Mmm, yeah, and what about the fangs on that thing?
I'm glad it was slow.
You know, we could've ended up as dinner.
Yeah, yeah.
Those villagers seemed thankful, though, didn't they?
Yeah, but building statues in our honor
seemed a bit much, though.
Come on!
Well.
No more disappearing cattle.
No more virgin sacrifices.
You ask me, they got a lot to be thankful for.
They should have built a shrine to us.
Whoa, you, uh, better watch your mouth, Iolaus.
Oh, come on, it's not the gods.
It's just a lightning bolt.
There's only one way to find out.
Oh, yeah, that's right.
'Cause lightning never strikes in the same place twice.
Iolaus, come on. I'm just k--
No, no, no, no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
I think they should have built a shrine to us!
Iolaus?
Speak to me!
Great.
Better be a coincidence. All right?
All right, you'll be all right, Iolaus. You'll be all right.
OK, just... just stand there and rest a bit.
Iolaus, are you all right?
Yeah. Yeah, I-I'm fine.
But you were struck by a bolt of lightning.
Yeah? No, I feel great.
I feel, um, better than I've ever been in my life.
Uh, actually I... I feel kind of energized, ha.
Well, we better lie low till the storm passes.
Oh, no. It'll be over in a couple of minutes.
How would you know that?
You know, we'd make Colchis by sundown
if it wasn't for those other distractions.
- What distractions? - A pretty girl on a horse, for one.
Oh, Herc, you have to watch her.
She is gonna bring you so much trouble.
I-Iolaus, you're you're babbling. I-I-I--
- No, wha-what? - You should take it easy.
No, no, no, no, no, no! Because, I can see it!
It's like a whoosh! And then, wow!
This is, wow! Yeah, uh, yeah, uh, it's totally, uh,
totally big, big flying things, uh, with
metal wings and-and they're full of people!
- Metal wings? - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, uh.
- A-and a city wi-with tall buildings. - Iolaus...
- Uh, they're so tall... - I-Iolaus...
- ...you can't see the-- - Iolaus!
- What? - You're babbling!
Horse!
That was some storm, wasn't it?
Maybe you two can help me.
I'm looking for Hercules.
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.
I'm sorry. Obviously, you can't understand me.
- Uh, I'm Hercules. - Yeah, no, no, he is, really.
Uh, I know, 'cause I'm his best friend Iolaus. Hi.
- Uh, Rheanna. - Oh, you'll be wanting some water
because it's a long way to Tevar.
- How did you know that? - Uh, I don't know.
Uh, maybe I can cool your horse off for you,
uh, give you two some time together.
Oh, yeah. Come on, Archilechas.
Uh, now that you've found us, what can we do for you?
My people need your help.
My village is under King Melkos' rule.
Melkos, seems I've heard that name.
He rules not for the people but for his own selfish,
perverted interests. His latest law gives him
wedding-night privileges with every new bride in his kingdom.
I thought those were just rumors.
- They're not. - I'm sorry.
Look, I neither need, nor have time for, your sympathy.
My late husband and I led a rebellion against Melkos.
Two months ago, Jordis was killed in an ambush,
and since then, the movement has floundered.
Without his leadership, I'm afraid it'll die.
And you want us to help overthrow Melkos.
Yes, before his oppression spreads.
Look, I don't seek revenge.
I just want to see an end to my people's suffering.
We'll do what we can.
I know those people. Come on.
- Clarion! - She's a beauty, isn't she?
Is she? Hey, her story really affected me.
Right, you haven't taken your eyes off her
since she showed up. But we're gonna be up
to our necks in soldiers in a minute, so--
- Soldiers? - Yeah.
- Where? - No, no, no, no, no, I didn't see them.
I... I... I saw them, but, I mean, well no, no, I didnt see them.
Uh, uh, look-look, Herc, they're gonna be here.
They're refugees from my village.
They don't wanna live under the king's tyranny anymore.
It's the king's men!
Soldiers.
Stop! You people are to return to your homes!
Why? We've nothing left to give the king.
- He's taxed us to death. - He'll be the judge of that.
Now turn around! Or you'll find out what death is really like.
Now, hold on, there. These people haven't done anything wrong.
They have a right to leave if they choose.
I don't recognize you, stranger.
But I'd advise you to mind your own business.
I am... I'm making this my business.
