#hades the underworld chronicles

[frozenrose20]

Something I need explained in the Riordanverse is how the underworlds works for mortals that have no connections to any of the pantheons. Do they flip a coin? do they share the souls? Is it based on their ancestors? this is what i need answers to. Like i figure demigods or magicians family immediately are sent to their pantheons underworld but like what about atheists would they just cease to exist because that's what they believe? In The lighting thief it says the dead just see what they believe but that would imply they are all in the same underworld and the pantheons just kinda co-own it. Is there an answer in the books I missed?

[foxglove-lyfrassir-nikola]

So I absolutely love the idea of a Kane Chronicles/PJO crossover in which somehow Nico accidentally becomes the host of Anubis.

Nico and Anubis are hanging in a graveyard. Anubis is standing behind a mausoleum so when Sadie and Carter find them they are understandably confused. After all, Nico looks very similar to Anubis–so similar, in fact, that with Anubis behind the mausoleum, they thought Nico WAS Anubis.

Anubis moves to introduce them. He calls Nico his friend and goes to pat his shoulder when *something* happens. And suddenly Nico has fallen and Anubis's form vanished. In Nico's eyes instead of pupils there are golden ankhs. He's understandably panicking, and Anubis appears again, trying to comfort him.

Because somehow, when Anubis placed his hand on Nico's shoulder, he took him as a host. So Nico has a god in his head now. And he can see into the Duat.

Just imagine.

Nico fighting like a demon, the faint image of a jackal fighting alongside him. Throwing out Divine Words as he summons shadows and bones. Biting with extra-sharp canines if he's trapped. A wild animal, and in each eye a golden ankh, burning with the fury of the gods.

On the other hand, he works through some stuff

He becomes less shut off from everyone. Less anxious with somebody in his head to reassure him. Anubis is respectful; he backs off when Nico wants to spend some time without the voice in his head, but is always supportive when he's needed.

Nico and Anubis in Tartarus.

It would be hard for Anubis to reach him down there, of course, because though death is universal, monsters are not, and Tartarus is just so very Greek. All Anubis can manage is to lend Nico some strength, which is all that keeps him from dying in the house of Nyx. When he's captured, it is Anubis's power that keeps him alive until the Seven can rescue him– the pomegranate seeds are powerful, but not that powerful.

When Percy and Annabeth fall into Tartarus, Nico can't move. He desperately reaches out to Anubis, allowing him to possess his body, not caring in anyone finds out. They sprint forwards and Anubis casts a Divine Word– Tas, bind, to create a net keeping the two up. But the pull of Tartarus is too strong, and they fall anyway.

Nico beats himself up about it. After all, if he hadn't frozen, hadn't taken the time to decide to let Anubis take the reins, he may have been able to save them. But Anubis gently reminds him that some things are meant to happen, and Nico doesn't blame himself as much, especially once they emerge from the Doors.

Eventually he tells the Seven. He introduces them to Anubis and Brooklyn House. Everyone becomes really great friends. Nico has dinners with the Kanes. He visits Brooklyn House often, occasionally bringing Percy and Annabeth if they want to see Sadie and Carter again. He even brings the rest of the Seven sometimes. Eventually, he starts bringing Will.

Bast kind of dislikes Nico from the beginning, because of his connection to/the fact that he is hosting Anubis, but soon she grows to think of him as another of her kits.

When Hades finds out, he asks Anubis to show himself, so he makes another form and Hades chews him out (how could he be so irresponsible, does he have any idea the danger this holds for Nico, does he even know how to mitigate the damage that their powers combined will cause to Nico's body, etc) but it's clear he's just worried. When they explain they're okay Hades kind of unofficially adopts Anubis, despite them being from separate pantheons. Nico is Prince of the Underworld, and now by extension, Anubis is Prince as well.

