Line #22 Film/Gladiator


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15	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gladiator_5.png]]
16	[[caption-width-right:350:''[-[[Main/YouBastard "ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!?"]]-]'']]
17	%%
18	-> ''[[Main/MyNameIsInigoMontoya "My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the armies of the north, general of the Felix Legions. Loyal servant to the true Emperor, Marcus Aurelius.]]'' ''[[Main/YouKilledMyFather Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife.]]'' ''[[Main/{{Revenge}} And I will have my vengeance,]]'' ''[[Main/PrepareToDie in this life or the next."]]''
19
20	''Gladiator'' is a 2000 epic historical drama film directed by Creator/RidleyScott. It follows the same period of history and takes similar liberties with its plot as the 1964 film ''Film/TheFallOfTheRomanEmpire'', while also taking several cues from Stanley Kubrick's ''Film/{{Spartacus}}''. It is credited with [[GenreRelaunch reviving]] the {{epic\|movie}} SwordAndSandal genre, which had largely disappeared from the big screen since the aforementioned ''Fall of the Roman Empire'' back in TheSixties.
21
22	In AD 180 at the time of UsefulNotes/{{the Roman Empire}}, General Maximus Decimus Meridius (Creator/RussellCrowe) wins a decisive battle during the UsefulNotes/GermanicWars and is named heir to the ailing Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Creator/RichardHarris), who wishes that Rome be restored to a republic with the Senate ruling as the representative of the people. The Emperor's mad son, Commodus (Creator/JoaquinPhoenix), sees things differently: he murders his father, declares himself to be the new Emperor, and orders that Maximus be killed when the general refuses to pledge loyalty to him. Maximus escapes his fate, but unfortunately for him, his wife and young son do not. Maximus swears to avenge their deaths and join them soon after; wandering around the countryside, he is soon found and brought into slavery.
23
24	Maximus is then trained as a gladiator by his captors, and he successfully wins the crowds to him in his first few performances; this allows Maximus to be brought to UsefulNotes/{{Rome}} and compete in gladiatorial battles arranged by Commodus. Maximus' fame soon wins Rome's heart -- to the point where he begins to become more popular among the people than Commodus -- and begins to plan his revenge...
25
26	A sequel is set for release on November 22, 2024, with Ridley Scott returning at the helm. It reportedly takes place about twenty years after the end of the first film at the time of Emperor Caracalla, and follows an adult Lucius.
27
28	Not to be confused with the proto-superheroic 1930 book ''Literature/{{Gladiator}}'', the TV gameshow ''Series/{{Gladiators}}'', the [[VideoGame/{{Gladiator}} Taito arcade game]], the [[VideoGame/TheGladiator Taiwanese arcade game]] or the 1992 boxing drama of the same name.
29	----
30	!!"On my signal, unleash tropes:"
31
32	* ActionFilmQuietDramaScene: Many examples, especially between Maximus and, variously, Marcus Aurelius, Proximo, Juba, and Lucilla. Arguably it is the skillful use and execution of these scenes that allows this to transcend being a great action movie and become an epic masterpiece.
33	* ActionPrologue: The film opens with a big, bloody battle between the Roman legions and Germanic barbarians.
34	* ActorAllusion: Creator/DerekJacobi [[Series/IClaudius wants to reform Rome]]. Additionally, Creator/BrianBlessed is the voice of one of the spectators. Bonus points when Creator/JoaquinPhoenix's Commodus compares himself to the very Claudius by telling the story of the Emperor and how he was betrayed.
35	* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Commodus is rather amused when, contrary to history, the 'barbarian hordes' of Carthage end up winning.
36	* AdaptationalDyeJob: The historically blond Commodus is portrayed with black hair.
37	* AllForNothing: [[spoiler:Commodus fatally stabs Maximus before their fight to give himself the edge...and then he gets overpowered and killed anyway with relative ease, so it doesn't work.]]
38	* AloneWithPrisonerPloy: When Lucilla arrives at Maximus' cell, she tells him "rich matrons pay well to be pleasured by the bravest champions". He has been chained up in preparation for her visit. In fact she's there to tell him there is a growing conspiracy against Commodus, and to ask him to meet a politician who's involved.
39	* AmbitionIsEvil: Commodus tells his father, Emperor Marcus Aurelius, that while he doesn't have the traditional virtues of Wisdom, Justice, Temperance and Fortitude, he does have Courage ("Perhaps not on the battlefield, but there are many kinds of courage..." -- and in truth, he's actually a pretty good fighter, he just never saw real battle), and Ambition, which drives him to excel. He then [[TheEvilPrince murders his father and assumes the Imperial throne for himself]]. This is especially {{Anvilicious}}, considering that Marcus Aurelius was going to hand power over to General Maximus ''specifically because'' Maximus didn't want to rule.
40	* AncientRome: The film takes place in this setting, with characters like Commodus and Marcus Aurelius being real-life emperors, albeit with added artistic license in the film.
41	* AnnoyingArrows:
42	** {{Averted}}. The barbarians that get hit with arrows in the opening battle tend to stay down, as they should. {{Played straight}} with the barbarians' arrows against the Romans, as all the arrows are stopped by the Roman ''testudo'' formation.
43	** Hagan also yanks out the arrow that gets stuck in his leg during the charioteer battle, but it is clearly quite painful and he's hobbling in all after scenes.
44	* AntiVillain: Quintus is a fairly noble version go the MyMasterRightOrWrong type, when Commodus first takes over, but seeing how Commodus rules eventually causes him to rethink that philosophy.
45	* AppealToInherentNature: Surprisingly, considering his [[BloodKnight personal lust for battle]], Commodus seems to agree with his father's opinion that the war against the barbarians achieved nothing and sneers at the idea of Rome's people taking pride in meaningless victories they didn't experience, embracing a mere illusion of greatness. [[ExploitedTrope So, understanding the mob's nature, he'll win the people's love by giving them exactly what they crave]].
46	* ArmorIsUseless: Maximus cuts through body armor with his swords, even though it would have probably protected them better in RealLife.
47	* ArrowsOnFire: Used in the opening battle.
48	* ArtImitatesArt: The {{paintings}} of Creator/LawrenceAlmaTadema served as a central inspiration for the film's production designers. His influence can be seen in the lavish sets and Janty Yates' costume designs, particularly for Lucilla.
49	* ArtisticLicenseBiology: The tigers released during Maximus' fight with Tigris are controlled by three men on a chain. A fully grown tiger is far too strong to be restrained by just three men.
50	* ArtisticLicenseHistory:
51	** Has [[{{ArtisticLicenseHistory/Gladiator}} its own page]]. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_accuracy_of_Gladiator_(2000_film) According to Wikipedia]], Scott ''wanted'' to make the film more accurate, but was forced to do otherwise because [[RealityIsUnrealistic the public is used to the troped version]].
52	** An in-universe example: The reenactment of the "Battle of Zama" in the Colosseum by the Romans features the "Carthaginians" using Roman-style shields, while the "Roman Legions" consist of war chariots, a number of which contain female warriors. Justifiable, considering ancient Romans probably weren't too worried about history accuracy either, and it's a gladiatorial show just meant to [[RuleofCool look cool.]]
