Stranger in a Strange World
Encyclopedia
"Stranger in a Strange World" is the fifth episode of the fourth season in the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
.
, Hercules must save him from the wrath of the Sovereign.
. Ares
appears, saying that he had great plans for Gravus and the person responsible for his death will pay. Hercules fights Ares in order to save Iolaus. As Ares is about to land a blow to Hercules with his sword, a bolt of lightning strikes the sword and both Ares and Hercules are thrown in opposite directions. As both men lie dazed a vortex opens and a man comes running through. Iolaus catches him, but he is able to break free. A group of men on horses come through the portal and capture Iolaus and take him back through the portal as it closes behind them. Iolaus is brought before a man who turns out to be a twin of Hercules, with a goatee
and dressed in black leather. This man strikes Iolaus across the face, knocking him out. In the real world, Ares laughs telling Hercules he found someone to take Iolaus's place. Ares, holding the man who came through the portal, turns him around and reveals him to be Iolaus in a jester costume.
Iolaus wakes up in the alternate universe in a cell and demands to see Hercules. The guards tell him that the Sovereign will call him when he is ready to speak to him. In the true dimension Aphrodite
appears and tells Ares and Hercules that Zeus is dying. Iolaus manages to escape from his cell, and the Sovereign (Hercules' bearded twin) finds him. Iolaus tries to get away from the Sovereign, but he tells Iolaus that he is lucky to have him as his best man on his wedding day. Hercules tries explaining what has happened to Jester Iolaus. Jester Iolaus explains that in his dimension Hercules is an evil tyrant. He point to the body of Gravus to make his point. The Sovereign shows Iolaus his new exhibit, while Jester Iolaus recognises Gravus as the man whom the Sovereign had just had killed in his dimension. Iolaus recognises one of the men from the exhibit as Gravus, the man who dropped dead in front of him. Hercules and Iolaus both conclude that there must be one of everyone in both worlds and that when one dies the other does too.
Iolaus tries to explain to the Sovereign that he switched places with the Iolaus from his world. The Sovereign explains that he is marrying Aphrodite, the Queen of the Gods. Aphrodite tells the Sovereign that Zeus is dying and to call off the wedding. The Sovereign refuses, sending her off to prepare for the wedding. As Iolaus and the Sovereign talk a woman sneaks up on him and the Sovereign grabs her into his lap. The two flirt and it is revealed that the woman is Xena
, the Sovereign's mistress
. Ares, the God of Love appears to Iolaus and asks for his help in finding where the alternate Xena is hiding the Hind's blood. While Hercules is talking with Jester Iolaus, Aphrodite and Ares appear, telling him that Zeus is still no better. Hercules plans to fight Ares again in the hopes that Zeus will throw another lightning bolt and open the vortex again.
Back in the other dimension the Sovereign prepares to kill the people held captive in his dungeon. Iolaus begs him to spare their lives, he agrees but only if Iolaus can amuse him. Iolaus tries his best but the Sovereign says he failed. He proceeds with the execution and locks Iolaus up. Iolaus joins with the other rebels already held in the cell. An alternate Joxer
gives Iolaus a dagger, saying he is the only one the Sovereign trusts enough to be able to get close enough to kill him. Iolaus says he cannot kill a man in cold blood, realizing also that to kill the Sovereign in this reality means that Hercules will die in the other. Jester Iolaus tells Hercules that the Sovereign is killing Zeus and that he must be stopped. Hercules begins smashing up Ares' temple to goad him into a fight. Ares appears and tells Hercules to take it outside. In the other world Iolaus agrees to kill the Sovereign.
As the Sovereign and Aphrodite are being married in the other world, Ares and Hercules fight in order to get Zeus to open the gateway. Iolaus takes the dagger and strikes at the Sovereign who catches his hand and throws him across the room. Meanwhile Hercules and Ares continue their fight and Zeus sends another lightning bolt and the gateway opens once again. While Iolaus and the Sovereign fight, the other rebels manage to escape from their cell and join the fight. Iolaus manages to deduce that the Hind's blood is hidden inside one of Xena's pendants and enlists the help of the alternate Ares and Aphrodite. Xena and Aphrodite begin a food fight with the giant wedding cake and Ares goes around the fight dosing the enemy up on love, while the rebels beat them up.
