Original subtitles

(SIZZLING)

Dad! Dad!

Dad!

Help me!

Dad!

Icarus, no!

(GASPING)

(MOANS)

How could I have done such athing?

(SOBBING)

(YELLS IN ANGER)

How can we repayyou?

Without your help, we could never have finished

before the floods.

I only made a suggestion.

Your people are doing most ofthe work.

MAN: Hey, thanks, Hercules.

My pleasure.

(GRUNTS) Thankyou.

This is quite a feat. But not exactly the stuffof Iegends.

I'm sorry, I don't believe I've had the pleasure.

I'm Katrina of Katea.

I suppose I'm famous, too, in my own way.

What way is that?

You don't recognize my by-Iine?

By-Iine? I'm a scribe.

I go to where things are happening, and I write about them.

So you write about what other people do.

Essentially.

But you don't do anything yourself.

Well, I... I investigate.

I ask questions. I interview people.

And you get paid forthat?

Yeah. Huh.

I heard that the great Hercules was re-routing a river,

so I came to check it out.

Looks Iike another case ofthe myth outweighing the man.

People do tend to exaggerate.

Yeah, Iike the tale ofyou killing a giant sea monster

with your bare hands.

That's a Iittle hard to swallow.

Well, actually, that one's true.

And it was pretty easy for him to swallow me.

Okay. But that yarn about the two-headed Hydra.

I mean, come on. That one they got wrong.

There you go. It had three heads.

See? That's a perfect example.

That kind of misinformation neverwould've happened

if I'd been chronicling the battle.

So people reallywant to read your stories?

Ofcourse.

Some... A few.

But the point is, they have a right to know.

Maybe.

You know,

I'm on mywayto Euboea to meet an inventor named Daedalus.

I was told you know him.

Yeah, he's a... He's a good friend of mine.

I haven't seen him in ages, though.

What's he Iike?

Oh, he's probably the smartest man I know.

That's it?

It's going to be avery short story.

Come on, come on, tell me something I don't know.

AII right. Uh...

He's aterrific father. His son's name is Icarus.

Was. What do you mean?

You didn't hear?

Icarus is dead.

Daedalus killed him.

NARRATOR: This is thestory ofa time long ago,

a time ofmyth andlegend,

when the ancientgods werepettyandcruel

and theyplagued mankind with suffering.

Onlyone man dared to challenge theirpower.

Hercules.

Hercules possessedastrength the worldhadneverseen,

astrength surpassed only bythepowerofhis heart.

Hejourneyed the earth, battling the minions of his wickedstepmother, Hera,

the all-powerful queen ofthe gods.

But wherever there was evil,

whereveran innocent wouldsuffer,

there would be Hercules.

(SCREECHING)

(GROWLING)

(ROARING)

(ALL CHEERING)

See? Ifthere were more scribes in the world,

you'd have gotten the news a Iot sooner.

When did this happen?

Six months ago.

They say Daedalus was using Icarus to test a flying device,

and something went wrong.

So Daedalus didn't actually kill him.

No. But according to my sources, it was his fault.

(SIGHS)

Are these sources sure he's still Iiving in Euboea?

Yes. Why?

Because you're going to have company on yourtrip.

Oh, that'II be fun!

I may regret this.

Let me ask you something.

What's it Iike to have a fatherwho's the most powerful ofall the gods?

I thought I had already answered all your questions.

Oh, I'm just getting warmed up. Wonderful.

Nowthen, rumor has it you and Zeus don't get along.

Let'sjust saywe stay out ofeach other's way as much as possible.

What about your step-mother?

Hera? We get in each other's way as much as possible.

Because she killed yourwife and children?

WOMAN: Hurry before they find us.

You asktoo many questions.

Sorry. It's myjob, remember?

WOMAN: This way!

Wait, wait. What's, uh... What's going on?

Backthere... Soldiers, taking ourvillage.

You stay here. Okay.

Not.

Come on, get in there!

Light it up! Light it up!

AII right. CIear, clear!

Fire!

(WOMAN SCREAMS)

(GASPS)

It's pillage time!

