In ancient times,
there arose in the lands between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers,
a powerful kingdom called Akkad.
And for generations, her elite warriors, called the Black Scorpions,
held sway over all the neighboring tribes.
Bound by their code of honor to fight and die to the last man
rather than abandon their master,
they became prized as the personal bodyguards of princes and emperors.
Most renowned among the Black Scorpions was Ashur.
But as for his own son, Mathayus,
Ashur refused to allow the boy to compete
for the honor of joining the Black Scorpions.
I must follow my faith and I forbid you to go to the games tomorrow.
You think it's all honor and glory.
Well, it's not.
I've done some things that were not noble.
I promise you that, my son.
But like many boys his age,
Mathayus paid no heed to his father's warnings.
You 24 boys are here to show your skills
in the art of fighting.
Only 12 of you will be chosen to move ahead
and train for six long years to become the pinnacle of a warrior.
A Black Scorpion!
Ready!
Advance to combat!
Show some mettle if you want to be Scorpions.
Mercy is weakness!
Layla? Mathayus?
I thought your father...
I snuck out. You're crazy.
I'm crazy?
I can fight as well as any boy.
Oh, really?
Prove it! Hold!
Girls are forbidden from the games.
Leave her alone!
Little vermin!
Get him!
Get him back here! Where do you think you're going?
You dare dishonor the games by interfering?
Lay a hand on him and you won't live to regret it.
Arm yourself.
I'm not in the mood for killing today.
Father!
Arrest them both!
And the girl. HAMMURABl: Wait!
King Hammurabi!
They make a mockery of the ancient games and insult me,
the commander of your armies.
That may be, Sargon.
But Ashur has earned himself some forbearance.
I am in your debt, My Lord. As always.
And you may repay it
by sending your boy to the Scorpions for training.
If he makes half the mercenary his father was,
he'll serve the nation well.
You will pay for this.
I promise.
The king's general, Sargon, had always resented Ashur's fame.
And now, his hatred knew no bounds.
Father!
Though he had no proof, Mathayus knew in his heart
who had done this to his father.
He vowed to master the ways of the warrior.
You fight like a woman.
Six years had passed.
Mathayus had left Nippur a boy, and he returned a man.
And as he would shortly learn, much had changed while he was gone.
For these six years past, you have seen neither kinsman nor any friend,
but blade, shield and shaft.
You have trained hard.
Some have fallen by the wayside.
Those who yet stand before me
represent the pinnacle of generations of Akkadian fighting prowess,
the Order of the Black Scorpions.
Go forth proudly to wherever your king may send you.
Fight nobly!
Bring gold to our nation's coffers
and honor to your family names!
Oh, Mom!
Look at you. You're a man now!
I barely recognized you.
Mathayus! Mathayus!
Mathayus! Noah!
What do they feed you, rock stew?
I see you've grown, too.
He eats Enki's portions as well as his own.
Where is Enki? Why didn't he come?
He ran away from home last year.
He's left to find his fortune.
He'll be back.
Well, well, look at the proud new Black Scorpion.
I see you've come to pay your respects, Layla.
I can take you on and don't you forget it.
Does that sting?
Only if you dare touch it.
All turn and hail
Sargon, your king!
Present King Sargon!
I heard rumors.
You heard the truth.
Hammurabi's death was no accident. Sargon killed him.
Such talk is dangerous.
Careful with your words.
Our top graduate, Sire.
You look familiar. Do I know you?
I think not, Sire.
Ashur was his father.
Ah.
Your father was a skillful warrior and a patriot.
I trust you will honor his memory.
Send him to the palace later.
I may have a special assignment for him.
You call yourself a fighter?
Get up!
You better show me some skills.
Is that all you've got?
You're nothing.
Don't just stand there.
Come to me.
There's no place for timidity now that the scorpion rides on your shoulder.
You're wondering about their tattoos.
One for each man they've slain.
You'd like a few of your own, wouldn't you?
If they deserve to die, yes.
We all deserve to die.
The only question is in what manner and how soon.
As a member of my personal bodyguard,
it'll be your job to insure that you die long before I do.
Your personal bodyguard?
It's a great honor, Mathayus.
Beyond the skill and strength I'm told you possess,
the first requirement is an absolute and unwavering loyalty to me,
your king.
Show him what I mean.
Hail Sargon!
Are you capable of such loyalty, Mathayus?
I...
Yes,
Sire.
Good. Then riches and glory will be yours.
But, Mathayus, betray me even once
and you will pray to the gods for a quick death.
We'll talk again in the morning.
Pick one for the night. Or two or three.
Don't wear yourself out.
Or three.
I hear you're quite the swordsman.
I'm not quite polished yet, Sire, but I'm a quick learner, I hope.
I like you, Mathayus.
Bring in the prisoner.
He was overheard slandering my name.
And the punishment is death.
Wait. But this is my... I know.
You do the deed yourself,
you prove your loyalty to me beyond a shadow of a doubt.
I'll permit you to make it quick.
