To me, Hercules did what Emperor's New Groove could not. It achieved being comical while not being obsessively so. That goes for all the characters in both films. You mention Hades is your favorite but some part of you wish he was a little darker, yet I think a performance change at all would have tarnished the character. In a world with many predictable and cliche villains, Hades shines because of the spin James Woods puts on the character. Even if he may not be my favorite Disney villain, I certainly have a great deal of respect for his uniqueness.
--
Still smilin'
:>