"Come on!" "Let's go!" "Hurry!" "Go!" " Ow!" " Hold still, I'm almost finished." " Why do we need marks, Papa?" " To identify you." "Now, hold still." "Get them!" "Don't let them get away!" "The Amazons!" "Run!" "They're coming!" "Roone... promise me." "If anything happens to me or your mother you'll take care of your little sister." " Yes, Papa." " Good!" "Go!" "Go, go!" "Come on!" "Come on!" "Come on!" "Come on!" "Come on!" "Burn it!" "Not my baby!" "Kids, run!" "Papa, no!" "Roone!" "Your sister!" "Hurry!" "No!" "Please!" "Roone!" "Roone!" "Papa!" "Die like the dog you are!" "Keep moving!" "Leave him alone!" "He's blind!" "He's gonna be dead if he don't keep moving!" " Who are you?" " The name is Hercules." "Hercules?" "Are you aware of what province you're in?" "Mecaneau... so what?" "Owning slaves is against the law here." "That's not a problem." "I'm taking them across the straits to Lethos Province." "It's still a problem." "You see..." "I don't believe in slavery anywhere." "Thanks." " You men are free to go." " Ohhh!" "Thank you!" "You're welcome." " That includes you." " I'm fine." "Are you sure?" "It looks like those chains are a little tight." "The name's Roone." "I don't need anyone's help." "I just need wanna find my sister." "This is the story of a time long ago." "A time of myth and legend, when the ancient gods were petty and cruel, and they plagued mankind with suffering." "Only one man dared to challenge their power-Hercules." "Hercules possessed a strength the world had never seen, a strength surpassed only by the power of his heart." "He journeyed the earth, battling the minions of wicked stepmother, Hera, the all-powerful queen of the gods." "But wherever there was evil, wherever an innocent would suffer, there would be Hercules." "The others weren't bound like this." "Any particular reason?" "I suppose they were trying to, uh, discourage me from escaping." "And just where would a blind boy would escape to?" "Back to Sarna where I grew up to look for my sister." "It's been almost fourteen years since I've seen her." "Sarna?" "Well, you're in luck." "I'm headed that way." "Why would you be going there?" "Well, I've heard some rumors of Amazon trouble I need to look into." "Those Amazons killed my parents raided my village took my sister." "I'm sorry to hear that." "But if this happened over thirteen years ago, how do you know your sister's even alive?" "It's just a feeling." "But even if she isn't," "I have to find out one way or another." "All right." "Let's go." "You're a sad excuse for a warrior." "It's hard to believe your training was identical." "Are you that much better, or is she just getting worse?" "Lucine is a liability." "If she goes on the raid tomorrow she'll just get someone killed." "Are you worried that that someone might be her?" "I'm worried about our tribe all our warriors not one." "Spoken like a leader, Surrie." "You may have it in you to take over this tribe, one day." "Mayhem, I don't care about the leadership of our tribe not yet." "All I'm concerned about now is winning tomorrow's battle with as few casualties as possible." "We'll have to work for our passage." "You don't have to worry about me, Hercules." "I can hold up my end." "Excuse me... did he call you Hercules?" "Ah... ah, yes... he did." "Xena's told me so much about you." "I'm Ephiny, and this is my son, Xenon." "Glad to meet you, and this is Roone..." " ah, Roone can't" " I'm blind." "And, and don't take this wrong, but your boy doesn't smell like anyone I've ever met." "That's because he's a Centaur." "A Centaur... really?" "Wow." "I'm taking Xenon to the Centaur colony in Thrace." "I want him to know his father's side of the family." " That's a great idea." " My timing could be better." "Several outlaw bands from the Amazon nation have broken off." "Kill all Amazons, as far as I'm concerned." "Roone..." "Ephiny's an Amazon." "Settle down!" "Settle down!" "Go!" "You wait up for me aboard." "Wipe them off the face of the Earth!" "Every last one of them!" "Sorry..." "I, uh, I didn't expect that." " There's some deep hate in him." " Well, he's had a rough life." "When he was six, an Amazon raid killed his parents and they carried off his little sister." " Is he sure it was Amazons?" " It must have been renegades." "Maybe you've run across his sister." "She'd be about seventeen, now a bird tattoo on her hand?" "Oh, we're made up of a lot of different tribes." "Some of those renegades were assimilated back into the main body, but most were killed." "What about these latest uprisings?" "An aberration, I hope." "Most of us want peace, but a few outlaw bands could destroy everything we've worked for." " Look, I" " Ah, I don't wanna keep you waiting here, so it was, it was a pleasure to meet you, you too, Xenon." "Have a safe journey." "Here let me." "Why is it you can string a bow or feather an arrow faster than any of us but you still can't grip a sword so no one will take it away?" " I'll do better next time." " I hope so." "We're attacking another village tomorrow." "There's no more time for practice or learning." "You've always watched out for me and I appreciate that." "But maybe I'm not cut out for this like you." "Maybe it's not in my blood." "Just because you weren't born into this world is no excuse." "It's not blood that makes an Amazon warrior it's training and preparation and attitude." "We need to be able to count on each other watch each other's