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* DropTheHammer: Thor does this with Mjölnir upon meeting Hercules, sending him flying out of the tavern with a lightning strike. Thor says he actually missed, though, as the lightning was supposed to fry Hercules outright.
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-->'''Thor:''' Word of advice, stranger: watch where you pick your fights! ''[[[DropTheHammer slams Mjölnir against the ground]]]''
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-->'''Thor:''' Word of advice, stranger: watch where you pick your fights! ''[[[DropTheHammer slams ''[slams Mjölnir against the ground]]]''ground]''
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* While Thor is outwardly angry and short-sighted, he is at heart a good person devoted to protecting family and the Vikings. Loki makes a show of appearing more rational, but he is in league with Dahak to take down the whole family. And given the Asgardian belief that mortals can't survive without gods, you can imagine how little he actually regards humanity.
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->Teleplay by Gerry Conway
->Story by Paul Robert Coyle
->Directed by John Laing
----
!!This episode provides examples of:
* AboveTheGods: Loki tells Hercules of the locals' belief that mortals and gods alike are subjected to fate, though he secretly has the means to force fate's hand however he wishes. Odin also says that fate follows everyone no matter what, even all-powerful gods. With Ragnarök nearing, Odin is resigned to them all being doomed.
* AllThereInTheScript: Loki's benefactor is never named onscreen and is only referred to as "The Darkness" in the end credits.
* ArbitrarySkepticism: Thor dismisses Balder's concerns as just mere nightmares. Evidently, the idea that a god could have a ''prophetic'' nightmare is just too crazy to be believed.
* AskAStupidQuestion: After getting duped by Loki, Hercules wants to get to Asgard ASAP to settle up.
-->'''Hercules:''' How do I get there?\\
'''Hilda:''' Die in battle.
* BaitTheDog: Loki is introduced soon after Hercules meets Thor, being far more reasonable and sociable. He even commends Balder's devotion to humanity. He is soon revealed to be working to bring down the whole family.
* BatmanGambit: Balder had been suffering prophetic nightmares of his upcoming death and even received a drawing of the funeral. His worry makes Frigga fret, so Odin makes all things living and unliving promise not to harm Balder, which is what Loki and his benefactor were hoping for. Loki immediately talks Thor into demonstrating the vow is legit with a gathering of Asgardians. Hercules finds them throwing weapons at Balder, who is just fine and invites Herc to take part. Loki (disguised as a little girl) gives Hercules the poisoned dart, so that he will get the blame for Balder's death. After Balder is dead, he makes sure that Hercules knows what he did so that Herc will head for Asgard. This all gives Thor incentive to try to kill Hercules, a fight that Loki and his benefactor fully expect the half-god to win, due to Thor's anger issues. It's ultimately revealed that Balder's death and Thor's defeat were two of three tragedies that will herald Ragnarök.
* BigBrotherBully: Subverted with Thor. He has all the markings of one (being a hothead that dismisses Balder's more peaceful approach and nightmares), but he dearly loves his brother and wants to protect him. He's not even this towards Loki, being just annoyed with him rather than outright abusive.
* BigBrotherInstinct: Deconstructed. Thor's desire to avenge his little brother plays right into the villains' hands, putting Hercules in danger and triggering another tragedy preceding Ragnarök.
* BlackCloak: Loki's benefactor wears one, with only a demonic-looking hand shown.
* CainAndAbel: Loki is the Cain to Balder's Abel, orchestrating his death without a second thought and being quite satisfied with himself.
* CallBack: The prophetic nightmare involves Hercules stopping a flying knife from hitting Balder. He likens it to how [[Recap/HerculesTheLegendaryJourneysS5E1Faith Iolaus died in Sumeria]], and the similarity drives him to investigate the situation.
* TheCameo: While Hercules is in Eire, Morrigan is briefly shown sleeping alongside Bridget.
* CatapultNightmare: Hercules and Balder when they both wake up from the prophetic nightmare.
* CrypticallyUnhelpfulAnswer: When the Norn gives him the drawing of Balder's funeral, Hercules assumes it was made by her. She simply says she only paints what she sees. Hercules takes that at face value, but it's really an ExactWords clue that someone else (Loki) has been using the Norn's paint to force events to occur.
