Written by John Schulian
Directed by Doug Lefler
This episode provides examples of:
- An Aesop: The pursuit of revenge is unfulfilling and won't solve pain caused by grief.
- All-Loving Hero: Hercules recalls Deianeira telling him it's just his nature to simply go help anyone in need.
- And the Adventure Continues: Finding revenge to be hollow and remembering what Deianeira said about his true character, Hercules rededicates his life to Walking the Earth and helping people in need.Iolaus: You don't know what's down that road.
Hercules: That's what I'm gonna find out. - And This Is for...: On his way to face the She-Demon, Hercules passes by her previous victims. The last one before the cave entrance is Iolaus.Hercules: This one's for you.
- Armor-Piercing Response: On the way to Ister, Hercules and Aegina encounter a blind villager named Thoas warning people to beware the She-Demon and stay clear of the area. Upon being told he's talking to Hercules, Thoas expresses his sympathies.Hercules: Thank you. I didn't know the news about my wife and children had traveled this far.
Thoas: Your wife and children? I was talking about your friend, the one they call Iolaus. He's dead. - Batman Cold Open: The episode opens with Hercules and Iolaus beating up a local criminal and his gang for threatening people at a tavern.
- Big "NO!": Hercules after his children die.
- Big "WHY?!": Hercules when shouting about how Zeus won't even appear to explain himself.
- Bittersweet Ending: Hercules still mourns his family, but he's saved Iolaus and an entire village from the She-Demon and rededicates himself to helping others.
- Blood Knight: After busting up the thugs at the tavern, Iolaus feels great and energized. He insists that Hercules feels the same, saying he saw the look on his face.
- Bound and Gagged: Aegina while on the altar in Hera's temple.
- Cry into Chest: Alcmene after Hercules arrives at her home, as she already knows what's happened to Deianeira and the kids.
- Dead Guy on Display: The She-Demon tempts men into approaching her and then turns them to stone, killing them. She keeps the statues up outside the entrance to her cave.
- Death Is Cheap: The second of four times for Iolaus. He dies when the She-Demon turns him to stone. He's revived after Hercules kills her and says he saw Deianeira and the kids while in the Underworld.
- Deus Exit Machina: Hercules has a major falling out with Zeus for this purpose. Having the Top God regularly pop in every week would lessen dramatic tension.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Aegina stole some food because she was starving, so Hera's worshippers intend to punish her by sacrificing her.
- Empathy Doll Shot: Herc's kids get blasted off-screen, but a burning doll is shown getting knocked out of their room immediately afterwards.
- Everyone Has Standards: Even when obsessed with getting revenge, Hercules makes sure to save a captive woman at risk of being sacrificed.
- Evil Laugh:
- Hera after killing Deianeira and the kids.
- The She-Demon when claiming victims and fighting Hercules.
- Five Stages of Grief: After his family is killed, Hercules jumps right to a combination of anger and depression, and he stays that way until after he's trashed some of Hera's property. While making camp with Aegina, he calms down, hits the acceptance stage, and sets his mind on a better purpose for his life.
- Flashback:
- In the immediate aftermath of their deaths, Hercules sits by himself and thinks back on the good times he had his family.
- When mulling over what to do with his life, Hercules thinks back on Deianeira telling him he's a hero that's always Jumped at the Call and others seeking him out for help.
- Friendship Moment: The Heterosexual Life-Partners get several of these.
- Iolaus offering to join Hercules in his quest for revenge against Hera. Hercules tells him to stay put for his own safety.
- After the She-Demon is killed, a revived Iolaus says he was trying to help Hercules. Herc tells him he did by teaching him what a friend really is.
- Iolaus tells Hercules about seeing his family while in the Underworld and how they miss him but want him to keep living so that he can help others.Iolaus: Hold 'em in your heart, until it's time.
Hercules: I will, Iolaus. Right there with you.
- Happy Ending Override: The TV-Movies ended with Hercules Happily Married and raising three children. That's undone before the opening credits in the worst way.
- "Hell, Yes!" Moment: The villagers cheering Hercules for killing the She-Demon.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Hercules manages to get the She-Demon to hit herself with her own tail, turning her to stone and reviving her victims.
