Hades' Helm
the Helm of Darkness
Hades' Helm, known also as the Helm of Darkness and the Cap of Hades, was a helm forged by the Cyclopes that granted invisibility to its wearer. Given to Hades after the Great War, a second such helm was borne by the hero Perseus in his duel against Kratos.
Hades' Helm, known also as the Helm of Darkness, the Cap of Hades, and the Helmet of Invisibility, was a helm of great power forged by the Cyclopes. It granted its wearer the gift of invisibility, and over the ages it was borne by several figures, among them Hades himself and the hero Perseus.
Origin and the gifts of the Cyclopes#
The Helm was created by the Cyclopes and given to Hades as a gift after his brother Zeus freed the Cyclopes from their imprisonment in Tartarus. In the same act of gratitude the Cyclopes forged the lightning of Zeus and the trident of Poseidon, so that the three brothers each received a weapon of power for securing their freedom. Across the ages the Helm passed through the hands of many, said to have been worn by the goddess of wisdom, the messenger god, and the hero Perseus, as well as by Hades during the war against the Titans.
The helm of Perseus#
When Kratos came to the Island of Creation in pursuit of the Sisters of Fate, the hero Perseus wore a magic helm in his battle against the Spartan. Setting it upon his head, Perseus vanished from sight and used his invisibility to press the fight, but Kratos marked his position by the splashes his steps left in the water. Having weakened his unseen foe, Kratos lifted Perseus by the neck and brought his heel down upon the helm, shattering it, then cast the hero to the ground and continued their duel.
The helm of Hades#
Hades wore a horned helm that covered his whole face, from which flame poured forth. It had been worn for so long that it seemed to have become part of his body, and it caused him great pain to have it removed, tearing away his skin with it. During their battle in the underworld, Kratos slammed the head of Hades again and again against the ceiling of his throne room, casting the god into the River Styx and seizing for himself the Claws of Hades, the god's chosen weapon. Hades rose once more from the Styx in his giant form, his helm gone, and was at last destroyed by Kratos. Afterward the helm, dark bronze yet keeping its trademark orange glow, lay at the bottom of the River Styx against whose currents one had to swim to reach it.
Frequently asked questions
- What was Hades' Helm in God of War?
- Hades' Helm, also called the Helm of Darkness or the Cap of Hades, was a helm forged by the Cyclopes that rendered its wearer invisible. It was given to Hades as a gift after Zeus freed the Cyclopes from Tartarus, alongside the lightning of Zeus and the trident of Poseidon.
- How did Perseus use the Helm against Kratos?
- The hero Perseus wore a magic helm during his battle with Kratos at the Island of Creation. Putting it on, he turned invisible and pressed his advantage, but Kratos tracked him by the splashes of his steps in the water. After weakening him, Kratos seized Perseus, crushed the helm beneath his foot, and continued the fight.
- What happened to the helm Hades wore?
- Hades wore a horned helm that wreathed his face in flame. Worn for so long, it had become almost part of his body, tearing his skin when removed. During their battle in the underworld, Kratos took the Claws of Hades from him and slew the god, and the helm could afterward be recovered from the bottom of the River Styx.
Sources
- WikiHades' Helm — God of War Wiki entry
- WikiHades — God of War Wiki entry
- WikiPerseus — God of War Wiki entry
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
Related entries
Claws of Hades
The Claws of Hades were chained weapons wielded by Hades, god of the Underworld, who used their magic to tear the souls from his enemies. Kratos stole them in battle, claimed the god's own soul with them, and carried them as a means of ripping and summoning the souls of the dead.
Cyclopes: the one-eyed giants of Greece
The Cyclopes were a race of burly, one-eyed giants of the Greek world. Once peaceful shepherds and master craftsmen, they were banished underground, freed by Zeus to fight in the Great War, and bred thereafter as beasts of war.
Cyclops
The Cyclopes were a species of burly, one-eyed giants, once peaceful herders and stonemasons banished to the Underworld before Zeus freed them to fight the Titans. In time they became beasts of war in the armies of the gods, their near-divine strength enough to threaten even demigods.
Hades
Hades was the Olympian God of the Dead and ruler of the Underworld, the eldest son of Cronos and brother of Zeus and Poseidon. He kept the balance of life and death over the Greek world until Kratos turned his own Claws against him and tore out his soul, loosing chaos upon the realm of the dead.
Kratos
Kratos was the demigod son of Zeus who rose from a Spartan general to the Greek God of War, destroyed the pantheon of Olympus in a quest for vengeance, and then began again in the Norse realms as a father seeking to leave his bloody past behind.
Perseus
Perseus was a Greek demigod hero, a son of Zeus and half-brother of Kratos. Driven mad by his imprisonment on the Island of Creation, where he sought the Sisters of Fate to revive his lost love Andromeda, he was slain by Kratos.
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