Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus is a 1998 Direct to Video animated film spun off from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess. With Kevin Sorbo, Lucy Lawless, Michael Hurst, Renee O'Connor, Kevin Smith (not that one), and Alexandra Tydings all returning to reprise their roles. It was directed by Lynne Naylor and written by John Loy and was Universal's first (and only direct-to-video) animated film to be rated PG by the MPAA.
When Zeus takes Alcmene (Hercules' mother) to Mount Olympus, Hera, tired of his constant infidelity, vows revenge on him and the other gods. She steals the Cronus Stone, the stone that keeps the Titans in the Underworld lava pits, and leads the gods' old enemies in a take over of Olympus. With the gods transformed into animals and Olympus under the control of Hera and the Titans, it's up to Hercules and Xena to defeat Hera and her monsters and save the world in the process.
This film provides examples of:
- Action Girl: Xena, obviously. Gabrielle too, at least until she gets turned into a giant bird.
- Affably Evil: If you can look past his Take Over the World ambition Porphyrion isn't too bad a guy. He makes it clear to Hercules the Titans quarrel is with the Olympians not humanity and agrees to leave them alone for the time being following a brief Staredown Faceoff with Herc, walking away with an impressed smirk.
- Animated Adaptation: Of the shared universe of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess.
- Animated Musical: It boasts several song numbers.
- Barbie Doll Anatomy: All four of the Titans have humanoid forms (initially), but lack any visible genitalia. Special mention goes to the female Titans Tethys and Mnemosyne, who possess breasts without any nipples.
- Big Damn Movie: Thanks to being animated rather than live action, the creators could do a lot more by way of special effects since they weren't bound by a TV budget.
- Big "SHUT UP!": Hera yells this after the Titans’ Villain Song.
- Blow You Away: Crius, the wind Titan, does this.
- Brought Down to Normal: The gods once they're transformed into animals.
- Bullying a Dragon: Once Hera uses the Cronus Stone to give the Titans more powerful forms, they become capable of stealing the stone and overthrowing her.
- Clingy Jealous Girl: Hera to Zeus, as usual. Not that she doesn't have reason to be.
- Combat Tentacles: Tethys gains these in place of feet after Hera alters her with the Cronos Stone.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Zeus cheats on Hera so Hera...unleashes a band of monsters that almost bring about armageddon.
- Dishing Out Dirt: Porphyrion, the earth Titan, does this.
- Disney Villain Death: A non-fatal version. Hercules, Xena, Iolaus and Gabriel send the Titans falling into Tartarus.
- Elemental Embodiment: Three of the four Titans are depicted as being made of the element they control. The one exception is Crius, the wind Titan, who's just a big shaggy dude.
- Elemental Powers: Each Titan controls one of the classic elements.
- Evil Is Petty: Hera and the Titans wanting revenge on Zeus is understandable. But making "those little humans pay"? Why? What did they ever do?
- Field Power Effect: Porphyrion draws his strength from the ground, so he's unbeatable while he’s in contact with it. He's only defeated when Gabrielle uproots him and carries him into the air, severing his connection to the earth.
- Fiery Sensuality: Mnemosyne, who has a breathy voice and is a bit on the flirty side at times.
- Flaming Hair: Mnemosyne has this. Initially her flames are orange and yellow like the rest on her body, but her transformation makes the flames on her head morph into actual hair, becoming a flowing mane with a brownish black color.
- Forced Transformation:
- Gabrielle is transformed into a roc by Artemis.
- Hera transforms Ares, Aphrodite, Artemis and Zeus into a goat, a cow, a rabbit and a mouse, respectively.
- She later does the same to the Titans, powering them up in their sleep into new monstrous forms.
- For the Evulz: The Titans want to destroy stuff...just because.
- Immortal Immaturity: The Titans act like rowdy teens at a party once they've taken over Mount Olympus, which annoys Hera to no end.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Non-romantic version: Hercules comes to accept his mother living with Zeus if it makes her happy.
- Karmic Transformation: Artemis traps Gabrielle in the form of a roc to force Xena to help the gods. Later on Hera transforms her into a rabbit.
- Lantern Jaw of Justice: Hercules has one and even Xena has a larger jaw than you'd typically see on your average animated woman.
- Laser-Guided Karma: At the end of the movie, Hera is trapped in the same dollhouse Zeus used to hide Alcmene.
- MacGuffin: The Cronus Stone, which keeps the Titans imprisoned beneath the earth.
- Making a Splash: Tethys, the water Titan, does this.
- Ms. Fanservice: Nearly every female character is a curvaceous bombshell, Hera herself leaning more towards Butter Face territory with how jagged her face is.
- Non-Serial Movie: For a number of reasons.
- Alcmene married Jason of the Argonauts at the end of Hercules season 2. He is not seen or referenced here
- The Titans are depicted as elemental monsters ala a certain other Hercules animated film as opposed to the giant humans we've seen previously
- The Cronus Stone is used to keep the Titans imprisoned and is held on Mount Olympus, in the TV series it's on Earth and used to travel back in time
- Lastly, Alcmene goes to live on Mount Olympus with Zeus to become an immortal. She dies at the end of Hercules season 4 in the TV series.
- Not So Above It All: Porphyrion is far more levelheaded and reasonable than his fellow Titans, yet doesn't hesitate to join in their loud partying after they've acquired the Cronus Stone and even laughs when Crius burps.
- One-Winged Angel: The Titans transform into even more powerful versions of themselves thanks to the Cronus Stone.
- Plant Person: Porphyrion, the earth Titan, is made of roots and soil. After Hera empowers him with the Cronus Stone, his lower body becomes a tree trunk with numerous roots in place of legs.
- Playing with Fire: Mnemosyne, the fire Titan, does this.
- Sea Serpents: The film opens with Hercules fighting one of these along a coast.
- Take That!: The tagline brags that it includes "the REAL Hercules", a likely dig at Disney's own cartoon version that was released less than a year prior.
- Timm Style: This movie was an early adapter of the DCAU style of Bruce Timm with brick shaped chins, rounded shoulders and basic block shapes. Considering that this film was produced and directed by Lynne Naylor, the artist who helped design most of the female characters in Batman: The Animated Series, this isn't too surprising.
- Titanomachy, Round Two: The plot of the movie is set in motion when Hera betrays the Olympians and releases the Titans, their predecessors. This leads to a takeover of Olympus by the Titans and two heroes, demi-god Hercules and warrior princess Xena, having to defeat the Titans all over again.
- Villain Song: The Titans get one: the appropriately named "We're the Titans".
