Warning: Spoiles for Disney Villains: Hades #1
A new comic series from Dynamite Comics and Disney is giving readers more details about Hades from Hercules, as Disney Villains: Hades kicks off with revelations about the iconic villain’s background. Fans of the animated film already knew the titular villain was a bit of a black sheep, but his treatment by Olympus is shown to be even worse than previously known.
Disney Villains: Hades #1 – by Elliot Kalan and Alessandro Ranaldi – establishes the series is set well before the Lord of the Underworld tries to overtake Olympus by making a deal with Hercules. While it is well-known that Hades’ relationship with his brother Zeus was strained, the film is very deceptive about how the Olympian leader treats him.
Disney’s Zeus Didn’t Want Hades Around Olympus At All
During the welcoming of Hercules to Mount Olympus as a baby, Zeus is shown encouraging Hades to “join the celebration.” To this, the Lord of the Dead says he can’t, because the job Zeus has given him is too busy. This would imply that this version of the mythological deity is simply too busy to be around very much for an unrevealed reason. However, the truth is that Hades has long been neglected by the inhabitants of Olympus – especially his ruling brother. While Hades received an invitation to Hercules’ arrival, he was not always invited to Olympus for its usual festivities.
Disney Villains: Hades #1 Makes The Olympian Family Drama Even More Complex
It is made clear in Hercules that Hades despises his work in the Underworld. Disney Villains: Hades #1 provides more context for this hatred of his appointed job. In addition to being “full of dead people,” the Underworld is a “dank cave” without sunshine or fresh air. Additionally, Hades reflects on how people don’t run away from the other Olympians in fear. Much more significantly, Hades is actually the firstborn son of Cronus – meaning his younger brother has been bossing him around, rather than Zeus being the eldest as previously believed. To top it off, even lesser deities are invited to Olympus for weekly get-togethers, while Hades is left to rot, surrounded by wailing spirits.
Like Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty, who did not receive an invitation to a christening, Hades is not invited to regular festivities held on Olympus; one reason of many for his hatred towards his family. Disney’s lore has yet to explain why Zeus tasked Hades with overseeing the Underworld. As a result, there seems to be no legitimate reason for the villain to be cast out so eagerly, and be ostracized when he shows up to a familial event. Zeus has mistreated his brother for years, causing Hades’ villainous actions to arise due to a desire for retribution. This means that Zeus caused his troubles himself by mistreating his brother Hades, making him the true villain of Disney’s Hercules.
Disney Villains: Hades #1 is available now from Dynamite Comics.
