The Poisoned Apple

Now that the truce is broken and the heroine targeted, the masked minotaur strikes directly at the heroine. This attack is almost never designed to kill the heroine, but to disable, disorient, or restrain her. The “poisoned” heroine is often defenseless when the menacing minotaur approaches. The imagery of a powerful presence hovering over a a defenseless heroine is stunningly recurrent in story. 

The poisoned apple is an important symbolism because it represents, in some way, the intent of the minotaur to convert the heroine into a captive partner. He doesn’t recognize the heroine’s soverienty and doesn’t regard her a genuine threat in combat. The minotaur simply bypasses the heroine’s ability to fight and attempts to reestablish his authority. The heroine must resist the disorienting effects of the poison and also break free of her restraints.