Hercules and the Falling Stars is an episode of Hercules: The Animated Series. It aired on November 10, 1998.
Summary[]
Hercules, needing help with archery, calls on the greatest hunter who ever lived, Orion, releasing him from his constellation. Orion is not accustomed to the more calm way people live, earning Hercules' respect but Phil's and everyone else's anger, as he gives constant disregard to his environment. Hercules' tearing the sky left a hole for the Scorpio, Taurus, Leo, and Aries constellations to escape. Artemis, discovering the big dipper, realizes who is responsible, and sets out to find Orion, who is defeating the monsters with Hercules, destroying Corinth, Sparta, Thessaly, Abacus Valley, and Athens in the process. Artemis finally catches up to the duo and forces them to rebuild all the cities they destroyed (it's also revealed that Orion's her ex-boyfriend). Orion returns to his place in the sky, suggesting that Hercules may one day have a constellation of his own.
Trivia[]
- When Hercules releases Orion from his constellation, Orion shouts: "Freedom!"; a reference to William Wallace's last line from Braveheart.
- Adonis mentions that he once said "Let them eat baklava" about some peasants. This is reference to the phrase "Let them eat cake", which is generally attributed to Marie Antoinette (although many historians believe that she never actually said it).
- Orion gives Hercules a lion skin to wear. In Greek mythology, one of the tasks of Hercules was to slay the Nemean lion. Afterwards, Hercules donned the lion's skin.
- Upon seeing Artemis, Orion remarks: "of all the seedy falafel joints, in all the ancient world, you have to manifest in this one." This is a reference to Humphrey Bogart's famous line "Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine", from the film Casablanca.
