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Spoiler Alert!
Warning! This page contains spoilers for The Tower of Nero . |
| “ | With great power... comes great need to take a nap. Wake me up later. | ” |
–Nico to Percy Jackson, in The Last Olympian. | ||
Nico di Angelo is a fifteen-year-old[1] Italian-born Greek demigod, the son of Hades and Maria di Angelo. He is also the younger brother of the late Bianca di Angelo and the paternal half-brother of Hazel Levesque. He is known in the Underworld as the "Ghost King" after taking the title from King Minos in the Battle of the Labyrinth. He is currently in a relationship with Will Solace.
History
Early Life
Nico di Angelo was born around 1932 on January 28th in Venice, Italy, before World War II (before Hades and his brothers took an oath to have no more demigod children) to Hades and Maria di Angelo, their second child together after his older sister Bianca. He was raised in a conservative catholic home.
As a child, Nico was obsessed with pirates. Around the age of six, Nico visited Diocletian's Palace in Split, Croatia. Nico was also obsessed with the game Mythomagic. He introduced the game to Percy Jackson in the Titan's Curse.
One of his neighbors, Pietro, had been a veteran of Mussolini's African campaign.
Nico had a warm relationship with his mother, as he remembers her smiling down at him while they both walked by the Venetian Grand Canal.
In elementary school he studied Dante.
Relocation and Losing his Mother
At some point near the beginning of World War II, Nico and his family left Italy for the United States, where they stayed at a fancy hotel in Washington, D.C. Their mother, Maria, died when Zeus struck the hotel they were staying in with lightning in an attempt to kill the siblings, thinking they were too dangerous. However, they were protected by Hades as he erected an impenetrable wall of black energy to shield them from Zeus' bolts, but Hades was not able to protect their mother in time.
Afterward, a devastated Hades ordered the Fury Alecto to take Nico and Bianca to the Underworld and bathe them in the River Lethe, in order to wipe away their memories and told her to give their mom the Ancient rites. The lord of the dead also swore revenge on Zeus. This later caused him to send monsters to attack and kill Thalia Grace, Zeus' daughter.
Washington D.C. and the Lotus Hotel and Casino
In The Titan's Curse, Bianca recalled that shortly after she and Nico had their memories wiped, they were returned to Washington D.C. and told by a lawyer (Alecto in disguise) that their parents were dead, and had left a bank trust for them. This "lawyer" would come by once in a while to check on both of them. During this time, Nico and Bianca were enrolled in a boarding school. Meanwhile, Bianca familiarized herself with the city's subway system. In The Blood of Olympus, Nico sees a brief flashback from this time - his sister Bianca, laughing as she pulled him across the National Mall. After some time had passed, Hades, hoping that one of his children might one day become the "child of the Eldest Gods" (referred to in the Great Prophecy), decided to place them in the Lotus Hotel and Casino, and tasked Alecto with the job. Once again disguised as a lawyer, Alecto had Nico and Bianca leave the boarding school, and took them all the way to the Lotus Hotel, in Las Vegas.
After what the siblings thought was a month in the Lotus Hotel (which turned out to be 70 years), they were taken out by Alecto, this time disguised as a different lawyer. Alecto drove Nico and Bianca back east, through D.C., and then up into Maine. They were brought to a military school called Westover Hall, paid for by Hades using what Nico and Bianca thought to be a trust fund left to them by their parents. At this point, Nico became obsessed with Mythomagic, a card game. It was later revealed that Nico had been obsessed with pirates even before he started collecting Mythomagic cards. Bianca mentioned that the summer before she left Westover Hall (during the events of The Sea of Monsters), she and Nico visited Washington D.C. once again, and were very surprised to see several subway stations that had not been there before. Bianca mentions that during their visit, several monsters (disguised as mortals) attempted to attack them in an alley. Nico also mentions seeing a bus driver (most likely a satyr in disguise) with ram's horns, though Bianca had not believed him at the time.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
The Titan's Curse
Nico and his sister, Bianca di Angelo, appear at a school dance at Westover Hall, a boarding school in Bar Harbor, Maine. Grover explained to Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia that he’d discovered them at school but every time he tries going near them, Dr.Thorn keeps blocking him. They saw them arguing on the bleachers, with Nico playing with Mythomagic cards. Bianca and Nico were later taken by Dr. Thorn, scared of Percy. Dr. Thorn tried to kidnap them and Nico stood up for Bianca when Dr. Thorn called her an “insufferable girl”. Percy tried defending the siblings and Thalia and Annabeth later jumped in to defend them. Nico got excited when he found out Dr. Thorn was a manticore, saying he had 3,000 attack powers and 5 saving throws.
After they were saved, Percy told Nico and Bianca that they were demigods, and Nico thought it was cool, and immediately asked questions about Zeus. Nico also complimented Percy about how he attacked the manticore. Nico was also excited after he heard about Camp Half-Blood and immediately wanted to go. While Artemis spoke to Bianca, Nico went to talk to Grover in the woods about “geeky stuff”. When they came back, Nico exclaimed that Percy’s arm was green while Grover healed it. Nico also showed Percy his collection of Mythomagic cards and figurines and asked to see his sword. Nico immediately asked Percy a lot of questions, annoying him, including if asking if Annabeth was his girlfriend. Percy almost lost his cool until Zoë Nightshade asked to see Percy.
Bianca talked to Nico explaining her decision to join the Hunters of Artemis, making Nico upset and gloomy. However, Nico was impressed with Apollo and said he had a cool car. When they got on the bus, Bianca left Nico to sit in the front of the bus with Percy, Thalia, Grover, and Apollo. Nico asked Apollo a lot of questions about the gods and the sun, making Apollo laugh and ruffle Nico’s hair and answer them, not making sense to Nico. Nico asked if he could drive the car, but Apollo said he was too young.
When they arrived at Camp, Nico asked Percy about the lava climbing wall. Bianca whispered something in Nico’s ear, but he scowled and looked away, making Percy wonder what Bianca told him. He also asked who Chiron was, and said he didn’t have his figurine. Percy explained it to him, and Nico said if the Hunters didn’t like him, it was good enough for him. Percy introduced Nico to Chiron and Dionysus and was taken by Grover to see the orientation film, after asking what rating it was, since Bianca was strict. Later, Nico was impressed when finding out that Chiron was a centaur. Nico was also impressed by Dionysus and called him “the wine dude”, after saying he had his figurine in Mythomagic, and talked to him about the defence points all the gods had in the game.
At dinner, Nico sat with Connor and Travis Stoll at the Hermes cabin table, telling him poker was a better game than Mythomagic. The next day, Nico played Capture the Flag on a team with Percy, the Stoll Brothers, Charles Beckendorf, Silena Beauregard, and some others. Nico ran up to Percy before the game started telling him the game was awesome, with a helmet too big for him. Nico asked if he could kill the other team, but Percy told him it was serious and that swords could hurt. Nico took guard duty with the Stolls and Beckendorf and cheered when Percy crossed the boundary line.
The next day, Percy found Nico spying on Bianca and Zoë arguing about what happened to Phoebe in the early morning. Nico later saw Percy after he removed the invisibility cap, and thought it was cool. Nico told Percy he didn’t sleep too well and wanted to follow Bianca on to the quest, but Percy said he couldn’t because she could die, making Nico say Percy could go for him. Nico and Percy argued until Nico asked if he was planning to go anyway, and Percy said yes. Nico said he wouldn’t tell on him, but he had to promise he had to keep Bianca safe. Percy promised, and Nico said he would make an excuse up to Chiron, and told him to go.
A few days later, Nico ran to find Percy in the Big House and asked where Bianca was. Percy told Nico the news and gave Nico the figurine she wanted him to have. Nico said that he promised to protect her, and though Percy tried to explain, Nico said that he promised. Nico said he shouldn’t have trusted Percy and explained his nightmares and said he hated him, throwing the statue. Nico said he could feel Bianca being judged in the Fields of Asphodel, but skeletons interrupted them. Nico opened a crack in the floor of the cabin, making the skeletons disappear. Nico told Percy that he hated him and wished he was dead, and ran away. Percy realized he was a son of Hades and told Grover and Annabeth, but not Chiron.
Another reason Nico ran away was for love. He had a crush on Percy and couldn’t deal with the feelings towards him, and ran away. Homosexuality was illegal in the 1940s, so he felt great shame for his feelings. He couldn’t imagine a man he trusted hurting him and was angry at him for what happened to Bianca, but his feelings for his hero complicated that.
Between the books
Nico eventually found the entrance to the Labyrinth and found Minos. Minos manipulated Nico and the two traveled together, with Nico barely eating at all. Nico became very depressed during this time and his anger only grew bigger, and he became convinced that he would never belong at Camp Half-Blood because he was a son of Hades. He even abandoned his Mythomagic cards. Nico became very strong during his months away, learning to summon ghosts. He also got his Stygian iron sword. Nico also learned how to shadow travel but ended up in China many times. Nico and Minos would camp out in the Underworld where Minos would try to manipulate him into doing a soul for a soul to bring Bianca back.