WOMAN: They'II burn us to the ground!

MAN: Here comes another one!

(GRUNTS)

MAN: Hercules saved us!

You threwthat betterthan Atlas.

This isn't atime for small talk.

But then, he's more into Iifting weights.

Or shrugging. That sort ofthing.

(YELLS)

(GROANS)

Mightierthan the sword.

Don'tjudge a book by its cover.

(SCREAMS)

(GROANS)

(SCREAMING)

SOLDIER: AII right, you...

PIease don't kill me!

Who's crossbow is this? Uh, uh, uh...

I thinkyou bettertell him.

He doesn't Iook too happy.

Daedalus, he's the one.

Atoast to Daedalus.

The man whose inventions will help

protect the realm from our enemies.

To Daedalus.

ALL: To Daedalus! Daedalus!

Uh, ifyou'II excuse me, King Nikolos,

I have workto do.

I thought you'd finished.

Oh, the first Megalith is almost readyto test,

and ifyou'd Iike me to stop there...

No, no.

By all means, please, return to the Lab.

Thankyou.

Keep an eye on him, Perdix.

We've come too far for him to have a change of heart now.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Oh, and, uh, see ifyou can't speed up the process.

Because once this weapon is finished,

even the great Hercules won't be able to stop me this time.

(CHUCKLING)

Cheers.

GATE GUARD: I don't thinkwe'II have any more trouble.

Butjust to make sure, stay on the Iookout.

Don't Iet anybodythrough.

KATRINA: Whywould Daedalus build aweapon Iike that crossbow?

HERCULES: I intend to find out.

It's certainly not the Daedalus I knew.

But you knew he was capable of it. You said he was smart.

I'm still not sure that he built it.

Maybe that soldier Lied.

If Daedalus didn't, then who?

I know. Let me do the talking.

I'm just here to observe and report.

You won't hear a peep out of me. Be a nice change.

Where do you think you're going?

I'm here to see Daedalus. He's a friend of mine.

The inventor.

Builds giant crossbows, things Iike that.

Sound familiar? Katrina.

Well, come on, fellas, you're not fooling anyone.

We know he lives here.

No one enters without the King's permission.

You obviously don't know who you're talking to.

It's all right. We'II be right back.

It is not all right. They have no right to treat us Iike this.

I have come all the way from Katea, and...

Hey, don't pull so hard!

Why didn't you teach those cretins a Iesson?

Because they're not from Crete. Oh.

I knowthere are only four at the gate. But I know Nikolos.

There'II be a hundred more inside.

I've heard stories ofyou defeating twice as many.

(SIGHS) That's not the point.

I don't want anyone to get hurt needlessly.

What kind ofa story would that make?

Nowwhat are you doing?

(SIGHS)

Going overthe wall, if it's any concern ofyours.

With that rope?

Yes. Now, just stay put and I'II be right back.

GUARD 1: When's our shift over?

GUARD 2: Oh, I don't know.

But my feet hurt!

Hey!

Huh? Huh?

(BOTH SCREAMING)

Going up.

Going down.

Ow.

No, no, no, use circular movements...

Circular.

Hurry up with that.

The King's anxious to see the Megalith in action.

Give it to me!

Fool! Don't you know how dangerous those compounds are?

Be careful!

(SCREAMS)

Didn't I tell you to wait for me?

That was you?

You meet so many people in my Iine ofwork.

Look, I... I can't help it.

I smell a story, I follow my nose.

AII right.

But stay close to me. I don't want you out of my sight.

Right.

Right.

(COUGHING)

Daedalus! Are you all right?

Hercules! What happened?

No, uh... It'sjust a small chemical fire.

It's nothing my assistants can't handle.

What are you doing in Euboea?

I heard about Icarus. I'm sorry.

Oh. Thankyou, I...

Ifthere's anything I can do...

I'm Katrina of Katea.

I was wondering ifyou'd Iike to make

a statement about your crossbow.

Katrina, this isn't the time.

I'm practicing my craft, ifyou don't mind.

