Even the son of Zeus pays to cross my bridge.
So what do you say?
I say we cross further down river.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
I say we take 'em.
I say we cross over further down.
Come on, we can take 'em, easy.
Yeah, we can, but it will be that much longer before we get to Thrace.
What's the matter, Hercules?
You waiting for the god's to help you get past us?
Come on, we'll cross further down.
Wait a minute, your going to let them get away with that?
Drop it, Iolaus. I don't have anything to prove.
Come on, you yellow belly!
Look, his little buddy's got a bow and arrow.
He get's one shot and then we're going to get him.
Okay, guys, go get them!
Bath time.
He was mine, I had him cold.
Well, now he's cold and wet. Ah, behind you.
When was the last time you shot an arrow.
Let's get him!
Need any help?
I'm fine!
Yeah, right!
Had 'em cold, did ya?
Hey. I was doing just fine.
Well, you don't want to leave your bow lying around.
In the wrong hands it could be dangerous.
Need any help?
No, I'll take them.
Excuse me.
Stop them! They're getting away!
Yo, behind you!
Iolaus, it was a joke.
Oh, come on, Iolaus, it was a joke.
Stinking saytrs put me down, you animals!
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 wicked stepmother, Hera,
the all-powerful queen of the gods.
But wherever there was evil, wherever an innocent would suffer,
there would be Hercules.
We must be close. Come on, I'll race you.
It'll be good practice for tomorrow's games.
Hey! You're going the wrong way?
I am not. The sign says Thrace is this way.
The sign is wrong! Someone put it there to fool travellers!
Iolaus, look at the road. It's obvious everybody uses it.
I can't believe you don't recognize a trap when you see one.
You have to be joking.
If you wanna walk into a trap any kid could see go ahead.
I'll be waitin' for ya in Thrace.
You'll be lucky to get there before the games are over.
That's a bet 100 dinars.
You haven't got a hundred dinars.
I should worry. You're the one that's gonna have to pay.
Fine.
Iolaus, this. Iolaus, that.
He thinks that because he's the son of a god, he can-- ah!
know everything! Huh!
Always in his shadow.
Always... always playing second lute to him.
People always thinking I'm his kid brother
that doesn't know how to look after himself.
Right road or wrong road I'm gonna be waitin' for him in Thrace.
A ferry.
Iolaus!
Maybe the walk will burn off his bad mood.
Morning, traveller. Going to the games at Thrace?
Yes. Can you take me there?
I'm expecting a lot of trade for the games.
You'll have to wait for the boat to fill.
Ah, I don't have time to wait. How much to go now?
- A hundred dinars? - I'll swim.
I wouldn't do that, traveller. Place is infested with serpents.
Swallow you whole. And piranha fish, too.
We had a traveller tried to swim it last year.
Yeah, he was a big fellow like you.
They picked him clean in twenty seconds.
I lie ten clean to the bone.
And then there's the snakes and reptiles giant eels.
Looks like your boat is the only way.
Hmm, did you put the sign at the fork to make sure you got plenty of trade?
No, traveller. I put it there as a warning to strangers like yourself.
The other way is deadly dangerous.
None return who go that way, my friend.
- Don't tell me more serpents. - Worse.
Ghouls, fiends, giant eels that suck ya down into the mud.
Writhing things wolves the size of horses, and satyrs.
Maybe I could, uh, borrow this boat.
Uh, this boat won't be ready to launch for a week.
I've hired ten men to haul it to the river.
If I launch it for free, can I borrow it?
You won't find ten men to work for free.
Ah, I don't need to.
Uh-oh.
That way or that way?
Oh, great.
OK... ah... west is the night-side of south, so a traveller's coin.
Yeah, this must be the-- ohhhhhhh!
Oh... hi, there.
Uh, any of you guys know the way to Thrace?
Ah!
One of them dropped it. They're not monstuhs.
They're men pretending to be monsters.
Huh, I knew I should have trusted my instincts.
- I'm Iolaus. - Lydia.
- So, what are you doin' here, Lydia? - Trying not to be scared.
- I think they're gonna kill me. - Over my dead body.
You're probably right. They're bound to kill us both.
Is this all?
He had nothing else, Rankor.
Then he won't miss his life. Kill him!
- Give me that! - I want it!
- It's mine! - I said it's mine!
Give me your arrows! I decide who gets the spoils.