53	* BadassBoast: "My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions,[[note]]The plural is historically inaccurate.[[/note]] loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next."
54	%%* BandOfBrothers: Maximus' legion.
55	%%* BestServedCold
56	* BeardOfSorrow: Maximus grows one when his family is killed.
57	* BigBad: Commodus, the instigator of all the conflict in the film and the object of Maximus' revenge.
58	* BigBadassBattleSequence: The opening Battle of Vindobona between the Romans and Germanic tribesmen.
59	* TheBigGuy: Hagen, the German whom Proximo uses to test new fighters. He's a class three as despite his physical prowess (Maximus aside, he's pretty much the last person you want to fight in the arena), he's actually a perfectly friendly, candid guy. He'd probably be an outright GentleGiant except that he's, well, a gladiator.
60	* BilingualBonus:
61	** Maximus' names for the two horses on his breastplate [[ShoutOut translate to]] [[Series/TheLoneRanger "Silver"]] and [[Creator/RoyRogers "Trigger"]].
62	** "You have a great name." ("Maximus" literally translates to "very great".)
63	* BittersweetEnding: Of the "mostly good" kind. [[spoiler:Most of the gladiator school is wiped out and the survivors are imprisoned, but they are eventually released. Maximus defeats Commodus in a duel, ensures Rome will become a republic again, and dies of his wounds. However, he is seen reunited with his family in Elysium.]] This is mirrored just afterwards, when Juba returns to an empty Colosseum to [[spoiler:bury Maximus' figurines, and says "I will see you again. But not yet. Not yet."]]
64	* BlackAndWhiteMorality
65	** Played mostly straight with the main protagonist, Maximus, a brave and noble veteran who wishes to avenge the murder of his wife and son.
66	** Also played mostly straight with the main antagonist, Commodus, an insane and patricidal megalomaniac with a Caligula complex.
67	** Also played mostly straight with his father, Marcus Aurelius, who kept the Roman Empire expanding with a series of bloody conquests with only four years of peace in a twenty year reign, brutally conquering other nations right up to the day he died.
68	** Averted with the senate, with many being corrupt, power-hungry politicians, while many others are devoted to serving the people of Rome.
69	** Also averted by Lucilla, whose conspiring and politicking are all necessary for her own survival and the safety of her son, as his Uncle's only current heir.
70	* BoisterousBruiser: Hagen, who is much more of a BloodKnight and hot-tempered fighter than Maximus is.
71	* BodyguardBetrayal: [[spoiler:At Quintus' request, the Praetorian Guard refuses to give Commodus a sword in his duel against Maximus. Despite his Praetorians betrayal, Commodus tries to finish Maximus anyway, but is gradually overpowered and killed.]]
72	* BookEnds: In the beginning, Maximus imagines himself strolling through his farm's fields, and in the end, [[spoiler:he sees himself strolling through the fields of Elysium, reuniting with his family.]]
73	** Juba's words to Maximus as he is recovering, and after he dies. "You will see them again. But not yet."
74	* BreadAndCircuses: Commodus' policy, with a literal example as Commodus has cartloads of bread thrown to poor in the Colosseum. It's discussed that Commodus is paying for the games, too.
75	* BringMyBrownPants: The scribe wets himself as he and the other gladiators are about to enter a fight in the Zucchabar arena. With good cause, as in a deleted scene he emphatically points out that he's got zero combat experience and is very aware he'll die soon.
76	* BringerOfWarMusic: Heard most prominently in two tracks, "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unb3FdsT5fQ#t=2m The Battle]]", where we first see Maximus leading his troops into battle giving the famous "What We Do In Life" speech, and "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ5lQev52gk#t=2m52s Barbarian Horde]]", the gladiatorial fight where he rallies his gladiators and leads them to victory.
77	* BrotherSisterIncest: Evil Emperor Commodus lusts after his sister Lucilla and makes an aborted attempt to seduce her, while she is appropriately horrified. When he catches her supporting Maximus' cause, he declares that he's going to spare her to be impregnated, so they can start a new dynasty with their progeny.
78	* CainAndAbel: Commodus as the Cain, Maximus as the Abel. They're not related by blood, but Marcus Aurelius considered Maximus the son he should have had instead of the ambitious Commodus and nominates him as regent. Commodus also considers Maximus his non-blood brother, as both try to win Aurelius' and Lucilla's love. However, Commodus resorts to [[TheEvilPrince murdering his father]] and arranging to [[BrotherSisterIncest impregnate his sister]], before Maximus kills him in the arena. {{Discussed}} near the end:
79	-->'''Commodus:''' That makes us brothers, doesn't it? Then smile for me, brother! [''stabs Maximus'']
80	* TheCaligula: The Roman emperor Commodus. Commodus wasn't as bad in real life as he was in either this film, though he did fight as a gladiator in the arena (though not to the death as it is portrayed here), and is actually best-known for being the last of the "Pax Romana", the Golden Age of Rome. He'd spent most of his reign just doing whatever he fancied, and having a grand old time -- it wasn't until there were several attempts on his life (one involving his sister) that he really kicked into gear and became a tyrannical dictator.
81	* CallThatAFormation:
82	** The Roman shieldwall during the opening battle advances relatively well, albeit made crooked by the uneven terrain, but comes apart almost immediately when the Germans smash into it. Realistically speaking, the Romans would have stayed in formation throughout the fighting or likely been routed.
83	** Subverted in the "reenactment" fight. Maximus' team wins when they were expecteded to be massacred specifically because they form up with their shields instead of trying to run after chariot archers separately.
84	* CallToAgriculture: "Maximus the Farmer!" This was TruthInTelevision for a lot of Roman statesmen and generals. Farming was considered one of the most laudable and noble occupations for a Roman man to undertake.[[note]]A Roman statesman named Cincinnatus became legendary for leaving his farm, taking the dictatorship, winning a war that it looked like Rome might lose, then going back to his farm.[[/note]]
85	* CallingTheOldManOut: Commodus tears into Marcus Aurelius for neglecting him and grooming Maximus instead to be his successor.
86	* TheCameo: '''Creator/{{BRIAN BLESSED}}''' appears as an audience member in The Colosseum.
87	* CastingGag: Creator/DerekJacobi as a Roman senator. Jacobi, of course, starred in one of the most famous fictional works about Ancient Rome, the television miniseries ''Series/IClaudius''.
88	* ChainedHeat: In the first gladiator battle in Africa, Juma and Maximus are there. Maximus hasn't yet begun to pursue revenge, so you have a character who wants to die chained to a character who wants to live, trying to survive in a gladiatorial arena.
89	* ChekhovsSkill: Early on, Maximus lingers for a moment in his camp to watch Commodus practice his swordsmanship. He'll get a taste of the Emperor's skill himself during the film's climax.
90	* ChewingTheScenery: Everybody.
91	** From Commodus: "AM I NOT MERCIFUL!?"
92	** From Maximus: "ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?! ''ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!?'' IS THIS NOT WHY YOU ARE HERE?!"
93	* {{Cincinnatus}}: Maximus. After long years of slogging through the north, conquering for Rome, he just wanted to go home to his family and farm, even when he realized he was being offered total power in Rome, and that, Aurelius said, was why it had to be him to steward the Empire until it could be a Republic again.
