Olympian Gods (comics)
Encyclopedia
The Olympian Gods are mythological deities who appear in the Wonder Woman
, Captain Marvel
and Aquaman
comics.
, the Earth was seeded with great power. It first manifested in the form of old gods, then of metahumans. Some of the oldest of these gods were hidden from the universe until the time of ancient Greece by the sorceress, Hecate
. Hecate reasoned that the Olympian Gods
(as they would eventually be called) were greatly weakened after usurping power from their father Cronus
and the Titans of Myth
. She feared that other powerful gods in the universe (notably Darkseid
of Apokolips
) would seize Earth for himself. Because of Hecate's enchantment, Darkseid wrongly believed that he and the other New Gods
pre-dated the Olympians. (Action Comics #600, Wonder Woman v.2 #19)
The Olympian Gods are the chief deities of the Greco-Roman pantheon. After the six children of Cronus and Rhea
had overthrown the Titans, the three brothers among them cast lots for three domains: Poseidon
drew the sea, Hades
the netherworld of the dead, and Zeus
the sky. But the Earth and high Olympus were left common to all. Hades, however, keeps to his shadowy realm and is not one of the Olympians.
Zeus is father of the gods, god of the sky and thunder. Hera
, his consort, is queen of the gods and patroness of marriage. She is among the goddesses most often invoked by the Amazons
. Poseidon is the sea god. According to Plato, his children founded Atlantis
, and he is its chief god. Demeter
is the goddess of agriculture. Hestia
, most modest of the goddesses, is goddess of home and hearth. The above are all children of Cronus and Rhea.
Aphrodite
was born from the sea-foam and became the goddess of love. She is mother of Eros, god of love. Pallas Athena
was born fully grown and fully armed from the brow of Zeus. She is goddess of wisdom and defensive war. She gets no pleasure from war but prefers to settle things peaceably. Yet in battle she is undefeatable, even by the god of war Ares
. Athena is one of the chief Amazonian gods. Hephaestus
is god of metalworking and fire. It is he who forged Wonder Woman's
golden Lasso of Truth
from the girdle
of the earth-goddess Gaea
, and her silver braclets which he formed from the splintered Aegis of Zeus. Hermes
is god of commerce, herdsmen, and thieves, as well as herald of the gods. It was he who first brought the Princess Diana to Man's World. Phoebus Apollo
and his twin sister Artemis
are both experts with the bow. He is god of light, poetry, and music; she is goddess of the moon and the hunt.
Dionysus
is the god of vineyards and wine. Pan
, son of Hermes, is god of the countryside and nature. He is also a consummate schemer. Persephone
is daughter of Zeus and Demeter and is goddess of Spring.
Centuries ago, an argument between Artemis and Ares led to the creation of the Amazons, who have been guided and protected by the goddesses ever since.
came to Rome. There he spread tales of the great Olympian gods. Their following grew tremendously in Rome and so they created avatars of themselves; they were worshipped under different names. Uxas knew that each half of the pantheon would be less powerful than the original gods. Later, as the god Darkseid, Uxas would use this knowledge to crush Zeus himself. (Wonder Woman v.2 #132-133)
Ares' recent schemes to destroy the Amazons and his fellow gods led to an Amazon champion being chosen. (Wonder Woman v.2 #1) This champion was the Princess Diana, daughter of Queen Hippolyta
, whom Hermes escorted to Man's World. There she was called Wonder Woman. While the Olympian gods were her patrons, other gods were her foes. Ares and his progeny, Deimos
and Phobos
, quickly set about challenging the princess in her quest. Phobos created the creature Decay
from the "heart of the Gorgon
," which Diana quickly dispatched. Meanwhile, Deimos recruited humans on opposing sides, inciting them to war. (Wonder Woman #3-4)
Ares' daughter, Harmonia
, chose to help Diana, however. She gave her a powerful amulet with the power to transport across dimensions. Diana slayed Deimos with her razor sharp tiara, and from him acquired the other half of Harmonia's amulet. Finally, Ares stepped in to claim the talisman, but Diana bound him with her lasso of truth. He realized that to allow humans to war would leave no kingdom for him to rule. In failure, Ares declared that he would no longer trifle with the affairs of man, and also forbade his offspring from appearing on Earth. He also took the amulet and all the power which had been collected therein. (Wonder Woman #5-6)
In defeating Ares, Diana was greatly injured. The gods were so pleased with her that they took her into the sea and healed her. Then, Hermes gifted her with winged sandals which would enable her to travel freely between Themyscira
and Man's World. (Wonder Woman #7) At some point, the god Pan was killed and replaced by a Manhunter android. It was this impostor who began a feud among the gods. The feud began when Zeus turned an amorous eye towards Diana, offering to make her a goddess if she participated in 'the ultimate sharing of the flesh'. When Diana and her mother opposed the great god, he was angered and punished Diana. She would have to complete a task for each of the gods, culminating in the defeat of the monsters beyond "Doom's Doorway." This doorway was the Amazon's charge for millennia and if Diana was unsuccessful, the Amazons would be destroyed. (Wonder Woman #10)
Diana succeeded in her trials, defeating numerous monsters including Echidna
, the Chimera
, the Cyclops
, the Hydra
, the Harpies and the Minotaur
. Eventually, Pan's bones were discovered on Olympus but it was too late to save Diana from her labors. Joined by her mother, Diana did indeed destroy the demons beneath Themyscira with the help of the amulet of Harmonia (these demons were funneled into Ares). Diana also freed Heracles
, who had borne the weight of Themyscira for eons while imprisoned in a stone form and had been scarred by various monsters. Heracles was accepted into Olympus
. (Wonder Woman #11-14)
Soon thereafter, the gods secreted themselves away for a conference. At this time, Darkseid attacked Olympus. The dark god ceased hostilities, though, as soon as he realized the place was deserted. (Action Comics #600) When the gods returned, they had decided upon destroying Mount Olympus and undertaking a "cosmic migration" to the stars. Over Hermes' objections, they took several steps. First, The three elder brothers made a new pact to replace the original pact which divided Earth among them. Then, they combined the will of all the gods (minus Ares) and the strength of Amazon prayer, and used Diana's bracelets to amplify that power. (The bracelets are all that remained of Zeus' Aegis; this Aegis was made from the hide of Amalthea, the goat which reared him.) Thus, the old home was demolished and New Olympus was created. In order to properly establish this new home, it was necessary for the Gods to sequester themselves indefinitely. (Wonder Woman #16-19, 21).
