Line #46 Series/YoungHercules


1	[[quoteright:311:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/young_hercules.jpg]]
2
3	->''In an age of light and darkness, Zeus, king of the gods, rules the universe. He had a son: young Hercules! Half-god, half-man, young Hercules longs to find his place in the world, the father he's never known, and what it means to be a hero. Before the man became legend, before the legend became myth came the greatest story of all! Young Hercules!''
4
5	A spin-off/prequel series of ''Series/HerculesTheLegendaryJourneys'' about Hercules, Iolaus, and Jason's teenage adventures. It began with a pilot movie, naturally released separately as ''Young Hercules: The Movie'', followed by a full series that ran for one season in 1998-1999 on Creator/FoxKids, airing 50 episodes.
6
7	The pilot movie starred Creator/IanBohen as the titular Hercules. However, following Bohen's decision not to move to New Zealand where principal photography occurred, he was replaced by Creator/RyanGosling, with Creator/DeanOGorman as Iolaus and Chris Conrad as Jason. Executive Producer Rob Tapert co-created the show with Andrew Dettmann and Daniel Truly. Another one of the executive producers was Creator/SamRaimi.
8
9	In 2015, Creator/ShoutFactory released the series on DVD.
10
11	----
12	!!This series provides examples of:
13
14	* AbortedArc:
15	** Contrary to his claims, Bacchus is never seen seeking his revenge against Hercules and no such event was ever referenced in the parent series.
16	** Similarly, it looked like "Mommy Dearests" was setting up a major confrontation between Hercules and Lucius, but the latter never appeared again.
17	* AcademyOfAdventure: Cheiron's Academy
18	* AllMenArePerverts: In "Winner Take All," Hercules makes an effort to befriend his new half-brothers and have the cadets get along with them. Iolaus is willing to give it a try on the condition that he'll eventually meet one of Herc's sisters.
19	* AnAesop: Considering the series aired on FOX Kids, this was a given.
20	* ApeShallNeverKillApe: Zeus forbid the gods from killing each other. Extending the rule to include Hercules is the only thing keeping Ares and the like from killing him.
21	* ArbitrarySkepticism: In "The Skeptic," a new student refuses to believe the gods exist.
22	* ArcVillain: Bacchus for three episodes.
23	* AscendedExtra: Strife, who only appeared in ''six'' episodes of the parent series, appeared far more often.
24	** Jason also counts as well. When the pilot movie was produced, Jason had only appeared in about four episodes up to that point. Here he's a main character.
25	* BadBadActing: Hercules and friends have found an Ares lookalike, and need to convince Strife and Discord he's the real thing.
26	-->Jason: Don't hit Hercules or I will hurt you...no don't throw me backwards Ares!
27	-->Ares: (to Discord) You are insolent, and disobedient...and naughty!
28	::And later
29	-->Jason: Oh no it's Ares! ''(cringing badly)''
30	* BadBoss: Ares often punishes Strife and Discord for their failures or just because he's in a bad mood.
31	* BadassNormal: Iolaus, Jason and Lilith.
32	* BatmanGambit:
33	** In the "Battle Lines" two-parter, Discord and Strife manipulate a war between Cheiron's Centaurs and Cyane's Amazon tribe by kidnapping members of both sides and making it look like they were killed. They also impersonate Cheiron and Cyane's top advisers to properly goad them into a fight.
34	** Hercules quickly figures out in "Ares On Trial" that the war god was framed for attempting to kill him. Knowing that Discord wants the job herself, he figures she got Strife to impersonate Ares for the fight. Hercules goads Strife into admitting the truth by insisting "Ares"'s fighting abilities were off, even claiming he made him cry.
35	** The fire in "Forgery" not only changes Hercules's personality, but being a half-mortal means he'll be burned from the inside out. The only way to return him to the normal is to get him into some water. During a fight, Jason tosses Iolaus into a nearby lake--saying Iolaus can't swim and needs Hercules to save him. It works, though Jason learns that Iolaus really can't swim.
36	* BattleAtopThePoles: In the pilot movie, cadets at Chiron's academy are actually trained how to fight this way. Hercules starts training after hours, as well, after Iolas beats him in their first sparring session. Chiron even encourages him to train blindfolded. The final battle of the film homages ''Film/IronMonkey'' - complete with a three-way battle - with Ares fighting Hercules and Iolas on poles that are slowly burning. For added heft, Hercules is temporarily blinded by a burning pole to the face, and Iolas has to direct his foot movements while standing on his shoulders. They eventually knock Ares into the inferno; but, since Ares is immortal, this just makes him [[InfernalRetaliation a very angry god on fire]]. Hercules and Iolas eventually defeat him by knocking him into the fire ''again'' and dropping a carved stone effigy of Ares's own head (which Ares had built), on top of him. This causes Ares to retreat to Mount Olympus.
