Written by Lisa Klink
Directed by Richard Compton
This episode provides examples of:
- Accidental Hero: In his despair, Hercules screams Iolaus's name. He does it so loudly, though, that he accidentally shatters Dumuzi's mirrors and causes the captured souls to escape.
- And I Must Scream: The zombies under Dumuzi's control retain at least some awareness of who they used to be but have no choice in their actions. A struggling Danaeus musters enough free will to beg Nebula for a Mercy Kill. As she falls under Dumuzi's control, Nebula remarks she keeps hearing his voice and feels like she's slipping away.
- Armor-Piercing Question: After Hercules chokes Agenor, Nebula reads him the riot act and says she won't tolerate another occurrence against one of her crew.Hercules: Is that a threat?
Nebula: And what if it is? You gonna hit me now? Is that gonna make you feel better? - Berserk Button: Hercules strangles Agenor for telling him his effort to revive Iolaus is a foolish, deadly quest.
- Better to Die than Be Killed: Nebula gets scratched by the zombified Danaeus and slowly starts to turn. She doesn't want to end up like the zombies and insists that Hercules kill her before the transformation is complete. Ultimately, though, Hercules won't kill her and instead takes on Dumuzi to save her.
- Big "NO!": Dumuzi shouts this just before the souls escape.
- Bitch Slap: When Nebula says she's sick of him acting like he's the only one mourning Iolaus, Hercules accuses her of just missing a repeat of a one night stand. Nebula slaps him for that, and it does knock some sense into him.
- Bittersweet Ending: Dumuzi's victims are freed, the Gatekeeper himself is dragged off to the afterlife to never again threaten others, and Nebula settles into her role as queen, but Hercules is left a broken man by his failure to revive Iolaus.
- Came Back Wrong: When it appears that Hercules has pulled Iolaus out of an open grave.
- Can't You Read the Sign?: During their journey, the group come upon a statue with eyes that are slashed. Agenor considers it a bad omen and a warning to turn back before it's too late. Hercules responds by throwing the statue to the ground and pressing onwards.
- Casual Danger Dialogue: After the zombie attack, Hercules discovers that Nebula's wound is infected, which means she's starting to turn.Nebula: I figure we're all headed for the Underworld sooner or later. Wanna race?
- Catapult Nightmare: Hercules after pulling Iolaus out of an open grave and seeing he's changed.
- Continuity Nod: Danaeus says Hercules previously fought the Hydra and a cyclops.
- Despair Event Horizon: Hercules hits this when told that Iolaus already crossed over and can't be revived. He leaves Sumeria broken and intending to just disappear.
- The Dog Bites Back: Dumuzi collected the souls of the recently dead in order to sustain himself. After Hercules shatters Dumuzi's mirrors, the Gatekeeper loses control of the souls, and they deal with him for good.
- Due to the Dead: Hercules gives Danaeus a proper burial. Too bad Dumuzi had other ideas.
- Episode of the Dead: Hercules leads an expedition to the Sumerian Underworld, but the group ends up running afoul of zombies under the Gatekeeper's control. Nebula is wounded in the struggle, which leaves her at risk of turning.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Dumuzi truly loved his brothers and sisters. Them dying as a result of Hercules's actions in the last episode make him look at the half-god with contempt and try to feed on his soul.
- Everyone Has Standards: Despite his anger issues, Hercules is polite to the old woman upon meeting her and wants to abide by Sacred Hospitality. He also personally buries Danaeus, feeling responsible for his death.
- Evil Sounds Deep: Nebula while under Dumuzi's control.
- Fate Worse than Death: After seeing Nebula was cut during the zombie attack and starting to turn, Hercules assures her she's not going to die. Nebula says that's exactly what she's afraid of.
- Five-Second Foreshadowing: The group comes across some dead bodies and are left wondering who killed these people. They find more dead bodies in a nearby ship, and Nebula observes they look similar to what became of Danaeus.
- Five Stages of Grief: Hercules goes through all the steps, with some slight mixing.
- He is consistently angry (mainly at himself) for Iolaus's death, as well as demonstrates denial when refusing to let the body be wrapped.
- He was bargaining when imploring the Sumerian gods to revive Iolaus and later when outright threatening Dumuzi to do it.
- After Dumuzi is dragged off to the afterlife, Hercules hits depression by weeping.
- Iolaus's body being wrapped in the final scene symbolizes how Hercules has accepted he can't bring his friend back and that he has to find some way to live with that.
- Foreshadowing: The old woman urges Hercules to press on with his quest. She was sent by Dumuzi, who wants revenge against Hercules for the deaths of the Sumerian gods.
- He Who Fights Monsters: The old woman warns Hercules that he is heading down this path. His actions during the quest get him closer to this than he ever has been before.Old woman: Your eyes have not yet grown accustomed to darkness, but they will. [vanishes] They will!
- Heroic BSoD: Hercules is in one foul mood, due to blaming himself for Iolaus's death. Upon seeing there is no chance of reviving Iolaus this time, he becomes depressed and intends to live in obscurity.
