Zeus uses the powers of Evander to free Hera from Tarturus. When a pair of Titans escape with her and Ares finds a way to spin the situation to his advantage, Hercules and Iolaus must embark on a final adventure to save the world.
Tropes
- 10-Minute Retirement: Played for Laughs. Iolaus holds Hercules to his promise to retire after this adventure. It lasts less than a minute before they give up on it.
- And the Adventure Continues: With the day saved once again and retirement not their thing, Hercules and Iolaus head off to find more people to help.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Hercules makes a snarky remark to the camera after giving Iolaus some motivation to save the day.
- Broken Pedestal: Hera reforming in the end hits Ares hard, as he feels he lost a personal hero.
- Call-Back: Two to "Reunions":
- Hera had claimed to Hercules that she sincerely loved Zeus and was only driven over the edge by his repeated affairs. Hercules was dubious at the time, but this episode proves she was telling the truth.
- Hera was last seen being trapped in the Abyss of Tartarus by Hercules. Hera recalls how Hercules had the power of a full god the last time they tangled and says he won't be so lucky this time.
- Children Are Innocent: According to Zeus, Cronus exploited this when creating the Abyss of Tartarus. Anyone with the power of the god would also need the innocence of a child to actually open it up. Evander, while not above typical childish pranks, is a generally pure-hearted kid and thus fulfills that purpose.
- Death Is Cheap: Evander is killed after getting hit by rocks. Hercules urges Hera to revive him, and she gets help from Zeus to do so.
- Diegetic Soundtrack Usage: During their brief retirement, Hercules and Iolaus whistle the show's theme song before sitting down.
- Doting Grandparent: Zeus concedes that he reacts to Evander's pranks with amusement rather than discipline. Hercules notes that grandparents are supposed to be that way.
- End-of-Series Awareness:
- Evander finds a dead bird and doesn't understand why it won't wake up. Zeus tells him that all things have beginnings, so it's only fair that they have endings, too. Evander asks if things could just start over again, reflecting how that's what happened when the show went into reruns.
- While facing two of the Tians, Hercules quips that he's done "after this one" (though in the last scene he decides against officially retiring because he's yet to find a place he'd actually want to stop his travels at).
- Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: Seeing Hera turn Zeus to stone and threaten reprisals, Ares sincerely remarks, "Oh, I love you, Mom."
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones:
- After getting her memories back and reverting to her evil ways, Hera continues to care for Evander, due to him rescuing her from the Abyss of Tartarus and not being a disappointing relative.
- Subverted by Ares, who cuts deals with the Titans to take out the other Olympians while sparing him.Atlas: You'd sell out your own family?
Ares: Heh, in a heartbeat, big guy.
Atlas: I always did like you.
- Friendship Moment: After Hercules decides against retiring and opts to just keep on walking.Hercules: Care to join me?
Iolaus: Frankly, Hercules, I wouldn't have it any other way. - Grand Finale: The last episode of the series and marketed as such.
- It Will Never Catch On: Iolaus feels this way about Herc's hypothesis that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
- It's What I Do: When Iolaus asks if he ever would hang up his gauntlets and settle down, Hercules admits he's always thought about doing it but never found a place he'd want to stop his travels at. He says that may change one day, but for now, he's gonna keep on walking.Hercules: This is my life. It's what I do best.
- Laser-Guided Amnesia: The Abyss of Tartarus affected Hera's memory, so she doesn't recognize Zeus, Hercules, or anyone else. Ares ultimately restores her memory with weave that he borrowed from the Fates.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: "After this one, I'm done."
- Morality Pet: Evander to Hera. She is so devastated by his (temporary) death that she atones.
- Noodle Incident: According to Ares, Zeus personally battled Atlas (once described as the mightiest of all Titans) during the war and imprisoned him in the ice.
- Off Screen Moment Of Awesome: Zeus saving Nemesis from one of Evander's nightmares.
- Parents as People: Hercules doesn't understand how he keeps getting manipulated by Zeus, questioning why he would want to believe in someone he doesn't even acknowledge as his father anymore. Iolaus gives him advice about how it took him years to see past his father's reputation as a great general and accept that he was an imperfect being in an imperfect world.Hercules: Are-are you defending Zeus?! Because I-I can't just look at him as some lonely old man who's tryin' to make amends with his wife, Iolaus.
Iolaus: But that's what he is, Hercules. He is lonely. - Power Incontinence: Evander handles his power well for the most part, but he can't control it when he sleeps. One night, his nightmare came to life; if Zeus hadn't stepped in, Nemesis would've been killed.
- Refuse to Rescue the Disliked: Iolaus briefly feels this way and wonders why they should stop the destruction of Mt. Olympus after all the crap the gods have given them over the years. Hercules pragmatically points out that if Mt. Olympus were to crash into the Earth, the devastation would be enough to kill all life on the planet.
- Rhetorical Question Blunder:
- As Hercules is taking Zeus to task for taking Evander away from Nemesis.Zeus: You think it was easy for me?
Hercules: Yes, I do! Things are always easy for you! You just don't care about the consequences! - Ares is displeased over Hera reforming her ways and getting back together with Zeus.Ares: ARE THERE NO MORE HEROES?!
Hercules: Hey, you got us.
[Hercules and Iolaus sarcastically give him a thumbs up]
- As Hercules is taking Zeus to task for taking Evander away from Nemesis.
- Skyward Scream: When Ares vents his frustration over Hera performing a Heel–Face Turn.
- Tempting Fate: After Hercules manages to best Atlas by making him trip and fall, Iolaus quips that this was rather anti-climactic. Cue the arrival of a restored Hera.
- Used to Be a Sweet Kid: Without her memories, Hera is a polite and nurturing figure. Zeus recalls how she was quite the maternal type when Aphrodite was born.
- Villain Has a Point: Even Ares questions why Hercules keeps giving Zeus second chances.
- Vomit Discretion Shot: Ares throws up in response to his Rhetorical Question Blunder. We don't see it, but Hercules and Iolaus do, and they look quite displeased by it.
- We Will Meet Again: Defied and parodied. Ares tries to pull this, but Herc and Iolaus have heard it so many times, they keep cutting him off by throwing back all the times he's used it before at him.Ares: Mark my words -
Hercules: (imitating Ares) You'll pay for this, Hercules!
(Ares turns to Iolaus, tries to speak)
Iolaus: (imitating Ares) We'll meet again, little brother!
(Ares turns to Hercules)
Hercules: (imitating Ares) You're on my list, Hercules! (in his normal voice to Iolaus) Did we forget anything?
(Iolaus shrugs. Ares walks off sadly.)
Hercules: I think we hurt his feelings.
Iolaus: Huh. Does it matter?
Hercules: Good point. - Witch with a Capital "B": How Hercules refers to Hera, while denouncing Zeus for releasing her from the Abyss of Tartarus.
- Woman Scorned: After getting her memories back, Hera returns to her old ways. She turns Zeus to stone and then goes after Hercules. His attempt to talk her down by saying that Zeus loves her goes poorly.Hera: I vowed to reclaim my dignity, Hercules, the day you were born. And unlike some people, I keep my promises!
- Xanatos Speed Chess: Ares immediately seeks to use the freed Titans as a way to become the last Olympian standing.
- You're Not My Father: Hercules hasn't bothered to keep in touch with Zeus and admits he's stopped seeing him as his father. Even Zeus admits that Hercules wasn't really wrong to give up on him. Talking to Iolaus about it, however, gets Hercules to reconsider this.
