© BBC Pictures
After the reveal that Pasiphae is indeed his mother, the Oracle’s prophecy has come to pass – his heart is turning black as he struggles to deal with the significance of this information and resist the temptation of being drawn over to the dark side. I have to confess that I have never fully understood why this knowledge alone would cause the transformation to happen, I expected there to be a bit more to it than a simple confession.
Admittingly there are a few bits and pieces sprinkled throughout the scenes in this episode about how the ‘darkness’ can overtake you once you become aware of the powers the gods grant you, but some earlier groundwork here would have been welcome. Any hints we have had on the subject in the past have been all too vague to really have any kind of grasp as to what it is we are expecting to happen to Jason. But overall this is a small niggle in what is proving to be a fairly strong second half of this final season.
Our hapless hero isn’t the only character whose life that was turned upside-down last week however, Hercules losing Medusa has left him bereft, embittered and quarrelsome, especially when it comes to dealing with the person he blames for her death. Even though it was a plan that she made with Pythagoras, and it was him that retrieved Pandora’s Box and drugged his food, Hercules is laying the entire blame at Jason’s feet. This makes for some rather hostile travel companions for Pythagoras and Ariadne, but some very neat juxtaposition for the audience to get their heads round as the two men tussle it out with each other and wallowing in their own sense of pathos as they come to terms with the dramatic shift in their lives.
There’s no denying that Robert Emms has been underused at times in the series, so seeing Pythagoras off on his own mission in The Madness of Hercules was a move many enjoyed. I’m pleased to say that he is off on a quest this week too, although it is a much more dangerous and drawn-out one than before. He will be meeting up with both Icarus and Melas back in Atlantis as well as another actor who I’m sure many fans will be happy to see return, John Hannah as Aeson. Can he trust everyone he speaks to though...
The Dying of the Light airs on Saturday 2nd May at 7.45pm on BBC 1 and BBC 1 HD in the UK. Below are a few dialogue teasers to see you through until then. Don't forget to come back to vote in our poll after the episode and let us know what you thought.
“That woman makes me a fool”
“I’ve never seen you as someone to order around. You know that”
“It was a fool’s mission. He’s probably dead”
“She died for this. For this! She sacrificed her own life so that we might live in peace”
“He is brave. He is loyal. And he’s nothing like you”
“I feel Jason’s pain. He stands on a threshold”
“We had a slight disagreement. His knowledge of even the most basic chemical compounds is pitiful”
“As soon as you have Pythagoras in sight, dispatch a messenger without delay”
“He also knows that he is touched by the gods. He is drawn to us, I have seen it with my own eyes”
“So what does this friend do? What makes him immune to the curfew?”
Trailer Teaser
“I failed Medusa and now I’ve failed Jason”
About the Author - Sandi
Sandi is part of the Senior Staff at SpoilerTV having been a contributor from back in the Lost days of DarkUFO, and who now writes previews for Banshee, The Musketeers, Poldark, and other BBC shows. She also enjoys watching and commenting on other shows such as Reign, Hannibal, Game of Thrones and Elementary.
