#i also have in mind the roles of Hades and Persephone but that's for another day

[pamela-lntt]

please ramble to your heart's content on spiderbit and orpheus eurydice

Sorry for the late reply, I needed to get home first before I could properly write this all out xd

First of all, I wanna preface this by pointing out that this whole ramble will be based on putting qCellbit and qRoier in the position of musical Orpheus and Eurydice (to be more specific, the Broadway version of Hadestown since the character's personalities do vary on every album) and I've been a HUGE fan of Hadestown for years now (my first introduction to this musical was the live album, I heard it for the first time while at the airport but that's besides the point) and I connect basically anything I like to it in some way so I've given this a lot of thought and love.

Ramble under the "read more", I can't promise to be short:

Alright so, the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, as told through the musical, in short is: The seasons are off-balanced making summers short and winters long due to Hades and Persephone having a rocky marriage, Eurydice arrives to wherever Orpheus lives in search of warmth from the winter, Orpheus and Eurydice fall in love, Eurydice makes a deal with Hades in exchange for protection from the harsh weather aka she dies, Orpheus travels to Hadestown by foot instead of taking the train like others would to get Eurydice back, Orpheus convinces Persephone and the Workers to hear him out which leads to Hades hearing him out, Hades and Persephone's love gets re-ignited by Orpheus' song, Hades lets them leave with the condition that Orpheus can't look behind him to see Eurydice is coming with or else she'll stay in Hadestown, Doubt comes in and Orpheus turns around.

With just the plot in mind, people would immediately jump to qCellbit as Eurydice and qRoier as Orpheus because of what happened at the end of Purgatory (qCellbit staying on the island), but I see it as the other way around especially when taking into account Orpheus and Eurydice's backstories, personalities, and train-of-thoughts, in other words, why they chose to do what they did.

I'll justify both of them separately and at the end I'll weave them together on a nice little conclusion

qRoier as Eurydice

I'll start with qRoier since I'm more familiar with his character because I watch Roier's streams a lot.

Eurydice in the musical is introduced as "a lonely girl coming in from the cold" and her whole character has an emphasis on loneliness being a prominent constant in her life before meeting Orpheus alongside always being followed by The Fates (which is a more poetic way to say she is always on the brink of death due to her nomad lifestyle). I see qRoier as a survivalist, which is my way of saying that if he lived in this universe (the Hadestown universe) he'd definitely take a similar approach of survival as Eurydice especially if qSpreen and qQuackity's betrayal also occurs in this storyline: "People turn on you just like the wind / Everybody is a fair-weather friend / In the end you're better off alone / Any way the wind goes"

When it comes to meeting Orpheus, at first she jokes with him due to how upfront he was on proposing to her the moment they met, but ends up being wooed by him with the help of Hermes wing-manning a bit and Orpheus' song alongside Orpheus' positivity of the world and devotion to her. I'm positive qCellbit wouldn't have as much positivity as Orpheus does, but the devotion and the song is still there and the song was what sealed the deal for Eurydice because she was impressed and captivated by how a simple melody could create a flower out of thin air. Whenever I hear Eurydice's jokes in the song Come Home With Me I can totally see qRoier making the same jokes and playing along just like Eurydice did in Wedding Song.

Jumping ahead to Eurydice's decision to take Hades offer of going to the underworld, Eurydice has faith in Orpheus, faith that he'll finish the song and spring will indeed come again, but they still need to survive the winter. qRoier has faith on qCellbit, always has, even before they got married: "I can give you time, man, no worries. I can trust you, 100%, man." But, as the Fates say "You can have your principles when you've got a belly full / But hunger has a way with you / There's no telling what you're gonna do when the chips are down"

I'll talk about the rest of the story soon...

qCellbit as Orpheus

Like I mentioned before, I am positive that qCellbit doesn't have the same positivity Orpheus has, but the devotion is still there. He was the one who proposed to qRoier (thanks to some nudging from Richarlyson) and constantly brings up they are married. I'd even take into consideration that one clip of Cellbit telling Richarlyson that it was obvious they would get married by day 2 of them knowing each other, like Orpheus sings: "I don't know how or why / Or who am I that I should get to hold you / But when I saw you all alone against the sky / It's like I’d known you all along" Even his wedding vows are similar in meaning to something Orpheus sings to Eurydice: "I'm gonna hold you forever / The wind will never change on us / Long as we stay with each other" and both qRoier and qCellbit would 100% go to the ends of the Earth for each other.

But just like Orpheus, qCellbit can get engulfed in his work and not notice the things happening around him: "[...] Poor boy working on a song / [...] He did not see the storm coming on" which was ultimately what led to Eurydice's death, Orpheus was too preoccupied trying to finish his song that he didn't hear Eurydice's cry for help. And yet, if qCellbit found out qRoier was in trouble?: "Just how far would you go for her? | To the end of time / To the end of the earth" + " [...] But that ain't easy walkin', Jack / It ain't for the sensitive of soul / So do you really wanna go? | With all my heart"

I'd even consider Orpheus' ability to get Persephone and the Workers on his side something qCellbit is fully capable of doing as well, especially with the knowledge that in Quesadilla Island he's a pretty respected person due to his determination of taking down the Federation and leadership in The Order, a mindset similar to that of Orpheus towards Hades and his industrial empire: "And the ones who speak the words / Always say it is the last / And no answer will be heard / To the question no one asks / So I'm askin' if it's true / I'm askin' me and you / And you / And you / I believe our answer matters more than anything they say"

qCellbit & qRoier as Orpheus & Eurydice

From now on I'll focus more than anything on Orpheus and Eurydice's trip out of Hadestown and it's conclusion and how it fits with the actions qCellbit and qRoier would take in their respective roles.

Just like I've mentioned that qRoier has a deep trust and faith on qCellbit, qCellbit does as well on qRoier, but qCellbit knows he himself is flawed, something he got reinforced with the whole situation with killing Abueloier and how everything went downhill between them after that only for them to pick up the pieces and try again. qCellbit told qRoier about his past, and qRoier accepted it and didn't love him any less for it and reassured qCellbit about it (even supporting him on his hunt for the Federation workers).

But, anyone would question if their lover trusts them the same way after betraying them, in a way. qCellbit, just like Orpheus, was unable to come to their lover's need which led to their death and they can't be sure if their lover even wants to go back with them after that. However, of course qRoier and Eurydice want to go back, their trust didn't waiver because they came looking for them, they came to get them back: "Are you sure you wanna go? | Take me home."

Nevertheless, that doesn't stop doubt from creeping in from the corners: "Every coward seems courageous in the safety of a crowd / Bravery can be contagious when the band is playing loud / Nothing makes a man so bold / As a woman's smile and a hand to hold / But all alone his blood runs thin / And doubt comes- doubt comes in"

qCellbit, just like Orpheus, would start questioning whether this is true, if the literal god of Hell actually allowed them to leave or if it's simply a trap, it's in his nature to question, after all: "Who am I? / Who am I against him? / Who am I? / Why would he let me win? / Why would he let her go? / Who am I to think that he wouldn't deceive me just to make me leave alone?" + "Is this a trap that's bein' laid for me? / Is this a trick that's bein' played on me?" And within that questioning would resurface the uncertainty of qRoier and Eurydice's trust towards them: "Who am I? / Where do I think I'm goin'? / Who am I? / Why am I all alone? / Who do I think I am? / Who am I to think that she would follow me into the cold and dark again?"

Meanwhile qRoier and Eurydice are right behind: "Orpheus / Are you listening? / I am right here / And I will be to the end" + "Orpheus / You are not alone / I am right behind you / And I have been all along"

In the end, qCellbit and Orpheus turn around, and lose qRoier and Eurydice forever, but qRoier and Eurydice's love for them never faltered.

"Think they'll make it?"

"I don't know"

"Hades, you let them go"

"I let them try"

(I hope this makes sense I tried to not write too much / ramble about Hadestown itself but I have a lot of feelings for this musical aaah)

#im vibrating while writing this down ive thought about this since they got married but never really spoke about it #i also have in mind the roles of Hades and Persephone but that's for another day #Hermes and the Fates are still up in the air for me but i've got some contenders #pam.rambles #qsmp #spiderbit #guapoduo #qsmp cellbit #qcellbit #q!cellbit #qsmp roier #qroier #q!roier #q cellbit #q roier #it is 12 am i started writing at around 10 pm lmaooo #feelings feelings

[genericpuff]

What are your thoughts on LO Krokos and LO Ampelus (Psyche) ?

These two male mythological figures, who had a gay relationship with gods, turned into female characters ! If they weren't included (especially since Dionysus is still a baby here), I wouldn't mind. But just using those names like that TWICE is strange, right ?

It's also weird how LO turns two virgin goddesses into lesbians, but don't even implement the canon gay relationships.

Can you find an explanation?

I mean I can't really offer an explanation because obviously I have no way of really seeing into Rachel's head, but it's definitely a choice that she's taken so many gods and characters from Greek myth and turned them into something else entirely, it feels very random and, in the case of the gods who were canonically gay/queer/etc. ... it's hard to ignore and give benefit of the doubt.