* CultureClash:
** Being more peaceful and relaxed, Hercules finds the ProudWarriorRaceGuy customs of the Vikings and Asgardians to be perplexing and silly. Trial by Axe is a particular example. Hercules stops two men from throwing axes at a restrained Hilda under the belief it's an act of savagery, but he's later told it's how Vikings prove innocence of an accusation and that he's inadvertently further smeared the woman's good name. Thor takes particular offense, due to the custom being his idea in the first place.
** Balder (being more similar in temperament to Hercules) later discusses this when asking him not to judge Norseland by the standards of Greece. He says he is trying civilize the Vikings, but such a thing takes time. He also notes how being at the edge of the world has made the locals more aggressive than the Greeks, being a way to cope with the harsher living conditions.
* DisproportionateRetribution:
** Odin is so outraged about Hercules calling him an idiot (in front of worshippers, no less) that he wants to kill him on the spot. Thor fully agreed, feeling an insult directed at the father extends to the sons. It takes Frigga to talk Odin down.
** Averted when Odin casts out Thor at the end of the episode. Hercules thinks that's a big overreaction to simply losing a fight, but Odin explains how serious it is and that Thor was warned of the danger.
* DreamingOfThingsToCome: Both Hercules and Balder share a dream about the latter possibly being killed by assorted weapons. Hercules quickly sets sail for Norseland to investigate. Balder says he's been dreaming this multiple times, and he knows it's not just a mere nightmare. When it comes to pass, though, it turns out the weapons were being thrown by fellow Asgardians, as part of a test of Balder's newly acquired invulnerability. The real problem (the poisoned dart) was not in the dream.
* DropTheHammer: Thor does this with Mjölnir upon meeting Hercules, sending him flying out of the tavern with a lightning strike. Thor says he actually missed, though, as the lightning was supposed to fry Hercules outright.
* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: Ragnarök, of course. According to Odin, the Asgardians were warned long ago to beware three tragedies that will signal the event: Balder's death, Thor's defeat at the hands of a half-mortal, and (according to the next episode) one in the form of a riddle. With two tragedies having come to pass, Odin expects the end to be near.
* FatalFlaw: Exploited. Thor has a severe anger problem, so it doesn't take much to goad him into fighting Hercules after Balder dies. Thor had the advantage at first, but he ultimately lost, due to Hercules keeping his wits. As Loki tells Odin, "Rage makes a poor tactician."
* {{Foil}}:
** Balder is peaceful and more civilized, whereas Thor is hotheaded and belligerent. The latter also serves as a contrast to the more easygoing Hercules, who is able to beat Thor in a fight by outthinking him.
* While Thor is outwardly angry and short-sighted, he is at heart a good person devoted to protecting family and the Vikings. Loki makes a show of appearing more rational, but he is in league with Dahak to take down the whole family. And given the Asgardian belief that mortals can't survive without gods, you can imagine how little he actually regards humanity.
** Odin to Zeus. Odin is more outwardly belligerent than Zeus has ever been, and he has a much shorter temper, but he's completely devoted to his wife and more directly involved in his sons' lives.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: The Norn briefly appears to Hercules, giving him a drawing of Balder's yet-to-happen funeral but saying she only paints what she sees. She then paints Balder being hit with weapons, which Hercules later witnesses. This all hints at how Loki is making his own drawings with her paint to force fate's hand and that the Norn is cryptically warning Hercules of that.
* GodzillaThreshold: Dahak acknowledges how he is capable of betraying an ally, but only when it's an absolute necessity. He sees no reason to perform YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness when an ally has done well and could still be useful.
* HairTriggerTemper: It didn't take much to set Thor off before Balder died. He was already spoiling for a fight with Hercules over minor slights.
* HappilyMarried: Odin and Frigga have a very loving relationship. He believes that she rules him the way he rules Asgard, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
* HeartbrokenBadass: Thor takes Balder's death the hardest, as he's the big brother and saw it happen at a venue he himself set up.
