Recap / Atlantis S 2 E 10 The Dying Of The Light

The heroes are hiding out in the forest. Pythagoras informs the group that a patrol is on the way and they need to move camp. Jason decides to stay and fight rather than flee. Hercules is unwilling to go with him. With some help from Pythagoras and Ariadne, Jason wipes out the patrol. The last Atlantean soldier throws down his sword and kneels before Ariadne, saying he never wanted to work for Pasiphae, but Jason kills him against Ariadne’s orders.Hercules sarcastically congratulates Jason on killing more people, which won’t even keep them safe, since the next patrol will find the signs of the struggle and guess where they are. Hercules provokes Jason to lash out at him and suggests that he take his head like he did Medusa’s. When Jason cuts Hercules on the face with his sword, Pythagoras stops them before they kill each other, and the group leaves to find another hiding place.

In Atlantis, Queen Pasiphae is paranoid about what Jason will do next, now that he knows that she is his mother and that he is the rightful heir to the throne. Medea tries to calm Pasiphae by pointing out that since he is touched by the gods, Jason will be drawn to them, and perhaps he will join their side.

Medea: I remember when I first became aware of my powers, I was so frightened. I could feel the darkness around me.

Pasiphae: I remember that too.

Medea: That’s how Jason feels right now. He will come to us.

Pasiphae doesn’t believe that Jason will ever join her side, and states that her orders stand: Jason must be killed. Medea is upset by these orders.

Taking refuge in a ravine, Ariadne tries to talk to Jason, but receives only the coldest replies, as Jason says he is sick of taking orders.

Ariadne: I never saw you as someone to order around. You know that. I have also never seen you as a cold-hearted killer. What you learned about Pasiphae…it must have been a great shock. But you cannot let it change who you are. The Jason I know and love…

Jason: I don’t want any company.

While Pythagoras applies a poultice to the cut on his face, Hercules looks at Jason with loathing. The thought that Medusa gave her life for this awful situation is more than he can bear.

Hercules: She sacrificed her own life so that we might live in peace. What good did it do?

Pythagoras: It is hard to tell at the moment.

Hercules: Pasiphae is still on the throne. Atlantis lies in ruin. And we’re fugitives, stuck in a forest with no food, no medicine. Just a stark raving lunatic for company.

Pythagoras: It is as the Oracle foretold. Now that Jason knows the truth about his mother, his heart is blackened.

Hercules: Then there’s nothing we can do. He is lost to us forever.

That night, Jason dreams that he follows a crow to find Medea. He awakens to see Ariadne bending over him with concern, but he rejects her assistance and walks off.The next morning, Ariadne, Pythagoras, and Hercules discuss what to do about Jason. Pythagoras decides to sneak back into Atlantis and see if Melas has any ideas.

In Atlantis, Pythagoras gets help from Icarus. Because of the strict curfew put on the city, they can’t move around at dark, but Icarus arranges for both of them to be smuggled by the gong farmer, the one person who is required to do their job at night despite the curfew. Eventually Pythagoras is able to reach Melas and tell him what has happened to Jason. Melas suggests that they consult the Oracle. Cassandra tells them that nothing can exist without its opposite: if Jason’s mother’s love is drawing him towards darkness, the only thing that can draw him back towards the light is his father’s love. Pythagoras is confused, since he thought the previous Oracle told Jason that his father was dead. Melas explains that what she had said was that he “walks among the dead,” which is Metaphorically True, since Jason’s father is living in a colony of lepers, and therefore shunned by society as one of the living dead.

Icarus helps Pythagoras get out of Atlantis, and then goes to visit Daedalus, who has been thrown in the dungeons. Upon learning that Daedalus is scheduled to be hanged tomorrow, Icarus goes to General Goran and pleads with him to spare Daedalus in exchange for information about Ariadne. When he learns that Ariadne’s followers are on their way to the silver mines of Pangeon, Goran agrees not to hang Daedalus, but he refuses to set him free.

When Pasiphae hears the news from Goran, she immediately realizes that Pythagoras is looking for Aeson. She tells him to send soldiers to find Pythagoras and follow him back to where Ariadne and Jason are hiding. Medea listens with concern.

Pythagoras tells Aeson what has happened. Aeson explains that those who are touched by the gods are more susceptible to corruption. Aeson doesn’t believe that he can help Jason since there isn’t a strong bond between them. He thinks it better that Jason continues to believe his father is dead.

