Newly arrived in the underworld, Jafar convinces Hades to try a new scheme to defeat both of their nemeses. Kidnapping Hercules' and Aladdin's best friends and framing the two heroes, the villains set Athens and Agrabah on a collision course. Can Hercules and Aladdin figure out what really happened and turn the tables on their enemies?
This episode includes examples of the following tropes:
- Accidental Kidnapping: Going by Jafar's description of how Aladdin is dressed, Pain and Panic try to capture Abu instead.
- Big Brother Instinct: The disguised Jafar tells Hercules that Aladdin kidnapped Icarus. Soon afterward, the heroes of Agrabah find out that a half-powered Olympian on a Roaring Rampage of Rescue can't be taken lightly.Hercules: I'm in no mood to play games!
- Briar Patching: After Pain and Panic capture Aladdin, he warns them not to rub his lamp. The two minions are curious and do it, and that's when Genie gives them a Megaton Punch that sends them back to the Underworld.
- The Cameo: Genie (well, just his hand) only appears when Aladdin tricks Pain and Panic into looking into the lamp. Presumably, Genie didn't have a bigger role because both Robin Williams and Dan Castellaneta were busy.
- Continuity Nod: When asked about getting some minions, Jafar briefly notes how Iago betrayed him.
- Continuity Snarl: By Canon Welding the events of Hercules and Aladdin into events happening parallel to each other, there are bound to be contradictions.
- Hercules establishes The Fates as a trio of Goddesses, in the Aladdin: The Animated Series episode "When Chaos Comes Calling", Chaos claims to personally know a singular, male entity named "Fate".
- In "Hercules and the Big Sink", the city of Atlantis was predicted by Cassandra to sink into the ocean, a prediction that came true when the Fates accidentally cut it out of their tapestry. In the Aladdin: The Animated Series episode "The Ethereal", the titular entity known as The Ethereal claims to have been the one to destroy Atlantis when the Day of Reckoning came for it. Furthermore, in "The Big Sink", Atlantis was a new development, while in "The Ethereal", it was implied to be ancient history.
- Crossover: With Aladdin, of course. Aladdin and Jasmine being married, as well as no sign of Iago, indicate this episode takes place after their last adventure.
- Everyone Has Standards: Phil gladly hits on Jasmine, but when she says she's married, he backs off and apologizes.
- Evil Laugh: Jafar, of course. Hades calls him on it. When Jafar actually convinces Hades to give it a shot, the big blue guy admits that "It's cleansing."
- Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: Both Aladdin and Hercules soon realise what has happened to their friends. First, Hercules mentions that Jafar told him that Icarus was kidnapped, shocking Aladdin and Jasmine, as they both saw Jafar turn to dust, then Hercules says that he was alive when they met...and realise that Hades must've resurrected him for a team up.
- Guile Hero: Aladdin in contrast to Herc's Super-Strength. Phil has been trying to teach Hercules to be this, but it doesn't start to take until Aladdin gets the better of him during their fight.
- He Will Come for Me: The kidnapped Icarus and Abu tell Hades and Jafar that Herc and Aladdin will come to save them. Unfortunately, their respective heroes attempting a rescue was what the villains had in mind.
- Iconic Outfit: Averted, as Aladdin doesn't wear his traditional outfit anymore. Pain and Panic remark someone has to update the description.
- Indy Ploy:
- Aladdin has to resort to Briar Patching after Pain and Panic demonstrate their shape-shifting abilities. Jasmine and the others pick up on what he's going for and immediately play along.
- Seeing Hercules is too strong to beat head-on, Aladdin comes up with the idea to goad him into smashing some empty buildings. As expected, Herc is left holding up some very heavy rubble, leaving Aladdin with the advantage.
- It Will Never Catch On: When Pain and Panic go to Agrabah disguised as locals, they comment on their clothing.Panic: What do they call these again?
Pain: Ermmm... "pants."
Panic: I like! No drafts!
Pain: Eh, it'll never catch on. - Let's You and Him Fight: Jafar and Hades kidnap Abu and Icarus and tell their respective heroes that the other did it. Even Aladdin doesn't realize they've been duped for quite some time.
- Loser Friend Puzzles Outsiders: Jafar comments, "This is Hercules' best friend?" upon meeting Icarus. Hercules is The Chosen One who will defeat Hades, and, in spite of his dorky nature, is a force to be reckoned with; Icarus, while he is a Gadgeteer Genius, is also a kooky Manchild. Hades remarks that at least his enemy doesn't spend all day picking fleas off a monkey.
- Low Clearance: Aladdin tries to pull off the old "knock someone off a moving vehicle" thing by leading Herc and Pegasus on a chase through "the alley of a thousand sheets."
