The third episode of Spartacus: House of Ashur, titled “Unworthy,” forces both gladiators and their masters to prove their value. The story moves quickly, with Dominus Ashur clashing with his Doctore, a hidden mission to Capua, and the pressing need to turn the runaway Achillia into a proper gladiator for the arena.
The episode focuses on loyalty, ambition, and the personal battles fought outside the arena. While Ashur deals with political schemes from powerful Romans, he also works to break through the mental barrier holding Achillia back from her full potential.
Inside the Ludus: Ashur and Korris Clash Over Loyalty
The episode starts with a tense meeting between Ashur and his Doctore, Korris. Their argument is about the fight in the previous episode where Achillia killed the gladiator Creticus. Korris is angry that Ashur seems to care little about losing a trained fighter. Ashur is frustrated that Korris tested Achillia with real swords, risking the life of his prized new investment.
Their heated talk reveals a shaky partnership. To test Korris’s loyalty, Ashur sends him on a secret mission outside the ludus walls to Capua. With Korris gone, Ashur names the older gladiator Celadus as the temporary Doctore. Celadus must control the other fighters, especially his own son Tarchon, who are unhappy about a woman training among them.
During a training session, Ashur watches from above with the house slaves Hilara and Messia. He notices Achillia is not fighting at her full strength. Hilara shares that she visited Achillia in her cell and saw scars on her hand, hinting at a painful past. This gives Ashur the information he needs to confront the problem head-on.
The Plots of Capua: Politics and a Secret Rendezvous
In Capua, the noblewoman Cossutia is out with her friends. Their catty conversation with another noble, Lafrenia, reveals the sharp social politics of Rome. They spot Korris in the streets and try to flirt with him to get information about Ashur, but Korris, now a free man, walks away. This scene also confirms an important detail about Korris: he is gay, a fact that becomes key to the episode’s plot.
Korris heads to a brutal street fighting pit to find grain supplies for the ludus. There, he has two important encounters:
- He meets Fides, a former comrade who has fallen on hard times. After Korris rejects his pleas for money, a threatening Fides is headbutted and sent away, but not before swearing this won’t be the end.
- He also meets Opiter, a Roman who claims to have a private stockpile of grain. Opiter invites Korris to his villa that evening to discuss a deal.
Back at her home, Cossutia schemes with her husband, Gabinius. They reveal they gave Ashur information in the previous episode as a test. They are trying to see if he is a useful tool for their own political goals. Gabinius also casually mentions he is fine with Ashur’s interest in their daughter, Viridia, a thought that disgusts Cossutia.
Ashur’s Hands-On Approach: Training Achillia
With Korris away, Ashur takes a direct role in Achillia’s training. He enters the sand himself to duel her, trying to force out the truth about what is holding her back. He makes a smart change to her fighting style, letting her swap her heavy shield for a second sword to better use her speed.
“Both Achillia and Ashur are underdogs in a world that doesn’t want them,” actress Tenika Davis said about her character’s dynamic with Ashur. “She’s a Kushite woman that comes into a world that’s dominated by Romans, and that in itself is shock value.”
Ashur’s aggressive “therapy” finally works. After a long and brutal sparring session, Achillia breaks down. She confesses to a deep failure from her past, a duty she did not fulfill that has haunted her with guilt. In a surprisingly soft moment, Ashur tells her to let go of the past and focus on her present and future in the ludus. As they finish speaking, it begins to rain—a clear nod to Spartacus, the legendary “Bringer of Rain”.
Meanwhile, tensions rise in the villa. Messia confesses her romantic feelings for Hilara, but Hilara does not feel the same. The situation becomes more uncomfortable later when Ashur has sex with Hilara to smooth over their earlier argument, and Messia tries to join them. After a brief kiss, Hilara sends Messia away, creating a new layer of jealousy and pain within the household.
Korris’s Choice: A New Path with Opiter
The episode builds to a critical moment for Korris at Opiter’s villa. What starts as a business meeting about grain turns into something more personal. Opiter, charming and direct, openly flirts with Korris. Korris, who has spent his life as a warrior, is clearly surprised but also warmed by the attention.
Opiter makes Korris a major offer: to leave Ashur’s service and become the Doctore of his own, more established ludus. It is an offer of greater prestige and stability. The chemistry between the two men feels genuine, presenting Korris with a tempting alternative to his volatile partnership with Ashur.
When Korris returns to the House of Ashur, he reports to his Dominus about the grain. However, he does not mention Opiter’s job offer or the true nature of their connection. This omission is a silent betrayal, showing that Korris is seriously considering the offer and that his loyalty to Ashur is now in serious doubt.
What This Means for the House of Ashur
Episode 3, “Unworthy,” sets several major conflicts in motion. The trust between Ashur and Korris is broken. Korris now has a tempting escape route that could cripple Ashur’s new ludus. Inside the house, the unrequited feelings between Messia and Hilara create a dangerous emotional wound.
Most importantly, Ashur has succeeded in pushing Achillia to confront her trauma. By helping her lay her ghosts to rest, he has removed a major obstacle to her becoming the champion he needs. However, as Tenika Davis notes, Achillia’s battle is both external and internal:
“There’s all those external things going on, but internally she’s also battling. She’s battling with her past, and she’s battling to prove herself worthy in a world she hasn’t defined herself in.”
The episode ended with many fans reacting positively on social media. One viewer noted the improvement, stating, “A lot of improvement on the 3rd episode. Ashur trains them well. No room for pity and that’s how it ought to be.”
Spartacus: House of Ashur releases new episodes weekly every Friday on STARZ. The series is planned for a 10-episode season.
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