What is she talking about?

On ourway here, we saw a giant crossbow.

A soldier said you made it.

So?

I'm chief inventor to King Nikolos. That's myjob.

The same King Nikolos that massacred hundreds at the fields of Danlos?

Katrina, don't...

Excuse me, I have ajob to do here.

Look, that war ended years ago.

So you don't deny building the weapon?

Why should I?

Aren't you aware howyour crossbow's being used?

Daedalus, there was atime

you wouldn't design a knife for fear it might cut someone.

What's that supposed to mean?

It means you're designing giant crossbows to kill people.

It is not my crossbow, young Iady.

It belongs to the King.

Myjob is to invent, not to passjudgment.

Good to see you again, Hercules.

Now, ifyou'II excuse me, I have workto do.

(KATRINA SIGHS)

I can't believe you were so protective of him.

I...

She is really starting to bug me.

(MIMICS BOMB DROPPING)

(MIMICS EXPLOSION)

(LAUGHING)

Your Highness, I just saw Hercules outside Daedalus' Lab.

Hercules, here? In my city?

Is the Megalith ready?

Yes, Your Highness.

Good.

Because the next time I fight Hercules,

he'II be the one that won't stand a chance.

(LAUGHING)

KATRINA: I thinkyour pal Daedalus has Iost his conscience.

You don't know him well enough to make thatjudgment.

He admitted building the crossbow.

He Iost his only son.

I'm sure you can really appreciate what that did to him.

That doesn't give him the right to build weapons of mass destruction.

No, it doesn't.

But it does give him the right

to be treated with a Iittle courtesy and respect,

not interrogated Iike some common criminal.

Okay, maybe I was a Iittle out of Iine,

but his evasiveness irritated me.

You put him on the defensive.

Yeah, maybe he's got something to be defensive about.

Maybe.

Or maybe Nikolos has taken advantage of his grief.

Well, whether that's true or not,

Nikolos is even more dangerous,

nowthat he has Daedalus' invention.

You should have killed him at the Battle of PIataea.

I don't believe in killing unless I have to.

Nikolos was defeated

and his army scattered with the wind.

Afterthat, hejust disappeared.

And now he's back, and he's become a problem again.

If I set myself up as executioner,

then I'm no better than he is.

I'm going to go speakto Daedalus alone.

I'II go with you. AIone means alone.

His Majesty, King Nikolos,

would Iike Hercules tojoin him at the palace.

It's a request, not an order.

In that case, Iead the way.

The invitation is for Hercules alone.

I know. AIone means alone.

Hercules.

Nikolos.

So, what brings you to our peaceful Iittle kingdom?

There are villagers a halfa day's march from here

who would question its peacefulness.

Those people are rebels.

I have a right to defend my borders.

But not to wipe out entire villages.

Those rebels are helpless farmers, not soldiers.

(CHUCKLING)

Forthe threat ofannihilation to work,

one must occasionally make good on those threats.

You know,

that's exactlythe kind ofattitude that got you exiled to Lexos.

Are you threatening me?

Call it what you Iike.

But don't get any ideas about returning to your former power.

Especiallywhen you recruit friends of mine to help.

You've got it wrong.

Daedalus came to me with his plans,

begging me for funds and equipment.

I merely provided them.

When he puts his grief behind him,

he'II realize what you're doing,

and you won't be able to use him anymore.

I think our Iittle reunion is over.

This should be interesting.

Perdix,

see what our friend Daedalus is doing.

Bring him to me.

Now.

Daedalus, remember me?

I'm Katrina, Hercules' friend.

I'd Iike to askyou a few more questions.

I've said all I have to say.

I'd Iike to get your side ofthe story.

About your son's death.

Oh... Really.

I know I'm prying,

and I know it's personal and painful,

but people are saying his death was your fault.

Don't you want an opportunity to respond to that?

You're right, it is personal,

and very painful.

And you are prying.

Guards!

Awaywith you. AII right.

You may regret this.

Hey!

DAEDALUS: Prepare the experiment.

That's it, that's it. Move it over here.