- Meaningful Echo: Phil keeps trying to tell his pupil to think how to handle a problem and not just "muscle through". After he and Aladdin join forces, Herc says that he wants to rescue Abu and Icarus, but maybe there's a better way than muscling through, showing the lesson stuck at least temporarily.
- Never Heard That One Before: Hercules has been called "Jerkules" so often that it's become a Berserk Button.Hercules: You know, everyone thinks they're being clever when they call me that, but it's not that funny!
- No-Sell: Aladdin's initial plan was to swing around and knock Hercules off Pegasus. Herc takes the kick in the stomach without budging an inch.
- "Not So Different" Remark:
- Hades is initially irritated by Jafar, until learning that he knows what it's like to be defeated by a young upstart. They proceed to have drinks and share stories.
- Their respective heroes have their own example. Eventually, Hercules and Aladdin realize that they're both heroes trying to rescue their best friends. Afterwards, the villains' scheme unravels because Hercules mentions Jafar when Jasmine asks who would want them to fight.
- Not-So-Harmless Villain: Jafar is at first unimpressed with Pain and Panic after they fail to kill Aladdin. But later when it comes time for them to trick Aladdin and Hercules into fighting each other, Hades points out that the bumbling duo are actually competent when deceit is called for.
- Passing the Torch: After (supposedly) ridding themselves of their respective heroes, Hades goes back to focusing on conquering Olympus. While Jafar wants to conquer Agrabah, Hades asks him to think bigger and offers to make Ruler of the Underworld in his place.Hades: Small potatoes. Why Agrabah? What, you want to be a sultan when you could be a god? "Jafar: Lord of the Dead." What do you think, huh? You like that?Jafar: Hmm, intriguing. May I redecorate?Hades: Eh yeah, sure, what do I care? Throw up some drapes.
- Poor Communication Kills: The villains' plot only works as well as it does because Hercules and Aladdin charge into battle against each other without saying why they're attacking. Once Aladdin finds out that Hercules thinks he kidnapped Icarus, he realizes someone set them up.
- Pragmatic Villainy: After Aladdin bests Pain and Panic, Hades calmly admits that Jafar was right and "a clever mortal" is more impressive than he initially thought. An exasperated Jafar asks what he intends to do about it for being humiliated by him, only for Hades to point out that his aspirations are way bigger than petty vengeance for minor slights.Hades: Uh, yeah, sure, okay. How 'bout I rule the cosmos first, and then I'll take it. Okay? Priorities Jafar, okay? Eyes on the prize, babe.
- Punch! Punch! Punch! Uh Oh...: Aladdin tries swinging in on a rope to kick Hercules off Pegasus, but to his dismay it has no effect.
- Seduction-Proof Marriage: Phil begins flirting with Princess Jasmine. She cuts him off with a curt, "I'm married" and he apologizes.
- Skewed Priorities: Lampshaded by Hades. He's all for getting revenge against an enemy, but he doesn't want to get distracted from his ultimate goal. He even chastises Jafar for failing to see the bigger picture.
- Spot the Thread: The instant Hercules demands that Aladdin let Icarus go, Aladdin realizes that they've been both set up against each other.
- Straight Man: Hades reacts to Jafar's evil laughing and hammy presentation with a cocked eyebrow and exasperation. While he admits he likes doing an Evil Laugh, Hades is glad to be rid of him when Jafar is defeated and dragged into the river Styx, finding his cartoonish villainy annoying.Jafar: [Evil Laugh] At last! Revenge will be mine!Hades: Why don't you just hold that till we win, then you can dance around the end zone and whoop. It. Up.
- Superman Stays Out of Gotham: Outside of a minor cameo, Genie is otherwise uninvolved in the story. While actor availability may've been a factor, there's also the fact that being backed up by someone with semi-phenomenal, nearly cosmic powers would make facing Hercules a breeze for Aladdin.
- Swapped Roles: Realizing that Jafar and Hades were setting a trap, Aladdin and Hercules disguise as each other so they could repel the attacks meant for the other.
- Underestimating Badassery: Hades thinks a mere mortal will be a piece of cake compared to a demigod with Super-Strength. After Pain and Panic get punched back to the Underworld, Hades cops to this.
- Villain Team-Up: Hades and Jafar team up to take down their nemeses.
- Villainous Friendship: Downplayed. Hades and Jafar wind up bonding as villains who have tried and failed to best their respective adversaries and Hades offers Jafar the Underworld after he conquers Olympus, but in the end their relationship was strictly based on utility. When they are defeated, Hades shrugs off Jafar being dragged into the river Styx, having found his hamminess irritating.
