Medea is fleeing through the woods--running for her life with Jason hot on her heels. Someone is out for a little vengeance. He looses her, though, as she hides behind a tree. He swears that he will hunt her down and kill her but that day will not be today: Ariadne isn't doing well and she needs to be brought to Atlantis. Jason gives up the pursuit and carries Ariadne home where she is immediately swarmed by serfs--attendants, priests, and doctors alike. Everyone but Pythagoras must wait outside.
The oracle sets to work while outside Jason is beating himself up over trusting Medea in the first place. It's a long wait--and Hercules makes it a little worse by trying to be a good friend and telling him that his trust in people is one of his good qualities. It doesn't feel like it while Ariadne is still dying just a door away. The Oracle does all she can--begs for Poseidon's help and has applied herbs and any cure she knows. It's in the hands of the Gods and for someone from our world, that isn't really enough for Jason. He questions Pythagoras when he emerges: the bleeding has stopped but Ariadne is very weak. Pythagoras encourages Jason to go see her while Hercules goes to find something to munch on. In her chamber, Ariadne wakes up for a moment--long enough for Jason to tell her he's not going anywhere.
At the oikos, Hercules has treated Orpheus to a meal (of which he eats the leftovers himself). Orpheus will be leaving tomorrow to take care of Eurydice's funeral. Hercules says he knows what it feels like to loose your true love and I roll my eyes emphatically. At any rate, Orpheus merrily announces that he's getting his wife back, even if he has to travel to Hades. As someone who has been to Hades, Hercules isn't exactly amused to hear that. He also doesn't really believe Orpheus will do it. I just hope he's thinking of a certain woman with snakes for hair making sandcastles day after day to alleviate the boredom while she waits for that heroic rescue she was promised.
Anyway, moving on. The next morning, Jason has taken up half of Ariadne's bed and they are holding hands as they both rest. Her wound has started bleeding again during the night and she is not doing well at all. Something is wrong--the wound is not healing. The Oracle checks for curses on the blade and yep! There is definitely a curse on it. Medea is powerful and she has placed a death curse on it. The Oracle can't break it so she encourages Jason to visit the Grey Sisters--powerful seers who can see 'even into the minds of the Gods'. They will know if there is a cure. She reluctantly tells Jason where to find them.
In the woods, Hercules *finally* blames himself for not finding a cure for Medusa yet. Good, you asshat! You made her a promise. Not even Pythagoras wants to tell him he's right in giving up on his supposed true love so easily. Then, my fury subsides a moment when we are greeted by a very welcome sight: Pasiphaê is alive! And of course she is still scheming to take over the throne of Atlantis. That's my evil queen!
Goran, Pasiphaê and Medea are holed up in an old temple in the woods. Lilix (Lorcan Cranitch) is telling them about how the rumours of Ariadne's nearing end are spreading throughout Atlantis. Pasiphaê says that as soon as Ariadne is dead, she will claim the throne. According to Lilix, most citizens will support her. Pasiphaê does not trust Lilix but they come to an.... understanding with veiled threats on both sides. Oh yes, this is going to end well.
Somewhere in what are probably the same woods, the boys come to a cave. Nature holds its breath here--no birds, no animals, no nothing. It's creepy and they proceed with extreme caution--especially when they come upon skulls on sticks--totems. The Grey Sisters are of course the Moirai and their appearance has been jacked straight from Disney's 'Hercules'.
The Moirai are the Goddesses of fate. Their names are Kloto (Κλωθώ, spinner), Atropos (Ἄτροπος, unturnable), and Lakhesis (Λάχεσις, Alotter) and They assign to every person his or her fate or share in the scheme of things. They are Goddesses who preside over both birth and death and under the counsel of Zeus determine the time in-between. That whole 'one eye'-business, by the way? Not a part of their mythology.
After a round of 'pass the eye around', the Moirai say they know why Jason is here and ask for a gift in return for their counsel. Instead, he grabs the eye and promises to return it in exchange for their advice. They agree: Medea's blood needs to be applied to the wound. She can be found in the temple of Hekate. Now if he would pretty please give the eye back? Oh, and he can't kill Medea because their fates are entwined. If he kills her, the future is doomed. No one leaves this exchange happy, let me tell you.
Jason, Hercules and Pythagoras travel to the forest where the temple of Hekate is located. It's said to be cursed and the horses refuse to enter it. They move on on foot. Hercules and Pythagoras do a bit of expositioning while walking, talking about how no one can kill Medea and then a Stymphalian bird suddenly flies overhead and no one is too concerned. Uh... guys, those things are pretty lethal. It's just another day in ancient Greece.
Without incident, they make it to the temple and decide to wait until nightfall because I don't have enough dark screencaps for this series already. In what may be the silliest turn of events I have seen on my TV screen in a long time (and I watch 'Once Upon a Time' with above average loyalty), Hercules gets pricked by a mosquito. his one drop of blood draws the Stymphalian birds to him and everyone has to run for their lives. These things look like Pterodactyls, by the way.
The boys run, find a hiding spot under an overhanging rock where the birds can't reach them and have to wait until Hercules' wounds by mosquito and bird have healed. Jason is not going to wait for that. After a bit of back and forth, Hercules and Pythagoras are going to stay behind to patch up Hercules while Jason and a bottle for Medea's blood go on ahead. Awesome plan.
