Megaera (Hades)

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Megaera
Hades character
Megaera.png
Megaera in Hades
First appearance Hades (2020)
Created by Greg Kasavin
Designed by Jen Zee
Voiced byAvalon Penrose

Megaera is a character in the 2020 video game Hades . She is the first major opponent of the protagonist, Zagreus, being tasked with preventing him from leaving the Underworld by Hades. She was created by Greg Kasavin and designed by Jen Zee, with her design made attractive due to Vee's desire to appreciate classical tradition and the mindset that gods are beautiful because they are gods. She is voiced by Avalon Penrose. She is fought most times Zagreus travels through the first area of the game, Tartartus, and can be found at the House of Hades. Zagreus is able to pursue a relationship with her alone or together with the character Thanatos, with Megaera consenting to a polyamorous relationship with the three. Her polyamorous relationship, as well as her relationship with Zagreus, was the subject of commentary, with one critic suggesting that she and Zagreus have a dominant-submissive relationship respectively. She has also been well received, praised for the attractiveness of her voice.

Contents

Concept and creation

Megaera is a character in Hades , based on the mythological figure of the same name in Greek mythology.[ citation needed ] Her design was created by Jen Zee.[ citation needed ] When asked why the character designs in the game were so attractive, Hades creative director Greg Kasavin attributed this to Jen Zee, the game's character artist. He stated that the designs "owe greatly to classical tradition," which Zee cared about. He added that they justified the gods being hot by virtue of them being gods. [1] When making characters in 3D in the game, 3D artist Paige Carter used either Megaera or Thanatos, with characters like Nyx being based on Megaera's model. [2]

Kasavin touched upon the possible polyamorous relationship between Megaera, Zagreus, and Thanatos, noting that it was something that developed over time instead of being present from the beginning. He discussed that polyamory would make sense for gods, as they did not face the same challenges as mortals, though he noted that polyamory fit the Ancient Greece setting as well. [3]

Megaera is voiced by Avalon Penrose. Penrose read for multiple characters in Hades, but ultimately booked Megaera. [4] When doing her voice, she starts with her normal, raspy voice before removing the singsongy and expressive parts of it before dropping it as low as she can. She then adopts a vocal fry, not speaking above a whisper. [5] She had difficulties at times staying in Meg's voice, returning after being prompted by audio director Darren Korb to redo it with "a little more Meg." Before Megaera, she had not played a romantic interest, discussing how much she enjoyed certain qualities of Megaera, such as her "sharp, brutal beauty and commanding athleticism," commenting that fanart that depicts Megaera as powerful made her feel empowered. [4]

Appearances

Megaera is a boss that Zagreus faces on multiple occasions at the end of the first location on Zagreus' way out of the Underworld. Tasked with preventing him from leaving, she fights to the death, upon which either him or her is sent back to the House of Hades. She is one of the three Fury Sisters; one of her other two sisters, either Tisiphone or Alecto may take her place. In the House of Hades, the player may have Zagreus give her a Nectar, which improves the relationship between him and her. Eventually, Megaera may attempt to seduce Zagreus, which the player may choose to accept or turn down. If Zagreus is in a relationship with Thanatos, Megaera expresses a willingness to be involved in a polyamorous relationship.

Reception

Megaera was named one of the 10 best characters of 2020 by Game Informer writer Joe Juba, feeling that Zagreus' repeated battles with Megaera creates a lasting impact, particularly thanks to her "wry and competitive personality" that improves the dialogue for Juba. [6] Some fans of Hades have expressed their attraction for Megaera's voice, with voice actor Avalon Penrose noting that people being attracted to her voice created a cognitive dissonance, in part due to an insult about her not being fit for "pretty girl" roles. [4] Destructoid writer Noelle Warner enjoyed her voice acting, noting that it made her swoon and calling it the standout performance of the game. She attributed her attraction to Megaera's "low, gravelly voices," adding that despite not enjoying negging, she particularly enjoyed when Megaera did it. [7] The Gamer writer Stacey Henley was critical of the boss fight against Megaera. She described her as one of the more interesting characters, as well as one of the game's first challenges, which she felt helped lead to her boss fight being popular, but argued that it was the worst encounter in the game. She felt that the fight feels to much like a tutorial, and that her skillset lacks the diversity of other bosses, including her sisters. [8] Kotaku writers Nathan Grayson and Ari Notis discussed Megaera and Zagreus' relationship, with Grayson enjoying how she tries to keep Zagreus at arm's length to make it easier for her to view him as an opponent she has to stop instead of a "weird sorta-friend." [9]