- Heroic Vow: When he sees she's starting to turn into a zombie, Hercules promises he'll get Nebula out of this.
- I Cannot Self-Terminate: As a zombie, Danaeus begs Nebula to kill him. She obliges.
- I Choose to Stay:
- After the zombie attack, the other men were content to call it quits, though Agenor thought it was his duty to stay by Nebula's side. She tells him to go back to the palace for his own safety, while she continues on with Hercules.
- In the end, Nebula loans Hercules her ship, as she's opted to stay in Sumeria and embrace being queen.
- I Did What I Had to Do: Dumuzi argues he's feeding on souls to survive.
- "I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight: Subverted. After Nebula falls under Dumuzi's control, Hercules tries reasoning with her, but it doesn't work. He has to restrain her instead.
- I Lied: Nebula made Hercules promise to kill her before she became like the zombies, to the point of threatening to stab herself in the chest if he refused. When it's time, though, Hercules just ties her up. He never intended to keep the promise, preferring to instead save her by beating Dumuzi.
- I Should Have Been Better: Saving countless captured souls and anyone else who would've died in Sumeria from Dumuzi does little to improve Hercules's mood, as he says he still failed to save his best friend.
- In the End, You Are on Your Own: Hercules starts out leading a sizable expedition. After the zombie attack, several are killed, while the others are permitted by Nebula to turn back. Nebula herself becomes a Zombie Infectee and has to be restrained, leaving Hercules to face Dumuzi alone.
- It's All My Fault:
- Hercules is pushed over the edge because he blames himself for Iolaus's death. Nebula feels responsible for him, as well, since he died saving her.
- Hercules chewed out Danaeus for a simple criticism, which caused the guy to storm off out of camp. Not to long later, his body is discovered in messy condition. Hercules personally digs a grave and buries Danaeus, saying he owes it to the guy.
- Kick the Dog: Dumuzi is only too happy to tweak Hercules on his anger and guilt.Dumuzi: Surely you must remember the look on your friend's face when he took his last breath.
- Kill It with Fire: Hercules suspects this, so he gets some oil on a sword and lights it up. Fire reduces the zombies to dust.
- Manly Tears: Hercules while coming to terms with not being able to revive Iolaus.
- Neck Lift: Hercules does this while strangling Agenor and later while beating Dumuzi.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Dumuzi calls out Hercules for letting Gilgamesh destroy the chalice, which allowed Dahak to kill the other Sumerian gods and led to the Gatekeeper looking for another food source.
- "Not So Different" Remark: Dumuzi accuses Hercules of sacrificing Iolaus for his own benefit, saying that's not unlike what a god would've done.
- Nothing Is Scarier:
- Whatever happened to Danaeus in the woods resulted in him being impaled against a tree and having a look of complete terror on his face. No one at camp heard a thing, either, despite this happening nearby.
- While treking through the woods, the group comes upon some dead bodies and discarded weapons. They're quite concerned about what was being fought and where it is now. They soon find out on the ship.
- Only Sane Man: Agenor urges Nebula to focus on leading Sumeria and tells Hercules that the dead should be left to rest.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business:
- Hercules is at his angriest here. He is quick to snap at Nebula for trying to tag along, attacks Agenor for disagreeing with him, threatens to kill Dumuzi for refusing to revive Iolaus note , and doesn't bother even pretending to care about getting the Sumerian gods killed.
- While falling under Dumuzi's control, Nebula screams in a panic and whimpers that she can hear his voice. She's completely lost control.
- Plague Zombie: The zombies turn out to be this. A scratch is all it takes for Nebula to start falling under Dumuzi's control.
- Previously on…: Instead of the standard "Last time" segment, clips from "Faith" are interspersed during The Teaser, as Hercules implores the Sumerian gods to revive Iolaus.
- Properly Paranoid:
- Hercules immediately suspects the old woman talking to him is involved with the Sumerian gods.
- After the fight with the zombies, Hercules immediately deduces they were under Dumuzi's control since he's the gatekeeper of the Sumerian Underworld.
- Pyrrhic Victory: Dumuzi notes that it took the deaths of Iolaus and the other Sumerian gods to stop Dahak.
- Rage Breaking Point: Dumuzi saying that Hercules is worse than any god and an enemy to humanity. After everything else, Hercules just lungles at Dumuzi and starts fighting him.
- Raised Hand of Survival: Iolaus in an open grave, during the nightmare sequence.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Dumuzi mocking Hercules during their confrontation.Dumuzi: You can no longer deny what you know in your heart: you killed him, as surely as if you'd thrown the knife yourself.
Hercules: Iolaus died fighting for what he believed in!
Dumuzi: You allowed him to be sacrificed in your name, and that makes you no different than a god.
Hercules: I am nothing like you.
Dumuzi: No, you're worse. You've tricked mortals into thinking you're their savior when you've been their greatest enemy all along! - Reasonable Authority Figure: After the zombie fight, Nebula doesn't begrudge the men for wanting to turn back. She also explicitly orders Agenor to go home so that he'll be safe.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: Dumuzi sports these while talking to Hercules.