37	* BeYourself: The point of "Forgery." The fire in Hephaestus's forge can change a person's personality if so desired. Hephaestus says he once used it to be the warrior son that Hera wanted, but he found it impossible to get any work done. With his friends saying he's no fun, Hercules asks to be more like a typical son of Zeus--becoming an uninhibited party animal.
38	* BenevolentBoss: Zig-zagged with Artemis. She will call upon Kora to do something at a moment's notice and is unconcerned if that interferes with Kora's regular life or livelihood. She can also be quite the taskmaster, depending on the given assignment. On the other hand, she always generously rewards Kora's faithful service and leaves her alone most of the time.
39	* BerserkButton: In "Mommy Dearests," Lucius presses Herc's buttons hard by going after Alcmene and then Jason.
40	-->"Nobody, NOBODY, hurts my mother and my friends!"
41	* BigBad: Ares.
42	* BigBadWannabe: Strife in "Golden Bow." He wants to be the next major god and to carve out a following for himself, but what mortals he finds don't take him seriously at all.
43	* BigBrotherBully: Ares mainly, but Apollo also causes trouble in one episode.
44	* BittersweetEnding:
45	** "A Lady in Hades": Hercules secures Eurydice's place in the Elysian Fields, but he'll never see her again.
46	** "The Mysteries of Life": Ruff is safe on an island where hunting isn't allowed, but Iolaus regrets having to say goodbye to him.
47	** "The Beasts Beneath": The cadets escape the sandsharks, but not before Marco is killed. Hercules intends to go tell his family what happened.
48	* BodyHorror: "The Head That Wears the Crown" reveals that Hercules's birth was difficult; he and Alcmene only survived because of a midwife named Galinthia. As revenge, Hera cursed Galinthia into becoming a monstrous giant covered in scales.
49	* BrilliantButLazy: "Cram-ped" is about the cadets struggling to help an unprepared Iolaus study for the big final exam. Nothing is sinking in, soon causing everyone but Hercules and Lilith to just give up. However, Iolaus does demonstrate a good deal of knowledge about the Cerulean region. When Jason returns from Corinth, he explains that Iolaus's father is currently fighting a war there, which is how he knows so much about the place. In the end, Fiducius notes that Iolaus could be a great student if he similarly applied himself on the other subjects.
50	* BrotherSisterIncest:
51	** Averted with Ares and Discord. They are siblings in a sexual relationship on the original series, but that is ignored here for obvious reasons.
52	** Discussed in "Mila" between Hercules and the titular Amazon. Mila believes her father is one of the gods. Hercules is attracted to her and initially likes the idea of her being a fellow half-god, but when she suggests even Zeus could be her father:
53	--->"Hey, that would make you ''[realizing]'' um... ''[lets go of her hand]'' my sister."
54	* BusCrash: In-between Pollux's appearances, Castor was murdered by Lucius.
55	* ButtMonkey: Strife.
56	* CainAndAbel:
57	** Herc's half-brothers Castor and Pollux subvert this. Pollux is openly antagonistic and Castor is completely good-natured, but they get along fine. It's everyone else that Pollux has a problem with.
58	** Lucius is the Cain to Hercules's Abel, as well as every other half-mortal son of Zeus. He murdered Castor.
59	* CaliforniaDoubling: Filmed in New Zealand, set in ancient Greece.
60	* CallForward:
61	** The pilot movie ends with Hercules and Iolaus discussing the possibility of fighting a three-headed monster. They do years later in ''Hercules And The Amazon Women'' (the first TV-Movie), where they fight a hydra (which ultimately grows three heads).
62	** It was established on the original series that Hercules and Nemesis dated during his younger days. "Herc's Nemesis" shows how they met and their initial attraction. The episode also shows Hercules being made aware of what Hind's blood is.
63	** Jason taking an interest in farming in "Cold Feet." In the original series, when he retires from being king, he becomes a farmer.
64	** In "Hind Sight," Hellene expresses certainty that Hercules will one day get his rightful due "both here on Earth and up there."
65	** In "Iolaus Goes Stag," Iolaus announces his intention to become a hunter. Hercules is a bit disappointed, as he was getting used to the idea of them being a team going on various adventures. The story ends with talk of Iolaus having a much bigger destiny ahead of him than being a hunter. The episode also helps explain how Iolaus learned the various "old hunter tricks" that he talked about on the original series.
66	** "Mila" is about Ares tricking the titular Amazon into trying to kill Hercules. He's disappointed when the plan fails.
67	--->"Oh, Mila, we could've been so useful for each other. My mortal protégé. Guess I'm gonna have to find [[Series/XenaWarriorPrincess another]]!"
