In the Twelve Labors of Hercules, what was the final labor in the usual ancient order?

The final labor in the usual ancient order of Hercules was to capture Cerberus.

Cerberus was the multi-headed guard dog of Hades, the underworld, and Hercules had to bring the creature to the surface alive. Eurystheus, the king who imposed the labors, was so frightened by Cerberus that some versions say he hid in a storage jar when Hercules appeared with the hound.

The task was unusual because Hercules was generally expected to defeat or seize dangerous creatures, but he was not supposed to kill Cerberus. In many ancient accounts, Hades allowed the capture on the condition that Hercules use no weapons. Hercules therefore subdued the dog through strength and endurance before returning it.

The number of Cerberus’s heads varies in later art and storytelling, although three heads became the standard popular image. The labor is often confused with Hercules’s journey to the underworld itself: the journey was part of the mission, while bringing Cerberus back was its actual objective.