Majestic Movies: Blood of Zeus

Episode Three, The Raid

By Lori Marie Blair
March 15, 2021

The last image of Blood of Zeus episode two was of the gnashing teeth of the three-headed hound Cerberus hunting Grand Archon Alexia (Jessica Henwick). Episode three, "The Raid", directed by Shaunt Nigoghossian, opens with a stunning aerial view of Mount Olympus colored in indigo and gold. The children of Zeus are holding games in the stadium.

Waving to his admirers, Apollo (Adam Croasdell) tours the arena on his golden chariot, blond hair streaming behind him. With a stoic expression, Ares (Matt Lowe), in heavy armor and helm, salutes the roaring crowd with his hammer. Hermes (Matthew Mercer) streaks from here to there attacking his brothers before they can respond.

Then Ares grabs Apollo in one hand and Hermes in the other and knocks them together, sending them flying. Kudos to Powerhouse Animation. Hermes races around so fast he's barely visible, and when Apollo's blade shaves across Ares' helm with barely a millimeter between the steel, the impact of the slow animation is breathtaking.

Displeased, Zeus (Jason O'Mara) sends down a bolt of lightning toward Ares, knocking the champion to the dirt. "What did you tell your mother?" Zeus accuses. Right here, Zeus shows he's an abuser. He is blaming Ares instead of taking responsibility for his selfish decisions.

In a whirl of crows, majestic Hera (Claudia Christian) appears hovering over the arena. She defends Ares; she already knew Zeus was cheating. He's always cheating. In the stands, the goddesses rise to their feet in honour of Hera. Like a little boy, Zeus is mad at being caught; he's so, so, so angry.

In his vainglorious temper, Zeus is a condescending idiot. He talks down to Hera and implies she's at fault for caring about fidelity. She explains why she is upset, and he is smug and awful; her frustration is understandable.

Hera is the goddess of love and marriage and Zeus tricked her into marriage by shape-shifting into a bird, similar to how he tricked Electra by changing his appearance. Then he cheated on her constantly, demeaning her realm while she remained faithful to him.

Unfortunately, Hera's primary concern is whether or not Zeus truly loved her despite being disrespectful to her. It rings true in the sense that hurt and betrayed lovers often question what was real. However, Hera is a goddess, and it would be nice to see her above immaterial concerns. She degrades herself by asking if her low-value husband loved her while he was with his numerous sex partners. That he finds the question pathetic is infuriating. His misogynistic tendencies are growing by the scene.

Hera steps backward. Her hurt and anger begin to destroy the foundation they stand upon; the cracking stone symbolizes their relationship's disintegration. She threatens to kill Electra (Mamie Gummer) and Heron (Derek Phillips), but Zeus forbids it. Hera reminds him of her heritage. "Before you took my hand in marriage, I was the Queen of the Heavens."

Hera is asserting her power, protecting her esteem, and all he does is give a one-word reply, "Were." He gives her no recognition at all. She explains her value to him, again. She has defended him when the rest of the Pantheon ridiculed him for being a weak-willed slave to hedonism. Hoping to inspire him to his former glory, she reminds him of his past greatness. When all else fails, she wounds his massive ego, "But now, you're an embarrassment."

He has no remorse and no regret. Instead, he dictates terms -- stay away from my lover and her son. Hera refuses to agree, so Zeus threatens her. Hera responds, "You've made a fool out of me for the last time."

As Hera is leaving, Apollo arrives, and she takes some of her anger out on him by rudely insulting his lineage. A flicker of hurt passes over his features then is brushed aside. He has an urgent message for Zeus; Heron's polis is under attack. Dramatic music swells as Zeus commands the protective cloud-cover removed.

When Heron and the Grand Archon Alexia arrive at the hut to look for Electra, Cerberus, the three-headed hound, has been lying in wait. They fight with sword and bow until Heron jams a tree branch into the eye of the head on the left. The middle head removes the make-shift stake with his teeth.

The Archon's army has fallen. They must protect the map. However, the numerous demons surrounding them have other plans. Then charge down the mountain toward them.

Flying through the clouds, breaking the cover, Hermes races at an impressive speed. After living for so long under the cloak of darkness, when the clouds part and the bright full moon emerges, the villagers flee from the town square. They know it will be easier for monsters to catch them.

In an attempt to escape the demons, Heron leads Alexia to a secret passageway. Using his bow, Heron trips some traps he had set up, and massive boulders roll down the mountainside, piling up to become a barricade. The demons are blocked.

Just in time, they manage to get inside the polis gates. Assuming command, Alexia gathers civilians leading them to the mine shaft while Heron looks for his mother.

As Zeus watches from the heavens, Seraphim throws his bident toward Heron. Zeus interferes by sending telepathic advice to Heron: dodge left, dodge right. Though they fight differently, the battle between the brothers is fierce. Heron uses cunning; Seraphim uses his beast. Overwhelmed, Heron spills oil then sets the polis on fire to destroy the demon horde.

Lit up by the flames, Seraphim looks magnificent as he surveys the destruction. With a sharp eye, he spots the location of the mine and blocks the entrance. Then he lands and addresses the cornered villagers. He tells them he is looking for Grand Archon Alexia. While questioning the villagers, Seraphim reveals his pride in his demon army, their magnificence is his avenue to immortality. When informed they've picked up the Archon's scent, he kills the wicked merchant he had tricked into complying.

Having traveled by stream in an effort to evade the demons tracking her, Alexia loses her cloak climbing the bank before taking shelter in the trees. The demons are close, but Zeus is watching the search and interferes on her behalf by using magical roses bushes to keep her from being discovered. It works. Unable to find her, the demons become confused. When Hera notices Zeus aiding Alexia, she uses her power to raise a wind that carries Alexia's cloak to Electra hut!

Immediately Zeus tries to prevent the demons from turning their attention to Electra. But Hera stages an intervention with Poseidon, Apollo, Ares, and the background goddesses who look to be Artemis, Aphrodite, and Athena.

The nasty hound Cerberus terrorizes Electra and an older lady by scrabbling over-top of the shed while they cower inside. Hera's group wants Zeus to let fate decide the outcome. Furious, Zeus refuses to listen until Poseidon reminds him of the law.

With Seraphim towering over her, Electra looks to the heavens and prays for her sons over her treasured amulet. Arriving at the scene, Heron fights his way toward Seraphim, intent on saving his mother. Seraphim has suffered a more challenging life and is the stronger fighter.

As Electra crawls toward Heron, Seraphim throws his bident into the sky. It lands impaling Electra on the shaft by punching through her narrow frame. As she dies, Seraphim rips her locket from her throat. The polis is burning, his menacing mount growls, and he has no idea he has just killed his mother.

Leading the demons to Electra was a terrible thing for Hera to do, and it is doubtful the writing can redeem her. But it should be noted, Hera has suffered in her marriage to Zeus and is forbidden to act against him; therefore she torments his lovers and their children instead. Next month, we will see if Heron's suffering changes his character in Blood of Zeus episode four, "A Monster is Born."