No one ever came out of the Cave of Echoes. But Hercules and Iolaus were determined to rescue young Melina, who had disappeared inside the cave. Parentheses, a young writer whom they had recently befriended, joined them in the rescue effort. At first eager, Parentheses became more and more frightened by the bloodcurdling roars from deep within the cave. But he overcame his fear when Hercules sent him down into the pit to save the girl. Fortunately, there was no monster - only a tree root - but the adventure was enough to fortify Parentheses, who walked off arm-in-arm with Melina.

Hercules found it increasingly difficult to adjust to life without his superhuman strength. Meanwhile Ares and his nephew, Strife, plotted Hercules demise which didn't help matters. Then Hercules awoke one morning to find his wife lying dead beside him, murdered. He appeared to be the murderer, but in his darkest hour, his friends Iolaus, Xena and Gabrielle came to his aid, defending him against a lynch mob and exposing Strife as Serena's killer. Zeus gave back to his son the gift of incredible strength, and Hercules defeated Strife before the evil young god escaped with Ares.

Hercules is washed up on the strange island of Atlantis, a technologically advanced place where an outcast psychic is predicting the island's impending doom, but no-one will listen to her.

Celestra -- also known as ""Death"" -- came for Jaris, Hercules old friend. The goddess' appearance prompted Hercules to remember the time when, as a cocky youth, he met Celestra for the first time. It happened when young Hercules accidentally killed Jaris' brother, Bartoc. Hercules had kept the truth from Jaris and his family for a while, but finally revealed his secret when a teenage gang attacked. But that was all in the past; now Hercules had to stop his friend from a rampage against the evildoers of his town. Celestra finally took Jaris, leaving Hercules with his memories.