94	* ClassicVillain: Commodus, representing Ambition, Envy, Lust, Pride, and Wrath.
95	* CompositeCharacter:
96	** There were many real life people that have been cited as influencing the creation of Maximus. Including the likes of Marcus Nonius Macrinus (a Roman general who served closely under Emperor Marcus Aurelius, becoming one of his closest advisors), Narcissus (the professional Roman athlete, potentially a gladiator but likely a wrestler, that killed Commodus), Spartacus (a slave who was once used as a soldier that was eventually turned into gladiator who subsequently stood up against the corrupt Roman state and ultimately died a martyr), Cincinnatus (a high ranking Roman who turned down the chance at absolute power in favor of living a simple life as a farmer that only fought/took power when absolutely necessary), Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus (the second husband of Lucilla, who was offered the throne several times after Commodus'death), and Maximus of Hispania (obviously his name, as well as his roots in the land that would come to be called Spain from this real man who also came to be at odds with and fought against the Roman state). It is notable that in David Franzoni's original draft of the screenplay, the lead character's name was Narcissus.
97	** The historical Lucilla had two sons: Lucius, who died before the timeframe of the movie, and Pompeianus, who had the age of the movie's Lucius.
98	* ConversationalTroping: Before Maximus fights Commodus in the arena, Commodus talks about how Maximus's epic life story can honestly be called the stuff of legend. He considers just killing Maximus to be anticlimatic, so the only fitting conclusion to the story would be a final showdown in the great arena between the two, although Commodus obviously [[WrongGenreSavvy considers himself the hero in this story]].
99	* CripplingTheCompetition: Commodus restrains and stabs Maximus just prior to their final, climactic arena duel in order to gain the upper hand during the fight.
100	* CrusadingWidow: Maximus losses both his wife ''and'' his child early in the film. It certainly gives him motivation.
101	* CrowdPleaser:
102	** Proximo has fond memories of his finest battles in the greatest of Rome's amphitheaters in his youth. He also keeps reminding Maximus that the crowd want a show, not a simple quick slaughter, and that he must win the crowd's favour.
103	** Maximus makes use of this. It's subtle, but after his victory in the Colosseum, he's repeatedly turning around on his horse while holding a throwing spear for the crowd, gradually moving closer to Commodus' box. You don't realize what he was doing until he raises the spear in a very NOT posing way the moment before the emperor decides to meet him...and you see his frustrated reaction. He said he'd give them something they've never seen before.
104	* {{Main/Curb-Stomp Cushion}}: [[spoiler:Commodus gets owned by Maximus and killed relatively quickly, but not before fatally wounding him.]]
105	* DarkIsNotEvil: For the final battle, Maximus is wearing black armor, [[LightIsNotGood and Commodus wears white.]]
106	* DarkIsEvil: Generally averted. Commodus, in the final duel, wears white armour. Maximus wears dark armour, [[SpikesOfVillainy with a spiked helmet,]] for most of his gladiatorial career, including that fight.
107	* DashingHispanic: Maximus, the Spanish Roman General, is literally Hispanic (as in someone from the ancient Roman province of Hispania, i.e. Spain), and he is played by an Australian actor speaking TheQueensLatin, but Maximus Decimus Meridius is pretty badass.
108	* DeadlyHug: Commodus does this twice in the film. First he asphyxiates his elderly and helpless father in a hug, and then at the end of the film embraces Maximus as a brother before promptly stabbing him in the back.
109	* DeathEqualsRedemption: Facing his imminent death is what gets Marcus Aurelius to reassess his life and ultimately decide he needs to set things in motion in order to save Rome by making it a Republic again.
110	* DecapitationPresentation: The opening battle has the Germanic chieftain tossing the head of a Roman emissary in the mud before the battle begins. The rest of the emissary's body preceded the head on its way back to the Roman lines.
111	* DefeatingTheCheatingOpponent: Emperor Commodus has a VillainousBreakdown during his final battle with Maximus. Even though Commodus has [[RiggedSpectacleFight rigged the fight in his favor]], Maximus is still beating him. During said breakdown, Commodus reveals his dagger and goes after Maximus, even though his plan was to humiliate Maximus in a "fair" fight. Then, Quintus gives his own middle finger to the Emperor by refusing to give him his sword, and ordering the guards surrounding him to sheathe their swords as well. [[spoiler:Commodus is killed as a result by Maximus, but the wound inflicted by Commodus and his dagger still ends up fatal to Maximus, as he gets back to Rome just before the wound claims his life.]]
112	* DefeatingTheUndefeatable: Maximus is put in a fight with the only undefeated gladiator, Tigris of Gaul, and beats him.
113	* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment:
114	--> "It vexes me. I'm terribly vexed."
115	* {{Determinator}}: Maximus takes a lot of shots over the course of the movie but keeps soldiering on. In the final battle with Commodus, he fights through an ultimately-fatal wound.
116	* DidNotThinkThisThrough: The Zama recreation set heavy infantry against light chariots that don't have enough room to maneuver with the expectation the chariots will win easily. TacticalRockPaperScissors ensues.
117	* DiedHappilyEverAfter: [[spoiler:At the end, there's a few brief shots of Maximus in a field, walking towards his family in Elysium.]]
118	-->'''Maximus:''' ''[to his soldiers]'' If you find yourself alone, riding in the green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled. For you are in Elysium, and you're already dead!
119	* TheDogBitesBack: Immediately after being told that he would not be taking over from his father in ruling the Roman Empire, having spent his entire life training for it, Commodus calls out his father on it and then smothers him, having his father's preferred heir executed and taking over Rome anyway.
120	* DoomedMoralVictor: Maximus becomes a darling of the public, kills the emperor in a duel and dies in the process. (Of course, historically, "victor" is dubious as the year after Commodus died is the year of the five Emperors, in which the next five rulers of the Roman Empire take over and are immediately assassinated.)
121	* DoubleMeaning: Juba, seeing the Coliseum for the first time: ''"I didn't know men could build such things."'' On the one hand, he's awestruck by the scale of its construction; on the other, he's reminding the audience that the most advanced civilization in the world has built a giant arena for staging mass slaughter for the sake of public enjoyment.
122	* DramaticIrony: Commodus jokes that he doesn't mind that the "barbarian" gladiators defeated the Roman gladiators in the first arena because he enjoys surprises. Audiences get to enjoy a few minutes of his ignorance before he gets blindsided by by Maximus' return.
123	* TheDragon: Quintus becomes the head of Commodus' PraetorianGuard after he becomes emperor. Unlike most examples in fiction, he does not seem to enjoy it too much.
124	* DrivenByEnvy: Commodus was supremely jealous of how much attention Marcus Aurelius paid to Maximus, and it was this, combined with Aurelius naming Maximus his successor, that drove Commodus down the path he took.
125	* DualWielding:
126	** [[RetiredBadass Tigris of Gaul]] fights with a sword in one hand and an axe in the other.
127	** Also, Maximus at one point wields two swords, and slaughters his opponent with multiple impalements and then a scissor decapitation.
128	* DueToTheDead: "He was a Soldier Of Rome. Honor Him."
