Recap / Atlantis S 1 E 13 Touched By The Gods Part Two

Jason, Pythagoras, and Hercules watch as the brazen bull is prepared for Ariadne’s execution. Jason decides to turn himself in, but Pythagoras points out that doing that won’t save Ariadne; Pasiphae will just execute both of them.

Jason: Well then so be it. I won’t let her die alone.

Hercules: Because being slowly cooked to death together is so much more preferable?

Jason: I’m not going to let Ariadne think that I abandoned her.

Hercules: You think you’ll have a hero’s death? You will achieve nothing and die a fool. We’ve been through too much together and I have grown too fond of you to let you throw your life away. I will not let that happen. We will stop this (gesturing to the brazen bull) or we will die trying, but we will go down fighting, not roasted in the belly of some fat bronze bull.

Jason: You’re fond of me? You’ve never even admitted that you like me.

Hercules: Don’t make a big thing of it. I’m marginally less fond of you than I am of him (pointing to Pythagoras) and I’m less fond of him than I am of wine and pies.

Pythagoras: (smiling) That’s probably the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me!

In the dungeons of Atlantis, Melas, the priest of Poseidon, visits Ariadne. Ariadne despairs that she has played right into Pasiphae’s hands, and once she is dead there will be nothing to keep Atlantis from the tyrannical rule of Pasiphae. Melas urges her to pray to the gods for help, but Ariadne has lost all hope and thinks the gods have abandoned her. Her last wish is that Melas attend to King Minos and make his final days as comfortable as they can be.

At the temple of Poseidon, Pasiphae’s prayers are interrupted by the Oracle, who calls her out on her evil deeds. Pasiphae isn’t worried by any of the Oracle’s words until the Oracle says that Pasiphe’s nemesis draws near.

Pasiphae: No, your riddles do not scare me.

Oracle: They should. For like you, he is touched by the gods.

Pasiphae: Touched by the gods or otherwise, if he seeks to interfere, he shall die, at my hand.

Oracle: Do not make the mistake of thinking it will be so easy for you to kill him.

With just a twinge of fear, Pasiphae asks who this person is, but the Oracle only tells her that she will know soon enough.

At their home, Jason, Pythagoras, and Hercules sharpen their weapons and load up for a rescue attempt, when suddenly there is a knock at the door. General Ramos steps in with his sword drawn, and accuses them of planning to rescue Ariadne. When Jason admits this, Ramos offers his help.

Ramos: The courtyard will be heavily guarded, you will never succeed…alone.

Jason visits the Oracle and tells her his intention of rescuing Ariadne. The Oracle smiles at seeing Jason’s decisiveness, when he had previously had to come ask her what to do. Jason admits that he has no idea what will happen even if they succeed; the plan only goes as far as getting Ariadne out of Atlantis. He thanks the Oracle for the many times she has helped him. As Jason prepares to go, the Oracle tells him that he might try hiding out in the silver mines of Pangeon in the mountains of Galena, since their enemies won’t think to look for him among the dead.

The people of Atlantis gather for Ariadne’s execution. Hercules stumbles around with a wineskin, pretending to be drunk. Ariadne is led out by the guards and executioners. When she is brought directly before the brazen bull, Ariadne loses her composure. Jason shoots a flaming arrow at Hercules’ wineskin, starting a fire that causes panic in the crowd. While the guards try to restore order, General Ramos offers to take the prisoner. He leads Ariadne to Jason, who quickly covers her with a cloak and runs off with her. The Atlantean guards quickly realize what Ramos has done and draw their swords. Ramos fights them off as the others escape. While the heroes free Ariadne and debate where to go next, the badly wounded Ramos catches up to them and leads them through the sewers, through which they can get out of the city. Knowing he is already mortally wounded; Ramos stays behind to hold off the pursuing guards. The others escape, but Heptarian kills Ramos.

Out of Atlantis, the heroes give Ariadne clothes for traveling. Jason tells the group what the Oracle told him. They all wonder what she meant about being “among the dead.”

Hercules: That’s the problem with these oracles, they only ever tell you half the story.

Pasiphae and Heptarian lead a group of soldiers to hunt down Ariadne.At the palace, Ione serves the poisoned drink to Minos, but Melas spies on her and finds out that the king is being poisoned. Melas tells the Oracle what he found. Though she had always felt Minos had no right to the throne, the Oracle is terrified at the prospect of Atlantis under Pasiphae’s rule. She tells Melas that Jason will be safe in the mines of Pangeon, since his father will be there to protect him.

In the silver mines, the heroes meet a group of robed figures and learn that they have entered a colony of lepers, who are considered "the living dead" by the rest of the world. When he sees the necklace Jason is wearing, Tychon, the leader of the lepers, asks him his name, and upon learning it, he tells them they can stay.

In Atlantis, Ione tries to give Minos another dose of poison, but Melas shoos her away by telling her that the gods demand he begin the sacred death rites for the king. Once Ione is gone, Melas gives Minos some sort of medicine.

Pasiphae and Heptarian track the heroes to the silver mines. Paisphae orders that Ariadne be captured so she can be executed in Atlantis, while the others should be killed where they stand.As the soldiers enter the mines, the lepers move to hold them off. Tychon shows Jason and his friends another way out of the mines that will takes them into the woods away from the soldiers. In the struggle, Heptarian is stabbed by one of the lepers.

