Barbarians (2020) s01e03 Episode Script
On the Edge
1
A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES
[Segimer] Nothing lasts forever.
Stars
trees
animals
people.
Even the gods.
Everything perishes in the end.
- The wolf will come.
- [growling]
[Segimer] And the world will burn.
The wolf will devour the moon.
He'll devour the sun.
He'll devour everything. Everything.
Everything that ever existed.
But it's nothing you need to be scared of.
Everything that begins ends eventually.
[in Latin] So the wolf
saved Romulus and Remus?
That's right, Arminius.
But my father always said
the wolf would destroy the world.
Your father doesn't know any better.
A wolf cannot destroy the world.
Only the Roman army can.
Mighty Mars
please give me your blessing.
Give me the strength to carry out my duty.
[Metellus] The gods won't help you
with this mission.
My men and I will accompany you.
I have my own men.
Varus' orders. We are not to return
until we have Folkwin's head on a pike.
We'll find the bastard, don't worry.
These barbarians
would sell their own mothers
to save their skins.
Oh
I'd completely forgotten.
You're one of them, aren't you?
What's it like to be back
in your filthy, freezing forest?
How much did you miss this shithole?
Back in line, Centurion Metellus.
[in German] We have to bury them.
The Romans have gone.
You're in charge now.
They will remain there.
They're Ida and Wiborg.
They are the family
of your first sword-bearer.
- [thud]
- [groans] Get out.
Who do you think you are?
[yells] Get out!
Everyone, get out! Go on!
Are you deaf? Get out!
[breathing heavily]
If it hadn't been for you, Arminius would
be lying dead in the village square.
I'm telling you,
next time I see that Roman rat
Next time,
I'll cut the man's head off myself.
Why don't we look for allies?
And get revenge?
Since the Romans beheaded my uncle
The Bructeri have always hated them.
He was the old Reik of the Bructeri.
My uncle's heir in the Bructeri
is my mother's cousin.
It's difficult.
My father is Cherusci
and my mother, Bructeran.
I often feel
like I'm a traveler between worlds.
I mean when we wage war against them.
- [twigs snapping]
- I'm stuck in the middle.
I ask myself, "Who is my reik?"
- [twigs snapping]
- "Whose skull should I crack?"
- It's confusing sometimes.
- Quiet.
- Look, I get that you don't want to hear
- Be quiet.
- [branches breaking]
- Someone's coming.
[tense music playing]
[grunting]
[grunting continues]
Stay back.
Stay back. Not a step further.
They can't stay there.
Take them down.
Take them down! Take them down, damn it!
[grunting]
You hear me?
Help her!
[man] Let me do this.
[Thusnelda sobbing]
Let them do it.
- [horn blowing]
- [villager] Romans!
[Segestes] That will be
his death sentence.
[man] Stop!
[chopping stops]
[Thusnelda] Do you still think
you're on the right side?
- Ask them! Ask them if they agree!
- [Segestes] Thusnelda.
No! Let's hear what he'll say.
- Be quiet.
- Let her go.
[in Latin] Who ordered this?
[in German] He's asking who ordered this.
I did.
It was me.
I told them to do it.
Tell me, Arminius,
what are we if we can't even
give our dead a decent burial?
[Segestes] I warned them not to disobey
Varus' order, but they'd already
Take them all down and bury them.
[in Latin] Dominus, there were
clear orders from Governor Varus
not to take the crosses down.
[in German] Segestes.
You will assist.
Go on.
Get to work.
[dramatic music playing]
[dramatic music playing]
You have the eyes of your mother.
And you stole the Romans' eagle,
is that right?
We want you to tell us a story.
You can spend the night here.
You think I'm awful.
And that your father is a traitor.
But without him,
we'd all be hanging out there.
Back when I had to
marry your father, I hated him.
- [Ansgar grunting]
- And that was a good thing.
We are women, Thusnelda.
When you love someone,
you give everything away
and you'll be disappointed.
It's only when you hate
that you learn how to get
what it is you really want.
So you know what I want.
[Irmina] You're clever.
You could belong to a great tribe.
And have them lying at your feet.
