Fading

"Percy, even immortality has limits. Sometimes…sometimes monsters get forgotten and they lose their will to stay immortal."

- Grover explaining fading

Fading is the only way that gods and monsters can truly die.

Description
Fading is caused, at least partially by the diminishing of a deity's realm or people not believing in them. Gods that are not well remembered or were never worshiped can also fade. Gods seem to be able to resist fading on some level, as long as there are enough beings (demigods, monsters, or mortals) that supply enough belief to keep them from fading.

If a monster or god loses their will to remain immortal or lose faith in themselves, it can have great influence on whether or not they fade. Pan for example sent out a message to tell the world he was dead, in hopes that he would be able to fade. However, the satyrs believed in Pan so strongly that he was kept from completely fading, meaning that beings are not always able to fade and can't choose when it will happen. It is unknown if a god must consciously give in to the process in order to fade or if it will inevitably overtake them.

While fading is considered to be the only way for an immortal being like a god or monster to die, Gaea was shown to be able to revive at least Stheno and Euryale, hinting that the process can be reversed for monsters. Chiron also mentioned that a demigod once Googled the Gorgons, resulting in them appearing even if they had already faded (with the exception of Medusa).

The Lightning Thief
When talking with Medusa, she says that she used to have two sisters, but they are no longer with her. This is because while Medusa is very well known, her sisters weren't as 'popular' and they ended up fading because people didn't pay much attention to them.

The Titan's Curse
While Apollo drove a group of demigods and Hunters to Camp Half-Blood, he was asked why sometimes he drove the Sun Chariot and other times it was Helios. Apollo explained that the Romans started "downsizing" the number of gods, resulting in Helios' and Selene's roles being given to Apollo and Artemis and they eventually faded.

The Battle of the Labyrinth
Demigod children of Hades can detect the fading of gods, or perhaps just when a dead or semi-dead god is near, as seen by Nico di Angelo when he reveals that Pan is indeed fading, that what they see is more like a memory that can't pass on.

Pan is the only god that Percy has seen fading during the entire series. His fading was caused by the rapid diminishing of his realm, as there was almost no wild places left on earth. He was not able to completely pass on however, as the satyrs never believed that he had died and their belief kept him alive for centuries. Pan would spend these centuries in a state of hibernation, waking up for small periods of time to conserve his power. Just before he faded, he passed his power on to Grover and friends, giving the implication that fading gods can entrust a portion or all of their powers to another being. As Percy watched him fade, he remembered what Apollo had told him about the gods Helios and Selene.

Briares's brothers are also mentioned as faded when Tyson questions him about the others, when they rescue him from Kampe's prison.

The Son of Neptune
Stheno and Euryale, Medusa's sisters who faded, were revived by Gaea and attacked Percy Jackson. It is unknown how this happened.



Known Faders

 * Stheno and Euryale (revived by Gaea)
 * Titans Helios and Selene
 * The Hekatonkheire (Excluding Briares)
 * Pan