Welcome
to Only if for a Night, a one-page dedication for Herclues & Megara from the animation movie Hercules. This site was created for Amassment's 1p1m (One page, One month) marathon! Spoilers will be in most sections of this site, therefore each section is expandable/compressible in order for you to limit exposure to things you may not wish to see yet. Click on the headers in order to read the section(s) that interest you most. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, feel free to shoot me an e-mail and I will respond as soon as possible! Take a look around and enjoy your stay!
Version one of Only if for a Night features an official image of Hercules and Megara from Hercules. All aspects of the layout were made by me or default to Adobe Photoshop CS, with the exception of fonts that were downloaded from Dafont. Because this is a one page site, there is no navigation. Please continue to scroll in order to view the site contents.
HERCULES 101
NAME: Hercules
HONORS/AWARD: #4 Greatest Disney Hero
NICKNAMES: Wonderboy, Herc, Jercules, Herc the Jerk, Wonder Breath
AGE: 18
OCCUPATION: Prince of the Gods
BIRTH PLACE: Mount Olympus of Greece
RELATIVES: Zeus & Hera (birth parents), Amphytryon & Alcmene (adoptive parents)
LIKES: heroic deeds, his merchandise, Phil's approval, Meg, Pegasus
DISLIKES: failure, being thought of as weird, abuse
Hercules is the protagonist of Disney's film, Hercules. His character was born a God, but was stolen by Hades' minions when he finds out from the three witches that Hercules is the only person who could stop his master plan. Hades had order for Hercules to be given a potion that would rid him of his God powers, and then to murder him.
The two minions failed, however, when they were interrupted by baby Hades' using his super-human strength. The baby didn't drink every last drop of the potion, which allowed him to keep his super strength, but it was enough to rid him of his God status. Therefore, Hercules wasn't able to go back to Olympus. Two humans found the baby on the ground, and thought it was a sign from God because they couldn't get pregnant. Hercules later goes to Zeus' statue and is greater by his real father. Zeus tells him he can be reunited with the Gods if he proves himself to be a true hero. Hercules becomes determined to change is dorky self into a muscular hero. He begins his journey with the aid of Phil, a half human, half goat. While on his journey, he stumbles upon a damsel in distress, Megara, and falls for her.
Hercules' character was based off of a real mortal in Greek history, also named Hercules. He was known for his super strength, and some even said he was stronger than most Gods. He was the deciding factor for the victory of the Olympians over the giants. Hercules was the only mortal son of Zeus that was turned into a God later on. Hercules didn't understand his own strength, and didn't learn to control it until after he accidentally killed his music teacher, Linus, in a fit of rage. In the mythological story, Hercules was given 12 tasks to prove himself a hero by King Eurystheus. Hercules' final task was one of the most difficult and dangerous - he had to descend to the kingdom of Hades and capture Cerberus, the fierce three-headed dog that guarded the gates to the underworld. Hades said Hercules could take Cerberus if he used no weapons to overcome the beast. Hercules wrestled Cerberus into submission or gave him drugged food and carried him to Eurystheus.
MEGARA 101
NAME: Megara
DISNEY CALLS HER: a deuteragonist
NICKNAMES: Meg, Nutmeg, Sweet-cheeks
AGE: 18
GOAL: to free herself from Hades
ALIGNMENT: neutral/good in the end
RELATIVES: Hercules (husband)
LIKES: witty/sarcastic remarks, freedom, having friends
DISLIKES: manipulative men, abuse, heights, ex-boyfriends
Meg is a free spirited woman who doesn't like to waste her time on men. She finds it funny when people try to get at her because her mind is made up: no guys! Meg is very quick-witted, often having very sarcastic jokes and remarks back to people, especially men. She is a very atypical lead for a Disney character, which definitely makes her stand out.
We see a glimpse of teen-aged Meg in the Hercules Series that appears on Disney channel. She is found out to be a cheerleader at her high school, easily attracting men with her good looks and spirit. She runs into Hercules and asks him to help her retrieve her amphora which was stolen from her in order to prove himself a hero. During a fight for the amphora, Meg tells Hercules that she liked him from the start. They almost share a romantic kiss, but the amphora's water is dropped on them, causing them to forget how they met, and reinforcing the fact that Hercules and Meg never established any true romance until the film.
In Greek Mythology, Megara was the eldest daughter of King Creon. She had no significant role other than becoming the wife of Hercules during the stories. She is often confused with Megaera, one of the Erinyes, Eumenides or "Furies" in Greek mythology. Megaera is the cause of jealousy and envy, and punishes people who commit crimes, especially marital infidelity. Megaera means the "jealous one," while Megara translates to "the fury." People with the name Megara tend to be passionate, compassionate, intuitive, romantic, and to have magnetic personalities. They are usually humanitarian, broadminded and generous, and tend to follow professions where they can serve humanity. Because they are so affectionate and giving, they may be imposed on. They are romantic and easily fall in love, but may be easily hurt and are sometimes quick-tempered.