129	* EpicFlail: A common gladiator weapon. One spiky-haired RedShirt ends up [[HaveANiceDeath catching one full on in the gob]] in the first gladiator battle of the movie, literally only seconds after stepping out into the arena.
130	* EpicMovie: A quintessential example. Stunning set pieces, A-list actors, plenty of action, and a grand scale culminating in battling the Emperor of Rome in gladiatorial combat.
131	* TheEvilPrince: Commodus, though he had something of an excuse: his father, rather than passing on emperorship to him, as had become commonplace, was going to give it to Maximus, who in turn was going to use it to put power back into the hands of the Senate and restore the Republic.
132	* EvilUncle: The evil Commodus is Lucius' uncle, though he [[AffablyEvil treats him nicely enough]]. Lucilla has no faith in Lucius being safe from Commodus in the future if it becomes convenient to him, which pushes her into conspiring against her brother, and Commodus using her fears to blackmail her in turn.
133	* EvilVirtues: Commodus believed his virtues were just as good as the ones of a traditional ruler, such as the ambition to excel and kill his father.
134	* FakeShemp: An infamous example. Oliver Reed died before filming all his scenes as Proximo, so they used shadows, CGI, and creative re-editing of already-shot scenes, along with some stock footage, to finish filming and rewrote several important scenes that would have been otherwise unfilmable.
135	* FictionalizedDeathAccount:
136	** Marcus Aurelius is depicted as being murdered by his son Commodus, in reality Aurelius died of plague. Perhaps as a bit of a nod to this, the first thing that happens after Commodus returns to Rome (well, after his Triumph), is a meeting with the Senate where Gracchus tries to get Commodus to focus on the fact that plague is hitting at least parts of the city.
137	** Commodus himself was strangled by his a wrestler in his bath, with said wrestler being put up to do it by a group of conspirators and not in a gladiator match in the Colosseum. He did often participate in gladiator games, however.
138	* {{Flynning}}: This is lampshaded; in the gladiator training camp scene, the instructor tells the student, "this is how you fight", and starts showing him the "Pirate Halves" move. It's also justified -- gladiators were essentially entertainers, as well as fighters, and fights to the death were rare. Maximus, a former professional soldier, was told off for being too efficient as he naturally went straight for the killing move.
139	* {{Foil}}: Noble, humble, wise Maximus and insanely [[AmbitionIsEvil ambitious]] Commodus. Maximus' bosses also count: Noble Emperor Marcus Aurelius and ex-slave-turned-fight-promoter Proximo.
140	* {{Foreshadowing}}: Quintus comments early on that "People should know when they're conquered". [[spoiler:When Commodus kills Marcus Aurelius, Quintus quickly realises there is no point resisting, chooses pragmatism before honor and betrays Maximus]].
141	* FreudianExcuse: Commodus explains, prior to killing his dad, that all he wanted was a little love and a warm hug... and what he would have done to get it.
142	* GameBreakingInjury: Double subversion. [[spoiler:Maximus is stabbed before his battle with Commodus, but manages to defeat Commodus ''and'' give a last order before dying.]]
143	* GenreBlind: Old Marcus Aurelius, of all people. Telling your immoral son you're naming another as your heir with no witnesses around or record of your decision is a bad move.
144	* GimmickMatches: In-universe, many variations on gladiatorial combat take place in the arena. For instance, in Maximus' first match, he and Juba are tied together by the wrist, with Maximus holding a sword and Juba a shield. During this fight Hagen's ally quickly becomes a human shishkebab, so Hagen [[AnArmAndALeg has a novel solution for freeing himself]], [[EpicFlail and then another with the chain]]. An example of [[TruthInTelevision truth in television]], as the Romans loved themed gladitorial fights and even had different gladiator "characters" akin to modern pro-wrestlers.
145	* GiveMeASword: Both ways; Maximus gets one without asking while Commodus is left to fend for himself.
146	* GladiatorGames: The main set pieces of the film center around different battles in the arena.
147	* GladiatorRevolt: Maximus tries to make a bid for freedom with his fellow gladiators, but the rebellion is put down with several casualties along the way.
148	* TheGoodKing: Marcus Aurelius, who was a wise king who believed in limiting the power of the crown and trying to bring back the Roman Republic. Similarly, Marcus Aurelius was this in real life.[[note]]Marcus Aurelius was the last of the Five Good Emperors.[[/note]]
149	* GoodRepublicEvilEmpire: The good guys are hoping to turn the Roman Empire back into a Republic by giving more power to the Senate. The bad guy wants to get rid of the Senate altogether. Historically speaking, no one planned to make Rome a republic again, especially since the last five emperors had been both good and competent guys, and the final years of the Republic were marked by a rapidly deteriorating society caused by political infighting and decades of bloody civil war. In fact, beginning with the fist Emperor, Augustus, the Senate helped to maintain the facade that Rome was, still in fact, a Republic; it took 300 years for the Roman Empire to openly acknowledge that the Republic ''had'' ended and a monarchy had formed. Nor was there ever any serious prospect of abolishing the Senate; while centuries later its power would be diminished to the point of being purely ceremonial, the Roman Senate actually ''outlasted'' the (Western) Roman Empire and the UsefulNotes/ByzantineEmpire (Eastern Roman Empire) had its own Senate last until the 1400s.
150	* GoYeHeroesGoAndDie: The pit manager to the small army of gladiators representing the "Barbarian Horde" before entering the Coliseum. They live and Maximus earns the admiration of the crowd.
151	* GrimUpNorth: Germania is a cold, harsh place filled with violent barbarians.
152	* GroinAttack: The gladiator wielding the trident in the first fight has it turned against him by Maximus and Juba. After they clothesline him with their chain, you can see the front of his loincloth soaked with blood.
153	* GroupieBrigade: When Maximus and the other gladiators are led into the Colosseum, they're mobbed by a group of scantily-clad women with obvious admiration and intentions towards them, one of them even grabs Maximus and whispers "I want you" in his ear until a guard pulls her off.
154	* AHandfulForAnEye: At the beginning of the one on one duel against Tigris surrounded by tigers. The opponent kicks dirt/gravel/dust into Maximus's face.
155	* HeadbuttOfLove: Close friends Maximus and Juba bump foreheads before Maximus enters the ring.
156	* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:''The entire Praetorian Guard'', Quintus in particular.]] It's TruthInTelevision, given [[spoiler:the Praetorians had a reputation for [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder deposing and assassinating Emperors]], although the real-life Commodus supposedly maintained the loyalty of the Guard until the end of his reign.]]
157	* TheHeroDies: [[spoiler:Maximus after finally exacting his revenge against Commodus at the end.]]
158	* HeroicBSOD: Maximus is utterly heartbroken when he finds his home destroyed and family brutally murdered.
159	* HeroesLoveDogs: As pointed out in [[http://www.cracked.com/article_19183_6-tricks-movies-use-to-make-sure-you-root-right-guy.html this]] Cracked article, the German peasants at the start of the movie are a RagtagBunchOfMisfits fighting against the all-powerful invading Romans in an attempt to protect their own land. Problem is, the movie wants you to root for the ''Romans,'' because that's the side Maximus is on. Solution? Give them a dog.
