#ody deserves so much better

[leynaeithnea]

.... sighs and goes to read bc I, too, have no self restraint and Odysseus still deserves to not suffer alone since HIS WHOLE CREW BETRAYS HIM HERE

But i still blame anniflamma (and whoever made that comment first)

KIDS DONT READ THAT, PLEASE DONT

Tagging stuff on ao3 feels like the thing christians do alone with the priest... Yes father I put Odysseus on a leash... Again... Yes he's on his knees... Yes, again...

I REGRET NOTHING AND THE ONLY REASON I KNOW SHAME IS, IS THE VOCABULARY

[sleeping-at-sea]

I already knew the things Calypso did to Odysseus but honestly just listening to Love In Paradise over and over really just finally had it click and I realize how much projection I've done onto Odysseus and how most of it is honestly true and could most likely be true

[codenamethebird]

God I have so much to say about Melinoe's characterization, and the fasinating implications about her future arc/the overarching plot of hades 2. I want to make a larger think piece with pictures but for the moment I'm just going to focus on this one specific thread.

In the wake of the Prometheus reveal, she has a slew of convos about his motivations for siding with Chronos, and the gods basically all go: this is his vengeance for us punishing him a tad cruelly. And Nemesis is like, yeah the gods 100% deserve it. But Meli's responds that he must have more motivation than just vengeance, it can't just be that. But when Prometheus explicitly goes, 'I'm doing this because the gods are horrible to humanity and I love humans,' she basically goes, no he must be lying. That motivation is both too pure, but also humans kind of suck why would you care about them?

Mel's humanity hot takes deserve it's own essay (Ms I think Humans should have never gotten fire and are better when they are dead), and I just want to focus on the former for now. She can not comprehend that Prometheus is fighting the gods for noble reasons. It just does not make sense to her. Mel's world is so black and white. She doesn't understand the nuance of the situation, and the thought that the gods might be actually in the wrong doesn't even get close to crossing her mind.

It's a fascinating (and horrifying) result of her upbringing. Of the constant state of war and the very convenient big bad that is Chronos, the evil monster who stole her family. If she accepts that his side isn't completely evil, that they might even be right in some (even many) respects, she would have to grapple with her whole life. Everything she believes would be thrown into question, the literal thing she was training her whole life for.

She can't have Prometheus fighting for a noble cause, because he fights for Chronos whose the Bad Guy tm. But he also can't be fighting for something as simple as vengeance, because that would also mean she would need to really think about what he's angry about. If the punishment was truly so unnecessary cruel.

When talking to Odysseus about Prometheus, when Ody's saying how much he respected him for stealing the fire despite knowing the consequences, Mel says that it was the price to be paid for breaking Olympus's decree. To her, Olympus's rules are sacred and ultimately good. Unquestionably. Prometheus broke the rules with intent, so to her, why would he be so angry at the consequences? Especially if he knew because of his power they were going to happen.

So he must have another reason, some secret machiavellian plan that drives him. Except as I already said, it brings her right back to him doing it for humanity, which she also can't accept. Because that would be admiting that the gods did something wrong to humans. She twists herself into knots to justify her worldview, and it's fascinating! She's so messy I adore her.

Please Supergiant please the final surface boss has to be a human pleeeaaasse (preferably a living one). Or at least have one (or more) show up in some other capacity. Mel needs to come face to face with the other side and have it utterly destroy her worldview.

And/or have (Pan)Dora betray her for Prometheus, that would also be very fun haha.

[bokettochild]

Not sure if people have already asked this before, but whose roles are whose for your Opera House AU doing Epic the musical?

No one has actually asked this before! I kept kind of hoping they would though, because I felt weird just throwing it out there unprompted, but trust me, I HAVE thought about it before! So, huge thank you for asking!

Odysseus: Warriors. Who else? I mean, come on, lets be real here, the Troy Saga alone has influenced my perspective of Warriors for so long now that it would be an utter and complete SIN to not have Warriors play the guy who is, in so many ways, so much like himself. Granted, OH AU Warriors is less like our Ody and more like Jay himself, but who cares? The vocals are there and Wars has the spirit and skill. Also, he has the range, from the desperation of the Cyclops Saga, the sadness of the Underworld Saga, the fury of the Vengeance Saga and the warmth and tenderness in both Just A Man and Would You Fall In Love With Me. He had the audience on the edges of their seats, and even though he's already a fan favorite at the opera, he reaffirmed that position with this role. It's also been one of his favorites of all time, because it's very rare he gets to play such a fleshed out and complex character, as he's usually cast as a knight in shining armor archetype rather than a blood-covered and desperate soul one second from snapping!

Athena: I actually had to debate this one a bit, but Imma say Lullaby. Warriors' own Zelda is too sweet, and while Dusk herself could do it, I have a better role for her, and Lullaby is so Athena in so many ways, so I went with her instead. She has that strong, authoritative energy, while also being old enough to sell the Goddess of Wisdom vibe, and also the agility to be a warrior herself. Also, I can kinda see her just actually sounding like that when she sings, y'know?

Zeus: They brought Dei in for this role. Time would have, but they needed a couple of convincing individuals for this, and Dei being bigger and physically of a brighter pallet than Time kinda gave him High King and Sky God energy that they just really needed for the stage performance.

Polyphemus: Also Dei. For a stage performance, they actually had a puppet and rigging for the cyclops itself, but Dei's vocal range allowed him to do the voice from off stage quite convincingly. (Four himself was the Puppeteer (lol) for the cyclops though, so he also deserves credit)

Polities: It was Ravio. Typically, Ravio doesn't perform, but he could capture that energy they wanted for Polities and his vocal range is a bit higher than most of the other cast. Wind would have done it, but because of his age, the crew divided against it. After all, Polities isn't a child, but a man, and having Wind in the role would have changed that perception. Hyrule was nervous for the part, but he's actually glad that Polities died within five songs because it meant that he only had to show up on rare occasion as a ghost after that, and spent less time in the spotlight.

Eurylochus: They actually had a bit of a struggle on this one, since none of the team actually has a voice that deep, but Twilight ended up filling the role, since it's got less major singing parts and more speaking bits than a lot of the other characters. It's not as demanding as some of the other roles he could have played (like the gods) and he looks the part of the big, strong, best-friend and advisor to the lead, or at least enough that he was believable. He's not the best actor, but he did a great job all the same; better than anyone else could have done it at any rate!

