Written by Alex Kurtzman
Directed by Oley Sassone
Tropes
- Actually Pretty Funny: Hera is quite amused by the way Callisto insults her.
- And I Must Scream: Callisto is left trapped in the Labyrinth of the Gods after gaining immortality.
- And This Is for...: Before leaving Hercules in a death trap, Callisto does this before giving him a good wallop.Callisto: Oh, and this? This is for Xena. [clubs him]
- Berserk Button: Callisto keeps needling Hercules about his dead children and how he feels responsible for their fates.
- Big Damn Heroes: Hercules gets back to the castle with the cure in the nick of time for everyone.
- Big "NO!": The newly immortal Callisto after being sealed inside the chamber.
- Birthday Party Goes Wrong: Callisto poisons the guests with Xanthalian venom, leaving them at risk of permanent insanity and/or killing each other.
- Birthday Hater: Hercules is a mild case. He was always too humble for parties in his honor, anyway, but he lost all interest in celebrating his birthday after Hera killed his family. He's not interested in the Surprise Party, but with some prodding from Iolaus, he agrees to it for the sake of Alcmene and other guests. When this adventure's over, Hercules admits this experience has taught him more than ever to appreciate the family he still has.
- Book Ends: Callisto's first scene is being trapped in Tartarus, screaming in agony over being reminded of her villainous actions. In her last scene, she's screaming over being trapped in the Labyrinth of the Gods after gaining immortality.
- Call-Back:
- Hercules had heard about Callisto dying. Callisto later remarks that Xena watched her die.
- When Callisto suggests it wasn't that long ago when Hercules would've supported her efforts to kill Xena, he flatly disagrees and cites his brand of justice. "The Gauntlet" showed he had the opportunity to kill Xena, but he spared her because he could see she could be redeemed.
- Can't Kill You, Still Need You: Hercules reveals he's only putting up with Callisto because he needs her to find the apples and is fully prepared to send her back to Tartarus once that's done.
- Chekhov's Gun: The pouch of oil that Hercules carries. It's actually part of his contingency plan to escape the labyrinth when Callisto inevitably betrays him.
- Continuity Overlap: Callisto's death over on Xena makes it possible for Hera to use her now. The end of this episode also sets up Xena seeking Callisto's help against Velasca.
- Death Glare: Callisto very much enjoyed the enraged look on Hercules's face when he realized she had poisoned his loved ones.Callisto: I wonder, did you wear that same look when you watched your children die?
- Determinator: Played for laughs, as the maddened Falafel keeps trying to kill Iphicles even when suspended in mid-air.
- Evil Counterpart: Hercules and Callisto's scenes together highlight how both suffered the loss of family but reacted very differently. Hercules stayed true to his morality, whereas Callisto became consumed with revenge at all costs. She mocks Hercules for his continued attachments to others, boasting she learned from her experience to get what she wants and won't ever have to worry about being hurt like that again.
- The Farmer and the Viper: Just before the chamber is sealed, Callisto gets hurt and pleads for help. Hercules just can't help himself and tries to help her, only to get attacked. Afterwards, he doesn't hesitate to leave her to her fate.
- Find the Cure!: Hercules must retrieve the Golden Apples to cure his friends of the Xanthalian venom.
- Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: Hercules admits he can certainly feel compassion over what Callisto experienced in her youth, but that doesn't change his view of what she became.Hercules: A child who watched her parents die has my compassion, but you had a choice, and you chose evil. That's where my compassion ends.
- Humans Are Bastards: Callisto mocks Hercules for believing there's any good in the world, saying all humans are wicked and deserve to be punished for it.
- I Gave My Word: After Callisto leaves Hercules in a death trap, Hera honors her end of the agreement.
- I Warned You: After learning her version of Tartarus was being trapped in her own hatred, Hercules cautions Callisto that immortality won't fix her real problems. The ending leaves her in pretty much the same situation.
- Immortality Inducer: A slice of a Golden Apple will cure anything, while eating a whole apple will give immortality.
- Innocuously Important Episode: Though generally a one-off outing for this show, the episode actually sets up Callisto's next appearance.
- Ironic Echo: "Surprise!"