- Improbable Weapon User: Carrying Aegina to safety while fighting temple guards, Hercules ends up using her feet to kick them away. All the swinging around makes her sick.
- It's Personal: After Hera kills his family, Hercules goes on the warpath against her worshipping sites. This is his answer when Aegina asks why he trashed the temple.
- Killed Off for Real: Deianeira and the kids. Hercules laments how there's no bringing them back.
- Lampshade Hanging: Hercules is getting sick of "You're Hercules?"-type questions everywhere he goes.
- Let the Past Burn: After destroying the furniture, Hercules sets fire to his house. This isn't the end of the episode, but it's end of this phase of his life.
- Little "No":
- Hercules immediately after Deianeira dies.
- Iolaus upon learning what's happened to Herc's family.
- Morality Chain Beyond the Grave: It's thinking about what Deianeira previously told him that makes Hercules think of what kind of person he should be going forward.Deianeira: That's who you are. People call for help, and—
Hercules: And I always go. I know. I can't stand to see the gods play with people's lives. Y'know, anybody's life.
Deianeira: I know that, and I love that about you. - My God, What Have I Done?:
- According to Alcmene, Zeus feels this way about Hera killing Herc's family while he was off indulging himself with another woman.
- Lycus sought Hercules for help against the She-Demon, but in his grief, he angrily sent him away. After calming down, Hercules expresses shame for this and notes he never before shunned someone in need like that. Learning that Iolaus died by going in his place just compounds this.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: After Hercules smashes up one of Hera's shrines, a worshipper recognizes him and observes he's far fiercer than he ever was before.
- Pre-Asskicking One-Liner: Outside of Hera's temple, Hercules openly insults her.Guard: Blasphemer! What is your name?!
Hercules: [leans in close] Hercules. [POW!] - Put on a Bus: Hercules severs ties with Zeus for failing to protect Deianeira and the kids from Hera.
- Rage Against the Heavens: Hercules when denouncing Zeus for the deaths of his wife and children.
- Revenge: Hercules sets out to smash Hera's local temples, feeling it's the only way he can get back at her.
- Revenge Is Not Justice: Alcmene urging Hercules to not succumb to revenge and endanger himself on such a quest.
- Revenge by Proxy: Hera kills Herc's family to make him suffer. Alcmene spells it out for him, though she insists she's not worried about herself.
- Skyward Scream: Hercules when vowing revenge against Hera for killing his family.
- Slavery Is a Special Kind of Evil: Aegina is an escaped slave. She's rather surprised when Hercules matter-of-factly says she's free. He's openly disgusted by slavery.
- Taken for Granite: The She-Demon turns people to stone by hitting them with her tail.
- Vengeance Feels Empty: After trashing one of Hera's temples, Hercules doesn't really feel any better. That night, while talking to Aegina, he reflects on his path and how he needs something more. He starts by setting out to slay the She-Demon in order to make up for initially turning Lycus away. After that's done, he rededicates his life to helping people.
- Wham Episode: Hercules loses his family, severs ties with Zeus, and resumes Walking the Earth.
- Wham Shot: Deianeira getting hit with a fireball.
- What the Hell, Hero?: After being turned away by Hercules, Lycus vents his frustrations at the nearest tavern. Iolaus is there and berates him, while explaining the situation.
- Who Are You?:Aegina: Well, hey, who are you, anyway?
Hercules: I'm Hercules.
Aegina: You're Hercules?
Hercules: Y'know, I'm sick and tired of people asking me that. - Witch with a Capital "B": Aegina's description of Hera when talking to Hercules about his loss.
- Would Hurt a Child: Hera has no problem killing the three children immediately after killing Deianeira.
- Written-In Absence: Zeus is nowhere to be found onscreen, having only talked to Alcmene before Hercules got to her house. She remarks he's too ashamed to face Hercules. Herc severing ties with him provides the reason why Zeus will only appear in-person very sparingly throughout the series.
- You Are Not Alone: Alcmene says Zeus is so ashamed that he wishes he could crawl off and die.Hercules: As far as I'm concerned, he is dead. From now on, I'm on my own.
Alcmene: No, you're not. You have my love, too.
Hercules: I know I do. And you have mine.
