Teleplay by Gerry Conway
Story by Paul Robert Coyle
Directed by Bruce Campbell
This episode provides examples of:
- Abhorrent Admirer: Ares to Nebula II on account of him looking like "that sickening, sacchrine god of love." He's very irritated over how both Nebulas are disgusted by him.
- Always Someone Better: Iolaus II chafes at how our Iolaus is a reminder of everything he isn't: a brave hero who always stands up for himself instead of a cowardly jester that lets everyone walk all over him.
- And I Must Scream: The Olympians while trapped in the sphere. Some can even be heard outright screaming.
- Batman Gambit: Posing as the Sovereign, Hercules anticipated that he would have to perform an act of brutality to truly sell it, so he had Iolaus II move a cart full of hay near a window. When Falafel II starts accusing him of being an imposter, Hercules throws him out that very window; everyone else quickly falls into line, while Falafel II lands safely (but quite dazed).
- Better the Devil You Know: Nebula II is such a piece of work that Iolaus II would rather be in the Netherworld with the Sovereign. The Sovereign at least liked his jokes. On the other hand, locals are more panicked over the thought of the Sovereign having returned.
- Big "YES!":
- Iolaus II after Hercules beats Ares.
- One of the Olympians can be heard shouting this after Hercules shatters the sphere.
- Blatant Lies: Iolaus II could leave Netherworld whenever he wanted to because he knew where the portal was. He didn't tell the Sovereign, instead simply claiming that he had no idea how he ended up in Netherworld in the first place.
- Call-Back: When confronted by the giant serpent guarding the temple, Hercules quips, "Here we go again." Hercules once faced a serpent guarding a temple in the Young Hercules Pilot Movie and that experience gives him an idea of how to handle this one.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: A resistance movement attempted to stop Nebula II when she came to power, but they ended up being crushed rather handily. The sight of it made Iolaus II flee wherever he could hide.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Iolaus II says the only thing he has in Other World is a past he never wanted.
- Delayed "Oh, Crap!": Hercules talks to Iolaus II for a bit before remembering the rule about counterparts being connected to each other.
- Didn't See That Coming: Iolaus II still being alive, despite the counterparts being connected to each other. Hercules reasons that being in the Netherworld when our Iolaus died is what protected him.
- Dude, Not Funny!: After emerging from the gateway, Iolaus II is hurt, and onlookers simply mock him for it. Hercules remarks him being hurt isn't funny at all.
- The End of the World as We Know It: The Olympians hiding in Other World has caused the gateway to go crazy. Hercules fears it going on any longer will cause both worlds to be ripped apart. When Hercules tries to reason with Ares on this very point, the war god simply remarks he'll start the world over outright.
- "Eureka!" Moment: Seeing the open gateway causes Hercules to realize where the Olympians fled to.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Subverted. Nebula II weeps over the Sovereign being dead, but only because this means she's missing out on some sex and not because she had any actual feelings for him.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Falafel II is all-in on Nebula II's sadistic games, but he's well-aware she's nuts and chastises her more extreme behavior (under his breath, of course).Falafel II: [muttering] Spoken like a true sociopath.
- Evil Laugh: Ares after killing the Sovereign.
- Evil Versus Oblivion: Defied. Hercules says there won't be anything left to rule if both worlds are destroyed, but Ares is confident that (as a full god) he will survive the experience and be able to start over.
- Extreme Doormat: Iolaus II so much so that, after injuring himself emerging from the gateway, he says nothing in response to people openly ridiculing his pain. Hercules is puzzled by how he didn't remotely protest this cruelty.
- Foreshadowing:
- Iolaus II keeps beating himself up not out of self-pity but out of shame for again running from danger when others needed help.
- The heroes escape Quicksand Sucks because Iolaus II was focusing on something to look forward to. In the last scene, he says it was the idea of going to a new world and starting over.
- Freudian Excuse: Iolaus II says that Zeus II is insane. Hercules remarks that explains a lot about the Sovereign.
- From Bad to Worse: Hercules is out to save the world from being destroyed, but things take a worse turn when Ares intervenes to ensure he doesn't free the other gods.
- Game Show Appearance: Falafel II hosts Wheel of Misfortune, where the contestants are any prisoner unlucky enough to be selected and face being killed for failing to answer a question properly (which always happens because Nebula II is the judge).
- "Hell, Yes!" Moment:
- All of the Olympians upon being freed from the sphere and back to full power.
- Iolaus II over getting to leave Other World behind and start over in the mainstream one.
- Hurricane of Puns: Hercules is only too happy to indulge in this, while smacking Ares around."Have a nice trip. See you next fall. Welcome back."
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: When the Sovereign is briefly distracted, Ares stabs him right in the gut with a knife covered in Hind's blood.
- Mirror Universe: The series returns to Other World, with Hercules being the one to make the trip this time. Nebula's counterpart has taken over the Sovereign's empire. Falafel is her former chef and now serves as Czar of Entertainment.
- Mood-Swinger: Nebula II alternates between ham, rage, and being an emotional basket case.
- My Greatest Failure: Iolaus II joined the resistance against Nebula II's army to make good on trying to be a hero. When the movement was in the process of being crushed, he ran and eventually ended up in the Netherworld.
- My Greatest Second Chance: Iolaus II on getting to go to Herc's world and giving being a hero another shot.