Hermes defected from his brethren and would not join the migration. He had already involved himself in Man's World by stopping the evil Circe. (Wonder Woman #19) Hermes elected to remain on Earth and joined Diana in her mission. (Wonder Woman #23-24)
. Circe had amassed great power by bringing gods of various pantheons together. Among them were the Roman gods, who challenged the Olympians for their domain. It took much strength for Zeus to summon Hermes and Diana to New Olympus, where the gods had been trapped. Earth's heroes were able to turn the tide against Circe, but three gods died: Circe killed Hermes; Harmonia was killed by her sister Eris; and Eris herself was slain by Son of Vulcan
. Zeus and Olympians decided then to follow the call of Cronus and the Titans to help guide other worlds in the universe. New Olympus was left to the Roman gods. (War of the Gods #1-4, Wonder Woman #58-60)
For unexplained reasons, Heracles struck a deal with a mortal man, Harold Campion, whereby the two would exchange places (Earth for Olympus) Heracles used the mirror of Circe to conceal his identity and adventured under the name Champion. (Wonder Woman #110-112) He cast a love spell on Diana and accompanied her for a time, until Diana discovered his true identity. (Wonder Woman #115-117)
In the Gods' absence, the Amazons began to revert to clay. To justify the Olympians' return to Earth, Zeus summoned Diana and several of her friends to testify before him. It was Hippolyta who tipped the scales, however. She played a secret card which greatly swayed them. (In truth, she simply reminded Ares that before her reincarnation, Hippolyta had been Ares' daughter, and thus Zeus' granddaughter). At this time, Zeus also granted strength and flight to Cassie Sandsmark (Wonder Woman #122) Soon, Highfather
of the New Gods summoned Zeus and Heracles to once again battle Darkseid. To this end, Zeus, Odin
, Ares, Jove
and Highfather merged into one being and entered the Source. When cast out, Zeus was gravely injured and remained bonded to Jove. Heracles returned with him to Olympus. (Wonder Woman #126, Jack Kirby's Fourth World #8)
Their greatest champion, Princess Diana soon lost her life against the devil, Neron
. (Wonder Woman #125) Hera (now presiding over Olympus) transfigured Diana into a goddess of truth and welcomed her to live with the gods. Diana was told she could not interfere with the daily lives of mortals, unless prayed to. Hera sits on the throne; Diana admonished (Wonder Woman #127-129) The gods shared the secret of their division with Diana and decided to reunite their essences with those of their Roman counterparts. (Wonder Woman #130-133) Diana could not be prevented from interfering with the mortal world and so she was banished to Earth. (Wonder Woman #136) She was soon also stripped of her immortality. (Wonder Woman #139)
Zeus' father, Cronus returned with an army of new Titans: Arch, Disdain, Harrier, Oblivion, Slaughter and Titan. Their power had grown from the faith of a cult on Earth. The Titans heralded the coming Cronus (Wonder Woman #139-140) Cronus sought to capture all power of the godwave. He began by defeating the Olympians and casting Zeus down to Earth. He then conquered the Hindu
pantheon and headed for Heaven. But Wonder Woman freed the Olympians and united with the Hindus and the Pax Dei (heavenly host). Diana trounced Cronus but the god still managed to touch the power of the Source. In doing so, he gained perfect clarity. Humbled, he returned to mother Gaea. Afterwards, Zeus formed an alliance with the other pantheons. (Wonder Woman #147-150) Indeed, Zeus soon appeared to Superman
with several allies under the banner of I.D.C.A.P. (Interfaith Deity Council of Active Polytheistics). (Superman: Man of Steel #127)
The merger of the Greek and Roman pantheons did not sit well with the Roman goddess Diana
. She accepted an offer of power from the old "Shattered God," separated from Artemis and betrayed the Olympians. Diana died in battle with Wonder Woman when she was crushed by a statue of Zeus. The Olympians were incapacitated, but Wonder Woman eventually found a way to awaken them in time for them to strike decisively at the Shattered God. (Wonder Woman #189-194)
(wisdom and magic), Mammitu
(judgement bringer), Bast
(nature and feminine), and Neith
(mother figure and protection). These gods followed the Bana-Mighdallian Amazons to Themyscira where they continued to be worshipped. Facing the situation with hands tied, both pantheons agreed to integrate themselves with each other for the benefit of their people. Though these new gods do not reside on Olympus, they are treated with diplomacy when called to aid the Amazons in a united godly role. Despite the gods mentioned being part of the inner-circle of deities in the Bana's belief system, less significant gods have been shown to be part of their godly pantheon as well such as Sekhmet
(war god), Thoth
(their only known male god) and possibly Ishtar
(love goddess). The gods of Bana-Mighdall proved their loyalty to the Olympians by aiding the Greek gods in battle when the war gods Sekhmet and Ares previously devised a coup on Olympus.
