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Without words, Ron Fricke shows us the world, with an emphasis not on 'where,' but on 'what's there.' It begins with morning, natural landscapes and people at prayer: volcanoes, water falls, veldts, and forests; several hundred Balinese Hindu men perform kecak, the monkey chant. Indigenous peoples apply body paint; whole villages dance. The film moves to destruction of nature via logging, blasting, and strip mining. Images of poverty, rapid urban life, and factories give way to war, concentration camps, and mass graves. Ancient ruins come into view, and then a sacred river where pilgrims bathe and funeral pyres burn. Prayer and nature return. A monk rings a huge bell; stars wheel across the sky. (Click CC for places description)

Click CC for subtitles. Torn between the Roman Empire that raised him and the Germanic people into which he was born, a Roman officer finds himself trapped between loyalty, identity and rebellion. As Rome tightens its grip over the tribes beyond the Rhine, resentment grows and old bonds are tested. At the center of the conflict stands Arminius, a man shaped by Roman discipline but increasingly confronted with the suffering of his own people, while Thusnelda and Folkwin become symbols of defiance against an empire that demands obedience at any cost. Based on real historical events and figures, the series reinforces its sense of authenticity by using Latin and Germanic dialogue, helping recreate the cultural and historical setting of the period as faithfully as possible.
In the first three episodes, tensions erupt when the Cherusci are pushed beyond endurance by Governor Varus’s demands. Thusnelda and Folkwin strike a provocative blow against Roman authority by stealing the legion’s sacred eagle standard, triggering a brutal response. The crisis brings Arminius back face to face with his father Segimer and with the childhood friends he left behind. Ordered by Varus to hunt down Folkwin and return with his head, Arminius is forced into an impossible choice as Roman reprisals threaten Folkwin’s family, his village and the fragile loyalties that bind them all together.

Click CC for subtitles. In the final three episodes of Season 1, Ari fully embraces his identity as Arminius and begins the dangerous task of turning divided Germanic tribes into a force capable of challenging Rome. While Varus believes he has placed a loyal Roman-trained leader at the head of the Cherusci, Arminius secretly works against him. Thusnelda and Folkwin seek support from the Bructeri, and Arminius realizes that defeating three Roman legions will require something almost impossible: convincing rival tribes to put aside their feuds and fight as one people. A political marriage between Arminius and Thusnelda strengthens their cause, while Folkwin, thought dead, is actually alive and enslaved in the Roman camp.
Everything then moves toward the confrontation that will change history. Drawing on his intimate knowledge of Roman military tactics, Arminius persuades Varus to lead his legions through the forests and swamps of Germania, where their disciplined formations become a deadly weakness. As mistrust, betrayal and sacrifice threaten the fragile tribal alliance, Thusnelda takes an extreme step to preserve unity and Arminius prepares his ambush. The season culminates in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, where three Roman legions are drawn into a trap that will become one of the most devastating defeats in the history of the Roman Empire.

In the first three episodes of Season 2, the uneasy peace after Rome’s defeat begins to unravel. Arminius suspects the Romans are rebuilding their strength and turns to Marbod, the powerful leader of the Marcomanni, hoping to forge a broader Germanic alliance before Rome can strike again. At the same time, his brother Flavus returns to Germania in Roman service, reopening old wounds and forcing Arminius to confront the family he left behind. Thusnelda takes dangerous risks of her own, infiltrating the Roman camp as tensions rise on both sides.
The situation becomes even more explosive when Marbod secretly meets Tiberius in an attempt to secure peace with Rome, while Germanicus questions Flavus’s loyalty and the Romans exploit every division among the tribes. Arminius brings his son Gaius into the village, then turns against Marbod when he discovers the depth of his dealings with Rome, while Thusnelda reacts furiously to the secrets Arminius has kept from her. These opening episodes turn the struggle into a dangerous web of betrayal, family conflict and political ambition, where every alliance could decide the future of Germania.

In the final three episodes of Season 2, the struggle for Germania reaches a breaking point as loyalty, vengeance and political ambition collide. Tiberius demands proof that Marbod truly stands with Rome, while Flavus makes a dangerous proposal to Germanicus. At the same time, the Germanic tribal leaders gather to proclaim Marbod king, hoping unity might finally give them the strength to resist Rome. But the fragile alliance is shattered by tragedy, and Marbod is forced to confront Tiberius directly as trust on both sides collapses.
The conflict then accelerates toward open war. Thusnelda and Folkwin undertake a perilous mission, Gaius makes a shocking discovery in the forest, and Segestes offers Tiberius a treacherous bargain. With Roman reinforcements approaching by ship, Arminius and the tribes realize they may have only one chance left: strike the Roman camp before a new legion arrives. The season closes with betrayal, sacrifice and a desperate battle for freedom, as every decision threatens to determine whether the Germanic tribes remain divided or finally stand together against Rome.

VICE makes history on a trip to North Korea to play hoops and meet with supreme leader Kim Jong-un. With NBA great Dennis Rodman and a trio of Harlem Globetrotters in tow, we traveled to the capital of Pyongyang for a tour of the city, a basketball clinic, an exhibition game, and a first-ever meeting between the leader and an American delegation.