* HeyYouHaymaker: After breaking up the Trial by Axe, Hercules suddenly feels someone grab his shoulder.
-->'''Thor:''' Word of advice, stranger: watch where you pick your fights! ''[[[DropTheHammer slams Mjölnir against the ground]]]''
* HiddenAgendaVillain: Loki's benefactor gives him the means to kill Balder and guides him into ensuring Thor's defeat. The end of the episode reveals this is all about bringing about Ragnarök. A later episode confirms this is really Dahak and that he's been seeking to covertly eliminate an entire pantheon of gods.
* HopeSpot:
** To calm Frigga, Odin extracts an oath from "all things living and unliving" that Balder will not be harmed. Balder is consequently invulnerable to any attack or weapon thrown his way, so he is finally relieved and can move past his nightmares. A seeming little girl hands Hercules a certain poisoned dart, and it all goes downhill from there.
** Due to the prophecy, Odin explicitly forbids Thor from going anywhere near Hercules after Balder dies. It appears that the old man's orders will cause Thor to hang back, but then Loki starts whispering about who is responsible for Balder's death.
* IAmXSonOfY: How Thor formally introduces himself to Hercules.
* IDrankWhat: Hercules did not enjoy what turned out to be fermented hog's milk.
* IGaveMyWord: With two tragedies fulfilled as promised, Dahak will continue to honor his deal with Loki.
* IHaveNoSon: Odin when denouncing Thor for fighting Hercules against orders and essentially dooming them all.
* InvisibleToNormals: As with the Olympians, the Asgardians can remain unseen to mortals if they so choose, but not with a half-god like Hercules.
* KillTheGod: The dart is capable of killing any god, due to being covered in Dahak's blood. Balder is killed this way, and his death is the first tragedy preceding Ragnarök.
* LampshadeHanging: Having to carry an unconscious Thor up to Odin's palace, Hercules questions why gods always have to live in the clouds.
* LateArrivalSpoiler: Dahak being TheManBehindTheMan isn't fully confirmed until a later ClipShow.
* LetsYouAndHimFight: Deconstructed. Loki and his benefactor manipulate Thor into fighting with Hercules, as Thor's defeat by a half-mortal is the second tragedy preceding Ragnarök. Thor getting exiled during the crisis is just a further bonus.
* MoralityChain: Frigga talks Odin into just leaving Hercules alone. Odin freely acknowledges how Frigga makes him a calmer individual.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Hercules is manipulated into killing Balder and defeating Thor, causing Ragnarök to draw near. This even more so for Thor, who was explicitly warned about the danger of losing to Hercules but fought him anyway.
* NoodleIncident: According to Balder, Odin had to outright forbid Thor from fighting with mortals again.
* NotSoDifferentRemark:
** When describing his people, Balder tells Hercules that the Asgardians are capable of dying and are thus more like mortals than the Olympians are.
** Balder is sympathetic to Thor's belligerence, saying they all face the darkness in their own way.
* OhCrap: Hercules and Balder upon recognizing each other from their shared dream.
* OnlySaneMan: Of the male Asgardians, Balder is the only one advocating caution and focused on the bigger picture. Hercules likes him for being one of the few gods he's ever met that was all about helping humanity.
* ParentalFavoritism: Frigga admits that youngest child Balder has always been special to her, which she acknowledges is most unfair to her older sons.
* PetTheDog: With Frigga so worried about Balder, Odin invokes his privilege as king to ensure their son cannot be harmed by anything living or unliving.
* PragmaticVillainy: After Balder dies, Hercules finds himself surrounded by some very enraged Asgardians (Thor especially) and has to fight it out. All of a sudden, he becomes encased in stone. Loki takes credit for this, saying attending to family business is more important than revenge, but he really just wants to make sure that the assembled Asgardians don't kill Hercules now and derail the rest of the plan.
* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: Norseland seems to be overrun with them, be they gods or mortals. A local healer is among the few exceptions. Balder says he is working on civilizing the Vikings and has made some progress, but it takes time.
* RuleOfThree: Three tragedies befalling the Asgardians will herald Ragnarök, and the episode ends with two fulfilled.
