The completion of the Nero and Sporus arc was so perfectly written.
Greg couldn’t just be “financially castrated” for it to fit narratively — he had to lose all personal and political influence that wasn’t already owned by Tom. Greg is completely reliant on him. He’s been castrated and reduced to the role Tom assigns him. He was literally claimed as a possession by the end of the series and he was happy about it.
Tom didn’t so much push Shiv down the stairs as gently guide her down until the person she was before lay dead at the bottom. The person she is now is not the person she was at the beginning of the series.
And Tom? Our Nero? He’s the Puppet Emperor. He’s gotten everything he’s ever wanted. He has claimed the keys to the kingdom and he couldn’t be happier.
sporus. stupid painting took me 4 months, so enjoy!
EDIT as of 08/04/23: i am disgusted to hear of the allegations made against nick, and considering i have spent such a prolonged period of time working on a piece dedicated to him, i want to make known that i do not condone his behaviour/apologise for nick/anything along those lines. even if there is not much information about this situation, as a general rule of thumb victims should be believed until anything is proven/disproven. my thoughts go out to the victims, i hope they are well.
Heya so bad news we killed your tomgreg. no yeah it was good whilst it lasted but she's gone. we got her pregnant and kicked her down some stairs. yeah no tomshiv got castrated and married. yeah they were dressed in tomgregs clothes.
"Nero's eunuch bride playing a role in the vicissitudes of the imperial succession" The Thick of It & the life of Nero;
The Thick of It, The Rise of the Nutters, 3x07, 3x08, season 3 deleted scenes, 4x02, 4x04, 4x06, 4x07 / Roman Homosexuality, second edition, Craig A. Williams / Suetonius' Life of Nero, 28, 46, 47, 49, trans. myself / Plutarch's Life of Galba, 9.3, trans. Aubrey Stewart
Thinking about how when Greg asks Tom if he’s trying to seduce him, Tom says; “Yes I am,” jokingly at first, then he looks into Greg’s eyes and states: “Yes I am, Greg.”