Hercules saves a princess from being sacrificed and they search for a missing city.
Summary[]
Several runners frantically search for Hercules. Hera kills all but one. In a nearby town, Gargon the giant challenges Hercules to a fight. Hercules defeats him with a well-placed fist to his head. The runner arrives shortly after, dying in Hercules' arms after asking him to find Troy and restore it to its rightful glory. Zeus can't help Hercules because of Hera, but tells his son that Queen Omphale’s late husband had a compass that can help him find his way to the city.
As Hercules sets out on his quest, he comes to the rescue of a young woman being willingly sacrificed to a water god by a tribe of forest dwellers. When Hercules verbally reprimands the woman for being foolish, she tells him she wants to be sacrificed because her destiny is supposedly to be with the gods. Hercules learns her name is Dieaneria. She decides to accompany him to Troy since she now feels that perhaps her destiny is to follow him, a half-god, since he saved her. Hercules reluctantly agrees to let her tag along.
During the night, someone spies on the young woman. She looks to see who it is, but they are gone.
The next morning, as the two arrive at Omphale's border, they learn the Queen only comes out in public once a year for her slave auction. Luckily, the slave auction take place today. Sadly, the 48 brothers of Martnis that guard the gate won't let Hercules and his friend pass. Hercules fights off a few, but ultimately decides to do the smarter thing, which is to climb in over the wall.
The demigod ends up having Dieaneria put him up for auction as a slave for a day, knowing that it is the only way he can see Omphale.
Once Omphale buys Hercules for the day, she declares it to be a holiday and lets Hercules relax, promising to give him the compass later on.
That night, Dieaneria meets some of Omphale’s eunuchs as she eats a bare-bones meal at a seedy tavern. One of them is a chubby man named Waylin who is proud to be a eunuch. As typical, Malus comes into the tavern to bully the eunuchs for a daily payment of “protection” gold. Dieaneria stands up to him, claiming she's the Princess of Thesalonia. She ends up paying what the tavern owes Malus with the money she got from the auction. Though she chases them away, Malus promises to slit her "royal" throat if he sees her again. Waylin tells Dieaneria that, despite the good she attempted to do, Malus will just want double next time.
Later, Dieaneria runs into her follower, who helps her escape from Malus and his gang. When she asks him why he is following her, he tells her that as she follows her destiny he follows her.
The next morning, Hercules gets the compass. He then helps Dieaneria and the eunuchs chase Malus and his gang from town. Waylin thanks Hercules by declaring that he wants to serve him. Not believing in slavery, Hercules refuses his offer.
As their journey to Troy resumes, the compass directs Hercules and the young woman to a cliff near the sea. Before going across, they set up camp nearby for the night. They are surprised to learn Waylin has followed them. He begs Hercules to let him serve him, but Hercules still refuses his offer. To get him to leave, the demigod orders him to return to Omphale's kingdom and serve her for the rest of his life.
The next day, Dieaneria's follower calls the Blue Serpent up from the waters to swallow Hercules and Dieaneria up as sacrifices to the goddess Hera. Inside the Blue Serpent, Hercules tears the beast's heart apart to destroy it. Meanwhile, Dieaneria dodges several eels swimming around in the muck. After the two float up to the surface, they find themselves washed ashore the beach they were headed to in the first place.
Not long after their arrival, Hercules and Dieaneria are captured by a proud warrior of Troy named Telamon. They are taken to a camp outside Troy where the Trojans have been forced to live since Hera's priests overtook their city. Dieaneria meets King Ilus, who is near his death. In his final moments, Ilus reveals himself to be the young woman's father. He explains that Dieaneria was sent from Troy when she was a child because he didn't want to sacrifice her to Hera. As King Ilus passes his last breath, Dieaneria promises to take the city back for their people. Hercules agrees to help out.
Shortly after, Waylin arrives and also agrees to help Hercules and Dieaneria in their struggle. Hercules teaches the Trojans that they need to be "hard as rocks" when fighting. Despite her people being ready for a fight, Dieaneria fears that without the gods' help they stand little chance of winning back Troy. She feels even worse when Hercules refuses her affections in a romantic sense.
