Disney characters are famous for putting their wants to songs. This is quite convenient for our next game of What Do They Want? Featuring the muscled demigod himself, Hercules. For more on the 16 desires, check my pinned post on the right.
Hercules features the song “Go the Distance” by Michael Bolton to tell the audience what he wants.
Disney’s Hercules’s primary motivation is acceptance. He wants adoration and attention, something he does not get on the rural family farm. It is a burning hole in his life. He wants crowds to cheer for him and feel he finally belongs somewhere. Hercules sings:
Where the crowds would cheer, when they see my face, and a voice keep’s saying this is where I’m meant to be.
I will go most anywhere to feel like I belong.
… I will search the world, I will face its harms ‘Till I find my hero’s welcome waiting in your arms…
The desire for Acceptance (Attention, Approval, Inclusion) depends on others, so Hercules needs an audience. He picks Thebes as his target, but the people there are not easily impressed. They are a tough crowd and Hercules must perform some monumental tasks to get their attention. So while he wants acceptance, he needs a way to get their approval, which brings us to his next desire.
I think Herc’s next motivator is Physical Activity. As a son of Zeus, Hercules is blessed with great natural strength, but that is not enough to be a hero. In his world, many demi-god relatives have failed to become heroes. So Hercules has to train like crazy, probably for years, to hone his physical strength. He knows it will be a physical struggle to become a hero, but he can do it because gaining physical strength is its own reward. While the mythical Hercules is known for his powerlifter-like abilities, the Disney version sees his journey as a long uphill battle to get what he wants. He sings:
I’ll find my way, if I can be strong. I know every mile would be worth my while.
It’s an uphill slope, But I won’t lose hope, ’till I go the distance and my journey is complete.
Hercules loves training and working out, which puts him ahead of previous heroes Coach Phil trained, who relied on their demi-god blood to carry them. Hercules will put in more training than anyone else. And the adoration he gets from his bulging muscles and feats feeds into his desire for acceptance. After he becomes a hero, crowds stop by just to see him flex. Even Pegasus likes to headbutt Hercules, making them great sparring partners and friends.
I think Hercules’ third desire is for honor. I am unsure about this one, but this is a guessing game, so I am hazarding a guess.
When Herc’s adoptive parents explain they found him wearing an Olympian medallion and that they are not his biological parents, Hercules knows he must go on a journey to find his true identity and the origin of the medallion. But he only does so with his adoptive parent’s approval, telling them, “This is it! Don’t you see? Maybe they have the answers! I’ll go to the temple of Zeus and– Ma, Pop, you’re the greatest parents anyone could have, but.. I-I gotta know.”
Hercules is the opposite of a rebel, and when he makes it big, he buys his parents a house in the big city. Hercules also honors his biological god-parents, immediately jumping to their side. He even saves the gods from the titans in the end because he is loyal to the Olympians. Hercules is incredibly loyal, follows the tradition of his real parents and adoptive parents, and works hard to earn the trust of Thebes, Meg, and those around him. While there is an idea that many heroes are orphans, Hercules has two sets of adoring parents!
So here are my guesses for Hercules’ primary desires:
- Acceptance (Attention, Approval, Inclusion)
- Physical Activity (Exercise, Active, Moving)
- Honor (Integrity, Loyalty, Trust, Tradition)
And we even have a song about Hercules getting the adoration he wants, Zero to Hero.
Hercules achieves his primary two desires fairly early in the movie. He has all the attention he always wanted and is as physically fit as possible. But his honor is not fulfilled until he saves the Olympians and Meg from Hades. I think this shows why having multiple desires round out a character. If Hercules had only two desires, he would be satisfied before the story begins. But Herc’s loyalty takes us through the rest of the film.
I don’t think the desire for acceptance ever goes away, as eventually, Hercules becomes a god and is accepted back home with the Olympians. But at that point, he has fallen in love with the mortal Meg and asks to stay with her, his adoptive parents, and the people of Thebes. Accepted by mortals and immortals alike, Hercules goes the distance and completes his journey.
Daniel N. Blair 