There he is! He's coming here now!
Hurry! What happened! He got off!
Claxon got off again! [ Woman ] What?
No witnesses. The judge let him go.
You see, Tidus? I knew once you thought about it,
you'd tell the judge it wasn't me you saw...
strangling that little redhead.
This is a fine-looking family you've got here.
Be a shame if something bad happened to them, wouldn't it?
[ Chuckles ]
Ooh. If it ain't the long arm of the law.
Guess you lose again, Jaris.
Don't worry. I'm a patient man. You don't get it, do you?
Nobody's gonna testify against me.
And no judge would find me guilty. If they did--
All right, Claxon. Take it off the street.
I'm tired of you in my face.
You bother me. You're like a bug,
and bugs get squashed.
You wanna get into this in front of a town full of witnesses?
Nobody's gonna see a thing.
Call me nobody, and I've already seen enough.
[ Man ] Come on.
Hercules!
It's a nice, quiet little town you got here, Jaris. I just thought I'd drop in.
Good timing. I've been trying to get rid of Claxon for years.
It's so good to see you. You too.
I guess you heard about my wife. Yeah.
I'm sorry. Aspa was a wonderful woman. She was.
And she would have made a wonderful mother to little Bartoc too.
At least she got to hold him before she died.
You named him after your brother. Yeah.
You gotta see him. I'd love to.
Remember Aspa's sister? Sure. Hi, Rena.
Nice to see you again, Hercules.
The little fussbudget is Bartoc. He's great.
He needs a nap.
Sorry he's in such a mood. He was sick all night with a fever.
Hmm. You better take him home, Rena.
I'll walk you to the wagon. Catch up with you. Okay.
We should have Hercules over for dinner.
That's a good idea.
Celesta.
Celesta! Hello, Hercules.
Hi. I, uh, wish I could say I was happy to see you.
Mortals think I come to take life.
I'm only here to guide them to the other side when it's their time to go.
I know you're a source of comfort on the journey,
but the mortal half of me is always saddened to see a life end.
I've always admired your compassion for humans.
[ Coughing ]
Celesta!
Not the baby? No, I'm not here for the baby.
[ Sighs ] I've come for Jaris.
[ Man Narrating ] This is the story of a time long ago,
a time of myth and legend,
when the ancient gods were petty and cruel,
and they plagued mankind with suffering.
Only one man dared to challenge their power--
Hercules.
Hercules possessed a strength the world had never seen,
a strength surpassed only by the power of his heart.
He journeyed the earth, battling the minions of his wicked stepmother, Hera,
the all-powerful queen of the gods.
But wherever there was evil,
wherever an innocent would suffer,
there would be... Hercules.
- [ Screeching ] - [ Roaring ]
Hail!
Jaris?
Jaris is gonna die?
How?
You can't stop it.
The Fates have already severed Jaris's lifeline.
It will be fast and painless.
But he's so young.
There are things even you are powerless to change, Hercules.
Wait, wait. Don't take him yet!
Give him some more time to-to get his life in order, say his good-byes.
You know I can't do that.
You can't tell me he's gonna die and expect me not to help him!
Hades will have my head.
All right. A day, no longer.
Death is never easy.
It's the survivors who have it the hardest.
You found that out when you met Jaris's brother.
Bartoc. It was the first time I ever met you.
I'll never forget what happened.
I thought I put it behind me...
until now.
Hercules, pick up the pace! You're walking through this like a drill!
But it is a drill.
Well done, Iolaus.
Cheiron, I've done this so much, I could do it in my sleep.
It's not the moves that need work. It's the attitude.
You win or you losehere.
Well, you know, Cheiron, I try to tell him, but--
[ Chuckling ]
You are my most promising student, Hercules.
But lately, you've grown cocky and overconfident.
Well, it's the training.
I mean, day in, day out. It's boring.
That's it! You have 14 days to enjoy the festival...
and to visit with your families!
When you come back, come back ready to work!
[ Cheering, Laughing ]
[ Iolaus ] Six weeks of "Up at dawn" and "Drill till you drop."
[ Chuckles ] I am so ready for your mother's cooking.
Maybe you should have continued a life of crime, Iolaus.
Hard prison labor would be a breeze compared to life at Cheiron's academy.
Look at 'em, all those goody-goody cadets.
They make me wanna puke.
Here he comes-- hotshot Hercules.
Thinks he can stick his nose in and cost us a turf war.
Now, it's payback time.
All right, Bartoc.
Kill Hercules, and you'll be one of us.
You sure a knife will do it? He's stronger than anyone. Never been beat.
Just do it! We'll set him up.
