Episode 57: The Beach

Season 1

Apr 25

Editor: Annie LaHue

Released: 5 May 2019

She walks through the hall with portraits of the Olympian, a cigarette at hand, pondering on who must’ve hurt Persephone. She knows it couldn’t have been Hades, as one doesn’t need the power of visions to see how Persephone feels about him. The panel reveals that Hera was the reporter in disguise and a sweet moment wherein Persephone fed Hades honeycomb was shared.

Hera stops in front of Apollo’s portrait with her arms crossed. Zeus calls her. As Zeus stands beside her, Hera tilts her head and narrows her eyes, asking him what he thinks of Apollo.

She flies all over him and touches his clothing, remarking on how much she likes the embroidery. She says it’s a good look on him and asks if she gets back to the mortal realm often. Hades explains that he tries to avoid him when he can, as he’s not exactly the fan favorite. A brief panel shows a mortal shaking with fear as he sees Hades, screaming “begone, unseen one!” Hades tries to explain that he’s simply there to inspect the volcano, but the mortal simply screams with fear.

Persephone sees a being in bronze-wear in front of a massive black boat. She asks Hades who’s the man on the shore. Hades says that it’s Charon, the Ferryman of the Dead. A shade is seen handing Charon a coin. Hades explains that Charon takes shades on his boat for a single obol.

Persephone asks what happens if they don’t have any money, to which Hades replies that they have to wait on Acheron for 100 years. This horrifies Persephone and she frowns, telling Hades that it’s terrible. Hades says he didn’t get rich passing out free boat rides, but Persephone simply frowns at him. Distracting her, Hades averts her gaze towards Styx, the beautiful silver Titan, saying that she’s the Underworld’s most powerful river. She carries all the boats further into the Underworld for judgment. As they walk amongst the shades, Hades tells Persephone that that’s where he comes in.

In the Underworld, Persephone is enjoying her newfound powers of flight, her fingers interlocked with Hades’. She exclaims that these new powers are going to come in handy. Hades somehow comments that it looks like she’s really getting the hang of it before Persephone slightly pushes herself off from him and levitates beside him as they walk. She comments on how she’s glad she doesn’t have to crane her neck to speak with him anymore.

Persephone says that it seems unfair to her. Hades assures her not to worry. When they die, they’re all in service to him for the rest of eternity. The thought of the rest of eternity stops Persephone and she swallows the lump in her throat. She snaps out of her thoughts when Hades calls her and asks her if she’s ready. Hades beckons her over towards Acheron.

The beach is in the shade of gorgeous crimson. There are souls wandering around aimlessly on the shores, waiting to be led by Thanatos or Hermes. Hades whispers in Persephone’s ear that the shades are new and they don’t want to disturb them. Persephone nods understandingly. They descend down the stairs and Hades shows Persephone where Hermes and Thanatos bring in the new souls. The souls are seen walking amongst an aisle of Doric columns towards the beach. Thanatos and Hermes are both in mortal realm garb, floating above them.

Tired from flying, Persephone drops her feet on the ground. They were interrupted by a shade, addressing Persephone. The shade prays to her and asks her to please answer her prayers, beautiful and divine fertility goddess. Persephone uneasily tries to say that she’s not a fertility goddess, but the mortal kneels down and bows his head, asking if she could help his family’s farm grow. More mortals come towards Persephone, asking her things such as blessing her son’s wife with many healthy births and another mortal asking the same for her daughter’s marriage to go well. Hades whispers in Persephone’s ear, telling her she might want to ask her mother about being a fertility goddess.