Autolycus steals an item called the Cronos Stone, granting its user the power to control time. With this new power, he decides to go back and rob the vaults of King Quallus, one of the few thefts in his youth that he failed. However, a chance run-in ends up bringing Hercules back in time with him and causes the Cronos Stone to shatter. Autolycus now has no choice but to succeed in his heist, aided by his past self. Meanwhile, Hercules stumbles upon a killing of Golden Hinds and ponders if he can prevent the death of his future second wife Serena.
Tropes
- Actor Allusion: One of the confrontations between the past and present Autolycus mimics the standoff between Good and Evil Ash from Army of Darkness, with some lines lifted directly from it.
- Armor-Piercing Question: After saving Serena from the hunters, Hercules assures her she doesn't have to serve Ares.Serena: But he offered to help me, protect me from Zeus and men like those.
Hercules: You don't need his help.
Serena: Whose then? Yours? - Armor-Piercing Response: During the climax, Hercules manages to get the knife covered in Hind's blood against Ares's neck and tells him to turn Serena fully human or else. Ares thinks this is a bluff and that Hercules doesn't have it in him to kill like this.Ares: You would kill me over that pathetic creature?
Hercules: SHE WAS MY WIFE! - Arrow Catch: Averted. Hercules hears Strife taking aim, but there's not enough time to catch the arrow when he turns around.
- Bittersweet Ending: Hercules saves Serena's life in the past and he and Autolycus return to their own time. Serena ends up being happily married with a kid. Unfortunately, as noted by Autolycus, it cost Hercules everything the two would have had together. Hercules sadly refers to it as "the best thing that never happened".
- Blackmail: Ares discusses with Strife how the plan was to acquire a steady supply of Hind's blood to keep the other gods in line.
- Bound and Gagged: Present Autolycus leaves his past self in this state to be captured by Quallus' guards to keep the timeline on track.
- Break the Cutie: Serena weeps upon seeing the other Golden Hinds have been killed by Zeus.
- Call-Forward: Ares tells Strife of his intention to use Serena and the blood in her veins as a bargaining chip against the other gods, something he admitted in "Encounter" that he ultimately realized would never work because they'd simply gang up on him rather than submit.
- Chronic Hero Syndrome: Just as Hercules lectures Autolycus about the importance of meddling with the primal forces of nature, he overhears the name of a young boy and recalls what Hemnor said about the kid falling to his death. Hercules instinctively saves the boy's life, only to be sheepish when Autolycus points out what he just said about meddling. As he says, it's hard to go against one's own nature.
- Due to the Dead: Before confronting Ares at his temple, Hercules took the time to bury the dead Golden Hinds.
- Dumbass Has a Point: When Ares berates him by saying how Zeus would've responded to his attempt to kill Hercules, Strife points out the war god practically handed him the bow and arrow and would be in a better mood if the attempt had worked. He also adds that the attempt would've worked, if not for Serena's intervention.
- Everyone Has Standards: Falafel can be a source of irritation for him, but the second he sees the cook getting harassed by some thugs, Hercules opts to teach them a lesson in politeness.
- Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Averted. Ares knows that Hercules will try to hesitate when it comes to meddling with history.
- Future Me Scares Me/I Hate Past Me: Present Autolycus finds his younger self to be naive and overconfident while Past Autolycus thinks his older counterpart has gotten soft and too good.
- Godzilla Threshold: After jumping through loopholes to try to get rid of Hercules without angering Zeus, Ares simply knifes Serena to get some Hind's blood and attacks his half-brother.
- Healing Hands: Serena uses hers to save Hercules after he's shot by Strife.
- Hypocritical Humor: In the past, Herc warns Autolycus not to do anything that might change the future. He then immediately saves the life of a boy who was supposed to die that day.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Hercules regrets wiping out his second marriage, but he's happy that Serena is safe, married, and has a child.
- In the Back: Ares helps himself to some Hind's blood by sneaking up behind Serena with a knife.
- Involuntary Shapeshifting: It's revealed that Ares gave Serena the ability to assume human form. He says it's to hide her from Zeus, but it also means that a mortal's touch hurting her and revealing her true self were his way of ensuring she couldn't simply live among people.
