The over-dramatic and over-powered gods of Greek mythology have had their story told many times before, but Netflix's Blood of Zeus still offers an interesting, anime-flavored spin. Fans of Greek mythology know the Greek Pantheon well. Each of them is privileged with wealth and power, making even the slightest misbehavior ripple through the cosmos and impact everyone around them. Zeus' infidelity is one of those misdeeds and regardless of how badly he would like to downplay its importance, none of the events of Blood of Zeus would have happened without this betrayal.
Watching as the gods pick sides after Zeus betrays the trust of his wife makes for a thrilling anime series. It also says a lot about the individual gods themselves. None of the gods are flawless, but some are certainly more likable than others.
10 Zeus
The god of Thunder does his best to win viewers of the new Netflix Original anime over to his side before the final battle, but it is hard to get past the fact that Zeus' infidelity is what started this drama in the first place.
Sure, Zeus saved Electra from a terrible marriage and helped raise his son from a distance even when threatened by death, but his complete lack of self-awareness and the inability to admit that he has made a mistake is hard to overlook. The final straw that locks Zeus into this spot comes in Episode 3 when Zeus demands that the other gods allow him to live above his own law. The hypocrisy is infuriating and even if he trusts humanity more than any of the other gods, viewers will have a hard time looking past his failure as a husband.
9 Ares
Though Ares wins viewers over early on in the series by providing Hera with evidence of Zeus' infidelity, his silence as Hera falls into madness is proof that he may have acted more out of self-interest than originally thought. The god of war seems to move in whatever direction he must to ensure that the war between the gods lasts as long as possible.
Other tales of Greek mythology have hinted at the fact that Ares is made more powerful when god and men are at war. With this in mind, viewers are left to wonder whether Ares was truly looking out for Hera, or if he only snitched in order to push the gods toward war and gain power himself.
8 Athena
The goddess of war and strategy is given less screen time than any of the other gods on the show. When she is featured, she is shown conspiring with Ares, one of the least likable of all the gods. On top of that, she is one of the many gods that sneer at Heron when he is brought to Olympus.
Heron is a respectable and likeable young man in his own right and shouldn't be looked down upon simply because of his association with Zeus. While it is fair to disprove of Zeus' actions, judging Heron for his father' mistake is wrong, and the goddess of wisdom should know better.
7 Demeter
The goddess of Agriculture and the Sacred Law was bound to side with Hera as soon as Zeus broke the laws that he spoke into existence as king.
Why Demeter continues to support Hera as she awakens the giants and breaks bread with monsters is a question that will make viewers uncertain about this god's motives. Perhaps Demeter is just trying to do her job well. Though the sympathetic looks that she sends Heron's way when Zeus brings him to Olympus proves that she may be putting her job over her personal feelings.
6 Hera
The goddess of marriage is cast as one of the primary antagonists of this show even though it is Zeus' infidelity and hypocrisy that kicks off the conflict. If Hera had avoided sneering at the death of Electra and using the giants of the deep to get her revenge on Zeus, she may have been considered righteous in the eyes of the viewers.
The lengths to which Hera goes to get her revenge proves that she views humanity as little more than play things that can be bent to her will. Her abuse of power makes it difficult to justify the goddesses actions.
5 Poseidon
The brother of Zeus and god of the sea proves to be as wishy washy as the tides he reigns over throughout the eight episodes of Blood of Zeus. When Hera first confronts Zeus, Poseidon is there to back her up. He does so not because he sides with Hera, but because he doesn't want to see his brother descend into chaos.
He continues to side with Hera as the plot develops and only switches sides when the goddess promises his sea to the giants of the deep. To put it plainly, Poseidon doesn't want to see his brother act too hypocritically. His self interest prevents viewers from falling in love with him as a character, but his character design is enough to make him likable.
4 Apollo
The god of the sun is hard to dislike. His beauty and strength in battle surely pulled viewers attention and good will. The god of the sun fails by supporting Zeus' infidelity. When Hera nearly catches Zeus during one of his meetings with Electra, Apollo warns the king of the god, counting himself as an accomplice to the disrespectful act.
Apollo manages to redeem himself as the story progresses though, supporting Heron throughout his journey and offering the likable protagonist a friend on Olympus when he needs one most.
3 Hermes
The messenger god is one of the most kind and loyal gods that live on Mount Olympus. Hermes seems to recognize that what Zeus did was wrong, and even stands next to Hera when she confronts Zeus for meddling in human affairs. Still, when asked to go to war, Hermes stands next to his father, perhaps believing that forgiveness is a better remedy to this problem than revenge.
Where Hermes really shines is in the way he puts his life at risk for Heron. While Hera and Ares would stand back and use humanity as pawns in their battle, Hermes is always found on the front lines, sacrificing himself before anyone else.
2 Artemis
The goddess of the hunt remains neutral throughout the war between Hera and Zeus and even manages to act respectfully throughout all eight episodes of this series. When originally confronted with Zeus' infidelity, she stands by Hera, ready to battle the king of the gods for breaking his own law.
Later, when Heron visits Olympus and is met by a crowd of judgmental faces, Artemis is one of the few gods that ignores her grievances with Zeus in order to show the boy the respect that any guest deserves. Some may overlook the goddess often thanks to her neutrality, but keen-eyed viewers noticed that Artemis managed to stay peaceful without being passive. This act alone makes her an extremely likable character.
1 Hephaestus
The god of the forge is not found at the center of the story and rarely shares his opinion on the over-arching conflicts that drive this series. What he does do is support the shows protagonist like no other character can. When Zeus is struggling to train his son, it is Hephaestus that advises him. When Heron is continually misunderstood by his father, it is Hephaestus that forges him a weapon that he can truly take advantage of in battle.
Hephaestus' history as the bastard son of Hera means that he understands how cruel Hera can be. This history also explains why he sides with Zeus in the final battle. His understanding and sympathetic nature make him the most likable god on Mount Olympus.