While asleep one night on the isle of Eire, Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) dreams about the death of a Norse god, Balder (Rupert Cocks). Meanwhile, in a faraway land, Balder has the same dream. When Hercules awakens, the young Druid, Mabon (Nicko Vella), explains to Hercules that his dream was actually a vision. Knowing that he cannot let this man die, Hercules sets sail for the distant Norse land.
When he lands on the Norwegian shore, Hercules hears the screams of a woman coming from a barn. After Hercules rescues a Viking maiden, Hilda (Denise Snoad), from a Norwegian ritual, Thor, the God of Thunder (Ben Reed), arrives with his huge stone hammer -- mjolner. Angry that Hercules has interrupted a sacred ritual, Thor strikes the ground with his hammer and energy bolts fling Hercules back to the seacoast. Thor follows and the two begin to battle as Balder, Thor's brother, arrives. Hercules and Balder recognize each other from the dream and Thor vanishes in a thunderclap. The two make their way to a village where Hercules meets Balder's other brother, Loki (Ian Hughes), the god of mischief. As Balder helps a Viking Healer revive a dying man, Loki suddenly morphs into a wolf and disappears into the woods. When questioned about the dream, Balder shows Hercules a page torn from the Book of Fates that depicts his own funeral. He claims that the events depicted in the Book of Fates cannot be changed. Meanwhile, in an ice cave, Loki morphs back into "human" form and talks to a shapeless presence coming from the darkness. The darkness extends hands of black smoke and gives Loki a poisoned dart that will kill a god.
Later that night in the godly realm of Asgard, Odin (Peter McCauly), the king of the Norse gods, extracts an oath from all living and unliving things to prevent any harm to come to his son Balder. Loki overhears this conversation and rushes to find his jealous brother Thor. Upon hearing the news, Thor is relieved since Balder will stop fearing the prophecy and his father will stop worrying.Loki, armed with the deadly dart, knows that Balder will never believe he cannot be harmed -- unless somebody proves it to him.
The next morning, Hercules awakes in the hut of the Norse embodiment of Fate, Norn (Yvonne Lawley). He finds her painting a picture of Balder being assailed by hurtling weapons. When Hercules finds Balder, he is astonished to see every Asgardian warrior weapon bounce off of Balder's chest. The Norse god is now convinced he cannot die. He even asks Hercules to try and strike him down. Reluctantly, Hercules takes a tiny dart from a little girl watching nearby and pricks Balder's wrist. Suddenly, Balder collapses and dies. Enraged, Thor charges Hercules, but a beam of energy streaks past Thor and encases Hercules in solid rock. Thor picks up Balder and disappears. Loki approaches the rock encasing Hercules, morphs into the little girl with the dart, then changes into a wolf and runs away. Hercules smashes the rock and heads for Bifrost, the Rainbow Bridge between Asgard and Midgard, to look for Thor. As Hercules travels across the icy bridge suspended miles above the earth, Thor attacks and the fierce battle sends both gods flying over the side of the bridge. When they land in the mountain foothills, the battle continues. Thor flings mjolnir towards Hercules, but Hercules steps out of the way and the mighty hammer becomes deeply embedded in a fissure. Hercules proceeds to beat Thor, then carry the defeated god back to Valhalla, where he finds Odin. Odin explains that, long ago, the Norse gods received a prophecy which warned them to beware of three tragedies -- the first being the death of Balder and the second, Thor's defeat by a half-mortal. Should the third tragedy takes place, Ragnarok, the final nightfall and end of all things, will occur.
Starring: Kevin Sorbo (Hercules)
Guest Starring: Ben Reed (Thor), Tamara Gorski (Morrigan), Ian Hughes (Loki), Rupert Cocks (Balder), Peter McCauley (Odin), Donogh Rees (Frigga), Denise Snoad (Hilda), Wade Jackson (Eric), Yvonne Lawley (Norn), Emily Hartley-Skudder (Little Girl), Thomas McIvor (Dying Man), Andrew Glover (Thief), Bill Thomas (Healer), Ann Baxter (Old Woman), Stephen Papps (The Darkness), Nicko Vella (Mabon), Benedicta Joseph (Brigid)
Teleplay by Gerry Conway
Story by Paul Robert Coyle
Directed by John Laing