Part 1 of 3. Villager Hemnor recruits Hercules to save the last golden hind from Prince Nestor. When a young boy is critically injured in one of Nestor's traps, Serena appears and heals him, then disappears. Iolaus, meanwhile, is shot by the hind. Hercules hunts Serena to save Iolaus before it's too late. Ares traps Serena in a thorny hedge, from which Hercules frees her -- but the thorns have caught her blood.

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 tradegy. 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.

Upon Alcmene's death, Zeus asked Hercules to join him in ruling the gods of Olympus. Hercules, still bitter toward his father, couldn't decide. He recalled meeting Apollo, his half-brother, years ago. Apollo gave him ambrosia, which transformed him into a full god. But Zeus chastised his son, saying he was never destined for full godhood. Chagrined, Hercules relinquished his new powers but still fought Apollo to a draw. he then saved young Ariadne from Apollo's treachery. This recollection resolved Hercules' indecision: He agreed to join Zeus on Mount Olympus, where he could do the most good for mankind.

While Iolaus paid a visit to his mother, Hercules explored Olympus. He was hurt to learn the real reason his father had brought him there: Zeus needed protection from Hera and the other gods, who were conspiring against him. But Hercules couldn't turn his back on his father. Then Zeus allowed Hera to rip away his godhood in order to save Alcmene's spirit from eternal hell. Hercules went to the dark side of Olympus, where he overcame Apollo and Hera in battle. Zeus' godhood was restored, Alcmene returned to the Elysian Fields, and Hercules became a half-mortal again.