Jason makes it to the temple without being spotted and without falling down a very steep cliff. He gets spotted once but takes out the guard fairly easily. After that, it's just a short search for Medea--who seems to have earned a bit of prestige by her actions. She senses his presence in one of the hallways but he manages to hide. Then Goran spots him while he tries to sneak up on her.
Medea knows he's there and asks him why he hasn't killed her yet. She moves closer saying he feels it too--they are linked and they have both been touched by the Gods. Jason obviously does, but still knocks her out. He hesitates between taking blood and killing her one more time, then does the sensible thing. Of course, by that time Goran and his men are upon him and he gets knocked out while Pasiphaê rushes to Medea's side.
In the cell where Jason is being kept, Pasiphaê watches him as he lies unconcious. Medea goes to check up on him as weld. Pasiphaê wants to know what Jason said to her but she lies, saying he said he came to kill her and that was it. Pasiphaê doesn't trust it--she is still alive, after all. Medea questions what she will do to him, if she is going to kill him, and Pasiphaê says it's not that simple because he is her son. Medea looks stricken; she knew Pasiphaê has a son, but that it's Jason is obviously news to her. Well, now some things are falling into place for her: they are related--and both of them to Pasiphaê. That must be part of why they are so drawn to each other.
Back in the overhang, Hercules and Pythagoras realize they should never have let Jason go. He could have been killed--or worse, have been told the truth.
Jason wakes up and tries to goes after Pasiphaê who is still in his cell. He is chained up well, though, and he can't get to her. She makes sure to stay out of her reach. I love it when these two interact; it allows both of these characters to stretch their characters and test their range. They discuss ethics and politics and establish that there is a lot of grey between two strong points of view. Pasiphaê says they need to work together for the good of Atlantis and while Jason does not believe her, you can see that there is a shift taking place inside his head: Pasiphaê was the enemy but she has humanized herself again and now there is all this squishy, uncomfortable grey and he isn't happy about it.
Hercules has dried up, it seems, so they risk a few steps outside. They only draw the attention of a crow. So far, so good.
In the cell, Pasiphaê is watching Jason eat, saying she wishes to understand him--and for him to understand her. All I see is a mother soaking in the presence of her son, but Jason does not know that, of course. He says he came to Atlantis to look for his father and that his mother died shortly after he was born. His father is dead now, too. These is obvious pain of Pasiphaê's face. She asks if he has memory of her or if his father ever spoke of her. He says no to both. She is clearly in pain, anxious, trying to decide if she should tell him the truth. It would stop them being enemies... but she knews the words of the Oracle. She can't tell him, he is't ready. She tries to flee the cell, but eh begs her to stop, to explain what she is talking about.
She hesitates, stops, turns. "I am not who you believe me to be," she says and in her emotional state she forgets she shouldn't get within reach of him. He takes instant advantage, wrapping his chains around her neck and pulling, trying to suffocate her. He works her down tot he ground, gritting out that she is exactly who he thinks she is. It's only a quick acting Goran who saves her life by knocking Jason over the head with the pommel of his sword. Pasiphaê is just in time to stop them from killing Jason. What a Gods damned mess...
In the woods, Hercules and Pythagoras are making their way to temple without being seen by a patrol on their lunch break. They settle in for the wait.
Back at the temple, Pasiphaê is trying to process what has just happened. She was shocked by the hate in his eyes and Medea tells her that it might change one day. Pasiphaê knows she can't permit herself to have these feelings for Jason anymore. With a sure hand, she poisons his drink. He was dead to her the moment his father took him away, she says, and Medea is shocked. Besides, she knows that there is something special between her and Jason and that she can't let him die. On the other hand, Pasiphaê has been her only family, her only friend, and she can't betray her. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place...
Hercules and Pythagoras make it to the temple and hurry to find Jason while Pasiphaê and her men journey down to the cell he is being held in, chalice with poisoned wine in hand. Hercules and Pythagoras get there just before though--just before. They have to rush to escape. Medea spots them--and Jason sees it. They stare at each other a few moments, then Jason runs and Medea keeps her mouth shut.
When they get far enough away, Hercules congratulates Jason on killing Medea. He says he didn't do it; he couldn't kill her. He sensed something inside of her and in Pasiphaê--neither killed him while they had the chance. Come on, dude. Connect the dots already. Somehow I don't think this secret is going to be kept in the next season of Atlantis...
As it is, the three men hurry back to Atlantis, have the Oracle rub blood and herbs onto the wound of a nearly deceased Ariadne, and wait. Then wait some more. And some more. Then the Oracle emerges with good news: Ariadne is doing better and is even awake. She is very grateful to Jason who still feels all sorts of guilty. Ariadne is a very happy queen and asks Jason to stay with her. She tells him that she meant what she said in the necropolis. She then proceeds to ask Jason to marry her--and he says yes, yes, yes, yes, yes... well, he kisses her, which is pretty much the same thing. Hurray!
Next on Atlantis: shit is going to hit the fan. Medusa will be back, shipped in by Pasiphaê, everyone kisses everyone, everyone tries to kill everyone, and the battle for the throne starts anew. Saturday on BBC One, recap on Monday.
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