Hades/Lore

## Background

### **The Titanomachy**

Hades was born over 2,000 years ago in the Mortal Realm, specifically in the region of Sicily. Born Aidoneus, he was the eldest son of the Titans Rhea and Kronos. A prophecy was foretold by Gaia that the young god would become a threat to his father's rule; as such, Kronos sought to get rid of his son before that time came. He allowed his wife, Rhea, to spend at least 6 years with the young Aidoneus before he became impatient and took him from her. During the few years they had together, Aidoneus became very close to Rhea, and she continually doted on her son. At some point, Hades also met the Titan Goddess of the Night, Nyx, who was especially fond of him. On Aidoneus' sixth birthday, Kronos decided that Rhea had had enough time with their son, and came to take him away. Rhea told her son to run and desperately tried distracting Kronos in an attempt to protect Aidoneus, but the Titan was not fooled and found the boy immediately. Without any hesitation, he captured his son and devoured him whole.

Aidoneus spent the next 13 years of his life trapped alone within Kronos, who would occasionally speak to him in a sadistic, abusive manner. Aidoneus was eventually released from Kronos through the intervention of his brother Zeus, but sustained heavy injuries when Kronos tore Aidoneus with his teeth to prevent him from escaping. This experience was deeply traumatic for him, to the point where he suffers from nightmares of Kronos in the present day.

Before the war against the Titans, a badly injured Aidoneus, recovering from his imprisonment, was left in the care of the Titan Metis. It was around this time that Aidoneus first met Hera, who was shy and not used to being away from her sisters for long. Hera was tasked by Metis to help tend to the wounded god's injuries. Scared at first, the young goddess slowly began to help Aidoneus with his bandages, speaking to him and acknowledging that he had been alone for 13 years. Although in pain, the injured god gently caressed her face. Smiling at him, she moved towards him and the two shared a kiss, sparking a mutual attraction between the two.

Eventually, Aidoneus joined a rebel force against the tyranny of the Titans, known in the present day as the 6 Traitors Dynasty, alongside his younger brothers, Poseidon and Zeus, and the three goddesses Hera, Demeter, and Hestia. During the rebellion, Zeus and Hera concocted a plan wherein Hera would seduce Kronos and slowly poison him over time. Despite the protests of Metis, Aidoneus, and others, Hera would go on with the plan. After Kronos discovered Hera's treachery, he grabbed her on the field of battle and ripped her in two. Aidoneus appears to have regretted her sacrifice, as he later claims that the 6 Traitors "failed [her] that day."

### **The Unseen One**

After the end of the war, Hera found comfort in Aidoneus as he was able to empathize with her over being scarred by Kronos. Zeus, jealous of how close the two were getting, manipulated Hades into becoming the ruler of the Underworld despite Aidoneus' belief that it would be far from everyone else. Though Hades asked Hera to come with him, she declined, as she had been offered the chance to become Queen of the Gods if she married Zeus.

Aidoneus then descended into the Underworld with his imprisoned father to both become King and bring Kronos into Tartarus. Around this time, Aidoneus adopted Cerberus, then a young puppy, who would become one of his closest companions.

After his descent, Aidoneus was at first rejected by the Underworld's denizens, until the voice of Erebos addressed him. Erebos told him that if he wanted to truly rule the Underworld, control Tartarus, and be a King in more than just name, he would have to eat the fruit from the pomegranate tree, the only living plant in the Underworld. In doing so, he would have to give up something in exchange. After consuming the pomegranate, Aidoneus awoke to meet Hecate, a goddess who had resided in the Underworld long before Aidoneus arrived. Aidoneus searched himself for what Erebos may have taken, but Hecate explained that what had been taken was not physical.

After becoming the official King of the Underworld, and imprisoning his father in Tartarus, Aidoneus grew a reputation in the mortal realm and Olympus as a dark entity. Mortals started calling Aidoneus by the name Hades, which meant "Unseen One." Eventually everyone, even his family, started calling him by this name.

Hades would become lonely in the Underworld, devoting himself to work and the improvement of the largely barren realm. Due to a combination of this loneliness, Zeus's infidelity, and their original spark, Hades and Hera started an affair that lasted for years, although it seemingly ended in the 80s. In the more modern era, while attending a car show with his brothers, Hades met a nymph named Minthe who was working at the car show. Wanting to play a harmless prank on his brother, Zeus called Hades over, took Minthe's hat and placed it on Hades' head. Hades, embarrassed, then left with the hat. As Minthe was refused payment due to the "stolen" property, she marched herself to Underground Corp and yelled at Hades, demanding her hat back and revealing her struggles. After hearing her situation, Hades offered her a job and helped her with her living situation. Eventually, this evolved into a toxic relationship that would span for years.

## Lore

### **A Bolt for the Blue**

After being stood up by Minthe, Hades is forced to attend his brother Zeus’ 1,500th Panathenaea by himself, although he feels awkward having to attend stag while his family all has dates. After some playful mocking from his brothers, Hades notices a pink goddess with Artemis and became immediately smitten with her. Zeus introduces her as Persephone: Goddess of Spring and Demeter’s daughter. Hades is surprised that Demeter has a daughter, and wonders why he has never heard of her. Zeus explains that Demeter chose to raise Persephone in the mortal realm, because she believes Zeus is morally corrupt. While admiring her beauty, Hades comments that she is more beautiful than Aphrodite, oblivious to Aphrodite standing right behind him. Wanting to approach her without Artemis interfering, Zeus helps Hades by distracting Artemis so he can be alone with her. Unfortunately, Persephone disappears in the crowd and a disappointed Hades decides to return home.