Poseidon: Time actually played this part! Being a former rock-star has it's advantages, and that includes being able to bleed rage and/or agony into his voice while leaving his audience totally and completely chilled! Being the blocking director and stunt coach also means that he was able to really sell any battle scenes because he was right up in there to guide, coax, and otherwise cover for the cast's mistakes when need be. He admittedly had a TON of fun with the role, and I'd be lying if I said that there weren't;t a few people in the crowd watching who didn't have to pause and wonder where they'd heard his voice before, never mind so many online forums comparing his vocal qualities to famously masked singer Major-A, but, hey, Time considers it worth it, even if the role might have blown his cover.

Aeolus: Who better to play the god of winds than Wind himself? It's a small role, so Time and Lullaby felt comfortable letting him take it, even though this would have been a major production and risk for the opera. The fact that he's kid only helped to sell the care-free and mischievous depiction. He had a TON of fun with the role too, and the audience was eating his performance up!

Circe: Artemis! I wanted one of the divas to do this, and Artemis has the right energy, as well as great on-stage chemistry with Warriors! They broke down into giggles so many times as she attempted to "seduce" him during practice, but it actually turned out really great. She's one of the only gals in the cast who could hit the high notes at the end of There Are Other Ways and really sell the emotional range of Circe's character

Hermes: I actually struggled on this one until it literally just jumped out at me. Wild plays Hermes. He's got the energy, physically and otherwise, and I'm going to say that any dancing included was actually something he just ad-libbed in there, rather than being told to do it by Time or Lullaby. They loved it though and totally kept it in, as well as a few other little quirks he added to the character (they sort of just set him free on stage in the end and told him to go nuts, so most of Warriors' reactions to him are entirely real and not faked at all, lol). Yes, this did result in Wild deciding to address everyone (short of his bosses) as "dawling" for the foreseeable future, but no one could deny that it's been one of his best roles ever!

Tiresias/The Prophet: This one was actually a huge struggle for the crew, because while they have a lot of actors, there's a sort of a limit to who can or cannot portray certain character, and in the end, it was Legend who took the role, despite having other parts to play and a prop and costume crew to supervise for most of the musical. He did a great job though, and you know those animatics that sort of depict No Longer You as a sort of twisted waltz? Yeah, the cast went with that, and it was a good thing Legend played the role, because he's the only one who can actually dance blindfolded! He also carried the weight of the song very well, and between him and Warriors, they gave the audience absolute chills!

Odysseus's Mother: Malon! It was a small appearance, so even though she's technically not an actress, and is actually a musical coach, she was happy to join on the production if it was just for one song. Yes, everyone cried. Warriors' tears were entirely real in that scene and everyone else was hard pressed to not show it when their turns came to sing.

Scylla: For some reason I Can Not Explain, I just really want Legend to have told everyone "I know a gal" and just dragged Hilda in to play this role. But, since she isn't an actress, and probably wouldn't want to be one, I'm going to say Fable took it instead. She doesn't give Monster Girl energy, but like her twin, she's very adept, and really gave everyone the creeps even before Styla made her up like a monster lady! Her vocals are chilling, and she really enjoyed reading up on the lore of her character and trying to let it bleed in through her voice to sound more like a tortured soul, punished by the gods and made out as a monster to mortals due to her horrific appearance (and man eating, but details!).

Calypso: Believe it or not, Sun sold this role like the queen she is! Her innocent, almost angelic look really contrasted the horrible behavior but also total ignorance of the character, and I actually think she'd sound similar to Barbara Wangui when she sings, so having her in the role feels right. Granted, she doesn't give "Island Goddess" in the same way that Marin would, but Marin is probably dead in the OH AU, and wouldn't join the opera anyway, so yeah.

Penelope/Siren: (I'm pretty sure it's the same actress for both, but even if not, that's how the crew did it!) Dusk was the only option for this role, and she rocked it! She's got the range, got the mature look of a woman who's been waiting 20 years for her beloved to come home (totally helped by the fact that she spent 17 years waiting for her actual love to reappear), and while she and Warriors did have to work quite a bit to sell the right dynamic on stage, they are both talented actors, and did a great job together. She actually really had fun with the siren role, and her screams as the sirens are slain were positively blood-curdling! She half sacred Warriors to death when he first heard it and he still shiver slightly even when they finally perform.

Telemachus: I debated this one so hard, because each member of the cast has a certain energy and none quite match Telemachus, but in the end, again, Legend filled the role, since he's good at taking the ones that no one else can do and adapting as need be to suit it. Is it sort of method acting if he can relate to the character and thus capture the emotion better? Who knows, but despite playing the prophet as well, a costume change and intermission can do wonders for helping a guy get into character as the opposite of what he was an hour ago! He's also got the stunt training and skill to pull off fight scenes well, and look like he's bad at it, as well as a good irl dynamic with Lullaby that they definitely leaned into for their songs together. As for the Ithica saga songs, well, he and Warriors had to work really hard, given their actual dynamic, to try and sell their parts, but they're both talented actors and they made it through in the end.

Antinous: Don't come for me, but Sky actually ended up taking this role! He's a talented actor, with a special skill for action scenes and fights, as well a great depth of emotion and, despite being an utter teddy bear in actuality, he plays a killer villain! Did Legend and he end up laughing their asses off after having to act like they hated each other? yes, but they kept in character as long as they were on stage and Sky's voice tends to give people chills when he sings, so he really could set the mood well, as well as keeping pace with Legend and giving their scenes together some great energy. It scares the rest of the cast how quick he can switch from softie to scary monster man, but there's a reason he's one of the best!

(Note: I feel like after a while if they decide to revisit the musical, Hyrule might be at a place where he'd be able to play Telemachus, but as it stands in the AU, he doesn't have the confidence needed to basically carry a whole act just yet. He has the vocals quality to sell the character though! And, while Legend's great at his job, Hyrule does look/feel more the part of the sheltered and stumbling young man without a guide or guardian to show him the way. Time and Lullaby probably wanted to cast him, but since Hyrule wasn't ready, they asked Legend instead.)

As for some of the other roles, the team had a ton of fun using puppets for the winions, and various not on stage actors got to voice them via mics! Think sort of Jim Henson style puppets though, since they are mental to be a sort of comedy relief.

The various suitors were played by all the guys who had been 'killed off' previously in the show, with the exception of Dei and Time, whose voices are too notable, and Legend who, of course, is currently playing Telemachus. Same thing for the army, although they did pre-record some of the bits where there's supposed to be more of a crowd, since they can only fit so many people on stage and wanted to really sell the idea of 600 men or 108 suitors, or the countless dead in the underworld, ect. They did hire a bunch of extras for crowd scenes, and used puppets and various other effects to sell the appearance of crowds where they could, but I don't feel the need to state who every extra is LOL.