Another example is Persephone's therapist, Chiron, who's not just gender bent, but also put into the role of being a therapist ?? Which is like, okay, fine, but like... what is this accomplishing besides vaguely referencing Chiron's affiliation with medicine LOL

(this wound up turning into a bit of an essay so I'm including a jump to make it easier for scrollers lol)

To me, it just feels like it really cements Rachel as not being as well-read in Greek myth as she claims to be, because so much of the actual Greek myth in this comic is either taken directly from first results on Google (see: Zeus' definition of xenia which is taken straight from a Princeton study guide from 2004) and slapped haphazardly into the comic where it's convenient, OR it's just vaguely referenced at even if it's not being properly utilized (like she saw 'Chiron, wise centaur' and went "yeah cool she can be the therapist character!"). I have zero explanation or even assumption as to why she'd turn Crocus, a male lover of Hermes, into Krokos the flower nymph, or why she'd choose to use Ampelus as the name Psyche adopts after being turned into a nymph (which also didn't happen in the original myth). These are "creative choices" that come across as less creative and more just random attempts to make her seem smart.

Like, to a surface level reader or someone who's new to the series, it might seem neat and subversive (it definitely did to me back when I started reading and fell in love with it), but then you actually get further in and peel back the layers and go, "wait, she's just grabbing Greek names that are affiliated with real Greek heroes and gods and characters at random-" and it gets especially ick when it commits queer erasure in the process.

Don't get me wrong, I think having fun with character designs and swapping them or changing them up is perfectly fine, that's the fun of re-interpreting old stories, it's not that on its own that's the issue. It's just that these re-interpreted characters have literally NOTHING to do with the characters that she's basing them on. At least in Punderworld where Charon is a woman, she's still a psychopomp who ferries souls to the Underworld, her being gender-bent doesn't change much because her character and role in the story is still largely the same. Or like in Hadestown how the Underworld is more of a coalmine with Hades running it as a business, instead of the River Styx being a literal river it's a brick wall that protects the Underworld from outsiders ("and they call it freedom"). In both of these examples, they're taking the source material and making it fun and new, while still respecting the source material they're taking it from and keeping it on theme with that source material.

By comparison, Rachel just creates these character references and that's where it ends, they're just references and they don't do anything new or interesting with them, they're not even adjacent to what they're referencing. So we wind up with Chiron being a therapist, Ampelus being the nymph version of Psyche, the Fates looking and acting the exact same as each other even though they had different roles to play between Past, Present, and Future, and Aphrodite's children who... are literally made up from scratch, instead of pulling from the actual real children that Aphrodite had loads of in the original myths.

So many of Rachel's writing choices feel like attempts to be "subversive" when they're not, they're just random. Nothing about the things she changes from the original source material does anything to further explore that source material, it's just yoinking things at random to try and seem more Greek while also further separating her work from legitimate Greek culture. Even when you THINK something is about to be retold in an interesting way, it's very promptly either swept under the rug or veered off in a whole other direction that makes zero sense for what it set up (ex. Echo, what the fuck happened to Echo-)

It's very "ideas first, structure never" writing, she comes up with standalone ideas that sound good in isolation, until she actually tries to execute them and connect them and you realize they have no through line or reason to exist the way they do. It's giving real hard "first draft" vibes, so much of what Rachel chose to do should have been left on the cutting room floor (meanwhile the things that supposedly did get left on the cutting room floor SHOULD HAVE BEEN KEPT IN THE COMIC, ex. Hera's coat prophecy, Hades and Persephone having a date in the Underworld where she decides she might want to go into law, etc.)

Ugh. This got longer than I intended it to. It's just frustrating. I have inspiration to write that essay about queer erasure in LO now, at least. So yeah, hold on tight for that one LMAO

#ama #ask me anything #anon ama #anon ask me anything #lore olympus critical #lo critical #anti lore olympus

[jovenshires]

endless au edits: smosh theatre's seasonal lineup (1/4)

SMOSH'S SEASONAL LINEUP: A COMPLETE GUIDE by mac kahey smosh theatre, a musical theater company known for its diverse and inclusive productions, has just announced its show lineup for the year, and it is safe to say that fans are far from disappointed. starting off strong, the company kicked off its announcement with its winter showcase: a production of hadestown, led by stars damien haas and jacklyn uweh, and directed by none other than returning smosh co-founder, anthony padilla. padilla made his comeback to smosh a little over six months ago to collaborate with his fellow co-owner on their spring and summer musicals. this will be padilla's first solo show at the playhouse in nearly six years - and what a show to start off on. coupling this tragic tale of love lost with padilla's edgy direction style is a bold move, and fans are, rightfully, excited. the casting choices are also impeccable. the star-studded lineup includes previously-mentioned damien haas, an openly neurodivergent and queer actor making waves for representation everywhere. he'll be taking on the role of orpheus, a hopeless romantic, poet, and musician, and as someone who had the pleasure of sitting down with him for an interview last spring, all of these qualities describe haas to a t. this will be his first time leading a show with smosh in his near-six-year run at the company, and his first time working with padilla as a director. the actor shared the show to his instagram and expressed his excitement for the production, saying, "anthony is such a great director. it's been an honor to work with him and my amazing castmates." speaking of his castmates - his leading lady is none other than superstar jacklyn uweh. returning from her recent stint touring with the cast of spring awakening, she has rejoined the smosh cast for another performance that's sure to be amazing. the actress is known for advocating for women of color in theater spaces and never being afraid to speak her mind. she also, notably, has one of the most incredible singing voices of our generation. taking on the mysterious yet powerful role of eurydice will be no easy feat, but somehow, i think she has the power to manage it. just with this one casting, smosh has shown that when the perfect cast falls into their lap, they aren't foolish enough not to utilize it. the stacked cast doesn't stop there, though. playing hermes, the play's narrator and father figure to young orpheus, is ify nwadiwe, a booming comedic actor who has been known to feature in smosh productions. his fun-loving demeanor and natural swagger are sure to bring a natural carefree energy to this rendition of hadestown. he, too, spoke of the production fondly on social media, posting on x: "this is one of the greatest things i've ever been a part of. come see us next december to february at the smosh playhouse for one of the most incredible, f***ed up things we've ever done." long-time smosh player keith leak jr is taking on the role of hades, the rich, powerful, and egotistical king of the underworld, and his friend and partner in all things theater, olivia sui, will be beside him once more as persephone, hades's free-spirited yet suffering wife. watching these two together is always a delight, and i cannot wait for their dynamic to shine through the characters that they play. as far as the winter production is concerned, the community's shared high hopes for padilla's return may very well turn out to be grounded in reality. with an all-star cast and an incredible crew, such as returning stage head erin dougal, it is easy to see that padilla knows what he's doing. though only time will tell, i am confident that this production will be a huge success, and very well may be my favorite show of the year - although, i must mention the other productions first - because they all have incredible potential.

#smosh #damien haas #jackie uweh #anthony padilla #rpf #fic #edit #smosh au #mine* #aued* #au #anthony #erin #keith #olivia #ify #jackie #damien #theatre au #mOOOOOOOM katie's making a convoluted au again!!! #i needed to see them in musicals okay. sue me. also this was Too Good not to do you can fight me on it #i believe in queue! spring break!

[yonemurishiroku]

Child of Aphrodite Nico au in which Will is put through trails like Psyche in order to prove his dedication to Nico. Thoughts?

Will and Apollo bonding over having to overcome trials. Will fighting for his love whereas Apollo fighting his exes. Brilliant. He is really his father's son.

Anw this reminds me of that one Child of Aphrodite! Nico fanfic wherein Cupid calls him "Mother's favorite" or brother or st like that.... It's fun. It gets me thinking, where do Cupid and Psyche stand in all of this? Are they supportive? I think they would be, even though their support doesn't always promise good things...

On another note. Idk if you notice but like. Will is a child of Apollo. And Apollo and Cupid might have... beef? In the myth, I mean. It's about Daphne and the origin of the laurel tree, you know? That time Apollo looks down on Eros' archery and in retort, Eros shoots a gold arrow at Apollo and a bronze one at Daphne, which then leads to the whole... tragic love chase or whatever.

Sorry. The whole thing is also the inspiration for a Solangelo fanfic of mine so I can't help but bring that up LMAO. What I'm trying to say is that this can shine a new light on this scenario. Does it make Cupid/Eros more bitter or lenient?

Onto the story itself. Now this is an exciting part. In the original myth, Psyche has to go through four trials, three of which are finished with the help of outside forces, the last of which is -I just looked it up- retrieving Persephone's cream. I can alr see many references, really.

The first thing that popped into my head was that we could put other characters into the roles of Will/Psyche's helpers, which then translates into all the connections either Will or Nico possibly have made in all those years of demigod life.

For instance, in the 3rd task of the original myth, an eagle helped Psyche fill a crystal vessel with the water of the spring that feeds the Styx and Cocytus. Who does it remind you of? Who has access to the Underworld and has connections to an eagle symbol?

