Summary[]
Iolaus and Jason talk, and they decide to part ways. Iolaus says he wants to check up on his mother. Jason says that it wasn't easy for Hercules to leave him. Iolaus says he admires Jason's courage after all that had happened. They shake hands and move on.
Hercules and Zeus pass through quite a few portals until they reach Olympus. Zeus welcomes Hercules home. Zeus shows Hercules Olympus, and leads him to a platform, which has a railing all around it that separates them from an abyss. Everything that has ever happened and is happening is stored here. Hercules sees the first time he ever met Iolaus, and then sees Alcmene in the Elysian Fields. Zeus says that he never has to say goodbye to those he loves, but Hercules responds saying that he'd rather keep the memories in his heart, since they mean more. Hercules then leaves Olympus to help mankind.
A mother and her child are helpless as she watches her husband, Thelonius, drown. Hercules appears, and uses his new godly powers to lift the man out of the water and over onto shore.
Iolaus asks a man if this is Erythia's house. The man snaps at him, asking why Iolaus would want to know. Erythia hears the conversation, and is overjoyed at seeing Iolaus. Erythia says the man is her new husband, Pandion, and offers Iolaus lunch.
While at lunch, Pandion starts making a deal about Iolaus running away from home, and the effect it had on Erythia. Erythia tries to rationalize everything, but Pandion is too much, and she turns against Iolaus.
Hercules stands watching a village, when Hera appears- in the flesh, for a change- behind him. Hera says she came to make an "offer of peace," saying they always had their "contempt for Zeus in common." Hercules replies that they never had anything in common. Hera begins to tell him how Zeus fell out of love with her, but Hercules stops her and tells Hera to say what she is trying to say. Hera asks "Do you believe that Zeus brought you to Olympus just to help mankind?", laughs, and disappears. Hercules, realizing something, yells "ZEUS!"
Zeus hears the shout up on Olympus, and Hercules appears. Hercules asks if Zeus lied to him to get Hercules on Olympus to protect him against the other gods. Zeus doesn't respond, and Hercules yells at him to answer. Zeus replies,"Yes, I did." Hercules storms off when Zeus demands protection from Hercules, saying that "You had my protection since you were a boy." Hercules turns away when Zeus says, "If you leave now, don't come back!" and Hercules doesn't care.
Alcmene is enjoying herself in the Elysian Fields when Hera appears next to her. Startled, Alcmene asks if she knows her. Hera says that they have all the time in the world to become the best of friends.
Iolaus catches up with Erythia, and tries to apologize. Erythia replies saying that she wanted Iolaus to make a name for himself, Iolaus says he ran away because he was ashamed of himself when he was a thieving young man, and so that he could become the kind of man she could be proud of. Erythia replies that she always believed in him, but she doesn't know him well enough to be proud of him.
Hercules stands at Alcmene's grave, talking out his problems with Zeus. Apollo overhears him, and cracks, "Oh Hercules, you sound so grave." Hercules is angry about the way Zeus tricked him, and says he hopes Apollo is here to pick a fight. Apollo disappears.
In a school room, a teacher is talking about gravity (what goes up must come down) when a student named Aristotle says, "What about him?!" Everyone looks and sees Apollo on his 'board'. Apollo is causing trouble, riding around, and, when Hercules shows up, locks the school doors.
Zeus is on his throne when Hera walks in. She says that every ally he ever had, including his son, has deserted him. Hera then adds that she thought she could only take over with the help of the other gods, but she now knows that Zeus will hand his power over to her. Zeus replies that he'd rather destroy Olympus first. Hera waves her hand, and Alcmene appears surrounded by fire, and she says that if Zeus does anything to her, he will never find Alcmene. With no choice, Zeus hands his godhood over to Hera.
Back on Earth, there is a tremendous earthquake associated with the tremendous shift of power. On Olympus, Zeus is in pain as he becomes mortal. Hera banishes him from Olympus, saying that he can join the mortals he so admired.