So yeah! That's how it would go! Thank you again for this ask! It's been a delight to talk about a musical I actually understand, as well as adore! Especially considering I'm working on LU animatics for it even now!

Feel free to ask anything else you'd like, even if someone else might have asked already, because I have a big mouth and I like to talk, and I might have more thoughts now than I did previously!

[vyunok-obyknovenniy]

(From Fagles' translation) Book 17 Stranger at the Gates <...> Now, as they talked on, a dog that lay there lifted up his muzzle, pricked his ears … It was Argos, long-enduring Odysseus’ dog he trained as a puppy once, but little joy he got since all too soon he shipped to sacred Troy. In the old days young hunters loved to set him coursing after the wild goats and deer and hares. But now with his master gone he lay there, castaway, on piles of dung from mules and cattle, heaps collecting out before the gates till Odysseus’ serving-men could cart it off to manure the king’s estates. Infested with ticks, half-dead from neglect, here lay the hound, old Argos. But the moment he sensed Odysseus standing by he thumped his tail, nuzzling low, and his ears dropped, though he had no strength to drag himself an inch toward his master. Odysseus glanced to the side and flicked away a tear, hiding it from Eumaeus, diverting his friend in a hasty, offhand way: “Strange, Eumaeus, look, a dog like this, lying here on a dung-hill … what handsome lines! But I can’t say for sure if he had the running speed to match his looks or he was only the sort that gentry spoil at table, show-dogs masters pamper for their points.”

You told the stranger, Eumaeus, loyal swineherd, “Here—it’s all too true—here’s the dog of a man who died in foreign parts. But if he had now the form and flair he had in his glory days— as Odysseus left him, sailing off to Troy— you’d be amazed to see such speed, such strength. No quarry he chased in the deepest, darkest woods could ever slip this hound. A champion tracker too! Ah, but he’s run out of luck now, poor fellow … his master’s dead and gone, so far from home, and the heartless women tend him not at all. Slaves, with their lords no longer there to crack the whip, lose all zest to perform their duties well. Zeus, the Old Thunderer, robs a man of half his virtue the day the yoke clamps down around his neck.” With that he entered the well-constructed palace, strode through the halls and joined the proud suitors. But the dark shadow of death closed down on Argos’ eyes the instant he saw Odysseus, twenty years away. <...>

one last job

[skrumnkle-thetired]

one of my favourite things abt epic is the beautiful and well thought out music composition, and one ive noticed which, tbf, im probably the last to notice to i digress,

is how there's a constant chant of odysseus's name in the odysseus song, which yes yes parallel to polyphemus's chant showing how he's also become a monster but what im particularly drawn to is how it also points to the meaning of his name

his name was given hy his grandpa who had always angered and pissed off men and women alike, so he named ody odysseus, meaning " a man of rage " and what better moment to fully showcase and pinpoint that he DESERVES that name than the song where he's very much just that.

the entire musical, hes everything that he is. a general. a king. a warrior. a captain. all of which has been stripped mercilessly away from him, leaving only a man who wants to get home. and he does, and what does he find? dogs. filthy dogs who eat at his resources and plan to take the only part of his identity he has left ; a husband and a father.

and so, in the slaughter, hes very much just that. not a king, not a captain, not the man he once was. all there is, is a man of rage, and he will inflict pain and suffering on anyone who's even posed a threat, let alone was actually one to his family's. and his name repeated over, and over, and over again in the song like a chant, as he kills all 108 of them with his bare hands.

[luveline]

what about a grumpy!reader / Eddie + roan. Reader is trying so hard not to let work things get to her but she ends up being a bit grumpy at home, that's when Eddie and our favorite girl Roan intervene.

Maybe. Just a thought. I just love them (and you) so much ❤️

thank you!! i love you <3 eddie and roan —your small family tries to cheer you up after a bad day. fem!reader, 1.4k

"It's a new one called the macarena," Eddie says, his hands around Roan's wrists guiding her arms into the right positions. "Macarena by maca-Roanie."

She's dancing on his thighs. You have no idea how he can cope with it. While Roan isn't a heavy girl, whenever she does it to you it makes you squirm. 

Eddie hums the song and poses Roan's arms, across her abdomen and then hands on her hips. "Hey, maca-Roanie," he sings, making her shake her hips in time with the song, bodily turning her to the left.  

She giggles at the suddenness of it, and her eyes light up with happiness when she sees you're back from the bathroom. 

"Dance with us!" she pleads, laughing more as Eddie messes up the move and quickly corrects her arms. 

"Maybe in a minute," you say, as gently as you can manage despite your foul mood. Neither of them deserve to feel shitty just because you do. 

"Now," she whines, her foot slipping off of Eddie's thigh. She runs with the momentum to the end of the couch, her hands grabbing for you. "Please! Dad will sing the song again." 

"Sorry, Ro," you say, giving her shoulder a quick rub. 

You walk over to the TV to turn down the volume a touch before collapsing with a puff into the fat armchair. Relief courses through you as you shield your eyes from the light. 

"Is she okay?" Roan whispers. 

Eddie must pull her or yank her toward him, if her little yelp and subsequent laughter is anything to go off of. "She's okay, mini me. Today's been really long, that's all."

"It feels as long as yesterday." 

"That's the problem. Come on, let's go make a cup of hot cocoa, okay? I'll show you how to do the dance again."

You're glad that they leave, though that soon melds to a bone deep guilt, kind to make you wanna get up and put on a smile and learn Eddie's new dance. You try to force yourself up. 

You sink deeper into the armchair. 

"Can I give her a hug?" Roan asks in the kitchen. She must think you can't hear her far away. 

"I'm sure she'd love that, but let's give her ten minutes, okay?" 

"Is she mad with me?" 

"No," Eddie says fondly. "She's definitely not mad at you. Just tired, babe."

"Will you toast my marshmalloweds with the flamethrower?" 

"Blowtorch," he corrects. You hear a drawer opening, a click, and Roan's impressed Woah.

I'm such a fucking dick, you think, curling into a ball. My poor loves. 

You sizzle in your bad mood, folding in on yourself as tightly as you can. They don't deserve to feel the cloud hanging over your head. Hopefully it'll blow over soon, and luckily they don't seem to mind. Eddie knows better than to think how you feel has something to do with him, or Ro, or that you'd ever take it out on them. 

You don't want work to make them feel shitty too. 