Mathayus! I'm sorry.
Is this true?
Did you slander the king?
Mathayus! Please!
Answer me!
Are the charges true?
Yes.
Then you deserve what's coming to you.
You've not only betrayed your king, but your family as well.
And you've disgraced our father's name.
Whatever you do, don't flinch.
Run, Noah!
I said run!
No! Go.
We stand and fight together.
Mathayus, behind you!
You killed my father.
This is for him.
Your father was a traitor.
As are his sons.
Turnabout's fair play.
Let's go! Out the window.
Kill them!
Noah, come on!
Come back! Stop!
Go! Go!
Hold on!
Noah, what's wrong?
Just hold on. We're almost safe.
Noah.
What's wrong? What's wrong?
Noah!
Hang on! Hang on!
Noah!
Noah.
Now with his brother's blood on his hands,
vengeance had branded itself in Mathayus' heart.
Shall we kill him now or bring him back alive?
Neither. I have special plans for this one.
You idiot! Now I'm gonna stink of fish for the next week.
What are you doing here?
And I hate mackerel.
Next time I'll use tuna.
Layla, why are you following me around?
First of all, I am not following you around.
I'm escaping, too.
My parents pledged my hand to that fat sheep merchant, Muktil.
We're due to be married in a week.
Congratulations.
You think it's funny.
Well, I don't know who smells worse, him or his sheep.
Mathayus, I just want a life of adventure.
And battle. Like a man.
There's one small problem.
You're not a man.
Thanks for noticing.
Hey!
I heard you tried to kill Sargon.
Hey, listen. I will kill that bastard some day.
Everyone knows he makes sacrifices to the dark gods,
and they've given him black magical powers.
You're gonna need all the help you can get.
Layla, that's nice, but a girl would only get in the way.
I'm not just a girl.
Look, we're not kids anymore playing games.
I see your Black Scorpion training also included lessons
on how to become an arrogant jerk.
Congratulations on passing with flying colors.
Go home, Layla. Make the sheep merchant's life miserable.
Fine! If that's how you want it. You're on your own.
Fine. Fine.
Ticket to Egypt, please. Ten pieces.
Ticket to Egypt for one.
Ten pieces.
Ten? That's pretty steep.
Plus one for insurance.
And I highly recommend it, because there are pirates,
hostile natives and hurricanes.
Just the ticket.
Piracy has already started if you ask me.
Egypt. For one.
Ten pieces.
Pardon me. Excuse me.
Don't push in!
What are you talking about?
I left the line for 10 seconds to relieve my bladder.
Liar. Greek.
Madam, I would caution you never to mix those two words together.
Cretin.
To the land of the pharaohs, my good man.
Ten pieces.
Ticket.
You are following me.
Admit it.
You know, this may come as a shock to you,
but not everything in the world happens because of you.
Then why are you going to Egypt?
Because...
Everyone should go and see the pyramids once in their lives.
Why are you going to Egypt?
Personal matters
which don't concern you.
Don't play coy with me. You know I'll get it out of you anyway.
All right.
My father once fought for the pharaoh's private guard and saved his life.
So, I'm going to ask if in return he'll let me borrow
the Spear of Osiris to help me defeat Sargon.
The Pharaoh of Egypt
is going to lend one of the most fabled weapons in history
to a 19-year-old kid he's never even heard of?
I don't remember asking your opinion.
Actually,
I'm afraid she's right. It wouldn't work.
But mainly for the simple reason that the Spear of Osiris
is only effective against Egyptian monsters.
Such as the winged scarab, sphinxes and cursed mummies.
And you know this how?
Let's just say I'm well connected.
Really? And who are you exactly?
Aristophanes of Naxos.
Not to be confused with the Aristophanes from Corinth. That hack.
I speak 20 languages fluently and another 20 passably.
So if you need any translation services...
Yes, yes. How did you learn about the Spear of Osiris?
I am a poet and playwright by trade and sometimes a musician.
And was most recently court poet to the king of Elam.
Petty despot. May he rot in the underworld for his lack of esthetic taste.
And learned of it from one of his high priests.
But you are thinking along the right path.
To defeat a man like Sargon, well-versed in the black arts,
one would require a potent weapon indeed.
Like?
Let's see.
There's the Hammer of Zeus. No, too unwieldy.
The Shield of Cronos. That's completely discredited.
The Cloak of...
I've got it! The Sword of Damocles!
The what?
Damocles. You know.
The one condemned to die a thousand deaths
by the very hand of the sword that he used to kill King Philpman.
What do they teach you in Akkadian schools these days?
Not to touch other men's swords.
Well, in any case,
according to Book Five of Herodotus' Histories,
Damocles' infamous sword was transformed by a lightning bolt from Zeus
into a wondrous weapon whose blade could cut through anything.
Mortal or immortal.
And presented as a gift to the Queen of the Underworld.
You're saying this sword can cut through anything?
Oh, please.
Anything.
And you know where this sword is?