Nico’s appearance also changed. His hair grew to his shoulders and his skin went from olive to as white as snow. He also donned his signature outfit of his aviators jacket, black jeans, and a skull shirt, with a sword on his side. He became very skinny and bony due to his meager diet.
While Nico was gone, Percy, Grover, and Annabeth searched for him the entire spring with no luck. Percy thought about Nico a lot and the crack he made was still in his cabin.
The Battle of the Labyrinth
Hades, his father
Nico is first seen through the Iris message that Bianca sent to Percy. Frustrated, he seeks to make a deal with his father by trading "a soul for a soul." Percy thinks that Nico is after him, but Nico is actually after somebody else.
Nico decides to find the soul of someone who cheated death and trades it for Bianca's, along the way, he summons the soul of Theseus for advice with MacDonalds. Later, Nico unexpectedly meets Percy, Annabeth, Tyson, and Grover at the Triple G Ranch. He'd entered the ranch to discuss finding the soul he needed with Geryon. Angered, he threatens them but is stopped by Geryon. Nico still blames Percy for Bianca's death and tells him so. He is then tied up by Geryon to be sold to the Titan Army. When Percy offers a deal to Geryon to save him, Nico shouts that he does not want to be saved by Percy. Nonetheless, Percy still saves Nico, killing Geryon with the help of Hera and convinces him to try and summon Bianca's spirit again. It works, however, Bianca tells Nico not to be angry at Percy or hold grudges against anyone because that is the fatal flaw of the children of Hades. She says to stop blaming Percy because it is really she that Nico is angry at for abandoning him. She also gives a warning about Kronos sensing Nico, and then she disappears. He stays at the Triple G Ranch while the others leave.
Nico is tricked by Minos into going back into the maze to save Percy but is captured by two dracanae in Kronos' army. In the battle at Daedalus' Workshop, Nico opens a fissure in the ground, sending Minos back to the underworld. He tells Percy that only the dead accept him, and they only do so out of fear. He escapes with Percy, Annabeth, and Rachel Elizabeth Dare, who have to go back into the Labyrinth to find Grover and Tyson who are lost in the labyrinth. Along the way, they see Kronos (in the form of Luke Castellan), and Nico, in a desperate attempt to save everyone, shows his true powers, by conjuring a wall of black stone that stops Kronos from following them back into the Labyrinth but also makes it known to Kronos that he is a son of Hades. When they find Grover and Tyson, they also find the long-lost god Pan, and Nico notices that he is the only one that Pan doesn't talk to.
During the battle at Camp Half-Blood, Nico summons many undead warriors to fight and manages to stop some rogue dracanae from reaching the cabins of the gods. The effort nearly kills him and he collapses on the ground, exhausted, his clothes smoking, at the end of the battle. Percy finds him and helps him by giving him nectar. He releases Daedalus' soul after that, who offers his soul for ransom, but Nico decides Bianca should stay where she is. He feels out of place at Camp Half-Blood and refuses to eat with the other demigods or join the singalong at the campfire. Nico summons Bianca's spirit one last time to say goodbye. He tells Percy that he will leave Camp Half-Blood because he feels that he doesn't belong there just like his father doesn't belong on Olympus. Before he leaves, Percy gives him the small Hades statue that Bianca had given him before she died.
He appears again at the very end on Percy's birthday at his apartment, and offers a way to defeat Kronos, but is distracted by Percy's blue birthday cake. Percy offers him some, and they both go inside to talk about Nico's secret plan to beat Kronos.
The Demigod Files
The Sword of Hades
Nico is one of the three demigods along with Thalia and Percy who are summoned by his step-mother Persephone to find the Sword of Hades. Naturally, Nico didn't take well to her welcome since she turned him into a dandelion when they last met. Percy thinks it's a bad idea but Nico is hoping to achieve recognition from his father Hades. He tells Thalia and Percy why they need to go on the quest. To Percy's irritation, he comes up with logical reasons. His knowledge of the Underworld and its occupants helps them complete their quest. He remains in the Underworld afterward to discuss the upcoming Titan War with his father. Before his friends leave, he reminds Percy of his idea to defeat the Titans.
The Last Olympian
Nico's theory to gain an edge over the Titans is finally revealed: it is to make Percy invincible by having him bathe in the River Styx, similar to the myth of Achilles. It is later revealed that Nico had hoped that this would also make Percy fall in love with him. It is shown that after Bianca died, Hades believes that he has no competent child, repeatedly mentioning that Bianca could do a better job at fulfilling their father's demands. At some point earlier, Nico began preparing for his plan, and did some research on Luke's past, and had found May Castellan, his mother.
Later on, Nico is once more searching for information about his mother and childhood, a quest that brought him to Mount Othrys/ Olympus. Nico is first seen there in Percy's dream, using a chance to eavesdrop on the Titans Hyperion and Krios, as well as the imprisoned Atlas. It is later confirmed that this was true. Shortly after Beckendorf sacrifices his life to destroy Kronos's ship so that Percy could escape and the enemy ship could be destroyed, Nico speaks to his ghost and learns that Beckendorf will go to Elysium. Nico himself also heard the lines of the Great Prophecy, presumably from another ghost, or Hades himself.
Later on, Nico arrives at Camp Half-Blood by shadow-travel, which initially terrifies Juniper and Leneus, and he briefly discusses Grover's disappearance with them, after which he encounters Percy. Nico is finally able to persuade him to go through with their plan, and both of them and Mrs. O'Leary shadow-travel to Luke's old house to meet his mother, May Castellan. Afterward, they briefly encounter the goddess Hestia, who greets them warmly and offers them food.
Soon after, the three enter the Underworld, where Nico, who was tricking Percy all along, had the Furies carry them to Hades' Palace. It is revealed, that in order to gain information about his past and his mother, Nico had to bring Percy to Hades in exchange, and though Nico had no ill intentions, and only did it after making Hades promise not to harm his friend. His father reveals that the lawyer who removed Nico and Bianca from the Lotus Hotel and Casino was the Fury, Alecto, in disguise, but refuses to give him details on his mother's death. After Hades still imprisons Percy in his dungeons, Nico helps him break out, apologizes, and still follows through with his initial plan of having Percy bathe in the Styx and gain the Curse of Achilles. After Percy bathes in the Styx and got the Curse of Achilles, he was able to defeat Hades and his entire army of the dead.
Later, Nico attempts to summon the ghost of his mother, but Bianca's ghost appears and tells him not to. He sees the scene of their mother's death in which Zeus blasted the hotel she, Hades, and the children were in into pieces. Hades, who realized what was happening too late, only managed to save Nico and Bianca. He then orders Alecto to wipe the memories of the children in the Lethe, including their mother's death.
By viewing this scene, Nico finds out who his mother is and, in the end, is able to convince his father Hades to help the campers in the battle against the titans.
Nico is the first to join the Battle of Manhattan, and fearlessly yells out a challenge to Kronos himself. Nico is soon joined by Hades himself, and they both summon wave after wave of the undead soldiers, who confront and eventually overwhelm Kronos' forces. After the Titan Lord is defeated by Percy and Luke, who sacrifices himself, Nico accompanies his father to Olympus and sits at his father's feet when Percy and his friends are receiving gifts from the Olympians. Apparently, Nico, through his unwavering loyalty and bravery in battle, has finally gained his father's pride, as Hades even pats Nico on the shoulder, and, according to Percy, this is "the happiest he's ever seen him." Since Hades is now accepted on Olympus, and Nico is accepted at Camp Half-Blood, Rachel is finally able to break Hades' curse on the Oracle and become the next Oracle of Delphi herself. Apparently, almost all campers are in awe of Nico's fighting in the Battle of Manhattan, as "even the Ares kids considered him cool." Nico is last seen when he orders undead workers to build the Hades cabin, made up of solid black obsidian walls with a skull over the door. There are torches inside that blaze with burning green fire that will never extinguish.
Between the Series
Sadly, Nico's popularity only lasted a few weeks. After that campers did whatever they could to avoid him and forgot he was at camp. (Though a year or so later Will Solace tells him this never happened, he in fact isolated himself). The fact that Percy had begun dating Annabeth did not make Nico feel any better. As a result, Nico takes to only showing up at Camp from time to time. Sometime after the Battle of Manhattan, Hades gave Nico a French zombie chauffeur, Jules-Albert, for his birthday.
As revealed in The Son of Neptune, in the September following the Battle of Manhattan, after Thanatos had been captured, and the dead were returning to the world anyway, Nico had gone to the Underworld in hopes of rescuing his sister Bianca, but was unable to do so, because she decided to be reborn and thus couldn't be brought back to life.
Instead, Nico found his half-sister Hazel Levesque in the Fields of Asphodel and felt that she deserved another chance at being a hero (Gaea said that he had selfish reasons for doing this, but it is unknown if he had any or for what selfish reasons did he do it for). Hades gives Nico directions on how to find Camp Jupiter, explains why the Olympians have kept both camps separated for centuries, and forbids him from telling anybody about it, as the time isn't right. Hades also advises his son to introduce himself to the Romans as a son of Pluto, telling Nico that it is important for him to make this connection.
