Teleplay by Robert Bielak and Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman
Story by Robert Bielak
Directed by Charles Siebert
This episode provides examples of:
- Affair? Blame the Bastard: Justified. With Hercules being the favorite son granted special protection, Hera sees him as the symbol of Zeus's adultery and thus an insult to her positions as wife and queen of the Olympians. She reasons that ensuring Hercules dies horribly will make Zeus think twice about ever betraying her again.
- All Men Are Perverts: Iolaus and Jason are quite content to talk about losing their virginity, as well as spy on a young lady bathing. Iolaus is upfront about being a pig.
- Always Someone Better: What inflames Jason's jealousy is how Hercules has suddenly become this to him. Previously, as Iolaus notes, Jason could always balance out the half-god's Super-Strength with both royal prestige and always getting the girl, but now they're far from Corinth and the beautiful girl only has eyes for Herc.
- Armor-Piercing Response:
- In The Teaser, Hercules and Jason have a little fishing competition, which the former ends up winning. What Hercules says rattles his friends and is what gets the flashbacks rolling.Iolaus: A little competition never hurt anyone.
Hercules: I remember a time when it almost did. - When trying to reason with Hercules about Jason fooling around with Medea, Iolaus has two of these that give the half-god pause.Young Iolaus: I'm gonna tell you something, and you're not gonna like it. Sometimes, it's hard to be your friend.
Young Hercules: Well, if I'm just so hard to be around, why don't you just leave?
Young Iolaus: Because I'm a better person for knowing you.
- In The Teaser, Hercules and Jason have a little fishing competition, which the former ends up winning. What Hercules says rattles his friends and is what gets the flashbacks rolling.
- Batman Gambit: Hera got the young heroes' attention by pretending to be a child orphaned in an attack by the Ghidra. She then uses Medea to drive a wedge between Hercules and Jason, as she knows Herc can't beat the Ghidra if both of his friends aren't there to help him.
- Because You Were Nice to Me: Medea was a willing participant in Hera's plan, as she had promised her great power to protect herself from other abusers, but one of the reasons she wavers was because Hercules was so kind to her when no one else was.
- Beware My Stinger Tail: The Ghidra has a poisonous one, which is part of the reason why three people are needed to kill it. Hercules manages to cut it off, only for the monster to grow a new one. Iolaus later keeps the tail busy, while Hercules restrains the two heads long enough for Jason to stab the beast.
- Bittersweet Ending: The heroes succeed in killing the most fearsome monster in the region, and Hercules and Jason mend their friendship, but Medea is killed by Hera for helping them. Years later, Hercules still regrets what became of her.
- Blatant Lies: After the fight, Jason tries to claim he didn't know things were getting serious between Hercules and Medea before making a move. Hercules calls him a liar, saying he knew and did it anyway. Jason later admits this is true, which is why he feels so ashamed of himself.
- Breath Weapon: The Ghidra is essentially a two-headed dragon, so expect lots of fire.
- Bullying a Dragon: Iolaus and Jason briefly tease Hercules for being a virgin, at least until he uses a little Super-Strength to effortlessly lift them off the ground as a reminder of what he's capable of. They subsequently clam up.
- Call-Back: In the Ghidra's cave, Iolaus asks if he's ever killed a monster before, so Hercules references Ares's serpent from the Young Hercules Pilot Movie. His "sort of" qualifier highlights how it was more luck than anything else, demonstrating he's not quite prepared for what awaits.
- Call-Forward: Jason jokingly suggests making Iolaus his court jester (the profession of Iolaus's Mirror Universe counterpart).
- Call It Karma: After the fight with Hercules, Medea offers to use her power to heal Jason's injuries. Jason refuses, feeling it's deserved punishment for betraying a close friend.
- Celibate Hero: Even in his younger days, Hercules was this. He asserts he is not losing his virginity, until he finds the right woman. He definitely feels something for Medea, but he resists her advances on the boat out of fear of wrecking things (as well as due to her still reeling from the death of her mother).
- Cock Fight: Exploited. Hera ordered Medea to come on to Hercules and then Jason so that the two would have a nasty falling out before facing the Ghidra.
