A strange vortex appears, causing destruction throughout a farming community. Although the peasants think the gods are punishing them for believing Dahak's lies, Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) knows that the gods fled Olympus when Dahak came to Greece. Recognizing the vortex as a gateway to a parallel world, Hercules surmises the location of the missing gods. He jumps through the vortex and lands in Netherworld, a desolate area between the worlds. As he surveys his surroundings, he finds the unconscious body of his evil double, the Sovereign. He is also surprised to find Iolaus' double from the parallel dimension hiding nearby. Iolaus (Michael Hurst), a cowardly version of Hercules' late sidekick, has been hiding in the Netherworld from the new evil empress in his world. Hercules convinces him to follow him back to the alternate world. Hercules tells him that he has to find his gods, since their absence is causing his world to be torn apart. Meanwhile, Ares (Kevin Smith) discovers that Hercules has entered the other dimension and decides to follow him. Finding the Sovereign (Kevin Sorbo) in the Netherworld, Ares fights him for possession of the one thing that can kill a god - the vial of hind's blood that the Sovereign wears around his neck. Ares ends the fight by stabbing the Sovereign with a dagger coated with the poison. Possessing the one thing that will kill both Hercules and the other gods, Ares enters the other dimension.
In the parallel world, Nebula (Gina Torres) is the evil and sadistic ruler of the land. She rules as empress and enjoys killing her subjects. Disgusted by the evil he sees, Hercules convinces Iolaus to lead him to the Sovereign's personal wardrobe. Disguised as the Sovereign, Hercules learns that this world's Nebula has made a deal with his world's Ares. She arranged to have the Greek gods trapped in the Labyrinth of Eternal Memory, thus allowing Ares to become the only god back home. In return, he made Nebula the empress of this world. Hercules, still posing as the Sovereign, has Nebula escorted back to his private chambers, while he and Iolaus head off to the labyrinth. Ares' double, the God of Love, stops Hercules and Iolaus to tell them that the Ares has arrived in this dimension and has informed Nebula of his deception. Hercules asks Ares to keep his enemies busy while they search for the gods. Ares returns to the Sovereign's chambers and casts a love spell on Nebula, causing her to crave his double, the God of War.
At the entrance of the labyrinth, Hercules and Iolaus are attacked by a giant snake. Iolaus tries to be brave, with mixed results. Escaping the snake, Iolaus tells Hercules how much he hates himself for being a coward. As Iolaus relives memories, the floor beneath them slowly becomes quicksand. Realizing that his memories are causing the floor to engulf them, Hercules tells Iolaus that he has to forget his past failures and look forward to life in the future. The floor solidifies and Hercules and Iolaus discover the orb in which all the gods are imprisoned. As they grab the orb, Ares appears to kill Hercules with the poisoned dagger. As the battle escalates, Nebula appears and threatens Iolaus. Using the traps built around the orb, Hercules defeats both Ares and Nebula and releases the gods. Iolaus tells Hercules what he was thinking of when he pictured the future: going off with Hercules and starting a new life in a new world. Though Hercules says that the past can never be forgotten, some people get a second chance. With that thought, they jump into the vortex to return to Hercules' world.
Starring: Kevin Sorbo (Hercules & Sovereign), Michael Hurst (Iolaus 2)
Guest Starring: Gina Torres (Nebula II), Kevin Smith (Ares & Ares II), Paul Norell (Falafel II), David Mackie (Hemnor), John Lawler (Hortius), Frederick Bedford (Local), Gary Elliot (Peasent #1), Rodney Cook (Farmer)
Teleplay by Gerry Conway
Story by Paul Robert Coyle
Directed by Bruce Campbell
Trivia: The producers wanted this episode to be shot and shown in 3D. Lucy Lawless was suppose to be reprise her role as the parallel world Xena. Due to an assortment of issues, both plans were scrapped.