68	** Hercules had always been told that Alcmene's only interaction with Zeus was the night he was conceived. In "Me, Myself, and Eye," he uses the Graeae's eye to try to see Zeus and sees a necklace that Alcmene received before Herc's birth. The implication is that Zeus gave it to her and that she's keeping that a secret. This lines up with the original series, which revealed after Alcmene's death that Zeus regularly interacted with her as Hercules was growing up.
69	** The ''Underworld'' TV-Movie depicted Hercules and Hades as already knowing each other. "A Lady in Hades" shows how they met.
70	* Myth/ClassicalMythology: Superficially.
71	* ClearTheirName: "Ares On Trial." Ares is accused of breaking Zeus' rule about no god trying to kill Hercules. Who does he get to defend him? Hercules.
72	* ClipShow: Two.
73	** "Life for a Life": Ares kidnaps Cheiron and promises to kill him if Hercules can't find their location in time. Cheiron manages to provide a series of clues referencing prior adventures.
74	** "Ill Wind": Cyane has been poisoned and her tribe is at risk of being taken over by their rivals. Through a mental power, she uses Hercules's own memories to send him messages about who among her tribe tried to kill her.
75	* ComesGreatResponsibility: In the first episode, Alcmene chastises Hercules for being hung up on proving himself to Zeus.
76	-->"You can't escape your birthright, but what you become? That's up to you. Be a good man."
77	* CruelMercy: The punishment for breaking Zeus's protection rule involves being condemned to a pit of Tartarus and tortured for eternity. Ares faces this in "Ares On Trial" for allegedly trying to kill Hercules, but when Strife and Discord's FrameUp is revealed, Athena intends to condemn them to this fate. Ares intervenes--asking that they be turned over to him. Everyone is fully aware that he'll be able to think of an even worse punishment than this, to the point of Strife and Discord begging to be sent to Tartarus instead.
78	* DealWithTheDevil: "Fame" reveals Orpheus made one with Bacchus. In exchange for Eurydice being freed and for getting the fame he's always sought, Orpheus plays concerts where Bacchae can turn unsuspecting humans.
79	* DisappearedDad: Zeus is obviously this to Hercules, but Hephaestus says he doesn't see much of him, either. Castor says he and Pollux have never even met him.
80	* DoomedByCanon:
81	** "Hind Sight" is about Hercules an Kora trying to save one of the creatures from hunters on the grounds that there are so few of them left. They succeed, but according to the original series, all but one of the Golden Hinds will eventually be wiped out by Zeus and the only survivor then turned into a human.
82	** Ares threatens to kill Cheiron in "Life for a Life" if Hercules can't find his location in time. Cheiron is saved, but the original series established he will eventually die (albeit of natural causes when Hercules is an adult).
83	* TheDragon: As on the original series, Strife is officially Ares's second-in-command. That doesn't stop Discord from constantly bossing him around and doing the heavy-lifting for various plots.
84	* DramaticIrony: Hercules gets a few love interests, but he also gets shot down by a number of incidental women that he encounters, much to his annoyance. Contrast to when he's adult, has no shortage of female admirers, and has to turn almost all of them down.
85	* EnemyWithout: Ares's plan in "In Your Dreams" forces Hercules to face a manifestation of his own dark side in the dream realm.
86	-->'''Hercules:''' You're every evil thing that I'm capable of.\
87	'''Dark!Herc:''' You have no idea.
88	* EverybodyHatesHades: Discussed in "A Lady in Hades" when the man himself admits his image could use a boost.
89	* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Immediately averted with Ares. He already knows the best way to get to Hercules is through his friends. Lucius figures this out in his second appearance, as well.
90	* EvilCounterpart: Lucius to Hercules. Appropriately, Iambe (Lucius's mother) is one to Alcmene.
91	* EvilerThanThou: Hades considers Bacchus "the biggest worm in the family"--worse than even Ares.
92	* FailureIsTheOnlyOption: Hercules' quest to meet his father face-to-face, especially as ''HTLJ'' showed their first official meeting. [[spoiler: Subverted, though, in the last episode in which a character Hercules encountered turned out to be Zeus in disguise. So, Hercules did meet his father; he just didn't know it at the time.]]
93	** To say nothing of the gods' plots to kill Hercules.
94	* FantasticRacism: As on ''Series/XenaWarriorPrincess'', Amazons and Centaurs openly dislike and think the worst of each other. Cheiron subverts it in "Amazon Grace" (where he welcomes Cyane's Amazons to the Academy), but it flares up in the later "Battle Lines" two-parter.
95	* FireForgedFriends: Hercules, Iolaus, and (to a lesser extent) Jason.
96	** Towards the end of the season, Hercules and Theseus.
