A NETFLIX SERIES
Gods, show me your power.
For that I will sacrifice what is most precious to me.
My firstborn.
Runa?
Runa!
What's the hurry?
The oath. Before the great battle.
I begged the gods to help me avenge my family and free my tribe.
How nice. They answered you.
I promised them I would
sacrifice my firstborn.
Tell me now what I have to do to revoke this oath!
Runa!
Anything. I'm prepared to do anything.
Anything, yes?
To retract your oath?
You want to bargain, but the gods don't make bad bargains.
Anything?
The gods take what they want, one way or another.
Ari is not to be trusted.
You know why he knelt, don't you?
It's a trick to get to your troops.
He's luring you with power you already have.
In return, you have to solve the tribes' problems.
I can't turn my back on the tribes now.
Let's go home.
And not risk our good relations with Rome.
You kneel to the man who sold you out to the Romans?
It was the best option.
And now we have to celebrate with him too?
Host him. In our village.
I had no other choice.
There's always a choice.
You Romans killed my brother!
I'm Segimer's son, Reik Ari's brother! I demand respect.
Flavus! Uncle!
Gaius.
You're okay.
Out of the way!
-What are you doing here? -I'm here on a diplomatic mission.
Can we speak privately?
A gift from General Tiberius.
As a token of his loyalty and… his trust
in our new alliance.
And a message.
For you. A private one.
What are you doing here?
He's under my protection.
Flavus is here as an envoy of Rome.
I don't want to argue with you.
What do you want, then?
I no longer know what you want.
A war with the Marcomanni? That's exactly what Rome wants.
-For us to tear each other apart. -So you kneel before Marbod?
-He thinks he can have peace with Rome. -There is no peace with Rome.
He'll realize that soon enough.
And what price will we pay in the meantime?
What else has to happen before he realizes?
You're putting our future in Marbod's hands.
I know what peace with Rome looks like.
I was there when your people crucified Folkwin's family.
And when they crippled my brother!
Over there…
Dido is dying because of you.
And next door, your traitor brother is here as a guest.
Marbod as king of all tribes?
Peace with Rome? Do you even hear yourself?
Then suggest something better.
Suggest something better!
Instead of just being against everything.
I don't have a solution.
Of course you don't!
Because you don't know what it means to be the reik.
To have responsibility! I'm the reik,
and when I have decisions to make, I make them!
I sacrificed everything I had.
I had to leave my son behind to free you all.
I don't think you have a problem turning your back on people.
Excuse me?
You turned your back on your son.
Like you turned your back on your tribe, and like you turned your back on me today!
Because you're a traitor!
Careful what you say.
You betrayed your foster father!
And you led thousands of people who trusted you to their deaths.
And for whom? For the people you betrayed today.
Be careful what you say!
I… I don't know who you really are anymore.
Mother?
Thusnelda. Nice to see you.
So you're thieves now?
Yes. This is what I've become. A thief.
Thusnelda, please. Let us back into the tribe.
Forgive. Show you have a heart.
We're rotting in a cave, and winter's coming.
Think of your brother. He's starving.
Then bring him to me, finally.
I can take care of him.
In the way he needs.
And the way he deserves.
And you can come to the village too.
You two don't need to starve.
Or steal.
And Segestes?
He's your father.
That's why I know him so well.
Well enough to prevent him spreading his poison here.
Your father will never allow
your brother and I to live here while he's in exile.
Then so be it.
Your decision.
You know where to find me.
I didn't expect to see you again so soon.
I'm glad you're all right.
Tiberius is smart enough to know that the alliance with you is important.
And I'm safe as long as I'm under your protection.
Please get some rest.
My men will protect you.
Thank you.
I'll be back soon.
No one goes in or out.
They want Flavus' head
as a sign of your loyalty.
In return, they'll meet all your demands.
Tiberius knows that Flavus is a friend.
One sacrifice
for the future of your people?
Our future, Marbod.
You'll do the right thing.
Dido.
Her spirit is on a journey so that her body can heal.
Should I
make a sacrifice, or something?
Better to settle your old debts
before you make new deals with the gods.
Gods,
I thank you for the victory over the Romans, and avenging my family.
But what use is the life of a small child to you
on your journeys through the forests and the dark night sky?
Or the life of a non-believer?
I renounce…
my firstborn.
I banish him…
from my life
and…
from my heart.
And if it is a human life that you require…
then take mine.
Then take… mine!
Take mine!
Take mine.
United in peace, united in battle.
Thanks to our alliance with Rome, we'll all be rich.
All of us.
War is expensive and bad for business.
Where there's wealth, there's war.
My dear,
eventually you too will realize not everything Rome has to offer is bad.
Your husband, for example.
Rome doesn't look for friends.
Rome finds subordinates.
Because why should they share what they can take by force?
Meat, anyone?
No, thanks.
It cuts well.
A lovely gift from Tiberius.
For Flavus.
What does Tiberius want?
Come with me to the east.
I'll give you lands.
You can be your own master.
Everything just as we used to hope.
I'm a Roman, Marbod.
And an officer too.
I want to drink wine in taverns after victorious military campaigns.
I want to walk in the streets
where we used to walk together.
Not sit alone in a hut,
master of a thousand herds of pigs.
That's how you see it?
Herds of pigs.
Everyone has a place where they belong, Marbod.
Yes.
Don't touch me, you barbarian swine!
I'm an envoy of Rome!
Try to have little fun.
The pork is good.
I'm not hungry.
Then use the evening to get mead-drunk for the first time.
