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The Ambrosia Temple is an Underworld location on ABC's Once Upon a Time. It appears in the twentieth episode of the fifth season.
History
At some point, Orpheus goes to the Underworld to retrieve his dead lover Eurydice. He feeds her ambrosia to give her the power to return to the land of the living, and they both escape the Underworld together. Hades, the ruler of the Underworld, then cuts down the ambrosia tree to keep this from happening again in the future. ("Firebird")
When Emma is trying to find a way to help Hook leave the Underworld, Hades reveals a legend of two people, Orpheus and Eurydice, who did escape the Underworld, after Orpheus fed Eurydice ambrosia, the food of the gods. He takes them to an elevator, which is the only way to the underlevels of the Underworld, where the ambrosia is. Emma says that she has magic, but Hades says that everything is “shut down” there, so people can’t teleport in and out of there. Emma and Hook journey underground to retrieve the fruit and the two of them locate the temple where the amrbisia tree grows. In a test to reach the ambrosia, Emma offers her heart up for judgement by placing it on one side of a weight scale outside the temple doors. When she suddenly feels intense chest pain, Hook tries to return the heart to her, only to be engulfed in fire. Having to choose between her heart or her lover, Emma knocks Hook out of the flames and passes the test. The temple doors open and the two of them go inside to get the fruit. Once inside, they locate the ambrosia tree, but they find it has been cut down and the fruit is dead. They realize that Hades lied to them because he doesn’t want them to come with him to Storybrooke. Emma starts looking for seeds or clippings, but a strong rumbling comes and the ground shakes. Hook reminds her that they have to get out of here, but Emma refuses to do so without the ambrosia. In order to get Emma to leave the temple, Hook lies to her by promising her that they will find another way. The two of them run out of the temple. ("Firebird")
Trivia
On-Screen Notes
- In keeping with the motifs from Greek mythology, the temple has Ionic columns,[1] which are characterized by scroll-shaped ornaments at the top. Ionic is one of three column styles used by builders in Ancient Greece.[2] ("Firebird")
- The floor of the temple forms a pentacle (a pentagram with a circle around it), with the edges forming with a pitchfork-like motif.[3] The floor in Hades' lair has the same design.[4] ("Firebird")
- While often associated with evil and the devil, the pentacle and the pentagram are also seen as positive and spiritual images. These symbols have been used by major world religions, and can be found in ancient scriptures of Christianity and even Judaism. In earlier times, Christians have widely used the pentagram as a personal charm and a protective amulet, and at one time, the pentagram was used to symbolize the five wounds of Jesus when he was hanged on the cross. The pentagram and the pentacle have also been used by occult faiths and magicians, and today, the pentagram is used as a symbol for Wicca, witchcraft, and Paganism. It is also said that the five points of the pentagram represent the five elements, fire, earth, water, air and spirit.[5]
- The platform over the River of Lost Souls from "Devil's Due" is also shaped like a pentacle.[6]
Filming Locations
- A television set built at The Bridge Studios in Burnaby, where Once Upon a Time was filmed, was used to film the scene with Emma and Hook by the entrance to the temple.[8]
Appearances
| Once Upon a Time: Season Five | |||||||||||
| "The Dark Swan": | "The Price": | "Siege Perilous": | "The Broken Kingdom": | "Dreamcatcher": | "The Bear and the Bow": | "Nimue": | "Birth": | "The Bear King": | "Broken Heart": | "Swan Song": | |
| Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | |
| "Souls of the Departed": | "Labor of Love": | "Devil's Due": | "The Brothers Jones": | "Our Decay": | "Her Handsome Hero": | "Ruby Slippers": | "Sisters": | "Firebird": | "Last Rites": | "Only You": | "An Untold Story": |
| Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Appears | Absent | Absent | Absent |
References
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