Thanatos | |
---|---|
Hades character | |
![]() Thanatos in Hades | |
First appearance | Hades (2020) |
Created by | Greg Kasavin |
Designed by | Jen Zee |
Voiced by | Chris Saphire |
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.
Thanatos is a character in the video game Hades . He is first encountered during Zagreus' escape from the Underworld in Elysium, dispatched after Megaera becomes unable to prevent Zagreus' escape. [1] He chides Zagreus for leaving, challenging him to see who can kill the most enemies. The two have a past as childhood friends, with Zagreus being one of the only friends he had. [1] Zagreus can pursue a romantic relationship with Thanatos; this relationship can become a polyamorous one if Zagreus also pursues Megaera. [2]
Thanatos is based on the god of the same name in Greek mythology.[ citation needed ] He was created by Greg Kasavin and designed by Jen Zee. [3] Kasavin viewed the setting as a good opportunity to feature "lesser-known but compelling characters" like Thanatos, who was one of the first characters added to the game. [4] [1] He also changed little during development, among the least changed in the game. [1] Kasavin stated that there was little in the way of mythology surrounding Thanatos, which gave them "fertile ground" to work with when creating their incarnation. [1] When making characters in 3D in the game, 3D artist Paige Carter used either Thanatos or Megaera as the basis. [5] When asked why Thanatos and other characters in the game were so attractive, Kasavin attributed this to Jen Zee, the game's character artist. He stated that the portrayal of Thanatos and the rest "owe greatly to classical tradition," which Zee cared about. He added that they justified the gods being hot by virtue of them being gods. Commenting on Thanatos' looks, Kasavin felt that he his beauty was "effortlessly incidental," arguing that a character who represents the concept of Death couldn't be anything other than beautiful. [3] The competition between Thanatos and Zagreus was inspired by the competition in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers between Gimli and Legolas. [1] He was given the ability to teleport so they could "leave in a huff, and leave conversations hanging." [1]
Kasavin touched upon the possible polyamorous relationship between Thanatos, Zagreus, and Megaera, 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. [2]
Because the mythological Thanatos is described as a "peaceful death," the team at Supergiant Games cast actor Chris Saphire to play a "gentle" version of the grim reaper. [1]
Thanatos has received generally positive reception. Polygon writer Patricia Hernandez discussed how, having sen fan content depicting Zagreus and Thanatos in a romantic relationship before encountering him in-game, she found herself interpreting him as a jilted lover upset over Zagreus leaving. When asked, Kasavin said that this was not the intention of his initial discontent over Zagreus' departure, but instead to show the closeness of the two and serving as the catalyst for their feelings eventually developing. Hernandez nonetheless found their initial exchange in the game provocative, arguing that it was able to establish a history between them in only a few lines. She found his initial encounter, where he challenges Zagreus to a competition of who can kill the most enemies, to be compelling, as no other encounter works this way. She felt that the dynamic remains "juicy and charged" regardless of whether Zagreus wins or loses, saying that it felt "inherently hot and audacious" for Zagreus to try to "show up death himself." Hernandez argued that the pairing was the most popular in the Hades fandom, and felt that Thanatos was one of the most memorable encounters she's had in a video game. [1] Kotaku writer Ash Parrish discussed how attractive she found Thanatos, describing his voice as sounding like a "petulant ex-lover" and describing him as "tall, dark, adeath incarnate." [3]
His relationship with Zagreus was discussed and praised by critics. Paste writer Elijah Gonzales discussed how the game handles Thanatos' relationship with Zagreus, particularly how Zagreus' attempt to escape the Underworld affects him. [6] Wired writer Gabriel Aikins discussed the polyamory between Thanatos, Zagreus, and Megaera, arguing that polyamorous relationships were a rarity in media, games or otherwise. [7] Siliconera writer Kazuma Hashimoto enjoyed Thanatos, particularly the relationship he had with Zagreus. As a gay man, he appreciated the quality of writing of the relationship between the two, finding they had a natural interaction and great chemistry. [8] Fellow Wired writer Autumn Wright discussed how Zagreus contrasted with Thanatos, describing Zagreus as ephebe and Thanatos as twinkish. They felt that Thanatos represented a "subvers[ion] to classical tradition," and that his relationship would be demeaning in Ancient Greece. [9] The Mary Sue writer Briana Lawrence found the relationship between Thanatos, Zagreus, and Megaera surprising, enjoying too that they all got along with one another. [10] Gayming Mag writer Aimee Hart felt that he contrasted with Zagreus, describing Thanatos as "cold, calculated, and silent" and Zagreus as "reckless and warm." [11]
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.
In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Zagreus was a god sometimes identified with an Orphic Dionysus, a son of Zeus and Persephone, who was dismembered by the Titans and reborn. In the earliest mention of Zagreus, he is paired with Gaia and called the "highest" god, though perhaps only in reference to the gods of the underworld. Aeschylus, however, links Zagreus with Hades, possibly as Hades' son, or as Hades himself. Noting "Hades' identity as Zeus' katachthonios alter ego", Timothy Gantz postulated that Zagreus, originally the son of Hades and Persephone, later merged with the Orphic Dionysus, the son of Zeus and Persephone.
Polyfidelity is a type of non-monogamous, relationship in which all members are recognized as equivalent to the other partners and comply to restrict sexual and romantic relationship activities to exclusively only other members within the group.
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.
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, providing the voice for protagonist Zagreus in 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, while 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.
Claude von Riegan is a character in the 2019 video game Fire Emblem: Three Houses. He is the leader of the Golden Deer at Garreg Mach Monastery, alongside Edelgard von Hresvelg of the Black Lions and Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd of the Blue Lions. His house is one of the houses the protagonist, Byleth, can serve as a professor to, and is accompanied by multiple other students, including Hilda Valentine Goneril and Marianne von Edmund.
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 raised as a hostage in the 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.