Hercules returns home just in time to see his wife Deianira and his children murdered by Hera. Vowing vengeance, he sets out to destroy the goddess, but a young girl helps to soothe his soul and turn him from the dark path he has chosen.
Hercules runs from the 50 daughters of Thespius. Hercules agrees to aid the town of Trachis terrorized by a Cyclops, but soon learns that the creature's actions may not be entirely unjustified.
A refugee group, fleeing a city destroyed by Hera, seeks Hercules' help. Hercules learns that Broteas, the leader of the refugees, had stolen a cup from Hera, prompting her wrath on the city and continued pursuance of the group.
Hercules is invited to the Festival of Dionysus because of an ill omen. Nothing seems to be out of place as the festival begins, but the presence of Tiresias cues Hercules that something foul is afoot. He tries to get to the bottom of it.
Ares plans to form an army of children, part of his bid to cover the world in war without end. Naturally it falls to Hercules to stop his evil half-brother. Thankfully, he has the aid of the warrior blacksmith Atalanta.
A woman named Penelope is set to marry a man named Marcus, but the centaur Nemis wishes her for himself and makes a deal with Hera to make her his, but first he has to kill the eternal thorn in Hera's side, Hercules.
Iolaus becomes prideful after some initial successes and arrogantly decides to race Hercules to the city of Thrace. The two separate, but then Hercules finds he has to contend with his old flame Nemesis, sent by Hera to kill Iolaus.
After purchasing an Asian slave to free her, Hercules gets more than he bargained for when she asks for his help in freeing her fiancé, who incidentally is set to be fed to the lions in a large public spectacle.
Trying to reunite a woman and her young baby with her prisoner husband, Hercules and Iolaus enter a slave prison where the inmates are forced to fight in to-death gladiatorial tournaments.
Xena is betrayed by her lieutenant, Darphus, and forced to walk "the gauntlet". Determined to get her revenge, she forms an alliance with Hercules, who tries to make her see that there is more to life than vengeance and evil.
Darphus, revived by Ares, is pillaging everything in sight to feed a monster called Graegus. Hercules and a redeemed Xena are determined to stop him. Iolaus joins Hercules but has trouble believing she is really reformed.
