The Myth of Hades and Persephone

When I was young, I’ve been reading and watching about Greek Mythology. However, it was only in grade school, that I encountered the story about Hades and Persephone. I love the fact that they stayed loyal to each other no matter what.

PERSEPHONE was the goddess queen of the underworld, wife of the god Haides (Hades). She was also the goddess of spring growth, who was worshipped alongside her mother Demeter in the Eleusinian Mysteries. This agricultural-based cult promised its initiates passage to a blessed afterlife.

Persephone was titled Kore (Core) (the Maiden) as the goddess of spring’s bounty. The name Persephone means murder or to destroy and in other references the one who eats the light.

In other myths, Persephone appears exclusively as the queen of the underworld, receiving the likes of Herakles and Orpheus at her court.

Persephone was usually depicted as a young goddess holding sheafs of grain and a flaming torch. Sometimes she was shown in the company of her mother Demeter, and the hero Triptolemos, the teacher of agriculture. At other times she appears enthroned beside Haides.

Persephone’s Personality

Persephone is extroverted, curious, joyful, bright and sees the goodness in everyone. She can empathize with others easily. She is loving, caring, but feisty, strong and firm at the same time. She is also well-behaved due to Demeter’s strict upbringing. She is innocent and somehow wise beyond her age. She is elegant, confident and a formidable woman. She can see and understand things that surprises the Gods and Goddesses around her. Through her marriage with Hades, she became more confident and a woman of strength. Hades eventually became friend, her motivator, her anchor and her pillar of strength.

HAIDES (Hades) was the king of the underworld and god of the dead. He presided over funeral rites and defended the right of the dead to due burial. Haides was also the god of the hidden wealth of the earth, from the fertile soil with nourished the seed-grain, to the mined wealth of gold, silver and other metals.

Haides was depicted as a dark-bearded, regal god. He was depicted as either Aidoneus, enthroned in the underworld, holding a bird-tipped sceptre, or as Plouton (Pluton), the giver of wealth, pouring fertility from a cornucopia. The Romans named him Dis, or Pluto, the Latin form of his Greek title Plouton, “the Lord of Riches.”

He is also known as Zeus Melichios and Snake God. It is due to this moniker (Zeus Melichios) that made others believed Zues had children with Persephone. It was said that Hades ravished Persephone under the guise of the snake and where she gave birth to twins Melinoe (Goddess of Ghosts, daughter of Hades and Persephone) and Zagreus (God of hunting and rebirth, son of Hades and Persephone). Makaria (Goddess of blessed death, daughter of Hades and Persephone) is another child of Hades with Persephone. Then there’s Ploutus, which is said to be Hades or Zeus son, but some sources say that he is the son of Demeter and Persephone’s younger brother. There isn’t enough information about him though.

Hades Personality

Hades is introverted, calm, cool, collected, confident, and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. He likes being feared by others and has a morbid personality. He is strict when it comes to the souls in the underworld. He is handsome, dark, brooding and mysterious. He doesn’t like the other souls bypassing their punishments while other souls are paying for their sins. He doesn’t like breaking the natural order of things such as life and death. After marrying Persephone, her influence made him a god that benefited the mortals. She brightened up his life and the underworld. Mortals began to see him as a giver of grain, minerals, and other necessities produced from the earth.

How did Hades fell in love with Persephone?

Before Hades and Persephone fell in love, the fates Cloho, Lachesis and Atropos threaded Hades and Persephone lives together. 

Here’s how Hades fell in love:

Ovid, Metamorphoses 5. 363 ff (trans. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.) :

“Tyrannus [Haides] had left his dark domains to and fro, drawn in his chariot and sable steeds, inspected the foundations of the isle [of Sicily]. His survey done, and no point found to fail, he put his fears aside; when, as he roamed, Erycina [Venus-Aphrodite], from her mountain throne, saw him and clasped her swift-winged son, and said : ‘Cupido [Eros], my child, my warrior, my power, take those sure shafts with which you conquer all, and shoot your speedy arrows to the heart of the great god to whom the last lot fell when the three realms were draw. Your majesty subdues the gods of heaven and even Jove [Zeus], subdues the Gods of the Sea and him, even him, [Poseidon] who rules the Gods of the Sea. Why should Tartara (Hell) lag behind? Why not there too extend your mother’s empire and your own? The third part of the world’s at stake, while we in heaven (so long-suffering!) are despised–my power grows less, and less the power of Amor [Eros]. Do you not see how Pallas [Athena] and Diana [Artemis], queen of the chase, have both deserted me? And Ceres'[Demeter’s] daughter [Persephone], if we suffer it, will stay a virgin too–her hope’s the same. So for the sake of our joint sovereignty, if that can touch your pride, unite in love that goddess [Persephone] and her uncle [Haides].’ So she spoke. Then Cupido, guided by his mother, opened his quiver and of all his thousand arrows selected one, the sharpest and the surest, the arrow most obedient to the bow, and bent the pliant horn against his knee and shot the barbed shaft deep in Dis’ [Haides’] heart.”

The myth of Hades and Persephone also has different versions. The one below is close to my greek mythology book at home and other references.

In this one Demeter was present when Persephone was kidnapped by God Hades but was tricked by Zeus and Hades.

That morning when Demeter descended on Earth with her daughter Persephone , she left her to play with the sea nymphs called Nereids and the Naiads who were the freshwater nymphs of the lakes, springs and rivers.

