02x08 - The Three Trials

[bunniefuu]

Come on, brother.

Get up.

How do you feel?

Like I'm half dead.

Is this what mortals feel?

This... is all Hera's doing.

I'm sure of it.

How do you know?

Well, she's always hated us bastards.

And this has hit us the hardest.

That's no coincidence.

Plus, she knows
Artemis and I still hate her

for trying to k*ll our mother.

Are you sure about this?

Something's afoot.

I have no doubt,
and I will not be made a fool.

Are you coming?

- What about the others?
- They'll meet us there.

Mother, what have you done?

What was needed.

Did Hades know?

It was his idea.

Are you in?

Yes.

Good. Be ready.

You'll face three challenges here.

For the new ruler of the gods
must be wise, brave,

and an untangler of mysteries.

Gorgo.

I've missed you.

What's happening?

Don't answer him.

He can't help you.

Who are you?

You aren't supposed to be here.

Still, I can help you.

Not because you deserve it,

but because the ones
you're trying to bring peace to, do.

So, hear me and hear me well.

I can go back in time,
friend Seraphim,

and allow you to change
one moment in your life.

Any moment you choose.

You can go back and run away with her.

Spare her from crossing paths
with the tree bender.

Spare her from the pain and horror
she endured.

But that's not all.

While Hades can erase her memory,

I can enrich it.

Make her happy.

You can make her happy.

This is what your life will be like.

Doesn't she deserve to be happy?

Don't you?

Or if you choose,

you can go back further.

Wouldn't you like to see your uncle
struck down by a bolt of lightning?

You'd be the king
that you were meant to be.

And spare those you love
all the nightmares you cast upon them.

All you have to do is pick a moment.

What do you say?

- No.
- Why not?

Because not even a witch god
can change the past.

This is part of the challenge.

The king of the gods must be wise,
brave, and an untangler of mysteries.

A wise king knows
he must let go of the past.

It's why I would never be fit
to be a king.

Seraphim, speak to me.

I'm through the first challenge.

BLOOD OF ZEUS

Gaia chose the Kouretes for a reason.

They are the mightiest of warriors,

and as sworn protectors,
they will fight to the death.

There's no way past them.

There may be a way.

Who goes there?

The son of Zeus.

There are many sons of Zeus.

Which one are you?

Heron. The one who inherited his power.

How do we know you are
who you say you are?

Has anyone entered?

- Nobody has entered.
- Are you sure?

Heron.

Look.

Only the brave may enter.

Are you brave?

No, you are not.

You've always just destroyed
what vexes you.

I am not the man I used to be.

We'll see.

In order to enter the labyrinth,
you must open this box.

But by opening it,
you shall face your worst fear.

What's so funny?

I have no fear.

The fates have stripped me
of everything that I love.

Without love, there is no loss.

No fear.

There is nothing that can hurt me now.

Enter.

You lie!

There is still one thing you fear.

Failing those you love.

Who made these tracks?

Nobody.

These belong to Seraphim.

Did the one who left these tracks
enter the hidden realm?

Then so must I.

You don't understand.

The one you let in
isn't who you think he is.

He proved himself. And now so must you.

Only Giants may pass freely.

Giants and Zeus.

If you are truly his son,

you'll know how to enter.

If Seraphim entered, so can you.

This will help lead you down the path
you must go.

Wait here.

We have company.

- Who?
- Your brother.

Ares and the others are on their way too.

- Hurry.
- I'm trying.

I'm on my way.

And I'm bringing the pantheon
of the Underworld with me.

Your suspicions are true, brother.

The spores have been designed
to affect those conceived out of wedlock

more severely than the rest of us.

But it wasn't Hera who unleashed them.
It was Demeter.

She wanted to make it look
like it was Hera.

And she's listening to us now as we speak.

We found where Hera is hiding.

And we'll deal with her in kind.

Where's your mother?

I don't know.

Don't.

Only the brave may enter.

Are you brave?

If by brave you mean fearless,

no.

So, you admit

to the fear in your heart?

What is it you fear?

Not dying well.

Is that all?

Prove it.

Open the box.

What's inside?

Your worst fear.

