Recap / Atlantis S 2 E 7 A Fate Worse Than Death

Paisphae receives word that Jason is going to marry Ariadne. Pasiphae admonishes herself for her weakness in allowing Jason to live this long. Medea says it’s only reasonable, given that he is her son, but Pasiphae warns Medea that if Jason marries Ariadne, then Atlantis will be lost to Pasiphae forever.Ariadne is approached by Delmos, her new general. Delmos warns Ariadne that her marriage with Jason is a dangerous mistake that could cause her to lose support among the nobles. Ariadne declares that they will consult the gods and let them decide if the union is right or wrong.

Jason and Ariadne are told to go to the oracle to make a blood offering to the gods.Hercules is hopeful, reminding Pythagoras that Jason is technically a prince even though he doesn’t know it.

Pythagoras: That doesn’t mean the union will be blessed. Who can know the minds of the gods? They could shatter Jason’s hopes in an instant.

Hercules: Why would you say something like that?

The Oracle takes blood from Ariadne and Jason and goes into the forest that night to conduct a special rite. While she is gone, several ninja-like figures infiltrate Atlantis.

The next morning, the Oracle returns. She tells high priest Melas that the omens are good, and the union has been blessed by the gods. Melas goes to report the good news to the palace. The Oracle is then seized by the ninjas.Jason goes into the temple and sees the knife the Oracle left behind. He finds out what happened and tries to rescue the Oracle, but the ninjas knock him unconscious and take the Oracle away.

The heroes report what has happened and realize that Pasiphae must be doing this to stop the wedding from happening. Blame starts to be thrown around. The heroes question if Delmos did this, since they know he disapproves of the engagement.Jason suggests that the heroes investigate the temple of Hecate where Pasiphae was hiding out.

Cylix reports to Pasiphae, who is pleased with the results of their other agent in Atlantis. She then goes to visit the Oracle, who is locked in one of the cells. The Oracle calls out Pasiphae for her many misdeeds.

Oracle: You have betrayed everyone close to you. You usurped one husband, poisoned the other, and now you would have your own son killed so that you can take the throne.

The Oracle tries to reason with Pasiphae by invoking her motherly love for Jason, but Pasiphae rejects this. The Oracle says she pities Pasiphae, and these words break Pasiphae’s composure for a moment. Pasiphae grabs the Oracle by the throat, telling her to save her pity for herself. She releases the Oracle only to vaguely say she will soon find out why she should be worried.

Medea and General Goran look at the ruins of a fortress, and Medea says she will have to enter it alone, as it is too dangerous for anyone else.

In Atlantis, Ariadne and Melas discuss how the Oracle was abducted and conclude that there must be a traitor in the court.

The Oracle tells Pasiphae she’s only delaying the inevitable by holding her prisoner, but Pasiphae says she is going to solve her problem by killing the Oracle. The Oracle warns Pasiphae that to kill her would bring the god’s wrath down on her head for such sacrilege. Pasiphae coolly says that she can avoid the wrath of the gods by having the Oracle die at the hands of another. The Oracle claims no one would dare commit such an act, but Pasiphae just smiles and taunts the Oracle.

Pasiphae: At last it is I who sees the future. How you enjoyed taunting me with your prophecies. It must be strange for you to feel so blind. (As she goes to leave) Oh—you should be glad the gods don’t allow you to see your own fate.

General Goran is about to inspect a crate placed on a cart, but Medea screams and uses magic to hurl him away from the cart, saying that some things are best left unseen.

As the heroes make their way through the Kalabrian forest, Pythagoras wonders why the Oracle was abducted from the temple of Poseidon. Surely it would have been easier to abduct her when she went into the forest.

Medea returns to Pasiphae with the cart and the mysterious crate. Pasiphae tells Goran to remove all of the soldiers from the temple and go wait in the forest. Once the temple has been evacuated, Pasiphae and Medea open the crate and persuade the monster inside that it is safe to come out. Slowly, Medusa crawls out of the crate. Medusa says she has nearly lost her mind from her isolation, and that she will do one task for Pasiphae in exchange for a cure.

