The following are fictional characters from Disney's franchise ''
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
'', which includes its
1997 animated film and its
derived TV series. These productions are adaptations of
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...
, and as such, differ greatly from the classical versions.
Hercules
Hercules is the titular character of the franchise, who is based on the mythological
Heracles
Heracles ( ; ), born Alcaeus (, ''Alkaios'') or Alcides (, ''Alkeidēs''), was a Divinity, divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of ZeusApollodorus1.9.16/ref> and Alcmene, and the foster son of Amphitryon.By his adoptive descent through ...
, commonly referred to by the Roman spelling,
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
. In the 1997 animated film,
Josh Keaton voices Hercules as a teenager,
Tate Donovan
Tate Buckley Donovan (born September 25, 1963) is an American actor, comedian and television director. He is known for portraying Tom Shayes in ''Damages'', Jimmy Cooper in '' The O.C.'', and the voice of the title character in the 1997 Disne ...
voices him as an adult, and
Roger Bart provides his singing voice in "
Go the Distance". He is a young man with orange hair and eyebrows and blue eyes. Young Hercules wears a
one-sleeved Greek tunic with brown sandals. As a teenager, Hercules is a country boy depicted as tall and thin, with exaggerated proportions, such as a staggering
pigeon-toed stance. After completing his hero training, Hercules physically changes from being slender to being top-heavy and muscular, having larger biceps and pectorals and a thicker neck, as well as a more confident stance. However, Hercules still retains some of his teenage flaws, such as being shy, awkward, clumsy and inept with a lack of coordination, occasionally taking a stance that is pigeon-toed or staggering as well as an instinctive reaction to scream loudly or run away. As a hero, Hercules wears a brown-orange
brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, in proportions which can be varied to achieve different colours and mechanical, electrical, acoustic and chemical properties, but copper typically has the larger proportion, generally copper and zinc. I ...
Cuirass
A cuirass ( ; ; ) is a piece of armour that covers the torso, formed of one or more pieces of metal or other rigid material.
The term probably originates from the original material, leather, from the Old French word and the Latin word . The us ...
-like tank armor tunic with brown wristbands, matching warrior sandals, and a blue cape.
In creating the design for the infant version of Hercules used in the 1997 film, animator Randy Haycock drew inspiration by videotaping a friend's six-month-old and by renting films with babies in them,
while the curly hairstyle for baby Hercules was derived from the appearance of Haycock's infant daughter. He stated that "Hercules' mannerisms come right off things I've picked up from her", even though Hercules is more caricatured than a real baby.
[Thomas, Bob: "Chapter 11: Animating Hercules", pages 201–220. ''Disney's Art of Animation: From Mickey Mouse to Hercules'', 1997] The inspiration for teenage Hercules came from Haycock's experiences as an adolescent: he stated that "I was too tall and skinny for my age, and I was a lousy athlete. At home I broke just about everything..".
Teenage Hercules has big hands and feet that the animator remembers having himself, as well as a lack of coordination.
Andreas Deja
Andreas Deja (born 1 April 1957) is a Polish-born German-American character animator most noted for his work at Walt Disney Animation Studios. Deja's work includes serving as supervising animator on characters in several Disney animated films, in ...
was supervising animator for the adult version of Hercules. He studied photographs of
Olympic athletes, specifically swimmers, who have long necks and natural musculature.
He wanted to emulate the
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
tradition of character drawing, which he explains means "straight nose, pursed lips – almost cherubic, large eyes, a lidded look...The classic style you find on Greek vases or drawings".
In ''Hercules''
In the original film, Hercules is born on
Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus (, , ) is an extensive massif near the Thermaic Gulf of the Aegean Sea, located on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia, between the regional units of Larissa (regional unit), Larissa and Pieria (regional ...
as a god and son of
Zeus
Zeus (, ) is the chief deity of the List of Greek deities, Greek pantheon. He is a sky father, sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, who rules as king of the gods on Mount Olympus.
Zeus is the child ...
and
Hera
In ancient Greek religion, Hera (; ; in Ionic Greek, Ionic and Homeric Greek) is the goddess of marriage, women, and family, and the protector of women during childbirth. In Greek mythology, she is queen of the twelve Olympians and Mount Oly ...
. However, Hercules' evil uncle
Hades
Hades (; , , later ), in the ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, is the god of the dead and the king of the Greek underworld, underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea ...
, who wants to take control of Olympus and the world, along with all of creation, is enraged at this. Knowing that, as a god, Hercules is immortal and invulnerable to harm, Hades sends his lackeys
Pain and Panic to kidnap Hercules and turn him mortal using a magic potion. However, the arrival of two mortals,
Amphitryon
Amphitryon (; Ancient Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων, ''gen''.: Ἀμφιτρύωνος; usually interpreted as "harassing either side", Latin: Amphitruo), in Greek mythology, was a son of Alcaeus, king of Tiryns in Argolis. His mother was named ...
and Alcmene, causes Hercules to miss the final drop of the potion, causing him to retain his superhuman strength despite becoming mortal. The couple then adopts the child, considering his arrival a gift from the gods since they are childless. Zeus and the other gods discover the kidnapping too late, and because Hercules is now mortal, he cannot return to Mount Olympus.
Over the years, Hercules is raised as a farmer until his awkward teenage years where he is unable to control his godlike strength and struggles to be accepted by others, which worsens when the teenager's clumsiness and uncoordinated strength leads to him accidentally destroying a marketplace. Shortly afterward, Amphitryon and Alcmene inform Hercules that he is adopted, inspiring him to visit the temple of Zeus, where he learns of his godhood. Zeus tells Hercules that he must prove himself a true hero and instructs him to find the trainer of heroes
Philoctetes
Philoctetes ( ''Philoktētēs''; , ), or Philocthetes, according to Greek mythology, was the son of Poeas, king of Meliboea (Magnesia), Meliboea in Thessaly, and Demonassa or Methone (Greek myth), Methone. He was a Greek hero, famed as an archer ...
(or "Phil"), while giving him the winged horse
Pegasus
Pegasus (; ) is a winged horse in Greek mythology, usually depicted as a white stallion. He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa. Pegasus was the brother of Chrysaor, both born from Medusa's blood w ...
to assist him in his journey. Phil initially declines returning to the hero training business, unconvinced that Hercules was the son of Zeus, but is convinced after Zeus strikes him with lightning. Having reached adulthood and passed his training, Hercules sets off with Phil to become a hero in
Thebes. Along the way, Hercules saves a "
damsel in distress
The damsel in distress is a narrative device in which one or more men must rescue a woman who has been kidnapped or placed in other peril. The "damsel" is often portrayed as beautiful, popular, and of high social status; she is usually depicted ...
" named
Megara
Megara (; , ) is a historic town and a municipality in West Attica, Greece. It lies in the northern section of the Isthmus of Corinth opposite the island of Salamis Island, Salamis, which belonged to Megara in archaic times, before being taken ...
from
Nessus, a
centaur
A centaur ( ; ; ), occasionally hippocentaur, also called Ixionidae (), is a creature from Greek mythology with the upper body of a human and the lower body and legs of a horse that was said to live in the mountains of Thessaly. In one version o ...
acting as the river guardian, and though Meg doesn't believe Hercules' "innocent farm-boy routine" he falls in love with her. Unbeknownst to Hercules, Megara is working unwillingly for Hades and relates the events to him; through this, Hades learns that Hercules is still alive and plots again to kill him at the start of his career. Meanwhile, Hercules arrives in Thebes and announces himself as a hero, only for the Thebans to dismiss the young man as an amateur and refuse to give him a chance to prove himself. Megara appears and lures Hercules to a rocky canyon outside of town, where he saves two boys, who are actually Pain and Panic in disguise, trapped in a cave. As an unimpressed crowd of Thebans watch Hercules rescue the trapped boys, the young hero also inadvertently releases a giant serpent-like creature, the
Hydra, and bravely faces the monster with just a sword and his wits. Although he struggles in the fight, in which the beast initially swallows him whole, he cuts his way out by decapitation. However, Hercules is forced on the defensive, flying around on Pegasus as the Hydra's heads multiply and grows three heads every time one is cut off, the snarling heads overwhelming him until he smashes his fists into the mountainside, causing an avalanche that buries the multi-headed monster under a mountain of rocks. His victory earns him newfound fame and adoration from the citizens of Thebes as well as the anger of Hades. After defeating the Hydra, Hercules continues his heroics and becomes famous throughout Greece. Upon meeting with Zeus, Hercules believes himself ready to rejoin the gods, but Zeus tells him that his celebrity status is not enough to regain his immortality, as being famous is not the same as being a "true hero". However, he cannot tell Hercules what that means, as he must figure it out himself and "look inside his heart". Later on, Megara convinces Hercules to play
hookie and on a date. At first, she was trying to learn his weaknesses, but she eventually fell in love with him. However, Phil ends the date, being enraged at Hercules for skipping training. He leaves to tell Hercules of Megara's association with Hades, but does not hear her refusal to help destroy Hercules. Hercules, ecstatic from the date, refuses to believe Phil's warning about Megara, prompting Phil to quit.
Hades, realizing that Megara is Hercules'
weakness
Weakness is a symptom of many different medical conditions. The causes are many and can be divided into conditions that have true or perceived muscle weakness. True muscle weakness is a primary symptom of a variety of skeletal muscle diseases, ...
, confronts Hercules and offers him a deal: he will ensure Megara's safety if he gives up his strength for 24 hours. Hercules is reluctant to see anyone hurt, but ultimately agrees, and Hades takes the opportunity to humiliate him before revealing Megara's role in his scheme. Enacting his plan, Hades sends a
Cyclops
In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; , ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguished. In Hesiod's ''Th ...
to destroy Hercules. Without his superhuman strength and crushed by Megara's betrayal, Hercules struggles to fight the monster until Megara convinces Phil to return and help Hercules. The monster's fall causes a pillar to topple towards Hercules; Megara pushes him out of the way and takes the impact of the pillar. This causes Hercules to regain his strength because Hades' end of the bargain is now broken, as he promised that Megara would not be hurt. Hercules leaves Megara in the care of his friends while he rushes off to thwart Hades' invasion of Olympus. After freeing the captured gods and helping to defeat three of the
Titans
In Greek mythology, the Titans ( ; ) were the pre-Twelve Olympians, Olympian gods. According to the ''Theogony'' of Hesiod, they were the twelve children of the primordial parents Uranus (mythology), Uranus (Sky) and Gaia (Earth). The six male ...
, he returns to Megara only to learn that her injuries were fatal. He then travels to the Underworld to rescue her spirit from the
River Styx, which ages mortals upon contact. Hercules enters the pool to rescue Megara's soul. He is able to reach Megara before he dies, with his selfless act fulfilling the requirement for being a true hero, thus regaining his godhood. He then punches Hades into the River Styx and returns Megara's soul to her body. He is invited by Zeus to live on Olympus, but decides to live life on Earth with Megara and becomes a demigod once more.
In television series
The 1998 TV series ''
Hercules: The Animated Series'' follows Hercules' adventures as a teenager before the main of the film, with Tate Donovan reprising his role. The series takes places during the years he spent training to be a hero under the tutelage of Phil before his "Zero to Hero" transformation; he is referred to as a "demigod" throughout the series. Young Hercules is a hero-in-training enrolled at Prometheus Academy, a
high school
A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...
for both gods and mortals. He is joined by two new friends, Icarus and Cassandra. Many of the Olympian deities pay visits to him and either help or hinder him in his adventures.
Hercules also appears in the television series ''
House of Mouse
''Disney's House of Mouse'' (or simply ''House of Mouse'') is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation that originally aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC and Toon Disney from January 13, 2001 ...
'', in the Walt Disney World version of ''
Fantasmic!'', occasionally at the
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Disney Experiences, commonly known as Disney Parks, is one of the three major divisions of the Walt Disney Company. It was founded on April 1, 1971, exactly six months before the opening of the Walt Disney World Resort.
Led by Josh D'Amaro, ...
for greetings in the Long Lost Friends area, and in
Fantasyland
Fantasyland is one of the "themed lands" at all of the Disneyland-style parks run by The Walt Disney Company around the world. It is themed after List of Disney animated films based on fairy tales, Disney's animated fairy tale feature films. Ea ...
. Hercules also had his own stage show on the
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line is a cruise line operation that is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The company was incorporated in 1996 as Magical Cruise Company Limited, through its first vessel ''Disney Magic,'' and is domiciled in London, Englan ...
. Hercules is a playable character who is available to unlock for a limited time in ''
Disney Magic Kingdoms
''Disney Magic Kingdoms'' is a 2016 city-building game developed and published by Gameloft for iOS, Android, and Windows. It is themed off the Disney Parks. The game was officially launched on March 17, 2016.
Gameplay and story
The game ta ...
''.
Hercules appears in the ''
Once Upon a Time
"Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 in storytelling in the English language and has started many narrative ...
'' episode "
Labor of Love", portrayed by
Jonathan Whitesell.
In video games
Hercules appears in the ''
Kingdom Hearts'' series, in which the ''Hercules''-themed world Olympus Coliseum regularly appears.
In the series,
Sora helps Hercules defeat Hades, who has joined
Maleficent
Maleficent ( or ) is a fictional character who first appears in Walt Disney Productions' animated film, ''Sleeping Beauty (1959 film), Sleeping Beauty'' (1959). Maleficent is the self-proclaimed "Dark lord, Mistress of All Evil" based on the Wic ...
's group of villains and still seeks to take over Olympus. In English, he is voiced by
Sean Astin in the first game, with Tate Donovan reprising his role in later games as well as Josh Keaton as younger Hercules in the prequel ''
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep''. In Japanese, he is voiced by
Yasunori Matsumoto
is a Japanese actor and voice actor affiliated with Sigma Seven. Some of Matsumoto's most notable roles are Wataru Akiyama in '' Initial D'', Jean Havoc in ''Fullmetal Alchemist'', Magnum Ace in '' Shippū! Iron Leaguer'', Gourry Gabriev in ''S ...
, with Masakazu Suzuki voicing younger Hercules in ''Birth by Sleep''.
Megara
Megara
Megara (; , ) is a historic town and a municipality in West Attica, Greece. It lies in the northern section of the Isthmus of Corinth opposite the island of Salamis Island, Salamis, which belonged to Megara in archaic times, before being taken ...
, commonly shortened to Meg, is a woman who used to work for Hades, the Lord of the
Underworld
The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underworld.
...
. In all English-language media, she is voiced by
Susan Egan. Megara is loosely based on the mythological
Megara
Megara (; , ) is a historic town and a municipality in West Attica, Greece. It lies in the northern section of the Isthmus of Corinth opposite the island of Salamis Island, Salamis, which belonged to Megara in archaic times, before being taken ...
, the first wife of Hercules in mythology, as well as
Deianira
Deianira, Deïanira, or Deianeira ( ; , or , ), also known as Dejanira, is a Calydonian princess in Greek mythology whose name translates as "man-destroyer" or "destroyer of her husband". She was the wife of Heracles and, in late Classical acc ...
, who in Greek mythology was the third wife of Hercules. Megara has fair skin and waist-length dark auburn hair which is worn in a
ponytail, and wears a Grecian-style dress. She also wears a dark purple loose-
sash
A sash is a large and usually colorful ribbon or band of material worn around the human body, either draping from one shoulder to the opposing hip and back up, or else encircling the waist. The sash around the waist may be worn in daily attire, ...
around her waist. Sometime during the events of ''Hercules'', Megara
sold her soul to Hades to revive her deceased lover. Hades agreed on the condition that she serve him, which she accepted. However, shortly after her lover was revived, he fell in love with someone else and left Megara locked in servitude to Hades. While Megara follows Hades' orders, she occasionally shows open defiance to him.
Megara first appears on screen while trying to convince the
centaur
A centaur ( ; ; ), occasionally hippocentaur, also called Ixionidae (), is a creature from Greek mythology with the upper body of a human and the lower body and legs of a horse that was said to live in the mountains of Thessaly. In one version o ...
Nessus to join Hades' forces, only to have him attempt to seduce her. Hercules intervenes, believing Megara to be a "
damsel in distress
The damsel in distress is a narrative device in which one or more men must rescue a woman who has been kidnapped or placed in other peril. The "damsel" is often portrayed as beautiful, popular, and of high social status; she is usually depicted ...
" and defeating Nessus in a fight, then falls in love with her in the process, which Hades plans to use to his advantage. Later in Thebes, Meg lures Hercules to a battle with the
Hydra, whom he defeats. After Hercules achieves several more victories, Hades offers Megara freedom in exchange for discovering Hercules' weakness. However, Megara develops feelings for Hercules instead. Eventually, Hades realizes that Meg's affection is Hercule's undoing and uses her as leverage to convince Hercules to give up his strength for one day in return for her safety; if the deal is broken, his superhuman strength returns. Hades then reveals Megara worked for him, leaving Hercules heartbroken. Megara and Phil later find Hercules battling the
Cyclops
In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; , ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguished. In Hesiod's ''Th ...
; after it is defeated, she sacrifices herself to save him from a collapsing column. Hercules succeeds in reclaiming her spirit and restoring her life during his foray into the Underworld. Despite being offered the opportunity to return to Olympus as a god, he declines and opts to remain on Earth with Megara.
