Olympian Gods (DC)
The Olympian Gods are deities that feature in DC Comics.
Contents |
History
Pre-Crisis
The Olympian Gods were a race of deities from the Greek pantheon of gods that were native to Olympus.
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis of Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. The Olympian Gods
However, Uxas came to Earth and told stories of their exploits to the inhabitants of Rome. This caused worship of the Olympians to increase so dramatically that to cope they split themselves into the Greek and Roman gods who eventually became separate beings. Too late, the Olympians realized that this had been part of a long time plan of Uxas to weaken them by dividing their overall power. (Wonder Woman v2 #131)
Centuries ago, an argument between Aphrodite and Ares led to the creation of the Amazons, who have been guided and protected by the goddesses ever since. Ares' recent schemes to destroy the Amazons and his fellow gods led to an Amazon champion being chosen. (Wonder Woman v2 #1)
Ares' daughter, Harmonia, chose to help Diana, however. She gave her a powerful amulet with the power to transport across dimensions. Diana slew Deimos with her razor sharp tiara, and from him acquired the other half of Harmonia's amulet. Finally, Ares stepped in to claim the talisman, but Diana bound him with her lasso of truth. He realized that to allow humans to war would leave no kingdom for him to rule. In failure, Ares declared that he would no longer trifle with the affairs of man, and also forbade his offspring from appearing on Earth. He also took the amulet and all the power which had been collected therein. (Wonder Woman v2 #6)
In defeating Ares, Diana was greatly injured. The gods were so pleased with her that they took her into the sea and healed her. Then, Hermes gave her winged sandals which would enable her to travel freely between Themyscira and Man's World. (Wonder Woman v2 #7) At some point, the god Pan was killed and replaced by a Manhunter android. It was this impostor who began a feud among the gods. The feud began when Zeus turned an amorous eye towards Diana, offering to make her a goddess if she participated in 'the ultimate sharing of the flesh'. When Diana and her mother opposed the great god, he was angered and punished Diana. She would have to complete a task for each of the gods, culminating in the defeat of the monsters beyond "Doom's Doorway". This doorway was the Amazon's charge for millennia and if Diana was unsuccessful, the Amazons would be destroyed. (Wonder Woman v2 #10)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. The Olympian Gods
They came to believe a war was coming that would shake the foundations of creation in the cosmos and abandoned Earth thus barring the gates of Olympus behind them. (Dark Days: The Casting v1 #1)
Zeus came to make a number of overtures to Cassandra Sandsmark where he wanted his granddaughter to join the ranks of the Pantheon. However, she refused as she wanted to live her life as a mortal with the Olympian causing monsters from Greek myth to attack her to force her to realise that she could no longer live an ordinary life. This rejection of her grandfather was used by Poseidon as a means to bring chaos to depose his brother Zeus leading to him along with his monsters attacking Wonder Girl but she was aided by her friends among Young Justice. Upon seeing the Diamond Blade in her possession, Poseidon decided to call off the attack and retreated as this all seemed as a further test by Zeus to convince Cassandra Sandsmark to join the Pantheon. (Young Justice v3 #19)
Overview
They were also known as the Patrons by their worshippers. (Wonder Woman v5 #6)
The energy form of the gods could inhabit mortal vessels of flesh and form allowing them to interact amongst humans. The destruction of these bodies did not kill the god who simply returned to their natural state. (Young Justice v3 #19)
The gods were said to hold a penchant for playing tricks on one another. (Deathstroke v3 #7)
Leadership of the Greek gods was held by a group known as the Pantheon. (Young Justice v3 #19)
Relics of the Olympian pantheon included:
- Gauntlet of Atlas :
- Lasso of Lightning :
- Golden Fleece :
- Godkiller Sword : crafted by Hephaestus that vibrated with the rage of its user as it desired to kill and shifted its shape as well as weight in the hands of the person. Only a few mortals were able to wield the sword that gave them the power to slay gods or titans. (Deathstroke v3 #7)
- Flashing Blade : a weapon that actually predated the Olympians and their smith Hephaestus with it being forged by the Titans to kill the gods and their favoured children. (Wonder Woman v1 #614)
- Diamond Blade : the mythic harpe sword was an adamantine blade first used by Cronus to castrate and depose his father Uranus with Zeus having bequeathed it to some of his champions. (Young Justice v3 #19)
The smith god Hephaestus was known to use a powerful metal known as the Eighth Metal in the construction of weapons such as the Sunblade. Twelve such weapons were created for each of the members of the pantheon. (Dark Days: The Casting v1 #1)
One tool seen among their people were the oraculum that were statues that could mystically speak which were consulted to provide answers and information. (Justice League of America v4 #3)
Members
- Aphrodite :
- Apollo :
- Ares :
- Athena :
- Atlantiades : androgynous child of Aphrodite that was the living image of union and desire who was both male as well as female. (Wonder Woman v5 #69)
- Deimos :
- Eirene : goddess of peace who was tied to her lover Ares. (Wonder Woman v4 #45)
- Eris :
- Hades :
- Hephaestus :
- Hera :
- Hermes :
- Morpheus :
- Nemesis :
- Pan :
- Phobos :
- Poseidon :
- Zeus :
- Aegaeon : also called Briareus was a monstrous blue armoured being who was one of the Hecatoncheires that were the Hundred-Handed Ones born from a union between Uranus and Gaia. (Young Justice v3 #19)
Notes
- The Olympian Gods were created by William Moulton Marston where they made their first appearance in All Star Comics v1 #8 (December, 1941).
- They were based off the gods in Greek mythology.
- According to History of the DC Universe v1 #1 (1986), the all-powerful Gods of Olympus arose thousands of years ago who arose from the infinity called Chaos.
In other media
Television
- In Justice League, the Olympian Gods were referenced and appeared a number of times in the DC Animated Universe. Their names were regularly called upon by Wonder Woman when she entered into the world as a superhero. In the episode "Paradise Lost", it was revealed that long ago that they were at war with the Titans when one of their number Hades betrayed them to their foes. The Titans were defeated and for Hades actions he was banished to Tartarus in the underworld with the Amazons being charged with ensuring the doorway for his prison remained closed.
Films
- In Wonder Woman, the Olympian Gods appeared in the live-action film that was set in the setting of the DC Extended Universe. It was said that they were responsible for creating mankind and the Amazons who were to serve as communicators to bring peace. The war-god Ares came to despise humanity as a plague on the Earth who brought nothing but destruction. This caused his eventual revolt against his fellow gods where he killed them leading to a confrontation with his father Zeus. Ares was badly wounded in the fight causing his fall from Olympus and Zeus later succumbed from his injuries. Thus, the Olympian Gods were all killed and no longer in the world with the exception of Ares who sought to continue his goal. However, prior to his death, Zeus had mated with the Amazon Queen Hippolyta who gave birth to a daughter named Diana who was a half-god and was to be the godkiller to slay her half-brother Ares whenever he returned.
Video games
- In Injustice: Gods Among Us, the Olympian Gods feature in the story setting of the fighting video game.
Appearances
- All-Star Comics v1: (1941)
- Wonder Woman:
- Deathstroke:
- Wonder Woman v5:
External Links
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