OLYMPIANS
Official Name: Olympians
Nicknames: Greek gods, Roman gods, Gods of the Graeco-Roman Empire, Olympian
Gods, Gods of Olympus, et al.
Former Aliases: The Numina
Other Current Aliases: No other known current aliases
First Appearance:: Thor I Annual 1
Origin: Thor I Annual 8.
==Origin==
Dimension of Origin: Olympus
Habitat: Earth-like
Gravity: Earth-like
Atmosphere: Earth-like
Population: 200-300 range (estimated)
Other Associated Dimensions: Olympus has also been tenuously liked with the underworld
known as Tartarus, often spoken of existed underground on earth but these were actually the
routes to various inter-dimensional access point between these worlds. Tartarus was the
location where enemies of the Olympian gods were often imprisoned, but one section was set
aside for procuring the shades and apparitions of the worshippers of the Olympian gods. The
honored dead were sent to the Elysian Fields while those shades who could not be adequately
judged had to wander the Asphodel Fields. The spirits of the dead were usually escorted by
Thanatos, the
god of the dead, or by
Hermes,
the messenger-god to the shore of the Styx where they were ferried across by
Charon. The gates of Hades
were guarded by Cerberus,
the three-headed dog of the underworld.
==History==
The Gods of Olympus are a race of superhumanly powerful humanoid beings who were once worshipped by the ancient Greeks and Romans from about 2000 BC to 500 AD. They have very few worshippers today, but their names and attributes have been connected to numerous aspects and objects in Western Civilization. The Olympians dwell in Olympus, a small "pocket" dimension adjacent to Earth; an interdimensional nexus between Olympus and Earth exists somewhere on Mount Olympus in Greece. The Olympians' human worshippers in ancient Rome called these gods by different names than those by which the gods were known in ancient Greece: for example, the Greeks called the king of the gods Zeus, whereas the Romans called him Jupiter or Jove. The Olympian gods, except for Poseidon, patron deity of the Atlanteans, no longer have or actively seek worshippers on Earth. However, certain Olympian gods, notably Hercules and Aphrodite, still take active interest in the welfare of humanity. Many of the Olympian gods have influenced or taken minor parts in historical events from behind mortal facades in order to guide mortals to their fullest potential.
The Olympians are related to a number of other races with which they share
the environs of Olympus. Among these races are the horse-legged centaurs, the
goat-legged satyrs and the
Nymphs,
who are typically humanoid in appearance but have faerie-like characteristics.
The most popular of the centaurs and the satyrs are
Chiron
and Pan. The
Olympians are also comprised of smaller groups of deities relegated to certain
specific tasks or purposes, such as the
Muses,
Graces,
Horae
and the Fates,
as well as other branches of deities also related to the Titans, such as the Anemoi,
the Potamoi (river-gods) and the Phorcydes.
The precise origin of the Olympian gods, like that of all of Earth's pantheons of
gods, is shrouded in legend. According to ancient myths, the primeval Earth goddess
Gaea is the progenitor of the principal Olympian gods. However, it is unclear whether
the Olympian race originated on Earth, Olympus, or in another dimension linked
to Olympus. According to ancient myths, Gaea gave birth to the sky god Ouranus.
Gaea mated with Ouranus and bore him the first generation of the Olympian race,
known as the Titans. The Titans had been revered as gods in the land that would
be modern Greece following the end of the Hyborian Age. One of the Titans,
Cronus,
rose to power when he fatally wounded
Ouranus.
The dying Ouranus prophesied that Cronus would likewise be overthrown by one of
his own children. As a result, upon the birth of each of Cronus's children,
Cronus had the infant imprisoned in Tartarus, the most dismal section of the
Olympian underworld known as Hades. Appalled at the mistreatment of their
children, Cronus's wife, Rhea, a Titaness, concealed her sixth pregnancy from
him and secretly gave birth to Zeus near Mount Ida on the island of Crete where
he was protected by a number of goddesses. Zeus grew to adulthood among the
human shepherds of Crete. Upon realizing his godhood, he set his siblings –
Hestia,
Hades,
Poseidon,
Hera and
Demeter,
now all grown to adulthood - free from Tartarus. Zeus and his allies fought a
ten year war with the Titans which ended with Zeus's victory. He imprisoned most
of the male Titans in Tartarus and established himself in Olympus as supreme
ruler of the Olympian race.
Zeus married the
goddess Hera, but he engaged in many affairs with goddesses and mortal Earth
women. Some of his children were gods. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, and
Hestia, together with Zeus's children
Aphrodite,
Apollo,
Ares,
Artemis,
Athena,
Hephaestus
and Hermes,
comprised the membership of the high council of the Olympian gods, known as the
Pantheon. Hestia later resigned her seat in the council in favor of Zeus's son
Dionysus.
