Written by Lisa Klink
Directed by Bruce Campbell
This episode provides examples of:
- Ancient Evil: "I saw the Earth formed out of nothing. I brought the serpent of temptation into man's garden. I've even been known on occasion to turn entire oceans to sand in a single breath. I think it's safe to say I have the experience to know how this will turn out."
- And I Must Scream: The episode demonstrates that Iolaus has been fully aware of the situation the entire time but unable to do more than watch events unfold.
- Armor-Piercing Question:Iolaus: You're the very thing I spent my whole life fighting against!
Dahak: And what exactly were you fighting for?
Iolaus: The chance to make the world a better place.
Dahak: And did you? - Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence: Iolaus is invited by Zarathrustra to enter a realm of pure goodness.Zarathrustra: You were right, Hercules. The impulse to create does have a name.
- Big "YES!": Dahak when Iolaus finally succumbs to temptation and takes his hand.
- Bittersweet Ending: Dahak is defeated for good and Greece is safe, but Ares regains his full power and the other Olympians are still missing. Iolaus stays dead, but he gets to ascend to a realm of pure goodness along with Zarathrustra.
- But for Me, It Was Tuesday: Averted. When up close, Dahak immediately addresses Zarathrustra by name and references the curse he placed on him.
- Call-Back: Ares is described as a former ally of Dahak, which was shown during the "Sacrifice" two-parter on Xena: Warrior Princess. This does not endear him to the heroes, particularly Nebula.
- Dwindling Party: Dahak manipulates Jason's mind to leave him at risk of cutting himself, so Hercules sends his old friend away to keep him safe. Nebula and Morrigan soon have to leave in order to find and protect Ares. After Zarathrustra is killed, Hercules is the only one on hand to face Dahak.
- Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: For all his ability to correctly anticipate his foes' actions, Dahak fails to grasp that they sincerely believe in their principles. He genuinely thinks Hercules regards Iolaus as nothing more than a minor traveling companion instead of a trusted, lifelong friend. He also oversteps when playing on Iolaus's regrets, as Iolaus would never for a moment regret being Herc's friend.
- Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: As Dahak commands his followers to find and kill Ares.Hercules: If Dahak wants Ares dead, he must have a good reason.
Zarathrustra: If he succeeds in killing this god, Dahak will become strong enough to break his bonds.
Hercules: [sees Dahak smirk at them] And we will have lost our only chance to stop him. - The Final Temptation: "It's all within your reach: everlasting life, the chance to purify the world. And all you have to do is take my hand."
- Forgiveness: Hercules assures Iolaus that he's already forgiven him for succuming to Dahak's temptation. Those that Zarathrustra speaks on behalf of do similarly.
- A Form You Are Comfortable With: In the other realm, Dahak first takes the form of Skorous (Iolaus's father), then Nebula, and finally Hercules.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: When Iolaus's life flashes before his eyes, a series of images plays very quickly in-between some clips. These images include Ares, Discord, Arachne, Callisto, Erythia, Alcmene, Autolycus, Jason, Iolaus being turned to stone, and baby Evander.
- Friendship Moment:
- Hercules telling Dahak that he couldn't imagine life with Iolaus is this so much that the hunter starts to break free.
- Hercules forgiving Iolaus without a second thought and the two sharing a Man Hug before the latter departs.
- Get Out!: After Ares mucks things up at the last minute.Ares: You had your chance, Brother. Now, it's my turn.
Hercules: GET OUT!
Ares: You know what has to be done. You're just not man enough to do it.
Hercules: [grabbing him] I swear, I will kill you myself, if you get in my way! [throws him back] - Greater-Scope Paragon: Hercules is certain that something is looking out for him and his friends. Zarathrustra muses that the light binding Dahak may be tied to a power beyond their comprehension. Before departing at the end of the episode, Zarathrustra tells Hercules this was indeed the case.
- Halfway Plot Switch: After all the preparations for the exorcism, Zarathrustra dies partway into the episode, forcing Hercules to take a different approach.
