It has been two days since Hades II was announced at The Game Awards and those two days have consisted of me alternating between crying, screeching and studying every frame of the trailer. As a huge fan of its prequel, Hades, I have no doubt that I will be equally obsessed with its next instalment. Greek mythology is full of diverse and unique characters, with ever-changing stories and histories. In this sequel, we meet a few more of them. So, which characters do we meet in the short trailer reveal?
Hecate
The trailer begins under a moonlit sky where we see two women battling using weapons and magic. We will talk more about the main protagonist of Hades II later but for now, let’s discuss the formidable figure dressed in witch-like garb. This is Hecate – the chief goddess of magic and spells. The team over at Supergiant Games say that she “has been an influential and deeply compelling figure in witchcraft, myth, and folklore in a variety of cultures for thousands of years… so much so that we felt we needed a whole new game to try and do her justice.” We can gather from this information and the reveal trailer that she will be an integral part of our main character’s journey, teaching her how to use magic in battle.
In popular myth, Hecate also assisted in the search for Persephone when she was brought down to the Underworld and so it will be interesting to see the two women’s dynamic. Additionally, the artists at Supergiant Games are known for putting their unique spin on the appearance of popular characters in Greek mythology and Hecate is no exception. With similarities to Charon’s design from Hades, Hecate is clothed in a long black cloak and witch’s hat but to cater to all the sapphics out there, her washboard abs are front and centre. Thank you, Supergiant.
Melinoë
It is after this battle that we finally see our main character in Hades II, Melinoë. Not much is known about her in classic mythology (much like Zagreus in Hades) which allows the developers to add their own unique twist to her. However, what we do know is that she is the goddess of nightmares and madness, and her parentage varies depending on which text you read. Some believe she is the daughter of Hades and Persephone whereas some believe she is the daughter of Persephone and Zeus. We are unsure which route the game decides to go down but either way, Zag’s little sister looks as badass as him.
Her design is littered with moon imagery (perhaps a nod to her mentor, Hecate) and she has the same heterochromia we see on Zagreus. However, her personal characteristic is her glowing, skeletal arm. Perhaps this is because she is able to wield magic. Supergiant games have described Melinoë as “an immortal witch and sorceress with powerful magical abilities, deadly skill with a variety of shadowy weapons, and a score to settle.” To summarise, she is ready to kick ass.
Moros
As his description would suggest, Moros is a representation of doom and would lead mortals to their bitter end. In some texts, he also had the ability to share the mortal’s final moments with them via prophecy. Sounds like a fun guy, huh? It is unclear whether Moros will be a friend or enemy in Hades II but considering he is yet another child of Nyx, this could perhaps lean towards the former.
In Hades, not only including an optional romance with another of Nyx’s children, Thanatos, any offspring we meet of hers have helped us and been a friendly presence in the Underworld. However, unlike his brother, Thanatos who helped people pass over with gentle hands, Moros was known to deal with the darker, more painful side of death so how he’s going to be represented in Hades II remains to be seen.
Apollo
Next up we meet Apollo, twin of Artemis who is an ally in Hades. If there is one thing you should know about Apollo, it’s that the ‘special skills’ section of his CV (resumé) would take up about three pages. He was the god of archery, music, dance, truth, healing, the sun and poetry. And breathe. Needless to say, Apollo would be a very helpful ally.
As another son of Zeus, Apollo will be another cousin to Melinoë and he appears in the trailer offering helpful boons that will aid you on your journey. He is shown with a bow and so may replace his twin sister in Hades II but it will be interesting to see if any of his famous trials and love interests will also make an appearance.
Nemesis
Before we delve into Nemesis’ mythology, I just want to state that I am a simple girl with simple tastes so when you put this buff woman with arms bigger than my head into a video game, it is going to take over my personality for the foreseeable. Anyway… in Greek mythology, Nemesis is the goddess of revenge and retribution and would target mortals who committed the sin of hubris.
She was considered a “remorseless goddess” and as yet another daughter of Nyx (according to which myth you believe), she could make a formidable ally (and love interest. Supergiant, I am begging you). Her design in Hades II reminds me a lot of her mother, Nyx and also Megaera, one of the furies we must fight (and date) in order to pass through the Underworld in Hades. Nemesis was also known to take an interest in human affairs and deliver justice fairly and so it would not be too surprising if she helped Melinoë take down the evil Chronos.
Dora
From the super hot to the super cute, we next meet a ‘listless shade’ who first appears to us shouting menacingly but then transforms into the adorable Dora. Shades were a common feature in Hades as we often saw them wandering aimlessly around the palace, muttering amongst themselves about how they died. However, in Hades II we finally get to befriend one.
Although we do not know much about this little shade, it has been speculated as to if ‘Dora’ is short for Pandora – the first human woman created by Hephaestus. Pandora is widely known for her part in the tale of ‘Pandora’s Box’ in which she opened a chest (or in some cases, a jar) and all the ills and evils of the world spilt forth in what was previously an unmarred existence. This however has not been confirmed but it would be really interesting to see how Supergiantexplores her story if it is in fact her.
Chronos
Last but certainly not least, we meet the shackled Chronos, the “Titan of Time” and the father of Hades and his brothers. In Hades, we fight our dads and in Hades II, we fight our grandfather. I think there is a message somewhere here. Either way, Chronos is a Titan who ruled during the Titanomachy before he was overthrown by his son, Zeus.
Chronos’ story is very long and very interesting so although I won’t delve too much into it here, I definitely recommend reading about him (specifically the time he ate all his children). He will be the main antagonist of Hades II as Melinoë is sent to stop him after he escapes from the depths of the Underworld and threatens to reclaim his throne and take revenge on Olympus. However, as the god of time, he can control the one thing you cannot stop.
So those are the characters we have met so far. Who are you most excited to see in-game? Let us know in the comments!
