#( I haven’t done a lot of research on Hephaestus yet but )

[astrogone]

Epimetheus 🤝 Hephaestus Being the outcast of their own race

[coffee-fueled-weeb-witch]

Write Your Witchcraft (#37)

All of the questions

1-4 answered  |  5-8 answered  |  9-12 answered  |  13-16 answered  |  17-20 answered  |  21-24 answered  |  25-28 answered  |  29-32 answered  |  33-36 answered 

37. Who do I honor (ex: deities, ancestors, myself, etc), and how do I, or would I like to, honor them?

At the moment I work with Athena, Hermes, Hades, Persephone, Apollo, Artemis, and recently also started working a bit with Ares and Hephaestus.  I’ve also had a little bit of experience, though not much, with Hestia and Dionysus thanks to one of my best and closest friends working with them.  Now, since there’s quite a few of them, I’ll start with what I do for all of them and then I’ll go into more specific things for each one.

In general I have a playlist for each of the gods I work with and then there’s two others- a playlist for Hades and Persephone together and one for Hermes, Apollo, and Dionysus together (If you guys are interested I could make a post with links to said playlists).  I’m also in a small coven on discord, consisting of me and my friends, and there I have a channel for each of them that I use as virtual alters.  Another thing I do is sit and work out a sigil for each individual god that I can use if I feel I am struggling to connect to them or to help dedicate something to them.  Now I’ll get into the individual things- which I tend to work most with Athena, Hermes, Hades, and Persephone, so I’ll probably be listing a bit more for them than the others right now.

Athena

I am always studying and trying to learn about a variety of new things and often dedicate my research and reading time to her.

When in stressful situations with conflicts brewing I try to remain calm and keep a level head, sometimes asking for her help with this as I try to think things through rationally and work on a solution.

Whenever my friends need help understanding something or finding information I do my best to teach and guide them, sharing whatever wisdom and knowledge of my own that I can and helping them find more because Athena encourages me to do so and like her I too enjoy sharing my knowledge.

I have a nice little amethyst gemstone that I dedicated to her and I always have it close by.

I do my best to protect others and have become fairly skilled in protection magick, and when I feel a situation calls for it I will ask for Athena’s protection or for her to help me be able to protect those I care for or am trying to help.

I have a small, white owl statue on my nightstand that used to belong to my grandmother.  Because of Athena’s connection to owls, I put it there for her- though it’s so old and fragile it’s literally slowly crumbling into a powdery dust, so I’ll need to replace it sometime sadly.

I also like to dedicate my crafting and jewelry making time to Athena.

Hermes

Since he is connected to Wednesdays and has a lot to do with languages, every Wednesday I spend at least an hour working on my Japanese and I often ask him to help me understand things I struggle with or remember certain things.  After I will usually watch anime that involves something he is associated with in some way or I think he may like himself.

I usually offer him some of morning coffee and thank him for helping me out with various things and even just being there.

When I’m getting over stressed and know I need to lighten up I take a step back and try to have more fun and remind myself that I don’t need to be serious all the time, that like Hermes I can just have fun.

On really low energy days for me I tend to binge watch vine and meme compilations on youtube and dedicate that to him.

Hermes encourages me to not be so embarrassed and afraid of being laughed at,  so I’ve been letting myself become more... well, myself.  If someone wants to call me cringey for being weird or chaotic, then they can.  I’m having fun and being myself and my boi Hermes is right there cheering me on, so fuck anyone who doesn’t like it!!  In other words, he helps me a lot with being less afraid to be myself and being comfortable acting like a deranged little crackhead goblin and just enjoying myself- so for him I like to just love myself and let go of worrying about what others think of me.

Hades

I love spending time researching death practices and beliefs over the years and in different cultures, so I dedicate that time to Hades.  I also put a lot of time into learning as much as I can about spirit work and death witchcraft which I’ve been getting more interested in since working with him.

When I find someone or see a friend who is struggling and seriously considering death to be their solution I try my best to help them.  I’ve personally lost someone to suicide and it’s something I don’t want anyone else to experience.  I’ve also had a few interaction with the spirit of the one who passed and spent a lot of time helping him work through the emotions he had and get to a point where he was more at peace and not hating himself for what he had done.  Since then I’ve also come to learn and understand that it genuinely saddens Hades and Persephone both to see how many young people end up cutting their own lives so short, so for me doing what I can to help those people is so important for so many reasons.

As I said I lost someone I loved dearly, so at times when that starts to weight on me or when my own depression’s getting to be a little hard to deal with I often turn to Hades for comfort and help in getting through it.  He is very much like a father figure to me, which I no longer have anything to do with my real dad, so it helps a lot to be able to turn to him for help and guidance when I’m struggling.

I like to leave him little offerings when I can and so far have found that he really enjoys the dark chocolate I give him.

I always make sure to thank him for helping me and also for watching over the souls of those who passed.  It makes him really happy and he appreciates it so much.

Persephone

A lot of the things I do for Hades I also do for Persephone, so I won’t repeat all of them again.

For years I’ve struggled with dealing with toxic people who had me convinced I could only be one thing, that I was the reserved and quiet friend, I was always mature, I didn’t goof off as much, I loved darker things and horror and thus could only love those things and behave in a certain way, but Persephone has been helping me understand that this is not true and I can express my softer, more goofy and childish nature.  I can be dark and spooky, but I can also be soft and sweet.  She is both a Goddess of Spring and Queen of the Underworld- if she can be these two opposite things, then so can I.  So similar to Hermes, I like to practice self-love and acceptance for Persephone.

I also like to give her small offerings when I can, which she seemed to really enjoy the marshmallow peep I gave her!  

This is one I also do for both Hades and Persephone, and because I know how difficult it can be- when I know someone who is grieving the loss of a loved one, I try my best to offer them comfort and just be there for them.

Apollo

I like to dedicate the time I spend drawing to him and when I’m experiencing a lot of artists block I’ll ask him to please help me overcome it or help me find some form of inspiration.

When I start to feel a bit sick I’ll often ask him for a little extra help in feeling better, alongside Artemis.

When my insomnia’s so bad that I’ve ended up staying awake all night I like to take a moment to just sit and listen to music while watching the sunrise.  Likewise, in the evenings when the sun is sinking and the light comes in the window I love to just close my eyes and relax as I let it wash over me and thank Apollo for the brightness and warmth, and for being there.

I often scream-sing along with songs that remind me of him.

I also remember reading that Apollo watches over the decomposing bodies of those who died and graveyards, so I like to thank him for that.

Artemis

I’ve always been a night owl and have always had a love for the moon and stars, so when I can I like to just sit and listen to music and the sounds of the night while looking at the dark sky as I think over the day and will sometimes just talk to Artemis and tell her how things are going and stuff like that.

Like I said before I sometimes ask her and Apollo for help if I’m starting to feel sick.

