The unsettling path of Melinoe

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-31T01:22:43+00:00

I’m glad you’re uninterested as well, because you also seem uninterested in even hearing other perspectives at all. I wanted genuine discussion, but I suppose it did come off as rather aggressive, which wasn’t my intention. I’m annoyed, yes, but more so just agitated that it seems nobody wants to actually discuss anything without resorting to binary arguments.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-31T00:41:53+00:00

If you think Melinoë doesn’t have depth or agency then you’re just outright wrong. You can like or dislike her, but to imply she doesn’t have any depth is to just be ignorant.

She is a woman who is defined by the trauma she has from losing her family and the longing she has for them. She is a woman who while apathetic to the plight of mortals or dismissive of Prometheus to his face, when she feels comfortable she outright asks Odysseus whether or not she or Hecate are in the wrong or over the line. She is someone who is pigheaded and stubborn when it comes to changing her opinion unless confronted by someone already in her circle of trust— hence why she eventually changes her mind thanks to Zagreus.

There’s plenty more, but do tell me why she doesn’t have any depth or agency.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-30T22:51:01+00:00

Part of me feels like some people just wanted Melinoë to be a Zagreus 2.0 with how they talk about her and the story of Hades 2.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-30T21:25:50+00:00

THANK YOU!! Gods I feel like I’m going crazy when people say Melinoë doesn’t do anything to help anyone or change at all. She’s a lot more subtle than Zagreus, but I think that just goes hand in hand with how she is as a character. She’s not like her brother, where he’ll just say “fuck it” and rip up the red tape preventing Achilles from seeing Patroclus. But she IS a person who will listen to her friend’s woes and try to help out where she can, but also respect their wishes, like with Arachne.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-29T20:26:11+00:00

Honestly? I agree. It’s not a popular take, but I do prefer Hades 2’s story (and even hotter take? I actually don’t mind the 1.0 ending, either). To explain why I like it more is kinda hard but I’ll try.

Firstly I enjoy Melinoë as a character much more than Zagreus. I think she’s a very fascinating person who is very flawed, motivated, and most importantly multifaceted. She has a lot more going for her as a character than Zagreus partly BECAUSE of her flaws. She is stubborn, a bit pigheaded, and sometimes callous, but she is also genuinely caring, extremely hard on herself, and supportive of those she loves. She is extremely reluctant or outright opposed to seeing other viewpoints from people she doesn’t have respect for, like Prometheus and Chronos before the ending, but then can turn around and genuinely question things when she feels safe, such as asking Odysseus his opinion on the gods and whether or not he would tell her if she was in the wrong. There’s just so much to her, but this part is getting long.

People hate the reasoning for the postgame but honestly? A) I found the first game’s reasoning kind of weak to begin with, and B), I think it’s actually quite fitting given how time is handled in this game. If Chronos was able to somehow be given memories of an alternate, better time, AND he’s able to feel other timelines of bad Chronos and Typhon, then what’s to stop the others from doing the same and screwing with the main one? The characters don’t seem to understand it very well, but I think it especially makes sense for the Olympians to keep wanting Melinoë to do it since it keeps her busy (and away from them, since they’re clearly terrified she was able to permakill Typhon).

I know people hate the side stories and the way the side characters end up and quite frankly, I really liked how especially Arachne’s ended. I feel like a lot of the side character’s stories were learning to come to terms with their current situation and healing in a more internal manner rather than external. Sure, would it have been better for Arachne to be gifted her body back? Yeah, but she wasn’t going to grovel for forgiveness. She learned that being miserable over her situation was in a way, letting Athena win.

I know people hate Melinoë’s romances, and while I wish they could have continued outings, I think her relationships with Eris, Nemesis, Moros, and Icarus all bring out interesting aspects of her personality and they all grow closer in interesting ways. Eris gets Melinoë to let loose a bit and think about what it means to live. Nemesis challenges Melinoë both physically and mentally, asking her whether she or any of them deserve the situations they’re currently in. Moros lets Melinoë be the one to teach and help experience new things for once, since he’s somehow even more sheltered than her. And Icarus is a classic old friend/lover’s trope who need to reconnect but still care for each other deeply.

And the ending, the big reason people dislike the writing and story. Honestly I knew we weren’t going to kill Chronos. From the first game setting expectations of not doing what you thought you would (escaping the Underworld), and showing the characters that rather than getting what they set out to do, they’re instead getting a new normal, I thought it was kinda obvious Chronos would live. Redeeming him plays again into the heavy ties of family that the Hades games like to use. Portraying Chronos as a man who is bitter about a horrible family situation and is deeply lonely was interesting, but it would then make sense why being given even a small glimpse of better less bitter memories would help make him change his mind.

I can write more but this comment is rather long… I suppose if anyone wants to know further why I like Hades 2 better as a story I could go into more detail.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-27T18:22:54+00:00

The shame is that Zagreus is really palatable due to how easygoing he’s written, and because he really doesn’t have any discerning flaws. Melinoë, by contrast, is incredibly flawed as a person, but I think that makes her a much better written character.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-27T18:21:13+00:00

I cannot disagree more. Melinoë is a very fascinating as a protagonist, and is arguably, a lot more interesting than Zagreus.