Dying well is only part of what you fear.

The other part is that dying well

may not be enough

to offset the awful mistake you made.

If you hadn't succumbed to your anger

and thrown away the sword,

you would have had it
when Seraphim stormed your village.

You would have k*lled him.

And your mother would still be alive.

You could have saved countless lives.

And there wouldn't have been
a w*r in Olympus.

Zeus would be alive.

Are you going to let me in?

Enter.

It's not bravery you lack.

It's something else.

What?

The key to dying well.

You have rewarded my faith in you.

But you must continue to do as I asked...

if you wish to pass the final trial.

I don't understand.

You know that I loved your father.

And he believed
that after his time had ended,

he could pass on the throne peacefully.

But I knew that the others
would never allow it.

And now, through you,

we've put a mirror up to their acts,

so they can see it for themselves.

Like struggle, hardship,

and an even more important idea
I hope to teach them now.

Something that is a mystery to them.

Forgiveness.

Forgiveness?

All the world and the gods know now
is repentance, requital,

the balancing of wrong with right.

But forgiveness
is something altogether different.

It washes away the wrong
without more destruction.

It's the only thing
that can bring us all together.

All this time you've carried guilt,

thinking you failed your mother and father
because you couldn't forgive Seraphim.

But the truth is,

you failed
because you couldn't forgive yourself.

If you can do that before your time is up,

then maybe you'll become the one
that was prophesied.

The one who saves all.

Or... maybe it will be your brother.

One of you will be the one.

It seems like no matter what we do,
our paths cross.

If you try and stop me, I will k*ll you.

It doesn't have to be this way.

It does... for me.

Why are you helping Hades?

He promised to bring peace
to someone who's suffering.

Who?

The woman in the cemetery.

You know
what that guilt feels like, brother.

I don't care what happens to me.

I'll suffer
all of the terrors of Tartarus,

but first, I have to save her.

No!

Halt!

- No.
- No.

Turn your army around and leave.
Then we'll set her free.

No. Set her free now.

It's over!

I'm not going to ask you again.

Stand down.

w*r will not determine who is right.

Only who is left.

Think of the others

before you send them charging forward,

before your swords are drawn,
and the sand made wet with blood,

ask yourselves why.

Why fight this fight?

Don't make the mistake I made.

No one needs to die today.

I've tried to be fair.

But only with blood can what's been done

be undone.

Forward!

The stone!

Wait! Stay here.

Don't.

Do it.

For our mother.

I'm going to k*ll her and her bastard son.

For what they did to us.

No!

I need you to retrieve a sword for me.

And k*ll the man meant to wield it.

I don't want a w*r with you.

Under one condition.

Anything.

His head.

You choose a mortal over your wife?
Over us?

- You are not long...
- For this world.

- Someone...
- Cut your thread.

I forgo revenge.

You spoke the truth, Hera.

Don't mistake my kindness for weakness.

Weak is not how they will remember me.

I would rather you remember me
for something called...

forgiveness.

Which means I will wipe the slate clean
for all those who have wronged me.

Nothing...

can be undone.

But this

is how we can move forward.

All I ask

is that you do as you promised

for Seraphim.

Who are you to decide anything?

Bastard.

Mind your tongue, Ares. Don't be a fool.

Enough. No more.

I don't want more conflict, brother.

But we cannot allow the world
to descend into chaos.

The Olympians must return to Olympus,
Poseidon to the sea, and Hades...

to the Underworld.

This is what must be done.

We must restore order to the world.

When two souls are meant to be together,

nothing can keep them apart.

And there will only be more pain
and bloodshed.

Forgive me.

No.

- No!
- Heron!

Heron.

Heron.

No!

None of you deserve this!

None of you!

First it was Zeus
with all his philandering and disloyalty.

And then Hera.

You took his wrongdoing
to the other extreme.

Unleashing death and destruction
on your own home.

And now you, Hades, fail again.

You cheat and you backstab a noble hero,

while those you conspire with
poison the world.

You've brought this upon yourselves.

I speak the name no one speaks.

And with it,
the reign of the Olympians is no more!

Typhon.

Typhon.

Typhon!

The time has come
for the Titans to return!