but seemingly fell to Briareos. Unknown to Zeus, this was a trick played by Athena and Diana to prove to the latter that Zeus had no compassion and was not a worthy ruler. Athena agreed to forfeit if Zeus would spare Diana's life, but he denied her, proving his unworthiness. This prompted the other goddesses to deliver the head of Medusa
unto Diana, which she used to turn Briareos to stone. Athena took the throne at last, but Zeus immediately began plotting a coup with his brothers in Tartarus
. (Wonder Woman #212-213)
Athena immediately set Diana on a quest into Hades to free the god Hermes. She descended beneath Doom's Doorway with Wonder Girl
(Cassandra Sandsmark) and Ferdinand the Minotaur and was confronted by Zeus' alliance. Ironically, she might not have succeeded but for the machinations of her constant nemesis, Ares. (Wonder Woman #215) Ares acted as a double agent and gained Zeus' trust, but when the opportunity arose, he killed his uncle Hades and assumed control of the netherworld. Diana then used Hermes' caduceus
to revive him. Back on Olympus, Zeus asked for Athena's forgiveness, which she granted. Athena then also restored Diana's sight, but bound it to her own. (Wonder Woman #216-217)
It was on this quest that Cassandra Sandsmark finally learned of her own godly origins. Her mother had indeed lain with Zeus, but Helena Sandsmark forbade Diana or anyone from revealing the truth to Cassie. (Wonder Woman #217)
Not long after this, Athena sensed a dark destiny for the gods amidst the cosmic mechanations of Alexander Luthor
. In the crisis created by his chaos, Diana was forced to kill Maxwell Lord
, and incurred the ire of the world's public. (Wonder Woman #219) The U.S. government responded by mobilizing against Themyscira, and Diana realized that as long as she was a target, the Amazons would never be safe. Diana prayed to the gods to take the Amazons to safety, but got more than she bargained for. (Wonder Woman #224) On Olympus, she pleaded against Athena's decision to remove the gods from Earth's affairs. Regardless, the gods departed, leaving Diana bereft of family and faith. (Wonder Woman #225)
Aquaman
has also had run-ins with the Olympian sea deities. Poseidon had long relinquished the title of Sea King to Orin of Atlantis, but when Aquaman's subjects lost faith in him, Poseidon arranged a challenge with his son Triton
. (Aquaman v.5 #34) Aquaman bested Triton and the godling fell from grace with his father. In anger, Triton slayed Poseidon and claimed his power. (Aquaman #42) Aquaman freed Poseidon by appealing to Lord Hades, and when they returned from the dead, Poseidon slew his son in turn. Disgusted with mortal affairs, Poseidon bequeathed his trident to Aquaman. (Aquaman #45-46) Aquaman somehow lost the Trident, though, as it was last seen with Queen Clea
. (Wonder Woman Annual Vol. 3, #1)
of myth, who laid with Zeus and bore his children. Hera changed her into a snake-like creature and killed her children. She now lurks in the American sewers, acting as a benevolent caregiver to troubled children. She attempted to commit suicide using Diana’s lasso (which she had her young friend Sneaker steal), but Diana stopped her and Lamia disappeared along with Sneaker, with whom she had developed a mother-daughter relationship. (Showcase '93 #11)
Later, Wonder Girl also encountered the Empousai called "Lamiai." Lamiai bit into Cassie but recoiled when she discovered that she had god's blood. Before she could reveal Cassie's father, she was slain by Ares. Lamiai's brother, Mormolykeia also battled Ferdinand the Minotaur during this quest. (Wonder Woman #216)
and Justice League Unlimited
animated series.
Gods who have appeared include Hades, Ares, Hephaestus and Hermes.
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
, Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (DC Comics)
Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
and Aquaman
Aquaman
Aquaman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in More Fun Comics #73 . Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles, Aquaman later starred in several volumes of a solo title...
comics.
Ancient Times
When a Godwave spilled forth from the creation of the Fourth WorldJack Kirby's Fourth World
"The Fourth World" is the popular name given to a metaseries of interconnecting comic book titles written and drawn by Jack Kirby and published by DC Comics from 1970 to 1973. The characters and concepts were later integrated into the DC Universe....
, the Earth was seeded with great power. It first manifested in the form of old gods, then of metahumans. Some of the oldest of these gods were hidden from the universe until the time of ancient Greece by the sorceress, Hecate
Hecate
Hecate or Hekate is a chthonic Greco-Roman goddess associated with magic, witchcraft, necromancy, and crossroads.She is attested in poetry as early as Hesiod's Theogony...
. Hecate reasoned that the Olympian Gods
Twelve Olympians
The Twelve Olympians, also known as the Dodekatheon , in Greek mythology, were the principal deities of the Greek pantheon, residing atop Mount Olympus. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Hestia, and Hades were siblings. Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Athena, Apollo, and Artemis were children of Zeus...
(as they would eventually be called) were greatly weakened after usurping power from their father Cronus
Cronus
In Greek mythology, Cronus or Kronos was the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans, divine descendants of Gaia, the earth, and Uranus, the sky...
and the Titans of Myth
Titans of Myth (comics)
The Titans of Myth are mythological deities who appear in the Teen Titans and Wonder Woman comic book series by DC Comics.-Pre-Crisis:...
. She feared that other powerful gods in the universe (notably Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
of Apokolips
Apokolips
In the DC Comics fictional shared Universe, Apokolips is the planet ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. It is also integral to many DC Comics stories. The planet is considered the opposite of New Genesis....
