User blog comment:SayuriDarling/The Mark of Athena Official Discussion/@comment-142.176.52.15-20121021005839/@comment-3146930-20121021034333

You are also somewhat misunderstanding how the Underworld works. In Greek mythology, heroes go into the Underworld for whatever reason on multiple occasions and don't need to be dead to do it. At the same time, while living people can go into the Underworld, dead souls can get out into the mortal world (like Phineas and Medea for example). However as stated above, Tartarus is different. It is a black hole that sucks you in and never lets go once it has you. It is a place so powerful that not even the gods dare to go near it. Normally, there is no escape from this place, but Rick made the Doors of Death so now there is one.