The kettle whines on the stove. You used to make cocoa in the microwave until Eddie found out about superheated water and said it was too dangerous. You can see him in your head pouring the hot water into their matching mugs, Garfield and Odie, Roan's very favourites donated from the Great Munson Mug Collection when she was a baby. Your heart hurts thinking about it 'cos usually you're standing there at the counter listening to her tell you how much she loves Odie the puppy. Eddie used to cut the Garfield strips out of every newspaper and save them in a plastic binder for her until she slowly lost interest, but the love is still there. The plastic binder is proof, tucked up on your bookshelf next to your photo albums and Eddie's records. 

"Sure you got it?" 

"Yes, daddy, I have it. Thank you for asking me." 

"Are you kidding? You're so welcome. Please don't burn your fingers." 

"I have the handle. You're doing that thing Y/N says you do with over drotectivity." 

"Over drotectivity, huh." 

"You're worrying about things more than normal dads worry and it's gonna give you chives." 

"Sweetheart." Eddie snorts, their footsteps approaching the living room. "It's called over protectiveness, and she thinks it gives me hives, not chives. Which it doesn't! I got hives one time and it was from that discount laundry detergent." 

"When Y/N put ointment on your back and said you felt like a rattlesnake!" 

You peek up from the depressed leather of the armchair your face is smushed in. Roan crosses the room with your favourite mug in her small hand, the weight of it straining her wrist. Cocoa sloshes over the side and a marshmallow rides the wave down onto the hardwood. 

"Don't slip," you say softly. 

"Won't slip," she says, grinning. Her smile is all Eddie like a master copy. "I made you cocoa in the best cup with just pink marshmalloweds 'cos the pink ones are for love." 

"What are the white ones for?" you ask.

You take the mug from her before she can burn herself. Eddie presses down on her shoulder as he sits on the floor in front of your armchair, wielding two mugs in one hand precariously. He swoops Roan into his lap and smiles at you from over her neatly coiled curls. "White ones are for making you taller." 

Roan points at her mug emphatically. "I got lots of white. I wanna sit in the front seat of the car." 

"That's a good reason," you say, slouched but not entirely collapsed in your chair, wondering why they've sat themselves at your feet and already knowing the answer. "Thank you for cocoa, Roro. I'm sorry I didn't dance with you earlier." 

Roan shrugs and leans back into Eddie's chest. He narrowly avoids scalding her, slurping a sip from the rim of his mug rather than have it pour down the side to splash her pyjama-clad shoulder. 

"That's OK. I didn't want to play Wombats with you last night and you still hugged me after teeth." 

She can be such a peculiar kid. Her vocabulary keeps growing in an explosion of mispronounciation and wrong definitions, as well as these unexpected shorthands; teeth means brushing her teeth. She'd brushed her teeth and dragged you to her room, imploring you to climb into bed with her for a half hour which you happily spent stroking her hair from her forehead and exchanging sleepy conversation. 

"Honestly, I didn't even think about Wombats. I just wanted to spend time with you," you say. 

Roan's little chin dips up and down as she nods, her hair bouncing against her cheeks. "Exactly! We don't have to dance. We can just sit down all night." 

"I like sitting down," Eddie adds. 

You lick your lips. They're too good for you, sometimes.

"Thank you, guys," you say, taking a sip of cocoa. 

Roan preens. Eddie puts his cocoa on the floor and his hand on your arm, the gap between you feeling smaller and smaller by the second, your bad mood at a low simmer rather than the roaring boil it had been. The ring on his pinky finger is distinct as his loving hand keeps you company, smothering the heat. 

They chat to one another and don't mind when you have nothing to say. All the sugar and love-flavoured marshmallows cheer you up some, enough to put down your empty mug and want a hug. 

"Come here?" you ask, laying back to make room. 

Roan makes a sound that can only be described as a rabid giggle and leaps onto the cushions. Eddie isn't far behind her, mugs forgotten and nearly kneed over as he encapsulates the two of you in his arms. 

"I'll be less grumpy tomorrow," you promise bashfully. 

"You're kinda cute when you're grumpy," Eddie says, indifferent. His smile curls against your shoulder. "Don't force it." 

"I like happy you and sad you," Roan says. 

You smile softly, tucking a silken curl of hair behind her ear. "I'm not sad," you promise, looking her in the eye and meaning every word, "I can't be sad for long with you and dad around." 

[dasketcherz]

Thoughts on Hugo & Varian as Odysseus + Penelope from Epic The Musical? (Not directly, but like, their songs at least. Especially "Would you fall in love with me again?") I APOLOGIZE FOR LONG INFODUMP </3 Like, which ones do you think would fit who? Imo, I believe both fit either side really well. Varian as Ody is basically him doing all the bad things he did in Corona and asking Hugo if he'll forgive him and love him, because at the time, he thought he had no choice but to do those things. Hugo never cared about what Varian did that deeply because he had his own qualms too, he was fine with waiting for him because he wasn't a monster, he was just a boy who was hurt. He was, and is, just Varian. They're both beautiful yet broken and Hugo's gonna help pick up those pieces. The "bow" that people would use for suitors is actually just a giant machine that one of them broke and if they're gonna get married to someone other than each other, then at least they can find a mechanically competent partner LOL (This goes both ways, no matter who is Ody or Penelope, thought I think it'd be fun if Hugo was Penelope, the bow would be switched out for a gun he made that nobody knew how it worked) Yet, imagine Varian as Penelope in a way. He's already gone through all of that pain before, he's just been waiting for love to find him. Waiting for Hugo. Hugo in "Would you fall in love with me again?" asking Varian if he'd still love him even if he made mistakes, did horrible things, things that he thought nobody would accept him doing even though he had no choice. Like growing up on the streets or doing dirty work for Donella. There was an inherent pyramid and where he stood was not high enough. I think Varian in Penelope's position would be exhausted (lovingly) waiting for Hugo for so long only for him to go "Would u still love me if I maybe did these bad things and there's POSSIBLYYY blood on my hands?? :c" to THE ALCHEMIST WHO RAMPAGED ACROSS CORONA FOR HIS DAD'S SAFETY!! Like... he knows what it's like to do that Hugo. Probs worse. You'll be okay.. <3 It would also be a fun parallel for Varian & Cass tbh. If he was Penelope he'd be waiting in a similar fashion to Cass. They're tired of waiting for something they want, they want it now, but it's just not possible unless something magICAL happens. Either way, they'll do what they need to do to keep it in their favor. For love or not. And finally, mildly unrelated topic, if we're taking the whole storyline out of context for Epic & just picking a song that fits them- Ofc "Would you fall in love with me again?" would be the Varigo song, but I ALSO PROPOSEEEE Varian & Cassandra's song to be "We'll Be Fine" with Cass as Athena talking about Raps & Varian as Telemachus. THAT IS ALL TY FOR READING!!