97	* {{Foreshadowing}}:
98	** "Amazon Grace" opens with the three cadets heading home through the woods. A marker informs them they'd be trespassing if they take a shortcut. Iolaus is content to ignore it, but Jason says he doesn't ignore the law whenever it's convenient. This comes up in the main plot when King Leeseus claims the Amazons as his slaves. Iolaus is deeply opposed to slavery on moral grounds, while Jason (though opposed to it himself) says that Leeseus is within his legal rights.
99	** Jason's absence in "Dad Always Liked Me Best" sets up a plot-point in "Mommy Dearests" by making him the only cadet to not know what Lucius looks like.
100	* FreudianExcuse:
101	** In "No Way Out," Lilith says she came from a village that was under constant bandit attacks. She wanted to be a warrior like her brother, Marcus, who died in one of the attacks.
102	** Iambe spent years telling Lucius how they were destined to be on Olympus with Zeus, but only if he killed all his mortal half-brothers.
103	* FreudianTrio:
104	** Hercules is the Ego, Iolaus is the Id, and Jason is the Superego.
105	** The judges in "Ares On Trial" function in this manner. Hephaestus is the Id (being far less professional than his siblings and openly enthusiastic to see Hercules), Apollo is the Superego (focusing on the facts of Ares's abuse), and Athena is the Ego (approaching things logically but demonstrating some NotSoAboveItAll attitudes).
106	* FromNobodyToNightmare: Hercules himself provides a hero variation. According to the backstory, while Hera despised Hercules, other gods spent years thinking he was beneath their notice. Ares admits in the pilot movie that he hadn't given Hercules a second thought in years, only to then see him foil his takeover of Corinth and defeat him in combat.
107	* GadgeteerGenius: Hephaestus.
108	-->"Ideas come to me. I look at something, and I see what it could be."
109	* GiveAManAFish: In "Cold Feet," the farming community that Jason finds is held hostage by a gang of thugs constantly demanding payments. Jason teaches the locals how to fight using moves he learned at the Academy.
110	* TheGloriousWarOfSisterlyRivalry: Kora and Cleo in "Sisters." Both are equal in the looks department, but Kora is the "all work and no play" sibling that actively keeps the likes of Hercules and Jason at arm's length, whereas Cleo is fun-loving, outgoing, and flirtatious. Their relationship was also strained by Kora resenting her never being around to help the folks, while Cleo always felt like the inferior sister and acted competitive to compensate.
111	* HalfHumanHybrid:
112	** Hercules is half-god, half-mortal. Ditto for Castor, Pollux, and Lucius.
113	** Also Cheiron who is a [[{{OurCentaursAreDifferent}} centaur]].
114	** Subverted with Mila. Ares has her thinking she's his daughter as part of a plot against Hercules, but he reveals that's a lie and that she's fully human.
115	* HeelFaceTurn: In his first appearance, Pollux was an antagonistic bully with a HairTriggerTemper. When he makes a return appearance, he has gained inner peace and become much kinder.
116	* HiddenDepths: "The Prize" sees both Ares and Iolaus demonstrate a good deal of singing talent.
117	* TheHighKing: "My Fair Lilith" averts it. Jason spends the episode deferring to King Cadmus--not because the guy has more genuine power than any other king in Greece, but because of a reputation for having a nasty temper. However, Cadmus gives Jason some useful advice in the end: "Kings don't call other kings 'sir.'"
118	* HumiliationConga: In "Con Ares," the cadets need to keep Strife and Discord busy so Jason can hold peace talks between Sparta and Thebes. They get an IdenticalStranger to pretend to be Ares, who proceeds to order the two gods to do menial labor at his farm.
119	* IAmAHumanitarian: Subverted with Ruff. A VillainOfTheWeek tries to feed Jason to Ruff, but the Basilisk never threatens him. Iolaus says he's pretty sure Ruff is a vegetarian.
120	* IOweYouMyLife:
121	** Years ago, Artemis saved Kora's life. This came with a price, as Kora had to serve her however the goddess saw fit. Deconstructed in "Golden Bow" where she says her obligation to Artemis means never having a normal life.
122	--->"I can't make friends, Hercules. I don't dare. If it turned into anything more... I can never let myself fall in love."
123	** Subverted in "Herc and Seek" with Iolaus. Cratus reminds Iolaus that he did a lot for him, including not ratting him out to the authorities, which is why Iolaus is on probation instead of in prison. However, since Cratus nearly killed his friends and trashed the Academy, Iolaus is only too happy to send Cratus packing to jail.
124	* IUhYouToo: From "Parents' Day":
125	-->'''Skouros:''' Son, you know that I... always... ''[struggles with the word]''\
126	'''Erythia:''' We love you, Iolaus.\
127	'''Skouros:''' Yeah, what she said.
