Gladiator 2 debuted in theaters 24 years after the first movie, taking the audience back to that world of swords and sandals and “strength and honor.” Set 16 years after the death of Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe), the sequel follows a young man initially identified as Hanno (Paul Mescal). His relatively peaceful life in Numidia falls apart when destiny comes calling. He returns to Rome as a slave and gladiator years after he left it as prince and emerges as its deliverer.
Here is everything that happens at the end of Gladiator 2.
Does Lucius become the emperor of Rome at the end of Gladiator 2?
Gladiator 2 reveals that Hanno is Lucius Verus, the young boy from the first movie and the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and Maximus. Lucilla sent him away from Rome following the deaths of Maximus and Commodus, but he is still the sole male heir of both grandfather Marcus Aurelius, and Aurelius’ chosen successor, Maximus. The ending of Gladiator 2 leaves it somewhat ambiguous whether Lucius becomes the emperor of Rome.
It doesn’t explicitly show a coronation or Lucius taking control of the administration of the empire. Instead, Lucius emerges as a great unifier of the Roman people and the savior of the city. He kills Macrinus (Denzel Washington), the man who actually had imperial ambitions unlike him, in the climactic scene and convinces Acacius and Macrinus’ soldiers not to fight each other. Marcus Aurelius dreamt of a better Rome and wanted to turn it back into a republic. Maximus fought and died to preserve that dream. The ending of Gladiator 2 implies that Lucius has fulfilled the wishes of his grandfather and father by returning Rome to the Senate and the people.
An important thing to note here is that even though Gladiator 2 draws from history, director Ridley Scott and his collaborators, as always, have taken a lot of creative liberty. Accordingly, fans cannot expect the ending to align with historical events.
Why do Acacius and Rome’s armies follow Lucius in Gladiator 2?
Acacius and Macrinus’ armies follow Lucius because of his lineage as Maximus’ son and Marcus Aurelius’ grandson. With Geta, Caracalla, and Macrinus dead, Lucius has an undisputed claim to the throne. However, instead of asserting that claim, he vows to uphold the shared dream of his grandfather and father, impressing the soldiers, many of whom have likely seen Maximus and Aurelius in person.
