Lore Olympus has just started Season 3...

[theangelJean]

And still didn't have its own thread. So!

Lore Olympus is a webcomic loosely based on a mostly-modernised retelling of the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone. Only mostly-modernised in that the Mortal Realm, where the humans live, is still set in Ancient Greece; the realms of the Gods (Olympus, The Underworld) have modern technology and sensibilities. Fairly early on in the story the author introduced themes of sexual assault, abusive relationships and image-based abuse. However unlike in the original myth, none of the above feature in the relationship between the two main characters, Persephone and Hades. The story at first focusses instead on how, with the help of their friends and each other, they deal with these issues in a mature way. Season 2 expanded upon newly-introduced aspects of the mythology of the comic, and played out most of the original story in its own way.

Apparently an animated series is in development.

As Season 3 opens Persephone has just won a major battle effectively by being Queened. Where do we think the story is going to go next?

[Metastachydium]

sexual assault, abusive relationships and image-based abuse. However unlike in the original myth, none of the above feature in the relationship between the two main characters, Persephone and Hades

I will just quietly and offhandedly mention that Pope's The Rape of the Lock contains no sexual intercourse with non-consenting hair and (to stay clear of inappropriate waters) leave it at that.

As Season 3 opens Persephone has just won a major battle effectively by being Queened.

Yeah, I wasn't all happy-happy with how that was handled. The Queening itself was clever and cool (if telegraphed), but the subsequent smug Godmode Sue demeanor (in a story about gods!) didn't work with me. Good thing its conclusion and the cute aftermath made up for it quite nicely.

Where do we think the story is going to go next?

Well, for starters, an angry helicopter appears! (And to be fair, while Helios and Hecate were involved in capacities other than their original ones, we didn't really get to see her bits of the story with the rage against Zeus and the winter.

Also, speaking of LoreO!Zeus, de jure his legitimacy as a ruler seems to have derived from his role in the Titanomachy, but now that he effectively undid his achievements there through the fallout of breaching the Treaty and someone else had to clean up his mess, the power struggle subplot likely just acquired new fuel.)

[theangelJean]

Yeah, I wasn't all happy-happy with how that was handled. The Queening itself was clever and cool (if telegraphed), but the subsequent smug Godmode Sue demeanor (in a story about gods!) didn't work with me. Good thing its conclusion and the cute aftermath made up for it quite nicely.

Yeah, that was an interesting choice of attitude for the character. We needed to see her win, we needed her power to be shown, and the way she carried it out was fine. But somewhere along the way she had to tell us why she was doing it that way, and it did come out more gloating than wrath. There are other ways of displaying new-found confidence and power, I guess.

Well, for starters, an angry helicopter appears! (And to be fair, while Helios and Hecate were involved in capacities other than their original ones, we didn't really get to see her bits of the story with the rage against Zeus and the winter.

True. If anything it's been Spring for the last ten years in the mortal Realm. Do we know when Demeter succumbed to sleep? She has some catching up to do.

Also, speaking of LoreO!Zeus, de jure his legitimacy as a ruler seems to have derived from his role in the Titanomachy, but now that he effectively undid his achievements there through the fallout of breaching the Treaty and someone else had to clean up his mess, the power struggle subplot likely just acquired new fuel.)

Hmm, I hadn't considered that. I can't see LoreO!Hades or Persephone herself challenging Zeus, but maybe Eris has more of a role to play.

[Metastachydium]

True. If anything it's been Spring for the last ten years in the mortal Realm. Do we know when Demeter succumbed to sleep? She has some catching up to do.

Not really, no. Given that Hestia succumbed first (or, at any rate, very early), Hera followed less than two years later and Poseidon was only out for three years, it can't be the severity of the scars and it seems likely that the key factor might be overall age. This would put Demeter falling asleep somewhere around the 9 years mark, I'd say.

Hmm, I hadn't considered that. I can't see LoreO!Hades or Persephone herself challenging Zeus, but maybe Eris has more of a role to play.

Eris is a wildcard with a grudge, but I'm not talking about her (let alone the lovebirds). There's another branch of the family, on the other hand, that's been quite active throughout those 10 years and is known to have ambitious designs. Now, if the Treaty gets restored and reinforced, the job of the Leto/Apollo tandem becomes so much easier, since the lovebirds won't be able to directly interfere without breaching it.

[Ionathus]

I really liked Persephone's attitude. It makes sense for her sudden surge of authority over the Underworld to change her personality: this is a goddess who has been pushed around, toyed with, belittled, exploited, and consistently made to feel small. Seeing her revel in being "big" for once was wonderful.

I do agree that the execution was a little lacking or rushed. But that's a common problem: I feel the author frequently leaves out a few transitional/framing panels that would make a certain scene clearer or make the action scenes more dynamic. But I've made peace with that stylistic difference even if I don't prefer it.

I'm looking forward to Season 3. We've spent frankly far too long faffing about getting Persephone established: I'm ready to see her draw blood.

[theangelJean]

Guess who's back? I forgot what Persephone was able to fix in the intervening decade.

[Metastachydium]

Well, well, well! That's interesting. Based on the shift in tone and the none too subtle visual clues, I tend to share the conclusions the fanbase seems to have reached: (should I spoiler this?)

Spoiler: I'll spoiler this; new episodes fresh out after all

Show

so Kronos didn't use the physical wounds, but rather the psychological scars and he took over during the father issues discussion. It makes all kinds of sense, actually, and I kind of like it. What I'm not sure about is this: why send Thanatos away? He's not Hecate or even Hermes, but he's a god for the Grand Arsenal. It could be wanton cruelty, of course or some precaution before implementing the Hypnos Solution (but then, Hypnos didn't recognize him as Kronos, apparently, and Thanatos definitely didn't). So, what's that about?

In a related context, I've always found Thanatos the most sympathetic of the Mean Trio. Thetis is… Well, Thetis and Minthe's primary coping mechanism was VICIOUS PREEMPTIVE COUNTERATTACK(!!!!); he was, in the meantime kind of the underdog, doing the actual dirty work for the other two. Accordingly, it's nice to learn his recurring "special treatment" complaints had much deeper roots than "petty envy, nothing to look at here".