Source plot synopsis — includes the ending
Years later, the teenage Hercules is ridiculed for his inability to control his strength while inadvertently causing destruction to a building. Wondering about his origins, he decides to visit the Temple of Zeus for answers. There, a statue of Zeus comes to life and reveals all to Hercules, telling him that he can earn back his godhood by becoming a "true hero". Zeus sends Hercules and his forgotten childhood friend Pegasus to the satyr Philoctetes ("Phil") who is known for training heroes. After completing the training, Phil and Hercules travel to Thebes, so he can prove himself there as a hero. On the way, they meet Megara ("Meg"), a sarcastic damsel whom Hercules saves from the centaur Nessus. Unbeknownst to Hercules, Meg is Hades's slave due to selling her soul to him to save her boyfriend, who eventually left her for another woman. When Meg mentions Hercules to Hades, he realizes Pain and Panic's failure and plots to finish off Hercules properly.
Hades stages an accident with the disguised Pain and Panic to trick Hercules into fighting with the Hydra. Hercules defeats the monster, earning the Thebans' respect and admiration. He defeats many other monsters afterward, each of them sent by Hades, and becomes a celebrated hero. However, Zeus tells him that he is not yet a "true" hero but refuses to explain what that means. Saddened and frustrated, Hercules spends a day out with Meg, during which they fall in love with each other. Realizing this, Hades, on the eve of his takeover, holds Meg hostage and offers her freedom in exchange for Hercules surrendering his strength. On the condition that Meg will be unharmed, Hercules accepts but is heartbroken after learning that Meg was working for Hades all along.
Hades unleashes the Titans, who defeat the gods on Olympus, while the Cyclops goes to Thebes to kill Hercules. After receiving encouragement from Phil, Hercules uses his wits to defeat the Cyclops. During the battle, Meg is mortally injured while saving Hercules from a falling pillar. This breaks Hades's deal, so Hercules regains his strength. Hercules and Pegasus fly to Olympus, free the gods and vanquish the Titans, but Meg dies from her injuries.
To recover Meg's soul, Hercules goes to the underworld and risks his life by leaping into the River Styx. This act restores his godhood and immortality, so he is able to reach Meg's soul and climb out alive. Hercules punches Hades into the Styx, and he is dragged to its depths by vengeful souls. After Hercules revives Meg, he is summoned to Olympus, where Zeus and Hera welcome him home, saying he has proven himself a "true hero" through the "strength of his heart". However, rather than joining the gods, Hercules chooses to remain with Meg, living on Earth as a demigod. Returning to Thebes, they watch Zeus form a constellation in Hercules's honor, much to Phil's happiness.
Sources and content license
Source and revision history ↗ · Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Hercules (1997 film). Section headings and formatting adjusted. · Content license