I hate alcohol.
Flavus will take me to Rome.
You're free to go.
But before you decide to…
come with me to the folkmoot.
And what happens at this… folkmoot?
We… choose the bravest of our young warriors.
Someone like you.
And then,
we sacrifice him to Wodan.
No, we…
We'll elect Marbod as king of all the tribes.
And why should I be there?
I'd like you to light the Cheruscan torch.
It's a great honor.
Honor?
You hold your brother captive like a beast,
and speak of honor?
Rome tells us lies.
Says we're stupid and primitive.
That subjugation is the best thing for us.
Just like the Britons, the Gauls, the Pannonians.
Rome is the wild beast that has to be destroyed.
What is it?
A wolf's tooth.
A memory from my childhood.
Life is hard here, simple.
But I had a happy childhood.
And I want
you to be happy too.
Think about it.
Folkwin.
You… You asked me to look after my s…
After… Thumelicus, if anything was to happen to you.
I can't do that anymore.
Before the battle with Varus, we… We were all prepared to give our all, and
so was I.
What did you do?
I promised the gods I'd sacrifice my firstborn.
I couldn't have known that you…
-If you so much as look at him… -I'll never see him again.
I've renounced him.
And offered the gods my life.
I'm leaving all of this.
This isn't a threat, it's…
It's a good… A goodbye.
This is a goodbye.
Enjoying yourself?
I know the frustration
of finding oneself in inferior company.
Don't worry.
You're still young.
You'll find your rightful place.
My rightful place is in Rome.
Flavus will take me there.
I'm sure you'll make it back to Rome one day.
You're a smart boy.
But I'm not so sure about your uncle.
What's that supposed to mean?
Empty.
I need something to drink.
Flavus? Flavus!
-You have to leave. -Gaius.
Our scouts still see no signs of larger troop movements.
No Roman legions for miles around.
Yes.
What might this mean, my great Prefect Arminius?
Come.
Tell us.
Tell us!
Where else are should we fight the Romans?
In the villages?
In the huts?
Or out there in the shit pit?
Oh, no, wait. I've got it.
Here.
Under the table.
Yes, laugh.
No.
We will never fight the Romans again.
Thanks to me.
I know what needs to be done.
Music!
Why have you locked me up in here, Marbod?
Tiberius won't like it,
you treating his envoy like this.
Tiberius.
Here.
Read it.
Read it!
He wants me to kill you.
Yes, that's what he wants.
But you wouldn't do that.
Think about the two of us.
When will you finally see you're wasting your life?
The Romans are playing with you.
They're laughing at you.
They despise you.
Because you're one of us.
You're so foolish.
And so stubborn.
Rome
doesn't want you.
Rome doesn't love you.
Marbod!
What happened?
Flavus escaped.
Someone helped him.
Someone? Who would have reason to apart from you?
Divide and conquer.
Tiberius wants to sow discord.
Get some rest.
Tomorrow is a big day.
It's time for the folkmoot.
Gaius.
Come.
I'll take you to your bed.
I…
I'll come to the folkmoot tomorrow.
Come on.
I can show you a really good time.
-Let me show you a good time, honey. -No.
I said no.
Hey! Who are you?
-A mistake. -Get lost!
I apologize.
What the hell are you doing here?
And why is that head still on your shoulders?
Because it will be more useful to Rome on my shoulders than on a pike.
I'm here to make you an offer.
I will bring Tiberius the heads of the reiks.
Tonight at the folkmoot, Marbod will be named king.
All the reiks will be there. Unarmed.
And I can take you there.
And how do you know all this?
A true Roman helped me.
No need to be nervous.
I'm not nervous.
I'm looking forward to it.
You're awake?
How are you doing?
Better. That's no reason to slap me.
Let's get out of here tonight.
Ansgar, stop it.
Maybe things are turning for the better.
Ari will proclaim Marbod king at the folkmoot today.
Who's saying that?
He laid his sword at his feet in front of his warriors.
-What are you planning? -We'll go to the folkmoot.
I'll talk to Marbod. He is a friend of Rome.
He'll need leaders who know how to negotiate with the Romans.
Let's get going.
Come on, faster!
-Ansgar, wait. -That damn boy.
Ansgar!
Ansgar. What are you doing?
-You're bleeding. -Get up!
-Come on! Up! -Leave him alone!
Get up!
Faster!
Faster! Don't slack off!
Let's go. Come on.
He can't keep going like this.
There's no time.
You go on.
And you?
I'll take him to the Cheruscan village. It's close.
Go on. Go.
What happened?
We had to hide from the Romans.
Were you defending your mother?
Dead men.
They were heading west.
The folkmoot.
Sometimes… a bad peace is better than a good war.
As our king, Reik Marbod will show us
what a good peace with Rome looks like.
I don't believe in peace with Rome.
You hypocrite.
You knelt before Reik Marbod, Ari!
You've all experienced what peace with Rome means.
Yet you still believe in it.
Marbod believes in it.
I don't.
I support Marbod as king.
I'm not supporting Marbod
because I believe in the Romans…
but because I believe in us.
With Marbod,
we won't just be Cherusci.
Or just Marcomanni. Or Marsi.
From today,
we will stand together as united tribes.
And the gods…
will be behind us.
And the Romans
will piss their armor rusty in fear.
Because from today,
they'll no longer face individual tribes.
The chains they put on us… we've torn them off.
And now we are forging a mighty sword.
And Rome will tremble before our sword.
In war and in peace!
Subtitle translation by: Kel Barksdale