Hercules

The **Hercules** symbol power appears on the palms of the user after they have been awakened. The Hercules symbol power is very rare and, like all other symbol powers, serve as a marker of a person with tremendous fighting potential.

## Abilities

The Hercules symbol power bestows a series of 12 abilities upon its wielder:

**The Twelve Labors of Hercules** allows the user to gain different cumulative abilities over time. The catch of this ability is that after the 12th labor has been concluded, a burning pain slowly begins to increase in the chest of the user until it eventually drives you into madness. You can free yourself from this fate by curtailing your use of the Hercules symbol power at any point before the end of the 12th labor, but the longer you use it at one time, and the further the labor you reach, the harder it is to bring yourself to let the power go. Between each labor, the user glows a bright gold color. Each labor lasts for 2 minutes until the next labor in the sequence begins. Therefore, the user can have the Hercules symbol power active for exactly 24 minutes until they go past the point of no return - The Shirt of Nessus.

Though the Hercules symbol power can be shut down at any point before the conclusion of the 12th labor, it becomes increasingly difficult to get yourself to do it as you progress through the labors and become increasingly powerful. In addition, because of the intense rage and loss of rational thought that sets in during the 7th labor and continues until it is relieved during the 9th labor, the user is unable to shut down the symbol power during those labors. Because of the difficulty of shutting down the symbol power grows over time, it is highly recommended to shut down the symbol power before the 7th labor.

1. **First Labor** gives the user tremendous physical resistance.

* 1. **Second Labor** gives the user incredible limb regeneration abilities. Any limb or appendage that may be cut off will instantly regenerate. Once the labor begins, the user's limbs become slightly larger and the veins are more noticeable.
	2. **Third Labor** gives the user a tremendous boost in speed and agility.
	3. **Fourth Labor** gives the user an increase in strength.
	4. **Fifth Labor** refreshes the user, healing them from all wounds and erasing their fatigue.
	5. **Sixth Labor** gives the user the ability to instill a massive amount of fear into the opponent with a sonic boom that leaves them temporarily paralyzed.
	6. **Seventh Labor** gives the user a further increase in strength in conjunction with an uncontrollable rage and loss of rationality. This unpredictability actually negates the second ability of the Saturn symbol power, **Precognition**. In addition, this takes away their ability to use strategy and limits their actual fighting skills.
	7. **Eighth Labor** increases the user's speed at the cost of pain for each attack they dish out.
	8. **Ninth Labor** relieves the user of their rage and restores their rationality along with their ability to use strategy and their fighting skills. But it does not retract the increase in strength they gained from the Seventh Labor. In addition, it relieves them of the pain per attack that the user gained in the Eighth labor.
	9. **Tenth Labor** gives the user heightened senses and reflexes.
	10. **Eleventh Labor** gives the opponent a powerful sense of confusion.
	11. **Twelfth Labor** gives the user a complete refresh of mind and body. All wounds are healed and fatigue is dissipated. This is the ultimate stage of the Hercules symbol power. The user is at their most powerful during this labor.
	12. **Shirt of Nessus** is not a labor like the others. Instead, the Shirt of Nessus marks the point of no return. Once this has started, a burning pain begins in their chest that becomes increasingly painful until they eventually succumb to madness.

## Trivia

* The Hercules symbol power is inspired by the Roman demi-god Hercules
* Unlike the other 12 symbol powers, the Hercules symbol power is the only which is inspired by a demi-god and not a full god
* Though you can stop the effects of the Hercules symbol power during any labor, the farther you sink into the labors, the less you desire to let them go, resulting in the user forgetting about the price that they will pay if they do not stop it before the Shirt of Nessus
* Leo is the most prominent user of the Hercules symbol power in the show and is the only character in the show that kills himself. He does this in order to relieve himself of the excruciating pain of the Shirt of Nessus.