I actually found a really nice set on imvu for Artemis, so my friend helped me get the outfit for her.

Ares

I haven’t been working with Ares for very long yet, so so far there isn’t nearly as much for me to share.  So far, aside from making a playlist, sigil, and virtual altar for him, I’ve been trying to stand up for myself more and he has definitely been helping me to do this.  I may write a post actually talking about my most recent and strongest experience working with him.

I’ve also always tried my best to stand up for others (honestly better at it than I am standing up for myself), so now I also consider this another thing I can do for Ares and that I feel he greatly approves of.  

Hephaestus

Like Ares I haven’t been working with Hephaestus for very long, so I again don’t have much a whole lot to list yet.  Still, one thing I’ve been sort of dedicating to him is the time I’m spending learning how to wire wrap gemstones.  It’s not exactly the same as being a blacksmith, but still sort of involves working with metal and crafting and he’s enjoyed me sharing my progress with him and how hard I’m working to learn this new skill despite my disability making it a bit difficult for me.

I’ve also been trying to love myself more for Hephaestus when it comes to my disability.  I’ve grown up constantly being made to feel like an inconvenience, a burden, and a waste of time, but help from my friends, my boyfriend, and recently Hephaestus, I’ve gradually been working to overcome the negative thoughts and beliefs that were carved into me.

Well, that’s all I can think of typing for this one- I’ve normally been doing this write your witchcraft thing four questions at a time, but since it took me so long to fully answer this one question I decided to just do this one.  

[drkcnry67]

Title: take our place

Pairing: Sam x reader

Fluff: Greek gods au

Rating: 18+

Tags: affair, vaginal penetration, loss of virginity in elysium, getting the powers from Hades and aphrodite, hiding the affair from the other gods, making this a regular thing to give the 2 some alone time, having the courage to admit when it feels amazing. 

Created for @spnfluffbingo

Mentioning @sweetness47

they say its the little things in life that make you happy. But 2 complete strangers who know nothing of each other meet in the most unusual way and it goes a lot better than these two people expect.

YN the wandering traveler feeling all her life like something is missing something is wrong like she is only one half of herself.

Sam Winchester the brains the tech wiz all his life he has felt as though he is different but he hasn't figured out how. To everyone else he is this genius who graduated from Stanford, to someone else he is much more than that.

you have had the same dream for the last few months now, telling you to go to Greece, go to the Parthenon in Athens at closing and meet your destiny. 

Sam had a dream one night telling him to go to the Parthenon in Athens Greece. He told his uncle and his brother booked the flight and left that same night to find his destiny. 

you both were on the same flight un be known to each other fate had plans for you both, fate was the one thing you both would be meeting in Athens. by the time you both arrived in Athens it was mid afternoon. plenty of time before closing. 

you both got off the plane separately and then it came time to find a cab, this would be when you and Sam would first meet. you went to the cab bay but saw only one cab there but couldn't reach it in time for someone else was already loading into it. 

when the man looked back at you, he saw that you were flustered. he started towards you slowly before speaking.

Sam: excuse me, miss. are you okay?

YN: no I'm not okay i needed a cab to get somewhere but i couldn't get one before they were all gone. now you have the last one and i dont know how I'm getting to the Parthenon, or better yet to find a motel or something. but to the Parthenon first.

Sam: come on lets share the cab ride as it turns out you and i are going to the same place. 

You give this man a gentle smile as he helps you load your bag and yourself into the cab. The drive to the Parthenon was calm, you and the stranger exchanged a few words.

You then both decided that you would stick together for it would be safer in a strange place.

Yn: I just realized I don't even think we introduced ourselves. My name is YN.

Sam extended his hand to meet your own before he spoke again.

Sam: Sam short for Samuel but everyone calls me Sam. So what brings you to see the Parthenon.

You were about to speak and then the cab stopped you guys had arrived at the Parthenon.

It was gonna be a tough thing to say that you were here because of a dream leading you to the Parthenon. But here went nothing.

Getting out of the cab you and Sam stand there looking at the Parthenon before you begin to speak.

Yn: I'm here because I had several dreams telling me to come here. That my destiny was here. That I would find what I didn't...

Sam: what you didn't know you were searching for... I had the same dreams. It was weird. Cause at first I thought hey It might just be a lead on a future hunt but then they happened more frequently and now I'm here.

You looked at him when he said hunt.

Yn: wait your a hunter?

Sam and you suddenly had more in common than you originally knew. You both walked over to the Parthenon and suddenly the room went white.

No other people to be detected only you and Sam in the room. But then 2 voices spoke.

Aphrodite: welcome YN before I reveal myself to you. I want you to know that I chose you as means to my own happiness, As well as your talents.

Yn: ya but who are you...

Then another voice spoke.

Hades: Sam your bravery and loyalty to your mission is why I've chosen you. Along side me you will inherit the gifts that I have to offer to turn you demi god. To help me do what I have to for the sake of my own happiness.

Sam: I have the same question as my friend here. Who are you?

That's when 2 figures dressed in robes of some kind one female and one males now standing in front of you and Sam. As they speak once more.

Aphrodite: I am Aphrodite goddess of love one of the main 12. Daughter of Zeus, wife to Hephaestus.

Hades: I am hades lord of the dead and God of the underworld one of the big 3. Zeus and Poseidon are my brothers. Persephone is my wife.

Yn: OK so what does this have to do with us?

Aphrodite: well that's the part we haven't explained. see its been about a year and a half now. Hades and i have been having a small love affair. betraying our married others for the comfort and peace we find in each other’s arms. we need a normal slice of reality for once. 

Hades: point being we want to make you guys our equals so you can sub in for us. in my place Sam you will rule the underworld. command Cerberus and my armies should the need arise. as well as look after the domains including but not limited to Elysium and Tartarus. 

Sam’s eyes all wide and shock clearly written on his face you turned to hear Aphrodite speak to you. 

Aphrodite: in my place YN, you will well be the goddess of love. surely you haven't forgotten your research on the Greek gods/goddesses from school. i command the atmosphere of love on Olympus and here on earth. its by my hand that something good will come between you and Sam but that's a different story. there are a few things obviously that we are gonna have to separate you both to show you. but once we do that we are gone. but you both will be demi gods when we are here. then full gods when we aren't. its to keep up the ruse. there are things that happen automatically when we are around. so it is necessary that nothing disrupts that balance. 

your eyes went wide with shock as well. you took one glance at Sam who looked at you as you both turned back to look at Hades and Aphrodite. 

Sam: okay so what does this mean? like first of all we are here because we are following incessant dreams we both had telling us to come here and  cause our instincts told us that this was a possible site for a case. not to become demi gods or whatever.

you pulled Sam to the side for a moment to speak to him.

