First Appearance: Wonder Woman 16 (1946)
Creators: William Moulton Marston
Abilities: Based on the Greek mythological figure (and his Roman counterpart Pluto) he is the Olympian God of the Dead: immortal, and wielding all the supreme mystical powers one can expect from a god.
Backstory: Hades is the eldest son of Titans Cronus and Rhea, and ruler of the underworld who infamously kidnapped the goddess Persephone and made her his wife. He isn’t always an adversary so much as an ominous figure not to be trifled with—resolute in his divine duties, every favor coming with cost.
There have been several incarnations, but he maintains a capricious nature, and an urge to wield his godly powers for good or bad, with his desire to be loved being his only real discernible weakness. Like other gods, Hades would make his debut going by the name of his Roman counterpart, Pluto.
Often left alone to his own devices, Pluto appeared (unsurprisingly) abducting the women from Earth, mind controlling them, and using some of them to decorate his castle on the planet Pluto. He would eventually make a pact with Mars (Ares), the God of War, to conquer Olympus. The plot was ultimately thwarted when Persephone, inspired by the affection between Diana and Steve Trevor, professed her love to her husband, Pluto, prompting him to back out of the attack.
In the modern era, he was reintroduced as Hades, and would also eventually gain Cereberus, the 3-headed dog and guardian of the underworld. With dominion over the spirits of the dead, still with a habit of abducting people, he rules his realm with his queen Persephone—the most notable sector being Tartarus, the infernal sphere, and a primordial force alongside Earth, Night and Time.
He sometimes shares a tense relationship with the Amazons, appointed to guard Doom’s Doorway, an entryway to his realm behind which is trapped innumerable monsters and undead abominations that he won’t hesitate to use to his advantage. Over the centuries, many Amazons have lost their lives when the passage has been breached, and despite their losses, the Amazons always attempt to show Hades proper respect. But that hasn’t stopped Diana from descending through the doorway to try to free souls, or strike a deal (and hopefully avoid his wrath). Diana was once even his bride-to-be when he was plotting to seize Olympus, which nearly killed her.
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