Barbarians – Season 1 Episode 3 Recap & Review

On The Edge

While the village mourns their losses, episode 3 of Barbarians begins with Varus commanding his foster child to bring Folkwin’s head on a spike. Despite some taunting from his right hand man, Arminius keeps a level head.

Meanwhile, Folkwin bemoans interjecting in Arminius’ fight with Berulf. He promises to dispatch his brother himself next time. As they walk, Berulf discusses his family hierarchy while Thusnelda convinces Segimer to chop down the hanged bodies.

Segimer agrees and together with his daughter, they get the villagers down. Only, the Romans – led by Arminius – return to survey the damage. Fingers point to Segimer as the one who ordered this but Arminius defies Varus’s rule and allows the barbarians to bury their fallen.

While the bodies burn, Ansgar comes out giggling and making a scene. Thusnelda takes him back home though but on the way overhears Romans heading into village. This is Segester’s doing, who eventually ties his daughter up and promises that she will marry Hadgan.

Meanwhile, Folkwin joins Berulf as they head around to the various different tribes to share their story and pledge allegiance to a common cause.

Berulf claims Thusnelda is a seer and his convincing words are enough to bring these clans together. When they sleep that night though, the group are betrayed as in-fighting breaks out. A throat is slit and swords clash while Berulf sacrifices himself to save the others and hold the door.

It turns out Rome gave them a good price to betray their own kin, leaving Folkwin and his men alone again.

Elsewhere, Segestes commands Ansgar be taken away to free him from his misery. Led out into the middle of the forest, Thusnelda manages to convince her Father to let her go as she races up the hillside to find her brother.

Only, Ansgard has been led to the cliff edge. Thankfully Thusnelda shows up just in time to stop him walking to his doom, cursing her Mother in the process.

Back home, Hadgan returns looking for his bride. Only, she’s too busy with Ansgar. She hands him over to the seer and asks where Folkwin is. He’s alone outside though, looking at the jaws of the Dark Land.

Apparently this is a cave where no one has come back from. With the Gods prophesied to be lurking there, Folkwin curses them and encourages his men to continue on. Only, one refuses to go.

That solitary man, Luco, is captured by the Romans and brought before Arminius. He encourages the boy to sit with them, clearly intending to extract information. Namely, it’s where Folkwin is.

Eventually the boy confesses and admits Ari’s in the Dark Land. Once he’s confessed, the soldiers betray Arminius and stab Luco in cold blood.

Folkwin himself prays before the Gods, unaware that Arminius and his men are looming nearby. Eventually they strike and slaughter the small band of rebels with him. Arminius is brought to his knees and looks set to face certain death… until Ari turns and kills his Roman brethren.

The Episode Review

With Arminius The Betrayer finally coming to light, the drama here continues to escalate as we reach the tipping point of this series. Everything appears to be gearing up for a big fight between the Romans and the Germanic people.

With the tribes continuing to war with one another and all hope seemingly lost, could this turn-coat be enough to turn the tide of war? We’ll have to wait and see but for now Barbarians continues to deliver a bingeable slice of historical drama.