- [ Chattering, Indistinct ] - [ All Yelling ]
Now, Bartoc! Gut him!
You know, it's just like you to send a baby to do your work, Dageth.
I'll show you who's a baby!
Get up, you wimp!
Come on.
You know, I do have a tougher workout every day before breakfast.
[ Yelling ]
Let's-Let's get outta here!
Hurry!
Herc.
Herc!
He's dead.
[ Cheiron ] Such a waste, and for nothing.
It's my fault.
Herc, he had a knife.
But I didn't take it seriously.
I should've handled it better.
Yes, you should have, but you didn't.
Next time, you will. It's called learning.
Dageth called him Bartoc.
The guy says his father's a farmer about half a day away.
You know what you have to do, don't you?
Yes, I do.
Hey! Yo, Herc!
Wait up! Iolaus.
Let's get going. This is something I gotta do by myself.
Aw, man! Please.
Well, just don't forget it was a gang who forced Bartoc into fighting you.
You can't take all the blame.
Yeah, I know. But this kid's dead because of me.
It's nobody else's fault. It's up to me to take him home.
This how you tail a guy, huh?
A blind cyclops attracts less attention. Let me go.
I'll cut you.
Little kids shouldn't play with knives.
No, it's chumps like you we oughta play with.
You again. Hello, Hercules.
I'm Celesta.
Messenger of Hades.
That's why you were there today. You came for the boy.
You're not what I would have expected.
[ Chuckles ] I hear that a lot.
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 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.
[ Grunting ]
Hey, let me give you a hand with that.
This thing's bigger than you are. Thanks.
Are you here to see my father?
Is his name Nehemiah?
That's him. I'm Jaris.
Hello, Jaris. I'm Hercules.
I need to speak to your father. It's about your brother.
Bartoc? Great!
Father will be happy to meet a friend of his! Wait here!
Father! Father! Come quick! [ Sighs ]
Father, there's a guy over there. He's a friend of Bartoc's.
Well, let's meet him.
Don't even think about eating that!
That fruit may look sweet as honey,
but it'll make ya sick if you eat it raw.
Bartoc fed one to our cow one time.
We couldn't drink the milk for a week.
Well, he didn't know.
Sometimes, pretty means poison.
Jaris says you know Bartoc.
I'm Hercules.
I knew Bartoc just for a short time.
Jaris, go to the house.
But why? Do as I say, now.
That's my boy, isn't it?
I'm sorry, sir.
It was an accident.
I didn't--
Thank you for bringing him home.
You're a good friend.
[ Hercules ] Your father would be proud of you.
Well, I'm not a farmer like he was.
But town constable is honest work.
And with troublemakers like Claxon around, at least I'm never gonna be out of a job.
Jaris, have--
have you ever talked with Rena about, you know,
if something were to happen to you,
what would happen to little Bartoc? Well, no.
Would she raise him? I mean, I can tell she loves him.
Yes, she does, she and her husband both. Herc, what are you getting at?
I saw Celesta today, the Messenger of Death.
She-- She came for you.
But I'm still here, and I feel fine.
She's giving you some extra time to make arrangements for your son.
Could it be a mistake?
No. I'm sorry.
I always hoped I'd accomplish something before my time came.
But you have. You've been someone your neighbors could turn to for help.
You stood up for them. I haven't done enough.
Decent people can't even walk the streets.
Claxon, others like him.
I'm leaving my son to grow up in a world full of vicious animals!
He'll grow up with people who love him.
That's more important.
I gotta think this through. Some things I gotta do.
How much time? Did she say?
Not much. One day.
It's all your fault! If he hadn't run away, he'd still be alive!
Jaris-- I'm gonna run away myself!
And don't try and stop me!
I'll talk to him.
Wow!
This is nice.
Bartoc built it.
You guys must have been pretty good pals, huh?
He was my brother.
I always thought he'd come back for me someday,
someday when things had cooled off between him and--
What was it about-- the argument?
Bartoc was hanging around some guys my father didn't like.
He said it was for his own good-- that he didn't wanna see them around here anymore.
Well, at least he cared, right?
My father didn't care about me. Still doesn't.
If I was in Bartoc's place, I'd never wanna leave here.
Did Bartoc ever talk about me?
Yeah, of course.
All the time.
Tell me about him, these last few months.
Well, he--
You ever hear of Cheiron's academy?
He went there? That's gotta be tough.
It ain't no picnic.
You see, Cheiron's a Centaur. A great warrior.
Doesn't put up with anything.
You learn how to handle yourself,
learn how to look out for each other.
You and Bartoc? That's great!
