Alcyoneus

"I am Alcyoneus, the bane of Pluto, the new master of Death."

- -Alcyoneus, in The Son of Neptune

Alcyoneus is one of the giants created by Gaea to destroy the gods. He is the giant equivalent to Hades/Pluto. Because of this, he is the eldest of the giants.

The First Gigantomachy
He was the eldest and most prominent of the giants that attacked the gods. During the first Gigantomachy, Alcyoneus couldn't be killed as long as he was within his home territory, Pallene. During the war, Hercules fought him in battle (according to other stories, Hercules snuck up on him) and wounded him, but Hercules couldn't kill him until he dragged him out of Pallene using his great strength.

In the Series
In 1941, Gaea manipulated Hazel Levesque's mom, into moving to Alaska, an area out of reach of the Olympian gods. Gaea would take control of Hazel's mother every night and forced Hazel to call up precious stones and metals on a phantom island off the coast. Her powers almost lead to the rising of Alcyoneus until Hazel sacrificed herself to put the giant back in the earth and sink the island.

He reformed several decades later and attacked a Roman legion that had gone up north to try and fulfill the Prophecy of Seven during the 1980s, but ultimately failed and lost the camp's sacred symbol, the Roman standard, an eagle staff that held the power of Jupiter.

The Son of Neptune
Alcyoneus is first mentioned during a Senate meeting about the Quest to free Thanatos in Alaska. Alcyoneus is the one waiting for them and Hazel tells Reyna this (as Hazel was the one that helped raise him). When asked how she knew this, Nico interrupts saying that he was the one giant created to defeat their father, Pluto.



Hazel Levesque, Percy Jackson, and Frank Zhang travel north to Alaska to rescue Thanatos, whom the Giant has chained. They arrive at his ice fortress with the help of Arion. Hazel and Arion try and defeat the giant while Frank frees Thanatos and Percy fights an army of shades who use to be the soldiers Alcyoneus defeated. After freeing Thanatos, Frank joins the fight against the giant and saves Hazel by transforming into a bird and pecking at his eyes. Frank, Hazel, and Arion manage to defeat him, but can't kill him as long as he is in Alaska, so Frank used a rope to pull Alcyoneus ten miles into Canada with the help of Arion. Alcyoneus insults them at first, claiming he can't be killed in his territory until Frank informs him that he is no longer in his territory, but they are in Canada. Alcyoneus tried to run back to Alaska, but is stopped when Frank turns into an elephant and pushes him back, and he is eventually defeated by Arion and Hazel.

The Mark of Athena
Alcyoneus is mentioned when Jason Grace asks if other Gigantes could be defeated without the help of a god. Frank Zhang clarifies that Alcyoneus was a special case and that if he could kill all the giants by dragging them into Canada, he would, as Alcyoneus was only immortal in his home territory.

The House of Hades
It is mentioned by Hyperion and Krios, who are guarding the Doors of Death, that all the Giants who were killed have reformed and returned to the mortal world through the Doors of Death, which includes Alcyoneus.

Appearance
Alcyoneus is described as being bigger than Polybotes, being over 40 feet tall. His skin looks like it is made of a metallic gold-like material. His legs however are rust colored dragon legs. His armor is made of platinum links and he has an iron staff the size of a totem pole. Being made from precious stones and metals, his body is covered in them, including stones in his red braided hair. Unlike other immortal beings who bleed ichor, Alcyoneus' blood is made from oil and it is said raw diamonds make up his heart. When Arion pulls him from Alaska, his golden skin became the color of brass.

Abilities
Not much is known about the true extent of Alcyoneus's power:
 * As the eldest Gigantes, and opposite of Hades/Pluto, Alcyoneus is one of the three most powerful Giants.
 * Prowess in Battle: Even for a Gigantes, Alcyoneus has enhanced strength, and is one of the best warriors among the Giants. In the first Gigantomachy, he was able to fight mighty Hades himself, though he was eventually defeated. In The Son of Neptune, he was able to fight Hazel and Arion simultaneously.
 * Alcyoneus is skilled with a staff, managing to fend off Hazel and Arion for a time, even when they were traveling at supersonic speeds.
 * Giant Immortality: Unlike other Gigantes, Alcyoneus's strongest ability is that he won't die as long as he is in his territory (Alaska in The Son of Neptune). No matter how badly damaged he is, he will simply reform. However, once dragged out of his home territory he can be killed by any means.
 * Shades: Alcyoneus also controls shades, ghostly warriors made up of members of the old Fifth Cohort. After death, they had sided with Gaea in hopes of getting a second chance of life and were under the control of her eldest son.

Trivia

 * Alcyoneus is the only giant that can be killed without the help of a god, as long as he is outside his territory.
 * Alcyoneus is the only immortal who does not bleed ichor; he instead bleeds oil as his body is made from the riches of the Underworld.
 * Despite being the bane of Pluto, Alcyoneus' body is made of the riches of the Underworld, meaning his entire body is made of something under Pluto's realm of power.
 * Hazel mistakenly mentions that Gaia forced her to raise Porphyrion when she lived in Alaska, when she actually raised Alcyoneus.