As stated by Dakota, Nico took Hazel directly to Camp Jupiter and requested that Reyna and Jason take her in. Thus, Nico became the first Greek demigod since the First Demigod Civil War to learn about the existence of Roman demigods and to visit Camp Jupiter. He accepts a role as the Ambassador of Pluto to the Romans and becomes involved in the camp's political life as a Senator.
The Heroes of Olympus
The Lost Hero
Annabeth mentions that Nico is searching for Percy along with Tyson, Grover, and the Hunters of Artemis, but otherwise, he doesn't appear in this book. It's to be assumed that he doesn't stay at Camp Half-Blood much, as Annabeth said he "sometimes" shows up, which could be due to his double duty at Camp Jupiter as Ambassador of Pluto. She mentions him as one of the only children of the big three along with Percy Jackson and Thalia Grace. Unknowingly to her, Jason Grace is also a child of the big three, being the son of Jupiter and Hazel, the daughter of Pluto.
The Son of Neptune
Nico meets Percy at Camp Jupiter, where he is visiting his half-sister, Hazel Levesque. Nico is very shocked when he sees Percy, but he introduced himself and held out his hand. They shook hands, and Percy said that he knew him, but Nico said, “Do you?”, not telling him about his past. Hazel tells Nico about how Percy arrived and Nico tells Percy about Gaea, and how evil she was. He also tells him about how. Saturn came back and caused the Second Titan War and the Battle of Mount Othrys. Nico mentions how he told Reyna Ramírez-Arellano about the giants being reborn, but she didn’t listen to him. Nico also greeted Frank Zhang when he arrived and smiled since he was amused by him and was never uneasy around him. Nico tells Frank to take Percy to dinner while he talks to Hazel, and tells Hazel that he is staying overnight. Hazel is stressed about this because she knows that the campers won’t like that.
Hazel and Nico talked on the roof of Pluto's Shrine, where Nico tells Hazel that important things are at work, and he cannot tell Hazel much about Percy, but she can trust him because he is only dangerous to his enemies. Hazel was still suspicious, and Nico got moody, making bones pop up from the ground. Nico reassured Hazel that she can make things right, and almost calls her Bianca, making Hazel even more bitter, knowing that she will never be like her. Nico tells Hazel how “Pluto” was going crazy because of everything happening in the Underworld, and that Hazel belonged at Camp Jupiter. After Hazel blacks out, Nico gets very worried and asks her where she was when she woke up. Nico warns Hazel that she should better control her blackouts.
Hazel and Nico ran to the mess hall for dinner and Nico gave her Nectar to heal her cuts after she fell when a gold bar popped up. The two ran for the gates of Camp to not be late for roll call. When they arrived, Nico went next to Percy. After Hazel stood for Percy, Nico was proud of her and beamed at her, calling her “sis”. Hazel wondered if he called Bianca that. While Frank was with Percy, Percy asked many questions about Nico, which Frank didn’t know much of the answers. Frank thinks that he isn’t like Hazel since Hazel is nicer and better looking, and tells Percy that he is mysterious and makes everyone nervous, but not him.
At dinner, Nico sat with Frank, Percy, Hazel, and the Centurion Dakota. Percy wanted to talk to Nico about if he saw him before, and Nico panicked and told him unless he saw him in the Underworld, they never saw each other. Dakota says how Reyna never knows what to do when Nico arrives, which Nico took no offence to. Nico says that Dakota was helpful, standing for Hazel, making Dakota blush. Nico tells Percy that he only learned about Hazel recently, how children of Pluto stick together, and how he had another sister. When Don started mentioning Percy’s empathy link, Nico had Frank and Hazel get Percy oriented and dragged Dakota, Don, and Vitellius to the Praetor’s table to discuss war strategies, dragging Don and Vitellius by the ear.
During the war games, Nico watched from the observation tower in the fort with binoculars. After Gwendolyn died and came back to life, Reyna asked Nico if it was a power of Pluto, but Nico says that no one returns from the dead, and glanced at Hazel, telling her to stay quiet. When Mars arrived at Camp, he glared at Nico while talking about how some people return from the dead. The next day, Nico participated in the Senate meeting and wore a black toga, sitting with the other senators. Nico tells Reyna that he and Hazel learned about the giants from Pluto, and how the eldest giant, Alcyoneus, was born to oppose Pluto. Reyna was suspicious, and told him that he sounded “quite familiar with him”. Nico tells the others how only a demigod and a god together can kill a giant, and how it has happened before in the First Giant War. Nico also explains to Percy how Pluto is the god of the dead, but Thanatos is the god of death, but he was captured. Nico also says how it is easier for ghosts to escape your underworld, and how Gaea and her forces captured the Doors of Death, making monsters escape.
Before Hazel left, Nico wished her luck and said that he would head back to your Underworld to help his father with helping the Furies. Nico also planned to track escaping souls and find the Doors of Death. Hazel told him to be careful, but Nico said that he knew how to hide. Nico was also worried that after she saved Thanatos, he would never see her again, and she would go back to the dead. Nico said goodbye and melted into the shadows. Nico is later shown in one of Hazel's flashback blackouts. He finds Hazel in the Fields of Asphodel and brings her back to the mortal world to give her another chance at life. Hazel later learns that he is in Rome. Percy becomes angry at him when he regains his memories.
Journey through Tartarus and Europe
During the events of The Son of Neptune, Nico was looking for the Doors of Death and thought he could go anywhere in the Underworld, but was sucked into Tartarus while looking for the doors. Nico had to drink liquid fire from the River River Phlegethon, which pained him very much. Nico saw Tartarus without the veil of the mist like Percy and Annabeth did and saw it how it really was: the body of a god. When Percy briefly saw it like that when he experienced the place, he realized that was how Nico saw it and thought that if he almost went insane by seeing it for just a second, he couldn’t imagine how Nico felt.
Nico almost went insane from the sheer amount of Gaea’s forces, but managed to get very far into Tartarus and met Akhlys, the goddess of misery. However, instead of trying to torture him, she complimented him in the sheer level of misery he had inside him and how he was perfect: she couldn’t add any more misery to him.
Eventually, Nico was captured by Otis and Ephialtes, who took him through the Doors and dragged him through the House of Hades, where they took him to Rome in the Coliseum and put him in a bronze jar and guarded it, where he would die on the Kalends of July. They used him as a trap to bait Percy and his friends. Nico lost a lot of weight and ate pomegranate seeds, going into a death trance. Nico almost gave up hope while in the jar.
The Mark of Athena
Percy sees him in his dream, imprisoned in the jar in a coma-like state. He had marked three scratches on the wall of the jar, one for each pomegranate seed he had eaten. The seeds are a last resort food, which only children of Hades/Pluto can eat. Hazel explains that the seeds last for up to one day and put him in a death-like state so that he doesn't use up all his air, something Hazel calls a death trance.
Despite knowing that it's a trap, the Seven head to Rome to rescue Nico. After getting there, Hazel, Frank, and Leo try to find Nico, which leads them to the Pantheon, but they are led into a trap and are almost killed by eidolons. After defeating them, Leo realizes that Hazel was trying to track Nico by using his sword as a beacon, which they find lying in the workshop.
Instead, Percy, Jason, and Piper come to Nico's rescue underneath the Colosseum. During Percy and Jason's battle against Otis and Ephialtes, the jar Nico was held in breaks open and Piper McLean manages to pull the incredibly weakened Nico to safety. Later back on the ship, Nico tells them how he was captured and what he now knows about the Doors of Death. Nico had found out that the Doors of Death have two sides: one in the mortal world and one in Tartarus. The mortal side of the portal is in Greece, at a temple called House of Hades and it is guarded heavily by Gaea's forces. Nico then says that the other side of the doors is in Tartarus, a place not even the gods go and that is why Hades has not been able to close the doors. Not even the god of death, Thanatos, would go near Tartarus.
Leo guesses that the seven heroes will have to go to Tartarus and close that side of the portal, but Nico says that it would be impossible, not even they would stand a chance down there because of the strength and the sheer number of monsters there. Percy then says that they can set sail for the House of Hades, defeat Gaea's forces, and close the doors on the mortal side. Nico, however, says that it is not that easy and that the Doors of Death have to be controlled on both sides to be closed, as they are like a double seal. He says that maybe all eight of them working together could defeat Gaea's forces on the mortal side, but that they would need a team fighting simultaneously on the Tartarus side; a team powerful enough to defeat a legion of monsters in their home territory.
In Arachne's lair, when Percy tries to save Annabeth from falling into Tartarus, Percy catches hold of a ledge just in time. Nico tries to help, but he is out of reach. Annabeth tells Percy to let go, but Percy says that he will not lose her again. Percy tells Nico that they will see the rest of the seven and Nico on the other side, and makes him promise to lead the others there. Nico promises and Percy lets go, allowing the dark gravity of Tartarus to pull him and Annabeth in. During a meeting on the Argo II, Nico admits that Percy is the most powerful demigod he has ever met and with Annabeth there with him, he is sure they will be safe and make it out on the other side. He assures Leo that both Percy and Annabeth are still alive.
