Written by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman
Directed by Michael Hurst
This episode provides examples of:
- Ambiguous Situation: Imuru is the representative that Gilgamesh sent to recruit Hercules. He is portrayed as being quite reverent towards the Sumerian gods and frustrated with Nebula going against their traditions, but he ultimately stands alongside Gilgamesh after the Dahak twist. It's never made clear if Imuru was always in on the scheme, or if he only learned about it after Gilgamesh returned to the palace and opted to go along with it out of spite for Nebula publicly defying him.
- Armor-Piercing Question: During their dream conversation, Dahak talks to Hercules about how pointless the fight against evil is because it's in everyone. Hercules retorts he's still going to keep fighting.Dahak: But at what cost? Deianeira, Serena, your precious children—they've all paid the price for your arrogance. How do you expect to save the world, Hercules, when you can't even save the people you love?
- Armor-Piercing Response: After Gilgamesh returns to the palace alone.Iolaus: Where's Hercules?!
Gilgamesh: The one god has been good to him. - The Bad Guy Wins: It takes about half a season to find out, but Gilgamesh still ensured his master gains a warrior heart and thus can enter our world.
- Bait the Dog: Gilgamesh is introduced helping civilians get to safety and having a problematic relationship with Sumerian gods. Upon meeting the heroes, he explains his family was murdered and that the gods did nothing to protect them. He also embraces his half-mortal sister, saying he regrets their earlier falling out. Hercules thus feels a kinship with the man, only to later learn he's a servant of Dahak.
- Batman Gambit: Dahak and his underlings play on Hercules's desire to help others to help get Gilgamesh past the pyramid's defenses and to the chalice.
- Beware the Nice Ones: After getting back to the palace just in time, an enraged Hercules leaps across the room to attack Gilgamesh for his treachery.Hercules: Gilgamesh! No more Mr. Nice Guy.
- Big Damn Heroes: Hercules returns to the palace just before Nebula can be sacrificed.
- Big "NO!": Iolaus, as he jumps in front of Nebula.
- Bittersweet Ending: Nebula is saved, and Gilgamesh is dead, but Hercules is devastated by the death of his best friend. Later episodes reveal that Dahak still got what he wanted most in all this, too.
- Bond Villain Stupidity: Gilgamesh leaves Hercules to die in the pyramid, as flames engulf the room. Justified, as this really isn't about Hercules as much as it is performing the final ritual as quickly as possible. Herc still only barely escapes.
- Broken Pedestal:
- Hercules admits he used to think very highly of the Olympians, but he learned the hard way that that faith was misplaced.
- Gilgamesh turned on the Sumerian gods after his family was murdered.
- Continuity Nod: As on Xena, Dahak is referred to as "the one god."
- The Corrupter: As Gilgamesh says, Dahak's voice was too pure and true to ignore.
- Damsel in Distress: Nebula is the intended sacrifice because she has a warrior heart.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: Iolaus dies in his best friend's arms for the third time.
- Demonization: The Sumerian gods are blamed for the destruction throughout the land, supposedly punishing Gilgamesh for his lack of faith. Instead, they are fighting off Dahak and the fireballs are just unintended fallout.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Subverted. Gilgamesh doesn't hesitate to try to sacrifice Nebula on Dahak's orders. As far as he's concerned, his actual family is long dead.
- Evil Counterpart: Gilgamesh is revealed to be one to Hercules. Both are super-strong half-gods whose familes were murdered, but their respective tragedies sent them down very different paths.
- Fallen Hero: Gilgamesh was once like Hercules, but the death of his family drove to the depths of despair and made him susceptible to Dahak.
- Foreshadowing:
- During the dream, a dead body is on a pyre, and Dahak talks about how Hercules keeps failing to save his loved ones. Iolaus dies during the episode's climax.
- When Iolaus is stabbed instead of Nebula, Gilgamesh doesn't react with disappointment. The sacrifice was for a warrior heart, not a specific one.
- Hero of Another Story: The Sumerian gods have been fighting off Dahak.
- Hero with Bad Publicity: The Sumerian gods have been battling Dahak the entire time. The destruction across Sumeria was just unintended fallout.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Gilgamesh flings a knife at Nebula for the sacrifice, but Iolaus jumps in the way.
- Humans Are Bastards: Dahak argues that the fight against evil is pointless because it's in everyone (even Hercules) instead of just being some vague force outside the castle walls.
- I Should Have Been Better: When Nebula reminds him that he stopped Gilgamesh and saved Sumeria, Hercules says he should've died instead of Iolaus.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Iolaus takes a knife in the chest to save Nebula.
- It's Personal: Hercules is enraged by the way Gilgamesh betrayed him. It gets even more intense after Iolaus is stabbed.
