History NightmareFuel / Hercules

** Despite his previous mood swings, Hades darkest moment comes at the very end of the garden scene. Following her date with Hercules, Meg has not only fallen in love with Hercules and vice-versa but decided she isn't going help Hades anymore, no matter what the consequences. Hades attempts to force her co-operation, by reminding her that only he can free her, does not work, with Meg then proudly proclaiming that Hercules doesn't have any weaknesses. Her speech is cut short when she turns around to see Hades looking at her with a big SlasherSmile on his face.

-->'''Hades:''' Meg, Meg, Meg. My sweet, deluded little minion. Aren't we forgetting one teensy-weensy ever crucial tiny detail. ''''[[SuddenlyShouting I OWN YOU!!!]]''''

-->'''Hades:''' Meg, Meg, Meg. My sweet, deluded little minion. Aren't we forgetting one teensy-weensy ever crucial tiny detail. '''[[SuddenlyShouting I OWN YOU!!!]]'''

---> '''Hades:''' I think he ''does'', Meg. I truly think he does!

-->'''Hades:''' Meg, Meg, Meg. My sweet, deluded little minion. Aren't we forgetting one teensy-weensy ever crucial tiny detail. '''[[SuddenlyShouting I OWN YOU!!!]]'''\\
* Despite his previous mood swings, Hades darkest moment comes at the very end of the garden scene. Following her date with Hercules, Meg has not only fallen in love with Hercules and vice-versa but decided she isn't going help Hades anymore, no matter what the consequences. Hades attempts to force her co-operation, by reminding her that only he can free her, does not work, with Meg then proudly proclaiming that Hercules doesn't have any weaknesses. Her speech is cut short when she turns around to see Hades looking at her with a big SlasherSmile on his face.

-->'''Hades:''' ''Meg, Meg, Meg. My sweet, deluded little minion. Aren't we forgetting one teensy-weensy ever crucial tiny detail. [[SuddenlyShouting I OWN YOU!!!]]'''''\\

** They were based on the Graiae, which also shared one tooth and were purportedly ''[[UpToEleven even more hideous than the gorgon sisters!]]''

** Their introductory scene has them snip the thread of life of an innocent woman, complete with deathly wail and her soul being sucked into the underworld. They also seem to display a certain sadistic joy in ending that woman's life, unlike their mythological counterparts who were viewed as stern and unyielding, but also as the stoic upholders of universal order.

** Their introductory scene has them snip the thread of life of an innocent woman, complete with deathly wail and her soul being sucked into the underworld.

** Their introductory scene has them snip the thread of life of an innocent woman and then rolling on the floor in gleeful laughter as we hear the woman's death scream and see her soul sucked down into the underworld. In Greek mythology the Fates/Moirae were thought of as stern and unyielding, but also the as the stoic keepers of universal order (and in at least some version of the war against the giants, they fight at the side of the Olympians). In this version they are cackling hags who take sadistic enjoyment in causing death.

** Their introductory scene has them snip the thread of life of an innocent woman and then rolling on the floor in gleeful laughter as we hear the woman's death scream and see her soul sucked down into the underworld. In Greek mythology the Fates/Moirae were thought of as stern and unyielding, but also the as the stoic keepers of universal order (and in at least some version of the war against the giants, they fight at the side of the Olympians). In this version they are cackling hags who take active enjoyment in causing death.

*** And if you thought its final design was bad, here's some [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/disney/images/c/c4/Hydra_Concept_Art_3.gif/revision/latest?cb=20140112195401 concept art]] that is even worse.
** Not to mention with the [[CelShading cel-shaded CGI]], it looks more realistic while blended with the traditional animation. Maybe [[TechnologyMarchesOn it was more impressive in 1997]], maybe, but even now it's still disturbing.

** Not to mention with the [[CelShading cel-shaded CGI]], it looks more realistic while blended with the traditional animation. Granted, [[TechnologyMarchesOn it was more impressive in 1997]], but even now it's still disturbing.

* Pain and Panic may be silly, but the scenes where they turn into snakes and ambush Cerberus shows them at their most terrifying.