The House of Hades
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The Argo II is being attacked by numina montanums, or mountain gods, who are attacking with boulders. As they attack, a boulder hits the mast, causing it to collapse, and Nico, who was in the rigging, falls with it. Hazel Levesque runs to help Nico up from the debris, but he tells her he is fine. When Leo complains that masts don't grow on trees, Nico corrects him by saying that masts are made from trees, which only serves to annoy Leo further. Leo is forced to retreat again and the three try to think of an alternate way past the Earth gods. Nico explains that they don't like them because children of Hades/Pluto get under their skin but adds that the Athena Parthenos was most likely attracting more attention. When it is suggested that they take the Argo II around the mountains over the water, Nico explains that going that way is longer and without their sea expert, Percy, it might be too dangerous. Nico also complains that he is too weak to simply Shadow Travel the ship across the mountains. While coming up with ideas, Hazel tries to think of a way to help, not wanting her only contribution to be removing a dangerous obstacle Nico had told her was in the House of Hades. When Hazel prays to her father for help, Arion appears, running towards them. Nico asks who Arion is and is told by Leo that he is Hazel's horse. When Hazel comes back, Leo and Nico help her to her feet when she falls down. Nico asks her what she saw from Hecate, but Hazel refuses to tell him any information and tells him to get some rest. On July 5th, Nico meets Jason, Leo, Frank, and Hazel for breakfast on the ship. Nico sat at the back of the table with his sword by his side, creeping Leo out. Nico tells the group how he met with a former priest of Hecate the night before, and he learned about things they need to do to go through the House of Hades, and the history behind the place. Leo made jokes about it but Jason told him to stop. While talking, the ship lurched and Nico fell against the wall, banging his head. Hazel rushed to help him, while Leo ran to help Piper and Gleeson Hedge. The ship soon arrived in Venice, and Nico sat in the harbour with everyone else and surprised Frank by revealing he knows Italian. Nico volunteers to go with Frank to find The Black House and Hazel goes with, relieving a creeped out Frank. The three walk through Venice, while Nico led them to the house, and Nico mentioned that Venice was filled with Lemures and that his mother told him about it. Nico told the two that Hades met his mother in Venice in the 1930s and they had him and Bianca, but he doesn’t remember much about Italy. Hazel and Nico were later attacked by monsters, and Hazel was poisoned, and Nico couldn’t stop it. Nico screamed for Frank and told him what had happened, making Frank wanting to kill the son of Hades. Nico told Frank to get back to the ship with Hazel, but a man leads them into The Black House. Nico finally remembers that the monsters were Katobleps, and said he knew them from Mythomagic. Frank tells Nico that he played that game but didn’t have the card, and Nico says it was from the Africanus Extreme expansion deck. Nico begs the man to cure Hazel, but he refuses when he finds out that she is a child of Pluto. Nico begs more and is turned into a corn plant. Nico is later turned back to normal by him after Frank fixes his chariot, and Nico mentions having a strange nightmare about popcorn. Nico calls Frank brave for killing the monsters and is in shock when he realized he killed all of them but tried breaking the tension between Hazel and Frank by asking what barley looked like. After Nico was turned into a plant, Nico became more reclusive than usual and spent most of his time on the masts, away from the rest of the crew. Nico later discussed with the crew what to do about Sciron. The Argo II arrived at Croatia to fetch Diocletian's Scepter, Jason wanted to go there to find Reyna. Nico mentioned the legend about the sceptre and told Jason that he would need his help if he wanted to find it. Jason was creeped out by Nico but reluctantly decided to go with him. They arrived at Split, and Jason picked up Nico and flew him to find how to get to Dalmatia, causing Nico to freak out about being touched. Nico mentioned how he visited Croatia when he was six, and being stuck in Lotus Hotel and Casino helped him transition easier since time passed in a weird way. They went underground and met Favonius, who told Nico that he was watching him since he was a little boy, and said why he wouldn’t allow the truth, with the person he cared about most in Tartarus. Jason thought it was Annabeth, and told him admitting his crush would be embarrassing, but it’s for the sceptre. In reality, Nico felt sick because he had to admit his crush on Percy. Favonius turned them into the wind and took them to Dalmatia, and told Nico if he let anger rule him with Cupid, his fate will be sadder than his. Nico stood by Jason when Cupid arrived, and for once, Jason was glad to have Nico there. Jason was pushed down the stairs, but Nico ran to help him up. Nico begged for the sceptre and eventually told him that he wants to pick on him, not Jason and that he doesn’t scare him. Cupid taunted Nico, and told him to tell Jason why he left Camp Half-Blood, and why he is always alone, afraid of himself and his feelings. Nico screamed, causing skeletons to come from the ground and memories of his life being seen to Jason. Nico kept being taunted until nearly reduced to tears, and admitted that he had a crush on Percy. Cupid gave him the sceptre and left. Jason told him that he won’t tell the others and that he was brave. The two went back to the ship. After that experience, Nico hid even more from everyone, looking to Jason, Piper, and Leo as if expecting an attack from them. Piper knew something big happened in Croatia, but Jason wouldn’t tell her. Nico went to but the sceptre below deck, because the scepter was making the sea and weather weird. Later Nico confronts Jason about leaving the palace of the Lord of the South Wind. Jason attempts to talk to Nico about what happened previously, saying that the others won't judge him. Nico becomes angry and claims that as a son of Hades he would never be accepted anywhere and always judged. In his anger, the ground opens up and Nico seems to shimmer with ghostly light. Jason then challenges him by saying that he should take a risk and believe that Jason really is his friend. As the scene reaches a climax, Nico tells Jason, "I'm going to honor my promise. I'll take you to Epirus. I'll help you close the Doors of Death. Then that's it. I'm leaving- forever." The son of Hades then disappears back into the shadows. Jason has stated multiple times that Nico di Angelo scares him when he gets angry. Nico later went with everyone to Malta, where he met with Leo and shook his hand, happy to see him, and looked suspiciously at the people walking down the street.
Nico kept raising the dead and legionnaires with the sceptre. When the battle ended, Nico calmly told Frank that he had an arrow in his arm. Nico, Jason, Piper, and Frank went to find Hazel and Leo and arrived with their swords drawn, and Nico used his sword to absorb the darkness. When the battle ended, Nico went to Hazel and kissed her, and Hazel cupped Nico’s face, realizing that he had been crying. Nico had everyone hold hands and shadow travel away, with the help of Hazel, and Nico held Percy’s hand longer then everyone else did, making him immediately pull away. Hazel thought it was because he went through Tartarus alone. Nico and the others ate dinner with Reyna, and Nico decided to go with Reyna and Hedge to bring the Athena Parthenos back to Camp Half-Blood and went to get ready. Nico ties the statue up with rope to be able to it and Percy comes to thank him for keeping his promise. Nico cuts him off and tells him to give him space. He then shadow travels away with Reyna and Coach Hedge. |
The Blood of Olympus
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Nico shadow travelled with Reyna and Hedge to Albania and something humiliating occurred. Two days later, he shadow travels himself, Reyna and Hedge into the air above Mount Vesuvius, and they nearly fall in, but Reyna lends him enough strength to shadow travel down into the city of Pompeii, after which he sleeps for about a day. When he finally wakes up just after sunset, he wolfs down a sandwich and talks with Hedge and Reyna about Reyna's dreams. He mentions that he thinks he could make it to Spain when Gaea possesses Hedge and sent dirt-encrusted ghosts of Pompeii to attack them. Reyna tells him to summon dead legionnaires to their aid with Diocletian's sceptre, and he does so, but the sceptre starts smoking and then explodes in his hands. He straps himself into the harness on the Athena Parthenos, carrying Hedge, while Reyna holds the ghosts off and shadow travels away just moments after Reyna grabs his hand. Nico passes out after shadow travelling. While he is out, he dreams about his life in Venice, Bianca, and him in a mall in Washington, D.C., and Percy shielding him from Dr. Thorn. He is pulled to Hypnos' Cabin by the dreams of Clovis, who shows him that day's war meeting at Camp Half-Blood, which shows that the Greeks are cornered in by the Romans and preparing for the invasion. After telling Clovis to pass a message on to Thalia Grace, he is woken by Coach Hedge thirty-six hours after passing out. Hedge informs him that they overshot Spain and went to Portugal instead and that the Athena Parthenos was on top of a temple. Hedge then tells him a ghost is asking to talk to him. Nico goes to the ghost, who leads him to a church that is decorated on the inside with the bones of deceased monks. There he meets his father, who tells Nico that his quest is hard and he might not survive the trip. He also tells him that Orion and his pack is hunting Nico, Reyna, and Hedge and that one of the seven will die. Before Nico can ask more questions, Hades vanishes. He goes back to the temple and has lunch with his companions. Suddenly Lycaon and his pack surround them. He informs them that he is going to kill them for Orion; however, Orion wanted him to detain Nico. Nico summons bones from the ground to imprison the wolves momentarily while the three ran towards the