In ''
Hercules: The Animated Series'', Megara appears twice, once as a teenager and once as an adult. She meets Hercules and offers him the chance to prove himself as a hero, having him retrieve her the amphora so she can use it to forget about Adonis, who she had a disastrous blind date with. He is able to retrieve it from Ares' sons, but Megara leaves Hercules behind to escape. She is taken to the Underworld by Pain and Panic and Hercules, despite her betrayal, goes after her. During a fight for the amphora, Megara tells Hercules she liked him from the start; they almost kiss, but the amphora's water is dropped on them, causing them to forget how they met. The episode "Hercules and the Yearbook" takes place after the events of the film and features Hercules and Megara moving his stuff from Phil's island.
Hermes
Hermes (; ) is an Olympian deity in ancient Greek religion and mythology considered the herald of the gods. He is also widely considered the protector of human heralds, travelers, thieves, merchants, and orators. He is able to move quic ...
delivers a special package, which Hercules immediately hides from Megara. Phil reveals the incidents that occurred during his time at school, and Hercules tells Megara he did not want to show her the yearbook because he wants her to see him as a hero. However, Megara tells him that she accepts that part of his life regardless. However, this does not stop Hercules from having Hermes retrieve Megara's yearbook, and it is revealed Megara was a cheerleader and in the glee club.
She appears in the television series ''
House of Mouse
''Disney's House of Mouse'' (or simply ''House of Mouse'') is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation that originally aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC and Toon Disney from January 13, 2001 ...
'' as a guest. She also appears in ''
Kingdom Hearts II
''Kingdom Hearts II'' is a 2005 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios, Buena Vista Games for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The game is a sequel to ''Kingdom Hear ...
'' as an inhabitant of Olympus Coliseum, where she meets Sora in the Underworld entrance. She later assists Sora in the fight against the Hydra by providing items. She returns in the sequel, ''
Kingdom Hearts III
is a 2019 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo Switch. It is the third main installment in the '' Kingdom Hearts'' series and the twelfth game overall, and ser ...
''.
Kacey Rohl
Kacey Rohl (born August 6, 1991) is a Canadian actress. She is known for playing Sterling Fitch in the television crime drama ''The Killing (U.S. TV series), The Killing'', Prudence in the 2011 dark fantasy film ''Red Riding Hood (2011 film), Red ...
portrays Megara in the
fifth season of ''
Once Upon a Time
"Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 in storytelling in the English language and has started many narrative ...
''.
Phil
Philoctetes
Philoctetes ( ''Philoktētēs''; , ), or Philocthetes, according to Greek mythology, was the son of Poeas, king of Meliboea (Magnesia), Meliboea in Thessaly, and Demonassa or Methone (Greek myth), Methone. He was a Greek hero, famed as an archer ...
, Phil for short, is a
satyr
In Greek mythology, a satyr (, ), also known as a silenus or ''silenos'' ( ), and sileni (plural), is a male List of nature deities, nature spirit with ears and a tail resembling those of a horse, as well as a permanent, exaggerated erection. ...
who trains aspiring heroes, but has often been disappointed by his trainees' shortcomings. He retired after failing to train a successful hero, but returns to the career after being convinced to train Hercules.
After his training is complete, Phil, Hercules and Pegasus set out for the city of
Thebes, where Hercules can prove his newfound worth as a hero. Along the way, Hercules saves
Megara
Megara (; , ) is a historic town and a municipality in West Attica, Greece. It lies in the northern section of the Isthmus of Corinth opposite the island of Salamis Island, Salamis, which belonged to Megara in archaic times, before being taken ...
from the centaur
Nessus. While Hercules becomes attracted to Megara, Phil immediately clashes with her and considers her a distraction. After Hercules offers himself as a hero in Thebes, despite Phil insisting that he was the "genuine article", the Thebans dismiss Hercules as an "amateur" rather than a professional hero. After the defeat of the Hydra and various monsters, Phil becomes a personal manager to the celebrity hero Hercules has become. Later on, Phil discovers that Megara is working for
Hades
Hades (; , , later ), in the ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, is the god of the dead and the king of the Greek underworld, underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea ...
, her mission being to find Hercules' weakness. Phil tries to warn Hercules, but abandons him after an argument ensues and Hercules hits him in his anger. When Hercules loses his powers to Hades, Megara convinces Phil to return to Hercules, motivating him into battling and defeating the Cyclops through improvisation. During the fight, Megara is mortally wounded by a falling column while saving Hercules, and Phil is left taking care of Megara while Hercules fights Hades and the Titans. After Hercules defeats Hades, Phil goes with Hercules to Mount Olympus, where he is seen making out with
Aphrodite
Aphrodite (, ) is an Greek mythology, ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, procreation, and as her syncretism, syncretised Roman counterpart , desire, Sexual intercourse, sex, fertility, prosperity, and ...
. When Hercules and his friends return to Thebes, Phil is gratified when the people refer to the mighty and triumphant Hercules as "Phil's boy".
In the TV series ''
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
,'' he is Hercules's coach and best friend and sidekick.
Phil also appears in the Disney/
Square Enix
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, video game publisher and entertainment conglomerate. It releases role-playing video game, role-playing game franchises, such as ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', and '' ...
video game series ''
Kingdom Hearts'', in ''
Kingdom Hearts II
''Kingdom Hearts II'' is a 2005 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios, Buena Vista Games for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The game is a sequel to ''Kingdom Hear ...
'' and ''
Kingdom Hearts III
is a 2019 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo Switch. It is the third main installment in the '' Kingdom Hearts'' series and the twelfth game overall, and ser ...
.'' He also appears in ''
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep'', in which
Zack Fair asks him to train him as a hero''.'' He also appears in the television animated series ''
House of Mouse
''Disney's House of Mouse'' (or simply ''House of Mouse'') is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation that originally aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC and Toon Disney from January 13, 2001 ...
''. Phil is also a playable character who is available to unlock for a limited time in ''
Disney Magic Kingdoms
''Disney Magic Kingdoms'' is a 2016 city-building game developed and published by Gameloft for iOS, Android, and Windows. It is themed off the Disney Parks. The game was officially launched on March 17, 2016.
Gameplay and story
The game ta ...
''.
In the film, Phil is voiced by
Danny DeVito
Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. (born November 17, 1944) is an American actor and filmmaker. He gained prominence for his portrayal of the taxi dispatcher Louie De Palma in the television series ''Taxi (TV series), Taxi'' (1978–1983), which won him ...
, while
Robert Costanzo voices him in video games and television appearances.
Ichirō Nagai voiced him in Japanese until his death, while
Lakis Lazopoulos voices him in Greek.
Pegasus
Pegasus
Pegasus (; ) is a winged horse in Greek mythology, usually depicted as a white stallion. He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa. Pegasus was the brother of Chrysaor, both born from Medusa's blood w ...
(vocal effects provided by
Frank Welker
Franklin Wendell Welker (born March 12, 1946) is an American actor who specializes in voice acting. He began his career in the 1960s, and held around 850 film, television, and video game credits as of 2020, making him one of the most prolific v ...
) is the winged horse of Hercules, who was created by Zeus out of clouds to aid Hercules. Zeus describes him as "a magnificent horse with the brain of a bird", as Pegasus' behavior is like both a steed and a bird, with habits such as clicking his tongue, whistling, and at times, perching on Hercules' shoulder.
Pegasus also appears in the Disney/
Square Enix
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, video game publisher and entertainment conglomerate. It releases role-playing video game, role-playing game franchises, such as ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', and '' ...
video games ''
Kingdom Hearts II
''Kingdom Hearts II'' is a 2005 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios, Buena Vista Games for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The game is a sequel to ''Kingdom Hear ...
'' and ''
Kingdom Hearts III
is a 2019 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo Switch. It is the third main installment in the '' Kingdom Hearts'' series and the twelfth game overall, and ser ...
''.
Pegasus is also a playable character who is available to unlock for a limited time in ''
Disney Magic Kingdoms
''Disney Magic Kingdoms'' is a 2016 city-building game developed and published by Gameloft for iOS, Android, and Windows. It is themed off the Disney Parks. The game was officially launched on March 17, 2016.
Gameplay and story
The game ta ...
''.
Hades
Hades (voiced by
James Woods) is the brother of Zeus and Poseidon. Unlike
his mainstream counterpart, who is typically portrayed as a feared but relatively passive deity, this portrayal of Hades is more comedic while still being a villain. He wears dark robes with a skull-shaped perone fastening a
chiton
Chitons () are marine molluscs of varying size in the class Polyplacophora ( ), formerly known as Amphineura. About 940 extant and 430 fossil species are recognized.
They are also sometimes known as sea cradles or coat-of-mail shells or suck ...
and his hair is a glowing blue flame that resembles the
will o'the wisp. His hair flares up when he is excited and turns red when he is angry; this flame can also be extinguished. Hades seeks to overthrow
Zeus
Zeus (, ) is the chief deity of the List of Greek deities, Greek pantheon. He is a sky father, sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, who rules as king of the gods on Mount Olympus.
Zeus is the child ...
and rule the universe, in line with
other depictions of Hades in pop culture being villainous due to his association with death.
In ''Hercules''
Before the events of the film,
Megara
Megara (; , ) is a historic town and a municipality in West Attica, Greece. It lies in the northern section of the Isthmus of Corinth opposite the island of Salamis Island, Salamis, which belonged to Megara in archaic times, before being taken ...
sold her soul to Hades so he would return her boyfriend's soul. He did, but soon after Megara's boyfriend dumped her for another girl. As a result, she remains trapped as a slave to Hades, and he uses her beauty and charm to persuade monsters to join his army. In ''Hercules'', Hades visits the Fates and learns that he could succeed at universal conquest by releasing the Titans in eighteen years, but if Hercules should fight, he will fail. To prevent this, he sends his minions,
Pain and Panic, to kidnap baby Hercules and give him a potion that would render him mortal and kill him. However, Hercules does not drink all of it, and thus retained his godlike strength. Pain and Panic, however, tell Hades that Hercules is dead, hoping that he will not find out.
After discovering that Hercules is still alive, Hades sets up the
Hydra as a fixed contest, but Hercules is able to defeat him. Frustrated, Hades sends more monsters, only for Hercules to defeat them. After learning that Hercules has fallen in love with Megara, he uses this to his advantage and makes a deal with Hercules: he must give up his superhuman strength for the next twenty-four hours in exchange for Megara's freedom. Hercules agrees, as long as Meg will be safe from any harm. Hades then reveals that Megara was working for him, crushing Hercules' will to fight. Hades then releases the
Titans
In Greek mythology, the Titans ( ; ) were the pre-Twelve Olympians, Olympian gods. According to the ''Theogony'' of Hesiod, they were the twelve children of the primordial parents Uranus (mythology), Uranus (Sky) and Gaia (Earth). The six male ...
, who defeat and imprison the gods, and sends the
Cyclops
In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; , ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguished. In Hesiod's ''Th ...
to kill Hercules to keep him from interfering in his plans, but Hercules defeats the monster using his wits. However, Megara is seriously injured saving Hercules from a falling pillar, negating Hades's deal that she would not be hurt. Hercules regains his powers and returns to Mount Olympus, where he defeats the Titans and frees the gods. Hades is upset by this, but taunts Hercules, telling him that while he was fighting the Titans, Megara died from her injuries.
At the film's post-climax battle, Hercules then travels to the Underworld to rescue her soul and offers himself to Hades in exchange for her freedom. He swims into the
River Styx to retrieve her soul; he nearly dies, but his godhood is restored by the selfless act of being willing to risk his life to save her. Hercules emerges from the pit with Megara's soul in his arms, much to Hades' shock and anger. Knowing that he cannot stop Hercules, Hades begs him to try and ease things with him and the other gods, but Hercules refuses and punches Hades into the River Styx, where he is swarmed by vengeful souls and dragged into its depths.
In television series
Hades, once again voiced by James Woods, frequently appears in
the ''Hercules'' TV series as one of Hercules' various antagonists. Unlike the film, Hades knew about Hercules' survival while Hercules was a teenager. Like in the film, Hades ultimately wanted control over Olympus, but his goals varied between each episode. Hades concocted several schemes, including (but not limited to) stealing Apollo's sun while Hercules was on duty as an intern to inspire a vote of No Confidence in Zeus ("Hercules and the Apollo Mission"), teaming up with Poseidon to move the River Styx to Greece as a means to conquer the country ("Hercules and the River Styx"), attempting to eliminate
Hippocrates
Hippocrates of Kos (; ; ), also known as Hippocrates II, was a Greek physician and philosopher of the Classical Greece, classical period who is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine. He is traditionally referr ...
(and temporarily succeeding in doing so) after the latter causes a shortage of dead souls in the Underworld due to his medical procedures ("Hercules and the World's First Doctor"), and rewriting reality with the Tapestry of Fate to swap lives and roles with Zeus ("Hercules and the Tapestry of Fate"). Ultimately, all of Hades' schemes failed by the end of each episode due to the work of Hercules and his allies.
The crossover episode "Hercules and the Arabian Night" had Hades meet with
Jafar's spirit from Disney's
''Aladdin'' franchise in the Underworld after the latter's defeat in ''
The Return of Jafar
''The Return of Jafar'' (retroactively titled ''Aladdin: The Return of Jafar'' on later releases) is a 1994 American direct-to-video animated musical film, musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Pictures Disney Television Animation, and Tele ...
''. The two teamed up to try to take out Hercules and
Aladdin
Aladdin ( ; , , ATU 561, 'Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with '' One Thousand and One Nights'' (often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of the original ...
by kidnapping
Abu and Icarus and having the two heroes fight each other under the pretenses of saving their friends from the other hero. Hades also temporarily brought Jafar back to life by giving the latter a staff that granted Jafar a new body for as long as Jafar holds the staff. The two villains ultimately failed due to the heroes' teamwork, and Hercules broke Jafar's new staff in two. This led to Jafar being dragged down into the River Styx, presumably defeating him for good.
Hades also appears in several episodes of the television series ''
House of Mouse
''Disney's House of Mouse'' (or simply ''House of Mouse'') is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation that originally aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC and Toon Disney from January 13, 2001 ...
'', often in cameo appearances. He has a relevant role in the episode "Suddenly Hades", where after
Pete tries to get the House closed by turning up the thermostat, as Mickey's contract states that the House will close if it is ever empty, Hades' ability to tolerate heat means that he remains comfortable in the House despite the rise in temperature, thus allowing Mickey to keep the House open. He also has another relevant role in the episode "Halloween with Hades", where he tries to ask Maleficent out on a date and asked Mickey for advice; while this advice does not work, Hades is able to win her over by showing his fiery personality in a fit of rage towards Mickey. The two are referred to by Minnie Mouse as "a match not made in heaven". He also appears in the series' direct-to-video film ''
Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse'', as well as ''
Mickey's House of Villains.'' In the latter, James Woods only voices Hades for one line, while
Rob Paulsen
Robert Frederick Paulsen III (born March 11, 1956) is an American voice actor and voice director, known for his roles in numerous animated television series and films. He received a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Pro ...
provides the singing voice of Hades in the song "It's Our House Now!".
Hercules appears in the fifth season of ''
Once Upon a Time
"Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 in storytelling in the English language and has started many narrative ...
'', portrayed by
Greg Germann.
In video games
Hades also appears in the ''
Kingdom Hearts'' series, where James Woods reprises his role as his English voice, while he is voiced in Japanese by Kyusaku Shimada, who does an impersonation of Woods. He was originally in league with
Maleficent
Maleficent ( or ) is a fictional character who first appears in Walt Disney Productions' animated film, ''Sleeping Beauty (1959 film), Sleeping Beauty'' (1959). Maleficent is the self-proclaimed "Dark lord, Mistress of All Evil" based on the Wic ...
and used the
Heartless to try to take over the worlds. Hades wants to dispose of Hercules and tricks
Cloud Strife
is a character in the media franchise ''Compilation of Final Fantasy VII'' by Square Enix. He is the protagonist of the role-playing video games ''Final Fantasy VII'' (1997), ''Final Fantasy VII Remake'' (2020) and ''Final Fantasy VII Rebirth'' ...
into challenging Hercules in the Preliminaries at the Olympus Colliseum. In return, Hades "promises" Cloud he will lead him to
Sephiroth. However, once
Sora arrives, Hades changes plans and has Cloud attack Sora. When Cloud refused to kill Sora or is defeated, depending on the outcome, Hades sends
Cerberus
In Greek mythology, Cerberus ( or ; ''Kérberos'' ), often referred to as the hound of Hades, is a polycephaly, multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the Greek underworld, underworld to prevent the dead from leaving. He was the offspring o ...
to take care of Cloud. After Maleficent's defeat, Hades battles Sora and loses. In ''
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories'', a facsimile Hades appears as part of Sora's memory and the darkness in
Riku's heart. In ''
Kingdom Hearts II
''Kingdom Hearts II'' is a 2005 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios, Buena Vista Games for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The game is a sequel to ''Kingdom Hear ...
'', Hades joins forces with
Pete and decides to use
Auron, who has already died, to fight against Hercules; however, Auron rebels against Hades and fights him, only to be interrupted by Sora,
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created by the Walt Disney Company. Donald is an Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit, sailor shirt and cap with ...