Carefully, carefully! In position.

The crystals must be aligned exactly.

Exactly. There.

Try it now!

Oh!

Oh, that's... That's still not right.

Do it again!

Uh-oh.

(KNOCKAT DOOR)

Go away.

Daedalus, it's me, Hercules.

What do you want from me?

I want to know what you're doing here with Nikolos.

I had no place else to go, Hercules.

He took me in and gave me everything I needed for mywork.

And in return,

you supply him with all the deadly weapons he wants.

I help him protect Euboea's citizens.

I knowthis man, Daedalus.

He doesn't care about protecting civilians.

I sawthe bodies he Ieft behind

when he ransacked Danlos and PIataea.

Ah, that was Iong ago. People change.

Not his kind of people.

I saw his men use your crossbow against helpless farmers.

No. No,

Nikolos wouldn't have attacked those renegades

unless they posed athreat to our security.

You're Ietting your grief blind you to the truth.

(ANGRILY) What would you know about my grief?

I'm sorry, Hercules.

(SIGHS)

Apology accepted.

Daedalus,

I knowthis is a hard time foryou.

But creating pain and suffering for others

isn't going to bring Icarus back.

What would you have me do?

If I don't keep busy, I'II go out of my mind.

I can't be held responsible

ifsomeone misuses one of my creations.

Can't you?

Why can't people just Ieave me alone to do mywork?

Because what we do, whatever it is,

affects everyone around us.

Is this howyou want to honor Icarus'memory?

By building weapons ofdestruction?

You ever considered using a depilatory?

I hope you're not considering keeping me prisoner.

I have some very powerful friends in very high places.

Prisoner? On the contrary.

You're an honored guest.

I am? Ofcourse.

It's not often we have scribes in our kingdom.

You don't strike me as the type who'd appreciate a free press.

Can I really go when I want?

Certainly.

However,

it might be in your best interest ifyou stayed.

Why is that?

Why, you'd have the opportunity

to witness history in the making.

An event that would Iive for a hundred centuries.

I'm Iistening.

Daedalus has supplied me

with the ultimate militaryweapon,

which I'm about to demonstrate.

You'd have an exclusive on the story.

Interested?

What is that stuff?

Boiled sea serpent.

Put hairs on your chest.

Not that you need any, ofcourse.

But you should see the way it worked

for one of the guards around here.

Do I knowyou?

Sure, I do. It's Falafel.

What's... What's with the beard?

PIease. I owe people money for ataco franchise.

Hey, I have a special.

Eyes and fries.

Foryou, a dinar 95.

No, thanks. I'm Iooking for a girl.

(CHUCKLES) Aren't we all?

No, it's not Iike that.

She's... She's about this tall.

Asks a Iot ofquestions.

(LOUD THUDDING)

(GASPS)

Uh... Good Iuck!

(PEOPLE SHOUTING)

(YELLS)

(PERDIX LAUGHING)

PERDIX: I'm gonna squash you Iike a bug, Hercules.

No!

Shouldn't you be taking notes?

Stop it, please! Why?

With Daedalus'Megalith,

I'II get back everything Hercules forced me to give up.

I'II be unstoppable!

And you can quote me on that.

(GRUNTS)

(PERDIX LAUGHS)

Ow!

PIease, call him off!

I thought yourjob was to report to the world what happens here.

But he's killing Hercules!

(BUBBLING)

(CHUCKLING)

(SCREAMING)

(PERDIX GROANING)

What's the matter, Nikolos?

Things didn't work out Iike you hoped?

I'm not finished with you yet, Hercules.

I swear,

I'II have my revenge.

(GRUNTING)

Huh?

You've got about three seconds to get out ofthere,

oryou'II become a permanent part ofthat thing.

(EXCLAIMING IN FEAR)

Out of myway!

That was great!

Ooh, you all right?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Nikolos has an odd sense of hospitality.

Yeah, we better get out of here.

Why? It's such a fun town.

I should take a Iook at that cut.

Think I'II Iive?

How can you joke?

I've never been so scared in my Iife.