DAMSEL FINDS A... HERO?
Hercules hears yelling between a girl and a centaur on his way to Thebes, and he decides to help out because he is on a journey to become a "hero." Hercules approaches the two and asks the centaur to release her. The girl yells for him to "keep moving," but Hercules refuses to let her go on by herself. He asks her if she is a damsel in distress, and she laughs and responds with "I'm a damsel, I'm in distress, I can handle this. Have a nice day!" Hercules still doesn't take no for an answer, and he attacks the centaur, getting the girl all wet. Hercules introduces himself to her, and she tells him her name is Megara. He is intrigued by her charm and her wit, but Megara doesn't seem to fall into it. Megara thanks him for everything, and calls him Herc. He insists on giving her a ride to where she needs to be, but she tells him she will be alright, and leaves him with a witty remark, "I can tie my own sandals and everything!" Megara watches him leave on Pegasus, and smiles big as he leaves, wondering if "wonder-boy" is for real or not.
TWO YEAR SENTENCE
Hades comes up to Megara shortly after, and they argue about how she didn't convince the River Guardian to join their team. He gets angry and tells her that he's going to add two more years onto her sentence instead of taking two years off because of her lack of effort. She gets angry and tells him it's not her fault, but the fault of someone named Hercules for getting in the way. Hades gets angry and says they need to kill Hercules so that he doesn't mess up their plan. Megara doesn't seem too enthused to be teamed up with Hercules, but she has to go along with it.
Hades has Megara go play damsel in distress some more and lures Hercules into a hard battle. Hercules starts off getting really injured, but he proves himself a hero by defeating the giant that Hades had thrown at him. Hades gets angry and thinks that he's thrown that wrong "curves" at Hercules, realizing that he needs to use Megara to find his weakness, because everyone has one. Hades tells her that he needs Megara to handle him as a men, by using sex-appeal basically to lure his weakness out. Megara gets angry and tells Hades that she's sworn off "man-handling," and won't do it. Hades brings up Megaras past and reveals why she is in a contract with Hades. Hades states, "Well that's good because that's what got you into this in the first place. You sold your soul to me to save your boyfriends life. And how does that creep repay you? By running off with some babe." Megara gets sad and tells him that she's learned her lessons since then, and to cut it out. Hades gives her the ultimate exchange: the secret of Hercules weakness and in return she will get her ultimate freedom from him. Megara unwillingly agrees to helping him out in exchange for her freedom.
CUPID'S ARROWS
Megara makes her move and shows up at Hercules' house. He tells her it's great to see her, because he's missed her a lot. Megara convinces Hercules to skip a day of being a hero and to go out on a date with her. They go to a restaurant by the bay and then they end the date with seeing an Oedipus play. Hercules thanks Meg for showing him a fun time. Megara falls dramatically into his arms and blames it on her weak ankles. She slyly asks him if he has any problems like that, and he tells her he has no physical weakness. She attempts to throw herself at him, but he pushes her off kindly. He tells her that when he was a kid he wished her could be like everyone else. She laughs and says, "petty and dishonest?" and he smiles and said that she's not like that. The two have a deep conversation about their feelings:
Meg: How do you know what I'm like?Right before Hercules is about to kiss her passionately, they are interrupted by Phil and Pegasus. Hercules pulls a flower off of a tree and hands it to her. While she is smiling at it, he quickly kisses her on the cheek and is forcefully taken away. The two smile one last time, and then depart.
Herc: All I know is you're the most amazing person with weak ankles I've ever met! Meg, when I'm with you... I don't feel so alone.
Meg: Sometimes it's better to be alone.
Herc: What do you mean?
Meg: Nobody can hurt you.
Herc: *grabs onto her hand* Meg, I would never, ever, hurt you.
Meg: And I don't want to hurt you, so let's both do ourselves a favor and stop this... ugh before we...
SECRETS COME TO THE SURFACE
After Hercules leaves, Meg lays back with the flower and smiles. She realizes that she has fallen in love once again with another guy. She breaks out into song about it, confessing her feelings. She admits that she once had thought that no person would be worth the aggravation or emotions, but she is unsure now whether or not she wants to try love again. She tells herself to get a grip and to not let her heart hurt once more. But, in the battle between her mind and her heart, her heart ends up winning. We figure this out when she finally says, "At least out loud... I won't say I'm in love," meaning she isn't going to tell him yet, but she knows that she is.
