Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Season 5

Nebula took Hercules and Iolaus to Sumeria, where the angry gods were leveling cities. To remedy the situation, King Gilgamesh took Hercules with him on a series of physical trials in a pyramid, where they retrieved a chalice of sacred nectar. But Gilgamesh betrayed Hercules by drinking the nectar and crushing the cup, becoming a disciple of the demon Dahak. Next, Gilgamesh tried to scarifice a warrior heart -- Nebula's. But Iolaus, who was in love with Nebula, saved her by taking the dagger himself. Hercules destroyed Gilgamesh, but he was too late for Iolaus, who died in his arms.

Stricken with grief over the loss of Iolaus, Hercules vowed to bring him back from the Sumerian version of the Underworld. Nebula, who confessed her love for Iolaus in his final moments, accompanied Hercules on his journey. The son of Zeus rappelled down into a cave to confront Dumuzi, the Sumerian god of the Underworld. Dumzumi had been collecting human souls in order to survive, ever since King Gilgamesh had destroyed the sacred chalice. But Iolaus had already crossed over to the Underworld and was lost forever. Hercules' cry of rage shattered the mirrors surrounding Dumuzi's lair, destroying the god.

Bronagh, leader of the Celts on the island of Eire, told Hercules he was their ""Chosen One"" -- chosen to lead the Celts to freedom. But the gods of Eire didn't like the Celts worshipping Druids, so they sent Morrigan, a demigod assasin, to destroy the Druids. However, when she killed the Druid guardian of justice, she unwittingly took his place. Hercules, who finally stopped blaming himself for Iolaus' death, defeated Morrigan in battle, but the Druids explained that if she died, the spirit of justice would die with her. They disappeared, leaving Hercules to care for Morrigan.

Salmoneus and Autolycus obtained a Sultan's lamp and released Jinni the genie, who gave them three wishes to share. Autolycus asked to be invisible. Instead Jinni made him intangible, so he couldn't grab anything. Salmoneus, meanwhile couldn't decide whether to ask for more sensitivity or more ruthless energy, so Jinni gave him both in the form of two clones -- Cry Baby Sal and Hyper Sal. Forfeiting their third wish, they were returned to normal and imprisoned inside Jinni's lamp. But they escaped, and Autolycus used the third wish to give the lonely genie a roomful of clones.

On the island of Eire, Hercules organized the feuding Celtic tribes to fight Caesar's approaching army. He also helped the half-god/half-human Morrigan find the good within herself. She was the former servant of the cruel Celtic god Kernunnos, and she couldn't break away from him easily because he held their daughter, Brigid, hostage. Hercules agreed to help Morrigan get her child back, and together they defeated Kernunnos in battle. When Morrigan stopped Hercules from killing Kernnunos in cold blood, she realized she had finally embraced her new role as the Druid guardian of justice.

Hercules wanted to save the Norse god Balder, but Balder explained that his death was foretold in the Book of Fates and could not be changed. Sure enough, Hercules was tricked by Loki, the god of mischief, into accidently killing Balder. An enraged Thor tried to kill Hercules with his huge stone hammer, but Hercules beat Thor and took him to Valhalla. There, Odin -- the king of the Norse gods -- explained that two parts of an ancient prophesy had been fulfilled. If the third part took place, the final nightfall and end of all things would occur.

Odin believed the answer to the riddle ""When light dies, then will Ragnarok begin"" would bring about the end of all things. Loki went to Odin in disguise and gave him a metal mask. When the king of Norse gods looked into the mask, he was blinded -- which fulfilled the third tragedy. Loki then blew Gilma's Horn, which brought on Ragnarok, and he killed Thor witha poisoned dart. When Hercules poured paint into the Book of Fate, he returned to the moment before he accidently killed Balder. He exposed Loki's plan to Balder and thor, saving their lives.

