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WhileHades 2has us in the capable hands of Melinoë in her quest to take down Chronos and free the House of Hades, much of her family is subsequently missing. Never having even met them, she is fighting to save a family that knows as much about her as she does them.
While her father Hades takes the spotlight due to being the lord of the Underworld, her brother Zagreus is a significant loss as well, especially seeing as how he reconnected Hades with the gods of Olympus. With such a major feat accomplished, his presence in the sequel is sorely missed. So where actually is he?
What Happened To Zagreus In Hades 2?
From the very beginning, it is made clear thatMelinoë has a complicated connection with her family.
She knows she must fight for them, she knows that what Chronos has done is wrong, yet she also struggles at times to summon the fury she must for a family she knows is here, but she’s never met.
The strongest reminder she has of her family isthe portrait of her as a newborn in the arms of her mother Persephone, brother Zagreus, and father Hades.
Yet, there is a brief vision she encounters, having returned from an attempt on Chronos, where sherecalls the moment Chronos appeared in the House of Hades, freezing time for everyone present.
Here, alongside many other members of the House of Hades,Zagreus can be seen locked in an endless moment, reaching towards Chronosin a vain attempt to stop him.
So far, this is the only moment in which Zagreus has appeared in Hades 2, though this is likely to change as the game is expanded.
Hades himself can only watch as this occurs, powerless to stop the whims of time. The only assurance he is offered is thathis many friends and family are alive, simply suspended in time forso long as Chronos wishes.
Though Zagreus is mentioned by other characters, such as the Olympian gods and Chaos,he has yet to make another appearance in any form. He is also no longer present in the House of Hades when Melinoë encounters Chronos, so his current whereabouts are also unknown.
Will Zagreus Reappear?
Many characters that appear in Hades 2 arereturning characters from the originalalongside a healthy mix of brand-new characters as well.
While some gods like Athena and Ares are no longer offering boons, gods like Artemis now roam the Underworld and offer their aid more directly.The game does not shy away from reusing old characters, though it casts many of them in a new light.
Where, then, should Zagreus fit in this? With Melinoë in the spotlight,he is very unlikely to return as a playable character, though to not have him return at all in any significant fashion would be altogether more unusual. We can, however, theorise as to his place based both on the history of the god Zagreus as well as in-game allusions.
In the original Hades,Zagreus wields the Infernal Arms. Though they aren’t something explicitly mentioned in Greek myth, they are ascribed to a mythological event in-game — the Titanomachy.
This was the war wherethe gods of Olympus dethroned the Titans and took their placeas the rulers of existence. As such, the weapons are immensely powerful.
Both the Infernal and Nocturnal arms are a creation for the game Hades, and do not have explicit appearances within Greek myth.
Conversely,Melinoë uses the Nocturnal Arms, weapons crafted by Nyx andgifted to Hecate to protect the Underworld. However, as mentioned by Moros, Doom Incarnate and child of Nyx, the Nocturnal Arms also serve the dual purpose of keeping the Infernal Arms in check.
Nyx is night, a literal embodiment of an aspect of existence, and would rightly make weapons to defend herself and her family against any gods that may seek greater power over existence.
With these two facts coupled together,the stage is set for Zagreus to reappear, quite possibly as a boss for Melinoë to battle.
Her Nocturnal Arms are meant to battle the Infernal Armswhen they thirst for more power, andChronos using the weapons designed to kill himagainst his own children feels fitting, especially considering the recurring theme of family both in the game and across Greek myth.