Anubis helping Nico accept himself. Nico in my AU is non-binary and it takes him a while to come to terms even longer to accept that he doesn't have to look a certain way just because of his gender or because of his being the child of Hades. Anubis helps him realise that he can wear colours, he can be pastel and soft and still be badass and not be any less non-binary– and absolutely the Ghost King while being adorable and fluffy and rainbow.

So yeah. Basically Nico as the host of Anubis.

You can just see the autism huh

[quillsparkle]

Bianca in the Battle of the Labyrinth to Nico: "holding grudges is a dangerous thing for a child of Hades"

Hades in the Disney+series: "Grudges are messy"

Bonus:

[hanzajesthanza]

i’m ngl it was extremely painful to reread this

[chaos-source]

Hades || Self-sabotage

[rimafudou97-blog]

Spoilers??? Please??? (The Underworld Chronicles)

I don't know if this is okay but can someone tell me spoilers of the new generation of UC, please? Like I read Seven's book and part of Hadrian's, but it was getting repetitive in the worst way possible...

I really love the UC and Hadifer (please, someone tell me if they are still together because in the first two books Luci was no where to be found...) and their children and all of their stories. The grandchildren are too much for me and the plot of each book are just very similar if not more violent in an unnecessary way... up until Luci's (book 24) book it was mostly bearable because I loved the characters and I needed to know what happened... but now I'm too busy and not that interested in the grandchildren...

So I plea for someone to tell me what is going on with Hades, Lucifer and their children and all of the characters we love so much from books 1-24.

My favorite characters are: Hades, Cain, Theo, Lucifer, and Charon.

[marichild]

as per usual, I've been reading fics nonstop on ao3, and this something I died laughing over while reading From the Ashes by @gatesofember

now imagine if Hazel and Nico went anywhere near Walt/Anubis

[aroaceleovaldez]

non-exhaustive list of canon powers Nico di Angelo either has shown or is heavily implied to have:

Shadow-travel

Manipulation of shadows/darkness (also possibly use of shadows as a pocket-dimension a la Magicians using the Duat in The Kane Chronicles)

Becoming intangible/shadows

Complete control over skeletons/bones (dead or alive, including summoning, reanimation, and/or changing shape of them) and being able to sense their presence

Summoning, reanimating, commanding, and dispelling the dead/undead (Skeletons, zombies, ghosts, etc & varieties) and being able to sense their presence

Ability to understand/communicate with the dead/undead and potentially other beings of the Underworld

Inherent complete comprehension of Latin

Ability to perceive the usually unperceivable/possibly look upon a deity’s true form without repercussion (at least moreso than the average demigod, though possibly is restricted to chthonic beings) (ex: Tartarus, potentially also interacting with his parents, etc)

Interacting tangibly with ghosts (implied to be a Ghost King thing rather than a Hades/Pluto thing)

Partial or complete immunity to different effects of the Underworld/things within (can consume food/drink of or in the Underworld without repercussions, effects from the Lethe wear off over time instead of being permanent like usual for mortals, etc)

Astral projection/”Walking in dreams”

Dream manipulation and projection (Sending dreams to others, etc.) (presumably includes sharing/projecting dreams with others) alongside inflicting sleep upon others even from a distance.

Illusions

Manipulation of emotions/aura that inflicts specific emotions on others (ex.: radiating fear/death onto enemies)

Projection of emotions and memories onto others (can be so forceful it causes physical damage like a shockwave)

Geokinesis (all forms but also specifically generating black marble) (presumably also specialized control over precious gemstones & non-paper currency)

Temperature manipulation (seemingly only lowering temperature)/creating frost)

Control/manipulation of souls, including living beings (ex: ripping out Bryce Lawrence’s soul)

Perceiving/reading/judging of souls (most likely also a Ghost King thing over Hades/Pluto thing, but possibly both)

Converting living into dead/undead, aka instakill (ex: disintegrating monsters to bone with one touch)

Lowering or manipulation of own vitals (breathing, heart rate, etc)

Death Trance/pseudo-hibernation (possibly also general control over states of consciousness at least for self, in combo with control over vitals & dreams)

Sensing death (impending or when it occurs, sometimes receiving dreams/visions of it occurring)

Able to sense other children of Hades/Pluto (potentially also other chthonic beings in general/able to identify based on sense alone) and also just living beings in general, such as mortals (possibly via souls).