- Commonality Connection: Hercules and Medea bond over possessing powers that no one else has and having bad relationships with their father figures.
- Continuity Snarl: Jason didn't appear in the previous flashback episode, so this is actually the first episode to truly incorporate the Young Hercules Pilot Movie's changes to his backstory. As such, viewers essentially see him go from a hero of a previous generation that knew Hercules's long dead stepfather to Herc and Iolaus's Academy of Adventure classmate.
- Dead Guy on Display: The Ghidra's cave is filled with charred corpses.
- Decomposite Character: Medea. Though other aspects of Jason's backstory were retconned to incorporate Young Hercules material, dialogue in "Hercules On Trial" indicates his past marriage to Medea and the murder of their children remain in continuity. As such, the Medea here is a separate character, but whereas the unseen wife underwent Adaptational Villainy, this one is given all the source material's sympathetic traits and is portrayed as a tragic figure. It was also never clarified if Jason's wife had any special powers or was strictly mortal, but this Medea is explicitly gifted with a special healing power.
- Didn't See That Coming: The Ghidra displays a Healing Factor, surprising its two attackers.Young Iolaus: Oh, you didn't tell me it could do that.
Young Hercules: I didn't know it could do that. - Dirty Coward: A group of bandits take advantage of a community still rebuilding from a Ghidra attack. They're singing a different tune when a group of heroes capable of fighting back show up.
- Do Not Go Gentle: When told the little girl is Hera, Jason raises his sword. The queen of the gods explicitly wants him dead by this point, so he'd rather stand strong than make a futile attempt to run away.
- The Dog Was the Mastermind: The little girl that sought help against the Ghidra was really Hera in disguise and baiting the heroes into a trap.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Off-screen, Hera uses her monstrous pet to burn Medea's stepfather and mother alive. When Medea confronts her about this, Hera expresses genuine revulsion that the man got away with raping Medea and that Medea's mother did nothing to try to stop it.
- Everyone Has Standards:
- Medea hated her mother for doing nothing to stop her stepfather's abuse, but she's deeply affected by the woman's death.
- Despite being an admitted pig, Iolaus firmly believes a guy shouldn't have sex until he's actually ready for it, even if a woman is practically throwing herself at him.
- Evil Laugh: Hera after killing Medea.
- Flat "What": Hercules's reaction to Iolaus telling him that it actually can be hard to be his friend.
- Forgiveness: Iolaus points out that Hercules has every right to be angry about Jason kissing Medea, but he says both heroes will be better people if they try to work things out instead of hold onto to any anger. In the end, Hercules does just that.
- Freudian Excuse: Medea has a very low opinion of men because she was abused and raped by her stepfather.
- Friendship Moment:
- When Medea questions why he hangs out with Iolaus and Jason, Hercules says they're his best friends and that he'd trust them with his life.
- Despite his earlier teasing, Iolaus assures Hercules that there's nothing wrong with him avoiding sex until actually ready for it.
- Hercules and Jason reaffirming their friendship in the end.
- From Bad to Worse: In short order, Iolaus learns that the Ghidra has two heads, a poisonous stinger, and fire breath. Then they learn it also has a Healing Factor.Young Iolaus: Anything else?
Young Hercules: That's about it. - Green-Eyed Monster: Jason over Hercules getting all the attention from an attractive young woman. Iolaus reasons he's just not used to being ignored by someone of the fairer sex. It turns out Hera was banking on this.
- Half-Breed Discrimination: When confronting Hercules, Hera denounces all of Zeus's half-mortal offspring as lowly mongrels. She clearly can't stand the fact that Zeus considers one of those "mongrels" better than the children she gave birth to.
- Healing Factor: After Hercules manages to cut off the stinger, the Ghidra simply grows a new one right from the stump.
- Healing Hands: Medea's power, which she uses to save a mortally wounded child and later Jason. Both of her parents were mortal, so she has no idea where it came from.
- Hero of Another Story: The Ghidra's cave is littered with charred corpses, all armed in one way or another.
