Thoughts on Hercules

Hey everybody!

This will be a bit of a different post. It's not a story, or even a section of a story, but some thoughts I had on Hercules from the Percy Jackson series.

See, after posting chapter 7 of ’A Heroes Blessing’, I noticed that there were several commenters and people who messaged me who were a bit critical of how I portrayed PJO!Hercules. They've told me how Hercules is justified in being angry after all that was done to him. How he never wanted to become a god, he wanted to die and join his wife in Elysium. (Either this, or a variation of this).

After careful consideration, I thought I’d talk a bit about my thoughts on how I see Hercules, and why I've written him as I have.

I apologize in advance if this gets a little rambling at points...

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So, the first thing we gotta acknowledge is that the Percy Jackson series is a fictional world. The truth could be anything Rick Riordan decides, and there are many aspects that we are in the dark about, but we can guess. For example - when people talk about how Hercules wanted to join his wife in Elysium, and as a god he’ll never be able to? 

Are we sure about that? 

See, I don’t think it’s ever stated one way or another, but I think gods could go down to Elesium if they desired. I mean, they’d have to get permission from Hades, but I can’t think of any rule stated that goes against it. Mortals aren’t allowed in the Underworld, and we know how often demigods break that rule.

Hades lets Nico travel the Underworld without an issue, and Nico has conversations with the dead all the time. We're even told that Hades gave Nico an undead french butler. Demigods interacting with the dead happens all the time.

Gods aren’t mortal - I can't think of any reason why they'd be forbidden unless it's a rule that Hades personally made (and constantly bends for his kids), in which case if Hercules made nice with Hades, there's a decent chance he could get permission. After all, the gods in the PJO universe aren't nearly as bad as their mythical counterparts. If they had been, Percy would've been turned to dust long ago, and Annabeth would have been turned into a cow for insulting Hera to her face. And those are just two examples.

If Rick Riordan wrote in a new book that one of the gods went down to Elysium to talk with somebody there… I honestly don’t think it would go against anything he’s already written. 

Hercules has had 3000 years to make friends with Hades to try seeing his wife if he truly wanted to, and he hasn’t (Honestly, we don’t even know if his wife made it to Elysium, or if she waited for Hercules. We know Hercules didn’t wait for her - the guy had multiple wives and concubines after her death after all).

We also know that Hercules has done very little since his death, which also doesn't endear himself to me very much.

Dionysius was also born a demigod before becoming a god, like Hercules, and we have plenty of stories of what he did after attaining godhood. With Hercules? Nope. Nada. He disappears from myth and legend. He’s known as the God of Courage and the Patron of Heroes, and yet none of the demigods worship him as their patron, or even mention him. It honestly feels like he went to his island and has sulked there for thousands of years. 

He’s a god. He could totally be in multiple places at once, especially where his domain is strongest, we know that that is canon. He doesn’t need to sequester himself on that island as solely a ‘doorkeeper’. Artemis and Apollo have to guide the sun and moon every day as their job, and they manage. As the god of heroes, I imagine he could very easily make appearances at Half-Blood camp. 

I can understand where people are coming from when they say Hercules is justified in his anger. But the thing is, the extent he’s holding it is toxic. Like, the guy has to move on. I don’t think people realize how long 3000 years is - Hercules lived for, what, 60 years? Max? That means he’s been an immortal for 50 times his mortal lifespan.

If you met somebody who was 60 years old, and they were bitterly complaining about something that happened when they were 20… How would you feel? 

When the questers meet with Hercules in Mark of Athena, he deliberately gives them an extra-hard quest because of their association with Hera, regardless of the importance of the quest, the age of the questers, or even that the majority of the questers probably disliked Hera as well. None of that mattered. And the quest he gives them is pretty much ‘So, I knew this guy waaaaaay back when I was mortal. I feel like hurting him a bit, and that's where you come in.’ Which is just cruel. 

Just saying, we’ve had exactly one encounter with Hercules in the books, and he did not impress at all. 

I’m not saying he has to be happy or make nice with Hera. But… Enough is enough. He’s gotta let go and look forward, for his own sake. To forgive does not mean that he has to be nice or agree with Hera on anything - it’s letting go of the toxic anger. And despite having years to do so, to do something, he’s refused to do so, clinging to the past. 

Anyways, that’s why I don’t have a particularly good image of PJO!Hercules. I acknowledge that his life sucked, in many ways. I can’t help but see the guy as petty and spiteful. One who has no desire to change. 

Now, how does this differ from Fate!Herakles? 

So, many of the issues brought up regarding the myths about PJO!Hercules could go for Fate!Herakles as well. It all depends on how much we trust the myths and legends to be true. But there’s one thing that sets him apart that has always struck me. 

Fate!Herakles, when he was summoned as Berserker, lost his ability to speak, to think, and to use his considerable skill with fighting. He was reduced to a mad beast reminiscent of his worst moments. And yet, and yet, without being commanded or instructed, Herakles moved to protect Ilya against a pack of wolves, and then later on did everything he could to protect Ilya against Gilgamesh. 

In the absence of everything else, Herakles retained his desire to help a child in need.

This is why I’m nicer to Herakles than I am to Hercules, and it's what impressed me most about him. If Herakles managed to retain that desire in the throes of madness, I believe he carried it with him through his Labors. 

Thank you for making it all the way through these thoughts. I hope it wasn't too much of a bore. What do you guys think. Am I being too harsh on PJO!Hercules? Should I be more understanding towards him? Let me know!

-Shdowstep