- Hollywood Exorcism: Hercules and Zarathrustra prepare one to separate Iolaus's soul from Dahak. Partway in, Dahak lifts his immortality curse on Zarathrustra, so the exorcism actually had a chance of working.
- Hope Spot:
- After the first flashback, Iolaus is roused and reaches out to grab Hercules's hand, but then Dahak sends a stone flying to knock Herc back.
- Hercules is again about to succeed in separating Iolaus from Dahak, but then Ares storms in and throws everything off.
- Humans Are Good: Hercules doesn't deny Dahak's claim that some people would willingly serve him, but he argues that they're the exception rather the rule.Dahak: Optimism, Hercules, is the shield of fools. As long as people allow themselves to be ruled by their wills, there will always be those who take my path.
Hercules: But there'll be more than don't. There's something in everyone even you can't touch, Dahak: the impulse to create, to nurture life instead of destroy it. As long as it exists, I'll keep my optimism, thanks. - "I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight: Hercules spends half the episode doing this. Unlike prior episodes, it proves more effective than Dahak expected.
- I Should Have Been Better: Dahak starts his mind games by playing on Iolaus's fear that his heroic deeds didn't make the world a better place and only accomplished preventing him from starting the family he always wanted.
- In the End, You Are on Your Own: Zigzagged. Over the course of the episode, Hercules is left to interact with Dahak one-on-one. Iolaus is technically there the whole time, but there's little he can do until the final battle, where he and Herc are fighting side-by-side. Nebula and Morrigan return to the temple shortly before then, but they have to focus on keeping the attacking cultists from breaking back in.
- Irony: Ares reflects on how he has to rely on his least favorite relative to save him.
- It's a Long Story: Once both heroes are reunited.Iolaus: What took you so long?
Hercules: It's... it's a long... [sees Dahak looming over Iolaus] story. - Karma Houdini Warranty: Ares is made to suffer for previously siding with Dahak and Hope. He's lost much of his power, he's forced to flee from mooks that could easily kill him, he has to rely on Hercules for help, and he nearly gets choked to death by Dahak.
- Man Hug: Hercules and Iolaus before the latter departs.
- My Life Flashed Before My Eyes: After Iolaus's death at the start of the season is replayed, we see his POV of a tunnel amid a few clips and and various images from throughout his life.
- The Needs of the Many: Ares argues that stopping Dahak is more important than saving Iolaus.
- No Immortal Inertia: After his curse is lifted, Zarathrustra gets a moment to say goodbye and reflect on his suffering being over. Once he passes out, his body rapidly ages to what he would've looked like without his youth, decays, and then crumbles to dust.
- No Man Should Have This Power: After getting a trial run of Dahak's power, a disturbed Iolaus remarks that absolutely no one should have that level of power. Dahak turns it around by arguing that the Olympians have such power and regularly misuse it, adding that mortals are helpless against such power and need someone to stand up to them.
- Noodle Incident: Hera previously sent a plague to Mycenae and caused thousands to die in agony all because she wanted to teach a local king a lesson. Iolaus was present for this and did what he could to help the sick.
- "Not So Different" Remark: Dahak introduces himself to Iolaus as "a fellow traveler that was prevented from completing his journey." Iolaus is not enthused by any such comparison. He later argues that they both hate the Olympians and want them out of the way.
- Nothing Is Scarier: Dahak "consoles" Zarathrustra by saying his family never had the chance to scream.
- Oh, Crap!: Ares upon seeing that Hercules is not playing around.
- Overshadowed by Awesome: Dahak plays on Iolaus's long-standing concern, alternating between saying he'll at best be remembered as someone who lived in a greater hero's shadow and buttering him up by saying he deserved more credit for facing major threats without Super-Strength.Hercules: You sold him a lie.
Dahak: I didn't have to sell him anything. The seeds of doubt were already in his own heart. - Poor Communication Kills: Hercules never had time to tell Nebula and Morrigan the full details of Dahak's plan and how he wanted Herc to kill him. If they had known that, they might've been able to convince Ares into just leaving things to Hercules and staying away from the temple.
