"Without meaningful purpose, men languish and fade, simply going through whatever motions have been ordained for them" quotes like this are why I love this channel.
@@prestonowens4594you're right. But you aren't cursed to this fate. Try. And then keep trying. You will find the way, if you look and don't stop. We have need of heroes. Go be one.
@master_samwise I was wondering if maybe you could cover the masculinity of Jin Sakai from Ghost of Tsushima, he'd a great character with a beautiful and tragic story filed with war loss and triumph and I'd love to hear your take on it as I have so many others 💜
Agreed, going home. When I was in the army, I nearly died of a heat stroke. When I blacked out, I remember walking home like when I was a kid. Then I came to in the hospital and was furious.
@@ATR000It's crazy because I experienced something similar from heat exhaustion once. I was so dehydrated that I couldn't stand or keep my head up because I was so dizzy. Suddenly I was having an intense dream. I heard loud sirens and it felt like the entire world was caving in on me, and I woke up in an ambulance with no feeling in my arms and legs. Heat stroke/exhaustion is no joke.
"He fights not because he hates what's in front of him, but because he loves what's behind him." That is such a profound way of describing Maximus's motives. Obviously, it is intended to bring up thoughts of Faramir.
Nor fighting for the sake of glory and renown as "There will come a time for Valor without renown ... Yet the deeds will not be less valiant because they are unpraised" there is always more than one Tolkien qoute that will fit :)
@VTdarkangel - He wasn't born into wealth. He never won a battle in war. He didn't build any building or monument that continues to stand to this day. He didn't even write anything that made its way down through history. What he did was teach, and he spent his life basically in the service of others. And when he died, we never read of him vowing revenge or anything of that nature. He was tortured and killed, yet bore it all with dignity and grace. No wonder why Pilate said of him: "Behold The Man."
@@r0cketm00se3 If that is mere revenge, then so any judge pronouncing a just sentence is mere pettiness as well. Nay rather, He comes to put an end to evil: and if we have not repented from sin and trusted in His finished work at the cross (look to the Ten Commandments, one by one. It takes only one lie to be a liar, only one theft to be a thief, only one look with lust to be an adulterer at heart) then we will die with the sins we justify. "Be sure, your sin will find you out." "Come to Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." "It is finished."
You should 100% do a video on The Count of Monte Cristo. Especially the book. The final page where Edmond ask for prayer because he thought himself to be equal with God but now repents. And learns that we are to wait and hope, is so powerful.
Every time I watch this move, someone starts cutting onions at the end with "He was a solider of Rome. Honor Him." I love this movie and had the chance to show it to my wife last year. I really wish that movies like this one could be made more often today.
@@barbarabaker1457 Thank you! Same here! I think it's important for both mom and dad to have positive ideas about masculinity and what that means in order to pass it down to their sons.
I have to hand it to Russell Crowe in his performance as Maximus, it is honestly one of his best performances. The only other man who I can think of who would've well-suited for the role in his place, had he been younger at the time, was Charlton Heston, as he had a very commanding presence, not to mention that iconic voice. On a sidenote, I hope this man does a video like this on Masculinity, from the movie Robin Hood, which also starred Russell Crowe. I would like to hear what Russell Crowe's Robin Hood has to teach of masculinity and what it means to be a man.
I've often thought that the best casting is not so much finding a good actor, it's finding someone whose personality is a close fit for the character they play. While obviously a great actor and leading man, the similarities between Russell Crowe and Maximus are interesting. Crowe was never interested in the glitz of Hollywood or LA, he moved home to Australia as soon as he became successful. He bought a farm and raised cattle. He's a family man who likes to be away from the camera when he's not on duty. He just seemed to understand Maximus implicitly and I believe he was a huge reason behind why the first film had such impact.
@@carolynabbott5914 Scott has a few movies that are equally, if not more stellar than Gladiator. Blade Runner and Alien are pretty awesome in all aspects, especially, originality. Granted, these are pre Gladiator. I actually think Blade Runner is better than Gladiator.
"Carry out the... dream of the man whom he loved" And that man, in all ways except for blood, was his father, the emperor. This gnawed at Commodus to no end because he could never be the son that Marcus Aurelius wanted
Complete aside--I love the inclusion of Holst’s Jupiter towards the end. Thank you for sharing your breakdown of the journey Maximus’s interiority takes. I’m sure the screenwriters would have loved seeing someone pick up what they’ve put down so many years after the movie’s release.
Ideas are bulletproof, yes, because they only exist in the mind. Protect them from any analysis or critical thinking and they remain perfect. But not in the real world. That's where our culture is having a crisis, the real world.
