In a now viral TikTok, a Disney fan shares an unsettling detail she found in the 1997 animated classic, Hercules. While Disney is no stranger to adult references, this clip reveals a much darker side of the movie and of Greek mythology as a whole. The movie follows the story of Hercules, a famous hero in Greek mythology, as he journeys to Earth to perform a rite of passage in order to prove himself to the gods on Mount Olympus. A half-god, half-man, Hercules grapples with how to use his legendary strength to defeat the evils of the underworld.

Hercules has established itself a cult classic among Disney fans since its premiere in 1997. Featuring the vocal talent of Tate Donovan as Hercules, James Woods as Hades, and Danny DeVito as Phil, the animated movie garnered praise for its catchy songs (“Go the Distance,” “The Gospel Truth”) and iconic characters. But most memorable to many fans of the movie was the character of Megara, voiced by Susan Egan. In Greek mythology, Megara is Hercules’ first wife who was gifted to the hero after defeating the Minyans at Orchomenos. However, the Disney adaptation took a different path and chose to make Megara (Meg) a spunky con artist and eventual love interest of Hercules.

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In her iconic scene singing, “I Won’t Say (I’m In Love),” TikTok user @elldramaticaromantic points out in the short clip that while Meg is walking through a courtyard, she is surrounded by large statues. At first glance, it appears each of the artworks shows lovers embracing as the camera follows Meg while she sings. But the TikToker zooms in to reveal a troubling truth behind some of the other statues. Her voice-over says:

So I never noticed this before, but in Hercules, in the part where she sings “I Won’t Say (I’m In Love)” there’s a part where she says ‘I thought my heart had learned its lesson’ and the statues that she passes by, these aren’t love scenes…these are assault scenes from Greek mythology. Like, no wonder she’s trying to be cautious!

The TikTok video now has over 160 thousand likes, with hundreds of Disney fans commenting about how they missed such a dark detail when watching the movie. One user commented, “Disney in the 90s did not hold back and tried to get away with as much as possible,” while another commented, “I mean…that’s Greek mythology for you.” Other TikTok users hypothesized that the statues were real and based off of true stories from Greek lore, including Aphrodite and Pan, Nessus and Deianira, and Nymph and Satyr. These statues depict mythological accounts of sexual assault, which alludes to a darker side of Meg’s backstory, and perhaps, explains her hesitance to pursue a romance with Hercules.

Re-watching Disney classics often reveals some shocking truths and inappropriate jokes. Once adults understand the context behind some of the adult-only references, they can find several moments that completely flew over their heads as kids. And with a live-action remake from the Russo Brothers on the way, it will be interesting to see what direction creators take in the new movie. Despite this, Disney movies like Hercules can still be relished into adulthood, and will forever remain a cult classic in ’90s animation.

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Source: @elldramaticaromantic

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Amanda Landwehr
(97 Articles Published)

Amanda is a news writer for the Movie/TV team at Screen Rant. A Los Angeles resident, she’s a lover of all things pop culture. Some of her favorites include Star Wars, the MCU, and anything Wes Anderson. She recently graduated from Roosevelt University with a degree in Journalism & Media Studies. Amanda found a passion for film journalism after working as the Arts & Culture Editor for her school newspaper, the Torch, where she attended film premieres and wrote reviews. At Screen Rant, Amanda continues to do what she thinks she’s best at: screaming about movies and TV shows.

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