The Sovereign orders the release of the executioner. The executioner heads straight for Iolaus who, with one punch, knocks him out cold. Iolaus pulls off the hood, revealing that the executioner in that world is Gabrielle
of Poteidaia
. The portal opens in the alternate world and Iolaus bids farewell to Joxer, Hercules says goodbye to Jester Iolaus, who says he will try to be a hero when he returns to his own world. Iolaus grabs the Hind's blood and runs through the vortex with the Sovereign in pursuit, as Jester Iolaus and Hercules enter on the other side. Hercules strikes the Sovereign in the face. He tells Iolaus to run and the Jester Iolaus flees from the Sovereign back to the other world. As Hercules, Iolaus and Jester Iolaus all return to their correct worlds, the Sovereign, who has managed to wrestle the Hind's blood from Iolaus, is left behind as the vortex closes, sealing him inside.
, "I am not a number — I am a free man!"
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys is a television series, filmed in New Zealand and the United States. It was produced from 1995, and was very loosely based on the tales of the classical Greek culture hero Heracles...
.
Overview
When Iolaus is kidnapped into a parallel universeParallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
, Hercules must save him from the wrath of the Sovereign.
Plot synopsis
Hercules and Iolaus are fighting a group of men so they can rescue a princess. as one man is about to deal a blow to Iolaus, the man drops dead. Elsewhere we see the man's head in a basket after being decapitatedDecapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
. Ares
Ares (Hercules and Xena)
Ares is a character on the television shows Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Young Hercules. He was portrayed by New Zealand actor Kevin Tod Smith...
appears, saying that he had great plans for Gravus and the person responsible for his death will pay. Hercules fights Ares in order to save Iolaus. As Ares is about to land a blow to Hercules with his sword, a bolt of lightning strikes the sword and both Ares and Hercules are thrown in opposite directions. As both men lie dazed a vortex opens and a man comes running through. Iolaus catches him, but he is able to break free. A group of men on horses come through the portal and capture Iolaus and take him back through the portal as it closes behind them. Iolaus is brought before a man who turns out to be a twin of Hercules, with a goatee
Goatee
Goatee refers to a style of facial hair incorporating hair on a man’s chin. The exact nature of the style has varied according to time and culture.Traditionally, goatee refers solely to a beard formed by a tuft of hair on the chin...
and dressed in black leather. This man strikes Iolaus across the face, knocking him out. In the real world, Ares laughs telling Hercules he found someone to take Iolaus's place. Ares, holding the man who came through the portal, turns him around and reveals him to be Iolaus in a jester costume.
Iolaus wakes up in the alternate universe in a cell and demands to see Hercules. The guards tell him that the Sovereign will call him when he is ready to speak to him. In the true dimension Aphrodite
Aphrodite (Xena and Hercules)
Aphrodite is a fictional character played by Alexandra Tydings in Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.-Overview:...
appears and tells Ares and Hercules that Zeus is dying. Iolaus manages to escape from his cell, and the Sovereign (Hercules' bearded twin) finds him. Iolaus tries to get away from the Sovereign, but he tells Iolaus that he is lucky to have him as his best man on his wedding day. Hercules tries explaining what has happened to Jester Iolaus. Jester Iolaus explains that in his dimension Hercules is an evil tyrant. He point to the body of Gravus to make his point. The Sovereign shows Iolaus his new exhibit, while Jester Iolaus recognises Gravus as the man whom the Sovereign had just had killed in his dimension. Iolaus recognises one of the men from the exhibit as Gravus, the man who dropped dead in front of him. Hercules and Iolaus both conclude that there must be one of everyone in both worlds and that when one dies the other does too.
Iolaus tries to explain to the Sovereign that he switched places with the Iolaus from his world. The Sovereign explains that he is marrying Aphrodite, the Queen of the Gods. Aphrodite tells the Sovereign that Zeus is dying and to call off the wedding. The Sovereign refuses, sending her off to prepare for the wedding. As Iolaus and the Sovereign talk a woman sneaks up on him and the Sovereign grabs her into his lap. The two flirt and it is revealed that the woman is Xena
Xena
Xena is a fictional character from Robert Tapert's Xena: Warrior Princess franchise. She first appeared in the 1995–1999 television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, before going on to appear in Xena: Warrior Princess TV show and subsequent comic book of the same name...
, the Sovereign's mistress
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
. Ares, the God of Love appears to Iolaus and asks for his help in finding where the alternate Xena is hiding the Hind's blood. While Hercules is talking with Jester Iolaus, Aphrodite and Ares appear, telling him that Zeus is still no better. Hercules plans to fight Ares again in the hopes that Zeus will throw another lightning bolt and open the vortex again.
