Netflix's latest drama series Kaos, is a modern retelling of some of the most famous stories from Greek mythology, with the overarching plot of the series focussing on a number of humans and gods conspiring to take down the almighty king of the gods, Zeus, played by Jeff Goldblum.
In the series we meet many famous figures from Greek mythology from the Minotaur, to Dionysus, to Eurydice aka Riddy. Their stories are unpicked and reinvented for a 2024 audience, and one story in particular that gets a whole new retelling is the myth of Hades (David Thewlis) and Persephone (Rakie Ayola).
In Kaos the pair are a loving couple, who seem truly devoted to each other, with Persephone having almost as much control over the underworld as Hades does. But that's not quite the story we're used to hearing. And in episode eight, while waiting for a sit down meeting with Zeus Persephone asks Hera why she lied to the humans about her love story with Hades.
"I've got a question while we're waiting. Why the story? About me and Hades? Why did you care? Well you must have to bother making it up. Get it in all the human books," she asks Hera. "Every kid on Earth, when they learn about the underworld, they think I'm there against my will. They pity me, they think I was kidnapped, raped, in some cases. And a pomegranate? I don't eat pomegranate, I'm allergic. They think I don't love Hades, never did."
So if you weren't paying attention in school, then this is the myth Persephone is referring to, and what that pomegranate reference means.
What is the myth of Hades and Persephone?
In Greek mythology, Persephone is the daughter of Zeus and and Demeter, the goddess of agriculture.
The story goes that one day Persephone was collecting flowers in the fields of Nysa, when she was kidnapped by Hades and taken to the underworld, where Hades makes her his wife. Just a reminder Hades is the brother of Zeus and therefore technically Persephone's uncle.
After discovering her daughter had been taken, Demeter became so unconcerned with the world's harvest that widespread famine took over the planet. Zeus then stepped in and demanded Hades release Persephone from the underworld. However, because Persephone had eaten a single pomegranate seed in the underworld it meant she could no longer be completely free to return to the world of the living.
Instead she must spend one third of the year in the underworld with Hades, and the rest of the year on Earth with her beloved mother. It was then believed the months of the year she spent in the underworld would account for the Earth's barren land and lack of food in winter.
And so in the Netflix series Persephone seems to be suggesting that this story is not true and that she is in fact in the underworld by her own free will and loves her husband.
Kaos is available on Netflix now