With a husband who
who you can control.
Why do you still hang on
to that miserable swordsman
who is doomed to die?
[door opening]
Thank you, Ari.
Where is Folkwin?
If you know, then tell me.
I don't know.
Arminius
he's suffered enough.
I beg you
spare him.
I must have his head,
or else all theirs will roll,
the whole village.
That's how you've always acted
in the best interest of your tribe.
Yes.
And?
Look at me.
We had their damned eagle.
We were surrounded by legionaries
and every one of them had
their pilum aimed at our chest. Every one.
- [laughs] You weren't even there, Berulf.
- [crowd laughs]
[Berulf] I was there.
I was there in spirit.
We were all there.
Even the dead were there.
And even the gods.
What about the warrior girl?
Thusnelda?
Thusnelda.
I've heard it was her plan
to steal the eagle.
Thusnelda is a real warrior.
Oh, yes.
Thusnelda has the gift.
She has a bond with the gods.
You're saying she's a seer?
Yes.
Yes. I've known Thusnelda
since she was little.
But this time, they've gone too far.
They don't only want
to tell us how to live.
Now they want to tell us how to die.
You can stay with us as long as you like.
[Berulf] They slaughtered them.
- We will fight them.
- [Berulf] Crucified them.
Are you with us?
[Berulf] More and more taxes.
More and more tribute money.
Then let's find
some Roman skulls to split.
[all cheering]
- Yeah!
- Yeah!
[dramatic music playing]
[all chanting softly]
Nobody wants you here.
Go, now.
[chanting continues]
[Ansgar giggling]
- They're burning! They're burning!
- [Irmina] Ansgar!
- This is a disgrace! Ansgar!
- They're burning!
[laughing] They're burning!
They're burning!
- Stop!
- They're burning!
They're burning!
They're burning!
They're burning!
[Thusnelda singing softly]
[Ansgar stammers] The wolf is coming.
The wolf is coming.
- [Arminius] Bructeri?
- Yes.
- [singing softly]
- The wolf is coming.
- Folkwin is with us.
- Folkwin? Are you sure?
- Yes, in the village.
- Take us there.
[in Latin] Mount up!
- [Ansgar whimpering]
- [in German] Shh.
[Segestes] Where are you going?
- [Thusnelda grunting]
- [Segestes] You are still my daughter!
Why are you doing this to me?
You'll come to your senses.
And be wed to Hadgan.
I hope the five horses
will make you happy.
[floorboards creaking]
The door. Eigil.
The door.
[tense music playing]
- [goat bleating]
- [laughing]
Oh, god.
[groaning]
[Folkwin] Through the backdoor!
Get out of here!
[man] Quickly.
Berulf!
Folkwin, get out! Get out!
Come on!
[all grunting]
Go on, go, go!
[pounding on door]
[Berulf] Go!
Thank you.
[all grunting]
- Come on, Berulf!
- I can't!
I've got to say goodbye to my family.
[groaning]
[Berulf gurgling loudly]
Come on. Run.
You betrayed them.
Rome would've paid a good price.
They were guests in your house.
And Thusnelda
has a connection to the gods.
If you believe
you'd be a better reik than I
then say so now.
[Ansgar banging head and grunting]
We wouldn't let an animal suffer, so
if you love Ansgar,
you have to put him out of his misery.
I'll do it, then.
[wolf growling]
Where did they go?
[Thusnelda] Ansgar.
Ansgar.
Ansgar!
Let me go.
Father!
[Ansgar grunting softly]
[melancholy music playing]
[Thusnelda] Father!
Father, let me go!
- Let me go! Please!
- [groans]
Let me go right now!
You love playing
"the wolf is coming," hmm?
Then close your eyes.
We'll start soon.
[Ansgar mumbling] The wolf is coming.
- The wolf is coming.
- Not yet, little warrior.
Not yet.
[dramatic music playing]
[Irmina] Now.
[Ansgar] The wolf is coming.
The wolf is coming.
[sobbing]
The wolf is coming.
[Thusnelda] Ansgar!
[gasps]
[Thusnelda sobbing] The game's over.
We're done playing.
