Pasiphaê and Medea are praying and another hen bites the dust. Seriously, people, cut it out with the chickens already. Yes, animal sacrifice was a thing, but cutting off the head and then rubbing blood all over some guy's hairy chest is definitely more Voudon/hoodoo than ancient Hellenic worship. Anyway, the bloody guy is Telemon and while I am not surprised, I am a little shocked. It seems the wedding was all part of Pasiphaê's plan; just like with Heptarian last season, Pasiphaê is trying to marry her way to the throne (again).
The wedding will be in two days, Telemon has never reconciled with his father (which means that Leonidas lied last episode when he said he saw them together), and the two are planning bloody murder: on the road to the wedding (or home from the wedding?), there will be an ambush. Ariadne will get killed and Pasiphaê will claim the throne. Telemon will get a place in the court. By the way, there is enough sexual tension in this scene to make Medea blush, and I don't blame her. She's not too fond of the plan, though, but Pasiphaê tells her not to worry; Telemon is desperate to find a home again, he'll do anything to belong.
Hercules has (over)paid off kids to keep an eye out for Telemon. One of them spots the man and runs to tell that Telemon has been out of the city all night. Hercules, Jason and Pythagoras wonder why.
In the palace, Telemon tries to convince Dion and Ariadne to take the route he wants them to take--and for them to leave for Aegina (Telemon's home city) at all. Telemon makes up some sob story that he really needs his daddy's approval and Ariadne gives in. Wisely, Dion says he'll be the only one to know the exact route they'll be taking--as per Ariadne's orders. Telemon is forced to agree.
In the city, Jason refuses to let Ariadne go on this journey without warning her of the dangers. Hercules reminds him that he has no proof and that Telemon is not only a prince but Ariadne's betrothed; he'll look desperate and pathetic--oh, and jealous. He still goes, and Ariadne, indeed, does think he's jealous. She doesn't dismiss him out of hand, though: she accepts him as an escort for the journey. Ariadne confesses that she waited for a sign to see if she should marry Telemon, and Minos respected Telemon's family greatly. She had to accept. Her heart, however, is still with Jason.
Once home, Jason tells Pythagoras and Hercules to pack: they will be escorting the queen to her wedding. The boys are not exactly thrilled, but there is nothing they can do. They leave at dawn the next day. Dion is very happy to see them coming along. While Jason sharpens his weapons, Ariadne has her appearance sharpened for her. Serfs get her ready for the journey and she looks stunning. It kills Jason to see her come down the steps with Telemon.
The entire royal guard, staff, and house marches through the woods for the duration of the day. They make camp at night and Ariadne tries to get some information on Telmon's father out of him. she asks what makes his father happy, and he says that seeing the changes Ariadne has caused in him will do that. she says she cannot claim that honour and he praises her some more. This man is more slippery than an eel. He makes my skin crawl. Ariadne seems smitten though.
Jason keeps a close eye on them until Pythagoras takes over. They'll sleep in shifts. Pythagoras watches Dion tell Telemon the coming route. Jason, meanwhile, escorts Ariadne back to the fire--she has wandered off. Telemon is instantly jealous when he watches them. He carves a little harder on the stick he's been carving up.
At their fire Pythagoras tells Jason and Hercules that it doesn't seem like Telemon is up to anything and that if this journey does turn out well, they should find another woman for Jason. Jason grins at that. They make fun of everyone's love life and for a few minutes, the mood is lightened. then the watch of Telemon resumes--it seems he just slept through the night. Dion warns them not to leave a trace of the camp, but of course Telemon makes sure to mark the spot.
Once back on the road, Jason questions the route, but Dion says he thinks it's the path Pasiphaê will least expect them to take. Behind them, at the former camp site, Pasiphaê's right hand man Goran finds the stick Telemon has left behind and hands it over to Pasiphaê and Medea. He divines from the markings on the stick that they are heading south, to a gorge--exactly like Dion had told him.
Back with the group, Jason once more tries to dissuade Dion from taking this route. He refuses, saying he truly thinks this is the safest route. They walk the gorge slowly, carefully. Everyone is on edge, though. Telemon holds Ariadne's hand. Tension if high, and then the proverbial shit hits the proverbial fan: arrows start flying and death befalls them. The group hurries to find shelter--all except for Ariadne, who watches her beloved serf get shot and covers her, attempting to help her while she is clearly beyond helping. Telemon comes up behind her, knife in hand, and when she spots him and it, she asks: "is this what you wanted all along? What are you waiting for?" He searches her face, her eyes, and falters. "forgive me," he says and rushes off. He grabs a horse and makes a break for it, leaving the men to shoot the others like fish in a barrel. How no one managed to hit the princess with an arrow is beyond me.
Anyway, our heroes make it out: Jason, Ariadne, Pythagoras, Hercules, and Dion. The rest get slaughtered by Pasiphaê's men. Ariadne says she shouldn't have doubted Jason and they embrace; Ariadne is completely shell-shocked.
Back with Pasiphaê, Telemon has to explain why he didn't kill Ariadne. Pasiphaê is not amused--at all. Telemon tries to defend himself, but of course he ends up with a dagger to the chest for his trouble. It doesn't kill him; because he's royalty, that would anger the Gods. she gives him her wineskin and leaves him to die--or, you know, lets 'the Gods decide his fate'. Nice loophole, that one. Medea throws him a sword--right into his wineskin, making the decision of the Gods even easier.