Athena Parthenos. When the werewolf breaks free and attacks Nico, Nico stabs him in the chest with Reyna's silver knife, getting clawed in the process, and uses the shadow left by Lycaon to shadow travel away. After Portugal, Nico shadow travels to a cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic for a day, where he discarded his aviator's jacket due to the damage it took, and Reyna patched up his gashes. He then travels to San Juan, Puerto Rico, ten feet above a restaurant. After he goes to sleep, Reyna puts her backpack under his head. However, her hand passes through his head on her first attempt and lifts it the second. When Nico awakes to find Reyna gone and a note from the hunters, he tore the note up in a fit of rage. Later he and Hedge put on new colorful tourist shirts -much to his annoyance- before joining the fight against Orion. Once the two meet up with Reyna and Thalia, Nico, Reyna, and Hedge retreat to continue their quest. Two days later, the trio shadow travels to Buford, South Carolina. While Nico and Hedge go to the Zippy mart for supplies, Reyna stays behind to watch over camp. When the boys come back to base camp, Hedge goes to write letters while Nico and Reyna talk. She tells him about her father and family history. In return, Nico told her about his relationship with his father, and that cheered her up a little. Just then Bryce Lawrence shows up and summons British redcoat skeletons to apprehend Reyna and kill Nico and Hedge. He threatens to torture Hedge to death and taunts Reyna about her secret about her father. This infuriates Nico, whose temper explodes. He proceeds to unleash all his painful memories since falling into Tartarus on the others at the camp, revealing his secret in the process. As the temperature drops to freezing and the skeletons dissolve, Nico marches over to Bryce and opens a fissure beneath the other boy's feet, and as Bryce sinks into the ground, Nico turns him, body and all, into a ghost and sends him to the Underworld. After that he collapses, nearly fading away because of overuse of his powers, and wakes up with Hedge and Reyna bandaging him. They had managed to save him through Hedge's sports medicine and nature magic. They tell him what happened with Bryce, and to his shock, they tell him that they still trust him. Moments later, a flock of Pegasi arrives to help them take the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood, led by Pegasus himself. The flock flies Nico and his companions to Camp Half-Blood by the pre-dawn of August first. They land on a yacht, and Nico sends "some strong dreams" to the mortals below deck, much to Reyna's awe. Soon after, Michael Kahale, Leila from the Fourth Cohort, and Dakota from the Fifth Cohort come to arrest Reyna and bring in Nico to be executed as an enemy spy. Hedge attacks the son of Venus to little success, but then the people on the boat hear the voice of Octavian, saying he had come to see to the arrests himself. Seconds later Tyson, who presumably had imitated Octavian's voice, and Ella knock out the first cohort centurions. The other two centurions decide to help Reyna and declare their loyalty to her. They tell Reyna what their base camp is like, and she sends them to get their cohorts to leave Octavian and Nico to sabotage the legion. After they arrive at a private dock and haul Michael Kahale out of the boat, they wonder who will drive the SUV, and Nico volunteers, much to their shock and nerves. He then summons Jules-Albert to drive the SUV through Roman ranks. When they arrive they see that the legion is outnumbered by monsters. Dakota and Leila get out to get their cohorts to switch sides, while Nico goes to sabotage the siege weapons. When he gets to the top of the hill, he is startled by Will Solace, Lou Ellen, and Cecil, who are trying to sabotage the Romans. They were successful in sabotaging half the weapons before being spotted. Octavian then comes out with the First Cohort. Nico states that he is helping both camps and that he will leave once the war is over. Will is upset by this and tells Nico that a lot of campers want to be his friend. Dakota and the Fifth Cohort arrive while the rest of the cohorts are surrounded by monsters. Moments later Camp Half-Blood is lead to battle by Clarisse La Rue, Grover Underwood, Tyson, and Chiron. They are all stunned by Will's whistle, and Nico speaks of peace as Reyna flies the Athena Parthenos into camp as a peace offering. Which works until Gaea awakes. As the Seven come back to camp, Nico is helping fight the monsters. During the battle, Will comes over to him and whispers "Octavian" in his ear before leading him to an onager, where Octavian is preparing to blast Gaea. Will and Nico try to talk him out of it, noticing that the Imperial Gold he's wearing seems to be attracted to the loaded projectile, but he refuses to listen. He then fires and gets dragged along with the shot. They witness Leo's sacrifice, but Nico senses that Leo's death was strange. He talks with Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Piper, Hazel, and Frank at the Big House, where Frank and Hazel explain Leo's plan tearfully. Chiron asks him to perform the final rites for the fallen demigods, and Nico agrees. He also avoids Will, thinking the son of Apollo would think Nico a monster for having let Octavian die. Later he sits by the campfire and listens as Chiron explains how the two camps have become friends, and that they can visit each other's camp. Then Reyna tells the two camps about Nico's part in saving the camps, brings him out of the shadows, and hugs him, and he tearfully returns it. The next morning Jason knocks on Nico's door, and the two go outside to talk. During this conversation, Nico tells Jason that he will stay at Camp Half-Blood. Nico is then called over by Will who angrily tells him that he does not think Nico's a monster, and then tells him to stay in the infirmary for at least three days. Nico then sees Percy and Annabeth and walks over. They tell him they will attend college and live in New Rome. Nico then tells Percy he had a crush on him and is now over him, earning him Percy's shock and a high-five from Annabeth before Nico goes back to Will. |
Between the Series
Several days after the deaths of Gaea and Leo, a parchment scroll with a holographic message, sent from the resurrected Leo, came fluttering into Camp Half-Blood on the wind, with Nico being the one to keep it (in his jacket's pocket) after the other campers had finished re-listening to it. While extremely relieved after learning of Leo's survival (due to him having blamed himself for Leo's death and unable to forgive himself), Nico is also enraged at hearing the news so late, so he resorts to keeping the scroll after everyone else has finished re-listening to it, with Nico looking at the scroll whenever he wants to get angry at Leo.
At some point during the ensuing months, Nico finally comes out and confesses to Will Solace, son of Apollo about having a strong crush on the latter, and the two begin dating. In order to sit together with his new boyfriend during meals, Nico claims to Chiron that he somewhat loses control of his infernal powers while sitting alone at the Hades' Cabin table, and so he is therefore given permission to sit at the Apollo's Cabin's table instead, as Will produced a handy fake doctor's note, and Chiron decided it wasn't worth arguing about.
At one point he and Will accidentally shadow traveled to the largest Cheez Whiz factory in Venezuela.
By September, however, most of Nico's friends temporarily leave camp, with Percy and Annabeth returning to New York to spend their senior school year together, while Jason and Piper depart a month later (spending most of September searching for Leo), to spend their school year in Los Angeles (with Tristan McLean), also taking Gleeson Hedge, Mellie, and Chuck along with them. It can also be assumed that Nico is rarely visited by Hazel and Frank, as he describes them being busy "doing the Twelfth Legion thing” at Camp Jupiter.
The Trials of Apollo
The Hidden Oracle
Nico meets Apollo, Will Solace, and Meg McCaffrey at the Big House. Nico donned a new outfit: A Ramones T-shirt that Apollo liked for music taste, black pants, and a leather jacket. Nico told the fallen god that he had a thick aura and a great possibility of death around him. Will told Nico that they needed another talk for people skills and apologized for Nico’s behaviour. Nico told Will to not call him his boyfriend and Will asked what he preferred, and Nico said significant annoyance. Chiron ordered the two to get the other campers for dinner and to go together, using the buddy system. Will asked if Nico wanted to be his buddy, and he called him a dork. Apollo was supportive of his relationship with Will.
At dinner, Nico sat with Will, Apollo, Austin, and Kayla. Apollo thought Will and Nico were so cute together it looked desolate, reminding him of his old relationship with Hyacinthus. Nico explained to Apollo that he had a doctor's note to sit with Will at dinner and that Will was his doctor. Nico also told Apollo the whereabouts of the Seven and Gleeson Hedge. When Apollo asked about Leo, Nico said that if he saw him again, he’d kill him. Nico showed Apollo the scroll Leo sent and said he looked at it whenever he got angry, and how he hated being left in the dark because he didn’t know if he was safe or planning anything. While Chiron talked about the three-legged death race, Nico chastised Will for staring at Paolo’s arms, but Will said he was just admiring them after surgery. Nico also told Apollo that Grover was in California with the Council of Cloven Elders. When Peaches came, Nico told Meg to stay out of the way, because he was dangerous. Nico bowed down respectively when Meg was claimed by Demeter.
The next day, at the three-legged death race, Will and Nico were partners, tied together. After Will said that he missed Grover and put his shoulder on his, Nico pushed it off and said he’d settle for Coach Hedge, and to not talk about Grover so loudly, since Juniper was over there. After the race, Nico helped Will reattach Paolo’s leg, and gave Will water, saying that was where he needed to be. Nico was angry about the missing campers and the grass withered around him. Will asked him if he wanted to set Valentina’s arm, and Nico said it sounded gruesome, but did it.
