Having fallen deeply in love with the beautiful Serena (Sam Jenkins), Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) asks her to marry him. Though wanting him with all her heart, she hesitates, convinced that she belongs to Ares (Kevin Smith) and could never survive in the mortal world. Meanwhile, Ares' cunning young nephew Strife (Joel Tobeck) informs his uncle that he may well lose Serena if he's not careful. Despite the warning, Ares is stunned when Serena finally confronts him and asks for her freedom. Pretending to grant her some leeway, the jealous god of war secretly vows to destroy her relationship with Hercules.
Meanwhile, Iolaus (Michael Hurst) is hard at work helping the villagers complete a new irrigation system when Joxer (Ted Raimi) arrives in town and is persuaded to join in the effort. Soon Hercules shows up to lend a hand, but is interrupted when he catches a glimpse of Serena across the square. Racing to her side, he is thrilled to learn that she's decided to accept his marriage proposal. His joy quickly turns to alarm, however, when Joxer inadvertently touches Serena and she instantly morphs into the half-woman half-deer known as the Golden Hind. Stirred up by the shouts of an agitator demanding her death, the villagers grab their weapons and get ready to close in for the kill. Hercules and Iolaus manage to intervene and at the last moment, are able to rescue her from the angry mob. Convinced that Hercules is heading for disaster if he marries Serena, Iolaus refuses his friend's request to be best man at the wedding and urges him to reconsider. Though saddened by Iolaus' reaction, Hercules moves ahead with his plans nonetheless. Before the wedding, he embarks on a perilous journey to the Other Side to visit his deceased wife Deianeira (Tawny Kitaen) and three children, hoping to receive their blessing. Much to his dismay, Deianeira is at first terribly hurt by the news that he plans to remarry. Things get even worse when Strife kidnaps his son Aeson (Paul McIver) in an attempt to trick Hercules into believing that the boy has turned against him. Before departing the Other Side, Hercules rescues young Aeson and tenderly reassures Deianeira that his love for her and their children will endure forever.
Upon his return, Hercules angrily confronts Ares to stop any interference in his marriage to Serena and to demand that his deceased family be left alone. Ares tells him that the gods are against the marriage given the kind of powerful offspring it might produce, and will sanction the union under one condition only: Hercules must surrender his god-given strength. Because of his deep love for Serena, Hercules agrees to relinquish his powers to Ares, who in turn demands that Serena give up her life as the Golden Hind and become mortal.
Iolaus bids an emotional farewell to Hercules and leaves the village, only to be followed by the the bumbling Joxer, who has been lobbying incessantly to become Iolaus' new partner. But just as Hercules and Serena begin their private marriage ceremony on the shores of a mountain lake, Iolaus shows up to serve as best man, explaining he could never miss such a momentous occasion in the life of his best friend.
Starring: Kevin Sorbo (Hercules), Michael Hurst (Iolaus)
Guest Starring: Sam Jenkins (Serena/The Golden Hind), Ted Raimi (Joxer), Kevin Smith (Ares), Tawny Kitaen (Deianeira), Joel Tobeck (Strife), Simon Lewthwaite (Klonus), Paul McIver (Aeson), Rose McIver (Ilea), David Mackie (Hemnor), Bert Keiller (Agitator), Timothy James Adam (Soldier One), Simon Foley (Soldier Two)
Written by Gene O'Neill & Noreen Tobin
Directed by Charlie Haskell