- Lampshade Hanging: The obvious paradox concerning the Cronos Stone - namely, how it will be in the vault in the future for Autolycus if he steals it in the past to get them into their current situation - is directly questioned by Autolycus. Hercules brushes it off by saying it'll work out somehow.
- Little "No": Hercules when he sees Ares is about to knife Serena in the back.
- My Greatest Failure: Autolycus is looking forward to this heist and putting one over on King Quallus, due to having failed in his younger days because he was so reckless.
- Mythology Gag: Autolycus poses as a statue of Hermes. In Classical Mythology, Autolycus was actually the son of Hermes. Auto also references the god's Roman name by saying he used mercury dust for this stunt.
- Near-Villain Victory: After dropping the loopholes, Ares opts to use a knife covered in Hind's blood to kill Hercules himself. Hercules just barely manages to survive the experience and get a hold of the knife.
- Nobody Here but Us Statues: Autolycus snuck into the museum, dressed himself up like a statue of Hermes, and simply waited for closing time so that he could get to work. It almost works flawlessly, until the curator suddenly remembers that they don't have a statue of Hermes.
- Noodle Incident:
- According to Ares, Hercules's past self is off trapping the Erymanthian Boar.
- The past Autolycus suggests a specific event makes him more cynical and cautious in the future. Our Autolycus is evasive on that, but he does allude to having had quite the reckless youth while honing his craft.
- Not in the Face!: The one rule that the two Autolyici agree to when fighting each other. Everything else, though, is fair game.
- Not-So-Harmless Villain: The bumbling, comic Strife comes dangerously close to killing Hercules by simply shooting him with a hind's blood coated arrow while Herc is distracted.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Hercules is quite willing to kill Ares if it means saving Serena's life.
- Other Me Annoys Me: About the only thing the two Autolyici can agree on is finding the other guy irritating, due to their different tactics and sensibilities.
- Pet the Dog: Autolycus offers his condolences over Hercules erasing his marriage to Serena.
- Ripple-Effect-Proof Memory: As a result of their time traveling, only Hercules and Autolycus remember how things originally occurred.
- Schmuck Bait: Contrary to what Autolycus believed, Quallus reveals the secret passage was anything but. As he says, it's a handy way to dupe thieves looking to rob a wealthy king.
- Sherlock Scan: Ares immediately deduces that Hercules has traveled through time based on a few years' worth of minor facial differences caused by normal aging.
- Shock and Awe: How Zeus eliminates the Golden Hinds.
- Shut Up, Hannibal!: At the temple, after Ares expresses certainty that Hercules is helpless to intervene and brushes him off. Hercules manages to get under his skin, though.Hercules: You're forgetting something. I know how things will turn out. I just might be looking out for your best interests. After all, you are my brother. And when Zeus turns his fury on one, the rest of us have a way of getting caught in the backwash. So, you think about your plans for her. You think hard, for all our sakes.
- The Time Traveller's Dilemma: Hercules is torn between warning Serena of her fate or letting history play out. He ultimately chooses to let it be, until Ares pushes things too far.
- Ungrateful Bastard: While in human form, Serena heals a hunter that was injured by a boar. When she's revealed to be the Golden Hind, the hunter and his brother immediately try to attack her. Luckily, Hercules intervenes.
- Unwitting Pawn: Ares knows he can't simply try to kill Hercules himself without getting in trouble with Zeus and the other gods, so he manipulates Strife into making the attempt instead.
- Wham Shot: Autolycus encountering his past self is played this way.
- Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?: Averted. Strife does in fact just shoot Hercules once he gets the chance.
- "You!" Exclamation: Given a twist when Autolycus is suddenly confronted at the secret passage.Autolycus: You?
Past Autolycus: Me? - You Wouldn't Shoot Me: Well, stab, but same difference. When Hercules gets the knife covered in Hind's blood, he demands Ares save Serena or else. Ares thinks it's a bluff, until Hercules reveals he married Serena in the future. Ares immediately relents out of fear Hercules will make good on his threat.
