Hades

**Hades** is the Hellenic Greek god of the Underworld. A vilified version of Hades appeared in the Disney film *Hercules* (1997) as the main-antagonist. This version of Hades was the main-antagonist of the defunct attraction *Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom* which had a story connected to *Adventureland*, *Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room*, and the *Jungle Cruise*.

## History

### Background

#### Origins

Hades is an Olympian god who was brother to the king of gods, Zeus. After Zeus defeated the Titans who terrorized the primordial world, Hades was put in-charge of the Underworld by Zeus. Hades loathed ruling the Underworld, however, so schemed to take over. All the while, Hades had a sleazy businessman-type personality which he made to use faustian bargains.

#### Hercules

##### Abducting Hercules

In Hellenistic Greece, Hades made a plot to free the Titans during a convergence of planets and have them conquer the cosmos from Zeus for him. Eighteen years before this could occur, Zeus had a son named Hercules whom the Fates prophecies would foil Hades' plans. Because of this, Hades had his demonic henchmen Pain and Panic abduct Hercules, poison the baby with a serum which would turn him mortal, and kill him. However, the pair failed to make the baby drink the last drop of the formula, causing him to be mortal though retain his godly strength and ward off being murdered by the duo.

Hercules was then adopted by a human farming couple while Pain and Panic lied about the scheme being a success to avoid Hades' wrath. In the following years, Hades assembled an army of monster followers to assist him in the coming uprising. He was assisted by a mortal woman named Megara who sold Hades her soul to save the life of her boyfriend, only for said boyfriend to leave Megara for another woman. When eighteen years had passed, Megara happened upon a grown Hercules who yearned to be a hero and Olympian god, then relayed this information to Hades.

##### Uprising

Hades began having his monstrous followers attack Hercules, only for him to defeat them all and gain fame in doing-so. Hades also had Megara try and seduce Hercules to learn his weaknesses, only for the two to fall in-love. When Hades realized this, he threatened Megara's life in-front of Hercules and traded her freedom with Hercules in return for Hercules losing his powers; a deal which would be undone if any harm came to Megara. Hades proceeded to release the Titans, conquer Olympus and enslave the Olympian gods while sending a Cyclops to beat and kill Hercules.

During Hercules' fight with the Cyclops, Megara pushed him out of a collapsing pillar and was crushed by it herself. As Megara died, Hercules regained his strength as it broke his and Hades' deal. Hercules proceeded to defeat the Titans and cast Hades out of Olympus, causing Hades to return to the Underworld. Hercules then confronted Hades in the Underworld to get Megara's soul back from the River Styx, which Hercules agreed to take her place in so that Megara could live. Doing this proved Hercules' worth of godhood, turning him into an immortal and letting him leave alongside Megara. Before leaving, Hercules punched Hades into the River Styx where he was sunken down by the souls of his prisoners.

#### Crystal of the Magic Kingdom

At some point, Hades was able to escape from the River Styx and returned to his position as Lord of the Underworld. Hades schemed to take over the various realms of the Magic Kingdom, a domain including: Main Street, U.S.A., Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Frontierland, Adventureland and Liberty Square. To do this, he sought after the Crystal of the Magic Kingdom protected by the wizard Merlin in the firehouse of Main Street, U.S.A., only for it to shatter in the process and have its pieces lost across the realms.

##### Fantasyland & Main Street

Hades proceeded to assume multiple aliases and travel the realms, freeing and resurrecting notable villains of the different lands to join his side. All the while, Hades and his forces were pursued by Merlin and his various sorcerer's apprentices. In turn-of-the-century Main Street, U.S.A., Hades posed as crime-lord "**Boss Teal**" and recruited Cruella DeVil in-return for Dalmatian puppies to turn into a coat, only for her to be defeated by Merlin's forces. In Fantasyland, he resurrected the sea-witch Ursula and dark-fairy Maleficent; the former of whom planned to flood Cinderella's Castle and Fantasyland before being defeated in a fight; and the latter of whom planned to trap Hades and imprison him to take over the realm for herself, again, only to be stopped by Merlin's forces.

##### Frontierland & Liberty Square

In early-colonial Frontierland/Liberty Square, Hades posed as, "**Lord Indigo of the East Underworld Trading Company**" to break Governor Ratcliffe out of jail and promise him control of Frontierland for his allegiance, but was defeated by Merlin. In 1920s Frontierland, Hades returned voodoo bokor Doctor Facilier back from the realm of the Loa for assistance, and released his accomplice Lawrence from prison. Facilier planned to get revenge on Princess Tiana by poisoning the food at her restaurant and mind-control her customers but Merlin's apprentices turned him into a frog causing his, "Friends on the Other Side" to drag him back to their domain.

##### Adventureland

In Adventureland, Hades obtained the lamp of Jafar and Iago from the Cave of Wonders which he used to make three wished: #1 Take over the land, #2 Find the missing crystal piece, and #3 Capture Merlin. Jafar seemingly recruited various pirates of the Caribbean but seemingly struggled to perform these tasks due to Merlin's magic, all while plotting with Iago to break free. The two were trapped back in the lamp by Merlin, the Genie and Merlin's apprentices. Hades wen't on the resurrect the evil lion king Scar for his plans with Scar planning to destroy Adventureland in an elephant rampage. Hades turned Scar into an undead spirit, which was then blown away by Merlin's apprentices.

Hades would also assume the alias of the Underworld god **Lazuli** to recruit ancient Incan machiavellian/mad-scientist Yzma and her henchman Kronk, promising to make her, "Empress of Adventureland". Yzma plotted to turn the residents of Adventureland into llamas using transformation potions. Yzma used magic-draining potions to attack Merlin and his apprentices, only for the apprentices to douse her in a potion that turned her into a living turtleneck sweater.

##### Endgame

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## Jungle Cruise appearances

### Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom

Hades was the main-antagonist of this attraction. Several of the missions took place in Adventureland, with the mission where he teamed-up with Scar having theming to the Jungle Cruise, his team-up with Jafar tying into Pirates of the Caribbean, and Yzma with Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room.

### Other connections

#### Adventurers Club

Hades' brother and rival Zeus is depicted via the, "God with a Rod" statue which also appears in Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar.

## Other appearances

### Mickey's PhilharMagic

In the Fantasyland theatre venue is an advertisement for, "Hades sings the Torch Songs".

## Trivia

* Various of Hades' accomplices from Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom have other connections. Maleficent is pictured on a map in the Skipper Canteen, Ursula's contract with Ariel is in Captain Mary Oceaneer's collection, and Iago was featured on the Jungle Cruise's "Official Guest Skipper" cards, and managed the Enchanted Tiki Room in The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management).

## References

1. ↑ https://touringplans.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-mickeys-philharmagic/