Once he arrives home, Hades notices that Persephone is passed out in the backseat of his car. Realizing that this is the work of Aphrodite, Hades brings her in and lets her sleep in his guest room. A half-awake Persephone asks Hades to not tell her mother that she got so drunk, and Hades assures her that he is not a snitch.

The next morning, while preparing himself for the day, Hades hears Cerberus barking in the distance and rushes to find him about to attack Persephone. Just as he is about to intervene, Persephone manages to tame the gatekeeper of the Underworld by playfully petting him, much to the surprise and envy of Hades. After scolding Cerberus, Hades helps Persephone off the ground, which makes her spawn a crown of blue flowers. Persephone asks Hades if he has something warm she could borrow, as she feels too cold wearing just her dress in the chilly Underworld. Hades gives her a fur coat that he intended to give to Hera. Persephone at first declines the gift, until Hades insists that she can keep it, as neither he nor Hera want to wear it. When asked how she looks wearing the coat, Hades, while blushing, remarks that she looks "sufficient" and offers her coffee.

While Hades makes her a pot, Persephone notices Hades' phone is receiving a call from Minthe. Hades tries to brush Minthe off as "a nymph he associates with" but Persephone correctly deduces that Minthe is his lover and points out that Hades and his brothers have a reputation for having many sordid affairs. Hades flirtatiously asks Persephone if he looks like a scoundrel, and a flustered Persephone admits he is at least 30% scoundrel.

After filling Persephone in on how she ended up at his house and helping Persephone adjust her hair, the two give each other a proper introduction by exchanging business cards; Persephone, however, gives Hades an old card with her original name: Kore. Persephone is embarrassed and asks for it back, but the King of the Underworld gleefully refuses.

Persephone questions why Eros would put her in Hades' car, thinking she had done something to upset him. A guilt-ridden Hades confesses to Persephone that he is responsible for their predicament, as Aphrodite overheard him say Persephone was more beautiful than her. Initially taken aback by this comment, Persephone breaks out into laughter, assuming Hades was just joking to make her feel better.

While Persephone begins playing with Hades’ dog Cordon Blue, Hades receives a phone call from his brother Zeus reminding him that they are still meeting for family brunch. Hades tries to get out of attending until Zeus commands him to come, much to Hades’ reluctance. Hades and Persephone’s day is cut short and Hades prepares to take Persephone home. Persephone, enthused by Hades collection of cars, asks to drive. Hades at first refuses, but eventually gives in and allows Persephone to drive them to Olympus. Just as they arrive at Artemis’ house, Artemis herself jumps at the car and demands that Persephone get out of "this pervert's car" and into the house. Not wanting to end their meeting on such a sour note, Hades playfully calls Persephone Kore while Persephone tells Hades he is now 20% scoundrel as the two bid each other goodbye.

On his way to brunch with his brothers, Hades listens to the messages he received from Minthe, but deletes them while he thinks about Persephone. Coincidentally he receives a message from an unknown number, but ignores it while he continues to drive.

Arriving at a strip club with his brothers, the three kings are denied entry for past transgressions such as sexual harassment (done by Zeus), property damage (done by Poseidon), and poaching employees (done by Hades). Hades manages to compensate the club owner by paying for the damages. Zeus and Poseidon begin interrogating Hades about his night with Persephone. Hades at first tries not to talk about her, until Poseidon provokes Hades by saying he'll take Persephone as a second wife. Hades admits that he is smitten with Persephone but insists that they did nothing but have a nice conversation, and that he would have had more to say if Zeus didn't drag him to a strip club in the morning. Zeus, oblivious to his earlier actions, insists that Hades should have told him when he called but Hades and Poseidon glare at Zeus, reminding him that he commanded they come, which Zeus admits he is at fault for.

Hades believes that he should simply give up on the idea of being with Persephone as he does not think she would want to be with him, coupled with the fact that he is still technically with Minthe. Zeus and Poseidon groan at the mere mention of Minthe's name. Hades reaches into his pocket and reveals an engagement ring, explaining to the two that he was planning on proposing to Minthe at the Panathenaea, but she never came. When Zeus and Poseidon react in disappointment and shock, Hades reminds them that they have queens and he still doesn't. While Zeus and Poseidon sympathize with Hades, they still tell him he deserves better than Minthe. Hades crushes the ring upon hearing their words.

As a nymph arrives with their drinks, Zeus continues to talk about Persephone and how Hades could at least admire her beauty. Hades says that she possessed a melancholic quality he couldn't quite put his finger on, which Zeus snickers at, recalling Hades saying the previous night that he wished he could live between Persephone's thighs. Hades denies saying such things until Poseidon confirms Zeus's claims. Zeus questions how Hades and Persephone could be intimate given their height difference. Hades jokes that she could go top, as he isn't fussy. The nymph waitress, overhearing their remarks, snaps her fingers and transforms, revealing herself as Hera, frightening the three kings.