He's already dead.
I was just doing what's already been done.
[screaming]
[choking]
I curse you for this!
[dramatic music playing]
[Segestes gasping]
Where is my bride?
[Runa] Thusnelda!
You must hurry.
Folkwin is waiting for you.
You can't take him with you.
Let me have him.
Come here.
Come to me.
Come to me, come.
You sweet little darling of the gods.
I'll take care of you.
Where's Folkwin?
[all breathing heavily]
- [Luco] Folkwin.
- Hmm?
No mortal has ever gone
into the Dark Land and come back.
Maybe he's right.
It's the land of the undead.
That's exactly what we are.
The gods of the underworld,
they will come for us.
I say, "Fuck the gods of the underworld."
[Hanno] At least no one will follow us.
No one in his right mind, anyway.
[eerie music playing]
[Folkwin] Where's Luco?
[Eigil] Where he belongs.
Back home.
[Hadgan] You owe me a bride.
- I don't owe you anything.
- [groaning]
Where is she?
[Segestes] You're not listening to me,
my friend.
- Hmm?
- [Segestes] She's gone.
Please understand, Reik Hadgan.
We'd love to give her to you
but we can't.
Everyone will hear what your word
is worth, Segestes. Everyone.
A bride, or five mares.
I came all this way.
I won't leave here empty-handed.
I'm afraid you'll have to.
I'm not giving you a thing.
I'll be back
to take what is rightfully mine.
[clatters]
[spits]
[in Latin] You disobeyed Varus' orders.
I don't have to explain myself
to you, centurion.
This slop reminds me of Pannonia.
You were in Pannonia?
15th legion, commanded by Tiberius.
Prefect of the auxiliary Germanic troops.
In the Sirmian pincer?
We could neither advance nor retreat.
We were trapped
between the mountain and the damned swamp.
But then your cavalry came to the rescue.
Stronger than Hercules, brother!
- Maybe you're not as useless as I thought.
- [chuckles]
This is my souvenir from Pannonian steel.
They had to carry me
to the latrine for two months.
[both laughing]
If you knew them,
it's right that you had them buried.
Even if they're barbarians.
[man groaning]
[soldier] Dominus,
we captured a barbarian.
[sobbing]
Leave him.
- [in German] Get up.
- [sobbing]
What's your name?
[crying] Luco, from the court of Darid.
Shh. Don't worry.
I knew your father.
Do you know me?
Come. Sit at our fire.
[Folkwin] Gods,
I beg you to revenge my family.
You are more powerful
than the three Women of the Woods.
Show me your power.
Varus, and all who ride under his flag
shall shed their blood on our soil.
Their guts and entrails
shall fertilize our fields,
and their skulls
will hang from our branches.
For this, I will sacrifice
what's most precious to me.
[slicing]
My firstborn.
[Arminius] Now, tell me, where is Folkwin?
[sniffles] I don't know.
Yes, you do. Why else would you be here,
so far from the land
of the Cherusci, all alone?
I can't. [sobbing]
You have to tell me
or they'll kill you.
I just want to help you.
[Luco] It's it's a place of the dead.
Nobody nobody should be there.
It's a place of the dead.
The Dark Land?
Is Folkwin hiding in the Dark Land?
I'm just trying to go home.
Please. Please.
I just want to go home.
[Metellus in Latin] What is the
[in German] "Dark Land"?
[in Latin] Do you know it?
Can you lead us there?
Why did you do that?
To quote Julius Caesar
"I love treason but I hate a traitor."
Mount up quickly!
We're heading out.
[in German] You know what I'm doing
when we get home?
Take a bath?
[laughs]
- I'll marry your sister.
- [scoffs]
Only in your dreams, my friend.
That's exactly where she appears.
She blesses me with lots of kids.
A bunch. A whole pile of kids.
You'll be an uncle.
Uncle Eigil.
Are you kidding?
And they'll be proud of their father, too.
Because he fought for their free
- [screaming] Hanno!
- Romans!
[all yelling]
[tense music playing]
[breathing heavily]
[in Latin] Finish it.
