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"Hero's Heart" | Episodes of Hercules: TLJ | "Web of Desire"



Summary[]

Claxon, the local villain has been let off for his crimes once again. He brags that nobody will dare testify against him. He begins to goad Jaris into a fight, explaining that no-one will see a thing. As he pulls a punch on Jaris, his hand is grabbed by another man, Hercules. Hercules fights Claxon and his men. At the end of the fight Hercules greets his friend, who takes Hercules over to Rena, his sister-in-law who is holding his new-born son, Bartoc. As Jaris prepare to take the baby home, Hercules sees Celesta, the goddess who guides the deceased to the other side. Celesta approaches Jaris and the baby, Hercules asks if she is there for the baby, to which she replies that she is there for Jaris.

Hercules asks how he will die, Celesta tells him he can not stop it as The Fates have already severed his lifeline. She tells Hercules, "There are things even you are powerless to change". He begs Celesta for more time so that Jaris can say a proper goodbye to his family. Celesta tells him that, "Death is never easy. It's the survivors who have it the hardest", reminding Hercules about Jaris' brother.

Hercules begins remembering scene from his childhood. Hercules and Iolaus are training in Cheiron's Academy. Cheiron berated Hercules for becoming too cocky. On the way home Hercules and Iolaus are attacked by Bartoc and his gang. They fight and Hercules throws Bartoc against a post, knocking him to the ground. As the gang flee, Hercules sees a woman with a candle, who then disappears. Iolaus checks on Bartoc and informs Hercules that he is dead. Hercules and Iolaus set off to take the boy's body back to his family and to tell them of what had happened. While Hercules is travelling to the boys home, he encounters the woman he saw earlier on. She introduces herself as Celesta. Hercules arrives at Bartoc's home and meets his father, Nehemiah. Nehemiah sees the body on the horse and realises that the body is Bartoc. Hercules apologises and Nehemiah thanks him for bringing Bartoc back home.

Back in the present day, Hercules tells Jaris that he saw Celesta and that she had come for Jaris. Jaris wishes he could have done more for the people of his village before he died, Hercules tells him he already has achieved things by standing up for them against Claxon, he says that he has not done enough. Jaris says he has some things to do and leaves, Left alone in the house, Hercules remembers when Nehemiah prepares Bartoc's body for his funeral. Jaris blames Nehemiah for Bartoc's death, and runs off. Hercules goes after him and finds him in his tree house. Hercules and Jaris talk about Bartoc and Hercules tells Jaris about his own father. Jaris asks Hercules what Bartoc had been doing since he ran away from home. Hercules lies and tells Jaris that Bartoc had joined Cheiron's Academy.

Meanwhile Iolaus has been captured by Bartoc's old gang. After causing a fight between the gang members, Iolaus manages to escape. He catches up with Hercules at Bartoc's home, as the family gather around his grave. They all pay their respects to Bartoc, and Iolaus discovers that Hercules did not tell the family how Bartoc really died. In the present Jaris goes after Claxon, telling him he has no time to waste. Jaris throws Claxon up against a wall and stabs him just as Hercules arrives. Hercules asks him why and he says, "If I've gotta go, I'm gonna take as many like him with me as I can".

Celesta appears and tells Hercules that he must stop Jaris or the evil he does will outweight all the good he has already done, and he will not be permitted to enter the Elysian Fields. Back in the past Iolaus and Hercules help out Nehemiah, but Iolaus tells Hercules he can not take the place of Bartoc. Meanwhile the gang have followed Iolaus to Bartoc's house, Dageth, the leader issues an ultimatum to Hercules. Hercules tells Nehemiah and Jaris how Bartoc really died. In the present Jaris goes after more villains, and Hercules tries to stop him. he tells Hercules he would have to kill him to stop him, saying it would be funny if that was how it was always meant to happen.

As Jaris goes to stab one of the gang members Hercules throws a dagger and stops him from doing so. The man flees but Hercules stops him, saying he will deal with him later. Jaris says Hercules should have thrown the knife through his heart. Hercules says he should listen to his heart, that killing is not the answer. Hercules tells Jaris to spend the time he has left with his son and the people who love him. Jaris asks Hercules to tell his son about him and that he loved him. Hercules agrees. In the past Hercules tells Nehemiah the truth about Bartoc's death, and the gang lead an attack on Nehemiah's home. Hercules and Iolaus fight the gang. Hercules and Dageth fight, leading to Dageth's defeat. The following day Nehemiah thanks Hercules for saving Jaris from the gang. In the present Hercules, Rena and baby Bartoc are standing around Jaris' grave, now buried next to his brother. As Rena takes the baby back inside the house Hercules has a conversation with his younger self. Young Hercules tells the older that, "They're never really gone, right? 'Cause they're part of us. Always".

Disclaimer[]

"Jaris' cause of death remained a mystery during the production of this motion picture."

Gallery[]

Background Information[]

  • First of the "Young Hercules" episodes.
  • First appearance of Ian Bohen as Young Hercules.
  • First appearance of Dean O'Gorman as Young Iolaus.
  • First appearance of Nathaniel Lees as Cheiron. This is the "real" Cheiron, after the halfhearted attempts that were Cheiron the Satyr and Ceridian.
  • Only appearance of Celesta on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Although he is somewhat standoffish towards her, she displays an almost maternal affection for him.
  • The overall theme is a metaphor of youth motorcycle gang movies such as The Outsiders (1983).
  • The character Kenickus may be named after Kenickie Murdoch from the 1971 Broadway musical Grease. Kenickie is a leather-jacketed motorcyclist of a more benevolent and light-hearted nature than those depicted in The Outsiders.
  • The title of this episode is a lyric from the Frank Sinatra song, "My Way".
  • As the disclaimer notes, Jaris' cause of death is never revealed, though it admittedly is not important to the story. 
  • Jaris was never really told that Hercules killed his brother Bartoc 

Memorable Quotations[]

"What you're doing – taking his body home to his family – is a very compassionate act. Most of us on Olympus are very proud of you, Hercules."
"And my father, Zeus? Is he proud of me, too?"
"Of course."
"Of course."
"The king of gods has enormous responsibility. Hercules, he thinks of you more than you know."
"Yeah. Look, thanks for the nice words, but if you really wanna help me, bring Bartoc back to life."
"I'm afraid that's not possible."
"Then we have nothing to talk about. No offense, I-I appreciate that the other gods realize that I exist, but it would be nice if my own father did… even if he does think of me more than I know. It was nice meeting you."
"I hope you can help the boy's family find peace, Hercules, and find some for yourself."

Celesta and Young Hercules


"You should have thrown that knife through my heart."
"You should listen to your heart. Listen to your brother, Bartoc. He'd tell you that killling isn't the answer."
"Don't you get it? There is no answer. I'm a walking dead man!"
"But you're not dead yet. Every moment of life is precious. Spend it with your son. Spend it with the people who love you. Because of me, your brother never had that chance, but you have."
"I'm afraid to die, Hercules."
"Well, we all are."
"I can't fight it, can I?"
"None of us can. Once we realize that, the hard part is over."
"Will you tell my son about me someday? And tell him his father loved him?"
"I will, my friend. I promise."

Jaris and Hercules

Links and References[]

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