History Characters / Hercules

* TheSociopath: He is FauxAffablyEvil to hide the fact that he's a dark god who's willing to [[TheUsurper overthrow]] Zeus at all costs, even if it meant harming others (whether by turning a baby Herc mortal or condemning his fellow gods to Tartarus). The deals he makes are for his own selfish gain by screwing everybody around. He's also prone to going nuts when things don't go his way.

* AdaptationPersonalityChange: Mythological Hades was depicted as cold and withdrawn, occasionally showing affection to Persephone or TranquilFury to any mortal trying to break the rules imposed by death. Disney Hades is short-tempered and rather sleazy.

* BreakoutVillain: Despite having very few redeeming qualities, Creator/JamesWoods's spirited portrayal of him made Hades one of the most iconic and popular Disney villains. Woods himself loves the character so much that he goes out of his way to ensure that he ALWAYS voices him, even if it means not being paid much (hence why Disney managed to get him in every episode of the TV series he appeared in, which was all but a few of them). He's even the star of the stage musical ''Villains Tonight!'' That has to say something [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989 considering]] [[WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty the]] [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 competition]] [[WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast from]] [[WesternAnimation/PeterPan other]] [[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} Disney]] [[WesternAnimation/{{Cinderella}} villains]].

* HeroicSeductress: She tried to seduce Hercules at first under Hades' orders, [[spoiler:but would later save the former after he was weakened, which was out of her genuine love for him, as well as her own personal guilt for working for his uncle Hades]].

* AllThereInTheManual: Though not clarified in the film, the Hydra is referred to as female according to the junior novelization.

* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: For being crushed by a marble column, Meg is still a knockout. Even her CORPSE looks like a supermodel.

* DeadpanSnarker: Her past experiences have made her into Disney's most sarcastic, sassy heroine yet.

* InSeriesNickname: Her full name is "Megara", but everyone calls her "Meg".

* MsFanservice: Courtesy of Ken Duncan's expressive animation. It's no wonder Herc is infatuated with her at first sight.

* NervesOfSteel: How else would you describe a mere mortal woman standing up to Hades, the God of the Underworld?

* OddNameNormalNickname: Megara is often called simply "Meg", a normal name by the AnachronismStew standards of the movie.
* RedheadsAreRavishing: The auburn redheaded Meg is introduced as a FemmeFatale who is [[GoSeduceMyArchnemesis sent by Hades to seduce Hercules]], but she ends up becoming Hercules' real girlfriend. Hercules is immediately attracted to her beauty and Hades also comments on her [[ImpossibleHourglassFigure curvy figure]].

* HalfHumanHybrid: Being a satyr, he has the legs and horns of a goat, but the upper body of a human.

* CharacterDevelopment: Due to falling in love with Hercules, Meg goes from a cynic only looking out for herself to an idealistic and selfless person who sacrifices herself for him.

* FourTemperamentEnsemble: The Melancholic. Wouldn’t be a BrokenBird otherwise, no?

* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: She sold her soul to Hades in order to save her boyfriend's life, only for said boyfriend to abandon her for another woman. As a result, she unwillingly works for Hades.

* OfficialCouple: With Hercules.

* RedheadsAreRavishing: Played with. Meg starts off as one of the villains (not by her own choice), and is ordered by Hades to find Hercules' weakness. She ends up actually falling for him and pulling a HeelFaceTurn, thereby playing this trope straight.

* {{Tsundere}}: "I Won't Say I'm In Love" demonstrates it best.

* FemalesAreMoreInnocent: She's the only female member of Hades' posse (alongside Pain and Panic) throughout the movie, and is genuinely the most sympathetic among them (thanks in part to her tragic romantic background).

* HeroicSeductress: She tried to seduce Hercules at first under Hades' orders, but would later save the former after he was weakened, both of which were out of her genuine love for him, as well as her own personal guilt of tempting him.

