#THE BOSS RAT FROM THE TEMPLE OF STYX

[gayrui]

THE RAT IS BACK

[witlesswitnesstm]

Hello Tumblr, my girlfriend recently got the game Hades for her birthday, and now we’re both absolutely obsessed with it.

Me and my friends have developed a headcanon that every person who plays Hades has a slightly different Zagreus depending on their playing style and interests.

For example, we were wondering what Zagreus’s keepsake would be, and one of our friends suggested “one with the ability to not take damage from magma”, and I laughed because that’s specifically their weakness. (It’s not even funny how much damage they take from magma.) So I suggested that every Zagreus would have a different keepsake depending on the weaknesses of the player.

In lieu of that theory, here’s a bunch of inside jokes/headcanons from my girlfriend’s and my friend’s runs of Hades

• Everyone in the game is called “British ______”

• Except when Zagreus picks up the rail gun. He develops a southern accent and becomes “American Zagreus”

• The rail’s special attack has been deemed as “dropping nukes”

• Backstabs have been deemed backshots, and we often say things like “I love Zagreus backshots”

• Whenever Aphrodite gives Zag a boon, he has a chance to say “I’m all worked up” afterwards which we take to mean that he’s absolutely bricked for the rest of the run

• Lernie is an mpreg hydra, and all of his heads are his children that he has to keep rebirthing after we fight him

• All of the dracons (the mini hydra heads in the rest of asphodel) are mpreg squared babies

• Theseus would unironically love brainrot humor

• Asphodel is “Assphodel” or “Buttphodel”, or “Bootyphodel”

• Charon can actually speak in full sentences, he just never does around Zagreus

• Tisiphone has selective mutism

• Zag has ADHD

• All of the chariots and mini chariots in Elysium were actually cats when they were alive

• Hermes knows the real reason Zagreus wants to reach the surface

• Redblood is an ingame slur

• The food health item has been dubbed “Five Guys Gyros and Fries”

• This one was more of a shitpost I made up, but Zagreus eats all the non food items like coins and darkness, and then shoves the actual food (poms and gyros) up his ass

• when Alecto spawns the whip shots (the spinning blades), we often make a remark like “NO, DON’T SEND US TO THE BEYBLADE DIMENSION”

• the skull Crushers in Asphodel are called the “foot fetish feet”

• There was this one interaction with Ares where he said we had dealt “an incalculable amount of death” and I was a bit confused because you can literally just check the scrying pool and the number is spelled out. This lead to the headcanon that Ares cannot count past 100

• Daedalus hammers are called the hammers of Zillyhoo

• When the rats in the temple of Styx drop money, Zagreus asks something like “Why do these creatures have coin on them?” And it’s because they have to pay for rat college

• This one is just for me, but ZAGREUS AND HIS SHADE FAN ARE BEST FRIENDS IN MY HEART

• This is something we thought about after getting the fishing mechanic. Either the head chef secretly has mad stacks, and Hades is paying him better than the rest of the staff, or the fish in this world just really love eating valuable items, that the chef then gives to us

• If Zagreus sleeps in the same bed as someone, he’ll probably just accidentally set them on fire with his feet

• Zagreus secretly owns an emo band where he sings about his dad oppressing him

• Zag is so traumatized by those soul catchers in Elysium, that he would probably be terrified of any butterfly he sees on the surface

• The true final boss of Hades is swimming lessons

[ziggyzagreus]

do you have a favorite piece of music from the game? what about a favorite level? (tartarus, asphodel, etc.)

OOH this is such a good one!!!

Music is really important to me, as well as one of my favorite parts of the game, so I don’t have a particular favorite, there are so many things I like about each piece. I will list the ones that actually made me stop and listen the first time I heard them, though!!

I also listen to these when I write and study 😳 I have an entire Hades-themed playlist on Spotify that includes the actual OST as well as songs I listen to that make me think of the characters...

Anyways!

The opening title, “No Escape.” The first time I heard it was when I opened the game and I almost crapped myself, it was so cool. Every time I open the game, I always have to wait till 00:08 for that first base line because that shit hits differenttttt at 2 am on weekends which is when I play this game. 10/10 good shit.

“Lament of Orpheus,” the first song we hear Orpheus actually sing... It’s so beautiful, and I’ve always personally loved the actual myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, so hearing that in such a haunting tune tugged at my heartstrings in a particular way. I’ve heard some people find Orpheus’ voice annoying???? But I really love it. It sounds like mist. It’s terrifying in such a heartbreaking way and very fitting for his character.