128	* IdenticalStranger: Timor in "Con Ares" for, well, Ares. The cadets have him pretend to be Ares in order to keep Strife and Discord distracted, while Jason tries to prevent a war.
129	* InsaneTrollLogic: Lucius believes he'll stand out to Zeus if he kills various half-brothers like Hercules and Pollux.
130	-->'''Hercules:''' You really think Zeus wants you to take us all out?\
131	'''Lucius:''' Forgetting your family history, Little Brother. Zeus's father eliminated his brothers and sisters. Zeus erased his father. To be truly great, you can't let something as cheap as sentiment get in the way.
132	* {{Irony}}: In "Ares On Trial," Hercules is stunned Ares would name him as his defense council after being accused of trying to kill him. Ares says the irony of the situation appealed to him.
133	* ItsPersonal:
134	** Ares's vendetta against Hercules. Discord says in "Ares On Trial" that he'll constantly talk about finding ways to kill him.
135	--->'''Discord:''' It's his favorite topic.
136	** Bacchus grows to despise Hercules after suffering two major defeats.
137	* ItWillNeverCatchOn: Kora starts serving a new foreign drink that she describes as heated beans strained through water (in other words, coffee) with milk added. Hercules is rather put off by that unflattering description and is further unsettled when he notices that Kora is incredibly jittery from drinking so much of it.
138	* JerkassGods: Almost every god that Hercules regularly interacts with fit this trope. Hephaestus is the only subversion. He has his bad moments, but he is genuinely one of Hercules' friends.
139	* JustThinkOfThePotential: Stated by Hephaestus himself to be the reason he’s such an incredible inventor. He has the ability to see what anything can become, their potential
140	* KingOfTheGods: Zeus.
141	* LastRequest: In the PilotMovie, Yvenna attempts to ask one of Hercules, but she dies before she can get the words out. He figures she wanted him to go liberate her village from the bandits that killed her family.
142	* LifeIsntFair: Hades's attitude towards getting the Underworld compared to Zeus ruling Olympus and Poseidon ruling the seas.
143	* LighterAndSofter: The TV series. The PilotMovie has a fair amount of bloody violence and several major deaths. The show aired on Fox Kids; while they were able to get away with the occasional death and bit of blood, they really had to watch out for the censors.
144	* LoopholeAbuse:
145	** In the opening three-parter, Ares manipulates Hercules into stealing a prized chalice from Hera. Ares knew that Hera was promised whoever stole the chalice would be put in their proper place--meaning Zeus's protection would be invalidated and that he'd have the leeway to finally kill Hercules.
146	** Cyane's Amazons were made slaves and sold to Leeseus, king of Athens. He intends to collect on this in "Amazon Grace" and the heroes struggle to find a way out. After looking over the laws, Hercules proposes combat by champions, where each side names a fighter and the first one to hit the ground loses. The episode proceeds to exploit a couple loopholes, as Leeseus can name whoever he wishes, so he picks Hercules and says the law allows him to claim the half-god as a slave should he lose. Ultimately, Hercules beats Cyane in the fight, but the law also says that the winner is entitled to a reward of his choosing and can't be denied. Hercules immediately asks for slavery to be abolished in Athens.
147	** Ares's scheme in "No Way Out" relies on this. He wants to poison Hercules, but he can't give him the poison himself, so he tries to trick Lilith into doing it.
148	* MisplacedRetribution: In the PilotMovie, Ares reacts to his plan's failure by stabbing Jason. It's lampshaded and justified.
149	-->'''Hercules:''' Why Jason?! This was between you and me!\
150	'''Ares:''' Because ''you'' came under Father's special protection!
151	* MommasBoy: The only one Lucius is intimidated by is his mother, Iambe. He is desperate to keep her happy and make her proud.
152	* MrFanservice: And how. Just look at the three main characters.
153	* MyGreatestFailure: In "Teacher's Pests," Hercules and Jason discover that Fiducius's much praised son actually washed out of the Academy and ran away.
154	-->'''Fiducius:''' He was a good boy once, good student. Made me proud. Then he started getting into scrapes--small ones at first. I went easy on him, covered for him, let him get away with things. He got wilder and wilder, uncontrollable. I didn't know what to do with him. One day, he just ran away. You wonder why I'm so hard on you boys? It's because I don't want the same thing to happen to you. I don't want to let you down the way I did him.
155	* MythologyGag: In the PilotMovie, Hercules wears the same outfit that his adult counterpart wore years later in the ''Hercules And The Amazon Women'' TV-Movie.
156	* NiceGuy: Hephaestus. He’s the only god that has no desire whatsoever to harm Hercules or his friends. Hercules is this as well.
157	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Regularly, the heroes would have to get themselves out of a situation that they got themselves into in the first place. To be fair, they are younger and less experienced.