* DealWithTheDevil: Hades owns her soul (see BrokenBird). [[spoiler:Her debt to him is paid off by Hercules's deal.]]

* DefrostingIceQueen: She's initially unimpressed by Hercules's heroic act and gives him the cold shoulder despite his attraction. She later warms up to him after getting to know him.

* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Downplayed. Hades usually sends her on "errands" to persuade monsters to ally with him, and also asks her to seduce "Wonder Boy" and find his weakness. Meg assumes that all men are the same and accordingly offer some titillating positions after taking Hercules to see Oedipus. Instead, Hercules gives a LoudGulp, rearranges her dress strap, and sits at a respectful distance to make sure she is comfortable. Meg is surprised that Wonder Boy is AboveTheInfluence and says, partly gushing, that he's "practically perfect". Eventually, however, Hades realizes that he can use Hercules's inherent good nature against him: by using Meg as a hostage.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: In a rare moment of despair, Megara is racked with guilt for her part in Hercules getting blackmailed to give up his strength for a day by Hades. She tries to convince Hercules that it wasn't the way Hades made it out to be and it takes her dying to save Hercules's life for him to realize she did truly love him.

* RedheadsAreRavishing: Played with. Meg starts off as one of the villains (not by her own choice), and is ordered by Hades to find Hercules's weakness. She ends up actually falling for him and pulling a HeelFaceTurn, thereby playing this trope straight.

* AscendedExtra: Philoctetes was barely involved in the original Heracles myth, only playing a part in it after Hercules had died. The Disney movie bumps him up to a major role as Hercules's trainer.

* TheNapoleon: He's very short, and short-tempered as well, in contrast to Hercules's GentleGiant.

* LightIsGood: He's Hercules's companion and is predominately white.

Hercules's biological parents. The King (Zeus) and Queen (Hera) of the Olympian Gods.

* BigGood: Zeus is the benevolent TopGod and Hercules's father.

* RelatedDifferentlyInTheAdaptation: In the original Greek myth, Hera was Hercules's stepmother and paternal aunt. Here, she is his biological mother.

* CompositeCharacter: He takes Hera's role as Hercules's main enemy. He also takes elements of TheUnfavorite of the family, [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter save for Zeus and Hera here]], from Ares.

* EverybodyHatesHades: One of the most famous examples of thst trope as Hades remains a popular member of the Franchise/DisneyVillains in various media despite his mythological counterpart not really being a villain in a classical sense: His entrance at Hercules's birthday party is met with scowls and his domain is treated more like the Christian idea of Hell than the Greek afterlife. It's implied they despise the way he treats mortal souls as pawns for his sick amusement. [[TruthInTelevision This holds a grain of truth]]; while real life Greeks never hated Hades like we see in the film, he was highly feared due to lording over death to the point they were afraid to say his name.

* EvilUncle: He's Zeus's brother and therefore Hercules's uncle. However, unlike with Scar to Simba in ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'', this is never brought up in the film and is only mentioned a few times in the series.

* HatedByAll: He is virtually despised by the entire pantheon, and it's done to show how estranged he is with them. They are especially unhappy at his appearance or [[ToughRoom even the lame pun]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking he makes]] at Hercules's birthday. It's implied they view him as the BlackSheep of the family for his cruel treatment of mortal souls. Even his minions Pain and Panic dislike him as he's a BadBoss who literally barbecues them whenever they fail him. When Herc punches him into the River Styx, his minions openly hope he never gets out.

* IGaveMyWord: Like all gods in Greek mythology, his powers are limited by being bound by his words. So it is literally impossible for him to break the letter of a deal. If something happens his magic will act accordingly and he won't even know. E.g. he promises that he will release Meg from his service and that she won't be harmed if Hercules gives up his strength for a day. After Hercules agrees, Hades averts the LoopholeAbuse trope by releasing Meg with a snap of his fingers before departing. When she does get fatally injured during Hercules's fight with the cyclops, Herc immediately repossesses his powers.