By nightfall, our heroes are trying to find their way to safety by crawling through the gorge. The soon hear the enemy coming and Ariadne asks for Jason's bow. He gives her a few pointers--which she obviously does not need. Ariadne is a skilled marksman and the first death goes on her tally. She's also good with a sword. She saves the day with great skill. Good on you, Ariadne. Jason, by the way, got injured again somewhere along the way and Ariadne tends to his wounds while they chat a bit about her father. In order to escape unnoticed, they leave everything behind but their weapons. All of Ariadne's jewellery and fancy dresses end up in a ditch somewhere. Seeing as she is now dressed in bright white undergarments, I would have let her keep her blue robes; she lights up like a beacon in the night.
They make it a long way, until a lone archer spots them. Dion takes an arrow to the side and Ariadne's undergarments become a bit shorter to bandage him. The lone archer gets a sword in the back for his trouble. Dion is struggling, but like a good soldier, he powers through. They walk through the night and well into the day--deep into the desert. Pasiphaê, meanwhile, discovers that Ariadne escaped.
Out in the dessert, the group is out of water and energy. Dion is at the end of his rope. Ariadne says they should rest but Dion orders Jason to take her away. H refuses, and Ariadne thanks him for not doing it. They are in dire straits, though: without water, survival will be hard for all of them, not just Dion. While Hercules pees, Ariadne wonders if she really deserves this level of loyalty.
Goran finds Dion's blood trail and Medea says they can't be far behind them now. Pasiphaê orders that Ariadne is left for her to deal with.
While relieving himself, Hercules spots a group of travellers in the distance. they aren't soldiers, so the group risks alerting them. they make a signal fire and the travellers come closer; two men and a woman--two horses. The group pleads their case and the travellers allow them to join them on their journey to the chantry of Isis. On the journey there, Jason lies to their new companions, telling them they are merchants who were en route to Paros to sell their wares when they were robbed of them. The elder of the males--a (partially?) blind man--seems to doubt the story, but swallows it, regardless.
Pasiphaê, obviously, is less than amused when there are suddenly horse prints in the sand along with the trail. It doesn't matter, they will catch the runaways soon.
The blind man trips and Jason catches him. we finally hear his name when he reveals that he knows Ariadne is the queen: it's Orpheus (Ronald Pickup). I am assuming the woman next to him is his wife, Eurydice (Sian Thomas).
In ancient Hellenic mythology, Orpheus (Ὀρφεύς) was a legendary musician, poet, and prophet who lost his wife and travelled to the Underworld to fetch her. He lost her again when he broke his deal with Hades. After being forced to leave Eurydice in the Underworld, he travels the world with his lyre. He renounces both women, and many of the Theoi, pained as he is by the loss of his beloved wife. This Orpheus definitely is not there, though, and it seems he is gifted in seeing the truth, even though he can't see with his regular eyes.
Orpheus talks to Ariadne about Minos and Pasiphaê; he knew Minos, and is acquainted with Pasiphaê. He was saddened to hear Minos passed away, and fears that Pasiphaê is truly pure evil. The burden Ariadne carries n her shoulders, he says, is a terrible one and he sympathises with her. She wonders why Minos could not see the evil in Pasiphaê and Orpheus says that sometimes we can't see the truth in the people we hold dearest.
The journey continues. For our heroes it's a slow one, for their pursuers a quick one. Still, the heroes make it to the cover of darkness without being caught. Dion is not doing well, but he is alive. Ariadne is no doing well either, but her pain is of a different nature: she feels guilty for Pasiphaê's actions.
Orpheus finds Jason in the dark as the younger male gazes up at the stars. Jason thanks Orpheus for all his help and expresses that he is worried that he will endanger him. Orpheus says not to worry; their paths were destined to cross and that whatever happens was meant to happen. He also tells Jason that he thinks his journey is not beginning, and that he does not know how it will end. It's a gift of the Gods and Jason should see it like that.
Eurydice finally (finally!) provides some actual clothes for Ariadne, who must be freezing by now. It's hot in the desert during the day, but they are in a forest now and it's night time, so she must be beyond cold. Anyway, Eurydice teases that Ariadne's suitor surely is not allowed to keep her warm. Once more, Ariadne says that Atlantis comes first. Eurydice says she has much to learn yet: love is a force that cannot be denied.
It seems no one kept watch during the night because Pasiphaê's men sneak up on them. It's a brutal fight, but they manage to flee. Ariadne didn't put on her new outfit, by the way. Maybe it was just a blanket. Sigh. Anyway, Hercules, Pythagoras and Dion make it out as a team (and refuse to enter a cave), Ariadne makes it out alone with her bow and saves Jason's life. They are reunited and soon they find Hercules' group. Jason orders them into the cave, much to Hercules' chagrin. Orpheus and Eurydice, as well as the unnamed man (whose name is Diagoras (John Light), by the way), join them as they stumble upon the remains of an ancient Necropolis.
A Necropolic (nekropolis, νεκρόπολις) is a 'city of the dead', an elaborate tomb monument which were common in various places and periods of history. It's not a good place to hang around. They move on as swiftly as they can with a blind man and one who is badly wounded. Outside, the men refuse to enter the Necropolis; legend says that any who enter, will not come out. Pasiphaê is furious and kills one of the men to make an example of. Death can just as swiftly be acquired outside of the Necropolis, after all. They still don't come with her, though, and Medea and Pasiphaê go on alone.
Inside the Necropolis, Dion is at the end of his journey. He breaths his last breath just before Pasiphaê and Medea come upon them. Ariadne, bitter and angry, shoots an arrow straight into Pasiphaê's stomach, after which Medea unleashes her innate magic again, dragging both herself and Jason down a very, very steep cliff. Ariadne is forced to look on, horrified, calling Jason's name.
Next time on Atlantis: dead things refuse to stay dead and we find out why no man ever makes it out of the Necropolis alive. Next Saturday on BBC One, recap on Monday.
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