158	* NoodleIncident:
159	** How Artemis saved Kora's life.
160	** Cheiron once received a commendation from Agamemnon.
161	* NotQuiteDead: In "Ares On Trial," Iolaus and Jason think that Hercules is actually dead, but viewers know he's simply on Olympus for the trial.
162	* NotSoDifferentRemark:
163	** Lucius claims this to Hercules during their fight in "Mommy Dearests," as Jason's life is in danger.
164	--->"You can save him, but you so wanna finish me. You're just like me."
165	** In "Hind Sight," Hellene observes that she (a Golden Hind) and Hercules (a half-mortal) are both like a moon somewhere between new and full: "part there, part here."
166	* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Cheiron is normally the sensible, level-headed teacher, but in the "Battle Lines" two-parter, he's made to think his brother and nephew were killed by Amazons, so he's blinded by rage.
167	* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: In "What a Crockery," Ares could've simply allowed Hera to kill Hercules, but he wanted the pleasure of doing so himself.
168	* OpeningNarration: See the page quote.
169	* OvershadowedByAwesome: Iphicles is mentioned in the PilotMovie as having run away from home out of frustration over being in Herc's shadow.
170	* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Like on ''Xena'', the Bacchae have fangs, can transform into wolves, and have voracious appetites. Unlike on ''Xena'', men are among the Bacchae instead of just women. [[note]]This is implied to be because Bacchus is actively seeking to expand his cult.[[/note]]
171	* ParentalFavoritism: A recurring theme discussed throughout the series. Hercules, Lucius, and even Ares vie for this.
172	-->'''Lucius:''' ''[to Hercules]'' You wanna be Zeus's favorite so badly you can taste it.
173	* ParentalHypocrisy: King Cadmus objects to his daughter, Dido, wanting to marry Antos--saying the boy has no royal blood whatsoever. Sister-in-law Lady Yeta interjects--saying that Cadmus was just a corporal who married into royalty and that Dido's mother never cared about class differences. Cadmus tries to save face by saying he was at least in the army, but he soon relents.
174	* ParentalNeglect: "Parents' Day" shows that Iolaus has this complaint against both of his parents.
175	* ParentalSubstitute: Iolaus says as much of his uncle in "Iolaus Goes Stag":
176	-->"Uncle Flatus was always there for me, Herc. When no one else had any time, he always did. He made time. He never married, never had any kids. I guess now he's getting older, I think he needs me. I think I need him, too."
177	* PetTheDog:
178	** "Valley of the Shadow" ends with the reveal that [[spoiler:Zeus orchestrated the whole adventure so Hercules could get over his HeroicBSOD]].
179	** If Iolaus fails the exam in "Cram-ped," he'll be kicked out of the Academy and sent to jail. His only chance of passing is the geography essay, but the topic won't be revealed until the time of testing. Overhearing Iolaus's struggles, Fiducius convinces Cheiron to make the topic about the one region that Iolaus actually applied himself on.
180	** The attack on Alcmene's village in "Mommy Dearests" caused (among other things) a little girl to be separated from her dog. Iolaus does a magic trick for her and later finds the missing dog.
181	* PosthumousCharacter:
182	** Iolaus was an accidental example for the overall franchise. As this show was getting going, his adult counterpart was killed off on ''HTLJ'' at the start of the fifth season and stayed that way until the season finale.
183	** Strife, of course. He had been killed off months before this show premiered. Ditto Alcmene.
184	** Cheiron was a more belated example. The original series hadn't addressed his status at the time the show started, but after "The Academy" aired, it was confirmed he had been dead for an unspecified amount of time.
185	* ThePowerOfFriendship: For this franchise, this was to be expected.
186	** In "Between Friends," Iolaus and Jason learn that Hercules didn't tell them the truth about Hera's chalice and are offended--saying they'd still have helped him, just that they want to know the whole story. Also, Iolaus is framed for a robbery, but Hercules and Jason work to prove his innocence.
187	** In "What a Crockery," Iolaus and Jason have to return the chalice in order to restore Zeus's protection of Hercules. They manage to return it at the last minute.
188	--->'''Alcmene:''' Be thankful for such good friends.\
189	'''Hercules:''' I am.
190	** In "Apollo," the cadets have a run-in with him at his beach. Hercules confronts Apollo on the way he abuses the Nymphs--saying they're terrified of him and don't actually like him. Apollo responds by attacking the Academy to see how strong Herc's friendships with the cadets are. While a few cadets condemn Hercules for once again getting them into trouble, Iolaus, Theseus, and most of the others are willing to stand up to Apollo for him.
191	--->'''Apollo:''' You think I can't?! You think I won't?! I'm a god. You're nothing but a bunch of puny, little mortals!\
192	'''Hercules:''' They're more than that. They're my friends. 'Course, you wouldn't know anything about that, would ya? I'll tell you what, you want somebody around, it's really easy: stop being such a jerk.
