Poseidon

Poseidon's original, 1999 design

**Poseidon** (known to the Romans as **Neptune**) is the god of the oceans from Hellenic Greek Mythology. He was central character of defunct *Islands of Adventure* attraction, Poseidon's Fury.

## History

### Background

**Note**: *Covering Poseidon's Past between both iterations of the Poseidon's Fury attraction which may have contradictions or even separate continuity.*

#### Origins

Poseidon was the Greek god of the Ocean. Poseidon's power was stored within his magical trident, so whoever wields the trident bares Poseidon's powers. The *Temple of Poseidon* in what became known as the "Lost Continent" was created in worship of Poseidon.

#### War with Zeus

Due to Poseidon's cruelty against mankind, a war was waged between him and his brother, Zeus, which supposedly lasted for a thousand years (and which occurred around 10,000 years before the setting of *Poseidon's Fury: Escape the Lost City*). After this war, Poseidon was exiled by Zeus deep beneath the surface of the sea though he vowed to some day return with an army to defeat Zeus. While exiled beneath the surface of the sea, Poseidon made his lair within the sunken city of Atlantis with various mer-folk.

#### Lost Continent

At some point, Poseidon's trusted advisor Lord Darkenon sealed the walls of the Temple's chamber and massacred all of those within as a sacrifice to an entity known as "The Dark One". With the powers gifted to him by the Dark One, Darkenon attempted to challenge and defeat Poseidon. After this battle, Darkenon would slumber dormant within the Temple of Poseidon for centuries. Meanwhile, Poseidon became dormant within a statue of him kept hidden deep within the Temple of Poseidon.

#### Poseidon's Fury

In 1998/1999, one thousand years after Lord Darkenon and Poseidon's battle, Professor Elias Baxter and his organization the *Global Discovery Group* excavated the Temple of Poseidon. Lord Darkenon attempted to manipulate members of the group into retrieving Poseidon's trident for him, only for GDG volunteer Taylor to awaken Poseidon from his statue form.

A fight transpired between Poseidon and Lord Darkenon which ended when Poseidon impaled Lord Darkenon's gut with his trident which seemingly destroyed the lord. As the surrounding ruins crumbled, Poseidon granted the mortals safe passage back to their world.

#### Escape the Lost City

At some point, Zeus assumed the form of a man called "Keeper" and while accompanied by a party of wanderers and vagabonds within the ruined *Temple of Poseidon*. Here, a water vortex portal was created connecting the temple to Poseidon's lair in Atlantis. Poseidon plotted to turn these travellers into a new army which he would use to fight Zeus, only for the Keeper to reveal himself as Zeus.

A fight transpired between the two brothers which ended in Zeus blasting energy which destroyed much of Atlantis.

### Development history

When Poseidon's Fury first opened in 1999 as *Poseidon's Fury: Escape from the Lost City*, Poseidon was the main-antagonist of the attraction in conflict with his brother Zeus. This iteration of Poseidon was CGI with a merman design.

Poseidon's original 1999 design could still be found in parts of Poseidon's Fury and the Lost Continent such as in murals of the queue, the face of the collapsed statue, and the entrance to the *Treasures of Poseidon* shop.

## Appearances

### Dueling Dragons: Choose Thy Fate

In the story tie-in for *Dueling Dragons: Choose Thy Fate*, Merlyn attempted to fight the Lady of the Lake by chanting, "The Fury of Poseidon".

### Lost Continent

#### Poseidon's Fury

This attraction took place within the Temple of Poseidon.

##### Poseidon's Fury: Escape from the Lost City

Poseidon was main-antagonist of this attraction, represented by a CGI merman voiced by Jeremy Irons.

#### Treasures of Poseidon

This gift-shop was named after Poseidon. A sculpture depicting Poseidon appeared within. The sculpture at the entrance depicted Poseidon as he appeared in the original iteration of the attraction,

### Port of Entry

A Christmas ornament depicting Poseidon's trident was hung up as a tribute to the defunct Poseidon's Fury in 2023.

## Trivia

* The foot of the Poseidon statue may be a reference to Percy Shelley's 1818 poem *Ozymandias*.
* The Keeper referred to Zeus and Poseidon as "Titans" while in mythology that was a separate race of Deity.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JMysjMM29M
2. ↑ https://www.themeparktourist.com/features/20191204/28445/16-easter-eggs-closed-classics-hidden-rides-replaced-them?page=4
3. ↑ https://universalparksnewstoday.com/2023/11/photos-dueling-dragons-sindbads-swords-and-poseidons-trident-ornaments-honor-retired-attractions-on-universal-islands-of-adventure-holiday-decorations/