511/92. Redemption


Episode promos

Episode credits and cast

Episode descriptions

Episode disclaimer

Episode commentary

Promo:

Credits:

Writer... Lisa Klink
Editor... David Blewitt, A. C. E.
Director... Bruce Campbell
Original Air Date... Jan. 18, 1999

Cast:

Hercules/Dahak-Hercules... Kevin Sorbo
Iolaus/Dahak-Iolaus... Michael Hurst
Nebula... Gina Torres
Morrigan... Tamara Gorski
Jason... Jeffrey Thomas
Zarathustra... George Henare
Ares... Kevin Smith
Skouros... Bruce Allpress
Antibes... Stephanie Liebert
Zaylan... Daniel Logan
Dahak... Mark Newnham

Description:

Disclaimer:

Finally, the demon Dahak was destroyed during the production of this motion picture.

Commentary:

A group of five adults finally defeated a monster, an eater of worlds, in Stephen King's "It." Almost the same case is here, as five adults attempt to send Dahak, incarnate darkness, back to his realm, thus saving Iolaus' soul and finally letting him rest in peace. Along the way, Zarathustra dies for trying to seek forgiveness from who he thinks is his son, Hercules exchanges banter with Dahak-Iolaus about how Iolaus was seduced, Nebula and Morrigan face zombified followers of Dahak (I'm thinking "The Lost City" meets The Evil Dead), and Hercules and Iolaus team up for the last time and defeat Dahak in the spiritual world.

Hercules/Dahak-Hercules: Perhaps the most emotional episode for Hercules of all. Hercules agrees to help Zarathustra perform an exorcism on Dahak-Iolaus, and this means that Hercules must say good-bye once again. Before that happens, Hercules talks to Dahak-Iolaus in two tones: amusement and anger. And all the while, Iolaus almost escapes twice, and Hercules fails to catch him, which frustrates Herc. In the final battle against Dahak, Hercules helps Iolaus confront and conquer the being that lied and ensnared his best friend, and walks away with Morrigan and Nebula, taking Iolaus' death much better than in "Faith", "Descent", and "Resurrection". And credit to Kevin Sorbo, who imbued his Dahak-Hercules character with a personality that offers Iolaus so many technicalities about right and wrong, that Iolaus gave in.

Dahak-Iolaus/Iolaus: Dahak has inhabited Iolaus' body for the last episode, which is some sort of homage to The Exorcist. Dahak shows off all his demonly powers here: talk in different voices and tongues, create figures thought to be loved ones but are actually demons themselves, and levitating immortals, spinning them around, and removing their immortality. Dahak-Iolaus does no more than say wisecracks about the situation, and tells Hercules that Iolaus came to him, and doesn't believe that Hercules can stop him. In fact, he once acted like a child, demanding of Hercules, "D*mn you! Kill me!" On the other hand, it's nice to see the real Iolaus again. He gave in to Dahak's temptations, but then changed his decision and with Hercules destroys Dahak, and Iolaus wins his spot in the Light with Zarathustra.

Since the episode focused clearly on Hercules and Dahak-Iolaus (and Iolaus), I don't have much of anything to write about the other characters. No offense to Nebula, Morrigan, Ares, and Jason fans out there.


510/91. Let There Be Light -- Previous/Next -- 512/93. Sky High

Hercules Episode Guide Index