back." "And you know, I'd never let you down." "I know you wouldn't not intentionally." "Tomorrow we take the next step in reclaiming our ancestral lands." "And when we take back our valley we'll be sending a message to the whole world." "Amazons want what is rightfully ours and we'll fight our righteous war until we get it!" "Watch!" "Don't worry." "I'll get it." "Roone... you've had a hard life but that incident with Ephiny" "You should have told me she was an Amazon." "Why?" "She wasn't the one who killed your parents." "Most Amazons are good, upstanding" "Save your breath!" "I say, kill them all let the gods sort them out." "Even if it's your sister." " What are you saying?" " Thirteen years is a long time and Amazons don't keep slaves." "If your sister's alive she's one of them." "Then, she's better off dead." "Show no mercy!" "No!" "No!" "May the gods protect us!" "I guess you were right." "I'm not warrior material, after all." " Rest." " Why?" "We both know I'm dying." " You're not dying." " Don't lie to me not now." "You're the only family I've ever known." "We're all sisters." "Do you think I'll see my birth family on the other side?" " I wonder what that'll be like." " OK... just rest." "Hold me." "Goodbye, my friend." "So this is where you were born." "It's a beautiful place." "Ooop!" "Take it easy." " What is it?" " Where are we?" " Describe to me where we are." " Uh... well, about twenty paces in front of you there's a river." "To your right, there's a line of trees." "This is it!" "This is the place they were killed!" "I can feel it!" "I can see it!" " Roone!" " Die like the dog you are!" " This is where they died!" " Roone." "I can see it like it was yesterday." "Her hair was like fire." "Whose hair?" "The human garbage that killed my parents." "My sister's all I have left." "I know." "Come on." "I'm sorry." "I don't usually get that upset." "Don't worry." "It's understandable." "He's in here." "We need your help." "Amazons attacked our village." "It was awful." " Where was this?" " In the middle of the Prithian Valley." "Seven days ago they attacked a village at the south end." "They killed everyone who stayed behind." "There's a good chance they'll be coming here next." " What should we do?" " Round up the men." "We'll have to make a stand here." "I know Lucine's death has affected you." " As would any of my sisters'." " You don't show it I commend that." "But inside, I know you grieve." "How you respond to this moment will determine your future as an Amazon whether you'll be just another warrior or a true leader." "I want you to present the war song." "My sisters... we have reached a critical stage in our righteous war." "But if we truly want to put an end to our enemies' lies their broken treaties we must prevail." "Be assured, we will reclaim the ancestral lands that are rightfully ours." "But I beg you don't be like our fallen sister, Lucine." "Don't sacrifice your lives for the Amazon nation." "Make our enemies sacrifice theirs." "Get ready!" "Here they come!" "You got a lot of heart for a blind boy but I'm gonna cut it out." "Amazons, retreat!" "We've got 'em now!" "After them!" "Come on." "Let's get you patched up." "... Amazons are scum!" "We beat them." "We won." "No, we just surprised them." "They'll be back-- over here." " I'll get more water." " OK." "All right?" "Thank you for saving my life." "Those last two Amazons" " Roone, your sister's alive." " What?" "I saw the tattoo." "It's the same as yours, and she's the right age." "Then she was with the Amazons who attacked us." "I'm afraid she was the one who almost killed you." "They were much better prepared than the other villagers." "I have a good idea who prepared them the big man that stopped you from killing the boy is Hercules." "Hercules... well he's the epitome of everything that we're against male, glory, and domination." "He's also the key to that village maybe the whole war." "You kill Hercules and the fight'll go out of the rest of them." "I want you to have that privilege." "It would be an honor." "That village is important, Surrie." "We're outnumbered in this world, and we rely on surprise and the fear our reputation instills." "We can't afford to let anyone think we've been defeated." "We have to go back in there and kill everyone-- everyone." "Make sure you put that high this time, OK?" "I thought you handled yourself pretty well with that staff." "It's not lethal enough." "Roone..." "defending yourself is one thing." "But this hatred you carry hurts you the most." "Killing all the Amazons in the world won't make that go away." "I don't want it to go away." "It's what kept me going the last thirteen years." "That and the hope that one day I'd find my sister and take care of her like I promised my father." "That's a tall order for a six year-old to fill." "I promised." "Yeah." "Well... life doesn't always work out like we plan." "We make promises and we try our best to keep them." "If they don't work out, we still have to go on." "Well, I intend to keep mine." "I'm gonna take care of my sister one way or another." "You can keep shooting, and I can keep catching but it won't do us any good." "Why are you here, unarmed?" "That blind boy you almost killed he's your brother." "I don't have any family except for my Amazon sisters." "No?" "That tattoo on your hand?" "He has one that's identical." " What do you want from me?" " Talk to him." "He's come a long way to