Hazel. That's who. And I really don't know how you intend to mortify their dynamics now that Nico isn't a child of Hades, but Imma assume they are sibling-like still bc fuck it, they are my religion. The point is Hazel might help Will, if only for her brother.

I suppose I don't have to talk much about how Will's gonna fetch Persephone's cream bc Rick makes it pretty obviously LMAO. They are chilling in the Underworld garden sunbathing (Will being the sun) covered in Persephone's suncream or st Idk. Will has this so much easier than Psyche.

In the end, Cupid rescues Psyche from the deep sleep of the underworld cream. This can be translated into Nico realizing that someone is truly fighting to be with him, and he wants to make an effort to meet them in the middle, but that's just me running into a dead-end bc idk how Will's gonna fall asleep if Persephone is alr so kind lending him the cream and that kid def doesn't dream about getting more beautiful like Psyche did or whatsoever. So. Idk. Maybe Cupid messes it up? I would if I were him, ngl. But that's just me.

Thoughts are jumbling around in my mind but life doesn't always give what we want so I guess this is all I can offer atm LMAO. this is a good foundation for a long-chaptered Solangelo child of Aphrodite!Nico fanfic if you ask me, ngl.

#nico di angelo #pjo #hoo #toa #yone rambling #heroes of olympus #trials of apollo #percy jackson and the olympians #will solace #solangelo #cupid (pjo) #psyche #aphrodite (pjo) #child of aphrodite #child of aphrodite nico #child of aphrodite au #son of aphrodite nico #son of aphrodite au

[taurussoulastrology]

Mythology Series #1

Persephone (asteroid 399)

The goddess of spring and queen of the underworld, AKA Kora, was the daughter of Ceres(Demeter) and Zeus (Jupiter). Throughout the story, I will keep it as Ceres and Zeus.

Even though Persephone isn't part of the planets and is only a minor asteroid, her mythology and archetype is a story to know. In my opinion, I see her connected to the Taurus Scorpio access. She's also part of the triple moon symbol as the waxing crescent representing the maiden. Her mother Ceres is represented by the full moon, the mother, and Hecate, the waning crescent as the crone. If you're into rituals or getting into them and looking for a goddess to work with, Persephone is one to consider. I work with her and feel very connected to her through my natal chart placements.

So there are quite a few different stories about how the goddess of spring also became the queen of the underworld, I will tell it the way I know and how I feel it fits best with her in my mind.

So The Story Goes Like This. One beautiful day Persephone was out picking flowers when she was kidnapped by Hades (Pluto) and brought down to the underworld. (She would have been kidnapped by Hermes which is Mercury as no god was able to cross to the underworld or back, in another series we'll talk about Mercury as he was messenger of the gods since he was not a god himself he was able to go to the underworld and back.) Ceres was so distraught trying to find her daughter as she was extremely close with her. She begged Zeus to send Hermes to go fetch their daughter. What Ceres didn't know was that Zeus promised Persephone to his brother Hades so they would be married. Persephone was not happy. She longed to go back home with her mother. Ceres being so angry, she used her power and made it so that there was no harvest for the mortals. Zeus freaked out! He loved being worshiped by the mortals, and with no harvest, the mortals got pissed and vowed to stop worshiping him. So he talked to Hades and asked him to send his daughter back home. During this time, Pluto/Hades had been trying to get Persephone to submit to him by beating her and raping her, but she refused to be his queen. He had even promised that all the gods would worship her, but she was not interested. She just longed to go back home. Zeus asked Hades to please send her back, and he agreed since she wouldn't submit to him as the story goes. But he's sneaky, before letting Persephone leave, he asked her to at least eat something. So she ate six pomegranate seeds and then let Hermes take Persephone back to her parents. Ceres was so thrilled, she used her powers to bring back the harvest. She then thought that it was too easy to get her back and asked Persephone, "Did you eat anything before you left the underworld?" Persephone told her mother about the pomegranate seeds. Again, her mother became enraged as these seeds made Persephone connected to the underworld. So Persephone would have to go back in order to stay alive. She would be allowed back to Earth for springtime, but would have to return to the underworld again. When Persephone would have to leave and the harvest ended (Autumn Equinox, Mabon), and when she came back, so did the foliage and grains (spring equinox, Ostara). Eventually, Persephone made the best of her situation even though her mother was not happy. Ceres refused to change things to the way it was.

Persephone stepped into both roles; the goddess of spring and queen of the underworld.

This story shows how to integrate both the light and the dark. It shows great strength and inner power. It shows how you can transform yourself with a change of perception and willpower.

Now I equate Persephone to the Taurus-Scorpio axis because we have spring in Taurus season, the foliage and flowers are all in bloom (and even thousands of years ago spring equinox was actually during Taurus season). When Persephone goes back to the underworld that starts the Autumn Equinox, but remember Libra was once part of the Scorpio constellation, and that's when we have the equinox. Also, Scorpio is ruled by Pluto and is the sign and energy of transformation. As I mentioned earlier, she's also part of the triple moon symbol (below), being the waxing crescent. So if you work with the moon, you're working with Persephone in a way already.

Like I mentioned, there are many versions to the story, and with mythology, we can change them a bit to fit the times we are in or to fit how we resonate with it.

Finding an archetype or archetypes to connect to can really help any healing process. Also knowing the archetypes of our solar system can help you better understand astrology and your own charts.

I feel I resonate with Persephone through my chart as my Cancer moon is a waxing crescent, Ceres is cazimi to my Taurus Sun 8th House. Persephone/Asteroid 399 is also in wide conjunction to my North Node, they both inconjunct my sun/Ceres and Pluto/Ascendant. During my solar returns, it's spring, and everything is in bloom when the sun conjuncts my Ascendant it's during autumn equinox.

Some items to use for rituals to work with Persephone:

●Offerings - pomegranate seeds, lily's, narcissus(yellow flower similar to daffodils), roses, violets, crocus, iris, jasmine, or larkspur, bones, apples, acorns, bare branches, milk, honey, red wine, or corn. These all depend on the time of year. Also you can use these to decorate your altar with.

○Really, you can use any spring flower as she is the goddess of spring!

●Wearing a floral crown or an iron crown depending on the time of year.

●Wearing pastel colors during the spring and summer; dark colors in the fall and winter.

●Using our wearing garnet. The word "Garnet" is derived from the Latin Granatum and can be associated with pomegranate due to the color.

●Carnelian, ruby, onyx, obsidian, or any red or dark colored crystal. Garnet, obsidian, and onyx are wonderful protection stones, too. The dark stones are symbolic to shadow work, rest, and renewal. The red stones are symbolic of passion, connection, and renewal. Using green colored stones during spring or clear quartz and amethyst for anytime of year.

*There's also a great book about her if you're interested in learning more about her and rituals to work with her. It's called 'Persephone's Pathway' by Jennifer Heather.

The symbol below represents Persephone and is a combination of Ceres and Pluto along with the Cresent moon and 6 dots to represent the 6 pomegranate seeds.

#MythologySeries

#TaurusSoulAstrology

#Persephone

#AstrologyCommunity

#astrology community #Persephone #mythology #archetypes #i love astrology #asteroid 399

[raayllum]

So I say quite often that TDP is a deeply thematic series, but what does that mean, exactly?

So let’s talk about it

How TDP Constructs Itself From Theme

First off, what is theme? Theme is the question/idea (often times a message) that an artistic artwork (literature / visual media outside of literal art) chooses to explore or posit for. Sometimes this can be very obvious, like the core themes of Family and Faith in the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, chronicling the adventures of four siblings as they undergo a Christ allegory with the lion, Aslan. Other times, works can feature many different over arching themes, such as ATLA’s examination of war, cultural grief, destiny, family, and the importance of balance, etc etc. 

Sometimes (and I’m sure I have too) theme and narrative can be used interchangeably, even if they are different things. So what’s the difference between Theme and Narrative? A Narrative is how a story fits over its themes, almost like the bricks over scaffolding for a house. For example, Hadestown takes the narrative of Orpheus and Eurydice and employs a cyclical structure in order to explore themes of futility vs hope woven in with the cycle of the seasons from its secondary mythic structure in Hades and Persephone. 

Thus, TDP is a Narrative ultimately about Breaking Cycle(s) and then explores that thematically through just about every character and dynamic in the show, with only very tiny side character exceptions (occasionally, and even then, it’s very minimal). What role does Power (Viren) have to play, or Sacrifice (Rayla)? How do we ensure we’re breaking the Cycle in the right way (Soren), that we’re striving for true Justice (Ezran)? What can we justify for the sake of our families (Claudia, Harrow) and can we not (Karim)? 

This is also why, while every character is important, particularly into the trio, if I had to pick just one character that is undeniably the Main Character of the Show™ it’s Callum, because Freedom from the Cycle is the most important theme of the show with everything else operating along the spectrum or axis of “total freedom” to “no freedom”. Breaking the Cycle - breaking the Chain - is freedom, and requires having agency to make those choices, whether it is gifted or grabbed desperately with both hands, or even accidental. It’s also why Aaravos, a villain of the Stars and Destiny, is our main villain for the series itself. It’s also why little mister Freedom Boy is our central mage figure, rather than a warrior or having Freedom given to another one of the kids, because the hinge on which the Cycle spins has always been magic (normally Dark, but not always) and thus Callum being a human connecting to a primal source is the Great Undoing of the wheel. 

