Maximus made for one of the most iconic movie heroes, but the execute Maximus and kill his family.
Though Maximus escapes, he is not able to save his wife and son. Afterward, Maximus ends up being captured by enslavers and forced to become a gladiator. After many victories, Maximus is taken to Rome to fight in front of the Emperor, now Commodus. After Commodus discovers Maximus' identity, he tries to arrange his death in the arena, but the plan fails. Maximus hatches a plan of his own to turn the army against Commodus, but Commodus learns of it and captures him. Commodus challenges Maximus to a duel, and though Maximus kills Commodus, he dies of his wounds.
Why Maximus Dies In Gladiator
Maximus' Ending Was A Bittersweet One
Maximus dies in Gladiator from the stab wound in his lung, which was given to him by Commodus before their final duel. Commodus wanted to regain the respect of the Roman people by killing Maximus, their champion. However, Commodus knew he couldn't defeat him in a fair fight, so he visited Maximus before the fight and stabbed him in the back.
Despite this serious injury, Maximus managed to kill Commodus in single combat, but he bled out shortly after their fight. Maximus' labored breathing and the position of the stab wound from Commodus show that it was a punctured lung that killed him.
Maximus was clearly ready to meet his end and reunite with his family in the afterlife.
Gladiator kills its main character for a couple of reasons. Firstly, revenge must have consequences, and Maximus' vendetta should not have an entirely happy ending. In the end, Maximus is trying to kill someone in retribution for the murder of his family, and while the killing might be justified, this type of violent vengeance is always self-destructive.
Secondly, death was the natural conclusion of his arc. Maximus' family was his purpose, and after their deaths, vengeance was all he had left. After getting his revenge, he has no reason to keep living. In fact, Maximus was clearly ready to meet his end and reunite with his family in the afterlife.
What Lucilla Means When She Tells Maximus, "You're Home"
Lucilla Understood Maximus Found Peace
As Maximus dies at the end of Gladiator, Lucilla whispers to him that he is home. Her final words to Maximus come to him as he's having visions of his wife and son on their farm in Trujillo. Lucilla says he is home because she knows he's going to be with his wife and son in the afterlife. While his home may have been destroyed in the living world, she knows he's going to see it again in Elysium and be reunited with his family.
Maximus' Death Led To A New Rome
The Fall Of Commodus Gave Way To Marcus Aurelius' Dream
In of what happened to Rome after the events in Gladiator, none of these events happened in real life. The real Commodus ruled for 12 years after his father's death and the Republic was never close to restoration. However, it can be assumed that the Roman Senate regained power after Commodus' death. Commodus has no children in the movie, and he never names an heir, so it's reasonable to assume that the Senate was left to fill the power vacuum.
The only living character from Gladiator who might have had a claim to be Emperor would be Lucius, Lucilla's son. However, Lucilla was in favor of Marcus Aurelius and Maximus' plan to restore the Republic, so it's unlikely she would have put her son forth as a claimant. Moreover, the Senate already had enormous power and influence, so it wouldn't have been hard for them to take control.
The Roman people seemed to resent Commodus, and it's unlikely they would have been yearning for another Emperor after his reign. All that being said, the only logical conclusion is that the Senate restored the Republic as Maximus wished.
The Real Meaning Of Gladiator's Ending
Gladiator Is A Simple Story Of Good Vs. Evil
Gladiator's ending is about the triumph of Maximus' honor and discipline over the cowardice and sadism of Commodus. Moreover, it's about the complex morality of revenge. Maximus has an honorable reason to pursue vengeance, but it becomes his only purpose in life. His death at the end of the movie shows that a person consumed by vengeance loses the rest of themselves. After killing Commodus, the only thing Maximus wants to do is be with his family again, so there would be nothing to do with his character if he had lived.
Maximus' victory in the arena is symbolic of his virtues triumphing over those of Commodus.
While Maximus' death may serve as a warning about revenge, his victory over Commodus serves to elevate the virtues emphasized by Marcus Aurelius just after Gladiator's epic opening. Commodus mentions his father's belief in four chief virtues: wisdom, temperance, justice and fortitude. While Maximus has these traits, Commodus its his virtues, such as ambition, lie elsewhere. Maximus' victory in the arena is symbolic of his virtues triumphing over those of Commodus.
Ridley Scott's Original Plan For Gladiator's Ending Explained
Maximus Originally Survived
While the final version of Gladiator sees Maximus die at the end, director Ridley Scott's original plan was for Maximus to live. However, when filming, Scott supposedly decided that it would hurt Maximus' arc to keep him alive after his duel with Commodus. Maximus has fulfilled the only remaining purpose in his life at this point, so it's best for him to die and be reunited with his family. It's interesting that Scott decided this well into the filming process, but regardless, it may have saved Gladiator because any other ending for Maximus would've felt wrong.
Maximus' Death Sets Up Gladiator II
Lucius Returns In The Sequel
Gladiator II follows the life of Lucilla's son, Lucius. He is a boy of about 8 during Gladiator, and though Commodus may subtly threaten him to coerce Lucilla, he is alive and well at the end of the film. Gladiator 2's cast also has Lucilla returning to guide her son and provide some continuity between the sequel and the original.
Gladiator II Cast
Actor |
Character |
|---|---|
Paul Mescal |
Lucius |
Pedro Pascal |
Marcus Acacius |
Connie Nielsen |
Lucilla |
Denzel Washington |
Macrinus |
The sequel also sees Lucius following a very similar path to Maximus in the first movie. Gladiator II sees Lucius living a quiet life with his wife outside of the Roman Empire when a Roman general (Pedro Pascal) leads an invasion of his home and Lucius is taken into slavery. He then seeks to take revenge on the man who took everything from him, just as Maximus did.
How The Gladiator Ending Was Received
Fans Hailed Gladiator's Moving Conclusion
Gladiator was a hit with critics and the Best Picture Oscar winner in 2001. For many, the final showdown between Maximus and Commodus made for an effective ending to the fairly standard story of good versus evil. However, decades after the movie's release, the ending has been criticized by some for its blatant historical inaccuracies, specifically in how the death of the real Commodus is depicted. While historians and critics take issue with some of the smaller details, the ending of Gladiator remains hailed by many fans.
Redditor fatkiddown called the movie's ending in which Maximus triumphs over Commodus and reunites with his family in the afterlife, "the saddest and most moving end movie scene of all time." It is a sentiment that highlights the reception to the movie as a thrilling action-adventure that appeals to fans of the genre while also offering an emotional story at its center. Redditor AHRA1225 also pointed to the moment in which the soldiers carry Maximus' body out of the arena while leaving Commodus in the dirt as a great moment of karma for the villain.
However, some fans feel as though the ending to Gladiator is so well done that the idea of the sequel continuing the story in any way seems unnecessary. Redditor Cheshire_Jester shared their concerns about Gladiator II, saying:
As an original stand alone, you’d hope they’d leave it alone, but there’s money on the table so I guess let’s see what happens next in the world Maximus left behind.
Gladiator
- Release Date
- May 5, 2000
- Runtime
- 155 minutes
- Director
- Ridley Scott
Cast
Maximus Meridius
Emperor Commodus
WHERE TO WATCH
Gladiator follows Maximus, a Roman general betrayed by the new emperor Commodus. After escaping execution, he is enslaved and becomes a gladiator. Set in ancient Rome, the story portrays his struggle for survival and quest for vengeance as he battles for his freedom in the arena.
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