My heart is still pounding.

Weren't you afraid?

Sure.

But a Iittle fear is healthy.

It keeps you from underestimating your opponent.

Can I quote you on that?

Don't you ever stop?

Well...

You! You told me the Megalith was invincible,

yet Hercules just defeated it.

You used it against Hercules?

Can you think ofa better test for it?

You told me you wanted it to protect Euboea.

Hercules is my friend. He'II think I betrayed him.

OId man, I don't care what Hercules thinks.

But your next machine better not fail.

Oh, no. There won't be a next one.

I'm going to dismantle it right now.

(SNAPS FINGER)

Nobody quits on me.

King Nikolos, please...

You were on your Iast Iegs when I found you.

Living on the streets, practically suicidal.

I tookyou in, fed you,

put a roof overyour head, gave you a Lab.

And this is how you repay me?

I'm begging you.

No,

I'm telling you.

Ifyou want to get out of Euboea alive,

you finish thejob I hired you for.

You're in no condition to go anywhere.

Daedalus needs my help.

Nikolos has him so confused,

he's not thinking straight.

You go backthere, Nikolos will just try and kill you again.

I'm more concerned about Daedalus.

You ever stop to think

ifyou'd killed Nikolos when you had the chance,

none ofthis would have happened?

Maybe.

But that's not who I am.

Oh, that's great!

Wait, wait! Oh, wait, wait, wait for me!

What?

Icarus,

I'm sorry.

Somehow, I'II put things right.

I promise.

Out of myway!

What are you doing? (LAUGHING)

Don't!

Forget him. Get the Megalith out of here.

Halley, overthere! Yes, Perdix.

GUARD: Daedalus is atraitor! Move, move!

Let it burn!

GUARD: Don't mess with us, old man.

WOMAN: The Iab's on fire!

MAN: The Iab's on fire!

HERCULES: Katrina...

Just... (GRUNT IN FRUSTRATION)

Daedalus!

Guards, get him.

(SCREAMING)

PERDIX: Halley, no!

(SCREAMING)

(SCREAMING IN THE DISTANCE)

Hey, what's that?

(CONTINUES SCREAMING)

Halley.

Again?

Go! Run!

Run!

After Icarus died, all my...

AII my ideas were born out of rage and pain.

You felt responsible for his death?

I could have stopped it.

There were two sets ofwings. One for each of us.

You and Icarus went flying together?

Eh... Eh...

I still remember the first time.

He was so scared.

And bythe end, he was sorry.

He could never get enough.

The day he died, he...

He came into myworkroom as I was struggling with a new invention.

He wanted me to go flying with him.

"Later," I said.

After awhile,

I noticed how quiet it was.

I went to Iook for him.

I...

I heard avoice

far up in the clouds.

It was Icarus,

crying out for me.

I had warned him against flying too close to the sun.

There was nothing I could do

except watch him fall.

Or I could have gone with him,

instead of being so busy with all my inventions.

You can't change the past.

AII you can do is be the man that Icarus knew and Ioved.

I'm not sure if I can or not.

But I do know it's Iong past time I started trying.

What's that?

(CHUCKLES)

One ofthe toys I made for him.

Oh, it's gooey!

It's incredible.

(CHUCKLES) Looks Iike fun.

Yeah, it's addicting.

What do you call this stuff?

Oh, it doesn't have a name. It's...

It'sjust a silly Iittle thing I made

out of nuts and mud and oil.

What do you say we put the silly, nuttything away,

and we go tell Nikolos that you're through working for him?

I'd Iike that very much.

How badly damaged is it, Perdix?

It Iooks Iike we salvaged

all the essential parts, My Lord.

Good.

I want to see it for myself.

(PEOPLE EXCLAIMING IN FEAR)

Shall I climb in and ready the machine, My Lord?

No. As King,

I want the honor and glory of killing Hercules myself.

I'm going to roast him Iike a pig.

(LAUGHING)

Be quiet!

Hercules, you should know there is another Megalith I was working on.

There's another one ofthose things?

Unfortunately.