YN: look i know this is probably a bit much. but i think i am gonna do this, I'm gonna take Aphrodite’s offer. i feel like I'm meant for so much more than just hunting monsters. this is my one chance to become the most badass demi goddess there is. and if you accepted too, I'm sure we would both see each other more often than we know. 

Sam: i know its the reason we are here and its what we need to do, its what we are called to do. fine, lets do it.

you both walk back to Hades and Aphrodite. 

YN: i YN accept Aphrodite’s offer to become a demi goddess. may i ever reign supreme with the lessons that you have to give Aphrodite!

you bow slightly out of respect as Sam speaks.

Sam: i Sam accept Hades’ offer to become a demi god. may i ever rule in as much style as the lessons of Hades’.

That's when the room started to change round the both of you, neither of you were beside each other anymore.

But instead Sam was in a room with hades, you were in a room with Aphrodite. Now we go to see what Sam is up to with hades.

Sam and hades are in hades' palace. Sam is standing before hades knowing that he is about to learn his role more in depth.

Hades: so first things first, we should be about the same size for clothing so go through my closet and put something on to reflect your new status as a demi god and as my new stand in. ill give you a few moments to choose your outfit. 

Hades opens the closet and leaves Sam alone to browse and pick. he chooses a short sleeve no do up hooded cardigan, then he went to find some pants. he chose a pair of sleek black jeans with 3 zippers down each of the legs, ripped slits. 

Sam: this should work, i don't need a shirt, its pretty toasty down here. i will want some shoes though, maybe some boots of some kind or something 

Sam ended up finding a gold chain, a belt loop chain, and a pair of all black leather converse boots. he happily went out of the closet and walked to place his new wardrobe on the bed, getting changed he stands there looking in the mirror.

Hades comes back to the door, watching as Sam admires his new form in the mirror.

Hades: that look suits you Samuel. 

Sam: i thought so, but i also hope that this new look will help me dig deep into my role as a demi god. but when I'm not here helping cover for you, can i go back to America and see my brother, my uncle, my friends. 

Hades: of course. you will just get my voice in your head when its time for you to come back here. but for now. lets get you to the power chamber. so i can infuse you with some of my power and take you to meet with YN and Aphrodite. by the way Elysium is a beautiful place to romance a lady. 

Sam: is that where?

Hades nods his head leading Sam to the center chamber in the palace. Sam takes a look around taking every detail of architecture and every detail of the warding.

Hades: those wards are to keep any damned souls that I have not summoned before me out of here. This business has some great perks and some souls just want revenge on you or me more specifically. But enough about that are you ready to become a demi god?

Sam: yes i am. tell me what i have to do?

hades leads Sam to stand in the center of the room, he then lifts his hands and a ring of fire surrounds Sam as Hades incantates

Hades: i Hades, με αυτόν τον τρόπο χαράζω τον Σαμ Γουίντσεστερ με τη δύναμή μου ότι μπορεί να γίνει Θεός της Ντέμι που μπορεί να κυβερνήσει στη θέση μου

soon as hades was done, Sam felt the power flow into his being, his cells, his form change. he suddenly knew everything, he had all of hades knowledge about the realms of the underworld and some of its guests.

once the transfer is done Sam takes a knee to catch his breath, to regain some of his composure. once he is on his feet again, hades leads him on a tour of the pathways and where they lead before showing him to the portal platform where they wait for you and Aphrodite to show up.

Meanwhile, Aphrodite and you are choosing a outfit for you. after about a half hour of you ladies going through dress after dress your eyes landed on a sparkly deep purple Sheath/Column  plunging V-neck Floor-Length Dress With Split Front.

Aphrodite: so this is the beauty that shall grace your form?

YN: yes it is. now, as the goddess of love what kind of...

Aphrodite: you just have to keep up appearances on the council of the gods, as well as make sure you greet Hephestus with a gentle glow, after all i was forced to marry him...

(~*author note: im twisting the mythology on this one. sorry for all those who read this and its not accurate to the mythology... mostly doing this to give the Hades/Aphrodite affair/ship... anyway back to the story!*~)

YN: i know all about that, Zeus did that to keep Hephestus and you in line. he is kind of an asshole. no offence.... 

Aphrodite began to giggle. 

Aphrodite: non taken i totally would have said the same thing. i know you are the right candidate to become my protégé. and i am honored now to bestow to you this necklace as long as you wear it you will be able to walk on Olympus freely. and now i bestow to you my power, please use this power the same way i would, i know you will make me proud as you keep the balance between love and war. as my brother Ares so put it. he is right though. i hope you are gonna make me proud. now my little protege how do you feel?

you stare at yourself in the mirror for a moment beofre turning back to face aphrodite.

YN: like i suddenly have all this energy. Aphrodite, how will i know if something is right?

Aphrodite: are you refering to the connection between you and Sam?

YN: yes... i just ive never been in love before. i wouldnt know love if it bit me in the ass.

Aphrodite: i think it just did. my advice is to just make sure that Sam feels the same way you do. i am so proud to have someone so special as my protege. you will do great now when you are ready we will venture to the portal room in the underworld to meet Hades and Sam.

you pace for a moment and then stop suddenly. 

YN: i dont think i can do this...

Aphrodite: girl if you are nervous just relax, this will only get worse if you dont relax. dont worry you will be fine, we will see what happens when we see those 2 again. 

YN: thats just it Aphrodite. i dont know if i will be able to handle whatever...

you were about to speak again when Aphrodite opened a portal and pulled you through.  within seconds you were standing with Aphrodite in front of Hades and Sam. 

Aphrodite: i cant wait to live like mortals even for a short while with you hades. 

Hades: feelings mutual. now lets give these 2 our immortality and take their mortality.

both you and Sam looked at them but too late you both were having the mortality within the 2 of you sucked out, replaced with immortality there were so much power going into the both of you that neither of you knew what to do. 

By the time you both had found some kind of our footing, you were both glowing. Head to toe, neither of you noticed any changes right away.

Aphrodite: good luck and take care you 2.

Hades: we will see you in a month

With that they both took a different portal and were gone. Leaving you and Sam alone, the silence pooling between your legs, running down your thigh. This made you nervous, but Sam was eyeing you up and down.

Sam: come my lady let me show you one of the most romantic spots in the underworld.

sam leads you by the hand to the elysium. well thats where the magic began. thats where Sam then laid you passionately against the wall laying ferverious kisses from your neck to your chest and it felt so good. 

Sam: im gonna get rid of our clothes and lets see how these new found abilities work.

with the snap of his fingers, both of you were laying in a field of flowers and Sam was on top of you.

His cock poised in front of your pussy, already soaked and dripping from the feeling of Sam against your form.

Sam: are you ready for me?

YN: does it matter if i am or not... just kiss me while you put it in and no need to be gentle. ill take whatever you give me lord of the underworld.

at that Sam kissed you, slamming his hard thick cock into your juicy dripping pussy. that was it your innocence, your virginity gone. your pussy conformed to Sam’s cock as he went in and out changing his pace quite often so you didnt climax till he was ready. 