* SacredHospitality: Hercules spends the night in what appears to be an abandoned house. When waking up, he sees an old woman in the room and assumes this is her house, so he apologizes for this reason. (It's not her house, though; she's the Norn.)
* SayMyName: Thor screams Balder's name, as the latter drops dead.
* ShockAndAwe: Thor uses Mjölnir for this effect, as Hercules learns firsthand upon meeting him.
* ShoutOut: The dynamic between Hercules and Thor echoes their Creator/MarvelComics counterparts, just with the roles of rational hero and boisterous hothead switched around. Gerry Conway, of course, previously worked at Marvel as a writer and editor.
* SuperSpeed: Averted. Hercules is warned by Mabon that, even though he unlocked the power of illumination, he only has this ability while in Eire.
* ThisCannotBe: Thor over Hercules surviving a lightning blast from Mjölnir.
-->'''Thor:''' Are you a spore of the Frost Giants?\\
'''Hercules:''' A ''what''?!
* ToBeContinued: After Odin explains the three tragedies preceding Ragnarök and how Thor helped doom them all.
-->'''Hercules:''' And after Ragnarök?\\
'''Odin:''' There is no after. Ragnarök is the final nightfall, the twilight of the gods.
* UnwittingPawn: Hercules is set up to be the one to kill Balder so that Thor will later fight him. The villains fully expect Hercules to beat Thor, thus fulfilling two tragedies heralding Ragnarök in short order.
* WeWillMeetAgain: After encasing Hercules in stone, Loki makes a point of bragging about how they'll see each other again soon. He does this to further goad Hercules into trying to reach Asgard, where an angry Thor is spoiling for a fight.
* WhamLine: In the cave, Loki is given a dart covered in his benefactor's own blood.
-->'''Dahak:''' With this, you'll kill a god.
* WhoAreYou: During their first scuffle.
-->'''Hercules:''' Who are you?!\\
'''Thor:''' Thor, son of Odin and god of thunder.
* WorfHadTheFlu: As a full god, Thor is more powerful than Hercules. He's also far more willing to kill. The element of surprise initially gave him an edge, but his anger issues make him sloppy enough to give Hercules an opening to win out.
* YouFool: Odin when condemning Thor for fighting Hercules, despite knowing the prophecy of the second tragedy.
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Averted. After Thor is beaten, Loki seems to suspect this possibility. He nervously asks his benefactor if their deal is still in place, and he's reassured when told it is.
->Story by Paul Robert Coyle
->Directed by John Laing
----
!!This episode provides examples of:
* AboveTheGods: Loki tells Hercules of the locals' belief that mortals and gods alike are subjected to fate, though he secretly has the means to force fate's hand however he wishes. Odin also says that fate follows everyone no matter what, even all-powerful gods. With Ragnarök nearing, Odin is resigned to them all being doomed.
* AllThereInTheScript: Loki's benefactor is never named onscreen and is only referred to as "The Darkness" in the end credits.
* ArbitrarySkepticism: Thor dismisses Balder's concerns as just mere nightmares. Evidently, the idea that a god could have a ''prophetic'' nightmare is just too crazy to be believed.
* AskAStupidQuestion: After getting duped by Loki, Hercules wants to get to Asgard ASAP to settle up.
-->'''Hercules:''' How do I get there?\\
'''Hilda:''' Die in battle.
* BaitTheDog: Loki is introduced soon after Hercules meets Thor, being far more reasonable and sociable. He even commends Balder's devotion to humanity. He is soon revealed to be working to bring down the whole family.
* BatmanGambit: Balder had been suffering prophetic nightmares of his upcoming death and even received a drawing of the funeral. His worry makes Frigga fret, so Odin makes all things living and unliving promise not to harm Balder, which is what Loki and his benefactor were hoping for. Loki immediately talks Thor into demonstrating the vow is legit with a gathering of Asgardians. Hercules finds them throwing weapons at Balder, who is just fine and invites Herc to take part. Loki (disguised as a little girl) gives Hercules the poisoned dart, so that he will get the blame for Balder's death. After Balder is dead, he makes sure that Hercules knows what he did so that Herc will head for Asgard. This all gives Thor incentive to try to kill Hercules, a fight that Loki and his benefactor fully expect the half-god to win, due to Thor's anger issues. It's ultimately revealed that Balder's death and Thor's defeat were two of three tragedies that will herald Ragnarök.
