| Man's Worst Enemy | |
| Season One, Episode 4 | |
 | |
| Air date | January 4, 2006 |
| Episode Guide | |
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Summary[]
When all dogs in the area turn hostile, the teen heroes learn that Cerberus has escaped from the Underworld and must rely on Theresa's musical talent to save the day.
Plot[]
At Granny's house, Herry is showing that he has taught Pepe some new tricks although a few are still a work in progress. After a few minutes of play, Herry notices Pepe start to turn hostile before running into the nearby woods. Although Herry tries to chase after him, the teen hero is unable to locate him and is putting up a lost dog poster several days later with the help of Odie. As they work, Odie points out how Pepe is not the only dog missing in the last few days.
At school, Theresa is playing beautiful music on Apollo's lyre but turns the end into a short rock ballad that is heard by the deity of the sun. He highly praises her talent for playing the instrument so well and mentions boasting of this, but Theresa makes him promise to keep it a secret as she does not want to be made fun of. Atlanta ceases the conversation to ask Theresa to join her on a shopping trip but teases Apollo when she sees his lyre.
At the city pound, the guys notice how every dog in containment are labeled to be highly aggressive with no reason or explanation given. A city worker enters the room with a kennel that Herry notices contains a hostile Pepe. The worker explains that all of the affected dogs with be put in quarantine until further notice.
Back at the brownstone, Neil suggests an idea of what could have affected the dogs, but Herry reminds them that Pepe had smelled something in the air before running off. After Odie finishes a new tracking collar, they gather the rest of the team and head back to the dog pound. Herry carefully manages to get the collar on Pepe before taking him to the woods where the others are waiting. The group is shocked at how Pepe is now and wonder if Cronus is to blame. Jay admits thinking the same but feels this may not be Cronus' doing as it feels too small of a plan.
After releasing Pepe who runs into the woods, Odie states how the tracker will allow them to follow the signal and hopefully find whatever is making the dogs return to their primal states. As they follow, Atlanta notices a rather large paw print in the dirt and hears something nearby.
After clearing some bushes, the seven teens suddenly find themselves faced with a pack of hostile dogs. Theresa is nearly attacked by one, but she manages to fend it off. After a moment, the dogs suddenly back down and Cerberus appears from behind some trees. The mythical dog right away tries to attack, but the teens put up a decent fight back although they quickly realize that Cerberus is far stronger and has mystical powers that allow him to regenerate his cut off snake head tail.
Realizing they are no match for the beast, the heroes quickly retreat and manage to lose Cerberus after jumping a fence and sliding down to an embankment. Returning to the school, the group wake Chiron who informs them the creature they met was Cerberus, the guard dog of the Underworld who welcomes new souls but prevents any from leaving. Unsure of how Cerberus got away from his post, Jay decides that Cronus must indeed be behind this. Chiron agrees but is unsure how the titan managed to do it since even Hades has a difficult time controlling the three headed dog; the only known ways to sooth Cerberus are with cake or music from the lyre. He tells the legend of Orpheus who had played the lyre so beautifully that Cerberus was rendered powerless.
When the team doubt they can find someone who plays the lyre, as they consider it lame, Theresa shyly admits that she knows how to play the instrument. Jay boasts this could be their way to catch Cerberus, but Chiron informs them of one more piece of Orpheus' legend, specifically that his particular lyre may have been enchanted and any other lyre would be useless when facing Cerberus. Deciding they will need said lyre, Jay asks where it is. Chiron answers that Orpheus has the lyre with him in the Elysian Fields, the resting place of heroes, but that the only way to get there is to be a hero and dead. When Theresa mentions that she's heard of secret passages to the Underworld, Chiron warns her that they must remain secret but the young fighter whispers to Jay that she may know a way.
The heroes decide they cannot wait much longer and formulate a plan where most of them will try to contain Cerberus while Theresa journeys to the Underworld to get the lyre, although she is concerned how Persephone will react. They visit the goddess of spring and inform her of the situation at hand and how they must get the lyre from Orpheus. Unfortunately, Persephone denies their request but mentions how she will be visiting Hades that night and will ask him to get the lyre since he too must know Cerberus is gone.
