Armageddon Now

"Armageddon Now, Part 1; Armageddon Now, Part 2"
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys episode
Episode no.	Season 4 Episode 13 & 14
Directed by	Mark Beesley
Written by	Paul Robert Coyle
Original air date	9 & 16 February 1998
Guest actors
Hudson Leick (Callisto) Amy Morrison (Hope) Kevin Smith as (Ares) Joel Tobeck (Strife)

Armageddon Now (Parts 1 and 2) formed two episodes of the American/New Zealand television series, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995-1999). The episodes were numbers 13 and 14 of the fourth season of the series, first broadcast 9 and 16 February 1998.

In these episodes, Hope frees Callisto from her prison and sends her back through time in order to prevent Hercules from being born. Iolaus convinces Ares to send him back to stop her.

Plot synopsis

During the funerals of Solan and Hope, some of Hope's ashes rise from the pyre and travel to a nearby town, where they coalesce to form the charred body of Hope. She drains the life from an old man in the street and steals his cloak. Meanwhile, Hercules and Iolaus are helping Alcmene build a wall at her house when she gives them some news from Queen Leda about King Tyndareus, who has been making offerings to Ares because his daughter has gotten married. Hercules promises Alcmene that his next visit will be longer.

Hope travels to the cave where Callisto of Cirra is trapped and releases her. Hope tells a reluctant Callisto that she wants her to rid the world of Hercules once and for all. At Ares' temple, Tyndareus speaks with Ares and Strife. Ares gives him a new weapon designed by Hephaestus and convinces him to start a war. Hercules and Iolaus arrive and Hercules collapses part of the temple over the weapons.

Back at the caves, Hope tells Callisto that she can get her life back. Elsewhere Hercules and Iolaus talk sense into the king and tell him he should celebrate his daughter's wedding. Back at his temple, Ares complains to Strife about Hercules and Iolaus. While they talk, Callisto appears and she and Ares talk about her past, when Xena killed her family. Callisto tells Ares about the plan to get rid of Hercules and Strife tries to warn him about Callisto. Outside the temple, the two gods open the portal releasing the Sovereign from limbo. Ares takes the Hind's Blood pendant from him and disappears, Callisto close behind.

While Hercules and Iolaus are having a meal, they bump into a villager who says that he had seen Hercules in Arcadia that morning, smashing the place up. From his description Hercules and Iolaus realize that it is the Sovereign and rush off. They arrive to see the Sovereign beating up the villagers. Hercules tells him to stop and they begin fighting. Iolaus overcomes the Sovereign and takes him back to Ares' temple.

Ares and Callisto appear and open the portal. Hercules and the Sovereign get sucked in leaving Iolaus alone as the gods vanish. Hercules and the Sovereign appear in the limbo between the two worlds. The Sovereign plans to kill Hercules so they can both die and they begin fighting. In the temple, the gods celebrate getting rid of Hercules. Callisto tries to take the Hind's Blood from Ares, but he stops her. The two fight, but the God of War is too much for Callisto to handle. Hope appears and revitalizes her, and Callisto engages Ares in battle once more, this time defeating him. She snatches the pendant from Ares, who orders Strife to stop her, but she uses a dagger dipped in Hind's Blood to kill him.

Hope appears in the temple and Callisto leaves with her. Iolaus convinces Ares that if they get Hercules back they may be able to stop Hope and Callisto. In the woods, Hope sends Callisto back through time. Ares and Iolaus arrive and Hope tells them she has gone back to stop Hercules from ever being born. Iolaus realizes she has gone to kill Hercules' mother.

Iolaus tells Ares to go back and get her, but he refuses. Iolaus says he will go instead. Ares agrees, telling him he can only travel where Callisto goes. Iolaus arrives back in the past and finds out from some women that Alcmene is "with child." In the limbo world, Hercules tries to talk to the Sovereign. Hercules asks him how he watched him in limbo, the Sovereign says he was thinking about him and a window opened in a pool of water.

Hercules tells the Sovereign that Ares and Callisto had help putting them in the limbo world, and tries to convince him that escape is possible. Meanwhile, Iolaus races to get to Alcmene before Callisto. Iolaus arrives at Alcmene's house and tells her that they need to get away. Alcmene turns away from Iolaus and sees Callisto. As she shoots a fire ball at Alcmene, Iolaus runs towards her. The screen fades to black.

Continuity and notes

• This episode continues directly on from the events of the Xena episode "Maternal Instincts."
• The episode also continues events and storylines from a previous Hercules episode, "Stranger in a Strange World."

Cultural references

• Ares: You're not in Neverland now, pal.
  • This is a reference to the home of Peter Pan in the children's books by J. M. Barrie.
• Iolaus rhetorically asks Tyndareus,"Isn't the world supported on the backs of four giant elephants?"
  • This is a reference to the World Elephant myth

Main cast

• Kevin Sorbo as Hercules
• Michael Hurst as Iolaus

External links

• "Armageddon Now" at TV.com
• "Armageddon Now: Part 1" at IMDb
• "Armageddon Now: Part 2" at IMDb
• Synopsis and commentaries, Whoosh! Episode Guide