| “ | We owe you a great debt, and now we are free to follow our hearts’ desires! | ” |
–Emmie to Apollo about giving up her immortality to help demigods in need in The Dark Prophecy. | ||
Hemithea, also known as Molpadia or Emmie, is a former princess of Naxos, a legacy of Dionysus, and a retired Hunter of Artemis, along with her wife, Josephine. Both of them, together with their adopted daughter Georgina, are the current caretakers of the Waystation, a safe haven for refugee demigods, satyrs, and all sorts of immortals. Emmie is known to have a history with Apollo, as it was he who turned her and one of her sisters immortal.
History[]
Early Life[]
Hemithea was born in the ancient times, as a princess of Naxos (the largest of the Cyclades island group) under the name Molpadia, along with her two sisters - Parthenos and Rhoeo. Rhoeo was one of Apollo's lovers. Their father, king Staphylus was a demigod son of Dionysus, who had apparently inherited all of his divine parent's worst traits: he frequently abused his power over his family, throwing outbursts of rage over the smallest of details.
Becoming Immortal[]
One day, Hemithea and Parthenos broke one of Staphylus's finest wine amphorae and the drunken king ordered them to be executed. Terrified, the sisters ran towards the cliff, and threw themselves into the sea, begging Artemis for mercy and rescue. Instead, it was Apollo who saved them (as he misheard the sisters asking for his help) and sacrificed a portion of his own divine essence to turn Hemithea and Parthenos into minor goddesses. Sometime later both sisters followed their dream and joined the Hunters of Artemis.
Giving up Immortality[]
During her service there, Hemithea eventually met and fell in love with her fellow Huntress, Josephine. Both decided to part their ways with Artemis on good terms in 1987, and live their regained mortal life together. When Agamethus brought Georgina to them, they adopted the little girl.
The Trials of Apollo[]
The Dark Prophecy[]
Emmie first appears as she rescues Apollo, Leo Valdez, and injured Calypso from a trap set by the Blemmyae. She shoots Nanette between the eyes, and decimates the rest of the headless monsters with swiveling crossbow turrets. After the fight, she recognizes Apollo and Calypso, commenting how similar the latter is to her half-sister, Zoë Nightshade. She then offers to treat all of their injuries at the Waystation.
Emmie and Jo provide lots of physical and emotional support to the trio. One day, they accidentally reveal to Apollo that Commodus has kidnapped their daughter Georgina. Apollo, Leo and Meg McCaffrey manage to rescue Georgina from Commodus' prison, along with other captives, who eventually start living at the Waystation.
When Apollo returns to the Waystation after visiting the Oracle of Trophonius, he notices that Commodus is holding Emmie and Georgina hostage. He gets a temporary burst of divine power, in which he reveals his true godly form to Commodus and his Germani servants. As a result, they go blind and experience great pain. Taking advantage of this, Emmie and Georgina escape.
After the battle she and the others have a funeral for Heloise on the roof of the waystation. After the service Apollo pulls her aside and say Emmie chose to give up her immortality for a good cause, pleasing her.
The Tower of Nero[]
Four months after the Attack on the Waystation, Apollo visits her at the Waystation and she asks Thalia Grace and Reyna Ramírez-Arellano to help with dinner.
Personality[]
Emmie is a caring woman who treats her family and those who stay with them with respect. She views all the residents of the Waystation as part of her extended family. She is accepting of newcomers whom she genuinely likes. She even accepted hardened criminal Lityerses into the Waystation, which was so unexpected that he broke down in tears of joy. She is a loving parent and spouse who deeply cares for her daughter Georgina and her significant other Jo. She has a strong sense of self-confidence and pride.
Appearance[]
Emmie is a woman in her sixties with long gray hair kept in a braid. She is physically very fit for her (apparent) age. She has a lean, muscular build.
Abilities[]
- Archery: Emmie has spent thousands of years honing her skill as an archer during her time as a Hunter. When she left she retained what she has learned.
Trivia[]
- Emmie is the fourth LGBTQ+ character to be introduced in the series (after Nico di Angelo, Will Solace, and Alex Fierro) and the first Lesbian character seen.
- Her name, Hemithea, means demigoddess in Greek.
- It's also the name of a type of moth.
- In the original myths, Hemithea and her sister weren't made into goddesses. Instead, Apollo took them to different cities and received divine honors, Molpadia to Castabus and Parthenos to Bubastus. Molpadia changed her name upon her deification.
- Emmie is a vegetarian.