The relationship between Megaera and Zagreus, as well as the potential polyamorous relationship they may have with Thanatos, was the subject of discussion by critics. The Mary Sue writer Briana Lawrence was shocked to discover that polyamory between the three was possible, enjoying watching Zagreus work out the issues he has with them over him trying to leave. Lawrence also discussed the relationship between her and Dusa, feeling that Megaera has the same platonic love for Dusa that Zagreus has for Dusa. [10] Wired writer Gabriel Aikins also discussed the polyamory between the three, as well as the matter of kink and consent in their relationship. They argued that polyamorous relationships were a rarity in media, games or otherwise. On kink, Aikins discussed the interpretation of Megaera and Zagreus' relationship as a dominant-submissive one, with Megaera serving as the sadist and Zagreus the masochist, suggesting this correlated with the gameplay experience of Megaera and Zagreus' multiple battles with one another. [11] Wired writer Autumn Wright Megaera's androgynous appearance represented a "subvers[ion] to classical tradition" in Ancient Greek culture, and that this androgyny would be considered demeaning to Zagreus. [12] Comic Book Resource writer Noelle Corbett felt that the trio represented three different Ancient Greek conceptions of love, with Megaera specifically representing eros due to her forwardness and sexual passion. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hades</span> God of the underworld in Greek mythology

Hades, in the ancient Greek religion and mythology, is the god of the dead and the king of the underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea, although this also made him the last son to be regurgitated by his father. He and his brothers, Zeus and Poseidon, defeated their father's generation of gods, the Titans, and claimed joint rulership over the cosmos. Hades received the underworld, Zeus the sky, and Poseidon the sea, with the solid earth available to all three concurrently. In artistic depictions, Hades is typically portrayed holding a bident and wearing his helm with Cerberus, the three-headed guard-dog of the underworld, standing at his side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polyamory</span> Intimacy for multiple partners

Polyamory is the practice of, or desire for, romantic relationships with more than one partner at the same time, with the informed consent of all partners involved. Some people who identify as polyamorous believe in consensual non-monogamy with a conscious management of jealousy and reject the view that sexual and relational exclusivity (monogamy) are prerequisite for deep, committed, long-term, loving relationships. Others prefer to restrict their sexual activity to only members of the group, a closed polyamorous relationship that is usually referred to as polyfidelity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megaera</span> One of the Erinyes or Furies in Ancient Greek mythology

Megaera is one of the Erinyes, Eumenides or "Furies" in Greek mythology. Bibliotheca Classica states "According to the most received opinions, they were three in number, Tisiphone, "Megaera ... daughter of Nyx and Acheron", and Alecto".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tisiphone</span> Ancient Greek punisher of murder

Tisiphone, or Tilphousia, was one of the three Erinyes or Furies. Her sisters were Alecto and Megaera. She and her sisters punished crimes of murder: parricide, fratricide and homicide.

<i>The Ethical Slut</i> 1997 book by Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy

The Ethical Slut is a self-help book about non-monogamy written by Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy. In the book, Easton and Hardy discuss non-monogamy as a concept and a practice, and explore sexual practices and common challenges in non-monogamous relationships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alecto</span> Fury (Erinys) in Greek mythology

Alecto is one of the Erinyes (Furies) in Greek mythology.

Terminology within polyamory looks at the evolution and meaning of the word "polyamory" itself, as well as alternative definitions and concepts which closely relate to it.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hades in popular culture</span> Depictions of the Greek god

The mythological Greek deity Hades often appears in popular culture. In spite of his present neutrality and lack of bad deeds, he is often portrayed as a villain due to his association with death and the underworld.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darren Korb</span> American songwriter and composer (born 1983)

Darren Korb is an American songwriter, composer, and voice actor. Korb is best known for writing the music featured in Bastion, Transistor, Pyre,Hades and Hades II, all of which were developed by indie developer Supergiant Games. Korb also voice-acted in the latter two games, including providing the voice for Zagreus, the protagonist of Hades.

<i>Hades</i> (video game) 2020 video game

Hades is a 2020 roguelike action role-playing game developed and published by Supergiant Games. It was released for macOS, Nintendo Switch, and Windows following an early access release in December 2018. It was later released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in August 2021, and was released for iOS in March 2024 through Netflix Games.

<i>Lore Olympus</i> Romance webcomic by Rachel Smythe

Lore Olympus is a romance webcomic created by New Zealand artist Rachel Smythe. The comic is a modern retelling of the relationship between the Greek goddess and god Persephone and Hades. It began publishing weekly on the platform Webtoon in March 2018. Lore Olympus is currently the most popular comic on Webtoon; as of March 2024, it has 1.4 billion views and 6.5 million subscribers. The comic has won two Eisner Awards, two Harvey Awards, and two Ringo Awards. It was announced in 2019 that a television adaptation was under development.

Polyamory in the United States is the practice of, or desire for, romantic relationships with more than one partner at the same time, with the informed consent of all partners involved, in the United States. Polyamory is a relationship type that is practiced by a minority of the population in the United States, about 4 to 5 percent. According to a 2016 study, 20 percent of singles in the US have attempted some form of consensual non-monogamy at some point of their lives, such as polyamory or open relationships. In a study, polyamorous couples tend to identify as bisexual and pansexual.