160	* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: Lucilla. The real life Lucilla was involved in a conspiracy to assassinate Commodus and ''[[TheStarscream replace]]'' him with herself and her husband. She failed and was executed.
161	* HistoricalRelationshipOverhaul:
162	** The real Lucilla was married twice, both to high-ranking officers and personal friends of her father: Lucius Verus (d. 169 AD), and Pompeianus. Only Verus is named in the film as having passed and Lucilla being his widow, whereas by this time she would be already married to Pompeianus. Some of Pompeianus's traits are [[CompositeCharacter transferred to Maximus]]. She had a son named Lucius from her first marriage, but he died young along with a sister. Her son from her second marriage was named Pompeianus and he was about the same age as the film's Lucius. She also had a surviving daughter from her first marriage, Plautia.
163	** She did grow concerned about Commodus early in his reign and did take part in a conspiracy to assassinate him with the support of the Senate (or claimed support, anyway), but instead of {{blackmail}}ing her into incest, Commodus banished her to Capri and had her executed there by unknown means, along with Plautia and other alleged conspirators.
164	* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: Commodus is not as bad in history as this movie would make you think. See above for the ArtisticLicenseHistory.
165	* HollywoodTactics:
166	** [[ArrowsOnFire Flaming arrows]] are used in the opening battle, although it appears that they are used mainly for their psychological effect.
167	** The Roman legions were trained to fight as a regimented force, and to maintain formation for mutual support. In the film, the formation collapses instantly upon contact with the enemy. This would have almost certainly led to a Roman defeat, given the visible push and tactic advantage of the Germans. Further, the Roman legions used spears called pila. Doctrine called for them to be thrown while the enemy closed. The Romans would then draw their swords and fight, while remaining in formation. Though the Romans are shown holding their pila in the opening scenes, they are never used against the barbarians, and we see no pila-riddled shields and/or corpses in the background.
168	*** May be an example of [[TruthInTelevision truth in television]], as Roman historian Cassius Dio does record instances in which the Romans were forced to break ranks against the Germans and still won. In one instance, Rome found itself pinned down on a frozen river, which the Germans were more easily able to navigate; the Romans broke formation and used their shields as platforms to maneuver across the ice, allowing them to win what should've been a decisive victory for the Germans.
169	* HonorBeforeReason: Maximus refuses to kiss the ring and declare his loyalty to Commodus after he kills his father. Since he's clearly not ignorant of the risk (he armors up immediately afterwards, telling his servant Cicero to rouse the senators), it's possible he was counting on Quintus' own honor.
170	* HumanPincushion: [[spoiler:During the Praetorians' assault, Proximo is stabbed to death, and Hagen is hit by dozens of arrows.]]
171	* HumanShield: Unintentionally invoked by Commodus, when he enters the arena to congratulate a masked Maximus, Maximus moves towards Commodus and clearly intends to kill him, but then Lucius runs up and hugs his uncle, so Maximus stops and puts down his arrowhead.
172	** Hagen uses his partner as this during the first gladiator fight, dragging the scribe in front of him to take the stab so he can finish off his opponent.
173	* HumiliationConga: [[spoiler:Commodus is disarmed and [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown battered]] by a man he's clearly just injured, his own general turns against him and then he's slowly, painfully killed by his own stiletto knife to the neck. By the [[http://s13.postimg.org/phfar83ev/Commodus_Death.jpg look on his face]], [[VillainousBreakdown he doesn't even care anymore]]. The released prisoners carry Maximus away and leave his corpse in the sand.]]
174	* {{Hypocrite}}: The Romans, described by Maximus as the torchbearers of civilization who bring ''"light"'' to the rest of the cruel, barbaric world, have built a giant arena at the center of their capital city where slaves fight to the death as a form of public entertainment.
175	* IWantYouToMeetAnOldFriendOfMine: Creator/RussellCrowe and Creator/TomasArana reunite after 1997's ''Film/LAConfidential''.
176	* IdiotBall:
177	** Lucilla telling her son about Maximus, but not telling him to keep his mouth shut about it.
178	** Marcus Aurelius gets handed one right before he decides to tell his evil ambitious son in private that he won't be Emperor.
179	** Maximus not being more tactful and pledging his loyalty to Commodus so he could plot against him from within.
180	* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: In the first battle in the Coliseum, Hagen bodily lifts one of his opponents and [[PinnedToTheWall impales him on the spikes]] lining the top of the arena walls.
181	* ImplacableMan: Maximus foils Commodus' plot to have him killed by killing ALL the [[PraetorianGuard praetorians]] sent to kill him.
182	* ImpliedDeathThreat: Commodus gives a pretty good one to Gracchus, after the senator undercuts his NewEraSpeech one time too many.
183	-->'''Gracchus''': Have you ever embraced someone dying of plague, sire?
184	-->'''Commodus''': No. But if you interrupt me again, I assure you that you shall.
185	* ImprovisedWeaponUser: Several instances. From Hagen making a flail simile out of [[{{Squick}} a severed hand still attached to the end of a binding chain]] to Juba using a helmet as a pummeling weapon.
186	* InTheBack: Commodus [[CripplingTheCompetition cripples the competition]] with a dagger in the back.
187	* InadequateInheritor: The emperor favored Maximus over Commodus because he considered his son too corrupt for the job, wanting instead a humble reformer to take the helm. Pity one of his son's "virtues" was [[AmbitionIsEvil Ambition]].
188	* InsigniaRipOffRitual: After becoming a gladiator, Maximus cuts up his SPQR tattoo, in angry sorrow about being betrayed by the government he'd served.
189	* ItsPersonal: Maximus would have happily retired to his farm and retired in peace. Commodus, however, decided to burn it down and kill his family.
190	* ItWorksBetterWithBullets: A rare ''non-gun'' example: "The frost. Sometimes it makes the blade stick."
191	* JerkassHasAPoint: Commodus calling out Graccus' claim that the Senate represents the people of the empire is actually fair and on point -- many of the common folk of the time were living on the edge of poverty and struggling to provide for themselves and their families, while most of the Senate came from the absolute uppermost echelons of Roman society. Commodus actually does improve matters, opening Rome's grain stores and literally providing the people with ''actual'' BreadAndCircuses. Indeed, one of the reasons everyone just sort of went with Rome becoming an Empire in the first place was that the Senate's political infighting led to decades of bloody civil war, while Augustus stepped in and- by usurping the power of the senate- drastically improved the quality of life for the average Roman via an extensive public works program. Especially considering most of Augustus' initial successors followed in his footsteps, it's no wonder the Roman people (including most of the Senate) were happy to say goodbye to the Republic.
192	* JustFollowingOrders: Quintus starts out as General Maximus's NumberTwo in the Felix Legion, but becomes TheDragon for Commodus and the head of the PraetorianGuard after Commodus's murder of his father to become Emperor. Quintus carries out Commodus's orders without question, even having Maximus's wife and son killed, telling Maximus before the final duel with Commodus that "I'm a soldier. I obey." For his part, Maximus doesn't hold it against him, and Quintus is eventually [[EvenEvilHasStandards so fed up with Commodus's lack of honor]] that he refuses to hand him another sword after he loses his and abides by Maximus's last words.