Demeter went to supervise her bountiful crops. As Persephone engaged in play and with the rest of the group, her attention fell upon the potently fragrant valley nearby and she couldn’t take her eyes of the yellow flower narcissus. She called upon her playmates to accompany her, but they couldn’t possibly go with her as leaving the side of their water bodies would result in their death.

The flower Narcissus was planted there by Gaia, who was following the orders of Zeus. The goal was to enchant Persephone and attract her, away from her guides.

So, Persephone danced her way to the garden alone and tried to pluck the narcissus from the bosom of Gaia. It drained her energies as the narcissus only came out after a lot of pulling. But suddenly, to her utter fright, she saw the tiny hole from which she had drawn out the flower shaft, began to rapid grow in size until it started to resemble a mighty enormous chasm.

From this came the vigorous galloping sounds of multiple horses and such sudden happenings only froze the frail beauty to her feet. Out of all her friends only the naiad Cyane tried to rescue the crying Persephone but she was no match for the powerful Hades. Bereaving her friend’s kidnap, Cyane melted into a pool of tears and formed the river Cyane at the spot.

Persephone’s mother, Demeter, begged her brother Hades to allow Persephone to come back to the livings, denoting that the young Persephone was not supposed to live in the underworld. Hades consulted with Zeus and they both decided to allow Persephone to live on earth for six months each year, while the rest of the time she would be on his side in the Underworld.

Band Persephone is associated with the coming of Spring and Winter: When Persephone comes to the Earth, it’s springtime. When she descends to Hades, it is winter.

WHAT HADES OFFERED PERSEPHONE IN THE UNDERWORLD ACCORDING TO THE HOMERIC HYMN TO DEMETER

360 “Go, Persephone, to your mother, the one with the dark robe.

Have a kindly disposition and thûmos in your breast.

Do not be too upset, excessively so.

I will not be an unseemly husband to you, in the company of the immortals.

I am the brother of Zeus the Father. If you are here,

365 you will be queen of everything that lives and moves about,

and you will have the greatest tîmai in the company of the immortals.

Those who violate dikê– will get punishment for all days to come

—those who do not supplicate your menos with sacrifice,

performing the rituals in a reverent way, executing perfectly the offerings that are due.”

370 So he spoke. And high-minded Persephone rejoiced.

Hades abducted Persephone but this is how he treated her in the Underworld. She was well taken cared of, she is Hades’ equal in power and made her the respected Queen of the Underworld. Hades treated her as an adult contrary to the sheltered life Demeter gave her. Demeter is overprotective with Persephone to the point that she forbids her to explore so much but Persephone has a very curious personality. Even as she aged, Demeter had dressed her as a child making sure to keep her in her side.

Persephone was afraid of Hades but slowly those fears diminished because was the only who with the opportunity to see Hades’ soft side. She got to know him and found that he is sincere with his love to her, he is patient and he treats her as her equal. He waited on her hand and foot and treated her as an adult woman to be cared and wanted which made her appreciate and fall in love with him.

As Hades gave her the pomegranate seeds, she was fully aware that anyone who eats the food of the underworld should stay they there even a Goddess. She ate six seeds knowing she was bounding herself to him. For she was intrigued of being a queen and she enjoyed her freedom from her mother and position as a queen. She realized that the underworld, the souls, the other Gods and especially Hades needs her, needs her light. Still, she misses her mother and her previous life. As an adult woman she accepted and embraced her fate. Considering the fact, that yes she lived a sheltered life but through Demeter’s over protectiveness of her that she taught Persephone everything to make sure she will be careful.

STOCKHOLM SYNDROME?

Persephone may have been afraid the first few days, but her experience wasn’t enough to psychologically trauma her and made her desperate to the point of thinking that Hades is her only way to live. She may be innocent and naive, but she’s strong and defiant or resilient as a Goddess. Surprisingly, there was a mutual attraction between them and they have a peaceful relationship. They are very open to each other.

Hades offered her position, power and riches which she refused at first. She changed her mind days after when she realized that she could no longer be under her mother’s shadow and she could do a lot of things as the Queen of the Underworld.

At first, when Hades offered her to eat, she refused for she knew from the start that eating in the underworld will bound her to him which is why she punished him by not eating anything for days. She only ate at the supposedly last day in the Underworld before Hermes could her back. In fact, it was Hermes who gave Hades the idea. Hades told Persephone, “If you love me, you will remember me by eating this (handing her the pomegranate.”

She ate the seeds one by one, telling him at the same, “(I love you)very much, very, very much.”

Below is somewhat close version to the original. There are so many versions and spin-offs that people are not aware of the real story.

Who are the women in Hades life and who are the men in Persephone’s life?

According to Servius: Leuce, a nymph, is Hades first love. He abducted her and when she died, he turned her to a Poplar tree in Elysium also known as sacred crown (Poplar leaves). Poplar leaves is also sacred to Persephone. A reason was never shared.

According to Oppian, Minthe, also a nymph, fell in love with Hades. In the past, she would always seduce Hades. However when she heard about the abduction of Persephone and that she became the Queen of the Underworld, she was so jealous and boasted that she was more beautiful than Persephone and that she could never please Hades. He will eventually go back to her. It invoked the wrath of Demeter and especially Persephone, thinking no one else should share Hades’ bed but her. She was so jealous and angry for seducing her husband. She stomped Minthe and she was turned to a Mint plant. There is another version of this.