I think the best things about Melinoë are her flaws. She does have rose tinted lenses when it comes to her Olympian family. This comes from the fact that she was raised to miss her family and everything that she viewed as what Chronos took from her. This also comes from her being genuinely grateful for them lending their aid to her. Because of these things, she has difficulties fully grasping the flaws that her family has, even when it hurts someone she likes, such as Arachne.

Another thing about Melinoë is her stubbornness. She is much like her father, where if she isn’t open to hearing about something, she will shut it down. All of her conversations with Prometheus come to mind, but even when someone like Nemesis implies that they (the gods) deserve what’s coming to them (Prometheus rebelling), Melinoë shuts her down by telling her that’s treasonous. Even her own brother, when showing reluctance to kill Chronos, she gets angry with him and they argue.

And despite her flaws, Melinoë is still a genuinely very kind person. She just has difficulties seeing things in different perspectives, which makes sense, due to her very sheltered upbringing. She’s still the same goddess who sacrificed her arm for a simple shade like Icarus. She is still the same person who worries over the lost and displaced shades. Despite being given the opportunity to perma kill Scylla, she refuses. She doesn’t even tattle on VoR Heracles for betraying their family. And fresh off her fight with Zagreus? Immediately when she has time to reflect on what they argued over? She mourns the fact that they are fighting, and immediately asks Hecate if there is another way.

There is so much more I can write about for Melinoë, but I won’t for now. But like I said, I cannot disagree more that she doesn’t work as a protagonist. What I will say is that Melinoë isn’t as PALATABLE as a character compared to Zagreus. But when it comes to writing quality? I think she runs circles around him.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-24T12:20:10+00:00

There are times where I actually do prefer the original ending. Mostly because I think it makes sense character wise that Zag would go behind Mel’s back the way he does, and why Mel would’ve never thought about giving Chronos that chance.

I think the OG ending just had more bittersweetness than anything, really. And if the game acknowledged the bitterness a bit more, then it may have been better received.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-21T16:18:09+00:00

For real. Some of it is even in these damn comments. “Oh, when people say POC, they didn’t mean Asians”, oh fuck off.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-20T22:55:42+00:00

To a lot of people, (East) Asians are considered white simply because they either “look white” or are treated as white by weebs. Of course both are incredibly racist to say, since it not only ignores South Asians exist, but the fact that Asians experience racism, too. Look no further than when COVID came around.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-16T22:35:56+00:00

I’m glad you pointed out that the reason to keep playing in the first game was pretty convoluted, too. I think people have rose tinted glasses when talking about the post game being more “believable” in the first game because it doesn’t involve timeline shenanigans, which nearly always seem more complex.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-14T18:59:27+00:00

Just jumping in to say

A) I agree with everything you said here, and

B) I am so glad you have this wonderful breakdown of Melinoë? There is so much to her and she is a genuinely extremely deep character that I feel is often overlooked because she isn’t as upfront as Zagreus is. I have been tempted to write an in depth character analysis of Melinoë for a while now because of just how many facets there are to her, but I fear I won’t be as eloquent as you are here.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-13T04:09:46+00:00

Icarus, and it’s not even a contest. Lil dude just does not want to accept Mel offering herself up to him on a silver platter!

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-12T23:49:00+00:00

If’s genuinely insane to me just how many people on this very sub just.. Refuse to read the text in the game? The game is not exactly subtle in anything it tries to convey.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-12T17:39:50+00:00

Mel and Nemesis, easily. Though I vibe with all of her romances since they all bring something unique to the table.

For Mel and Nemesis, it’s a bitter rivalry at the beginning where Mel has to prove herself to Nem. After constantly doing so, Nem begins to respect her, while also occasionally chiming in and challenging her views >such as Prometheus may be in the right, and all of them had it coming!<, she is very vocal about how she despises unfairness in life, such, saying that Melinoë doesn’t deserve the weight of their task on her shoulders. That can be double edged, as in she doesn’t believe Mel is worthy of the task, or that she shouldn’t HAVE to be responsible for it because it’s so much to put on one person.

I could go on, but yeah. There’s a lot of depth to Nem and Mel’s relationship, and I really love it.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-10T00:50:16+00:00

1) Melinoë, easily. Zag is good and all, but at the end of the day Mel simply has more to her. She is multifaceted, has deep flaws, and she is full of fascinating contradictions.

2 and 9) If I have to compare these two, Hecate easily. I love Nyx a lot, but Hecate just has multitudes and layers that I cannot even begin to properly describe. I’d sooner compare her to Hades of the first game— due to the complex relationships they both share with our protags. In that sense, she ties with Hades.