Later, when Meg and Apollo went to find the Grove of Dodona, Nico gathered with Will, Malcolm, Paolo and Billie for a going away party. Nico gave Apollo ambrosia for Meg because he could sense that she had a chance of death, making Apollo shiver. Nico smirked when Paolo gave Apollo his bandanna and listened to what he said because he understood Brazilian Portuguese. Nico explained that it was Paolo’s good luck bandanna and that he believed it would make Apollo invincible.
When Apollo showed up to Camp at six in the morning, they took him to Apollo's Cabin to heal him. They wanted to search for Meg in the woods but Chiron wouldn’t let them. When Apollo woke up and started talking to the flowers, Nico was concerned and asked Will if that was normal. Nico told Apollo that he and Will were worried, and put his hand on Will’s shoulder. Apollo told Nico that Meg had until that night at the latest and went to get dressed, and Nico wanted to help him, saying that he could shadow travel him there, but Apollo told him to protect the Camp. Apollo told him that Nero and the other Roman emperors were alive and divine, and ran out of the room, leaving Nico in shock.
Later, Nico and Will were capsized in the middle of a canoe ride when the Colossus Neronis attacked. He and Will rushed to Apollo during the battle and chatted with him. When Apollo asked for his children to come with him, Nico went with them too, because he had a doctor's note. Nico then grabbed Will’s hand and shadow travelled to steal Sherman’s chariot, where he convinced Alice, Julia, and Sherman to get off so he could steal it. Austin said he hated it when Nico disappeared. They landed the chariot near Apollo, with Nico half-conscious. Sherman was angry that Nico stole his chariot and screamed from the distance. Nico passed out in Will’s arms and Will went to get him Gatorade. Nico was affected by the hay fever epidemic. Percy later mentioned that he almost lost Nico to the enemy.
Later, when Leo returned to camp with Festus and Calypso, Nico ordered a line from the snack bar to punch Leo, where Leo questioned if it was really necessary. When Calypso mentioned Albania, Nico said to not mention Albania. When the line was over, Leo asked Nico if he was done with the physical abuse, and Nico smiled and said that at Camp Jupiter, there were many people who wanted to punch him. Leo winced and asked where they can get lunch. Nico later prepared marshmallows for s’mores for the bonfire on femur bones.
The Dark Prophecy
Apollo mentioned Nico when seeing Marcus, the new second in command of Nero.
The Tyrant's Tomb
Hazel Levesque mentions Nico when thinking he could help cure Apollo’s scratch. Apollo mentions him when thinking his condition can not be cured with the combined efforts of him, Will, and Pranjal. He is also glad he is not at Camp Jupiter.
The Tower of Nero
After sensing Jason’s death, Nico starts to suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. Around the same time, he starts to hear voices calling his name from Tartarus. He talks to Will about it, and Will tells him to speak with Dionysus.
He and Will appear on the porch of the Big House as Apollo and Meg return to camp after six months. He asks about Jason’s death and they silently confirm it. He takes Meg’s hand in his and senses something that scares him enough to cause him to run away. The following morning he sits with Dionysus and talks with the wine god. The following morning he has breakfast with Dionysus as the wine god calls over Apollo and Will to their table. Meg joins them and they try and make meaning of the prophecy. When they mention the part about him being “the cavern runner’s friend”, Nico knows what it means and gets supplies to meet up with them, with Will reluctantly helping. The following morning he and Will go with Apollo and Meg to Brooklyn.
Argus drops them off a block away from Rachel’s house and they walk the rest of the way. When they arrive, Rachel hurries them in, as the cows are watching. She takes them to her room. When Nico complements her paintings, she playfully pushes him away and warns him about getting color on his clothes. Rachel explains that three cattle cars full of neglected livestock arrived at her house on a previous day, and when she contacted the authorities, they denied seeing anything. They then change the topic to Nero. She confirms that the Fasces is on a heavily fortified floor in the center of the tower with the holding cells. He asks Meg why Luguselwa is having them destroy it if she is unable to. After Rachel talks about an underground filtration system that could pump Greek Fire into the city’s sewer system, he reveals that his ”friends” are Troglodytes, expert tunnelers who can get in and sabotage the system without Nero ever knowing. Will is against it, but Nico mentions this is their part of the quest. Soon after, Rachel utters a prophecy in Python’s voice and passes out just as the cattle break into the property. They escape just as the mansion collapses and make their way to a construction site with a fifty foot pit. They jump onto a nearby crane just as some of the cattle, which Apollo realizes are the troglodytes' natural enemy Tauri Sylvestres, fall into the pit and choke to death on their anger. As the others question if they can fight them off or if Nero is coming for them, he sees a cluster of shadows he can use to get them away. When they climb down he says he can only take two with him at a time and, as one of the bulls slides into the pit, Apollo and Meg volunteer Rachel and Will. He takes the two and returns for Apollo and Meg.
He brings them to an underground cavern and passes out. When he regains consciousness he leads the others to the troglodytes and tells them not to touch their weapons. When he announces their presence, the trogs surround them. Screen-Bling, their leader, asks Nico if they are sacrifices. He says they are not and offers him a skink, a rare treat for his people, and they are brought to their camp. He speaks with Screech-Bling as dinner is being prepared. As they eat they are given hats, with the son of Hades receiving a top hat. Apollo and Rachel help him make a case to help save the city above. They agree but become angered that the forest bulls followed them. During the chaos he, Will, and Rachel are separated from Apollo and Meg.
He and the troglodytes sabotage the filtration system. He makes his way to the main levels of Nero’s tower and saves Apollo by killing the guy about to kill the god. He informs Apollo that the building is under attack. He walks the mortal god through a confidence room where mortals are fighting the troglodytes. They meet up with the forces of Camp Half-Blood. He passes Apollo over to Kayla as he goes to look for Will. He either finds a dead forest bull or he kills it himself. At Rachel's urging, he goes to the throne room. He uses the bull to break down the doors and attack Nero, but Nero's forces are able to overpower it. He goes to Apollo and Meg and informs them the trogs are still searching for the gas as he takes out two Cynocephali. As Nero searches for the right remote, Nico takes on numerous germani before charging at Nero himself. However, the god-emperor catches his sword and throws it aside before slapping Nico aside. Soon Will, Rachel, Screech-Bling, and Lu arrive with the fasces as Will helps him up. Will heals Nico as Apollo and Nero fight over the fasces and sees the emperor disintegrate. After Nero's death, Nico and Will help Apollo recover and prepare for his fight with Python. When Apollo and Will send Nico to get the ukulele as well as the bow and arrow, he questions if they really hate Python so much as to subject him to that. Will simply raises an eyebrow and Nico runs off to comply. He gives Apollo a reassuring look as Apollo goes to take on Python.
Two weeks later, after the campfire, Apollo sits with Nico, Will, and Rachel and watches the embers burn down. The two boys sit comfortably next to each other-- Will's arm is around Nico's shoulders and Nico is twirling a burnt marshmallow on a stick. Rachel confirms that Python's death restored her powers. She discusses taking a gap year in Paris to study art, but she promises to be back the next summer to continue her work as the Oracle of Delphi. Nico promises that if they ever need her, he can shadow travel Rachel to camp. Will comments that he'd love to think that Nico is planning a date night in Paris but knows that he's really hoping for prophetic guidance about Tartarus. Nico simply calls it unfinished business. Apollo remembers Nico telling him about his compulsion to explore the depths of Tartarus and a voice calling out to him for help. Apollo questions if it could be Jason. Nico admits he'd considered that, along with trying to bring Jason back, but he's sure that this is not about him. Nico has a sense that Jason made his choice. If Nico tried to bring Jason back, he wouldn't be honoring Jason's sacrifice. Resurrecting Jason would not be like resurrecting Hazel, who needed to come back. Nico senses that Jason is in a better place now, though Apollo can't confirm if it is Elysium or rebirth. Nico explains that the first time he was in Tartarus, someone helped him and they left him down there and Nico can't stop thinking about him. Will is jealous until Nico states that its a Titan, Iapetus, surprising Apollo. Nico calls it a long story and insists that Iapetus isn't a bad guy. Nico feels like he should look for Iapetus and try to find out what happened to him, in case his friend needs his help. Though Hades has expressly forbidden traveling to Tartarus ever again, Nico plans to use the troglodytes who can tunnel even to Tartarus and can get him and Will in and out safely. Apollo, though he dislikes the idea, admits that though he wishes he could help them, he can't as it's outside his jurisdiction. Will takes Nico's hand and promises that it's fine and Apollo has already done his part. Just as Will asserts that they will succeed with or without a prophecy, Rachel suddenly tips over. Will and Nico catch her, and she issues a prophecy that only they can hear. Nico asks if Apollo heard the prophecy. Apollo admits that he didn't and probably shouldn't. Will agrees, stating that what Rachel told them doesn't sound good.
