‘Those About to Die’ Recap: ‘Betrayal’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THOSE ABOUT TO DIE -- Episode 105 -- Pictured: Iwan Rheon as Tenax -- (Photo by: Reiner Bajo/Peacock)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Five of ‘Those About to Die’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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We live in a world where misfortune and a downward spiral, takes time to come to fruition. For instance, one isn’t normally evicted overnight when running into the kind of financial hardship that would keep one from paying the rent or paying the mortgage. Not to mention, it takes time for credit card debt to truly become a court related issue. Because while we aren’t a perfect society by any means, there are some safeguards in place to get people back on their feet and get them moving and they exist… because there were days where people quickly found their lives falling to pieces, as evidenced by the next episode of Those About to Die on Peacock.

For ‘Betrayal’ showcased the darker side of the all-precious coin in Rome. For not that long ago, Tenax was on top of the world. He had a new faction, he had buckets of money everywhere in his home and he was… on his way to the top. But that change in leadership changed everything for him and when we caught up with him here, everything was falling to pieces thanks to the return of Ursus. Whom we learned nearly died in a fire when he and Tenax tried to escape their wicked master, and well… Ursus expected a great deal of Tenax. Specifically, he expected a great deal of Tenax’s money to feel whole again.

Which Tenax saw as an opportunity to turn the tables upon this now foe. But alas, Ursus was ahead of him at every step and even harmed the young children that were often used by Tenax to spy and bring information. Putting him at a true new low from which there appeared to be no escape. Which was quite the freefall for certain, one that saw a man of great power now scramble for the safety and security he worked a lifetime to afford, and he wasn’t alone. After all, Scorpus wasn’t doing all that well in the races, and that quickly put him on the outs with everyone else. Since they came to realize that without the finest gear, he wasn’t the stunning racer he appeared to be and that left him in a dazed and drunken world of sorrow. All of which spoke to how quickly a fall from grace used to happen in our world.

However, this story wasn’t totally mired in darkness and sorrow. For it also explored how quickly fortunes could change in this world for the better. Even when the odds were against some, and that was explored through Kwame’s journey here. Because a ceremony to celebrate the Emperor’s new union, was to be host to a bevy of fights and to truly enthrall the crowd, that meant Flamma had to feast upon opponents and one of them was Kwame. Which brought about a brutal battle, one where Kwame held his own and even wounded the behemoth that is Flamma. And his drive, and his desire to win, was enough to be granted life by the Emperor, and it gave him a chance to remind Domitian that his slimy nature was not forgotten.

Giving rise to quite the unique story, one that really did see fortunes change, that is before the episode left us with a volcanic cliffhanger. But while we wait to see what comes of Tenax and Kwame’s journeys here, we can celebrate one brilliant tale. One that deeply showcased one of the most fascinating aspects of the old world and reminded us of how fortunate we are in the 21st Century and of course… left us hungry for more. To see what lie ahead for the Empire as well, since there are also dark forces looking to change fortunes for the royal family, which should come as no surprise. For Rome is chaos, plain and simple and it is no wonder it collapsed under its own weight. Until next time.

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