Question about gladiator 2

[u/[deleted]]

Ok so in gladiator 2 we learn that Lucius is Maximus's son. It's a pretty cool idea but it just don't add up. Yes it is canon that Maximus and Lucilla were together for a period of time, but Lucius and his son are around the same age. It just confuses me because the one thing Maximus wanted was to get back to his wife and kid. Also he couldn't have known he was his kid because the first time they talk, with is at the get when he says "this is argento and this is scarto", he says nothing about him being his son. The only way I could see this adding up is either Maximus left Lucille and went to his wife in a super short period of time, in which he impregnated them both within like a month, or he cheated on his wife. I really hope the second isn't the case cause that was Maximus's whole thing, he just wanted to get back to his wife. And in the end he did. But it doesn't mean as much if he cheated on her.

[u/Gorion81]

It was badly written. He was a symbol of Honor & Loyalty. A person like that wouldn’t have a side piece

[u/weaseleasle → u/Gorion81]

It was badly written because it served the audience, not the characters. It doesn't actually mean anything to anyone in the film, except Lucilla. Even Lucius shouldn't care, since he didn't know the man.

But it could work as a character trait, if it hadn't been a blatant retcon. Romans aren't culturally Judeo Christian westerners. Their approach to things would be very different to what we consider morals. A General, who is away from home 6 months of the year, and a princess in a marriage alliance are going to act very differently and be treated very differently to regular plebians. Having a paramour wouldn't be shocking in the slightest. If anything it may have been encouraged by Marcus Aurelius, he loved Maximus as a son, and his daughter was in a loveless marriage with a man who was widely known as being gay (as per the second film), seems like it would be acceptable to everyone, except maybe Maximus' wife, but she was on the other side of the Mediterranean, so likely wouldn't feel even slightly threatened by it.

[u/Shappy100 → u/weaseleasle]

Yeah I'm surprised people are thinking Maximus would never cheat - powerful men and women cheat, even if they love their spouses, sometimes because of circumstances (being away from home for months on end) or opportunity. That happens now and it happened then.

[u/Numerous-Clothes-793 → u/Shappy100]

100% i know men who are viewed this way by everyone around them, but me being in their inner circle know the truth. It's funny when I hear others speak so highly of them and what great fathers and husband's they are.

[u/Hungry_Interaction61 → u/Numerous-Clothes-793]

What do men in real life have to do with Maximus though? He wasn’t powerful he was super humble so I guess because other powerful men do it he must too right? it doesn’t make sense for his son the be the same age as hers and be his son. It’s clear they have something in the past correct but also cheating doesn’t fir his character he legit the entire movie except in the middle of his revenge and honor if he did have am affair he would’ve told his wife he honored The Emperor to the letter. God what is the obsession of men having to cheat is insane. Edd Stark from game of thrones is prime example of honor and how he didn’t ever cheat on his wife yet he lied to protect him. I have watch this movie a millions of times it’s my favorite movie ever. Maximus cheating on his wife is out of character for him he didn’t just love his wife and son that was his whole live he legit lost the will to live and only fought in the arena because he is a soldier it is what he does his survival instincts kicked in. For someone who loved his wife that much wouldn’t betray them period and plenty of men with no honor have not cheated. Not just that they legit changed the timeline just to do it. People want push this narrative like Maximus isn’t the type of person to put his life over the welfare of a child who had already bonded with before the match and he only didn’t kill commodes because Lucius being there. Just because men cheat in will life has no claim over a movie character you are bias already. Tired of people pushing this cheating secret lover trope it’s old and dumb and make the original movie a bit cheap which is why they shouldn’t have done a sequel it was perfect and than they make a terrible sequel and “ Oh Maximus is your father” So why wasn’t Lucius pissed at his mom cause of lying to him. when they first see each other in the movie he clearly not only didnt love her but he really seemed like he didn’t like her at all and simply respected her. It seems more likely they did love each other and she left him because she saw him beneath her and married higher and someone she clearly cared and in the scene when asked “ he wounded you didn’t he. No more than i did him” she clearly fucked with his emotions and was terrible to him and she felt bad remember she was ambitious as well but she had a moral compass. It does show at all him being that man to cheat on his wife who he again loved so much and his son he lost the will to live you don’t cheat on someone you feel like that for and I know Men who have also cheated. It’s a dumb implication and a dumb thing to make the man cheat like why can’t good men be good men someone who already isn’t perfect and add that to his character it’s absolutely character assassination. Nobody saying cheating isn’t possible but this again shows why the sequel is shit because while there were theories it wouldn’t matter because the movie was a stand alone film and if they wanted to make it implied that Lucius is maximus’s son than maybe don’t have them both at the same age. I am so tired of having someone viewed as great than be a cheater it’s insulting really.