You'll take what I tell you when I tell you!
- And not before. - Yes, Rankor.
- Sorry, Rankor. - What about the girl?
Kill her, too. She's seen who we are.
Give 'em the usual treatment then throw 'em on the road to Thrace.
- Any idea who these guys are? - They're bandits.
They've been terrorizing the road for months.
Well, aren't there any men who can band together and flush them out?
No, they think they're satuhs,
so they're too frightened to go into the woods.
Ah.
These, uh, bandits do they raid the town?
They don't have to. This is the only good road into Thrace.
- Then, this is the way to Thrace. - It used to be.
- Where does the other road go? - Dead ends at the river.
What's so funny?
Come to think of it not a lot.
Go back!
She's mine!
I'll handle her.
I don't get it. If the road is so dangerous,
why did you use it?
We heard that Hercules was coming to the town games so,
I volunteered to go find him and ask him to help clear out the satuhs.
- You came alone? - Nobody'd go with me.
Well, somebody had to do it. He was our only hope.
Besides, I've always wanted to meet him.
Yeah. Well, don't worry.
I'll get us out of this mess without Hercules.
Ready for me, girl?
Take your dress off.
Couldn't that wait until after you've rescued us?
Take it off.
Hello, Hercules.
- Nemesis... I can't believe it. - Oh, sure you can.
As I recall, there is nothing you can't do.
- I thought I'd never see you again. - It's been what ten years?
At least and then you just drop out of the clear-blue sky.
I surprise a lot of people that way.
Put a call in for old-times' sake. Come on.
Hmm?
It's... it's just so good to see you.
Come here!
Let's see what that pretty smile tastes like before you die.
Come on, girl.
Show me what you've got!
Anything you say... handsome.
What do you want this stinking thing for?
To prove to the townspeople
that these are men pretending to be monstuhs!
Then maybe they'll have the courage to chase them off.
Could I have my skirt, please?
- You know, Hercules wouldn't be lost. - Yeah?
Well, don't bet on it.
- He doesn't know everything. - And, how would you know?
- I just do. - Well, who told you?
Nobody told me. I know him.
You know him?
Oh.
- I mean, personally. - We travel in the same circles.
- Well, what's he like? - Big you know, uh, tall shoulders like an ox?
Has the strength of ten men like that.
- They say he's got beautiful eyes. - Well, sure.
Is it true that he spends his entire life just helping people?
Oh, yeah, he's very helpful. He never stops helping people.
Well, I don't think you know him at all.
It so happens, I'm his best friend.
- You are not. - I am too!
- You can't be! - Why not?
Nobody talks about their best friend that way.
Nobody talks about their--
They got away? Then we'll hunt them.
And we'll chase them and stick 'em and
roast 'em like pigs before they die.
Get the dogs!
They've got hunting dogs! Quick, roll in the mud with me.
- Aw, I don't think so! - Listen to me
if those dogs get our scent, we won't stand a chance.
Now, do what I tell you, or we'll be eaten alive.
It's an old hunters' trick.
An animal can smell a human from a mile away.
We've gotta get rid of our scent.
Do it!
Now, stay perfectly still and don't breathe.
But we're out in the open. They'll see us.
No, no, no, no, they'll be too busy,
beating the bush, to look in this direction.
Trust me.
That's what all the boys say!
Aw, you're terrific!
I know!
Remember how long it took me
to get up the courage to kiss you for the first time?
Yeah, you were ten, and it took about three seconds.
Uh, yeah.
What have you been doing all these years?
- I work for the gods. - And what do you do for them?
I deliver divine justice.
Whenever some mortal gets too powerful,
too arrogant whatever I drop on by and arrange his comeuppance.
- You ever get the wrong guy? - How would I know?
I'm just doing my job kind of like you.
Are you still saving maidens and killing monsters?
No, mostly I save people from the tyrants you work for.
Looks to me like we're both in the punishment business.
- There's a difference. - Hmm... amaze me.
- I find out whether they deserve it, first. - Oh, come off it, Hercules.
That's a very convenient excuse.
You're telling me you never make a mistake?
Well, if I do, I don't try to defend it.
What I do is for a purpose, not a career.
When did your sense of justice fly away, Nemesis?
- Or did you just sell out? - No, I bought in.
Do you see anything you recognize?
Well, that looks familiar. I'm not sure,
but I think I've seen it from the river ferry.