In the woods, Odie and the others finish baiting a trap with cake to lure Cerberus. Although the trap works and contains the beast, they forgot that Cerberus is a dog and watch in horror as he digs his way out of the cage.
Jay, Theresa, and Archie sneak into Persephone's solarium and watch as she unlocks a secret passage behind a mural of the seasons. They manage to enter just before the passage closes and follow Persephone down the tunnel.
In the armory, Atlanta decides they need to use brute force and begins gathering weapons, including a stun baton Neil accidentally touches and momentarily numbs his arm. Heading back to the woods, Atlanta arms an EMD (Electro-Muscular Disruption), a weapon that can cause muscle to temporarily seize up. Atlanta gets the chance to use the weapon right away when Cerberus appears with a small pack of dogs. Unfortunately, the direct hit only stuns Cerberus for a few seconds before he is back on his feet. The four jump into Herry's truck and manage to lose Cerberus only for the large canine to be put on a path directly leading to the city.
In the Underworld, the trio find Persephone's grove and a bad of coins that Persephone must have left behind. Knowing the need for the coins, the three soon meet Charon who agrees to take them across the river when offered the coins with the promise of more upon their return. At the entrance, they find Cerberus' chains and sure signs of Cronus being the one who freed him. As they are about to pass through the gates, Cronus appears and closes the gates with Theresa the only one who got through. Cronus offers her a deal of sparing Jay and Archie in exchange for Orpheus' lyre.
Jay and Archie urge Theresa to continue with their mission while they hold Cronus back. Knowing the task while take a short while, Cronus calls a truce for the time being. Theresa quickly locates the Elysian Fields. After passing Jason, she hears music and finds Orpheus. However, her appearance is mistaken for his wife Eurydice. Using this to her advantage, Theresa asks to borrow the lyre to stop Cerberus. The love-struck Orpheus agrees but catches her statement of danger once she hurries off.
Back at the gateway, Cronus confesses he is the one who freed Cerberus. Archie asks why the titan did not get the lyre himself to which Cronus answers that certain forces, namely spirits of the departed, would prevent him from doing that. Theresa returns and is reunited with her friends just as they spot Charon arriving. Cronus is about to take the lyre when Orpheus leads a charge of angry spirits to attack Cronus. Their touches causing the titan great pain and distracting him long enough for the trio to leave.
In the city, Cerberus is on a rampage as citizens flee in terror. When Cerberus accidentally heads down a dead-end alley, Herry and Atlanta use an unbreakable rope to catch him while Neil holds off other dogs with the stun baton. Fortunately, Theresa and the guys return in time for Theresa to use the lyre to calm Cerberus.
With Cerberus soothed, Hades appears and properly collars the large dog while thanking the teens for catching him and offering to return the lyre to Orpheus. Before leaving, he lightly teases Theresa for making an impression on the musician. When Hades and Cerberus leave, all of the dogs return to normal.
The following day, Pepe is returned to Granny who is overjoyed to have her beloved pet back. As Odie tosses a stick to fetch that accidentally lands in the back of Herry's truck, Granny asks where they found Pepe. Herry and Jay give a simple answer that Pepe followed a scent into the woods right before Pepe knocks Odie over and drops the stun baton on him.
Mythology[]
- Hermes made Apollo's lyre out of cow's intestines and tortoise shell, but in this episode, the lyre is made out of gold.
- However, it is possible that Apollo has more than one lyre.
- Cerberus is one of the most famous mythical creatures and is linked to many myths. Possibly the most famous myth he is tied to is being one of the labors of Hercules wherein the mortal hero was tasked with bringing the dog to the surface world.
- As stated in the show, Cerberus could only be swayed when offered cake or when hearing music from a lyre, music being the most effective method. The legend of Orpheus states that the musician played the lyre so beautifully that Cerberus was powerless against it and allowed Orpheus into the Underworld.
Errors[]
- When Atlanta opens the weapons storage, a part of the pendant moves out of the socket.
- When Theresa hands Apollo the lyre, she hands it to him with the back facing us but in the next shot, the lyre's front is facing us.
Trivia[]
- Jason is wearing the same costume Jason wore in 1963 film Jason and the Argonauts.
Cast[]
|
Main Cast |
Recurring Cast Others |