Hercules and Morrigan were enjoying life on the island of Eire until they found the Druids slaughtered. Recognizing the work of the demon Dahak, Hercules and Morrigan returned to Sumeria. There, they found Nebula had been bothered by waking dreams of her dead love, Iolaus. When Hercules visited Iolaus' tomb, he found it empty -- and turned to find Dahak behind him, in the body of Ioalus. As they fought, hercules could not bring himself to slay his friend, even though he knew it was no longer Iolaus. Dahak escaped, with Hercules, Morrigan and Nebula in hot pursuit.

Studio head B.S. Hollinsoffer ordered the producers and writers to a retreat at Camp Wannachuck, where he hoped they would come up with some better ideas for Hercules episodes. Kevin Sorbo, who was really Hercules, arrived at the retreat and offered touching stories about Hercules and a noble death for Iolaus. He also saved his co-workers from three attempts on their lives, all perpetrated by Hollisoffer in disguise. The studio head had been working with Ares in exchange for his own network. Realizing the god of war really existed, the writers then wondered whether there might be a real Hercules.

Hercules and his friends followed the demon Dahak to Corinth, where Dahak -- in Iolaus' body -- had set himself up as the people's savior. He wanted to return the world to a time when the Titans ruled. Hercules and Zarathustra, a man who resisted Dahak's teachings, found the Stone of Creation and joined Nebula, Morrigan and Jason at the Dark One's fortress. Hercules used the stone to harness the light of dawn. The light became metallic and bound Dahak to his own altar. Hercules then prepared to perform an exorcism that would allow Iolaus to rest in peace.

Dahak, chained to the altar in the body of Ioalus, hatched a plan to kill Ares, which would give him the power to break his bonds. Meanwhile, the demon showed Hercules how he had seduced Iolaus at the moment of death. Apppearing as Hercules, Dahak promised Iolaus the power to set everything right in the world. With time running out, Hercules was sucked into the spiritual world, where he found the real Iolaus. The two friends fought side-by-side once more, sending Dahak into a fiery chasm. Then they siad good-bye, and Iolaus disappeared into a shaft of light.

When a volcano threatened to destroy the people of Mount Pelion, Hercules decided to blow a hole in the far side of the volcano, allowing the lava to flow into the sea. The Amazon Ephiny joined him, and for a third, Hercules enlisted Kurth, a young man condemned to die for murdering the Centaur Nagus' son. Hercules convinced Nagus to help pull the wagon of explosive crystals. Most of the crystals were lost in a mishap, so the remainder had to be deposited directly in the crater mouth. Kurth took care of this suicide mission, redeeming himself in the process.

Hercules jumped through a vortex into the Netherworld. There he found his evil double, the Sovereign, as well as the cowardly double of his late sidekick, Iolaus. Disguising himself as the Sovereign, Hercules learned that Nebula, the parallel world's evil ruler, conspired with Ares to imprison the Gods of Olympus in the Labyrinth of Eternal Memory. Hercules and Iolaus battled a giant snake and entered the labyrinth. After defeating Ares and Nebula, Hercules freed the gods. The parallel Iolaus, wishing for a bright future in a new world, jumped through the vortex with Hercules.

Hercules missed the original Iolaus. He remembered when a sacred ruby had been stolen from the head of the stone panther, and he and Iolaus went to retrieve it. Autolycus committed the crime, and he swallowed the ruby. At dusk the stone panther sprang to life, and a fierce battle ensued. When Iolaus grabbed Autolycus around the rib cage to pull him out of harm's way, the ruby srrang free. Hearing this story, Iolaus 2 hoped Hercules didn't expect him to be as brave as the other Iolaus. Hercules responded that no one could be.