- I Lied: Medea says her agreement with Hera involved sparing her mother, only for the woman to get roasted by the Ghidra along with her abusive stepfather. Hera says she can change details however she sees fit, though she genuinely thought she was doing Medea a service and denounces the mother as an enabler.
- I Owe You My Life: Iolaus reminds Hercules that no matter how irritating being Overshadowed by Awesome is, he'll always stand by the person who helped him turn his life around and kept him out of prison.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: While Hercules restrains the Ghidra's heads and Iolaus keeps the stinger tail busy, Jason stabs the Ghidra right in the gut. It takes multiple hits for the monster to go down, though.
- Infant Immortality: But only because Medea healed a child that was mortally wounded during the village attack.
- It's Personal: Though Hera loathed him from the start, her killing Medea causes Hercules to develop a personal hatred of her. Young Hercules would corroborate this; episodes set before Jason became king and thus before these flashbacks depict Hercules as recognizing Hera as dangerous, but he was generally indifferent to her on a personal level.
- Jerkass Realization: Jason in the aftermath of betraying one of his closest friends in a fit of jealousy.Jason: I am so stupid!
- Little "No": Hercules, as Medea resigns herself to being killed by Hera.
- Lonely at the Top: Jason's view of being king after roughly a season, saying he's always working or interacting with those he has authority over. He's glad for the chance to just hang out with his buddies.
- Megaton Punch: Hercules ends the fight with Jason by hitting him so hard that he gets slammed into a tree at the other end of the field.
- Mood Whiplash: The flashback ends with Hercules forgiving Jason and insisting their friendship is stronger than ever before. After the transition back to the present:Jason: When did you really forgive me?
Hercules: [beat] Last week. - Motive Rant: After Hercules says her beef with Zeus has nothing to do with him, Hera rants about how killing the bastard son will teach the cheating father a lesson.
- Multiple Head Case: Averted. The Ghidra's two heads don't display any different personalities, and it's not even clear if it's capable of thought at all like Echidna and Typhon's children were.
- My God, What Have I Done?:
- After finding the burned body, Medea expresses guilt over leaving her mother behind with her abusive stepfather.
- Jason over betraying Hercules in a fit of jealousy. He refuses to walk away on principle.
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Medea tried to talk Jason out of going back to help Hercules and Iolaus, but Hera didn't think much of her efforts and interceded by frying Jason. Medea responds by healing Jason, allowing the heroes to ultimately reunite and kill the Ghidra.
- "Not So Different" Remark: While he personally disagrees with what Jason did, Iolaus admits he can understand his motivation, due to feeling the same pressure of being overshadowed by someone that everyone expects to become a famous hero.
- Not So Similar: Medea points out that Hercules at least knows where his strength comes from. Neither of her parents were gods nor related to them, so she's often quite confused by her power. Also, while the two can relate over having questionable father figures, Zeus at worst just neglected Hercules, whereas Medea's stepfather was outright abusive.
- Oh, Crap!: Jason, upon learning the little girl is Hera and set all this up.
- One-Steve Limit: Averted, as this is not the Medea that would go on to marry Jason and murder their children. Despite the other retcons to Jason's backstory, that is still in place, as it was alluded to in the previous episode and would be again next season.
- Only Sane Man: Iolaus tries to keep the trio in one piece, warning Jason of his obvious jealousy and later talking to Hercules about the importance of forgiveness. Years later, Iolaus admits that he was very worried at the time that the two would never work it out.
- Overshadowed by Awesome: Iolaus cops to the fact that this makes it hard to be a friend of Hercules.Young Iolaus: Look, I'm no oracle. There are a lot of things I don't understand, but from the moment I met you, I just knew that you were destined for something the rest of us could only dream about. People like me and Jason—normal people, we'll be lucky if our names are even mentioned in the same breath as yours. And that is not always easy to live with.
- Parents as People: Medea hated her mother for never doing anything to stop her stepfather's abuses, but at the same time, she admits she can understand why the woman was too scared to act.
- Positive Friend Influence: Iolaus reminds Hercules how he went from being a thief to a hero on the basis of the half-god showing him friendship.
- The Power of Friendship:
- Even after Hercules condemns him for his betrayal, Jason refuses to walk away from helping a friend face a monster. It ends up ruining Hera's plan.
