After millennia of service to her individuals on Paradise Island, loss of life lastly got here for Queen Hippolyta on this spring’s Trial of the Amazons. However her closest pals and family members might quickly be taught that their misplaced queen isn’t so distant. Because it seems, Hippolyta has earned her place on Mt. Olympus, in a job which is on the middle of this week’s Olympus: Rebirth. As one adapts to any new setting, it’s essential to know who you’ll be sharing your work with. Don’t fear, Hippolyta. We’ve acquired a cheat sheet for you on the who’s who you’ll be hobnobbing with on Mt. Olympus. These are the Olympian Gods, as we all know them within the DC Universe.
Zeus
- Dominion: The sky, thunder and lightning, legislation and order
- Household Tree: Son of the Titans, Cronus and Rhea
- Greek Gossip: As soon as seduced a princess by turning right into a swan
In Greek mythology, Zeus is the king of all gods and the boss with regards to Mt. Olympus. The DC Universe is a spot of many gods of many pantheons, nonetheless, basically decreasing his position to a kind of deific district supervisor. Based on the Genesis occasion within the Nineteen Nineties, Zeus—and all different fashionable gods—had been created by the “Godwave” emanating from the Supply that swept by the universe 5 billion years in the past when the Previous Gods died and the Fourth World was born. However that doesn’t normally come up nowadays.
Ostensibly, the ability of Shazam attracts upon the “Energy of Zeus,” however a number of sources point out that the magic god “Zeus” is probably not the identical entity because the Greek god Zeus. Up to now, Zeus has been depicted as a member of the Quintessence, a quintumvirate of figures who oversee issues of main significance to the universe alongside Ganthet, Highfather, the Phantom Stranger, and the wizard Shazam. So far as we all know, he’s on no account affiliated with Batman villain Maxie Zeus.
Relying on whether or not you’re studying comics from earlier than or after 2011, Zeus is both Marvel Girl’s great-grandfather by means of Ares and Hippolyta, or Marvel Girl’s father. Equally, Zeus has been both Marvel Woman Cassandra Sandsmark’s father or grandfather, relying on the state of continuity. (Greek god households are sophisticated.) Both approach, as both Hippolyta’s grandfather or former lover, they’ve quite a bit to work out.
Poseidon
- Dominion: The ocean, storms and earthquakes, horses for some purpose
- Household Tree: Brother of Zeus
- Greek Gossip: The whole ten-year epic of Homer’s Odyssey solely occurred as a result of Poseidon completely hates this one man specifically
As a sea god, Poseidon’s traditionally been extra concerned in Aquaman’s life than Marvel Girl’s. Their first encounter, in 1964’s Aquaman #17, is definitely over Mera, who Poseidon has determined to take as his personal spouse. Aquaman is none too happy about that, so he and Aqualad educate him a lesson about selfishness. A lot later, in Peter David’s Aquaman run by the ‘90s, Poseidon blinds Aquaman for daring to struggle his son Triton.
So, how did Aquaman find yourself together with his a lot vaunted “Trident of Poseidon”? Within the David Aquaman sequence, it’s a present from Poseidon himself as soon as they settle their variations. The later Geoff Johns Aquaman run of the New 52, nonetheless, establishes it as an Atlantean relic from the treasures of the traditional King Atlan.
Hades
- Dominion: The useless, the underworld, cash
- Household Tree: Brother of Zeus
- Greek Gossip: “Cerberus” means “Noticed” within the Proto-Indo-European language, which means Hades actually named his canine “Spot”
Simply because he’s the Lord of the Useless, lots of people wish to forged Hades as a villain. In actuality, he’s extra only a dude with a creepy job that he takes very significantly. The Justice League animated sequence implied at one level that he could be Marvel Girl’s father, however that’s by no means been totally explored. On the event that Hades does get swept up in some depraved scheme, it’s normally his spouse Persephone who reminds him of his higher judgment.
Hades can also be, roughly, the boss of the Amazons, from a sure perspective. The so-called Paradise Island of Themyscira is located atop Doom’s Doorway, one of many solely methods out of Hades’ underworld of Tartarus. Whereas having fun with their immortality and disassociation with man’s world, the duties of the Amazons in trade are to guard this doorway.
Hera
- Dominion: Girls, marriage
- Household Tree: Sister and spouse of Zeus
- Greek Gossip: Unhealthy tendency to take her wrath over her husband’s infidelities out on his mistresses
Because the queen of the gods, it’s not unusual to search out Marvel Girl providing a fast prayer to Hera for power. However as fickle a god as her husband, Hera’s relationship with the Amazons will be reasonably unpredictable. Based on one model of the origins of the Amazon individuals, Hera was one of many 5 goddesses to create the reincarnation system which allowed Amazons to be born, and who introduced Diana to life as nicely on behalf of Hippolyta. Regardless of variations over Diana’s rewritten origin because the daughter of Zeus, the 2 have put that competition apart and resumed a working relationship. Not too long ago, Hera has appeared to interchange Zeus as a member of the Quintessence. Whereas on the job, she was killed by Darkseid, however Marvel Girl introduced her again alongside many different useless Olympian gods.
Demeter
- Dominion: Agriculture
- Household Tree: Sister of Zeus
- Greek Gossip: Most likely nonetheless not over the entire Persephone deal
Demeter hasn’t performed a big position within the historical past of the DC Universe, however was current as one of many 5 goddesses who created the Amazon individuals and introduced Diana to life in her clay origin. However simply as in Greek fable, she all the time does her greatest to take care of her youngsters. In the course of the Disaster on Infinite Earths, it was Demeter who drafted the Amazons into the continued battle towards the Anti-Monitor’s Shadow Demons, who had staged an assault on Mt. Olympus.
