Welcome to my thoughts

You know what I hope turns out to be the case with Six Hundred Strike ?

I hope it was all a part of Poseidon’s plan. A Hail Mary Pass, to finally convince Odysseus that mercy and diplomacy are pointless and that Ruthlessness is the only way forward. Strip him of any lingering hope that he can talk his way out of this bind, and watch him fall to Ruthlessness as a final resort, watch him prove Poseidon right

If you want to add even more spice to it, maybe he knew that Penelope’s suitors were waiting on Ithaca. Maybe he knew that Ody would have to be truly ruthless in order to beat them all, not the wavering monstrousness he’s shown up to this point. Maybe that’s why he purposefully handed Odysseus a Catch-22, a situation where the only way out is ruthlessness

And as he points out in the song - he’s a god, it’s not like he can die. What does he have to lose, other than some time and a bit of pain ?

Either that, or Athena lent him part of her divinity as he sank beneath the waves (which would explain the 600 voices, and the glowing eyes). Or Zeus, who’s sick and tired of his brother’s spat with this meaningless mortal - the same spat that caused him to nearly kill his favorite daughter. Or Apollo, because Odysseus has had Apollo’s favor all along - the repeated usages of a bow, consulting Tiresias, and, of course, Apollo’s non-argument in God Games. Or Hera, goddess of marriage, for obvious reasons

You know why I hope that ? Because even if he assume Poseidon is enough of a good sport to be like “oh shucks, I guess I lose”, ZEUS ISN’T

We’ve seen what happens when Zeus’ pride gets challenged before in Epic canon. He fried his own daughter over it for fuck’s sake. Do you really think he won’t take Odysseus, a MORTAL, torturing not just a major god but his BROTHER, personally ?

Because if I’m wrong, and it really was all unplanned and unaided, Ithaca is about to be a smoking ruin. Zeus is NOT going to let this display of insolence go unpunished, especially since it makes him look bad.

(Also, let’s not forget. Ithaca is a fucking island. Forget Zeus - what do you think POSEIDON is going to do once he registers the gravity of this offence ?)

(Also, I’m not even going to touch the buzzing wasp-hive that is discourse about whether Odysseus should even have been ABLE to defeat one of the bigger gods powerless when he needed moly to beat a minor goddess before, but having the aid of one or more gods, or having Poseidon purposefully pulling his punches, would certainly explain that)

I wonder if the reason Odysseus immediately knew how best to hurt an immortal is because he'd just spent seven years being held against his will by one.

I wonder if the reason he's so angry during Six Hundred Strike isn't just because of what Poseidon did, but because of everything he's been through because of the gods - Zeus and Calypso and Poseidon himself - and yes, maybe Athena a little, too, for leaving him.

He held it in for so long, stayed his tongue, swallowed his anguish, reminding himself all the while of the goal - Ithaca is waiting for you, Penelope is waiting for you, your parents are waiting for you, your son is waiting for you, don't throw your last chance to get home and see them away on petty rage - and despite all that, despite trying his best, again and again, he just keeps getting snubbed at every corner.

But still he keeps his cool. But still he holds his tongue. But still he suppresses his rage. Because there's a chance - there's a chance he might make it alone, his crew in ashes. There's a chance Calypso might let him go. There's a chance. There's a chance. There's a chance. And it's worth bottling up this pain. Seeing your family again is worth enduring this

But Ithaca is right there, tantalizingly close. And still, he's cornered. His mother is dead. He's thrown away seven long years on an island, imprisoned by a woman he could do nothing against, because she's a god

Just like he could do nothing to Zeus because he's a god

And then Poseidon threatened his wife and son, expecting that he could do nothing... because he's a god. And all that rage that had been building inside him over ten long, unjust years, just explodes out in a rain of fury. And the result... is a Monster. One that can beat a god