) would seize Earth for himself. Because of Hecate's enchantment, Darkseid wrongly believed that he and the other New Gods
New Gods
The New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
pre-dated the Olympians. (Action Comics #600, Wonder Woman v.2 #19)
The Olympian Gods are the chief deities of the Greco-Roman pantheon. After the six children of Cronus and Rhea
Rhea (mythology)
Rhea was the Titaness daughter of Uranus, the sky, and Gaia, the earth, in Greek mythology. She was known as "the mother of gods". In earlier traditions, she was strongly associated with Gaia and Cybele, the Great Goddess, and was later seen by the classical Greeks as the mother of the Olympian...
had overthrown the Titans, the three brothers among them cast lots for three domains: Poseidon
Poseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
drew the sea, Hades
Hades (DC Comics)
Hades is a fictional character, a god in the DC Comics universe based on the actual Hades from Greek mythology. He is primarily featured in the Wonder Woman series, alternately as a divine benefactor and enemy of the heroine.-Fictional character biography:...
the netherworld of the dead, and Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
the sky. But the Earth and high Olympus were left common to all. Hades, however, keeps to his shadowy realm and is not one of the Olympians.
Zeus is father of the gods, god of the sky and thunder. Hera
Hera
Hera was the wife and one of three sisters of Zeus in the Olympian pantheon of Greek mythology and religion. Her chief function was as the goddess of women and marriage. Her counterpart in the religion of ancient Rome was Juno. The cow and the peacock were sacred to her...
, his consort, is queen of the gods and patroness of marriage. She is among the goddesses most often invoked by the Amazons
Themyscira
Themyscira is a fictional island nation in the DC Comics universe that is the place of origin of Wonder Woman and her sister Amazons. Known as Paradise Island since Wonder Woman and the island's first appearance in All Star Comics #8 , it was renamed "Themyscira" with the character's February...
. Poseidon is the sea god. According to Plato, his children founded Atlantis
Atlantis (DC Comics)
Atlantis is a fictional location in the DC Comics Universe. The very first DC Universe version of Atlantis debuted in Action Comics #18 , and was created by...
, and he is its chief god. Demeter
Demeter
In Greek mythology, Demeter is the goddess of the harvest, who presided over grains, the fertility of the earth, and the seasons . Her common surnames are Sito as the giver of food or corn/grain and Thesmophoros as a mark of the civilized existence of agricultural society...
is the goddess of agriculture. Hestia
Hestia
In Greek mythology Hestia , first daughter of Cronus and Rhea , is the virgin goddess of the hearth, architecture, and of the right ordering of domesticity and the family. She received the first offering at every sacrifice in the household. In the public domain, the hearth of the prytaneum...
, most modest of the goddesses, is goddess of home and hearth. The above are all children of Cronus and Rhea.
Aphrodite
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.Her Roman equivalent is the goddess .Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia....
was born from the sea-foam and became the goddess of love. She is mother of Eros, god of love. Pallas Athena
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
was born fully grown and fully armed from the brow of Zeus. She is goddess of wisdom and defensive war. She gets no pleasure from war but prefers to settle things peaceably. Yet in battle she is undefeatable, even by the god of war Ares
Ares (DC Comics)
Ares is a fictional character, a supervillainous God appearing in DC Comics publications and related media. Based upon the Greek mythological figure of the same name, he is the god of War and one of the major adversaries of Wonder Woman. He first appeared in Wonder Woman #1, volume 1, published in...
. Athena is one of the chief Amazonian gods. Hephaestus
Hephaestus
Hephaestus was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan. He is the son of Zeus and Hera, the King and Queen of the Gods - or else, according to some accounts, of Hera alone. He was the god of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals, metallurgy, fire and volcanoes...
is god of metalworking and fire. It is he who forged Wonder Woman's
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
golden Lasso of Truth
Lasso of Truth
The Lasso of Truth is a fictional weapon wielded by DC Comics superheroine Wonder Woman, Princess Diana of Themyscira. It is usually referred to as the Magic Lasso or Golden Lasso and forces anyone it captures to obey and tell the truth....
from the girdle
Golden Girdle of Gaea
The Golden Girdle of Gaea is a fictional object depicted in the DC Comics book Wonder Woman. It is based on the mythological girdle stolen by Heracles as part of his Twelve Labors.-Comic book history:...
of the earth-goddess Gaea
Gaia (mythology)
Gaia was the primordial Earth-goddess in ancient Greek religion. Gaia was the great mother of all: the heavenly gods and Titans were descended from her union with Uranus , the sea-gods from her union with Pontus , the Giants from her mating with Tartarus and mortal creatures were sprung or born...
, and her silver braclets which he formed from the splintered Aegis of Zeus. Hermes
Hermes
Hermes is the great messenger of the gods in Greek mythology and a guide to the Underworld. Hermes was born on Mount Kyllini in Arcadia. An Olympian god, he is also the patron of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of the cunning of thieves, of orators and...
is god of commerce, herdsmen, and thieves, as well as herald of the gods. It was he who first brought the Princess Diana to Man's World. Phoebus Apollo
Phoebus Apollo
Phoebus Apollo may refer to*Apollo, a figure in Greek and Roman mythology*Parnassius phoebus, a swallowtail butterfly commonly known as the Phoebus Apollo...
and his twin sister Artemis
Artemis
Artemis was one of the most widely venerated of the Ancient Greek deities. Her Roman equivalent is Diana. Some scholars believe that the name and indeed the goddess herself was originally pre-Greek. Homer refers to her as Artemis Agrotera, Potnia Theron: "Artemis of the wildland, Mistress of Animals"...
are both experts with the bow. He is god of light, poetry, and music; she is goddess of the moon and the hunt.