Man, you don't miss. Having Halo OST alongside Gladiator?! Great analysis of prime cinema with amazing scoring. This is why I look forward to all your videos. Thank you 💛
You should do a video on Benjamin Martin from the Patriot. Seams right in line with your streak of masculine fathers trying to parent children during brutal times. Also starts as a “revenge” plot but when the chips are down revenge is not the choice made.
First video of yours I see, great job! You earned a new subscriber. Such a great analysis of the movie, highlighting important aspects that are usually overlooked.
Maximus-> Tied up, surrounded by enemy guards, everyone he loves is dead, he will die soon and he knows that Also Maximus- "God does not put a man in a situation that he cannot handle."
When people critique that making heroes paragons make them uninteresting and lacking in character they ignore the depth of character in the fortitude needed to choose good. Virture may not be it's own reward as Maximus starts his mission on a quest of personal vengeance, but his story echo through may other stories; weather its Balian from Kingdom of Heaven being advised "what you decide to do everyday will make you a good man or not" and Dr. Erskine extracting the promise from Steve Rogers "That you will stay who you are, not a perfect soldier, but a good man." A hero must have something to fight for lest he loose the fortitude to be a good man.
I do not remain here out of immortality’s courage. I remain here because, if I am to die, I choose this death. I choose to die with my back to the last door. I choose to give my life to buy another hour, or a minute, or even a single second of grace to those who cannot be here fighting with me. I choose to die here because I do not believe I have yet given all I can. ~ Sanguinius - Echoes of Eternity
On a side note, your line here 4:45 about men coveting power are often the least deserving of it made me think of Silco from Arcane. One of the most interesting parts about Silco's character is that though he covets power and respect, he does not crave it solely for himself. He spent years in the shadows of the Undercity preparing to assert command over the criminal underground in order to make his power seem absolute. This was meant to make it seem to Piltover, when he deemed the time right, that he was a legitimate threat, and he could and would burn Piltover to the ground along with Zaun if they did not agree to give them their independence. However, none of his motivations were entirely selfish. As we see in the flashback in season 2, Silco, Vander and Vi's mom were all part of a moment to bring together the Undercity and achieve independence from their oppressors. Silco even told Vander in season 1 that everything he had been doing was to force Piltover to see the citizens of the Undercity as more than the rats that live in their gutters. Silco wanted power in order to make Zaun a reality.
Love this channel - I only wish I had time to watch more of the movies and shows before a video came out on them. Still love the Halo music - Marty O'Donnell is awesome - I hope you'll do a video on Halo someday.
Small critique here but Commodus killing Maximum’s family isn’t just to instill fear. There is also the practical element that if you let your political opponents heir live they are likely to come back to challenge you further down the road. Happens all the time in political history. Especially when dealing with monarchies. Remember what Hannah Arendt wrote about the banality of evil. It’s important to remember that a lot of times some of the worst atrocities come out of a completely rational state of mind. It isn’t always that the bad guys are just depraved people who want to cause pain and destruction. Even Darth Vader once upon a time, loved Padame.
I think that's what made Kill Bill so good; because it was more than revenge for her; it was justice for her child and not wanting anyone else to be fooled by Bill like she was.
This video is so good. You are so good at what you do. I hope you can have members in the future (I’m not a fan of Patreon) so you can be the first channel I become a member to. The quality and the analysis is top notch. Thank you for your work ❤️
If mere survival is my ONLY hope, then self-sacrificial masculinity will be an appropriate revenge. This is the theme I see in Gladiator and is still appropriate for life today.
It was a beautiful video indeed again, thank you. As for the sequel, there is so many reason why it should not exist: One the first is a complete experience no need to add anything to it. Second Hollywood really start to other episodes in roman history especially the eastern roman empire.
For the record, the vast majority of gladiatorial fights ended without anyone dying or being seriously injured. Gladiators were athletes and celebrities, fight organizers put a lot of time and money into training them, feeding them, housing them. If at all possible, they didn't want to lose all that investment, and the spectators wouldn't want to see their favorite fighter die. It was just another violent sport, no different from MMA or boxing today, only with a lot more emphasis on spectacle. Gladiators were a business, and a very profitable one at that. Many gladiators volunteered to fight to pay off debts because of how much money there was to be earned from the sport. Of course, the organizers took most of the money earned, but the gladiators were hardly poor
Sam, a book trilogy I think you'd like is Sword and Serpent by T Marshall. It's a retelling if St. George and the Dragon, set in the period of the Diocletion persecution. As I watched this I was reminded of the arc of Jurian (George) in those books, and the 2nd book even has gladiatorial games. Excellent series, plenty of heroic masculinity and femininity. I'm not a huge T. Marshall fan, but this trilogy is impeccable.