But why write so thematically, and why do I think TDP primarily writes from theme (as opposed to character or anything else) when it came to constructing itself as a series, especially when characters are typically the main draw of a show and certainly of this one in so many ways? Well

Fantasy is Inherently Thematic

In contemporary / realistic fiction novels, you have to contend with real lived history. That either means writing historical divergence fiction and acknowledging the divergence (as much as you can, although ramifications can be hard to fathom never mind explore realistically), or being revisionist, or picking and choosing your setting very carefully. There is so much you have to contend with, and it can be noticeable if you don’t. If a character feels like they can only go to school in USA or Canada and not another country, a reader from another country will likely notice. 

All of this to say is that Fantasy (and sci fi) in general lets you strip away all the extra crap and, in the case of crafting a secondary world, lets you include literally only what needs to be included, removing that “what about everyone else globally” schtick when a magical crisis is happening in one part of a world that has a global network to begin with. In the case of TDP, this means crafting just one continent, literally splitting it in two, and not having to contend with any other sort of continent. This would not work in a realistic fiction novel because our world isn’t constructed that way, but a second fantasy world actually can, because all that matters is what the story needs.

Which was nice to get confirmation on regarding the team’s worldbuilding process in the latest Q&A answers: 

The characters and their journey dictated what worldbuilding details we needed to focus on up front: If Callum and Ezran are from a human kingdom called Katolis, what is Katolis like? If Rayla is an elf, what does that mean? Are there multiple kinds of elves? What kind is Rayla?  What does it mean that she’s an assassin? The dragon egg will hatch a very powerful dragon—what kind, and what does that mean for the dragon’s parents/lineage? We filled in what needed filling, but left a great deal of Xadia open-ended. In fact, none of the other human kingdoms had names until Season 2, when the direction of the story (specifically, Viren’s interaction with the Pentarchy) demanded that we give them more attention and thought. This has helped us avoid writing ourselves into too many corners by laying out too many “rules” for the universe in advance.

Rayla can have a Scottish accent without being wholly and culturally Scottish. Ezran and Harrow can exist in a world as Black royalty without racism. What this means, then, is that characters are grounded in their symbolic and thematic underpinnings. 

So let’s talk about it!

Consistent Symbolism

I could’ve sworn I’ve talked about it before for writing advice in general but I can’t find it now, but one of the easiest ways to make fantasy characters that are also thematic are to given them a symbolic cornerstone / underpinning. Think Katara from ATLA being the overflowing nurturer and icy rage of the sea; Aang, gentle and torrential power of the air; Aaravos, mysterious and playing the long game like the stars.

This is best seen perhaps through Callum, Janai, and Rayla - and TDP definitely leans into it harder for arcanum-connected characters, for sure, where their magic reflects their personalities and themes. We’ve already talked about Callum with his wings and his breath/mouth motif, so we can move on there. 

Terry is steady, patient, and growth oriented, just like the earth. Aaravos is cruel and therefore literally heartless. The Moon changes faces and hides itself, rarely revealing its full / true nature, yet is also light in the darkness, just like Rayla.

Janai is illuminative and compassionate, bright and a strong leader, eventually surefooted in the steps she’s taking to lead her people. But like her primal, she can blinded to the truth (such as how far her brother has fallen). 

This is also why so much in the series is circular. A decent amount of the symbols of primal sources, Harrow’s crown being a literal broken circle, the chains of history / handcuffs, Rayla’s moon opal pendant, the mirror, Rayla’s binding, Callum’s primal stone, Zym’s egg, the Cycle itself, with the angular cube as one of the few exceptions. Callum and Ezran themselves being the literally uneven towers of Katolis; Claudia’s black-and-white hair symbolism paired with the fact Rayla is a dual wielder. Viren likewise having duality of his normal and corrupted form. The butterflies. Viren’s eye motif, poisoning his own vision to Aaravos weaving a web over one eye to Viren’s eyes being clear when he is resurrected. Rayla’s hand on her heart motion, etc etc. 

It’s why when Soren and Claudia visit their father in prison in S3, Viren is in the light, and they are the ones who are framed like they are behind bars.

Symbols when repeated often enough become motifs. The theme is what dictates both large and small plot points. But to talk about that at length, we have to talk about what TDP loves to do most of all, which is

Irony

There are many different forms of irony. The most well known one is dramatic irony, common in horror films and tragedies, in which the audience knows something the characters do not. TDP does employ this from time to time, such is in early S2 when we know Claudia and Soren are up to no good but the boys don’t, or in early S4 when Ezran says that “This will be the start of a great era of peace,” but we already know Aaravos has put things in motion, culminating in Ibis’ murder and death later that same episode. 

However, TDP also enjoys a broader sense of irony, in which contradictory elements are layered on top of one another and then fused together. 

This is true for both characters - Rayla being sworn to kill the princes then becoming their protector; Soren being sworn to protect the princes and then trying to kill them; each culminating in S3 with falsely killing Viren, the wrong king of Katolis for Rayla, and Soren’s own father - and plot lines, such as Ezran’s abdication plot line in S3 that spans close to a third of the season. 

Harrow says that “A child is freer than a king,” emphasizing the series’ Main Theme of Freedom as well as the importance of youth and looking to the youth to break the cycles dictating their lives. So what does S3 do? It has Ezran remove his metaphorical chain he inherited from his father - the crown - to take on real chains. They turn him into a child king (two layers of irony) and then put the child king jail (three) and upon abdication (four). 

We see this directly in S4, even if we do not have the full context for it, with Viren being turned to stone in the same manner he brought down Avizandum: a king-father felled by dark magic (sound familiar) and ripped away from his child(ren). 

What does this all mean? (Conclusion)

Great, so TDP is written pretty thematically. What does it mean? Well, if you’re like me and you like to analyze or theorize about the series, it’s a pretty good place to start. There’s a lot riding on Book Five: Ocean for Rayla with it in mind, as well as hints that the Key of Aaravos will be revealed that season as well. It can be a useful bedrock for making predictions or seeing where characters may go, based on where they already have (re: my analysis of the show’s light and darkness motif that I thought would be small, and then ended up being quite a big deal in S4, and will presumably continue to be). It’s also one of the reasons TDP feels so cohesive because while things can go in unexpected directions, the thematic graces and symbolism of the series stay completely intact, if not continually reaffirmed.

It’s a story that’s weaving a beautiful tapestry, and it really really shows.

#tdp #the dragon prince #the english major strikes again #analysis series #analysis

[sea-owl]

Before I forget I have the chronological order for how the couples’ stories in Spring’s Rebirth, as picked by the results of the polls, and me.

So the order goes:

Polin, Hades and Persephone: Obviously since I’m already writing the story

Kathony, Zeus and Hera: Not surprised by this one and to be honest in my head I was already waiting for them to picked as the next couple. Also makes sense in my mind as well since Anthony would probably see it as his duty to help his domain when it was discovered how adding Penelope as the Queen of the Underworld helped Colin. Still starts out as a marriage of duty for him but Kate is definitely gonna make him work for it.

Saphne, Hephaestus and Aphrodite: I will not lie this one kind of surprised me. Not mad about it at all though, and kind of happy I get to break up the brother’s a little bit instead of one right after another. I think this one will be cute too. Daphne seeing her favorite brother and the brother she serves as his right hand happy and in love. I could see her wanting that for herself especially as a love goddess.

Benophie Poseidon and Amphitrite: This one actually tied with Saphne on the third poll but since Saphne won the poll before makes it easy to chose which one. But I can see this working in story too with Sophie being a demigod, meaning she’s still mortal and lives by mortal rules with an advantage of godly blood. It can be a good wall for her and Benedict to overcome.

Franchael, Atalanta and Hippomenes: Back to the Underworld baby!

Philoise, Artemis and Orion: I like the placement of this one too. It gives me time to work Elosie and Penelope's friendship back up again.

Felicity and Geoffrey Albansdale, Orpheus and Eurydice: So I do want to add more side characters and some of the siblings of the spouses besides just the main eight. Felicity is of course an obvious choice as she’s already in the story and by this time would be mature up for her own story.

Hyareth, Heracles and Hebe - This one would be taking place very close to Felicity’s story. Like Felicity this would give Hyacinth time into her role as a moon goddess before she starts looking for love with Gareth.

Grucy, Eros and Psyche - These two were always going to be my final couple. Feels right to start with a myth I love and end with a myth I love that matches Gregory’s chaotic energy.

So that’s the chronological order, I would love to add more side characters and spouses siblings in there with there own myths. If anyone has ideas I would love to hear them.

