Atlantis S1E9 - "Pandora's Box" Recap

Hercules and Medusa bond and appear to have mended their relationship entirely. She tells him all she wants from him is the truth and he confesses that he has had womyn and debts but that it's all in past. Hercules is knocked out with a blow to the head and brought forth to a man named Kyros. Hercules owes him money and Kyros threatens to kill him if he doesn't travel to the underworld and retrieve a box on his behalf to wipe out his debt. He also threatens to kill Medusa first or even send her to complete the task. Hercules charges Kyros but ends up knocked to the ground yet again.

The next morning, Jason and Pythagoras come across Hercules, bound and gagged. He tells them he must retrieve the box before midnight or Kyros will kill Medusa. They go to consult Eunapias on how to visit the underworld without dying. He refuses until Jason displays his borderline-magical athleticism and threatens to kill him if he does not help them. First, they cleanse themselves, then they offer a lock of hair to the gods, drink a substance that will slow their heart, and sound the horn when they wish to return. Pythagoras will stay with Jason and Hercules' bodies and will be alerted by the crows when it is time to wake them, using his blood to do so.

Not long after Jason and Hercules have entered the underworld, Pythagoras climbs out a window after hearing some cawing birds to check if they are crows. After seeing that they're not, he falls to the ground with relatively little injuries. However, a piece of wood from the balcony falls and knocks him unconscious and then a fire begins to break out upstairs in the room in which Jason and Hercules' bodies are. In the underworld, Hercules and Jason meet their dead friend, Cyrus who offers his services to be their guide, following the help and hope they provided in the bull court.

Pythagoras wakes and panics when he learns of the fire. Much to his shock, their bodies are gone and he learns that the bodies have been taken to be buried. He runs off to save them from a permanent death. Jason battles a monster guarding the box that warns him that the box once belonged to Pandora and must not open it. He tells hims he cannot be permitted to leave the underworld and that the box must stay. They run away and Cyrus and Hercules tell Jason he must blow the horn. He does so and Pythagoras begins to panic even more as crows around him begin to caw. The group runs towards a trap door and Jason continues to blow the horn. Pythagoras comes across where the bodies are buried and scrambles to dig them out. He tears open the cloth covering each of their faces and slices his hand, dropping blood onto each of their lips. Hercules questions why they're in a grave and Pythagoras says that it's a long story involving a lot of running and digging.

The trio looks at the box and Jason warns that they cannot open the box nor can they give it over to Kyros. Hercules is angry, wanting to save Medusa, but Jason says that they must make a duplicate to give to Kyros and inside they will plant a surprise that will permit them enough time to get away. Jason promises Hercules that no harm will come to Medusa. They hide the real box under the floorboards in their home. They meet with Kyros and give him the duplicate box. When he opens it, there is a snake inside and the group including Medusa run off. Hercules tells her to go to their home and wait for them there. The trio fight Kyros and his men and are able to kill them all. When Jason asks where Medusa is, Hercules tells him he's back at their home. Jason panics, knowing that she is alone with the box, and runs off with Pythagoras and Hercules following right behind him.

Medusa hears ominous whispering and discovers the box hidden under the floorboard. No surprise here - she opens it before the trio burst in and find the box alone. They hear her scream and run outside to find several stone statues. Jason tells them they're not statues and that she has turned. Hercules runs off after her and Jason warns Pythagoras that whatever he does, he must not look at Medusa, grabbing a shield before chasing after Hercules. When Hercules catches up to Medusa, she is wearing a hood and begs him not to look at her. Jason and Pythagoras reach them and Jason gives Hercules the shield, saying he must only look at her reflection and not directly at her, lest he also turn to stone. She removes her hood and reveals the snakes sprouted from her head. She cries that she is cursed and that she will run away. Hercules vows to never rest until he finds a way to lift the curse.

Jason gives the box to the Oracle, entrusting her to make sure no one else can be harmed by it. He asks if she knew this was going to happen, and she says that they both knew what was to become of Medusa. She also points out that he was warned about the evils of the box but pursued it anyway. She says that none of them can escape their fate and continues to keep secrets from him. She cryptically says that there will come a time that the will have no choice but to kill Medusa. Jason says he would never do that, but the Oracle says that it will be the only way to save thousands of lives. Jason angrily curses the Oracle and the gods before storming out of the temple. He looks to the sky and says, "Do your worst," and thunder booms shortly after.

Atlantis airs on Saturdays on BBC One.