OH MY GOSH PLEASE DONT APOLOGIZE FOR THE LONG POST, THIS IS STELLAR OMG IT'S SUCH A PEAK DEEP DIVE AAAA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SCRUMPTIOUS FOOD AND SHARING IT WITH ME!!

Both alternate takes on the odysseus/penelope: varigo roles is so good!! And the talking points on why the roles can really work both ways is spot on!!

I think what's so fascinating about varigo's dynamic when it came to their misdeeds is how Hugo had stopped thinking too much about the crimes he committed because he grew up in an environment where everyone does it (to survive) hence it comes off like it's just a normal activity (that prbbly is not anywhere else) among ingvarrians (who are less fortunate) meanwhile Varian thinks about his a lot, like a constant shadow of his past that never left him and will constantly follow him no matter what path he takes in life.

So when Hugo begun to care for Varian... when Varian's opinions and how he sees him begun to matter to him—that's when he suddenly starts to genuinely reflect on his own past actions—because he wants to be good for Varian, wants to be someone worthy of his love, wants to be someone Varian deserves, wants to do better for Varian. But to Varian, he is good enough as he is, as just Hugo.

And when Varian confesses about his past, he still expects a shift to their relationship because he's afraid, afraid that he wont be accepted fully for both the good and the bad sides of himself. But Hugo doesn't let that change the way he thinks of him—because its all in the past, and he understands, like truly he gets it. And he is set on making sure Varian knows that, that he'll still love him all the same. Cuz like you said, he never saw him as a monster, he's just Varian—the silly, clumsy-prone, passionate, brilliant and kind person he came to know.

And they'll embrace each other wholeheartedly for who they are and it's just aghhh, god gay ppl man !! i cant stand them!! /VPOS

ALSO ouuughh the challenge being "figure out how this complicated mechanism that I created works" is just genius!! Like PLEEEASE they fucking would !! Its smart, its sneaky, its such a subtle way to say "fuck you im waiting for the love of my life to come back and thats not yall" and its so them-coded behavior, eating it up so hard

(and the We'll Be Fine as a Cass/Varian song is pretty fitting as well yeh! I can totally see that, I see the vision!)

[glacierruler]

Eurylochus Analysis

@nandysparadox

First things first, it is important to note that despite how I talk about him, Eurylochus is not just a sopping wet cat of a man. He also can kill you. He didn't die at war for a reason. (RIP Eury, you deserved a better captain).

I will be reblogging this by saga release, mainly because I'm a bit scared I'll break the max tumblr post length haha.

The Troy Saga

The Horse and the Infant

We learn that the soldiers in the horse are like brothers as Ody opens up with: "Alright my brothers listen closely..."

They've also been at war for 10 years, seeing their comrades die. While this isn't exactly Eury content yet it's important to note because Eurylochus has been at war, he's seen his friends die, he's seen tragedies and terrors. This shapes his actions. "Ten years of war they killed us slowly, but now we'll be the ones who slay..."

I will come back to these lines in the future but they are so important to me actually "Do what I say and you'll see them again." "Yes Sir!"

We learn pretty early on that Odysseus is living and fighting for his family. And in the beginning it definitely seems like he's trying to get the crew home. But his priority is his family. Eury's is the crew. Will get to this in a bit.

Just A Man:

Really this is just a precursor to everything that happens. But uh. I felt like I should still include it in this for some reason. Might come back to edit this portion later

Full Speed Ahead

Finally! I get to talk about Eurylochus! First thing to note, he is echoed by the crew, showing that he's closer to them than the captain is. Odysseus is only added onto by the crew, mind you, he's not copied by the crew until later in the song. Also, it's the crew that introduces Eurylochus, and possible the only time the crew introduces someone. "Eurylochus." "600 men." "600 men."

Odysseus may give orders, but the crew is only loyal to him so long as Eurylochus is. And Eury is oh, so loyal, because Odysseus cares about them. He's not just ordering them around, he's trying to keep them alive. The crew is anxious for Odysseus's return, because Eurylochus is.

Open Arms

This feels really similar to Just A Man to me. Although it does serve to show that Polites is closer to his captain than most of the crew.

Warrior of the Mind

Again very similar to Open Arms and Just A Man. We're learning more about Odysseus here than Eurylochus. Which is fine, Ody's the main character. But it does mean there's not much to put here dhdh

Troy Saga Conclusion:

From the Troy Saga we know that Eurylochus is the voice of the crew and is trusted by them. While we could currently say that they trust him more than Ody based on the clues here, but I think that becomes really obvious in later sagas.

I will be back tomorrow to add the Cyclops Saga analysis to this :3

[epicthemusical]

Hi I am very new to the Epic fandom and I'm curious to know what all the big ships are (if there are any. Tbh I've had enough of shipping wars for a while), or if there's anything else I need to know for interacting in the fandom space

okay phew this is gonna be a lot and i have enlisted my EPIC friends to make this is accurate i can. first off nicknames we use a lot. Eurylochus us Eury, Odysseus is Ody, Perimedes is often called Peri of course Penelope is often called Pen. you might see mention of Diomedes which is based more in the original Illiad which we call Dio. hmm think thats about all now onto ships

odypen (Odysseus x Penelope) ofc self explanatory applies to both EPIC and original sources

eurymene (Eurylochus x Ctimene) they are not mentioned in EPIC but yeah Ctimene is also Ody sister making Eury and Ody brothers in law

diodypen (Diomedes x Odysseus x Penelope) based more on the original source of The Odyssey/Illiad but will be mentioned in EPIC communities

odydio (Odysseus x Diomedes) again based more on original source but could be mentioned

telestratus (Telemachus x Peseistratus) again based on original source but will be mentioned at times

odypoli (Odysseus x Polites) EPIC based one of my personal favorites and a pretty popular ship not much else to say Perenor, Perinorpoli, Peripoli, ect (Perimedes x Elpenor, Perimedes x Elpenor x Polites, Perimedes x Polites) basically any combination of these three is a ship. this is caused by some cut song snippets Jorge has shared specifically Cope with That and a mention that originally Polites x Perimedes were supposed to be a thing

antimachus (Telemachus x Antinous) This is a toxic ship when it comes to EPIC cannon

Another big fandom thing that isnt really everybody cup of tea is something called the Manwore AU started by Anniflamma a big animator/artist within EPIC were basically Ody sleeps with everyone as a way to make it through his journey. I will mention that Ody does NOT cheat on Penelope in either EPIC or the original sources.

Polites Eury and Ody are childhood friends

people will often mention pancakes and Polites together that is from the Cyclops saga.

One of the problems in the fandom is a lot of people bashing Eury for his actions i personally dont like bashing characters since i believe every character made mistakes and messed up so no one character deserves to be blamed but you can form your own opinions on this.