Personality
The Titan's Curse
In The Titan's Curse, Nico is ten years old. He enjoys playing with his Mythomagic cards that none of the others truly seem to understand. The Blood of Olympus reveals that he was obsessed with pirates even before that. He is clueless and very inquisitive. He likes Percy a lot as a big brother figure, but The House of Hades reveals that Nico had developed secret romantic feelings for him. Young Nico annoys Percy with his ceaseless questions, especially when he asks if Annabeth Chase was his girlfriend, which makes Percy consider "stuffing him in a meat-flavored sack and throwing him to the wolves." He is excited about finding out that he is a demigod (immediate response: "Cool!"), and starts to compare monsters to Mythomagic creatures. He feels abandoned when his sister Bianca, who practically acts as his parent, becomes a Hunter of Artemis. When she goes on a quest, Nico makes Percy promise to protect her. After her death, he develops a long-lasting grudge toward Percy for letting her die. Once he realizes that he is a son of Hades, he casts away his childhood interests and runs off on his own.
The Battle of the Labyrinth
In The Battle of the Labyrinth, Nico becomes grim and solitary, and considerably more powerful. He says, "only the dead respect me... and only out of fear." His attitude may have changed both because of Bianca's death and Minos' manipulations. He believes that he will never be accepted by the living or Camp Half-Blood, much like how his father Hades feels out of place on Olympus. Nico is wanted revenge for Bianca's death, which he blamed Percy for. However, Nico forgives Percy after Bianca's ghost tells him that it wasn't his fault that she died. He also accepts the small figurine of Hades that Bianca wanted him to have.
He is so naive and gullible that he believes that Minos was actually helping him resurrect Bianca. Nico cares deeply about his sister, and his constant attempts to bring her back show that he would not give up without trying. Nico is very loyal to the Olympians, as he could have easily joined Kronos and the Titans, but chose to fight on the Olympians' side.
The Last Olympian
In The Last Olympian, Nico is quite sincere in wanting to help Percy with the prophecy and the war. However, Nico can be somewhat untrustworthy at times. For example, he tricked Percy into coming to the Underworld so he could gain answers about his mother, but he wasn't planning on Percy becoming imprisoned. By standing up to both Kronos and Hades, he reveals his bravery and boldness. In fact, the only time Nico is ever portrayed as terrified is in The House of Hades, when he was forced to face Cupid, implying that Nico's greatest fear is exposing his homosexuality. He prefers to be on his own, and does not want help from anyone. He keeps to himself, and his secretiveness causes plenty of problems throughout the series. Nico wants to help Percy and is very miserable at the thought that Percy did not trust him after his dad tricked him as well. By the end, they were back to a brotherly relationship.
The Heroes of Olympus Series
Though he tries hard not to show it, Nico is plagued by incredible internal pain. For one: he is unable to come to terms with not "belonging" in the twenty-first century (due to the time he spent in the Lotus Casino). For another: as a son of Hades, he is not accepted by other demigods. Worst of all, he fears being outed as gay and is desperate to keep that secret. After all, he grew up in 1940s Italy, when homosexuality was not accepted.
Nico, apparently, also has tremendous, virtually indomitable willpower, since he was able to survive in Tartarus on his own while seeing the place in all of its ineffable horrors for the entire time that he spent there. Percy, who found even a few moments of seeing it maddening, marveled how Nico had managed to survive with his sanity. At some point during his horrifying journey through Tartarus, Nico encounters the goddess of misery Akhlys. She was impressed at how much sorrow and pain the son of Hades carried, claiming that there was little more that she could do to him. When Reyna shares her strength with Nico in The Blood of Olympus, she is horrified at how much pain and raw anguish she felt inside Nico. Even a portion of his pain is greater than the pain she had felt from her entire legion, when they fought against the giant Polybotes. When Reyna accidentally learns about Nico's homosexuality, she, much to Nico's surprise and relief, doesn't judge him. She still accepts him as a friend, just as he is, without hesitation. Reyna's acceptance likely gave Nico the courage to come out to a very surprised Percy and Annabeth. He admits to being past his strong crush on Percy and is now genuinely happy for Percy and Annabeth. Hence, Nico is finally willing to become more sociable and more open about himself and his feelings to others. He is no longer nearly so insecure about his homosexuality, and he is completely open about it six months later in The Hidden Oracle.
In spite of Nico pretending not to know Percy in The Son of Neptune, he spoke very highly of him to Hazel, telling her that he is dangerous to his enemies and a valuable ally to his friends. Nico's relationship with Percy also shows how much he's grown and matured throughout the series. Nico is very caring to Hazel Levesque, his half-sister, and tries to help her as much as he can. His helping her sort of parallels with how Percy helped him in several cases. This shows that he loves his family, even his half-siblings. Unfortunately, after returning from Tartarus in The Mark of Athena, Nico is very different. He turns more inward and withdrawn, with his eyes becoming somewhat glassy like something in him broke permanently. Percy compares him to pictures of prisoners of war, which he notes Nico kind of was. Hazels states in The House of Hades that Nico has become more reclusive and morose, preferring to stay on top of the ship's mast, in solitude. Nico becomes much more easily angered, defensive, and takes to making creepy and humorless smiles. Nico, however, has happily smiled on two occasions: in The Last Olympian, right after he helps Hades defeat Kronos' army and gains his father's respect, and in The House of Hades after he and Frank defeat Gaea's monsters at the Necromanteion. In The Blood of Olympus, Nico notes that his facial muscles hurt when he smiles since he isn't used to making that expression often. Even though Nico seems to dislike being touched, he is shown to be very affectionate towards Hazel, having kissed her on the cheek several times. However, by the end of The Blood of Olympus, Nico begins to change and doesn't seem to mind when Jason and Reyna embrace him.
From The Last Olympian to The Blood of Olympus--Two Returns to Camp Half-Blood
Nico's belief he will not be accepted by the living is proven wrong. After the war with Kronos is over, all the demigods of Camp Half-Blood welcome Nico cheerfully: as Percy puts it, "Hey, show up with an army of undead warriors to save the day, and suddenly you're everyone's best friend." This helps lift Hades's curse from the Oracle. Sadly, however, Nico's popularity only lasted a few weeks, after which most campers did whatever they could to avoid the son of Hades and forgot he was at camp. However, when Nico mentions his plans to leave for good, due to his lack of acceptance, Will Solace gets upset and tells him that there are actually many people at camp who are his friends or would like to be, but it is Nico who pushes himself away. Will also states that the camp did not reject him as he had thought. This indicates that Nico may have misinterpreted the campers' reactions to him, or exaggerated it in his own mind, due to his fears of non-acceptance. After Gaea is defeated, when Reyna tells the two camps about Nico's part in saving both of them and gives him a big hug, the crowd of demigods roared with approval, indicating that thanks to Reyna, both Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter have finally come to truly accept the son of Hades. As a result, Nico decides to give Camp Half-Blood another try, finally seeing that he is accepted.
Power and Danger
Nico can be extremely dangerous as he is a son of the Big Three. He is very unpredictable, and due to his sister's death can be somewhat mentally unstable as demonstrated in The Battle of the Labyrinth, and Octavian even claims to see a decent amount of ruthlessness in Nico. He has a short temper, just like Percy and Thalia. When Jason causes him to lose his temper in The House of Hades, Nico's fury was so intense, that it even scared Jason, who felt that a furious Nico was "more than he could handle." However, the greatest and most volcanic demonstration of Nico's fury happened in The Blood of Olympus, when he faced the psychopathic Bryce Lawrence. A furious Nico, in one horrible cry, unleashes a "flood of pain and anger" on Bryce, Reyna, and Coach Hedge, with the temperature around Nico dropping to freezing (turning the ground around him white with frost), Bryce's zombies instantly disintegrating, and a terrified Bryce himself turned into a mindless ghost.
This otherworldly demonstration of Nico's sheer rage when unleashed upon those cruel enough to invoke it was one of the most frightening events in the series. Suffice it to say that no one and nothing would be wise to provoke the son of Hades.
The Hidden Oracle
By The Hidden Oracle, Nico is much happier and more involved in the camp. He spends most of his time with his boyfriend Will, and is no longer insecure about being gay (although he is still slightly uncomfortable with being called Will's "boyfriend"), and is considerably more relaxed around people, even roasting marshmallows on a campfire, joining in with the campers' sing-a-long, and helping Will tend to wounded demigods in the infirmary. Overall, Nico is very supportive of his boyfriend, even impressing Will's father Apollo.
Fatal Flaw
| “ | Holding grudges has always been the fatal flaw of children of Hades. | ” |
–Bianca to Nico, in The Battle of the Labyrinth. | ||
Nico di Angelo's fatal flaw is holding grudges, as Bianca's ghost tells him. In his case, it can lead to not wanting help or not asking to be saved in deadly situations because he simply doesn't like someone. For example, in The Battle of the Labyrinth, he did not want Percy to help him, even when Geryon was going to sell him to the Titans, and he did not want to go back in the Labyrinth with them. Bianca implies she also had the same fatal flaw in life, though it didn't lead to her death. In the fifth book, Nico tells his father, Hades, that he is holding a grudge that could end up killing the Olympians and the campers. Ever since The Last Olympian, Nico hasn't demonstrated this flaw in extreme degrees and tends to avoid holding grudges. He has learned from his previous experiences.
