Hades 2 introduces many new characters, but it also brings back several from the original Hades. Artemis, Zeus, and others are back to offer boons and look ridiculously pretty. But what about Zagreus, Hadess’ son and the god we spend so much time playing as in Hades?
Quick note: There will be some spoilers in this article, so if you haven’t cleared a run or two of Hades 2 yet, I suggest holding off reading until you do. In the meantime, check out our resource and boss guides to help you on your way.
The best answer I can offer on whether Zagreus has returned to Hades 2 is yes, but also no. Let me explain where Zagreus is in Hades 2 and what his role might be as the game inches closer to full release.
In Hades 2, Melinoë, daughter of Hades and Persephone and sister of Zagreus, seeks revenge on her grandfather, the Titan Chronos, for shattering her family when she was just a baby. Having somehow reformed himself in the centuries since Hades and his brothers ripped him to shreds, Chronos attacked the House of Hades without warning the night Melinoë was born.
After he dispatched the House’s denizens, Chronos enslaved the Underworld’s residents and declared war on Olympus. It’s Melinoë’s job to put the breaks on her ancestor’s ambitions of conquest and rescue her godly kin. High on that list of estranged relatives she’s aiming to save is her brother, whom she’s spent her entire life hearing stories about.
Is Zagreus in Hades 2?
Let’s return to my frustratingly unhelpful answer of “yes and no.” Zagreus and his former comrades from Hades do appear in Hades 2. Dying is something you’ll do a lot in Hades 2, but sometimes defeat doesn’t send you back to the Crossroads right away. Whenever you stumble and fall on your journey to the Titan of Time’s lair, Melinoë will occasionally be granted brief glimpses into the past through dreams. Hypnos, the god of sleep, is out like a lightbulb, but that isn’t stopping him from providing Melinoë with much-needed encouragement.
She sees the night Hecate spirited her away from the House of Hades in one of these dreams. Her father, Hades, returns to his chamber and discovers that his father, Chronos, is sitting pretty on the throne of the Underworld. Even worse, almost every member of the House of Hades from the original game is sitting frozen in crystals of condensed time before the Titan Lord, like mint-condition action figures stacked on a shelf.
With his weapon raised, Zagreus is at the front of the group, near Hades’ desk. Ol’ Zag has never been one to take orders from a parental figure, and it looks like he tried to stop his grandfather’s chthonic coup before it could start. Unfortunately, the King of the Titans was too great a foe, even for Zagreus.
Is Zagreus dead in Hades 2?
Zagreus is not dead in Hades 2. As mentioned, rescuing him, Hades, Persephone, and others is Melinoë’s goal throughout the game. Well, that and kicking grandpa’s ass up and down the timeline. Zagreus and the others are alive; Chronos confirmed that in his confrontation with Hades. The Titan says they “stand imprisoned in a moment that shall never pass.” We know the dream is accurate, as Hades confirms it during a chat between him and Melinoë in the game.
Okay, so where in Tartarus are they? We don’t know yet. In Hades 2, you eventually face off against Chronos in the House of Hades. After your victory, the game funnels you to the door leading to Zagreus’ room and the training area beyond. But as you enter, the game… stops. And you return to the Crossroads.
No matter which paths you take on your various treks down to the Underworld, you’ll never find Zagreus or any other House of Hades captive member. Chronos is a cunning strategist, so he’s probably hiding Zagreus and his family somewhere secure. And I think I have an idea where he is.
This is all speculation, but I think Chronos stowed Zagreus and the rest of the House of Hades away in the son of Hades’ room. It’s not exactly an elegant solution, but it makes sense when you think about how arrogant Chronos is. Defeat was never an outcome he could consider, so why not store his hostages where he, Lord of Titans and Time, can be the guard dog?
If my theory is correct, Melinoë will free one member of the House of Hades whenever she beats Chronos in the finished game. This follows the pattern set in the original game, where Zagreus had to travel to the surface multiple times to get a full view of his parents’ estranged relationship. Melinoë might have to put her broken family together piece-by-piece by making numerous runs into the Underworld.
Hades 2 is still in Early Access, and not every Region or story sequence is available. Supergiant Games has a roadmap planned out, and the game will receive additional story content, areas to explore, characters, and more as it approaches release. Will we know the fate of Zagreus and his friends before the game reaches its 1.0 launch in a year? It’s hard to say, but these characters will undoubtedly appear again someday. It’s only a matter of Time.