Dionysus
Dionysus
Dionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology. His name in Linear B tablets shows he was worshipped from c. 1500—1100 BC by Mycenean Greeks: other traces of Dionysian-type cult have been found in ancient Minoan Crete...
is the god of vineyards and wine. Pan
Pan (mythology)
Pan , in Greek religion and mythology, is the god of the wild, shepherds and flocks, nature, of mountain wilds, hunting and rustic music, as well as the companion of the nymphs. His name originates within the Greek language, from the word paein , meaning "to pasture." He has the hindquarters, legs,...
, son of Hermes, is god of the countryside and nature. He is also a consummate schemer. Persephone
Persephone
In Greek mythology, Persephone , also called Kore , is the daughter of Zeus and the harvest-goddess Demeter, and queen of the underworld; she was abducted by Hades, the god-king of the underworld....
is daughter of Zeus and Demeter and is goddess of Spring.
Centuries ago, an argument between Artemis and Ares led to the creation of the Amazons, who have been guided and protected by the goddesses ever since.
New Era
One day, the young Uxas of ApokolipsApokolips
In the DC Comics fictional shared Universe, Apokolips is the planet ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. It is also integral to many DC Comics stories. The planet is considered the opposite of New Genesis....
came to Rome. There he spread tales of the great Olympian gods. Their following grew tremendously in Rome and so they created avatars of themselves; they were worshipped under different names. Uxas knew that each half of the pantheon would be less powerful than the original gods. Later, as the god Darkseid, Uxas would use this knowledge to crush Zeus himself. (Wonder Woman v.2 #132-133)
Ares' recent schemes to destroy the Amazons and his fellow gods led to an Amazon champion being chosen. (Wonder Woman v.2 #1) This champion was the Princess Diana, daughter of Queen Hippolyta
Queen Hippolyta (comics)
Queen Hippolyta is a fictional character and DC Comics superhero, based on Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons in Greek mythology. She is also the mother of Wonder Woman and Donna Troy.-Golden and Silver Age versions:...
, whom Hermes escorted to Man's World. There she was called Wonder Woman. While the Olympian gods were her patrons, other gods were her foes. Ares and his progeny, Deimos
Deimos (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Deimos was the personification of terror.He was the son of Ares and Aphrodite. He is the twin brother of Phobos and the goddess Enyo who accompanied Ares into battle, as well as his father's attendants, Trembling, Fear, Dread, and Panic...
and Phobos
Phobos (mythology)
Phobos is the personification of horror in Greek mythology. He is the offspring of Ares and Aphrodite. He was known for accompanying Ares into battle along with his brother, Deimos, the goddess Enyo, and his father’s attendants. Timor is his Roman equivalent...
, quickly set about challenging the princess in her quest. Phobos created the creature Decay
Decay (DC Comics)
Decay is a fictional character owned by DC Comics. She appears as a villain in the Wonder Woman comic book series.-Fictional character biography:...
from the "heart of the Gorgon
Gorgon
In Greek mythology, the Gorgon was a terrifying female creature. The name derives from the Greek word gorgós, which means "dreadful." While descriptions of Gorgons vary across Greek literature, the term commonly refers to any of three sisters who had hair of living, venomous snakes, and a...
," which Diana quickly dispatched. Meanwhile, Deimos recruited humans on opposing sides, inciting them to war. (Wonder Woman #3-4)
Ares' daughter, Harmonia
Harmonia (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Harmonia is the immortal goddess of harmony and concord. Her Roman counterpart is Concordia, and her Greek opposite is Eris, whose Roman counterpart is Discordia.-Origins:...
, chose to help Diana, however. She gave her a powerful amulet with the power to transport across dimensions. Diana slayed Deimos with her razor sharp tiara, and from him acquired the other half of Harmonia's amulet. Finally, Ares stepped in to claim the talisman, but Diana bound him with her lasso of truth. He realized that to allow humans to war would leave no kingdom for him to rule. In failure, Ares declared that he would no longer trifle with the affairs of man, and also forbade his offspring from appearing on Earth. He also took the amulet and all the power which had been collected therein. (Wonder Woman #5-6)
In defeating Ares, Diana was greatly injured. The gods were so pleased with her that they took her into the sea and healed her. Then, Hermes gifted her with winged sandals which would enable her to travel freely between Themyscira
Themyscira
Themyscira is a fictional island nation in the DC Comics universe that is the place of origin of Wonder Woman and her sister Amazons. Known as Paradise Island since Wonder Woman and the island's first appearance in All Star Comics #8 , it was renamed "Themyscira" with the character's February...
and Man's World. (Wonder Woman #7) At some point, the god Pan was killed and replaced by a Manhunter android. It was this impostor who began a feud among the gods. The feud began when Zeus turned an amorous eye towards Diana, offering to make her a goddess if she participated in 'the ultimate sharing of the flesh'. When Diana and her mother opposed the great god, he was angered and punished Diana. She would have to complete a task for each of the gods, culminating in the defeat of the monsters beyond "Doom's Doorway." This doorway was the Amazon's charge for millennia and if Diana was unsuccessful, the Amazons would be destroyed. (Wonder Woman #10)
Diana succeeded in her trials, defeating numerous monsters including Echidna
Echidna
Echidnas , also known as spiny anteaters, belong to the family Tachyglossidae in the monotreme order of egg-laying mammals. There are four extant species, which, together with the platypus, are the only surviving members of that order and are the only extant mammals that lay eggs...