- Red Shirt:
- Played for drama with Danaeus. He's a minor character, but Nebula gets a moment to mourn his death, and Hercules gives him a proper burial. It's also through Danaeus that we see what Dumuzi does to his victims even in death.
- Played straight otherwise. Not everyone in the group dies during the zombie attack, but those that do receive unceremonious deaths. There is little reaction to that outside of recognizing the gravity of the overall situation.
- Reduced to Dust: The zombies when hit with fire.
- Revenant Zombie: The zombies on the boat are under Dumuzi's control, but based on Danaeus's plea to Nebula, they're still fully aware of their old lives and actions rather than just a mindless horde. Their jerky movements could be interpreted as an attempt to resist the Gatekeeper's control.
- Riddle for the Ages: Hercules and company come upon another group of travelers that were killed by attackers (later shown to be Dumuzi's zombies). Who were they, and why were they venturing so deep into the woods on the route to the Sumerian Underworld?
- Sacred Hospitality: When the old woman offers him a seat by the fire, Hercules is apologetic, as he has nothing to offer her in return.
- Say My Name: During the climax, Hercules shouts Iolaus's name in despair. It's so loud that it shatters Dumuzi's mirrors and frees his victims.
- Small Role, Big Impact: Dumuzi is a one-off antagonist, but his condemnation of Hercules and reveal that Iolaus cannot be revived send the half-god into a spiral. Rather than sail back to Greece, Hercules opts to wander the world in obscurity, which is what leads to him being pulled to Eire by the Druids and meeting Morrigan.
- Status Quo Is God: Subverted. Iolaus stays dead, and a devastated Hercules doesn't intend to return to Greece. Hercules will instead have adventures in Eire and Norseland, not even returning to Greece until halfway into the season.
- Technically-Living Zombie: Outside of her rotting wound, Nebula looks no different than usual once fully under Dumuzi's control. Lampshaded by Hercules during their brief fight.
- This Is Gonna Suck:
- Hercules's expression when the dead bodies in the ship suddenly start getting up and approaching the group.
- Dumuzi when seeing his mirrors are about to shatter.
- Thou Shalt Not Kill: Averted. Hercules threatens to kill Dumuzi just for refusing to revive Iolaus. Learning that Dumuzi is feeding off innocent souls makes him even less concerned about breaking his biggest rule.Hercules: Give me my friend back or eternity ends now!
- Torso with a View: Hercules accidentally does this to one of the zombies. He punches one in the chest real hard, only for his fist to get stuck. In pulling his own hand free, he rips out a rib and causes a sizable hole in the zombie (who, of course, is rather unconcerned about the whole thing).
- Tragic Keepsake: Hercules wears Iolaus's pendant throughout this adventure. He gives it to Nebula before leaving Sumeria.
- Unexpectedly Dark Episode: Easily the darkest episode of the entire series. Instead of the usual light-hearted atmosphere, there is a constant sense of dread, as (an uncharacteristically angry) Hercules and company trek through a dark forest and encounter terrifying sights while trying to reach the Sumerian Underworld.
- Villain Has a Point: Dumuzi when condemning Hercules for getting tricked by Gilgamesh, which caused the chain of events that got the Sumerian gods and Iolaus killed. A big part of Hercules's anger is how he does blame himself for all this.
- Wham Line: "Iolaus crossed over to the Underworld before I began collecting souls! Your friend is lost to you forever!"
- Wham Shot: On the ship, a dead man's hand suddenly starts twitching.
- What Measure Is a Non-Human?: Inverted. Dumuzi sustains himself by feeding on human souls, all while being outraged about the deaths of his fellow gods.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Nebula takes Hercules to task for trying to go it alone, his bad attitude, and his treatment of the crew.
- Winged Soul Flies Off at Death: After the mirrors are shattered, the captured souls are able to escape Dumuzi's body. They circle around and begin moving up towards a portal of white light, finally being able to cross over. However, they also take Dumuzi with them. He screams the entire time, suggesting that whatever's on the other side won't be a pleasant experience for him specifically.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: Observing the bodies in the ship, Hercules says it's as if they were drained. Nebula quips that perhaps a giant bat is responsible. Wrong supernatural menace.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Nebula implores Hercules to let go of his anger, saying it's so unlike Greece's most beloved hero. In the end, she tries to make him see that he saved her life and countless souls.
- You Keep Telling Yourself That: Dumuzi accuses Hercules of this, after listening to the half-god's lecturing about the gods. Given Herc's anger at himself, he might be right to an extent.
- Your Soul Is Mine!: Whereas the other Sumerian gods died without the chalice, Dumuzi survived by finding another source of nourishment: the human souls passing through his domain. Hercules is outright disgusted by this. Dumuzi thinks that Hercules alone could sustain him for eternity.
- Zombie Infectee: After her arm gets scratched by the zombified Danaeus, Nebula starts falling under Dumuzi's influence, complete with the area around the wound starting to rot. Hercules ultimately resorts to tying her up so that he doesn't have to kill her.
