Hera

Cow-Eyed, White-Armed, Protector of Men, Cow Goddess, Bane of Zeus' Children, Unmotherly Mother Goddess, Bunnikins, Bovine Majesty, Her Most Annoying Majesty, Loose Cannon

## Relationships

### Ancestors

Khaos (Progenitor)
Ouranos (Grandfather)
Gaia (Grandmother)

### Parents

Kronos (Father)
Rhea (Mother)

### Siblings

**Older Sisters**
Hestia, Demeter
**Younger Brothers**
Hades, Poseidon, Zeus

### Children

Hephaestus (Son)
Ares (Son)
Enyo (Daughter)
Eileithyia (Daughter)
Hebe (Daughter)
Stepchildren

## Personal Status

### Groups

Elder Olympians
Twelve Olympians (2nd)

### Affliations

Mount Olympus
Olympian Deities
Greco-Roman Deities
Greco-Roman Pantheon

### Abilities

**Ethereal Energy*** Bond Manipulation
* Fertility Manipulation
* Femininity Manipulation

## Portrayal

### English VA

Michelle Ruff

**Hera**, also called **Juno**, is the Goddess of Marriage, Family, and Womanhood from Greco-Roman mythology. As one of the Elder Olympians, she is the sister-wife of Zeus, God-Queen of Mount Olympus, and ruler of the Olympian gods.

## Overview

**Hera** is the goddess of women, marriage, family and childbirth in ancient Greek religion and mythology, one of the twelve Olympians and the sister and wife of Zeus. She is the daughter of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. Hera rules over Mount Olympus as queen of the gods. Her Roman counterpart is Juno.

A matronly figure, Hera served as both the patroness and protectress of married women, presiding over weddings and blessing marital unions. One of Hera's defining characteristics is her jealous and vengeful nature against Zeus' numerous lovers and illegitimate offspring, as well as the mortals who cross her.

Hera is commonly seen with the animals she considers sacred, including the cow, lion and the peacock. Portrayed as majestic and solemn, often enthroned, and crowned with the *polos* (a high cylindrical crown worn by several of the Great Goddesses), Hera may hold a pomegranate in her hand, emblem of fertile blood and death and a substitute for the narcotic capsule of the opium poppy.

## Appearance

Hera appears as a young woman of ethereal beauty, with a voluptuous figure that is clearly shown despite the modest and sophisticated dresses she often wears. She has long pink hair that reaches below her waist, usually styled downward with two buns on each side of her head, and light-purple eyes with a slight bluish tint to them.

Like other Elder Olympians, excluding Zeus, she has numerous and severe burn marks scattered across her body, painted on her back and on her stomach, as the result of centuries sealed within Kronos' stomach. She also has a large X-shaped scar directly on where her womb located.

She enjoys elegant Victorian-style clothes, with frilly white-and-pink ball gowns and dresses made of silk and peacock feathers being her favorite. Her wardrobe isn't limited to just Victorian attire, however, as she has also appeared wearing many modern outfits and 1920s-inspired clothing. Despite this, her sleeping attire is surprisingly plain, consisting only of a simple yet elegant sheer white nightgown.

## Personality

Much like her husband, Hera is confident, imperious, and arrogant. She does not tolerate any slight or insult against her or her loved ones, though compared to him, she is far more prone to verbally lashing out with open displays of force when such insults are given, and is always willing to speak her mind whenever roused to fury.

Of all her siblings, Hera is the most hot-tempered, with Zeus and Poseidon competing for the second spot. However, unlike them, she is far more apt to nurse long grudges, never forgetting slights of any sort, and perfectly willing to plot for years to avenge them. She is particularly cruel and spiteful toward her husband's many mistresses and illegitimate children, often irrationally so.

Part of her jealous nature stems from the fact she is extremely possessive, especially of those she cares about, and can easily grow angry and envious toward anyone who attempts to take what she believes is hers and only hers. Unhealthy as this might be, her possessiveness does have some positive aspects, as she is ferociously protective of those she cares about.

As [Queen of the Gods], she is potently charismatic, possessing an air of regal authority that makes others quick to fulfill any command she might give. She is also extremely charming, well-versed in exchanging pleasantries and weaving words to manipulate others.

She is extremely sly, using her charm and intellect to weave all manner of schemes and machinations, and is perfectly willing to use people like pawns to get what she wants. However, if someone impresses her, they would earn her respect and admiration, and thus, gaining for themselves a staunch and unwavering ally in the Queen of Olympian Gods.

In addition to her possessiveness, her flaws also include pride and vanity. She loves receiving attention and admiration, and enjoys making people "hers". Her craving to be loved and adored at all times is what makes her so utterly intolerant of insults of any kind, as when she feels unappreciated or spurned, the blow to her ego usually causes her to seek vindictive revenge against whoever slightest her.

Despite her shortcomings, however, she does possess one extremely notable redeeming quality: She always keeps her word. Although she rarely gives it, as doing so limits her ability to have leverage over others, but when she does, she honors the spirit of oaths she makes, rather than just the wording. More than anything else, this is out of pride, as she enjoys the respect that she receives by behaving in such an honorable manner.

Additionally, proud and prickly as she can be, she also has a soft spot for the weak and helpless, especially for babies, which played a role in her status as Mother Goddess. Generally speaking, when confronted with something cute and in need of protection, her first instinct is to shelter and nurture it.

## Equipment

**Coronacht**: Considered to be the finest bow to ever be created in Greek mythology, it is Hera's Symbol of Power and one of the weapons created by the Elder Cyclopes using the fragments of Enochian metals they found in the battlefield of the First Holy War. It is a divine construct that can create a near-infinite amount of arrow-shaped bolts of ethereal energy that automatically track down the target by any means, even by warping reality and manipulating probabilities if needed.

## Image Gallery

Hera 01.pngNormal HeraHera 02.pngAngered Hera
## Trivia

* Her name "Hera" derived from the Greek word for "hero, defender, or protector".
* Hera's attributes are the pomegranate, peacock feather, diadem, lily, lotus scepter, and the throne.
	+ Her sacred animals are cows, peafowls (especially the peacock), cuckoos, panthers, and lions.
* Hera's favorite drink is gin and tonic.
* Hera' an avid smoker, going through through somewhere between 5-6 packs of cigarettes everyday but even more if she's angry with Zeus, but claims she can quit "if [Hera] wants to quit".
* Juno appears as a character in William Shakespeare's play "The Tempest".
* Although she is the goddess and protector of marriage, it is ironic that Hera's marriage isn't peaceful nor too happy due to Zeus' many infidelities and illegitimate children.
* In myths, Hera regains her virginity every year by swimming in a sacred spring called Kanathos in Nauplia so she could celebrate her *hierogamy* (“sacred marriage”) to Zeus, even though she is a matron goddess.
* In the Orphic version of Dionysus' birth, Hera had the infant Zagreus torn to pieces by the Titans upon discovering Zeus' infidelity. However, he was then was brought back to life as Dionysus and his resurrection was celebrated in ancient Greek theaters.
* Despite her immense hatred of Heracles, Hera is actually the source of his name, godlike strength, and last marriage.
	+ Zeus named him "Glory of Hera" in an attempt to placate her rage.
	+ Athena took an infant Heracles up to Mount Olympus and presented him to Hera, who didn't know it was and took pity on the child. While she nursed him, Heracles suckled so hard that he obtained legendary strength. Hera pushed the baby away in pain, dropping her divine milk across the night sky and forming the Milky Way.
	+ Upon his *apotheosis*, Heracles married one of Hera's daughters, Hebe.