, the Chimera
Chimera (mythology)
The Chimera or Chimaera was, according to Greek mythology, a monstrous fire-breathing female creature of Lycia in Asia Minor, composed of the parts of multiple animals: upon the body of a lioness with a tail that ended in a snake's head, the head of a goat arose on her back at the center of her...
, the Cyclops
Cyclops
A cyclops , in Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, was a member of a primordial race of giants, each with a single eye in the middle of his forehead...
, the Hydra
Lernaean Hydra
In Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra was an ancient nameless serpent-like chthonic water beast, with reptilian traits, that possessed many heads — the poets mention more heads than the vase-painters could paint, and for each head cut off it grew two more — and poisonous breath so virulent even...
, the Harpies and the Minotaur
Minotaur
In Greek mythology, the Minotaur , as the Greeks imagined him, was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, "part man and part bull"...
. Eventually, Pan's bones were discovered on Olympus but it was too late to save Diana from her labors. Joined by her mother, Diana did indeed destroy the demons beneath Themyscira with the help of the amulet of Harmonia (these demons were funneled into Ares). Diana also freed Heracles
Hercules (DC Comics)
Hercules is a fictional Olympian god in the DC Universe based on the Greek demigod and hero of the same name....
, who had borne the weight of Themyscira for eons while imprisoned in a stone form and had been scarred by various monsters. Heracles was accepted into Olympus
Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece, located on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia, about 100 kilometres away from Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city. Mount Olympus has 52 peaks. The highest peak Mytikas, meaning "nose", rises to 2,917 metres...
. (Wonder Woman #11-14)
Soon thereafter, the gods secreted themselves away for a conference. At this time, Darkseid attacked Olympus. The dark god ceased hostilities, though, as soon as he realized the place was deserted. (Action Comics #600) When the gods returned, they had decided upon destroying Mount Olympus and undertaking a "cosmic migration" to the stars. Over Hermes' objections, they took several steps. First, The three elder brothers made a new pact to replace the original pact which divided Earth among them. Then, they combined the will of all the gods (minus Ares) and the strength of Amazon prayer, and used Diana's bracelets to amplify that power. (The bracelets are all that remained of Zeus' Aegis; this Aegis was made from the hide of Amalthea, the goat which reared him.) Thus, the old home was demolished and New Olympus was created. In order to properly establish this new home, it was necessary for the Gods to sequester themselves indefinitely. (Wonder Woman #16-19, 21).
Hermes defected from his brethren and would not join the migration. He had already involved himself in Man's World by stopping the evil Circe. (Wonder Woman #19) Hermes elected to remain on Earth and joined Diana in her mission. (Wonder Woman #23-24)
Wars of the Gods
Phobos returned alongside his sister Eris in alliance with CirceCirce (comics)
Circe is a fictional character, a villainous sorceress and a major adversary of Wonder Woman appearing in DC Comics publications and related media. Based upon the Greek mythological character of the same name who imprisoned Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey, the comic book incarnation of Circe first...
. Circe had amassed great power by bringing gods of various pantheons together. Among them were the Roman gods, who challenged the Olympians for their domain. It took much strength for Zeus to summon Hermes and Diana to New Olympus, where the gods had been trapped. Earth's heroes were able to turn the tide against Circe, but three gods died: Circe killed Hermes; Harmonia was killed by her sister Eris; and Eris herself was slain by Son of Vulcan
Son of Vulcan
Son of Vulcan is the name of two comic book characters, one created by Charlton Comics in 1965, the other by DC Comics in August 2005. Son of Vulcan was one of the characters DC Comics purchased from defunct Charlton Comics in 1983.-Charlton Comics:...
. Zeus and Olympians decided then to follow the call of Cronus and the Titans to help guide other worlds in the universe. New Olympus was left to the Roman gods. (War of the Gods #1-4, Wonder Woman #58-60)
For unexplained reasons, Heracles struck a deal with a mortal man, Harold Campion, whereby the two would exchange places (Earth for Olympus) Heracles used the mirror of Circe to conceal his identity and adventured under the name Champion. (Wonder Woman #110-112) He cast a love spell on Diana and accompanied her for a time, until Diana discovered his true identity. (Wonder Woman #115-117)
In the Gods' absence, the Amazons began to revert to clay. To justify the Olympians' return to Earth, Zeus summoned Diana and several of her friends to testify before him. It was Hippolyta who tipped the scales, however. She played a secret card which greatly swayed them. (In truth, she simply reminded Ares that before her reincarnation, Hippolyta had been Ares' daughter, and thus Zeus' granddaughter). At this time, Zeus also granted strength and flight to Cassie Sandsmark (Wonder Woman #122) Soon, Highfather
Highfather
Highfather is a fictional comic book character in the . He is chief of the New Gods of New Genesis in the Fourth World and ruled the fictional planet. Highfather first appeared in The New Gods #1 ....
of the New Gods summoned Zeus and Heracles to once again battle Darkseid. To this end, Zeus, Odin
Odin
Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
, Ares, Jove
JOVE
JOVE is an open-source, Emacs-like text editor, primarily intended for Unix-like operating systems. It also supports MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows. JOVE was inspired by Gosling Emacs but is much smaller and simpler, lacking Mocklisp...
and Highfather merged into one being and entered the Source. When cast out, Zeus was gravely injured and remained bonded to Jove. Heracles returned with him to Olympus. (Wonder Woman #126, Jack Kirby's Fourth World #8)
Their greatest champion, Princess Diana soon lost her life against the devil, Neron
Neron
Neron is a fictional demon, a comic book character published by DC Comics. He first appeared in the DC Comics cross-over event Underworld Unleashed #1, , and was created by Mark Waid and Howard Porter.- Publication history :...