, and
Goofy
Goofy is a cartoon character created by the Walt Disney Company. He is a tall, Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic dog who typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fe ...
. They fight Hades, but, due to the Underworld curse, he is invincible to their attacks. Hades then sends Cerberus and later the Hydra against Sora and his friends. Upon discovering that Sora's
Keyblade can unlock any lock, Hades initially plans to use it to unlock the Underdrome, the Underworld's own coliseum. However, when Pete informs him that the Keyblade will only work for Sora, Hades kidnaps Megara and traps her in the locked Underdrome, forcing Sora to unlock it to rescue her. After defeating Pete and the Hydra again, Sora and his friends eventually fight and defeat Hades. However, Hades survives and acts as a challenger in the last tournaments, which are unlocked near the end of the game. In the prequel ''
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep'', he attempts to use
Terra
Terra may often refer to:
* Terra (mythology), primeval Roman goddess
* An alternate name for planet Earth, as well as the Latin name for the planet
Terra may also refer to: Geography Astronomy
* Terra (satellite), a multi-national NASA scient ...
to kill Hercules, but Terra resists the darkness in his heart, so Hades places
Zack Fair under his control to eliminate both Terra and Hercules. However, Terra defeats Zack and frees him from Hades' influence. Later, Hades and the Ice Colossus, a replica of the Ice Titan, fight
Aqua in the Coliseum, but Aqua defeats both of them and Hades flees to the Underworld to further his plans. In ''
Kingdom Hearts III
is a 2019 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo Switch. It is the third main installment in the '' Kingdom Hearts'' series and the twelfth game overall, and ser ...
'', Hades puts his final plan into motion, unleashing all the Titans to assault Olympus, but Hercules, along with Sora, Donald, and Goofy, thwart his plans.
Hades is a playable character who is available to unlock for a limited time in ''
Disney Magic Kingdoms
''Disney Magic Kingdoms'' is a 2016 city-building game developed and published by Gameloft for iOS, Android, and Windows. It is themed off the Disney Parks. The game was officially launched on March 17, 2016.
Gameplay and story
The game ta ...
''.
Hades appears in the
DLC "The Storybook Vale" for ''
Disney Dreamlight Valley'', being one of the villagers of the titular valley.
Other appearances
Hades stars in "Villains Tonight" on the Disney Magic and Disney Dream, a musical stage show featuring many villains from various Disney films, including
Dr. Facilier,
Ursula,
Scar
A scar (or scar tissue) is an area of fibrosis, fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin after an injury. Scars result from the biological process of wound repair in the skin, as well as in other Organ (anatomy), organs, and biological tissue, t ...
,
Yzma, Maleficent, the
Evil Queen,
Captain Hook
Captain James Hook is the main antagonist of J. M. Barrie's 1904 play ''Peter and Wendy, Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up'' and its various adaptations, in which he is Peter Pan's archenemy. The character is a pirate captain of the br ...
,
Cruella de Vil, and Jafar, as well as Pain and Panic. In the plot of the show, Hades has "softened a bit" and made the Underworld a fun place. However, the Fates tell him he has until midnight to become more evil or he will no longer rule the Underworld. Therefore, he summons the most evil villains in his quest to become more evil.
Hades appears in the film ''
Descendants 3'', where he is portrayed by
Cheyenne Jackson. Hades is among the villains imprisoned on the Isle of the Lost by
King Beast, despite his godhood. He is later revealed to be Mal's father, and briefly lends his ember to her to undo a spell done by a jealous Audrey. He is later brought over from the Isle of the Lost to revive Audrey, in the act insinuating that the punishment of Beast is injust and that he has a prejudice about the villains. By the end of the film, Hades approves of Mal's marriage to Ben, as interaction between Auradon and the Isle of the Lost is now allowed. Cheyenne Jackson also voices Hades in the animated television special ''
Descendants: The Royal Wedding''. A teenage Hades appears in ''
Descendants: The Rise of Red'', portrayed by Anthony Pyatt.
Pain and Panic
Pain
Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging Stimulus (physiology), stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sense, sensory and emotional experience associated with, or res ...
(voiced by
Bobcat Goldthwait) and
Panic
Panic is a sudden sensation of fear, which is so strong as to dominate or prevent reason and logical thinking, replacing it with overwhelming feelings of anxiety, uncertainty and frantic agitation consistent with a fight-or-flight reaction. ...
(voiced by
Matt Frewer
Matthew George Frewer (born January 4, 1958) is an American-Canadian actor and comedian. He portrayed the 1980s icon Max Headroom in the 1985 TV film and 1987 Max Headroom (TV series), television series of the same name.
He became prominent when ...
) are a pair of shapeshifting
imps who are Hades' minions. Pain is fat and crimson, while Panic is skinny and turquoise. Panic is
paranoid
Paranoia is an instinct or thought process that is believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety, suspicion, or fear, often to the point of delusion and irrationality. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of con ...
and easily scared, but appears to be relatively smart and is cautious. He appears to be more honest than Pain. Pain is bossy, hot-tempered, and sly, but also clumsy and impulsive; he also seems to be less intelligent than Panic.
In the film, Hades sends them to kidnap baby Hercules, make him mortal, and kill him. However, they fail to kill him, and he keeps his godlike strength, allowing him to dispose of them before they have a chance to kill him. Not wanting Hades to know about their failure, they tell him that Hercules is dead. Many years later Hades discovers that Hercules is actually alive. Throughout the rest of the film, they are seen either cheering Hades's monsters on, buying Hercules' merchandise, grovelling to Hades, or using their powers to contact Megara. When Hades plots against Hercules, Pain and Panic lure and capture Pegasus by assuming the form of a female Pegasus. At the end of the film, Hades is punched into the river
Styx
In Greek mythology, Styx (; ; lit. "Shuddering"), also called the River Styx, is a goddess and one of the rivers of the Greek Underworld. Her parents were the Titans Oceanus and Tethys, and she was the wife of the Titan Pallas and the moth ...
, which they witness and hope he does not return.
Pain and Panic also appear in the ''
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
'' TV series as Hades's lackeys. They also appear in the ''
House of Mouse
''Disney's House of Mouse'' (or simply ''House of Mouse'') is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation that originally aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC and Toon Disney from January 13, 2001 ...
'' television series, usually along with Hades. They also appear in ''
Kingdom Hearts II
''Kingdom Hearts II'' is a 2005 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios, Buena Vista Games for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The game is a sequel to ''Kingdom Hear ...
'', where they are working for Hades and work at the Underdrome. Pain and Panic are also playable characters who are available to unlock for a limited time in ''
Disney Magic Kingdoms
''Disney Magic Kingdoms'' is a 2016 city-building game developed and published by Gameloft for iOS, Android, and Windows. It is themed off the Disney Parks. The game was officially launched on March 17, 2016.
Gameplay and story
The game ta ...
''.
Gods
Greek Gods
Olympian Gods
*
Zeus
Zeus (, ) is the chief deity of the List of Greek deities, Greek pantheon. He is a sky father, sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, who rules as king of the gods on Mount Olympus.
Zeus is the child ...
(voiced by
Rip Torn in the film,
Corey Burton
Corey Burton is an American voice actor. He is the current voice of Captain Hook, Ludwig Von Drake and others for The Walt Disney Company, Shockwave on '' The Transformers'', Brainiac in the DC Animated Universe, Count Dooku and Cad Bane in ...
in the TV series and ''
Kingdom Hearts III
is a 2019 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo Switch. It is the third main installment in the '' Kingdom Hearts'' series and the twelfth game overall, and ser ...
'', and
Genzo Wakayama in Japanese in ''Kingdom Hearts III'') is the ruler of Mount Olympus and king of the gods, as well as
Hera's husband and father of most Olympian gods. Many eons ago, Zeus imprisoned the Titans, who threatened to destroy the world, deep beneath the ocean. Unbeknownst to Zeus, the next planetary alignment would reveal the location of the Titans' prison, and he is unaware his brother Hades was planning to release the Titans. Following Hercules's birth, Hades kidnaps him and makes him mortal to prevent the prophecy from coming true, as it would result in his defeat. When Hercules grows into a teenager and goes to his temple, Zeus tells him that he must become a "true hero" to rejoin the gods, which he later defines as something more than being famous. However, he refuses to clarify what it means, only telling Hercules to "look inside his heart" and figure it out on his own. Zeus is later betrayed by Hades, but Hercules later saves him and Olympus. Hercules becomes a god after sacrificing himself to save Megara, as Zeus reveals that his son is finally a true hero and can be a god. Nonetheless, Zeus is supportive of his son's decision to remain with Megara on Earth. Zeus also appears in the ''
Kingdom Hearts'' series.
*
Hera
In ancient Greek religion, Hera (; ; in Ionic Greek, Ionic and Homeric Greek) is the goddess of marriage, women, and family, and the protector of women during childbirth. In Greek mythology, she is queen of the twelve Olympians and Mount Oly ...
(voiced by
Samantha Eggar) is the goddess of women and marriage and the queen of the gods. She is also
Zeus's wife and mother of most Olympian gods.
*
Hermes
Hermes (; ) is an Olympian deity in ancient Greek religion and mythology considered the herald of the gods. He is also widely considered the protector of human heralds, travelers, thieves, merchants, and orators. He is able to move quic ...
(voiced by
Paul Shaffer
Paul Allen Wood Shaffer (born November 28, 1949) is a Canadian musician, actor, and comedian who served as David Letterman's musical director, bandleader, and sidekick on ''Late Night with David Letterman'' (1982–1993) and ''Late Show with D ...
) is the messenger of the gods, who is frequently sent by Zeus to contact Hercules.
*
Apollo
Apollo is one of the Twelve Olympians, Olympian deities in Ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek and Ancient Roman religion, Roman religion and Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology. Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, mu ...
(voiced by
Keith David) is the god of light and music and Artemis's twin brother, who drives the Solar chariot.
*
Amphitrite
In ancient Greek mythology, Amphitrite (; ) was the goddess of the sea, the queen of the sea, and her consort is Poseidon. She was a daughter of Nereus and Doris (or Oceanus and Tethys).Roman, L., & Roman, M. (2010). Under the influence ...
(voiced by
Leslie Mann) is the goddess of the sea, Poseidon's wife, and Otus and Triton's mother.
*
Aphrodite
Aphrodite (, ) is an Greek mythology, ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, procreation, and as her syncretism, syncretised Roman counterpart , desire, Sexual intercourse, sex, fertility, prosperity, and ...
(voiced by
Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Valerie Kudrow ( ; born July 30, 1963) is an American actress. She rose to international fame for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the American television sitcom ''Friends'', which aired from 1994 to 2004. The series earned her Primetime Emmy A ...
) is the goddess of love, who is strong minded, feisty, and clever. She is Hephaestus's wife, but it is indicated that she is attracted to Phil, whom she is seen making out. As well, Hades is constantly trying to flirt with her, to no avail. In ''Hercules and the Dream Date'', she brings Hercules' clay
sculpture to life after he asks her for a favor.
*
Ares
Ares (; , ''Árēs'' ) is the List of Greek deities, Greek god of war god, war and courage. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. The Greeks were ambivalent towards him. He embodies the physical valor necessary for ...
(voiced by
Jay Thomas) is the brash god of war, who seeks to destroy
Athens
Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
and prove the superiority of
Sparta
Sparta was a prominent city-state in Laconia in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (), while the name Sparta referred to its main settlement in the Evrotas Valley, valley of Evrotas (river), Evrotas rive ...
. He has two "dogs of war", Brutacles and Sadisto, who draw his chariot.
**
Fear
Fear is an unpleasant emotion that arises in response to perception, perceived dangers or threats. Fear causes physiological and psychological changes. It may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the ...
and
Terror (voiced by
David Cross and
Toby Huss) are the dimwitted and strong sons of Ares.
*
Artemis
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Artemis (; ) is the goddess of the hunting, hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, transitions, nature, vegetation, childbirth, Kourotrophos, care of children, and chastity. In later tim ...
(voiced by
Reba McEntire
Reba Nell McEntire ( ; born March 28, 1955), or simply Reba, is an American country music, country singer and actress. Dubbed "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Queen of Country", she has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Sin ...
) is the goddess of the hunt and wild animals, and Apollo's twin sister. She is seen protecting the
Calydonian Boar and transforms a few of the characters into animals, a reference to her turning
Actaeon
In Greek mythology, Actaeon (; ''Aktaiōn'') was the son of the priestly herdsman Aristaeus and Autonoe in Boeotia, and a famous Thebes, Greece, Theban Greek hero cult, hero. Through his mother he was a member of the ruling House of Cadmus. Like ...
into a stag in mythology. She is also seen scolding
Orion, referencing her role in his death in mythology.
*
Athena
Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretism, syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarde ...
(voiced by
Jane Leeves) is the goddess of wisdom and Ares's sister. Ares frequently tries to destroy her worship city of Athens, but Athena is able to stop him with help from Hercules. Athena has a
pet owl named Ibid that she once lent to Hercules to help him pass Herodotus's exam.
*
Aurora
An aurora ( aurorae or auroras),
also commonly known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis), is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly observed in high-latitude regions (around the Arc ...
is the goddess of the dawn and Helios's sister, who is equivalent to
Eos
In ancient Greek mythology and Ancient Greek religion, religion, Eos (; Ionic Greek, Ionic and Homeric Greek ''Ēṓs'', Attic Greek, Attic ''Héōs'', "dawn", or ; Aeolic Greek, Aeolic ''Aúōs'', Doric Greek, Doric ''Āṓs'') is the go ...
. She is mentioned in the episode "Hercules and the Jilt Trip".
*
Boreas (voiced by
Alan Rosenberg) is the god of the North Wind. He seems to have a grudge against Ares for beating him up during Sparta's creation.
*
Bacchus
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; ) is the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He was also known as Bacchus ( or ; ) by the Gre ...
(voiced by
Dom DeLuise
Dominick DeLuise (August 1, 1933 – May 4, 2009) was an American actor, comedian, director, musician, chef, and author. Known primarily for comedy roles, he rose to fame in the 1970s as a frequent guest on television variety shows. He is widely ...
) is the god of
wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...
and partying. He nearly sinks Phil's island with his revelry, which bothered Poseidon.
*
Cupid
In classical mythology, Cupid ( , meaning "passionate desire") is the god of desire, erotic love, attraction and affection. He is often portrayed as the son of the love goddess Venus and the god of war Mars. He is also known as Amor (Latin: ...
(voiced by
Tom Arnold) is the god of passion. He is depicted as an overweight, middle-aged man wearing a diaper. He is Ares and Aphrodite's son, Phobos and Deimos's brother, and Psyche's husband. He has minions called
Cherub
A cherub (; : cherubim; ''kərūḇ'', pl. ''kərūḇīm'') is one type of supernatural being in the Abrahamic religions. The numerous depictions of cherubim assign to them many different roles, such as protecting the entrance of the Garden of ...
s, and his quiver holds both "love" and "loathe" arrows. In the film, he is depicted as a skinny teenager and is seen congratulating Hercules.
*
Demeter
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Demeter (; Attic Greek, Attic: ''Dēmḗtēr'' ; Doric Greek, Doric: ''Dāmā́tēr'') is the Twelve Olympians, Olympian goddess of the harvest and agriculture, presiding over cro ...
(voiced by
Florence Henderson
Florence Agnes Henderson (February 14, 1934 – November 24, 2016) was an American singer and actress. With a career spanning six decades, she is best known for her starring role as Carol Brady on the ABC sitcom ''The Brady Bunch''. Henderson ...
) is the goddess of agriculture. She sends
Nemesis
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Nemesis (; ) also called Rhamnousia (or Rhamnusia; ), was the goddess who personified retribution for the sin of hubris: arrogance before the gods.
Etymology
The name ''Nemesis'' is derived from the Greek ...
to smite the satyr
Pan for his inadequate offerings at her harvest festival and building a temple to himself. She is also seen among the gods congratulating Hercules.
*
Eileithyia is the goddess of childbirth and Zeus and Hera's daughter, who appears at Hercules's birth party.
*
Hebe is the goddess of youth and Zeus and Hera's daughter, who appears at Hercules's birth party.
*
Hecate
Hecate ( ; ) is a goddess in ancient Greek religion and mythology, most often shown holding a pair of torches, a key, or snakes, or accompanied by dogs, and in later periods depicted as three-formed or triple-bodied. She is variously associat ...
(voiced by
Peri Gilpin) is the goddess of witchcraft, who longs to take over the Underworld from Hades. Despite seemingly disliking his realm, he is willing to defend it from her.
*
Helios
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Helios (; ; Homeric Greek: ) is the god who personification, personifies the Sun. His name is also Latinized as Helius, and he is often given the epithets Hyperion ("the one above") an ...
is the god of the sun and Aurora's brother. He never physically appears in the series, but the
Colossus of Rhodes
The Colossus of Rhodes (; ) was a statue of the Greek sun god Helios, erected in the city of Rhodes, on the Greek island of the same name, by Chares of Lindos in 280 BC. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it was constructed to ...
– which resembles him – appears in "Hercules and the Hero of Athens". He also appears at Hercules's birth party.
