Hyperion

''This is the Titan Hyperion. For the publishing company, see Hyperion Books.''

"I am Hyperion, I am -"

- Hyperion

Hyperion is the Titan of light, power, and the Titan Lord of the East. He is one of the most powerful Titans, and one of Kronos' most loyal followers (which earned him the nickname "Kronos Lite"). Hyperion is the father of Eos, Helios, and Selene by Theia, the Titaness of sight and enlightenment. One of the twelve Elder Titans, Hyperion was imprisoned in Tartarus after the First Titanomachy, and was eventually released during the Second Titanomachy to fight against Olympus.

History
Like his siblings, Hyperion was born to Gaea and Ouranos, the respective personifications of the earth and sky. The Titans were the eldest of the three races born to Gaea the Earth and Ouranos the Sky, before the Hekatonkheires (Cottus, Gyges, and Briares) and the Elder Cyclopes (Arges, Brontes, and Steropes). All were detested by their father, but he detested the younger children so much (mainly for their ugliness) that he imprisoned them in the terrifying abyss of Tartarus, which was itself deep within the Earth. Enraged, Gaea told her remaining twelve children (including Hyperion), the Titans, to take the mighty scythe that she had forged, and avenge their brothers by overthrowing their arrogant and sadistic father. However, while Hyperion detested his father, he was ambivalent at the prospect of murdering him, and did not step up to take the scythe. However, after his younger brother Kronos did, Hyperion agreed to help him in the murder, and promptly silenced Iapetus (who was beginning to have second thoughts). Nonetheless, Hyperion's elder brother Oceanus, as well as his sisters Theia, Tethys, Themis, Phoebe, Mnemosyne, and Rhea all refused to participate.

Murder of Ouranos
While preparing to ambush his father Ouranos, Hyperion hid himself behind an enormous sofa. Together with his brothers Iapetus, Krios, and Koios, Hyperion held Ouranos down, after which Kronos used the scythe to slice Ouranos into a thousand pieces and claim his supremacy over the universe. However, right before Kronos sliced him up, Ouranos predicted that one day Kronos himself would suffer the same fate at the hands of his own child. After defeating his father, Hyperion roared with laughter, along with Krios, Koios, and Kronos. Afterwards, Kronos hurled the all of the remaining pieces of Ouranos into the sea as gesture of loathing against his brother Oceanus for not helping slay their father. Much later, these particles would mix with the ocean spray to form Aphrodite.

The Titan Lord of the East
After Kronos claimed his supremacy as the Titan King of Mount Orthys, and ushered in the "Golden Age", Hyperion was justly rewarded for his help with control over the East. Hyperion was one of Kronos' most loyal followers, and was nicknamed "Kronos Lite" by his brothers behind his back. Hyperion would also frequently approach his wise and clairvoyant brother Koios with questions about the future.

When Kronos grew disgusted by all of the unbearable noise that his Hekatonkheire and Elder Cyclopes brethren constantly made, as well as their revolting stench, he summoned Hyperion and Atlas. Together, the three strongest Titans overwhelmed them, chained all six of them up, and hurled their younger brothers into Tartarus once again, this time guarded by Kampê, the most ferocious and terrifying monster in all of Tartarus that Kronos personally hired.

As the Titan of Light, Hyperion soon attracted the attention of his beautiful sister Theia, the Titaness of Splendour, who adored all shiny objects. After marrying her, Hyperion fathered three children: Helios (the Titan of the Sun), Selene (the Titaness of the Moon), and Eos (the Titaness of the Dawn). Hence, since Hyperion was the Titan Lord of the East, his son Helios always rose from the east every morning. Shortly after the birth of his children, Hyperion no longer visited Kronos on Mount Orthys, not even during the latter's weekly Sunday dinners. While he claimed to be too busy, Kronos knew that the actual reason was Hyperion's secret fear of his brother's might and infamous temper.

