Atlantis S1E2 - "A Girl By Any Other Name" Recap
Jason visits the Oracle, frustrated by his not knowing what his place is in Atlantis and not understanding these grand prophecies about him. She advises him to learn to trust himself and that she must protect him above all else. She tells him that with time, all will become clear.
Hercules gets drunk and falls asleep when he's supposed to be guarding some frankincense. After relaying this bad news to Jason and Pythagoras, someone knocks on their door. It is a man who has come to Atlantis in search of his daughter, Demetria. She had apparently gotten a job at the palace but upon visiting there, he was told that she has gone missing. He seeks their help in finding her. Hercules tries to get the man to pay them and the man is prepared to give all that he has, which is very little, as he is getting old and wants to see his daughter again before he dies. Jason, being too noble to turn the man away, agrees to do all he can to help.
Jason is snuck into the palace by a servant to get information regarding Demetria but is caught by Princess Ariadne. She warns him that he is not supposed to be in the palace but simply tells him to go before someone sees him and wishes him well in finding Demetria. The servant brings Jason to another servant who was the last one to see Demetria alive. She eventually agrees to take Jason to the place where she would go to gather herbs. When they head into the forest, the woman pulls a knife on Jason but he fends off her attack. The woman tries to run and Jason chases after her. She drinks some poison and tells Jason that Demetria is in a better place, and a god will come for her. The woman dies in Jason's arms and he spots the empty bottle of poison. The creature from the top of the episode watches him from afar.
Pythagoras tells Jason that the poison is hemlock. They realise that the woman was a maenad. Maenads are rabid followers of the god Dionysus. take young girls to recruit them into their cult and that Demetria must be in their temple.
We see the woman from the beginning of the episode fiddle with some candle wax in a cell before being taken out to take part in a ritual. There are several maenads chanting and they throw a man into a dark pit. The woman appears to take part in the chanting, but it is implied that she is only doing so to bide time until she can find a way out.
Jason relays the bad news to Demetria's father that she has been taken by the maenads. He is now bed-ridden and even more distraught. Jason is determined to go after Demetria and Pythagoras has already agreed to join him. Hercules is against the idea until he spots the merchant whose frankincense he lost, after which he decides to join them to avoid him and other debt collectors. The trio set off in search of the temple. That night, Hercules follows after a woman while the others sleep. As it turns out, it's actually one of the strange creatures and he finds himself surrounded by maenads. He runs away and encounters the woman from the top of the episode. She warns him to keep quiet so as to avoid being caught by the creatures. She then cuts her hand and puts the blood on her mouth and heads back to the maenads while Hercules stays hidden. She tells them that she drank Hercules' blood and sacrificed him as an offering to Dionysus.
The next morning, Jason and Pythagoras find that Hercules is missing. They eventually find him and he tells them what happened the previous night. Hercules is determined to rescue the woman who saved him from the maenads. The trio make their way to the temple and for once, Hercules is the one most ready to head into danger, to the amazement of Pythagoras. They sneak inside and Hercules quietly chases off after the woman who helped him, with the other two hot on his trail. Turns out, Hercules followed the wrong girl and the trio finds themselves surrounded by maenads. Meanwhile, in her cell, the woman continues trying to tunnel an escape route. She is summoned by the high priestess.
The high priestess confronts her for sinning against Dionysus since she didn't actually sacrifice Hercules. The maenads throw her into the pit and Jason leaps in after her with a sword. He tells the woman to get behind him and the creatures cease their attempts to attack. The woman comments that they are afraid of him and Jason tells the woman that her father sent them but she says that her father has been long dead. When he asks if she is not Demetria, she introduces herself as Medusa. Jason is visibly stunned, as he has a 21st century awareness of the legend of Medusa. Meanwhile, Pythagoras and Hercules remain in captivity.
Medusa tells Jason that she has seen the creatures tear apart animals and men but never seen them in their current condition. Jason questions her on how she has not been enchanted into joining the maenads and she shows him a makeshift pair of earplugs. A maenad enters and is shocked to find them still alive. Jason knocks her out, they steal her weapon, and sneak out. They break out Pythagoras and Hercules, who are relieved to find the both of them still alive. Jason is determined to not leave without also rescuing Demetria. When they find her, she initially refuses to go with them but Hercules knocks her over the head. Jason carries her and they all run off. Meanwhile, the maenads are determined to not let them escape alive.
The group makes their way out of the temple. Jason asks Pythagoras if Medusa is a common name there and he replies that he's never heard it before. Hercules flirts with Medusa but then they hear the maenads chasing after them. Demetria wakes and runs off with Jason following after her alone. They reach a clearing and find themselves surrounded by the maenads and the creatures. The high priestess tries to set the creatures on Jason but none will move to attack him. He tells her that she should fear him as the creatures do and delivers an impassioned speech about how Demetria must be brought home or he will slay her as he did the minotaur. The priestess attempts to attack him while his back is turned but Jason overpowers her and the creatures run off. He tells Demetria that nothing will harm her but she is still weary about returning to Atlantis. Jason tells her that her father wants to see her but she is prepared to poison herself. She doesn't actually do it but she walks off. The priestess strikes him down and prepares to kill him but Medusa sneaks up from behind and fatally stabs her. She chants something as she's dying and Pythagoras guesses that she has cursed Medusa.
Jason returns to see Demetria's father and is saddened to have to deliver bad news. He prepares to do so but Medusa steps in and says that Demetria is in Helios. She says that Demetria wished to return, but has found a new life and is in love. The old man thanks Jason and says that he will be able to find peace in the afterlife. Jason says that he owes him nothing and gives Jason his few possessions. Medusa looks after the old man as he nears his end and Jason solemnly leaves.
Jason visits the Oracle, upset about failing to save Demetria. She tells him that perhaps his true purpose was to find Medusa. He mentions the stories about Medusa from his world, and asks what is to become of her. The Oracle tells him that he already knows the answer to that question. Jason is determined to prevent that outcome but the Oracle says that her fate is inevitable, as is his.
Atlantis airs on Saturdays on BBC One at 8.30 PM.
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