Hestia
- Dominion: The fireplace, hearth, household and state
- Household Tree: Sister of Zeus
- Greek Gossip: Sometimes stays out of drama—a goddess of the individuals
As a home goddess, Hestia tends to avoid battle, however has performed an instrumental position in Amazon historical past. Hestia created town of Themyscira for the Amazons to inhabit on Paradise Island and empowers the Lasso of Fact with its distinctive properties.
Athena
- Dominion: Knowledge, braveness, heroes, technique, trade, cities, struggle (however sensible about it)
- Household Tree: Daughter of Zeus (however not Hera)
- Greek Gossip: Not as cool as you assume, Medusa did nothing unsuitable
Athena is one other one of many 5 patrons of the Amazons, and the one who bestowed them—and particularly Diana—with their extranormal knowledge. Though she has greater than her share of faults, Athena is often the Greek god most related to heroes and has taken a specific curiosity in Marvel Girl. In Infinite Disaster, it was Athena who protected the Amazons by spiriting them away to a different airplane of existence. In Amazons Assault!, nonetheless, Athena would fall sufferer to possession by Granny Goodness, staging a struggle between the Themyscirans and man’s world.
Aphrodite
- Dominion: Love, magnificence, intercourse
- Household Tree: Both the daughter of Zeus (however not Hera), or Zeus’s grandfather and primordial deity Uranus, relying who you ask
- Greek Gossip: Principally answerable for making Pandora need to open that field
One other patron of the Amazons, and the one who, in keeping with the clay fable, particularly breathed life into Diana. Marvel Girl is claimed to have inherited her magnificence and sometimes claims Aphrodite because the patron of her ongoing mission of affection. Actually, the earliest Marvel Girl tales by William Moulton Marston set the whole battle of their existence as an ongoing battle between Aphrodite and Ares, representing love and struggle. Not too long ago, Aphrodite offered direct companionship to Marvel Girl as an ally in man’s world by G. Willow Wilson’s Marvel Girl sequence, however was struck down by Cheetah, wielding the Godkiller sword. As with many different Greek gods, Marvel Girl ultimately restored her to life.
Artemis
- Dominion: Nature, the moon, looking
- Household Tree: Daughter of Zeus (however not Hera)
- Greek Gossip: Any time someone dies out of the blue of a coronary heart assault or one thing, it means Artemis simply shot ’em
Artemis stands out as the most revered of all of the gods in Themyscira, because the non secular and conventional chief of all who’ve adopted her way of life. As goddess of the moon, Golden Age comics depicted her dwelling there, however nowadays she will be able to normally be discovered across the environs of Mt. Olympus.
Hermes
- Dominion: Pace, wit, crafty, roads, vacationers, thieves and athletes
- Household Tree: Son of Zeus (however not Hera)
- Greek Gossip: Invented your least favourite uncle’s two favourite sports activities—racing and wrestling
Hermes was the only real male god concerned in Diana’s clay origin, imbuing her together with his pace and reward for flight (in Submit-Disaster continuity, that’s—earlier than that, Marvel Girl might merely glide on air currents). Sympathetic to Marvel Girl’s mission in man’s world, Hermes has been proven to harbor a not-too-secret crush on Diana. However god or not, can you actually blame him? I imply, she’s Marvel Girl.
Apollo
- Dominion: Therapeutic, data, artwork and music
- Household Tree: Son of Zeus (however not Hera)
- Greek Gossip: Because the bringer of each illness and wellness, could also be answerable for COVID-19
Apollo performed a significant position making an influence play for Zeus’s throne in Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang’s Marvel Girl sequence, however we haven’t talked about that a lot right here since that chain of occasions was later revealed to be a delusion designed to maintain Marvel Girl from returning to Themyscira. He’s not affiliated with the superhero Apollo of The Authority and StormWatch.
Ares
- Dominion: Struggle (and actually aggro about it)
- Household Tree: Son of Zeus and Hera
- Greek Gossip: Simply humiliated, form of a loser actually
Superman has Lex Luthor. Batman has the Joker. And you could possibly make a stable argument that in equivalence, Marvel Girl has Ares. Making his DC Comics debut in Marvel Girl #1, Ares has been Diana’s best foe from the very outset of her mission, actually embodying the idea of struggle which she has made it her private purpose to bypass. Ares derives his powers from the drive of battle itself, making it his purpose to encourage discontent at each flip. Ares just lately tried to show over a brand new leaf inside his perpetual cycle of violence by turning into avatar of simply and righteous struggle, though the query stays open if such a factor may even exist. However all that’s moot now, as Ares has been drafted as one of many many troopers of Pariah’s Darkish Military in Darkish Disaster.
So many gods, all with their very own motivations and points (it explains quite a bit in regards to the world, doesn’t it?). And truly, we haven’t even coated all of them. There are gods like Hephaestus, Dionysus and Eros…and far darker beings like Hecate. Uncover them whereas studying in regards to the destiny of Hippolyta by selecting up Olympus: Rebirth, now obtainable in comedian outlets in our world and presumably theirs as nicely.
Olympus: Rebirth #1 by Michael W. Conrad, Becky Cloonan, Caitlin Yarsky and Jordie Bellaire is now obtainable in print and as a digital comedian guide.
Alex Jaffe is the creator of our month-to-month “Ask the Query” column and writes about TV, films, comics and superhero historical past for DCComics.com. Comply with him on Twitter at @AlexJaffe and discover him within the DC Group as HubCityQuestion.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed on this characteristic are solely these of Alex Jaffe and don’t essentially mirror these of DC Leisure or Warner Bros.
