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Season Five (1998/1999)

Prologue:

This is the story of a time long ago, a time of myth and legend when the ancient gods were petty and cruel and they plagued mankind with suffering. Only one man dared to challenge their power: Hercules.

Hercules possessed a strength the world had never seen, a strength surpassed only by the power of his heart. He journeyed the Earth battling the minions of his wicked step-mother Hera, the all-powerful queen of the gods. But wherever there was evil, wherever the innocent would suffer, there would be: Hercules!

Episodes:

Episode 82 - Faith - 9/28/98 [Nebula]

After rescuing a young boy from a well, Hercules and Iolaus are approached by Imuru. Imuru is an emissary of King Gilgamesh of Sumeria and son of the Sumerian god Ra. Imuru explains that their gods have turned against the people, leaving their cities in ruins. Hercules immediately offers his help, but Iolaus, shocked to find out that deities other than Greek gods exist, expresses concern. The three men head out to find the beautiful pirate captain Nebula, hoping to make the journey aboard her boat. When Imuru sees Nebula, he recognizes her to be Gilgamesh's sister. Hercules and Iolaus are astonished to find out that Nebula is a Sumerian princess.

The fiercely independent Nebula is reluctant to return to Sumeria because of her homeland's archaic views about women, but Hercules finally persuades her to make the journey. Upon their arrival, the foursome is shocked by the sight of nearly an entire town packed into Gilgamesh's castle, with food and supplies running low.

Gilgamesh tells Hercules that he lost faith in the gods when his family was slaughtered while he was away defending the temples. The gods are now punishing him. The only way to end their wrath is for someone with the blood of a god to retrieve a chalice holding a sacred nectar, which is hidden in a pyramid and protected by a series of trials. With that, Hercules and Gilgamesh set out for the pyramid while Iolaus and Nebula, who find themselves powerfully attracted to each other, begin fixing the town's aqueduct.

Once inside the pyramid, Hercules and Gilgamesh skillfully complete an array of physical trials and find the chalice. However, Gilgamesh suddenly knocks Hercules down, drinks the nectar and crushes the sacred cup with his bare hands. Enraged at this betrayal, Hercules learns that Gilgamesh is now a disciple of Dahak. With the nectar now disposed of, the only thing required for the Dark One's arrival is the sacrifice of a warrior heart. Suddenly, Gilgamesh disappears in the darkness.

Hercules returns to the palace where he finds Nebula bound to an altar and Gilgamesh about to plunge a dagger into her heart. An epic battle ensues as Iolaus races to untie Nebula. Just as Nebula declares her love for Iolaus, the dagger levitates off the ground and heads straight toward her. Iolaus pushes her out of the way, only to take the dagger himself. Hercules destroys Gilgamesh and rushes to his fallen friend, but the damage is done. Iolaus dies in Hercules' arms.

Episode 83 - Descent - 10/5/98 [Iolaus]

Hercules reluctantly allows Nebula to follow him in his desperate attempt to retrieve the slain Iolaus. It is a road he travels with the best of intentions, but it is a road through hell. Hercules, overcome by grief at Iolaus' death, sets out to find the Sumarian land of the dead, in hopes of getting him back. Hercules discovers the path to the land of the dead, the entrance to the underworld, in the temple of Dumuzi. In the temple, Hercules and Nebula encounter the zombie of Daneaus, which changes Nebula into one also.

In the end, Nebula is restored and Hercules manages to free some souls that have been captured by the Sumarian guardian of the dead, but Hercules is unable to retrieve the soul of Iolaus. Hercules and Nebula return to the palace on to discover that Iolaus has been mummified. [Nebula]

Hercules fears he was the cause of Iolaus' death and decides to roam the world. Nebula decides to remain at the palace and rule as Queen. Therefore, she offers Hercules her boat for his journeys.

Episode 84 - Resurrection - 10/12/98

A tortured Hercules sets out sailing, and lands in ancient Eire (Ireland). He is welcomed by the persecuted Celtic Druids. There the Druids have been praying the "chosen one" to help save them. "You are the Chosen One," they inform Hercules. Hercules must face the evil redheaded female demigod Morrigan, an assassin sent to destroy the Druids. A young Druid helps Hercules by teaching him three lessons, in order for him to find himself again.