Fans of EPIC are called winions which is short for wind minions shown in the Ocean Saga and is often related to the Lotus eater creatures

Big artists/animators for EPIC include Gigi, Aniflamma, Mircsy (prounounced merchy), Gwendy, Wolfythewitch, and a newer one called Neal

Playlist of EPIC animatics/animations in order (Vengeance saga is the livestream since its so new and not all the songs have animations yet)

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGNbMhyzUajd-DZadE_QzvBwpYr2J8_J2&si=nXBZSJQPXBnW-DnF

overall this community is actually one of the better to exist and for the most part except for a minority everyone is open and supportive so feel free to share your thoughts and creations. We have a ton of very creative and talented people and we welcome you to the EPIC community UwU

[leynaeithnea]

I didnt get an ask for this BUT WE'RE BACK

my Wisdom saga reaction/analysis!!!!!

26. Legendary

TELEMACHUS MY BOYYYY

THE MELODY AT THE BEGINNING OF LEGENDARY IS SO COOL

the instruments aaah, lowkey obssessed

"its jus tme myself and i" perimedes would like u

"living in this world you left behind".........this song makes oyu think so much about what life has been in Ithica in those years since Odysseus had to leave, he was loved, he is *King*, AH

"dreaming of all these monster, that ill never to get to fight" better this way, u dont wanna end up like your daddy

"but boy i wish i could so i could bring the world some light" BABY BOY

"Cause I'm stuck with your stories, but no clue who you are And no idea if you're dead or just too far" his mother wouldve told him so many stories :aniTears:

"Somebody tell me, come and give me a sign if I fight those monsters, is it you I'll find?" PLS HE jusT WANTS TO FIND HIS DAD GIVE THIS MAN HIS FATHER

"If so, then give me sirens and a cyclops Give me giants and a hydra" hes just naming every monster he can think of of the myths he grew up with

"I know life and fate are scary but I wanna be legendary" U GO BOY; I LOVE YOU, also such a mood

"I'll fight the harpies and chimeras, the Minotaur, even Cerberus I know life and fate are scary but I wanna be l-l-l-l-legendary"....yea same like the two parts before, any monster he can think of, he gotta be one of us kids who read a lot

THEN The droppp in his voice, HE SOUNDS SO SCARED

"There are strangers in our halls" That must be TERRIFYING, just imagine that, dozens of men in your home just prying on your mother and youre too young to do anything rly

"Trying to win the heart of my mom, but she is standing tall" THAT VOCAL PERFORMANCE, W FOR PENELOPE; GIRLBOSS

"108 old faces of men who call me small" EW; 108 IS SO MANY BRO; SO MANY????? Also "old faces" ISJGSEIGJ "who call me small" boy, i feel so bad for you

"They keep taking space and it's not much longer we can stall" !!!! HES WORKING WITH HIS MOTHER TRYING TO HOLD THEM OFF; AH AAAAH, also fuck them, leave their home alone, god he must feel so unsafe in his own home :screams:

"'Cause they're getting impatient, dangerous too" oh no :( so scared lil boy

"And I would fight them if I was half as strong as you" HE LOOKS UP TO HIM SO MUCH AH

"Somebody help me, come and give me the strength Can I do whatever it takes to keep my mom safe?" HES ALSO A MOMMY BOY; AND HONESTLY GOOD FOR HIM; STAND BY HER SIDE; U GO BOY, 🥹

Chrous SLAPs

"Where is he? Where is the man who'll have you to wife? " bitch stay away (also cut song reference!)

"Where is he? Where is the man with whom you'll spend your life?" HE IS ON His WAY HOme SO STAY THE FUCK AWAYYYYYYYY ARGG ILL FIGHT U

"Cause it's been 20 years, 20 years" 20 FUCKING YEARS??? THATS AS OLD AS I AM (and telemachus for that measure, same age, yay!) BUT BRO IMAGINE WAITING FOR YOUR HUSBAND TO COME HOME FOR 20 YEARS; PENELOPE X ODY OTP; PENELOPE FIGHTING OFF 108 SUITORS FOR 20 YEARS AND ODY FIGHTING OF *GODS* Trying TO TRAP AND USE AND KEEP HIM, THEY DESERVE EACH OTHER

"And we still have no king" >:) >:) imagine an island without leader for 20 years oh boy h boy, the power vacuum, 108 people who want to take his place

"Give me a chance, a single opportunity and I'll overcome these obstacles and scrutiny and-" HE WANTS TO SO BADLY he juST DOESNT KNOW HOW AND WHEre TO START BC AH, also the music sounds like he just tries to sneak around his palace, to not get caught by the suitors, dodging and on guard, i can just imagine him ducking his head and looking at every corner for smth danger-

"Boy".......that slapped hard, FUCK YOU ANTINOUS (hi perimedes :) )

"When's your tramp of a mother gonna choose a new husband?" FUCK YOU STAY AWAY (the dELIVERY)

"OoooOOoh" we have a new choir! the crew is ded but we have the suitors now hah, ill take it, love me some choir responses

"Why don't you open her room so we can have fun with her?" THE AUDACITY? WHORE FUCKING BASTARD STAY THE FUCK AWAY

"Dont you dare, call my mother a tramp" U GO BOY; TELL HIM (be careful, dont get hurt) THE VOCAL DELIVERY OF THAT LINE IS SO gOOD

"OoooOOoh" chiorr

" I just did, Whatchu gonna do about it, champ?" FUCK OFF ANTINOUS, DONT BE SO SMUG FUCK U

"Somebody tell me, Come and give me a sign, If I fight this monster, Is it you I'll find?" u desrve your dad so much, he'll come home, promise...promise....hold on, be stronk, u got this boy, also "this monster" its none from your stories, no this is real, its worse its right infront of you AH

Sorry for the swearing :") AH I LOVE THIS SONG SO MUCH, ONE OF MY FAVS FOR SURE (...we'll come back after recency bias but i dont think itll change)

EDIT: DANGER MOTIF WHEN ANTINOUNS JOINS IN!!!!! (are there more? im new to this PLS TELL ME)

@lorethebookworm

[littlyamadeus]

Note: I forgotten to post this on the day saga came but better late than never ig.

So besides Agatha All Along's AMAZING finale, I have another thing to talk about today.

EPIC THE MUSICAL: VENGANCE SAGA

I'll start from what I didn't like as much to my favorite times.

I'm gonna be honest, please don’t come after me for this but- I feel like "Not Sorry for Loving You" was not the best, even unnecessary.