Hades approaches Meg and asks her what she found out. She tells Hades that Hercules has no weaknesses, and that he is doomed to fail. Hades smiles and realizes that Hercules' weakness is Megara. Meg attempts to get to Hercules first in order to snap some sense into him and tell him what happened, but unfortunately she is too late. Meanwhile, Hercules tells Phil that Megara is more beautiful than Aphrodite and that he has finally found the one. Phil tries to warn Hercules that he saw Meg and Hades talking, but Hercules refuses to listen. When Hades shows up with Megara tied up, he tells Hercules he promises to not hurt her and to not have anything bad happen to her as long as Hercules promises to give up his super human strength for one day. Hercules agrees because he is blinded by love, and his powers go away. Hades laughs and then tells Megara she is free from him now, confusing Hercules. Hades points out that Megara was working under him the whole time, and that she is to blame. Megara tries to explain herself to him, but he says out to Phil, "You were right all along Phil, dreams are for rookies."
'TIL DEATH DO US PART
Hercules refuses to listen to Megara, and he goes and tries to take on a giant troll that Hades sends into the village. Megara tells him to stop but he won't, and he marches on. Megara willingly rides on Pegasus (she's afraid of heights!) in order to find Phil in hopes that he can talk some sense into Hercules. The three get back to see Hercules badly injured and beat up from the giant troll. As the troll is about to throw a piece of a building on Hercules, Megara pushes him out of the way and it lands on her. Hercules screams out to her and runs over, attempting to lift it up. All of a sudden, his super strength comes back and he is able to free her from being crushed. He asks her why she would sacrifice herself for him, and she responds with "People always do crazy things when they're in love." Hercules holds onto her and promises he will go save the day and come back for her. He tells her to hang on and get better.
After defeating the troll, Hercules comes back to find out from Phil that Meg had died. He gets furious because Hades had promised him that nothing would happen to her. He realizes that he is going to do something crazy, and go to the underworld and get revenge for Megara's death. He hopes to be able to save her from the dead as well when he gets there. Hercules shows up and threatens Hades. Hades gets a little bit nervous to see an enraged Hercules going towards him. He tells Hercules he can jump into the river of the dead and attempt to save her, but he will probably die as well before returning with her. Hercules jumps in and swims around, as we see his flesh aging quickly. He grabs onto Megara's soul, and jumps out. When he comes out, his body is glowing. He becomes a true hero after saving the one he loves.
BECOMING MORTAL ONCE MORE
After saving Megara's soul, Hercules had become a full God once again because he finished his ultimate task of becoming a hero on earth. He returns her soul to her body, and the two hold each other tight. Hercules goes back into Olympus to great his father and mother once again. The three hug each other tight, and all of the other Gods and Goddess clap at his return. Megara smiles from the distance, realizing that this is the life that Hercules had been wanting back for so long. Megara willingly starts to walk away, but Hercules calls out to her.
Zeus and Hera notice the love between Hercules and Megara, and ask Hercules what he plans on doing. Of course they want him back at home where he has always belonged, but that would mean Megara couldn't come with him. Hercules looks at his parents and tells them, "Life without Meg, even an immortal life, would be empty. I wish to stay on Earth with her... I finally know where I belong." Zeus smiles and understands, as Megara and Hercules embrace. As they kiss each other passionately, Hercules body starts turning back to its normal color from the golden tint it had been while he was a God. Hercules chose to live a mortal life with Megara because she was the one person who finally made him feel like he had a place to be himself. He loved her and she finally could say out loud that she loved him. The Gods all cheer out for Hercules and his new love as they say goodbye to their long lost friend!
THE REAL STORY
The real story of Hercules and Megara is far less romantic than the Disney classic represents them to be. Megara, the caught of King Creon, was given to Hercules by her father as a gift. The two then wed together, having a pretty happy marriage. They bore two sons together, and lived a normal life. Hercules was driven mad by Hera, who was not ACTUALLY his mother like represented in the Disney movie. Hera was the true wife to Zeus, but Zeus had cheated on her with a mortal woman who bore Hercules. Hera hated his true mother, and drove her far away, almost killing her. She than made Hercules go mad, and murder both his two children and Megara as well. When Hercules recovered from his madness, he realized what he had done. He became so guilty from what he had done that he had approached the Oracle of Delphi and asked what he could possibly do to atone for his mistakes. The oracle sent him to offer his services to King Eurystheus, which eventually lead to Heracles performing his 12 legendary labors.
Another interesting difference between the real mythology and the Disney classic was the scene where Hercles rescues Megara from the centaur. Nessus was the real name of the centaur who offered to help a beautiful lady Deianira across the river. However, Nessus attacked Deianira and attempted to rape her. When Hercules heard the cries, he shot Nessus with an arrow that was poisoned with the blood of a Hydra. He later ended p remarrying Deianira after this occurrence.
SCREENSHOT GALLERY
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