Well, if it isn't Mr. "Look at me, I'm in the academy now."
What's your job, shooing flies off the Centaur?
Well, it sure beats this lame excuse for a crew.
[ Groans ]
So, Hercules has taken our dead buddy back to the farm.
It makes things simple.
Him and the old man are both responsible for putting that poor kid in the ground!
Yeah, right.
Blame everybody but yourself. Big man.
Word is out from here to Corinth.
As soon as a few more crews get here, Hercules and the old man are dead meat.
You know, this has nothing to do with settling things.
This is all about you trying to look tough.
Check it. I float like a Harpy and sting like a Stymphalian bird!
Ooh! And drop like a rock.
Get him! [ Blows Landing ]
Hey! You tell your buddy Hercules...
we'll be coming for him and the old man!
Stop fighting! He's gone! Aah!
[ Iolaus ] Herc!
You're another of Bartoc's friends. Thank you for being here.
Well, I had to come.
Hercules, would you mind saying a few words?
Um, I'm not family.
Please, Hercules? You were his friend.
[ Nehemiah ] In some ways, you may have known him better than we did.
Bartoc was trying to find his way.
He was, uh, trying to find who he-he really was.
That's not always easy.
It-It can be tough...
opening up, talking about how you feel...
or admitting that you feel lost...
or forgotten.
Bartoc will always be with you.
He'll be in your hearts.
And he'll hear your thoughts when you think of him,
and he'll hear mine too.
Iolaus! What-What happened?
What are you-- What are you doin' here? What amIdoing here?
Herc, I don't know what is going on, but Dageth is coming after you.
He's bringing his own gang and a bunch of others.
We need to leave. I-I can draw them away. No, no.
No, it won't work.
He's got a grudge against Bartoc's father too.
You're both on his hit list. [ Nehemiah ] Hercules.
I'd like you to stay on a while. Your friend too.
Iolaus.
Iolaus. It'd be good for, uh, Jaris...
to have someone to talk to who was close to Bartoc.
We'd be glad to, Nehemiah.
Close to Bartoc? You didn't tell him, did you? No.
You didn't tell him? No!
Do you want me to tell him? No, I don't want you to tell him.
I'll tell him! Iolaus, I don't want ya to say anything!
That man's son and that boy's brother is dead because of me.
Any trouble that they're in is my fault.
I'll handle it.
[ Blows Landing ] [ Man Groaning ]
Claxon, why? I kept quiet! You got off!
Yeah. This is just a reminder in case you change your mind. [ Groans ]
[ Chuckles ] Jaris.
What a surprise. You caught me stepping on a bug.
I guess that's some kind of violation.
Okay, take me to court. But I gotta tell ya--
I'm getting tired of you wasting my time.
I haven't got time to waste either, Claxon.
Smart man.
Oh, just between us,
I strangled that redhead.
Choked the life right out of her.
And Tidus there, he saw it all.
She was frisky, though.
Put up a real good fight.
I'm thinking of looking up her sister.
[ Laughing ]
Jaris, don't!
Should have done that a long time ago.
Why?
- Why? - No time.
If I gotta go, I'm gonna take as many like him with me as I can.
This didn't have to happen, Hercules.
I broke the rule. I gave him extra time.
No, I'm the one who's responsible. I should have stayed with him.
[ Sighs ] He's afraid of facing death.
That's why he's doing this instead of taking care of his son.
You'd better stop him soon.
If this keeps up, all the evil he does...
will outweigh all the good he's already done in his life,
and Hades won't permit him into the Elysian Fields.
I won't let that happen.
I owe it to his father...
and his brother.
You're not afraid to get your hands calloused.
Bartoc never had a taste for it.
You've been doin' this all your life.
I'm just catchin' up. Storm's comin'.
You better hurry, son.
[ Horse Whinnies ]
[ Thunderclap ]
Herc, they're here.
I know. I saw 'em. About 30 by my count.
Yeah, well, maybe we could have headed them off if we left before,
but now they've got us boxed in.
Nehemiah wouldn't have stood a chance. You know that.
What's on your mind, Iolaus? Okay, you asked for it.
No matter how hard you try, you're never gonna take that dead kid's place.
So the old man called you "son." So what? You're not really his son.
You can't make up for killing that kid by stepping into his life!
That's not what I'm doin'!
Oh, really? Well, you could've fooled me, and maybe yourself.
Hercules, you'd better come outside.
Now, this is really nowhere.
No wonder Bartoc couldn't wait to get away from here. The place stinks.
Yeah, talk about stinks, you guys mind standing downwind a bit?
I just had lunch. Cut to the chase, Dageth.
