Let’s be honest, when the rumors that Starz was rebooting Spartacus began, more than a few fans were apathetic about the idea. That’s because the whole thing felt like just another franchise reboot with the same brand, same timeline, and the same ending everyone already knew like the back of their palm. But then someone mentioned the fact that the creators were bringing Ashur (Nick Tarabay) back. You know, the weasel who lost his head to Naevia’s sword in the Spartacus: Vengeance finale.
Suddenly, everyone was leaning forward, going, “Wait, what now?” However, that wasn’t a random choice designed to grab headlines. On the contrary, it’s a choice born from the realization that the real enemy of rebooting long-running franchises isn’t controversy, it’s inevitability. This show knows not to get bugged down with that. And honestly? It’s the best thing that could have ever happened to it, because it’s basically reinforced the argument that alternate timelines are the smartest way to reboot a franchise.
The Early Story Choice That Gives ‘Spartacus: House of Ashur’ Creative Freedom
Okay, so Ashur dies. We all saw it happen in Spartacus: Vengeance. His head was separated from his body and sent to Glaber as a definite NO to his demand for surrender. All in all, it can be defined as a clean, good death and a deserved death. Then the showrunners wake up and go, “Nah, the snake talked his way out of that mountain and lived.” It had quite an engaging effect because now viewers couldn’t stop thinking, if Ashur lived, what else are they not telling us? Is Crixus okay? Is Batiatus still screaming ‘Jupiter’s c*ck’ anytime a slave sneezes wrongly? Nobody knows.
It’s safe to say that’s the trick, because the creators didn’t just save a character, they killed the spoilers. Now, that frees up the writers, who no longer need to ensure that things happen as history and logic dictate. They’re just writing, making stuff up and watching for what sticks. Essentially, Ashur being alive means everybody is fair game. Also, the original show did the blood splatter thing better than anyone else, so they didn’t try to out-splatter the splatter king in this one.
Instead, House of Ashur becomes a board game of who’s allied with whom, who’s lying, and who’s about to die next. The only thing you know for sure is that Ashur’s still playing the same game he’s always played: talk fast, promise faster, and run when the talking stops working. Except now, he’s no longer on the bottom rung of the ladder. He’s maybe in the middle, or near the top… for now. Another constant is that Tarabay still plays him like a man who’ll sell his own mother for a nicer pair of sandals. You still hate him, but you kinda also want to see how far the hustle goes before someone smarter finally catches on. It’s a seemingly small thing, but here we find ourselves with something layered: the difference between obligation and imagination. Which brings us to the boldest move of all.
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The Caesar Death Proves Internal Logic Beats Historical Accuracy
If you need more proof of how wide the writers in this show spread their wings, it doesn’t get bigger than the fact that they decided that Julius Caesar dies. But this time, it’s not on the Senate floor in Rome, where he was stabbed to death by his best bros. In Capua, at the hands of Ashur no less, because Caesar stiffed him on a deal. Before the show, if you read that anywhere, you’d call it fan fiction, anyone in your shoes would. But watching it happen? It just… fits.
Here’s why. Caesar spent the whole season treating Ashur like… toilet paper. He simply used him for what he deemed fit, then treated him like the help the rest of the time. Moreso, the show also spent the season showing us what happens when you corner a wild animal like Ashur… naturally, he bites. Without any regard to the history books that say Caesar’s supposed to be the future emperor of Rome. He just fights, and it’s not shocking because, “Oh no, they changed history.” It’s shocking just because you’ve been watching things go beyond boiling point throughout the season, not truly believing there would be an explosion.
The bottom line is that audiences are fine with alternate timelines. We’ve always been fine with it. Nobody asked for their money back when the 2009 Star Trek movie decided to change things and wipe out an entire planet. We just want to not know the ending before the opening credits finish. Imagine a “what if” version of Game of Thrones where the Red Wedding never happens, Robb Stark survives, the war plays out differently, and the North may gain ground instead of collapsing. That idea wouldn’t automatically ruin the story, in fact, it could restore suspense. People who already know what happens in the book would become more invested in seeing how it all plays out. Viewers wouldn’t know who the writers might kill next, either, and the tension would reset. That’s basically what House of Ashur achieves with killing Caesar in the Season 1 finale.
It feels like most long-running franchises have yet to come to terms with this idea because they insist on protecting canon and history like museum glass. But they also seem to forget the fact that canon and history are first drafts. And like every first draft, they’re allowed to have editor’s notes. Overall, if more shows were willing to do what House of Ashur just did, we might actually feel nervous again when we press play.
Watch history and Canon unravel thread by thread by streaming Spartacus: House of Ashur on Starz.