Sam: im gonna make you pregnant and then we will be the most powerful demi gods out there.

YN: i think we will be some of the most powerful. remember we are only proteges we just got these gifts. and now you are using yours to help us make love in the elysium fields. this is a turn of events and i thought i was supposed to be the goddess of love.  fuck me into our eternal happiness. 

Sam speeds up once more and kisses you passionately, ferverously, and feels every inch of your body. it made you vocal, the way his hands grazed across your skin. 

Sam: you are absolutely delectable. i am so honored to have you all to my self right now. i love you YN.

YN: i love you too Sam. 

well it was a while later when you were finally nearing climax. 

YN: sam im cumming. 

Sam: thats a good girl, cum for me...

not only did you cum but you squirted. it left you both breathless. Sam cuddled you close, spooning you as you both lay covered in a blanket of flowers. due to the power boost, he was still unloading inside you.

Sam: that was the most incredible passion that i have ever experienced. thank you for this fleet of passion. for the first time...  this will be our eternity. this will be our daily occurance. i hope this evening after we meet with the council of the gods we can fall asleep together tonight or at least we can 

YN: lay together. i still have to keep aphrodites place. 

thats when a loud ringing was in both your ears! thats when your powers lit up like christmas, thats when you both knew that it was a short time before the council would be gathering and that would be the one moment for you both to sit with the fellowship of the gods and you both would be the most amazing stand-ins for your patrons than any other demi-god.

but what happened at the council meeting is another tale for another time.

[alatismeni-theitsa]

Hi! a different anon from Smythe’s Patreon. So apparently Helios is coming back.(Spoilers)Apparently Thanatos is going to visit him to get some dirt on “Kore”. And I have a bad feeling that it’s gonna be about Persephone’s edgy killing spree. If that does happen then I’m fucking done with the shitty fandom and it’s “comic”. According to this blog, not many Greeks like the comic either. Also any recommendatioms on better HP/Greek comics? I like ur blog, great way to learn about Greek Culture.

Tbh I kinda like how she incorporated the fact that Helios sees everything. Demeter went to him when she didn’t know where her daughter was, to get information, and he ended up telling her what actually happened. Now she is doing that but with Thanatos. At least she knows the basics of the myth. It would be a little better if we saw Helios giving info to Demeter like it happened in the original myth but eeeeh... I ask too much of Smythe xD And yes, it’s probably about Persephone’s killing spree :/

Many retellings I have read deviate from canon in a weird way. They are enjoyable but not good representation by any means. The stories/retellings lots of Greeks write about HxP are in Greek most of the times - those I have seen, at least. But, in a weird way, when Greeks write them they are closer to the American way and don’t try to incorporate modern or ancient cultural elements. (Yes, sometimes I am dissapointed by us too :P)

There are a few exceptions, though. 1) The Theia Mania comics by @theia-mania-comics 2) @coloricioso​ ‘s upcoming story or comic (we’ll see! I haven’t read it yet) about HxP 3) The Scarlet Crown by @greek-mythologies​ (She is a Greek Cypriot), a story in fanfiction.net  4) The Other Evil by @wordsmithic​ (a Greek), a book which is in the initial stage of beta reading. Those are people who, I know, have done CRAZY research for their stories. 

>> The Theia Mania comics and coloricioso’s follow the standard HxP story, with coloricioso’s story having some alterations. 

>> The Scarlet Crown is about Zeus and Hera being King and Queen of Greece in 2006 and having to manage the situation with Aphrodite, Ares and Hephaestus. It’s not fantasy. The voices of Ares and Aphrodite are prominent and lively and the drame is big! I have read only the initial chapters but I recommend it, since it’s very promising! Places in Greece and the Greek attitude are described very well!

>> The Other Evil is a HxP futuristic retelling with Death gods and Human Eaters, taking place in India, Iran and Greece. It’s dark fantasy, as you can see. I have been a beta reader for this story and I loved it! The writer has done her research and presents different places and cultures in a very immersive way. There is an abduction, suffering, NUANCE and Enemies to Lovers trope. 

**** If you are Greek or a writer of HxP and you think you have done a good job or presenting the gods and the culture, you can reblog this and add your own story! Don’t by shy! 

[the-lady-bryan]

because i’m waiting on the water for my pasta to boil, here’s an idea i had for a fic but haven’t worked on it hardly any not for lack of muse. the muse is there. the worldbuilding has been done to death. i just haven’t the time to add it to the mountain of WIPs I’ve already got going.

so here’s the idea.

It’s a Harry Potter/Hermione Granger Soulmate AU.

The least you need to know: involves Lily Potter being a bamf, pagan god worship, god-like Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, reincarnation, future mind/soul into past self style time travel.

also typos. oh god the typos, but i can’t really be bothered to fix them at this time.

This is gonna be broken up into parts so i’m gonna do a different part per reblog till i’m done.

PART 1:  THE PATRONAGE OF A TITAN

When Lily was a young witch - around 13 or so - her best friend Severus introduced her to some old pureblood traditions (which he and his mother did but hid from his father). She was shown how to worship the old pagan gods. To a muggleborn this was at first not well received, but as Lily had learned in the previous three years not everything about her new world was to be taken at face value. So she endeavoured to learn and not be prejudiced. She had lerned that each witch or wizard who practced the old ways had a patron god or goddess to which they prayed. This was, to her, not entirely unlike the idea of patron saints to whom muggles appealed for strength, guidance, or support. And so this is how she approached this new aspect of her magical identity. Even after her parting of the ways with Severus, she continued to learn and had even begun the practice of honoring the old gods - though she had no patron as yet.

On her seventeenth birthday she had ventured into the forbidden forest, feeling an inexplicable pull on her magic. She found herself in a clearing where there was a pond and a small smattering of trees. Despite it being the dead of winter, the clearing was warm and inviting. There was a fire lit, and an old woman sitting before it. She was naked from the waist up, and her skin sagged and her long hair was thin and silver with age.

"Miss Evans, I've been waiting for you."

"Wh- How do you know my name? Who are you?"

"I was once called the Meter Theon. But in Sparta they called me Meter Megale. My brother-husband called me Rhea."

"You're a titan."

"Yes child."

"I thought you'd be bigger."