Pasiphae: Take another’s life, and I will end your misery.

Medusa: May the gods have mercy on me.

The heroes are surprised to see that the soldiers are camping in the forest but are able to find a way around them.Pasiphae tells Medusa that all she has to do is look at the person in the cell. The Oracle turns around and sees Medusa.

Seeing no guards at the temple, Hercules is sure they must be walking into a trap. The heroes walk into the temple to investigate and find the shattered remains of a stone statue that looks just like the Oracle. Pythagoras notes that only Medusa could have done this. Hercules rushes off to find Medusa. Jason mourns for the Oracle, but Pythagoras pulls him away by asking him to help find Hercules.

Hercules hears sobbing and rushes to find Medusa. He is amazed to see that Medusa is no longer a gorgon. Pasiphae cured Medusa somehow, but at the cost of the Oracle’s life.

Medusa: I didn’t know it was going to be her, I swear. I just wanted to be with you. To look on you with my own eyes.

Hercules blames himself for all that has happened. Suddenly, he hears Pythagoras calling. Hercules tells Medusa to run away, since she will surely be punished for killing the Oracle. Medusa is willing to face such punishment, but Hercules begs her to go hide in the old hunting lodge where they once stayed together. Distraught, Medusa flees before Pythagoras and Jason can see her. When they arrive, Hercules lies and tells them that he couldn’t find Medusa.In Atlantis, Jason informs Ariadne that the Oracle is dead. To Hercules’ dismay, Jason admits that Medusa killed the Oracle. When Ariadne demands that Medusa be brought before them Hercules begs for mercy on her behalf, but Melas declares that no mercy can be given for such a blasphemous crime.

At home, Hercules is so depressed that he can’t eat. Pythagoras tries to talk to him, and Hercules insists that Medusa shouldn’t be considered guilty of the Oracle’s murder, since Pasiphae must have coerced her to do it. Pythagoras notes that they haven’t seen Medusa in a long time and despair might have changed her from the person they knew and loved. Hercules growls that Pythagoras knows nothing and should leave him alone.Pythagoras then goes to talk to Jason, who is just as despondent as Hercules. Jason blames himself for the Oracle’s death since this happened as a result of his engagement to Ariadne.

Jason goes to talk to Ariadne and asks her if they should cancel the engagement.

Ariadne: The Oracle has paid with her life so that I might marry for love. If we don’t, she will have given her life for nothing.

Jason: This won’t be the end of it. You know there are some that will never accept our marriage.

Ariadne: It seems that whatever we do there will be suffering. Surely that is why we must do what is right?

Jason: You see, I am no longer sure I know what that is.

Ariadne: The only thing I am completely sure of is that I love you with all my heart.

Jason still fears that their marriage will only put Ariadne at greater risk, but she says she will have him to share the burden and they will be stronger together.

Ariadne visits Melas to schedule a date for the wedding. The priest objects, pointing out that without the Oracle to give the gods’ blessing, the people will never accept the union between Ariadne and Jason. Ariadne refuses to be cowed by Pasiphae and insists on going forward. With a troubled expression, Melas urges Ariadne to take more time to consider the match, but Ariadne is adamant that her mind is set.

Pythagoras catches Hercules leaving home with a sack full of food.Cilix discusses Ariadne’s upcoming wedding with Melas. It is revealed that Melas is the mole in Atlantis who Pasiphae mentioned earlier. Melas is furious that the Oracle was murdered, as that was not part of his plan, but Cilix orders Melas to stop the wedding. Since Melas is Poseidon’s priest, he could claim that the gods are against the marriage. When Melas looks uneasy, Cilix warns him that he will lose everything he holds dear if he fails.

Hercules returns home and Pythagoras suspiciously asks him what he’s been up to. Suddenly Cilix arrives with the Atlantean guard and arrests Jason on suspicion of murdering the Oracle.