* BigBrotherBully: Subverted with Thor. He has all the markings of one (being a hothead that dismisses Balder's more peaceful approach and nightmares), but he dearly loves his brother and wants to protect him. He's not even this towards Loki, being just annoyed with him rather than outright abusive.
* BigBrotherInstinct: Deconstructed. Thor's desire to avenge his little brother plays right into the villains' hands, putting Hercules in danger and triggering another tragedy preceding Ragnarök.
* BlackCloak: Loki's benefactor wears one, with only a demonic-looking hand shown.
* CainAndAbel: Loki is the Cain to Balder's Abel, orchestrating his death without a second thought and being quite satisfied with himself.
* CallBack: The prophetic nightmare involves Hercules stopping a flying knife from hitting Balder. He likens it to how [[Recap/HerculesTheLegendaryJourneysS5E1Faith Iolaus died in Sumeria]], and the similarity drives him to investigate the situation.
* TheCameo: While Hercules is in Eire, Morrigan is briefly shown sleeping alongside Bridget.
* CatapultNightmare: Hercules and Balder when they both wake up from the prophetic nightmare.
* CrypticallyUnhelpfulAnswer: When the Norn gives him the drawing of Balder's funeral, Hercules assumes it was made by her. She simply says she only paints what she sees. Hercules takes that at face value, but it's really an ExactWords clue that someone else (Loki) has been using the Norn's paint to force events to occur.
* CultureClash:
** Being more peaceful and relaxed, Hercules finds the ProudWarriorRaceGuy customs of the Vikings and Asgardians to be perplexing and silly. Trial by Axe is a particular example. Hercules stops two men from throwing axes at a restrained Hilda under the belief it's an act of savagery, but he's later told it's how Vikings prove innocence of an accusation and that he's inadvertently further smeared the woman's good name. Thor takes particular offense, due to the custom being his idea in the first place.
** Balder (being more similar in temperament to Hercules) later discusses this when asking him not to judge Norseland by the standards of Greece. He says he is trying civilize the Vikings, but such a thing takes time. He also notes how being at the edge of the world has made the locals more aggressive than the Greeks, being a way to cope with the harsher living conditions.
* DisproportionateRetribution:
** Odin is so outraged about Hercules calling him an idiot (in front of worshippers, no less) that he wants to kill him on the spot. Thor fully agreed, feeling an insult directed at the father extends to the sons. It takes Frigga to talk Odin down.
** Averted when Odin casts out Thor at the end of the episode. Hercules thinks that's a big overreaction to simply losing a fight, but Odin explains how serious it is and that Thor was warned of the danger.
* DreamingOfThingsToCome: Both Hercules and Balder share a dream about the latter possibly being killed by assorted weapons. Hercules quickly sets sail for Norseland to investigate. Balder says he's been dreaming this multiple times, and he knows it's not just a mere nightmare. When it comes to pass, though, it turns out the weapons were being thrown by fellow Asgardians, as part of a test of Balder's newly acquired invulnerability. The real problem (the poisoned dart) was not in the dream.
* DropTheHammer: Thor does this with Mjölnir upon meeting Hercules, sending him flying out of the tavern with a lightning strike. Thor says he actually missed, though, as the lightning was supposed to fry Hercules outright.
* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: Ragnarök, of course. According to Odin, the Asgardians were warned long ago to beware three tragedies that will signal the event: Balder's death, Thor's defeat at the hands of a half-mortal, and (according to the next episode) one in the form of a riddle. With two tragedies having come to pass, Odin expects the end to be near.
* FatalFlaw: Exploited. Thor has a severe anger problem, so it doesn't take much to goad him into fighting Hercules after Balder dies. Thor had the advantage at first, but he ultimately lost, due to Hercules keeping his wits. As Loki tells Odin, "Rage makes a poor tactician."