Episode 85 - Genies and Grecians and Geeks, Oh My! - 10/19/98

Salmoneus and Autolycus converge on a sultan's magic lamp - and the genie inside it lets them share three wishes, which turns out to be three Salmoneus', the real one, a giant baby, and a tough guy (which have them wishing they never wished for anything in the first place).

Episode 86 - Render Unto Caesar - 10/26/98

As Julius Caesar prepares to attack the emerald isle of Eire, Hercules helps the horned demigod of Ireland, Morrigan, find the good within her and teaches her to face her new role as guardian of Justice, which was given to her by Mabon. As Morrigan tries to leave the bonds of Kernunnos, he takes their daughter, Brigid, hostage.

Episode 87 - Norse By Norsevest - 11/2/98

Traveling on to Scandinavia because of a vision, Hercules befriends the altruistic god Balder. They embark on an odyssey to save the Norse god Balder from an evil prophecy: Ragnarok. To save Balder Hercules must go up against Balder's brother, Thor.

Episode 88 - Somewhere Over Rainbow Bridge - 11/9/98

The three tragedies of Norse prophecy have occurred, and Ragnarok, "the end of all things," is a certainty. "We cannot defeat the ice," intones Odin, the king of the Norse gods. Hercules and the Norse God Thor work together to prevent the end of all things. Hercules realizes that the Book of Fate holds the key to restoring Balder and the Norse timeline from the trickster god Loki, who has thrown in his lot with Dahok.

Episode 89 - Darkness Rising - 11/16/98

Returning to Sumeria with Morrigan, who has vowed to kill Dahok for slaughtering the Druids, Hercules finds that the evil god has taken over the body of Iolaus and is tormenting Nebula.

Episode 90 - For Those Of You Just Joining Us - 1/4/99 [Ares]

B.S. Hollingfoffer has given the writers and production crew of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys one week to come up with some good episodes for the new season or else! In order to get the "creative juices flowing" Rob Tapert signs them up for a writing camp to learn how to "spice" the show up.

At Camp WannaChuck they are under the tutelage of the cheerful camp counselor, Sunny Day and her frighteningly ghastly assistant, Norma Bates. They certainly have a lot of work to do, considering that no one can even get along.

Rob is the first to come up with a season opener, killing off Iolaus. However, he envisions Iolaus' departure by spontaneous combustion, being eaten by a giant monster, or by dropping an "ACME" 1 ton weight on him. Everyone begins to come up with story ideas, which Rob twists to sound ridiculous.

Again, Kevin comes to the rescue and eventually comes up with new plots, twists and turns for the show, ending each plot by saying, "But what do I know. I'm just an actor."

Kevin begins to notice that something fishy is going on and that everyone is danger. So does everyone else! Kevin must rescue them from a would-be murderer without revealing his identity as the real Hercules.

Ares is revealed to be behind it all. However, everyone is shocked to discover that Sunny Day is really B.S. in disguise, that Norma is really part of studio security sent to find out who the traitor is on the inside, and that Ares, the God of War, really exists!

Ares had offered B.S. his own network, if he can get rid of the writers and production crew. B.S. was going to drive everyone to kill each other, while they were at camp, and he almost succeeded. Instead of fulfilling his part of the agreement, Ares simply tells B.S., "You'll never work in this town again". Kevin tells everyone, including Ares, "There's a little Hercules in everyone just ready to come out." With all the surprises, the writers and crew are left wondering that if Ares really exists, does Hercules?

Episode 91 - Let There Be Light - 1/11/99

Hercules, Morrigan and Nebula return to in Greece. Upon their return to Corinth, the discover the people following the Cult of Dahak. Their mission is to take down the Cult of Dahak, led by the possessed Iolaus himself so Iolaus can rest in peace. However, to do so could destroy the world. Furthermore, their efforts are complicated because everyone is following Dahak. Hercules persuades Jason to help.

Episode 92 - Redemption 1/18/99 [Ares]

Hercules needs to perform an exorcism to save Iolaus' soul from Dahak. Dahak will not going willing and is held captive by the gem of creation. He taunts Hercules and Zarathustra with unsettling visions from their past and how he captured the soul of Iolaus.

