| Pollux | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| First appearance | S0E01: Past Transgressions S1E02: Sacramentum Gladiatorum S2E01: Fugitivus S3E01: Enemies of Rome | |
| Last appearance | S3E10: Victory | |
| Profession | Gladiator (House of Batiatus) Escaped Slave Rebel | |
| Race | Numidian | |
| Relationships | Spartacus (Leader, deceased) Quintus Lentulus Batiatus (Dominus, deceased) Titus Lentulus Batiatus (Former dominus, deceased) Ulpius (Former Doctore, deceased) Oenomaus (Doctore, deceased) Barca (Friend, deceased) Auctus (Friend, deceased) Rabanus (Friend) The Veteran (Friend) Leviticus (Friend) Tyronius (Rival/Friend) Agron (Friend) Gannicus (Friend, deceased) Gnaeus (Rival, deceased) Ashur (Rival, deceased) Dagan (Rival, deceased) | |
| Status | Active | |
| Actor/Actress | Graham Vincent | |
Pollux was a top gladiator at Batiatus' Ludus and later a high-ranking Rebel under Spartacus' command.
Appearance[]
He has dark skin, with a heavily muscular build and a shaved head. His features indicate he may be of Numidian origin, possibly with some Carthaginian or Greek heritage. While training in the ludus of Batiatus in Blood and Sand and Gods of the Arena, he wears versatile armor and equipment, indicating his capacity for multiple weapons and fighting styles, but is seen in the gear of a Hoplomachus more than any other. In both Vengeance and War of the Damned, Pollux wears a set of makeshift armor.
Combat Prowess[]
Pollux is one of the stronger warriors in the ludus and later, the Rebel army, remaining a reliable combatant among the Rebels during missions and battles. Trained as a Hoplomachus, Pollux displays exceptional skill with the spear, which he continues to utilize as his main weapon, which is effective considering his size structure as being of a large muscular, yet bulky, build. Pollux has also demonstrated skill in multiple combat styles as well, fighting with a single-sword, axe, and net and trident.
A true testament of his skill and strength is that he managed to survive many years in the ludus, as well as the entire rebellion from its beginning and end.
Gods of the Arena[]
Pollux strikes a blow as a gladiator.
Pollux was a prominent Gladiator in the ludus during the rise of Gannicus and Crixus under Ulpius and later Oenomaus when he becomes the new Doctore. Throughout this time, he would be seen doing the regular rounds as a gladiator in fighting, training, eating, socializing, and fornicating with women. He appears to be party to Barca and Auctus' bullying of Ashur and Dagan, and is amused by the latters' anger.
Pollux would then bear witness to when Ulpius goes mad and try to kill Oenomaus in a seeming fit of jealousy only to fall at his student's hands. During the Competition to rank the level of the gladiators, he is paired with Tyronius first and later with Gnaeus. He and Gnaeus verbally taunt one another before and during their fight, but ultimately it is Pollux who defeats Gnaeus. He defeats Tyronius in a later match as well, likely earning him a high rank on Titus' evaluation.
He would be present when Batiatus makes his speech to all avaiable gladiators in the ludus during his father's funeral before Oenomaus, now fully embracing his role as Doctore, gives the signal for the gladaitors to begin their training once again to honor the dead.
When Gannicus is granted his freedom, Pollux is among the gladiators bidding him farewell before returning to training.
Blood and Sand[]
Pollux would afford himself well in the time gap between Gods of the Arena and Blood and Sand. His skill would have become honed to the point where he was a capable gladiator who would not fall so easily.
Pollux at Numerius' party.
Pollux is generally seen as a background character; training and interacting with the other gladiators.
When Spartacus and Crixus begin the revolt in the ludus, Pollux takes up arms and kills many Romans before leaving with all the others to take their revenge on Rome.
Vengeance[]
Pollux would escape the ludus following the revolt led by Spartacus. He would act as a prominent soldier throughout this time and fight valiantly against his opponents. When not in combat, he would reserve himself to helping the rebels in labor work tasks.
After Agron leaves the group to enter Vesuvius, Pollux is among many of Spartacus' group to follow in Agron's wake, heading to the mountains.
He would take part in the mission to rescue Crixus, Oenomaus, and Rhaskos from the arena in Capua. With the other Rebels, he would set the arena on fire, causing it to collapse and kill many Romans.