Because the videos we produce eco in the algorithm.... I lament the day movies stop being this profoundly inspirational, this is a Roman epic like no other, stoicism shown to the masses like Marcus Aurelius intended
Justice at its most primitive, its most instinctual, at its core, is born of the rage that bubbles in our hearts when we see something wrong with the world, I believe. And it grows into the desire to rectify that wrong. To heal that wound, to fix that broken thing, to mend that relationship, to bring peace to that turmoil. It is not about law and order, it's about right and wrong. So justice, at is core, is a creative impulse. And vengeance is its sister. Vengeance, at its core, is a desire to punish. To take out your pain on the one who inflicted it, to inflict pain, and terror, and regret on them. To vest upon them such ruin that they would never dare to hurt you again, if they survive, which if they don't then you're assured that they will not hurt you again. Or anyone else. Vengeance, at its core, is a destructive impulse. And sometimes they meet. Sometimes what's wrong with the world is that an unrepentant, remorseless degenerate is out wreaking havoc in some way or another and will not stop until they're either dead or behind bars in a life sentence. But many times they do not. So always remember: vengeance we seek the harm of others, while in justice we seek the good of others. In both cases we will end up where we're headed.
Unfortunately I can't agree because true humans, as Carl Jung says: recognise their own darkness. To be a complete person you must recognise all of yourself not just the light but the darkness also. However the rest of this video is fantastic!!!!! P.s. just realised that Tokein himself said that Manwe had a flaw and his flaw was that he couldn't understand evil at all!!!!!!
I was wondering if maybe you could cover the masculinity of Jin Sakai from Ghost of Tsushima, he's a great character with a beautiful and tragic story filed with war loss and triumph and I'd love to hear your take on it as I have so many others 💜
“What will Washington do now that the war is over?” He will return to his farm.” “If he does that, then he will be the most remarkable man in the world.”
Curious for the thoughts on what the second movie does to this one by subtle changes to the plot. Mostly the implications of things unseen in either movie.
Have you ever considered doing a video on Stannis Baratheon because he has to be the most misunderstood character in fiction, both by audiences and characters in the sroty.
@@master_samwiseOhhh noo!! Allow yourself to at least watch the first 4 seasons of GoT. Don’t let the “ending” cheat you out of the beginning! For myself, the hype around Gladiator 2 made me watch Gladiator 1. Seems to me Glad2 is mainly a Hollywood rehash/ rewind/ recycle of Glad1 BUT … if they hadn’t made the sequel, I nigh have never watched my (Now FAVORITE) movie of all time. Same thing in GoT, by the end, it was more about making a commercial “crowd pleaser” … but the beginning?!?!? Worth every minute
I will point out had Maximus feigned loyalty to Commodus and quietly arranged a coup with Senatorial assistance later, his life and family would be in much better shape. Machismo isn't always the best method of solving problems.
@@Eilonwy95 Over the lives of his family and everyone else he gets killed? That smacks more of ego than honor. How many people have to die so he can virtue signal his slave morality?
@ As MasterSamwise says, I don’t believe he thought commodus would kill his family. And I don’t think he was virtue signaling so much as trying sincerely do the right thing. There is a difference. You can definitely make an argument that honesty isn’t as high of a good as his potential to help Rome by being dishonest. But he clearly was not doing this for himself. He knew he at least could die
@@Eilonwy95 This is the issue with a rigid adherence to an external system of socially conditioned behavior. Maximus might attribute moral value in rigidly following a mode of behavior set by the societal elite to control him by eliminating certain tactics such as deception and call it "good", but the ones who set that standard of behavior don't follow it themselves. It's a form of control to place the ruled at a disadvantage to their rulers. And Maximus for all his initial social power is one of the ruled. His power is easily stripped from him once he decides to oppose his rulers. So rather than break that conditioning and achieve security for not only his family but the people of the Empire's he swore to protect, he lets them suffer because he failed to realize Commodus as a member of the ruling elite was unbound by the same conditioning and operated through ruthless tenets of master morality.
@ Yeah obviously if morality is preached to control others that’s an issue. One can certainly argue whether or not deception would have been the more moral route in this case. There has to be some objective morality of course. We can all (well unless one is depraved) agree that there are certain actions that are immoral, such as murdering a toddler. So it follows that we should figure out what actions are the right ones to take and act accordingly. People like commodus might not follow it, but that is their fault, not Maximus’s. Attributing the immorality of Commodus’s actions to Maximus is major victim blaming. Again, one could argue that it may have been more prudent to not openly reject commodus. But his family’s murder is on commodus, not him.