- While reflecting on this adventure from their past, Hercules notes the three of them being together is what allowed them to overcome Hera's plot.
- Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil: Early on, Medea simply says her stepfather abused her, but Hera later describes it as this. Hera sent the Ghidra to Medea's home to kill stepfather and mother alike because of this. When Medea says her mother's death wasn't part of the plan, Hera justifies it by pointing out what Medea's stepfather subjected to her to and how her mother did nothing to stop it.Hera: Your mother turned a blind eye, as your stepfather robbed you of your innoncence!
- Real Life Writes the Plot: One of the first episodes commissioned after Kevin Sorbo's health problems required reducing his screentime this Season. This is why the adult versions only appear in book-end segments rather than get a Framing Device like in the other three flashback episodes.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: Hera when yelling at Medea for questioning her decisions.
- Redemption Equals Death: Medea restores Jason to life and helps the heroes against the Ghidra. She is quickly killed by Hera for betraying her.Medea: [to Hercules] I'm sorry. [fades away]
- Revenge by Proxy: Hera notes that orchestrating the death of the favorite son will make Zeus think twice before cheating on her again and siring more half-mortal offspring.
- Say My Name: Hercues shouts Medea's name, as she vanishes.
- Shadow Archetype:
- Medea to Hercules. She also has a power no one else has, but she didn't have the happy home life that Hercules enjoyed with Alcmene, nor close friends to stand by her side. A lifetime of being ostracized and abused made her a willing servant of one of the worst gods on Olympus.
- Medea is also a reflection of the trio's friend, Yvenna, from the Young Hercules Pilot Movie. Both suffered horrible tragedies at home, felt a great deal of guilt for leaving loved ones behind to suffer, and died helping the heroes, but Yvenna was driven to become a hero to try to make things better back in her home and was upfront about her motivations. Medea was understandably more concerned about protecting herself from future abusers and had no interest in befriending anyone before meeting the trio.
- Shock and Awe: Since Jason refuses to simply walk away from helping a friend that denounced him, Hera tries to ensure her plan's success by frying him with lightning. It takes Medea's Healing Hands to save him.
- Sins of Our Fathers: Hercules balks at this being Hera's motivation.Hera: Come now, Hercules! Did you think I would tolerate my husband's infidelity lightly?
Young Hercules: That's between you and Zeus.
Hera: No! You're between us! But if you die a horrible death, maybe he'll think twice next time before his eyes start to wander, before he fathers any more half-mortal mongrels like you! - Troubled, but Cute: Medea is an attractive young woman with a unique gift, but she also has a good deal of bitterness, due to the abuses she's suffered throughout her life. Even years after the fact, Hercules regrets how he was unable to help such a wounded person.
- Unrelated in the Adaptation: In the myths, Medea is the granddaughter of Helios and thus part of the same Big, Screwed-Up Family as Hercules is. The Medea featured here explicitly says she has no blood of the gods, nor does Hera ever refer to her as being part of the family.
- Visual Pun: Hera takes her traditional eye form when saying she'll be seeing Hercules again.
- We Will Meet Again: After Hera kills Medea. It's notably the only time Hera ever did this.Hera: I'll be seeing you, Hercules.
Young Hercules: You can count on it. - Wham Shot: After Medea hears Hera's voice in the forest, the little girl from the beach suddenly appears.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Hercules positively freaks over Jason kissing Medea, leading to a nasty fight and condemnation. In the present, Iolaus admits he was genuinely worried they'd never be friends again.
- Whole Episode Flashback: The second of the Young Hercules flashback episodes, but the only one to not have a Framing Device. It was commissioned after Kevin Sorbo's health problems developed, so only book-end segments were used to feature the adult versions of the heroes. The flashbacks are set at a point where Jason has only been king for roughly a season.
- Wisdom from the Gutter: When talking to Hercules about how a guy shouldn't have sex unless he's ready for it, Iolaus freely admits that this advice is coming from a pig.
- You Have Failed Me: How Hera frames killing Medea, saying she broke a promise to be loyal and needs to learn a lesson for it.
