Romance forms a core part of Greek mythology, with many tales of the gods involving their relationships with each other and the hapless mortals who grab their attention. As in Greek mythology,HadesandHades 2are largely stories about relationships, and both include romantic relationships of different kinds, including polyamory and same-sex relationships.Hadeswas also bold enough to include a queerplatonic relationship between Zagreus and Dusa, where they have a deep connection that goes beyond friendship, but doesn’t look like a typical romantic relationship, which may he a dynamic that is replicated inHades 2.
Hades 2includes four romances. LikeHades,Hades 2’s romances show the different ways that romance can manifest, and is stated as such by Melinoe. While there are already four established romances, Arachne may be a secret fifth option whenHades2’s v1.0 is released. While not an obvious candidate, dialogue and data mining reveal that Arachne may play a bigger role in the conclusion ofHades 2’s story, and a romance between her and Melinoe may make more sense than it appears. For those who feel uncomfortable with romancing Arachne, all the romances give the option to pursue it or not.
Arachne Brings Important Themes to Hades 2
Arachne may not be an obvious choice as a romance candidate, as she’s a spider. Many people are repulsed by spiders, and romancing one would likely be an automatic no for most. However, Arachne plays an important role in Melinoe’s character development, and inHades 2’s story and themes as a whole.
Arachne introduces the cruelty of the Olympians early in Melinoe’s journey, long before the transgressions against Prometheus and Heracles are mentioned.Arachne was transformed into the first spider by Athena, who had become jealous of her skill at weaving. Athena is considered the wisest and one of the most virtuous of the gods, and yet the pain she’s capable of causing mortals is on display through Arachne. This brings some tension early inHades 2, as Melinoe allies with the same gods who have caused Arachne so much pain, and is the first instance where she’s forced to consider that the gods may not always be right or just.
Despite her cursed state, Arachne is sardonic yet cheerful, and supports Melinoe through her friendship and the dresses she weaves. When giving her nectar, both Arachne and Melinoe admit their feelings for each other run deeper than friendship. As of early access, developing Melinoe’s relationship with Arachne any further is not possible, unlike most of the other characters. Reddit user nh3maser dataminedHades 2’s Unseen Update, revealing that Narcissus' dialogue groups Arachne with the other romance candidates, implying that Arachne could be one. Given Arachne and Melinoe’s dialogue, it’s likely that this is something being considered forHades 2’s full release.
How Hades 2’s Romances Could Work
While it may seem strange to have a spider as a romance candidate, there are plenty of reasons why it doesn’t have to be so odd after all. As a weaver, Arachne may be unexpectedly tied to the Fates' storyline, much like Hypnos' possible future role. As the Fates have been captured,Arachne’s role inHades 2’s end story may be bigger than it appears. It’s clear that Melinoe and Arachne share a close bond, and their dialogue indicates they care for each other. How Arachne will be involved in the remainder ofHades 2’s storyline is currently unknown, but her relationship may be locked in early access for a reason.
If Arachne does become a romance option, there are several avenues it could go.Hades 2may take inspiration fromZagreus and Dusa’s relationship inHades, and give them a queerplatonic relationship. Melinoe may also be able to create a spell that restores Arachne to her original form, whether permanently or temporarily, much like the spell that temporarily grants Icarus a mortal form. However, Arachne may not need to be restored to her original form. Keeping their relationship queerplatonic would be very much in the spirit ofHadesby showing different types of romantic relationships, and this one doesn’t need to be physical to be something worth pursuing.