- Ironic Hell: Picking up from her previous appearance, Callisto's punishment in Tartarus is based on guilt she feels very deep down for her actions. She's left alone in a chamber, constantly forced to hear the voices of her many victims. She's an anguished wreck by the time Hera intervenes.
- Irony: Callisto loves the prospect of Hercules dying on his birthday.
- Never My Fault: Hercules points out that whereas Xena felt sincere remorse for the awful things she had done and wanted to change, Callisto blames everyone but herself for her own actions. He lampshades how she's completely failed to take stock of her rather specific punishment in Tartarus.
- Not So Similar: Callisto is certain that Hercules would've joined her quest to take down Xena. Hercules disagrees, saying they have vastly different attitudes on justice.
- Nothing Is Scarier: Whatever Jason is hearing and reacting to in his maddened state.
- Older Than They Look: This episode establishes that Iolaus is older than Hercules. Iolaus credits this to being shorter than him and thus less exposed to the elements.
- Out-Gambitted: It was expected that even if Hercules escaped the death trap, he'd be unable to find his way out of the labyrinth in time to save his friends. He reveals that he fully anticipated being betrayed and ensured that he wouldn't need Callisto by leaving behind a trail of oil.
- Papa Wolf: In response to her outright threatening his children once back in the Underworld, Hercules pins Callisto to a wall and chokes her. He refrains from killing her, though, out of concern of her making good on her threat.
- Race Against the Clock: Hercules has to get the others the cure by sundown. Otherwise, the madness will completely overtake them, resulting in them either killing each other or themselves.
- Revenge by Proxy: Hera convinces Callisto to agree to the deal by framing it as the chance to kill the man who redeemed Xena.
- Sanity Slippage: The Xanthalian venom causes this in all the guests. Iolaus and Jason are plagued by horrific visions, Iphicles can barely mask his repressed anger towards Hercules, Falafel keeps seeing things, and Alcmene hallucinates a dead Hercules urging her to kill herself. And it will only get worse from there without a cure.
- Shut Up, Hannibal!:Callisto: Even if you could find your way without me, you won't make it in time to save your friends.
Hercules: That's where you're wrong. I know something you don't.
Callisto: Oh?
Hercules: We're out of oil. [throws a torch to the ground, igniting a trail] That leads right back to the entrance! Surprise! - Shut Up, Kirk!: After Hercules makes it clear he'll be sending Callisto back where she belongs once he no longer needs her.Callisto: If I go back to the Underworld, I won't be suffering alone; I'll find your children. Aeson, Klonus, and little Ilea, is it? And I'll dedicate eternity to making them suffer. After all, I got here, didn't I? I can get to them.
- This Cannot Be!: Hercules had heard about Callisto's death and can't believe she's alive.
- Thou Shalt Not Kill: Callisto mocks Hercules for this, saying his misguided ethics will prevent him from stopping her. Hercules retorts that she's already dead, so this trope actually wouldn't be an issue for him like with his other opponents.
- Title Drop: Twice. First by Callisto and then by Hercules.
- Trail of Bread Crumbs: Hercules creates a trail of oil and lights it to show the path out of the labyrinth.
- Villain Respect: Callisto is admittedly impressed that Hercules would actually take her down after getting what he needs from her.
- Who Are You?: After Callisto screams in Tartarus, she suddenly hears a voice.Hera: Poor Callisto. Such rage unfulfilled.
Callisto: Who are you?
Hera: [revealing herself] A fan. - Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?:
- Iolaus is tormented by a vision of himself as a withered, creepy old man.
- Whatever Jason is seeing, it leaves him as unnerved as Iolaus.
- Alcmene is confronted by a vision of Hercules's ghost blaming her for his death.
- Why Won't You Die?: Callisto to Hercules during their big fight. Herc remarks he just doesn't know when to quit.
- Would Hurt a Child: Callisto had previously killed children, but this time, she threatens to spend eternity torturing Herc's kids in the Underworld.
- Xanatos Speed Chess: The second Hercules spots an oil pouch is the second he starts working out his contingency plan for when Callisto inevitably betrays him.
- You're Insane!: After securing Herc's help.Hercules: You're insane.
Callisto: Just misunderstood. Shall we go, partner?