Apollo sets the school on fire, and then spooks a horse, and it starts galloping with a cart behind it. Iolaus shows up, and Hercules tells him to get everyone out while he stops the horse. As Hercules tries to stop the horse, Apollo throws more fireballs at other buildings in the village. Hercules finally stops the horse when Apollo starts riding his 'board' over Hercules' head. Hercules finally knocks Apollo off his board with a well- timed lightning bolt, and asks what's going on. Apollo replies that Hera tricked him with Apollo's attack, so that she could take over Olympus.
Zeus enters a tavern down on earth. He orders several drinks, and then tries to win the heart of a young woman who another man in the tavern loves. A fight ensues, and Zeus shows where Hercules got some of his fighting skill from, including when Zeus takes down someone who tries to attack him from behind. Throughout it all, the young woman is delighted by the way Zeus acts, and thinks he's funny, right down to the name he uses (what mortal would think that Zeus was drinking beside them!).
Hera, observing events from on high, is outraged that Zeus is enjoying himself (and that he managed to find another "bimbo" almost immediately), and sends Ares to kill him.
Hercules walks into the tavern, looking for Zeus. Zeus says that this is "my boy, Hercules," and the young woman, and the young man who loves her, crack up, saying, "Is the circus in town?" Hercules tries to help Zeus, but Zeus says he's fine. However, Zeus is drunk and falls to the floor unconscious.
Pandion sees the ruin of the village after Apollo's attack. He asks the teacher of the school about what happened, and the teacher says, "Apollo went nuts," and includes that Iolaus saved him and the schoolchildren from death. Pandion finally realizes what Iolaus does, and, when Iolaus jumps off the roof of a burned building, apologizes to Iolaus, saying he had his "mind set" about him.
Hercules helps Zeus up, and is about to leave when Ares blows down the door to the tavern. Hercules grabs a long piece of cloth with one hand, throws it to Ares, who grabs the other end, and a fight ensues, with one hitting the other, and pulling them back in a tug-of-war like fashion. Hercules and Ares fight, and throw each other through the walls of the tavern. The battle seriously weakens the supports of the building, and Zeus is standing under the building watching "my boys" fight, when the building collapses on him. Hercules searches through the rubble and finds Zeus, who is seriously hurt and unconscious.
Zeus awakens beneath a tree and asks what he is feeling. Hercules tells him he is feeling pain, and Zeus adds, "It's not a good thing." Hercules tells Zeus that he is dying, and Zeus denies it until he remembers he is no longer king of the gods. Zeus asks Hercules to heal him since he's a god, and Hercules says he considered it, but decided that Zeus should have a little taste of mortality first. Hercules places his hand on Zeus and heals him.
With everything finally explained, Erythia tells Iolaus that she always had faith in him, even when he was a thief, and that she is very proud of him. Pandion adds, "Don't be a stranger." Erythia asks Iolaus to visit soon, and he says he will. Finding that everything is set straight with his mother, Iolaus hits the road.
Hercules and the mortal Zeus meet Hera and Apollo on Olympus. Apollo rushes Hercules with his speeder, but Hercules delivers a well-placed punch. Hera then flies through the air and kicks Hercules. The queen of the gods gets off with the advantage and has the better of the fight. With two lightning bolts, she pushes Hercules back to where the past and present are stored. Hera tells Hercules that this is the abyss of Tartarus and that "old Kronos is down there somewhere."
Hercules tries to fight back, but Hera blocks all of his punches, and then lands some of her own. Hercules is standing next to the railing that separates him from the abyss, almost keeling over from the beating he's taken, and Hera walks away. She suddenly turns around, fires a lightning bolt, and Hercules falls over the railing. Hera walks up towards the edge of the platform, looks down, and Hercules punches her in the face. Hercules is holding onto the railing with one hand, and Hera places her foot on it and squeezes down, then comments, "I'm going to miss you, Hercules."
He succeeds in climbing back over the railing by placing his other hand on the railing, vaulting up into the air, and kicking Hera in the back of the head. The kick pushes Hera over the railing, and she screams,"Hercules!" as she falls down into the abyss of Tartarus. Hercules peers over the railing and responds, "I won't miss you."
The scene cuts back to Hercules and Zeus walking with each other on Olympus -- and Zeus back as king of the gods. Zeus asks Hercules if he really wants to go, and Hercules responds he had to live as the Fates meant it to be. He then adds that he doesn't want any more protection, but says that if Zeus wants to become a part of his life, it's up to him.
