Zeus (comics)
Encyclopedia
Zeus is a fictional character
, a god
in the Marvel Comics
universe
based on the god of the same name
from Greek mythology
. Zeus first appears in Daring Mystery Comics #6 (September 1940) and was created by Stan Lee
and Jack Kirby
.
and Rhea
, the children of sky god Ouranos and elder goddess Gaea (also known as "Mother Earth"). His father Cronus rose to power in the dimension which later became known as Olympus, after fatally wounding his own father Ouranos. As he lay dying, Ouranos prophesied that one of the children of Cronus would overthrow him in turn, so Cronus had each one imprisoned in Tartarus, the most dismal section of the extradimensional realm of Hades (Later legends erroneously claimed Cronus ate each of his children as they were born). His wife Rhea hid Zeus, their sixth child, on Mount Lycaeum in Arcadia, under the safekeeping of Gaea, who hid the baby, and tricked Cronos into eating a stone instead of the infant Zeus. There Zeus grew to adulthood and then plotted his revenge on Cronus. Zeus, out of revenge, went down to Tartarus and freed his siblings Hades, Hestia
, Hera
, Poseidon
, and Demeter, all now grown to adulthood, as well as the three Cyclopes, and the three hundred-handed giants called Hekatoncheries, which he had also imprisoned. The Cyclopes taught Zeus how to wield his energy-manipulating powers, and Zeus led his allies a ten-year war against Cronus and the Titans. After winning the war, Zeus imprisoned Cronus and most of the male Titans in Tartarus. Zeus drew lots with his brothers Hades and Poseidon, and became supreme ruler of the Olympian gods and their dimension. Zeus married Hera, but engaged in many relationships with goddesses and mortal women alike, angering his wife. Some of his children from these unions were gods, and joined the Olympian pantheon, while others were mortals such as Helen of Troy and the hero Hercules
who eventually became a god.
After the Hyborian Age, the ancient Greek civilization began to rise, so Zeus made the Olympian gods known to them to gain their worship. Zeus discovered the principal nexus between the Olympian dimension and Greece was at the top of Greece's Mount Olympus
, near Olympia
, the principal city of Earth's Eternals
. Zeus and his daughter Athena
met with Zuras
, the leader of the Eternals, and his daughter Azura. Given the physical resemblance between the Eternals and Olympians, both parties formed an alliance, with the Eternals acting representing the gods on Earth. Zuras soon decreed that Azura become Thena. However, the humans began to think of the Eternals as the Olympian gods themselves and not merely their representatives, leading to a growing resentment by the gods towards the Eternals which eventually erupted into war for a time. Christianity eventually became the dominant religion of the Roman Empire, and Zeus decided that the Olympian gods would break most of their ties with Earth, except for Neptune (Poseidon), who would continue to watch over his worshippers in Atlantis
. During the war of Troy Zeus battled Thor who had accidentally been transported there. Pluto deplored Zeus' decree, and challenged Zeus' supremacy many times. A millennium ago, Hercules transported a band of soldiers from ancient Greece through time to battle Norsemen who were under the protection of the Asgardian god Thor
, leading to war between the Asgardians and Olympians. Zeus met secretly with the Asgardian ruler Odin, and the two gods put an end to the war and formed an alliance to defend Earth from the Celestials, along with Vishnu.