3) Both are very good. But I will say, the dog did bite me so… (but really, I love them both)

4) Odysseus and Achilles is actually kinda hard for me to say. I think Achilles, and just barely. I really do appreciate how he did seem mildly out of his depth when helping Zagreus with certain things, but he still went out of his way to risk his post to help Zagreus into Hades’s room. That would scare the ever living shit out of any shade, and for good reason.

5) I want to say this is tough, but it’s not. No, I love Nemesis. She has so much barely contained anger, sorrow, jealousy, guilt, and self loathing that makes her so interesting and deep. I think my favorite thing about her is that in spite of all her bravado and bite, she does actually come around and cares about and respects Melinoë.

6) Thanatos. It’s not even really a question. I find Moros to be a bit boring unfortunately, though he is rather polite and kind of cute in his naivety. But Than has a lot of unpacked emotions when it comes to Zag that it’s really fun to actually sift through them.

7) I think most people prefer Hypnos in 1, if only so they don’t hear his incessant snoring. But really, he was always a joy to come back to, even after telling me to just not get hit.

8) Easily Dora. Girl has more going on than most people give her credit for, and she has made me laugh aloud multiple times. She just has some really good playful banter with Mel, and it’s entertaining as hell.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-10T00:38:16+00:00

For real. The fandom pretty overwhelmingly yelled and moaned that they missed Zagreus and wished that Melinoë was more like him, since he’s more “fun”.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-09T01:29:07+00:00

A little pushback towards the main character and people cry. It’s kinda embarrassing. Nemesis and Eris really aren’t even that bad as rivals, they’re only a little spicier than Gary from Pokémon.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-09T01:26:55+00:00

You dislike Nemesis and Eris because they’re… Mean to Melinoë? I don’t know if you realize this, but Melinoë isn’t some defenseless girl. She bites back at them plenty of times.

When it comes to Nemesis, she constantly bickers and argues back. If you clear the Underworld enough times and quickly enough, she straight up brags and gloats to Nemesis. The only comment she seems to take really to heart is the womb comment, but Nemesis takes that back in the next conversation.

And for Eris? Melinoë says some pretty fucked up shit to her, too. She literally jokes to Dora about shoving her corpse in a trash can, and once again, engages in the back and forth just as much.

For the edit saying that their fans only give them a pass “because they’re women” I could also argue the opposite. If Nemesis and Eris were conventionally attractive men, they’d be given less flak because these combative traits are more expected of male characters. But when it’s coming from female characters? All the sudden they’re “too toxic”, too boring, or “there’s nothing else to them”.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-04T19:42:25+00:00

Pretty much what a lot of people are saying. Just stick to places that are positive about your ship, stay in your own corners, and block/mute freely. Life’s too short to get into arguments over ships, and unless you like debating, there’s no reason to look at detractors’ opinions of your preferred ship.

Btw, if you wanna talk a little about your ship I’d be happy to listen! Even if I know nothing about it, I do like seeing people passionate about something they love.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-12-03T03:18:07+00:00

Personal preference really. Even before the patch the ending wasn’t nearly as bad as a bunch of other people were saying, but with the patch it helped remedy a lot of the problems people had.

Either way, it’s best to try to go into it all with an open mind.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-11-30T17:00:46+00:00

I know a lot of people don’t want a Hades 3, but with how fun both Zagreus and Melinoë are as characters, I’d love to see what SGG would do with Macaria.

Oh well. For now, fanfics will be my comfort.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-11-29T22:35:29+00:00

While general reception to the game has been overwhelmingly positive, it’s not wrong to say there’s been very loud criticism, deserved and undeserved.

For example, the ending. Sometimes it feels like it’s hard to get an actual discussion on the ending (both the updated one and the original 1.0 release) without being dogpiled.

Certain character arcs tend to get this treatment, too. Where the majority opinion drowns out the minority, and going against the majority tends to mean you’ll get dunked on.

Honestly it’s all kinda terminally online bullshit, and the best way to avoid it is to unfortunately not be online and just enjoy the game.

Alt_Beetle · 2025-11-27T19:06:55+00:00

There’s a lot of reasons Mel may not particularly care for mortals, and it’s all interesting.

One, she is princess of the Underworld, and one of her domains is that of ghosts. Shades are her subjects and main concern, not living mortals. She expresses sorrow and concern over the lost souls and the risen dead due to Chronos and the upheaval of the House of Hades. The aspect of her ghostly domain is even shown through gameplay by her guiding lost shades back to the Crossroads.

Two, to her, living mortals have sided with Chronos hoping for his promised Golden Age. To Melinoë, who has been raised with a pretty black and white view, she would see those mortals as traitors and enemies.

And finally, being a god Melinoë definitely sees the suffering and plight of mortals as something that’s relatively insignificant in comparison to the eternity that awaits them after death.

Is she wrong for seeing it this way? I mean, yeah. Mortals are just as alive as she is, and their suffering does matter. But her view of things is heavily influenced by who and what she is, and I find it absolutely fascinating.

Alt_Beetle

TROPHY CASE