The BEST episodes of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Every episode of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys!
This is the story of a time long ago, A time of myth and legend, when the Earth was still young. The ancient gods were petty and cruel, and they plagued mankind with suffering and beseiged them with terrors. For centuries the people had nowhere to turn, no one to look to for help. Until he arrived. He was a man like no other. Born of a beautiful mortal woman, but fathered by Zeus, king of the gods. Hercules possessed a strength the world had never seen, a strength surpassed only by the power of his heart....No matter what obstacle, as long as there were people crying for help, there was one man who would never rest --- Hercules
#1 - War Bride
Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/28/1997
Princess Melissa of Alcinia didn't want to marry the corpulent Prince Gordius of Lathia, but she didn't want to be sold into slavery either. Hercules unchained Melissa and the rest of the slave girls in the marketplace. Melissa's sister, Alexa, who had orchestrated the kidnapping, killed their ailing father and tried to claim the throne for herself. She attacked Hercules with the Fist of Tolas, burying him under rocks. But Hercules survived and broke the deadly machine in half. After Alexa was locked in the dungeon, Hercules said goodbye to Melissa, who developed an attraction to Gordius after all.
#2 - Judgment Day
Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/17/1997
Hercules found it increasingly difficult to adjust to life without his superhuman strength. Meanwhile Ares and his nephew, Strife, plotted Hercules demise which didn't help matters. Then Hercules awoke one morning to find his wife lying dead beside him, murdered. He appeared to be the murderer, but in his darkest hour, his friends Iolaus, Xena and Gabrielle came to his aid, defending him against a lynch mob and exposing Strife as Serena's killer. Zeus gave back to his son the gift of incredible strength, and Hercules defeated Strife before the evil young god escaped with Ares.
#3 - Once Upon a Future King
Season 5 - Episode 19 - Aired 5/1/1999
Merlin hurled the vicious warlord Arthur of Camelot and his sorceress advisor Mab a thousand years back in time to Hercules' world. But Mab helped Arthur conquer Britannia. Later she wanted to go back to her own time, and to do that she needed to kill young Merlin with the sword of Excaliber. Hercules and Morrigan captured Arthur and the sword, but mab took Merlin hostage. A fierce battle ensued, during which Hercules dispatched a giant knight and a reformed Arthur displayed newfound heroism. Merlin smote Mab, and Arthur returned to his own time as a proponent of peace.
#4 - Norse by Norsevest (1)
Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/7/1998
Hercules wanted to save the Norse god Balder, but Balder explained that his death was foretold in the Book of Fates and could not be changed. Sure enough, Hercules was tricked by Loki, the god of mischief, into accidently killing Balder. An enraged Thor tried to kill Hercules with his huge stone hammer, but Hercules beat Thor and took him to Valhalla. There, Odin -- the king of the Norse gods -- explained that two parts of an ancient prophesy had been fulfilled. If the third part took place, the final nightfall and end of all things would occur.
#5 - Reign of Terror
Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 4/14/1997
King Augeus had gone mad. Believing himself Zeus, the King ordered Aphrodite's temple to be rededicated to Hera. The evil goddess herself offered Augeus godly powers if he could kill Hercules by sunset. Aphrodite, angered by the king's actions, stepped in to reclaim her temples and protect the townspeople. Augeus - assisted by Hera - managed to imprison Aphrodite briefly, but the goddess joined forces with Hercules and battled the king until his delusion lifted. Augeus wasn't quite back to normal, however: Now he believed he was Ulysses.
#6 - My Best Girl's Wedding
Season 5 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/15/1999
Iolaus 2 was shocked to learn that Nautica, his mermaid love, had been given legs and was about to marry Lysaka. Hercules went to see Triton to get to the heart of the matter, and found his former wife, Serena. They discovered Lysaka had stolen triton's trident, the source of his power, and Nautica was marrying Lysaka to get it back. Hercules got the Cabiri to fashion a new trident, then left Serena to return to Iolaus. When Aphrodite offered to amke Iolaus a merman so he could be with Nautica, he agreed and said good-bye to Hercules once more.
#7 - When a Man Loves a Woman
Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/10/1997
Hercules asked Serena to marry him, and she found the courage to ask Ares for her freedom. But the jealous god of war was determined to destroy their relationship. Meanwhile, Serena and Hercules traveled to the Other Side to receive his deceased wife's blessing. Deianeira was hurt at first, but Hercules assured her that his love for her would last forever. Ares then acquiesced to the marriage, on the condition that Hercules give up his god-given strength and that Serena become mortal. With Iolaus serving as best man, the couple was married on the shores of a mountain lake.
#8 - Somewhere Over the Rainbow Bridge (2)
Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/14/1998
Odin believed the answer to the riddle ""When light dies, then will Ragnarok begin"" would bring about the end of all things. Loki went to Odin in disguise and gave him a metal mask. When the king of Norse gods looked into the mask, he was blinded -- which fulfilled the third tragedy. Loki then blew Gilma's Horn, which brought on Ragnarok, and he killed Thor witha poisoned dart. When Hercules poured paint into the Book of Fate, he returned to the moment before he accidently killed Balder. He exposed Loki's plan to Balder and thor, saving their lives.