Zeus' first depiction in modern comics shows his first meeting with Thor. He breaks up a fight between Hercules and Thor with his thunderbolt, and makes them clasp hands in friendship. Zeus was later unable to break Hercules' "Olympian contract" with Pluto. Zeus later exiled Hercules to Earth for a year for going to Earth without permission, despite the fact the Enchantress had taken control of Hercules's mind, but was then himself exiled with the other Olympian gods to another dimension by Typhon
. He was rescued by Hercules, and revoked Hercules' exile and sent Typhon to Tarterus. Zeus then thwarted Pluto's attempt to conquer Earth. Zeus was later overthrown by an alliance of Ares and the Asgardian Enchantress
, and was restored to power by the Avengers
. Zeus resisted a failed attempt by Ares and Pluto to foment war between Olympus and Asgard. Zeus also thwarted a conspiracy by Pluto, Ares, and Hyppolyta
to overthrow him. Zeus later revealed a pact made a millennia ago to end war between Asgard and Olympus. He also revealed an alliance with Odin and the other sky-gods against the Celestials, who had threatened to close off Earth to the Gods meaning that several Skyfathers created the Destroyer armor
, and imparted a portion of his power to Thor along with other Godheads to resurrect Odin and the Asgardians, who had been slain by the Celestials while in the Destroyer armor. Zeus later appeared and taught Hercules a lesson about his responsibility to mortals. Later he attacked the Avengers and attempted to throw them into Tartarus, blaming them for Hercules going into a coma. After attacking Hercules accidentally, he decided the Olympians should not visit Earth.
Olympus was later attacked by the forces of the Japanese god of evil, Amatsu-Mikaboshi
. Mikaboshi also stole Alexander, the son of Ares
, and brainwashed Alexander into becoming his personal God of War. In the end though, thanks to Ares' love for his son, and the power of Zeus, Alexander broke free and apparently slew Mikaboshi. It came with a heavy price though, as Zeus apparently sacrificed his life to do so, he was stabbed twice by Mikaboshi's dark tendrils, and his body was not found.
During the Dark Reign
storyline, it was revealed that Pluto has Zeus prisoner and holds a trial against him with Hercules helping his father. The jury consists of Zeus' enemies, with Pluto as a prosecutor. Ultimately, Zeus is convicted, and willingly drinks from the River Lethe
, making him lose his memory and renounce his crown to Pluto. After drinking from the waters, he escapes, and is reborn as an adolescent, with Hercules and Athena realizing the reborn Zeus needs to be hidden from Hera. The child Zeus accompanies Hercules on an adventure in Svartalfheim, where he becomes disgusted with his son's apparently oafish ways, and expresses admiration for Thor. Upon meeting Thor, he is convinced that Hercules himself has virtues.
Hera's weapon Continuum is revealed to be a device to recreate the universe in an improved version, destroying the existing one in the process. Hercules, Amadeus Cho
, Zeus and Athena join a group of Avengers in an assault on the Olympus Group Headquarters. He battles Amazon warriors alongside Quicksilver
before being captured by Typhon. The knowledge of Zeus' return stuns Hera and he succeeds in convincing her to stop the Continuum machine. Before she is able to do so, Typhon reveals that he is now free from her control. Hera and Zeus try to kill him with their lightning but it is reflected back and Hera is killed. Typhon reveals he is wearing the Aegis breastplate and slays Zeus as well. The souls of the two gods are seen in the company of Thanatos
, reunited and being taken to the underworld.
During the Chaos War
storyline, Zeus, Hera, and Ares are among the dead characters that Pluto releases in order to help defend the Underworld from Amatsu-Mikaboshi. When Amatsu-Mikaboshi arrived, he rips out Zeus' heart again. Zeus, Hera, and Ares then appear amongst Amatsu-Mikaboshi's slave gods, whereupon Zeus quickly knocks Galactus
to the ground through thunderbolts and physical attacks. After Hercules defeats Mikaboshi he restores Zeus along with the rest of the universe.
Bruce Banner, due to his family being crucial in fighting to save the universe, and taking severe damage doing so, appeals to Hercules to help heal A-Bomb
and cure Red She-Hulk of her insanity. After Hercules states that only Zeus is able to do so, Hulk starts to wander up Mount Olympus
, intending to ask Zeus to pay off his debt, and is attacked by hordes of Greek deities and mythical monsters. After this fails, Zeus engages and manages to severely beat him in single combat, whereupon he torture
s the already fallen fighter by letting vultures continuously eat him alive (in a similar manner to Prometheus
), while gloating
that Hulk was "whining
", and that his intended self-sacrifice for his friends was the "wrong religion
". However, Zeus allows his favorite son Hercules to rescue his captive, since he believes that his existence as the Hulk
already is a terrible "punishment
".