*
Hephaestus
Hephaestus ( , ; wikt:Hephaestus#Alternative forms, eight spellings; ) is the Greek god of artisans, blacksmiths, carpenters, craftsmen, fire, metallurgy, metalworking, sculpture and volcanoes.Walter Burkert, ''Greek Religion'' 1985: III.2. ...
(voiced by
Kevin Michael Richardson
Kevin Michael Richardson (born October 25, 1964) is an American actor. Known for his distinctively deep voice, he has mostly voiced villainous characters in animation and video games. In film, Richardson voiced Goro in ''Mortal Kombat'' (1995) ...
) is the god of fire and the gods' blacksmith, who has a peg leg for a right leg. He is Aphrodite's husband, and hates when Hades flirts with her. In the film, Hephaestus forges Zeus' thunderbolts when the Titans attack Mount Olympus.
*
Hestia
In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Hestia (; ) is the virgin goddess of the hearth and the home. In myth, she is the firstborn child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea, and one of the Twelve Olympians.
In Greek mythology, newborn Hestia, alo ...
(voiced by
Betty White) is the goddess of family and the hearth. She is often seen cooking or marveling at her own confections, most of which end in failure, such as when Adonis caused Hercules to crash into her cake.
*
Iris is the goddess of the rainbow and Boreas's wife. She is mentioned in the episode "Hercules and the Kids".
*
Morpheus (voiced by
Jonathan Katz) is the god of sleep. He has a little brother called Phantasos, who wanted to become the god of sleep, but was rejected by
Zeus
Zeus (, ) is the chief deity of the List of Greek deities, Greek pantheon. He is a sky father, sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, who rules as king of the gods on Mount Olympus.
Zeus is the child ...
because of "seniority". He is also among the gods congratulating Hercules at the end of the film.
*
Narcissus is the god of pride and Trivia's brother. Despite not being a god in Greco-Roman mythology, he was depicted several times in the film and the series as an Olympian god.
*
Nemesis
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Nemesis (; ) also called Rhamnousia (or Rhamnusia; ), was the goddess who personified retribution for the sin of hubris: arrogance before the gods.
Etymology
The name ''Nemesis'' is derived from the Greek ...
(voiced by
Linda Hamilton
Linda Carroll Hamilton (born September 26, 1956) is an American actress. Known for portraying tough, resilient characters, she made her film debut in 1979 before achieving fame with her starring role as Sarah Connor (Terminator), Sarah Connor i ...
) is the goddess of vengeance. She works for the Infernal Retribution Service (
IRS
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting Taxation in the United States, U.S. federal taxes and administerin ...
), a service which punishes mortals who disrespect the gods. She can turn her hands into weapons.
*
Nike is the goddess of victory and Styx's daughter. She is mentioned in the episode "Hercules and the Poseidon's Cup Adventure". She also appears at Hercules's birth party.
*
Otus (voiced by
Brad Garrett
Brad H. Gerstenfeld (born April 14, 1960), known professionally as Brad Garrett, is an American actor and stand-up comedian.
Garrett was initially successful as a stand-up comedian in the early 1980s. Taking advantage of that success in the la ...
) is Poseidon and Amphitrite's son and Triton's brother.
*
Pan (voiced by
Joe Pantoliano) is the god of nature, the wild, shepherds and flocks, and mountain wilds, and Hermes's son. Despite being the king of the
satyr
In Greek mythology, a satyr (, ), also known as a silenus or ''silenos'' ( ), and sileni (plural), is a male List of nature deities, nature spirit with ears and a tail resembling those of a horse, as well as a permanent, exaggerated erection. ...
s, he wants to be worshiped as a god by his people. Pan gains the wrath of Demeter, who threatens to send Nemesis to smite him for building a temple to himself if he does not give her suitable offerings by the end of the harvest festival. After attempting to get Phil to take his place, Pan is forced to give up the offerings of the festival. He also appear in the episode "Hercules and the Prince of Thrace" in the story of the Muses with King Midas.
*
Persephone
In ancient Greek mythology and Ancient Greek religion, religion, Persephone ( ; , classical pronunciation: ), also called Kore ( ; ) or Cora, is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She became the queen of the Greek underworld, underworld afte ...
is the goddess of springtime and Demeter's daughter. She is one of the gods seen congratulating Hercules at the end of the film.
*
Phantasos (voiced by
Tom Kenny
Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He has been voicing SpongeBob SquarePants (character), the titular character in ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and associated media since its debut in 1999. Kenny has voice ...
) – At the start of the world, Phantasos wanted to be the god of sleep, only for his brother Morpheus to get the job. Since then, Phantasos plotted to get the job; to this end, he creates a nightmare counterpart of Morpheus' Blanket of Slumber called the Discomforter. Due to the nightmares people are having, Phantasos suggested to Zeus that he become the new god of sleep should Morpheus fail to stop the nightmares. When in their dreams, Hercules and Phil end up fighting Phantasos, who takes on the form of Hydra and Typhon, and are able to defeat him. The next day, Morpheus convinces Zeus to make Phantasos the god of dreams and nightmares since he is much better at the job than his brother.
*
Poseidon
Poseidon (; ) is one of the twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and mythology, presiding over the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 He was the protector of seafarers and the guardian of many Hellenic cit ...
(voiced by
Jason Alexander
Jay Scott Greenspan (born September 23, 1959), known professionally as Jason Alexander, is an American actor and comedian. Over the course of his career he has received an Emmy Award and a Tony Award as well as nominations for four Golden Globe ...
) is the god of the sea, Zeus and Hades's brother, Amphitrite's husband, and Otus and Triton's father. He appears several times in the film, such as when the gods congratulate Hercules. He also appears in the series as part of the Olympian council. In "Hercules and the Bacchanal", he sunk Phil's island because of Hercules's party, but revives it afterward. In "Hercules and the River Styx", he dealt with Hades to give him a bigger superiority to avenge Athena for taking Athena under her safety, but is later trapped and imprisoned with Athena by Hades. However, Poseidon and Athena were freed as Poseidon beats up Hades. In "Hercules and the Son of Poseidon", Poseidon persuades Hercules to let Triton attend Prometheus Academy after saving the boat Hercules was on. In this appearance, Hercules referred to Poseidon as his uncle. In "Hercules and the Poseidon's Cup Adventure", Poseidon creates a boat race in his honor.
*
Psyche is Cupid's wife, who appears at Hercules's birth party.
*
Styx
In Greek mythology, Styx (; ; lit. "Shuddering"), also called the River Styx, is a goddess and one of the rivers of the Greek Underworld. Her parents were the Titans Oceanus and Tethys, and she was the wife of the Titan Pallas and the moth ...
is the goddess of Styx and Nike's mother. She appears in the episode "Hercules and the River Styx".
*
Triton (voiced by
Chris Elliott) is Poseidon and Amphitrite's son and Otus's brother. He yearns to be a hero like his cousin Hercules. He appears in "Hercules and the Son of Poseidon", where Poseidon talks Hercules into letting him attend Prometheus Academy.
* Trivia (voiced by
Ben Stein
Benjamin Jeremy Stein (born November 25, 1944) is an American writer, lawyer, actor, comedian, and commentator on political and economic issues. He began his career as a speechwriter for U.S. presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford before enter ...
) is the god of trivia and Narcissus's brother, despite usually being female in mythology. In "Hercules and the Pool Party", Trivia was the only god not invited to Hades' pool party at
Lethe due to Hades not considering him important enough to invite.
Titans
The
Titans
In Greek mythology, the Titans ( ; ) were the pre-Twelve Olympians, Olympian gods. According to the ''Theogony'' of Hesiod, they were the twelve children of the primordial parents Uranus (mythology), Uranus (Sky) and Gaia (Earth). The six male ...
were the giant rulers of the world when it was first created and rampaged until they were imprisoned by Zeus. Four of the five Titans represent one of the
four elements
The classical elements typically refer to earth, water, air, fire, and (later) aether which were proposed to explain the nature and complexity of all matter in terms of simpler substances. Ancient cultures in Greece, Angola, Tibet, India, a ...
. Since then, they held a powerful grudge against Zeus. Upon the planets aligning, Hades frees the Titans and directed them to Mount Olympus so they can get revenge on Zeus for imprisoning them while Agres was sent to kill Hercules. They were defeated by Zeus and Hercules as Hercules made Agres fall to his death and sent the Titans flying into outer space where they exploded. The Titans also appear as bosses in ''
Kingdom Hearts III
is a 2019 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo Switch. It is the third main installment in the '' Kingdom Hearts'' series and the twelfth game overall, and ser ...
''.
* Lythos (voiced by
Corey Burton
Corey Burton is an American voice actor. He is the current voice of Captain Hook, Ludwig Von Drake and others for The Walt Disney Company, Shockwave on '' The Transformers'', Brainiac in the DC Animated Universe, Count Dooku and Cad Bane in ...
and
Patrick Pinney) is a two-headed Titan made of rock, who created the earth. During the final battle, he is beheaded by Zeus. He also appears in ''
Kingdom Hearts'' and ''
Kingdom Hearts III
is a 2019 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo Switch. It is the third main installment in the '' Kingdom Hearts'' series and the twelfth game overall, and ser ...
'' as a boss. Unlike in the film, Zeus does not behead Lythos.
* Hydros (voiced by
Jim Ward) is a skeletal Titan made of ice, who created water. Hydros also appears in as a boss in ''Kingdom Hearts'' in the Olympus Colisseum, and in ''Kingdom Hearts III,'' where he fights Hercules and Sora alongside Pyros and Stratos. In ''
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep'', a replica of him created by Hades appears as a boss.
* Pyros (voiced by
Jim Cummings
James Jonah Cummings (born November 3, 1952) is an American voice actor. Beginning his career in the 1980s, he has appeared in over 400 titles. Cummings has frequently worked with the Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros., serving as the offic ...
) is a blob-like Titan made of lava who created fire. Pyros appears as a boss in ''Kingdom Hearts III,'' where he fights Hercules and Sora alongside Hydros and Stratos.
* Stratos (voiced by Corey Burton) is a Titan who resembles a living tornado, and created air. Hercules used Stratos to suck up the other Titans and send them into outer space. Stratos appears as a boss in ''Kingdom Hearts III,'' where he fights Hercules and Sora alongside Hydros and Pyros and is fought after Hydros and Pyros are defeated.
* Agres (voiced by Patrick Pinney) is a gigantic pink-skinned
cyclops
In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; , ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguished. In Hesiod's ''Th ...
who Hades instructed to find and kill Hercules while he was weakened while the other four Titans attacked Mount Olympus. Hercules initially struggles to defeat Agres until Phil comes to his aid and tells him he does not need strength to beat him. Thinking quickly, Hercules shoves a torch into his eye, blinding him; he then uses the opportunity to tie Agres' legs together, causing him to trip and fall off a cliff to his death.
The animated series added some of the named Titans from mythology:
*
Antaeus
Antaeus (; , derived from ), known to the Berbers as Anti, was a figure in Traditional Berber religion, Berber and Greek mythology. He was famed for his defeat by Heracles as part of the Labours of Hercules.
Family
In Greek sources, he was ...
(voiced by
Miguel Ferrer
Miguel José Ferrer (February 7, 1955 – January 19, 2017) was an American actor. His breakthrough role was as Bob Morton in the 1987 film ''RoboCop''. Other film roles include Harbinger in '' Hot Shots! Part Deux'' (1993), Quigley in '' Blank ...
) is a half-Titan who founded the P.O.O.T.L.s ("People's Organization of Titanic Liberators") so he could free the Titans. He held Prometheus Academy hostage, wanting Hercules as prisoner so that he can force Zeus to release them.
*
Atlas
An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of world map, maps of Earth or of a continent or region of Earth. Advances in astronomy have also resulted in atlases of the celestial sphere or of other planets.
Atlases have traditio ...
(voiced by
Thomas Lennon) is a muscular Titan cursed to forever hold up the sky at the edge of the world. He appears in "Hercules and the Prince of Thrace".
*
Gaia
In Greek mythology, Gaia (; , a poetic form of ('), meaning 'land' or 'earth'),, , . also spelled Gaea (), is the personification of Earth. Gaia is the ancestral mother—sometimes parthenogenic—of all life. She is the mother of Uranus (S ...
(voiced by
Kerri Kenney) is the goddess of the Earth, who sleeps deep beneath the Earth and dislikes anyone who disturbs her, such as Adonis after he awoke her from her eternal slumber.
*
Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus (; , , possibly meaning "forethought")Smith"Prometheus". is a Titans, Titan. He is best known for defying the Olympian gods by taking theft of fire, fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technol ...
(voiced by
Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner (March 20, 1922 – June 29, 2020) was an American actor, author, comedian, director and screenwriter whose career spanned seven decades. He was the List of awards and nominations received by Carl Reiner, recipient of many awards and ...
) is a kind Titan who stole fire from Olympus and gave it to humanity so they could improve their lives. As punishment, Zeus had Prometheus chained to a rock, where every day the Caucasian Eagle plucked out and ate his liver, which regrew again every night. In the episode "Hercules and the Prometheus Affair", Hercules releases him and convinces Zeus that he did the right thing.
*
Kronos is the former ruler of the universe and father of Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. Upon discovering that one of his children would overthrow him, he attempted to devour them whole; however, he was defeated by Zeus and sealed in an unknown region of Tartarus. As a last act, he created the Kronos Stone, which would cast any god who approached it into eternal sleep. Hades hoped to use the stone to overthrow Zeus.
*
Rhea is the wife of Kronos and mother of Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, and Hades.
*
Mnemosyne
In Greek mythology and ancient Greek religion, Mnemosyne (; , ) is the goddess of memory and the mother of the nine Muses by her nephew Zeus. In the Greek tradition, Mnemosyne is one of the Titans, the twelve divine children of the earth-godde ...
is the titaness of memory and remembrance, she is the mother of the Muses. She is mentioned by Hermes in "Hercules and the Drama Festival".
Other Greek myths
* The
Fates
The Fates are a common motif in European polytheism, most frequently represented as a trio of goddesses. The Fates shape the destiny of each human, often expressed in textile metaphors such as spinning fibers into yarn, or weaving threads on a ...
are three deities who see the future and decide how long mortals live. They share a single eye among them, a trait taken from another mythological trio, the
Graeae
In Greek mythology, the Graeae (; ''Graiai'', , alternatively spelled Graiai), also called the Grey Sisters and the Phorcides (), were three sisters who had gray hair from their birth and shared one eye and one tooth among them. They were the ...
.
**
Clotho
Clotho (; ) or Klotho, is a mythological figure. She was one of the Three Fates or Moirai. In ancient Greek mythology, she spins the thread of human life, her sisters draw out ( Lachesis) and cut ( Atropos) the thread. She also made major dec ...
(voiced by
Amanda Plummer
Amanda Michael Plummer (born March 23, 1957) is an American actress. She is known for her work on stage and for her film roles, including '' Joe Versus the Volcano'' (1990), ''The Fisher King'' (1991), ''Pulp Fiction'' (1994), and '' The Hunge ...
in the film,
Tress MacNeille
Teressa Claire "Tress" MacNeille (; born June 20, 1951) >https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/macneille-tress-1951 is an American voice actress, who has contributed to voice-over work with credits including vo ...
in the TV series) is the Fate who spins the Thread of Life. She has green skin, wavy yellow worm-like hair and a long pointed chin. In the film, she is flattered by Hades.
**
Lachesis
Lachesis ( ; ; from , 'to obtain by lot, by fate, or by the will of the gods'), in ancient Greek religion, was the middle of the Three Fates, or Moirai; the others were her sisters, Clotho and Atropos. Normally seen clothed in white, Laches ...
(voiced by
Carole Shelley) is the Fate who measures the thread's length and decides how long mortals will live. She has blue skin and a long pointed nose.
**
Atropos
Atropos (; "without turn"), in Greek mythology, was the third of the Three Fates or Moirai, goddesses of fate and destiny. Her Roman equivalent was Morta.
Atropos was one of the Three Fates and was known as "the Inflexible One." It was Atro ...
(voiced by
Paddi Edwards) is the Fate who cuts the thread. She is short, has purple skin, green serpent-like hair and is the only fate to have one eye socket. In "Hercules and the Tapestry of Fate", she has a crush on Hercules and flirts with him.
* The
Muses
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...
are the five goddesses who provide inspiration for the fine arts, who act as a
girl group
A girl group is a music act featuring two or more women in music, female singers who generally vocal harmony, harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female p ...
to narrate the story as a
Greek chorus
A Greek chorus () in the context of ancient Greek tragedy, comedy, satyr plays, is a homogeneous group of performers, who comment with a collective voice on the action of the scene they appear in, or provide necessary insight into action which ...
. The Muses also appear in ''
Mickey Mouse Funhouse,'' where they reside in the Land of Myth and Legend.
**
Calliope
In Greek mythology, Calliope ( ; ) is the Muse who presides over eloquence and epic poetry; so called from the ecstatic harmony of her voice. Hesiod and Ovid called her the "Chief of all Muses".
Mythology
Calliope had two famous sons, OrpheusH ...
(voiced by
Lillias White) is the Muse of Epic Poetry, who wears a headband over her big, curly hair. She is the tallest Muse, and serves as their ''de facto'' leader.