In return, this is what Hades did to one of Persephone’s suitor. Another person who took an interest in Persephone is Primithous. He brought his friend, Theseus, to the Underworld and announce his intentions to abduct Persephone and make her his wife. Hades already knew of his plans. He prepared them a feast and asked them to take a seat on the chair of forgetfulness. And the chair entwined with their flesh. Theseus was rescued by Heracles (Hercules), but Hades kept Primithous in the Underworld as punishment for planning to take what’s his. Another version of this is Primithous was able to leave the Underworld after so many years.

Now Adonis is a different story. Aphrodite gave the baby under Persephone’s care. She felt maternal to the child. When Adonis grew up, Persephone refused to give him up for she treats him as his son, and Aphrodite was in love with Adonis. There was an argument between them and Zeus solved it by ordering Adonis to spend one third of his time in the Underworld, one third with Aphrodite and he can do whatever he wants on the other one third. Hades treated Adonis as his son too. The arrangement didn’t well with Ares, Aphrodite’s other lover. Out of jealousy, he created a boar while Adonis was hunting. He was killed and Aphrodite was distraught. In other versions, Persephone fell for Adonis charms too.

That concludes what I know about Hades and Persephone. I’ve changed my mind with regards to Hades and Zelena. I love them but I love Hades and Persephone story more because they have a better relationship and Hades wasn’t portrayed as a villain. Hades might also have a sour or snobbish personality at first, but Persephone was raised with all the love she could get. She was sensible, well-rounded and she didn’t have any issues to fix. Which is why she was able to change Hades, but not Zelena. I was really hoping that the Once Upon A Time writers had given Hades and Zelena a happy ending.

My Passion for Greek Mythology

Ever since I was a little girl, I always enjoyed the Greek Mythology. Maybe because of the idea of powers.

Aphrodite was my first favorite because she’s the supposed to be the most beautiful of all.

Then Athena, God of Battle Strategy and Wisdom.

And last is Artemis goddess of chastity, virginity, the hunt, the moon, and the natural environment. She was the daughter of Zeus and Leto, twin sister of Apollo, because she’s also known as Diana, and my name is Dianne. Then I encountered the star Cassiopeia and Queen Cassiopeia and the rest was history.

I always loved the Greek Mythology especially part in the story of Helen of Troy. I sympathise so much with Hector and Paris’s father. His people have lost everything to Agamemnon just because of Helen, the face that sailed a thousand ships as the movie would say.

My next favorite story was somehow in my memory. I hated every way Hades was portrayed in several Greek Mythology movies or series because they always make him the villain, when he isn’t really. But, I love Hades and Persephone’s story.

I thought it was romantic maybe because I also thought of Persephone as a mortal and it’s big deal to be notice by a God. Their story was even in my literature book. I think what I read or remembered is the different version. In my mind, that was always the version.

The story I know is that Hades was wooing Persephone and he took her to the Underworld, but she wasn’t aware that she’s the Lord or God of the Underworld. And that he tricked her into eating the Pomegranate seeds which is why she needed to stay there as his wife for four months and go back to her mother and stay with her for eight months.

I only realized the correct version when I decided to read it again in College from this old book in our home. I don’t know who owns it. It’s just in our shelves. I might share in my other post.

I also grew up watching the series Hercules, and Xena, the Warrior Princess. I always loved Xena’s technique where she will hit something in the neck, the person will have a hard time breathing then eventually die. If he answers her questions, she’ll have to hit him again so he can breath again.

Fast forward to now, I forgot my passion for Greek Mythology, because I went to College and focused on my career, and my dreams.

Then I saw Hades again in Once Upon A Time and remembered how much I liked his and Persephone’s story and it made me re-read every Greek Mythology book and literature in my Grandfather’s house. My passion for Greek Mythology is back with a vengeance.

And last, but not the least, I just saw the movie, Wonder Woman. I just love her back story, how she became who she was. I love the fighting stunts. Damn, the amazon casts we’re all amazing. And I just love the epic God to God battle with Ares. It doesn’t disappointment.

I especially love how the theme of the movie focused on love and what the mortal or immortal believed in.

The Music In Me

Singing is always been my first love before writing and before studying human behavior or psychology, the psychology of love, dancing, and last but not the least playing the piano.  

So when I found out my mom enrolled me to take piano lessons, I was so angry. Because the time I gave to  the piano was supposed to be for singing. 

As time goes by, deep inside me, it grew on me too. 

Even if I did stop taking lessons, I promised myself that I will still play so what I know and the skill will never go to waste. 

1st pic is my attendance card for my piano lessons in Yamaha School of Music, 2nd is music sheet of Sonatina in C Major Op. 36 Mov. 1, 3rd is my Sonatina Clementi book, and our piano Rubenstein. The 1st pic in the wall is my ballet recital, and the 2nd pic is when I took my first communion. 

I will never love piano like singing, but it’s still an important part of my life and such an important skill. And last but not the least, my parents paid for the lessons for five years. 

The favorite piece I love to play is Sonatina in C Major Op. 36 movement 1-4 by Clementi. I’ve been missing playing it in Sta. Rosa last year so I listen to it everyday and imagining myself playing it. 

When I started working in Sta.Rosa Laguna in August 2016 to April 2017, due to preparing medications, my right hand developed a disease called Tenosynovitis. 

Tenosynovitis is the inflammation of the fluid-filled sheath (called the synovium) that surrounds a tendon. Symptoms of tenosynovitis include pain, swelling and difficulty moving the particular joint where the inflammation occurs.

