Hercules: The Library

Hercules: The Library Hercules gets one of the better introductions in The Library because there really isn't any confusion about what he brings to the situation. Thomas is running from a minotaur, and Hercules sends the thing through masonry before picking it up and throwing it away. Then he gets into the library, grabs a T. rex by the tail, and starts swinging it around. That's the kind of help you want when your afternoon has turned into monsters coming out of books. Spoilers for The Library #1–5. This Hercules comes out of the books during young Sela Mathers's library adventure. Most of his role comes down to protecting Thomas. He's confident, loud, and very comfortable reminding people who his father is. But he also stays with the boy when the situation gets worse. When they need to recover the spellbook's key, Hercules climbs a cliff with Thomas and gets him to the giant wasps' nest where it ended up. And that's where being enormous and strong stops solving everything. Hercules can't fit through the opening. Thomas can. So the kid has to go inside alone while the person who can throw a dinosaur waits outside. I like that detail because Thomas isn't just luggage being carried through the adventure. He has a job Hercules physically cannot do for him, and he's scared enough that he wishes Sela were there. Thomas gets the key and escapes by climbing onto a giant wasp. Hercules sees him flying out and throws his club to take the creature down. He hits it. Unfortunately, hitting the thing carrying Thomas also sends Thomas into the ocean. That isn't a failure of strength or aim. It's a bad rescue decision. Hercules can hit his target and still make the situation more dangerous for the person he's trying to help. Thomas survives with the key, but they need Captain Nemo's intervention when another threat approaches in the water. Hercules keeps fighting after that. He grapples with the squid attacking Nemo's submarine, makes it back to the library, and takes on the monsters there. Later, when Sela needs to reach the book, she asks him to carry her. He punches a path through the creatures with her in his arms. Even then, the story doesn't make him untouchable. A tentacled creature grabs him, and getting free becomes a group effort. Robin Hood attacks it with arrows, Drake Mathers uses a fire extinguisher, and Hercules tears loose before knocking it back through the portal with furniture. Everybody contributes instead of standing around waiting for the strongest person to finish. His goodbye to Thomas is probably my favorite part of his role. Hercules has spent the adventure boasting about his own accomplishments, but before returning to the books, he recognizes the boy's courage. He tells Thomas he's destined to be a Titan. That's praise, not a scene where Thomas suddenly gets powers. For all the throwing and smashing, Hercules ends up being a good addition to this family story. He protects Thomas, makes mistakes around him, needs help himself, and leaves having seen something worth admiring in a frightened kid who kept going.