Have it your way.
Why are they leaving, Clarion?
I told them I'd be back with help, and I did.
Yeah, it's nothing against you.
The death of Jordis just took the fight out of them.
- They've just lost too much, already. - And you?
If you leave, our cause will suffer.
But I can't make your decision for you.
- You'll still lead us? - Yes.
And those two will fight with us? Then I'll stay
but I'm sending my family off with the others.
Well, you've convinced me you're Hercules.
I've never seen a man fight like that.
- He wasn't alone. - Uh, no, I wasn't.
Uh, you handled yourself pretty well, too.
Rheanna, you're back.
Didn't I promise? Where is everyone?
Tryin' to figure out how to pay their taxes.
It's gotten so a man can't afford a mug of mead no more.
Will there be a meeting tonight?
I'll let you know. Here let me help.
Uh, Herc? Stay alert.
What?
- Thank you. - You're welcome.
Uh, you'll need a place to stay and some food tonight.
- Vericles can help you. - You said something about a meeting.
I'll send someone for you. We keep it secret till the last minute.
Vericles, this is Hercules and Iolaus.
Glad to meet cha, Hercules. What'll ya have?
- No, no, he's Hercules. - Right, he's the third one this week.
Your Highness, we failed to turn back the refugees.
That could cost you your jobs. You do realize
that it's their taxes that pay you and your men.
- How many were there? - Five or six families, Sire.
- Armed? - No.
So a dozen armed and trained soldiers couldn't
convince a ragged band of refugees to return to their home?
They had help one of the women from the village
- and two men I've never seen before. - Probably mercenaries.
Dismissed. That bodes well for us.
The rebels must be getting desperate if they rely on outsiders.
- Find me that woman. - And the mercenaries?
Ha, a couple of paid soldiers don't worry me.
Besides if all goes according to plan
they'll be crushed with the rest of the rebels tomorrow.
You're gonna lose a lot of money.
What?
Uh, I see you losing a lot of money.
Iolaus, that doesn't make any sense. I don't have any money.
I'm just telling you what I see.
What happened to you in that lightning strike?
I mean, first it was Rheanna, then the soldiers,
now this-this money.
Are... are you telling me you can see the future?
Yeah, no, I mean, uh, 'know, y'see... what it is?
I get these visions. And sometimes they're really like zing!
Clear. And then other times,
they're kind of, uh, wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa!
You know, you can't tell. I mean, I don't know what they are.
It's sort of...
This is really strange. You sure you feel all right?
- Oh, yeah, yeah, I feel great. - Good. Good.
Um, well, it's getting late. I need some sleep.
- Yeah. Oh, yeah. - Yeah.
- Uh, Herc? - What now?
- You, uh, you may wanna move over. - Why?
Well, you're in the cow's favorite spot.
What cow?
We're all feeling the loss of Jordis. But this is no time to let up.
Every day that we continue our attacks
on the king, our support grows.
And tonight we have news that'll help our cause immensely.
- Gnossus? - Tomorrow, the king is sending
a shipment of gold through the Lucian forest.
Our taxes paid for that gold.
Why are you telling us this? There'll be an army guarding it.
No, as we speak, there'll be an uprising in Rarda.
Most of the king's army will be busy
putting down the rebellion there. Then that shipment
will be lightly guarded ripe for the taking.
We can get our taxes back and hit the king
- where it hurts most. - Taking his gold and defeating
his soldiers would build our reputation.
What are we waiting for?
I know this is your battle but you should move cautiously.
How do you know this information is correct?
It comes straight from the lips of the king's bookkeeper.
Yeah, but don't you have to ask yourself
- why he's telling you all this? - No, I am the king's bookkeeper.
So, uh, where is this shipment going?
Attack!
Halt!
- Rocks! - Rocks.
Pull back!
You really wanna fight all these guys at once?
Just long enough to make sure everyone gets away.
OK.
- They're back. - Oh, you made it.
I was worried you didn't hear my call for retreat.
- Uh, we heard you but, uh... - We ignored it.
Yeah, sorry.
I'm still just tryin' to piece it all
together and figure out what happened.
There's not much to figure out. You were set up.
There's a traitor in your midst.
- Here comes-- - Rheanna?
The village square, two soldiers dumped someone's body.
- Whose? - I was too far away to tell.
Gnossus? Gnossus, what happened?
