Hades

"Love, happiness, joy... They've all been taken from me. What I'm left with is only anger and a thirst for vengeance."

- Hades to Zelena

Lord Hades, also known as the God, or King, of the Underworld, is a character on ABC's Once Upon a Time. He débuts in the twelfth episode of the fifth season. He is portrayed by guest star Greg Germann.

Hades is based on the character of the same name from Greek Mythology, and the Disney film Hercules.

Before First Curse
Hades is a deity, the son of Kronos and the younger brother of Zeus. At some point, Kronos chooses Zeus to become the next ruler of Mount Olympus, gaining everything that Hades had ever wanted. Fueled by animosity towards his father and his older brother, Hades seizes the Olympian Crystal, a powerful weapon belonging to the ruler of Mount Olympus by killing Kronos, who kept the crystal in his bedroom. As Hades gets the weapon, Zeus enters the bedroom, discovering his brother and what he did. Hades prepares to use the Olympian Crystal on his brother, but Zeus causes Hades' heart to stop beating so only true love's kiss can reverse it. If Hades proves successful in this endeavor, he can also return to the land of the living as a fully formed person. In addition to stopping Hades' heart, Zeus breaks the Olympian Crystal, making impossible for his brother to fix it without his beating heart. Eventually, Hades ends up becoming the ruler of the Underworld, where he oversees souls of people who have unfinished business.

At some point, Orpheus goes to the Underworld to retrieve Eurydice. He feeds her ambrosia, and they both escape the Underworld. An angry Hades then cuts down the ambrosia tree to keep this from happening again in the future.

In another realm above his domain, Hades appears on a ship below deck to offer Liam a deal to secure his future as a captain. Desiring the souls of the crew, he suggests Liam let the ship sink, and in return, he'll give him the eye of the storm, a jewel the king will pay handsomely for. Liam goes through with it, steering the ship into the hurricane, which kills everyone aboard except himself and his brother, who Hades protects from dying, as part of the deal.

Arriving to Oz, Hades introduces himself to the Wicked Witch, Zelena, who he thanks for sending many souls to the Underworld. He offers to help her track down the Scarecrow since she needs his brain for a time spell, and because he believes she won't get far in her plan with Dorothy in her way. Zelena rejects his help, but when she returns to her palace, Hades is there. He mistakes a green cupcake for Zelena celebrating her own birthday, but she coldly refutes this, stating she doesn't know her birthdate because her mother abandoned her. Hades continues to offer assistance with the Scarecrow and he tells her about his own rivalry with his older brother. He takes her to find Dorothy's old bicycle, which Zelena can enchant to track down Dorothy, who is protecting the Scarecrow. Seeing Zelena's curiosity about the bike, Hades persuades her to hop on for a ride with him. After this spontaneous bout of fun, the bike crashes and the pair end up side by side on the ground, giddy with laughter. Tracking Dorothy to a cottage, they watch from afar, waiting for a sign of the Scarecrow. Hades openly flirts with Zelena, and as she leans in to kiss him, the moment is interrupted by the Scarecrow exiting the cottage. Zelena then takes the Scarecrow's brain, but instead of killing Dorothy, she lets her live so the people of Oz will know she failed them. After witnessing all this, Hades returns to the palace ahead of Zelena, in order to prepare a celebratory dinner for her. When Zelena comes back, he professes his love for her, and his belief that a kiss of true love between them will free him so they can be together. Zelena nearly believes him, however, she accuses him of using her to get the time spell for himself. She insists that if he does love her, he won't stand in the way of her revenge. With a tone of finality, she sends him away, telling him to never show his face again. Before disappearing, a hurt Hades warns that she will regret her choice. Sometime after this, he remodels the underworld to look like Storybrooke as a gift to Zelena, but due to the nature of the Underworld, it decays and becomes hellish. }}

After Third Curse
In the Underworld, Hades inhabits the lower level floor of the library, which serves as his lair. After Regina's arrival, he sends Cora to persuade her into leaving, and if not, Cora warns Regina that her father will suffer. Eventually, Cora's attempt to get rid of Henry helps him move on from his unfinished business, and his soul leaves the Underworld for a better place. After this happens, the Underworld's clock face moves ahead one minute, signaling Henry's soul has departed. Hades, while listening to classical music and having a pedicure in his lair, is visited by Cora. Despite failing in her mission, Cora insists she did what he asked, and now, she wants her end of the bargain, something that involves Regina's well-being. Hades is quick to point out how much she cares for Regina, yet she treated her other daughter so poorly, all for the sake of shedding her peasant roots and becoming royalty. As punishment for her failure, Hades reverts Cora to her role as a miller's daughter, damned to spend all of eternity delivering mill flour bags.