Improved navigation underground/in the Underworld and ability to traverse restricted or normally unnavigable parts of the Underworld

Enhanced strength/abilities when in the Underworld

Inherently unnaturally quiet (possibly able to silence sound on a designated target)

Hiding/shielding self from being perceived (seemingly related to shadows/silence)

[favcharacterpoll]

ROUND 5 MATCH 16: LINK VS. NICO

Link from BotW/TotK faces Nico di Angelo from the Riordanverse. Who do you like more?

Link Propaganda:

"i love this guy"

"I love him so much, okay? He's the only person capable of wielding the Master Sword, bears the Triforce of Courage, and was chosen by the goddess Hylia to protect Hyrule"

"Pretty boy"

"ok so link is like the best character ever imo cause have you seen what he looks like in totk he's so gender and ahhh and he's really cool and I love him so so much <333 and oot link is really cool and he's my whole childhood, and I love skyward sword and wind waker link cause they're so expressive, and I love twilight princess wolf link I just love all versions of link so much<3 only exception is the version from the philips cdi games he's so goofy" (focus on the totk part of this one)

"link is THE Gender Envy icon pretty boy pretty boy with sword!!"

Nico Propaganda:

"autism"

"YOU KNOW WHAT. if autism isn't enough to compel you to VOTE NICO then i will write this.

ok so he's gay & european (like the legally blonde song) and also a goth. we love our goths here on tumblr right?!

first i need to provide you a visual. please imagine a small italian boy. now imagine that small italian boy going through a time machine hotel casino in vegas, some wack crazy traumatic incidents, becoming an alt/emo kid and being so fucking powerful that even gods show a little more respect to him than others...

nico has gone through literal hell TWICE !! one time it was VOLUNTARY !! and all the while he was probably experiencing said hell in its most terrifying form. this shows us his mental resilience and selflessness are incredibly strong traits of his and that maybe he should stop being a reckless bitch but whatever !!!!!!

tumblrinas listen up... nico was the first canon lgbt+ character created by rick riordan in the chb chronicles (i am not counting all the other gods, goddesses, minor deities and other figures of greco-roman myth). he was the trailblazer. his story didn't end in tragedy, but he found friendship and love and family, which in this age of upsetting "bury your gays" media is still quite hopeful to read!!

nico has a sunshine bf who would literally walk through hell with him!! i'm not kidding. this actually happened. i'm sure he's definitely cheering from the sidelines somewhere... please do not let will solace down!!

did i mention nico's the son of hades, god of the underworld?? this means his powers include, but are not limited to, being able to communicate with spirits via mcdonalds happy meals, wielding a sword that rends souls asunder, turning people into ghosts, re-animating skeletons, shadow traveling and being able to read other people's death auras.

these powers and his terrifyingly grumpy personality (in earlier books) have created a reputation famous among the demigods and deities. also he literally summons an entire skeleton army and rises from the fucking underworld with his father, stepmother and step-grandmother (all gods) (how does this work) in tow, inspiring FEAR and PANIC among the enemy lines.

and if that's not enough, he's friends with lizard people, his signature items of clothing are a BIG AVIATOR JACKET + SKULL RING = VERY GOOD CHARACTER DESIGN and his hair canonically smells like rain on stone. just so you know

VOTE NICO VOTE NICO VOTE NICO !!!!!!!!!!!"

[wanderingmind867]

A line in the Kane Chronicles and a similar line in a Doctor Strange comic sort of exemplify my views on the afterlife: The Kane Chronicles line was about how the dead see what they want to see when they did. Those who believe in the egyptian myths see osiris and the hall of judgement, those who believe in the greek myths would see hades and the underworld, etc. And those who believe in no afterlife see nothing. Their consciousness just died.