- Never My Fault: Subverted. Iolaus II accuses Hercules of selling him a line about being a hero and sending him back to a world he hated, only for Herc to point out he wanted to go back. Iolaus II later apologizes, saying his attempt at being a hero completely failed and that it was simply easier to blame Hercules for that.
- Not So Similar: Much to his lament, Iolaus II isn't like our Iolaus.
- Oh, Crap!: "OH, MOMMA!"
- Other Me Annoys Me: Iolaus II constantly expresses frustration over his mainstream counterpart, though it turns out to be motivated by being disappointed in himself.
- Previously on…: A quick recap of "Stranger In A Strange World" and the major plot-points. Notably, this is the only recap in the series to be narrated by Hercules.
- Quicksand Sucks: A trap in the Labyrinth of Eternal Memory functions this way, playing images of a victim's regrets and literally pulling them down in the process. Hercules realizes the way out is for Iolaus II to move on from the past and find something to look forward to. It works.
- Remember the New Guy?: Nebula II, due to being a Temporary Substitute. She is referred to as being a prominent ally of the Sovereign, despite never having been seen or mentioned before.
- The Reveal: The Olympians fled from Dahak by going to Other World. They didn't return right away because Ares worked out a deal with Nebula II: she gets to be the Empress in exchange for trapping the weakened gods in the Labyrinth of Eternal Memory.
- Sarcasm-Blind: In the Sovereign's closet, there is a row of identical outfits.
- The Scapegoat: Iolaus II blames Hercules for his problems and setbacks since they last met. He later admits that he joined the resistance movement against Nebula II and fled when the group started getting crushed. It was easier for him to blame his actions on Hercules than accept responsibility.
- Screams Like a Little Girl: Ares II when fleeing from his counterpart.
- Sealed Good in a Can: The Olympians have been trapped in a sphere somewhere inside the Labyrinth of Eternal Memory.
- Sequel Episode: In regards to Iolaus II's attempts to make good on being a hero and shake his cowardly streak and self-doubt.
- Servile Snarker: Falafel II gets in some digs at Nebula II, albeit as quietly as possible.
- Shout-Out:
- A couple to Sliders. In the Previously on… segment, Hercules refers to Other World counterparts as doubles. After jumping through the gateway, Herc grouses about the rough landing (a consistent Running Gag on that show).
- Wheel of Misfortune is an obvious riff on Wheel of Fortune, right down to Falafel II's assistant being a stand-in for Vanna White.
- Something We Forgot: It was mentioned in "Let There Be Light" that the Olympians were in hiding, but Ares aside, the matter went unaddressed until now.
- Suddenly Shouting:Hercules: The Iolaus I knew is dead. And when somebody dies in my world—
Iolaus II: They die in mine. I'M DEAD! OOOHHHH, I'M DEAD! I'M DEAD! I'M DEAD! I'M DEAD!
Hercules: [on the Sovereign] Maybe I'm not as smart as I think I am.
Iolaus II: Well, maybe you're dead. WE'RE DEAD! WE'RE DEAD! - Temporary Substitute: Originally, they were going to bring back Xena II, but when Lucy Lawless appearing fell through, they went with Nebula II and simply changed the character name in the script.
- This Is Gonna Suck:
- Hercules feels it when the Sovereign is mortally wounded, and he knows it means more trouble is around the corner.
- Hercules again when he and Iolaus II are stuck in a quicksand-like trap.
- Trailers Always Spoil: Iolaus II was featured in the promo, spoiling the surprise of him still being alive. Possibly unavoidable, given that he appears in almost every scene that Hercules is in.
- Unnaturally Looping Location: The room where the sphere is kept functions like this, having multiple doorways circling it. It's no trouble for Hercules and Iolaus II to enter the room, but trying to walk out just keeps causing them to come back in through a different doorway. Hercules later exploits this to get the better of Ares. Once freed, the Olympians have no trouble finding the way out.
- We Need a Distraction: While searching the Labyrinth of Eternal Memory, Hercules gets Ares II to perform a distraction: make Nebula II hopelessly in love with our Ares.
- We Will Meet Again: Before departing, Ares remarks that killing the Sovereign means he can kill Hercules someday, too. Hercules is unfazed, saying Ares is all talk.
- Wham Episode: The Sovereign is killed, and Iolaus II becomes Herc's new partner.
- Wham Line:
- "Tartarus take you, Hercules. You'll ruin everything."
- "Will you take me with you?"
- Wham Shot: Iolaus II emerging from rubble in the Netherworld.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: As the storm in The Teaser rages, Hemnor thinks the Olympians are punishing mortals for falling for Dahak's God of Light con. Hercules knows that's not the case because he knows they fled Greece and haven't been back yet.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Hercules keeps reminding Iolaus II that he is not the pathetic coward he keeps thinking of himself as.Iolaus II: I wish I had your courage.
Hercules: Having courage doesn't mean that you don't feel fear, Iolaus; it means you fight for what's right in spite of it. You did that when you helped the rebels.
Iolaus II: Yeah, but I failed.
Hercules: Not today. Today, you helped save both of our worlds. - "You!" Exclamation: Ares upon seeing his god of love counterpart and realizing he was the cause of Nebula II's change of attitude.Ares: You! I owe you for this!
- You Owe Me: After grabbing the sphere, Hercules tells the Olympians that they really owe him this time.
