1.09 - Amazon Grace

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Screencap
Title Amazon Grace
Episode # Season 1, Episode 9
First aired September 26, 1998
Directed by Charlie Haskell
Written by Jim Fisher
Jim Staahl
Summary Cyane's tribe is at risk of becoming slaves. The guys study the law.


FoxKids Spoilers

  • Hercules, Iolaus, and Jason stumble upon the Amazons once again. This time, they bring them to the academy where Cyane, the Amazon leader, is captured by a neighboring King who claims ownership of the tribe as his slaves. With vertical ropes as their battlefield, it's an aerial display of agility and strength as Hercules and Cyane fight in the 'Tradition of Champions' to determine the Amazon's fate.
  • The Amazons visit the academy, where the king of Athens claims that they are his property, so it's up to Hercules to prove differently.

TV Guide Promo

  • Hercules, Iolaus, and Jason stumble into an Amazon camp and invite some of the girls to come to the academy.

Synopsis

Title card - End credits can be found here.

      Hercules, Jason, and Iolaus are walking through the forest, exchanging urban legends. As Iolaus tell his story about harpies, it's punctuated by a shrill bird-call. Iolaus jumps over a fence and heads down what he claims is a "shortcut", but Hercules and Jason point out the "No Trespassing" sign and decide to take the longer route and meet back up with Iolaus at the Academy.

      Iolaus wanders through the forest on his "shortcut" only to find himself surrounded in a clearing by masked creatures that have jumped down from the trees. "Harpies?" Iolaus asks in disbelief.

      Hercules and Jason hear Iolaus cry out, "Hercules!" They turn, and head towards where Iolaus went.

      Iolaus fights the creatures, and they disappear back up into the canopy of the trees. Hercules and Jason arrive just in time for the creatures to jump back down at attack again. Fighting ensues, until Hercules pins one of the creatures to the ground and removes its mask, revealing Cyane.

      Hercules, Jason, and Iolaus escort the Amazons back to Cheiron's Academy, where many of the cadets seem to become instantly distracted by the sight of females. Cyane asks who the leader of the Academy is, and Simula spots Lilith and heads to her, assuming that she's the leader. Lilith explains that she's just a cadet, as Cheiron enters. Simula assumes that the headmaster sent a centaur to announce his arrival, "Personally I find them lowly beasts, but they make good servants." Hercules stage-whispers that Cheiron is their leader, and both Cyane and Simula are surprised. Hercules informs Cheiron that he offered the Academy's hospitality to the Amazons while they search for a new homeland, and Cheiron welcomes them. Cyane accepts Cheiron's welcome, and Lilith shows the Amazons where they can put their gear. Iolaus tries to help Simula and gets his hand smacked in the process. As the Amazons leave, Jason and Iolaus tease Hercules for not yet telling Cyane that Zeus is his father.

      Hercules is giving the Amazons a tour of the Academy, when they come upon some cadets kicking around a pig's bladder filled with water as a foot drill. Jason invites the Amazons to play, and Iolaus backs up the invitation, "Girls against Guys?" Cyane asks if Lilith is one of the guys, and when Iolaus gets tongue-tied, Lilith says that she's a cadet.

      Cue a game of soccer, Amazons versus Cadets, with Iolaus as one of the goalies. Competition is fierce, with the ball often switching teams. Finally, Cyane kicks the ball at the goal. The ball hits Iolaus in the chest, bursting open on impact.

      Later, Lilith is practicing throwing a javelin at a target. Cyane joins her, and asks what she's doing training with boys. Lilith explains that she wanted to train to be a warrior, and Cheiron's Academy is the best. Lilith's javelin hits the center of the target as she explains that she's having trouble fitting in. Cyane tells her that an Amazon takes pride who she is, now how well she fits in with others. Cyan throws a javelin that also bulls-eyes the target and neatly bisects Lilith's javelin. Hercules enters and Cyane goes to him, while Lilith rolls her eyes and walks away. Cyane tells Hercules that Ares gave Simula a sign in her dreams of where they can settle their new homeland, and that tonight there will be a feast in celebration. Cyane asks for a cadet volunteer and Iolaus jumps at the chance.

      Later, there is a bonfire and Amazons are dancing around it, while most of the cadets are watching on the sidelines. Lilith is talking to Cyane and Simula. Jason walks by, headed over to Hercules. Iolaus shows up, his chest painted to represent the male in the Amazon culture. The boys watch the girls dance.

      Cyane catches sight of Hercules and dances over to him. She invites him to dance, and Herc says that he's a fighter, not a dancer. Cyane tells him that he can't fight her because he'd lose, and pulls him out onto the dance floor. Iolaus tries to hit on an Amazon, and gets rejected.