Zeus assumes the form of Storm as a disguise for one of his mating with mortal women. During one of them, Hermes comes in telling Zeus that Hercules had broken into Ares' weapons stockade and taken some of the weapons there.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a god
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
in the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
based on the god of the same name
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...
from Greek mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
. Zeus first appears in Daring Mystery Comics #6 (September 1940) and was created by Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
and Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
.
Fictional character biography
Zeus is the youngest son of the Titans CronusCronus
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 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...
, the children of sky god Ouranos and elder goddess Gaea (also known as "Mother Earth"). His father Cronus rose to power in the dimension which later became known as Olympus, after fatally wounding his own father Ouranos. As he lay dying, Ouranos prophesied that one of the children of Cronus would overthrow him in turn, so Cronus had each one imprisoned in Tartarus, the most dismal section of the extradimensional realm of Hades (Later legends erroneously claimed Cronus ate each of his children as they were born). His wife Rhea hid Zeus, their sixth child, on Mount Lycaeum in Arcadia, under the safekeeping of Gaea, who hid the baby, and tricked Cronos into eating a stone instead of the infant Zeus. There Zeus grew to adulthood and then plotted his revenge on Cronus. Zeus, out of revenge, went down to Tartarus and freed his siblings Hades, Hestia
Vesta (Marvel Comics)
Vesta or Hestia is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Vesta appeared in Thor #301 , and was adapted from mythology by Mark Gruenwald, Ralph Macchio, and Keith Pollard....
, Hera
Hera (Marvel Comics)
Hera is a fictional deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek Goddess of the same name. Hera first appeared in the pages of Thor #129, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
, Poseidon
Neptune (Marvel Comics)
Neptune, also called Poseidon, is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.Neptune is the god of the sea in the Olympian pantheon, and the patron god of Atlantis.-Fictional character biography:...
, and Demeter, all now grown to adulthood, as well as the three Cyclopes, and the three hundred-handed giants called Hekatoncheries, which he had also imprisoned. The Cyclopes taught Zeus how to wield his energy-manipulating powers, and Zeus led his allies a ten-year war against Cronus and the Titans. After winning the war, Zeus imprisoned Cronus and most of the male Titans in Tartarus. Zeus drew lots with his brothers Hades and Poseidon, and became supreme ruler of the Olympian gods and their dimension. Zeus married Hera, but engaged in many relationships with goddesses and mortal women alike, angering his wife. Some of his children from these unions were gods, and joined the Olympian pantheon, while others were mortals such as Helen of Troy and the hero Hercules
Hercules (Marvel Comics)
Hercules is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery Annual #1 and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby....
who eventually became a god.
After the Hyborian Age, the ancient Greek civilization began to rise, so Zeus made the Olympian gods known to them to gain their worship. Zeus discovered the principal nexus between the Olympian dimension and Greece was at the top of Greece's Mount 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...
, near Olympia
Olympia (comics)
Olympia is a fictional city in the Marvel Universe. It first appeared in Eternals #5 and was created by Jack Kirby.-Fictional history:...
, the principal city of Earth's Eternals
Eternals (comics)
The Eternals are a fictional race of superhumans in the Marvel Comics universe. They are described as an offshoot of the evolutionary process that created sentient life on Earth. The original instigators of this process, the alien Celestials, intended the Eternals to be the defenders of Earth which...
. Zeus and his daughter Athena
Athena (Marvel Comics)
Athena is a fictional deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek Goddess of the same name. Athena first appeared in the pages of Thor #164, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
met with Zuras
Zuras
Zuras is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a member of the Eternals.-Fictional character biography:Zuras was born in Titanos, first city of the Eternals, and is the son of the Eternals Kronos and Daina, and brother of A'Lars...
