There's One Big Character Missing From Hades 2
After waiting eagerly for news of a sequel, "Hades" fans were in for a treat at The Game Awards 2022. "Hades 2" was officially announced, and Supergiant Games fans are now carefully picking apart the teaser trailer to find out about new gods, weapons, and plot points. While the trailer is short, there's still plenty of information for keen-eyed fans. But one question remains – where's Zagreus?
The protagonist of "Hades 2" appears to be Melinoe, another child of Hades and Zagreus' sister. Gamers parsed through Greek mythology to uncover more about who Melinoe might be and what her goals could be in "Hades 2." One fan pointed out that Hades and Persephone had 3 children, so Supergiant might be playing with the idea of a "Hades" trilogy. There seems to be some question as to whether Zagreus and Melinoe are half-siblings or full siblings, but regardless it should be fun to see their dynamic play out, and to discover why Melinoe didn't appear in the first Supergiant hit.
Though some gamers speculated that the chained man at the end of the "Hades 2" trailer could be an aged Zagreus (especially considering the game's main antagonist seems to be Chronos, the Titan of time), but the character depicted in chains does sound like Hades from the original title, making the entire situation unclear. At the end of the trailer, Melinoe says that she's setting out to save her father. If Melinoe is going to save Hades, how does Zagreus figure into the story?
Where's Zagreus?
Gamers immediately began to speculate about why Zagreus didn't appear in the premiere trailer for "Hades 2." One player theorized that Chronos was in some way using Zagreus, opening up the possibility that Melinoe might have to fight her brother during her journey through the underworld. However, asking where Zagreus is in "Hades 2" also brings up the reverse question – Where was Melinoe in "Hades?"
Some questioned whether the pair knew each other at all. It's unclear where Melinoe was during the events of the first game, but one gamer guessed she might have been away at boarding school. In one screenshot of "Hades 2" shared on Supergiant's website, Melinoe can be seen speaking to a headmistress. Others wondered if Melinoe was supposed to be able to survive at all, and speculated that Hekate's magic is sustaining her life at a cost: her arm.
Right now, it's unclear where Zagreus is in the "Hades 2" trailer, or if Melinoe might encounter him on her own personal journey through the underworld. One thing's for sure, though. Fans are excited for a sequel to the surprise GOTY winner.