#9 - Redemption (2)
Season 5 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/23/1999
Dahak, chained to the altar in the body of Ioalus, hatched a plan to kill Ares, which would give him the power to break his bonds. Meanwhile, the demon showed Hercules how he had seduced Iolaus at the moment of death. Apppearing as Hercules, Dahak promised Iolaus the power to set everything right in the world. With time running out, Hercules was sucked into the spiritual world, where he found the real Iolaus. The two friends fought side-by-side once more, sending Dahak into a fiery chasm. Then they siad good-bye, and Iolaus disappeared into a shaft of light.
#10 - The Mother of All Monsters
Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/16/1995
Echidna was the mother of all monsters, and she was angry. Hercules had fought and killed several of her offspring in the course of his adventures. Now Echidna wanted revenge. She planned to force Hercules' mother, Alcmene, to witness the slaying of her own son before she, too, was put to death. The instrument of Echidna's plan was Demetrius, suitor to Alcmene, but Hercules pursued them to Echidna's underground lair. Weakened by an arrow wound, Hercules still managed to defeat the monster mother, sealing her in a tomb forever.
#11 - The End of the Beginning
Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired 4/21/1997
Hercules was in the middle of a fight with bullies when Autolycus stopped time. Autolycus had stolen the Cronus Stone from King Quallius' palace museum. Suddenly he traveled five years back in time. Hercules witnessed the first meeting of Ares and Serena, the Golden Hind Hercules had married and lost. When Ares tried to kill her, Hercules forced the god of war to spare the Hind's human half. Later, when he and Autolycus returned to the present, Hercules encountered Serena, now a happy wife and mother. History had changed, wiping out everything they shared together.
#12 - Surprise
Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/27/1997
Alcmene, Iphicles, Jason, Falafel and Iolaus only wanted to throw Hercules a birthday party. Instead they got poisoned by the treacherous Callisto, who was on a mission from Hera to kill Hercules. To save them, Hercules agreed to travel with Callisto to the Labyrinth of the Gods, where the Tree of Life offered a cure. When they arrived, Callisto momentarily trapped Hercules and ate from the Tree, rendering her immortal. But Hercules engaged her in a fierce battle, incapacitated her, and returned home to cure his family and friends with fruit from the Tree.
#13 - Darkness Rising
Season 5 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/21/1998
Hercules and Morrigan were enjoying life on the island of Eire until they found the Druids slaughtered. Recognizing the work of the demon Dahak, Hercules and Morrigan returned to Sumeria. There, they found Nebula had been bothered by waking dreams of her dead love, Iolaus. When Hercules visited Iolaus' tomb, he found it empty -- and turned to find Dahak behind him, in the body of Ioalus. As they fought, hercules could not bring himself to slay his friend, even though he knew it was no longer Iolaus. Dahak escaped, with Hercules, Morrigan and Nebula in hot pursuit.
#14 - Be Deviled
Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/2/1999
Sin came looking for Hercules in the guise of Serena. She said she needed Hercules' help to recapture Xerxos, a murderer who had escaped from her world of evil souls. In truth Sin was in league with Xerxos. She poisoned Hercules in hopes he would take a life in anger, which would condemn his soul to her domain. But Iolaus was able to keep Hercules from killing Xerxos. The murderer found his sister, the criminal Arciana, and encouraged her to reform before it was too late. Xerxos and Sin returned to their realm.
#15 - Render Unto Caesar
Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/31/1998
On the island of Eire, Hercules organized the feuding Celtic tribes to fight Caesar's approaching army. He also helped the half-god/half-human Morrigan find the good within herself. She was the former servant of the cruel Celtic god Kernunnos, and she couldn't break away from him easily because he held their daughter, Brigid, hostage. Hercules agreed to help Morrigan get her child back, and together they defeated Kernunnos in battle. When Morrigan stopped Hercules from killing Kernnunos in cold blood, she realized she had finally embraced her new role as the Druid guardian of justice.
#16 - Love Takes a Holiday
Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/21/1996
Hephaestus, the god of fire, secretly pined for Aphrodite. His devious assistant. Iagos, hatched a plan to give Hephaestus a substitute for Aphrodite in return for a powerful bronze shield. Iagos went to retrieve Leandra, a beautiful mortal who rejected Hephaestus 50 years earlier, prompting the god of fire to place her in suspended animation. Aphrodite, who had recently decided to give up matchmaking, went with Iolaus to Leandra's rescue. Iolaus destroyed Iagos and revealed he was Leandra's grandson. Meanwhile, sparks flew between Hephaestus and Aphrodite, who resumed her duties as goddess of love.