<i>Hades II</i> 2024 early access video game

Hades II is an upcoming roguelike action role-playing game video game developed and published by Supergiant Games. It was announced in December 2022 and was released in early access in May 2024. It is currently an exclusive to Windows, though Supergiant has plans to bring the game to other systems. As the sequel to Hades (2020), it follows Melinoë, Princess of the Underworld and sister to Zagreus, the protagonist of the first game. Melinoë aims to defeat Chronos, the Titan of Time, with the aid of other Olympian Gods.

Jen Zee is an American artist and the art director for Supergiant Games. She joined Supergiant Games in March 2010 as a contractor on Bastion and was quickly brought on as the full time art director for the company. Her art has received positive accolades from critics, and for her work on Hades, she received numerous awards, including the 2021 BAFTA Games Award for Artistic Achievement.

Zagreus (<i>Hades</i>) Hades protagonist

Zagreus is the protagonist of the 2020 video game Hades. He is based on the mythological figure of the same name, used due to Greg Kasavin viewing him as a good fit for the repetitive nature of a roguelike game due to his story of attempting to leave the Underworld and his father Hades. His design was intentionally made to be attractive, with artist Jen Zee wanting to stay true to classical tradition, such as the ideas of heroic nudity in Ancient Greece culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melinoë (Hades)</span> Fictional character

Melinoë is a character in the 2024 video game Hades II. She is the game's protagonist, being the sister of Hades protagonist Zagreus and daughter of its antagonist, Hades. She is a witch, and is able to use magic techniques as well as weapons in combat, tasked with saving her father by killing the Titan Chronos. She is based on the mythological figure of the same name. She has received generally positive reception, with her relationships with Hecate and Nemesis being notable ones in the game's story.

Dusa (<i>Hades</i>) Hades character

Dusa is a character in the 2020 video game Hades. She is a maid who serves Hades, and who periodically interacts with the protagonist. Zagreus, in addition to the character Megaera. She was created by Greg Kasavin and designed by Jen Zee, with her design made attractive due to Vee's desire to appreciate classical tradition and the mindset that gods are beautiful because they are gods. She is voiced by Courtney Vineys. During the game, the player may have Zagreus pursue her romantically, only for Dusa to turn out to not share these feelings and possibly not having romantic feelings at all, instead forming a platonic love for one another. This has been well-received, with critics noting how her being asexual and aromantic was a rarity. She has also been praised for her design and voice.

Thanatos (<i>Hades</i>) Hades character

Thanatos is a character in the 2020 video game Hades. He is based on the Greek mythological figure of the same name, who is described as a "peaceful death." He is dispatched by the game's antagonist, Hades, to prevent Zagreus from leaving, and challenges him to see who could defeat the most enemies. This competition was inspired by the competition between Gimli and Legolas in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. He was created by Greg Kasavin and designed by Jen Zee. To match the "peaceful death" concept, actor Chris Saphire was cast. He was one of the first characters added to the game, and served as the model for multiple characters' 3D models. He has received generally positive reception, praised for his relationship with Zagreus as well as the polyamorous relationship between him, Zagreus, and Megaera.

References

  1. ↑ Parrish, Ash (October 1, 2020). "Why Everyone's Horny For Hades". Kotaku . Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  2. ↑ Clayton, Natalie (October 20, 2020). "Supergiant artist goes behind-the-scenes on building a god in Hades". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  3. ↑ Peppiatt, Dom (August 6, 2021). "Gorgeous, God-like and… bisexual? How 'Hades developers made sexuality part of the power fantasy". NME . Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 Ballou, Elizabeth (December 2, 2020). "How 'Hades' Actors Made the Internet Horny for Their Voices". Vice . Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  5. ↑ @@avalonpenrose (December 3, 2020). "for those of you wondering how i do Meg's voice (+ a surprise at the end???) #HadesGame" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. ↑ Juba, Joe (December 23, 2020). "The Top 10 Characters Of 2020". Game Informer . Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  7. ↑ Warner, Noelle (February 14, 2022). "Here are 7 sexy video game voices that make me swoon". Destructoid . Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  8. ↑ Henley, Stacey (April 6, 2021). "It's Time To Admit Megaera Is The Worst Boss Battle In Hades". The Gamer. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  9. ↑ Grayson, Nathan; Parrish, Ash; Notis, Ari (September 17, 2020). "Hades Is Out Of Early Access Now, And We Love It". Kotaku . Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  10. ↑ Lawrence, Briana (August 10, 2022). "Have We Talked About How Fantastic the Ships Are in 'Hades?' We Have? Cool, Let's Do It Again". The Mary Sue. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  11. ↑ Aikins, Gabriel (May 30, 2022). "Hades Nails Its Depictions of Polyamory and Kink". Wired . Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  12. ↑ Wright, Autumn (January 16, 2021). "What Hades Can Teach Us About Ancient Greek Masculinity". Wired . Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  13. ↑ Corbett, Noelle (February 16, 2023). "Hades' Romances Represent 3 Ancient Greek Conceptions of Love". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
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