Medea Culpa

"Medea Culpa" is the 11th episode of the fourth season of the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

Overview

While on a fishing trip, Hercules, Iolaus and Jason reminisce about the time when they met Medea and fought the fire-breathing monster, Ghidra.

Plot synopsis

Hercules, Iolaus and Jason are sitting on the edge of a lake fishing. They have a little competition about who can catch the biggest fish. Hercules catches a huge fish and Jason wonders why he even tries. Iolaus says, "a little competition never hurt anybody." Hercules reminds them of the time when they met Medea and competition almost did get someone hurt. Iolaus says they were just kids, but Jason says they were lucky kids. Hercules remembers that time in their past. During a chariot race with Jason, Hercules saved a little girl who ran in the way of his chariot. She told him that the Ghidra killed everyone in her village and she is the only one left. Hercules told her he would help to kill the Ghidra.

When Jason found out about the Ghidra, he and Iolaus joined Hercules to defeat it. As they went to look for the Ghidra, they met a young woman, Medea, bathing in a lake. As the men went to investigate, the woman sneaked up on them and pulled a dagger on Iolaus. She asked them what they were doing, they told her they were going to kill the Ghidra, but she did not believe them. She said she would go with them to give them some help. The four walked on to find the Ghidra, Hercules and Medea talked, then the group heard screams off in the distance and ran on to the village. When they arrived the village was being sacked and buildings were burning. They fought some of the men that were there. A man informed them that the Ghidra destroyed their village and the men were picking at the ruins. A crying woman came carrying her son and told them the Ghidra had crushed their house. Hercules took the boy and tried to help him, but he was already dead. Medea pushed Hercules out of the way and knelt down next to the boy, placed her hands on his head and chest, then using some magic brought him back to life.

Hercules asked Medea how long she has had her gift. She told him that both her parents are mortal, so she had no idea where her powers came from. She explained to him about her home life and that she was afraid of her stepfather who treated her like a freak because of her powers. Hercules told her that maybe she needs to stand up to him and face her fears. Hercules told Jason and Iolaus that they would need a boat to get to Mount Seleas, where the Ghidra is hiding. Hercules and Medea journeyed back to her home, while Jason and Iolaus looked for someone with a boat to help them out. When Hercules and Medea arrived back home, Medea saw the charred village and the burned body of her mother. Guilty at the death of her mother, she told Hercules she was a coward for leaving, but Hercules told her she would have been killed too if she had stayed.

That evening, on the boat to Mount Seleas, Medea thanked Hercules for helping her face the truth and they shared a kiss. When things got heated, Hercules said things were moving too fast for him. Later, Medea seduces Jason, but things turned bad when they were found by Hercules and Iolaus. Jason tried to explain, but he and Hercules began fighting, sending Jason into a tree injuring him. Hercules told Iolaus he feel stupid because he thought Jason was his friend. Hercules then went off on his own to fight the Ghidra alone. Medea went to the woods to find some leaves to treat Jason's wound. There she is met by Hera, in the form of a little girl. It was revealed that Hera and Medea were working together. Hera told Medea that she must carry out the plan until Hercules is dead.

When Hercules and Iolaus arrived at Mount Seleas, they went into the cave to look for the Ghidra. Elsewhere Jason told Medea that he must help Hercules, then Hera appeared and commanded her to kill Jason, but Medea refused and told Jason to run. This angered Hera and she used her powers to fire lightning bolts at Jason, killing him. In the cave, Hercules and Iolaus began fighting the Ghidra and Medea used her powers to heal Jason. She and Jason went to aid Hercules and Iolaus against the Ghidra. Working together, they were able to defeat the monster. Then Hera appeared and took Medea, leaving the three boys behind. Hercules thanked Jason for coming back as he needed his help and that they were friends again. In the present, Jason asks Hercules when he really forgave him, Hercules replies, "last week" and the three men laugh.

Main cast

• Ian Bohen as the young Hercules
• Dean O'Gorman as the young Iolaus
• Chris Conrad as the young Jason
• Jacinda Barrett as Medea

References to popular culture

• The title of the episode "Medea Culpa" is a play on the popular expression "Mea Culpa", meaning "I am at fault", or "I am to blame."
• When young Hercules and Iolaus meet Jason, Iolaus refers to the man who introduces them as "Jeeves". This is in reference to the character, Jeeves from Jeeves and Wooster.
• The Ghidra may be a possible reference to a fire-breathing monster, King Ghidorah, which features in several Godzilla films.

External links

• "Medea Culpa" at TV.com