#bridgerton #spring's rebirth #poll results #polin #kathony #saphne #benophie #franchael #philoise #hyareth #grucy

[adrianasunderworld]

EAH au is interesting. Let me ask some. Who will likely be royals and rebels? I can tell Chenya being a rebel like Kitty who is the same as his mom but doesn't mind to rebel, Riddle being royal make sense to follow the rules, Rook being rebel because he rather follow the queen, and Ace being rebel because didn't like to follow the queen while Deuce is royal inorder to help his mom. What about Silver's relationship with the Diasomnia? I can tell he will likely be friends with them and a chance he will be a rebel as he rather follow them as a knight instead of attacking them. And Grim's role in the story? I also think Ortho being like Poppy, son of Hades yet doesn't have a destiny unlike his brother.

So I think some of the characters follow the alignment of their counterpart. So Neige,like Apple, is a Royal, while Vil is a Rebel like Raven. Like you said, Che'nya, like Kitty is a Rebel as well.

I think Ace and Deuce are destined to be henchmen/card soldiers to the Queen of Hearts. Like in Ever After High, something is wrong with Wonderland and a lot of the Wonderlanders cannot go back and that effects everyone in different ways.

My thought for Silver is that he is the son of Sleeping Beauty and that is his destiny. But something happened to his parents, maybe they passed or got cursed or they are simply busy being king and queen, and Lilia, who is one of the fairies that blessed Sleeping Beauty as a baby, raised him because he was close to Silvers bio parents. So they still have that father/son relationship but there is no mystery to Silvers origins. I think Silver is a Rebel. Because like Briar, he is extremely aware that he is going to miss out on a lot of things when he lives out his story. A century is going and everyone he knows is going to be gone, and there is no guarantee Lilia or Malleus will be there when he wakes up. So I think Silver is very conflicted. He feels he has to live out his mother's legacy even though he really really does not want to. Despite everyone thinking Malleus is purely evil because of his destiny, Silver knows better. Lilia was also close to the thorn fairy, Malleus mom, so he and Silver grew up around each other and get along. Idk what Sebeks destiny should be yet. Either he comes from a long line of background henchmen to villains and he's very proud of that. Or maybe he's the son of Tick Tock the Croc from Peter Pan, but again all their parents are friends so they grew up together.

Ortho, yeah I think that makes the most sense. He has no destiny, so he attends EAH because he's still the son of a story character, but he has no destiny and assumes he'll be some generic character or be an advisor of some sort to his brother when he becomes king.

Idia I think is a Rebel or Roybel, because he doesn't care about being king. If Hades is his story parent, that means he has to take part in a couple of stories, not just one. Like the kidnapping of his Persephone, dealing with Hercules, the whole Orpheus thing, etc. He doesn't want to be doing all of that.

Azul I would say is a Royal. He is perfectly happy with being the next Sea Witch, he's happy to make deals with people for his own benefit. Because this is the fairy tale world and not strictly the Disney animated universe, Azuls destiny is not a bad one, he doesn't lose anything, he's fine with his Destiny.

Jack as I said in a reblog of the original post is the Cerise in this and as such is a Rebel. the main difference being that it's reversed. Everyone knows Jack is the son of the Big Bad Wolf, but no one knows his mom is Little Red Riding Hood. He hates that he has to hide half of his identity and what his parentage means for his future, and wishes him and his parents didn't have to hide.

As for Grim, I think it would be a fun call back if Yuu was still from another world, but the Monster high world, and Grim is their companion.

I know there are a lot more characters but that what I got so far.

#twisted wonderland #twstxeah

[bklynmusicnerd]

So when "Operation Demeter" was first announced, my mind went immediately to weather machine for obvious reasons. Demeter, goddess of the harvest and controller of weather, automatically equals weather machine throwback. But what's interesting to me now that the Demeter reference was brought up recently, is the way Demeter's wrath/anguish over Persephone and Hades is paralleling Portia's wrath/anguish over Trina and Spencer.

To give a quick rundown of the Demeter and Persephone myth. Demeter and her daughter Persephone are incredibly close. Hades falls in love with Persephone and takes her to the Underworld with him to become a queen.

Demeter, devastated that her daughter has gone missing, searches for her everywhere and the harvest starts to die because she's grieving so much. By the time Demeter finds Persephone, she's established as Queen of the Underworld and eaten Hades' food (pomegranate) so she can never fully return to her mother the way she once was.

Anyways, this reminds me a lot of the current dynamic at play with Portia and Trina in this story. Trina is a Persephone figure in this story, except with a twist. Unlike Persephone, where most tellings of the myth conclude that she was abducted by Hades, Trina goes on the Haunted Star willingly. She's a stowaway, and she makes that clear to her mother when she contacts her.

There is no ambiguity about Trina's agency in this story. And Spencer doesn't really fit the mold of Hades as he has no power over anything that's happening right now. However, the general Persephone themes of loss of innocence, union disapproved of by mother, and unexpectedly maturing into one's power all apply to Trina right now.

Also, Persephone is a spring goddess that attracts the love of the God of Death (opposites attract) and as a result, becomes a dual diety as she oversees both life and death. Trina, the optimistic and "pure" heroine catches the heart of Spencer, the dark prince, and finds herself drawn to darkness and chaos as a result. Her optimistic nature ends up being a source of strength for her as she confronts the darkness (Victor) that surrounds Spencer, as it lends itself to her fearless nature.

And as far as Portia is concerned, regardless of the reality of the situation, her reaction is very Demeter-like as she positions Spencer in the role of Hades, the defiler of her unwitting daughter. Her cries, impractical to many of us, that Spencer is solely to blame and that she will vow to get her daughter away from him, are similar to Demeter's demands that her daughter be returned to her from the Underworld.

No one can calm Demeter down, even when they tell her Persephone is thriving in the Underworld. Just like no one can calm Portia down from the idea that Spencer has completely corrupted her daughter. Oh and much like we laugh at Portia's threats to keep them apart, no one takes Demeter seriously about bringing Persephone back to her, until she threatens eternal winter and the death of all harvest. Not saying Portia is capable of that but you know, never underestimate a mother's wrath lol.

I don't know how far these parallels will carry themselves as the story continues because it's still early days. But Persephone famously never fully returns to her mother because she eats the pomegranate of Hades, which solidifies their union. This could easily be a metaphor for sex/loss of virginity. Another parallel to Trina, who, with life and death on her mind, was ready to have sex with Spencer on the Haunted Star. She didn't succeed but that loss of innocence theme is still at the forefront.

Persephone's story is one of transformation, and I wouldn't be surprised if Trina's trajectory through this adventure follows that theme as well. If that's the case, then like Demeter, Portia will suffer the fate of getting her daughter back to some degree, but things never quite being the same.

#general hospital #trina robinson #portia robinson #spencer cassadine #sorry it's a long one lol #but tbf i haven't gotten this nerdy over trina since i did that jane austen breakdown! #also they're taking a ship to an underground bunker #just like the rivers you have to travel to get to the underworld in greek myth #so really i had no choice but to write this

[mask131]

All this talk about Satan got me going. There are two Silly Symphonies that stick out in my mind.

1929 Disney animated an entire short called Hells Bells and another was created during 1934 which was called The Goddess of Spring. It's like a cross between Greek and Judeo Christian beliefs if you take a look at it.

Persephone's husband is basically Old Scratch.

Oh I knew of Hells Bells! Sweet memories :)

Now the Goddess of Spring I vaguely knew of, because I saw the thumbnails here and there (and some pictures were used in Lanal del Rey's fan made video clips). I just decided to watch it due to your ask, and this is fascinating because this actually proves further a point I was making.

Aka how Disney pushed the envelope when it came to confusing Hades with the devil, and have doing that since 1934!

And we went from the myth of Persephone being reinterpreted as the devil stealng away the spirit of spring:

... to the Hercules movie where Hades is a stand-in for Satan. I mean just look at how the concept art originally wanted to depict him!

In fact, this reminds me of something I wanted to talk about before, with Disney's depiction of Hades - and I don't recall if I said it before or not?

You can see how Disney tweaked the role of Hades into becoming "the Ancient Greek Devil" by having being associated with fire. It is MASSIVELY revealing because fire isn't inherently associated with death or the world of the dead in Greek mythology. It is true that there are bits of fire in the Underworld (the Phlegeton, the punishment of Ixion), but this is really rare - because the Greek Underworld was actually perceived as a place of darkness where no light could shine, as a realm populated by shadows and thus without the warm of bodies, as a place of silence where you need to give blood to the dead to allow them to speak again... Fire in Greek mythology was rather tie to life, activity and more positive things - Hestia and the hearth, Hephaistos and the forge...

So Hades becoming a being of fire was again, adding a very clear Christian subtext to the movie. Heck, depicting Hades as "fiery-like" and constantly getting angry was also a strong misinterpretation of the original character - which paved the way for many more incarnations of Hades in meda who is just the devil by another name - because the main thing with Hades was that he had no emotion. He was this harsh, cold god with a heart of steel - who did not know pity, kindness or joy, but the same way he ignored things like rage and anger (which were more Poseidon or Zeus' territory). It took something exceptional to make him feel pity (Orpheus' song), and likewise it took something exceptional to make him feel angry (the removal of Persephone). It all tied to ths characterization of the Underworld as a place of darkness and silence, a sort of still and quiet emptiness devoid of all the feelings and emotions of the world of the living.