193	* KingpinInHisGym: Commodus is shown practicing his swordsmanship against multiple opponents, showing that wealth and power have ''not'' made him soft. This holds true to the real Commodus, who was supposedly very good in the Colosseum... although he tended to fight men with training weapons while using real ones himself.
194	* KnowWhenToFoldEm: Discussed in the opening scene, regarding the Germans:
195	-->'''Quintus:''' A people should know when they're conquered.
196	-->'''Maximus:''' Would you, Quintus? [[{{Foreshadowing}} Would I?]]
197	%%* LaResistance
198	* TheLastDance: [[spoiler:Maximus' fight against Commodus takes place after he is already grievously wounded by Commodus. Win or lose, he isn't going to last long.]]
199	* TheLivingDead: As Maximus died with his eyes slightly open and Lucilla brought her hand to close his eyes, you could see Russel Crowe's eyes closing before her fingers could touch his eyes.
200	* MadeASlave: Maximus is enslaved and becomes a gladiator after he loses everything else.
201	%%* ManipulativeBastard: Commodus.
202	* ManlyTears: [[DefiedTrope Defied]]. Maximus races home desperately... to find his farm burned and his wife and son crucified. He collapses in front of them, tears flowing. Spittle as well! Lots of spittle and mucus. The original plan was for him to do a normal discreet-few-tears-down-each-cheek dignified cry... but Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott agreed that what Maximus was seeing demanded (as Crowe put it) a "[[InelegantBlubbering full blown snot-fest]]".
203	* MassOhCrap: The Germanic tribesmen when they see Maximus and his cavalry bursting out of the forest behind them.
204	* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: At certain points in the movie and at the end, is Maximus [[spoiler: really heading into Elysium to be with his family, or is it just a DyingDream?]]
205	%%%* TheMentor: Both Marcus Aurelius and Proximo are this to Maximus.
206	* MilesToGoBeforeISleep: Maximus will happily join his wife and son in the afterlife, just as soon as he avenges them.
207	* MisplacedWildlife: At one point, a kingsnake is slipped into a senator's bed. Kingsnakes are exclusive to the New World.
208	* MoralityPet: Commodus actually seems to care about Lucius quite a bit and clearly wants the boy to see him as a father figure. Then Lucius reveals that he idolises Maximus instead, [[KickTheMoralityPet and that last semblance of Commodus' humanity goes out the window]].
209	* MurderByInaction: After Maximus disarms Commodus in the arena, Commodus immediately starts demanding one of the surrounding Praetorian Guards give him a sword. If he hadn't recently and publicly dishonored his own royal guards, they might have.
210	%%* MyMasterRightOrWrong: Quintus.
211	%%* MyNameIsInigoMontoya: See the quote at the top of the page.
212	%%* NightmareFuelStationAttendant: Commodus.
213	* NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction: In one match, Maximus kills every one of his opponents extremely quickly, making his audience turn silent, [[YouBastard which in turn makes him chastise them]]. He gets criticized by Proximo for this as well, who urges him to try to "win the crowd" when he fights.
214	%%* NostalgiaHeaven:
215	* NotSoDifferentRemark: As Marcus Aurelius' son, Commodus believes this to be the case in regard to Maximus, who was like a son to Marcus Aurelius, and says this one verbatim to Maximus when they meet in the cells under the arena.
216	* NotWithTheSafetyOnYouWont: [[Administrivia/TropesAreFlexible With a frost-stuck sword, no less.]]
217	* OffTheRails: Maximus manages to derail a gladiatorial reenactment of a battle (that his side should have lost). It's even {{lampshaded}} by Commodus. Interestingly, the problem was that they played the part ''too well''; they were expected to fight like gladiators and get picked off one by one in an in-universe case of HollywoodTactics, but instead they fight like the heavy infantry they're representing (and equipped as) and turn the tables.
218	* OhCrap:
219	** The look on Commodus' face when he realises who "The Spaniard" is.
220	** Maximus gets a brief and relatively stunted one in the beginning when he's taken by surprise by a charging, angry German with a big axe. Who is screaming. And on fire.
221	** He gets another one in the battle with Tigris, upon turning to see a tiger already in mid leap at him.
222	%%* OneWomanWail
223	* {{Patricide}}: Marcus Aurelius takes Commodus aside to tell him that he intends to make Rome a republic again and entrusts Maximus to oversee the transition, meaning Commodus will never be Emperor. Commodus reacts by smothering his father to death and then trying to pass it off as the old man dying in his sleep.
224	* PillowPistol: General Maximus sleeps with a daggar. When Quintus comes to wake him Maximus snaps it out instantly, ready to slice his throat, sheepishly smiling when he recognizes his friend.
225	* PinnedToTheWall: In the first gladiator fight in Zucchabar, Hagen - lacking a proper weapon - dispatches one of his opponents by pummeling him back into the arena wall and then lifting him up onto the spikes, skewering him. Now that's what the Romans call interior decorating.
226	* PostRapeTaunt: Commodus to Maximus, describing how his men raped his wife.
227	* PostVictoryCollapse: Maximus drops after defeating Commodus in the FinalBattle [[spoiler: because his pre-battle wound is catching up to him]].
228	%%* PraetorianGuard
229	* PrettyInMink: The capes Maximus and Lucilla wore in the first act. But then, they are in [[GrimUpNorth Germania]].
230	* ProperlyParanoid: Maximus [[PillowPistol sleeps lightly with a dagger at the ready]] should someone try to assassinate him. Unfortunately he isn't quite paranoid enough when it comes to trusting Quintus.
231	* PunchClockVillain: Tigris of Gaul regards his duel with Maximus as simply another match.
232	* TheQueensLatin: The entire cast used British accents, despite its three main stars being from New Zealand (Creator/RussellCrowe), America (Creator/JoaquinPhoenix) and Denmark (Connie Nielsen).
233	* RatedMForManly: It's a film about a Roman general with a cool name who fights as a gladiator with one goal - win the crowd, win a meeting with the evil Emperor who had his wife and son killed, and kill the bastard.
234	* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: When Maximus chews out the arena for actually being ''[[StunnedSilence shocked]]'' by his efficient killing.
235	* RealLifeWritesThePlot: Proximo originally had a larger role, but unfortunately Oliver Reed died midway through production.
236
237	* RealityIsUnrealistic: The filmmakers kept out a number of actual facts about gladiators, such as endorsing products (which they did), because they assumed the audience would consider it parody.
238	%%* RedBaron: "The Spaniard".
239	%%%%* RedemptionEqualsDeath
240	* RefusalOfTheCall: All Maximus wanted to do was go back to his farm!
241	* RelativeButton: Except with less of the beatdown effect and instead just provoking Maximus' ImplacableMan. Commodus even casually brings up Maximus' wife's gang-rape and the crucifixion of his son in front of the {{Praetorian Guard}}s.
242	* RetiredBadass:
243	** Proximo, once the greatest gladiator in Rome, who was freed by Marcus Aurelius himself.
244	** Tigris of Gaul, another (younger) retired gladiator [[DefeatingTheUndefeatable who had never been defeated,]] brought back by special dispensation of Commodus in an attempt to kill Maximus.