Rhea laughs at this and invites Lily to join her by the fire. Lily learns from her that Rhea has come forward as her patron, and tells hr that the old ways are dying. That now across the world only the oldest and strongest still remain. "Zeus and his lot were some of the first to go. But stubborn old Hades refuses to give in. Refuses to give up his post and move on like the others." "why?" "What do you know of the tale of Hades and Persephone, child?" And so Lily tells her the myths she learned as a child pre-hogwarts, and of her research. Of the rites she had read about and so on and so forth. "My siblings and I may have been chained in Tartarus, but we could still see. We could still hear. Mother Gaia still whispered to us in our hearts and Father Ouranous still sang strong in our minds. It always brought me great sorrow to see how my son was treated by his siblings. Given no choice but to rule in a place devoid of warmth and love. Forbidden from walking the land with his siblings and taking part in the wonders that was the growing race of men and their curiosity. Over time many believed him cold and incapable of sharing in what they had. The reality was that he felt everything so much more deeply than they. For it was to him all souls would eventually come. Even those of his brothers and his sisters. But there was one who saw in him the goodness. The kindness and the gentleness that had been hidden by the dark." "Persephone." "Yes. As you mortals are so fond of saying, history is written by the victors. And never has it been more true than in the case of my most beloved son and his wife. Persephone was ordered to wed Hermes, whom she loathed with all of her heart. The night before they were to wed, she fled and went to the only place she knew Zeus's omnopotent sight could never penetrate. She went to the underworld begging sanctuary of Hades, who readily gave it to her. In time they grew close, and eventually he allowed himself to open up to her affection. But rumours of Demeter's search for her daughter told them it would be only a matter of time before those on Olympus realized to where she had fled and Persephone, being posessed of imortality and not a mortal soul, could be removed from his realm and there was little he could do about it. Unless she were willing to bind herself to him in marriage - but because it meant she could no longer return to the world above, to the sunshine and the light, he would not force it upon her. She chose to wed Hades, for her love for him was so great that even the thought of being parted from him brought her great pain. They were wed, and he took her to bed as any husband would his wife. And after, she ate of the pommegranate that would seal her fate. Twelve seeds, she needed to consume.... but the gates of the Underworld buckled and gave way under the might of Zeus and his Olympians. Hermes stole Persephone away after she had eaten only six. The bond to her husband only partially fulfilled. Hades was punished by watching Persephone forced to marry Hermes. But rather than marry the brute she attacked him and took up his dagger, plunging it into her own heart.... For the weapons forged in the fires of Hephaestus were so powerful they could kill even a Titan. Denied the pleasure of watching Hades suffer as his wife was married to the suitor Zeus had chosen, Zeus forbade her soul from ever entering the realm of Hades and bound her soul to mortal bones to be reborn again and again. My beloved son still stands watch, though he grows weaker by the year, in the hopes that now his brothers are long since gone, her soul may be able to pass through his gates and she is returned to him."

Lily is given the choice near dawn to accept Rhea, one of the last of the old gods, as her patron goddess or to refuse and seek out another. Lily accepts Rhea, which causes the old woman to smile and gives her an amulet with strange runes upon it.

Lily wakes in her own bed in Gryffindor tower, finding a delicate locket around her neck. Upon closer inspection, the inside has an inscription - the same strange runes from the amulet Rhea had given to her in what she assumed was a dream... Only to realize when she pulls her covers aside that her feet are smudged in dirt as if she'd been walking outside.

Lily learns as much as she can of Rhea in the following years. When she marries James Potter, she insists that they buy a specific type of wine without telling him why. He believes it is her favorite because she tends to keep a bottle in the house "for special occasions". She plants a garden where every plant links back to her patron Titaness in some way or manner. The night of Halloween, after James has gone to sleep rather satisfied after their own "after party" once they'd come home from Sirius's wild Halloween party, Lily went out into her garden in the wee hours and made her offering to Rhea who, once again, appeared to her. This time Rhea was much more ancient in her appearance, much more haggard. But she was still very pleased to see Lily had done as she had promised and continued to worship her. "You are the last of my acolytes, I am afraid. And when you one day pass, so too shall I." Lily professes that won't be the case. That one day she and James will start a family, and she will make sure that her children honor Rhea just as Lily has done - even if they have to do it behind her husband's back (to many Light families, the "old ways" are seen as dark and are thus shunned and forbidden. Otherwise she would have happily included James in her worship of Rhea.) This amuses the Titaness, but she says that no, it is her time. The age of the gods has finally come to an end. But with the passage of the gods, something new must fill the void. Something new must give mankind the comfort and protection once offered by the old gods. "I have a gift for you, my dear child. As my last priestess, I wish to give you something your husband... unfortunately cannot." "What?" "Try as you might, your husband's seed will never swell your belly. But as my last act in this existence, I grant you a boon. Your loyalty and your love have kept me alive longer than my brothers and sisters. Your love has given me more time with my beloved son Hades, and as a mother who has seen all her other children perish before her, this is a gift that can only be matched by one of equal value." Rhea touches Lily's abdomen and Lily feels a warmth flood her starting from there. Rhea visibly weakens as she is doing this, and the brightness in her eyes fades from brilliant emerald to a dull moss. "What have you done to me?" "My body fails me, but my power will remain so long as you live. I have given you the only thing of value to me left. Treat him kindly, my priestess. He has known so much sorrow and so much pain and yet he remains so pure and full of love." Lily, in disbelief, puts a hand to her adbomen. "How... what...." "Word of advice from one mother to another. If your husband tries to eat him, just paint a face on a rock  and shove it down his throat. My only regret was letting Cronus eat Hades instead of Zeus. If i knew then that boy would be such a hatefull jackass like his father, I'd have thrown him into the abyss myself and been done with him. Hera, too. And Poseidon was on pretty thin fucking ice there by the end."

Lily wakes the next morning in her bed with James, and once more her feet are smudged with dirt. This isn't the first time, so she tells James that she woke in the night for some water and wanted to take a stroll in the garden to look at some of her night blooms. The moment she is alone, she casts a charm and finds that she is, indeed, pregnant. After James has gone to work for the day, Lily prepares a special offering and leaves it in the garden tucked in a little altar disguised as a muggle garden decoration. She thanks Rhea for her gift and promises to show him all of the love and affection she possibly can - for both his mothers.

Lily does not see Rhea again, but she can feel her patron's presence from time to time and finds it comforting.

When Harry Potter is born, Lily silently praises Rhea, thanking her again for her gift and for her patronage and protection, and promises to do the best she can to raise the reborn Hades in a way she would hopefully approve.

They go into hiding, and Lily invokes Rhea's power and protection - not for herself, but for the son the Titaness had given her.

