• Original Air Date: 10/23/1995
• Written by: John Schulian
• Directed by: Bruce Seth Green
• Guest Cast:
  • Michael Hurst (Iolaus)
  • Liddy Holloway (Alcmene)
  • Bridget Hoffman (Echidna)
  • Martin Kove (Demetrius)
  • Rebecca Clark (Archer #1)
  • Katrina Misa (Archer #2)
  • Graham Smith (Leukos)

Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) is shocked when he hears that his mother Alcmene (Liddy Holloway) has a suitor. Feeling a mixture of concern for her welfare and guilt about not spending enough time with her, he leaves the Cappadocian Games to return home with his friend Iolaus (Michael Hurst). What he does not know is that his mother's new boyfriend is Demetrius (Martin Kove), an evil warrior in league with Echidna (Bridget Hoffman), the hideous mother of several horrible monsters Hercules has fought and killed in the course of his journeys. Using Demetrius as the catalyst, Echidna devises a plan to avenge the deaths of her offspring by forcing Alcmene to witness the slaying of her own son before she herself is put to death.

To his dismay, Hercules arrives home to find his mother completely captivated by the handsome and smooth-talking Demetrius. Meanwhile, Leukos (Graham Smith), a veteran warrior who has recognized the ruthless Demetrius-from battle, pleads with Iolaus to arrange a meeting with Hercules, but is slain before he can warn the son of Zeus about the plot on his life. Racing to his mother's house after discovering Leukos' body, Hercules is ambushed by six deadly female archers summoned by Echidna. One of the archers' arrows, forged in the fires of Hades, finds its mark and Hercules collapses to the ground as Demetrius - finally revealing his true nature - binds Alcmene's hands, shoves her into his wagon and triumphantly drives off. Pulling the arrow out of Hercules' chest, Iolaus pleads with fate to spare the life of his fallen friend, whom Demetrius and the archers now believe to be dead.

A few hours later, having survived the deadly arrow, a severely weakened Hercules struggles to his feet and sets out to rescue his mother. Alcmene manages to escape her captors but is soon caught by Demetrius and taken to Echidna's cave to meet her death. When Hercules and Iolaus arrive at the cave, they disarm the archers guarding the entrance in a surprise attack and descend to face Echidna. There, in the depths of the underground lair, the wounded Hercules summons all his fading strength to battle Demetrius and Echidna. Just as Hercules is about to kill the mother of all monsters, however, Alcmene pleads that he find another way to defeat her. In the end, Hercules and Iolaus unleash a tremendous rock slide, sealing Echidna in a darkened tomb forever.