Zeus's brother, Hades was not a member of the Pantheon, preferring to spend
virtually all of his time within the underworld of Hades, which he ruled. After
the defeat of the Titans, the Olympians were revered as gods on Earth, and
several of them even sought worship rites from mortals. Poseidon became the
patron god of the water-breathing Atlanteans, while Zeus sought dominion and
custodianship over the people of Ancient Greece and the domains conquered by the
Greeks through Western Europe and Northern Africa.
Mount Olympus lay
near Olympia, the principal city of the Eternals. Zeus and his daughter Athena
met with Zuras, the leader of the Eternals, and his daughter Azura. Noticing the
physical resemblance between Zeus and Zuras and between Azura and herself,
Athena suggested that the Olympian gods and the Eternals form an alliance in
which the Eternals would act as the gods' representatives on Earth. The other
three enthusiastically agreed, and Azura took her current name of Thena to
signify the sealing of the pact. However, over the years, many humans came tot
think of many Eternals not as the gods' representatives but as the gods
themselves. This led to a growing resentment by the gods towards the Eternals,
which recently erupted into war, but today they are again at peace. Worship of
the Olympian gods spread from Greece to Rome, and throughout the Roman Empire.
Gradually,
Christianity replaced the worship of the Olympian gods in the Roman Empire, and
Zeus decided that the time had come for the Olympians to sever most of their
ties with Earth. Most of the Olympians abided by his choice. Poseidon, however,
was still allowed to watch over his Atlantean worshippers. Nevertheless, Zeus
still retains an affection for and interest in the people of Earth. Several of
Zeus's children, specifically
Hercules and
Aphrodite,
have spent periods living among Earth mortals in recent years.
Until recent
years, the vast majority of the Olympians have had little contact with humans,
apart from encounters with various members of the Avengers. This is primarily
due to them being allies and friends of Zeus' son, Hercules. They have also had
contact with various members of the Justice League of America and the Teen
Titans through their connections with their mortal champions,
Wonder Woman
and Captain
Marvel. The Olympians have maintained close ties with certain other gods and
pantheons over the centuries. This holds especially true for the
Asgardian Gods,
who are the closest allies of the Olympians. Recently, the Olympians
defeated the forces of
Mikaboshi,
the Japanese god of evil, in a conflict that has lasted for many years between
the Japanese gods. However, in the face of the seeming demise of the Asgardians,
Zeus created the Olympian Corporation, a philanthropic association, on Earth in
order to help the gods reconnect with mortals on earth from behind more human
facades.
Following Mikaboshi's quest for the Grasscutter Sword, Zeus seemingly died in
battle against the Tengu (Japanese demons),
and Hera led a take-over of
the Olympian gods, confronted by Athena and those loyal to Zeus. Hades,
meanwhile, held Zeus on trial in the underworld for perceived slights he felt he
had endured, but Zeus willingly accepted his punishment and entered a new
incarnation as a young demigod still possessed of much his true power,
eventually returning to full adulthood. Following the defeat of Mikaboshi by
Hercules, the Olympians have returned to a restored Olympus, now also linked to
Earth by a point somewhere off
Montauk Point on the northern tip of New York's Long Island where they were eventually
visited by the Hulk.
Relationships to Other Pantheons: The Olympian gods have had good relations with
both the Asgardian gods and the
Ennead (Egyptian Gods)
with whom Alexander the Great compared to when he declared Zeus
the equal of Ammon-Ra,
Ruler of the Egyptian gods. They have had fair relations with the
Devas
(Hindu Gods) after the Battle of Marathon; the Romans even honored several of
the gods of the East, such as
Mithras
and Ormazd.
There has been some antagonism with the
Anunnaki
or Mesopotamian gods since the Roman occupation of Canaan and with the
Danaans
(Celtic) since the Roman invasions of Britain. Since the demise of the Roman
Empire, Zeus has made contact with several of the pantheons of earth beyond the
Greek and Roman environs through the
Council Elite.
==Characteristics==
Body Type: Humanoid
Avg. Height: 6' 0"
Avg. Weight: 450 lbs
Eyes: Two
Hair: Normal
Skin: Normal
Limbs: Two
Fingers: Five with opposable thumb
Toes: Five
Special Adaptations: The Olympian gods are immortal and cease to age upon
reaching adulthood. They are physically more durable than human beings; their
skin, bone and tissue being three times more durable and dense than similar
tissue in human beings.