The Doctor Strange comic was about doctor strange fighting Satan, and the twist was that satan can only hurt you if you believe. If you stop believing in him and don't give in to his traps of depression and nihilism, hell ceases to be. To defeat hell, you just need the hope to not believe in it.

So if I put this comic together with the line from the Kane Chronicles, I get my ideal views on the afterlife: it's all loosely dictated by what you want to see. You want the afterlife to be the egyptian one? Just believe, and it'll be so. No Hell? If you believe it, it's true. It reflects what you want to see. If you expect no afterlife, you get no afterlife. You need the faith to believe in something. It doesn't even have to be anything too clear cut, but you can't rule out an afterlife.

[revsabyss]

I had this really dumb idea in my head for a while recently so here it is. Fear and Hunger 2 Termina but the contestents are all characters who are immortal or extremely difficult to actually kill.

From left to right

Zagreus (Hades)

Mokou (Touhou)

Kaguya (Touhou)

Wolverine (X-Men)

William Afton/Springtrap (FNAF)

Michael Afton (FNAF)

Ketheric Thorm (Baldur's Gate 3)

Andy (Undead Unluck)

Gebura (Library of Ruina)

Emet-Selch (Final Fantasy 14)

Lea (Crosscode)

Kitaro (Gegege no Kitaro)

Alucard (Castlevania)

Elluka Clockworker (Evillous Chronicles)

Wolverine and Andy were suggestions from a few friends, I don't really know much about them otherwise.

Clarifications, explanations, headcanons and whatnot under the cut:

Spoiler warning for Hades 1 below.

Yeah I kinda ignored some lore here, since Zagreus canonically can't stay outside the underworld for very long. Gebura being able to be here is also not really following canon since she's stuck in the Library most of the time.

Lea's here since she's an avatar- she's not made of flesh and blood, and thus can't be killed by normal means.

Kitaro's here since he's a youkai. He's extremely difficult to actually kill, though he can be knocked out for a little bit.

Also Sergey can contact Lea and Medama-Oyaji came along with Kitaro. I like to think they'd be friends.

Emet-Selch would end up as the final boss in this AU. He doesn't care for anyone here and he does not consider the new and old gods gods at all.

Mokou and Kaguya see the Aftons fighting each other and laugh their asses off. It reminds them of themselves except way more sluggish and without pretty bullet patterns.

Elluka, Alucard, Kitaro, and Emet-Selch would likely figure out everything that's going on in Prehevil.

For Gebura this is just a day on the job. I don't know if she'd end up fighting any of the gods or superbosses, but she'd likely win against all of them. Zagreus likes to try competing with her for kills, though Gebura wins all the time.

Ketheric probably just wants to go home.

Elluka reads all the dialogue.

If anyone has any ideas what Wolverine and Andy would do feel free to suggest stuff. Same for the others.

[jasminewalkerauthor]

Deep dives into folklore: Greek mythology

Greek mythology is a rich and intricate tapestry of gods, goddesses, heroes, and mythical creatures that has captivated the imagination of people for centuries. Rooted in ancient Greece, this body of myths has had a profound influence on Western literature, art, philosophy, and culture. Let's take a deep dive into the fascinating world of Greek mythology.

Creation Myth: Chaos and the Titans

The Greek cosmos begins with Chaos, a formless, primordial void. From Chaos emerges Gaia (Earth), Tartarus (the underworld), and Eros (Love). Gaia gives birth to Uranus (Sky), and together they create the Titans, the powerful and primeval beings who ruled the cosmos before the Olympian gods.

Uranus, fearing the power of his children, imprisoned the Cyclopes and the Hecatoncheires (hundred-handed ones) in Tartarus. This angered Gaia, who conspired with her son Cronus to overthrow Uranus. Cronus castrated his father, and from the blood that fell to Earth, the Furies, Giants, and nymphs were born.

