#lore olympus – @shootingstarstudios on Tumblr

Reimagining a popular Webtoon, plenty of disrespect to the author: Lore Olympus

Call me an anti or whatever, but i hate so much about this webtoon. From the art to the terrible pacing to the terrible plot, everything about it has just left a bad taste in my mouth. And really, the only reason I read it is to feel better about my stuff tbh. That and mythology is a special interest of mine, from Greek to Slavic to Japanese, but anyway.

Anyway, how I, as a single comic team/writer would reimagine Lore Olympus:

1. Build the world of Olympus, how did it come to be for those uninitiated into the world of Greek Mythology? Introduce the first chapter with Ouranos, Gaia, Pontus and the other primordial beings. The world begins with Chaos bringing their children into being and watching over them as the primordial sky. After Chaos uses all their power to create the primordial beings, they enter “eternal slumber”, which really means they take a back seat to their kids as they grow up. **note 1: Aphrodite and Eros have been around since Ouranos was “a child”.

2. Gaia and Ouranos are united as husband and wife, they create the Titans. Cronus, Rhea, Theia and Hyperion/Helios with lots of focus. Cronus conspires with his siblings to overthrow their father. In the process, Rhea is deemed a “fertility deity”, with the great ability to give power and create new life. Gaia had this same ability as she created the Titans. Using this to their advantage, Cronus and his siblings overthrow Ouranos and Cronus is the new king.

3. Cronus and Rhea spend no time at all having kids, but Cronus was told about a similar uprising like what happened with his father. So he consumes his kids as they are born to prevent this. Rhea saves baby Zeus so he can overthrow his father and save his siblings. With the last of her power, Rhea gifts Zeus with the Thunderbolt that strikes his father down. **note 2: The fertility deity is genetic, but some beings are more powerful than others. This is how Demeter “makes” Persephone later.

4. We skip to “modern day”. Demeter and Persephone have a wonderful relationship; Persephone brings spring with whatever she wants and Demeter is always there to make sure she doesn’t overwork herself. Demeter is very supportive of Persephone’s creative efforts. **note 3: the flower nymphs play a much larger role. Persephone made them by accident and Demeter explained what happened and how she’s a “fertility deity”. While this helps with her job as the goddess of spring, it can get out of hand. This catches the attention of many gods that try to court her, but both of them refuse. It’s not out of “no one can have my daughter”, no, it’s more out of “I want to decide who I marry.” Even tho that isn’t what happened in Ancient Greece, this is a modern reimagining.

5. Persephone catches the attention of Hades, who wants to court her, but as mentioned before, she wants a say in who she marries. Hades goes to Zeus to arrange something. Behind Demeter’s back, Zeus allows Hades to court Persephone. While Persephone is spending time with her friends (Artemis, Apollo (**note 4: Apollo is NOT a rapist in this retelling, that plot point was incredibly stupid to include in the original.) and several Oceanids/Nymphs). Persephone steps away a moment, perhaps to get something to show her friends, and that’s when Hades strikes. Persephone is stolen from the Mortal Realm with only a scream, causing her friends to panic. Artemis and Apollo tell Demeter what happened and promise to help, but the loss of her daughter causes Demeter to fall into a deep depression and she won’t do her Godly Duties. The world begins to wither around her.

6. Persephone wakes up in the Underworld, scared and panicked. Hades tries to calm her down, but it comes off as he’s trying to hurt her. In a panic, Persephone runs away into the underworld and meets Hecate, Minthe, Thanatos and Eris. (Note 5: Minthe isn’t a villain, rather she and Persephone become friends. Eris isn’t a villain either.) After explaining what happened, the group express sympathy and try to help Persephone, but then Hades arrives after Cerberus and Orthrus track Persephone by scent. Persephone wants nothing to do with Hades, but he takes her back to his home. He assures her that nothing will happen, that he was told by Zeus that they are to be wed. Persephone locks herself in one of the many rooms in protest. Hades brings her food and water in an attempt to get her to stay well, and in a moment of desperation, Persephone eats six pomegranate seeds.

7. Meanwhile in the Mortal Realm and on Olympus, everything is in chaos. Demeter is refusing to do her duty until her daughter is found, humans are starving and dying, hoping the gods will help, but nothing is being done. Zeus is then pushed into a corner and forced to reveal what he did behind Demeter’s back. Apollo brings Helios to them to confirm everything, as Helios sees everything. Hermes is sent to retrieve Persephone, but before he retrieves her, Hades gifted Persephone many, many objects she desired to prove he isn’t as bad as a guy she thought he was. He listens to her problems, tries to help her with everything and allows her to grow a special garden for Greek heroes. Once Hermes arrives, Hades and Persephone part ways as friends.

8. Demeter and Persephone are absolutely ecstatic to see each other, a long hug happens. Demeter demands Zeus explain himself to Persephone, which makes her angry. After the confrontation with Zeus, Persephone explains what happened in the underworld and that Hades isn’t such a bad guy. Demeter explains that she and Hades haven’t been in the best relationship since after the Titanomachy, and that she’s been trying to reconnect with him, but they haven’t been able to. With this, Persephone summons Hades to have them settle the air and decide if they want to go forward with this relationship. They talk over a few days of work and become friends again. This allows pomegranates to grow in Demeter’s gardens as a connection to Hades, and symbolizes their friendship.

9. Unfortunately, with Hades being gone for a few days, shit hits the fan. Cronus breaks out of Tartarus and begins attacking the Mortal Realm and Olympus. In the midst of the chaos, because Persephone is a fertility deity (and emits the same energy as Rhea), Cronus swallows her to gain her powers. Cronus is now destroying everything in his path to regain his place, and everyone has to unite again to stop Cronus for good. At the end of the battle, when Cronus is defeated and Persephone is rescued by Hades, the two embrace. Several nymphs and others were killed, like Minthe for example. Using her fertility powers, Minthe is reborn as a flower nymph, but as a mint plant. Cronus is locked back into Tartarus and peace returns.

10. The final chapter comes years later, a new generation of gods, goddesses and nymphs are born. Hades is leading his kids to the Elysian Fields, where Persephone is looking over her work with Rhadamanthus. Hades and the kids call out to Persephone and hugs and kisses all around. Hades mentions everything that happened and that she’ll be going back to the mortal realm soon. Persephone says not to worry, she’ll always be a part of the Underworld. The series ends with a kiss.

This is just how I’d do it, and it might not appeal to everyone. That’s just fine, but all I ask is don’t harass me for my reimagining. I understand that lots of people love and support the comic, but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. It’s an incredibly flawed story, with a slow pace, too many characters and too many plot points. It really feels like fanfiction that was written by a teenager, not an adult.

If my reimagining labels me an “anti”, then so be it.

#anti lore olympus #anti lo stories #lore olympus #reimagining #long post