* ManipulativeBastard: He charms the Fates into revealing the future, twists Hercules's arm into giving up his strength, and then appeals to both brotherly love and old hatred to get the Titans on his side.

* VillainsActHeroesReact: In one book adaptation of the movie, told from Hades's viewpoint. [[BreakingTheFourthWall He argues that if it wasn't for him, Hercules would never have gotten his high status as hero and all the gains he's gotten. So really, Hades sees himself as a co-conspirator to Hercules's rise to glory, but does he get any thanks? No!]]

** During the opening, Hades first attempts to harm Hercules by forcibly trying to put a spiky pacifier in his mouth. Thankfully, the baby grabbed Hades' hand and squeezed it very hard, but the pacifier certainly would have punctured Hercules's mouth had he sucked it.

* DeadpanSnarker: Shows a streak of this in the animated series, all based on her experiences, some of which are [[NoodleIncident Noodle Incidents]] or about Hercules's antics. A good example is Hercules having her to bring a statue Galatea to life, while forgetting one crucial detail about the girl: [[https://youtu.be/P1nCDOFtd08?t=70 her personality]].

* TrueBeautyIsOnTheInside: Unlike her mythological character personality, this version is a strong believer in the prospect of loving someone for who they are (character) instead of what they look like (appearance). She lampshades this when she attempts to counsel Medusa on winning Hercules's friendship, and isn't impressed when Hercules's requirements for a dream date are 'beautiful and obsessed with him'.

The Muses are five lovely goddesses whose domain lies in the arts, and they sing the tales of ancient Greece in a gospel choir style. They claim to be Hercules's biggest fans, narrating the movie and singing in four of the six songs.

Hercules's adoptive parents who raised him after he was taken from his home on Mount Olympus.

Hercules's best friend during their time in Prometheus Academy. He also has a romantic obsession with their friend Cassandra.

* EnemyMine: Sometimes, he will ask for Hercules's help.

* FatalFlaw: His ego and pride often made him face serious consequences as it got him in trouble many times, from him being cursed by Gaia, turned into a peacock by Circe, and placed in many other unfortunate situations that Hercules usually has to rescue him from, without demonstrating any gratitude for Hercules's heroism, except on a few.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Anytime he calls Hercules "friend", it means things have gone bad for him that he needs Hercules's help.

* MultipurposeTongue: When it had one head, the Hydra wraps its tongue around Hercules's ankle and uses it to throw the hero into the air before swallowing him whole. Later, when the beast grows a swarm of heads, one head tries again, only for Hercules to swing around it before the monster's head bit its tongue off.

* RedheadsAreRavishing: Played with. Meg starts off as one of the villains (not by her own choice), and is ordered by Hades to find Hercules's weakness. She ends up actually falling for him and pulling a HeelFaceTurn, thereby playing this trope straight.

* HeroesWantRedheads: Played with. Meg starts off as one of the villains (not by her own choice), and is ordered by Hades to find Hercules's weakness. She ends up actually falling for him and pulling a HeelFaceTurn, thereby playing this trope straight.

** Even a minor inconvenience will send him into a flying rage, especially when his minions had not previously alerted him of the Fates' arrival before he showed up.

* FreudianExcuse: It's implied his antagonism springs from the deep hatred for the unpleasant job he's currently in and the resentment he holds against Zeus for being an UniversallyBelovedLeader from their fellow gods and the people of Greece. Plus, it's mentioned in the animated series that his father Kronos devoured his children except Zeus, causing Hades to inherit his evil.

* LazyBum: He ''hates'' his nonstop Underworld job and seems to put as little effort into running the Underworld as possible, as he'd much rather laze around on Olympus like the rest of the gods.

* NightmareFace: Whenever his cronies Pain and Panic mess up one of his evil plans, he literally goes off the edge. He even throws temper tantrums at the tiniest inconvenience.