193	* PragmaticVillainy:
194	** Ares truly despises Hercules and spends a good deal of time every day thinking of plans to kill him, but he's not going to incur Zeus's wrath by outright breaking the protection rule.
195	** Strife spends "The Skeptic" obsessing over a new cadet who refuses to believe the Olympians exist. Ares can't be bothered to care, until he learns the cadet knows Hercules. Ares then decides to tell Strife how he can deal with the non-believer and "accidentally" kill Hercules in the process.
196	* PutOnABus: Jason after being crowned king of Corinth. He makes a couple scattered appearances afterwards and is otherwise replaced by Theseus.
197	* PygmalionPlot: "My Fair Lilith," in which the guys try to pass Lilith off as a princess to help get Jason out of an arranged marriage.
198	* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: The otherwise timid Timor from "Con Ares" condemns the war god to his face.
199	-->"You're the joke, Ares. Call yourself a god? Well, you're not the kind of god I'd ever want to worship. You make people suffer. You demand respect, but do nothing to earn it. You're nothing but a bully."
200	* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Cheiron
201	* RedShirt: Marco from "The Beasts Beneath." Deconstructed in that the major characters take the loss very hard, with Hercules's regret being a plot-point in "Valley of the Shadow."
202	* RefusalOfTheCall / ResignedToTheCall: In "Cold Feet," the pressure of being king someday gets to Jason, and he runs away. He ends up in a farming community and finds it so much more satisfying, but when trouble ensues, he has to step up as a leader.
203	* TheResenter:
204	** Ares deeply resents Hercules for being Zeus's favorite and constantly besting him.
205	--->"Supplanted by a half-mortal. I could have destroyed you long ago, if not for Zeus's special protection!"
206	** Hercules is this to Orpheus. He loves Eurydice and can't stand seeing her with a guy more concerned with fame than anything else.
207	** Hades isn't terribly fond of Zeus or Poseidon--saying they're TopGod and Lord of the Seas, respectively, while he's in the Underworld and surrounded by dead people.
208	* ReptilesAreAbhorrent: Subverted with Ruff the Basilisk. He is generally kindhearted (particularly towards Iolaus) and only causes trouble when he's scared.
209	* {{Retcon}}:
210	** In his first appearance on ''HTLJ'', Hephaestus said his father wasn't Zeus and even lamented that. On this series, that was changed in order to make him and Hercules half-brothers.
211	** The ''Underworld'' TV-Movie showed Hercules's first trip to the Underworld and the first time he met Charon. "A Lady in Hades" obviously adjusts that.
212	** In the movie ''Hercules and the Amazon Women'', Hercules and Iolaus were shown being raised to believe women are inferior to men and as adults, had never heard of the Amazons. On this series, the Amazons are allies with them.
213	* SadlyMythtaken: If you know what franchise this series is a part of, you already know the answer.
214	* SatelliteCharacter: Discord to Strife. They're both Ares's underlings, but Strife did get a couple episodes where he was the only antagonist. Discord only ever appeared in an episode if Ares and/or Strife did.
215	* SequelEpisode:
216	** "A Lady in Hades" deals with the fallout of the Bacchae arc, as Hercules journeys to the Underworld to argue why Eurydice shouldn't be condemned to Tartarus.
217	** "Dad Always Liked Me Best" follows up on "Winner Take All" (specifically what became of Castor and Pollux after the Corinthian Games).
218	** "Mommy Dearests" in turn follows up on the above episode by having Lucius actively antagonize Hercules and target his friends and family.
219	** "The Mysteries of Life" follows up on "A Serpent's Tooth" by showing what became of Ruff after Iolaus released him into the wild.
220	* ShadowArchetype: Lucius to Hercules. Both are half-mortal sons of Zeus with super-strength and so eager to meet their father, but Lucius will do the things that Hercules won't do.
221	* SheCleansUpNicely: The cadets' general reaction to Princess Lilith.
222	* ShellShockedVeteran: Theseus's backstory. He served in the army, but one battle was so devastating that he deserted. He came to the Academy to start over, but in his first appearance, he freezes up during a crisis.
223	* ShipTease: Hercules and Cyane is the most prominent, but he also has teases with Eurydice, Nemesis, and Mila.
224	* ShirtlessScene: Hercules got one shirtless scene. And he wasn't the only one. Iolaus (played by the lovely and talented Dean O'Gorman) had at least three, and Jason (played by the equally-if-not-moreso lovely and talented Chris Conrad)...well, it's easier to find episodes where he isn't shirtless, really.