. (Wonder Woman #125) Hera (now presiding over Olympus) transfigured Diana into a goddess of truth and welcomed her to live with the gods. Diana was told she could not interfere with the daily lives of mortals, unless prayed to. Hera sits on the throne; Diana admonished (Wonder Woman #127-129) The gods shared the secret of their division with Diana and decided to reunite their essences with those of their Roman counterparts. (Wonder Woman #130-133) Diana could not be prevented from interfering with the mortal world and so she was banished to Earth. (Wonder Woman #136) She was soon also stripped of her immortality. (Wonder Woman #139)
Zeus' father, Cronus returned with an army of new Titans: Arch, Disdain, Harrier, Oblivion, Slaughter and Titan. Their power had grown from the faith of a cult on Earth. The Titans heralded the coming Cronus (Wonder Woman #139-140) Cronus sought to capture all power of the godwave. He began by defeating the Olympians and casting Zeus down to Earth. He then conquered the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
pantheon and headed for Heaven. But Wonder Woman freed the Olympians and united with the Hindus and the Pax Dei (heavenly host). Diana trounced Cronus but the god still managed to touch the power of the Source. In doing so, he gained perfect clarity. Humbled, he returned to mother Gaea. Afterwards, Zeus formed an alliance with the other pantheons. (Wonder Woman #147-150) Indeed, Zeus soon appeared to Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
with several allies under the banner of I.D.C.A.P. (Interfaith Deity Council of Active Polytheistics). (Superman: Man of Steel #127)
The merger of the Greek and Roman pantheons did not sit well with the Roman goddess Diana
Diana (mythology)
In Roman mythology, Diana was the goddess of the hunt and moon and birthing, being associated with wild animals and woodland, and having the power to talk to and control animals. She was equated with the Greek goddess Artemis, though she had an independent origin in Italy...
. She accepted an offer of power from the old "Shattered God," separated from Artemis and betrayed the Olympians. Diana died in battle with Wonder Woman when she was crushed by a statue of Zeus. The Olympians were incapacitated, but Wonder Woman eventually found a way to awaken them in time for them to strike decisively at the Shattered God. (Wonder Woman #189-194)
Merger of Pantheons
With the appearance of the Bana-Mighdallian Amazons, the Olympians faced a new prospect. Though devout Amazons, these newest citizens of Themyscira do not worship the Greek gods. Renouncing them millennia ago, the tribe instead worship a combination of Egyptian and middle eastern deities. The central gods worshipped by the desert Amazons are: IsisIsis (DC Comics)
Isis is a DC Comics superhero, as well as a separate Egyptian goddess also living in the DC Universe. The recent superhero character is modeled closely after the main character of The Secrets of Isis, a live-action American Saturday Morning television program that served as the second half of The...
(wisdom and magic), Mammitu
Mamitu
In Mesopotamian mythology Mamitu was the goat-headed goddess of destiny, who decreed the fate of the new-borns. She was also worshipped as goddess of the oath, later a goddess of fate and a judge in the underworld, where she lives with the Anunnaku. She is occasionally regarded as a consort of...
(judgement bringer), Bast
Bast (goddess)
Bastet is the name commonly used by scholars today to refer to a feline goddess of ancient Egyptian religion who was worshipped at least since the Second Dynasty...
(nature and feminine), and Neith
Neith
In Egyptian mythology, Neith was an early goddess in the Egyptian pantheon. She was the patron deity of Sais, where her cult was centered in the Western Nile Delta of Egypt and attested as early as the First Dynasty...
(mother figure and protection). These gods followed the Bana-Mighdallian Amazons to Themyscira where they continued to be worshipped. Facing the situation with hands tied, both pantheons agreed to integrate themselves with each other for the benefit of their people. Though these new gods do not reside on Olympus, they are treated with diplomacy when called to aid the Amazons in a united godly role. Despite the gods mentioned being part of the inner-circle of deities in the Bana's belief system, less significant gods have been shown to be part of their godly pantheon as well such as Sekhmet
Sekhmet
In Egyptian mythology, Sekhmet , was originally the warrior goddess as well as goddess of healing for Upper Egypt. She is depicted as a lioness, the fiercest hunter known to the Egyptians. It was said that her breath created the desert...
(war god), Thoth
Thoth
Thoth was considered one of the more important deities of the Egyptian pantheon. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or a baboon, animals sacred to him. His feminine counterpart was Seshat...
(their only known male god) and possibly Ishtar
Ishtar
Ishtar is the Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility, love, war, and sex. She is the counterpart to the Sumerian Inanna and to the cognate north-west Semitic goddess Astarte.-Characteristics:...
(love goddess). The gods of Bana-Mighdall proved their loyalty to the Olympians by aiding the Greek gods in battle when the war gods Sekhmet and Ares previously devised a coup on Olympus.
Revolution
For millennia, the goddess Athena waited patiently for the chance to prove herself worthy of the crown of Olympus. As Earth society developed, the goddess of knowledge grew in power and cunning, and ultimately challenged her father Zeus for the throne. To win this challenge, Athena sent for her champion, Wonder Woman, to face that of Zeus — Briareos of the Hekatonkheires. Though she was still blind, Diana was aided by the winged PegasusPegasus
Pegasus is one of the best known fantastical as well as mythological creatures in Greek mythology. He is a winged divine horse, usually white in color. He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa. He was the brother of Chrysaor, born at a single birthing...
but seemingly fell to Briareos. Unknown to Zeus, this was a trick played by Athena and Diana to prove to the latter that Zeus had no compassion and was not a worthy ruler. Athena agreed to forfeit if Zeus would spare Diana's life, but he denied her, proving his unworthiness. This prompted the other goddesses to deliver the head of Medusa
Medusa
In Greek mythology Medusa , " guardian, protectress") was a Gorgon, a chthonic monster, and a daughter of Phorcys and Ceto. The author Hyginus, interposes a generation and gives Medusa another chthonic pair as parents. Gazing directly upon her would turn onlookers to stone...
unto Diana, which she used to turn Briareos to stone. Athena took the throne at last, but Zeus immediately began plotting a coup with his brothers in Tartarus
Tartarus
In classic mythology, below Uranus , Gaia , and Pontus is Tartarus, or Tartaros . It is a deep, gloomy place, a pit, or an abyss used as a dungeon of torment and suffering that resides beneath the underworld. In the Gorgias, Plato In classic mythology, below Uranus (sky), Gaia (earth), and Pontus...
