This review contains spoilers.
The conclusion of this two-parter lives up to the great first part, and even surpasses it.
Hercules and his double, the Sovereign, pretty much spend the entire episode trapped in the limbo-like Netherworld. Much of this is due to writing around Kevin Sorbo's medical problems which hampered the latter half of the fourth season. However, there's so much else going on in this action-packed episode that it is hardly apparent. Besides, Michael Hurst has long since proven that he is more than able to carry the weight of the episode on his own.
The only thing that I don't like about this storyline is the same thing that bothered me in 'Stranger In A Strange World' if a person in one reality dies, the counterpart in the parallel world also dies. It is a concept that only affects these parallel-based episodes and not the rest of the series; if it did, people would suddenly be dropping down deal all of the time. As with 'Stranger In A Strange World', I personally like to explain this away that it only happens when the two worlds are perfectly aligned.
Callisto inadvertently killing her own parents whilst trying to save herself as a young girl is full of Greek tragedy, and very ironic.
It is great to see Xena as she would have turned out if Hercules hadn't been around to set her on the path of good, and glimpsing the evil land with her as its ruler, and breaking poor Gabrielle's legs.
Although she doesn't realise it, Xena possesses the Cronus stone, introduced in the third season episode 'The End of the Beginning', which is the key for Iolaus to undo the messed up timelines.
I wasn't too sure about Hercules being able to telepathically communicate with Iolaus at the climax of the story, but it served to help drive the story towards its conclusion.
This story is really well filmed, with some excellent action sequences, and it wraps up well.
Possibly the best of the season.moreless
Episode Summary
EDIT
While Hercules and his double, the Sovereign, were stuck in the Netherworld, Iolaus traveled back in time to protect young Alcmene. But he couldn't prevent Callisto from killing Hercules' mother. Callisto then found her own family and, through a series of instinctive actions, she killed her mother and father. As more events began to go wrong, Hercules sent Iolaus a telepathic message: Get the Cronus Stone from Xena's scepter to travel back in time without Ares' help. Using a makeshift lightning rod, Hercules joined Iolaus in the past and sent Callisto back into the vortex, setting the time line right.moreless
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GUEST STAR
Rebecca KopackaYoung Callisto
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GUEST STAR
Amy MorrisonHope
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GUEST STAR
Matthew ChamberlainDarphus
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Kevin Sorbo
Hercules
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Michael Hurst O.N.Z.M.
Iolaus
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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions
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TRIVIA (6)
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The location of Xena's birthmark is muted out.
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There is some discrepancy as to when Xena first knew Ares. In the first season Xena episode "The Reckoning", she appears to meet him face to face for the first time. However, other storylines suggest that she knew him earlier. In the alternate timeline as seen in this episode, she apparently knows him already. Could it be that with no sibling rivalry to consume him, Ares had more time to subvert Xena?
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Rebecca Kopacka also played young Callisto in the Xena episode "Destiny".
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Iolaus is revealed to be two years older than Hercules.
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Callisto's parent's names are revealed to be Pankos and Arleia.
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Goof: When the Sovereign throws the rock into the small pool through which Hercules is watching Iolaus and Alcmene, the rock floats.
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QUOTES (6)
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Callisto: (as she pursues Iolaus and Young Alcmene) Why are you people so afraid to die?
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Young Alcmene: You're willing to risk your life for me and my baby? Iolaus: He'd do the same for me. He has, many times. I'd gladly die so that you and your boy could live.
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Iolaus: (to Callisto) Hey, Cupcake!
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The Sovereign: (after watching Callisto kill Young Alcmene) Hm, poor mommy.
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Iolaus: (dodging Xena's attack) Wait! You know me! Xena the Conqueror: Yeah, that's why I'm giving you such a warm welcome!
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Iolaus: You know, if you cried, it might help. Young Callisto: No. I will never cry.
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NOTES (2)
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This is the last appearance of Gabrielle on Hercules, though Renee O'Connor did appear in the later episode "For Those of You Just Joining Us" as a different character.
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Disclaimer: Although Alcmene's barn was blown to smithereens, remarkably she and Iolaus were not harmed during the production of this motion picture.
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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