# Hercules in the Maze of the Minotaur

Hercules in the Maze of the Minotaur is the fifth and final television movie in the syndicated fantasy series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.
In the film, Hercules has given up his days of traveling and has settled down to spend some time with his family. When a distant village is threatened by an unseen monster, Hercules is called upon to help save the village from the monster.

## Plot

In a sun-dappled forest, two men are searching for buried treasure. They pace out the step given with the map, and discover a cave overgrown with bushes. The two men break through the plants and enter the cave. In the cave they find a huge wooden door, as they try to get through the door, a monster breaks through the door and chases after them. One man is captured and the other flees as the monster tells him to bring Hercules. Meanwhile, Hercules works on his farm, he sees his sons fighting and tells them that they should not fight. They say that Hercules fights, Hercules explains that he only fights when he has to and only to prevent other people from being harmed. He tells about the time when he had to fight Eryx the boxer to stop him from killing anymore people. He asks the boys if they understand, and they say they do. Later that evening, Hercules is working in the stable, Zeus appears and they chat. Hercules tells Zeus that there have been no monsters for a while, and while he misses adventuring, he's content he has now settled down with Deianeira to raise the children. Zeus gives him a scale from a sea serpent and Hercules remembers the time when he and a girl were swallowed by a sea serpent while looking for the lost city of Troy. While day-dreaming he snaps back to reality at the dinner table to find the dog eating his dinner. Back in the cave, the Minotaur broods in wait for Hercules.
At night the children ask their father to tell them a story, Ilea asks for Hercules to tell her about when he and Deianeira first met. Hercules begins relating how the fire had vanished from the Earth and that Deianeira's village needed fire, and how he got the fire back from Hera's temple. Halfway through the story Hercules realises the children are asleep. He and Deianeira retire to bed and she asks him if he misses traveling and fighting beasts, he says he's happy here with them. The following day, Hercules is working in the stables and sees something flit past the door, he goes to look but sees nothing. As he walks back into the stable a man jumps down upon him, Hercules turns to see it is Iolaus. They begin talking about their adventures and the time when they had to fight the Lernaean Hydra that Hera had sent to kill them. The two men go inside to get a drink, Iolaus tells Hercules that he met a man who taught him some new moves that allow smaller men to overpower a bigger man. Hercules says he will not fight Iolaus, but he is eventually persuaded. The two men strip off their tops and prepare to spar. When Hercules attacks Iolaus he is overpowered by the smaller man, but after a short while Hercules gets the best of Iolaus until he sees Deianeira and Ilea standing in the doorway. Deianeira tells Iolaus that Hercules has been distracted and stir-crazy. The man from the beginning arrives at the stable looking for Hercules, he tells him that he must help and that a monster has taken his brother. Hercules says his place is with his family and the man says he has to because he is Hercules. Later that evening Deianeria asks him why he said no and he tells her that he's settled down now. She tells him that he should not try to stop being Hercules, not for her or the children. She tells him he needs to go and the next day he and Iolaus set off for the village of Alturia. As they travel, they talk about different adventures, including when Hercules faced Gargan the Giant. Zeus appears and mentions when they fought on mount Ethion. He says he wouldn't go to Alturia, but wishes them a nice adventure.
When Hercules and Iolaus arrive in Alturia they see that the town doesn't seem to be distressed. Underneath the village the Minotaur says that Hercules will know fear and death. Zeus appears and tells the Minotaur that he still has not changed, the Minotaur replies that he has learned the power of hate. He taunts Zeus because he is unable to kill the Minotaur, and that he wants Zeus to suffer. Hercules and Iolaus are in a tavern talking to a woman about fighting in Gargarensia, and end up fighting some men because they do not believe that he is really Hercules. Later, three of the men from the tavern are killed by the Minotaur and Hercules goes to investigate, only to be found by the villagers. They think he killed the men and chase him and Iolaus. Iolaus and one of the villagers are sucked into the ground. The man who had asked for Hercules's help comes and takes Hercules to the cave where his brother was captured. Zeus appears and tells Hercules that the monster was turned as ugly as his heart for turning people against the gods and that he wants to kill Hercules in vengeance against Zeus. He asks Hercules to do what he cannot and kill the Minotaur. In the cave's maze Hercules finds the Minotaur. They begin fighting and as Hercules is about to kill the Minotaur, the creature reveals that he is really Hercules' brother Gryphus and Hercules cannot kill him. The Minotaur then attacks Hercules, who continues to refuse to kill him. The Minotaur then threatens Iolaus, and Hercules ends up killing him by kicking him onto a stalagmite as Zeus arrives. As Gryphus lies dying, Hercules says he is sorry Zeus had to lose a son. Zeus says to Hercules that Gryphus was lost years ago. When Gryphus begs for Zeus not to let him die this way, Zeus changes Gryphus back to human form. Zeus declares that Gryphus is now "free," and Hercules helps Iolaus and the other people being held by the Minotaur. With the people of the village now safe, the two men return to their homes, cured of the want of adventure for now.

## Cast

* Kevin Sorbo as Hercules
* Anthony Quinn as Zeus
* Michael Hurst as Iolaus
* Tawny Kitaen as Deianira
* Anthony Ray Parker as Gryphus (Minotaur)
* Al Chalk as Gryphus (voice)
* Rose McIver as Ilea
* Paul McIver as Aeson
* Simon Lewthwaite as Klonus