Hercules

**Hercules the Gentlemanly Ocean-Going Tug** is one of the main characters in the SeventyVerse's TUGS spinoff series and is the sixth member of the Star Fleet.

## Backstory

Before serving in the Star Fleet, Hercules served in the Navy and was in the same regiment as Captain Patrick Star, Zeus and Venus during the First World War. Hercules ended up saving the captain's life and in gratitude, Captain Star offered Hercules a place in his fleet when the war was over, which Hercules accepted. As a result, after the first World War was over, Hercules became the sixth Star Tug.

Hercules was used for large-scale operations and important contracts. During periods of bad weather, he was out at sea answering distress calls, and was often sent out to escort large vessels into the port. He was often considered to be one of the fleet's main leaders, and was often placed in charge of large operations. Since he was usually out at sea and not in Bigg City Port, he was not seen very often and had little impact on the antics of the other tugs, including those from his own fleet.

## Relationships

### Star Fleet

#### Ten Cents

Hercules is Ten Cents' big brother, and is proud to admit that. He is keen to teach Ten Cents all he knows, and he trusts him with looking after The Duchess, something which the other big Tugs don't know he can handle. Hercules is greatly protective of Ten Cents: he knows that Ten Cents didn't steal the barges and is determined to prove his innocence and he threatened Zeus when he tried to drag Ten Cents into their argument. Hercules also trusts Ten Cents to get timber to help fix Lillie Lightship. He also had nightmares following the Big City Fire of 1922.

#### Big Mac

Hercules and Big Mac have a lot of respect for each other, and have very similar personalities. They are both take their jobs very seriously, yet will throw the odd joke around to lighten the mood.

#### O.J.

Hercules and O.J., being the two most experienced peers in Bigg City Port, get along quite well. They were paired up together during the stakeout for the pirate, and often seek each other for comfort in stressful situations. They were both entrusted to train Jimbo shortly after his construction.

#### Top Hat

Hercules was furious with Top Hat for not coming to help put out the fire when the rest of the Stars as well as Zorran, Zebedee, Zob, Sea Rogue and a reluctant Zak (who was forced into doing it by Zob) did so and Ten Cents had pushed a flaming fuel barge out to sea and could have been destroyed. When the other Stars go to look for Ten Cents, Hercules told Top Hat not to bother helping. However, he did highly respect Top Hat when he lead the charge to rescue O.J.. Like the rest of the Star Fleet, Hercules was heartbroken when Top Hat was killed in the blitz.

#### Warrior

Though Hercules can get a bit annoyed at Warrior's clumsiness, he is very patient with him and set him on the straight and narrow. Warrior also highly appreciates Hercules' calm and friendly nature, as well as his no-nonsense attitude.

#### Sunshine

Though Hercules is Ten Cents' big brother, he has started to be protective of Sunshine too. One example is when the two were marooned on the mudbanks and went to help.

#### Zob

Due to Zob's grumpy, yet professional manner, Hercules has nothing but the utmost respect for him. That respect was further solidified when Zob revealed he was P.R.R. Tug No. 9, who had served with Hercules in the Great War.

#### Captain Star

Captain Star has nothing but the greatest respect for Hercules after he and Venus saved his life in the Great War. This got to the point where he asked his father to buy Hercules after the war was over.

### Other relationships

#### Zorran

Zorran knows better than to mess with Hercules as was shown when Hercules ordered Zorran to back off from the Star Tugs after they'd rescued Grampus and Zorran complied.

#### Zeus

Because they both served in the First World War, Zeus views Hercules as his buddy but the latter thinks otherwise.

#### Pisces

Hercules knew Pisces, Misty and Scorpio back in the Navy and would stick up for them when other tugs were giving them grief. When the Salvage Fleet was being set up, Hercules recommended them for the start-up. Years later, Pisces, Misty and Scorpio were pleasantly surprised when they discovered that Hercules had joined the Star Fleet.

#### Misty

Hercules knew Pisces, Misty and Scorpio back in the Navy and would stick up for them when other tugs were giving them grief. When the Salvage Fleet was being set up, Hercules recommended them for the start-up. Years later, Pisces, Misty and Scorpio were pleasantly surprised when they discovered that Hercules had joined the Star Fleet.

#### Scorpio

Hercules knew Pisces, Misty and Scorpio back in the Navy and would stick up for them when other tugs were giving them grief. When the Salvage Fleet was being set up, Hercules recommended them for the start-up. Years later, Pisces, Misty and Scorpio were pleasantly surprised when they discovered that Hercules had joined the Star Fleet.

#### Penny

Hercules and Penny didn't realise they were siblings during the war. After Penny realised that Ten Cents and Hercules were her brothers, he hoped to get to see Hercules before she went home. When Oliver was bullying Ten Cents and Penny, Hercules stuck up for them and comforted Penny who was clearly upset.

