KAOS: Episode 5
Hera gaslights Zeus
KAOS is a new Netflix series setting all the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology in a vaguely contemporary world. It is part comedy, part drama and part absurdist deconstruction of all of the above.
Homer, Talk To Me: This episode can be pretty much broken down into three distinct subplots. First, the Furies confront Ari, not to punish her for the death of her brother years before, but to show her the truth. President Minos was pressed into leadership (and having children) with a promise of immortality by Poseidon. Trouble is, Minos’ personal prophecy was that his first born would cause his death. Poseidon “fixed” that by causing Minos to have twins. Glaucus, being the first born, was given to Daedelus to kill with Ari destined to be Minos’ heir. The story that Ari accidentally killed her brother as an infant was a ruse Minos invented to hide his own guilt. Ari is understandably angry about this and tells the Furies to fuck off, refusing to believe it. Except she confronts Daedelus, who confesses to her, then makes an additional confession: He could not bring himself to kill Glaucus, who is still alive, imprisoned in the Labyrinth as the Minotaur.
The next subplot has Zeus, happily inflicting natural disasters upon humanity, sneak into Hera’s personal sanctum to listen to the confessional pleadings from his victims through the disembodied tongues of the Tacitas who serve Hera. Except Zeus hears Hera in the throes of orgasm (with Poseidon, unbeknownst to Zeus). Mad with jealousy, Zeus concludes that if Hera were hiding affairs from him she must be plotting against him as well. He abducts a Tacita and tortures her to death trying to find out more of Hera’s deceit. Hera confronts Zeus about the Tacita’s death and he turns the tables on her by raging about her subterfuge. Quickly spinning some intensely convincing bullshit, after some touch-and-go back-and-forth Hera convinces Zeus that he heard someone role-playing Hera during some sexual fantasy. Or does she really convince him? Either way, Zeus is mollified for the moment.
Back in the Underworld, Riddy and Caneus explore the secret dungeon filled with lost souls. They seem to simultaneously be waxy and ashen statuesque remnants of formerly sapient dead. They are also weirdly deteriorating. They hear Nax in the distance, and approach close enough to see Hades put his forehead to Nax’s. A bright light and piercing sound reduces Nax to a shell like the others, while Riddy experiences agony and collapses, unconscious. Caneus carries her out of the dungeon to her quarters, where she revives. Clearly developing romantic interest in her, Caneus offers to sit with her but Riddy rebuffs his advances.
The Oracle Says: Prometheus pops up throughout the episode to break the fourth wall and prattle on about how the viewers must think him a total dick, but there’s really a method to his madness and he’ll start sharing answers to what’s going on. Except he really doesn’t, beyond a brief scene that reveals one of the Fates put him up to making Charon promise to aid Orpheus (and subsequently kill him). Earlier in the episode, once Riddy tells the Furies where to go and how to get there, the Furies comment that their “favor” to the Fates is complete. So clearly the Fates have it out for Zeus, and potentially the entire Greek pantheon of top-level gods. The reveal of Glaucus as the Minotaur is taking its own sweet time and I find myself increasingly impatient with that plot, considering how (relatively) satisfying episode 3 was on this front. And I’m finding myself caring less and less about the love triangle amongst Zeus, Hera and Poseidon. Yes, they’re all awful, I get that. And yes, the Greek gods of mythology were just as awful. I get that, too. And Minos is awful and Orpheus is awful and on and on. It’s all quite the melodrama and I’m finding myself losing interest in the majority of the plots, sticking it out only because Riddy and Ari are mildly interesting. That’s not a great sign for the series just past the halfway mark.
I finished it, and I was curious if you were still engaged. I have a lot of thoughts and I am not sure where to put them. It'll be interesting to see your take on the ending.