The entire day of October 31, 1981 Lily Potter feels powerful. She feels the energies surrounding her and her family intensify and a feeling of dread settles into her gut. She is reminded of the last time she and Rhea spoke face to face. The titaness had said that her body was failing her, and that so long as Lily lived, so too would the power of Rhea. During the day when she set Harry down for a nap, she prayed fervently over the boy, chanting ancient prayers of protection she had learned over the years. James comes upon her, but does not interrupt and instead waits outside Harry's nursery and listens to his wife's chanting. He slips away when she finishes and hurries downstairs. When they are both in the kitchen later, standing side by side at the counter as Lily prepares Harry's after nap snack and James is fixing himself some tea he quietly says, "I know Harry isn't mine." "What? Where the hell is this coming from? I did not cheat on you if that's what you think." "You got pregnant pretty quickly after Sirus's costume party-" "I did not cheat on you." "then who's the father?" "YOU are you dolt! I... Harry was a blessing! A gift to us for my unfaltering devotion o a dying goddess!" "you're mad." "Call me what you want, James. But I tell you if you were to pull an inheritence test on him right now you'll see he's your son. The night Harry was conceived we had just made love and she came to me and blessed me with our son. Go upstairs and look at him, James. He looks just like you, but with his mother's eyes. That's no glamour. That's no illusion or spell or-" "I know it's dark. I know it's illegal. I saw you chanting over him like some madwoman." "It was a protection chant James! In case you've forgotten we've got a madman after us who wants to kill our son because some drunken blithering idiot said so!"

The the argue a bit more and Lily storms out of the kitchen. After Harry wakes up, James realizes he's been an idiot after watching Lily playing with Harry and goes to apologize. Lily's annoyed with him, but forgives him with a "Besides, you know the wards on this place would have kicked him right out if he wasn't really a Potter you dunderhead."

That night Voldemort attacks, just as in canon. Lily is wearing her special locket that was given to her from Rhea when she accepted the Titaness as her patron. When Lily died, the remnants of Rhea's power was called forth and protected Harry in response to the muggleborn priestess's willing self sacrifice. But it was not enough to stop the horcrux that was drawn to the reincarnation of the god of the dead.

[goldbasar]

types - olympians ::ONYX ANGARA::

APHRODITE: laughter-loving, sweet smiles, dressed in silk and satin, flower in their hair, thrives on attention, sees the world as a runway, unapologetically sexual, the sea washing their ankles, in love with love, stirrer of passion, cunning concealed by painted lips, secret daggers, doves, revolution in their kiss, delighting in the waves, flirtatious winks, strolling along the beach, staring wistfully from a balcony, this is how to be a heartbreaker, your girlfriend thinks they’re attractive, wants to be adored, gets turned on by danger 

APOLLO: glitz and glamour, art galleries, turning the volume up, being made of gold(quite blatantly cause of design reasons but also due to her pretty big heart & interest in goldsmithing! ), neatly-organized music sheets, notebooks filled with poetry, bathing in the sunlight, the powerful urge to create, collecting vinyl records, beautiful cover of Wonderwall, playing multiple instruments, tasting like sunshine, healing touch, speaking in prophecies, smile mingled with wrath, shunning lies, sporting shades, hanging out at music festivals with their friends, sleeps naked, arrow to the heart, paint brushes, probably has a Tinder account

ARES: armed for battle, wants to raise a dog with their significant other, soft spot for children, gives piggyback rides, scarred body, blood on their hands and face, willing to fight the world for the ones they love, fights against injustice, warm hugs, well-worn combat boots, boxing gloves, bandages wrapped around bruised knuckles, fist raised in protest, ignites revolutions, fear is a prison, more sensitive than what their tough shell may have you think, exhausted, damaged goods, force to be reckoned with, red roses, curses under their breath

ARTEMIS: keen senses of a hunter, freckles like constellations on their skin, piercing eyes,disheveled braid(s...kind of), moonlight peeking through the shadows, the calm of the forest at night, lying on the grass and staring at the stars, mother doe and her fawn, protecting their kin, the moon shimmering on a still lake, quiver full of arrows resting against the bark of a tree, running with wolves, bonding while circled around a campfire, not being much of a people person(and yet she’s the WoL and gets involved a lot. this is more early ARR era. she learns to appreciate company more and more.), arrow hitting its target, popping egos, patience on 3%, touches heaven and returns howling

ATHENA: discerning gaze, unreadable face(more early ARR era), the patience of a life-long teacher, quiet museums, owl perched on their finger, armor that intimidates, eye for architecture, plays the sims for the sole purpose of building houses, studied the blade while everyone else was busy getting laid, big fan of logic, loves brain teasers, go-getter, balls of wool displayed on shelves, ancient buildings, sweaters in neutrals and cool colors, hair done up, can kill you with their brain, heads to the library often to research, sharpened pencils, abs that can cut steel, stoic statues, pottery classes  

DEMETER: soil-covered hands, smile that can bloom flowers, skin loved by the sun, being the mom friend, can lift you and all of your friends, flowers kept in the pockets of overalls, takes pride in their beautiful garden, speaks to their plants, leaves rustling in the wind, stalks of wheat, picking fruit, greenhouses, heart as strong as a mountain, values simplicity, daisies dotted across a collarbone, curls crowned with flowers, folded pile of sweaters in warm hues, pulling out fresh-baked bread out of the oven and the smell wafting through the air

DIONYSUS: drunk shitposter, on their sixth glass of wine before you’ve even finished your second, seductive smirks, untamed curls, rich fabrics on dark skin, sleek-furred panthers, theater masks, stage productions, receiving a standing ovation, rose caught between their teeth, being the baby of the bunch, wild parties that last from sundown to sunup, creeping vines, inspiring loyalty, grand opera houses, masquerade balls, rolls of film, shattered chandeliers with broken glass scattered across the wine-spilled floor, pouring champagne into flutes, lives for the applause

HEPHAESTUS: the calloused hands of someone who knows labor, sweaty brow, flame burning in their eyes, inventive mind, broad shoulders, steampunk goggles, nuts and bolts stored away in little boxes, ashes, striking a match, blueprints for future projects, fixing up a busted up car and giving it cool upgrades, wrestles with bitterness, work boots have seen better years, wrinkled plaid shirts, iron melted by blazing fire, huge jackets, crafting masterpieces, greased-stained overalls, fascination with robotics, pain is fuel, stack of weaponry, even their muscles have muscles

HERA: resting bitch face, dressed to the nines, cows grazing on a pasture, cool rain, loving and hating fiercely, hand clutching a string of pearls, large chandelier with glittering crystals, plays the sims for the sole purpose of killing off their sims, romance to realism, pictures of the sky while flying on a plane, files that under fuck it, downs glasses of wine as they relax with a scented bubble bath and netflix, like their selfie or you’re grounded, knows 57 convenient ways to murder a man, dark eyes that penetrate your soul, marble and gold

HERMES: devil-may-care smile, ink-stained hands, always up-to-date on the latest technology, will steal your french fries, does it for the vine, shitposter, puts googly eyes on everything, meme hoarder, long drives on the highway, ma and pop diners, spontaneous road trips, folded maps, fingers dancing across the keyboard of a laptop, shooting hoops on the basketball court, chatting up strangers as you all journey to your own destinations, goes jogging in the morning, mixes red bull with coffee, menace on april fool’s, hoodies and sneakers    

