Hephaestus (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)

Hephaestus is a supporting character in the Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians. He is the God of Fire and Forging who creates a series of advanced machinery to challenge Percy Jackson.
==Background==
===Personality===
Compared to the other gods, Hephaestus is much calmer and more withdrawn. Unlike the others, he appears to be much more aware of the faults of his family and refuses to participate in the more drastic aspects of their life, empathizing with humans and demigods alike.
===Physical appearance===
Hephaestus resembles an older man with greying hair and a large beard. He dresses in crafting clothes which includes an apron and spectacles. He also carries with him a walking cane as he walks with a slight limp.
===Powers and abilities===
Hephaestus is a master craftsman and is depicted with the ability to make anything out of anything. To do this, he has control over fire and technology which he uses to his free will.
==Role in the series==
Like in classic mythology, Hephaestus was born to Hera (in some tellings by her own volition without Zeus), only to be rejected by her and tossed out of Olympus. He grew up with a strong love for crafting and forging and met Aphrodite, whom he married, only to lose her to Ares. This constant string of rejection caused him to become intolerant to his fellow gods. At one point, he built a chair for Hera, but when she sat in it, it entrapped her. Hephaestus only released her if he was accepted back on Olympus.
In modern times, Hephaestus built a theme park called Waterland which, when viewed by mortals, resembles a regular theme park, but when viewed by those such as demigods is revealed to be an elaborate trap and test for them. At some point, Ares and Aphrodite came, but hastily left, resulting in Ares leaving his shield behind. Hephaestus kept the shield and placed it within the tunnel of love above the very chair he used on Hera long ago.
Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase arrived to retrieve the shield for Ares, in return, they would get their friend Grover Underwood back and easier travel towards their destination. Percy was forced to sit in the chair, so that Annabeth could get the shield, but refusing to leaver her friend behind, she attempted to undo the trap. Hephaestus, watching from afar, revealed himself and demanded that Annabeth leave, but argues with him, stating that she and Percy are now capable of seeing that the gods mistreatment of one another has damaged their relationship and that they wish to be better than that. Seeing that she understood his plight, Hephaestus agrees to release Percy and let them leave with the shield, knowing that they will succeed in their quest.
==Trivia==
*Hephaestus did not appear in the first book, The Lightning Thief, but was mentioned a couple of times.
*Prior to Timothy Omundson playing him, Hephaestus was played by Conrad Coates in the first live-action film.
*The song used during the tunnel of love scene is "What Is Love" by Haddaway. The song is from the perspective of someone who tries to show love to someone, only to be constantly rejected, causing the singer to declare, "What is love? Baby don't hurt me... no more." This perfectly summarizes Hephaestus' constant rejection towards his mother Hera, and wife Aphrodite, who despite showing love towards him, is constantly rejected.
==Gallery==
Percy Jackson and the Olympians - 1x05 - A God Buys Us Cheeseburgers - Photography - Hephaestus.jpeg
Percy Jackson and the Olympians - 1x05 - A God Buys Us Cheeseburgers - Photography - Hephaestus 2.jpeg
==External links==
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Category:Live-action characters
Category:Acquired characters
Category:Percy Jackson and the Olympians characters
Category:Neutral characters
Category:Males
Category:Magic Users
Category:Siblings
Category:Greek Mythology
Category:Gods
Category:Parents
Category:Uncles
Category:Immortal
Category:Olympian Gods