Because no matter what kind of tragic story you have, you captured a man for 7 FUCKING YEARS with the claim of "Loving him". I am not even talking about SA issues akthough they may be not cannon in EPIC universe. Regardless, what Calypso did was pure torture and she does not deserve any sympathy. Especially as someone who loved someone dearly in the past, I know I'd not give the 1 percent of kindness Ody gave to Calypso in the song.

Now that I vent about that one we con go to good part.

HERMESSSSSSSS OUR ICON CAME BACK! Gosh for real Troy proved once again how he is the PERFECT Hermes. I love his voice, love his energy. Dangerous is definitely one of my favorites from this saga.

"Don't thank me my friend/ I am not the one who fight for you" I need Athena ASAP, cryin and sobbin and chokin.

Charybidis, the music was amazing and EPIC becoming even more of a game like musical which as a gamer I am here for it!!!!

GET IN THE WATER'S INTRO IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I HEARD. It is so short yet it immediately puts you in that Final Boss mood. I can listen that part over and over again. That dramatic piano, GOSH-

Steven Rodriguez, he is too good. Like how, the moment I hear his voice I tense in the best way possible. I mean okay I'll get in the water for you🤭 (Said the lesbian). Also when he said "I can't", I once felt the obligations and pressure that Greek Gods are always under. Like he said, he got a reputation and reputation is everything if you don't want people to question your sacredness.

Which thinking about it, it also remind me the time when Hades couldn't immediately release Eurydive because he'd become a "Spineless king".

Six Hundred Strike.... All I can say is "Next to my wife."

[gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan]

Rumor Has It

Author's note: More of Imhoden in Husbandry

Summary: Imhoden sulks at Janus for an unfair punishment he got when he squabbled with some renegade Space Wolves.

Warning: None? Let me know if I need to add anything. 

Past =-= Next

Tagged: @barn-anon, @bleedingichorhearts, @c-u-c-koo-4-40k, @egrets-not-regrets, @kit-williams,

Tagged: @sleepyfan-blog, @ms--lobotomy , @thevoidscreams, @i-am-a-dragon34, @gra93fruit-blog

One of the things that Imohoden had been warned about - was Chaos, with a capital C, at least on Ancient Terra. Slowly he’d been told about the Fall of the Legions, at least half of them. How the fighting had spread to becoming a full fledged civil war.

It had been surprising, yet not entirely so- that things had exploded so spectacularly, especially with hindsight-and with what his brothers, those who had survived The Deal and The Dusting (whatever the fuck that is) how things had been driven to that path.

Some of his brothers encouraged him to Join Chaos, others informed him that it was better to not doom and damn himself with such a thing. The Bonds- and how they affected things is terribly fascinating and he’s on one of the many research teams, as well as being Bonded himself, it helps with assessing how things are going and what, carefully, gently, the limits of certain kinds of Bonds are.

Imhoden is working on some paperwork, which ugh, is so fucking boring, yet is also incredibly important. He’d rather be researching and writing about interesting things. Not this sort of petty grox-shite.

He doesn’t realize how fierce his scowl is until he hears a familiar- yet not voice call out to him. “Oh dear- someone’s sour. What’s wrong Odie?”

Imhoden turns to look over and up at Janus, the sharp and angry features on his face lightening and brightening up when he recognizes Janus. His brother has changed- so Much, has lived so long, but there are still some recognizable parts of his brother’s soul and magic that makes it easier for him to recognize him.

His brother has been heavily twisted and mutated by the Chaos Deity of Change, trickery, and schemes. Janus is very bird-like in his movements and habits, as well as in looks. He’s got a flexible (disturbingly) flexible beak and has some feathers that twirl in dizzying patterns along his armor.

“I’m being punished with menial paperwork,” Imhoden complains dramatically.

“Why do you say that brother?” Janus asks, tilting his head, and with a teasing chuckle that sounds like a bird song, “And what did you do to deserve punishment.”

“Those fucking barbarian wolves deserved it,” Imhoden spat out, angrily, “Those fucking Space Wolf renegades were howling and jabbering about. Demanding help with one of their Number suddenly getting a bonded, but they didn’t know if it was one of three humans they semi-kidnapped.”

“Space wolves are barbarian bastards, yes,” Janus agrees with a whistle his hands, which have bird-like talons flex.

“I was, unfortunately,” Imhoden says unhappily, “The poor Psyker within grabbing range to assess them.”

“And?” Janus prompted gamely.

“The fuckers too offense to the fact that I’m a Son of Magnus,” Imhoden said, “And we got into a bit of a fight- the fuckers had me out numbered.”

“That’s unfortunate.” Janus says sympathetically as he eyes his brother for injuries- Space wolves could fight very dirty at times.

“The fight was stopped by Apothecary Hura,” Imhoden says with a grimace and a shudder. He’d met that particularly… twisted Chaos Space Marine before.

“Ah- and as punishment he sent you to do paperwork,” Janus says with a nod, “yes- Apothecary Hura is… Intimidating, and clever.”

“It was that or apologize to the Space Wolves,” Imhoden says, “And I was not going to apologize to those fuckers.”

“Hura’s great at picking horrible punishments that stick with a person.” Janus says with a grimace, “without going too far, so you can’t complain to the Base Commander for a different sentence. Especially since they could make you do some even worse grox-shit.”

“Yes!” Imhoden says, throwing his hands up in the air as he leans back in the chair.

“At least, it’s not worse.” Janus points out.

“... Yeah.” Imhoden says, “I think they pissed Apothecary Hura or his puppy of a not-apprentice Cedric though.”

“Why do you think that?” Janus asks.

“Hura inflicted a harsher punishment on them than he did for me.” Imhoden says smugly, “Or they are known Trouble Makers who get worse punishments from the get-go. Serves them right, either way.”

[thedeadsun]

i loved athena and ody's reunion in ichbw. ik a lot of ppl were disappointed but personally i think it was just right. they hadn't spoken in ten years, they'd both changed DRRASTICALLY and were both hurting. in 'my goodbye' they both hurt each other and they were both suffering without one another. however, that's what makes interacting again so difficult. athena was incredibly harsh on ody ("you've grown soft, your dead friends can attest") and now she was trying to apologise. athena is incredibly prideful—she leaves when ody makes a mistake and doesnt try to help him again until his son basically convinces her. Instead, she tries to show ody that she knows she was wrong and she wants to be better. ody knows this, but its long past his tine for change. the underworld saga was his turning point; he knew could not get home without ruthlessness. when ody gets home, he's mid forties to early fifties. he's too old to fight again, he has a kindom to watch over, he has a family to reconcile with. he knows she's immortal and says that she can change the world, but it will have to be without him. athena understands this. her "very well" conveys so much in such little time. Her voice, she's emotional, she's sad. But she understands. she knows ody has to move on and encourages it. she doesn't need him to be her warrior, she needs him to be himself again. she knows he deserves it after 20 years of fighting to get home. they might still need each other, and they might become friends again. but it wont be the same. because ody is no longer her soldier. she recognises that and she will likely continue to do so if their relationship ever was rebuilt. athena and ody's friendship was built off of war, but after 2 decades of nothing but that, it will now be peace. because thats all either of them ever really needed. peace, and time. quiet. the world is quiet here.

