Iolaus gets struck by lightning and begins receiving visions of the future as a result. Everything he forsees seems to come to pass, as he and Hercules encounter Rheanna. She is leading a rebellion against King Melkos, but they need some serious help. Hercules agrees to help and even finds himself falling in love with Rheanna. Unfortunately, one of the things Iolaus forsaw was Rheanna causing Hercules great trouble.
Summary
After helping yet another village, Iolaus suggest they should build a shrine to him and Hercules. As he says this, lightning strikes a nearby tree and Hercules warns him. Iolaus says it was not the gods and Hercules says there is only one way to find out. Iolaus says, running to the tree, lightning never strikes in the same place twice. He stands by the tree and says they should build a shrine to us, and is promptly struck by lightning. Hercules gets him and takes him to a nearby cave where they shelter from the storm. When Iolaus wakes, he appears to have developed the gift of foresight. As he tells Hercules of "big flying things with metal wings", a young woman, Rheanna, rides up on a horse looking for Hercules.
Rheanna tells her that she needs his help because her village is being ruled by King Melkos, whose new laws allow him the privileges of every new bride on their wedding night. She says she and her late husband led a rebellion against the king, but since his death, she feels that the rebellion will soon die without proper leadership. Hercules says he and Iolaus will do what they can.
As they travel back to Rheanna's village, they meet a band of refugees and are met by Melkos' soldiers. They order the people to go back to their homes and the leader tells Hercules to mind his own business. Hercules says he is making this his business and a fight begins. Hercules, Iolaus and Rheanna fend off the soldiers and continue onto the village.
Elsewhere, the leader of the soldiers, Syrus, informs the king about the two outsiders that helped the refugees. The king tells Syrus to find the woman. Meanwhile, the rebels have a meeting to plan what to do to overthrow the king. They plan to attack a shipment of gold, so they can get their taxes back and thus build their reputation.
The following day, Rheanna leads the attack on the shipment and they discover they have been led into a trap as the kings soldiers gather round. Hercules and Iolaus fight the soldiers as the rest of the rebels escape. Back at the meeting place, Rheanna is trying to figure out what went wrong, and Iolaus says they have a traitor among them.
Later, Vericles tells Rheanna that the soldiers have dumped a body in the village square. They run to see who it is and find that it is Gnossus, the king's bookkeeper. He says the king found out that he had betrayed him and then dies. Hercules tells Rheanna that they need to overthrow the king so that the death of her husband and Gnossus, her brother would not be in vain.
Meanwhile, Syrus tells the king that they have a way into the rebels inner circle; through one of his soldiers have a close relationship with one of the rebels. Back in the village, Iolaus tells Hercules to be careful, Rheanna will betray him. Hercules finds it hard to believe, but Iolaus says he has been right about other things which he has seen in his visions. Iolaus tells Hercules to be careful, because he saw his death.
As the rebels prepare to fight the king's soldiers again, they arrive and a fight breaks out. One of the soldiers captures Rheanna, and orders the people to stop fighting or he will kill her. One of the rebels, Hephates, is revealed as the traitor and the rebels are all arrested and taken to jail. In the jail, Rheanna apologizes to Hercules for getting him caught and put in jail.
Later, Hercules breaks out of his cell and frees the others. As they escape, they fight some more of the king's soldiers. Rheanna takes Hercules and Iolaus to a nearby farmhouse. The woman at the farmhouse tells them to come inside. She tells Rheanna to go and look in a room, inside she finds her husband Jordis, whom she thought was dead.
Jordis tells Rheanna that they need to strike now, while the king least expects it, and while they have Hercules on their side. Meanwhile, Melkos orders his soldiers to seek out every hideaway and wipe them out. Jordis joins the rebels and Hercules and Iolaus get rid of the sentries guarding the castle walls and the soldiers and rebels fight.
Hercules manages to trap the king and tells him to call off his men or they will longer have a king to fight for. Jordis thanks Hercules and Iolaus for their help and Rheanna asks Hercules to stay but he says the rebels have enough leadership with her and Jordis.
Disclaimer
- No disclaimer for this episode.
Background Information
- Among the things that Iolaus forsees are airplanes and skyscrapers.
- The law King Melkos instated for new brides in his kingdom would in later times be called the Prima Nocta ("first night" in Latin). Interestingly, although there is a lot of documentation of various peoples accusing other peoples and cultures of practicing it throughout the centuries, there is no evidence that it actually was practiced anywhere or anywhen.
Gallery
Links and References
Guest Stars
- Audie England as Rheanna
- Bruce Hopkins as Jordis
- Michael Keir-Morrisey as King Melkos
Other Cast
- Nigel Godfrey as Syrus
- Michael Saccente as Grovelus
- Grant Triplow as Clarion
- Robert Horwood as Vericles
- Nigel Corbett as Gnossus
- Sara Wiseman as Hephates
- Faye Flegg as Mirim
- Doug McCaulay as Guard
References
| << Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 >> | ||||||
| #01 | The King of Thieves | #09 | The Fire Down Below | #17 | The Apple | |||
| #02 | All That Glitters | #10 | Cast a Giant Shadow | #18 | Promises | |||
| #03 | What's in a Name? | #11 | Highway to Hades | #19 | King For A Day | |||
| #04 | Siege at Naxos | #12 | The Sword of Veracity | #20 | Protean Challenge | |||
| #05 | Outcast | #13 | The Enforcer | #21 | The Wedding of Alcmene | |||
| #06 | Under the Broken Sky | #14 | Once a Hero | #22 | The Power | |||
| #07 | The Mother of All Monsters | #15 | Heedless Hearts | #23 | Centaur Mentor Journey | |||
| #08 | The Other Side | #16 | Let the Games Begin | #24 | The Cave of Echoes | |||