This has to be the most harebrained scheme I've heard yet today,
and that is saying plenty.
Oh, and you have a better idea.
Okay. I've decided.
We're gonna continue on our journey to Knossos.
And you're gonna lead me to the Sword of Damocles.
My friend, such a journey would be fraught with perils.
The Underworld is a grim and dangerous place of condemned souls
suffering unspeakable...
How much do you want?
Exclusive rights to compose an epic ode of your quest
and one hundred silver staters, for expenses.
Wait. A hundred?
For risking my life, it's a pittance.
A lady doesn't part with her dowry that easily.
Here we go.
First of all, I'm coming along.
Wait. Forget it.
Second, you will treat me with respect and as your equal.
If not, your superior.
Thirty-fifth, you will launder my undergarments daily in fresh rosewater.
Forty-seventh, you will bathe and rub my feet with olive oil once a day.
Don't push it.
Hey, Greek.
Call me Ari, my sweet.
In case you get any funny ideas about losing us
or making off with my money, just remember this.
Akkadian women are just as handy with a dagger as Akkadian men.
I'm sure that's not the only thing you're handy at, fair maiden,
whose beauty makes even goddesses blush with envy.
Hey, save your flowery words for your scribblings.
Focus on the task at hand,
which is getting us into that.
Alive.
Of course.
Perhaps, Layla here might use her feminine wiles
to distract the guards whilst we slip past them.
This I have to see.
Hi, boys. Nice night, isn't it?
Concubines around back.
Nice. She is quite the charmer,
isn't she?
You should see her in a bad mood.
Hmm.
Guys!
Come on, let's go.
These keys should get us into the palace.
But then we need to find the labyrinth.
The portal to the Underworld lies within the labyrinth.
Get down!
Let's go.
Intruders in the palace!
Stop them!
Intruders!
Hurry up.
Come on. Come on.
I'm in!
Come on!
Ow! Watch your sword.
I think I've found something.
I think it's a lever.
Hey, don't touch that.
Are you all right?
Yeah.
I'm fine, too. Thank you.
Who are you people?
Why are you imprisoned here?
He says they are captives from many lands.
All brought here to be fed to the Minotaur.
The what?
What do I expect from people who write on clay tablets?
The Minotaur.
A creature half man, half bull.
A crazed monster whose appetite must be satisfied daily with human flesh.
King Minos believes that the Minotaur protects the city,
and as long as it lives,
his reign will be secure and the people will prosper.
And you were going to tell us when?
At the appropriate moment.
Speak up sooner next time. We don't even know who this guy is.
Who will join me in battling this monster?
You'd rather sit here in terror
and squeeze out a few more wretched days of life
than die fighting honorably for a chance at freedom?
My friend, you are wasting your breath. Most men are slaves to their fears.
Then it's the three of us.
I would just get in the way.
No doubt.
At least she came strapped.
Nice.
This way.
Stay behind me.
As you wish.
I've never heard those words from your mouth before.
You're not scared, are you?
Don't be ridiculous.
You?
Please.
Did you hear that? Yeah.
Which way is it?
Let's go this way.
Okay.
That Akkadian looked familiar to me.
Who was his father?
A famous mercenary named Ashur.
I was afraid of that.
Men.
Illyrian honor calls.
Yeah, I was afraid of that.
I feel like we're going in circles. Weren't we just here?
What the hell is this?
It smells like death.
What?
Stay back.
Here.
Where are you going?
Now I'm scared.
Let's go.
Now!
Shouldn't we be following him?
He's out of his mind.
Or not.
You've gotta be kidding me.
Layla!
Ugly old slab of beef!
Your mother was a cow!
Don't worry.
It didn't go too deep.
A little higher up and you would have been in trouble.
A little higher up and you might be in trouble.
You'll be okay.
Wait here.
Your silence is praise enough.
That was you?
Music has charms to soothe the savage beast.
Say, that's good.
I'm sorry for your loss,
but most grateful for your help.
It was a debt I owed your father.
We fought together in the war against the Hittites.
And he saved my life.
Your debt is repaid then.
Damn right it is. Let's go, men.
Where we're going we could use some brave fighters.
There's strength in numbers and great riches to be had.
Where?
Tell him.
You tell him.
I'll tell him.
The Underworld.
Oh, the Underworld.
There's a portal inside the center of this labyrinth.
Well, good luck to you.
No one has ever returned alive from that place.
Gilgamesh did it. Never heard of him.
So did Herodotus.
So he claims.
Do you know what else he claims?
When he visited the Underworld he saw with his own eyes
enough gold, diamonds and rubies to fill a thousand arenas.
He was literally crunching on a fortune with every step.
But you, veteran warriors, wouldn't be interested in such a hazardous journey
as that taken by an old Greek historian.
And soon by a poet, a young Akkadian lad and a girl.
Greeks. Greeks.
Okay.
Wait. Why is he coming?
Well, I thought we could use the extra body.
I told him the Underworld was a shortcut back to China.
Now what?
The portal is in here somewhere.