#many of these are not “moments” i am aware of that JDHFNDM but. you know what i mean

[nectaric]

TOP 10 MOST SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS IN ZEUS' LIFE:

choose ten moments within your muses' life - moments that have impacted them the most - and explain why. moments can be good, bad, or both. tagging: you!

10. the life and death of metis. metis' significance in zeus' life is not to be understated. she taught him nearly everything he knows. he loved her, deeply, and her death at his hands was horrific and impacted him heavily. but their relationship was never healthy. it bordered on co-dependency, and zeus' infatuation with her was immature and toxic. for all his guilt, and suffering, and love for her - he can see now how much worse it could have gotten. he wishes he could undo it, but he is afraid to imagine how much more horrible he might have been to her if it had progressed any longer. 10/10 impactful but in a very convoluted way.

9. birth of dionysus (and death of semele). the love zeus possessed for semele was very different from the love he had for metis. it was strong, genuine, honest. it was born of respect and trust, which is difficult for him to do. he adored her, and it was because of this that he lost her. he was too trusting and too quick to act, throwing himself at her feet with reckless abandon. and he lost her. it was gruesome and graphic. and then, what he endured to keep dionysus alive (not just the physical trauma, but the emotional as well) is etched onto his brain. watching dionysus live only to then have to spend so much time away from him was equally difficult.

8. childhood pre-titanomachy. many of zeus' complexes, desires, and issues were born in this time. he grew up almost entirely alone, save for the rare visit from his mother or his grandmother's check-ins. he lived in isolation that was consuming, that made him long so desperately for a family it hurt. in this time, i also headcanon that he suffered a lot of abuse at the hands of gaia that became such an ingrained part of his life and identity that he took centuries to even recognize them as abuse. that isolation, and the suffering, and the childlike wonder that became tainted by sheer desperation for family really set him up for interesting and complicated relationships in the future.

7. gigantomachy. this is the first real threat zeus faces with his entire family on the line. the stakes feel higher, the danger more apparent, his worry even greater. he spreads himself a little too thin trying to ensure they're all safe - and in some cases, does not necessarily succeed. he's nearly too late before porphyrion assaults his wife. ares is captured. there are too many close calls, and though they are ultimately successful, there is another nagging problem. gaia, the one who raised him, the all powerful goddess who should have been on his side, has now turned on him. though zeus did not yet know exactly what the implications of that could be, it was a betrayal nonetheless.

6. the attempted coup. zeus had trust issues to begin with. he was paranoid, jaded, and cruel, and this is what drove his family to betray him. while this was a wake up call many years down the line, in the moment it only served to make zeus angrier and more paranoid. the act itself was difficult for him, being chained down and fearing for his throne and safety. but what it did to his trust in everyone around him was terrible, and he became even more guarded for a long time as a result.

5. marrying hera. she is the love of his life, the apple of his eye, the mother of his children, and he adores her. all of this is naturally very important, and its impact should not be ignored, but the other part of marrying hera that is very significant is that she is his equal. he had someone at his side to help rule the cosmos, and she filled those shoes perfectly. she has saved him from so much stress and solved so many problems, that he could not imagine ruling with anybody else at his side. true loves and incredible leaders!

4. titanomachy. ten years of war began when zeus was barely a teenager, and he was expected to lead, fight, and succeed in toppling an entire kingdom. it was daunting, to say the least, and was a grueling series of battles that left him and his family scarred. in this time though, zeus came to understand himself, his capabilities, and his desires. he found his first love. he reunited and bonded with family. he became a king, loathe as he was to do so. the entire period is so informative for zeus and who he is, that the only reason it isn't higher is because the other three are doozies.

3. dying in "titans 2". this is purely based in the world of roleplay and a thread with a friend, but at one point, the gods were unseated by an alliance of their worst enemies. zeus was killed, his soul banished to tartarus, during which time he experienced torture and isolation. though he was ultimately rescued, and assumed his throne after a very difficult war, such a tremendous loss weighed heavily on him. it is, ultimately, what i think drives zeus to step down at some point and drastically impacts his current mentality.

2. becoming king of the gods. i mean, naturally, this would change the course of anyone's life. zeus had been fighting for this moment since he was very young, and had been leading since he was a preteen. but this solidified not only that the war had been won, but that prophecy was true, that his hard work had paid off - and that he was up against an eternity in a very difficult position. being king completely changed his personality, his health, his relationships, and has been a world changing event as well.

1. defeated by typhoeus. in my canon for zeus, he faced off against typhoeus alone after much of his family fled in fear. he lost. typhoeus tortured him for weeks before hermes was able to assist in setting him free. zeus has genuinely never been the same sense - the mental, physical, and emotional toll of what he endured still sits heavy on his shoulders. it was also the spark that convinced zeus to become a better father, king, and person. it drastically changed the course of his life, and more than anything, is what has impacted him the most.