find you." "He's come a long way to die." "Then you'll be killing the only family you have left in this world." "I told you the Amazons are my family." "My birth-parents abandoned me." "Your parents were killed by Amazons and you were stolen." "Look, all I'm asking is for you to meet Roone alone and listen to his side." "The oak meadow-- when the moon is high." "You seem unfocused, Surrie." "Maybe, Lucine's death bothers me more than I thought it would." "We were so close, like..." "like true sisters." "You weren't." "You were both abandoned, but by different parents." "You don't remember me finding you in the woods, crying." "I don't remember crying ever." "I found you crying, then because your parents had left you to die like an animal all because you were first-born and female." "You're a blessing given to me from the gods, because I couldn't have daughters of my own." "Focus, Surrie." "One day, after we reclaim our lands you will become the new leader of this tribe." "Ready?" "How do you know she can be trusted?" "I don't but someone had to make the first move." "You won't be needing this." "She's already tried to kill me once." "Tonight you talk, and you listen." "Let's go." "Here we are." "How long do I have to wait?" "Oh..." " Don't move." " So this is your idea of alone." "So... the mighty Hercules." "Ooh." " What have you got to say for yourself?" " I was gonna ask you that." "Do you really want their deaths on your hands?" "Oh, they're not gonna die." "That privilege is reserved for you and the boy, and any villagers stupid enough to stay behind." "I won't let that happen." "That's a bold statement for someone in your position." "Even if you killed me and took the village the Prithians will take it back." "They'll send soldiers to hunt you down until you're all dead all because you won't abide by a treaty." "That's what I think of your treaties." "They're not worth the parchment they're printed on." "Then, fight for your rights." "But do it throught the courts." "If you do it by violence, you'll be dividing the Amazon nation and didvided, you will fall." "You think you're so mighty." "Well, you won't be tomorrow." "I have a special sunrise ceremoney planned just for you." " Why are you lying?" " I'm not lying!" "Why would I?" "My life's not worth anything, anymore not after what the Amazons have done to you." "Uh, they've done nothing to me except teach me to be strong and independent." "You mean, cold-blooded and ruthless." "Whatever complete victory takes." "You know?" "I'm glad our parents our dead so they can't see you like this." " My parents abandoned me." " They were killed!" "By an Amazon!" "I saw it!" "You saw it!" "You can't deny it, anymore!" "No more lies!" "Go on." "Kill me you will eventually." "But you can't kill the truth." "You know what you saw." "Mayhem, he says he's my brother." "He has a tattoo exactly like this." "So you have a brother." "What does that prove?" "You were still abandoned." "Well, if I was abandoned, why did they bother marking me?" "How dare you question me." "I raised you for thirteen years." "I taught you everything you know." "Including a respect for the truth." "One day I will replace you and take over the leadership of this tribe." "But I need to know who I really am before I can do that." "Well, in the morning, none of this will matter." "I have a little ritual planned." "I think we should have a ritual the fire stakes to find out who's lying." "As you wish." "My daughter has a soft spot for lost siblings." "We'll determine who's lying with the fire stakes." "That won't find the truth." "It'll just get someone killed." "You know the ceremony?" "I know a little about Amazon traditions." "Then you'll know, once it's been decreed, it can't be revoked." " The boy and I will fight." " Then I request to take his place." "He's blind and no match for you." "Excellent." "Cut him loose." "Don't bother." "We don't have to play these games." "You know in your heart, don't you?" "Roone is your brother." "So, what am I supposed to do?" "Deny my Amazon heritage?" "My training?" "All the strength that gave me?" "Maybe you didn't get your strength from the Amazons." "Maybe you already had it inside you." "Amazon strength is the only strength." "Is it?" "Then how did your brother your blind brother survive all these years?" "Don't listen to him!" "Kill him!" "There's no need for this fight, Mayhem." "Just tell her the truth." "Die like the dog you are!" "She's the one!" "She killed them!" " You killed their parents." " So what?" "I've made her the best warrior in the Amazon world." "Do you think her parents could've done that." "Here, take my hand." "Take it!" "Take it!" "This is your fault." "Is this what you both really want?" "You kill Roone and you'll never find out what your real parents were like." "your father dies with her." "Is this how you want it to end?" "You were wise to call off your righteous war." "It cost me the only two people who meant anything to me the only family I knew." "You still have family... blood family." "She lied to me." "Everything I hold dear in my life is based on a lie." "No, it just means you have to rethink everything you've been taught starting with Roone." "This won't be easy for him, either." "Roone... would you take me to our village?" "Here?" "This is where it happened." "Roone... your sister!" "I can" " I can see them, Roone." "I can see them dying." "Captioned by Grantman Brown"