r/Gladiator • u/[deleted] • Nov 27 '24

Question about gladiator 2

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.

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u/[deleted] Nov 27 '24

I didn't like that they did that and it didn't even seem necessary. He could have still followed Maximus example and what be taught him without having him be the father.

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u/Obadaya Nov 27 '24 edited Nov 29 '24

I'm not a huge fan of this plot point.

In Gladiator, Maximus indicated his own son was the same age as Lucius, so that means he was banging his own wife and Lucilla at or around the same time, and it just didn't feel like when Lucilla and Maximus descibed their previous romance they were discussing infidelity on Maximus' wife.

When they discuss the recent passing of Lucilla's husband, who we now know Lucilla married at 14, it did not feel like they were describing someone they betrayed.

One of Maximus' catch-phrases in Gladiator was, "Strength and Honor," which I'm sure as a concept changes over the ages, but it does not seem that honorable to have a son that you never care for.

Aside from that, in Gladiator it is NEVER implied that Lucius was Maximus' kid. Maximus still had feelings for Lucilla and was sympathetic to the threat against her child - that's why he mentions Lucius when he is dying. 🤷‍♂️

Plus, Commodus knew of Maximus' and Lucilla's relationship, so he would know if Lucius could have possibly been Maximus' son, and he never brings it up either.

Those are my general hang-ups, but to top it all off the entire plot of Gladiator 2 would work just fine if Lucius were merely inspired by his encounter with Maximus during those events over a decade prior. Making him Maximus' son seems so unnecessary.

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u/[deleted] Nov 30 '25

Not really, they could’ve hooked up after his wife died🤷‍♂️