- Leaking Can of Evil: Dahak is in another realm, but he is able to talk to Hercules during a dream. He is also able to battle and ultimately defeat the Sumerian gods, who were attempting to block his entry into the world.
- Married to the Job: Though they spend the night together, Nebula doesn't expect Iolaus to stay because of his dedication to protecting Greece and that he'd ultimately regret giving that up. Iolaus replies that he'd also regret walking away from her. It's never specified what he would've decided to do had he survived the episode.
- Megaton Punch: At the start of their fight, Gilgamesh sends Hercules to the other side of the throne room this way.
- Neck Lift: After Hercules interrupts the ritual, Gilgamesh manages to do this to him. Hercules responds by punching him in the face, until getting knocked across the room.
- Negated Moment of Awesome: Iolaus grabs his sword to face Gilgamesh, but an enegy blast leaves him unable to move.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero:
- Hercules is tricked into helping Gilgamesh reach the chalice. Herc was told they could use the contents to repair the destruction across the land, but once in the chamber, Gilgamesh attacks him, takes a drink to increase his power, and then destroys the chalice. This leaves the Sumerian gods too weak to continue fighting Dahak, allowing the ritual to proceed. Though the final ritual is interrupted, Iolaus is ultimately killed as a result of all this. The fallout will be felt in the next two episodes.
- "Darkness Rising" will reveal that Iolaus's Heroic Sacrifice was this, as he also has a warrior heart.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: In the final battle, Gilgamesh initially has the upperhand against Hercules and effortlessly smacks him around. After Iolaus is stabbed, Hercules turns it around and gives Gilgamesh one before killing him.
- Nothing Personal: After betraying him, Gilgamesh apologizes to Hercules and says this is just part of the ongoing war. Unsurprisingly, Hercules doesn't treat this so casually.
- Oh, Crap!: Iolaus the moment Gilgamesh mentions "the one god."
- Please Wake Up:Hercules: Hang in there, buddy.
Iolaus: Can't...
Hercules: Sure, you can. Come on.
Iolaus: Hercules... [dies]
Hercules: [shaking him] Come on. Don't you give up on me. Come on. Come on! DON'T YOU GIVE UP ON ME! - "The Reason You Suck" Speech:Hercules: You took the easy way out. You couldn't face your pain, so you gave up on yourself and everyone who believed in you.
Gilgamesh: You are a fool, Hercules. You're blinded by your own goodness. In a way, you're your own worst enemy. - Red Eyes, Take Warning: Gilgamesh's eyes briefly flash red, after he delivers the Wham Line.
- The Reveal: The Sumerian gods aren't wreaking havoc on their people; the destruction is fallout from a battle with Gilgamesh's true master, Dahak.
- Rewatch Bonus: During a break in their journey, Hercules and Gilgamesh discuss the tragedies that befell their families and how their region's gods. Gilgamesh regrets not meeting Hercules before his own tragedy, feeling Herc could've made a big difference in his life. It later turns out that Gilgamesh's tragedy drove him to become The Dragon to Dahak.
- Say My Name:
- Hercules shouts Gilgamesh's name, as he's left in the burning pyramid.
- Nebula shouts Iolaus's name after he's stabbed.
- Gilgamesh shouts Dahak's name right before getting killed.
- Shadow Archetype: Gilgamesh to Hercules, being a beloved, super-strong hero that lost his family but turned evil as a result. Hercules appears to recognize this when denouncing Gilgamesh for reacting to a horrible tragedy by giving up on everything he had claimed to believe in.
- Shut Up, Hannibal!:Gilgamesh: There is nothing you can do to stop Dahak from entering our world. It's his destiny.
Hercules: And it's my destiny to shut you up! - Shut Up, Kirk!:Nebula: You're pathetic! You may've sold your soul, but mine will always belong to me!
Gilgamesh: We'll see about that. [raises the knife] - That Was Not a Dream: Before the dream ends, Hercules's hand is cut. When he wakes up on the boat, he places that hand on his forehead to relax and then sees that he's bleeding.
- Thou Shalt Not Kill: Defied. Hercules breaks his most important rule in order to make Gilgamesh pay for stabbing Iolaus.
- Trailers Always Spoil: The original promo included part of the Wham Line.
- Unwitting Pawn: Hercules to Dahak. As a result, the Sumerian gods are weakened and the ritual can proceed.
- Wham Episode: The show's Dahak arc begins, and Iolaus dies.
- Wham Line: "Soon, the world will tremble with the arrival of Dahak."
- Who Are You?: At the end of the dream.Hercules: Who are you? Who are you?!
Dahak: I am the darkness that you hold closest to your heart. - Wide-Eyed Idealist: Hercules says he almost gave up on everything after Hera killed his family, but he didn't because he believes in people; they won't give up, so he won't, either.
