Pasiphae (Atlantis)

Queen Pasiphae is the main antagonist of the BBC Series "Atlantis." The Wife of King Minos and the Stepmother of Ariadne. She is secretly conspiring to increase her own power and also secretly practices witchcraft.

History
Ten years before the events of the series, when Therus, the Kings son, came of age, he discovered a plan created by Pasiphae to have him killed, to remove him as heir to the kingdom. In response Pasiphae created a fake conspiracy that Therus was planning to overthrow his father. She then forced several others to confirm this as true, under the threat of murdering there families if they didn't. She then had them exercuted. Therus was forced to flee, Pasiphae went to visit the Oracle who led her to believe that Therus had died.

During the events of the first episode, she along with her husband presided over the random chosing of sacrifices for the Minotaur. She also slapped Ariadne when she spoke out of turn and warned her a fathers love only went so far, even for the kings daughter.

Following Jason standing up to Heptarian, who was her nephew. She assisted him in making certain King Minos placed a harsh judgement upon Jason and his friends. Upon realising that Jason had caught Ariadne's eye, which went against her plans to have her marry Heptarian, she conspired to make certain Jason died in the bull court (a competition for freedom, where each member of the team must jump over an enraged pull). After discovering Jason was incedibly agile and thus would easily make the jump, she came up with a wicked plan. Eranging for a lock of his hair to be stolen, she bound it to a doll and thus made Jason suffer unimaginable pain, making him unable to jump meaning the bull would kill him. However Jason managed to get word of Pasiphae's plan to his friend Medusa, who worked in the palace kitchens. Breaking into Pasiphae's room, Medusa found Pasiphae's secret chamber and watched the queen practicing her dark arts. Using a fire to distract her, Medusa stole back the hair foiling Paisphae's evil plan. Upon discovering this, Pasiphae smashed her alter in a fit of rage.

During the visit of King Laius of Thebes, she assisted him in his secret search for his son, who Laius wanted dead, as the Oracle had fortold his son would murder him. She also showed an attraction to the king, staying in his good graces and its impied she may have slept with him. She also continued her fued with Ariadne, justifying her behaviour claiming a queen could not always think with her heart.

Later after a man broke into the palace and talked to Ariande, Pasiphae got suspicious realising the man's story of being a thief was implusable and Ariande seemed more concerned with the man's well being than her own safety. Going to visit him, Pasiphae promised the man riches if he told her the truth, when he refused she had him tortured. When this failed she took matters into her own hands, taking his blood she used her magic to force him to endure incredible pain until he finally revealed the truth, he was a messager from Therus. Enraged Pasiphae murdered the man with her own Dagger before storming into the Oracle's temple. There she destroyed the Oracles sacrifice, accused the Oracle of lying to her and demanded to know what else the Oracle had lied to her about. The Orcale tried to justify this claiming she mearly interpreted what she had seen. However Pasiphae didn't believe her. Instead she enquired what the Oracle's own future was, the Oracle told her that she was unable to see it. Pasiphae then warned her never to mislead her again and not to make the mistake of believing she was untouchable.

She then sent Heptarian with a good portion of the cities garison to kill Therus, and went to see Ariadne and reaffirmed that Therus was a traitor. Following Heptarian failing, she angrily scolded him, but realised that Ariadne would go to visit her brother, she sent Heptarian to spy on her. When this also failed, she ordered the city to be looked down and talked to King Minos. She encouraged him to ignore his guilt and that Therus was a traitor. Upon Ariadne returning, she interogated her not believing Ariadne's explination. However Ariadne revealed she now knew the truth, but there was nothing Pasiphae could do as Minos was overjoyed to have his daughter back.