Jason, Hercules, and Pythagoras go hunting and are surprised to find an abandoned baby boy.The heroes take the baby back to Atlantis with them and do their best to make him comfortable.Jason goes out to find food at the market, and meets Medusa, who tells him that King Laius of Thebes is visiting the Atlantean court.
Laius and Minos return from hunting, and Pasiphae offers Laius several compliments. Ariadne casts shade on Pasiphae for flirting with Laius, and notes that the Queen of Thebes looks very unhappy. Pasiphae tells Ariadne that it takes time to grow into the role of queen.
Medusa helps Jason find the things he needs to care for a baby, and they return to Hercules’ house. Hercules is delighted to see Medusa, and waves Jason and Pythagoras out so he can be alone with her. Medusa helps calm the baby and then leaves. Medusa comes back to get her cloak and overhears Hercules talking to the baby about how much he loves Medusa, but how he feels he can’t tell her his feelings due to his age and appearance.Jason and Pythagoras examine the ground where they found the baby and see a piece of pottery. An old man watches them as they work.They come home to find Hercules has fallen asleep with the baby. Pythagoras pieces together the bits of pottery and finds it to be a toy baby rattle shaped like a pig. On this evidence, Pythagoras guesses that the child must have been from a wealthy family.
At the Atlantean court, when Pasiphae praises the gods, the Theban Queen implies that the gods look on King Laius unfavorably. Pasiphae suggests that she go hunting with King Laius tomorrow. Laius is surprised by this.
- Pasiphae: Was not Artemis herself a woman?Ariadne: Of course, but her prey had four legs, did it not?
The three heroes are adapting to life with the baby, who seems to like Hercules best. Jason goes to the market to get food for the baby and sees the Atlantean guards searching the streets. He returns to the house to find Medusa is there, and she tells him the baby is the son of King Laius. She doesn’t know why Laius wants his son dead but speculates the baby might have been born out of wedlock. Guards arrive and start pounding on the door. Medusa tells the heroes to escape out the window and hide out at the tavern while she delays the guards.
After interrogating Medusa, Tiresias allows her to leave for work, but he finds the repaired pig toy as soon as she has left.
The heroes are pursued by the Atlantean guards across the ramparts. Jason wraps the baby to him in a bundle so he can escape the guards by making an acrobatic leap across the rooftops. Hercules helps Pythagoras make the leap but doesn’t try it himself. The guards pursue Hercules, who breaks through a door and manages to give the guards the slip. After some close calls, Pythagoras and Jason take the baby to the tavern and hide in the cellar.
The pig toy is brought to King Laius to prove that the baby has been found. When Laius shows regret, Pasiphae reminds him he had no choice but to abandon the baby. The city is sealed off so no one can get out, and Tiresias bribes a man to follow Medusa.
Hercules arrives at the tavern to help take care of the baby, but unfortunately, he couldn’t bring any food.Medusa arrives, followed by Tiresias and several Theban soldiers. Hercules is ready to die defending the child, but the mother of the child steps forward: Queen Jocasta. Tiresias explains that the Oracle had predicted a terrible fate for the child: if the boy lived, he would one day kill his own father. Laius had therefore ordered the child to be abandoned. Hercules returns the baby to Jocasta, but Tiresias tells her that the baby must be taken outside the city. Jason volunteers to carry the baby to safety, and Hercules insists on going too. Tiresias tells them to make for the city of Zephlon, where soldiers of Jocasta’s father will take the baby. Tiresias says he can order the garrison at one of the gates to be reduced to make it easier for Jason and Hercules to escape the city. Jocasta gives her baby one last kiss, and Medusa gives Hercules a kiss, much to his surprise.
- Hercules: What was that for?Medusa: For being a good man.
The heroes approach the gates but see there are too many guards for them to slip out. Jason tries borrowing some laundry to disguise himself as an old woman, but the guards see through his disguise and chase him. Jason knocks down a few guards, but the rest of them have him trapped and are about to seize the bundle, only to find that it contains nothing but a watermelon. Jason escapes over the rooftops.
Meanwhile, Pythagoras and Hercules have slipped out of the city with the baby. Jason catches up with them the next morning and lights a fire to send a smoke signal to Tiresias, letting him know that they have escaped. Jocasta asks Tiresias why he helped her when he is loyal to Laius. Tiresias tells her that sometimes conscience comes before duty.
The heroes deliver the baby to his new foster father in Zephlon. When the soldier asks the boy’s name, Pythagoras suggests that he be named Oedipus, because of his swollen foot. Hercules approves of this name, but Jason is suddenly disturbed, as the name sounds familiar to him, and wonders if they did the right thing. Tearfully, Hercules hands Oedipus to his new father.
Tiresias tells Laius and Pasiphae that the boy is dead. Laius sadly orders libations to be poured for the gods. The Thebans leave Atlantis, and Ariadne teases Pasiphae over her relationship with Laius.
Hercules tells Pythagoras and Jason that Medusa kissed him. He joyfully goes off to tell her he’s back, and Jason and Pythagoras jokingly speculate how a relationship between Hercules and Medusa could possibly go wrong.
Tropes
- Bait-and-Switch: Jason and Pythagoras are hiding in the cellar while the baby won’t stop crying. Footsteps approach as ominous music plays, and the camera pans up to reveal…Hercules, come to take care of the baby.
- Tiresias initially appears to be searching for the baby so that Laius can have him killed. When he finally finds the baby, he reveals that he was searching for it on Queen Jocasta’s behalf, to save its life.
- Deadpan Snarker: Ariadne manages a great amount of snarking at Pasiphae this episode.
- Hey, Wait!: After Medusa is interrogated about whether she’s seen the baby, she surreptitiously hides the pig toy while she asks if she can go to work. As she is leaving, she is suddenly told to wait…because she forgot her shawl. Subverted when the incriminating evidence is found as soon as Medusa leaves.
- Papa Wolf: Hercules starts to act this way towards the people threatening the baby.
- Still Got It: Hercules says this to himself after he tricks the guards and escapes.
- Toilet Humor: As it’s an episode about a baby, there are a few dirty diaper jokes.
- You Can't Fight Fate: As the baby turns out to be Oedipus, this will be the likely outcome.
