On their way to a village festival, Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) and Iolaus (Michael Hurst) come upon a band of thieves attacking an elderly couple. Leaping to their defense, the heroes quickly drive off the attackers. Still concerned about the couple's welfare, however, Hercules volunteers to accompany them on their journey to Kastus, while Iolaus continues on to the festival as planned. Meanwhile, Queen Parnassa (Jane Thomas), the callous ruler of Kastus, conspires with Hera in an evil plot to make Hercules the leader of her bloodthirsty army. Hera causes a sudden and violent storm to appear as Hercules and the couple approach the city. When she hurls a lightning bolt into a tree on their path, one of its branches instantly turns to stone and falls straight down on Hercules' head, knocking him out. A few moments later, he regains consciousness only to discover he has amnesia. Remembering nothing, including his own identity, he decides to continue traveling with the elderly Styros (Tom Agee) and Lahti (Kate Harcourt), hoping something will jog his memory.
Just outside Kastus, the trio is met by Parnassa's soldiers, led by the coldly efficient Lonius (Paul Gittins) and his first lieutenant Garas (David Press). Racing to Hercules' side, they greet him as their long-lost prince, Milius. Shaken and confused by this sudden turn of events, Hercules is taken to the palace where Parnassa rushes into his arms, thanking Hera for the safe return of her "son," as Lonius explains that "Milius" has obviously lost his memory in the war. Hercules is soon introduced to his "wife" Kirin (Sam Jenkins), who is being forced to cooperate in Parnassa's evil ruse, and his "children" Macareus (Nicko Vella) and Protos (Sean Marshall), who were too young to remember their real father when he went off to war. Parnassa's scheme is to deceive Hercules into believing he is her son Milius, who was actually killed in battle years before, so that he will pledge his loyalty to Hera on Equinox Day. The supremely ambitious Parnassa will then have an invincible warrior at the head of her army at last.
Hercules is led through the city on a guided tour, during which Lonius and his soldiers browbeat citizens into "recognizing" their long-lost prince. In an attempt to incite Hercules' wrath against a neighboring province, Lonius engineers an attack on Hercules by a group of his own men, disguised as assassins from the rival territory. The assailants prove no match for the son of Zeus and the skill with which he dispatches them convinces many onlookers that he is far stronger than their missing prince. One such doubter, a strange scarred man (Steve Wright), actually recognizes Hercules and is driven from the city by Lonius' soldiers. The man eventually makes his way to the village festival, where Iolaus has been drafted to judge the grape-picking and grape-crushing race. Iolaus soon learns from the scarred villager that Hercules is in Kastus, dressed in royal robes. Though purple from head to toe as the result of an incident during the wine-making contest, Iolaus sets off to investigate. Upon arriving in Kastus, he finds Hercules walking the streets dressed in royal garb, still unaware of his real identity. Iolaus tries to jog his friend's memory, but Lonius intervenes and persuades Hercules that the strange purple man is merely another foreign assassin. Hercules knocks Iolaus unconscious is about to run him through with a sword when his innate goodness takes over. Instead of killing Iolaus, Hercules orders him freed as a gesture of peace.
A short while later, Iolaus manages to escape death at the hands of Lonius' men, who have been secretly ordered to kill him. He makes contact once again with Hercules, but before he can break through the fog of his friend's amnesia, the royal guards arrive and place him under arrest. Hercules is then taken back to the palace where he and the lovely Kirin, who now share an intense mutual attraction, finally give in to their passion. Falling completely in love with Hercules, the good-hearted Kirin defies Parnassa and sneaks to the dungeon, where she helps to free Iolaus. As Hercules is about to pledge his loyalty to Hera, thus enslaving him to the evil goddess forever, Iolaus and Kirin, disguised as high priests for the Equinox Day ceremony, throw off their robes and beg Hercules to remember who he really is. At the mention of Deianeira's name, Hercules' memory finally returns, and the two heroes quickly defeat Parnassa's forces once and for all. Kirin assumes the throne of Kastus, but the joyous victory is bittersweet as Hercules bids a sad farewell to the new family he has come to love.
Starring: Kevin Sorbo (Hercules), Michael Hurst (Iolaus)
Guest Starring: Sam Jenkins (Kiran), Jane Thomas (Parnassa), Paul Gittins (Lonius), David Press (Garas), Tom Agee (Styros), Kate Harcourt (Lahti), Geoff Houtman (Juris), Michael Bajko (Villager), Steve Wright (Scarred Man), Arch Goodfellow (Old Man), Barry Te Hira (Guard), Sean Marshall (Protos), Nicko Vella (Macareus), Vanessa Valentine (Mountain Maiden)
Teleplay by Robert Bielak
Story by Brad Carpenter
Directed by Charles Siebert