Poseidon

A sculpture of Neptune in EPCOT's World Showcase

**Poseidon** (or **Neptune** in Roman) is the god of the seas from Hellenic Greek Mythology.

## History

### Greek mythology

Poseidon was one of the six children of the titan king Cronos and his sister-wife Rhea. Due to a prophecy saying that he would be overthrown by his child, Cronos cannibalized every infant child which Rhea gave birth to except for the youngest son Zeus who evaded his grasp. When Zeus grew to adulthood, he freed his immortal siblings from the bowels of their father and waged war on the titans.

Following a ten-year battle between the Olympians and the Titans, the Olympians won and the Titans were cast into the Underworld as punishment. The three Olympian brothers were each subsequently given dominion over a different part of the cosmos with Zeus being lord of the Earth and skies, Poseidon being god of the oceans, and Hades being lord of the Underworld.

## Appearances and allusions

### Mystic Point

#### Garden of Wonders

In the Garden of Wonders is a mosaic of Neptune which springs to life when viewing this mosaic through the strategically positioned oculus.

#### Mystic Point Freight Depot

There is a large bronze sculpture of Poseidon's head in this Mystic Point attraction. Guests are able to use it as a photo-op, sticking their heads through the sea god's eye holes. The sculpture is themed to being one of the objects obtained by S.E.A. member Lord Henry Mystic for his collection.

### World Showcase

The sculpture *Fontana Di Nettuno* (Italian: The Fountain of Neptune) is featured in the Italy Pavilion of World Showcase.

### In other media

#### Hercules

A cartoony depiction of Poseidon makes minor appearances as an Olympian god in this film.

#### Pirates of the Caribbean (films)

Poseidon/Neptune is inconsistently referenced in these films. Most prominently, he is featured in the dubiously cannon and critically panned fifth-film *Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales* (2017) where he is referenced as being somehow deceased and posthumously has his trident used as the film's main McGuffin.

## Connections

### Atlantis: The Lost Empire

This film makes reference to the philosopher Plato's documentation of Atlantis. In real-life, Plato claimed that it was Poseidon who sunk Atlantis rather than the *Heart of Atlantis*.

### Haunted Mansion

Poseidon plays a prominent role in the backstory of the gorgon Medusa, a character featured as a posthumous resident of the Haunted Mansion.

### The Little Mermaid

In the Little Mermaid, Ariel is inferred to be a granddaughter of Poseidon as her father King Triton is Poseidon's son from Greek Mythology, appears to be in possession of Poseidon's trident, and resembles his greek counterpart. Additionally in the original script and various adjacent materials, Ursula is slated as being Triton's sister and as such the presumed daughter of Poseidon.

### Miss Adventure Falls

Within this Typhoon Lagoon attraction, S.E.A. member Captain Mary Oceaneer is shown to be in possession of objects from the Little Mermaid (1989). These artifacts are found in the wreckage of her ship the *M.S. Salty IV* in Placid Palms, Blustery Bay and consist of a, "Snarfblatt" (pipe) which belonged to Ariel and a contract made between Ariel and the sea witch Ursula.

## Trivia

* It was once planned for Poseidon to host the Living Seas pavilion in EPCOT.

* Several of Poseidon's relatives from Greek myth make appearances in different S.E.A. mythos attractions.
	+ Hercules appears on an amphora in Mystic Manor.
	+ A statue of Zeus appears in the Adventurers Club and Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar.

## References

1. ↑ https://dejiki.com/2013/11/hkdl-mystic-point/
2. ↑ https://www.yesterland.com/neptune.html
3. ↑ https://parklore.com/main-collections/lost-legend/living-seas/2/