Ferry. You mean there's a ferry?
Sure. People sometimes use it now to avoid the old road
- but it's pretty expensive. - Where does it start?
Oh, just back at the fork. It's only a few hundred yards from the sign.
Oh, I don't believe it. He'll be floating along like a prince.
Who?
Nobody. Come on, let's see if we can make
that hill before our imaginary monsters pick up our trail.
Here, let me take the rope for a while.
It's all right. I can manage.
If you can help me, I can help you.
Idiots! He was right under your feet!
- He's clever, this one! - If he gets to town,
and tells them that we're men and not monsters, we're in big trouble!
- I want him killed! - They're headed for the lake.
Ah-hah! Not so clever!
He doesn't know what's waiting for him in there!
Oh, not the water.
It's OK. They've gone.
Let's go!
Yeah, come on.
Get out of the lake, Lydia!
It's all right, Lydia!
I can handle it!
It's just a serpent!
- How on Earth did you kill it? - I bit its eyes out.
- Don't tell me! - An old hunters' trick!
So tell me about this friend you're travelling with.
He's a great guy good company courageous,
loyal fearless the best friend a man could have.
So why did you split up?
He got angry at me this morning because I helped him out of a brawl.
Then we argued about which way to go to Thrace.
He got mad and bet a hundred dinars he could beat me there.
Well, you know what they say? 'Pride comes before a fall.'
Oh, he won't fall. He's too smart for that.
But, not smart enough to win a hundred dinars.
Ah. So, what's his name?
Iolaus.
What's wrong?
Iolaus is the name of the man I've come to kill.
- You're sure Iolaus is the right target. - Yes, it's him.
But why?
Pride. Pride, arrogance, and ego.
Among the gods, pride, arrogance, and ego are virtues.
- What's his punishment? - The penalty is his life.
- What? - Hercules, it's not my decision.
Make it your decision! Go back and say you couldn't find him or something.
I can't. It's out of my hands.
What are you talking about?
Nemesis!
My job is to set things up so that the mortal brings retribution on himself.
'Pride comes before a fall.'
That's what the brawl on the bridge was all about.
It's too late. It's already started.
What are our chances of getting away from them?
We'll make it.
I can take the truth.
Lydia. Lydia, it's OK. I think we can beat them.
Nice try, Iolaus, but there are too many of them.
Yeah, well, we'll just pick 'em off, one by one.
What? With two arrows?
That's all we're gonna need. Any fool can shoot arrows.
- But a smart fighter uses cunning. - I think we should be running away.
No! That's exactly what they want us to do.
Come on. Give me a hand, Lydia.
It's his!
Spread out! Ten dinars to whoever brings me his head!
Fifteen for the girl! If she's alive.
- Let's go! - Let's get going!
- How is he supposed to die? - I can't tell you that.
- Only the gods are allowed to know. - The gods.
Iolaus is my friend, and so are you. Bend the rules, Nemesis.
- How is he supposed to die? - By an arrow.
- Who ordered it? - Mm-mmm.
Fine, just give me the parchment.
Give me the parchment.
I never could say, 'No' to you.
Hera.
She ordered you to kill my friend because she can't kill me.
That's the kind of tyrant you work for.
Even you can't defy the will of the gods, Hercules.
- There is nothing you can do. - That's where you're wrong.
Iolaus needs my help.
No, Hercules. Don't you see?
Your help is the last thing he needs.
Hello.
Hey, buddy.
Oh, sorry!
- Next time, try harder. - Hard, right.
Lookin' for me?
Thanks, guys. I missed this.
The broken bow was a trick! To get us too close to use our bows!
I can play clever games, too!
Aim!
- Wow! That was great! - I couldn't have done it without you!
Run, rabbits! You're going where your tricks won't do you any good!
Up there. I can hold a whole army back from that cave.
- Come on! - I don't think that's a good idea.
Come on, Lydia.
Easy, boys, right where I want 'em.
Your eyes'll get used to the dark.
It's not the dark I'm afraid of, Iolaus.
Wait here.
There's something you oughtta know about this cave.
Iolaus.
I tried to tell you.
I've killed a hydra before!
Of course then I had Hercules with me.
Don't talk to it, Iolaus! Chop it's head off!
- I can't do that, it'll grow two more. - How can you ever win?
You just keep going till something clever occurs to you!
- How did you beat it last time? - Fire!
