Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-29729973-20160915032753/@comment-29068459-20170914210649

Honestly, Riordan unfairly represented Hercules from an in-universe context. Sure, what he did to Zoe was cold - but in his mind, he had ahead of him a labor that would be harder than that of the Hesperides garden, and he couldn't afford to be dragged down by for all he knew was a "hapless damsel." He could have at least handed Zoe her sword back, but tell me one Greek hero that didn't make a cold decision (this is nothing in comparison to what others like Theseus have done).

What irked me wasn't the flashback itself (Hercules is practically always portrayed as a saint, so it was refreshing). It was that in Titan's Curse, Riordan had Percy do half of Herc's labours, and then at the end said "Guess what guys, my character is better than the best Greek hero."

Riordan pulled this stunt again in a far more sickening way in Mark of Athena with Jason Grace and Piper McSue. Again, from an in-universe context, it is completely understandable why Hercules is bitter. He spent his entire life tormented by Hera and some other Olympians (namely Ares and Apollo). And Zeus' idea of a "reward" was to stick him on some destitute island as some glorified guard dog, forever under the thumb of these deities (mind you, he beat Ares and Apollo in single combat on separate occasions). I'm impressed Hercules didn't join Gaea.

But Piper McSue demonizes him, calling him evil for wanting Achaelous' horn. The worst part? This was right after the little witch mind controlled Achaelous into submission and then betrayed him by taking his remaning horn. At least Hercules had the decency to take the first horn in single combat. Not to mention this little witch goes on and uses the cornucopia for herself.

If Riordan is going to have his "Daughter of Love" act like a despicable fiend, then he should have Piper McSue own up to it.