Outside the mine, Pythagoras and Hercules get separated from Ariadne and Jason. Pasiphae soon catches up with the heroes and sends her soldiers to attack. Jason tries to hold them off while Ariadne runs away. When one of the soldiers catches up to Ariadne, she is forced to stab him. Another soldier quickly captures her, and Jason is knocked unconscious by the other soldiers. Before the soldiers can kill Jason, Pasiphae orders them to see to Ariadne, while she prepares to kill Jason herself. Just before Pasiphae can slit Jason’s throat, Tychon runs up and tells her to stop. He takes off his hood, and Pasiphae recognizes him as Aeson, her previous husband. To Pasiphae’s amazement, Aeson reveals that Jason is their son. Aeson explains that when Pasiphae helped Minos usurp the throne, Aeson took Jason away and hid him somewhere Pasiphae would never find him. Aeson says he kept the truth from Jason in the hopes that he would not be corrupted in an unending quest for power like Pasiphae was, for just like his mother, Jason has been touched by the gods. Pasiphae makes Aeson promise that he will never reveal the truth to Jason, and then leaves. Aeson revives Jason and helps carry him to Hercules and Pythagoras, not knowing that Heptarian is still on their trail.Aeson tries to tell Jason not to return to Atlantis, but Jason refuses to abandon Ariadne. Heptarian attacks Jason, but despite his wounds, Jason manages to kill Heptarian.

Ariadne is taken back to Atlantis in chains. Just as she is about to be put in the dungeons, King Minos storms out of the palace, to Pasiphae’s horror. Minos orders that Ariadne be set free at once. Pasiphae’s claims of Ariadne’s treason have no effect on him, and the guards don’t dare to defy their king.

By nightfall, Jason, Hercules, and Pythagoras return to Atlantis and prepare for yet another rescue attempt when they are met by Melas, who gives Jason a message from Ariadne.

Joyfully, Jason meets Ariadne in the temple of Poseidon, but before the two can speak, King Minos steps forward. Minos offers Jason a reward for saving Ariadne, and Jason says that knowing she is safe is reward enough. Minos regards Jason with suspicion.

Minos: Whatever feelings you may have for her, you must forget them. Ariadne is of royal blood. Nothing can ever happen between you.

Pasiphae confronts the Oracle and asks what she can see of Jason’s future. The Oracle predicts that one day Jason will destroy Pasiphae.

Hercules berates Jason for turning down the reward, but Jason reminds Hercules that he already admitted he was fond of him. As the heroes walk off down the streets of Atlantis, Pasiphae watches Jason uncertainly.

Tropes

• Breast Plate: Pasiphae’s leather armor has contours for her breasts.
• Beardness Protection Program: Jason mentions the Running Gag by telling Hercules not to suggest it when he asks for ideas on what to do. Hercules says he wasn’t going to suggest it, since Ariadne can’t grow a beard.
• Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: Inverted with Pasiphae, who as an evil mother cannot bring herself to kill her own son.
• The Guards Must Be Crazy: Jason, Pythagoras, and Hercules talk about their attempt to assassinate the queen and their plan to rescue Ariadne while standing in the center of town beside people setting up the brazen bull. Apparently, no one overhears the conversation except for Ramos, who fortunately is on their side.
• Heroic Second Wind: Jason is wounded after his fight with Pasiphae’s soldiers but recovers just enough to hold his own against Heptarian.
• I Surrender, Suckers: Out of desperation, Ariadne does this to one of the soldiers, asking for help after she has fallen, but stabbing the man when he moves to pick her up.
• It's All My Fault: Ariadne blames herself for giving Pasiphae a perfect excuse to get rid of her.
• I Want Them Alive!: Pasiphae orders that Ariadne be captured alive, wanting to execute her in front of the people of Atlantis.
• Keep the Reward: Jason turns down the reward that Minos offers him for saving Ariadne. Unfortunately, it causes Minos to guess Jason’s feelings for Ariadne and to tell him he can never be with her.
• Luke, You Are My Father: Aeson reveals to Pasiphae that that Jason is her son.
• Metaphorically True: The Oracle tells Jason to hide among the dead, and had previously told him that his father "walks among the dead." It turns out that Jason's father is living in a leper colony, which are shunned by civilization as though they were the living dead.
• The Reveal: Tychon is actually Aeson, Jason’s father, and Pasiphae is Jason’s mother, but neither of these secrets are revealed to Jason.
• Screw the Rules, I Make Them!: King Minos has Ariadne set free only on his word. Pasiphae’s claims that Ariadne has been found guilty of treason have no effect on him.
• Senseless Sacrifice: Averted. Jason wants to turn himself in, but Hercules argues that it would accomplish nothing.
• So Proud of You: Aeson tells Jason this in an indirect way, since Jason doesn’t know Aeson is his father.
• Standard Hero Reward: Averted. For rescuing Princess Ariadne Jason is offered a bag of gold, and when he tells King Minos to Keep the Reward Minos warns Jason that he and Ariadne can never be together.
• You Shall Not Pass!: Ramos holds off the pursuing guards as long as he can.