**
Clio
In Greek mythology, Clio ( , ; ), also spelled Kleio, Сleio, or Cleo, is the muse of history, or in a few mythological accounts, the muse of lyre-playing.
Etymology
Clio's name is derived from the Greek root κλέω/κλείω (meaning ...
(voiced by
Vaneese Thomas) is the Muse of History, who wears her hair in a ponytail.
**
Melpomene
Melpomene (; ) is the Muse of tragedy in Greek mythology. She is described as the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne (and therefore of power and memory) along with the other Muses, and she is often portrayed with a tragic theatrical mask.
Etymolog ...
(voiced by Cheryl Freeman) is the long-haired, melodramatic Muse of Tragedy.
**
Terpsichore
In Greek mythology, Terpsichore (; , "delight in dancing") is one of the nine Muses and goddess of dance and chorus. She lends her name to the word " terpsichorean", which means "of or relating to dance".
Appearance
Terpsichore is usually d ...
(voiced by
LaChanze) is the Muse of Dance, who has short hair.
**
Thalia (voiced by
Roz Ryan) is the short and plump, wisecracking Muse of Comedy.
Norse Gods
In the episode "Hercules and the Twilight of the Gods", Hercules and Phil visit
Valhalla
In Norse mythology, Valhalla ( , ; , )Orchard (1997:171–172) is described as a majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god Odin. There were five possible realms the soul could travel to after death. The first was Fólkvang ...
and meet the Norse gods, including:
*
Loki
Loki is a Æsir, god in Norse mythology. He is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mythology), Laufey (a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to the goddess Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi (son of Lo ...
(voiced by
Vince Vaughn
Vincent Anthony Vaughn (born March 28, 1970) is an American actor. He is known for starring as a leading man in numerous comedy films during the late 1990s and 2000s. He was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Awards, Screen Actors Guild Award ...
) – The cunning,
manipulative god of mischief, who planned to have Hercules replace Thor as the god of thunder, allowing him to more easily bring about
Ragnarok.
*
Odin
Odin (; from ) is a widely revered god in Norse mythology and Germanic paganism. Most surviving information on Odin comes from Norse mythology, but he figures prominently in the recorded history of Northern Europe. This includes the Roman Em ...
(voiced by
Garrison Keillor) – The one-eyed king of Valhalla, who is rather deadpan and often exasperated by Loki and Thor's antics.
*
Thor
Thor (from ) is a prominent list of thunder gods, god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred g ...
(voiced by
David James Elliott) – The loud and aggressive god of thunder, who wields the hammer
Mjolnir. He briefly loses his position to Hercules after being defeated by him in a duel; the challenge was actually fixed by Loki, who wanted Thor out of the way because he is predicted to avert Ragnarok.
Egyptian Gods
In "Hercules and the Romans", the gods of the
Egyptian mythology
Egyptian mythology is the collection of myths from ancient Egypt, which describe the actions of the Egyptian pantheon, Egyptian gods as a means of understanding the world around them. The beliefs that these myths express are an important part ...
earn temporary worship from the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
before the Greek pantheon assumes this role and they are driven away by Hercules and Icarus.
*
Ra (voiced by
Stan Freberg) – A god with the head of a falcon.
*
Bastet – A goddess with the head of a cat.
*
Khnum
Khnum, also romanised Khnemu (; , ), was one of the earliest-known Egyptian deities in Upper Egypt, originally associated with the Nile cataract. He held the responsibility of regulating the annual inundation of the river, emanating from the ca ...
– A god with the head of a ram.
Prometheus Academy
The Prometheus Academy is a fictional
high school
A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...
that appears in the
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
animated television series
An animated series, or a cartoon series, is a set of Animation, animated films with a common title, usually related to one another. These episodes typically share the same main heroes, some different secondary characters and a basic theme. Series ...
''
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
''. Though set in
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece () was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity (), that comprised a loose collection of culturally and linguistically r ...
, specifically
Athens
Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
, the academy shares many traits with modern educational institutions. It is coeducational, with both male and female students, and teaches subjects such as history, astronomy, shop class, theater arts, and "
Home Greconomics".
As a teenager, Hercules attends the academy while training with Philoctetes to become a hero. Many other students at the academy are based on characters from mythology.
The academy was named after the
Titan
Titan most often refers to:
* Titan (moon), the largest moon of Saturn
* Titans, a race of deities in Greek mythology
Titan or Titans may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Fictional entities
Fictional locations
* Titan in fiction, fictiona ...
Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus (; , , possibly meaning "forethought")Smith"Prometheus". is a Titans, Titan. He is best known for defying the Olympian gods by taking theft of fire, fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technol ...
, who brought fire from
Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus (, , ) is an extensive massif near the Thermaic Gulf of the Aegean Sea, located on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia, between the regional units of Larissa (regional unit), Larissa and Pieria (regional ...
, the metaphorical "''light of reason''", to mankind, and was punished by Zeus by being chained to a
rock and having his liver pecked out by an eagle each day for eternity. A
bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals (such as phosphorus) or metalloid ...
statue
A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which the realistic, full-length figures of persons or animals are carved or Casting (metalworking), cast in a durable material such as wood, metal or stone. Typical statues are life-sized or close to ...
depicting Prometheus and his punishment is the central point of the academy's courtyard.
Prometheus Academy students
*
Icarus
In Greek mythology, Icarus (; , ) was the son of the master craftsman Daedalus, the architect of the labyrinth of Crete. After Theseus, king of Athens and enemy of King Minos, escaped from the labyrinth, Minos suspected that Icarus and Daedalu ...
(voiced by
French Stewart) is Hercules' best friend, who escaped from the
Labyrinth
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth () is an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by the h ...
with his father
Daedalus
In Greek mythology, Daedalus (, ; Greek language, Greek: Δαίδαλος; Latin language, Latin: ''Daedalus''; Etruscan language, Etruscan: ''Taitale'') was a skillful architect and craftsman, seen as a symbol of wisdom, knowledge and power. H ...
on wax wings. He became "brain-fried" after flying too close to the
Sun
The Sun is the star at the centre of the Solar System. It is a massive, nearly perfect sphere of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core, radiating the energy from its surface mainly as visible light a ...
, but despite his accident, he still flies when he gets the chance. He is very adaptable, but can be jealous and act irrationally. Daedalus is a teacher at the academy, but Icarus does not acknowledge his parents' divorce. Icarus flirts with Cassandra at every opportunity he gets, despite Cassandra not reciprocating his feelings. After graduating, he goes into inventing with his father and makes a fortune, earning the commercial title "The Wax-Wing King". Phil says that in adulthood, Icarus helps his father with inventions.
*
Cassandra
Cassandra or Kassandra (; , , sometimes referred to as Alexandra; ) in Greek mythology was a Trojan priestess dedicated to the god Apollo and fated by him to utter true prophecy, prophecies but never to be believed. In modern usage her name is e ...
(voiced by
Sandra Bernhard) is the other best friend of Hercules, an attractive yet anti-social girl. She is the daughter of Vic (
Fred Willard
Frederick Charles Willard Jr. (September 18, 1933 May 15, 2020) was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his work with Christopher Guest in his mockumentary films ''This Is Spinal Tap'' (1984), ''Waiting for Guffman'' (1996), ''Be ...
) and Evelyn (
Georgia Engel), who is
curse
A curse (also called an imprecation, malediction, execration, malison, anathema, or commination) is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to one or more persons, a place, or an object. In particular, ...
d with the ability to
foresee catastrophic events, but never to be believed. When one of these prophetic trances overcome her, she becomes immobile, which Icarus calls her "Cassandra-Vision". Cassandra is constantly annoyed by Icarus's flirtatious behavior towards her, but tolerates his presence because before Hercules joined the trio, she had no friends besides him. But even after she befriended Hercules, she still continues to socialize with Icarus, even admitting to him that she considers him a good friend. In adulthood, Cassandra's visions have made her famous, even getting her own public show.
*
Adonis
In Greek mythology, Adonis (; ) was the mortal lover of the goddesses Aphrodite and Persephone. He was considered to be the ideal of male beauty in classical antiquity.
The myth goes that Adonis was gored by a wild boar during a hunting trip ...
(voiced by
Diedrich Bader) is the cowardly and
narcissistic
Narcissism is a self-centered personality style characterized as having an excessive preoccupation with oneself and one's own needs, often at the expense of others. Narcissism, named after the Greek mythological figure ''Narcissus'', has evolv ...
prince of
Thrace
Thrace (, ; ; ; ) is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe roughly corresponding to the province of Thrace in the Roman Empire. Bounded by the Balkan Mountains to the north, the Aegean Sea to the south, and the Black Se ...
, who believes that anything can be solved with power and money. He bullies Hercules and Icarus every chance he gets, but sometimes can be their friend. He also annoys the gods, which resulted in Gaia putting a curse on him once. In "Hercules and the Yearbook" at graduation, he was one credit short and had to attend summer school as a result.
*
Anaxarete (voiced by
Cree Summer
Cree Summer Francks (born July 7, 1969) is an American-Canadian actress and singer. She is best known for her extensive work in animation, voicing characters such as Elmyra Duff in ''Tiny Toon Adventures'' and related media, Susie Carmichael ...
) is Hercules's girlfriend during "Hercules and the Jilt Trip", who later breaks up with him.
*
Andromeda (voiced by
Kath Soucie
Kath Soucie (, ). is an American voice actress, known for voicing Phil, Lil and their mother Betty DeVille in '' Rugrats'', Lola Bunny in the ''Looney Tunes'' franchise, Fifi La Fume and Li'l Sneezer in ''Tiny Toon Adventures'', Maddie Fent ...
) is a new student who attracts Hercules's attention.
*
Ajax
Ajax may refer to:
Greek mythology and tragedy
* Ajax the Great, a Greek mythological hero, son of King Telamon and Periboea
* Ajax the Lesser, a Greek mythological hero, son of Oileus, the king of Locris
* Ajax (play), ''Ajax'' (play), by the an ...
(grunts by
Frank Welker
Franklin Wendell Welker (born March 12, 1946) is an American actor who specializes in voice acting. He began his career in the 1960s, and held around 850 film, television, and video game credits as of 2020, making him one of the most prolific v ...
) is a barbarian student with poor hygiene.
*
Electra
Electra, also spelt Elektra (; ; ), is one of the most popular Greek mythology, mythological characters in tragedies.Evans (1970), p. 79 She is the main character in two Greek tragedies, ''Electra (Sophocles play), Electra'' by Sophocles and ''Ele ...
(voiced by
Joey Lauren Adams) is a
goth student with a habit of defying the established order who believes in freedom of creativity. She is a good person, but vicious
Furies
The Erinyes ( ; , ), also known as the Eumenides (, the "Gracious ones"), are chthonic goddesses of vengeance in ancient Greek religion and mythology. A formulaic oath in the ''Iliad'' invokes them as "the Erinyes, that under earth take v ...
are created whenever she feels angry.
*
Helen of Troy
Helen (), also known as Helen of Troy, or Helen of Sparta, and in Latin as Helena, was a figure in Greek mythology said to have been the most beautiful woman in the world. She was believed to have been the daughter of Zeus and Leda (mythology), ...
(voiced by
Jodi Benson
Jodi Benson (née Marzorati; born October 10, 1961) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for providing the voice of Ariel (The Little Mermaid), Ariel in The Walt Disney Company, Disney's ''The Little Mermaid (1989 film), The Litt ...
) is a caring and enthusiastic girl who is the most popular girl in the academy and Adonis' girlfriend. She likes Hercules, but as a friend. Like in mythology, she is a princess, but is not a half-sister of Hercules.
*
Melampus (voiced by
Ethan Embry) is a rival of Icarus, due to Cassandra's affections. He is a fan-boy of the comic-scroll superhero Myklos.
*
Pandora
In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first human woman created by Hephaestus on the instructions of Zeus. As Hesiod related it, each god cooperated by giving her unique gifts. Her other name—inscribed against her figure on a white-ground '' ky ...
(voiced by
Jenna von Oÿ) is a student who possesses a locker full of mysteries.
* Tempest (voiced by
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Jennifer Jason Leigh (born Jennifer Leigh Morrow; February 5, 1962) is an American actress. She began her career on television during the 1970s before making her film breakthrough in the teen film ''Fast Times at Ridgemont High'' (1982). She re ...
) is the
quick-tempered Amazon
Amazon most often refers to:
* Amazon River, in South America
* Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin
* Amazon (company), an American multinational technology company
* Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek myth ...
"Warrior Princess". She is the daughter of Queen
Hippolyta and King
Darius.
Prometheus Academy staff
The following are the faculty members of Prometheus Academy:
*
Parentheses
A bracket is either of two tall fore- or back-facing punctuation marks commonly used to isolate a segment of text or data from its surroundings. They come in four main pairs of shapes, as given in the box to the right, which also gives their n ...
(voiced by
Eric Idle
Eric Idle (born 29 March 1943) is an English actor, comedian, songwriter, musician, screenwriter and playwright. He was a member of the British comedy group Monty Python and the parody rock band the Rutles. Idle studied English at Pembroke Co ...
) is the
principal.
*
Cassiopeia
Cassiopeia or Cassiopea may refer to:
Greek mythology
* Cassiopeia (mother of Andromeda), queen of Aethiopia and mother of Andromeda
* Cassiopeia (wife of Phoenix), wife of Phoenix, king of Phoenicia
* Cassiopeia, wife of Epaphus, king of Egy ...
(voiced by
Alice Ghostley
Alice Margaret Ghostley (August 14, 1923 – September 21, 2007) was an American actress and singer on stage, film and television.
Ghostley was best known for her roles as bumbling witch Esmeralda (1969–72) on '' Bewitched'', as Cousin Alice ...
) is the poetry professor.
* Phys Oedipus (voiced by
Richard Simmons) is the
Physical Education professor.
* Miss
Thespius (voiced by
Kathy Najimy
Kathy Ann Najimy ( ; ; born February 6, 1957) is an American actress and activist. She was first nationally known for her feminist play ''The Kathy and Mo Show'', which she wrote and performed with Mo Gaffney. On film, she is best known for her ...
) is the
drama professor. She has very long, ankle-length, brown hair worn in a ponytail.
*
Daedalus
In Greek mythology, Daedalus (, ; Greek language, Greek: Δαίδαλος; Latin language, Latin: ''Daedalus''; Etruscan language, Etruscan: ''Taitale'') was a skillful architect and craftsman, seen as a symbol of wisdom, knowledge and power. H ...
(voiced by
David Hyde Pierce
David Hyde Pierce (born David Pierce; April 3, 1959) is an American actor. Known for his portrayal of psychiatrist Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom ''Frasier'' from 1993 to 2004, he received four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting A ...
) is the ProAc Shop Class Instructor, Icarus's father, and greatest inventor of all antiquity.
*
Herodotus
Herodotus (; BC) was a Greek historian and geographer from the Greek city of Halicarnassus (now Bodrum, Turkey), under Persian control in the 5th century BC, and a later citizen of Thurii in modern Calabria, Italy. He wrote the '' Histori ...
(voiced by
Paul Reubens
Paul Reubens (; ; August 27, 1952 – July 30, 2023) was an American actor and comedian, widely known for creating and portraying the character Pee-wee Herman.
Born in Peekskill, New York and raised in both Oneonta, New York and Sarasota, Flo ...
in his first appearance,
Jess Harnell
Jess Harnell (born December 23, 1963) is an American voice actor. His roles include Wakko Warner in ''Animaniacs'', Captain Hero in '' Drawn Together'', Jerry in the first two seasons of '' Totally Spies!'', Ironhide in the first three ''Tr ...
in his second appearance) is the strict
History professor.
*
Pygmalion (voiced by
Calvert DeForest) is the
Art professor, who is married to a statue of a woman that Aphrodite brought to life.
*
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy (; , ; ; – 160s/170s AD) was a Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were important to later Byzantine science, Byzant ...
(voiced by
George Takei
George Takei ( ; born April20, 1937), born , is an American actor, author and activist known for his role as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the USS ''Enterprise'' in the ''Star Trek'' franchise.
Takei was born to Japanese-American parents, with w ...
) is an
Astronomy Instructor.
*
Aesop
Aesop ( ; , ; c. 620–564 BCE; formerly rendered as Æsop) was a Greeks, Greek wikt:fabulist, fabulist and Oral storytelling, storyteller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as ''Aesop's Fables''. Although his existence re ...
(voiced by
Bob Keeshan) is the Storytime Instructor for ProAc Jr (Prometheus Junior Academy).
*
Euphrosyne (voiced by
Melissa Manchester
Melissa Manchester (born February 15, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Since the 1970s, her songs have been played by adult contemporary radio stations. She has also appeared on television, in films, and on stage.
Early li ...
) is the
Home Greconomics Professor.
*
Linus (voiced by
Jason Marsden
Jason Christopher Marsden (born January 3, 1975) is an American actor, director and producer, who has done numerous voice roles in animated films, as well as various television series and video games. He is best known for his voice roles as the ...
) is the
Music professor.
*
Euclid
Euclid (; ; BC) was an ancient Greek mathematician active as a geometer and logician. Considered the "father of geometry", he is chiefly known for the '' Elements'' treatise, which established the foundations of geometry that largely domina ...
is the Geometry professor.