[uplifting music playing]
[uplifting music continues]
[dramatic music playing]
A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES
[Segimer] Nothing lasts forever.
Stars
trees
animals
people.
Even the gods.
Everything perishes in the end.
- The wolf will come.
- [growling]
[Segimer] And the world will burn.
The wolf will devour the moon.
He'll devour the sun.
He'll devour everything. Everything.
Everything that ever existed.
But it's nothing you need to be scared of.
Everything that begins ends eventually.
[in Latin] So the wolf
saved Romulus and Remus?
That's right, Arminius.
But my father always said
the wolf would destroy the world.
Your father doesn't know any better.
A wolf cannot destroy the world.
Only the Roman army can.
Mighty Mars
please give me your blessing.
Give me the strength to carry out my duty.
[Metellus] The gods won't help you
with this mission.
My men and I will accompany you.
I have my own men.
Varus' orders. We are not to return
until we have Folkwin's head on a pike.
We'll find the bastard, don't worry.
These barbarians
would sell their own mothers
to save their skins.
Oh
I'd completely forgotten.
You're one of them, aren't you?
What's it like to be back
in your filthy, freezing forest?
How much did you miss this shithole?
Back in line, Centurion Metellus.
[in German] We have to bury them.
The Romans have gone.
You're in charge now.
They will remain there.
They're Ida and Wiborg.
They are the family
of your first sword-bearer.
- [thud]
- [groans] Get out.
Who do you think you are?
[yells] Get out!
Everyone, get out! Go on!
Are you deaf? Get out!
[breathing heavily]
If it hadn't been for you, Arminius would
be lying dead in the village square.
I'm telling you,
next time I see that Roman rat
Next time,
I'll cut the man's head off myself.
Why don't we look for allies?
And get revenge?
Since the Romans beheaded my uncle
The Bructeri have always hated them.
He was the old Reik of the Bructeri.
My uncle's heir in the Bructeri
is my mother's cousin.
It's difficult.
My father is Cherusci
and my mother, Bructeran.
I often feel
like I'm a traveler between worlds.
I mean when we wage war against them.
- [twigs snapping]
- I'm stuck in the middle.
I ask myself, "Who is my reik?"
- [twigs snapping]
- "Whose skull should I crack?"
- It's confusing sometimes.
- Quiet.
- Look, I get that you don't want to hear
- Be quiet.
- [branches breaking]
- Someone's coming.
[tense music playing]
[grunting]
[grunting continues]
Stay back.
Stay back. Not a step further.
They can't stay there.
Take them down.
Take them down! Take them down, damn it!
[grunting]
You hear me?
Help her!
[man] Let me do this.
[Thusnelda sobbing]
Let them do it.
- [horn blowing]
- [villager] Romans!
[Segestes] That will be
his death sentence.
[man] Stop!
[chopping stops]
[Thusnelda] Do you still think
you're on the right side?
- Ask them! Ask them if they agree!
- [Segestes] Thusnelda.
No! Let's hear what he'll say.
- Be quiet.
- Let her go.
[in Latin] Who ordered this?
[in German] He's asking who ordered this.
I did.
It was me.
I told them to do it.
Tell me, Arminius,
what are we if we can't even
give our dead a decent burial?
[Segestes] I warned them not to disobey
Varus' order, but they'd already
Take them all down and bury them.
[in Latin] Dominus, there were
clear orders from Governor Varus
not to take the crosses down.
[in German] Segestes.
You will assist.
Go on.
Get to work.
[dramatic music playing]
[dramatic music playing]
You have the eyes of your mother.
And you stole the Romans' eagle,
is that right?
We want you to tell us a story.
You can spend the night here.
You think I'm awful.
And that your father is a traitor.
But without him,
we'd all be hanging out there.
Back when I had to
marry your father, I hated him.
- [Ansgar grunting]
- And that was a good thing.
We are women, Thusnelda.
When you love someone,
you give everything away
and you'll be disappointed.
It's only when you hate
that you learn how to get
what it is you really want.
So you know what I want.
[Irmina] You're clever.
You could belong to a great tribe.
And have them lying at your feet.
With a husband who
who you can control.
