Ray Stevenson's Best Role Was in 'Rome'
The untimely death of Ray Stevenson came as a shock to everybody who likes good television, especially the fans of HBO's Rome. While Stevenson acted in many successful television series and movies alike such as the upcoming Star Wars show Ahsoka, Dexter, The Punisher: War Zone, RRR, and the Thor franchise, it was in Rome that he really got his chance to shine with a complex role, a compelling story, castmates who were just as competent as he was, and enough time to develop it. Just factors rarely come together, especially nowadays, and this whole conjunction, as well as Stevenson's undeniable talent, made the character of Titus Pullo simply unforgettable for the audience.
While most of the current TV audience may not know of it, Bruno Heller's Rome was the precursor to many of the big tentpoles we have on television nowadays. It was one of HBO's first experiences with a series that demanded such a big budget — the biggest at the time. It paved the way for shows like Game of Thrones to eventually become the hit we know, combining epic scale with a plot full of political intrigue, following two soldiers — Stevenson's Pullo and Kevin McKidd's Lucius Vorenus — as they navigate life in the waning days of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. With only two seasons, it's a rather quick watch that's definitely worth anyone's time.
Pullo and Vorenus Are the Heart of ‘Rome’, but Stevenson Stands Out
One of the defining traits of Rome is its ability to combine multiple storylines and plots happening simultaneously and having each of them be completely different, while still making them cross at some point. The main one, though, is that of Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo. They meet on the very first episode of the series, as one saves the other while looking for the stolen eagle standard of Caesar's (Ciarán Hinds) 13th Legion in Gaul. From then on, they become the heart of the show, following the events that shape the future of Rome from the bottom of the social structure.
Despite serving in the same legion and being loyal to Caesar, Vorenus and Pullo couldn't be more different from one another: while the first is a more conservative and almost uptight soldier and family man, the latter is a spirited and somewhat rowdy man who, despite his nature, is fiercely loyal. Vorenus is the commander of that division, and Pullo immediately starts following him around, and that's how their unlikely friendship grows. They eventually become like brothers as much as each other's moral compass and their constant bickering is just as brilliant to watch as the political plotting in the Roman Senate of the family drama of the Julii.
But Pullo himself is particularly more complex than Vorenus. He has no family, no friends, and no home to go back to, so the army is his life. When the war in Gaul ends and Caesar crosses the Rubicon back into Roman territory, a civil war with Pompey (Kenneth Cranham) ensues, and, while the dynamic duo does play a significant part, it's when they come back to Rome that they get a chance to truly shine. Pullo's friendship with Vorenus is what makes him grow both personally and professionally, but not without struggles. He may be a good-natured peasant, but his lack of personal bonds before meeting Vorenus made Pullo into a man prone to vices, especially wine, and this, along with being a man in an extremely sexist society makes him a threat to almost every woman he meets. This contradiction between his good nature and male toxicity is what makes him such a complex character, one that we love to watch as he faces his up and downs (but mostly downs) on the path to becoming a better person.
This is also helped by the fact that Pullo always seems to be at the right place at the right time with Vorenus, so, while the names that history remembers are the big ones on the books, Rome makes a point of showing that common people like them that made its wheels turn, and Pullo is the one to do it more often than not, as Vorenus is too honorable for, say, assassinations. Stevenson's portrayal of Pullo is a stand-out among the others, as he manages to convey the walking contradiction of Pullo in such an effortless way. He makes full use of his big stature and loud voice, making the character feel both like an intimidating murdering machine and your sweet best friend.
Pullo Is Compelling Because He Knows He’s Problematic
Vorenus and Pullo's friendship is reminiscent of many tales of peasants who stumble upon history-defining moments. We have Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress as the biggest example of this trope, even being the base for C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) in the original Star Wars. Granted, the bickering between the two Roman centurions is constant and sometimes even makes them part ways, but they are much more complex than their other fictional counterparts for one simple reason: they have to get their hands dirty.
Most of the disagreements Vorenus and Pullo have are because the first is extremely honorable and can't see plotting and political machinations as a valid way of achieving power, while the latter just wants the money so he can eat well and get drunk. But Pullo is gradually influenced by Vorenus and does seem to have a tiny bit of honor, so deep in his heart he knows the things he's called to do is morally wrong, and whenever that realization hits, it tears Pullo apart. He's an extremely emotional man, so his sadness and rage are equally powerful as his loyalty, and that conflict is the most compelling part of the show. He's fully aware of how toxic a person he is but doesn't know how to deal with that because he lacks support. As good for him as Vorenus is, he still looks down on Pullo because he has his moral code (despite being an angry man himself). Pullo has Vorenus as a role model and even tries to be more like him, and that's heartbreaking.
So, in a series full of historic moments taking place all around, our eyes are still drawn to the lower classes and these two working men who spill blood for a living. They are the ones to do the deeds the guys in togas can't be bothered doing because they are too busy plotting against one another in the Senate. You can't help but sympathize with Vorenus and Pullo, but mostly Pullo, because we're all morally flawed and we all struggle with it. Ray Stevenson just made Pullo's struggle more compelling, and we'll always cherish that.
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