, the leader of the Eternals, and his daughter Azura. Given the physical resemblance between the Eternals and Olympians, both parties formed an alliance, with the Eternals acting representing the gods on Earth. Zuras soon decreed that Azura become Thena. However, the humans began to think of the Eternals as the Olympian gods themselves and not merely their representatives, leading to a growing resentment by the gods towards the Eternals which eventually erupted into war for a time. Christianity eventually became the dominant religion of the Roman Empire, and Zeus decided that the Olympian gods would break most of their ties with Earth, except for Neptune (Poseidon), who would continue to watch over his worshippers in Atlantis
Atlantis (Marvel Comics)
Atlantis is a fictional location in the Marvel Universe. It is based on the mythical island of Atlantis first mentioned in Plato's initial dialogue the Timaeus, written circa 360 BC. In the Marvel Universe, Atlantis was a small continent with many human settlements...
. During the war of Troy Zeus battled Thor who had accidentally been transported there. Pluto deplored Zeus' decree, and challenged Zeus' supremacy many times. A millennium ago, Hercules transported a band of soldiers from ancient Greece through time to battle Norsemen who were under the protection of the Asgardian god Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
, leading to war between the Asgardians and Olympians. Zeus met secretly with the Asgardian ruler Odin, and the two gods put an end to the war and formed an alliance to defend Earth from the Celestials, along with Vishnu.
Zeus' first depiction in modern comics shows his first meeting with Thor. He breaks up a fight between Hercules and Thor with his thunderbolt, and makes them clasp hands in friendship. Zeus was later unable to break Hercules' "Olympian contract" with Pluto. Zeus later exiled Hercules to Earth for a year for going to Earth without permission, despite the fact the Enchantress had taken control of Hercules's mind, but was then himself exiled with the other Olympian gods to another dimension by Typhon
Typhon (comics)
Typhon is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Universe, most commonly associated with the hero Hercules.-Fictional character biography:...
. He was rescued by Hercules, and revoked Hercules' exile and sent Typhon to Tarterus. Zeus then thwarted Pluto's attempt to conquer Earth. Zeus was later overthrown by an alliance of Ares and the Asgardian Enchantress
Enchantress (Marvel Comics)
The Enchantress is the name of two fictional characters in the Marvel Comics universe, the first of which is a powerful sorceress named Amora and is one of the most notable antagonists of Thor.-Publication history:...
, and was restored to power by the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
. Zeus resisted a failed attempt by Ares and Pluto to foment war between Olympus and Asgard. Zeus also thwarted a conspiracy by Pluto, Ares, and Hyppolyta
Hippolyta (Marvel Comics)
Based on the Hippolyta of Greek mythology, Hippolyta is a fictional Amazon character within the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:...
to overthrow him. Zeus later revealed a pact made a millennia ago to end war between Asgard and Olympus. He also revealed an alliance with Odin and the other sky-gods against the Celestials, who had threatened to close off Earth to the Gods meaning that several Skyfathers created the Destroyer armor
Destroyer (Thor)
The Destroyer is a fictional object that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The object first appears in Journey into Mystery #118 The Destroyer is a fictional object that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The object first appears in Journey into Mystery #118 The...
, and imparted a portion of his power to Thor along with other Godheads to resurrect Odin and the Asgardians, who had been slain by the Celestials while in the Destroyer armor. Zeus later appeared and taught Hercules a lesson about his responsibility to mortals. Later he attacked the Avengers and attempted to throw them into Tartarus, blaming them for Hercules going into a coma. After attacking Hercules accidentally, he decided the Olympians should not visit Earth.
Olympus was later attacked by the forces of the Japanese god of evil, Amatsu-Mikaboshi
Amatsu-Mikaboshi (comics)
Amatsu-Mikaboshi is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe, a supervillain and demonic god of evil who is best known as an enemy of Hercules...