The Reign of the Titans

Cronus became the ruler of the cosmos, but he feared a prophecy that foretold his downfall at the hands of one of his children. To prevent this, he swallowed each of his children as they were born. However, his wife Rhea managed to save Zeus by giving Cronus a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes instead. Zeus was raised in secret on the island of Crete.

Upon reaching maturity, Zeus challenged Cronus and the Titans in a great war known as the Titanomachy. With the help of his siblings, the Cyclopes, and the Hecatoncheires, Zeus emerged victorious. The defeated Titans were imprisoned in Tartarus, and Zeus became the king of the gods.

The Olympian Gods

The Olympian gods, led by Zeus, ruled from Mount Olympus and governed various aspects of the mortal and immortal worlds. Each god and goddess had their own domain and specific attributes:

Zeus: King of the gods, god of the sky, lightning, and thunder.

Hera: Queen of the gods, goddess of marriage and childbirth.

Poseidon: God of the sea, earthquakes, and horses.

Demeter: Goddess of the harvest and fertility.

Athena: Goddess of wisdom, warfare, and crafts.

Apollo: God of the sun, music, poetry, and prophecy.

Artemis: Goddess of the hunt, wilderness, and wild animals.

Ares: God of war and bloodshed.

Aphrodite: Goddess of love and beauty.

Hephaestus: God of fire, metalworking, and craftsmanship.

Hermes: Messenger of the gods, god of commerce and travelers.

Dionysus: God of wine, pleasure, and festivity.

Heroes and Their Labors

Greek mythology is replete with heroic figures who undertake extraordinary quests and face daunting challenges. One of the most famous heroes is Heracles (Hercules), known for his twelve labors imposed as punishment for killing his wife and children in a fit of madness induced by Hera. These labors include slaying the Nemean Lion, capturing the Golden Hind, and cleaning the Augean stables.

Other notable heroes include Perseus, who slayed the Gorgon Medusa; Theseus, who defeated the Minotaur in the labyrinth; and Achilles, the hero of the Trojan War, whose only vulnerable spot was his heel.

The Trojan War

The Trojan War, a central event in Greek mythology, was fought between the Greeks and the Trojans. It was sparked by the abduction of Helen, the wife of Menelaus, by Paris, a prince of Troy. The war lasted ten years and involved famous heroes like Achilles, Hector, and Odysseus. The war is chronicled in Homer's epic poems, the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey."

The Underworld and Afterlife

Hades, the brother of Zeus and Poseidon, ruled the underworld, a realm where the souls of the deceased went after death. The ferryman Charon transported souls across the river Styx to the realm of the dead. The most famous section of the underworld is Tartarus, a place of torment for the wicked.

Mythical Creatures and Beings

Greek mythology is populated with a diverse array of mythical creatures, such as the fearsome Chimera, the multi-headed Hydra, the Sphinx, the Griffin, and the Pegasus. These creatures often played roles in the heroic quests of demigods and mortals.

Legacy and Influence

Greek mythology has left an indelible mark on Western civilization. Its themes of heroism, tragedy, and divine intervention have inspired countless works of literature, art, and philosophy. The plays of ancient Greek playwrights like Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides drew heavily from these myths. Additionally, the Renaissance saw a revival of interest in classical mythology, with artists and scholars exploring its themes in their works.

In conclusion, Greek mythology is a vast and intricate tapestry that weaves together the stories of gods, goddesses, heroes, and mythical creatures. Its enduring legacy is evident in the continued fascination with these tales and their impact on art, literature, and culture throughout the ages. The myths serve not only as captivating stories but also as windows into the ancient Greek worldview, exploring the complexities of the human experience and the relationship between mortals and the divine.

Taglist (reblog/reply to be added):

@axl-ul @crow-flower @thoughts-fromthevoid @alderwoodbooks @harleyacoincidence @tuberosumtater @sonic-spade @theonlygardenia @holymzogynybatman @nulliel-tres

[olympiantober-2022]

welcome to olympiantober 2022!

what’s up it is 4 days before october but hey! if you wanna have a fun pjo october event, we’re doing one now. feel free to join in!

there are 3 prompts per day, but you DON’T have to follow all three of them. if you want to use just one, use all three, or use a different day’s prompts, or whatever, it doesn’t matter. this is for fun! the prompts are there to inspire you, not limit you. 

