The Olympians are a humanoid race of extradimensional beings that hail from Olympus, a small pocket-dimension adjacent to Earth. An interdimensional nexus between Olympus and Earth can be reached via Mount Olympus in Greece. They are also known as the Gods of Olympus who have been worshiped by humans of Ancient Greece and throughout the Roman Empire from about 2000 BC to 500 AD. The worship of the gods fell with the rise of Christianity.[2]
History
- Olympian History
Alternate Realities
Earth X (Earth-9997)
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Olympians of Earth X
The Olympians are an extra-terrestrial race that were manipulated by the Celestials. Their natural evolution over the centuries has put them in the third tier of the Celestial mutation cycle. As such, their appearance, powers, and identities are defined by the belief of others. As they are believed to be the Gods of Greek mythology, they have the same special adaptations. In the guise of Olympians, these aliens have become immortals. Their body density is three times denser than normal human beings, contributing to their superhuman strength and weight.[citation needed]
The origin of the Olympians of Earth-9997 is vastly different to that of their Earth-616 counterparts. In this reality, they were an unidentified alien race that were manipulated by the Celestials. The Celestials would come to fertile worlds and impregnate it with an embryo to give birth to a new Celestial. In order to defend the planet, they would manipulate the DNA of the dominant species on the planet. The altered species would go through three stages of mutation. The first would be that each individual could trigger a mutation that is unique to the individual. The second tier would be that each member of the race would have the same exact power. The third tier would make the entire species lose all definition. In this state, a species appearance, powers, and identity would be determined by those around them. This is the state the future Olympians were in when they left their home planet. The reason for their departure is lost to the ages and remains to be revealed.[citation needed]Powers and Abilities
Powers
The Olympian gods all possess certain superhuman physical attributes,[4] such as:
- Superhuman Strength: All Olympians are superhumanly strong with the average male god being able to lift about 30 tons[5][4] and the average female goddess being able to lift about 25 tons.[5][4]
- Superhuman Speed: All Olympians have the potential of being able to run and move at speeds much greater than the finest human athlete.[6] For example, Hercules possesses superhuman speed, allowing him to run 111-115 mph at peak range.[6]
- Superhuman Stamina: The musculature of all Olympians produces considerably less fatigue toxins during physical activity than the muscles of human beings.[4] The average Olympian male and female can exert themselves at peak capacity for about 24 hours before fatigue impairs them.
- Superhumanly Dense Tissue: The skin, muscle, and bone tissues of all Olympians are about 3 times denser than similar human tissue,[5][4] contributing to the Olympians' superhuman strength and weight.[5][4]
- Superhuman Durability: The bodies of all Olympians are known to be more resistant to physical injury than the bodies of humans.[5][4] Olympians are capable of withstanding great impact forces, exposure to temperature and pressure extremes, falls from great heights, etc. without sustaining physical injury. Unlike most Asgardians, that are about as physically durable as Spider-Man, according to Norman Osborn.[7] The Olympians can withstand to high caliber bullets. For example, Hercules was able to withstand high caliber bullets as it will only caused him to "laughs it all off" as stated by an S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.[8]
- Regenerative Healing Factor: Despite their natural durability, it is possible for any of the Olympians to sustain injury.[5] However, if an Olympian is injured, his or her godly life force enables him or her to recover with superhuman levels of speed and efficiency.[5] As with most of their other powers, the speed and extent of these powers varies from one Olympian to another. For instance, most Olympians are unable to naturally regenerate missing limbs or organs while a small minority can, unless if they use magical assistance to do so.
- Alleged True Immortality: Unlike Asgardians, all Olympians are true immortals.[5][2] They cease to age upon reaching adulthood and cannot die by conventional means.[5][2] Their bodies are also immune to all known Earthly terrestrial diseases and resistant to conventional injury.[5][2] Despite their alleged true immortality, it was revealed that they had to consume Olympian Ambrosia, the nectar of the Gods, to remain virile and deathless.[9]
- Energy Manipulation: In addition, many Olympian gods possess additional superhuman powers which may be magical in nature.[5] They have some potential to manipulate magical or cosmic energies for some purposes. These powers are mostly limited to changing their appearance or shape and teleporting across great distances. However, a small minority of the Olympians is capable of manipulating vast amounts of energy for a variety of purposes including teleportation, shapeshifting, matter manipulation, augmentation of their physical capabilities, erecting powerful force fields, firing powerful blasts of energy for destructive purposes, granting superhuman powers to objects and beings, etc. For example, the sea god, Neptune can create powerful tidal waves, whirlpools, seaquakes, and other water-related phenomena.[2]
Abilities
All Olympians possess specific skills associated with their area of expertise. For example, as the Olympian God of War, Ares is a formidable combatant with extensive knowledge of both armed and unarmed combat where as Venus, Olympian Goddess of Love, is highly skilled in all forms of physical and sexual pleasure. Most Olympians have had some degree of armed and unarmed combat training.
- Allspeak: Thanks to the Allspeak, they can communicate and be understood by all races.
Habitat
Habitat
Earth-like
Gravity
Normal
Atmosphere
Normal
Population
125 (estimated)[citation needed]
Miscellaneous
Type of Government
Monarchy. Though led by a ruling god, the pantheon is generally controlled by the Dodekatheon, the "twelve of the gods" consisting of the primary deities of the ancient Greeks.[10]
Level of Technology
Magic
Cultural Traits
The Olympians were worshiped as gods by the people of Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, which once included much of the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Balkans, British Isles, and parts of Gaul (modern-day France).
Representatives
Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Athena, Bia, Cupid, Demeter, Dionysus, Discord, Gaea, Hebe, Hephaestus, Hera, Hercules, Hermes, Kratos, Neptune, Persephone, Pluto, Vesta, Zeus, et al.
Notes
- The Olympians of the Marvel Universe, even those called by their Roman names, are based on the Gods of Greek Mythology. The Romans imported the worship of these Greek Gods around 500 BC - before that, the Romans adhered to more vague deities, to which they referred as Numina, or "the Powers". According to mythologian Edith Hamilton, the Romans could never have created gods each with a distinct personality as the Greeks.
Trivia
- Olympian hair does not change since the day an Olympian has reached adulthood. Also, if an Olympian's hair is cut or damaged, it will be healed due to the Olympian's healing factor.[citation needed]
- The Olympians' immortality has become dependent on the production of their Ambrosia, nectar of the Gods, to remain virile and untouched by the ravages of time. Without it, they will literally die of old age quickly as demonstrated when Hebe and Athena started becoming old after Vali Halfling destroyed the Promethean Forge that produced it.[11]
See Also
- 395 appearance(s) of Olympians
- 10 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Olympians
- 34 minor appearance(s) of Olympians
- 44 mention(s) of Olympians
- 14 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Olympians
- 4 invocation(s) of Olympians
- 16 image(s) of Olympians
- 218 representative(s) of Olympians
- 2 item(s) used/owned by Olympians
Links and References
References
- ↑ Thor: Blood Oath #2
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Thor & Hercules: Encyclopaedia Mythologica #1 ; The Olympians' entry
- ↑ Chamber of Darkness #3 ; Something Lurks on Shadow Mountain!
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Thor & Hercules: Encyclopaedia Mythologica #1
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (Vol. 2) #9
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition #33
- ↑ Avengers: The Initiative #32
- ↑ Hercules (Vol. 3) #4
- ↑ Heroic Age: Prince of Power #1
- ↑ Incredible Hercules #123
- ↑ Heroic Age: Prince of Power #2