Why do you still hang on
to that miserable swordsman
who is doomed to die?
[door opening]
Thank you, Ari.
Where is Folkwin?
If you know, then tell me.
I don't know.
Arminius
he's suffered enough.
I beg you
spare him.
I must have his head,
or else all theirs will roll,
the whole village.
That's how you've always acted
in the best interest of your tribe.
Yes.
And?
Look at me.
We had their damned eagle.
We were surrounded by legionaries
and every one of them had
their pilum aimed at our chest. Every one.
- [laughs] You weren't even there, Berulf.
- [crowd laughs]
[Berulf] I was there.
I was there in spirit.
We were all there.
Even the dead were there.
And even the gods.
What about the warrior girl?
Thusnelda?
Thusnelda.
I've heard it was her plan
to steal the eagle.
Thusnelda is a real warrior.
Oh, yes.
Thusnelda has the gift.
She has a bond with the gods.
You're saying she's a seer?
Yes.
Yes. I've known Thusnelda
since she was little.
But this time, they've gone too far.
They don't only want
to tell us how to live.
Now they want to tell us how to die.
You can stay with us as long as you like.
[Berulf] They slaughtered them.
- We will fight them.
- [Berulf] Crucified them.
Are you with us?
[Berulf] More and more taxes.
More and more tribute money.
Then let's find
some Roman skulls to split.
[all cheering]
- Yeah!
- Yeah!
[dramatic music playing]
[all chanting softly]
Nobody wants you here.
Go, now.
[chanting continues]
[Ansgar giggling]
- They're burning! They're burning!
- [Irmina] Ansgar!
- This is a disgrace! Ansgar!
- They're burning!
[laughing] They're burning!
They're burning!
- Stop!
- They're burning!
They're burning!
They're burning!
They're burning!
[Thusnelda singing softly]
[Ansgar stammers] The wolf is coming.
The wolf is coming.
- [Arminius] Bructeri?
- Yes.
- [singing softly]
- The wolf is coming.
- Folkwin is with us.
- Folkwin? Are you sure?
- Yes, in the village.
- Take us there.
[in Latin] Mount up!
- [Ansgar whimpering]
- [in German] Shh.
[Segestes] Where are you going?
- [Thusnelda grunting]
- [Segestes] You are still my daughter!
Why are you doing this to me?
You'll come to your senses.
And be wed to Hadgan.
I hope the five horses
will make you happy.
[floorboards creaking]
The door. Eigil.
The door.
[tense music playing]
- [goat bleating]
- [laughing]
Oh, god.
[groaning]
[Folkwin] Through the backdoor!
Get out of here!
[man] Quickly.
Berulf!
Folkwin, get out! Get out!
Come on!
[all grunting]
Go on, go, go!
[pounding on door]
[Berulf] Go!
Thank you.
[all grunting]
- Come on, Berulf!
- I can't!
I've got to say goodbye to my family.
[groaning]
[Berulf gurgling loudly]
Come on. Run.
You betrayed them.
Rome would've paid a good price.
They were guests in your house.
And Thusnelda
has a connection to the gods.
If you believe
you'd be a better reik than I
then say so now.
[Ansgar banging head and grunting]
We wouldn't let an animal suffer, so
if you love Ansgar,
you have to put him out of his misery.
I'll do it, then.
[wolf growling]
Where did they go?
[Thusnelda] Ansgar.
Ansgar.
Ansgar!
Let me go.
Father!
[Ansgar grunting softly]
[melancholy music playing]
[Thusnelda] Father!
Father, let me go!
- Let me go! Please!
- [groans]
Let me go right now!
You love playing
"the wolf is coming," hmm?
Then close your eyes.
We'll start soon.
[Ansgar mumbling] The wolf is coming.
- The wolf is coming.
- Not yet, little warrior.
Not yet.
[dramatic music playing]
[Irmina] Now.
[Ansgar] The wolf is coming.
The wolf is coming.
[sobbing]
The wolf is coming.
[Thusnelda] Ansgar!
[gasps]
[Thusnelda sobbing] The game's over.
We're done playing.
He's already dead.