. Mikaboshi also stole Alexander, the son of Ares
Ares (Marvel Comics)
Ares is a fictional character, a deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek god of the same name. He first appears in Thor #129 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
, and brainwashed Alexander into becoming his personal God of War. In the end though, thanks to Ares' love for his son, and the power of Zeus, Alexander broke free and apparently slew Mikaboshi. It came with a heavy price though, as Zeus apparently sacrificed his life to do so, he was stabbed twice by Mikaboshi's dark tendrils, and his body was not found.
During the Dark Reign
Dark Reign (comics)
"Dark Reign" is a 2008–2009 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. It deals with the aftermath of the "Secret Invasion" storyline, which led to a shift of power in the Marvel Universe toward Norman Osborn. The title "Dark Reign" refers to Osborn's rise to national power and the...
storyline, it was revealed that Pluto has Zeus prisoner and holds a trial against him with Hercules helping his father. The jury consists of Zeus' enemies, with Pluto as a prosecutor. Ultimately, Zeus is convicted, and willingly drinks from the River Lethe
Lethe
In Greek mythology, Lethe was one of the five rivers of Hades. Also known as the Ameles potamos , the Lethe flowed around the cave of Hypnos and through the Underworld, where all those who drank from it experienced complete forgetfulness...
, making him lose his memory and renounce his crown to Pluto. After drinking from the waters, he escapes, and is reborn as an adolescent, with Hercules and Athena realizing the reborn Zeus needs to be hidden from Hera. The child Zeus accompanies Hercules on an adventure in Svartalfheim, where he becomes disgusted with his son's apparently oafish ways, and expresses admiration for Thor. Upon meeting Thor, he is convinced that Hercules himself has virtues.
Hera's weapon Continuum is revealed to be a device to recreate the universe in an improved version, destroying the existing one in the process. Hercules, Amadeus Cho
Amadeus Cho
Amadeus Cho, also known as Mastermind Excello, is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Greg Pak and artist Takeshi Miyazawa, the character first appeared in Amazing Fantasy vol. 2 #15...
, Zeus and Athena join a group of Avengers in an assault on the Olympus Group Headquarters. He battles Amazon warriors alongside Quicksilver
Quicksilver (comics)
Quicksilver is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
before being captured by Typhon. The knowledge of Zeus' return stuns Hera and he succeeds in convincing her to stop the Continuum machine. Before she is able to do so, Typhon reveals that he is now free from her control. Hera and Zeus try to kill him with their lightning but it is reflected back and Hera is killed. Typhon reveals he is wearing the Aegis breastplate and slays Zeus as well. The souls of the two gods are seen in the company of Thanatos
Thanatos (comics)
Thanatos is the name of two fictional characters from Marvel Comics. The first one is based off the Greek mythology character of the same name. The second one originally appearing in Spider-Man 2099 who has since appeared in other comics, specifically ones relating to Rick Jones, who may be his...
, reunited and being taken to the underworld.
During the Chaos War
Chaos War (comics)
"Chaos War" is a Marvel Comics storyline that began publication in October 2010 across nine comic book series: the five-issue miniseries Chaos War, written by Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente, supplemented by seven branded miniseries or one-shot publications, and by three issues of Incredible Hulks, a...
storyline, Zeus, Hera, and Ares are among the dead characters that Pluto releases in order to help defend the Underworld from Amatsu-Mikaboshi. When Amatsu-Mikaboshi arrived, he rips out Zeus' heart again. Zeus, Hera, and Ares then appear amongst Amatsu-Mikaboshi's slave gods, whereupon Zeus quickly knocks Galactus
Galactus
Galactus is a fictional character appearing in comic books and other publications published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, the character debuted in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue story later known as "The Galactus...
to the ground through thunderbolts and physical attacks. After Hercules defeats Mikaboshi he restores Zeus along with the rest of the universe.
