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.
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.
Sexuality and gender identity-based cultures are subcultures and communities composed of people who have shared experiences, backgrounds, or interests due to common sexual or gender identities. Among the first to argue that members of sexual minorities can also constitute cultural minorities were Adolf Brand, Magnus Hirschfeld, and Leontine Sagan in Germany. These pioneers were later followed by the Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Bilitis in the United States.
Non-monogamy is an umbrella term for every practice or philosophy of non-dyadic intimate relationship that does not strictly hew to the standards of monogamy, particularly that of having only one person with whom to exchange sex, love, and/or affection. In that sense, "nonmonogamy" may be accurately applied to extramarital sex, group marriage, or polyamory. It is not synonymous with infidelity, since all parties are consenting to the relationship structure, partners are often committed to each other as well as to their other partners and cheating is still considered problematic behavior with many non-monogamous relationships.
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.
Supergiant Games, LLC is an American independent video game developer and publisher based in San Francisco. It was founded in 2009 by Amir Rao and Gavin Simon, and is known for the games Bastion, Transistor, Pyre, and Hades.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Dorothea Arnault is a character in the 2019 video game Fire Emblem: Three Houses. She is a student of Garreg Mach University, belonging to the Black Eagles house, led by Edelgard von Hresvelg. She is a flirtatious singer and dancer, having become an orphan as a child and growing up as a commoner. This has lead her to seek out a wealthy partner to support her. She was designed by character designer Chinatsu Kurahana, and was voiced by Juri Nagatsuma and Allegra Clark in Japanese and English, respectively, the latter finding her relatable due to their similar personalities.
Petra Macneary is a character in the 2019 video game Fire Emblem: Three Houses. She is a student of Garreg Mach Academy, and a member of the Black Eagles house under Edelgard von Hresvelg. She is a prisoner of war in Adrestian Empire after her nation of Brigid failed to rebel against the Empire. She also appears in other Fire Emblem games, including Fire Emblem Heroes and Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes.
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.
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.
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.