The next day, Hercules, Waylin and the Trojans sneak into the city using an underground tunnel. They are no longer trying just to win the city back, but also to rescue Dieaneria, who has gone alone into Troy to give herself up in the hopes of saving everyone. Hercules searches for her in the sacrificial tower.
Meanwhile, Waylin and the others battle Hera's priests in the courtyard. At the top of the tower, Hercules comes face to face with the Blue Priest as he's about to behead Dieaneria.
After a tough battle, he decapitates the Blue Priest. He then uses the Blue Priest's own sword to toss his body, which is still alive, down off the tower. Right after, Zeus appears to tell his son that Hera still wants Dieaneria. When Hercules refuses to grant her that demand, Hera instead takes him as a sacrifice. Zeus assures the worried Dieaneria that Hera won't dare kill his son. He also tells the new Queen of Troy that the gods are petty and cruel so she should follow her own destiny.
As the people crown Dieaneria, she officially decrees Waylin as her new Minister of Defense. A short while later, Hercules is sent back to Earth, immediately meeting a man who needs his help.
Disclaimer[]
No disclaimer.
Gallery[]
Background Information[]
- The story is loosely based on the myth of Hesione, sister of Priam.
- Renee O'Connor, who played Deianeira, would go on to play Gabrielle in Xena: Warrior Princess.
- Deianeira (of Corinth) was also the name of Hercules's first wife.
- Robert Trebor would go on to play Salmoneus in multiple episodes of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess. He would also play a few different roles in other episodes, as well as direct "A Rock and a Hard Place".
- Nathaniel Lees would play multiple roles in various episodes of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Xena: Warrior Princess and Young Hercules. The most notable of these roles would be Cheiron. He would also reprise the Blue Priest in "The Wedding of Alcmene".
- During their battle, the Blue Priest says, "No more labors for you, Hercules" – an obvious nod to the Twelve Labors of Greek myth.
- The helmets worn by the Trojan soldiers in this film would later be modified for use by the Ironheads in "All That Glitters." They would later become the trademark helmet worn by Joxer on Xena: Warrior Princess.
- There is a 1965 movie starring Gordon Scott as Hercules called Hercules and the Princess of Troy, in which Hercules fights a sea monster to save the legendary city of Troy.
- Xena and Gabrielle visit Troy in "Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts." It appears different and no mention of the events in this film are made.
Goofs[]
- Hercules says they will attack Troy at dawn. The scene showing them preparing for battle is clearly mid-day. The shadows from the trees show the sun to be overhead in the sky, despite Telamon saying it is dawn.
- Hercules tells Dieaneria he doesn't have any brothers and sisters. Later episodes establish he has one human brother, and a number of half brothers and sisters who are gods.
Links and References[]
Cast[]
- Kevin Sorbo as Hercules
- Anthony Quinn as Zeus
- Renee O'Connor as Deianeira
- Robert Trebor as Waylin
- Eric Close as Telamon
- Elizabeth Hawthorne as Queen Omphale
- Nathaniel Lees as Blue Priest
Other Cast[]
- Jay Saussey as Village Girl
- John Sumner as Inn Owner
- Lee-Jane Foreman as Village Girl #2
- Onno Boelee as Gargan the Giant
- Chic Littlewood as Gambling Villager
- Alex Beasley as Marathon Messenger #1
- Te Whatanui Skipwith as Chief Elder
- Daniel Warren as Strongman Brother
- Darren Warren as Strongman Brother
- Francis Bell as Auctioneer
- Peter Rowley as Auctioneer's Sidekick
- Brenda Kendall as Janus the Bartender
- Todd Rippon as Melus the Hood
- Barry Hill as King Ilus
- Gilbert Goldie as Nevus
- Patrick Wilson as Chief Monk
- Maggie Tarver as Motherly Fighter
- George Boyle as Old Man
- UNCREDITED as Runner
References[]
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| Telemovies | Season 1 >> | |||||||
| #01 | The Amazon Women | #03 | The Circle of Fire | #05 | The Maze of the Minotaur | |||
| #02 | The Lost Kingdom | #04 | The Underworld | |||||