I finally got my mom to tell me why she doesn't like the Hercules film. Her reason for not liking the entire film is that they made Hades a likable character.... ..... Whatever, I wasn't about to argue with my religious mother that her reason for not liking this character who I'm positive she assumes is the devil is ridiculous. Greek mythology 101: Hades is not the devil.
Isn' t the devil supposed to be cunningly charming anyway ? Never-mind that the Bible makes God look like an angry mafia godfather.
Hades was actually one of the more sane members of the Pantheon in question and he was a pretty cool guy. He was moved by Orpheus' lyre and allowed his wife, Eurydice, a chance to return. However, Orpheus had to trust that Eurydice was following him. He could not look back else she would have to return to the realm of the dead. He allows Persephone to return to the surface on the condition that she return to him. Thus explaining seasons. He's actually quite loyal to her. Unlike his brother Zeus to his wife Hera, who is quite justifiable in her anger at him. I actually like a fair number of Disney villains for not just being the bad guy just to have one. You actually like them.
Yeah, I know all that, however to my religious mom who knows nothing about Greek mythology, Hades is the devil meaning he is the bad guy so he should not be likable, regardless of how strongly that contrasts with the source material.
Hades is originally not a bad character. It's his job to put the dead in their place, but it doesn't make him a bad character. I don't know--I think the Disney people got the Hercules story wrong because there's another story to the story.