- I don't see any fire. - Yeah, I noticed that.
An old hunters' trick.
Which way did he go? Looks like you haven't lost your touch, Iolaus.
Excuse me. Could you give me a hand with this?
Ooh, that's gotta hurt.
That is as far as you go, Hercules. You are not a part of this.
- That's my decision. - Oh, no it isn't.
For once, you cannot interfere with Iolaus' destiny.
Excuse me, will you? I'm too busy to argue right now.
Don't turn around. Wait for it, wait for it.
Now!
- Thanks. We make a good team. - We always did.
I thought that you said working for the gods
meant you could never interfere.
- Hmm, so I freelance once in a while, OK? - Mm-hmm.
- I gotta go.
Oh, no you don't.
I tried to tell you! Go away!
Oh! Oh!
Lydia!
Listen to me. You have to let Iolaus do this for himself.
If you help him now, he will go to his grave hating you.
We always help each other. When Iolaus helps me,
- I don't end up hating him. - You weren't under sentence from the gods.
Nemesis, one way or another, I'm always under sentence from the gods.
Not this one.
Lydia!
Lydia, what are you doing?
I spend my life helping strangers! I ca... I can't do less for my friend!
That is the problem! You gave Iolaus too much help,
and his injured pride walked him right into this.
Now, he's got to get him self out of it.
- But, what if he can't? - He has to do it.
Why?
- What are you doing? - I'm lighting you a fire!
I don't believe it! You're a genius!
- How did you know how to do that? - From my father.
- How did he know? - He was a hunter.
This is gettin' to be a very long day.
- How long will the torch keep burning. - Not long.
When it goes out you run for the entrance.
- I won't leave you. - You will if you wanna keep us both alive.
Hey! You!
Clown! There's no hydra in here!
I guess you're gonna have to try and kill me yourself, huh?
With pleasure!
Run, Lydia!
Come on!
That guy sure is a slow learner!
You gonna keep your promise?
You said there'd be something for me if I rescued us.
- Well, I rescued us. - But, that was a joke.
- Look out. - OK, let her down.
- There we go. - Come on.
Titus! Camilla.
I was wondering when you'd get here. Did you get lost?
No, I did not get lost. How long have you been here?
- Mmm... hours. - How many, Hercules?
Oh, about a hundred dinars' worth.
Lydia, this is my friend, Hercules. Hercules, this is Lydia.
- Hello, Lydia. - I'm very pleased to meet you, Hercules.
Your friend, Iolaus, and I have had quite a day.
Yeah. I saved her from a few dozen satyrs
- a hydra that's why I'm late. - And an eel.
- Oh, yeah. There was an eel, too. - Really? And how big was it?
- Oh, not much. You know how eels are. - Yeah, sure.
Oh! He was amazing!
I just wish you'd been there to see it, Hercules.
No! You'd have been in the way.
I know. I-I mean I know you can handle yourself.
See, there's nobody else on Earth I'd rather face trouble with, Lydia.
He's not only my friend, he's a great hunter a warrior, an archer.
- You really mean that? - Sure.
I'd trust you with my life. You know that.
Yeah, that's what I thought.
What're you doing?
- Hey, uh, may I? - Suit yourself.
Thanks.
- Well, that's very thoughtful of you. - Well, it isn't for you.
- It's for me. - Oh.
One, two, three, four, five, six.
Seven, eight, nine, ten.
One!
Two!
Three!
Iolaus!
That's a nice shot.
- Get your hands off me! - It was you.
Thanks, Nemesis, from both of us.
That's OK. Iolaus earned his reprieve.
This is the man who saved my life.
- Ah, it looks like he swallowed his pride. - All in a day's work.
- He's so modest. - You were ready to let him shoot, weren't you?
I had to show him that I trusted him.
He fought men and monstuhs with no thought for himself. He's a true hero.
- He wasn't going to shoot, Hercules. - He's just being modest.
- You knew that. - Mmm.
It was enough for him to know that you were ready to let him.
He wouldn't have risked hurting you.
And now, this noble warrior has unmasked the satuhs,
and freed us to use our road again.
What would you have done if his pride had made him take the shot?
I'd have killed him.
- Who were you talking to? - Uh... nobody.
I heard you talking. Come on... who was it?
Iolaus, my crazy, irreplaceable friend, you don't wanna know.
Bye, Hercules.
Captioned by Grantman Brown