Pythagoras realizes why Pasiphae’s agents didn’t abduct the Oracle when she was in the woods: they had no reason to abduct her until they knew that the gods had blessed the marriage. If the gods hadn’t blessed the marriage, Pasiphae wouldn’t need to do anything to stop the marriage from happening. Since the first person the Oracle spoke to upon returning was the high priest, Pythagoras deduces that Melas must have betrayed the Oracle.

Jason is dragged into the palace in chains. Cilix hastily warns Melas to stand firm in his authority, since Ariadne will obviously try to free Jason. Ariadne is awakened by Delmos and storms into the courtroom. When Ariadne asks what possible motive Jason could have to kill the Oracle, Melas lies and says that the Oracle had told him that the gods had rejected the marriage, so Jason must have silenced the Oracle to keep this a secret so that he could still marry Ariadne. To prove his point, Melas has a servant at the temple report that he saw Jason at the temple holding the Oracle’s knife.Jason realizes the truth and accuses Melas of betraying the Oracle. When Ariadne orders Jason to be freed, Melas accuses her of abusing her power. For a moment, the Atlantean guards aren’t sure whose orders they should obey.

Melas: The gods have been blasphemed. You would deny them vengeance?

Ariadne: I know Jason to be innocent.

Melas: That is not for you to decide. It is for the gods and those who speak for them. It is for the priests to pass judgment.

Ariadne: I do not seek to deny vengeance, but it must be brought on those who committed the crime.

Melas: You claim to speak for the gods on this matter?!

Ariadne: I speak as queen, As servant to Poseidon.

Melas: You say you are Poseidon’s servant, yet you refute those who would do his will. We all answer to the gods, even you. But perhaps you no longer believe that. You believe yourself to be above the gods?

The court looks on in stunned silence. Ariadne seemingly gives in, but icily says that everyone answers to the gods, and everyone must face judgment.Melas sentences Jason to death. Jason is so deadened by this betrayal that he doesn’t even resist or shed a tear as the guards drag him away.

Tropes

• Big "NO!": Medea yells this as she stops Goran from looking at Medusa.
• Bond Villain Stupidity: Pasiphae’s assassins knock Jason out while kidnapping the Oracle, but don’t bother kidnapping Jason or finishing him off, which would also stop the wedding.
• The Bus Came Back: Medusa returns for the first time in the second season.
• Dude, Where's My Respect?: This episode reveals that the city of Atlantis has very little respect for Jason. Despite having killed the Minotaur, recovered the Palladium, fought off the Colchian army, represented Atlantis at the coronation games, and saved Ariadne’s life multiple times, the nobles reject him as a potential husband for the Queen and are easily convinced by Melas of Jason’s guilt.
• The Eeyore: Pythagoras worries that the gods might ruin Jason’s hopes.
• Heroic BSoD: Jason goes through this when he realizes that Melas betrayed the Oracle.
• Love Is a Weakness: Pasiphae considers herself weak for sparing Jason. Medea points out that it’s perfectly understandable that Pasiphae didn’t want to kill her own son, but Pasiphae feels that her desire for power should now take precedent over family.
• No Self-Buffs: Pasiphae taunts the Oracle by asking if it was her destiny to be captured. The Oracle retorts that she can’t see her own fate, only those of others.
• No-Sell: Medusa’s gaze doesn’t work on Pasiphae or Medea since, like Jason, they have been touched by the gods.
• Screw the Rules, I Make Them!: Averted. Ariadne’s attempt to marry Jason is stopped by the council of nobles, who reject this match. Ariadne then attempts to appeal to a higher power by having the Oracle consult the gods, figuring that if the gods themselves approve of the match, the nobles won’t be able to speak against it anymore.
  • Ariadne tries to have Jason released, but Melas abuses his authority as High Priest and claims that Ariadne is misusing her authority.
• Taken for Granite: The Oracle is turned to stone by Medusa’s gaze, and then her statue is smashed for good measure.
• Wham Episode: Is it ever! The Oracle is killed by Medusa, Medusa wishes she were dead, Jason is sentenced to death, and Ariadne is powerless to help him, despite being queen.