It's nice that you are able to see the depth of meaning in Gladiator. However, you seem to be trying to separate Maximus' motivations of self-interest and service to others and admonishing the former as if it's something he (and the rest of us) should avoid or feel guilty about. Marcus Aurelius himself said "What is good for the bee is good for the hive." And this is repeated by Buddhists in the saying "'What you do for yourself, you’re doing for others, and what you do for others, you’re doing for yourself'" as well as "Attain your own liberation to help others attain theirs." So when Maximus was seeking vengeance for himself, he was also working towards the freedom of Rome even though the latter was not on his mind. And when he was seeking freedom for Rome, he was also working towards getting his vengeance even though that was not on his mind. If the motivations lead to the same ends, it doesn't matter.
Love the video, but I cannot disagree strongly enough with your take on vengeful Maximus being comparable in depravity to Commodus. Even at his worst he couldn't act out his vengeance with a child present. He spoke a big game of vengeance and I'm sure he meant it, but he had limits he wouldn't cross. Else he would have stabbed Comodus with the arrow head in his hand.
Your point about Lucius compared to his own son is exactly why nobody should adhere to the awful sequel retcon of Maximus really being the father of Maximus.
100% it makes no sense. Maximus would never cheat on his wife. Additionally, there is no way Lucilla would not have brought that up in the first movie to urge Maximus to protect Lucius.
I mean two of the videos I put out in October currently have 200k+ views. One of them has 300k. My videos tend to start slow, and some pick up and do well later on, while others don't. It's just the way of things.
"Without meaningful purpose, men languish and fade, simply going through whatever motions have been ordained for them" quotes like this are why I love this channel.
Facing actuality and the hard truth of life is a difficult thing to do. Most people will ignore it their entire lives until it's too late.
@TheSmark666 so true!
@@TheSmark666 And what are the actualities of life? What is the hard truth? Are these things universal or are they specific to individuals?
I think this is part of the reason why I I feel so lost and sad.
@@prestonowens4594you're right. But you aren't cursed to this fate. Try. And then keep trying. You will find the way, if you look and don't stop. We have need of heroes. Go be one.
My local cinema re-released Gladiator back in October. Whilst being in awe watching. I often said to myself, "Why make a sequel to this masterpiece?"
Should have just re-released this everywhere and not bothered with II. Would have saved a LOT of money.
@master_samwise I was wondering if maybe you could cover the masculinity of Jin Sakai from Ghost of Tsushima, he'd a great character with a beautiful and tragic story filed with war loss and triumph and I'd love to hear your take on it as I have so many others 💜
Money
Easy, money
Thank you! 🙏 I asked myself the same thing. I’m watching Gladiator in protest of the second part.
To me it having a sequel is as absurd as Titanic 2 😂
I love how his version of Heaven is going home to his wife and son.
The most simplest desires are often the most important to a man. His family was his treasure, his life, and he came home to them again.
A liberals nightmare. Not a single lgbtqi+"/*-+FJAA__++ flag in sight.. the horror.
Agreed, going home. When I was in the army, I nearly died of a heat stroke. When I blacked out, I remember walking home like when I was a kid. Then I came to in the hospital and was furious.
Heck yea, he wanted a little russy in the afterlife.
@@ATR000It's crazy because I experienced something similar from heat exhaustion once. I was so dehydrated that I couldn't stand or keep my head up because I was so dizzy. Suddenly I was having an intense dream. I heard loud sirens and it felt like the entire world was caving in on me, and I woke up in an ambulance with no feeling in my arms and legs. Heat stroke/exhaustion is no joke.
"He fights not because he hates what's in front of him, but because he loves what's behind him." That is such a profound way of describing Maximus's motives. Obviously, it is intended to bring up thoughts of Faramir.
Nor fighting for the sake of glory and renown as "There will come a time for Valor without renown ... Yet the deeds will not be less valiant because they are unpraised" there is always more than one Tolkien qoute that will fit :)
It’s a quote from G. K. Chesterton’s book, Orthodoxy, which is both deeply insightful and hilarious. A must-read.
"The greatest love a man can give is to lay down his life for his friends." Such kingly words. Wonder where they come from.
From the greatest King ever. You could say He's the King of Kings.
@VTdarkangel - He wasn't born into wealth. He never won a battle in war. He didn't build any building or monument that continues to stand to this day. He didn't even write anything that made its way down through history.
What he did was teach, and he spent his life basically in the service of others. And when he died, we never read of him vowing revenge or anything of that nature. He was tortured and killed, yet bore it all with dignity and grace.
No wonder why Pilate said of him: "Behold The Man."
@@thecowboy9698 Yeah definitely no revenge in the second coming and end times...
@@r0cketm00se3 If that is mere revenge, then so any judge pronouncing a just sentence is mere pettiness as well.