Dahak has his followers try to kill the God of War, Ares, in order to possess his power, which will break the gem's hold over him. Ares is almost helpless against his would-be assassins, since his powers are being taken away by Dahak! It's up to Morrigan and Nebula to protect him while Hercules and Zarathustra perform the exorcism on Dahak.

The exorcism works. Dahak is destroyed. Zarathustra returns to accompany Iolaus' soul as he is released into the light and Ares' powers are fully restored.

Episode 93 - Sky High - 1/25/99 [Ephiny]

Hercules and the Amazon Queen Ephiny team up to save the people that live near Mount Pelios from an ensuing eruption of the volcano. They coordinate a plan to blow a hole in the side of the volcano to redirect its lava flow into the sea and away from the village with the help of explosive crystals from Atlantis. Hercules plans to take the crystals up the side of the volcano in three wagons with spotters in front of them to clear the path. He persuades an ex-army man, a want-to-be hero and a farm boy who wants to prove to his father that he is more than just a farmer, to help in his quest. However, the group needs one more volunteer, but cannot seem to find one. So, Hercules convinces a condemned murderer named Kurth to help.

However, getting to the top of the volcano to put the crystals in place is not going to be easy. Along the way, they are followed by a centaur named Nagus, whose son Kurth killed, and a gang of thugs led by Opakas. The gang of thugs has other plans for our heroes and tries to sabotage them at every turn.

Hercules loses one of the wagons to an underground steam vent and a wagon wheel from another. During one of the gangs attacks on the heroes, the horse pulling the last wagon, is injured. All seems lost, until Hercules persuades Nagus to help pull the last wagon, with the crystals, up the volcano.

Episode 94 - Stranger and Stranger - 2/1/99

Hercules must travel to the parallel Netherworld to rescue the gods of Olympus before both worlds are destroyed. There he meets up with his counterpart, the Sovereign, Ares God of Love, the jester Iolaus, and the evil empress Nebula. Hercules learns that the gods are trapped in a labyrinth and must traverse the maze to free them. However, Ares has other plans.

Episode 95 - Just Passing Through - 2/8/99

While the jester Iolaus, who has crossed over, tries to figure out how he fits into Hercules' universe, Hercules tells him a story about an incident involving himself, Autolycus, and a stolen gem which awakened a vicious panther.

Episode 96 - Greece Is Burning - 2/15/99

In the big city of Trendopolis, Hercules enlists the aid of the Widow Twanky to help his former dancing partner, Althea, put on a fabulous rebel fashion show. However, evil designer Onea and the fashion police connive to keep Althea from staging the show. One method: Hercules and the Jester are arrested for wearing leather.

Episode 97 - We'll Always Have Cyprus - 2/22/99

Hercules and Morrigan reflect on their last romantic interlude as they go on a mission to save the Oracle of Cyprus from predictions of her own death. At the end, they both realize that duty requires them to part.

Episode 98 - The Academy - 3/22/99

Hercules discovers that a bunch of thugs, lead by Zylus, have taken over Cheiron's old military academy, turning it into an assassin's training ground. Hercules, Jason and Iolaus 2 attempt to straighten it up. Meanwhile, Jason meets his daughter Seska for the first time.

Episode 99 - Love on the Rocks - 4/19/99

Iolaus falls for a mermaid named Nautica, but her absence from the sea will make the oceans freeze over, destroying human life.

Episode 100 - A Greek Hero in King Arthur's Court - 4/26/99

Merlin sends a wicked King Arthur back into the era of Hercules in the hope that the young ruler can learn how to reign from the son of Zeus.

Episode 101 - Fade Out - 5/3/99

A curse from the eye of a Cyclops, created by by Discord, Deimos and Ares, causes Hercules to begin to fade away.

Episode 102 - My Best Girl's Wedding - 5/10/99

Iolaus' mermaid lover, Nautica, returns, but a tyrant who destroyed Triton's trident is trying to force her hand in marriage. Meanwhile, Hercules runs into his former wife Serena, who is petitioning the sea-god to return her husband.

Episode 103 - Revelations - 5/17/99

The original Iolaus returns from the land of the dead, and must help Hercules and unlikely ally Ares against an even greater threat: the end of the world.

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