#### Meridian

Hercules instantly befriended Meridian right away and was amused when he hit Zeus with a barge. Hercules was pleasantly surprised to see Meridian again when she came to cover for Big Mac whilst he was serving in the navy.

#### Ariel

Ariel was one of those tugs who would get unintentionally charmed by Hercules and he warned him about Zeus. In an ironic twist, Ariel would end up in a relationship with Ten Cents and Hercules is a big supporter of that relationship.

#### Bluenose

Hercules and Bluenose never got with each other due to the latter's obnoxious attitude. Hercules disobeyed Bluenose's orders to await inspection and Bluenose threatened to get Hercules in a naval convey one day and he would know what orders are all about. After the fire, however, Bluenose was shocked to learn that Hercules was an ex-Navy tug.

#### Jimbo

Both O.J. and Hercules took Jimbo under their wing and sold him the ropes. After Jimbo's confidence was knocked, O.J., Hercules and Captain Lucky cheered him up and when Jimbo saved Ten Cents from saving, Hercules was grateful to the diesel tug for saving his little brother. After learning about how Hercules joined the Star Fleet, Jimbo's respect for Hercules grew immensely.

#### Captain Lucky

When Hercules started having nightmares about the Munitions disaster and what almost happened to Ten Cents, he went to see Captain Lucky for counseling. She assured Hercules that he did his best to save lives and encouraged him to open up about it to the others.

#### No. 107/Thomas

Hercules stood up for No. 107 when Charleston was bullying him and gave him words of encouragement. Later on, Hercules bought Captain Star to Southampton where Captain Star decided to name No. 107 "Thomas" after his son, Thomas Allen Star. Thomas' old crew kept in touch with Hercules' crew.

#### Charleston

When Hercules saw Charleston bullying Thomas, he decided to teach him a lesson by challenging him to a tug-of-war. Unsurprisingly, and much to Charleston's fury, Hercules won. Although he stopped before Charleston could land in the water, Hercules admitted it was tempting to pull him in.

## Romance

### Venus

Hercules and Venus almost ended up in a romantic relationship during their time in the war. However, after working together to prevent Hans and Otto from sinking the SS Clearwater, they both agreed to end the relationship as it would prove distracting during the war. Hercules was pleasantly surprised to see Venus again when she came to cover for him whilst he was serving in the navy.

### Lillie Lightship

It's clear that Hercules and Lillie are in a romantic relationship as Hercules refers to Lillie as "m'dearest" and when Davy Jones informed the Stars about Lillie's sinking, Hercules was horrified and volunteered to help with the rescue operation. When Lillie was repaired and was invited to join the parade, Hercules had the great honor of towing her.

## Personality

Hercules is a cool-headed fighter and the most well-informed tug in the Bigg City Port industry. He is know as having a politically correct British accent. He considers himself the "yacht" of the Star Fleet. Hercules is famously known for referring to other characters as "m'dears", "old darlings", and "sweetheart". Because of this, he had a habit of unintenionally charming the female tugs, even though he only has eyes for Lillie since they met.

Almost nothing can break Hercules. Not even the antics of the Z-Stacks and Bluenose can set him back. He is held in high regard by most of the tugs in the harbour, and even Zorran knows that he cannot win a confrontation with Hercules.

The only times he's lost his composure is when his girlfriend, Lillie, and his little brother and sister, Ten Cents and Penny, were in danger. He has a great sense of care to those he loves.

## Technical Details

### Basis

Like the rest of the Star Fleet Hercules is based on a tug that operated in San Francisco waters from the 1920s, Hercules. Hercules was built in 1907 by John H. Dialogue and Sons, of Camden, New Jersey. She was built for the Shipowners' and Merchants' Tugboat Company of San Francisco, as part of their Red Stack Fleet (a part of today's Crowley Maritime Corporation). After completion, Hercules was sailed to San Francisco via the Straits of Magellan with her sister ship, Goliah, in tow.

The California State Park Foundation acquired Hercules in 1975, and the National Park Service took over her restoration in 1977. In 1986 she was designated a National Historic Landmark. She is now one of the exhibits of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and is to be found moored at the park's Hyde Street Pier.

### Livery

Hercules is painted in the Star Fleet's corporate livery. This consists of a black hull, a yellow superstructure, white mast and an American flag-styled red, white and blue funnel. His name is painted on the sides of his bow in white and he has the number "6" on his funnel. He wears round yellow tinted glasses and a blue and white sailor's cap.

Prior to joining the Star Fleet, Hercules was painted in the United States' naval grey livery.

## Trivia

* The preferred voice actor for Hercules is Sean Barrett, who voiced him in the original *TUGS* series.
* Like in the older, deleted scripts, Hercules and Ten Cents are brothers.
* Hercules' worst nightmare is losing Ten Cents and Penny - which he almost lost his little brother twice. It is one of the very few things that could potentially break him apart.