On Mount Olympus, Zeus and Minerva are playing backgammon. Minerva says that she still places her faith in her warrior Perseus. Elsewhere, Perseus sharpens his sword.
Zeus tells Minerva that the Gorgon is determined to end the curse that Minerva placed on her. Minerva insists that Gorgon deserves her faith, and Zeus says that there are mortals brave enough to help her.
In Houma, Will sees an attractive woman named Miranda Gordon cuts him off in traffic. He stares at her as she goes inside, and Will nerves himself to approach her.
Zeus asks if Minerva wants to better her wager if she's so confident in her curse
Miranda comes out and a man, Clovis Prouchette, bumps into her. He tries to hit on her but she shoves him away. Perseus appears at a police car and sees the body of a petrified state trooper inside. Meanwhile, Clovis pushes Miranda up against a wall and says that he's the one for her. He says that he's the one and Miranda tells him that he isn't. Clovis removes her sunglasses and draws back in shock. Miranda walks on and the now petrified Clovis falls to the street, shattering.
Swamp Thing finds an abandoned police car and the state trooper's body inside.
Deputy Jensen is securing the crime scene where Clovis shattered body lies. Perseus is in the crowd and watches.
The next day, Miranda arrives at the Kipp house and he stares at her in surprise. She wonders why he didn't yell at her when she took his parking place the previous night, and says that she's new in town and didn't see the stoplight. Will asks where she is, and Miranda tells him that she wants to rent a room.
Minerva and Zeus watch from Olympus and Zeus chuckles.
Jensen shows the ceramic fragments to Anton, and Anton realizes that Clovis was calcified. The deputy says that a state trooper died the same way, says that he'll let Anton know if more bodies turn up, and leaves.
That night over dinner, Miranda says that she's an artist and the swamp spoke to her creatively. She tells Will that she's a sculptor and explains that her bracelet dates back to ancient Greece. Will asks her why she wears sunglasses at night, and Miranda tells him that her eyes are sensitive. She explains that she's has sensed that there is a man in Houma who can help her, and admits that Will possesses some of the qualities that she's looking for. He kisses her, while Swamp Thing watches from outside the house. Will finally goes to put the dishes away, and Miranda senses Swamp thing. She removes her bracelet and it turns into a snake, and teleports it onto the porch. Swamp Thing picks it up and studies I, and gets visions of Clovis, the state trooper, Zeus, and Minerva. He drops the snake and staggers away, and Miranda picks up the snake and transforms it back into a bracelet.
Minerva complains that Zeus isn't playing fair and Swamp Thing isn't a mortal. Zeus says that Miranda can find whatever help she locates, and Minerva says that if Perseus finds Miranda in the next few hours before anyone else, then anyone who helps her will suffer terribly.
Will goes back to the dining room and says that he has to feed an alligator. Miranda tells Will that she's going to bed and thanks him for all of his hospitality. Once she leaves, Alec finds Swamp Thing and says that he sensed something was wrong. Swamp Thing explains that he saw things he couldn't explain and his heart froze up momentarily. He warns that violent deaths have occurred since Miranda arrived in Houma, and tells Will that he might be in danger.
The next day, Jensen tracks Miranda down at the Kipp house. He says that he has some questions for her, and Miranda invites him inside. Jensen asks about Clovis and how he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Miranda asks if he's "the one", and realizes that he isn't. She removes her sunglasses and says that her real name is Gorgon.
In his lab, Anton examines the fragments and realizes he must have the power to fossilize flesh. He calls Jensen and discovers that he's out.
Will returns home and finds a petrified Jensen in his living room. As he starts to call the police, Miranda steps out and holds a knife to his chest. She says that she wants him to kill her and put her out of her misery. Miranda explains that millennia ago, the gods played with the lives of mortal. Minerva cursed Miranda for her great beauty so that anyone who looked on her would die. People fled in terror at the sound of her name, Medusa. Miranda insists that her destroyer must be pure of heart, but Will refuses. She asks him to take him to the swamp so that Swamp Thing can help her.
Zeus tells Minerva that she might not win, and Minerva asks if he wants to wager more.
Will takes Miranda to Swamp Thing, and she says that she only fears Perseus.
Anton arrives at the Kipp house and sees Jensen's body. He takes Jensen's notepad and realizes that he was questioning Miranda Gordon, and that she's Gorgon.
Swamp Thing says that he doesn't kill but can help her. She removes her glasses and unleashes her gaze, starting the petrification process. Miranda tells Swamp Thing that if he kills her then the curse is ended and Will will live.
Perseus finds Jensen's statue, and Minerva calls to him saying to avenge his honor.
Swamp Thing tells Miranda that he wants to help her, and Anton arrives and introduces himself. She gazes at him, staggering him back, and tells Swamp Thing that he must hurry before his friends die. Swamp Thing starts to reach for the knife, just as Perseus arrives. Minerva tells him to torment all those who would help Miranda.
Miranda uses her gaze on Swamp Thing, attacking his human side, turning him into bark. Anton and Will turn into statues, and Swamp Thing reluctantly takes Miranda's knife and kills her. Perseus arrives and kneels, looking at Miranda's body. the body ages and dies, turning to dust, and Perseus dies as well.
Minerva, furious, walks away from Zeus.
Anton and Will revert to normal, and Swamp Thing tells Will that Perseus and Miranda have gone to their reward and the curse is broken. Anton warns that he'll be able to use what he learned to become more powerful and walks off. Meanwhile, Swamp Thing tells Will that he had to end a life. Will assures his friend that Miranda didn't have a life, and says that it's not enough that they can't escape fate. Sometimes fate can't escape who they are
Written by Gadfly on Jan 22, 2018