Jr. Prometheus Academy students
The
junior school
A junior school is a type of school which provides primary education to children, often in the age range from 8 and 13, following attendance at an infant school, which covers the age range 5–7. Since both infant and junior schools provide pri ...
attached to Prometheus Academy. The students that attend are also figures from mythology or ancient history, but are preteen versions of these characters before they became famous. One of their teachers is Mr.
Aesop
Aesop ( ; , ; c. 620–564 BCE; formerly rendered as Æsop) was a Greeks, Greek wikt:fabulist, fabulist and Oral storytelling, storyteller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as ''Aesop's Fables''. Although his existence re ...
, who tells stories, his eponymous fables, to teach students.
* Alcides (voiced by
Christine Cavanaugh
Christine Josephine Cavanaugh (''née'' Sandberg; August 16, 1963 – December 22, 2014) was an American actress, who had a distinctive speaking style and provided the voice for a large range of cartoon characters. She was the original voices o ...
)
*
Alex
Alex is a given name. Similar names are Alexander, Alexandra, Alexey or Alexis.
People
Multiple
* Alex Brown (disambiguation), multiple people
* Alex Cook (disambiguation), multiple people
* Alex Forsyth (disambiguation), multiple people
* Al ...
(voiced by
Courtland Mead) is a kid whose sandals are always untied because he has trouble with knots. Just like his historical counterpart, Alex would become Alexander the Great and solve the Gordian Knot by slicing it.
*
Brutus
Marcus Junius Brutus (; ; 85 BC – 23 October 42 BC) was a Roman politician, orator, and the most famous of the assassins of Julius Caesar. After being adopted by a relative, he used the name Quintus Servilius Caepio Brutus, which was reta ...
(voiced by
Pamela Adlon
Pamela Adlon ( ; ; born July 9, 1966) is an American-British actress. She is known for voicing Bobby Hill in the animated comedy series ''King of the Hill'' (1997–2010), for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award. She also voiced Baloo in '' Ju ...
) is a centaur foal.
*
Callista (voiced by
Lacey Chabert)
* Phillip (voiced by
Ryan O'Donohue) is a kid with teething troubles.
Heroes
*
Achilles
In Greek mythology, Achilles ( ) or Achilleus () was a hero of the Trojan War who was known as being the greatest of all the Greek warriors. The central character in Homer's ''Iliad'', he was the son of the Nereids, Nereid Thetis and Peleus, ...
(voiced by
Dom Irrera) is an old hero who everyone has forgotten except for Hercules. He was once trained by Phil, but failed due to his heel.
*
Agamemnon
In Greek mythology, Agamemnon (; ''Agamémnōn'') was a king of Mycenae who commanded the Achaeans (Homer), Achaeans during the Trojan War. He was the son (or grandson) of King Atreus and Queen Aerope, the brother of Menelaus, the husband of C ...
(voiced by
Patrick Warburton
Patrick Warburton (born November 14, 1964) is an American actor. His live action TV roles include David Puddy on ''Seinfeld'', the Tick (character), title character on ''The Tick (2001 TV series), The Tick'', Jeb Denton on ''Less than Perfect'' ...
) is a famous hero who is the drill sergeant for the Spar O.T.C.
*
Alectryon (voiced by
Steve Hytner) is a guard and former student of Philoctetes, who was turned into a rooster for falling asleep on guard duty and crows to wake people up.
*
Bellerophon
Bellerophon or Bellerophontes (; ; lit. "slayer of Belleros") or Hipponous (; lit. "horse-knower"), was a divine Corinthian hero of Greek mythology, the son of Poseidon and Eurynome, and the foster son of Glaukos. He was "the greatest her ...
(voiced by
David Schramm) is the hero king of
Corinth
Corinth ( ; , ) is a municipality in Corinthia in Greece. The successor to the ancient Corinth, ancient city of Corinth, it is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Sin ...
, who takes Pegasus in and names him "Ignatius". With help from Pegasus, Bellerophon is able to defeat the Chimera.
** Cletus (voiced by
Charles Kimbrough
Charles Mayberry Kimbrough (May 23, 1936 – January 11, 2023) was an American actor. He was best known for his role as the straight-faced anchorman Jim Dial on ''Murphy Brown''. In 1990, his performance in the role earned him a nomination for ...
) is Bellerophon's servant.
*
Butes
In Greek mythology, the name Butes (; Ancient Greek: Βούτης, ''Boútēs'') referred to several different people.
*Butes, an Athenian prince as the son of King Pandion I and the naiad Zeuxippe. He was a priest of Poseidon and Athena and was ...
(voiced by
Steven Wright
Steven Alexander Wright (born December 6, 1955) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and film producer. He is known for his distinctive lethargic voice and slow, deadpan delivery of ironic, philosophical and sometimes nonsensical j ...
) is the
beekeeper
A beekeeper is a person who keeps honey bees, a profession known as beekeeping. The term beekeeper refers to a person who keeps honey bees in beehives, boxes, or other receptacles. The beekeeper does not control the creatures. The beekeeper ow ...
from the Argo.
*
Chiron
In Greek mythology, Chiron ( ; also Cheiron or Kheiron; ) was held to be the superlative centaur amongst his brethren since he was called the "wisest and justest of all the centaurs".
Biography
Chiron was notable throughout Greek mythology for ...
(voiced by
Kevin Michael Richardson
Kevin Michael Richardson (born October 25, 1964) is an American actor. Known for his distinctively deep voice, he has mostly voiced villainous characters in animation and video games. In film, Richardson voiced Goro in ''Mortal Kombat'' (1995) ...
in his first appearance,
Louis Gossett Jr.
Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. (May 27, 1936 – March 29, 2024) was an American actor. He made his stage debut at the age of 17. Shortly thereafter, he successfully auditioned for the Broadway theatre, Broadway play ''Take a Giant Step.'' Gossett co ...
in his second appearance) is a
centaur
A centaur ( ; ; ), occasionally hippocentaur, also called Ixionidae (), is a creature from Greek mythology with the upper body of a human and the lower body and legs of a horse that was said to live in the mountains of Thessaly. In one version o ...
and hero, who is now a famous hero-trainer and author. He is both a rival and friend to Phil and a hunting buddy of Nestor and Meleager.
*
Hippocrates
Hippocrates of Kos (; ; ), also known as Hippocrates II, was a Greek physician and philosopher of the Classical Greece, classical period who is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine. He is traditionally referr ...
(voiced by
Mandy Patinkin) is the World's First Doctor. He cures people of
plague and is capable of bringing the dead back to life, much to the dismay of Hades.
*
Hylas
In classical mythology, Hylas () was a youth who served Heracles (Roman Hercules) as companion and servant. His abduction by water nymphs was a theme of ancient art, and has been an enduring subject for Western art in the classical tradition.
G ...
(voiced by
Rocky Carroll) is "the bad boy of rowing". In "Hercules and the Poseidon Cup Adventure", he was on Adonis' team until he got injured and Hercules ended up taking over.
*
Jason
Jason ( ; ) was an ancient Greek mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece is featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was married to the sorceress Med ...
(voiced by
William Shatner
William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, from his 1966 debut as the captain of the starship USS Enterpri ...
) is the leader of the
Argonauts
The Argonauts ( ; ) were a band of heroes in Greek mythology, who in the years before the Trojan War (around 1300 BC) accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest to find the Golden Fleece. Their name comes from their ship, ''Argo'', named after it ...
.
*
Lynceus In Greek mythology, Lynceus (; Ancient Greek: Λυγκεύς "lynx-eyed") may refer to the following personages.
* Lynceus, one of the 50 Sons of Aegyptus.
* Lynceus, king in Thrace and husband of Lathusa, friend of Procne. Tereus gave Philomel ...
(voiced by
Larry Miller) is the helmsman of the Argo.
*
Melampus (voiced by
Ethan Embry) is dating Cassandra, which makes him Icarus' rival. Icarus once tried to hurt him, but was stopped by Hercules.
*
Meleager
In Greek mythology, Meleager (, ) was a hero venerated in his '' temenos'' at Calydon in Aetolia. He was already famed as the host of the Calydonian boar hunt in the epic tradition that was reworked by Homer. Meleager is also mentioned as o ...
(voiced by
Nicholas Turturro) is usually with Nestor. He has extraordinary hearing abilities.
*
Mentor
Mentorship is the patronage, influence, guidance, or direction given by a mentor. A mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. In an organizational setting, a mentor influences the perso ...
(voiced by
Edward Asner) is a tough retired
police chief and Chipacles' friend.
*
Nestor (voiced by
Jim Belushi) is usually with Meleager. He can see very far.
*
Odysseus
In Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology, Odysseus ( ; , ), also known by the Latin variant Ulysses ( , ; ), is a legendary Greeks, Greek king of Homeric Ithaca, Ithaca and the hero of Homer's Epic poetry, epic poem, the ''Odyssey''. Od ...
(voiced by
Steven Weber
Steven Robert Weber (born March 4, 1961) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Brian Hackett on the television series '' Wings'', and as Dr. Dean Archer on NBC’s Chicago Med. He also voiced Charlie B. Barkin in '' ...
) is a cunning king of the Greek island of
Ithaca.
**
Telemachus
In Greek mythology, Telemachus ( ; ) is the son of Odysseus and Penelope, who are central characters in Homer's ''Odyssey''. When Telemachus reached manhood, he visited Pylos and Sparta in search of his wandering father. On his return to Ithaca, ...
(voiced by
Justin Shenkarow) is the prince of Ithaca. He, Hercules and three Argonauts end up on their own
Odyssey
The ''Odyssey'' (; ) is one of two major epics of ancient Greek literature attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest surviving works of literature and remains popular with modern audiences. Like the ''Iliad'', the ''Odyssey'' is divi ...
after someone opened the bag of winds given to him by King Aeolus.
*
Orpheus
In Greek mythology, Orpheus (; , classical pronunciation: ) was a Thracians, Thracian bard, legendary musician and prophet. He was also a renowned Ancient Greek poetry, poet and, according to legend, travelled with Jason and the Argonauts in se ...
(voiced by
Rob Paulsen
Robert Frederick Paulsen III (born March 11, 1956) is an American voice actor and voice director, known for his roles in numerous animated television series and films. He received a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Pro ...
) is a singer and teen idol.
*
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
(voiced by
Cary Elwes
Ivan Simon Cary Elwes (; born 26 October 1962) is an English actor. He starred as Westley in ''The Princess Bride (film), The Princess Bride'' (1987), and also had lead roles in films such as ''Robin Hood: Men in Tights'' (1993) and the Saw (fr ...
) is a Trojan Academy student and arrogant Trojan prince.
*
Pheidippides
Pheidippides (, , ) or Philippides () is the central figure in the story that inspired the marathon race. Pheidippides is said to have run from Marathon to Athens to deliver news of the victory of the Battle of Marathon, and, according to He ...
was mentioned as a student of Chiron who ran
10000 metres and set a new world record
A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organizatio ...
.
*
Samson
SAMSON (Software for Adaptive Modeling and Simulation Of Nanosystems) is a computer software platform for molecular design being developed bOneAngstromand previously by the NANO-D group at the French Institute for Research in Computer Science an ...
is described as a student of Chiron's who is very strong and is an "out of towner", referring to him being from Israel.
*
Theseus
Theseus (, ; ) was a divine hero in Greek mythology, famous for slaying the Minotaur. The myths surrounding Theseus, his journeys, exploits, and friends, have provided material for storytelling throughout the ages.
Theseus is sometimes desc ...
(voiced by
Eric Stoltz) is Hercules' cousin, who briefly enrolls at Prometheus Academy. He helps Hercules face the
Minotaur
In Greek mythology, the Minotaur (, ''Mīnṓtauros''), also known as Asterion, is a mythical creature portrayed during classical antiquity with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, a being "par ...
after it escapes from the
Labyrinth
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth () is an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by the h ...
. Theseus has an alter ego as the superhero "Grim Avenger", whose costume resembles that of
Doctor Fate
Doctor Fate (also known as Fate) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version was originally created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, debuting in ''More Fun Comics' ...
, though his personality and backstory are more like
Batman
Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...
.
Supporting
* Bob (voiced by
Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923 – April 5, 2008) was an American actor. He gained stardom for his leading man roles in numerous Cinema of the United States, Hollywood films including biblical epics, science-fiction f ...
in the
film
A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...
and
Robert Stack
Robert Stack (born Charles Langford Modini Stack; January 13, 1919 – May 14, 2003) was an American actor and television host. Known for his deep voice and commanding presence, he appeared in over forty feature films. He starred in the America ...
in the
TV series
A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming platf ...
) is an
incorporeal
Incorporeality is "the state or quality of being incorporeal or bodiless; immateriality; incorporealism." Incorporeal () means "Not composed of matter; having no material existence."
Incorporeality is a quality of souls, spirits, and God in man ...
voice who opens most episodes and is sometimes helped by the
Muses
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...
, who act as a
Greek chorus
A Greek chorus () in the context of ancient Greek tragedy, comedy, satyr plays, is a homogeneous group of performers, who comment with a collective voice on the action of the scene they appear in, or provide necessary insight into action which ...
. Bob has a wife named Mrs. Bob and two children named Tiffany and Chad. Their only appearance on screen is in the episode "Return of Typhon", when Bob is convinced by the Muses to take a holiday.
* Demetrius (voiced by
Wayne Knight
Wayne Elliot Knight (born August 7, 1955) is an American actor. In television, he played recurring roles such as Newman on the NBC sitcom ''Seinfeld'' (1992–1998) and Officer Don Orville on the NBC sitcom ''3rd Rock from the Sun'' (1996� ...
) is a pottery salesman who owns a pottery shop. He barely tolerates Hercules out of fear of him breaking his pottery, but the loss of his shop angers him to the point that he orders Amphitryon to keep him away from the marketplace.
*
Amphitryon
Amphitryon (; Ancient Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων, ''gen''.: Ἀμφιτρύωνος; usually interpreted as "harassing either side", Latin: Amphitruo), in Greek mythology, was a son of Alcaeus, king of Tiryns in Argolis. His mother was named ...
(voiced by
Hal Holbrook
Harold Rowe Holbrook Jr. (February 17, 1925 – January 23, 2021) was an American actor. He first received critical acclaim in 1954 for a one-man stage show that he developed called ''Mark Twain Tonight!'' while studying at Denison University. H ...
) is a mortal farmer and Hercules' father, who is protective of him.
*
Alcmene
In Greek mythology, Alcmene ( ; ) or Alcmena ( ; ; ; meaning "strong in wrath") was the wife of Amphitryon, by whom she bore two children, Iphicles and Laonome. She is best known as the mother of Heracles, whose father was the god Zeus. Alcmene ...
(voiced by
Barbara Barrie) is Amphitryon's wife and Hercules' mother, who is friendly and loving.
*
Charon is the rower of the ferry in the
Underworld
The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underworld.
...
.
*
Circe
In Greek mythology, Circe (; ) is an enchantress, sometimes considered a goddess or a nymph. In most accounts, Circe is described as the daughter of the sun god Helios and the Oceanid Perse (mythology), Perse. Circe was renowned for her vast kn ...
(voiced by
Idina Menzel
Idina Kim Menzel ( ; ; born May 30, 1971) is an American actress and singer. Particularly known for her work in Musical theatre, musicals on Broadway theatre, Broadway, she has been Honorific nicknames in popular music, nicknamed the "Queen of ...
) is a sorceress who, while looking for suitable boyfriends, turns most of the male cast into various animals.
* Chipacles (voiced by
Mike Connors
Krekor Ohanian (August 15, 1925 – January 26, 2017), known professionally as Mike Connors, was an American actor. He was best known for playing private detective Joe Mannix in the CBS television series ''Mannix'' from 1967 to 1975. This role ...
) is the head city-state
police officer
A police officer (also called policeman or policewoman, cop, officer or constable) is a Warrant (law), warranted law employee of a police, police force. In most countries, ''police officer'' is a generic term not specifying a particular rank. ...
for the Athens Police Department, who takes his job very seriously.
* Croesus (voiced by
Wayne Newton
Carson Wayne Newton (born April 3, 1942), also known as Mr. Las Vegas, is an American singer and actor. One of the most popular singers in the United States from the mid-to-late 20th century, Newton remains one of the best-known entertainers in ...
) is the richest man in the world and owner of
Atlantis
Atlantis () is a fictional island mentioned in Plato's works '' Timaeus'' and ''Critias'' as part of an allegory on the hubris of nations. In the story, Atlantis is described as a naval empire that ruled all Western parts of the known world ...
City, whose vast wealth causes the Gods and the Fates to give in to his bribes. He once had Pain and Panic capture Cassandra after bribing Hades so that the vision of Atlantis City sinking would not come true. He even bribed the Fates to declare the vision false. After Homer was also captured, Hercules goes to rescue Cassandra and Homer, causing Croesus to bribe Poseidon to send Scylla to attack Hercules. Their fight accidentally caused the Fates to cut the Atlantis City banner, causing Cassandra's vision to come true and the Fates to flee back to Fate Mountain.
*
Galatea (voiced by
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Joanna Aniston (born February 11, 1969) is an American actress. She rose to international fame for her role as Rachel Green on the television sitcom ''Friends'' from 1994 to 2004, which earned her Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, and Scr ...