After Hook helps another prisoner escape, Hades has his minions haul the pirate, who has been grievously wounded by Cerberus, to the lair. Mary Margaret, Emma and Regina enlist Hercules' help to defeat Cerberus, but Hades calls the beast off, opting to confront the group himself. He refuses to explain why the Underworld looks like Storybrooke and purposely reveals how Hercules died to further shame him in front of his allies. Lastly, he leaves Emma with Killian's bloodied hook grapnel, telling her that he will do much worse to Hook. Once both Megara and Hercules ascend to Mount Olympus, Hades returns to Hook, handing him a rasp for carving into stone. Hades explains he initially wanted Hook's friends to leave the Underworld, but now, they've caused too much damage to his world. He then materializes three unmarked headstones, stating that for every soul his friends save, Hook will be in charge of choosing which of his friends have to stay in the Underworld forever.

Because Hook refuses to follow his orders, Hades hangs him on a chain over the River of Lost Souls, leaving him to be lowered into the river over time. While Emma enters the lair to rescue Hook, Milah and Mr. Gold stay behind on their boat. After freezing Milah, Hades propositions Mr. Gold into stopping the heroes from leaving the Underworld in exchange for his return trip home. Desperate to return to Belle, Mr. Gold burns the boat and throws Milah into the River of Lost Souls, although he later begrudges Hades for forcing his hand. Hades then agrees to let him go home someday, but for now, he has other plans for him. With a crystal ball, he conjures the image of Mr. Gold's wife Belle in Storybrooke, before revealing he knows the secret Mr. Gold is keeping from him, that Belle is pregnant. Hades brings up Mr. Gold's unfulfilled deal with the deceased Fendrake, whom he had owed his second-born child. Seeing as Fendrake already sold this deal contact to him, Hades intimidates Mr. Gold into continuing to be his lackey, or he'll take away Belle's child upon cashing in the debt.

Discovering Liam is helping the heroes find the storybook to uncover his weakness, Hades pays the older Jones brother a visit at the Rabbit Hole, where Captain Silver sees them. After making himself a drink, Hades orders Liam to destroy the pages featuring his story, or he'll tell Killian about him letting the ship crew perish. Liam carries out this command, but Killian learns the truth anyway, after both of them are kidnapped by Captain Silver and the crewmen, who want revenge on Liam. Hades arrives to send Captain Silver into the fiery abyss, and he prepares to do the same to Killian, as penance for escaping the lair. Because Liam speaks in his brother's defense, Hades throws him over instead. Despite that Killian tries to pull him up, Liam insists he has to pay for the mistake he made in the past. As Liam falls into the pit, the abyss changes, allowing him entry into Mount Olympus. Horrified at the turn of events, Hades teleports away, after swearing Killian will pay for interfering. Later, the pages that Liam discarded end up in one of the five rivers. Hades picks up a page, which features him and Zelena, before remarking to himself that their secret is still safe.

In his lair, Hades has Mr. Gold open a portal to Storybrooke, as he is in a hurry to obtain Zelena's daughter. Instead of just the baby, the portal pulls in Belle and Zelena as well, dumping all three people outside of Underbrooke's nunnery. After finding out Zelena is in the Underworld, Hades steps into town to look for her. She confronts him, believing he wants her baby for the time spell she once denied him of, but Hades insists that isn't his motivation. He reiterates his love for her, even explaining that he made Underbrooke in Storybrooke's image for her, as he knew she once wanted to cast the Dark Curse. As another attribute of his love, Hades reveals he tried to take the baby, for Zelena's sake, to get her away from the heroes. He asks her to stay with him and promises to help retrieve her daughter from Regina, but Zelena refuses his assistance, as she is still unable to trust him completely.

