Recently my beautiful and brilliant internet wife RVCBard did a wonderful piece on how the neverending hetero fest in the media can be disheartening and mentally taxing to LGBTQs. It’s rare to even have us acknowledged that we even exist, much less portrayed with any modicum of respect.
This is one of the many reasons that I’ve taken it upon myself to pass a personal edict that with the exception an elite few works, I only consume media that has POCs and LGBTQs as the central and lead characters. If it doesn’t, I’m not interested.
But this also got me thinking about my favorite gay pairings. Surprisingly enough, one of my all-time favorite gay pairings came from the unlikeliest of series: Barca and Auctus from Spartacus- Gods of the Arena.
Don’t get it twisted. Spartacus is a mixed bag. While it has more than its share of fail, it’s also occasionally some things right and has shown glimpses of brilliance.
With Gods of the Arena being a prequel to Blood and Sand, I knew Barca and Auctus’s fates were sealed by your Bury The Gay trope. Nevertheless they were a groundbreaking gay pairing to watch.
Most gay couples in media are confined to heteronormative tropes: the dominant masculine alpha and the uber effeminate beta ie. he’s the “man” in the relationship and the he’s the “woman” in the relationship. Because obviously that’s the only kind of relationship queer men can have, obviously. It should also be noted that you see said heteronormative tripe in female pairings as well which is why Willow and Tara from Buffy and for that matter Emily and Maya from Pretty Little liars were very progressive shows in this regard.
Barca and Auctus broke so many tropes and proved to be a rare gem.
1) This was an interracial relationship. That right there is still groundbreaking because most people can’t wrap their heads around the facts that LGBTQs can ALSO be POCs.
2) You had two dominant alpha males who happened to be gay and happened to be in love.
3) Both men were members of a brotherhood where they were both highly respected peers.
4) Both men were open about their relationship and it was a non-factor. It also didn’t hurt that both men could easily eviscerate anyone who had a problem with their relationship.
5) There was no angst between the two. They were in love but laughed and had fun and was a much more realistic portrayal of queer male pairings than anything you find in m/m or slash. One more reason why queer men should be able to tell our own stories.
6) Two excellent likable characters who had great backstories and characterizations.
7) Both men are fine as hell. Hello Mr. Barca, and Auctus…….*fans self*
While neither character had long for this world, I enjoyed watching them both……particularly Auctus. I was happy to see that MSMs like me were FINALLY done right. Here’s hoping lightning strikes twice one day and someone else gives us a great another pairing like Auctus and Barca.
RIP Auctus and Barca and thank you.
Ars Marginal 
And what’s more this is actually an example of realism in a good way. Ancient Rome was not the modern age in terms of viewing LGBTQ individuals, so it’s good to see a historical series acknowledging this fact in a way that’s not cringe-worthy. ^.^
Loved, loved, loved this couple. Was beyond furious this took place during the prequel, ’cause like you, I already knew their fates.
I swore that I would not get attached to any characters simply because it was the prequel. Damn it if this OTP didn’t do the damn thing.