SPOILERS BELOW. DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILT FOR SPARTACUS SEASON 2 EPISODE 10 WRATH OF THE GODS!
On 6 March Lucy tweeted that Lucretia would end the season on a personal high.
@RealLucyLawless I hear the Internet is wildly sympathetic to Lucretia. You'll be glad to know, she ends the season on a personal high #SpartacusVengeance
Source
She did. High upon a cliff and off the cliff to her death to meet up with her beloved Batiatus in the afterlife. Thus ends Lucy's role on Spartacus. In my opinion Lucretia was Lucy's best role ever and one hell of a great performance in Spartacus Blood and Sand, Spartacus Gods of the Arena and now Spartacus Vengeance. Bravo Lucy!
This is what Lucy has said in her interview with The Huffington Post about Lucretia's death
When did you know that Lucretia would die at the end of the season?
Lucy Lawless: I knew before we began filming [Season] 2 that Lucretia was going to meet her end, and how. That knowledge was vital to the way I played everything. It explains why she puts up with certain things, like Ashur's repeated rapes. She had to feel that anything that happened to her, no matter how degrading, must be borne in order for the prophecy to be fulfilled.
Did you think her death made sense within the context of the overall Spartacus story?
Lawless: The Spartacus storyline was moving away from Capua, so I guess if they were going to remain true to Spartacus' journey, then it made sense to offer up Lucretia and Illythia's lives, in the richest, nastiest tradition of the show.
Did you resist the idea of Lucretia being killed off? Did you lobby the producers to change their minds?
Lawless: No, I know better. I was hoping Lucretia's long gown would catch on a branch on the way down and there she'd be like Wyle E. Coyote, dangling from a twig with babe in arms and throwing a huge tanty (tantrum) that her plan to go to the afterworld had failed.
Imagine the storyline to follow: Lucretia raising young Sparty. Now THERE's a show!
Was Lucretia faking her friendship with Ilythia, or was any of that real?
Lawless: I'll leave that for the audience to decide. But basically, the death of Batiatus was a spiritual death for Lucretia.
What was it like to say goodbye to that character? Was it harder or easier than saying farewell to characters you've played in the past?
Lawless: I'm sad over this one. Still, she was originally slated to die at the end of Season 1, so she'd already had one stay of execution. I am so grateful to all the writers for allowing me a role of such scope and depth. I is [sic] one lucky actress.
This is what Steven has said about Lucretia's death
Why'd you kill off Lucretia, and aren't you afraid that she'll haunt you from the afterlife?
DeKnight: I could not have loved the character of Lucretia more -- nor the amazing Lucy Lawless that brought her to life. But it became apparent that Lucretia had no place in the narrative as the story of Spartacus moves into the war years with [Season 3 character] Crassus pursuing the rebels across the Republic. I made the decision to give Lucretia a grand send-off instead of bringing her back as a tertiary character with little to do. A difficult choice, but definitely the right one.
For more about Lucy's role as Lucretia on Spartacus visit the AUSXIP Lucy Lawless Spartacus subsite or the AUSXIP Spartacus News and Multimedia Site