Outcast (Hercules: The Legendary Journeys)

"Outcast"
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys episode
Episode no.	Season 2 Episode 205
Directed by	Bruce Seth Green
Written by	Robert Bielak
Original air date	2 October 1995
Guest stars
Robert Trebor (Salmoneus) Peter Muller (Deric) Jon Brazier (Jakar) Kelson Henderson (Democles) Lucy Lawless (Lyla)
Episode chronology
← Previous "Siege at Naxos" Next → "Under the Broken Sky"

"Outcast" is the fifth episode of the second season of the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

Overview

Deric, a centaur, and his human wife, Lyla and their son, Kefor are being persecuted because she married a centaur. When Lyla is killed, Deric takes revenge on the people and kills two men in self defense. Hercules fights alongside Deric against the prejudice of the local people.

Plot synopsis

While Lyla is shopping in the village market, a shop keeper begins causing trouble, calling her "a centaur-loving slut". In the commotion, her husband, Deric comes to her aid. Later that night, some of the villagers come to set Lyla's house on fire. She wakes her son Kefor and tells him to go and hide in the woods and she will come for him later. The villagers begin torching the house and Lyla tries to fend them off. One of the men manages to knock her unconscious. As the villagers flee, Deric arrives back home. He sees the house ablaze and attempts to rescue Lyla, who has been left inside the building.

The following day, Hercules meets Salmoneus, and they travel together. The two men come to the charred remains of Deric's house and are informed that Lyla was killed in the fire. Hercules finds a spear left by one of the men who torched the house; a boy tells him it is the symbol of the Cretans. In Athens, Hercules sees a man with the symbol tattooed on his arm, he tells Hercules it is a symbol of purity and strength. During an altercation between the men, Hercules meets Leuriphone, Lyla's sister. She tells Hercules and Salmoneus that Lyla and Deric have a son, who was born when they still lived in Nespa. Hercules is surprised to hear they had a child. She tells Hercules that the Cretans hate Deric because he stood up to them.

Meanwhile, Cletis, the man with the tattoo, is pulling his cart along the road. He hears noises in the woods but ignoring it he walks on. Becoming scared, he rushes off, leaving his cart behind, a figure then comes up and Cletis screams. Elsewhere, Hercules and Salmoneus are ambushed by some of the Cretans, but easily dispatch them. Later on, while Hercules and Salmoneus are in a tavern, Deric enters throwing Cletis' dead body to the ground, saying, "This is the first, but it won't be the last."

The Cretans tell the villagers that Deric has gone berserk and must be stopped. Hercules says Deric deserves a fair trial, the magistrate says that Hercules will go with the Cretans to capture Deric. While Hercules tries to convince Deric to come with them, one of the Cretans sneaks up behind Deric and is killed in self defense.

When Salmoneus and Hercules camp for the night, one of the young boys with the Cretans comes to the camp. He tells Hercules he has no quarrel with him, but does not like the centaurs. As they are talking, Jakar and the others come and tell him to stay away from the outsiders. The next day, Hercules and Salmoneus follow centaur tracks and find Deric protecting his young son. Hercules tells Deric about Nemis' death, that he died saving the lives of others. Deric is pleased to hear that Nemis was not all bad. Deric takes Hercules to visit Lyla's grave, while Salmoneus looks after Kefor.

Deric tells Hercules that Lyla was dead by the time he got into the house. He says Lyla would still be alive if they had just listened to the Cretans and moved away. Hercules convinces Deric to go back to Athens and stand before the magistrate to tell him the truth. Deric tells the magistrate that he did not kill the men in cold blood, only in self defense. While Salmoneus and Kefor play, Kefor sees a vision of his mother, who tells him she will always be there for him.

Jakar and the other men capture Kefor and blackmail Deric; if he does not confess, they will kill Kefor. Leuriphone comes and takes Hercules and Salmoneus to her house. There, Democles tells them the truth about the night of the fire. He tells Hercules where Kefor is being held and Hercules tells him to talk to Deric. Hercules frees Kefor and hides him with Leuriphone. Meanwhile, the Cretans decide that Deric should be stoned.

They break into the jail and take Deric. Democles tries to stand up to Jakar and the others, saying that Deric killed the men in self defense and Lyla did not die by accident. The men take Deric outside to be stoned, but Hercules arrives just in time to catch the rock thrown by Jakar. Hercules tells the crowd that all people are different, but Jakar tells them Hercules is trying to trick them and urging the crowd to continue, throws another rock which hits Deric. When no one joins him he runs away, chased by Deric. Hercules and Salmoneus, joined by Democles, fight some of the villagers.

Deric catches up with Jakar and tries to kill him, but Hercules stops him. Democles tells Deric he was part of those responsible for his wife's death and that he is sorry. Deric says that will not bring her back; Hercules says, "Neither will holding onto your hate." Deric accepts the apology. Deric tells Hercules he has decided to stay because Lyla loved the land. He asks Kefor if he misses his mother, but Kefor responds that she is there. As Deric tries to tell him Lyla is gone, she appears, telling them that Zeus brought her back.

Continuity and notes

• This episode continues the story of characters first presented in "As Darkness Falls".
• Hercules references the events at the end of that episode.
• Lucy Lawless had already appeared at the end of season 1 in her more famous role as Xena. The first season of Xena: Warrior Princess was being aired at the same time this episode was aired.

Main cast

• Kevin Sorbo as Hercules

External links

• "Outcast" at TV.com