* {{Foil}}:
** Balder is peaceful and more civilized, whereas Thor is hotheaded and belligerent. The latter also serves as a contrast to the more easygoing Hercules, who is able to beat Thor in a fight by outthinking him.
* While Thor is outwardly angry and short-sighted, he is at heart a good person devoted to protecting family and the Vikings. Loki makes a show of appearing more rational, but he is in league with Dahak to take down the whole family. And given the Asgardian belief that mortals can't survive without gods, you can imagine how little he actually regards humanity.
** Odin to Zeus. Odin is more outwardly belligerent than Zeus has ever been, and he has a much shorter temper, but he's completely devoted to his wife and more directly involved in his sons' lives.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: The Norn briefly appears to Hercules, giving him a drawing of Balder's yet-to-happen funeral but saying she only paints what she sees. She then paints Balder being hit with weapons, which Hercules later witnesses. This all hints at how Loki is making his own drawings with her paint to force fate's hand and that the Norn is cryptically warning Hercules of that.
* GodzillaThreshold: Dahak acknowledges how he is capable of betraying an ally, but only when it's an absolute necessity. He sees no reason to perform YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness when an ally has done well and could still be useful.
* HairTriggerTemper: It didn't take much to set Thor off before Balder died. He was already spoiling for a fight with Hercules over minor slights.
* HappilyMarried: Odin and Frigga have a very loving relationship. He believes that she rules him the way he rules Asgard, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
* HeartbrokenBadass: Thor takes Balder's death the hardest, as he's the big brother and saw it happen at a venue he himself set up.
* HeyYouHaymaker: After breaking up the Trial by Axe, Hercules suddenly feels someone grab his shoulder.
-->'''Thor:''' Word of advice, stranger: watch where you pick your fights! ''[[[DropTheHammer slams Mjölnir against the ground]]]''
* HiddenAgendaVillain: Loki's benefactor gives him the means to kill Balder and guides him into ensuring Thor's defeat. The end of the episode reveals this is all about bringing about Ragnarök. A later episode confirms this is really Dahak and that he's been seeking to covertly eliminate an entire pantheon of gods.
* HopeSpot:
** To calm Frigga, Odin extracts an oath from "all things living and unliving" that Balder will not be harmed. Balder is consequently invulnerable to any attack or weapon thrown his way, so he is finally relieved and can move past his nightmares. A seeming little girl hands Hercules a certain poisoned dart, and it all goes downhill from there.
** Due to the prophecy, Odin explicitly forbids Thor from going anywhere near Hercules after Balder dies. It appears that the old man's orders will cause Thor to hang back, but then Loki starts whispering about who is responsible for Balder's death.
* IAmXSonOfY: How Thor formally introduces himself to Hercules.
* IDrankWhat: Hercules did not enjoy what turned out to be fermented hog's milk.
* IGaveMyWord: With two tragedies fulfilled as promised, Dahak will continue to honor his deal with Loki.
* IHaveNoSon: Odin when denouncing Thor for fighting Hercules against orders and essentially dooming them all.
* InvisibleToNormals: As with the Olympians, the Asgardians can remain unseen to mortals if they so choose, but not with a half-god like Hercules.
* KillTheGod: The dart is capable of killing any god, due to being covered in Dahak's blood. Balder is killed this way, and his death is the first tragedy preceding Ragnarök.
* LampshadeHanging: Having to carry an unconscious Thor up to Odin's palace, Hercules questions why gods always have to live in the clouds.
* LateArrivalSpoiler: Dahak being TheManBehindTheMan isn't fully confirmed until a later ClipShow.
* LetsYouAndHimFight: Deconstructed. Loki and his benefactor manipulate Thor into fighting with Hercules, as Thor's defeat by a half-mortal is the second tragedy preceding Ragnarök. Thor getting exiled during the crisis is just a further bonus.
* MoralityChain: Frigga talks Odin into just leaving Hercules alone. Odin freely acknowledges how Frigga makes him a calmer individual.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Hercules is manipulated into killing Balder and defeating Thor, causing Ragnarök to draw near. This even more so for Thor, who was explicitly warned about the danger of losing to Hercules but fought him anyway.
