Despite being the underworld god, Hades is an introverted god who does not display things that live in his mind rent-free. You can see that Hades is dedicated to keeping things in order in the underworld. He likes to keep it that way, along with his loving wife and his dog that keeps tabs on the life of their underlings.
The gods know his powers, and he is not afraid to see what will happen if you ever crossed essential things to him.
But like other gods, do you think he has something that Hades fears losing or encountering? If so, let’s check out his fears and why the god of the underworld fears them.
Who Is Hades?
A little background about the god. Hades is the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea, the two titans who were also the parents of the big Olympian gods like Zeus, Hera, and Poseidon.
Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades decided to draw lots on the territory that they will take over that Cronus ruled. Zeus got the most extended end. Therefore he got the sky, Poseidon had the second one, which made him rule the seas, and Hades got the shortest thus, he ruled the underworld.
What Does Hades Fear?
He does not have any problem with handling the underworld. In fact, Hades did an excellent job at it. The only problem is that even though he excels in the underworld, he has nobody to share it with. And so, this is where he starts observing the beauty of Persephone, whom he loved dearest.
However, this could be one of the roots of hades’ fears. Losing someone you loved dearly is not easy to see, and here’s the reason why Hades hates to see that happen one day.
Persephone’s Abduction
Persephone’s abduction has something to do with how much she captivated his eyes. Hades asked for Zeus’s permission to get Persephone’s hand in marriage, and Zeus knew that his brother rarely asks for anything.
Zeus gave him the directions on how he could successfully take Persephone out of her protective mother’s gaze, and Hades certainly took the chance to take her into his realm.
Even though the gods have earned their title to be polyamorous, you can see how much Hades treasures the goddess and made her his queen, whom he loved the most. He managed to build a beautiful garden just for her, and he willingly gave her everything that she would want.
He even managed to give her a chance to be reunited with her mother, Demeter, to ease up his sister’s grievance of losing her daughter in exchange for eating some pomegranate that will keep her in the underworld.
Losing Persephone would be the literal hell for the god as she is the most treasured goddess that belonged to Hades. Can you imagine losing your loved one? No? It is the same for him, and the fear he felt will be extreme if he ever loses her.
Second of Hades’ fears that the god feels that there would be distraught amongst the gods, and he would be caught up in it.
Hades knew that he shall keep the things to maintain peace in his rulings. And he knows it all too well not to mess with the affairs of the gods, or there would be a waging war looking after him, not that he can’t fight the battle too well for his own defense too.
Aside from that, he knew that it would be best not to encounter the wrath of the king of the gods, Zeus. Hades knew that his brother was powerful, and he can easily do things as he pleases.
Hades asked for Zeus’s permission to marry his daughter with Demeter, Persephone, to avoid causing much trouble on Zeus’s end. Moreover, he keeps things just the same to avoid dipping his toes in the water with the gods as they already cause too many troubles on their own, especially with Zeus constantly mingling with the affairs of gods and mortals.
To fight the few of Hades’ fears and manage the life under his domain, he had to apply his powers. But what are his powers, you ask?
The Helm of Darkness
In his battles, Hades can become invisible, and it is because of his helm of darkness. Hades has a helm of darkness that is given to him by the cyclops as a gift.
He owns this, and he only lets someone borrow it with his permission. Athena and Hermes were some of the gods who were lucky enough to borrow the helm, and the hero who used this in his journey to defeat the gorgon Medusa was Perseus.
The helm of darkness can not only make the user invisible, but it could also inflict fear on anybody who is surrounded by it.
Aside from invisibility, Hades also has complete control over the lives of his subjects in his territory.
The Ruler of the Underworld
Even though he despises Zeus because he has to look after the dead, Hades gained complete control over his subjects. Hades fears that the world he controls will let loose, so he ensures no one can get inside and out of the underworld without his permission.
Charon
The dead have to be chauffeured by the boat of Charon across the river Styx. He is said to be the son of the goddess Nyx, and the ferry ride across the river of Styx does not come for free. There are also some times where the messenger god, Hermes, has to stand in his place.
Cerberus
Another guardian of Hades’s underworld is his trusted three-headed hound that looks after the gates of his realm. The dog has different appearances depending on the person who described him. Some said that he has 50 heads, though most of the description of his appearance has three heads and a serpent tail.
The tale in connection with Hades’s guard dog is the story of Orpheus, who is looking for his deceased wife, whom he also failed to bring back to life. Cerberus was so stunned by Orpheus’s music that the dog willingly let the musician get in without much contest.
The next one is Heracles, who slain the dog with his bare hands in one of his twelve labors.
Hades’s Bident
And the last of his weapon was his bident. We know that Zeus and Poseidon have the significant weapon that they use to channel their powers.
Zeus has an “unident,” which is where he usually springs his lightning bolt. But Hades has a two-pronged spear that looks like a pitchfork in current times. Meanwhile, Poseidon keeps a trident in his grip with three prongs at the end of the stick.
The bident is paired with his helm of darkness, and it is said that he also used this to help his brother Zeus in defeating their father, Cronus.
Final Thoughts
Like any other gods, it is frail to picture them with fears or weaknesses that keep them from their powerful image. However, Hades fears are real, and it exists with the root of his personality and the things that he thinks are important for him like keeping his beloved wife and the order in the kingdom that he protects.