. (Wonder Woman #212-213)
Athena immediately set Diana on a quest into Hades to free the god Hermes. She descended beneath Doom's Doorway with Wonder Girl
Wonder Girl
Wonder Girl is the name of three fictional characters featured as superheroes in comic books and other media produced by DC Comics. The original was a younger version of Wonder Woman...
(Cassandra Sandsmark) and Ferdinand the Minotaur and was confronted by Zeus' alliance. Ironically, she might not have succeeded but for the machinations of her constant nemesis, Ares. (Wonder Woman #215) Ares acted as a double agent and gained Zeus' trust, but when the opportunity arose, he killed his uncle Hades and assumed control of the netherworld. Diana then used Hermes' caduceus
Caduceus
The caduceus is the staff carried by Hermes in Greek mythology. The same staff was also borne by heralds in general, for example by Iris, the messenger of Hera. It is a short staff entwined by two serpents, sometimes surmounted by wings...
to revive him. Back on Olympus, Zeus asked for Athena's forgiveness, which she granted. Athena then also restored Diana's sight, but bound it to her own. (Wonder Woman #216-217)
It was on this quest that Cassandra Sandsmark finally learned of her own godly origins. Her mother had indeed lain with Zeus, but Helena Sandsmark forbade Diana or anyone from revealing the truth to Cassie. (Wonder Woman #217)
Not long after this, Athena sensed a dark destiny for the gods amidst the cosmic mechanations of Alexander Luthor
Alexander Luthor, Jr.
Alexander Luthor Jr. is a DC Comics character who turned from a hero to a villain. Created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, Alexander has a prominent role in the DC Universe storylines Crisis on Infinite Earths and Infinite Crisis....
. In the crisis created by his chaos, Diana was forced to kill Maxwell Lord
Maxwell Lord
Maxwell Lord IV is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is a shrewd and powerful businessman who was very influential in the formation of the Justice League International in DC Comics.-Before the League:...
, and incurred the ire of the world's public. (Wonder Woman #219) The U.S. government responded by mobilizing against Themyscira, and Diana realized that as long as she was a target, the Amazons would never be safe. Diana prayed to the gods to take the Amazons to safety, but got more than she bargained for. (Wonder Woman #224) On Olympus, she pleaded against Athena's decision to remove the gods from Earth's affairs. Regardless, the gods departed, leaving Diana bereft of family and faith. (Wonder Woman #225)
Aquaman
Aquaman
Aquaman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in More Fun Comics #73 . Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles, Aquaman later starred in several volumes of a solo title...
has also had run-ins with the Olympian sea deities. Poseidon had long relinquished the title of Sea King to Orin of Atlantis, but when Aquaman's subjects lost faith in him, Poseidon arranged a challenge with his son Triton
Triton (mythology)
Triton is a mythological Greek god, the messenger of the big sea. He is the son of Poseidon, god of the sea, and Amphitrite, goddess of the sea, whose herald he is...
. (Aquaman v.5 #34) Aquaman bested Triton and the godling fell from grace with his father. In anger, Triton slayed Poseidon and claimed his power. (Aquaman #42) Aquaman freed Poseidon by appealing to Lord Hades, and when they returned from the dead, Poseidon slew his son in turn. Disgusted with mortal affairs, Poseidon bequeathed his trident to Aquaman. (Aquaman #45-46) Aquaman somehow lost the Trident, though, as it was last seen with Queen Clea
Queen Clea
see also Clea Queen Clea is a fictional character featured in various DC Comics titles, in which she is a nemesis of Wonder Woman and leads Villainy Inc.-Fictional character biography:...
. (Wonder Woman Annual Vol. 3, #1)
Other Ancient Beings
Wonder Woman also met the LamiaLamia (mythology)
In ancient Greek mythology, Lamia was a beautiful queen of Libya who became a child-eating daemon. Aristophanes claimed her name derived from the Greek word for gullet , referring to her habit of devouring children....
of myth, who laid with Zeus and bore his children. Hera changed her into a snake-like creature and killed her children. She now lurks in the American sewers, acting as a benevolent caregiver to troubled children. She attempted to commit suicide using Diana’s lasso (which she had her young friend Sneaker steal), but Diana stopped her and Lamia disappeared along with Sneaker, with whom she had developed a mother-daughter relationship. (Showcase '93 #11)
Later, Wonder Girl also encountered the Empousai called "Lamiai." Lamiai bit into Cassie but recoiled when she discovered that she had god's blood. Before she could reveal Cassie's father, she was slain by Ares. Lamiai's brother, Mormolykeia also battled Ferdinand the Minotaur during this quest. (Wonder Woman #216)
Appearances in other media
Many of the gods have made appearances on the Justice LeagueJustice League (TV series)
Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
and Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
animated series.
Gods who have appeared include Hades, Ares, Hephaestus and Hermes.