* NoodleIncident: According to Balder, Odin had to outright forbid Thor from fighting with mortals again.
* NotSoDifferentRemark:
** When describing his people, Balder tells Hercules that the Asgardians are capable of dying and are thus more like mortals than the Olympians are.
** Balder is sympathetic to Thor's belligerence, saying they all face the darkness in their own way.
* OhCrap: Hercules and Balder upon recognizing each other from their shared dream.
* OnlySaneMan: Of the male Asgardians, Balder is the only one advocating caution and focused on the bigger picture. Hercules likes him for being one of the few gods he's ever met that was all about helping humanity.
* ParentalFavoritism: Frigga admits that youngest child Balder has always been special to her, which she acknowledges is most unfair to her older sons.
* PetTheDog: With Frigga so worried about Balder, Odin invokes his privilege as king to ensure their son cannot be harmed by anything living or unliving.
* PragmaticVillainy: After Balder dies, Hercules finds himself surrounded by some very enraged Asgardians (Thor especially) and has to fight it out. All of a sudden, he becomes encased in stone. Loki takes credit for this, saying attending to family business is more important than revenge, but he really just wants to make sure that the assembled Asgardians don't kill Hercules now and derail the rest of the plan.
* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: Norseland seems to be overrun with them, be they gods or mortals. A local healer is among the few exceptions. Balder says he is working on civilizing the Vikings and has made some progress, but it takes time.
* RuleOfThree: Three tragedies befalling the Asgardians will herald Ragnarök, and the episode ends with two fulfilled.
* SacredHospitality: Hercules spends the night in what appears to be an abandoned house. When waking up, he sees an old woman in the room and assumes this is her house, so he apologizes for this reason. (It's not her house, though; she's the Norn.)
* SayMyName: Thor screams Balder's name, as the latter drops dead.
* ShockAndAwe: Thor uses Mjölnir for this effect, as Hercules learns firsthand upon meeting him.
* ShoutOut: The dynamic between Hercules and Thor echoes their Creator/MarvelComics counterparts, just with the roles of rational hero and boisterous hothead switched around. Gerry Conway, of course, previously worked at Marvel as a writer and editor.
* SuperSpeed: Averted. Hercules is warned by Mabon that, even though he unlocked the power of illumination, he only has this ability while in Eire.
* ThisCannotBe: Thor over Hercules surviving a lightning blast from Mjölnir.
-->'''Thor:''' Are you a spore of the Frost Giants?\\
'''Hercules:''' A ''what''?!
* ToBeContinued: After Odin explains the three tragedies preceding Ragnarök and how Thor helped doom them all.
-->'''Hercules:''' And after Ragnarök?\\
'''Odin:''' There is no after. Ragnarök is the final nightfall, the twilight of the gods.
* UnwittingPawn: Hercules is set up to be the one to kill Balder so that Thor will later fight him. The villains fully expect Hercules to beat Thor, thus fulfilling two tragedies heralding Ragnarök in short order.
* WeWillMeetAgain: After encasing Hercules in stone, Loki makes a point of bragging about how they'll see each other again soon. He does this to further goad Hercules into trying to reach Asgard, where an angry Thor is spoiling for a fight.
* WhamLine: In the cave, Loki is given a dart covered in his benefactor's own blood.
-->'''Dahak:''' With this, you'll kill a god.
* WhoAreYou: During their first scuffle.
-->'''Hercules:''' Who are you?!\\
'''Thor:''' Thor, son of Odin and god of thunder.
* WorfHadTheFlu: As a full god, Thor is more powerful than Hercules. He's also far more willing to kill. The element of surprise initially gave him an edge, but his anger issues make him sloppy enough to give Hercules an opening to win out.
* YouFool: Odin when condemning Thor for fighting Hercules, despite knowing the prophecy of the second tragedy.
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Averted. After Thor is beaten, Loki seems to suspect this possibility. He nervously asks his benefactor if their deal is still in place, and he's reassured when told it is.