In Underbrooke, Hades watches Zelena from a distance, without her noticing him. Suddenly, he spots a token of hope, a white flower, blooming from the ground. To put a stop to it, he gives Gaston a chance to kill Mr. Gold with arrows coated in liquid from the river of souls. Belle is set on helping Gaston move on, because she believes the more people leave the Underworld, the weaker Hades becomes. At the pet shelter, Hades offers to void the baby contract if Belle allows Mr. Gold and Gaston to fight and for one of them to push the other into the river. Belle declines, however, Hades suggests that with her baby's life is at stake, she is capable of doing anything for her child. After stopping Mr. Gold from throwing Gaston into the river, Belle is forced into action when Gaston tries to kill Mr. Gold again, by shoving Gaston into the river. As Mr. Gold comforts a guilt-ridden Belle, Hades appears, announcing the contract is still on, since Belle took care of Gaston instead of Mr. Gold doing the deed. Just as Hades intended, by crushing Belle and Mr. Gold's hopes of securing their child's freedom, this causes hope to die in the Underworld. Hades then contently plucks a withered flower and remarks how beautiful it is. He later has the flower delivered to Zelena at the diner accompanied by a card with her name on it.

At her Underbrooke home, Zelena mulls over the flower she received, when Hades shows up to warn her about Ruby's recent appearance in the Underworld. Zelena panics, fearing Regina will bar her from seeing her daughter, once her sister learns what she did to Ruby's friend Dorothy. She decides to leave the Underworld to keep herself from doing something she'll regret, but Hades suggests she stay because he can give her whatever she wants. Zelena firmly declines, having made up her mind, though Hades promises that, regardless, he will take care of Ruby for her. After Zelena admits to the heroes that Dorothy is under a sleeping curse, they seek out Dorothy's deceased Auntie Em to wake her with true love's kiss. At Auntie Em's diner, Hades inconspicuously sits at a booth having a meal, while the heroes fail to notice him. Emma quickly prompts Auntie Em to blow a kiss in a bottle so it can be delivered to Dorothy in Oz. As soon as Auntie Em uncaps the bottle, however, her whole body melts into a puddle, because Hades added liquid from the River of Lost Souls into it. Regina suspects Zelena put him up to the task since Dorothy is Zelena's sworn enemy, but he insists she knows nothing about this. Instead of it just being about Zelena, Hades clarifies that he is using Auntie Em's fate as an example of something else. Using a mason jar, he scoops up some of Auntie Em's liquid remains into it, declaring to the diner citizens that they will meet the same end if they try to help the heroes. As he walks out, he taunts Emma over her inability to save anyone since now no one wants to be saved. Later, Zelena comes to Hades in his lair, deciding to give him a chance after all. He dumps the the collected remains of Auntie Em into the river, to prove he is loyal to Zelena, and to ensure Dorothy remains cursed. Hades realizes Zelena is afraid he will disappoint her, to which Zelena admits it's a chance she'll have to take. After David forfeits his freedom to allow Snow to return to Storybrooke, Hades creates headstones for all the remaining heroes, so none of them can ever leave the Underworld.

Taking Zelena for a ride in his car, Hades brings her to the outskirts of Underbrooke, where they drink by a campfire. Upon showing her a scenic view of the town in the distance, he concludes that she deserves more than just a decayed replica of Storybrooke. Thus, he wants to go to the real Storybrooke with her, after his heart is beating again. When Zelena asks about the plans he had in the Underworld, Hades confirms he will gladly give it up, if he and Zelena can be a family. Zelena doubts Regina and her friends would like the both of them being in Storybrooke, but he explains what he did to trap the heroes for good. Hades believes there's no other way, and that Zelena has to choose between the both of them or Regina. Dropping to his knees, he grasps her hands, asking if she will make chaos with him. Zelena, still indecisive, doesn't agree to his proposal, but she doesn't decline, either. Through a magic hand mirror, Regina sees Zelena's entire exchange with Hades, and she later attempts to forbid Zelena from ever seeing Hades again. Zelena objects, believing she can help change Hades from a villain into a better person. Cora and Regina attempt to lure Zelena into drinking a potion so she'll forget Hades for good, but Zelena sees through their deception. After a sisterly revelation and helping Cora move on, Regina finally gives her blessing for Zelena to be with Hades. In the diner, Hades prepares a candlelit date for himself and Zelena. He magicks the jukebox on, and as the song plays, Zelena arrives to the outside of the diner, where she sees him inside dancing to the music. Before she can go in, Mr. Gold allows Peter Pan to kidnap her.