PROMPT LIST

percy / new york city / friendship

annabeth / olympus / romance

grover / camp half-blood / autumn

clarisse / the sea of monsters / anger

silena / the cabins / war

beckendorf / the princess andromeda / loss

luke / tartarus / hero

thalia / half-blood hill / death

rachel / the labyrinth / prophecy

jason / camp jupiter / burden

piper / wilderness school / warmth

leo / bunker 9 / backstory

hazel / argo ii / joy

frank / alaska / leader

bianca / mount tamalpais / alternate universe

nico / the underworld / cold

will / olympus’ throne room / fun

reyna / the mediterranean sea / stress

sally / montauk / home

bob / the phlegathon / ptsd

akhlys / the doors of death / fear

zoë / the garden of the hesperides / teamwork

calypso / ogygia / loneliness

drew / the campfire / no gods au

kronos / the battle of manhattan / traitor

poseidon / the sea / rage

zeus / the sky / power

hades / the river styx / darkness 

octavian / long island sound / humor

apollo / percy’s apartment / lost love

meg / the woods / childhood

additional info under the cut!

“what types of content can i submit?”

anything, basically. fic, art, edits, moodboards, playlists, headcanons, whatever you like.

“how do i submit it?”

post it with the hashtag #olympiantober2022. i will reblog it to this blog. posts will be queued, so don’t worry if it takes me a couple hours to reblog your post.

“what types of content CAN’T i submit?”

well technically speaking we don’t have the power to stop you from posting whatever you want in a hashtag on tumblr dot com. but we won’t reblog your stuff if it’s any of these things:

NSFW--this is a book series for 10 year olds, let’s not

racist/whitewashing

unrelated to pjo/hoo

implies an incestuous or pedophilic ship

uses art that isn’t yours without permission/credit 

idk if i need more restrictions but eh it’s up to mod discretion. most things are allowed, just don’t do anything fucked up

“can i do kane chronicles/magnus chase stuff?”

sure why not. the prompts aren’t really tailored for that but feel free to do as you like

“do i have to participate in all 30 days??”

LOL of course not

“what if i’m a couple days late for a prompt?”

not a problem. the blog will go inactive a couple days after october though, so while you’re welcome to post any late stuff to your own blog, it might not get reblogged here

“do i have to follow the prompts at ALL?”

nah lol do what you want. they’re just there to give you ideas

[chaos-source]

Ambrosius || losing your religion

[thelilbish]

@beavasilva and I have come up with a theory.

We are going to discuss the following questions:

1. Reya. What is she?

2. The symbolism of white dressing.

3. A weeping woman. Her possible connection to the series.

4. Adriel. The savior?

5. Duretti and Father Vincent. The trope.

Well, let’s being with Rhea. According to Wiki, « she is a mother goddess in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, the Titaness daughter of the earth goddess Gaia and the sky god Uranus, himself a son of Gaia. She is the older sister of Cronus, who was also her consort, and the mother of the five eldest Olympian gods Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Poseidon and Zeus, and the king of the Underworld, Hades. But Cronus learnt that he was destined to be overthrown by one of his children like his father was before him, so he swallowed all the children Rhea bore as soon as they were born. When Rhea had her sixth and final child, Zeus, she spirited him away and hid him in Crete, giving Cronus a rock to swallow instead, thus saving her youngest son who would go on to challenge his father's rule and rescue the rest of his siblings ».

Nothing. And her name gives us nothing too but her white dressing is kinda symbolic. According to different sources, woman in white legends are found in many countries around the world. Common to many of these legends is an accidental death, murder, or suicide, and the theme of loss, betrayed by a husband or fiancé, and unrequited love.