Bruce Banner, due to his family being crucial in fighting to save the universe, and taking severe damage doing so, appeals to Hercules to help heal A-Bomb
Rick Jones (comics)
Richard Milhouse "Rick" Jones is a fictional comic book character in the .-Publication history:Rick Jones first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1, as a sidekick to the Incredible Hulk...
and cure Red She-Hulk of her insanity. After Hercules states that only Zeus is able to do so, Hulk starts to wander up Mount 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...
, intending to ask Zeus to pay off his debt, and is attacked by hordes of Greek deities and mythical monsters. After this fails, Zeus engages and manages to severely beat him in single combat, whereupon he torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
s the already fallen fighter by letting vultures continuously eat him alive (in a similar manner to Prometheus
Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus is a Titan, the son of Iapetus and Themis, and brother to Atlas, Epimetheus and Menoetius. He was a champion of mankind, known for his wily intelligence, who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals...
), while gloating
Sadistic personality disorder
Sadistic personality disorder is a diagnosis which appeared only in an appendix of the revised third edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . The current version of the DSM does not include it, so it is no longer considered a valid...
that Hulk was "whining
Frustration
This article concerns the field of psychology. The term frustration does, however, also concern physics. In this context, the term is treated in a different article, geometric frustration....
", and that his intended self-sacrifice for his friends was the "wrong religion
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
". However, Zeus allows his favorite son Hercules to rescue his captive, since he believes that his existence as the Hulk
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
already is a terrible "punishment
Divine Right of Kings
The divine right of kings or divine-right theory of kingship is a political and religious doctrine of royal and political legitimacy. It asserts that a monarch is subject to no earthly authority, deriving his right to rule directly from the will of God...
".
Zeus assumes the form of Storm as a disguise for one of his mating with mortal women. During one of them, Hermes comes in telling Zeus that Hercules had broken into Ares' weapons stockade and taken some of the weapons there.
Powers and abilities
Like all Olympians, Zeus has vast strength, speed, stamina, durability, agility, and reflexes, although he is stronger than the other Olympians except for Hercules. Zeus is virtually immortal in the sense that he does not age, is immune to all known diseases and Earthly toxins, and cannot be killed through conventional means. He, like all Olympians, can heal very quickly and possesses some resistance to magic. Zeus possesses the ability to manipulate vast amounts of cosmic and mystical energy for a variety of purposes, including temporary augmentation of his superhuman physical abilities, firing powerful bolts of electrical force energy, changing his shape and size at will, opening and closing interdimensional apertures, sending himself and others through these dimensions, creating mountains, granting superhuman abilities and properties to living beings or inanimate objects, and the power to generate great amounts of electrical energy and discharge it as lightning bolts. Zeus can also control the mystical life energies of other Olympian gods, and has removed and restored much of his son Hercules' divine attributes several times in the past. Zeus possesses limited precognitive abilities that allow him to glimpse various alternate futures. Zeus is also an excellent hand to hand combatant, having thousands of years of experience at his disposal, and is virtually invincible in hurling lightning bolts. Zeus wields Olympian weaponry made by Hephaestus from virtually indestructible adamantine, and sometimes rides in a mystical chariot drawn by magical horses capable of flight and traversing the dimensions.Television
- Zeus appears in the Thor segment of The Marvel Super Heroes show.
- Zeus appears in The Super Hero Squad ShowThe Super Hero Squad ShowThe Super Hero Squad Show is an American cartoon series by Marvel Animation. It is based on the Marvel Super Hero Squad action figure line from Hasbro, which portray the characters of the Marvel Universe in a cartoonish super-deformed-style...
episode "Support Your Local Sky-Father" voiced by Travis WillinghamTravis WillinghamTravis Hampton Willingham is an American actor and voice actor who works with anime films, television series, as well as video games....
. Loki in the disguise of Gyros: God of Pitas tricks Zeus into holding a contest between Thor and Hercules.