#17 - Encounter
Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/3/1997
Prince Nestor wanted the golden horns and hooves of Serena, the beautiful half-woman half-deer known as the Golden Hind. Nestor also wanted to kill Hercules with an arrow dipped in the Golden Hind's blood, and that was a plan Ares could embrace. After Hercules freed the Hind from a thorn wall trap, Ares presented the blood-stained thorns to Nestor. But Hercules evaded the prince's arrows, and Nestor was killed in one of his own traps. Out of danger, Serena and Hercules acknowledged their love for each other and hoped to find a way to stay together.
#18 - Just Passing Through
Season 5 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/13/1999
Hercules missed the original Iolaus. He remembered when a sacred ruby had been stolen from the head of the stone panther, and he and Iolaus went to retrieve it. Autolycus committed the crime, and he swallowed the ruby. At dusk the stone panther sprang to life, and a fierce battle ensued. When Iolaus grabbed Autolycus around the rib cage to pull him out of harm's way, the ruby srrang free. Hearing this story, Iolaus 2 hoped Hercules didn't expect him to be as brave as the other Iolaus. Hercules responded that no one could be.
#19 - Let There Be Light (1)
Season 5 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/16/1999
Hercules and his friends followed the demon Dahak to Corinth, where Dahak -- in Iolaus' body -- had set himself up as the people's savior. He wanted to return the world to a time when the Titans ruled. Hercules and Zarathustra, a man who resisted Dahak's teachings, found the Stone of Creation and joined Nebula, Morrigan and Jason at the Dark One's fortress. Hercules used the stone to harness the light of dawn. The light became metallic and bound Dahak to his own altar. Hercules then prepared to perform an exorcism that would allow Iolaus to rest in peace.
#20 - Love on the Rocks
Season 5 - Episode 18 - Aired 4/24/1999
Nautica, a mermaid, wanted to see the world. But her father, Triton, had arranged a marriage for her. Nautica found a way out when Discord gave her legs. When she met Iolaus 2, they both fell immediately in love. Unfortunately, if Nautica did not return to the sea by sunset, the waters of Greece would turn to ice. When Brutus took her hostage, Iolaus found the strength in his love and handily defeated Nautica's captor. The lovers returned to the beach and after one last kiss, the mermaid swam out to sea.
#21 - Resurrection
Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/17/1998
Bronagh, leader of the Celts on the island of Eire, told Hercules he was their "Chosen One" -- chosen to lead the Celts to freedom. But the gods of Eire didn't like the Celts worshiping Druids, so they sent Morrigan, a demigod assassin, to destroy the Druids. However, when she killed the Druid guardian of justice, she unwittingly took his place. Hercules, who finally stopped blaming himself for Iolaus' death, defeated Morrigan in battle, but the Druids explained that if she died, the spirit of justice would die with her. They disappeared, leaving Hercules to care for Morrigan.
#22 - Top God (2)
Season 4 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/16/1998
Upon Alcmene's death, Zeus asked Hercules to join him in ruling the gods of Olympus. Hercules, still bitter toward his father, couldn't decide. He recalled meeting Apollo, his half-brother, years ago. Apollo gave him ambrosia, which transformed him into a full god. But Zeus chastised his son, saying he was never destined for full godhood. Chagrined, Hercules relinquished his new powers but still fought Apollo to a draw. he then saved young Ariadne from Apollo's treachery. This recollection resolved Hercules' indecision: He agreed to join Zeus on Mount Olympus, where he could do the most good for mankind.
#23 - Beanstalks and Bad Eggs
Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/11/1997
With help from Autolycus, the king of thieves, Hercules set out to find Lianna, who had been kidnapped by the giant Typhoon and taken to a castle in the clouds. Climbing a huge beanstalk, the two men found Lianna in Typhoon's castle, caring for three golden eggs that belonged to the Harpies. Captured by the giant, Autolycus instructed Typhoon in the ways of romance. When the eggs hatched unexpectedly, Hercules saved them from a hungry snake-eel. He and Autolycus departed without Lianna, who decided her home was in the clouds with Typhoon and the Harpies.
#24 - The Academy
Season 5 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/27/1999
Hercules and Jason arrived at Cheiron's academy to find things greatly changed. The youths were out of control, and the headmaster left the school in Hercules' hands. Zylus, an upperclassman, had a secret plan to take over the school. When Hercules discovered Zylus and his friends were the masked attackers he had fought off earlier, he expelled the group. Zylus tried to burn down the school, but was no match for Hercules. After the fight, Hercules named Jason the academy's new headmaster, and Lilith -- Jason's first love -- promised to visit often.
#25 - The Gauntlet
Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 5/14/1995
Hercules was angry to learn that the warrior princes Xena was raiding villages to increase her power and territory. What Hercules didn't know until later was that Xena's lieutenant, Darphus, was the cruel and heartless one. When Xena spared the life of an infant, Darphus forced her to endure the Gauntlet, a series of trials in which she was punished by her own soldiers. Fleeing on her own, Xena challenged Hercules to a duel - and lost. But he spared her life, so she joined him in defending the village of Parthis from her former lieutenant.