There are no husbands in the series but this legend is strongly connected to another one which is interesting. A lady who cried over her children death was the Weeping Woman or La Llorona. Again. Where is the connection? Yes, Reya cried twice: when she met Ava for the first time in her realm and when “thanking her” for her fight in the finale.

While looking for something specific about her, we found out this: «The first mention of the Weeping Woman is found in the chronicles of the Franciscan priest Bernardino de Sahagún in the XVI century ("The Weeping woman" is the Sixth omen of the fall of the Aztec Empire)».

Though the theory is about a woman mourning her children, I decided to dig deeper and that’s what I found: « La Llorona is one of the most dramatic legends of Mexican folklore. La Yorona is a mourner, a weeping female character rooted in pre—Hispanic Mexico.

It is said that even before the arrival of the Spaniards, people heard and saw at night a woman in a white robe with black loose hair, who wandered alone through the empty streets crying "Oh my children, soon we will all perish!" According to the monks who first recorded this legend, it was Cihuacóatl — "snake woman", the goddess of war and births in Aztec mythology, mourning the imminent death of her people and her impotence in the face of an impending thunderstorm... The interpretation of this legend gave rise to a completely new legend - about a mother who killed her own children ». (It was translated from my native language, sry for mistakes)

Well, it’s still nothing but do you remember what Lilith said?

This

Adriel definitely had told her everything. He definitely had filled her in on the details. She knows more than the OCS. A terrible thing is coming. That woman was the omen of the Aztec Empire fall.

I partly believe Adriel and I don’t trust Reya at all. Here’s why.

Adriel’s actions were violent, he sought power but the way he talked about being on the same side as Ava made us question him.

Bonus

What if he was right about Reya? The Reya who forced Michael to think that sacrificing himself was the only way to defeat Adriel. She did the same with Ava. We know absolutely nothing about her but her first possible prototype is pure, but her second which is La Llorona is the omen of fall.

Warrior Nun writers have big brains. It’s another reason to believe that Adriel was not a liar. There is nothing specific about him but take a look at this.

How is that so? The meaning of his name literally means that God is on his side. If God himself is his help, how can he be evil?

When it comes to Warrior Nun nothing is that simple, it’s all about details. I don’t think they chose that name because it was beautiful or something. They did it on purpose. Keep that in mind.

Besides, no one believed Lilith when she tried to warn the OCS in S1 about Adriel's tomb. She betrayed them once so they had no reason to trust her. But Lilith was right. It's a cliche but I think the same goes with Adriel.

Simon said that Ava and the Halo share a special bound since it was the Halo who made Ava alive but I think there is more to it. Probably the Halo possess more power than it has been shown or it is Ava who makes its much more powerful.

Well, the last thing is Duretti or Father Vincent. We see a trope here. In storytelling it’s quite common of the main character to easily defeat their enemies. But as soon as it has happened, they realize they have been chasing the wrong one. We can see that in S1. Duretti was the enemy they easily defeated, Father Vincent was the one who supported Ava the most. He was kind and understanding. They forced us to think that Vincent was a good guy. And I believed him. I think a lot of us did. It’s a manipulation. We knew about his past which he was remorseful of. He didn't even hide it as if trying to make everyone feel sympathy for him. He succeed in this. Duretti's actions were unclear. But he tried to protect the world in his way. No one saw it.

Vincent was a hero but Duretti ended up sacrificing himself in order to give the OCS a chance to defeat Adriel. He was not afraid of him even knowing what Adriel was capable of. So, Adriel is bad and Reya is not?

Let’s sum it up. Reya is evil, she is the omen of fall, she will be the cause of the fall. She will definitely use Ava to achieve her goals as she did before with Michael and Ava. Her tears were a sign for us. Adriel was not a savior but he tried to warn us about the terrible coming. You can never be sure about the WN characters. Question their actions. They are much more complicated than they seem to be.

Hope you like it, guys. Feel free to share your thoughts with us!