245	* RiggedSpectacleFight: Just before the climactic fight in the Colosseum between Commodus and Maximus, [[InTheBack Commodus stabs Maximus in the side]]. It's clear from the get-go that Maximus is dazed from shock and blood loss, even hallucinating the door to Elysium at one point, but he still pulls himself together enough to fend off Commodus' attacks and eventually kills Commodus with his own dagger.
246	* RousingSpeech:
247	** "Is Rome worth one good man's life? We believed it once. Make us believe it again."
248	** "Three weeks from now, I will be harvesting my crops. Imagine where you will be, and it will be so. Hold the line! Stay with me! If you find yourself alone, riding in the green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled. For you are in Elysium, and you're already dead! Brothers; what we do in life, echoes in eternity."
249	* RoyalInbreeding: [[TheCaligula Emperor Commodus]] indicates that he intends to force his sister Lucilla to become his concubine and carry his child because he is obsessed with creating a "pure-blooded" dynasty. [[spoiler:He's killed before he can put it into action, though.]] This is some serious ArtisticLicenseHistory, since aside from giving Commodus a dose of HistoricalVillainUpgrade, the historical Romans also had laws against incest (hence the slander against disliked emperors such as Caligula and Nero) and looked down on contemporaneous royal families like the Ptomelys for their habits.
250	%%%%* SacrificialLion: [[spoiler:Hagen dies during Maximus' escape attempt.]]
251	%%* SanitySlippage: Commodus
252	* ScarpiaUltimatum: Roman Emperor Commodus performs one of these ''[[VillainousIncest against his own sister Lucilla]]'' near the end. He tries to come on to her earlier in the film, but when she is exposed for conspiring against him with his political enemies Maximus and Senator Gracchus, he decides to give her a "merciful" fate. She has to become his consort, and Commodus takes away her son and threatens to kill the boy if she refuses or takes her own life to spite him. His demand even includes Lucilla having to carry his child so he can establish an eternal dynasty of "pure-blooded" Emperors.
253	* ScrewYourUltimatum: At the beginning, the Romans send an emissary to the Germanic tribesmen they're fighting to demand they surrender. The tribesmen send the emissary back [[OffWithHisHead minus his head]].
254	* ShieldBash: Maximus dislodges a tiger that [[EnemyRisingBehind leapt on him from behind]] with one of these.
255	* ShoutOut:
256	** The Germanics sing the Zulu war chant from ''{{Film/Zulu}}'' before engaging the Romans in battle.
257	** The revolutionary senator brothers Gracchi are taken from ''{{Film/Spartacus}}''.
258	*** The blue tunics worn by Proximo's gladiators also resemble the one worn by Creator/KirkDouglas ''after'' Spartacus rebels and stops being one.
259	** Commodus's triumph in Rome is modeled after ''Film/TriumphOfTheWill''.
260	** Maximus names his horses ''Argento'' and ''Scatto''. In English, [[Series/TheLoneRanger Silver]] and [[Creator/RoyRogers Trigger]].
261	** The cameo appearance of Creator/BrianBlessed is a nod to his role in the BBC adaptation of ''Series/IClaudius''.
262	* SingleStrokeBattle: In what Creator/RidleyScott acknowledged in the DVD commentary was a deliberate nod to several Creator/AkiraKurosawa films, Maximus faces off on foot with a mounted praetorian who charges at him; they pass each other in an eyeblink, each making a single stroke with his sword... and after a few seconds, the Praetorian tumbles off his horse, dead, though he did manage to wound Maximus in the shoulder.
263	%%* SissyVillain: Commodus.
264	* SleazyPolitician: Senator Falco.
265	-->'''Falco''': I think he (Commodus) could do very well.
266	-->'''Gracchus''': For Rome, or for ''you''?
267	%%%* SlouchOfVillainy: Commodus gives several prime examples of this trope, especially on his thrones.
268	* SoldierVsWarrior: Maximus goes from being a General (soldier) to a gladiator (warrior). This at first causes him some problem because his efficient and pragmatic fighting style lets him chop through gladiators quickly, but leaves audiences unsatisfied. Proximo teaches him to fight with more flair ("Win the crowd and you win your freedom"). However later he uses his knowledge of military tactics to get the Proximo gladiators to decisively win a historical reenactment [[OffTheRails they were supposed to lose]].
269	* SpannerInTheWorks: Lucius unintentionally gets in the way of Maximus' chance to kill Commodus with a broken arrow after the reenactment fight, when he follows Commodus down to the arena to meet his hero 'the Spaniard'. Not only is Maximus reluctant to attack Commodus with the boy there, but Commodus unwittingly uses Lucius as a human shield by affectionately embracing the boy before himself.
270	* SpikedWheels: The Chariots in one battle. They're sharp, scary and highly effective, as some unfortunate fighters find out.
271	%%* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''Film/{{Spartacus}}''.
272	* SpitefulSpit: Maximus does this after the famous "ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED" moment, showing his contempt for the audience paying to watch him kill, then being upset that it's over too quickly.
273	* StockSoundEffects: The scene where a children's entertainer recreates a mock duel between Maximus and Commodus involves Maximus suddenly turning around and defeating Commodus by [[{{Fartillery}} farting]] on him. The sound effect used for the fart is a rather widespread one that has received special attention since the late 2010s as the "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi1KebO4bzc Reverb Fart]]".
274	* SuspiciouslySmallArmy: In-universe example when the Colosseum stages a historical re-enactment of the Battle of Carthage with a few dozen men. Played for laughs when the announcer presents THE BARBARIAN HORDE! and the camera pans to this tiny group in a vast arena.
275	* TactfulTranslation: Done with a sort of GallowsHumor when Maximus "translates" the Germanic Tribes [[ShootTheMessenger killing his messenger]] as "They say no".
276	* TakeThatKiss: [[spoiler:Commodus, after fatally stabbing Maximus, in order to piss him off more]]
277	* TamperingWithFoodAndDrink: Shortly after Maximus is discovered to still be alive by Commodus, he is served some gruel the next day by the gladiator's cook. Juba shakes his head in disapproval, as if anticipating Maximus being poisoned. Hagen then takes a spoonful of the food, eats it, then begins choking on it. [[SubvertedTrope Then he starts laughing, revealing that the food is safe to eat.]]
278	* TemptingFate:
279	** In the first battle in the Colosseum, one of the gladiators shouts "To the death!" He is the second one killed from Maximus' group.
280	** Commodus says that he likes surprises when the 'Carthage' side wins. He doesn't like the surprise Maximus gives him.
281	* ThatMakesMeFeelAngry: "It vexes me. I'm terribly vexed." [[JustifiedTrope It makes sense]] when you consider how melodramatic Commodus was.
282	* ThemeMusicPowerUp: Maximus has a driving, forceful orchestral battle theme only heard twice, once on the German battlefield and once in the Colosseum. In both moments he is leading armies to victory like a true front-line general.
283	* ThousandYearReign: That is how long Commodus wants his incestuous line to last, when he thinks he's won completely.
284	* ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks:
285	** Maximus throws his sword and kills a Praetorian Guard from about twenty meters away in order to escape execution. Being the smart guy he is, he kept a backup sword to deal with the remaining Praetorian.