“From Olympus,” or better known as “that song that plays when you find Patroclus and he’s muttering about his lost husband.” I love the cadence of this piece because it’s very fitting of Patroclus’ vibes - it’s downtrodden, paced and methodical, there’s a tune to living in it, but it lacks any jarring beats that the other tracks have. I feel like it really encapsulates Patroclus’ dead inside vibes and I love that for him tbh. Very mellow, very chill, very soothing in my opinion.

“Good Riddance,” both Eurydice’s solo version as well as the duet with Orpheus. Again, the first time I heard it, I was absolutely stunned that they had like - good songs with lyrics in this game, so I just stood outside her door for 2 minutes to hear the whole thing. Every time I meet Eurydice I stay to listen to her song before going inside. If you guys can’t tell from my Icarus OC Fic, Eurydice is one of my favorite characters because of how motherly and calming she is. I feel so safe in her presence, and that’s not an exaggeration - even IRL I get a sense of peace when hearing her sing. This song is also in my Crying playlist on Spotify, as it hit me in a personal emotional spot as well as a Good OST spot.

“Final Expense” holy shit, Charon’s theme HITS DIFFERENT. It has like - a dual effect on me. On one hand, I get the same feeling from it as I do Eurydice’s song - I feel very safe and content listening to that tune, and I feel very safe in Charon’s shop. This piece is in one of my “so you’re crying about school and need to calm down and feel safe” playlists, it’s just got that wholesome effect on me. But it also makes me want to go fuck around in a Spencer’s store with my friends, or go to an arcade, and I love that too.

“Final Expense (Payback Mix)” AKA Charon Drip. That shit hits so hard. I love it so fucking much and I fucking love fighting Charon in Erebus anywaysssssss

“Hymn to Zagreus,” if you guys can’t tell, I love Orpheus’ voice so much... and I love the legend of Zagreus anyways!! This song is just so fucking cool and brings so much new edge to the story and Zagreus’ origin (as well as his connection to Dionysus like holy heck aahHHHhhhHHhhHh) i love it sooo much

“Last Words” I LOVE THANATOS SO MUCH. The first time I heard his voice I had to put down the game to process how much I loved him, and so I associate his theme very much with that experience. I love the harpsichord in it, and how the theme itself is very different compared to the other tracks - it has a lot more modern instrumentation, as well as just a generally different and more dangerous, energizing vibe to it and I love that so so so so so much.

“The King and the Bull” I don’t have much to say on this except Theseus and Asterius is my favorite boss fight so I just love this track haha

“On the Coast” I just.... I cried the first time I reached the surface and once again, I associate this tune with that experience. And the sunrise and the snow, just... wow. Just wow, you know? Also I can’t tell if that’s an oboe or an English Horn but I think it’s an english horn - either way I love double-reeded instruments. (Or if it’s a soprano sax then good on them, I have so much respect for sop sax players)

“In the Blood” is just.... so good. And Orpheus and Eurydice duetting hits me in the feelings so hard. I also love this song because it brings so much explanation to the game as a whole, like - Zagreus is the fucking life of the Underworld and that has SO many deep connotations that I have pages on pages of headcanons/thoughts written out about... it’s so cool... wow. Just wow, you know? Also that lyric “Run all you like from the place you belong...” is such a haunting line, it just - wow. Wow. WOW.

I realize I just went on a full rant about most of those pieces to the point that I just started typing “wow” to make up for not having words, but music is very very important to me so I think about it way too much... Anywaysssss.

As for your second question, I do have a favorite level!! Elysium!!

Tartarus is really fun for me because it’s not very hard, and I can just smash through all of the chambers... Asphodel is SO irritating because of the magma, and there’s this one chamber that is literally ONLY witches and it has island terrain and the witches always float out over the magma, so you can’t get to them unless you go out there and it’s just SO FRUSTRATING. I love the aesthetic of Asphodel but hate playing it.

And I hate the Temple of Styx just because of stupid poison and stupid rats. It’s just - not my bag. 

Elysium though!!! It’s bright, it’s pretty, it’s super challenging with the levels of foes you face there, and I love seeing Pat and I love fighting Theseus and Asterius!!! I love Elysium so much... ALSO I love seeing my Good Shade!!! Every time!!!! My love....

Thank you so much for the ask, this was super fun!!!!