In place of Zelena, Mr. Gold leaves a note for Hades, requesting a rendezvous with him at the diner to settle the baby contract. After Hades finds the note, he goes to the heroes for help getting Zelena back, and in return, he'll take their names off the tombstones. Hades shows up to the diner alone, and Pan and Mr. Gold teleport in shortly after, with Zelena as their hostage. To save her, he tears up the contract in front of Mr. Gold. Although Hades' terms with Mr. Gold are satisfied, Pan has other plans for Zelena, whose heart he intends to take for himself. Before he can, Emma arrives in from the backdoor, stopping Pan with her magic. After Mr. Gold abandons his father, Pan admits defeat by teleporting away as well. Hades reunites with Zelena, and he removes the cuff from her wrist. Zelena is impressed that he tore up the contract for her, to which he proclaims that he'd do anything for her. When they share their first kiss, a wave of magic emits from them into Underbrooke, causing Hades' heart to restart. After showing the heroes the fallen clock face, which will soon form a portal to Storybrooke, he removes their names from the tombstones. Regina attempts the heart split between Emma and Hook, but it doesn't work, because Hades points out that Hook's soul has been separated from his body for too long. He warns that even if the heart split does work, Hook will return to a body that has been rotting for a while now. Hades reveals a legend of two people, Orpheus and Eurydice, who did escape the Underworld, after Orpheus fed ambrosia to Eurydice. Since getting ambrosia requires Emma offering her heart for judgement, Hades takes it out and gives it to her. Hades later goes with Zelena and her daughter to wait by the portal for the heroes. Unknown to Zelena, he sent Emma and Hook to get ambrosia when there's none left, and he put a barrier on the library to keep everyone else trapped. With Hades' persuasion, Zelena decides to trust the heroes will make it in time, before following him into the portal.

Arriving to Storybrooke's Toll Bridge, Hades relishes over being in the land of the living, while Zelena worries for the heroes. He assures her again that they'll be fine, but he has doubts they won't believe he's changed. Zelena vows to help change their minds, and she then gives her daughter to Hades as a sign of her complete trust in him. Since Hades is concerned over Snow still thinking he's evil, Zelena leaves to convince her otherwise. After she is gone, King Arthur runs into Hades, stating he was unjustly imprisoned and is destined to rule a kingdom. Hades sympathizes with him as he has the same destiny, and he lures Arthur into believing he needs his help, before magically snapping his neck. Later, Hades and Zelena hole up in the mayor's office, where Zelena tells him about her argument with Regina, in which her sister threatened to hurt him. Hades prepares to turn himself in, but when Zelena stops him out of fear of losing him, he suggests that they must fight to defend themselves from the heroes. No longer restricted by his previously non-beating heart, Hades merges the crystal halves into one. He believes that, with the crystal, they show everyone that they are wrong and can live any life they want. Hades proposes they can even rule Storybrooke, though a surprised Zelena admits she envisioned living in the town, with a house for them and garden for her daughter to play in. He agrees with her ideas, but again, he insists they may have no choice but to fight for survival. In a phone call, Mr. Gold offers protection to Hades in exchange for a piece of the crystal, but the latter rejects him. After the crystal is repaired, Zelena discovers Emma breaking the protection spell, and she goes to confront her. Hades leaves the office, and returns to see Regina and Robin. Hoping to put an end to Regina, Hades strikes her with the crystal, but Robin takes the blow for her. When Zelena returns, Hades lies about killing Robin to protect her from him. Zelena questions him about trapping the heroes in the Underworld, which he admits to so they wouldn't have to hurt anyone. Since they are at odds with the heroes now, Hades insists the only way to save themselves is to use the crystal to create a new kingdom. Zelena doesn't care about having that, but Hades reminds her of their shared ideology of getting revenge by having it all. Regina knocks Hades over, causing him to drop the crystal, which Zelena picks up. Hades pushes her to kill Regina, but she ultimately kills Hades, after realizing his love for her is not enough to change him. After being stabbed by the crystal, Hades screams Zelena's name, before his body turns into a pile of ash. }}

Character Notes

 * Hades enjoys violin music.
 * In "Souls of the Departed", he listens to Niccolò Paganini's composition "Violin Concerto No. 2 In B Minor, Op. 7, Ms 48".
 * According to himself, Hades is often mistaken for a demon. He also says that he is not the Devil, but people are always conflating them.
 * The song "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire" by The Ink Spots plays in Hades' car radio during his date with Zelena. Hades plays the song again on the Underbrooke Diner's jukebox, as he prepares for another date.