Iolaus is walking through a wooded area when he hears something. He grabs a large branch, holds it over his head, and swings it -- only to find that Hercules has caught it. Iolaus asks if he's no longer a god, and Hercules confirms it. Iolaus then asks about Olympus, and Hercules says it wasn't too friendly.
Iolaus finally asks, "What about Hera?" Hercules replies, "You could say she's . . . history."
Disclaimer[]
- Zeus's Godhood was not harmed during the production of this motion picture, although his short stint as a mortal was somewhat intoxicating.
Gallery[]
Background Information[]
- This is the first time we see Hera in her natural physical form, outside of the animated movie. Previously, she has always inhabited the body of another or appeared as ghostly eyes with a disembodied voice.
- Ares also appeared in XWP "Sacrifice: Part 2", which premiered that same night. Hera seems unaware of Ares's deal with Dahak, or if she is, does not care.
- Last appearance of Alcmene.
- The "Tapestry of Time" shows numerous clips from previous episodes in its portals. The one specifically highlighted is from Young Hercules. (However, Hercules incorrectly states that was the day he and Iolaus met. The movie showed that the two already knew each other before the scene that clip is taken from.)
- During the fight between Hercules and Hera, music from Young Hercules (specifically when Young Hercules and Iolaus face Ares at the end) is played.
- Apollo refers to Hera as "Mom." According to myth, though, Apollo's mother was Leto, a minor goddess who was a Titan's daughter.
- This episode is loosely based on a mythological incident in which Hera successfully rallied the other Olympians against Zeus. When the plot failed, Zeus suspended her between Olympus and heaven with golden chains tied to her feet and Apollo, along with Poseidon, is sentenced to hard labor which included building the walls of Troy.
Behind the Scenes[]
- Robert Bielak and Jerry Patrick Brown's final episode as showrunners.
Memorable Quotations[]
"Believe it or not, I once loved your father and your father loved me, until something else caught his eye. As strong as our bond was, it couldn't compete with his fascination with mankind."
"Oh, please, Hera. You have never loved anyone but yourself. You couldn't stand to lose your power over Zeus, so you made sure the world felt your pain."
"I wanted Zeus to understand what he had done to me. The world was incidental."
"Not to me."
- -Hera and Hercules
"You've had my protection since you were a boy. You owe me the same."
"I owe you? You have permitted the greatest sorrows of my life. Where was your protection then? I owe you nothing!"
- –Zeus and Hercules
"Mom sends her best."
-Ares
"You'd kill your own father? That's low even for you."
"Hey, like father like son, Zeus stuck it to old Kronos like old Kronos stuck it to his old man, what can I say? It's a family trait."
- -Hercules and Ares
Links and References[]
Gods[]
- Roy Dotrice as Zeus
- Meg Foster as Hera
- Kevin Smith as Ares
- Scott Michaelson as Apollo
Guest Star[]
- Liddy Holloway as Alcmene
- Jeffery Thomas as Jason
- Glenis Levestam as Erythia
- Bruce Phillips as Pandion
- Jim McLarty as Teacher
- Ted Clarke as Young Man
- Stephanie Leibert as Young Woman
- Callum Bowe as Student
- Brett Higginson as Villager
- Angela Franklyn as Mother
- Vicky Rodewyk as Child
References[]
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| << Season 3 | Season 4 | Season 5 >> | ||||||
| #01 | Beanstalks and Bad Eggs | #09 | If I Had a Hammer... | #17 | One Fowl Day | |||
| #02 | Hero's Heart | #10 | Hercules on Trial | #18 | My Fair Cupcake | |||
| #03 | Regrets... I've Had a Few | #11 | Medea Culpa | #19 | War Wounds | |||
| #04 | Web of Desire | #12 | Men in Pink | #20 | Twilight | |||
| #05 | Stranger in a Strange World | #13 | Armageddon Now | #21 | Top God | |||
| #06 | Two Men and a Baby | #14 | Armageddon Now Part 2 | #22 | Reunions | |||
| #07 | Prodigal Sister | #15 | Yes, Virginia, There is a Hercules | |||||
| #08 | ...And Fancy Free | #16 | Porkules | |||||