* PsychopathicManchild: When things don't go his way, he [[BurningWithAnger literally burns with anger]] and [[HairTriggerTemper throws temper tantrums]] like a toddler, with his tormented minions being his usual toys to blow off steam.

** Gluttony: Apathetic towards mortal souls as Lord of the Underworld, why would he care about the living if he were TopGod of the Greek pantheon? It's implied the other gods loathe him for his cruel treatment of mortal souls.

** Wrath: He goes off at the tiniest inconvenience or when Herc foils his evil schemes. When he does, he throws hissy fits like a toddler with his minions being the usual targets to [[BurningWithAnger blow off steam]].

* {{Humanoid Abomination}}s: The three of them are probably the most...''off'' creatures in the cast, including the gods and monsters.

->'''Voiced by:''' Mary Kay Bergman, (Hades Challenge), Florence Henderson (Animated Series)

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/JerryStiller

* AnimeHair: Her ponytail looks like the main of a helmet, which showcases her war-like personality.

-->'''Voiced by:''' Creator:TressMacNeille (singing voice, ''Hades Challenge''), Creator/JodiBenson (TV series); Creator/NuriaTrifol (European Spanish dub); Claire Guyot (European French dub); Iara Riça (Brazilian Portuguese dub)

* {{Revenge}}: Their main motivation in their next apperance.

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/CoreyBurton (Stratos, Lythos' right head), Creator/JimCummings (Pyros)), Jim Ward (Hydros), Patrick Pinney (Lythos' left head, Cyclops) (original)), Creator/BillFagerbakke (Cyclops (TV series)), Creator/MiguelFerrer (Antaeus (TV series); Rubén Trujillo (Cyclops, original) (Latin American Spanish dub); Miguel Ángel Jenner (Cyclops, original) (European Spanish dub)

* ExplosionsInSpace: [[spoiler:Their final fate after Hercules uses Stratos to capture the other titans and hurls them into space]].

* MultipleHeadCase: Lythos, the Rock Titan, has two heads. [[spoiler:They both get blasted off by Zeus's thunderbolts]].

** Lythos completely tanks a lightning bolt thrown by Zeus during the initial assault. [[spoiler:When Zeus uses a bunch of bolts at once, he was able to blow off both his heads]].

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: They attempt to do this when Hercules frees Zeus from their imprisonment, much to Hades' chagrin barring Stratos who does hold its ground impressively enough. [[spoiler:Hercules is able to blow them up all before they can succeed]].

The namesake of Prometheus Academy. This Titan was the one responsible for giving the gift of fire to humanity. Unfortunately Zeus captured and chained him to a rock for all eternity. Or until Hercules frees him, whichever comes first.

A one-shot imp minion of Hades seen in "Hercules and the Tiff on Olympus," Neurosis was called in to attack Hercules' mind and make him doubt himself.

->'''Alcmene Voiced by:''' Barabara Barrie (original) | '''Greek dub:''' Maria Zafiraki [[labelnote:Foreign VA's]]Guadalupe Noel (Latin American Spanish dub); Rosa Guiñón (European Spanish dub); Rosine Cadoret (European French); Ruti Holtsman (Hebrew)[[/labelnote]]
->'''Amphitryon Voiced by:''' Creator/HalHolbrook (original), Creator/CoreyBurton (animated series) | '''Greek dub:''' Stiros Konstandopoulos [[labelnote:Foreign VA's]]Arturo Mercado (Latin American Spanish dub); Joaquín Díaz (European Spanish dub); Jean Lescot (Amphytryon); Yitzchak Saidof (Hebrew)[[/labelnote]]

* AdaptationalWimp: The Amphitryon of myth was a famed soldier and a hero in his own right. Here, he's just an elderly farmer, mainly to be an analogue to [[ComicBook/{{Superman}} Jonathan Kent.]]

