Hercules (Disney character)
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| Hercules | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Hercules |
| Created by | Ron Clements John Musker Barry Johnson |
| Voiced by | Tate Donovan
(adult in Hercules and Kingdom Hearts II) |
| Also known as | Herk, Herk the Jerk (By Hades and Pete), Wonder Boy (By Megara and Hades), Blunder Boy (By Hades) |
Hercules is a fictional character who first appeared as the protagonist the Disney animated movie Hercules and later in the midquel television series of the same name. He is based on the mythical character Hercules, although some aspects of his life differ greatly from the original legend. For example, although he is called a "demi-god" in both the myth and the Disney version, in the Disney version he is the full child of Zeus and Hera who has his divinity stolen from him. He popularized the phrase "Zero to Hero" and is voiced by Tate Donovan (although in the movie, his voice as a teenager was Josh Keaton).
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[edit] Summary
In the Disney version,
Hercules was born on Mount Olympus with all the powers of a god, and his parents were Zeus and Hera (who has been recast as a loving mother instead of a spiteful stepmother).On the celebration of his birth, during which the Olympian gods present the infant god with a multitude of gifts. Zeus himself creates the winged-horse Pegasus as a gift. It seems to be a joyous occasion, although one god is not happy about the new arrival: Hercules's evil uncle Hades lord of the Underworld.
Hades wants to take control of Mount Olympus and the world, and he sees that if Hercules chooses to fight when he is older, his plans will be ruined. Knowing that as a god, Hercules is immortal and invulnerable, Hades sends his two lackeys, Pain and Panic, to kidnap Hercules and turn him mortal by means of a magic potion. Although they succeed in the first part of the plan, carrying Hercules down to Earth, they are interrupted by two human peasants (Amphytryon and Alcmene) before Hercules finishes drinking and the final drop falls wasted on the ground. Pain and Panic nevertheless attack him in the guise of snakes, and discover that because he did not drink the last drop he has retained his godly strength and they are beaten back. Amphytryon and Alcmene adopt the child, considering his arrival a gift from the gods since they are themselves childless. (Note that in the original myth, Alcmene herself is Hercules' birth mother, but this was changed to keep the movie family friendly.)
Too late, Zeus and the other gods discover the kidnapping. Because Hercy is now mortal, however, they are unable to take him back to Olympus so they begin to play baseball.
[edit] Teenage Hercules
Hercules grows into a strong but clumsy teenage boy. He desperately wants to fit in, but as he cannot control his godly strength he only ends up causing havoc and alienating those around him. On one occasion, he accidentally flattens the local market town during a game of discus. His foster parents decide to finally come clean to him about the circumstances of his adoption, showing him a medallion they find that bears the symbol of the gods (Zeus's lightning bolt). Hercules sets off to find his place in the world, and goes to the Temple of Zeus for guidance.
While in the temple, Zeus himself appears (embodying his own statue), and reveals Hercules's origin. He explains that the only way Hercules can rejoin his parents on Mount Olympus is to prove himself a "true hero". A grown-up Pegasus also joins Hercules as a constant companion.
He goes to see Philoctetes (a satyr) a trainer of heroes who originally says he will not train Hercules, but changes his mind after Zeus zaps him with a bolt of lightning.
[edit] Adult Hercules
When Hercules has reached adulthood and has passed his training, he sets off with Philoctetes to become a Hero in Thebes. On his way he save Megara from Nessus. Megara was sent by Hades to recruit Nessus (a centaur) into Hades's army, but Nessus had lecherous designs on Megara, who resisted. Hercules then intervenes, defeating Nessus and freeing Megara. Megara relates this story to Hades, by which he learns that Hercules is still alive and so sends a variety of monsters to kill Hercules, the first of which is the Hydra. But Hercules dispatches the Hydra and every monster Hades sends against him.
Hades then discovers that Hercules loves Megara and uses that knowledge to take Hercules and try to kill him by taking him out of the picture while he attempts to overtake Olympus, telling Hercules that he will hold Megara forever if Hercules does not give up his strength for a day so he can conquer Olympus with the help of the Titans and without intervention by Hercules. Hercules is reluctant to see anyone hurt, but Hades vows that no one close to Hercules will be hurt. Enacting his plan, Hades sends a Cyclops to destroy Hercules. Without his superhuman strength, Hercules is brutally buffeted about by the monster but, using his wits, he is able to defeat the Cyclops and send him hurtling off a cliff.
The monster's fall causes a pillar to topple towards Hercules and Megara pushes him out of the way, taking the impact of the pillar. This in turn causes Hercules to regain his strength because Hades's end of the bargain is now broken. Megara, however, is gravely injured and Hercules leaves her in the care of his friends while he rushes off to thwart Hades' invasion of Olympus. He returns to Megara's side only to learn that her injuries were fatal. However, he then travels to Hades to rescue Megara's spirit. To do so he must enter a whirlpool which swiftly ages mortals upon contact, thus killing them within a short time. Hercules nevertheless enters the pool to rescue Megara's soul. He does not die, however, as his selfless act fulfills the requirement for being a true hero and, thus, Hercules regains his godhood. He then defeats Hades by punching him into the River Styx, and returns Megara's soul to her body.
He is invited by Zeus to live in Olympus, which was indeed originally his wish, but he decides rather to live his life on earth as a mortal with Megara. Although he will eventually die, he believes that even an immortal life without Megara would be empty.
[edit] TV series
The animated series Hercules is set in the intervening period between his teen years and his first journey to Thebes as an adult, while he is still in training on Phil's island. The series also reveals that, on Zeus's instruction, Hercules attends a high school called the Prometheus Academy. His classmates include:
[edit] Adonis
Adonis is the rich Narcissistic prince of Thrace. He has his own balcony at the school that is only for Aristocracy. Hercules some times uses it too, like when he became a rebel he barged in there with his friend Orion or to put Adonis in his place.
They are constantly at each others throats for reasons of little importance or even no reason at all. A common factor that starts fights between the two boys is Helen. They also ran against each other for numerous thing such as School king and best couple at the dance.
[edit] Icarus and Cassandra
Icarus and Cassandra are his best friends. Icarus is considered a geek amongst his peers. He flew too close to the sun and gave him brain damage. His father Daedalus is the shop teacher at the academy. Cassandra is a famous seer given the power to see into the future as a curse and can be found in the seers catalogue.
[edit] Kingdom Hearts
Hercules has also appeared, along with the rest of his cast (Hades, Phil,Pegasus, Meg, Pain and Panic, Cerberus, the Hydra and a few of the Titans) in the Kingdom Hearts series of video games. In the former, Sora must help Hercules defeat the evil Hades who, with the help of Maleficent and Pete, is still trying to take over Olympus. In the first game, he is voiced by Sean Astin, but Donovan reprises his role in the second game. His Japanese voice is done by Yasunori Matsumoto.
[edit] Other Appearances
He also appeared in the television series House of Mouse.
Hercules, Megara and the Muses appear in the Walt Disney World version of Fantasmic! as notable heroes, while Hades is a major villain in the show. He also has his own stage show on the Disney Cruise Line.
And he also appears at the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts daily for greetings.