In 15 days, we work for 13 days and earns less than a hundred dollars for two weeks and we don’t have an HMO card. What I’m earning is not enough to shoulder my medical bills. 

It’s really disappointing because I’m learning to play a new song called Wicked Always Wins by Rebecca Mader. 

In January, I decided to give it a break, thinking my hand will heal itself, but I was wrong especially when I started working at the Medical Records. 

I found out since April that I can’t carry much heavier objects like I used to, I can’t write properly, and I can’t play the piano effectively like I used to. It’s very frustrating!  It’s like my ability to play regressed in 3 years.  I couldn’t even finish playing 8 bars without my hand hurting and stiffening. 

Here’s to hoping I won’t need surgery, but I’m willing to do everything it takes to restore my hand’s function to its former state. 

The Three People We Will Fall In Love With For A Reason

Some time seven years ago, my best friend showed me something that talks about The Three People You Will Meet in Life. This was theorized by human behavior experts.

About a few days ago, I encountered something almost the same, but it was called and described differently. It was We Only Fall In Love with 3 People in Our Lifetime – For A Specific Reason. Now this one came from philosophers.

First person, is your first true love. It is also called the idealistic love. You view love as black and white, no gray areas. It relies on how you see love is, but not so much on how you feel. This is where you will experience love the first time and be clueless about it. Which is why it’s not going to work out.

 

Second person, is the you love the most. It is also called the hard love. This is where you learn about the gray areas.

It is also the most important experience anyone can’t miss because it’s the coming of age romance. It doesn’t matter what your age is, but this is where things get real.

The guy you will meet, will mark a before and after in your life. He will revolutionized your world in a second and teach you to see and feel things differently. This relationship creates resonance that triggers transformation.

He will make you see your strengths and weaknesses, your flaws, imperfections, eccentricities, and most important of all your talents, and capabilities. You will believe your destined to be together, but this guy is not for you.

He is just an angel passing by you.

Just as Lang Leav said, “You may grow to love this person, but remember they are not yours to keep. Their purpose isn‘t to save you, but to show you how to save yourself.” – Angels

Third person, is the right one for you. He’s not the one you love the most, and he’s not the one who loves you the most. He is the one who happens to be at the right place and time.

I call this third person, the right love. You will find each other when you least expect it. You will connect as a surprise,  and you’ll both know that you two just fit.

You will have just the right combination of personality,  and, strengths and weaknesses. Your similarities and differences,  will complement each other naturally.

It’s as if your soul just know and recognize each other. The moment you found each other, things just fall into place.

I know that the second person, sounds more appealing, but when you meet the third person, you’ll know and feel why it never work out with the second person.

You might think that you might love the second person more than the third person. But you see the love you will have for the third person will grow with time. 

That love will grow as the trust, intimacy, familiarity, the more you get along, the deeper your connection will get, you will both revolutionize each other’s world, and that love will transform both of you. It will both give you resonance that will awaken you, enliven, and resonance that will bring you home. 

The love you’ll have with the third person is just the right amount of companionate love, and passionate love, for it to become an eternal love.

Here comes the tricky part.

The supposedly three people is sometimes three different people, but sometimes they could be one person.  Sometimes the first and second person, could be one person. And sometimes the second and third person is the same. Because some people meet again after so many years.

This is one of the things that we have in real life that TV shows, and some movies fail to show.

What we see on onscreen is all about chemistry, and compatibility. Some writers forget about complementing the right combination of opposite attracts and similarities and more.

Another predicament here is some people gets stuck on the second person. It’s because they really thought they’re meant for each other.

It’s only until they realized their pattern of dating people will they ever get to the third person.

 

Once Upon A Musical: The Song In Your Heart

When it comes to musical, it is my happy place.

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So when I heard that Once Upon A Time is going to have a musical episode, I was estatic.

After all, I’ve been wishing for a musical episode since Season 3, when the Wicked Witch of the West joined the series. Yes, because of the Wicked Musical.

Of all the series whose characters should burst into a song when the emotion calls for it, of course, it should be Once Upon A Time.

Considering their characters are from a musical disney movies and with the exception of Zelena.

And now that the episode had finally aired, Oh, they didn’t disappoint.

The songs in the episodewere written by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner.

(1)Powerful Magic appealed to me because I love how they adapted the original with a bird singing with Snow White. I already knew about Josh Dallas’ impressive voice, but I was surprised of Ginnifer Goodwin’s voice. I love how she sounds a lot and that she sings exactly the way she talks.

(2) Then the Evil Queen’s song, “Love Doesn’t Stand A Chance. Lana Parrilla’s voice may not be like Goodwin and Dallas, but she totally rocked the song by visiting different characters and destroying their happy moments. The musical arrangement matches her personality. Best part of the song is her dancing. I have to admit that sometimes I miss the evil queen because I’ve loved and rooted for her happiness. I love how strong she was, and how she redeemed herself.

(3) Zelena’s Wicked Always Wins wins top performance for me. The lyrics is catchy, sassy, and wicked as Zelena is and the musical arrangement of the song is so Zelena. Rebecca Mader nailed the Wicked Witch of the West, the emotions, and the story of the song. Some people may say it’s not Defying Gravity but, she didn’t just enjoy doing the song, she did it with the kind of passion and enthusiasm  that is needed in broadway acting. And that’s one of the important things in doing a musical. It’s not noticeable, but I’ve noticed the similarities from the Wicked Musical.