) is the statue Hercules had Aphrodite to bring to life for him as a date to the Aphrodasia Because he asked that her personality would be "crazy about
im, Galatea becomes increasingly obsessive about him, trying to get back to him even after he dumped her and dropped her off on an island in the middle of nowhere. Being made of clay, she displays morphing abilities that she uses to endanger anyone that might get between her and Hercules. She was later solidified by an accidental fire, and Aphrodite changes her personality to free will, granting her a mind of her own.
* Princess Lavina (voiced by
Cheri Oteri
Cheryl Ann Oteri (; born September 19, 1962) is an American actress and comedian. A Primetime Emmy Award nominee, she is best known for her tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1995 to 2000.
Earl ...
) was Geryon's girlfriend for four days before breaking up with him for unknown reasons. She quickly became infatuated with Hercules upon meeting him and, due to Phil's attempts at helping Hercules get over his own break up, believed he reciprocated her feelings. After telling her that was not the case, she was heartbroken until he convinced her to give Geryon another chance. She and Geryon have since gotten back together.
* King Tivius (voiced by
Val Bettin) is the father of Lavina.
* Gregarious (voiced by
Stuart Pankin
Stuart Pankin (born April 8, 1946) is an American actor. He is known for his role as anchor Bob Charles in ''Not Necessarily the News'' and as the voice of Earl Sinclair in ''Dinosaurs (TV series), Dinosaurs''. Pankin is also known for his portray ...
) is the proprietor of Gyro World, where Hercules once interned as part of a project at Prometheus Academy.
*
Homer
Homer (; , ; possibly born ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Despite doubts about his autho ...
(voiced by
Dan Castellaneta
Daniel Louis Castellaneta ( ; born October 29, 1957) is an American actor. He is best known for voicing Homer Simpson on the animated series ''The Simpsons'' (as well as other characters on the show such as Grampa Simpson, Krusty the Clown, ...
) is a journalist for a national news-scroll, the "Greekly World News". He tends to exaggerate the facts in his writing for dramatic effect, as seen when he rewrites the rivalry between the Prometheus and Trojan Academies into the story of the
Trojan War
The Trojan War was a legendary conflict in Greek mythology that took place around the twelfth or thirteenth century BC. The war was waged by the Achaeans (Homer), Achaeans (Ancient Greece, Greeks) against the city of Troy after Paris (mytho ...
as well as getting the story on the sinking of Atlantis City.
* King
Midas
Midas (; ) was a king of Phrygia with whom many myths became associated, as well as two later members of the Phrygian royal house.
His father was Gordias, and his mother was Cybele. The most famous King Midas is popularly remembered in Greek m ...
(voiced by
Eugene Levy
Eugene Levy (born December 17, 1946) is a Canadian actor and comedian. Known for portraying flustered and unconventional figures, Levy has won multiple accolades throughout his career including four Primetime Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and ...
) is a greedy king who, through Bacchus's gift, gains the ability to turn everything he touches into gold, and seeks Hermes' sandals to transform the whole world. After being foiled by Hercules, Midas sees the negative side of his power after accidentally turning his daughter Marigold to gold. To remedy this, King Midas prayed to Bacchus to remove the gift; he does, and Marigold is returned to normal. In "Hercules and the Prince of Thrace", the Muses sing about how Midas was given
donkey
The donkey or ass is a domesticated equine. It derives from the African wild ass, ''Equus africanus'', and may be classified either as a subspecies thereof, ''Equus africanus asinus'', or as a separate species, ''Equus asinus''. It was domes ...
ears by Apollo.
** Marigold (voiced by
Tia Carrere) is the daughter of Midas.
** Agent
Epsilon
Epsilon (, ; uppercase , lowercase or ; ) is the fifth letter of the Greek alphabet, corresponding phonetically to a mid front unrounded vowel or . In the system of Greek numerals it also has the value five. It was derived from the Phoenic ...
(voiced by
Craig Ferguson
Craig Ferguson (born 17 May 1962) is a Scottish-American actor, comedian, writer and television host. He is best known for having hosted the CBS late-night talk show ''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'' (2005–2014). He is the winner of ...
) is an agent of Midas who was pretending to be with Athens Intelligence to lure Hercules into a trap.
* King
Cinyras
In Greek mythology, Cinyras (; – ''Kinyras'') was a famous hero and king of Cyprus. Accounts vary significantly as to his genealogy and provide a variety of stories concerning him; in many sources he is associated with the cult of Aphrodit ...
(voiced by
John O'Hurley
John George O'Hurley Jr. (born October 9, 1954) is an American actor and game show host. He played Jacopo Peterman, J. Peterman on the NBC sitcom ''Seinfeld'', provided the voice for King Neptune on ''SpongeBob SquarePants'', and hosted the game s ...
) is Adonis's father and Queen Myrrha's husband.
* Queen
Myrrha (voiced by
Holland Taylor
Holland Taylor (born January 14, 1943) is an American actress. She won the 1999 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Judge Roberta Kittleson on ABC's ''The Practice'' (1998–2003) and she ...
) is King Cinyras's wife and Adonis's mother.
* King
Minos
Main injector neutrino oscillation search (MINOS) was a particle physics experiment designed to study the phenomena of neutrino oscillations, first discovered by a Super-Kamiokande (Super-K) experiment in 1998. Neutrinos produced by the NuMI ...
(voiced by
Charles Nelson Reilly) is the insane King of Cret, who had Daedalus construct a labyrinth to imprison the Minotaur.
* King
Salmoneus
In Greek mythology, Salmoneus (; Ancient Greek: Σαλμωνεύς) was 'the wicked'Hesiod, '' Ehoiai'' fr. 4 as cited in Plutarch, ''Moralia'' p. 747; Scholia ad Pindar, ''Pythian Ode'' 4.263 eponymous king and founder of Salmone in Pisatis.
...
(voiced by
Jeffrey Tambor
Jeffrey Michael Tambor (born July 8, 1944) is an American retired actor. He is known for his television roles such as Jeffrey Brookes, the uptight neighbor of Stanley and Helen Roper in the television sitcom ''The Ropers'' (1979–1980), as Hank ...
) is the King of
Thessaly
Thessaly ( ; ; ancient Aeolic Greek#Thessalian, Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic regions of Greece, geographic and modern administrative regions of Greece, administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient Thessaly, a ...
. To keep his morality high to the people, he ends up impersonating Zeus and gets struck by a lightning bolt by Zeus after being exposed. After escaping from the Grove of Despair, he conspires with Pain and Panic to reclaim his throne.
*
Nereus
In Greek mythology, Nereus ( ; ) was the eldest son of Pontus (the Sea) and Gaia ( the Earth), with Pontus himself being a son of Gaia. Nereus and Doris became the parents of 50 daughters (the Nereids) and a son ( Nerites), with whom Nereus ...
(voiced by
Jim Cummings
James Jonah Cummings (born November 3, 1952) is an American voice actor. Beginning his career in the 1980s, he has appeared in over 400 titles. Cummings has frequently worked with the Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros., serving as the offic ...
) is an elderly, grouchy
shape-shifter able to turn into various creatures to make people leave him alone. In "Hercules and the Prince of Thrace", Nereus nearly defeats him until Adonis comes to his aid.
* Numericles and Calculus (voiced by
Stephen Tobolowsky and Kevin West) – Numericles is the creator of the abacus and a great figure for Abacus Valley, while Calculus is his aide. In "Hercules and the Techno Greeks", they seek a hero to help them defeat the local centaurs.
*
Orion (voiced by
Craig Ferguson
Craig Ferguson (born 17 May 1962) is a Scottish-American actor, comedian, writer and television host. He is best known for having hosted the CBS late-night talk show ''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'' (2005–2014). He is the winner of ...
) is a great hunter, Artemis' ex-boyfriend, and the inventor of the "Orion Cluster". Due to him almost killing off every animal on Earth, he was made a
constellation
A constellation is an area on the celestial sphere in which a group of visible stars forms Asterism (astronomy), a perceived pattern or outline, typically representing an animal, mythological subject, or inanimate object.
The first constellati ...
by Artemis to keep Zeus from smiting him. Hercules once freed him to teach him how to use the bow, inadvertently releasing the constellations of
Leo,
Taurus,
Aries,
Scorpius
Scorpius is a zodiac constellation located in the Southern celestial hemisphere, where it sits near the center of the Milky Way, between Libra to the west and Sagittarius to the east. Scorpius is an ancient constellation whose recognition pred ...
, and the
Big Dipper
The Big Dipper (American English, US, Canadian English, Canada) or the Plough (British English, UK, Hiberno-English, Ireland) is an asterism (astronomy), asterism consisting of seven bright stars of the constellation Ursa Major; six of them ar ...
.
*
Pericles
Pericles (; ; –429 BC) was a Greek statesman and general during the Golden Age of Athens. He was prominent and influential in Ancient Athenian politics, particularly between the Greco-Persian Wars and the Peloponnesian War, and was acclaimed ...
(voiced by
Earl Hindman) is a statesman of Athens.
* Queen
Hippolyta (voiced by
Jane Curtin) is Tempest's mother and Queen of the Amazons.
* King
Darius (voiced by
Emeril Lagasse) is the Tempest's father, the King of the Amazons, and a renowned chef.
*
Tiresias
In Greek mythology, Tiresias (; ) was a blind prophet of Apollo in Thebes, Greece, Thebes, famous for clairvoyance and for being transformed into a woman for seven years. He was the son of the shepherd Everes (mythology), Everes and the nymph ...
(voiced by
Jack Carter) is a blind prophet who resides at the Elysian Sunset Rest Home.
One episode featured a crossover with ''
Aladdin
Aladdin ( ; , , ATU 561, 'Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with '' One Thousand and One Nights'' (often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of the original ...
'', in which Hades and
Jafar (voiced by
Jonathan Freeman) team up to destroy their respective
archnemesis.
Creatures
* Acheron (voiced by
Joel Murray
Joel Murray (born April 17, 1963) is an American actor. He is well known for his roles in the television series ''Mad Men'', ''Grand (TV series), Grand'', ''Love & War (TV series), Love & War'', ''Dharma & Greg'', ''Still Standing (American TV ...
) and Ocnus (voiced by
Kathy Kinney
Kathy Kinney (born 1954) is an American actress and comedian. After appearing as Prudence Godard on the CBS sitcom ''Newhart'' (1989–1990), she achieved fame with her portrayal of Mimi Bobeck on ABC's ''The Drew Carey Show'' (1995–2004). ...
) are a giant
spider
Spiders (order (biology), order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight limbs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude spider silk, silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and ran ...
and giant
mosquito
Mosquitoes, the Culicidae, are a Family (biology), family of small Diptera, flies consisting of 3,600 species. The word ''mosquito'' (formed by ''Musca (fly), mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish and Portuguese for ''little fly''. Mos ...
duo who tried to prey off of Hercules and the Jr. Prometheus Academy students.
*
Arachne
Arachne (; from , cognate with Latin ) is the protagonist of a tale in classical mythology known primarily from the version told by the Roman poet Ovid (43 BCE–17 CE). In Book Six of his epic poem ''Metamorphoses'', Ovid recounts how ...
(voiced by
Vicki Lewis
Vicki Lewis (born March 17, 1960) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Beth in the NBC sitcom ''NewsRadio''. She is also well known for her roles as Deb and Flo in ''Finding Nemo'' and '' Finding Dory'', April Smu ...
) is a
spider
Spiders (order (biology), order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight limbs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude spider silk, silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and ran ...
-like monster who is the guardian of the Tapestry of Fate; she only became a guardian because her mother said she should see the world and eat exotic people. She appears in "Hercules and the Tapestry of Fate"., where she attempts to eat Hercules and Icarus, but is unsuccessful. When Hades changed the Tapestry, Arachne was reduced to minding the cave where the Tapestry used to be.
*
Argus Panoptes (voiced by
Harvey Fierstein
Harvey Forbes Fierstein ( ; born June 6, 1952) is an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter, known for his distinctive gravelly voice. He gained notice for his theater work in '' Torch Song Trilogy'', winning both the Tony Award for Best ...
) is a multi-eyed monster who has a history with Hermes, and appears in "Hercules and the Bacchanal".
* Briareos (voiced by
Reggie Miller
Reginald Wayne Miller (born August 24, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player who List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise, played his entire 18-year career in the National Basketball Assoc ...
) is a
Hecatonchires. In this show, Briareos is a giant that can conjure arms from the ground and water. He is also a fan of the comic book hero Myklos.
* The Caucasian
Eagle
Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...
(voiced by
Jerry Stiller) is a giant eagle who was ordered by Zeus to eat
Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus (; , , possibly meaning "forethought")Smith"Prometheus". is a Titans, Titan. He is best known for defying the Olympian gods by taking theft of fire, fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technol ...
's liver every day. It appears in "Hercules and the Prometheus Affair". Hercules battled the eagle while trying to free Prometheus; after Hercules freed the Titan, the Eagle allied with Hades, who briefly turned him into a fiery
phoenix to battle Hercules again.
*
Catoblepas (vocal effects provided by
Frank Welker
Franklin Wendell Welker (born March 12, 1946) is an American actor who specializes in voice acting. He began his career in the 1960s, and held around 850 film, television, and video game credits as of 2020, making him one of the most prolific v ...
) is a bull monster that Phil once fought, who appears in "Hercules and the Phil Factor".
* The
Centaur
A centaur ( ; ; ), occasionally hippocentaur, also called Ixionidae (), is a creature from Greek mythology with the upper body of a human and the lower body and legs of a horse that was said to live in the mountains of Thessaly. In one version o ...
s are a race of creatures who are half-man and half-horse.
**
Nessus (voiced by
Jim Cummings
James Jonah Cummings (born November 3, 1952) is an American voice actor. Beginning his career in the 1980s, he has appeared in over 400 titles. Cummings has frequently worked with the Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros., serving as the offic ...
) is a large centaur who is known as the "River Guardian". He is a minor villain and, in the film, is the first monster Hercules fought in his journey to become a true hero. Hades wanted to recruit Nessus into his army and sent Megara to do so, but Nessus wanted Megara to be his lover in exchange. She refused, but this only made Nessus more persistent. However, Hercules intervenes and defeats him in a fight.
*
Charybdis is a sea monster with no eyes and a mouth in her head, capable of creating giant whirlpools that swallow ships whole. She appears in "Poseidon's Cup Adventure" and in "Hercules and the Odyssey Experience".
* The
Cyclopes
In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; , ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguished. In Hesiod's ''The ...
are one-eyed giants like Agres, but are smaller than him.
** Zool (voiced by
Bill Fagerbakke) is a Cyclops that is friends with Medusa.
* Doubt is a snake that bites people, causing them to drown in fear and doubt. Hades called him in to strike Icarus so that he would not kiss Cassandra because she sold her soul to him to ensure this, but his bite wore off quickly. While fighting Hercules, who is trying to make the kiss happen, Doubt easily defeats Hercules and attempts to eat him until Aphrodite intervenes. Aphrodite blows a kiss to Doubt, making the serpent feel love, and gives Hercules a kiss before letting him down.
*
Echidna
Echidnas (), sometimes known as spiny anteaters, are quill-covered monotremes (egg-laying mammals) belonging to the Family (biology), family Tachyglossidae , living in Australia and New Guinea. The four Extant taxon, extant species of echidnas ...
(voiced by
Kathie Lee Gifford
Kathryn Lee Gifford (Given name, née Epstein; born August 16, 1953) is an American television presenter, singer, songwriter, actress, and author. From 1985 to 2000, she and Regis Philbin hosted the talk show ''Live with Kelly and Mark, Live! wi ...
) is the mother of all monsters and Typhon's wife. She had a recurring role in the series, where her various children battle Hercules but are defeated. In "Hercules and the Big Games", Hades enlisted Echidna to bring her children to where Athens and Sparta are holding the first Olympic games so that her children can feed off the spectators. After Hercules defeated her children, Echidna engaged Hercules before being defeated by Athena and Ares. In "Hercules and the Return of Typhon", Echidna seeks revenge on Athens, leading to Hercules accidentally releasing Typhon. With help from Hera, Hercules and Zeus repelled Echidna and Typhon, as well as their latest child Ladon, and had Homer correct the story afterward. In "Hercules and the Parents Weekend", Echidna learns that Ladon kidnapped the parents of those that attended Prometheus Academy. As Echidna chases after Hercules after he freed the parents, Zeus' lightning bolts strike two rocky formations to incapacitate her.
**
Cerberus
In Greek mythology, Cerberus ( or ; ''Kérberos'' ), often referred to as the hound of Hades, is a polycephaly, multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the Greek underworld, underworld to prevent the dead from leaving. He was the offspring o ...
(vocal effects provided by
Frank Welker
Franklin Wendell Welker (born March 12, 1946) is an American actor who specializes in voice acting. He began his career in the 1960s, and held around 850 film, television, and video game credits as of 2020, making him one of the most prolific v ...
) is the three-headed dog that guards the Underworld for Hades. He also appears in the series as a rambunctious
Rottweiler puppy that Hades struggles to control.