Nay rather, He comes to put an end to evil: and if we have not repented from sin and trusted in His finished work at the cross (look to the Ten Commandments, one by one. It takes only one lie to be a liar, only one theft to be a thief, only one look with lust to be an adulterer at heart) then we will die with the sins we justify.
"Be sure, your sin will find you out."
"Come to Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
"It is finished."
@@r0cketm00se3 don't confuse revenge with justice
You should 100% do a video on The Count of Monte Cristo. Especially the book. The final page where Edmond ask for prayer because he thought himself to be equal with God but now repents. And learns that we are to wait and hope, is so powerful.
Planning on it eventually!
Excellent recommendation!!!!!
@@master_samwiseplease read the unabridged Robin Buss translation (Penguin Classics). COMC and LOTR are my favorite books. Both fantastic and epic.
The greatest revenge story of all time
I'll be back for that!
Every time I watch this move, someone starts cutting onions at the end with "He was a solider of Rome. Honor Him." I love this movie and had the chance to show it to my wife last year. I really wish that movies like this one could be made more often today.
I am, in fact, entertained.
God of War, Halo, and Jupiter from The Planets all as background music were a surprising combination yet fabulous!
Pregnancy with a son makes me love these videos all the more.
bless you and your family young lady
Thank you ever so
To your and your boy's health! ♥️ I have two boys. 🙂 Having sons truly is wonderful. These masculinity videos should be required viewing.
@@ETibbs11 Agreed, to yours as well. The father is of course a good example, but as a woman I appreciate masculine insight.
@@barbarabaker1457 Thank you! Same here! I think it's important for both mom and dad to have positive ideas about masculinity and what that means in order to pass it down to their sons.
As a woman I’m soooo happy I grew up with male characters like him and Aragon and so many others 😊 Beautiful video ❤
I have to hand it to Russell Crowe in his performance as Maximus, it is honestly one of his best performances. The only other man who I can think of who would've well-suited for the role in his place, had he been younger at the time, was Charlton Heston, as he had a very commanding presence, not to mention that iconic voice.
On a sidenote, I hope this man does a video like this on Masculinity, from the movie Robin Hood, which also starred Russell Crowe. I would like to hear what Russell Crowe's Robin Hood has to teach of masculinity and what it means to be a man.
I've often thought that the best casting is not so much finding a good actor, it's finding someone whose personality is a close fit for the character they play.
While obviously a great actor and leading man, the similarities between Russell Crowe and Maximus are interesting. Crowe was never interested in the glitz of Hollywood or LA, he moved home to Australia as soon as he became successful. He bought a farm and raised cattle. He's a family man who likes to be away from the camera when he's not on duty.
He just seemed to understand Maximus implicitly and I believe he was a huge reason behind why the first film had such impact.
I think neither Russell Crow nor RIdley Scott will top this movie in either of their careers.
@@carolynabbott5914 Scott has a few movies that are equally, if not more stellar than Gladiator. Blade Runner and Alien are pretty awesome in all aspects, especially, originality. Granted, these are pre Gladiator. I actually think Blade Runner is better than Gladiator.
That's probably more true than you realize. In the movie, when Maximus is describing his farm, what is described is supposedly Crowe's own farm.
Gladiator is a Stoic masterpiece.
No wonder why is my dad favorite movie
A deep dive into how healthy Maximus's masculinity is from one of my favorite videos essayists? HELL YEA
I love the first Gladiator it was deep and amazing
We don't talk about the 2nd.
@@VTdarkangel 2nd is alright too. Just doesn't do anything new.
@Comicbroe405, the second rule of Fight Club is we DON'T talk about Gladiator 2.
Ever.
@@gmoney5709 I'm gonna. I enjoyed it a lot.
This made me desperately want to re-watch this. It's been a while.
Halo and "I Vow To Thee My Country" in the background of a good video essay, excellent taste!
Powerful words. To lay your life down for your friends is one thing; to do it for your enemies is something else.
"Carry out the... dream of the man whom he loved"
And that man, in all ways except for blood, was his father, the emperor. This gnawed at Commodus to no end because he could never be the son that Marcus Aurelius wanted
Still blood matters a lot.
Complete aside--I love the inclusion of Holst’s Jupiter towards the end. Thank you for sharing your breakdown of the journey Maximus’s interiority takes. I’m sure the screenwriters would have loved seeing someone pick up what they’ve put down so many years after the movie’s release.
Your use of OG Halo music as a background throughout this video worked masterfully BTW.
"Ideas are bulletproof"
Ideas are bulletproof, yes, because they only exist in the mind. Protect them from any analysis or critical thinking and they remain perfect. But not in the real world. That's where our culture is having a crisis, the real world.
This has got to be one of the best videos you've written -- well done, Master
Fantastic video as always. Since discovering your channel, it's because one of my favorites. You never fail to inspire!
