Hades (Disney)

"The name's Hades, Lord of the Dead. Hi, how are ya doin'?"

- Hades "Feel the heat!"

- Hades

Hades is the Lord of the Dead who rules the Underworld and the main villain in both the 1997 Disney film Hercules and its spin-off television series. He has pale blue skin, and flaming hair, as well as the ability to create objects out of black mist and control monsters. Hades controls fire and can shoot it in any direction, which destroys any object in its path. Pain and Panic are puny, cowardly minions that serve Hades, and they play a very little role in his quest for power. Cerberus, a three-headed dog, guards his palace. He was voiced by James Woods.

Hades is first seen appearing on Olympus to see the celebration. While on Olympus, Hades tried his very first attempt to harm Hercules: By attempting to stick a spiked skull-shaped pacifier into the baby's mouth. He does this by pinching Hercules's nose, causing the baby to open his mouth. Hades almost succeeds in putting the pacifier in the baby's mouth but the baby squeezes his finger, causing him to drop the pacifier.

Hades asked the Fates if Hercules, with his super-strength, could prevent him from taking over Mount Olympus, and they told him that he would if he were to fight, so Hades ordered Pain and Panic to kidnap him and give him a potion to make him mortal. However, he didn't drink the last drop, thus retaining his super strength. Later, Meg sold her soul to Hades to save her boyfriend's life (and he left her for someone else). Hades remained oblivious to Hercules's survival until he found out from Meg that Nessus, the centaur, was defeated by him. So he sent several monsters, like the Hydra, a minotaur, and Medusa the Gorgon after him, but he destroyed them all.

Hades then sent Meg to find out if he had any weaknesses (though she fell in love with him), and soon discovered that Meg was his greatest weakness. So he held her hostage and convinced him to give up his super strength in exchange for her being set free and not getting hurt. Hades then released the Titans when the planets aligned, and sent the Cyclops to kill Hercules. However, even without his super strength Hercules defeated the Cyclops, but was nearly crushed by a pillar, however, it fell on Meg instead when she saved him, breaking Hades's deal and giving Hercules his super strength back.

Hercules defeated the Titans, throwing them into space where they were destroyed, and then after Meg's thread of life was cut by the Fates, Hercules went to the Underworld and demanded Hades to let Meg go. Diving into the Pit of Death to save Meg's soul, he became a true hero, and he was turned back into an immortal god. Hades kept talking in an attempt to save himself, so Hercules punched him and sent him flying into the Pit of Death, where the souls dragged him into its depths, and he was never seen again.

Other Appearances

 * Hercules Animated Series
 * House of Mouse
 * Kingdom Hearts
 * The Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom Disney World activity which features Hades attempting to take over by collaborating with other notable Disney villains, sometimes under punny alias like "Boss Teal" and "Prince Azure"
 * Hades has the distinction of being one of the only Disney villains (outside of fanfiction, comics or video games) to meet and team with another Disney villain; Jafar in the Hercules Animated Series episode, "Hercules And The Arabian Knight".