When Publius Varinius's forces attacked, Pollux fought against the Romans with great skill before Glaber ambushed them. He then aided in leading the survivors up the mountain.
While on the mountain, Pollux would witness the death of Ashur at the hands of Naevia before aiding in making ropes from the mountain's vines to allow Spartacus, Crixus, Agron and Gannicus to scale down the mountain and flank the Romans.
Led by Oenomaus, Pollux and the other Rebels would move down the mountain and fight Glaber and his forces head on.
In the end, Pollux would remain as one of the surviving Rebels and see Spartacus triumph over Glaber.
War of the Damned[]
Pollux remains a capable soldier in the rebel army in the months following their defeat of Glaber and Varinius. He now wears a set of makeshift armor and utilizes a battle axe along with his sword.
Pollux takes part in the battle when the Rebels beseige a Roman city. Pollux slays many of the Romans that face him and later cheers in victory after Spartacus announces that they have effictively taken the city.
Crixus spurs the rebels into a frenzy and as a result many of them begin to slaughter the Roman prisoners. Pollux is one of the many that take part in the conflict, but when Spartacus admonishes the rebels for their actions, Pollux and the other rebels look on with tenseness.
When Spartacus releases the roman prisoners, Pollux urinates on them and mockingly bids them farewell.
After the rebels are betrayed by Heracleo, Pollux rushes to help defend Spartacus and Gannicus from the horde of Roman soldiers that have come forth from Heracleo's ship. During the melee, he personally engages Heracleo in combat for some length, but when Heracleo dodges one of Pollux' slashes, Pollux loses his balance and falls into the water. He eventually pulls himself out of the water and is standing near Spartacus when Spartacus and the other rebels pause a moment to view the approaching Roman fleet. He continues to fight as Romans pour into the city but is eventually forced to abandon the city with the rest of his comrades and move towards the cold mountains.
Pollux survives in the snowy mountains and escapes through Crassus' wall. He later fights off the soldiers sent by Crassus.
Pollux alongside the other rebels that follow Spartacus.
When Spartacus and Crixus eventually decide to take separate paths, Pollux chooses instead to stay with Spartacus and take the path in order to escape the Republic and over the Alps.
Pollux as a gladiator again
After Crixus falls and Tiberius is captured, Pollux is among the rebels that stand alongside Spartacus as the rebel leader gives a speech about the upcoming tribute games to honor the dead, using Tiberius' own soldiers as the tributes. Pollux is among the chosen rebels to fight in the games and dons his old position as a gladiator, but in the style of Retiarius. Teamed up with both Tyronius and Rabanus to fight the Roman soldiers, he uses his deadly skill, and the three claim victory in their match. After the games end and Tiberius dies, Pollux stands among the other rebels as they honor Crixus on a pyre, as Spartacus begins a chant of the names of the fallen.
Pollux seen fighting behind Gannicus in the final battle.
Pollux participates in the final encounter with the army of Crassus and kills many Romans. During the defeat, Pollux manages to escape the battlefield and join other survivors in escaping over the Alps, finally embracing true freedom.
Trivia[]
- Pollux is portrayed by stuntman Graham Vincent.
- Graham Vincent was the body double for Peter Mensah throughout the series.
- Pollux is one of the few background characters that appears in all three seasons and the prequel.
- Pollux has the most appearances out of any background character in the series.
- Pollux, Lydon, Leviticus, Tyronius, the Veteran, and Agron are the only gladiators from the House of Batiatus known to survive the Third Servile War in its entirety.
- Actor Graham Vincent confirmed that his character survives the final battle and escapes the battlefield into the Alps.
- As a man from Numidia, Pollux may have his origins with the nomadic ancestors of the Tuaregs, or from the sedentary, agricultural ancestors of the Haratin people in North Africa.
- Pollux's name is one of several characters that can be seen in Spartacus Legends. Despite this, no characters are officially based off of him.
- Pollux shares his name with the demi-god Pollux (Polydeuces in Greek), the twin brother of Castor and son of Zeus. As Pollux's brother was fathered by the the mortal Tydareus, while Pollux was the result of the seduction of their mother Leda by Zeus, Castor was mortal. So Pollux would eventually share his immortality with Castor, so both twins could alternate between Mount Olympus and Hades.