POSEIDON: storm with skin, colorful coral reefs, waves crashing against the shore, the sea casting its spell, stroking the soft fur of a cat, their heart pounding as their horse’s gentle trot speeds into a gallop, tousled locks, clothes smeared with paint, owns several sketchbooks yet always yearns to own more, leather jackets, fondness for diy projects, handwriting that flows across the page, nimble fingers playing the strings of a violin, velvety singing voice that haunts your dreams, mood as ever-changing as the sea, the roar of a motorcycle, compass with a spinning arrow

ZEUS: thunder in their heart, running on coffee, flash of lightning, natural charisma, eloquence, badass in a nice suit, aficionado of history, force of nature, lenny face, pretends that they don’t have feelings but they do, nightmare-filled nights, proud arm around their lover’s waist, high-rise buildings, planes soaring through a cloudless sky, technician on the piano, maintains order, strong handshake, juggling multiple events on their busy schedule with apparent ease, most likely to be voted class president out of their peers, expensive watch, like a boss

tagged by: @aethernoise <3 <3 thank you! I love this meme. immediatly did it for all my characters ovo”” tagging: @nenet-ffxiv, @fairwindsandblueskies @locke-rinannis if you want to and haven’t done this already!

[irregularjohnnywiggins]

Random Wondy Series Thoughts, Part the Third

Third part of Woman of Truth, here we go!

Part One

Last Time:

Themyscira being revealed was shut down hard by Etta and the Holliday Girls (all of them Scions), who fought Phobos. Zeus went Hank Pym on Hera, and Ares demanded his kids increase their plan. Meanwhile, Hippolyta did the 2017 arc, and Diana won the games, leaving Themyscira as Phobos summoned Decay to hunt her and Etta down.

Onwards!

We open on the boat, the six Holliday Girls including Etta explaining the general state of life for a demigod, establishing a) Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter exist, and b) the Holliday Girls are a quasi-Hunters of Artemis by way of sorority. We also get introduced to the rest of the Girls, who are:

Glamora Treat, a Scion of Athena who spends a lot of time gazing at Diana and her swimsuit.

Lita ‘Little’ and Thelma ‘Tall’ Rhodes, twin Scions of Mercury and the only two Romans. Tall is currently in the midst of an existential crisis, because she was the tallest of the group at 5’11” until Diana and her 6’2” came along, whereas Little just thinks Diana’s really pretty.

Gell Osey, an unclaimed Scion who spends most of her time glaring at Diana.

Gay. No, seriously, that’s her name. She calls herself Gay because she grew up in the Bible Belt with an unmarried mother and a predilection for being a tomboy, and thus a lot of people saying she should ‘look prettier’ so that ‘people don’t get the wrong impression’. She legally changed her name, just in case they hadn’t gotten the wrong impression yet. She’s also, incidentally, a Scion of Callisto, and literally has two mothers.

Etta keeps making reference to a ‘doctor’, and when Diana asks just says that she’s the ‘smartest person I know’. She further explains that she’s not a Scion, but has forgotten more about mythology and lore than any Scion will ever know.

Steve asks about his co-pilot’s face melting off, and Diana explains that the co-pilot was actually a Keres, a spirit of war released from Pandora’s pythos, musing that Ares must be controlling them somehow.

Cutting to Areopagus, we see it explained: the Keres are attracted to Medusa’s Heart, and Phobos and Deimos then bind them, building what is effectively an army of war spirits for Ares. Kydoimos appears and says he’s found Orpheus’ Gateway, leading the three to disappear.

As the party arrive at Gateway City, Diana gets to have her fish-out-of-water comedy moments, though not too many – whilst Diana doesn’t understand stuff like American culture and what a hot dog or ice cream are, she does understand what watches, cars and marriage are.

When Gay makes the mistake of assuming Hippolyta and Phillipus are married, Diana explains that the Laws of Themyscira state the monarch cannot marry – hence for Hippolyta to marry she would have to abdicate the throne. Hippolyta has offered, but Phillipus won’t hear of it.

Eventually, they arrive at their destination – the house of one Julia Kapatelis, the ‘doc’ Etta keeps referring to.

However, also present is one Professor Barbara Minerva, a former student of Julia’s and the second smartest person Etta knows.

Etta starts stumbling over her words, which Steve lightly ribs her for – what, Diana gets no reaction, but one sight of slacks and she’s done for?

Steve and Etta, btw, are that sibling pairing. At some point, Diana is going to compare them to Artemis and Apollo.

Both Julia and Barbara are fascinated by Diana, Barbara a bit more… possessively than Julia. It’s established that Barbara and Julia had a falling out over Barbara’s compulsive need to seek out knowledge, even stuff she should by no rights be seeking out. Essentially Barbara is Indiana Jones and Julia is more Mau from Terry Pratchett’s Nation. We’re also introduced to Vanessa Kapatelis, who almost immediately starts hero-worshipping Diana.

Then everything changes when Decay and a horde of Keres attacks.

This fight scene seeks to establish several things: that Steve is woefully unprepared and outclassed by almost everything else, that the Holliday Girls work well as a team, that despite Steve, Julia and Vanessa being half-delirious through Decay’s application of the Mist Barbara is completely unaffected, and that for as good a fight as the others might be putting up, Diana is a fucking beast. Some individual action beats:

Glamora directing the entire fight from the sidelines – seriously, even Diana defers to her judgement, albeit only because Glamora knows how to utilize Gateway City’s architecture in their favour.

Tall and Little being really good both at paired combat and at stealth and sabotage.

Etta Charmspeaking Decay at one point, though Decay quickly shrugs it off.

Gay animating a small wooden bear she carries around to grow to massive size and defend the mortals, possibly with a Bible reference.

Most importantly for later, Gell making all the Keres turn tail and run with a single smirk.

Diana throughout her fight trying to talk Decay down, getting her closest when she jury-rigs a lasso out of a stray cable.

Regardless, Decay is eventually killed, and Diana, to the confusion of the Holliday Girls, starts praying for Decay to find peace. Diana explains that Themyscira values all life, even the monstrous, and gives a brief overview of the Medusa myth – with the added information that Athena turned Medusa into a gorgon to protect her.

Cut back to Olympus, where Athena and Aphrodite are watching the process. Aphrodite snarks that that would have been a splendid plan if Athena had actually explained it. Athena tells her to be quiet, then muses that they need to advance their plans, given what Ares’ sons are doing.

Speaking of which, we then cut to Phobos, Deimos and Kydoimos arriving at Gateway City, where, they reveal, Orpheus’ Gateway is located (Orpheus’ Gateway being a way into the Underworld that can only be opened by music.) Forcing a Keres to play a harp, they enter the Underworld.

Back on Olympus, Athena and Aphrodite walk into Hephaestus’ forge, where the crippled god is working. Him and Aphrodite bitch at each other for a bit, where it’s revealed that they have been divorced since the early 1910s, a fact that has apparently driven Hera nuts. Aphrodite is also really embarrassed about her previous association with Ares. Impatient, Athena asks Hephaestus if he’s ready, to which he sighs and says yes.