(4) Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) is also accurate to the character, and the lyrics is dark. I was expecting his voice or act to be psychopathic like. You know, a man with a thirst for vengeance, but he still did great job with a song. His voice got potential. I love fight stunts and the choreography. The lyrics wordy creative. I have to admit that I’m not a big fan of Hook, but I love how he changed his ways for Emma. I admire and appreciate what relationship he’s got with Emma especially what they’ve gone through.

(5) Emma’s Theme, you will hear it from the flashback. Showing us how young Emma already have the song in her heart to defeat the dark fairy. The theme is beautiful, meaningful, powerful, and haunting in a good way. Maybe because it’s also the main theme of the show. Just like in other musicals, for me, Emma’s theme, this song in her heart is a foreshadow of what she have to defeat the black fairy. Jennifer Morrison’s voice is pleasant to hear. Her head tone is amazing.

(6) The Happy Beginning is the last song. With the final battle brewing, the last song is a good reminder of hope, and what the show is been showing and telling the audience since season 1. How good triumphs over evil. I wish they invited other people they encountered from other realms, but of course I understand why they didn’t. I also wish the cast danced with the dancers in this song even with just a simple choreography.

I’d say that the musical is a gift to the fans. And it was a great gift because once the season 6 ends, there’s going to be major changes in the show and we’ll be saying goodbye to Emma, Snow White, and Prince Charming.

I’m so grateful, I’d got to enjoy the series and especially the musical episode.

I wish that there’s going to be a Season 7 and that Zelena will still be there. I’m also hoping to watch other disney stories and other untold stories we grew up watching.

So to those who haven’t seen the musical episode, see it with an open mind. Bearing in mind that a musical is about telling the story and not about how great their voice is. Of course, people in musicals have admirable vocal prowess as my mentor calls it, it’s because they’ve been singing for years.

Of all the musicals done by series, this one will certainly give you a disney feel and the lyrics for the characters are very well written. So congratulations to the cast, staff, and crew for a a job well done.

Relationship Analysis : Zelena & Hades Ship from OUAT

Once Upon a Time is an American fairy tale television series that premiered on October 23, 2011, on ABC. The show takes place in the fictional seaside town of Storybrooke, Maine, whose residents are characters from various fairy tales transported to the “real world” town and robbed of their real memories by a powerful curse. It follows the heroine Emma Swan as she protects the town and its inhabitants from various curses and villains, sometimes involving traveling to other realms. Most episodes involve flashbacks telling its numerous characters’ stories. The show airs Sundays at 8:00 pm ET/7:00 pm CT.

Back in elementary, the two stories I can’t forget from the classical Greek mythology are Helen of Troy, and Hades and Persephone’s story. I know it’s unfair of Hades to do what he did to Persephone. To me Persephone was just a mere mortal, but she isn’t.

So I am going to write about the characters Zelena and Hades. This is also unusual because it’s a love affair between supposedly villains who belonged in different stories or realms.

When I first saw Hades in OUAT, I hoped that the writers would somehow follow the Mythology at some point, show the audience Hades’ true nature. But he is obviously a villain since episode 1.

And then I saw the drawing of him and Zelena together, I didn’t like it. Zelena is already a villain in OUAT, and I wanted her badly to patch things up with Regina, and I didn’t like it because Hades is portrayed in several movies, and even games as a villain. That’s just lazy and mediocre writing. They do it over and over again.

In the original Greek Mythology, Hades, God of the Underworld. He is not trying to overthrow Zeus from the Olymphus. He is a stern God and he strives for balance in life and in death. He gets mad when people escaped the Underworld while other souls pay for their sins.

Zelena, the Wicked Witch of the West, is the daughter of Cora Mills. She was born with magical powers. She was abandoned by her mother so she could marry royalty. On that day, she conjured a hurricane that brought her to Oz. She was adopted by a couple. Her adoptive mother loved her, but her adoptive father verbally and physically abused her because of her powers. She grew up Wicked because of what was done to her and plotting her whole life vengeance against her sister, Regina. Whom she believed got everything; parents, the kingdom, and even the teacher. Zelena is introverted, clever, persistent, vindictive, powerful, manipulative, confident, cunning, decisive, independent, and has a very strong personality. Zelena is played by actress, Rebecca Mader.

Hades, King or Lord of the Underworld. He grew up with his brother Zeus, heir of the Olympus. As time passes, his jealousy over his brother had grown too which led him to kill his Father Kronus, and stole the Olympian Crystal. Zeus stopped Hades heart to keep him in the Underworld as its ruler and snap the Olympian Crystal into two for he knows he won’t be able to repair it without his full power. The only way he can restart his heart is by a true love’s kiss. Hades is extroverted, straight forward, confident, self-assured, arrogant, cunning, vindictive, manipulative, persistent, decisive, and also romantic. He knows who he is, he knows what he wants, and he won’t stop at nothing until he gets it. Hades is played by actor, Greg Germann.

Was It Love At First Sight?

No, Hades approached Zelena because she’s got potential to be his ally. He approached her because she was trying to break the laws of magic, and achieve a time travel spell, which is a big deal of magic. He saw potential in making her his partner in crime.

Sparks flew between them on the 3rd flashback, Almost kiss and bike scene. It was unexpected for both of them, but the sparks were real.

Hades found Zelena powerful, brilliantly wicked, witty or clever, and beautiful. He said that after the 3rd flashback, as if he was like a school boy having his first crush. He realized she could be more, she could break the curse. In his mind, they want the same thing after all.