Zeus Rescues His Siblings
However, years later, after Kronos hired a young Titan by the name of Zeus (actually a god in disguise), Hyperion was very entertained by the latter's excellent singing, dancing, and "Satyr jokes", and took to visiting Kronos on Mount Orthys more often. Shortly thereafter, Zeus encouraged Hyperion to participate in the newly established Titanic drinking contests. As the Titan King of Mount Othrys, Kronos would always win, since he could not let his siblings or nephews overcome him in anything.

One evening, when Hyperion was dining with his brothers and nephews, Zeus prepared nectar mixed with sleeping potion for Hyperion, and a powerful emetic for Kronos. As before, Zeus entertained them all with his great singing, dancing, and jokes. Near the end of the Titanic banquet, Zeus encouraged all of the Titans to have yet another drinking contest, and handed out the prepared goblets. As before, Kronos won the contest, but the emetic caused him to disgorge all his swallowed children, while Hyperion was temporarily knocked out by the sleeping potion, and could not stop them from escaping.

First Olympian War
Shortly thereafter, all six of Kronos' children quickly declared war against their father, as well as the other Titans, which resulted in the terrifying 11-year-long Titanomachy. Hyperion initially had the upper hand in his battles with the gods, since he was a very skilled and more experienced swordsman. However, the gods quickly became skilled warriors as well, and with the help of their new extremely powerful weapons (Zeus' Master Bolt, Poseidon's Trident, and Hades' Helm of Darkness), as well as the aid of the Elder Cyclopes and Hekatonkheires, the gods finally prevailed. During the final battle, Zeus used his Master Bolt to shear off the top of Mount Othrys, and hurl Kronos from his Black Throne, defeating the Titan King. Shortly thereafter, the gods invaded the ruins of Mount Orthys, and finally overwhelmed the remaining Titans (including Hyperion himself).

In the aftermath of the battle, Hyperion was chained up by the Elder Cyclopes, after which the Hekatonkheires forced him to kneel before Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. Zeus proceeded to taunt his uncle Hyperion, prompting the latter to hang his head in shame. Zeus proceeded to hurl Hyperion into Tartarus, along with Iapetus, Krios, Koios, and Kronos' remains. The Titans would be imprisoned in the maximum-security zone of Tartarus, surrounded by huge bronze walls, and a lava moat, guarded by their Hekatonkheire brothers.

The Battle of the Labyrinth
Hyperion was mentioned by Luke Castellan, who questioned Kronos if the Titan Hyperion can lead the Titan Army through the Labyrinth. This implies that he was released from Tartarus at about this time.

The Last Olympian
Hyperion is first seen in a dream of Percy's on Mount Othrys talking to Krios about his nephew Prometheus and the trap for the Olympians. Both Titans are standing over a bronze brazier, studying the images of battles that appear in the flames. Hyperion also silences and mocks his nephew Atlas, who is complaining, saying he wants to fight and someone should take the sky from him. Hyperion, however, refuses to release him. With Atlas still imprisoned under the weight of the Sky, Hyperion appears to have replaced him as Kronos' second-in-command. The Titan sadistically claims Olympus will be in ruins in a few days' time, after which the Titans will meet on Mount Orthys again, to celebrate the dawn of a new "Golden Age". Hyperion promptly erupts in flames and vanishes, to marshal Kronos' forces in the east.

Hyperion is the other Titan besides Kronos shown fighting in the Battle of Manhattan (as Prometheus doesn't fight). He leads an army consisting of Scythian Dracanae, demigods, and Laistrygonian giants into Central Park, where he is intercepted by Percy, Athena's Cabin, Artemis' hunters and the nature spirits led by Grover and Leneus. Hyperion duels his grandnephew Percy, who creates a hurricane that douses his fire power, long enough for Hyperion to be trapped in a maple tree by the satyrs and nymphs.

