This review contains spoilers.
After the terrible season opener 'Beanstalks and Bad Eggs' (did I mention how much I dislike 'Beanstalks and Bad Eggs'?!), along comes a much better episode in 'Hero's Heart'. In fact, this would have made a far more decent and worthy season opener.
This episode marks the first and only appearance in the series of Fortune, Goddess of Luck. Although I can't say I overly disliked the character, she quite sums up how the series was moving more and more towards 'comedy Gods'. I personally much prefer the bigger, bolder, badder Gods of the show's earlier days.
Things start off with Iolaus once again feeling very undervalued as Hercules' partner, and that nobody recognises him as a hero. This theme has been touched upon in several episodes beforehand, and will be touched upon again before the end of the series.
The plot device of someone loosing their confidence and leaving a successful partnership is one that has been used in a great many television series over the years, and is used once again here to good effect.
Michael Hurst plays Iolaus well, as with his mind wiped of Hercules he falls in with a bad crowd.
Meanwhile, Hercules is taking a wagon load of money from a King to a neighbouring town. He is accompanied by Spiro, who means well but is certainly no replacement for Iolaus. The pair picks up a pregnant woman and gives her a ride, allowing for a maybe slightly predictable sequence of the horses racing out of control and Herc having to stop them and save the pregnant passenger.
And wouldn't you just know it the wagon full of money happens to fall into the bad crowd's targets, and Iolaus leads the band of goons to try and rob it. Thankfully, his bond with Hercules is so strong that he realises he cannot harm his old friend. A couple of battles later, and a convenient rescue of the head of the goons to make up for Iolaus' earlier failure, and he begins to realise that crime is not the route he wants to take. Cue Fortune, to return his memory and make all well again.
This is quite a good episode, and really gives Michael Hurst something to get his teeth into. Not one of my all-time favourites, but better than a lot of the stories we will see in season four.moreless
EDIT
Episode Summary
Iolaus was depressed by his failure to save a woman from falling to her death, and he told Hercules to find another partner. Fortune, the goddess of luck, was behind it all. Feeling bad for Iolaus, she tried to make amends by wiping his memory of the tragedy. Unfortunately, the meddlesome Fortune accidentally erased his entire memory, including Hercules. Iolaus went to work for the troublemaker Zeno and wound up fighting Hercules until the son of Zeus convinced his friend he had the heart of a hero -- not a killer. Then Hercules summoned Fortune, who restored Iolaus' memory.moreless
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Kevin Sorbo
Hercules
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Michael Hurst O.N.Z.M.
Iolaus
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Barry Spring
Xeno
Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions
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Trivia
ADD TRIVIA- Nitpick: Iolaus's last memory is robbing a vendor when he was a teenager, referring to events from the Young Hercules movie. However, the producers forget that Hercules and Iolaus knew each other as children as seen in the movie "Hercules and the Amazon Women". Edit
- Goof: When Iolaus is cheating at cards, you see him pull a card out of his vest while his female companion is distracting the other players. Then an insert shot shows him doing the same thing again. Edit
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Notes
ADD NOTES- Disclaimer: As Fortune would have it, Iolaus' memory was not harmed during the production of this motion picture. Edit
- To be able to cry for his mourning scene, Michael Hurst used his memories and feelings of his recently born son. Edit
- Fortune, the Goddess of Luck, makes her first and only appearance in the Herc/Xenaverse. Edit
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Quotes
ADD QUOTES- Iolaus: (After some villagers lionize Hercules and forget him) You know, Hercules, I've noticed that your thanks are getting a lot bigger and mine are, eh... Edit
- Iolaus: Hercules, I always thought it would be me who got hurt taking too many chances trying to be as much of a hero as you. Now somebody else pays the price. Edit
- Thanatos: (Strong-arming a merchant in a protection racket) Xeno wants his fifty dinars. Phobias: Oh, listen to Mr Death! Fifty dinars, why not a hundred?! Thanatos: (Taking him seriously) That would be okay. Edit
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Allusions
ADD ALLUSIONS- Xeno: At last, an honest man. Old Diogenes would be pleased. Xeno is referring to the Cynic Philosopher Diogenes of Sinope. One of the stories told about him is that he used to walk around the agora of Athens during the day carrying a torch or lantern. When asked what he was doing, he would answer, "I am just looking for an honest man." Unfortunately, in his opinion he found nothing but rascals and scoundrels. Edit
- Greek Mythology: Fortune This character was based on Fortuna, the Roman goddess of luck, and was often represented as blind and veiled. The Greek version of this Goddess was named Tyche. Edit
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