With Zelena, she could have found him attractive because in a way he is like that too. She could have found him handsome, charming, suave, dashing, confident, cool, collected and romantic. Just like Rebecca Mader said in her interview, no one has ever done like that for Zelena before.

Was there chemistry?

Somehow I believed there was Intellectual chemistry because Zelena can actually match his wit. They are both good in manipulating people and they enjoy plotting ways to achieve their goals.

At the same time, there was also Camarederie chemistry, they almost have similar childhood backgrounds that made them kindred souls and helped them identify and relate more with each other.

Their past experiences are almost the same, they felt and reacted to the situation the same way, and they want the same thing.

“Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

They get what each other suffered, what they felt, and the result was they have the tendency to root for each other. Which is why they have the empowerment chemistry. They made each other feel as if they could do everything in the world. They pretty well know each other’s capability, strengths, and weaknesses. They accept each other for who they are and supports each other.

There was also Sexual chemistry. Every time you watch them interact, you can just see, and feel the chemistry between them. It just sizzles.

“Is the devil flirting with me?”
Yes, he really was because he does have an agenda.

Another reason for their chemistry is also because of their proximity to each other and tension between them.

In the rules of personal space, when someone trespasses your personal space, you become flustered, vulnerable and boundaries are broken. Which led to the part when Zelena sat in front of Hades and he felt his heart fluttered for a moment. That was real, that was love starting to blossom.

The bicycle ride was truly a care free, vulnerable, and fun moment for the two of them.

Thanks to the on and off screen insane chemistry between the actors Rebecca Mader, and Greg Germann. Just like I said, when you’re a director and you have actors with chemistry like that in your hands, it just opens so many possibilities, and potential for a great romance. It’s as if you could get away with anything. And the hell they did.

I don’t want to say this, but yes there was also romantic chemistry. It was just starting to bloom.

Romance took seed between them for just a little bit because of the emotional intimacy. It is when they shared confidences.

It happened on the 2nd flashback, when Hades reminded Zelena’s past to her and then he shared what his brother did to him.

There was also a moment of intimacy on the present day, where Zelena and Hades met by the clock tower. It is when he revealed that he still loves her after all these years, that he was trying to get her baby for her, and when he told her, he made her own Storybrooke. That it was their decay. He basically changed his kingdom for her. He revealed it with the risk of getting rejected again.

I believe he doesn’t need the baby because he’s got the Olympian Crystal to defeat his brother.

In the Principle of Completion, it was a symbiotic relationship for both of them. You see, Hades fell for Zelena because of the way she made him feel. Even though he’s got nefarious plans when it came to her, and the heroes, he couldn’t control what he felt for her. She believed that he’s capable of love, she wanted his plans to come true, she wanted him to succeed, and she wanted to share her life with him despite having trust issues. And somehow, she brought back the notion of love, fun, hope, and innocence to him.

As for Zelena, it was the same thing. He valued her strengths, he accepted her for she is, he wanted to help make her plans come true, and last but not the least he appreciated her inside and out.

The very big problem with the couple is they are portrayed villains.

They complement each other so well, they could satisfy each other so well, and they could benefit from each other. The combination of them together is too powerful to ignore.

When it comes to their Lovemap, Zelena and Hades are practically have matching lovemaps. Due to their similar nature and personalities, experiences, motivations, and upbringing. That was when they first met.

Zelena’s lovemap changed along the way, when her baby was born, and when she gained her mother and Regina. So when she met Hades again, she’s completely a different person.

As for Hades lovemap, for a God, he never felt it before, but when Zelena came to his life. Yes, it was in his best in interest, but he tailored his wants and his life to her. He considered staying in Oz and that he doesn’t care about his plans anymore and all he wants is her. He may have been faking it, but that was his view of love before.

Zelena told him, “If you did (love me), you wouldn’t take my best chance for revenge.”

When you love someone, you will teach them what’s right, and prevent them from doing something wrong.

Several years later and they met again. Hades adapted his lovemap again to Zelena. Zelena wanted revenge before, so this time he changed his tune, “What better revenge than having it all?”

Why are they drawn to each other?

The reason why they are drawn to each other is also the reason why it could never work between them. Unless, they truly work things out. I don’t say this lightly, just because I’m being optimistic or because I’m a shipper of theirs. Couples like that in real life can truly work it out. People are drawn to people who is familiar with them.

Zelena and Hades are drawn to each other because they have a similar past. When a person finds someone familiar, it’s easy to get them, to understand them, and to fall in love with them.

As for Zelena and Hades’ case, they want to have it all. Hades knows that Zelena never felt love. So he knew exactly what to do to reel her in.When Zelena finally gave him a chance to be with her. In a way, Zelena had also have him wrapped around her finger a bit.

Hades knew that Zelena is already torn apart. But even that was the case, he was still confident and believed that Zelena loves him. Because if at some point, he believes it wasn’t real. Then Zelena would have never restarted his heart and he would have taken Gold’s deal to make sure he survives. But he trusted Zelena with his everything. He was complacent because she gave him a chance, she defended him, she fought for him.
They were both in the position to fall in love.
Zelena grew up into a strong, wicked, beautiful, formidable woman, but she’s also a child who never felt love her entire life, she’s got trust and abandonment issues just like any other kids in her situation. She may be the eldest daughter, but whenever I watch the show, Regina acted more mature and wise. Because she’s got her parents, Daniel, then Robin’s love, Henry, and her friends love and support.