Anyway this is just my morning rambling X)

#greek mythology #devil #disney #hades

[winns-stuff]

LO RANT:

Okay this won’t be the topic I posted about earlier, the one with awards, instead this is a really quick rant about something that I don’t exactly like coming from Lore Olympus. Listen when I say this I’m not trying to throw hate or anything on anyone and I’m not trying to say that people should never say it again but I am saying that it irks me a lot. Okay, now that you know that you might be wondering what the hell am I even talking about and I’ll answer it for you. I don’t exactly enjoy it when people compare Morticia and Gomez to Hades and Persephone.

I know it’s something small but it’s a touchy topic for me alright. Like I said in my older post I don’t come from a family of very good men, I don’t exactly have a role model or a set of men who really show up and before all of this I didn’t know how a woman was supposed to be treated, but then one day when I mindlessly scrolled through channels I stopped on this peculiar movie. It was the Addam’s Family and I was about to turn it off in fear because I genuinely thought it was a horror movie because of the hand guy, luckily though I managed to notice Gomez and Morticia right beforehand. I was intrigued at first and then I was in awe, never before have I seen such a couple in love and on such an emotional and passionate level, to this day I still believe that barely anyone on Earth, in this lifetime and the next, will be able to even reach such a level of pure intimacy and devotion and love. Anyways though, that day really helped become my example and I was finally able to understand how people should be treated by their loved ones, they became sorta like role models to me. That’s why it’s kinda touchy for me.

Anyways, now that you know the backstory I’m sure you can understand why I don’t like this comparison at all. I know a lot of people can get confused under the gaze of all the glitter and pastel colors that take place in Lore Olympus, and I don’t fault people for that I can understand and resonate why people idolize Persephone and Hades’ relationship. The comic makes it seem like they’re just so in love, and obsessed, and devoted to one another. Not only that but they keep showing us and telling us just how much they care for another. But genuinely, it’s all for show.. I don’t believe that Persephone and Hades actually have love between them. It really wouldn’t make sense to even be in love in their conditions. But it’s in no way shape or form comparable to what Morticia and Gomez have for one another.

Morticia and Gomez love each other dearly, they do not need to rely on the art of seduction or gift giving to express their love, they care for each other and their families without paying more attention to only one side. There’s a lot more but let me tell you just how much better Gomez is than Hades. Gomez never made Morticia uncomfortable nor has he ever lied to her, he’s never lashed out on anyone who doesn’t deserve it nor has he ever indulged in disrespecting boundaries that Morticia set, Gomez doesn’t sexualize Morticia whenever he pleases nor does he put Morticia in powerless situations that distress her for his own gain. Hades has done all of these things while Gomez hasn’t so they’re both incomparable, also Persephone as Morticia…. I’m sorry but in my opinion they would never go together, maybe season 1 Persephone but 2 and 3? Absolutely not.

I’m sorry I know this is unnecessary but it’s just a personal small annoyance of mine and I probably overreacted I just don’t like seeing a couple who I keep near and dear to my heart be shriveled down to whatever Persephone and Hades think they have. It’s not a relationship that people should idolize honestly because they’re both not great people and this depiction of a relationship is not a healthy one at all. I just wanted to say that, but yeah.

This is obviously a very very extremely biased opinion and genuinely I think I’m being immature with it so I don’t know if I’ll keep it up, it was just in my mind for a while and I love the pair immensely so I just got defensive.

#lo critical #anti lore olympus #anti lo

[shizukateal]

Lore Olympus Fast-Pass thoughts (211)

The cloud bursts. A bunch a' character analysis below.

Ok, starting good. Tearful reunion, that deflates things a little.

Oh damn? Turns out Hades and Cerbie could communicate telepathically all this time.

KRONOS HURT HIM WITH HADES' BODY??? I hope that bastard is rotting in Tartarus' stomach acid. Slowly and painfully.

Who was Cerbie's father again? I know he has a brother and I think his mother was Echidna???? Or Delphine? Was he one of Typhon's kids?

Snoots <3

I wish I could feel the tiniest bit less satisfied by Demeter making that face due to this completely predictable response. Her situation really is sad when you think about it, but...

Denial will only get you so far, Dems.

So will blatant, patronizing lies.

See, she keeps insisting that Hades only wants Perse as a crown jewel, but she wants her as a bonsai. Something meant to grow big stuffed and forced to conform to a small pot. Technically functional, but mostly a decoration to be tended to. Her daughter has just rattled of about how she literally just made a new important feature for one of the 3 godly realms, but that's just "rehabilitation". Like she just did a few hours of community service, not an accomplishment or something that needs her care specifically.

I mean, Hera is treated like a crown jewel by Zeus, so that's another point for her reasonable suspicions, but at the same time... again, I'm sorry if this is overly harsh, but I find it a bit hypocritical of her to accuse Hades of using her daughter as an emotional salve when she admitted during the trial that she had her because she was lonely. This situation is not word-for-word exactly like the original myth, where it was a completely valid interpretation that Persephone got forced into her role against her will, she is choosing to stay with Hades and she makes it clear that Demeter could be part of her happiness too. If she's going to kill a bunch of mortals with eternal winter and not do her job just because Persephone's outgrown her, then who is she really an emotional crutch for?

Hmm, so we are addressing Minthe first.

I think I remember that Rachel said on a tweet that she had finished writing the character arc of a character... for some unknown reason my mind went to Artemis first, but this makes a lot more sense. At least I really hope so.

I think I made my stance clear in the first one of these I made, but just to recap: I have enjoyed hating Minthe as a villain, but I also believe that she can and deserves to get better, whether you or Hades can forgive her or not. If she ends her story in a better place, at peace with herself then I will downright throw her a party and congratulate Rachel on writing such an utterly satisfying character.

#lore olympus fast pass #lo demeter #lo persephone #lo hades #lo kronos #lo cerberus #lo minthe #lore olympus 211

[godsofhumanity]

⚝──⭒─ 30 DAY HC’S | HERMES ─⭒──⚝

HERMES | average height, leaning towards the shorter side. athletic build. short, choppy, brown hair that tends to curl. a golden band sits on his forehead with slender, mechanical, golden wings that flutter when he moves. light brown, mischievous eyes and an innocent smile. he goes nowhere without his winged sandals, and his caduceus.

┍━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☟━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┑

i think it's impossible to separate Hermes from mischief. in pretty much every single interpretation and adaption of the Greek gods, Hermes is always, always, always portrayed in the same way, and honestly? it's not bad.

i don't think i've got much different to say than everyone else- Hermes, in my head, is a prankster at heart. he loves jokes, whether he's the butt of them, or he's the one orchestrating it.

he loves laughter and smiling. he's playful, and mischievous, and more often than not, this gets him into light trouble.

of course, i don't think he's on Loki-levels of mischief-making, but he's definitely Olympus' resident prankster.

still, i don't think it's fair to say that he's only the class clown. i imagine Hermes to be kind-hearted, and gentle-natured.

many of the gods in Olympus are arrogant and can be stubborn at the best of times, but as the messenger of Olympus, i think Hermes is especially good at being diplomatic- i don't think he's hot-headed at all, and actually is very slow to anger or to impulsive decisions.

though he can act foolish, when it comes to serious things, i think Hermes definitely puts a lot of thought into his actions.. he considers the cause and effect carefully. i think that's the key reason why Zeus has Hermes as his messenger.

something else i've noticed about Hermes in modern media is that he tends to be depicted as a child very often,,, or at least a teenager.

i think this plays into his playful personality, but i don't think it should be mistaken for "innocence"... i think that Hermes can be deceptive and cold if he wishes- after all, he's also the god of cunning, and he's the one who gifts Pandora with the gift of lies and seductive words.

in terms of his role on Olympus, i think Hermes gets along with pretty much everyone.

his best friend, and closest brother would be Apollo i think- this fits the mythology well. Hermes has been hanging around Apollo since he first stole Apollo's cattle as a baby... and the two appear in many myths together.

after Apollo, i think Hermes would get along with Dionysus the best... this isn't a unique interpretation, but i think it makes sense given that Hermes was the one to name Dionysus, and Zeus placed Dionysus in charge of Hermes' upbringing.. so they'd be similarly-minded individuals.

though she doesn't get along with most of her step-sons, i think Hera would be surprisingly tolerant of Hermes... someone once proposed the idea to me that Hermes is the only one who truly makes an effort to butter up Hera.. and even though she knows it's lip-service, she appreciates Hermes' effort to not step on her toes.. also, she probably has to see him a lot anyways because he's always going in and out of Olympus.

Hades, i imagine, deals with Hermes the most after Zeus, given Hermes' role as a psychopomp. i think that Hades and Hermes work well together because Hermes isn't arrogant or boastful,, and though he wouldn't admit it, i think Hades enjoys Hermes' light-hearted mischief-making.

