Thursday, July 23, 2015

Atlantis, Season 2, Episode 11: Kin



Injured Jason is still hiding in the forest, Medea not having told Pasiphae’s forces. She keeps trying to convince Pasiphae to play happy families with Jason. Pasiphae is conflicted.

Jason’s-friends-who-he-doesn’t-deserve are looking for him and Hercules, who is (again) far too good for Jason feels terribad that he didn’t hang around the man who murdered his beloved, used her head as a weapon and didn’t even kill the big bad with it. Pythagoras does his best to cut through Hercules’s sadness. They go looking for him, Ariadne impressing Aeson with her intimate knowledge of Jason’s feet. Aeson also speaks up in defence of his son going all evil because he has mummy issues.

In Atlantis, Pasiphae is holding some murderous Arena battles to try to placate the people. Medea, who clearly has not been paying attention, looks all shocked at the cruel murders for entertainment Pasiphae orders. Medea must have memory problems.


And Pasiphae’s soldiers do find, capture and imprison Jason. Pasiphae tries to invoke the loving bond of motherhood (and dark god linkiness). Jason seems to agree with her as she decides she can’t possibly kill her son.

Of course, her whole plot to bring Ariadne down involved accusing Jason of killing the Oracle – so Cilix wants to know when they’re firing up the bull and having an execution. Pasiphae delays with Medea backing her with vague omens to give them reason to consult the Oracle

To Oracle #2 who demands Jason be spared – Pasiphae is happy about this but Cilix point out the people expect Jason to be punished for the crime she framed him for. Cilix wants to know WHY the gods have spared Jason to calm the people – Pasiphae agrees and Melas warns Pasiphae that Oracle #2 can only tell the truth. Pasiphae agrees and Oracle #2 gives the reason – a mother killing her son is abominable

They decline to mention Jason actually being innocent. But Jason being Pasiphae’s son is alive – but Cilix won’t let it drop and Pasiphae eventually agrees to put Jason in the Arena. Cilix blames Pasiphae playing nice on Medea.

Medea tries to reassure Jason that his mother is totally on his side and he’s now going to fight in the arena. It’s not like it’s his first time.

Back to the friends and after much debate, Aeson decides he’s going to sneak into Atlantis and Pythagoras gives him a note to take to Icarus; Icarus tells Aeson his son is due in the arena and helps him get a job removing bodies from the sand.


Jason and a fellow captive are brought out to fight the champion – and Jason and the captive, after some off behaviour on Jason’s part, used the chain as a weapon before Jason beats the champion without a weapon, then take’s the champion’s weapon, Gets a bit cut up by a hidden knife and finally, to no-one’s surprise, kills the champion. The crowd are quite pleased by his but Jason still collapses afterwards – to be taken away by Aeson.

Jason recognises Aeson but doesn’t know him – Aeson demands he use his mystical son powers to recognise his dad. Pfft, there’s a reason paternity tests were invented. Anyway Jason is confessed so now daddy tries to draw him back from the dark side.

At least he’s earned the respect of his fellow captive who he fought alongside. In the next battle Jason faces two opponents who nearly kill him – except for Medea’s use of magic. Hey someone call the bookies, she’s totally cheating! Aeson continues his plea for the lightside. Honestly, I’m not (entirely) evil and I’d find him really annoying by now. Jason has a much higher tolerance for nattering jiminy crickets and actually listens to him and, presumably turn good

I can tell because when Aeson says “I will keep you safe as I’ve always tried to do”, Jason didn’t call bullshit on the man who abandoned him then let him wander around an alien culture (hey, remember that Jason is actually supposed to be from 21st century Earth? No? Nor do the writers). He gives Jason a potion to drink to help fake his own death.

Meanwhile Icarus visits Daedalus who is suspicious that he’s not dead since he was going to be hanged – he knows Icarus has been up to shenanigans to keep Daedalus alive.

Jason’s “corpse” is removed by Aeson (stabbing a guard in the process), leaving behind his fellow fighter. Icarus follows and watches as they go to the body put and Jason has to fight and kill several soldiers presumably warned by him. Aeson is injured – but with Hercules’s help they escape.

Hercules and Jason have a big friends moment – which, much as I think Jason needs a heft smack upside the head (I’m willing to play “woo-woo made him do it”) is a nice one. They go back to their camp so Jason can be sad!panda over his dying dad.

Goran, Pasiphae’s minion, reports to Pasiphae and she is now furious – yelling at Medea and driving her out for letting Pasiphae think she had a bond with Jason (who she thinks chose his father over her. Which he did. But, to be honest, it wasn’t exactly much of a choice given all the evil of evilness). She the collapses in tears over her son not wanting to be most evil of them all.







All this nifty instant magic Pasiphae and Medea have been throwing around in the last few episodes… where was it? I mean, sure Pasiphae could desperately cast a ritual to raise lots of dead but other than that she hasn’t been one for throwing out insta-magic.


Can I pretend the last few episodes didn’t happen, that I didn’t have to endure evil-Jason, dead Medusa et al.

I also want to know why Oracle #2 didn't mention the whole innocence thing. Or why the gods are so outraged by the death of Oracle #1 they didn't point a finger at Pasiphae?