Love bloomed between them right away but Zelena protected herself the first time Hades confessed his love to her. I do believe his heart fluttered. He may have felt true love for Zelena, but it wasn’t enough. And besides, he doesn’t even know how to love.

Zelena was used to people hating her, and not choosing her. It’s hard for her to believe that someone could ever love her.

In fact it speaks true to Elphaba’s song in the Musical version of Wicked, “As Long As Your Mine”.

“Kiss me so fiercely, hold me too tight.

I need help believing your with me tonight.

My aimless dreaming could not foresee, lying beside you, with you wanting me.”

Another influence on Zelena is Belle. Zelena hesitated running to Hades with open arms because she might end up just like Belle. But Belle is also right, she’s afraid. She’s not afraid of Hades, she’s afraid to be rejected again, to get her hopes up, and to be left again.

In addition to this, another event that influenced Zelena is when Cora returned Regina and Zelena memories to patched their relationship.

Regina and Zelena now have a little better sisterly relationship. Ever since Hades showed up in Zelena’s life again, she’s been in a roller coaster of emotions because it concerned so many people.

 

When Regina supported Zelena in going to Hades, to find another love. It was sweet. In that moment, she truly gained her sister back, and somehow Regina is slowly beginning to trust her.

Did Love grew between them?

With Zelena:

(1) In the 3rd flashback, the almost kiss and bike ride scene, Zelena found herself enjoying a different company compared to what she’s used to. She enjoyed Hades company and undivided attention to her. He believed in her, and he encouraged her. Even Zelena admitted that she felt something for him even though it was too early to say it was love. At least she still have her con hat on.

(2) Meeting Hades again by the clock tower. She was in the position to fall deeper for him because she was vulnerable and confused. She was vulnerable because she thought that Hades is after her baby for his time travel spell. This is a big reveal of Hades devotion and commitment to win her because she also found he made her dreams come true, almost because he created Zelena, her own Storybrooke, he tortured Cora to get Zelena’s birthday, and last, but not the least is he told her he would still wait for her when she’s ready.

(3) When Hades took care of Zelena’s enemy, Dorothy, even when she didn’t even ask him too. He made an effort without her asking for it. And with Belle’s encouragement to try to find out if it’s going to work somehow gave Zelena a different perspective.

With Hades:

(1) First I want to ask do you believe in magic? I asked because in the world of Greek Mythology, Hades only fell in love with Persephone because Aphrodite asked her son Eros to shoot Hades in the heart. Eros chose a specific arrow, an arrow that will never stray or that will hit the target perfectly. So in this case, you can’t argue with Hades’ situation. He is love with Zelena, who is a spinoff of Persephone, whether you like it or not.

(2) Same thing with Zelena, the 3rd flashback, almost kiss and bike scene. Yes, Hades was only trying to gain Zelena as a partner, but something unexpected happened. When Zelena sat in front of him, his heart fluttered. And when they got to Dorothy’s location, take note that he started praising her differently compared to the 1st and 2nd flashback.

(3) Now bringing us to the 4th flashback, when he left Zelena at Dorothy’s location to prepare a surprise dinner with her. The first time he confessed his feelings for her. Zelena may have admitted that she felt something, but she’s not ready to trust, and to love. He may have said, Zelena will regret it, but it’s only anger talking. Just like any human being, when they are rejected, they become more motivated.

Dr. Helen Fisher’s research said from her book, Why We Love. As adversity intensifies, so does romantic passion. Adversity heightens passion, romance, and romantic zeal. Adversity stimulates romantic ardour. Adversity heightens pursuit, just as barriers intensify romantic passion. This applies to 3 and 4 below.

(4) Which is why he created the Storybrooke for her and tried to rescue her baby for her.

They may be separated from different realms, but Hades became obsessed with the idea of her and Zelena. His idea of them together, kept him going all those years.

(5) This one applies to Zelena and Hades. What they felt for each other, deepened because they were both in the position to fall in love.

With Hades, Zelena’s life was threatened by Rumple and Peter Pan. Go back to what I mentioned above, this adversity intensified Hades want for Zelena to survive, which also forced his hand to make a deal with Emma.

With Zelena, she became the damsel in distress. In Zelena’s view, Hades didn’t just save her life, he also ripped a contract which goes against his nature, and he tried to work with Emma. That’s a big deal because Emma is the savior even though it’s also a deal.

According to Dr. Helen Fisher, people have the tendency to fall in love when they are vulnerable. This is the hero complex where a person tends to fall for the person who saved them.

(6) Last but not the least, it was even confirmed here that what they had is true love and they genuinely love each other.

That’s how it became a True Love’s kiss for the both of them.

Is Zelena a spin-off of Persephone?

Yes, she is. This is why:

(1)Hades fell love with Persephone and he watched her from afar for a while then with Zelena he also watched her for a while but fell in love with her when he felt his heart fluttered.

(2)Hades asked for Persephone’s hand in marriage to Zeus and Zeus helped lure her by the Narcissus flower, a chasm opened and Hades carried Persephone to the Underworld. Hades also lured Zelena through her baby with the help of Gold. Belle and the baby fell to the portal and Zelena jumped willingly.

(3)Hades did not mistreated Persephone, he made her his Queen, his equal in power. and was patient with her. Same thing with Zelena, Hades made Zelena her own Storybrooke and was patient with her as well.