==Powers==
The Olympian gods all possess certain superhuman physical attributes:
Superhuman Strength: The Olympian gods
are superhumanly strong with the average Olympian god able to lift (press) about
30 tons under optimal conditions, and the average Olympian goddess able to lift
(press) about 25 tons under optimal conditions.
Superhuman Speed: The Olympian gods have the potential of being able to run
and move at speeds much greater than the finest human athlete. Only Hermes, Iris and
a few others can supersede the majority of the Olympian gods.
Superhuman Stamina: The musculature of the Olympian gods produce considerably
less fatigue toxins during physical activity than the muscles of human beings. The
average Olympian god can exert themselves at peak capacity for about 24 hours before
fatigue impairs them. Hercules, Zeus and Poseidon are physically stronger than most of
the Olympian gods.
Superhumanly Dense Tissue: The skin, muscle, and bone tissues of the Olympian
gods are about three times as dense as the same tissue of a human body, contributing
to their superhuman strength and weight.
Superhuman Durability: The bodies of the Olympian gods are considerably more
resistant to physical injury than the bodies of humans. The Olympian gods are capable of
withstanding great impact forces and exposure to temperature and pressure extremes
without sustaining physical injury.
Regenerative Healing Factor: Despite their natural durability, it is possible for
any of the Olympian gods to sustain injury. However, if injured, their highly advanced
metabolism enables them to recover with superhuman levels of speed and efficiency. As with
most of their other powers, the speed and extent of these powers varies from one Olympian
god to another.
Immortality: The Olympian gods are functionally immortal and immune to the effects
of aging. They haven't aged since reaching adulthood. Their bodies are also immune to all
known Earthly diseases and infection.
Energy Manipulation: The Olympian gods have some potential to manipulate magical
or cosmic energies for some purpose. These powers are mostly limited to changing their
appearance or shape, and teleporting across great distances. However, a small minority of
the Olympians are capable of manipulating vast amounts of energy for a variety of
purposes including teleportation, shapeshifting, matter manipulation, augmentation of their
physical capabilities, erecting powerful force fields, firing powerful blasts of energy for
destructive purposes and granting augmented attributes to objects and beings.
Known Abilities: The Olympian gods possess specific skills associated with their area
of expertise. For example, as the Greek and Roman god of war, Ares is a formidable combatant with
extensive knowledge of both armed and unarmed combat, whereas Aphrodite, the goddess
of love, is highly skilled in all forms of physical and sexual pleasure. Most Olympians have
had some degree of training in armed and unarmed combat, particularly with
spears, swords, shields and the bow
and arrow.
==Miscellaneous==
Type of Government: Monarchy
Level of Technology: Magic
Cultural Traits: The Olympians were worshipped as gods by the people of
Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire and much of its territories, which once included much of the
Mediterranean, North Africa, the Balkans, British Isles and even parts of Gaul
(modern Spain, France and Germany). Their society and culture resembles that of
Hellenic and Pre-Mycenaean Greece.
Names of Representatives:
(main council)
Aphrodite,
Apollo,
Ares,
Artemis,
Athena,
Demeter,
Dionysus,
Hades,
Hephaestus,
Hera,
Hephaestus,
Hermes,
Hestia,
Poseidon,
Zeus,
(other representatives) Amphitrite, Asclepius, Aurora, Bia, Boreas, Calypso, Charon, Circe, Columbia, Consus, Cupid, Deimos, Daphne, Discord, Echo, Eileithyia, The Fates, The Furies, Gaea, Ganymede, The Graces, Harmonia, Hebe, Hecate, Helen of Troy, Helios, Hercules, Hippolyta, Hypnos, Io, Iris, Janus, Kratus, Leto, Metis, Morpheus, Muses, Nemesis, Nike, Nyx, Oenone, Otrera, Ouranus, Pan, Persephone, Phobos, Pomona, Prometheus, The Seasons, Selene, Syrinx, Thanatos, Thetis, Triton, Urania, Veritas, Vertumnus, et al.
(the Titans) Atlas, Coeus, Crius, Cronus, Dione, Hecate, Hyperion, Japet, Mnemosyne, Nereus, Oceanus, Ophion, Phoebe, Phorcys, Prometheus, Rhea, Tethys, Theia, Themis, et al.
Known Allies: The Asgardians, Captain Marvel, Council Elite, The Eternals, The Ennead, The JLA, The Gods of Japan, Odin, Superman, The Teen Titans, Thor, Wonder Girl, Wonder Woman, et al
==Trivia==
==References==
==External Links==