Production Notes

 * His casting call describes him as "a mysterious, dangerous and vindictive God-like figure known obscurely as 'Distinguished Gentleman' or 'DG'". He is also described as "a mysterious figure with god-like powers who is always clad in a perfectly tailored suit", someone who can "strike fear into people just by being friendly", and "the last person you ever want to share a drink with".
 * The idea of Hades getting a pedicure in "Souls of the Departed" was pitched by Greg Germann.

Props Notes
Hades nodded to himself, impressed with the
 * The book Hades reads in his lair is Goethe's play Faust. The story, which Hades happens to be reading as he is about to inform Mr. Gold that he will take his unborn child unless Mr. Gold agrees to work for him, parallels the deal Rumplestiltskin made with Fendrake, which was signed over to Hades. In the play, a man calls on the Devil for further knowledge and magic powers. The Devil's representative grants Faust magic powers for a set number of years, but at the end of the term, the Devil will claim his soul, and Faust will be eternally damned.
 * Hades' text page from the Underworld storybook says:
 * One of the missing pages from the storybook reads:

leader's magic. The leader was elegantly dressed in

black, which also impressed Hades. Proper fashion was

very important to him. He noticed that much [illegible] that

whatever the leader was shouting about. It was a [illegible]

tirade about some young farm girl who had offended

the great leader. The leader believed that the [illegible]

villagers were hiding the farm girl. But instead of snap-

ing the necks of the villagers for their behavior, [illegible]

the leader merely went down the line of them, [illegible]

each one into a drooling, screeching beast. The [illegible]

of [illegible] retribution may have been satisfying to the

leader, but it wouldn't do at all for Hades. [obscured]

to somehow convince the leader [illegible]

killing. It turns out this leader [obscured]

of supplies of souls, and he [obscured]

that supply dry up. He started [obscured]

of dead he’d offer when the leader [obscured]

into a hairy beast.

Of course this [illegible] [obscured]

taken Hades for one

[illegible] [obscured]


 * Another page reads:

welling in his eyes. Only these were not tears of sad-

ness. They smoldered with rage.

"You’re wrong about me, Father. I will make a great

king."

Hades wiped the tears away as he said this, though his

voice was a vacuum of emotion. With cold determina-

tion, he approached a towering pedestal on the far side of

the bed chamber where an ornate filigreed box was left

unattended. Hades face betrayed a slight smile. He

knew this box held the prize he sought, and no one

would stop him from taking it now. He opened the box

and inside was an ancient crystal shaped like a crude

lightning bolt.

"The Olympian Crystal", he said reverently, with more

love than he had ever shown for leathery old Kronos.

"So…" a voice boomed from across the bed chamber.

Hades turned to see Zeus in the room, looking at him in

Judgment while touching the lifeless frame of their father

For one last time. "…your heart really is sickened."

Zeus stepped forward to his brother, in all his chiseled

Might. And every inch of his muscle nauseated Hades,

[obscured] maintained an even keel. For now.

[obscured] not take a moment to mourn our father?

"Who loved you?"

Zeus felt genuine compassion for his brother. And the

[illegible] branch he offered bore no hidden thorns, only the

promise of reconciliation. That Zeus was capable of such

[illegible] only stoked the flames within Hades further.

"No, Zeus", Hades spat. "He only loved you."

Hades took the crystal into his hands. It was his now,

and no one would take it from him. Not even the

[illegible] Zeus. The powerful magic within it glowed for [illegible].

[illegible] not yours to wield," Zeus warned.

"The Olympian Crystal is dangerous. It belongs to the

[obscured]

[illegible] king," Hades said, wielding the

[illegible] "And once I use this to kill you,

[illegible] kingdom I desire.

[illegible] and for a moment, Zeus

[illegible] that the crystal was powerful enough

[illegible] him. But Zeus [illegible], perhaps

[illegible] Hades raised the crystal,

[illegible] Zeus' chest, looking his

[illegible]

[illegible] Zeus' heart, when…