Hades

**Hades** is the Greek God of the Underworld.

## **Background**

Hades was the eldest son of Kronos and Rhea, although the last son regurgitated by his father. He and his brothers, Zeus and Poseidon, defeated their father's generation of gods, the Titans, and claimed rulership over the cosmos. Hades was often portrayed with his three-headed guard dog Cerberus.

After their release, the six younger gods, along with allies they managed to gather, challenged the elder gods for power in the Titanomachy, a divine war. The war lasted for ten years and ended with the victory of the younger gods. Following their victory, according to a single famous passage in the *Iliad*, Hades and his two brothers, Poseidon and Zeus, drew lots for realms to rule. Zeus received the sky, Poseidon received the seas, and Hades received the underworld, the unseen realm to which the souls of the dead go upon leaving the world as well as any and all things beneath the earth. Some myths suggest that Hades was dissatisfied with his turnout, but had no choice and moved to his new realm.

Hades obtained his wife and queen, Persephone, through abduction at the behest of Zeus. This myth is the most important one Hades takes part in; it also connected the Eleusinian Mysteries with the Greek pantheon, particularly as represented in the *Homeric Hymn to Demeter*, which is the oldest story of the abduction, most likely dating back to the beginning of the 6th century BC. Helios told the grieving Demeter that Hades was not unworthy as a consort for Persephone.

He strictly forbade his subjects to leave his domain and would become quite enraged when anyone tried to leave, or if someone tried to steal the souls from his realm. His wrath was equally terrible for anyone who tried to cheat death or otherwise crossed him, as Sisyphus and Pirithous found out to their sorrow. While usually indifferent to his subjects, Hades was very focused on the punishment of these two people; particularly Pirithous, as he entered the underworld in an attempt to steal Persephone for himself, and consequently was forced onto the "Chair of Forgetfulness"

## **Personality**

Hades is most often portrayed as borderline emotionless and stoic. Hades was concerned with laws and order above almost all else and as such had a strong control over his temper with virtually no ego, especially compared to most of his siblings. Hades is nihilistic and seemed to view living mortals as deaths waiting to happen, while this leads to the impression that Hades had no empathy for the living it also meant he saw killing mortals as pointless since each one would die one day anyway.

All gods were said to be unable to break a promise if sworn to it, but Hades was always honest, concerned mainly with remaining unbiased in light of the scope of his job. Hades' temper was only ever tested when promises to him were endanger of being broken this meant that attempting to withhold his wife from him, invade his realm or undermining his rule of the Underworld were virtually the only things one could do to earn his wrath.

Despite being almost emotionless, Hades is capable of feeling emotions, such as love, anger, sympathy, admiration and devotion.

## **Appearance**

Hades appears as a tall, grim, pale skinned man, with a long beard with long curly hair. He wears a long flowing robe and carries a bident in his hands, and has a semi-permanent somber facial expression.

## **Known Powers and Abilities**

Hades is so powerful that it is said that the very rock obeyed his commands and the underworld conformed to his will. Hades is noted mostly for the fear he inspired not only in mortals but in most other gods.

* **Super Strength**- Being the oldest of his brothers, and being the fourth oldest of his siblings, Hades possesses terrifying levels of physical strength that the ancient Greeks, and even other gods feared him.
* **Super Stamina**- Hades cannot physically tire, and doesn't require sustenance to sustain himself.
* **Super Senses**- He possesses incredible vision and hearing, which allows him to make sure no soul escapes from the underworld.
* **Immortality**- Hades is immortal and insensitive to aging and disease, and has been around for thousands of years.
* **Nigh Invulnerability** - Like all gods, Hades cannot be killed by any method.
* **Nigh Indestructibility** - Hades cannot be truly destroyed and will continue to live forever.
* **Regeneration**- If he does receive an injury, he can regenerate the wound in a short amount of time.
* **Necromancy**- Hades has full control over the souls of the dead as a god of the underworld.
* **Invisibility**- At will Hades could render himself invisible to other beings, even gods, and can go undetected.
* **Biokinesis**- By manipulating bodily functions, Hades could cause severe damage to his enemies, like making them choke on their own blood.
* **Soul Manipulation**- Hades is able to manipulate the very fabric of souls, he is capable to removing souls from other beings and/or mutate the soul entirely.
* **Soul Reading**- Hades can tell the current condition of a soul, and is able to tell if a person has a soul just by looking at them.
* **Astral Perception**- Though his realm can only be seen by those who are dead, Hades is able to perceive it.
* **Teleportation**- He could instantly travel between the underworld, earth, and Olympus. Though Hades rarely ever left the underworld.
* **Reality Warping**- Hades could manipulate the appearance of the underworld at his command, though this power is limited only to his domain.
* **Shapeshifting**- Hades, like all of his other siblings, is capable of taking any form he wishes, however there aren't many times he has demonstrated this ability.
* **Telekinesis**- He is a highly advanced telekinetic, able to use this power offensively or defensively.
* **Apporting**- Hades is able to banish all unwanted visitors back to Earth.
* **Exorcism** **-** He is able to mentally exorcise other beings from their hosts.

## **Weaknesses**

* **Other Deities** - Hades can be overpowered by stronger gods, he was trapped inside his father's stomach after Kronos swallowed him.
* **Divine Weaponry** - A weapon of a god can cause severe harm to him.