This story contains major spoilers for “Gladiator II”

Most of the cast of “Gladiator II” is killed before the credits roll, but does Lucius (Paul Mescal) die in the arena like Maximus (Russell Crowe) did in the first film?

We break down all the major developments ahead, including who lives, who dies, and the (apparent) fate of Rome.

Lucius’ real identity

The sequel’s marketing has already made it clear, but in the film we learn that Lucius – who has only vague memories of his parents and was called Hanno – is actually the son of Maximus and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen). That also makes him the grandson of Marcus Aurelius (played by Richard Harris in the first film) and the heir apparent to the throne of Rome.

How Macrinus seizes power

Macrinus (Denzel Washington) puts his power into motion by exploiting Emperor Caracalla’s (Fred Hechinger) grudge against his brother Geta (Joseph Quinn). After helping Caracalla kill and behead Geta, Macrinus shows off Geta’s head in the Senate the next day, cementing his position as the second most powerful person in Rome.

He then makes good on his promise to hand over the head of General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) to Lucius: after Macrinus learns of Acacius and his wife Lucilla’s (Connie Nielsen) plot to overthrow the emperor, Acacius is arrested and forced to fight. Lucius in the arena as a shocked Lucilla watches, powerless to save her husband or her son.

The Arena Fight

Lucius is willing to kill Acacius in revenge for his wife, who was killed during the Numidian battle against the Roman army, but between battles Acacius convinces Lucius that they are on the same side. When it comes time to deliver the death blow, Lucius refuses to kill him. Macrinus orders the Praetorian archers to shoot and Acacius is mortally wounded.

In the ensuing confusion, Macrinus kills Emperor Caracalla and also Lucilla.

The final confrontation

Lucius has sent a message to Acacius’ troops, who are still loyal to the fallen general. They arrive on the outskirts of Rome as Macrinus prepares to lead his own army to victory. With both armies on alert, Lucius and Macrinus fight to the death, with Lucius emerging victorious. Lucius is cheered by both armies. Now that his royal lineage is known to all, the soldiers are ready to follow Lucius, although it is not clear in what capacity he intends to lead Rome. We may assume that Lucius, like his father and grandfather, intends for Rome to become a republic no longer ruled by emperors but by its own citizens.

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