Althea, Hercules' former dance partner, became a fashion designer and tried to enter her designs in Oena's fashion show. But Count Von Verminhaven barred Althea as a favor to Oena, who was Althea's rival. Hercules decided to help Althea hold her own show, but he was arrested by the fashion police for wearing leather in the summer. Things got worse when Oena stole Althea's designs and burned her work. With help from Hercules, Titus and the Widow Twanky, however, Althea's show was a great success. Twanky even got revenge on Verminhaven, who had wrongfully destroyed her reputation.

Havisha, a former priestess of the oracle of Cyprus, and her boyfriend Drayus were killed by thugs on the night he proposed to her. Havisha rose from the dead on a mission of vengeance. After killing the men who murdered her, she attacked the Oracle. Hercules arrived just in time convince Havisha to stop the killing. She departed with Drayus' spirit. The Oracle, meanwhile, gave up her job because in saving her, Hercules had defied the fate she foresaw. Morrigan, who had accompanied Hercules, departed for her own people, but the couple knew they would always have Cyprus.

Hercules and Jason arrived at Cheiron's academy to find things greatly changed. The youths were out of control, and the headmaster left the school in Hercules' hands. Zylus, an upperclassman, had a secret plan to take over the school. When Hercules discovered Zylus and his friends were the masked attackers he had fought off earlier, he expelled the group. Zylus tried to burn down the school, but was no match for Hercules. After the fight, Hercules named Jason the academy's new headmaster, and Lilith -- Jason's first love -- promised to visit often.

Nautica, a mermaid, wanted to see the world. But her father, Triton, had arranged a marriage for her. Nautica found a way out when Discord gave her legs. When she met Iolaus 2, they both fell immediately in love. Unfortunately, if Nautica did not return to the sea by sunset, the waters of Greece would turn to ice. When Brutus took her hostage, Iolaus found the strength in his love and handily defeated Nautica's captor. The lovers returned to the beach and after one last kiss, the mermaid swam out to sea.

Merlin hurled the vicious warlord Arthur of Camelot and his sorceress advisor Mab a thousand years back in time to Hercules' world. But Mab helped Arthur conquer Britannia. Later she wanted to go back to her own time, and to do that she needed to kill young Merlin with the sword of Excaliber. Hercules and Morrigan captured Arthur and the sword, but mab took Merlin hostage. A fierce battle ensued, during which Hercules dispatched a giant knight and a reformed Arthur displayed newfound heroism. Merlin smote Mab, and Arthur returned to his own time as a proponent of peace.

The Rock of Arges was cursed by Zeus. Villagers who handled it began to fade out of existance, so Hercules saved them by crushing it. Unfortunately, this caused the curse to transfer to Hercules -- which was exactly what Ares, Deimos and Discord had planned. But Hercules slowed his disappearance through sheer force of will, so Ares sent Deimos to finish the job. Feeling jealous, Discord decided to help Iolaus 2 and Hercules find the remaining two stones. When Deimos and Ares inadvertenly broke the stones, the spell was broken. Hercules returned to normal while Ares was sucked into oblivion.

Iolaus 2 was shocked to learn that Nautica, his mermaid love, had been given legs and was about to marry Lysaka. Hercules went to see Triton to get to the heart of the matter, and found his former wife, Serena. They discovered Lysaka had stolen triton's trident, the source of his power, and Nautica was marrying Lysaka to get it back. Hercules got the Cabiri to fashion a new trident, then left Serena to return to Iolaus. When Aphrodite offered to make Iolaus a merman so he could be with Nautica, he agreed and said good-bye to Hercules once more.

The Archangel Michael was the harbinger of the apocalypse. He released the horsemen War, Famine and Pestilence upon the land. Meanwhile, the late Iolaus, who defied The Light on the other side to warn his friend of the approaching Armageddon, joined Hercules. Despite Ares help, Hercules and Iolaus could not stop the release of the final horseman, Death, whose first target was Iolaus. Determined to save his friend this time, Hercules fell with Death into a volcano. Hercules' sacrifice earned the world a reprieve, and Iolaus was sent back to Earth to continue his life at Hercules' side.