Persephone is someone else who i feel is important to mention here. Hermes, of course, plays an important role in the Persephone-rescue-mission myth, but as a psychopomp, Hermes is one of the few gods who imagine is regularly meeting up with her.

i like the idea of Persephone and Hermes having a close friendship.. i think Hermes is always looking out for Persephone especially because she seems to end up as the subject of kidnappings very often (see Hades, Pirithous).

continuing on with Hermes as a psychopomp, i think that Hermes and Thanatos get on like a house on fire... i've said before in another post (i think) that i like the idea that Thanatos, being significantly older than even Zeus, doesn't really like the Olympians very much- they're loud, and arrogant, and self-absorbed in his eyes.. there are very few Olympians whom Thanatos actually respects, but i think Hermes is one of them.

i think that Hermes has an appreciation for life, and that's something that Thanatos can agree with. i also hc Thanatos to be sort-of mischievous himself, so Hermes and him are double trouble... RIP Hades.

now, i think it was @/greekschist who shared this hc with me, but i've never been able to part with it because it's so perfect- i think that Delphin, Thanatos, and Hermes are a trio of besties. through these three, the three domains (Sea, Underworld, and Sky/Heaven) come together.. each of these three gods are "messengers" of sorts in their respective domains- Delphin is Poseidon's right-hand man/dolphin, Hermes is Zeus' chief messenger and likely most trusted member of court, and i've always pictured Thanatos as being Hades' most important subject.. after all, without Thanatos, Hades pretty much has no domain to rule over.

anyhow, so i think these three have a great friendship where they gossip and get up to no good.

so, that's pretty much all from me about Hermes.. as i said, not much different from the general consensus on Hermes haha :)

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#what?? my 30 day hc post released well before the next prompt is due??! it must be christmas #this was hard. idk what to say about Hermes. #30 day hc #hermes #hc

[galaxyofender]

HELLO i ended up listening to hadestown with your au in mind and!!!!!!!! there is so much in there im loosing my mind its so good

all the seasons stuff! jimmy being the one wanting to bring spring to a martyn who only knows winter... too fitting

there were so many bird metaphors for both of them? absolutely an au in which both of them are winged

!!! you are so correct abt the fates being watchers that fits too well

just yeah the casting was perfect. jimmy being naivly optimistic, having such a huge heart and so much love to give. going to such great lengths for the one he cares about. meanwhile martyn being cynical and cold, used to being alone, one for jimmy to be the one to melt him. yeah. yeah its really good

YES WE'VE GOT ANOTHER PERSON TO LISTEN TO HADESTOWN. WIN FOR ME

who are everyone else now? orpheus, eurydice and the fates have their roles taken, but im not sure about hades, persephone and hermes

i have yet to finish evo (i started it in february and absolutely forgot about it the second the treebarkweek event started oops) but one bit i remember hearing from someone else was that pearl, netty and jimmy were the last three members to end their series? jimmy is already orpheus, so maybe netty or pearl is hermes?

leaning towards it being pearl. it makes sense to me that one of the last people to end the series would be the narrator? (also i know basically nothing about netty)

i want to say grian is hades? mostly because if the fates are the watchers and they're underworld deities, it makes sense that grian, who owns the server, would be not a bad fit the king of the underworld by that logic, at least to me

but i'm not sure who that makes to be persephone?? literally only watched like half way through martyn's evo pov and dont remember much of it, so i basically don't know what the fuck was up with grian other than vaguely that he was very close with taurtis???

that and that apparently grian put up taurtis to be mayor like he did for mumbo in hc (so. apparently that is something grian does sometimes? good to know??)

#galaxy answers #property police #evoshipping #maybe i should go back and finish it but also #school is currently killing me #give me a month and i will go back to finish evo #because it's in a month ish that i finish school and summer starts #pp hadestown au

[austennerdita2533]

we generally overlap on a lot of ships. actually maybe all of them but one. phoebe x cole. they had chemistry but i always felt that there was inherent balance there. it was enemies to lovers to enemies to lovers to enemies to lovers... a real rollercoaster. what is it that speaks it you? what is it that you love about them? i am 100 open to changing my mind 😌

Hello there!

I might not be able to change your mind about Phole on the whole, nonnie, and that's okay if I can't! I am always good with a difference of opinion, especially when it comes to shipping because we all gravitate toward characters/couples for a variety of reasons based on our own subjective preferences and experiences. However, I can try to elucidate for you why it is I love them so much. Why I still root for them no matter how many times I re-watch.

The first, and most obvious, reason is their chemistry is electric. It draws me in, buzzing with an undercurrent anytime they share a scene together. I have no qualms admitting that I am a sucker for heady, intoxicating - hell, perhaps even a little dangerous - tension between two characters. That's the good stuff right there! Keeps me hooked and invested! Theirs' bursts forth in the first exchange they have and lingers like a delicious infection until the last.

That said, the bigger reason I ship Phoebe and Cole is because they fit tropes and archetypes I enjoy in characters as well as in relationship dynamics. They're an an amalgamation of so many good ones! Witch/demon, enemies to lovers, forbidden love, light vs. dark, good vs. evil, opposites attract, Hades and Persephone etc. But it’s the way that these tropes intersect and manifest, I think, that makes their dynamic sexy, spirited, and stirring to watch. 

I've always been a big fan of the enemies to lovers trope. I gravitate towards it in almost every medium, but am particularly fond of it in paranormal/supernatural settings because there's bound to be higher stakes and more skewed morality on all sides. Things cannot be as black and white as they are in real life when there's magic involved, or supernatural slaughter happening, or plots to overturn the so-called "natural" order of the world. I think that leaves more room for convoluted and problematic conflict. The gap widens for me between who/what is salvageable and who/what is not. It also makes the rollercoaster of emotions the characters experience - all those heavy ups-and-downs - all that life-crushing angst they're put through over and over again - more palatable, more believable, and even, in my opinion, more excusable in a lot of situations.

Phoebe and Cole have a pendulum-like complexity to their romance, to their internal makeup as people, that is heightened by their supernatural roles/status/perversions and I think that, as a consequence, it makes sense for them to have a broader moral ambiguity they must learn to traverse together as a couple. Because traverse it they do.

Both of them toe the line between good and evil, between light and dark, as they hover in this beautiful but labyrinthine in-between space, and I really resonate with that. I mean, who among us isn't a compilation of mismatched, contradictory parts? I know I have 'em in spades! 😂

I'm also a firm believer that love is more than just connection, or compatibility, or fate; it's a conscious choice that has to be made over and over again, every day. It's a decision you make to continue to work for the love you have or want with another person, to fight for it, to find a way to protect and preserve and endure through it, no matter how many obstacles life throws in your way. And Phoebe and Cole fight so hard for the love they have for each other! So. Damn. Hard. I can't help but root for them for that fact alone.

Not only do they fight foes, but they fight friends, they fight family, and they fight uncontrollable circumstances that rain down on them determined to cleave them apart. It's actually quite tragic to me how hard and how often the Charmed universe tries to yank them away from each other, but they're like magnets, they're like planets who cannot stop orbiting back toward each other because their love is that powerful, it's that important to them. They won't give it up to a black hole's gravity. They refuse to let it be erased or discarded or destroyed. It's embedded in the very fabric of who they are. It's is a part of their DNA, and they'll cary it with them always.

I also think it's important to note that Phoebe and Cole usually find a way to compromise. Their imbalances aren't unbreachable; in fact, they often find a middle ground that allows them to enhance their weaknesses without necessarily sacrificing their strengths. They believe in each other, too. Build each other up. Cole constantly reminds Phoebe how smart, powerful, and capable she is in the same way that Phoebe acknowledges and nurtures the good in Cole. She encourages him to lean into his humanity, to express it in a way he never could before he met her.

Overall, I think they make each other better, more rounded people. They complement each other like yin and yang and that's extremely satisfying for me to watch.

I know and acknowledge that there's a lot of Source!Cole drama later on in their relationship with him growing more possessive, controlling, and power hungry, but I give him kudos because he does push back against it as much as he's able. He battles against the darkness. Goes to war with it, really. As much as the "evil" overtakes him when he becomes The Source, it still cannot manage to expunge his love for Phoebe. She's his one weakness. The one remaining light the darkness of the Underworld cannot stamp out completely. The reason I say that is because, although it takes him time and many unsuccessful plots to get there, he does let Phoebe go. He surrenders. He doesn't make it all about him in the end, doesn't keep her from moving on.

He loves her enough to place her happiness above his own. Not only does he help her find love again, with someone else, might I add, but he sacrifices himself to protect Coop because he knows it'd devastate her if she lost him. His love for her supersedes everything else - even his own life - even his own freaking immortal power - and I think that says a lot about the virtuous depth of his feelings. Love of that magnitude can only come from a pure sliver of heartspace somewhere, you know what I'm saying?

Cole's unconditional love for Phoebe is the one glimmer of humanity he refused to surrender to the Source's total eclipse of evil. Nothing in the universe could or would take that away from him. And guess what? It didn't.

That takes a tremendous amount of courage and self-will from anybody, and I'm awed by it. Absolutely gobsmacked! It literally opens me up from neck-to-navel any time I try and imagine the profundity of that sort of love and devotion.

