Recap / Hercules The Legendary Journeys S 3 E 14 When A Man Loves A Woman

Written by Gene O Neill and Noreen Tobin

Directed by Charlie Haskell

Hercules and Serena contemplate whether to give up their powers in order to get married.

Tropes

• Armor-Piercing Response:
  • When Ares says the Olympians want "a small sacrifice" before allowing the wedding to occur.
    Hercules: Nothing they demand would be too great.
    Ares: They want you to surrender your strength, your power. Oh, I-I'm sorry. I thought you said that nothing was too great.
  • After Iolaus angrily reacts to Joxer insulting the de-powered Hercules.
    Joxer: Well, great, now he's your best buddy, again. I wish you'd make up your mind.
• Bittersweet Ending: Hercules and Serena give up their powers so that they can get married.
• Call-Back: Joxer tries to boast about his reputation by invoking Xena. Iolaus says that he certainly knows who she is.
• De-power: Hercules and Serena agree to this by the end of the episode.
• Dumbass Has a Point: For all his bungling in this episode, it's Joxer who causes Iolaus to realize he should support Hercules and Serena's wedding.
• Expecting Someone Taller: Joxer's reaction when he thinks Iolaus is Hercules (who has gotten this genuine reaction a few times himself).
• Friendship Moment:
  • Iolaus immediately jumps in to help Hercules protect Serena against some villagers, after her identity as the Golden Hind is outed.
    Hercules: Thanks for standing by me.
    Iolaus: Hey, we're friends. We don't need to thank each other.
  • Hercules intends to name his first son with Serena after Iolaus.
  • Iolaus showing up for the wedding.
• Overshadowed by Awesome: Joxer, of course, knows all about Hercules, but he has no idea what Iolaus's name is.
• Special Guest: Joxer makes his first and only appearance in the show.
• Wham Line: Strife can't understand why Ares gave Serena to be around Hercules.
  Ares: You misunderstand my gift to my brother. You, um, ever hear of the Trojan Horse?

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Disclaimer: Hercules' strength was not harmed during the production of this motion picture. In fact, Ares is storing it in a cryogenic freezer bag deep in the Olympian Meat Locker