Hercules in the Underworld
Hercules in the Underworld is the fourth made-for-TV movie in the series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. When villagers begin disappearing it is discovered that they had fallen through a crack in the earth which goes straight to Hades. Hercules once again comes to the rescue and faces one of his most difficult challenges, and must prove himself as a man as well as a god.
| Hercules in the Underworld | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Andrew Dettmann Daniel Truly |
| Directed by | Bill L. Norton |
| Original release | |
| Release | November 7, 1994 |
Plot synopsis
changeIn the centre of a village the ground begins to open up and a strange green light emanates from within. Two drunken men see the light and walk over to take a closer look. As they approach a gaseous vapour begins pouring out of the fissure and in a flash of light the two men are charred with only their bones remaining.
The following day Hercules is working in the smithy with Nessus, the Centaur. He watches the children playing outside when a woman, Iole, comes looking for him. She says she's from the village of Gryphon and that they need Hercules' help. Hercules agrees to help, but Deianeira tells the girl to rest first.
Hercules and Iole continue onto Gryphon, when they arrive the people take him to the area where the hole has opened up in the ground. He walks through the village seeing fire and destructions and dead bodies strewn on the floor.
With the kiss her memories return and Hercules makes a deal with Hades that if he can capture Cerberus, then Deianeira can go back to Earth with him. Hercules goes after Cerberus, he finds Hades' men trying and failing to capture him. Hercules fights and defeats Cerberus and chains him up again. Once Cerberus is chained the hole in the ground closes up and Deianeira appears. Back on Earth the villagers thank Hercules for helping them and he and Deianeira go home.
Series Continuity and notes
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- Nessus, Hades, and the Cerberus all play into the labors of Hercules, although not in the fashion portrayed here. The capture of Cerberus was supposedly the last labor of Hercules where he brings Cerberus to the surface world at the demand of King Eurystheus, not a request of Hades. He returned Cerberus to Hades only after the twelfth labor was completed.
- The scene where Deianara was abducted by the Centaur and where Hercules shot him with an arrow was supposedly the last days of Hercules as a mortal. When he was caught by the fire, Hercules chose to be cremated alive to hasten his death but was transformed by Zeus into a full god. Also Deianara is the second wife and her death was by suicide, Megara is the first wife.
Main cast
change- Kevin Sorbo as Hercules
- Tawny Kitaen as Deianeira
- Anthony Quinn as Zeus