Thank you!
Man, you don't miss. Having Halo OST alongside Gladiator?! Great analysis of prime cinema with amazing scoring. This is why I look forward to all your videos. Thank you 💛
You should do a video on Benjamin Martin from the Patriot. Seams right in line with your streak of masculine fathers trying to parent children during brutal times. Also starts as a “revenge” plot but when the chips are down revenge is not the choice made.
We are entertained, Samwise. And edified.
First video of yours I see, great job! You earned a new subscriber. Such a great analysis of the movie, highlighting important aspects that are usually overlooked.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
Maximus-> Tied up, surrounded by enemy guards, everyone he loves is dead, he will die soon and he knows that
Also Maximus- "God does not put a man in a situation that he cannot handle."
1:46 yeah, you know who else is like that, Arthur morgan. Looking forward to see your video about it sam .
Beautiful video as always
Thank you!
Within the first minute, bro is already tying LotR quotes into a Gladiator video.. yeah I gotta like and sub
Heroism is not only in the man, but in the occasion.
When people critique that making heroes paragons make them uninteresting and lacking in character they ignore the depth of character in the fortitude needed to choose good. Virture may not be it's own reward as Maximus starts his mission on a quest of personal vengeance, but his story echo through may other stories; weather its Balian from Kingdom of Heaven being advised "what you decide to do everyday will make you a good man or not" and Dr. Erskine extracting the promise from Steve Rogers "That you will stay who you are, not a perfect soldier, but a good man." A hero must have something to fight for lest he loose the fortitude to be a good man.
I do not remain here out of immortality’s courage. I remain here because, if I am to die, I choose this death. I choose to die with my back to the last door. I choose to give my life to buy another hour, or a minute, or even a single second of grace to those who cannot be here fighting with me. I choose to die here because I do not believe I have yet given all I can.
~ Sanguinius - Echoes of Eternity
On a side note, your line here 4:45 about men coveting power are often the least deserving of it made me think of Silco from Arcane.
One of the most interesting parts about Silco's character is that though he covets power and respect, he does not crave it solely for himself. He spent years in the shadows of the Undercity preparing to assert command over the criminal underground in order to make his power seem absolute. This was meant to make it seem to Piltover, when he deemed the time right, that he was a legitimate threat, and he could and would burn Piltover to the ground along with Zaun if they did not agree to give them their independence.
However, none of his motivations were entirely selfish. As we see in the flashback in season 2, Silco, Vander and Vi's mom were all part of a moment to bring together the Undercity and achieve independence from their oppressors. Silco even told Vander in season 1 that everything he had been doing was to force Piltover to see the citizens of the Undercity as more than the rats that live in their gutters. Silco wanted power in order to make Zaun a reality.
Maximus is the best!! A soldier of Rome!
Been waiting for this one!!!
In answer to your question yes. Yes I am entertained. As always playing "Spot the Halo music" was satisfying.
Love this channel - I only wish I had time to watch more of the movies and shows before a video came out on them.
Still love the Halo music - Marty O'Donnell is awesome - I hope you'll do a video on Halo someday.
One day!
Small critique here but Commodus killing Maximum’s family isn’t just to instill fear. There is also the practical element that if you let your political opponents heir live they are likely to come back to challenge you further down the road. Happens all the time in political history. Especially when dealing with monarchies. Remember what Hannah Arendt wrote about the banality of evil. It’s important to remember that a lot of times some of the worst atrocities come out of a completely rational state of mind. It isn’t always that the bad guys are just depraved people who want to cause pain and destruction. Even Darth Vader once upon a time, loved Padame.
Good point. Commodus is pretty depraved though
Yeah he was. All I’m trying to say is that you can have good reasons to do harsh brutal things. It doesn’t justify it tho
@ completely agree!
I think that's what made Kill Bill so good; because it was more than revenge for her; it was justice for her child and not wanting anyone else to be fooled by Bill like she was.
This video is so good. You are so good at what you do. I hope you can have members in the future (I’m not a fan of Patreon) so you can be the first channel I become a member to. The quality and the analysis is top notch. Thank you for your work ❤️
I am just now realizing how similar of a character arc this is to Kaladin from Stormlight.
I thought this the first time I read WoK. Turns out Gladiator wasn't an inspiration for Sanderson's Kal, at least Sanderson hasn't ever claimed that.
If mere survival is my ONLY hope, then self-sacrificial masculinity will be an appropriate revenge. This is the theme I see in Gladiator and is still appropriate for life today.
Amazing analysis!!!!
Great videos mate keep it up
It was a beautiful video indeed again, thank you. As for the sequel, there is so many reason why it should not exist: One the first is a complete experience no need to add anything to it. Second Hollywood really start to other episodes in roman history especially the eastern roman empire.