Around the campfire, Ariadne tries to raise morale by making dinner, but Jason is too depressed to eat, and wanders off, saying that Pythagoras has probably been killed. Ariadne talks to Hercules about how Medusa sacrificed herself to save Ariadne. Hercules acknowledges that it was Medusa’s choice (and he’s just as angry at her about it as he is with Jason), but he still finds it hard to forgive Jason for what happened.

Pythagoras leaves Aeson, angrily accusing him of deserting Jason at a time when he desperately needs help.

Jason has another dream about Medea in which she smiles at him and tells him she means him no harm.

Pythagoras prepares to leave the silver mines. Aeson changes his mind and decides to go with him.

Inspired by Ariadne, Hercules tries to talk to Jason.

Hercules: I do not wish to fight with you. Whatever has happened, we should not be turning knives on each other. I cannot deny my anger…

Jason: Then don’t.

Hercules: …but it was wrong of me to take it out on you.

Jason: I understand. After all, I killed her.

Hercules: She agreed to it?

Jason: She agreed. There was no struggle.

Hercules: Was there not…another way? Any other way? I loved her.

Jason: And I’m sure that she loved you. But she’s gone now. Life moves on.

Goran tells Paisphae that Pythagoras has been found. She decides to go with the soldiers to deal with Jason personally. Medea looks increasingly worried. As the soldiers head out, Medea sneaks off into the forest on her own.

After his failed attempt to reconnect with Jason, Hercules has had enough and prepares to leave, despite Ariadne’s pleas.

Hercules: In my head, I know he is not himself, but I don’t have the strength to stop my gut, and my gut just wants to kill him. I’m sorry it has come to this.

Pythagoras and Aeson find Jason and Ariadne, but before they can talk, Pasiphae attacks. During the fighting, Jason and Ariadne are separated and Jason is wounded. Before the soldiers can finish Jason off, Medea appears and saves him.While running from the soldiers, Ariadne is pulled into a hidden alcove, where Hercules is hiding. The two of them sneak away together.

Goran tries to assure Pasiphae that Jason could not have survived his wound, but she is furious that Jason can’t be found and strangles Goran with magic for a moment before releasing him and storming off.

Medea uses her magic to heal Jason’s wound. Upon awaking, Jason regards Medea with confusion. She tells him to rest, though he wonders if he should be sleeping with one eye open.

Hercules and Medea find Pythagoras and Aeson and are astounded to learn that Aeson is Jason’s father.

Jason asks Medea why she saved him, and she says that their blessing from the gods draws them together. It isn’t safe for them to linger, but Jason asks where they can go, since Pasiphae wants him dead. When asked if she wants him dead, Medea does not answer, and the two of them kiss.

Tropes

• Exact Words: The Oracle’s words about Jason’s father are finally made clear.
  • Goran says he will not hang Daedalus if Icarus gives him information about Ariadne, but as Goran points out to Icarus, he never said that he would set Daedalus free.
• Forgotten Phlebotinum: It is never made clear what happened to Medusa’s head, but the heroes no longer have it to use as a weapon.
• Hope Spot: When Hercules tries to apologize to Jason they seem to be connecting for a moment. But when Jason talks about Medusa’s death coldly and without any empathy for Hercules, the wedge between them only gets worse.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Jason executes a soldier who surrendered, even ignoring Ariadne’s orders to spare him. Though granted, the last couple times Jason spared an enemy's life it didn’t end well.
• Pietà Plagiarism: Medea holds Jason this way while she heals his wound.
• Psychic Strangle: Pasiphae does a non-lethal version of this to Goran when he fails to kill Jason.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Hercules finally reaches his breaking point with Jason and leaves the group.
• Senseless Sacrifice: As Hercules points out, Medusa’s sacrifice ended up accomplishing little. While using her head allowed Jason to rescue Ariadne, he failed to defeat Pasiphae, and now that Jason has learned the truth about himself he has become heartless to those around him.
• Took a Level in Badass: Ariadne has previously been shown to be skilled with a bow, but this episode has her adapting to life in the wilderness. She is shown whittling new arrows out of branches and fighting effectively in close quarter combat.
• Trail of Bread Crumbs: Hercules and Pythagoras have a system of marking trails with pinecones to communicate where they are headed.
• Vagueness Is Coming: Subverted. After giving a typical prophecy with lots of ambiguous language, Cassandra clearly explains to Pythagoras what it means.
• Villainous Rescue: Medea saves Jason’s life by incapacitating two soldiers who were attacking him and healing him from a sword wound.
• What the Hell, Hero?: Ariadne calls Jason out for killing a defenseless soldier who wanted to join them.