And it's more powerful and Iess vulnerable than the first.

That's why I went backto the Lab, to destroy it.

Let's hope you succeeded.

Well, I can't tell, with all the smoke.

I wasn't sure ifthe fire got to it.

Well then, we better make sure.

Hercules is right.

If it didn't burn up,

it'II be the most powerful weapon the world has ever seen.

And this time, it won't be so easyto destroy.

Easy?

Look, you two better stay here

while I go back to the Lab and check it out.

But ifthe weapon wasn't destroyed...

That's why I want you to stay here.

You thinkyou can do that this time?

Thankyou.

Ah-ah!

Are you sure you won't be needing any help, My Lord?

Just bring a broom, Perdix,

because the next time you see Hercules,

there won't be anything Ieft but ashes!

(LAUGHING)

Daedalus, those questions I was asking you...

Oh, you were right to askthem.

It's the mark ofgood scribe.

Still, I could have...

Should have been more sensitive.

Then that would have made you a great scribe.

I meant to tell you,

I'm sorry about your son Icarus.

Truly sorry.

Thankyou.

I tried to raise him as best as I could.

But after his mother died...

You never remarried?

Perhaps I should've.

He was awild, headstrong boy,

and I was always busy with all my inventions.

If he'd had a mother...

You did the best you could.

Sometimes the gods smile on us.

Sometimes.

I wish I'd died instead of him.

Don't saythat.

You still have the capacityto do good in this world.

Maybe.

How Iong has he been gone now?

Ah, not that Iong.

Feels Iike an eternity.

There's a story happening, and I'm not there.

He wants you out ofdanger.

Yeah, while he puts himself in danger.

Because of my shortcomings.

It's not all your fault.

Nikolos had a Iittle to do with it.

It's still my responsibility.

I invented that weapon.

I should be there with Hercules.

Me, too.

He told us to stay.

I haven't Iistened to him yet.

(RUMBLING)

Hercules!

WOMAN: It's another Megalith!

MAN: Let's get out of here.

Once you defeated me.

Now I will enjoy watching you suffer.

Welcome backto Euboea.

Too bad this day can't be Ionger.

(LAUGHING)

Oh, yeah, Iike this'II protect me.

Oh... Bad idea.

(PEOPLE GASP)

(LAUGHING)

Where are you going? It's time to play.

Great.

(LAUGHS)

(GRUNTS)

That's what you'II Iook Iike

when I'm through with you, Hercules.

(LAUGHING)

I don't think so.

You might as well stay and fight.

I'II burn the whole city down, if I have to.

But I'II get you.

(LAUGHING)

(GRUNTS)

Uh-oh.

No! No!

You Ieave him alone!

I'II deal with you two Later.

You okay?

Can I get a quote Later?

Much Later.

HERCULES: Let's see what this silly, nuttything can do.

Start to fry, big man.

(GROANING)

(NIKOLOS SCREAMING)

(GRUNTING)

Hercules.

I... I thought it would have Iasted Iongerthan that.

Sorry.

Let's get out of here.

Daedalus, you didn't build any more ofthese things, did you?

Well, that should be the Iast of it.

Howwill I ever make up

for all the grief my inventions have caused people?

By going back and doing what you've always done best.

Inventing things that help mankind.

That's a story I'd Iike to write.

I'II try my best.

I can't think ofa betterwayto honor Icarus's memory.

Farewell, Hercules.

And thankyou.

Farewell, Daedalus.

Thankyou. Scribe, farewell.

Hercules,

I had you wrong.

You are a Iiving Iegend,

and a hero in the true sense ofthe word.

I just tryto help people the best I can.

Yeah, well, I can't imagine anyone doing a betterjob.

And you've given me more material than I'd ever hoped for.

Really? Maybe you should write a book.

A book.

What a novel idea.

(CHUCKLES) There you go.

Ofcourse, I'd have to change the names, cut it down a Iot.

Maybe Iose some ofthe more outrageous stuff.

Why is that?

This'd definitely have to be fictionalized.

Who would believe it?

Yeah. (CHUCKLES)