I was just doing what's already been done.
[screaming]
[choking]
I curse you for this!
[dramatic music playing]
[Segestes gasping]
Where is my bride?
[Runa] Thusnelda!
You must hurry.
Folkwin is waiting for you.
You can't take him with you.
Let me have him.
Come here.
Come to me.
Come to me, come.
You sweet little darling of the gods.
I'll take care of you.
Where's Folkwin?
[all breathing heavily]
- [Luco] Folkwin.
- Hmm?
No mortal has ever gone
into the Dark Land and come back.
Maybe he's right.
It's the land of the undead.
That's exactly what we are.
The gods of the underworld,
they will come for us.
I say, "Fuck the gods of the underworld."
[Hanno] At least no one will follow us.
No one in his right mind, anyway.
[eerie music playing]
[Folkwin] Where's Luco?
[Eigil] Where he belongs.
Back home.
[Hadgan] You owe me a bride.
- I don't owe you anything.
- [groaning]
Where is she?
[Segestes] You're not listening to me,
my friend.
- Hmm?
- [Segestes] She's gone.
Please understand, Reik Hadgan.
We'd love to give her to you
but we can't.
Everyone will hear what your word
is worth, Segestes. Everyone.
A bride, or five mares.
I came all this way.
I won't leave here empty-handed.
I'm afraid you'll have to.
I'm not giving you a thing.
I'll be back
to take what is rightfully mine.
[clatters]
[spits]
[in Latin] You disobeyed Varus' orders.
I don't have to explain myself
to you, centurion.
This slop reminds me of Pannonia.
You were in Pannonia?
15th legion, commanded by Tiberius.
Prefect of the auxiliary Germanic troops.
In the Sirmian pincer?
We could neither advance nor retreat.
We were trapped
between the mountain and the damned swamp.
But then your cavalry came to the rescue.
Stronger than Hercules, brother!
- Maybe you're not as useless as I thought.
- [chuckles]
This is my souvenir from Pannonian steel.
They had to carry me
to the latrine for two months.
[both laughing]
If you knew them,
it's right that you had them buried.
Even if they're barbarians.
[man groaning]
[soldier] Dominus,
we captured a barbarian.
[sobbing]
Leave him.
- [in German] Get up.
- [sobbing]
What's your name?
[crying] Luco, from the court of Darid.
Shh. Don't worry.
I knew your father.
Do you know me?
Come. Sit at our fire.
[Folkwin] Gods,
I beg you to revenge my family.
You are more powerful
than the three Women of the Woods.
Show me your power.
Varus, and all who ride under his flag
shall shed their blood on our soil.
Their guts and entrails
shall fertilize our fields,
and their skulls
will hang from our branches.
For this, I will sacrifice
what's most precious to me.
[slicing]
My firstborn.
[Arminius] Now, tell me, where is Folkwin?
[sniffles] I don't know.
Yes, you do. Why else would you be here,
so far from the land
of the Cherusci, all alone?
I can't. [sobbing]
You have to tell me
or they'll kill you.
I just want to help you.
[Luco] It's it's a place of the dead.
Nobody nobody should be there.
It's a place of the dead.
The Dark Land?
Is Folkwin hiding in the Dark Land?
I'm just trying to go home.
Please. Please.
I just want to go home.
[Metellus in Latin] What is the
[in German] "Dark Land"?
[in Latin] Do you know it?
Can you lead us there?
Why did you do that?
To quote Julius Caesar
"I love treason but I hate a traitor."
Mount up quickly!
We're heading out.
[in German] You know what I'm doing
when we get home?
Take a bath?
[laughs]
- I'll marry your sister.
- [scoffs]
Only in your dreams, my friend.
That's exactly where she appears.
She blesses me with lots of kids.
A bunch. A whole pile of kids.
You'll be an uncle.
Uncle Eigil.
Are you kidding?
And they'll be proud of their father, too.
Because he fought for their free
- [screaming] Hanno!
- Romans!
[all yelling]
[tense music playing]
[breathing heavily]
[in Latin] Finish it.
[uplifting music playing]
[uplifting music continues]
[dramatic music playing]