All of this, to me, is reason enough to ship them. And you know...to cry about them into my pillow for years to come. 😭

Anyway, I have no clue if I managed to sway you at all but I hope you had fun listening to me try and explain my reasoning!

xx

#anonymous #replies #the loveliest of lovely people #ashlee bree talks phole

[megthemewlingquim]

someone new.

summary: there's an art to life's distractions.

pairing: eventual hades! loki x persephone! reader

warnings: implied smut, alcohol consumption

a/n: here it is, the first part of foreigner's god. as said in this fic's masterlist, these will not be chapters, but rather short stories and one shots that can be read separately or as one whole piece. it's up to you.

i plan to base each part off of one or two hozier songs. this is inspired by "someone new".

is there a right way to fall in love?

    that’s what loki asks himself every day — well, every night — when he spends his free time at bars and gatherings. populated widely with fellow gods, goddesses, and spirits of many colors and passions; these bars are perfect places to find someone new.

    being the god of death, however, puts loki at a bit of a disadvantage. yes, the stereotypes are, unfortunately, true. loki is dark, a little antisocial, and very quiet. beautiful in appearance — death is seductive, at least to the willing.

    ‘the willing’ being many a spirit, many a dryad or goddess or creature who wants bragging rights, or a little nightly thrill. ‘that’s right,’ they say, ‘i had a little dance with death last night.’

loki doesn’t mind the mornings when his temporary partners talk about the nights, but he always cringes when they mention that accursed french phrase — la petite mort. it’s a joke to them. a mockery.

   yet, they stay, and sometimes, they come back for another little death.

    the spirits and goddesses never make a big impact on him. he is with one for a night, then another for a night, and so on. he falls in love every day with someone new and it’s a bore. a bore and a drag.

    dark caresses don’t do much to numb the pain: the pain of loneliness and solitude. the ache in his heart is constant, tearing at his mind whenever it can. alcohol can't do much either — all gods have a very high tolerance. mead was made for them.

   so loki is left with no escape besides those that come from the willing. little deaths. they make him feel loved.

   no...

   no one loves death. some crave him. but they don't love him.

   that’s the common theme running through loki’s head every time he takes someone home with him, or goes upstairs with them to the top floors of the inns he’s at, where the bedrooms are. it’s a distraction.

   however, the cycle ends when, while pointlessly wandering around his usual bar, he sees someone new one night. you.

   you radiate this... this warmth that he’s never felt before. everyone around you seems to be affected by it too - they don’t treat you as the life of the party, but they do gravitate towards you like birds to a nest. 

    and you’re quite shy, but infectiously happy and cheerful. you’re so beautiful, with your bright eyes that he knows are wide and filled with wonder, and your lovely skin that he knows is so soft. and your smile that he knows is so comforting to all who see it.

   to everyone else, you feel like they’ve just wandered into a happy memory, or a sun-lit room that’s pleasantly warm and golden. you feel familiar. ordinary, but lovely all the same.

   to loki, you feel... feel like something he’s only experienced in dreams. so, really, he’s never felt it before in his immortal life: something warm and alive and... and anticipatory. like there’s new things about to come up to the surface — flowers, new animals, maybe. you give off a sense of... he can’t describe it well. a slow and joyful awakening something.

   and you also feel completely and utterly powerful. unstoppable. he’s terrified of you, and yet he’s drawn to you. you’re so fascinating, strange. not as if you could end the world, no, that’s his own job. but it’s as if you can bring the whole world to life, raise it back up again after the chaos fades.

   you feel like spring. like rebirth. like new life.

   and that’s when it hits him.

   persephone. he’s heard the name passed around before, but before now, he has never seen the face behind the name. something about this sparks some fear in him: how would persephone, goddess of spring, daughter of demeter, react to seeing anyone even remotely like himself?

   for a moment, he’s grateful that you’re not looking at him; you’re actually looking at the table, at the drink you’re sipping. there’s a look on your face that isn’t bored, nor afraid. maybe... observant.

   people are around you still. not crowding, but not interacting with you either. it’s like you have a bubble around you, keeping everyone from getting too close. maybe it’s your doing but maybe it’s theirs. honestly, you’d think that dryads and gods and goddesses and spirits of all forms and colors and subjects would be more accepting.

   he pities you. you seem lonely.

   loki takes a few steps forward, betraying his own fear. like the red sea, the crowd parts. some are bold and unafraid, and they give loki varying looks: disgusted, seductive, snarky. you don’t notice him until he sits down in front of you, at the other end of the table.

   “hi,” he says calmly. he manages a small smile. “you’re new here, aren’t you?”

   your eyes lift to lock with his own. immediately, you recoil just the slightest bit. he knows what you’re thinking: wait, that’s hades! god of death... wh-why is he talking to me?

   “it’s alright,” he soothes. “don’t worry. you’ve probably heard of all the stories: gods kidnapping and doing terrible things to goddesses and spirits and dryads. i’m not here to do any of that. i promise.”

   with a single, somewhat confused blink, you nod. “m-my mother has told me a lot about that stuff,” you say slowly, as if saying anything too revealing will somehow alert demeter and get you in trouble. “she’s... she’s terrified...”

   “what is she terrified of? that those terrible things might happen to you?”

   “yes,” you say. “she’s told me that she’s had nightmares in the past. specifically about you. how you’ll kidnap me and take me to hell to live with you.”

   he laughs at that - a rich, amused laugh that takes the shivers out of you. “that’s bullshit. overprotective mothers, yeah?”

   you shrug. “she loves me.”

   “and are you afraid of me, princess?” the last word is whispered. his voice extremely soft - it’s a curious question.

   he notices how you lick your lips. “no,” you say. he notices how your eyes flick all over him. “no, i’m not.” and you seem truthful.

   “smart girl,” he says with a grin. “i hate liars. there’s not a god on in the world that’s ever been truthful. well, besides jesus. yahweh. whatever you wanna call him.” loki leans back, crossing his hands behind his head and bringing his feet up to the table. “your father, though... he’s the worst of ‘em. having children with other women, including your mother, while hera has to sit by and watch, and then lying about it.”

   “we’re gods,” you say. “i'm not trying to justify things but... we’re far from perfect.”

   “damn right we are. we’re fucked up. good. we can agree on something. most days, people think us gods are... perfect things. role models. and, maybe some are. but not us. not the gods of olympus.”

   he pauses, takes a swig from a beer bottle that was not in his hand a few seconds ago. “i was wondering if you wanted to do what humans do.” loki winces at the awkwardness. “when they're... y'know. interested in someone.”

   “you're interested... in me?” you ask, incredulously.

   “yeah, i am.” one sip of beer has loosened his tongue. or maybe that's just his confidence soaring now. “maybe this hasn't been the best introduction to things but i would love to take you out sometime. show you things.”

   “my —” you swallow. “i'd get in trouble.” you shrink away just a bit.

   his smile fades and it's replaced with a sadder, more sincere look. “the best things in life have risk to them. it's time i show you that.”

   and really, he does feel sorry for you. it's your first time at a bar, you're lonely. no friends as far as he can tell. an overprotective goddess mother.

   “think of it this way. i think you're very pretty and i like your honesty. i would like to help you see the world, and to have a little fun, since your mother has obviously never let you do anything in your very, very long life.”

   “i'm twenty—one.”

   “and now i'm wondering if demeter actually has you tell people that, as if you're a teenage mortal.” loki shakes his head, disappointed. “that's pathetic. you're a bajillion years old. you're a goddess! you should be able to do whatever the fuck you want, right?”

   when there's no answer from you, he sighs. leans forward to sit normally, putting both of his elbows on the table and pointing his hands at you. “alright. i'll roll with it for now. you're twenty—one. i guess. you can drink. you can go out alone to bars and other places. you can meet new people. you're an adult. think about that.

   “so, again. i think you're very pretty and i wanna show you around. get to know you. would you like to do that with me?” he raises his eyebrows a little, waiting for a response.

   it's an eternity before you can win a battle in your mind. slowly, you nod, giving him a smile. “yeah,” you whisper. “yeah, i would. thank you.”

   “don't thank me just yet, sweetheart. i haven't shown you anything yet.” he gets up, pushes his chair in.

   before he leaves, he winks at you. “call me loki. it's... not as dreadful... as hades. and... what do i call you?”

   you say your name, your voice quiet.

   “much better than persephone, i think. it suits you. we'll keep in touch, ok?”

   “okay,” you say. butterflies are flying rapidly in your stomach.

   loki leaves you there. he'd much rather take you back to your home himself, but that would be too risky for the time being. for now, he walks out of that bar feeling like the king of the world.

#foreigner's god #loki x reader #loki #loki fanfic #loki x reader smut #loki x reader smut headcanons #loki x reader drabble #loki x reader headcanons #loki x you #loki x y/n #greek mythology au #mythology au #hozier #loki odinson #hades and persephone #au #alternate universe #marvel cinematic universe #loki au #loki drabble #loki fic #marvel #mcu