ROME: DE PATRE VOSTRO {ABOUT YOUR FATHER} {SERIES FINALE} (TV)
Summary
The finale in this drama series about ancient Rome during the first century B.C., focusing on its transition from Republic to Empire. In this episode, a dazed Antony reflects on his defeat in the Battle of Actium. The newsreader updates the Roman people about Octavian's latest victory, and Atia, Livia and Octavia discuss the rumors of Antony's cowardice. Octavian demands Antony's unconditional surrender via emissary, stating that he will forgive Vorenus if he abandons Antony and opens the city gates for them, and Pullo sends Vorenus a "private joke" message about his son. Inside the palace, Antony and his people have descended into mindless debauchery, though Cleopatra begs him to consider escaping. He refuses, however, saying that there is no choice left but death. Vorenus rejects Octavian's offer, determined to remain loyal to Antony, and Antony brazenly challenges Octavian to a decisive single combat as Caesarion frets that Octavian will kill him, knowing that there can be only one "son of Caesar." Antony spars with Vorenus and kills a slave whom he feels is mocking him, and Octavian, realizing that Cleopatra is the more rational of the two, sends her a note promising her survival if she gives Antony up, dead or alive. She is devastated at the prospect, but Charmian urges her to do what she must to survive. Antony acknowledges that Octavian will soon burn the palace down, and he and Cleopatra vow to end their lives on the following morning.
Antony and Vorenus spend the night drinking and pondering the afterlife, but in the morning Charmian brings word that Cleopatra has already killed herself, as custom dictates that the queen must die alone. Shattered, Antony fatally stabs himself with Vorenus' help, and Vorenus dresses his body in armor to fulfill his last wish to "die Roman." Cleopatra then emerges alive, however, having decided to accept Octavian's offer. A disgusted Vorenus informs her that Octavian will certainly kill Caesarion, despite the fact that he is not truly Caesar's son, and will parade her and her other children as trophies in Rome. She sends Caesarion off with Vorenus and meets with Octavian, who coolly assures her that her children are safe and that she may keep her position as queen of Egypt, but when he "invites" her to come to Rome immediately, she realizes that Vorenus was right and that she deceived Antony for nothing. She summons her apothecary and selects an asp, as its poison will leave an unblemished corpse, and allows it to bite her, telling Octavian with her dying breaths that he has "a rotten soul." Octavian, angered to lose his prize trophy, dispatches Pullo to find Vorenus and Caesarion, who are camped out in the desert, much to the little prince's annoyance. Pullo finds them and happily greets his old friend, then bluntly informing his son that his mother is dead. He updates Vorenus on his children's lives, adding that Gaia is "a long story."
Octavian returns to Rome and gives Cleopatra's children to Octavia to raise, and Atia reacts emotionlessly to news of Antony's death. Pullo and Vorenus encounter Roman guards on the road and are forced to fight them when Caesarion inadvertently reveals himself as royalty. Vorenus is badly injured and begs Pullo to take him back to Rome, not wanting to die in the desert. They arrive a month later, just in time for Octavian's coronation as First Citizen, though Atia seems completely disinterested in the victory for which she fought so long. Pullo introduces Vorenus' children to young "Aeneas," really Caesarion, and informs them that their long-estranged father is very near death. Lyde tends to him, and the three children eventually come to his bedside, finally forgiving him for his past crimes. Atia rouses herself out of grief and coldly rebuffs Livia when she attempts to walk ahead of her in Octavian's procession, informing her daughter-in-law that she will never defeat her. The people happily celebrate their victorious "new Caesar" as he is paraded through the city, followed by mocking effigies of Antony and Cleopatra in their Egyptian finery. Pullo later finds Octavian and assures him that he found and killed Caesarion, sadly adding that Vorenus "didn't make it." Octavian hands over his ample reward, and Pullo then reunites with little "Aeneas," telling him that Octavian bought the lie. Caesarion, still convinced of his divine rights, vows revenge for his parents' deaths, and Pullo decides to tell him the somewhat awkward truth about his real father.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: March 25, 2007 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:04:59
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:91282
- GENRE: Drama, historical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, historical
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV series, 2005-2007
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Anne Thomopoulos … Executive Producer
- John Melfi … Executive Producer
- William J. MacDonald … Executive Producer, Created by
- John Milius … Executive Producer, Created by
- Bruno Heller … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Scott Buck … Co-Executive Producer
- Marco Valerio Pugini … Co-Executive Producer
- Jim Dyer … Co-Executive Producer
- Eugene Kelly … Co-Executive Producer
- Todd Ellis Kessler … Supervising Producer
- Todd London … Producer
- Mere Smith … Producer
- Eleanor Moran … Producer
- Robert Papazian … Co-Producer
- James Hirsch … Co-Producer
- Frank Yablans … Co-Producer
- Jonathan Stamp … Co-Producer
- Fabiomassimo Dell 'Orco … Co-Producer
- April Nocifora … Associate Producer
- Grace Naughton … Associate Producer
- Paula Pope … Digital Producer
- Jeremy Hall … Digital Producer
- Barrie Hemsley … VFX Executive Producer
- Roma O'Connor … VFX Executive Producer
- Anna Panton … VFX Producer
- John Maybury … Director
- Jeff Beal … Music by
- Ray Stevenson … Cast, Titus Pullo
- Kevin McKidd … Cast, Lucius Vorenus
- Polly Walker … Cast, Atia of the Julii
- Kerry Condon … Cast, Octavia of the Julii
- Simon Woods … Cast, Gaius Octavian Caesar
- Allen Leech … Cast, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
- Alex Wyndham … Cast, Gaius Maecenas
- Ian McNeice … Cast, Newsreader
- Michael Nardone … Cast, Mascius
- Coral Amiga … Cast, Vorena the Elder
- Esther Hall … Cast, Lyde
- Lyndsey Marshal … Cast, Cleopatra
- James Purefoy … Cast, Mark Antony
- Manfredi Aliquo' … Cast, Castor
- Charlie Anson … Cast, Emmissary
- Max Baldry … Cast, Caesarion
- Lydia Biondi … Cast, Merula
- Stefan Brown … Cast, Lucius
- Richard Dillane … Cast, Centurion Varro
- Matthew Eggleton … Cast, Egyptian Courtier
- Alice Henley … Cast, Livia
- Kathryn Hunter … Cast, Charmian
- Sara Kestelman … Cast, Old Woman
- Deborah Moore … Cast, Alfidia
- Valery Usai … Cast, Vorena the Younger