As we embark on a recap and review of episode 8 of "Those About to Die," the memory of Domitian's artful rhetoric charming his father into handing him the reins of the empire's political wing resurfaces. The scene shifts to the present, where Domitian is unexpectedly assaulted while overseeing the construction of the Flavian Amphitheatre. The Jewish foreman hastily tries to appease Domitian, fearing the wrath that would befall them all.
Meanwhile, in a tender moment, Jula and Elia spend a romantic night together, pledging to reunite soon. Aura, with a heavy heart, apologizes to her mother for turning a blind eye when Ursus threatened her.
Scorpus and Andria prepare for their anticipated race, but Scorpus, fueled by jealousy of Andria's popularity, ensures his rival's fateful crash, leading to his untimely death. Simultaneously, Xenox's chariot collides, leaving him gravely injured beneath the stampede of horses, while Scorpus triumphantly crosses the finish line.
Following the race, Elia levels harsh accusations of murder against Scorpus, yet everyone, including the aspiring charioteer Fonsoa, turns a deaf ear. That evening, Tenax, Cala, and the rest of Andria's acquaintances mourn his passing. Disillusioned, Elia leaves the Gold faction, accompanied by his friend Gavros.
Elsewhere, Kwame stubbornly refuses to eat, rendering him unfit for battle, but Domitian's threat to Viggo forces him to relent. Meanwhile, Tenax, now the legislator of the Aedile Ludi, orchestrates the games for the grand opening of the Flavian Amphitheatre.
Unaware of his impending doom, Xenon, a witness to Andria's death, encounters Scorpus. Refusing to aid Scorpus, Xenon is mercilessly suffocated, his death disguised as a consequence of his race injuries. Desperate for vengeance, Elia and Gavros approach Antonia, pleading for her to race for the Blue faction. Antonia, impressed by Elia's skills, agrees to their request, unaware that Elia's sole motivation is to avenge Andria's death.
Senator Leto, the chief patriarch of the White faction, cunningly whispers to the emperor that there is incontrovertible evidence of Domitian's calculated delay in distributing grains, a move intended to spark unrest in the city. With a threat hanging over the emperor's throne, Leto offers a Faustian bargain, promising financial prosperity through the Flavian Amphitheatre in exchange for the emperor's loyalty. Titus, privy to this scheme, informs Domitian of his ongoing investigation into the matter, unaware that this revelation will seal his fate. Domitian, enraged, decides to eliminate Titus as a threat.
Tenax, seeking an expedient solution, proposes to bribe one of the soldiers to aid in the assassination. Meanwhile, Domitian discovers Hermes, his lover, indulging in an illicit affair with another man, a transgression that leads to Hermes' imprisonment for defiance. In a daring escape, Aura single-handedly liberates her beloved from his captors.
Amidst these tense circumstances, Tenax and Cala share a fleeting moment of intimate closeness, their gazes locking before Cala departs. Elsewhere, Aura stumbles upon the intriguing world of female gladiators, her curiosity piqued by the prospect of such a unique and daring existence.
Ultimately, Tenax strikes a bargain with a soldier, promising a vast fortune for his services in assassinating the emperor. The deal is set with a stringent deadline: the money must be delivered within two days.