Me over here peeping that Cosmere set on the shelf behind you
Great video! 👍
Excellent video man!
For the record, the vast majority of gladiatorial fights ended without anyone dying or being seriously injured. Gladiators were athletes and celebrities, fight organizers put a lot of time and money into training them, feeding them, housing them. If at all possible, they didn't want to lose all that investment, and the spectators wouldn't want to see their favorite fighter die. It was just another violent sport, no different from MMA or boxing today, only with a lot more emphasis on spectacle. Gladiators were a business, and a very profitable one at that. Many gladiators volunteered to fight to pay off debts because of how much money there was to be earned from the sport. Of course, the organizers took most of the money earned, but the gladiators were hardly poor
Sam, a book trilogy I think you'd like is Sword and Serpent by T Marshall. It's a retelling if St. George and the Dragon, set in the period of the Diocletion persecution. As I watched this I was reminded of the arc of Jurian (George) in those books, and the 2nd book even has gladiatorial games. Excellent series, plenty of heroic masculinity and femininity. I'm not a huge T. Marshall fan, but this trilogy is impeccable.
I'll check it out!
Wrapping up with “O God Beyond All Praising” was so fire
I love the music of Gustav Holst in the background
Because the videos we produce eco in the algorithm....
I lament the day movies stop being this profoundly inspirational, this is a Roman epic like no other, stoicism shown to the masses like Marcus Aurelius intended
The best movie of our time
Great video
Rare Ytber who can actually talk about politics & masculinity in his videos the smart way.
The Halo 3 soundtrack was such a nice choice!
Absolute excellence.
Justice at its most primitive, its most instinctual, at its core, is born of the rage that bubbles in our hearts when we see something wrong with the world, I believe. And it grows into the desire to rectify that wrong. To heal that wound, to fix that broken thing, to mend that relationship, to bring peace to that turmoil. It is not about law and order, it's about right and wrong. So justice, at is core, is a creative impulse. And vengeance is its sister.
Vengeance, at its core, is a desire to punish. To take out your pain on the one who inflicted it, to inflict pain, and terror, and regret on them. To vest upon them such ruin that they would never dare to hurt you again, if they survive, which if they don't then you're assured that they will not hurt you again. Or anyone else. Vengeance, at its core, is a destructive impulse.
And sometimes they meet. Sometimes what's wrong with the world is that an unrepentant, remorseless degenerate is out wreaking havoc in some way or another and will not stop until they're either dead or behind bars in a life sentence. But many times they do not. So always remember: vengeance we seek the harm of others, while in justice we seek the good of others. In both cases we will end up where we're headed.
Gladiator is a fantastic movie, one of Russell Crowe’s best. 👍
P.S. Have you seen the Karate Kid and Cobra Kai?
God damn this is such a good movie
Bro, your videos are way too underrated
Unfortunately I can't agree because true humans, as Carl Jung says: recognise their own darkness. To be a complete person you must recognise all of yourself not just the light but the darkness also. However the rest of this video is fantastic!!!!!
P.s. just realised that Tokein himself said that Manwe had a flaw and his flaw was that he couldn't understand evil at all!!!!!!
Revenge is about the past. Justice is about protecting the future.
Shadows and Dust!
4:52 halo soundtrack??
If Commidus had left Maximus family alone, the movie would have been much shorter.
Gladiator and gow music?
How did i not think of it before
I was wondering if maybe you could cover the masculinity of Jin Sakai from Ghost of Tsushima, he's a great character with a beautiful and tragic story filed with war loss and triumph and I'd love to hear your take on it as I have so many others 💜
“What will Washington do now that the war is over?” He will return to his farm.” “If he does that, then he will be the most remarkable man in the world.”
Those who stand againts tyrrany and oppresion shall forever be engraved on their history.
Curious for the thoughts on what the second movie does to this one by subtle changes to the plot. Mostly the implications of things unseen in either movie.
Still loving the use of the Halo soundtrack
0:22 What is that one?
Depending on which you are asking about either John Wick or The Count of Monte Cristo.
@@Eilonwy95 Thanks. I've watched John Wick, so it must be the Count of Monte Cristo.
Have you ever considered doing a video on Stannis Baratheon because he has to be the most misunderstood character in fiction, both by audiences and characters in the sroty.
I have not, but that is because I have yet to watch Game of Thrones. I find it hard to work up the will to do so, knowing it ends so poorly.
@@master_samwiseOhhh noo!! Allow yourself to at least watch the first 4 seasons of GoT.
Don’t let the “ending” cheat you out of the beginning!
For myself, the hype around Gladiator 2 made me watch Gladiator 1.