[[caption-width-right:350: My favorite part of the game. ''Sudden death.'']]

** You can tell Hercules is afraid of the Hydra. When it emerges, he stutters and backs up. After the monster grows three heads, Herc flees before Pegasus picks him up. He [[TheScream screams]] as the Hydra flips him in the air to swallow him whole, and [[OverlyLongScream again in terror]] as he [[https://animationscreencaps.com/hercules-1997/page/32#box-1/24/hercules-br-disneyscreencaps.com-5604.jpg?strip=all falls right into the swarm of heads and while sliding down one of the Hydra's long necks.]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hades.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:I've got 24 hours to get rid of this ''bozo''... or the entire scheme I've been setting up for eighteen years goes up in smoke... And you... are wearing... HIS... '''MERCHANDISE?!''']]

-->'''Hades:''' You may feel just a little queasy. It's kind of natural. Maybe you should… (''levitates a barbell'') ''[[SuddenlyShouting SIT!]]'' '''''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis DOWN!]]''''' (''flings the barbell right at Hercules, knocking him to the ground'') [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor Now you know how it feels to be]] [[IJustWantToBeNormal just like everybody else.]] Isn't it just peachy?

* When Hercules goes through with [[DealWithTheDevil Hades deal to give up is super-strength in exchange for Meg's safety]] he is clearly shown to be in pain as Hades drains his powers away. Not helping is how Hades gleefully takes the opportunity to [[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown kick him while he's down]]:

* The revelation that [[GodOfTheDead Hades]] is not like his neutral and mostly benign mythological counterpart but still rules over all the mortal souls that end up dying and essentially controls the afterlife. In the animated series, it's mentioned that Hades has no control over the Elysian Fields which Zeus reserved as a resting ground for heroes, but if you're not a hero like Hercules, then you're in Hades' clutches. This spells a lot of FridgeHorror for all of Herc's mortal friends and loved ones like Meg and Phil whose souls are vulnerable to eternal torture by Hades and his minions once they die. Granted, he doesn't actually seem to torture the souls of the Underworld, and if the Muses' song is correct, he prefers to ignore them for being "dull", but if he actually ''wanted'' to torment a specific soul, he probably could. Even ignoring that, the Underworld is pretty gloomy even by Greek standards. It's not {{Hell}}, but you wouldn't want to spend eternity there.

[[caption-width-right:350:You... are wearing... HIS... MERCHANDISE?!]]

* The revelation that [[GodOfEvil Hades]] is not like his neutral and mostly benign mythological counterpart but still rules over all the mortal souls that end up dying and essentially controls the afterlife. In the animated series, it's mentioned that Hades has no control over the Elysian Fields which Zeus reserved as a resting ground for heroes, but if you're not a hero like Hercules, then you're in Hades' clutches. This spells a lot of FridgeHorror for all of Herc's mortal friends and loved ones like Meg and Phil whose souls are vulnerable to eternal torture by Hades and his minions once they die. Granted, he doesn't actually seem to torture the souls of the Underworld, and if the Muses' song is correct, he prefers to ignore them for being "dull", but if he actually ''wanted'' to torment a specific soul, he probably could. Even ignoring that, the Underworld is pretty gloomy even by Greek standards. It's not {{Hell}}, but you wouldn't want to spend eternity there.

** They are heartless killers, and it's implied in the opening song that the remains of their victims ''were literally everywhere''. Considering they're portrayed as little more than mindless and hate-filled forces of nature that could not be reasoned with at ''all'', only locked away, you can imagine that Hades would probably have had trouble keeping them under control [[TheBadGuyWins if he had won]]. The only reason he got them to obey him was that he had a target for them. Once Zeus was gone, who's to say that Hades could control what he had unleashed?

When Hercules goes through with [[DealWithTheDevil Hades deal to give up is super-strength in exchange for Meg's safety]] he is clearly shown to be in pain as Hades drains his powers away. Not helping is how Hades gleefully takes the opportunity to [[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown kick him while he's down]]: