Season two of Netlfix’s adult animated series Blood of Zeus is here, and I had the opportunity to watch it early a few weeks ago and talk to the creators Charley and Vlas Parlapanides.
The series tells the story of the illegitimate son of Zeus, Heron, a young man tasked with saving heaven and earth despite the interference of a vengeful goddess and her monstrous forces.
Season one of Blood of Zeus was in the Top 10 of Netflix’s most-watched content – that included tv shows, movies and animated series.
It reached number one in over 45 countries and was a critical hit, amassing a perfect 100 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Greek American brother writing duo also spoke about how their show is amongst the many media properties helping keep Greek Mythology stay stronger than ever, while also talking about their own journeys.
To read more about that, check out the following article here.
The rest of this article contains some spoilers for both season one and two of Blood of Zeus.
At the end of season one, our hero, Heron (Derek Phillips) learned that the demon leader Seraphim (Elias Toufexis) is his twin brother, after the fact that he killed him.
Seraphim descends to the underworld, where Hades (Fred Tatasciore) is trying to enlist Seraphim to help him secure Zeus’ vacant throne and save his family from their long-standing suffering.
With Zeus (Jason O’Mara) dead, a power vacuum emerges amongst the gods, leaving Heron struggling to find his place. He is racked with loss and hears a mysterious refrain in his dreams, telling him to save his brother from the Underworld.
Season two picks up right where we left off, Gaia, goddess of Earth sets Heron on a quest to save Seraphim while Hades plots to steal the Eleusinian Stone so he and Persephone can be rid of the burden of ruling the Underworld.
A strong aspect of this series is the character development, especially with characters we are first introduced to as ‘villains’ but by learning their stories we come to understand the method to their madness per say.
We saw it in season one with Seraphim, who starts off as a demon leader wreaking havoc but we learn his backstory and what he had to endure.
This is built on further in season two when we find out about the woman he loved, who is now dead in the Underworld unable to cross over. Hades promises to help if Seraphim aids him.
“We don’t even necessarily say, bad guys and good guys, antagonist and protagonist. You have characters and what you have in all your characters are strong wants,” Vlas told Neos Kosmos.
“What do they want and then how they go about getting what they want. That really shows what character they are.
“So, it’s important for us to really make it clear to the audience, why this character wants what he wants and to try to get the characters to be as three dimensional as we can.”
And it’s not just with Seraphim, but Hades too.
The ruler of the Underworld, who many would think to be bad but we soon learn of his story with Persephone.
“We really wanted to tell this Hades and Persephone story and kind of make them the opposite of what Zeus and Hera were,” Charly said.
“Where Zeus and Hera were super toxic, we wanted Persephone and Hades to be like an ideal relationship. A couple that really loves each other and works together.”
They did just that, and were able to still focus on the main character, Seraphim, by having his backstory with the priestess he loves told hand in hand. Hades compares their two situations.
“Frank Darabont, who wrote The Shawshank Redemption and started The Walking Dead, he said nobody goes through their life thinking they’re the villain. And he says you always have to remember that as a writer,” Charly added.
“These people, they’re doing what they’re doing because they feel they’re just. They don’t think they’re the bad guys and we always try and remember that.
“What is their point of view? Why are they doing this?”
He said beyond storytelling in movies and TV, everyone does what they do for a reason and sometimes in life you never get to find out why someone is the way they are.
“But in movies and TV, you get to peel back the onion and reveal that.”
Heron embarks on his journey which includes having to retrieve the sword Zeus gave him, which is now lodged in the giant automaton Talos, thanks to Seraphim in season one.
On this journey, also including his companions Alexia (Jessica Henwick), Kofi (Adetokumboh M’Cormack) and Evios, played by Chris Diamantopoulos, who many may know from HBO’s Silicon Valley and the 2012 Three Stooges movie, Heron visits his birthplace.
He decides to find where his mother was buried and upon finding the cemetery, the group runs into Seraphim.
Well that’s one task ticked off you’d think? Well no, they don’t actually realise it’s him because he’s been given the ability to appear as his human form thanks to Hades.
They have never seen him outside his demonic state.
The two brothers share a moment for their dead mother (who Seraphim killed before he knew who she truly, or himself, was).
It is at this moment I sit at the edge of my seat, wanting Heron to realise. Waiting for the reveal, but that comes toward the end of the season.
The series then starts to build up toward an epic battle between all who want the throne.
Seraphim is there to steal the stone from the Hidden Realm for Hades, and must outsmart the Curetes.
During the battle between all, we somewhat get that final act that brings Seraphim over to the ‘good side’ when he saves Heron.
A decision made by the creators because that and the journey of redemption is something that resonates with audiences.
“We love it when characters are pitted against each other and then all of a sudden things flip and then they have to work together,” Vlas said,
“You know, even with Game of Thrones, where you look at Jamie Lannister and where that character starts off and where he ends.
“Hating him in season one, and then you’re almost rooting for him.
“We find that interesting because those are interesting characters and those are what resonate with us and with audiences.”
Just like season one, it ends with a cliff-hanger that’ll have audiences begging for season three.
But I won’t reveal that, you’ll have to watch Blood of Zeus yourself, trust me, you’re in for a treat.
