Zeus
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Zeus is the god of lightning, god of the sky, and king of the gods in ancient Greek mythology. He appears in IDW Publishing's 2016 Godzilla comic Godzilla: Rage Across Time #2, fighting and ultimately being killed by Godzilla.
Design
Zeus is a muscular humanoid with long white hair and a beard. His hair is pushed backwards, exposing his forehead. He wears a golden laurel around his head, golden armbands on each wrist, and a short robe around his waist. After expunging his power, Zeus loses his muscular figure, his facial hair appears longer, and his hair is straightened. On the day of his death, Zeus wore a heavy, brown hooded robe and possessed a cane, giving him a hermit-like appearance. It is revealed in his last moment of peace that he is right-handed.
Personality
Up until he became powerless, Zeus was arrogant and aggressive, taking his worshipers for granted and letting his status as a god go to his head. After the loss of his power, he began to feel sympathy for humans and made an effort to understand them.
History
- Mighty Avengers #1 (2007) [mentioned]
- Godzilla: Rage Across Time #2 (2016)
Godzilla: Rage Across Time
"Ancient Greece"
When Godzilla laid siege to the armies of Olympus, Hermes rushed to inform Zeus. Zeus, however, expressed no remorse for the fallen mortals, having grown to resent them for their recent disinterest in the gods. His children Ares and Aphrodite suggested ways that he could regain the mortals' respect—Ares suggesting he create tragedy, and Aphrodite suggesting that he give the mortals bountiful benefits to inspire them to give thanks—but he ignored them both. Before long, Zeus and the Olympians found the city surrounding Mount Olympus to be flooded, and Zeus' personal "devil" Godzilla swimming toward them. Zeus summoned the Hydra in response, but Godzilla slew it by bringing Mount Olympus down on top of it, also killing every Olympian except Zeus in the process. Enraged, Zeus summoned an enormous bolt of lightning that sealed Godzilla away, leveled the ruins of the city, and drained Zeus of his godly power.
Zeus went on to carve out a life for himself in the Roman city of Pompeii, where he began trying to learn to empathize with the mortals, and worked on recording the tale of his fall. In AD 79, just as he finished an illustration of Godzilla, the monster erupted from out of the nearby Mount Vesuvius, raining down lava which killed Zeus and preserved his terrified expression in ash.
Abilities
Lightning manipulation
Zeus can send lightning down from the sky at will or summon lightning in his hands. When he is angered, lightning also appears in his eyes.
Physical abilities
It is implied throughout the Olympians' argument that Zeus is the strongest and most powerful among them.
Durability
Zeus survived the collapse of Mount Olympus when Godzilla caused it to crumble down.
Hydra
Zeus is capable of summoning the Hydra, an enormous serpentine monster with regenerating heads.
Weaknesses
Despite being a god, Zeus was shown to be neither all-powerful nor immortal. Zeus drained himself of his power by unleashing all of it on Godzilla, and was later killed in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius caused by Godzilla. Additionally, it is implied that Zeus' power is affected by the amount of faith possessed in his worshipers.
Gallery
Zeus with the Olympians
External links
Comments
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