They found me out. I didn't tell them a thing.
- They don't know who we are. - Gnossus.
I warned you this would happen!
I'll catch up with you later.
Rheanna, I'm sorry about your friend.
He wasn't just my friend. He was my brother.
- I didn't know. - First my husband. Now my brother.
- Where does it end? - Well, when King Melkos no longer rules.
- But at what cost? - The price of freedom is never cheap.
But you're the one who has to decide what you're willing to pay.
I just don't wanna see my people suffer
any more than they already have.
King Melkos intends to win, even if he has to kill us all.
Then don't let him.
I don't know if I can go on.
Your people are counting on you, Rheanna.
To give up now would mean your husband
and brother's deaths would have been in vain.
They wouldn't want that.
I'd better go.
Are you saying that you killed the spy, Gnossus by yourself?
Yes, Sire. We dumped his body in the village square.
I'd say we sent the rebels quite a message.
Has it ever occurred to you that
if I wanted to send a message I'd use a messenger?
Or that by killing their spy we have lost someone
we could use to our own advantage like spreading misinformation.
No, Sire.
Not very smart, that move, was it, Cyrus?
And I can't afford to have myself surrounded
by stupid people, can I?
- Enlighten him. - Please, your Highness, if I may.
We have access to the rebels' inner circle.
We do?
- Go on. - One of my soldiers is having
a shall we say close relationship with this person.
Does Grovelus know the name of this soldier?
No, Sire. I am the only one with that knowledge
and if anything were to happen to me--
You may not be very smart but at least you're clever.
I'll spare your education, this time.
On the house.
- Thanks. - Thank you.
Herc. Come here.
- What? - Come over here.
Rheanna!
Rheanna. Rheanna. I've been looking for you.
- And I've been avoiding you. - Well, shouldn't we talk about it?
- Look, what happened earlier-- - Nothing happened.
What almost happened. What I wanted to happened.
- Is the same thing I wanted to happen-- - And it's wrong.
No, it isn't. The timing might be wrong but our feelings aren't.
Don't you see? Jordis has only been dead for two months.
Deianeira has been gone much longer,
and I still feel that same guilt.
Everything is just so mixed up right now.
I know. I know.
And whatever it is we have can wait.
But we don't have to exile ourselves from each other.
No.
Good day, Rheanna.
- I'd better go. - Yeah.
What?
Uh, what, what?
Iolaus, you were never good at hiding your feelings.
- Now, what? - Uh, I wasn't gonna say anything,
b... but, um, Herc, I was right about Rheanna,
I was right about the soldiers, and I'm right about this.
She's gonna betray you.
- Who? - Who?
- Rheanna. - Oh, Iolaus, come on!
I'm only telling you, what I heard and what I saw.
I don't know what you saw, but Rheanna betray me?
- I mean, it's a little hard to believe. - All right.
If I can't stop you from going on the ambush
will you please promise you'll be careful.
I'll be fine.
Hercules, I saw the death of a warrior.
It was you.
We can't wait any longer.
Are you sure you're not just doing this out of revenge?
No, I've put my feelings behind me.
Our last setback has Melkos thinking we're dispirited
- and ready to give up. - Rheanna's right.
Another raid will show the king your cause isn't dead.
I'm with them. Let's get our weapons.
Yeah!
Arrest them!
Stop your fighting!
Unless you want to see her dead!
Do what he says.
She's the one. She's their leader.
Hephates. Why?
Because I was never good enough for your brother.
What do you say now, Rheanna? Am I good enough for him?
Bring 'em away!
- I guess I owe ya an apology. - You weren't too far off.
Someone betrayed us, and someone died.
I can't believe I didn't see it. Ah!
The gods have smiled on us, Grovelus.
Not only has our young captain delivered the leader of
the rebel movement, but the son of Zeus as well.
- Won't he be an inspiration to them? - Not if he's dead.
I take it the rebels will be executed without trials.
No, there'll be a trial tomorrow.
They'll be found guilty and then executed.
And when the great Hercules dies, no one will ever
dare rise up against us again.
I'm sorry for getting you into this.
You forget. We volunteeered.
They'll execute us tomorrow as a warning to others.
We'll see.
- Hey, Herc. - What is it?
- I've had another vision. - Oh, great.
- Is this good or bad? - You remember the prison in Thessaly?
