Hades is big news at the moment, mostly due to Supergiant Games’ truly excellent action roguelike. The first entry sucked up a ludicrous amount of my life (my Steam Deck was a Hades-only machine for months) and the enormously anticipated sequel Hades II looks like it’ll continue that white-hot streak.
While we’re waiting for confirmation of an Early Access and final release date, let’s take a look at the mythological Hades and see how he stacks up against his video game counterpart.
What’s Hades like?
In ancient Greek mythology Hades is the eldest son of the titans Cronus and Rhea, meaning he’s brother to powerful Olympian gods like Zeus, Poseidon, Hestia, Demeter, and Hera. Every one of them except Zeus was eaten by their father as soon as they were born, but eventually Zeus made Cronus puke up his siblings and they waged a war known as the Titanomachy, which they won and seized control of the world.
Soon after their victory Zeus, Poseidon and Hades drew lots to decide which realms they would rule. Zeus got the prime realm of the sky, Poseidon the sea, and Hades drew the short straw and was given the underworld to rule over.
Though modern depictions of Hades often feature him as a villain (hi, Disney), in mythology he’s more of a stern boss who’s focused on managing his realm as efficiently and peacefully as possible. The souls those who die enter his realm, which he rules as a calm but emotionless King. In the underworld there is only Hades’ law and it applies to every soul, whatever their status in the living realms.
A cold and calculating God doesn’t sound much fun, but given how capricious, chaotic, and sadistic the rest of the Olympians could be, Hades is at least reliable.
How to find a wife, Greek god style
That said, he is still a headstrong Olympian at heart. The most famous story about Hades involves his abduction of Persephone, Demeter’s daughter. Hades was crushing on Persephone hard and decided to entice her with a particularly pretty flower. When she bent down to pluck it Hades burst from the Earth and dragged her to the underworld, planning to make her his wife.
Persephone was left in despair at her captivity and Demeter was furious. Zeus had to step in to adjudicate, deciding that Persephone would be released if she says she’s being held against her will. Demeter figured this was an easy win and agreed but Hades ensured that Persephone ate several pomegranate seeds, an act which magically bound her to the underworld.
Everyone gathered to hear Persephone’s take, and the pomegranate-addled maiden surprised Demeter by saying she wanted to stay with her new husband. Mucho drama ensued, with Demeter vowing to inflict eternal famine on the Earth. And so Zeus decreed that Persephone will spend six months of the year with her mom, and the six months with her husband. And that boys and girls, is the origin story of child visitation law.
Oh, and also the changing seasons of the year.
So, in summary, the game Hades is very accurate to the myth. He’s basically honorable but stern and forbidding, and very much not a fan of anyone breaking his laws.