Assuming the majority of gods disappeared over time, Hestia was among the first to go.
- Hestia's domains were hearth, the home, and family—all things the world of Hadestown lacks, with Eurydice constantly seeking shelter and warmth, running away from everywhere she'd ever been, and Orpheus's mother abandoning him.
Hermes resets the story as quickly as he does because of the Maenads.
- In mythology they tore Orpheus apart when he was depressed after losing Eurydice, and, having raised him, Hermes won't let that happen if he can help it.
The trombone player is Thanatos.
- Trombones have traditionally been used to signify death and the afterlife, and the trombonist is the first musician we hear, plays at Hermes' station where he performs psychopomp duties, and gets a solo dance with Persephone up top. (And this way poor Than isn't out of a job entirely.)
How Hades usurped the Olympians
- As above, Hades robbed the people of Hestia's hearth, home, and family with his cold factory.
- As said on the Fridge page, his mastery over electricity usurped lightning from Zeus.
- Hades polluted the ocean and dammed rivers to usurp Poseidon's control over the waters.
- He bulldozed his way through nature, robbing Artemis of her domain and hunting grounds.
- His advanced weaponry made Ares's up-close fighting obsolete. He could have also recruited Ares.
- His automation outclassed Athena's cleverness.
- His sophisticated factory techniques allowed him to overthrow or replace Hephaestus.
- He locked out Dionysus by denying the workers leisure time.
- He blocked out the sun with pollution, denying Apollo his power.
- He broke down family ties and loyalty, destroying Hera's domain.
- Demeter may have been spared, given she's usually responsible for the extreme winters and Persephone probably would have left Hades if he harmed her.
- But of course, Hades couldn't defeat Aphrodite. For all his power and corruption, Hades could still love.