- The Power of Friendship: Dahak is ultimately defeated because of the devotion that Hercules and Iolaus have for each other.
- Pragmatic Villainy: Dahak releases Zarathrustra from his curse and allows him to die like he always wanted because he's the only one who knows how to perform the exorcism.
- Pre Crime Arrest: Dahak gives Iolaus a trial run of his powers to help save a man from falling to his death. However, he shows him that the man will go on to rob and murder a family. Torn, Iolaus lets him die, to which Dahak says the guy technically died an innocent man. Dahak is doing this to show that Iolaus doesn't have to live by his old beliefs of right and wrong in order to make the world a better place. but Iolaus is disgusted with himself.
- Race Against the Clock: The heroes have until sundown to separate Iolaus and Dahak. However, if the cultists manage to kill Ares on his behalf, he'll gain the strength needed to break free before then.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Dahak gives Zarathrustra a positively vicious one.Dahak: Zarathrustra, I am so disappointed in you. We had an understanding. I gave you power beyond mortal limitation, but you turned into the worst kind of coward.
Hercules: Why? Because he refused to kill his family?
Dahak: You say "kill his family" as if that were a bad thing. The truth is, he didn't deserve them. Not much of a family man, are you, Zarathrustra? If you were, you wouldn't have accepted me into your heart so greedily. But don't worry. Your failure is my success. And if it's any consolation, when I killed your family, I didn't give them a chance to scream. - Red Eyes, Take Warning: The episode proper opens with a close-up of Dahak's. He also demonstrates this when he first shows Hercules the flashbacks.
- Refuse to Rescue the Disliked: Nebula says Ares deserves to have to fend for himself after previously siding with Dahak. Hercules admits he'd agree under normal circumstances, but he knows Dahak isn't going after him just for the fun of it.
- Relative Button: Dahak exploits Zarathrustra missing his family by creating an illusion of his son, Zaylan.
- Shut Up, Hannibal!: During the climax.Dahak: Time's up.
Hercules: You got that right! - Shut Up, Kirk!:
- After Zarathrustra dies.Hercules: Zarathrustra saw his immortality as a curse. Releasing him was an act of mercy and, since you don't know the meaning of the word, I'd say I'm getting through to Iolaus.
Dahak: Uh-uh-uh. Zarathrustra was the only one who knew how to perform the ritual. Now, it's just you and me... buddy. [laughs] - After the first failed attempt to get Iolaus, Hercules says Dahak is delaying the inevitable and can't hide behind his friend forever. Dahak retorts that he just needs until sunset.
- After Zarathrustra dies.
- Skewed Priorities: Part of the exorcism involves using a knife to make a mark over the spot where Iolaus was stabbed by Gilgamesh. Hercules is reluctant to desecrate the dead (particularly the body of his best friend), but Zarathrustra reminds him that saving the soul is far more important than preserving the body.
- Strike Me Down with All of Your Hatred!: Dahak tries to goad everyone into killing him. This will send Iolaus with him to Hell, a minor setback for Dahak while also tipping the scales in favor of evil.
- Suddenly Shouting: "KILL ME, DAMN YOU!"
- Villain Has a Point: Morrigan concedes that Ares might be right about The Needs of the Many and how Hercules's plan failing could doom them all.
- Villainous Crush: Ares immediately takes a liking to Nebula, much to her disgust.
- Wham Episode: The conclusion to a storyline that began back on Xena: Warrior Princess. Dahak is defeated, and Iolaus stays dead.
- Who Are You?: After seeing A Form You Are Comfortable With play out.Iolaus: Who are you?
Dahak: A fellow traveler who was prevented from completing his journey.
Iolaus: Dahak?
Dahak: Oh, I've been called many things.
Iolaus: Yeah, I can think of a few right now. - Whole Episode Flashback: Half the episode is Dahak showing Hercules how he tempted Iolaus.
- Would Hurt a Child: According to Dahak, the unnamed man will go on to murder a family, including a little girl. That part really gets under Iolaus's skin.