(4)Demeter, Persephone’s mother, tried to stop Hades from having her daughter just like how Cora and Regina tried to stop Hades from getting together with Zelena.

(5)Hades tricked Persephone when he told her to eat the Pomegranate which is why she needed to stay in the Underworld for four to six months. Hades lied to Zelena about what he wants and being good to the heroes.

Why it didn’t work out between them?

I said before that the reason they were drawn and fell in love with each other is due to their similar backgrounds, worldview, personality, and goals in their life. They are practically mirror image.

When Hades and Zelena met again. So much has changed for Zelena, she’s got a baby, she gained her sister and somehow the heroes on her side, and the most important of all is her closure with her mother. Zelena no longer wants, what Hades wants. There’s already a fall out between them.

At the same time, I believe that Hades truly love Zelena, but his priorities are different from hers. He was still consumed by his vengeance against his brother, Zeus, and the idea to beat the heroes.

Another very sweet moment here is when Regina supported Zelena. I know Regina was trying to be a good sister to her when she said that. But they both just lost their mother, and just recently gained each other as sisters. They were too emotional and vulnerable to make any decision at all. It’s sweet and such a sister thing to do, but Regina shouldn’t have done it.

I actually find the scene very funny when Regina broke the news to Emma, David, and Hook that she supported Zelena to go to Hades. Her face showed that somehow she realized shouldn’t have done it, but she did it because she’s trying to trust Zelena’s judgement and because they are family.

Somehow I knew that the writers won’t make a relationship between Zelena and Hades work because it’s not the right time for them. They are both clueless when it comes to love. They don’t know how to love. Hades may have followed Nicholas Sparks ways from the Notebook in sweeping Zelena off her feet, but it wasn’t enough.

In reality, Love conquers all, if you know and understand how to love, Love is a big deal. Zelena was actually in the right mind when she rejected him the second time around. But Belle truly turned things around for her. Kudos to Belle.

As for me, I truly hope that Hades and Zelena can be together. The writers could have given Hades and not just Zelena to redeem theirselves. I wish the writers went with the original story of Hades eventually. It won’t happen overnight, but I’m willing to wait. They can still be together. After all, people who die in OUAT always have a way of coming back. I love Fiyero, but I’m sticking with Hades here. I wish the writers had done more by making their personality complement each other, and not just by their similarities. And I hate that the writers made Hades not good enough for Zelena.

I have a theory that since the final battle is coming, maybe the writers don’t know for sure if they’re going to get renewed. They did said from their interview that they were wrapping all the stories of the characters. So they’re actually doing the fans a favor. It’s just a theory though.

So they’ve finished Hades story right away by killing him. Besides he’s not even a main character, he’s just a guest. If they could make the Evil Queen, Hook, and more good, they could make Hades good too. Just like they wrapped Liam’s story, Gaston’s, Regina’s father, Cora’s, Zelena which she somehow achieved since little Robyn was born, and up to the part when Hades accidentally brought them to the Underworld, and more.

Of all the relationship analysis I’ve written, the characters (Zelena and Hades) and the actors (Rebecca Mader and Greg Germann), are so far the one with the most insane chemistry. I can’t believe they topped my Tauriel and Kili from The Hobbit.

How I Pursued Psych On My Own

Wondering how I started studying Psychology, somehow amazes me and I also find it unbelievable.

I have a long way to go, but somehow, I’ve come so far.

My fascination with Psychopaths started in my Sophomore year after seeing a documentary about them. Then again, I always enjoyed watching Thriller movies with serial killers. While I am fascinated by them, I stand 50/50 on whether I want to meet one, and the other 50 is I want to study them.

So I started studying them and watching everything with them, and plan to buy every novel with characters like them.

I have encyclopedias at home, from where I got my first read about Psychology.  They delved on child development. A topic I visited twice in college as a nurse, and I borrowed in several  library Psychology and Psychiatry books.

One very important and memorable time of my life is when I’m in my Aunt’s house. We were in her room. I was at the top of the double deck bed and she was below. She asked me, what I wanted to take in College. And I told her loud and clear that I wanted to become a Psychologist. She just told me she doesn’t want me to take care of mentally ill people. I shouldn’t have listened to her and just pursued what I love and wanted instead.

Then I got into college, we have a Psychology a lot.

Of course, we also have Sociology and Anthropology subjects, different forms of Psychology.

 

For the last 16 years these are ome of the books I read regarding them.

I bought most of them in book sales and some of them from National Bookstore, Fully Booked, Powerbooks, and Amazon, the electronic books I have.

The first 2 were from my bestfriend in College, the mind control method is something I bought in highschool.

There’s my books in College below. My Psychology book was borrowed.

The Beauty Killer novels by Chelsea Cain are one of my favorites.

Of course, we know that Mulder is a popular or known Oxford Psychologist. My fascination in studying profiling and psychology also came from him.

My interest in Profiling was also influenced by Criminal Minds.

I know the novel Psychopath doesn’t belong with the group, but somehow it fits. Because I first heard about Lovemap from this novel. I learned several psych insights from this novel that I bought and search the other novels by Keith Ablow, a forensic psychiatrist.

From some of the books I borrowed in our library, below is an example of some topics I photocopied for studying.

This is from the book, Psychiaty Case Files. There’s another example of that picture below.

Today is my birthday. And instead of celebrating my birthday. I want to celebrate what I love instead, which is to become a Psychologist.

That’s not all cause it doesn’t include all the books I borrowed in our library and the electronic books I bought in Amazon and from Scribd.