and their friendship in this historical period.
Pullo will be back. I’ll betcha two bucks.
This all depends on how it was pitched. Did the writers say, “we want to do a mini-series on the fall of the Roman Republic. We’ll center it on two pseudofictional characters” or “we want to do a show on Rome, around two characters; first season will be till Ides of March. If reception’s good, we’ll take it further”. I suspect it’s the former. I’m slightly doubtful about Vorenus too. I don’t think Niobe would have been killed off, had they planned multiple seasons, from the start. But I think Vorenus will stick around. He hasn’t “gone” anywhere.
Gah! Indira Varma is the bee’s knees. Niobe’s suicide dealt a minor blow to my anticipation of the next season. Bastards.
“Meant” to be self-contained, maybe, but I bet they were fairly confident they’d get a second season.
I didn’t get the idea that they were off to a new life in the countryside. It was a romantic scene, but I could never imagine Pullo leaving Rome for good. It gave closure in one sense, but not permanent closure. There’s plenty of room for more story there.
Whereas I find it doubtful that there’d be a second season without Pullo. He and Vorenus are definitely the protagonists of the show, and I’m sure the focus on them will continue into future seasons. The contrast between them, and their close bond through hard times, is what the show’s about.
Add me to the camp that thinks that Pullo isn’t going anywhere. The show is about Pullo and Vorenus and will continue as such.
Rubystreak, I’m glad I’m not the only one who felt this way. I relize that a strictly historical series with women playing minor background roles as wives, daughters, pawns, and slaves might not have resonated with modern viewers, but I’m not sure “women are evil schemers who manipulate and destroy men” is an improvement.
Octavia, Eirenia and Niobe were portrayed very sympathetically. Atia and Servillia may not have been, but my understanding is that they are fairly accurate descriptions of a common kind of Roman aristocratic female. Conniving and scheming was de rigeur in some circles.
I’m going to miss Caesar as a character. He was fascinatingly complex- not quite hero, not quite villain. Wonderful job by the writers of capturing the ambiguities of his nature. Too bad they couldn’t have stretched his life over two seasons.
As for the death of Niobe, well, for the sake of next season something drastic pretty much had to happen to Vorenus, to shake him out of his happy life and drive him back into soldiery. A necessary device if he is going to play a role in the Antony/Octavian rivalry.
And the first season has already set us up to think that Pullo is going to be Octavian’s friend while Vorenus will end falling in, reluctantly, with Antony.