The Netflix Original Anime Blood of Zeus is full of allusions to Greek Mythology. Ancient Greek culture has intrigued western audiences for thousands of years. The legends, myths, and epics are taught in the American public school system and the pantheon of gods is as well known as the members of The Avengers.
Anyone familiar with Greek mythology is sure to have recognized Apollo and Ares, but what about the lesser known gods that joined them on Mount Olympus? Like all good anime, Blood of Zeus is full of an assortment of colorful characters, settings, and items. Only the keenest viewers with a knowledge of Greek Mythology would have noticed every reference in Blood of Zeus.
10 The Golden Fleece
The final episode of Blood of Zeus shows Hera bringing war to Olympus. As the giants rise out of the sea, Hera stands over them with the fleece of a golden ram draped over her shoulders.
Even in a crowd of gods, each as well equipped as the next, the golden fleece shines. Originally introduced in the legend of Jason the Argonaut, the fleece serves as a symbol of royalty. Whoever wore the fleece was assumed to reign as king, making it a fitting accessory for the usurping Queen of the gods.
9 Hercules
Though Hercules is never actually name dropped in this series, Hera does mention that Zeus has made a fool of her through his infidelity before. Fans of Greek mythology know the story of Hercules, the demi-god son of Zeus, as one of these instances of infidelity. Though Disney changed the story in their telling of the tale in order to make it more family friendly, Hercules is indeed the bastard son of Zeus.
Though just one of Zeus' bastard children, Hercules is perhaps the most well known thanks to the Disney adaptation. When Hera mentions Zeus' past infidelity, Hercules is surely at the forefront of her mind.
8 Grove Of Persephone
The fourth episode takes viewers into the underworld. As Hermes delivers the soul of Electra to its final resting place, viewers get to peek into the entirety of Hades' domain.
Fans of Greek mythology know that the underworld offers both paradise and hell to those that have left the land of the living. While most of the underworld leans into hellish stereotypes, The Grove of Persephone stands in front of paradise and gives viewers hope for the future of Electra's soul.
7 The Elm Of False Dreams
It isn't until the last scene of the final episode of Blood of Zeus that viewers get to meet Hades, the god of death. After Seraphim fails to defeat Heron and Zeus, he is sent to the underworld, where he meets the owner of his signature weapon.
As Hades and Seraphim plot future misdeeds, the pair stand under what seems to be a tree with low hanging branches. Could this be the legendary Elm of False Dreams? It would be a fitting place for the monster prince to realize that his dreams of ruling over others was never meant to come true.
6 Hephaestus' Parentage
The god of the forge was born out of wedlock to Hera, as revenge in kind to Zeus' infidelity. Just prior to the final battle, Apollo hints at this with a bit of dialogue that is intended to make Heron feel more akin to his god like allies.
Blood of Zeus pays homage to Hephaestus' history by giving him a hunched back and a less traditionally attractive face. The close relationship between Zeus and Hephaestus also gives informed viewers another reason to sympathize with Zeus.
5 The Great War
The great war that is referenced throughout Blood of Zeus is most likely meant to refer to the wars against the Titans and the giants that were born from the Titan's blood.
There are other wars that the gods directly impacted throughout Greek history that could be considered great as well. The Trojan war is one of the most famous, as told in Homer's epic The Iliad. In this war, the gods chose sides, and proved that Zeus was not the only one who could shift the tide on the battlefield when properly motivated.
4 Pegasus
Most casual viewers know of Pegasus. The winged horse is a staple of Greek mythology that can be seen in classics like Disney's Hercules.
When Zeus gifts Heron a Griffon, viewers were probably surprised to see a winged creature other than the Pegasus. Though the flying horse may not find itself at the center of this story, it can be seen flying in the skies of Olympus in Episode 6. Later in Episode 8, the Pegasus reappears in the battle for Olympus.
3 Dionysus
The Greek pantheon of gods is full of unique characters. The messenger god and the god of war are big players in the war for Olympus thanks to abilities that prove specifically useful in battle.
Keen eyed viewers may have noticed the purple robed god of wine, Dionysus, standing behind Zeus on Olympus. Though it may be difficult to imagine Dionysus being much help on the battlefield, he can be seen spitting the fermented grape liquid into a monsters face during the final battle, just before being swept up by Apollo's chariot.
2 Adamantine
Adamantine is a familiar word for those well versed in the western canon of mythology. The blue ore that Zeus uses to forge his son a sword that can cut through any material might remind viewers of Wolverine's claws or even the two dimensional world of Terraria.
Legends tell of Perseus using an adamantine sword to defeat Medusa. The Greek word used to label these weapons is actually the root of the English word diamond. Perhaps all these myths were inspired by swords built from the durable rock now exchanged during marriage vows.
1 Alexia The Amazonian
Alexia is one of the most memorable side characters in Blood of Zeus. Her strengths as a leader and warrior make her a proper foil for Seraphim while Heron develops as a character.
After the first few episodes, viewers learned to respect Alexia for her actions, but her title as Amazonian demands a certain amount of respect as well. In Greek mythology, the Amazonians were believed to come from Asia Minor, and were a formidable group of female warriors.