225	* ShroudedInMyth: According to "A Serpent's Tooth," Basilisks are thought to be legendary creatures because no one has ever seen or heard of one until Ruff turned up. The end of the episode suggests there are many Basilisks out there and that they just stay away from humans.
226	* SiblingRivalry: Not only between Hercules and Ares but many of Hercules' half siblings as well. Everyone just wants to impress Dad.
227	** With the notable exemption of Hephaestus
228	* SiblingYinYang: Ares and Hephaestus
229	* SinsOfTheFather:
230	** As ever, Hera despises Hercules for being the product of one of Zeus's affairs.
231	** Cyane's tribe blames Zeus for them being made slaves. She is not happy to learn that Hercules is his son, but he proves to her not to judge him by that.
232	** Nemesis reveals being the goddess of justice is actually a punishment.
233	--->"When your father, Zeus, revolted against the Titans for control of Mount Olympus, my father sided with the Titans. And because of that, I'm forced to obey any god who demands a mortal be punished."
234	* TheSmurfettePrinciple: In the pilot movie, Yvenna. In the series proper, Lilith. Over time, the show featured a few female extras at the Academy, though only Lilith had any prominence.
235	* SpinoffBabies: Well, teenagers.
236	* SternTeacher: Fiducius
237	* TakeAThirdOption: In "In Your Dreams," Hercules faces a manifestation of his own dark side in the dream realm. It can kill him, but him killing it would mean his own death, too, since it is a part of him. To win, Hercules must face his fear of his dark side and embrace it.
238	* TerribleTrio: Ares, Strife, and Discord.
239	* ThanksgivingEpisode: "Home for the Holidays" did an Ancient Greek variation with the Feast of Persephone. Off from the Academy for a few days, the cadets go to Alcmene's house to celebrate. Hercules has some family drama with his mother's new beau, the cadets help make the lavish dinner, they use a boar in place of a turkey, and the boys work in a little sports. It's one of the few episodes to not have any fight scenes.
240	* ThievesGuild: Iolaus was part of a bandit group, the Loax.
241	* UltimateBlacksmith: Guess who...
242	* VillainousBreakdown: In "What a Crockery," Ares when Zeus's protection of Hercules is restored at literally the last second.
243	-->'''Ares:''' [[BigNo NOOOOOOOOO! No!]] [[RageAgainstTheHeavens Why protect him again, Father?! I was so close!]] [[ItsAllAboutMe What about me?! I have needs!]]
244	* VisionaryVillain: Bacchus initially antagonized Hercules not to kill him, but to bring him into his cult. He saw having a super-strong half-god as key to his forces beginning a take over of the mortal world.
245	* WarGod: Ares.
246	* WarriorPrince: Jason.
247	* WeWillMeetAgain: As on the other shows, Ares constantly vows this.
248	* WellDoneSonGuy: Hercules' main goal in this series is to meet his father and be acknowledged. It's kind of subverted, though, as viewers are well-aware that Zeus knows who Hercules is and even considers him his favorite child.
249	** Hephaestus initially was this for Hera, but he grew out of it.
250	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse:
251	** Though the movie provided an explanation why he wasn't around, some found it odd that Iphicles never made an appearance on the show or was even mentioned.
252	** Zig-zagged with the show's prominent guest characters. The original series explained in "The Academy" what became of Cheiron and Lilith, but Theseus was added so late in the game that the episode couldn't account for him. Kora was also never mentioned.
253	* WhatMeasureIsAMook:
254	** In "Herc's Nemesis," Hera orders Nemesis and then Stregna to kill Hercules if he keeps interfering with her orders. They're both goddesses and would be violating the protection rule if they killed Hercules, but Hera didn't bother telling them that because she doesn't care about either of them.
255	** Averted in "Valley of the Shadow." Hera is outraged over the loss of the Protector since he was so valuable to her.
256	* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: In TheTeaser to "In Your Dreams," Lilith, Iolaus, and Jason say this of spiders, drowning, and fire, respectively. The main plot focuses on how Hercules fears people getting hurt because of himself and his own dark side.
257	* WoundedGazelleGambit: Ares manipulates Mila in her titular episode this way. He pretends to be her father, claims Hercules gravely injured him with Hind's blood, and sics her on Herc. Hercules exposes the deception by goading Ares into attacking him and proving he's not weakened in the slightest.
258	* WrittenInAbsence:
259	** Jason misses the first three parts of the Bacchae storyline. Hercules says he's away studying up ahead of his coronation.
260	** Iolaus misses the adventure in "A Lady in Hades"--said by Jason to be in the dunking booth for the Academy's festival.
261	* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Discussed between Bacchus and Orpheus. It's Orpheus's job to lure unsuspecting people to Bacchus's caverns. Bacchus reminds him that that is the only reason he hasn't been turned into a Bacchae.

Context Series / YoungHercules