Andy Whitfield, the Australian star of the Starz drama series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" is dead at 39 after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Whitfield was preparing for a second season of the Starz series when he was diagnosed with the disease 18 months ago.

His acting talents were so strong in the first season of the show that once he made the announcement, the network opted to shoot a prequel, "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena," and season two of the original was stalled for a year in order to try and get Whitfield on board.

Unfortunately, Whitifeld did not make it.

Read more: Actor Andy Whitfield - Star of 'Spartacus: Blood and Sand' Passed Away

There is a new Naevia! Cynthia Addai-Robinson replaces Lesley-Ann Brandt who revealed a few months back that she would not be coming back to the new season, so the job was open for a new Naevia.

You will see Cynthia in January 2012 in Spartacus Season 2 (aka Spartacus: Vengeance).

Read more: 'Spartacus: Vengeance' Cast Changes and New Season in 2012

Spartacus: Gods of the Arena comes to a close as the finale reaches it's end. A mini-season of six episodes done as a flashback storyline taking us to the past and back to where it ended in season one. The journey was at times bumpy, trying to care about characters you knew were not in the original season. But "Episode 6: The Bitter End" concluded the journey in epic proportions and in ways I didn't expect. For me it was the best episode of the season and tied all the ends into a beautiful, violent, red bow colored with blood.

For the characters, a few of them would meet their inevitable grisly ends in and out of the arenas. For the fans, this would be the end of a miniseries that helped tide them over, while they wait for the title character to come back in 2012.

Now let's breakdown some of the events...

Read more: 'Spartacus: Gods of the Arena', Episode 6 'The Bitter End' Finale

Spartacus, God's of the Arena, continues after last week's episode filled with sex, murder and mayham.  Episode 5, 'Reckoning', picks up where Titus gives his son the ultimatum to get rid of his wife.

Passion still burns in the heart of Gannicus for Melitta and they engage in the forbidden down in the wine cellar.  Oenomaus shows up during the act of betrayal and thrusts his sword through the neck of Gannicus. Melitta wakes from the horrific dream.

Lucretia mourns the passing of her friend, Gaia, at the hands of Tullius and confides her feelings to Melitta and tells her that they must perform a ritual cleansing to remove Gaia from the Ludus commanded by Titus.  They decide not to do it, but if asked, will say it was done.

Read more: 'Spartacus: Gods of the Arena', Episode 5 'Reckoning' Breakdown