[idreamofthemeparks]

The full Tiana's Bayou Adventure video came out today and hoo boy do I have thoughts

Pros:

-gorgeous animatronics, obviously

-TWO Mama Odie animatronics

-banger song

-nice finale

-cute original characters

-the part where you shrink down to frog size was neat

Cons:

-OH GOD IT'S SO EMPTY. Most of the ride feels like Na'Vi River Journey where it has really nice atmosphere but you are allowed one (1) thing to look at at a time, and the rest is just dead space with some ~ambience~. The spotlights shining on each animatronic do not help with that.

-what the hell happened to that storyline about finding the secret ingredient for a recipe? What is this Frozen Ever After-ass "story" about going to a party?

-oh god there are so many more screens than I thought there would be

-Zero buildup or anticipation of the drop. Zero. You don't have to center the whole thing around the drop, but it should be more than an afterthought.

-We couldn't even get one crumb of Dr Facilier? Why didn't HE turn you into a frog?

-banger song plays for exactly 10 seconds. Otherwise, songs from the movie just kinda play at random.

-I like the finale but it's not the showstopper that Splash had. Why didn't they keep the riverboat. There is a riverboat IN THE MOVIE.

-why is Tiana talking like that? So weird and exaggerated? I don't remember her talking like that in the movie

Basically it has some good parts, but good animatronics do not a good ride make. Tiana deserved so much better, she is such a unique princess and they could've done so much with this concept. I WANTED SO BADLY TO LIKE THIS RIDE. I WAS SO EXCITED FOR IT.

[vyunok-obyknovenniy]

Regarding Argos, I have a few thoughts (this is going to be a bit long (^▽⁠ ^;⁠))

First of, here's the quote:

(From Fagles' translation) Book 17 Stranger at the Gates <...> Now, as they talked on, a dog that lay there lifted up his muzzle, pricked his ears … It was Argos, long-enduring Odysseus’ dog he trained as a puppy once, but little joy he got since all too soon he shipped to sacred Troy. In the old days young hunters loved to set him coursing after the wild goats and deer and hares. But now with his master gone he lay there, castaway, on piles of dung from mules and cattle, heaps collecting out before the gates till Odysseus’ serving-men could cart it off to manure the king’s estates. Infested with ticks, half-dead from neglect, here lay the hound, old Argos. But the moment he sensed Odysseus standing by he thumped his tail, nuzzling low, and his ears dropped, though he had no strength to drag himself an inch toward his master. Odysseus glanced to the side and flicked away a tear, hiding it from Eumaeus, diverting his friend in a hasty, offhand way: “Strange, Eumaeus, look, a dog like this, lying here on a dung-hill … what handsome lines! But I can’t say for sure if he had the running speed to match his looks or he was only the sort that gentry spoil at table, show-dogs masters pamper for their points.” You told the stranger, Eumaeus, loyal swineherd, “Here—it’s all too true—here’s the dog of a man who died in foreign parts. But if he had now the form and flair he had in his glory days— as Odysseus left him, sailing off to Troy— you’d be amazed to see such speed, such strength. No quarry he chased in the deepest, darkest woods could ever slip this hound. A champion tracker too! Ah, but he’s run out of luck now, poor fellow … his master’s dead and gone, so far from home, and the heartless women tend him not at all. Slaves, with their lords no longer there to crack the whip, lose all zest to perform their duties well. Zeus, the Old Thunderer, robs a man of half his virtue the day the yoke clamps down around his neck.” With that he entered the well-constructed palace, strode through the halls and joined the proud suitors. But the dark shadow of death closed down on Argos’ eyes the instant he saw Odysseus, twenty years away. <...>

The text seems to imply Argos got abandoned a long time ago (or maybe it's the translation, I'm not sure. I don't know the original text)

My question is: did Tele even know, that this was his father's dog? That Odysseus had a dog and that dog was right there in the palace?

A couple possibilities:

Perhaps early into the 20 years of Odysseus' absence, or, more likely, early into the 10 years Odysseus was lost at sea, the suitors would've used Argos for their hunts? But then the moment Argos starts falling behind due to old age, they would quite literally throw him away...

Or

They could've been mistreating Argos because he was Odysseus' dog? They could've been too proud and arrogant to take him to hunt, even if he's better than all their dogs ;-;

The first version could also explain, why Argos wasn't with Telemachus.

"He's an infant. Such a good hunting dog would be wasted by his side"

And then people kind of forget about Argos, since he's with the suitors most of the time, until he gets abandoned again, but it's not like the suitors would make an announcement about this, so Tele might never even know that Argos exists...

And then, after Ody is back and everything settled down, he brings up Argos. Maybe he decides to bury the dead dog properly, not just let the body lay and rot where he died.

Telemachus could be really surprised, as well as feel guilty about not having known and taken care of Argos. He would also be sad and possibly angry, that he never got to spend time with his dad's dog.

Penelope would feel even more guilty, because Argos was hunting with the suitors and she assumed he was fine, until she just... forgot about him...

Odysseus may be a dog person but Penelope is definitely a cat person.

I know we joke about how Odysseus is a "Wet Cat" as it's correct but he really does "show love" and even behaves like a cat to me.

The whole "I only love two people and they're the only ones who can love me without fear of me biting them." as most cats pick "Their person".

My cats are literally the type to be like "Hi! I love you!" all the while they're walking across my work and knocking most shit over, leaving destruction in their wake. Odysseus literally slaughters a bunch of people and then a whiplash of him crying while being held by his wife.

(I also headcanon him as someone who "demands attention" like a cat. Especially from Penelope. "Ima lay my head in your lap even if you're kind of busy." "Ima grab your hand and start kissing your fingers even if you're holding something.")

Odysseus always wants to claim he's like a dog (Loyal, Brave, etc.) but he's not. Penelope has always loved cats, using some string to play with them sometimes even though I don't think Mycenae Greece had cats until later periods, being brought over from Egypt, it's a headcanon, let me have fun and his "wet cat" vibes are what drew her to him in the first place.