->'''Voiced by:''' French Stewart (original); Jonathan López (European Spanish dub); Hervé Rey (European French dub); Manolo Rey (Brazilian Portuguese dub)

-->'''Voiced by:''' Tress [=MacNeille=] (singing voice, ''Hades Challenge''), Jodi Benson (TV series); Creator/NuriaTrifol (European Spanish dub); Claire Guyot (European French dub); Iara Riça (Brazilian Portuguese dub)

-->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/JimCummings

* AdaptationalWimp: Downplayed. The mythological Nessus was the one responsible for Herakles’ death thanks to the centaur’s poisonous blood, but it was a MutualKill, and Herakles only died shortly after killing Nessus. In the film proper, he gets only one good hit in before Hercules [[CurbStompBattle curb-stomps him]].

* HateSink: Although he's less evil then Hades, he lacks Hades' LaughablyEvil charm, making him more of an unlikable brute.

* ItCanThink: Its behaviour shows that rather than being just a mindless monster, the Hydra can think on its feet, adapt to Hercules' attacks, and enjoys the thrill of the chase.
* KillItThroughItsStomach: Hercules decapitates the one-headed Hydra from the inside its throat after being SwallowedWhole.

* NotQuiteDead: After getting its head cut off from the inside, the Hydra falls over apparently dead and remains that way while triumphant music plays and a dazed Hercules tells Phil, "That wasn't so hard." It isn't until Hercules and Phil start to walk away from the body that it gets up and demonstrates [[HydraProblem the ability it is most known for.]]

A Gorgon who lives in Gorgon land. Despite her monstrous appearance, Medusa is a nice, insecure girl who just wants to have friends.

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: Depending on which myth you believe, Medusa was born a Gorgon and she enjoyed petrifying men. Here, she feels lonely and just wants real friends.

-->'''Voiced by:'''Wayne Knight (left hand side) and Brad Garrett (right hand side)

* TheUnFavourite: Their mother Echidna threatens to eat them if they don't become something. It is implied it wasn't the first time.

* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: [[EntitledToHaveYou Nessus]] is a {{Jerkass}} who thinks NoMeansYes. [[AllLovingHero Hercules]] is TheCape and promises that he would never ever hurt her. Thus, she falls for the latter.

* AffablyEvil: They're fairly polite, for a group of scary old hags. Clotho, in particular, seems to be the most cooperative of the trio.

* CatchPhrase: Likes to say "Babe" a lot. Lampshaded in the TV series at one point, where he tells Hecate that he calls everyone that.

* CatchPhrase: "And that's the gospel truth!"

* HatedByAll: He is virtually despised by the entire pantheon. It's done to show how estranged he is with them. They are especially unhappy at his appearance or [[ToughRoom even the lame pun]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking he makes]] at Hercules's birthday. It's implied they view him as the BlackSheep of the family for his cruel treatment of mortal souls. Even his minions Pain and Panic dislike him as he's a BadBoss who literally barbecues them whenever they fail him. When Herc punches him into the River Styx, his minions openly hope he never gets out.

* TheProblemWithFightingDeath: There is no Greek 'heaven' or 'hell', everyone who dies goes to The Underworld, which is Hades' domain. Thus, the movie's frigid horror that Hercules would end up in Hade's clutches, however, the animated series reveals that Elysian Fields is off-limits to Hades, even though it is technically in The Underworld. In the mythy, this is where heroes and others who pleased the gods ended up.

* PsychopathicManchild: When things don't go his way, he [[VillainousBreakdown breaks down]], [[BurningWithAnger literally burns with anger]], and [[HairTriggerTemper throws temper tantrums]] like a SoreLoser, with his tormented minions Pain and Panic as his usual toys to blow off steam.

** Wrath: He goes ballistic at the tiniest inconvenience or when Herc foils his evil schemes. When he does, he throws hissy fits like a SoreLoser with his minions being the usual targets to [[BurningWithAnger blow off steam]].

* IJustWantToHaveFriends: Medusa lives all alone in a garden full of statues and has no one to talk besides said statues and her snake hair. For that reason, she feels alone and wants to meet real peopl.