      Hercules and Cyane wander away from the bonfire, and Hercules tells her that Zeus is his father. Cyane at first thinks he's joking, then suspects that it's a part of some cruel plot of Zeus's. Hercules tries to explain but Cyane storms away into the Academy. Iolaus and Jason approach to support Hercules, when a scream from the Academy sends them running inside.

      Inside the Academy, Hercules finds several Athenian guards holding Cyane inside a net. King Leeseus introduces himself and claims Cyane as his property. The Amazons surge in, weapons drawn, and face-off against Leeseus's men. Jason comes forward and greets Leeseus, and Leeseus explains that the Amazons had been sold to him as slaves. Cheiron enters, claiming the Amazons as protected by the Academy. Leeseus greets Cheiron, and tells him that if he gets involved in this, Leeseus would be forced to destroy the Academy. Neither Hercules nor Iolaus want Leeseus to take the Amazons, but Jason is forced to admit that Leeseus has the law on his side. Cheiron asks for 24 hours to come up with a solution, and Leeseus allows it.

      Jason, Iolaus, and Hercules spend the night pouring over law scrolls trying to find an answer that will release the Amazons from slavery. The next day, Hercules proposes Combat by Champions - first one to knock their opponent to the ground wins. If Leeseus's champion wins, the Amazons become his servants, but if the Amazons' champion wins, the Amazons go free. Cyane claims the role of champion for her people, while Leeseus chooses Hercules as his champion, telling Herc that if he loses, Hercules will serve him in the Amazon's place. Lilith asks Jason worriedly, "Can he do that?" but Jason assures her that Hercules knows what he's doing. Cyane warns Hercules one last time not to fight her, that he'll lose, but Hercules does not respond.

      Cheiron calls out, and the fight begins, both Hercules and Cyane climbing ropes before beginning to punch and kick at each other. The fight carries across a rope ladder, still rings, a trapeze bar, and several ropes. Cyane seems to be the clear victor as Hercules hangs upside down on a rope barely a foot off the ground, but Hercules kicks Cyane off the rope and she falls to her back on the ground.

      Leeseus tells the Amazons to pack their things, and they draw their weapons instead, preferring to fight than be taken as slaves. Iolaus stops Leeseus, allowing Hercules time to remind him of the rules of Champions, that because Hercules won, he can ask for anything as a reward. Leeseus offers land, money, or a new wing on the Academy, but Hercules asks him to abolish slavery in Athens, and Leeseus is forced by the law to unwillingly comply.

      Later, the Amazons are packing up and ready to set out for their new homeland. Hercules gives Cyane a flower, and Lilith asks Cyane if she can join the Amazons and Cyane agrees, before pulling Hercules off to the side. Iolaus and Jason remark that Lilith had only "just gotten there", and Lilith makes her goodbyes to Cheiron. Cyane apologies to Hercules for judging him by the actions of Zeus, and Hercules wishes that their paths will cross again. Cyane echoes the sentiment as she gives Hercules back his flower.

      As Hercules, Jason, and Iolaus watch the Amazons walk away, Iolaus tells them that he learned a lesson: "This body paint is really hard to get off."

Characters (in order of appearance)

Characters (mention only)

Places

Items

Mythology

  • Minotaur
  • Cyclops
  • Harpies
  • Amazons
  • Centaurs

Plot Arcs

Other Pages

Television Tropes

Quotes

Jason: They thought everything was quiet... and then it came again, that eerie, scratching sound. So the knave and the maiden sped off in the chariot. And when they got home, they found the monster's hook stuck in the side of the chariot!
Hercules: Last time I heard that, it was a farm boy and a peasant girl in an oxcart.
Iolaus: You know? Guys, I think I learned something from all this.

Hercules: You?
Jason: What's that?

Iolaus: This body paint is really hard to get off.

Trivia & References

Pop Culture References and Greekisms - The title "Amazon Grace" may be a reference to the Christian hymn "Amazing Grace", however, the lyrics of the hymn don't seem to have any parallels with the plotline of the episode.
Pop Culture Reference - Jason's story is incredibly reminiscent of one of the endings of a well-known urban legend called The Hook, in which two lovers are menaced by a man with a hook for a hand. In this ending, the lovers get away, but find the man's hook attached to their vehicle.
Nod to HtLJ - Hercules saying that he's a fighter and not a dancer could be considered a nod to HtLJ "4.08 - ...And Fancy Free" wherein Hercules claims that he doesn't twirl, and the Widow Twanky teaches Hercules that dancing is very akin to fighting.
Bechdel Test - This episode passes approximately three times: Lilith and Cyane talk about why Lilith is at the academy and fitting in while throwing javelins. Lilith, Cyane, and Simula are seen talking as the camera pans around the bonfire - presumably they are talking about life as an Amazon or some other non-man related topic. At the end of the episode, Lilith asks to join Cyane's tribe.

Guides, Scripts, Transcripts, & Reviews



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