When he discovers the truth of his parentage, he decides to attempt to escape the realm of the dead to seek out his long-lost mother. Having spent most of his immortal life bearing the brunt of his father Hades' repressed frustration and rage, he grew up feeling distant and out of place from the other denizens of the underworld, partially due to his failing to meet the heavy expectations of his father, and partially his apparent inability to contribute to the running of the Underworld.
![hades fanart zagreus hades fanart zagreus](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/e7/c3/c9/e7c3c94eba028f5f4422c0e18f925272.jpg)
He is largely defined by his persistence, good humor, wit, and his kindness. Zagreus is the rebellious son of Hades and, unknowingly, Persephone but was raised by Nyx.
![hades fanart zagreus hades fanart zagreus](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1d/e7/04/1de704404369353ad8415e4b2185b1be.jpg)
These battles, combined with the dangerous landscape of the Underworld, serve to bring a painful end to Zagreus's escape attempts sooner or later. He is mostly faced with various aggressive shades working for his father, but he also has run-ins with the Furies ( Megaera, Tisiphone and Alecto), the skeletal remains of the Lernaean Hydra, and the champion of Elysium, Theseus, and his friend, Asterius, in order to arrive at the Temple of Styx. Zagreus is met with numerous obstacles throughout the realms of Tartarus, Asphodel, Elysium, and the Temple of Styx. Others outside the House of Hades, such as Sisyphus, Charon, and the Olympians sometimes offer their aid as well. He is aided and encouraged in his journey, primarily by his caretaker Nyx and his mentor Achilles. Sometime before the start of the game he decides, against his father's will, to escape from the Underworld-no matter how many tries it might take him. Zagreus has always had a sense that he doesn't belong in the House of Hades.
![hades fanart zagreus hades fanart zagreus](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7a/1e/47/7a1e477a896379a129813ba60c282045.jpg)
Zagreus, Prince of the Underworld, is the son of Hades and is the protagonist of the game. Thanatos (Childhood Friend, Colleague, Lover)