Thought you might wanna know, I got rival crews behind me,
guys who would've cut each other's hearts out a few days ago.
But you're our common cause, Hercules.
Thanks to you, we're too big to stop.
What's going on, Hercules?
You know who these guys are, don't you?
You'd be Jaris, huh? Knew your brother.
Just to show I'm righteous, I'm willing to cut you a break.
Join up, and you won't be hurt.
You could even take your brother's place with us.
What's he talking about, Hercules?
You never said anything about Bartoc being in a gang.
Jaris, go to the barn. Now!
[ Man ] Hercules, you his mommy now?
What's up, Herc? Don't you think the kid has a right to hear this?
Especially considering what you did to his big brother!
Big man! Get ready to rumble!
Wait, wait, wait.
The way I see it, you're either with us or against us.
Come sundown, everyone against us dies.
Let's go.
As soon as it gets dark, maybe we should try and sneak Jaris outta here.
No. He's safer here where we can watch out for him.
Hey! Hey! Let go of me!
Jaris, what are you doing?
They're those guys my father ran out of town before.
I heard what they said. They're coming for us.
I'm not a kid anymore! I can help fight 'em!
It's what Bartoc would have done! Jaris, sometimes ya gotta fight.
But you gotta pick your time,
and you gotta pick your place.
You can't be forced into it.
Bartoc forgot that. That's what got him killed.
So how'd he really die?
In a gang fight?
Did Dageth do it?
Jaris, go find your father. There's some things I need to tell him.
Uh, Herc, maybe now's not the time, huh?
No. I should have been honest from the start.
I need to tell him what really happened.
Come on! I did all the hard work, bashin' that miser lady over the head.
I got the bigger share comin'.
She was sound asleep when we broke in!
Would've stayed that way had you not made so much racket!
Hey, you still got me to thank. Now she can't identify us!
She was blind, you moron! Hello, boys.
Huh?
Jaris.
We won these dinars fair and square in a card game.
Yeah. You can't prove we didn't.
You're right. I can't.
Guess what? I don't care.
Okay.
[ Man ] He's gone crazy!
Please, don't kill me!
Look! I confess!
I-I-I'm sorry! It was an accident!
Shut up! At least die like a man.
Jaris!
Put the knife down.
Let him go!
Get out of here, Hercules. This has nothing to do with you!
Put the knife down.
You'll have to kill me to stop me.
Wouldn't that be funny...
if that was the way it was supposed to happen all along?
Not so fast.
I'll deal with you later.
[ Yelling ]
Let's go! Let's go!
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 killing 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.
I know.
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.
What's the matter? Jaris said you wanted to see me.
Nehemiah, there's a gang here.
Bartoc was one of them.
They attacked me. I was fighting them off.
Bartoc died because I killed him.
It was an accident.
[ Yells ]
I trusted you, took you under my roof!
I treated you like family.
You have every right to be angry.
I can't bring Bartoc back.
I'm sorry.
But I need to get this out in the open...
in case we don't get through this one alive.
Herc! They're coming.
[ Yelling, Shouting ]
Keep your eyes open! Don't give 'em a chance to slip through!
Torch this place and everyone in it!
Make them beg for mercy!
Burn, baby, burn!
Jaris, grab the bucket!
Duck!
You had your chance with us, kid. [ Jaris ] Father!
Jaris!
No!
Time to pick on somebody your own size, Dageth.
That's the last time you're gonna put your hands on me. You're dead meat!
Rip his heart out!
Hey, Kenickus!
Play nice.
Come on, Dageth!
Is that all you got?
Come on! Come on!
Get him, Herc!
You're finished, Dageth. Get out!
- It won't be the same. - It looks good to me.
Thanks, Hercules.
Time to hit the road, Herc.
Good-bye, Jaris.
Tell him. Hercules.
I just wanna say thank you...
for saving Jaris from the gang.
And maybe I can be a better father to him than I was to Bartoc.
Good-bye, Jaris.
He's with his brother and his father now.
I know.
Come in. Have something to eat with us, Hercules.
No, no. You, uh--
You go on. I'll-- I'll be along.
What's wrong, Herc?
This makes two people I've buried here--
both too young.
But you were there for Jaris when he needed you.
You have nothing to blame yourself for this time.
I still can't help feeling guilty.
With time and understanding, those feelings will fade.
But never completely.
We have both learned a lot along the way.
Well, ya gotta live and learn.
Yeah.
It's too bad...
some of the biggest lessons we learn...
involve losing people we love.
They're never really gone, right?
'Cause they're part of us always.
[ Chuckles ]
Always.