All Returning Characters In Hades 2

Key Takeaways

• Returning characters in Hades 2 strategically aid Melinoe to overthrow Chronos, not out of familial duty.
• You can explore new Olympus chambers in the Olympic Update, encountering familiar faces with varying attitudes towards the war.
• Characters like Athena, Cerberus, and Dionysus showcase unique designs and play roles in assisting Melinoe against Chronos.

Although Greek Mythology is full of various characters and stories, there are only so many notable gods and Olympians who might find themselves as one of Chronos’ primary targets in Hades 2. We could get a slew of new faces, but it’s nice to see that the returning ones from Hades are holding down the fort, relying on Melinoe’s aid just as she relies on theirs.

Of course, unlike Zagreus, these returning characters aren’t really helping out of some sense of familial duty (mostly). Instead, it proves to be a rather strategic move to aid this previously unseen factor in bringing Chronos’ second reign to an end.

Updated on December 3, 2024 by Tallis Spalding: With the arrival of the Olympic Update to Hades 2, players gained access to a plethora of new chambers throughout the surface world. Notably, you are now free to dash through Olympus, taking down actual enemies and automatons as you go. If you’re lucky, you may just run across a few new returning characters – some of whom are keenly aware of what is at stake, while others are just here for a good time and to pretend like the world isn’t burning. While Athena is hard at work, Dionysus’s rhetoric is something more like ‘if I die, I die, but at least I go out having fun.’ At least it seems their attitudes haven’t changed much from their characters in Hades.

14 Athena

Safety On Olympus

While Athena is a standard boon-bearing god in the first game, in Hades 2, she’s a random event that can only happen when you’re sprinting through Olympus. It’s understandable that most of her attention is focused on keeping the home front in order, especially since the fight isn’t just close to home base – it’s happening right on Olympus.

It’s clear that she’s trying to help out where she can, and if aiding Melinoe gets the job done faster, then so be it – she’ll give you whatever boon she can to help.

13 Cerberus

What A Good Boy… Mostly

There’s a key difference between Cerberus in Hades and Hades 2 – while this good boy technically serves as a boss in both games, there’s only one where you actually fight him. While Zagreus has a pretty easy time working around Cerberus with bribes, Melinoe has no such luck.

She must, instead, purge the corruption from him through battle. You can find Cerberus later in Hades Chamber, but it’s really unfortunate that he doesn’t seem too keen on being petted and loved by Melinoe.

12 Dionysus

Time To Relax And Party

Sure, the entirety of Olympus might be under attack, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t time to relax and party a little bit. Who better to party with than Dionysus himself? Sure, he regularly invited Zagreus up to Olympus to party (something that, unfortunately, was never seen to fruition), but at least Melinoe gets to attend one.

She wasn’t invited, per se, more so just stumbled across his chamber on Olympus, but at least someone from the family gets to attend them. It is kind of funny, admittedly, because Dionysus does immediately assume that Melinoe is actually Zagreus – the family resemblance is strong with these two.

11 Aphrodite

All’s Fair In Love And War

Aphrodite’s design, while still retaining some certain nude elements, has certainly shifted more toward the warrior side. Sure, her vital organs aren’t protected, but she’s still incredibly attractive. Of course, instead of just her charms and good looks, now she wields a very dangerous heart-like spear alongside her shield.

Some may even find the war paint stripe across her face incredibly familiar, reminiscent of a certain God of War from the first game. All’s fair in love and war, and Aphrodite is certain to make sure of her every asset, often offering some of the best boons.

10 Artemis

The Huntress Has Her Mark

One of the fun things about Hades 2 is that you get to meet some of the characters in person on your runs. One of those characters is Artemis, who has taken a ‘background’ role in this war. She works as a spy, spotting weaknesses in Chronos’ forces and feeding information to the Crossroads and to Olympus (though she’s far more favorable to the Crossroads, holding onto their secrets for much longer).

Her overall design hasn’t drastically changed, aside from her clothing, really, but her pose has shifted. Now she holds a much stronger, more cocky air of confidence and is clearly in her element. It definitely helps that she’s more than willing to share that ‘element’ (literally) with you too, assuming that she appears on one of your runs.

9 Chaos

Why Not Shake Things Up A Little Bit?

If there is any new design that is poised to catch you off guard, it might as well be Chaos. Their look has completely shifted, and in their hand, they hold their own head, with a fetus floating out of the mouth. Chaos’ design is laced with so much symbolism, like the Earth as an earring representing how little it means to them — it’s a mere accessory.