[rhetoricandlogic]

Archita Mittra Reviews Pomegranates by Priya Sharma

April 4, 2023 Archita Mittra

Priya Sharma’s latest novella, Pomegran­ates, is a lovely, layered, and luscious retelling of the story of Persephone and Demeter, unfolding against the backdrop of climate change and patriarchal violence. While Greek mythology has been in vogue at least since the success of Rick Riordan’s bestselling Percy Jackson books, Sharma’s novella sits closer to books like Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad, Madeline Miller’s Circe, or Natsuo Kirino’s The Goddess Chronicle, all of which employ a detached, feminine voice in rewriting myth and registering tragedy.

Pomegranates has a lilting, poetic cadence to it, and is suffused with a few moments of quiet horror. These are tricks that we previously glimpsed in Sharma’s short story collection All the Fabulous Beasts, in which she wove darkly evocative stories through small vignettes. Inci­dentally, All the Fabulous Beasts contains the tale ‘‘Pearls’’, a charming retelling of the story of Medusa and Poseidon that unfolds over the centuries and up to the modern age. Vignettes also provide the structure for Sharma’s novella Ormeshadow, a quiet coming-of-age tale set in the English countryside that gently creeps up on you like a sleeping dragon. Pomegranates is per­haps her most accomplished work yet, focusing on the intertwining stories of three women – Dr. A. Ursa (who is possibly related to Hecate, the Moon Goddess); Demeter, the Corn Mother; and Persephone, queen of the Underworld.

The tale begins with a speech by Dr. Ursa at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sci­ences, where she urges the audience to build a viable seedbank, foregrounding the novella’s ecological themes. This is followed by a clini­cal record from the August Institute; we infer that Demeter had been wandering the Earth in search of her daughter and is presently under psychiatric care. There is a nice jab here at the Greek pantheon, which is succinctly described as an ‘‘important family’’ of ‘‘sociopathic rapists, despots, egomaniacs and drunkards.’’ We also learn that Hades has died and Persephone rules instead, full of rage and bitterness but ready to narrate her tale to Ursa, who has stumbled into the underworld after traversing an apocalyptic, tundra-like landscape. Meanwhile, Demeter too slowly opens up to her therapist about the violence of the Gods and her subsequent bargain with Hades to protect her daughter from the machinations of Zeus. Thus, in Sharma’s spin on the legend, Persephone is neither seized by Hades to be his wife and nor does she leave of her own volition (as seen in several contemporary retellings).

At its heart, Pomegranates is a story about women wanting to be heard, whose voices have been effaced or distorted through time. It is not surprising, then, that much of Persephone’s narration to Ursa feels as though she is talking to the reader herself. In another particularly powerful moment, Demeter talks to a lawyer about pressing rape charges against Zeus and Poseidon – it is a clever scene that recounts the details of the violence, not as it happened nor in court, but in a series of back-and-forths between lawyer and client that tells the readers all they need to know about the incident and offers a rundown of the ways patriarchy will strategize to discredit a woman’s narrative. There is also deep anger and revenge here – Demeter curses the trespassing and lascivious King Erysichthon to remain eternally hungry, and Persephone, in her mourning, dooms the planet to a nuclear winter (even COVID-19 is part of her vengeance upon mankind, another nice touch) – and it is these scenes, narrated with so little embellishment, that are bound to linger in the reader’s minds long after the book is closed. In the tradition of ancient Greek plays, a chorus appears between sections, inviting the reader to pause and fill in the gaps, rethink their understandings of history, myth and knowledge, and examine the themes of godliness and humanity, power and agency more closely.

While a part of me wishes that there was more to this world and for the tale to go on, another part of me is astounded by Sharma’s ability to hint at so much with so few words. Deliciously evocative, carefully constructed, and filled with just enough detail to keep the reader turning the pages, Pomegranates is a book which can be finished in a single sitting, but deserves to be savored more slowly. It will appeal not only to fans of feminist retellings of myths and folklore, but to anyone on the lookout for a quiet and beautiful novella.