This Barbarians Season 2 Episode 5 recap for the episode titled “Doomed” contains spoilers.
It’s like the Romans to even launch a surprise attack on unarmed opponents from a safe distance.
As we discovered at the very end of Barbarians season 2, episode 4, thanks to Gaius’ treachery, Germanicus and Flavus had led the Roman legions towards the Thing in hopes of eradicating all the barbarian Reiks in one fell swoop. They launch their attack in the form of volleys of arrows from a nearby hill and claim many victims – including Odvulf and Marbod’s wife, Odarike – until they are chased away by a manic Folkwin, who splits their ranks furiously, clearly unafraid of his own potential death having already – he believes, anyway – sacrificed his life for Dido.
Barbarians season 2, episode 5 recap
Germanicus and Flavus return to the Roman camp to a standing ovation, but they aren’t happy with them for long. Tiberius is furious and chews them both to pieces. (“I preferred you when you all spoke,” is a particularly wild beard directed at Germanicus.) The peace he carefully cultivated an illusion of has been destroyed, and he need look no further for proof than his own doors. Marbod arrives demanding the heads of Germanicus and Flavus on pikes, and something tells me he won’t take no for an answer.
Marbod summons the full power of the Marcomanni army. But as he is in mourning, he is in no condition to go and greet them, so an emissary must be sent in his place. Whoever leaves will have to convince the army to follow him, and since Ari isn’t trusted in the east, it must be Thusnelda. And since Ari doesn’t want her to make the four-day trip alone, he wants Folkwin to accompany her.
The long journey is a good excuse for some flirty banter and some very serious conversation, but the relationship remains platonic – Thusnelda even confirms that she loves Ari, although she admits that it will always be Folkwin who is closest to her, who knows her. better. However, they are both distracted from each other when they encounter Gaius.
Now, Gaius has spent the episode hiding in the woods like the pretentious little coward that he is, but he’s developed some kind of spine on his excursions. Encountering some Romans on patrol, coincidentally one of those who gave him a hard time in camp earlier, he headbutts him and flees. By the time he stumbles upon Thusnelda and Folkwin, he has made a rather important discovery.
It is this discovery, that the Romans bring countless other troops on ships, that keeps Germanicus smug even after Ari kidnaps him. The barbarians have been foiled. They have scouts all over the roads, but they don’t watch the water. It is now too late to adapt. They will be imminently overwhelmed by a much larger force, approaching from an angle they had not anticipated.
No wonder Germanicus smiled. Ari should have let Dido kill him when she had the chance.
Further reading:
- Barbarians season 2 review.
- Barbarians Season 2 ending explained.
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