#hephaesthus and aprhrodite

[beetlewine-art]

I really love when Media based on Greek Mythology takes the time to explore the dynamics between the gods. Specialy the family interactions between them, even the little moments of affection between them make the series about greek gods munch more enjoyable to me. For example, in Blood of Zeus with Apollo's little interactions with Hermes and Dionysus, or the when Ares defended Hera from the other gods in the second season when she goes back to Olympus.

However, i just watched a short video on youtube, it was a combination of two clips from diferent series, one from an episode of Hercules: the Animated Series and the other from Justice League Unlimited. Both clips were interactions of Ares and Hephaesthus, it made me realise how little their possible dynamic and interactions are talked or explored outside of Aphrodite.

Meybe i need to consume (even) more greek mythology media, but i honestly can't think of any other series besides of those two clips (and Lore Olympus) that showed us some kind of dynamic between Ares and Heph, without mentioning the affair between Ares and Aphrodite. And i get it, because the affair is one, if not the most, popular myth for both gods.

But i think is such a missed oportunity that people don't talk munch about what kind of relationship could Hephaesthus have with Ares before the affair and how it affected their dynamic when he found out. Was their relationship non-existant before it? Or did Hephaesthus interacted a fair amount of times with Ares before he found out? Since Ares is the god of war and Hephaesthus is the Blacksmith of the gods, i imagine that they interacted at least a few times when Ares needed Hephaesthus to make or fix his weapons.

Both clips i mentioned have Ares talking to Hephaesthus while Heph works on a weapon for him and i really enjoy how their dialogs are written. The first clip, being from a Disney series, is munch more comedic and light-hearted but i honestly can see them interacting in a similar way before the affair incident. Hephaesthus looks so done and bored while Ares rants with enthusiasm about how he needs this cool and unique new weapon. When Heph finishes working, Ares grabs the bow before Hephaesthus can put it on water to cool it down, burning his hands and Heph just says "Careful, is a little bit hot".

Also, this dialog from The justice League clip is just so good:

Ares: You say "come back Thuesday, is Thuesday, i want my suit.

Hephaesthus: Patience brother, you know how much i care about the details.

Ares: It doesn't have to be pretty, Hephaesthus, where it's going, things aren't supposed to be pretty.

Hephaesthus: Present company excluded, of course.

Ares: Just hurry up!

This show is not even about Greek Mythology and it gave us one of the best interactions between them i've seen. And of course, i'm not trying to ignore or deminish Aphrodite's role or the effect she would have on their dynamic.

I just wish that more people would explore the dynamic between the two before the affair, i want more 1 on 1 interactions between this two because they have so much potential.

Or meybe i just want to see more of Hephaesthus interacting with other gods in general, that works too.

Tag list: @my-name-is-apollo @diioonysus @anniflamma