286	** Played with later when he throws a sword into a ''crowd of people'' during the "Are you not entertained?!" scene and injures [[DieChairDie a coffee table.]] Why would he seriously attack civilians?
287	* TogetherInDeath: [[spoiler:Maximus is shown walking to his family after his last fight in the arena. Also alluded to by Maximus's friend Juba, who assures him that they'll meet again in the next world... but not yet.]]
288	* TooDumbToLive: Before their first fight in the Colosseum, Maximus tells his gladiators to stick close in order to survive. Several of them immediately separate from the group once the charioteers ride in and are all killed except for Hagen.
289	* TranslationConvention:
290	** The Romans speak TheQueensLatin, the Germanics speak modern German (and sing in Zulu as an nod to - well, ''{{Film/Zulu}}''), Maximus' son speaks Italian (which, being a language descended from Latin, just adds more questions).
291	** Had Crowe got away with it, he would have mimicked Creator/AntonioBanderas' accent for the part as a reference to Maximus' Spanish origin, even though there is no way a Hispano-Roman would have sounded like that.[[note]]Though the idea is actually not without merit: it is recorded that Emperor Hadrian's Spanish accent made the Roman senators laugh.[[/note]]
292	* TranquilFury: Maximus at a few points, most notably when Commodus [[KickTheDog mocks the deaths of his wife and child to his face]].
293	* TravellingAtTheSpeedOfPlot: Maximus apparently manages to ride from northern Germany to southern Spain in about twenty four hours, given he's bleeding heavily when he sets off, and arrives still bleeding.
294	%%* TryToFitThatOnABusinessCard:
295	* {{Understatement}}: Marcus Aurelius admits that "Commodus is not a moral man" when he explains why he refuses to make him his successor. He doesn't understand that he would go so far as to murder him when he breaks the news to Commodus, order Maximus along with his son and wife to be killed and let the latter be violently raped beforehand, or that [[spoiler: he would make his sister, Lucilla, his SexSlave.]]
296	* UseTheirOwnWeaponAgainstThem: Commodus tries to beat Maximus in one-on-one combat in the Colosseum by cheating, first by stabbing Maximus in the side prior to the fight, and then later by pulling out a concealed dagger after both of them lose their swords. Even wounded, Maximus still thrashes Commodus and stabs him in the throat with the very dagger Commodus tried to use on him.
297	%%%%* UndyingLoyalty: Maximus certainly inspires this in people. See his squire Cicero and Hagen.
298	%%%%* UnwittingPawn: Lucilla's son is used by Commodus a lot, with him never noticing.
299	* VillainousIncest: One-sided, with Commodus lusting after his sister.
300	* VillainousUnderdog: While Emperor Commodus is at least somewhat adept with a sword, it's clear that between them, General Maximus is the superior swordsman by a long shot due to his status as a war veteran. Because of this, Commodus keeps throwing one deadly gladiator after the other at Maximus, before mustering enough courage to personally face Maximus in the arena. Still, he has to resort to handicapping Maximus by [[SecretStabWound secretly kniving him fatally]] before the fight to make the odds at least somewhat equal. He's still no match for the hero.
301	* WeAllDieSomeday: Maximus tells Commodus that a late friend once told him "Death smiles at us all. All we can do is smile back." Commodus wonders whether the friend did the same thing at his own death. Maximus replies that Commodus should know, since that friend was Marcus Aurelius, Commodus' father.
302	* WellDoneSonGuy: All Commodus has ever wanted in life was for his father to be proud of him. But Emperor Marcus Aurelius thinks poorly of his son. In fact, he thinks so poorly that he's giving the throne to Maximus. Naturally, Commodus takes this very hard and kills him over it.
303	--> '''Commodus''': One kind word, one full hug where you pressed me to your chest and held me tight, would have been like the sun on my heart for a thousand years.
304	* WeakButSkilled: Commodus has some experience and training with a sword, as a brief scene near the beginning shows, but by his own admission, he has never been in a battle nor ever really used those skills in a life or death situation. [[spoiler: When he decides to fight Maximus one-on-one in the Colosseum, Maximus, who is not only a war veteran with years if not decades of combat experience, but has also constantly honed his duelling skills from his various gladiator battles beforehand, completely outmatches Commodus and swiftly proceeds to beat him down and kill him. And this is after Commodus had already fatally wounded Maximus in the side beforehand to further stack the deck. Even when both combatants lose their swords and Commodus tries to attack Maximus with a concealed dagger, Maximus easily dodges the attacks and simply lays into Commodus with GoodOldFistiCuffs, which the pampered Commodus clearly has no training to defend against.]]
305	* WeUsedToBeFriends: Perhaps surprisingly, the film implies that Commodus and Maximus were friends, or at least ''friendly'', since the former calls the latter "brother" with what seems like a genuine tone of betrayal at his father passing him over to become Emperor. They might have even been raised together, or been close growing up. It would also explain Marcus Aurelius deciding to make Maximus his heir even more.
306	* WhyWontYouDie: Commodus asks Maximus this after Maximus makes it through a match which was blatantly set against him.
307	-->'''Commodus:''' What am I going to do with you? You simply won't... die. Are we so different, you and I? You take life when you have to... as I do.\
308	'''Maximus:''' I have only one more life to take. Then it is done.
309	* WinYourFreedom: {{Averted}}. Maximus [[DeathSeeker doesn't intend to leave alive]].
310	* WouldYouLikeToHearHowTheyDied:
311	-->'''Commodus''': They tell me your son squealed like a girl when they nailed him to the cross. [[PostRapeTaunt And your wife moaned like a whore when they ravished her... again... and again... and again]].
312	* YouBastard:
313	** Maximus pulled this on his audience InUniverse, and [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou perhaps the viewers by extension.]]
314	--->'''Maximus:''' Are you not entertained?! ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!? Is this not why you are here?!
315	** Proximo later discusses the same topic when instructing Maximus:
316	--->'''Proximo:''' Thrust this into another man's flesh, and they will applaud and love you for that. You may even begin to love them for that.
317	* YouCanBarelyStand: Commodus stabs Maximus before facing him in the arena. Maximus, a seasoned general mind you, proves to be able to defeat the reasonably skilled but nonetheless inferior Commodus, [[spoiler:but dies from bleeding afterwards.]]
318	* YouKnowWhoSaidThat: Emperor Commodus and Maximus have a final '[[CainAndAbel brotherly]]' moment before their duel in the arena. Commodus mocks Maximus' [[NotAfraidToDie lack of fear for his own death]], and Maximus tells his enemy that someone once told him "Death smiles at us all. All we can do is smile back". Commodus wonders whether the friend did so at his own death, and Maximus replies that out of anyone, Commodus should know. The man was Marcus Aurelius, the father he murdered.
319	* YouShallNotPass: The other gladiators blocks Maximus' attackers as he attempts to flee. [[spoiler:Hagen dies during the battle.]]
320	* YoungerThanTheyLook: According to one script/art book, Commodus is supposed to be nineteen. This was the age his RealLife counterpart ascended to the throne. But unlike the film character, he blessed the Roman people with his just and wise rule for ''twelve years'' before meeting his death.
321
322	----
323	->''"Now we are free. I ''will'' see you again... But not yet. Not yet."''

Context Film / Gladiator