- You sure you wanna do that again? - Yeah, why not?
- Uh, I've got a better idea. - Oh, what?
Might 'a known.
Get back in your cell, or I'll run you through!
Uh, run me through. Did you have a backup plan?
- I didn't think so. - Come on, Herc! Come on!
Come on.
Come on, come on.
- Herc, it's all clear. - Oh, yeah, yeah.
Rheanna!
It's OK! Here!
Give me your hand!
I've got you!
Iolaus!
- Time to take a little ride! - What ride?
That ride!
Rheanna! Hold on!
Come on!
Hercules!
Wait here.
Herc!
Aren't you hurt? I mean--
- Thick, thick shrubs. - Ah, come on!
I thought I'd lost you.
I'm not going anywhere.
Uh, guys? We... we really got to get going.
I know a farmhouse nearby where we'll be safe.
- OK. - Come on.
- Hello, Mirim. - Well, Rheanna!
- We heard you were captured. - We were. We escaped.
- Is something wrong? - You better get inside.
Oh, right. The king's patrols are out.
This is Hercules.
I'm Iolaus.
Mirim, what is it?
You'd better look in there.
Oh, may the gods forgive me.
What's going on?
Hercules? This is Jordis...
my husband.
Jordis, you fell from the top of the waterfall.
I saw the arrow pierce your chest.
- No, you saw it, pierce this. - My sons found him
downstream right after the battle a heartbeat from death.
- But why didn't anybody tell me? - I told them not to.
I still wasn't sure if I'd make it. I didn't want you greiving twice.
Yeah. Well, uh...
you two should have some time alone.
I still can't believe you're back.
I have a lot of lost time to make up for.
You're in no shape to do anything right now.
- You need to get well. - That can wait.
Is he really Hercules?
Yes.
Will he help us?
Then we should use it to our advantage.
Jordis, I just got you back from the dead. I won't--
Listen to me. In the end our lives really don't matter.
If we can put an end to the injustice
and the tyranny in this kingdom.
We have to strike now while they least expect it.
Talk to Hercules. He'll understand that.
Look, I-I'm sorry.
For what? We should be celebrating
Rheanna's good fortune the rebels' good fortune.
Come on, you know what for. You and Rheanna--
Rheanna loves her husband.
And now that he's back there's no question.
That's what I mean, seems, unfair.
But that's the way it is.
Your own castle guard let them get away. Now, if it were my men.
Your men couldn't even turn back a raggedy band of refugees.
- Their escape could inspire them. - I don't think so.
They very nearly died. And now we know who they are.
- Let my men-- - No!
Take all our men. Go into every stronghold and hideaway.
Raze their homes to the ground if you have to.
Wipe them out.
They're not here!
Come on!
Jordis, I thought we agreed you shouldn't be here.
I shouldn't be anywhere else.
I could never ask my men to fight in my place.
All right. Iolaus and I will take out the sentries.
- Well, we meet again. - Hi.
Still no backup plan.
OK. Now.
Come on!
Grovelus? What's happening?
Sire, the rebels have breached the castle defenses.
Get my sword!
I don't know who you are, but, um, thanks.
It's no use, Sire. Your soldiers can't hold them.
Quick, the secret passage!
If it's supposed to be a secret you really should design it better.
Now, you have five seconds to call off your men
or they won't have a king to surrender for.
I don't know how to thank you
but I do know we couldn't have done it without you.
It was your bravery that inspired them. Just get well.
It'll take a lot of energy to run Melkos' kingdom,
now that he's in exile.
Could you excuse me a moment?
You can't just leave.
It'd be better for the movement if you stayed.
Between you and Jordis, I think they have enough leadership.
I'm sorry.
- I'm sorry that what we had-- - Is something we'll always have.
- And I wanna thank you for that. - Why? All I've done is cause us pain.
No.
No, you, uh, you took my heart somewhere that
I wasn't sure it could go anymore.
I'll miss you.
I'll miss you, too.
- You did the right thing. - I didn't have much choice.
So ever since you took that hit to the head
you can't see the future anymore?
Yeah. But you know what?
When I came to... I didn't know why I was fighting
didn't know who Rheanna was didn't know who I was.
Well, I'm sorry it took a hit to the head
but I'm glad to get the old Iolaus back.
Yeah, me too.
What was your name again?