The House of Hades
At some point, the tree that imprisoned Hyperion presumably destroys him, returning the Titan to Tartarus to reform. While Iapetus, Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson are wandering around in Tartarus, they come across a golden bubble in which Hyperion reforming. Iapetus notes how similar they look, which Percy confirms by admitting that Hyperion was the former's brother. He convinces Iapetus that he was a good Titan while Hyperion was bad who had tried to kill him and other innocent beings. Iapetus promptly agrees, and stabs Hyperion's bubble with his spear-broom. Later, it is shown that Hyperion reforms somewhere else in Tartarus and guards the Doors of Death with his brother Krios. He hates just guarding the Doors and wants to go to the mortal world. Shortly before Percy, Annabeth and Iapetus arrive, he and Krios had transported the giants, including Enceladus, Polybotes, Alcyoneus, Otis and Ephialtes out of Tartarus through the Doors, along with countless other monsters. Krios calls Tartarus a "stinking pit," angering Tartarus who destroys both him and Hyperion.

Personality
Hyperion was cruel and arrogant, like all of his brothers. Hyperion, however, seemed particularly brutal, like his brother Kronos. He was also extremely vain, and called himself "The Lord of Light", since the light of day came from the east every morning. Behind his back, however, his siblings called him "Kronos Lite", since he would always follow Kronos's orders without question, and was "basically like Kronos with half the calories and none of the taste." Hence, Hyperion was one of Kronos' most devoted followers. Hyperion was also somewhat of a hypocrite, since in The House of Hades, he claims that he would have wielded the scythe against Ouranos himself, had he had the chance, while in actuality, he was too scared to do so at the time. The Titan seemed to relish his ability to burst into flames, which made him "the flashiest" of his siblings.



Appearance
Hyperion is described by Percy to be muscular and tall, with glowing skin, golden eyes like miniature suns with a harsh light. He reminded Percy of Apollo except his light is "harsher." He was wearing "blazing" golden armor and wielded a long golden sword (possibly made of Imperial Gold) during his brief, but intense battle with Percy.

Abilities

 * Prowess in Battle: As an Elder Titan, and an elder brother of Kronos, Hyperion had enhanced strength, and was considered third in power only to Atlas and Kronos. He engaged in a fierce duel with Percy, who was only able to face him after getting the Curse of Achilles. Even so, Percy still had to augment his strength with a hurricane to match the mighty Titan, but ultimately it was the woodland magic of the nature spirits that defeated Hyperion by imprisoning him in a tree.
 * Titanic Energy: Like all Titans, Hyperion can blast things hundreds of yards away from himself with a yell or a wave of the hand.
 * He can walk on water.
 * Tongue of the Old Times fluency: According to Tyson in The Battle of the Labyrinth, this is the ancient language that Gaea spoke to the Titans, Elder Cyclops and Hekatonkheires before the birth of the Olympian gods. Hence, Hyperion understands and speaks it perfectly.
 * Pyrokinesis: As the Titan of the Light, he has divine authority and absolute control over fire. Hence, he is slightly weaker when he is wet.
 * He can set himself on fire. According to Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, this ability made Hyperion popular at his siblings' parties.
 * He can put out a Greek fire bomb with his hand.
 * Photokinesis: As the Titan of Light, he has divine authority and absolute control over light.
 * He can surround himself with blinding, harsh light.
 * He can travel at the speed of light.
 * In the old days, when he and his brothers Koios (North), Krios (South) and Iapetus (West) controlled the four corners of the world, Hyperion was the East - the most powerful of the four, third only to Kronos and Atlas, Kronos' General.

Trivia

 * A moon of Saturn is named after Hyperion.
 * As shown in Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, Hyperion helped Kronos and Atlas chain up the Elder Cyclopes and Hekatonkheires (his younger brothers), and hurl them into Tartarus yet again.
 * In The Last Olympian, with Atlas still imprisoned under the weight of the Sky, Hyperion appears to have replaced him as Kronos' second-in-command.
 * As revealed in Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, Hyperion was mockingly called "Kronos Lite" behind his back, due to his unwavering loyalty to his brother Kronos.
 * Hyperion is weaker when he is wet (as shown in The Last Olympian); because the water is conflicting with his element which is fire.
 * Hyperion is also the namesake of Hyperion Books, the publishing company of Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus.
 * Hyperion's name means "watcher from above" or "he who goes above" from the Greek words hyper and iôn.