Seems to me Glad2 is mainly a Hollywood rehash/ rewind/ recycle of Glad1
BUT … if they hadn’t made the sequel, I nigh have never watched my (Now FAVORITE) movie of all time.
Same thing in GoT, by the end, it was more about making a commercial “crowd pleaser” … but the beginning?!?!?
Worth every minute
Yes, yes Stannis is much better in the books
I will point out had Maximus feigned loyalty to Commodus and quietly arranged a coup with Senatorial assistance later, his life and family would be in much better shape. Machismo isn't always the best method of solving problems.
Yeah, but it would not have been honest. I think Maximus values honesty as well.
@@Eilonwy95 Over the lives of his family and everyone else he gets killed? That smacks more of ego than honor. How many people have to die so he can virtue signal his slave morality?
@
As MasterSamwise says, I don’t believe he thought commodus would kill his family.
And I don’t think he was virtue signaling so much as trying sincerely do the right thing. There is a difference. You can definitely make an argument that honesty isn’t as high of a good as his potential to help Rome by being dishonest. But he clearly was not doing this for himself. He knew he at least could die
@@Eilonwy95 This is the issue with a rigid adherence to an external system of socially conditioned behavior. Maximus might attribute moral value in rigidly following a mode of behavior set by the societal elite to control him by eliminating certain tactics such as deception and call it "good", but the ones who set that standard of behavior don't follow it themselves. It's a form of control to place the ruled at a disadvantage to their rulers. And Maximus for all his initial social power is one of the ruled. His power is easily stripped from him once he decides to oppose his rulers. So rather than break that conditioning and achieve security for not only his family but the people of the Empire's he swore to protect, he lets them suffer because he failed to realize Commodus as a member of the ruling elite was unbound by the same conditioning and operated through ruthless tenets of master morality.
@
Yeah obviously if morality is preached to control others that’s an issue. One can certainly argue whether or not deception would have been the more moral route in this case.
There has to be some objective morality of course. We can all (well unless one is depraved) agree that there are certain actions that are immoral, such as murdering a toddler. So it follows that we should figure out what actions are the right ones to take and act accordingly.
People like commodus might not follow it, but that is their fault, not Maximus’s. Attributing the immorality of Commodus’s actions to Maximus is major victim blaming. Again, one could argue that it may have been more prudent to not openly reject commodus. But his family’s murder is on commodus, not him.
We are entertained.
Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
I would think that maximus found his glory in the continuing of Rome
What's your opinion on the second movie?
5th time subbing because youtube likes unsubbing me
It's nice that you are able to see the depth of meaning in Gladiator. However, you seem to be trying to separate Maximus' motivations of self-interest and service to others and admonishing the former as if it's something he (and the rest of us) should avoid or feel guilty about. Marcus Aurelius himself said "What is good for the bee is good for the hive." And this is repeated by Buddhists in the saying "'What you do for yourself, you’re doing for others, and what you do for others, you’re doing for yourself'" as well as "Attain your own liberation to help others attain theirs." So when Maximus was seeking vengeance for himself, he was also working towards the freedom of Rome even though the latter was not on his mind. And when he was seeking freedom for Rome, he was also working towards getting his vengeance even though that was not on his mind.
If the motivations lead to the same ends, it doesn't matter.
There is only ONE Gladiator movie.
Uhtred of Bebbanburg - Ah Sahm (Warrior netflix/HBO Max) next please
On the flip side though, a man who does NOT desire power, shouldn’t necessarily be given power.
İ had a good time
Comment for the algorithm
Ave veritas. Hail truth
God of war Valhalla coming soon?
Maximus kept calling commodus your highness instead of Caesar itself a defiance for not recognizing him being an emperor
Only the courts can provide justice....I am fairly confident on this.
Love the video, but I cannot disagree strongly enough with your take on vengeful Maximus being comparable in depravity to Commodus. Even at his worst he couldn't act out his vengeance with a child present. He spoke a big game of vengeance and I'm sure he meant it, but he had limits he wouldn't cross. Else he would have stabbed Comodus with the arrow head in his hand.
Oh Maximus was always a much better man than commodus. He still had a moral code.
Your point about Lucius compared to his own son is exactly why nobody should adhere to the awful sequel retcon of Maximus really being the father of Maximus.
100% it makes no sense. Maximus would never cheat on his wife. Additionally, there is no way Lucilla would not have brought that up in the first movie to urge Maximus to protect Lucius.
Why haven't your recent videos gotten as many views?
People like senseless content more than content that actually gives them something to feel/think about
I mean two of the videos I put out in October currently have 200k+ views. One of them has 300k. My videos tend to start slow, and some pick up and do well later on, while others don't. It's just the way of things.