Ariadne has a big ceremony that may be a coronation,
presentation or just an excuse to get the shiny gems out. Afterwards she’s more
concerned with Pasiphae not being dead or in a dungeon (or both, but that tends
to get a bit whiffy after a while) as she tells Dion. Worse they can’t find any
allies because no-one’s that impressed with Atlantis that can’t even capture
one woman. On top of that, the Coronation Games are scheduled and have to go
ahead without looking terrible. Dion thinks Jason should be their Champion
because they really need to win. Ariadne thinks it’s a bad plan.
Pythagoras and Hercules also think it’s a bad idea
because Jason and Ariadne pining over each other in the star crossed lovers
manner is just so damn nauseating. Hercules also reminds Jason that people do
actually die in Greek games, but Jason’s mind is made up.
Hercules acts out and spills the secret of Jason’s
parentage to Pythagoras – including that they can’t tell Jason or he will turn
to the dark side of the force. Which is a shame because as the son of Pasiphae
Jason is technically royal so could marry Ariadne. Hmmm evil and married, good
and pining love sick puppy? Choices choices….
While in the forest training, they hear combat and see a
man being attacked by a gang of random brigands. They rush in to save him
(continuing their impressive skill that they’ve acquired this season) and
manage to save the man being attacked – Telemon, one of the competitors in the
games. For reasons that escape me they decide to take him home and let him stay
while waiting for the games.]
Hercules is a quick convert to Telemon’s side because of his gift of wine but Pythagoras is more suspicious – especially since Telemon has apparently come to Atlantis with no travel supplies at all.
The games begin with the contestants being presented (they’ve
remembered to include not just POC warriors, but a woman warrior as well). And
to confirm Pythagoras’s suspicions, Telemon is presented as a prince. Still Hercules
tries to handwave it
Of course, a suddenly appearing prince has to be welcomed
at the palace where Ariadne learns Telemon’s excuse of not being there with his
father’s approval, wanting to escape the trappings of royalty and also flirt
with Ariadne if possible (which also shakes the whole idea of his father not
approving since apparently daddy wants to have an alliance backed by marriage).
Some fighting in the arena where Jason does well and then
some intrigue behind the scenes, Areto, the female warrior, recognises Telemon
as a prisoner from some salt mines – but he denies it. She wins her bout but is
injured during it. Pythagoras goes to see her, helping her with her injury and
learning that she is sure she met Telemon before. Telemon overhears their
discussion.
Telemon wins his bout as well before going on to tell
Jason that he wants to win Ariadne’s hand in marriage but he’ll totally
remember Jason is his friend. Uh-huh, rub that salt in a little harder.
That night Jason wallows in moping and Pythagoras tells
Hercules his suspicions of Telemon, and points out Areto had a brand from the
salt mine on her wrist; Hercules noticed that Telemon wears and archer’s brace
on his wrist despite it being the wrong hand and him not being an archer.
Telemon is in the palace continuing to try and win
Ariadne’s favour making it clear that while there’s lots of political advantage
to the marriage, he also wants an emotional connection because he’s sweet like
that. He is also so completely evil he may as well have horns. Anyway Ariadne
is all conflicted and consults Dion who basically says that it’s a great idea
politically and saying no because of Jason is kind of not good for the city.
Back to the training barracks, Areto is predictably dead
(I thought Telemon would kill her in combat but there was no way she was going
to live through this). Telemon puts her death down to her weak and fragile
femaleness. Pythagoras is much more suspicious – though Hercules has lots of
doubts and is unwilling to accuse a prince.
More fighting where the obvious person wins against the
random extra, more suspicion from Pythagoras about Telemon, more of Telemon
telling Jason how much he’s going to marry Ariadne.
Pythagoras confronts Telemon and he does have a brand –
but he explains he ran away from home when very young and made silly mistakes
and his father insisted he be treated like everyone else who did illegal
shenanigans. A random extra appears to conform Telemon’s story. Pythagoras is
still not happy and still suspicious. Hercules warns Pythagoras against pushing
it even though he shares the suspicions.
More of Telemon/Ariadne flirting and Telemon realising
she loves someone else but she may love him in the future.
Jason wins another battle but is cut this time. Ariadne
naturally goes to visit the shirtless Jason so they can have more star-crossed
angst.
Back to the arena and Telemon wins against his supportive
extra who looks very unhappy about it. Hercules joins the man, Leonidas, in the
barracks and all but accuses him of throwing the match since he made many
rookie mistakes. Hercules has an excellent fatherly demeanour and pushes the
other man to admit that he threw the match because Telemon paid him.
Hercules and Pythagoras realise Telemon did it to ensure
he could face – and kill – Jason, the only competition for Ariadne’s
affections. Of course Jason won’t listen to them because story! While Telemon
continues to press Ariadne adding how doomed she and Jason are.
To the arena and it’s Telemon and Jason (and Telemon with
a hidden blade). Lots of fighting and Telemon tries to use his hidden dagger –
but that fails because Jason is made of awesome and covered in awesome sauce.
Jason wins. I’m sure we’re all shocked. Telemon declares Jason was just lucky
just in case we missed that he was a bad guy. Jason is now champion (you’re
shocked, right?)
Telemon still hasn’t given up on marriage and goes to see
Ariadne being all humble and nice – and Ariadne accepts her proposal.
Even if Jason is royal, he’s still a terrible match for
Ariadne – Atlantis needs allies, the queen marrying on of her subjects is
politically useless.
I also really doubt the whole idea of a prince showing up
at a city, without entourage or apparent accreditation and announcing “I’m
totally a prince” and being taken at his word. Or, for that matter, his lack of
entourage not being seen as some kind of insult (shouldn’t you bring a fruit
basket or something?). But then, I also doubt a master plan that involves “I
will murder her lover so she’ll love me”.
I feel that this whole episode was… predictable. Every
fight was predicted. Telemon being evil was predictable (honestly, the man
being good and decent would have made for a far more involved conflict), Jason,
Pythagoras, Hercules – all predictable. It wasn’t bad – but if I said “Atlantis
episode, prince out to marry Ariadne competing, Jason competing –predict!” I
think most people would have easily written this recap without watching the
episode. It wasn’t an awful episode… but it wasn’t special. In fact, didn’t we
already do “evil
guy in the arena fights and tries to kill Jason because he wants Ariadne”
in season 1? Heptarian and the pankration?
I think Areto was sorely underused and this series badly
needs an active woman, an active POC (Ariadne is a WOC but she doesn’t DO
anything) and Areto, clearly standing out in that arena, could have been a
wonderful addition to the cast other than a briefly appearing and easily
discarded tool.
I am getting a creepy suspicion from these three episodes
that Atlantis is using fight scenes – which are well done, well choreographed
scenes (and I especially like how they do things like use shields as weapons.
Unfortunately Jason also keeps doing these ridiculous jumping “stab-me-in-the-stomach”
leaps) – to pad the episodes. They’re nice scenes. They’re well done scenes –
but they’re also numerous and lengthy.