Back in the other dimension the Sovereign prepares to kill the people held captive in his dungeon. Iolaus begs him to spare their lives, he agrees but only if Iolaus can amuse him. Iolaus tries his best but the Sovereign says he failed. He proceeds with the execution and locks Iolaus up. Iolaus joins with the other rebels already held in the cell. An alternate Joxer
Joxer
Joxer is a fictional character in the syndicated television series Xena: Warrior Princess, played by American actor Ted Raimi. He is a comical wanna-be warrior who styles himself "Joxer the Mighty", and later "Joxer the Magnificent"....
gives Iolaus a dagger, saying he is the only one the Sovereign trusts enough to be able to get close enough to kill him. Iolaus says he cannot kill a man in cold blood, realizing also that to kill the Sovereign in this reality means that Hercules will die in the other. Jester Iolaus tells Hercules that the Sovereign is killing Zeus and that he must be stopped. Hercules begins smashing up Ares' temple to goad him into a fight. Ares appears and tells Hercules to take it outside. In the other world Iolaus agrees to kill the Sovereign.
As the Sovereign and Aphrodite are being married in the other world, Ares and Hercules fight in order to get Zeus to open the gateway. Iolaus takes the dagger and strikes at the Sovereign who catches his hand and throws him across the room. Meanwhile Hercules and Ares continue their fight and Zeus sends another lightning bolt and the gateway opens once again. While Iolaus and the Sovereign fight, the other rebels manage to escape from their cell and join the fight. Iolaus manages to deduce that the Hind's blood is hidden inside one of Xena's pendants and enlists the help of the alternate Ares and Aphrodite. Xena and Aphrodite begin a food fight with the giant wedding cake and Ares goes around the fight dosing the enemy up on love, while the rebels beat them up.
The Sovereign orders the release of the executioner. The executioner heads straight for Iolaus who, with one punch, knocks him out cold. Iolaus pulls off the hood, revealing that the executioner in that world is Gabrielle
Gabrielle (Xena)
Gabrielle is a fictional character played by Renée O'Connor in Xena: Warrior Princess. She is referred to by fans as the Battling Bard of Potidaea. Her trademark weapons are the Amazon fighting staff and later, the sais...
of Poteidaia
Potidaea
Potidaea was a colony founded by the Corinthians around 600 BC in the narrowest point of the peninsula of Pallene, the westernmost of three peninsulas at the southern end of Chalcidice in northern Greece....
. The portal opens in the alternate world and Iolaus bids farewell to Joxer, Hercules says goodbye to Jester Iolaus, who says he will try to be a hero when he returns to his own world. Iolaus grabs the Hind's blood and runs through the vortex with the Sovereign in pursuit, as Jester Iolaus and Hercules enter on the other side. Hercules strikes the Sovereign in the face. He tells Iolaus to run and the Jester Iolaus flees from the Sovereign back to the other world. As Hercules, Iolaus and Jester Iolaus all return to their correct worlds, the Sovereign, who has managed to wrestle the Hind's blood from Iolaus, is left behind as the vortex closes, sealing him inside.
Cultural references
When Iolaus is imprisoned by the Sovereign he says "I am not a numeral - I am a free man!" This is a reference to a signature line from the television show The PrisonerThe Prisoner
The Prisoner is a 17-episode British television series first broadcast in the UK from 29 September 1967 to 1 February 1968. Starring and co-created by Patrick McGoohan, it combined spy fiction with elements of science fiction, allegory and psychological drama.The series follows a British former...
, "I am not a number — I am a free man!"
Main cast
- Kevin SorboKevin SorboKevin David Sorbo is an American actor best known for the roles of Hercules in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Captain Dylan Hunt in Andromeda and Kull in Kull the Conqueror.-Early life:...
as HerculesHerculesHercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene...
/The Sovereign - Michael HurstMichael HurstMichael Eric Hurst, ONZM is a New Zealand actor, director and writer, mostly on stage and television. He is probably best known internationally for playing Iolaus in the television programs Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and companion series Xena: Warrior Princess...
as IolausIolausIn Greek mythology, Iolaus was a Theban divine hero, son of Iphicles, Heracles's brother, and Automedusa.He was famed for being Heracles's nephew and for helping with some of his Labors, and also for being one of the Argonauts...
/Jester Iolaus