Pride Comes Before a Brawl

Overview
Iolaus becomes prideful after some initial successes and arrogantly decides to race Hercules to the city of Thrace. The two separate, but then Iolaus finds he has to contend with Nemesis, sent by Hera to kill him for his behavior.

Plot synopsis
As Hercules and Iolaus travel to Thrace, a young woman is being chased through the woods. Hercules and Iolaus attempt to cross a bridge, but a gang of thugs stops them. Hercules says they can just cross the river further down and walks off, but Iolaus will not let it go and a fight ensues. Hercules returns, fights the gang and they cross the bridge, teasing Iolaus because he always has to rescue him. The woman continues running through the woods, is captured, and later wakes up in a cave. When Hercules and Iolaus come to a fork in the road, they debate over which path will take them to Thrace. Hercules states that he is right because there is a sign pointing the way with Thrace written on it, Iolaus tells him it is clearly a trap. After a brief argument, the two take separate paths to see who will get to Thrace first.

Iolaus sets off on his path determined to beat Hercules to Thrace. Along his path, Hercules meets a ferryman, but the boat has yet to be launched. Hercules convinces the man to let him launch the boat, and he sets off to Thrace. Iolaus finds himself traveling through dark woods, becoming lost he is caught in a trap, and thrown into the same cave where the woman had been left. The woman introduces herself as Lydia. While their captors fight over treasure, Iolaus and Lydia manage to escape, but the men give chase. As Hercules rows his boat toward Thrace, Nemesis, the goddess of retribution appears to Hercules. Nemesis reveals it has been ten years since they last saw each other, and that she is not here for Hercules, but Iolaus instead. She informs Hercules that Iolaus is to be killed because he let his pride get the better of him at the bridge. Hercules asks her to bend the rules for him, but she cannot. Hercules sets off to save Iolaus from being killed by Nemesis.

Iolaus and Lydia continue to escape while being chased by dogs tracking their scent. The men finally catch up with the pair. Working together, they manage to fend off some of the men and run to hide in a nearby cave. While hiding out in the cave a Hydra appears, Hercules runs to help his friend, but Nemesis stops him saying, "Only Iolaus can redeem himself". In the cave, Iolaus fights the Hydra with a torch while Lydia escapes. When one of the men enters the cave, Iolaus briefly fight him and then throwing the torch into the Hydra's pit runs from the cave.

Hercules sees his friend safe and continues onto Thrace. As Lydia and Iolaus arrive in Thrace, Hercules pretends to be asleep as though he had been there a while. When Lydia tells Hercules about what had happened to them, Hercules says he knows Iolaus can handle himself and that he would trust Iolaus with his life. Iolaus put Hercules to the test when he asks to shoot an apple from his head, while blindfolded. Hercules is a little reluctant but agrees to show he does have faith in his friend. As Iolaus prepares to shoot the arrow, Nemesis appears. She causes his shot to miss its target but uses one of her own arrows to shoot the apple. Iolaus thinks he did it, but Hercules thanks Nemesis for doing what she did. She tells Hercules that, "Iolaus earned his reprieve, and swallowed his pride". She asks Hercules if he was prepared to let Iolaus shoot the arrow, Hercules says he had to let Iolaus know that he trusted him. She tells Hercules that Iolaus would not have shot the arrow and risked his friend's life; it was enough for Iolaus that Hercules was willing to let him. Ioalus hears Hercules talking, and asks him who it is, to which Hercules replies, "Iolaus my crazy, irreplaceable friend, you don't wanna know."

Quotes and trivia

 * Eric Gruendemann, one of the show's producers, makes a cameo appearance as a fisherman.

Main cast

 * Kevin Sorbo as Hercules
 * Michael Hurst as Iolaus