Even the presence of a piece of their former body (and their new one) acts as a representation of entropy and decay. There could be many reasons why they decided to change up their look so drastically, or they simply decided to do the unexpected as is on brand.

8 Charon

Both The Main Market And The Underground Market

Once more, Charon has arrived to offer his aid — and it’s right under everybody’s noses to boot. He shows up not only in the Underworld (where Chronos has complete control, in theory) but also shows up on the surface, steering an absolutely massive merchant’s vessel. Surprisingly (or perhaps unsurprisingly), it doesn’t actually seem like Charon has changed all that much.

His mantle has changed, certainly, as has his oar, but his goal remains the same: collect as much coin as possible. Of course, this time, it’s less with the intent to hoard and more with the intent to destroy and reforge.

7 Demeter

She Will See To Hell Freezing Over

Poor Demeter has lost her daughter and family not once, but twice. However, she is entirely unwilling to let things go on for as long this time, and seeks to free her daughter. When she learns that Melinoe is alive, you almost get this sense of gentle melancholy — a softness that few likely see from the Goddess of Seasons.

Unlike the first game, the mantle that surrounds her is wilting and decaying, killed by the bitter cold that haunts her. She wears armor and looks more than ready to throw hands with Chronos if it means that Persephone will be safe.

6 Hades

Imprisoned In His Own Home

In the original game, Hades was such an imposing and almost overwhelming figure. Although he’s still notably very tall, his stature still feels diminished in Hades 2. He wears a tattered prisoner’s garb, with the cloak pulled over his head and hair, likely out of shame.

His hands are no longer adorned with all of his jewelry, and, instead, he wears shackles adorned with Chronos’ symbol. When you first set off into the House of Hades, you know that Hades probably isn’t doing too great, but it really doesn’t hit until you finally run across him.

5 Hermes

Quick On His Feet And With A Lot To Do

Hermes makes his triumphant return as the speedy messenger of Olympus — though he isn’t colluding with Charon nearly as often as he did in the first game. Interestingly enough, Hermes notes that he hasn’t actually been kept on the front lines and, like Artemis, has been mostly relegated toward a ‘background’ role.

He seeks to find weaknesses in Chronos’ forces and, hopefully, warn Olympus and the Crossroads before it’s too late. Although his design has largely shifted, Hermes still has a few core elements from his original design, like his scarf, his caduceus, wings, and even his adorable little turtle.

4 Hypnos

What Could He Be Dreaming About?

Poor Hypnos was already a bit sleepy in Hades, but in Hades 2, it looks like he’s fully succumbed to sleep. Although Melinoe seeks to wake him, others claim that he’s at his most useful while he’s sleeping the war away. It begs the question of just what Hypnos may or may not be up to and how he’s aiding the war effort.

Even still, it doesn’t seem like he’s been immune to the passage of time. His hair is longer, and the wings that once adorned his shoulders now float around his head. Interestingly enough, it does seem like he’s at least changed up his sleep mask (even if he isn’t using it).

3 Poseidon

The Wrath Of The Sea Is Unforgiving

Unsurprising, but everybody’s favorite fun uncle has returned to, once more, be the fun uncle. Poseidon may be helping to fight a war against the Titan of Time, but that won’t stop his jovial nature. He’s quite enthusiastic upon meeting Melinoe for the first time and is more than happy to help her “exact terrible revenge.”

What is surprising, however, is that his design really hasn’t shifted all that much between the first game and the sequel. There are minor differences, and his clothing is notably more armor-like, but what really got a glow-up was his trident.

2 Skelly/Schelemeus

Happy To Be A Glorified Punching Bag

Skelly makes his wondrous return, and once more as the designated punching bag for the House of Hades’ royal children. Thankfully, though, he continues to take his job in stride, boasting his role like it’s a badge of honor. With every weapon you pick up, Schelemeus is there and ready to teach you how to fight to your hearts content.

Now, going by Schelemeus, this commander of Shades sports a beard along with several military-like badges and real clothes. He also doesn’t backtalk or give Melinoe nearly as much grief as he did Zagreus. Perhaps he’s just getting in character — or maybe he just likes Melinoe more.

1 Zeus

He’s Got A Lot On His Plate, But He’s Still Helping

He may be busy trying to command Olympus during a time of war, but that won’t stop Zeus from helping his newly resurfaced niece with some great Boons. While he isn’t as laid back and easygoing as he was in Hades, Zeus is still delighted to see that his niece is fine and fairly well-off.

He’s still boastful and booming, but now he’s adorned a chest plate, and the ends of his hair and beard border closer to a roiling storm cloud than something much more gentle. Interestingly, his lightning crown also seems slightly smaller now.