**
Chimera (vocal effects provided by
Frank Welker
Franklin Wendell Welker (born March 12, 1946) is an American actor who specializes in voice acting. He began his career in the 1960s, and held around 850 film, television, and video game credits as of 2020, making him one of the most prolific v ...
) is a fire-breathing enemy of Bellerophon. It has the head and front legs of a lion, the horns and back legs of a goat, and a snake-headed tail; its body and tail are black. It appears in "Hercules and the Pegasus Incident". In "Hercules and the Big Games", the Chimera is among the children of Echidna that accompany their mother to where Athens and Sparta are having their first Olympic games.
** An unnamed blue Cyclops with a single horn and hooves is the son of Echidna as revealed in "Hercules and the Big Games" where it was among the children of Echidna that accompany their mother to where Athens and Sparta are having their first Olympic games.
**
Gegeines (voiced by
Brad Garrett
Brad H. Gerstenfeld (born April 14, 1960), known professionally as Brad Garrett, is an American actor and stand-up comedian.
Garrett was initially successful as a stand-up comedian in the early 1980s. Taking advantage of that success in the la ...
in the first appearance,
Frank Welker
Franklin Wendell Welker (born March 12, 1946) is an American actor who specializes in voice acting. He began his career in the 1960s, and held around 850 film, television, and video game credits as of 2020, making him one of the most prolific v ...
in the second appearance) is a multi-armed sailor-eating giant who resembles a
yeti
The Yeti ()["Yeti"](_blank)
. ''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''. is an ape-like creature purported t ...
and was encountered by Hercules and the Argonauts in "Hercules and the Argonauts" where the local sea nymphs feed sailors to him in exchange that he doesn't feed off of them. The episode "Hercules and the Big Games" revealed that Gegeines is one of Echidna's children as seen when he accompanied his mother to where Athens and Sparta are having their first Olympic games.
** The
Hydra is an enormous serpent-like creature that grows multiple heads every time one is chopped off. In the film, the Hydra serves as the second, more difficult monster Hercules faces after completing his hero training. Hercules unintentionally releases the Hydra from a cave, which has been set up as a fixed contest by Hades to kill him, and bravely faces this tremendous monster with just his sword and his wits. Although the Hydra initially swallows Hercules whole, the young hero is able to cut his way out from inside, but then three heads grow from the wound. Hercules keeps slicing, flying around on Pegasus as the snarling heads gang up to attack him. Finally, as the Hydra pinned Hercules to a cliff, he smashes his fists into the mountainside, causing an avalanche that buries the multi-headed monster under a mountain of rocks. Hercules's victory earns him fame and adoration from the people of Thebes. In the animated series, the Hydra is referenced several times, such as young Hercules swearing as a hero-in-training to help against beasts like "zillion-headed Hydras" or seeing a cloud shaped like a Hydra being slain by a brave hero. In "Hercules and the Long Nightmare", Hercules has nightmares of his adult and teenage self being attacked by a three-headed Hydra "as scary as they come" until he overcame his fear.
**
Ladon (vocal effects provided by
Frank Welker
Franklin Wendell Welker (born March 12, 1946) is an American actor who specializes in voice acting. He began his career in the 1960s, and held around 850 film, television, and video game credits as of 2020, making him one of the most prolific v ...
) is the youngest of Echidna's monsters, who resembles a
dragon
A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...
. He tried to eat Hercules multiple episodes, but is unsuccessful. In "Hercules and the Big Games", Ladon is among the children of Echidna who accompany their mother to where Athens and Sparta are having their first Olympic games. Around the time when it captured the parents of those who attended Prometheus Academy during "Hercules and the Parents Weekend", Ladon started teething.
** The
Nemean Lion
The Nemean lion (; ; ) was a mythical lion in Greek mythology that lived at Nemea. Famously one of the mythical beasts killed by Heracles (Hercules) in his 12 labours. Because its golden fur was impervious to attack, it could not be killed with ...
(voiced by
Jeremy Piven) is a huge lion with an impenetrable hide, who appears in both the film and the episode "Hercules and the Hero of Athens". In "Hercules and the Big Games", the Nemean Lion is among the children of Echidna who accompany their mother to where Athens and Sparta are having their first Olympic games.
**
Orthos (voiced by
Brad Garrett
Brad H. Gerstenfeld (born April 14, 1960), known professionally as Brad Garrett, is an American actor and stand-up comedian.
Garrett was initially successful as a stand-up comedian in the early 1980s. Taking advantage of that success in the la ...
and
Wayne Knight
Wayne Elliot Knight (born August 7, 1955) is an American actor. In television, he played recurring roles such as Newman on the NBC sitcom ''Seinfeld'' (1992–1998) and Officer Don Orville on the NBC sitcom ''3rd Rock from the Sun'' (1996� ...
) is a two-headed Cyclops that Hercules first fought in "Hercules and the First Day of School" to prove he is not nobody. The head near his right arm sports a mohawk, while the head near his left arm has a ponytail. At Echidna's instruction, Orthos initially tries to eat Hercules before discarding him for being "stale" and a nobody. The two heads later set their sights on Adonis, but they are defeated by Hercules, humiliating them. In "Hercules and the Epic Adventure", Orthos sought revenge for making them the laughingstock of the monster community.
*
Fenrir is a monstrous wolf that was released by Loki in a plot to incite Ragnarok, who appears in "Hercules and the Twilight of the Gods".
* The
Frost Giants are the giants of Norse legend from Jotunheim, who appear in "Hercules and the Twilight of the Gods". They are composed of ice and snow, similar to the Ice Titan, and are agents of Loki and enemies of all that is good.
* The
Furies
The Erinyes ( ; , ), also known as the Eumenides (, the "Gracious ones"), are chthonic goddesses of vengeance in ancient Greek religion and mythology. A formulaic oath in the ''Iliad'' invokes them as "the Erinyes, that under earth take v ...
are a flock of giant birds that live in the Underworld. In "Hercules and the Complex Electra", Furies were created when Electra got angry and disappeared when she was calm.
*
Geryon (voiced by
Will Ferrell
John William Ferrell (; born July 16, 1967) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He is known for his leading man roles in comedy films and for his work as a television producer. Ferrell received various accolades, including ...
) is a monster with three torsos with each head and arms on it, who appears in "Hercules and the Jilt Trip".
*
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (; Classical Latin: ''gryps'' or ''grypus''; Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk ...
– Griffins are a race of creatures that are part-eagle and part-lion. In the film, Hades sends him to kill Hercules together with Stheno and the Minotaur, but the three are defeated by Hercules.
** Griff (voiced by
Tim Conway
Thomas Daniel "Tim" Conway (December 15, 1933 – May 14, 2019) was an American actor, comedian, writer, and director. Conway is perhaps best known as a regular cast member (1975–1978) on the TV comedy ''The Carol Burnett Show'' where he port ...
) is an elderly griffin that guarded a diamond that Hephaestus forged. He resides at the Elysian Sunset Rest Home.
** Merv Griffin (voiced by
Merv Griffin
Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. (July 6, 1925 – August 12, 2007) was an American television show host and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer, later appearing in film and on Broadway theatre, Broadway. From 1962 to 1986, G ...
) is an
Athenian
Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (; Classical Latin: ''gryps'' or ''grypus''; Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk ...
who has his own talk show.
*
Gorgon
The Gorgons ( ; ), in Greek mythology, are three monstrous sisters, Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa, said to be the daughters of Phorcys and Ceto. They lived near their sisters the Graeae, and were able to turn anyone who looked at them to sto ...
– The Gorgons are creatures that have snakes for hair and can petrify people with their gaze.
**
Medusa
In Greek mythology, Medusa (; ), also called Gorgo () or the Gorgon, was one of the three Gorgons. Medusa is generally described as a woman with living snakes in place of hair; her appearance was so hideous that anyone who looked upon her wa ...
(voiced by
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt (born February 21, 1979) is an American actress, producer and singer. Hewitt began her career as a child actress and singer, appearing in national television commercials before joining the cast of the Disney Channel serie ...
) is the famous
gorgon
The Gorgons ( ; ), in Greek mythology, are three monstrous sisters, Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa, said to be the daughters of Phorcys and Ceto. They lived near their sisters the Graeae, and were able to turn anyone who looked at them to sto ...
whose gaze turns people to stone. This depiction of her is lonely and longs for friends. She appears in "Hercules and the Gorgon".
**
Stheno (voiced by
Andrea Martin) is Medusa and Euryale's sister. She appears in "Hercules and the Phil Factor". In the film, Hades sends her to kill Hercules together with the Minotaur and the Griffin, but the three are defeated by Hercules.
**
Euryale is Medusa and Stheno's sister. In the episode "Hercules and the Phil Factor", she was seen in a picture on Stheno's fireplace.
* King Arismap (voiced by
Harvey Korman
Harvey Herschel Korman (February 15, 1927May 29, 2008) was an American actor and comedian who performed in television and film productions. He is best remembered as a main cast member alongside Carol Burnett, Tim Conway and Vicki Lawrence on the ...
) is the King of the Arismapse, a race of thieving mountain
gnome
A gnome () is a mythological creature and diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, introduced by Paracelsus in the 16th century and widely adopted by authors, including those of modern fantasy literature. They are typically depict ...
s, who had been trying to steal the diamond that Griff guards.
* King Ephialtes (voiced by
Jim Varney
James Albert Varney Jr. (June 15, 1949 – February 10, 2000) was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his comedic role as Ernest P. Worrell, for which he won an Emmy Award, as well as appearing in films and numerous televis ...
) is a
tree
In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only ...
giant who is the King of the
Dryad
A dryad (; , sing. ) is an oak tree nymph or oak tree spirit in Greek mythology; ''Drys'' (δρῦς) means "tree", and more specifically " oak" in Greek. Today the term is often used to refer to tree nymphs in general.
Types
Daphnaie
Thes ...
s and Syrinx's father. He appears in "Hercules and the Muse of Dance".
** Syrinx (voiced by
Annie Potts) is a
nymph
A nymph (; ; sometimes spelled nymphe) is a minor female nature deity in ancient Greek folklore. Distinct from other Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature; they are typically tied to a specific place, land ...
who is Ephialtes's daughter. She appears in "Hercules and the Muse of Dance".
* The
Laestrygonian (voiced by
Patrick Warburton
Patrick Warburton (born November 14, 1964) is an American actor. His live action TV roles include David Puddy on ''Seinfeld'', the Tick (character), title character on ''The Tick (2001 TV series), The Tick'', Jeb Denton on ''Less than Perfect'' ...
) is a giant that Hades tries to lure to his side. He is a big fan of Orpheus.
* The
Man-Eating Mares (vocal effects provided by
Frank Welker
Franklin Wendell Welker (born March 12, 1946) is an American actor who specializes in voice acting. He began his career in the 1960s, and held around 850 film, television, and video game credits as of 2020, making him one of the most prolific v ...
) – Dangerous horses who Phil helps Hercules take down. Hades sends Neurosis to make sure Hercules fails. When the Man-Eating Mares prove to be difficult for Hercules, he calls upon Zeus, who possesses his statue after Cerberus destroyed his cloud, for help, and he scares them off. They appear in "Hercules and the Tiff on Olympus".
* Memnon (voiced by
David Alan Grier) is a reptilian fire-breathing monster, similar to a half-man and half-dragon, who is a servant of Hades. He fights the hero Achilles, who briefly allied himself with Hades to separate Hercules and Phil, but was later sent to kill Hercules and Phil until Achilles intervenes. He appears in "Hercules and the Living Legend" and "Hercules and the Phil Factor".
** The
Minotaur
In Greek mythology, the Minotaur (, ''Mīnṓtauros''), also known as Asterion, is a mythical creature portrayed during classical antiquity with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, a being "par ...
(voiced by
Michael Dorn) is a creature with the head and hindquarters of a cattle and the arms and torso of a man. In this show, the Minotaur is depicted as a child of Echidna. He appears in two episodes: in "Hercules and the Minotaur", where he was housed inside a
Labyrinth
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth () is an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by the h ...
built by Daedalus in
Crete
Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...
for its insane king
Minos
Main injector neutrino oscillation search (MINOS) was a particle physics experiment designed to study the phenomena of neutrino oscillations, first discovered by a Super-Kamiokande (Super-K) experiment in 1998. Neutrinos produced by the NuMI ...
, and in "Hercules and the Grim Avenger", where he escaped from Crete and reached Athens, fighting Theseus and Hercules only to be subdued and placed back by the gods. In the film, Hades sends a different Minotaur to kill Hercules together with Stheno and the Griffin, but the three are defeated by Hercules. The episode "Hercules and the Bacchanal" implies that there are more than one Minotaur since there is an event called the Brotherhood of Satyrs, Minotaurs and Other Half-Human Convention. In addition, the episode "Hercules and the Parents' Weekend" reveals that a purple Minotaur is shown to be a child of Echidna in a flashback.
*
Scylla
In Greek mythology, Scylla ( ; , ) is a legendary, man-eating monster that lives on one side of a narrow channel of water, opposite her counterpart, the sea-swallowing monster Charybdis. The two sides of the strait are within an arrow's range o ...
is a sea monster resembling a woman with an
eel's tail and six eel-like heads circling her waist. Hercules fights her in "Hercules and the Big Sink" and "Hercules and the Odyssey Experience".
*
Sea serpent
A sea serpent is a type of sea monster described in various mythologies, most notably in Mesopotamian cosmology (Tiamat), Ugaritic cosmology ( Yam, Tannin), biblical cosmology (Leviathan, Rahab), Greek cosmology (Cetus, Echidna, Hydra, Scy ...
are a type of creature that are serpents or dragons.
**
Ceto
Ceto (; ) is a primordial sea goddess in Greek mythology, the daughter of Pontus and his mother, Gaia. As a mythological figure, she is considered to be one of the most ancient deities, and bore a host of monstrous children fathered by Pho ...
/
Cetus
Cetus () is a constellation, sometimes called 'the whale' in English. The Cetus (mythology), Cetus was a sea monster in Greek mythology which both Perseus and Heracles needed to slay. Cetus is in the region of the sky that contains other water- ...
is a green sea serpent. During the Zero to Hero song in the film, Hercules easily defeats the monster and turns it into a fishing trophy. In "Hercules and the Underworld Takeover", it appears as a much larger sea serpent that attacks Hercules while he crosses the River Styx until he knocks it away.
** Sea Snake - In "Hercules and the Complex Electra", the snake was served as "sauté of sea snake" in the Prometheus Academy cafeteria. The snake attacked Hercules, Icarus, and Cassandra shortly before Hercules met Electra.
** Three-Headed Sea Serpent (vocal effects provided by
Frank Welker
Franklin Wendell Welker (born March 12, 1946) is an American actor who specializes in voice acting. He began his career in the 1960s, and held around 850 film, television, and video game credits as of 2020, making him one of the most prolific v ...
) is a three-headed sea monster Poseidon defeats and imprisons in "Hercules and the Son of Poseidon". After it is accidentally released, Hercules tried to fight it, but struggles to. He and his cousin Triton later fight it after it attacks the Prometheus Academy. Poseidon plans to banish it to the deepest parts of the ocean where the giant squids reside.
*
Sphinx
A sphinx ( ; , ; or sphinges ) is a mythical creature with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of an eagle.
In Culture of Greece, Greek tradition, the sphinx is a treacherous and merciless being with the head of a woman, th ...
Martindale (voiced by
Wink Martindale) is a trivia game show host who asks questions nobody can answer, until Hercules is able to win his show and a chariot.
* Squiggles is a giant squid that appears in "Hercules and the Bacchanal" as Poseidon's pet. After Phil's island sinks, the squid attacks young Hercules and Hermes, almost eating the two before Poseidon summons him.
*
Typhon
Typhon (; , ), also Typhoeus (; ), Typhaon () or Typhos (), was a monstrous serpentine giant and one of the deadliest creatures in Greek mythology. According to Hesiod, Typhon was the son of Gaia and Tartarus. However, one source has Typhon as t ...
(voiced by
Regis Philbin
Regis Francis Xavier Philbin ( ; August 25, 1931 – July 25, 2020)Archived aGhostarchiveand thWayback Machine was an American television presenter, comedian, actor, and singer. Once called "the hardest-working man in show business", he held th ...
) is the father of all monsters and Echidna's husband. He was imprisoned by Zeus under Mount Etna. In the episode "Hercules and the Return of Typhon" Hercules accidentally releases him while fighting with his wife Echidna. In the process, it is revealed that Hera helped Zeus to fight Typhon as she helps Hercules and Zeus repel him and Echidna. Afterward, Homer learns the truth and corrects the story.
* The
Winged Wolves of Hecate (voiced by
Jon Cryer
Jonathan Niven Cryer (born April 16, 1965) is an American actor. Born into a show business family, he made his film debut with a lead role in ''No Small Affair'' (1984); his breakout role was as Duckie in the John Hughes (filmmaker), John Hughe ...
and
Jim Cummings
James Jonah Cummings (born November 3, 1952) is an American voice actor. Beginning his career in the 1980s, he has appeared in over 400 titles. Cummings has frequently worked with the Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros., serving as the offic ...
) are two wolves with bird-like wings who work for Hecate.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hercules Characters
Characters
Lists of Disney animated film characters
Lists of characters in American television animation
*Hercules
Musical theatre characters