Back at the Kapatelis Household, Vanessa is geeking out over Diana, whilst the Holliday Girls gang up on Gell and ask her what that whole ‘turn back an army with a smile’ thing came from. Gell shrugs, says she doesn’t know, then asks Etta if she’s sure they can trust Diana. Alarmed, Etta asks her why she would say such a thing, and Gell shrugs and says she just has a bad feeling about her.

Julia and Barbara walk in with Steve, who explains they still don’t know why Ares would choose now to attack Themyscira – he’s checked in and the military is saying nothing, which means either they haven’t heard about the boat exploding or Ares is deliberately supressing the information.

Diana remains convinced that Ares must be attempting something in Patriarch’s World and wanted the Amazons to not be able to intervene. Etta mentions she heard tell of Ares being manipulated by something a couple of years ago – maybe that has something to do with it (yes, Lightning Thief happened the same way – this is going to come up later). Julia wonders why Decay came to Gateway City, leading the Holliday Girls to explain the deal – Gateway City has some of the largest examples of neo-Greek architecture in North America, and as such the Gods prefer to come here more than any other city except perhaps New York. It therefore necessarily has both a gateway to Olympus, and one to the Underworld – Orpheus’ Gateway. Speaking of which:

In Hades, the three sons of Ares are walking along, scanning the horizon for agents of Hades. Eventually, Kydoimos stops and says they’ve arrived. The camera pans to reveal…

The Doors of Death. Suddenly, there’s a flapping of wings and a hooded androgynous figure lands in front of them. Kydoimos demands Thanatos, for it is the Death God, stand aside

(Btw, whilst Thanatos is hooded for this episode, in every other appearance she looks like…

Death of the Endless. Also, whenever he shows up Morpheus is very obviously Daniel Hall’s Dream in a toga. Because I can)

Thanatos says nothing, simply takes out a sword. Phobos, Deimos and Kydoimos charge…

Olympus now, where Hephaestus, Athena and Aphrodite enter the council chamber and approach Hestia. Athena asks if Hestia will help, and Hestia replies that she will, but she will not aid in killing Ares. Athena smiles and say that’s okay, what she has planned for him will be much worse. Hestia turns to Hephaestus and tells him to hold out his hands. She collects a portion of Olympus’ Hearth-fire and, musing that she’s only done this once before, drops it in Hephaestus’ hands.

She warns him to not even attempt to speak untruths whilst holding or working the fire, because it won’t work. She then turns to Aphrodite, who is looking kinda gleeful, and warns her point blank to not even think about abusing that fact, because misuse of the fire will cause it to burn out. Athena thanks her, but Hestia has already turned back towards the fire, although on the way out she warns Athena to be careful – and, above all else, to not destroy the family.

Thus, Phobos, Deimos and Kydoimos’ fight with Thanatos is intercut with Hephaestus working the fire into a very familiar shape…

After extensive research, Julia discovers what might account both for the influx of Keres and Ares’ interest in Themyscira – the Doors of Death. Essentially the pressure-valve of the Underworld, opening the Doors even for a second would cause the worst of the worst to come pouring out the Underworld. Therefore, Ares wanted Themyscira for Doom’s Doorway – which could ensure the Doors remained open forever, resulting in endless war as the dead crawled out of the Underworld and Ares rose as the most powerful god of all.

(Whilst this is occurring, the Ares boyz win their fight and walk over Thanatos’ form to the Doors)

Suddenly, the ground is shook with a mighty earthquake, and there’s a flash of light as Hermes appears, saying that Diana needs to come with him. Diana trustingly places her hand in his and they both disappear to…

Olympus, where Zeus is holding court. This scene establishes something: Diana’s treatment of the Gods goes from loving devotion/submission (the patrons, including Hera) to grudging respect (Hephaestus, Apollo) to ‘hey fuckface, wassup?’ (Zeus and Poseidon)

With Ares not present, Zeus is forced to conclude that he was the one who opened the Doors. He commands Diana to find Ares and bring him to Olympus, with the patrons protesting that it is suicide. Diana, musingly, asks what opening the Doors means. Hermes informs her that although the Doors were only open for a second, the worst monsters and humans Hades has to offer still escaped and are now running rampant. Irritated, Zeus declares humanity not their problem, and not worth saving anyway, has everyone forgotten what they did without the Gods’ help?

Flashing back to Hippolyta, Diana sighs.

She looks at Zeus.

She says ‘No.’

She informs the Olympians that her intention is to secure the Doors, round up the escapees and only then, when people are safe, will she attack Ares, and that if they won’t help her she’ll do it herself. Apoplectic with rage, Zeus is about to command her again, when Hera steps up and says that she’ll have her support. The rest of the patrons and Apollo quickly follow suit, Hephaestus refusing because it’s Hera asking, although he does offer help. Faced with the choice of either losing face or risking war, Zeus agrees grudgingly.

Finally, the patrons step forward to offer her items to be used in this task:

From Athena, a circlet that will allow her to think faster than any human.

From Aphrodite, a breastplate that will allow her to project a low level glamour over her outfit (that can only be broken by spinning, yes this is a Linda Carter joke)

From Artemis, two bracelets that block any and all attacks.

From Demeter, a belt that increases her strength.

From Hermes, a gooey substance that can take whatever form she desires (he mentions he stole it from New Genesis)

And finally, Hestia warmly gifts her the Lasso of Truth, which will compel anyone, be they man or god, to speak truly.

Thanking them all, Diana give the Amazon salute and returns to Gateway City, starting to help with the damage. Zeus and Poseidon both storm off, and all but the patrons leave. Aphrodite asks if Diana is ready for the world, and Hestia says that they should be asking: is the world ready for Diana?

Sometime later:

Diana and Steve look out over a now rebuilt Gateway City. Diana asks what Steve will do now, and Steve admits that he’s thinking about returning to the Air Force. Shocked, Diana asks why, and he says that he feels he can do more there – under a different alias, he can find out how much Ares has infected the place, and who is able to resist him. He then asks what Diana plans to do, and she says she’ll take each day as it comes. Steve teasingly asks if this makes her a hero, and she admits all she knows of heroes are her mother’s stories of Heracles – she doesn’t want to be that kind of hero. Steve, a small smile on his face, says she needn’t worry – she’s definitely not. As a fire engine races past and Diana flies off to help, Steve admits that, whatever else she is, she’s his hero, this one they’re calling Wonder Woman.

We close on Areopagus, Ares watching Diana fly off, musing to himself that he can’t wait to meet her in person as he summons his three children to plan for his endgame – the destruction of Themyscira itself.

So, the pilot’s finally done. Thank you all for being so patient and, as always, any questions you have, just ask and I’ll do my best to answer.