His flaw resurfaces slightly in The House of Hades, when he still resents Annabeth for her freedom to love Percy openly and with reciprocation, despite his claims to Jason that he has "moved on." However, by the end of The Blood of Olympus, Nico is truly ready to move on. He tells Percy and Annabeth about his old crush, but admits that he has come to realize that Percy is not his type and that he is truly happy for Percy and Annabeth. Nico's crush and subsequent relationship with Will Solace signal the end of that internal conflict.
Irrational Fears
As finally revealed in The House of Hades, Nico's greatest fear is of someone finding out that he is gay. Therefore, he never stayed at either camp for long and did not make connections of friendship with most people, so as to keep them from finding out, becoming more isolated than any other demigod. This fear about not being accepted due to his sexuality most likely originates from Nico's upbringing in the 1940s, when homosexuality was not accepted. Hence, in The House of Hades, when Cupid forcibly makes Nico reveal his secret in front of Jason, the usually intrepid Nico is nearly reduced to tears. When Reyna accidentally learns about his secret in The Blood of Olympus, she, much to Nico's surprise and relief, doesn't judge him, and still accepts him as a friend just as he is (though she is still very surprised at this revelation), supporting him without hesitation. Reyna's unconditional acceptance and support was what most likely gave Nico the courage to finally come out to a very surprised Percy and Annabeth at the end of The Blood of Olympus, indicating that Nico has finally begun to overcome this immense fear and insecurity of his. And by The Hidden Oracle, it is indicated that Nico has finally fully overcome it at some point during the six months after Gaea's defeat, finally coming out and confessing his crush on Will Solace, with whom he begins an official romantic relationship.
Appearance
Nico has black hair that always looks like he just got out of bed (messy and shaggy) and olive skin. By The Battle of the Labyrinth, his skin has paled to white, and he takes to wearing black clothing with skeletal designs, a Stygian Iron sword and a silver skull ring (by the end of the book). By the time he meets Hazel Levesque, she describes his fingers as ghostly white, like their father's. Percy stated that Nico has his mother's eyes, but it has also been said that they have the wild glint of a madman in them, too, just like his father. According to Percy, Nico's hands are "as cold as ice."
By the end of The Battle of the Labyrinth, he has a silver skull ring which was Bianca's last gift to him and is said to belong to his father (as stated by Hazel). He also has a Stygian Iron sword always by his side in his chain belt. He is also mentioned on several occasions wearing an aviator's jacket, most likely because he was originally from WWII. Nico wears a black trench coat when he attempts to bring back Bianca, as shown in one of Hazel's blackouts. In The Last Olympian, Nico wears black battle armor with a skull-shaped helmet. In The Son of Neptune, Nico is seen wearing a black toga when Percy goes to talk to the senators (the reason being that togas are only worn on special occasions, like meetings). In The Mark of Athena, Nico appears weaker, thinner, and even paler than usual, while his eyes are described as "looking like shattered glass," due to his ineffable experience in Tartarus.
Days later, in The House of Hades, Nico has begun to recover and regain his strength, but is still described as "painfully thin," with his black shirt and jeans hanging loosely from his "skeletal frame." His dark hair is longer and frames his face. However, the area around his sunken eyes is very dark, while his complexion is even paler than before," a sickly greenish-white, like the color of tree sap." Being a demigod from another era, Nico radiates "a kind of old energy - a melancholy that came from knowing he didn't belong in the modern world." Nico is also the only one whose skin doesn't get tanned in the hot northern African sun, and if anything, looked even paler than before, according to Jason.
Jason comments that since getting out of Tartarus, Nico "had slept little and eaten even less." Seeing Nico casually eat a grape, he thinks that that will be his food for the day. Later, Jason is surprised that Nico actually has visible muscles when he takes off his jacket. According to Hazel, when upset, Nico's face would become "as dark as Tartarus." When Jason infuriates him, the ground opens up and Nico "glows with ghostly light." When Bryce infuriates him, the temperature around Nico drops to freezing, turning the ground around him white with frost. Several demigods, including Leo, Frank, and even Jason all admit to being afraid of the son of Hades.
In The Blood of Olympus, due to the stress of having to shadow-travel vast distances every day, Nico's skin gains a bluish tint, and his cheeks are sunken. After his aviator's jacket and black skull-pattern shirt are both torn to shreds, Nico begins wearing a tropical Puerto Rican shirt, decorated with parrots and palm trees, and with Isla del Encantorico written on it. His biceps are swollen and severely scarred from his fight with Lycaon, and after Reyna stitches them up for him, it gives Nico "a slightly creepy Frankenstein look," to the point that mortals on the street are scared off at the sight of him.
In The Hidden Oracle, Nico wears black trousers, a Ramones T-shirt, and a black leather bomber jacket, with his Stygian iron sword at his side.
In The Tower of Nero, he wears a black variant of the Camp Shirt with a skeletal pegasus and his cabin number on it.
Abilities and Tools
- ADHD: Like most demigods, Nico possesses inborn supernatural battle reflexes and senses that he uses to analyze the fighting style of his opponent.
- Dyslexia: Nico's brain is "hard-wired" for divine Ancient Greek instead of modern languages.
- Fighting skills: Initially, Nico shows more skill with his powers than his fighting skills. However, this might have been due to his lack of formal combat training at camp. In The Demigod Files, he did show decent combat skills when he was able to keep up with Percy and Thalia when they fought a group of Keres. Not only did Nico emerge unscathed from the battle, but he easily defeated the Keres he fought. Later, he even fought the Titan Iapetus alongside Percy and Thalia (but he was quickly incapacitated). In The Last Olympian, Nico fights in the Battle of Manhattan, and emerges unscathed, implying excellent fighting skills, which impress even the Ares demigods. In The Son of Neptune, Hazel mentions being impressed the first time she saw him fight, suggesting that he honed his skills between the two series, possibly during his stays at either Camp Half-Blood or Camp Jupiter. Nico was even able to fight Gaea's army in Tartarus itself, though he was eventually overwhelmed by their sheer numbers. In the House of Hades, Nico fights the enormous monster army of Gaea, while holding the Scepter of Diocletian high, and emerges unscathed after the battle is won, implying excellent swordsmanship. During that battle, Nico single-handedly overwhelmed an entire group of mighty Earthborn, slashing them into mounds of wet clay with his sword. In The Blood of Olympus, though somewhat weakened from shadow-travelling, Nico is still able to single-handedly quickly overcome 6 Roman legionnaires (while protecting Will Solace), and it should be noted that Nico was not even fighting to kill, only to knock them out. He later makes short work of Octavian's elite guard (6 huge dog-headed cynocephali). In the final battle with Gaea's troops at Camp Half-Blood, Nico fights at the front lines, managing to defeat numerous other monsters before being forced to leave (in order to confront Octavian at one of the onagers).
- Mythomagic: Nico's knowledge of the game is superb, as he had the rare Africanus Extreme expansion deck, and remembers each figure, as well as the number of attack and defense moves of each. Thus, he was able to identify Dionysus, a Manticore and even a Katoblepone.
- Ancient Greek: In The Battle of the Labyrinth, Nico demonstrates his ability to summon the dead by chanting in Ancient Greek.
- Italian: In The House of Hades, Nico shows that he can speak fluent Italian, as he is Italian by birth. In addition, as shown in The Blood of Olympus, Nico's knowledge of Italian helps him somewhat understand some other Romance languages, such as Spanish and Portuguese (therefore notably being one of the few to understand Paolo Montes).
- Will Power: Nico, apparently, has tremendous, seemingly indomitable willpower, since he was able to survive in Tartarus on his own, while seeing the place in all of its ineffable horror for the entire time he spent there. Percy, who found even a few moments of seeing it maddening, wondered how Nico had managed to survive with his sanity.
- Pain Resilience: Nico was able to endure immense amounts of both physical and mental pain (notably even scars inflicted by Lycaon which "burned like acid"), much to Reyna's amazement and respect.
As a son of Hades, Nico is an extremely powerful demigod. He is considerably more trained in using his powers than most children of the Big Three, such as Thalia and Percy, due to his time spent in the Underworld and he states that he trains with the dead. In The Son of Neptune, Hazel stated Nico was the most powerful demigod she'd ever seen (to the point that she compared his power to that of a nuclear bomb), an impressive admiration given that she knew Jason Grace and dozens of other demigods (though meeting Percy caused her to question this judgment). In The Blood of Olympus, Reyna mentions that after being healed from his injuries by Hedge and resting for several days, Nico becomes significantly more powerful than ever before. Hazel once stated that she and Nico each control an aspect of Hades/Pluto's powers: death (for Nico) and riches (for Hazel).
- Geokinesis: Nico can control the earth - levitating rocks and making them deadly, black, and extremely sharp. Nico can open fissures in the earth that can swallow up creatures and trap them in the Underworld. He can cause earth tremors so powerful, they can shatter the pillars of a mountain fortress. He can also control the black walls of the Underworld. His geokinetic abilities are only surpassed by his half-sister, Hazel Levesque and his father, Hades.
- Necromancy: As a son of Hades, Nico has control over the dead, as well as many monsters native to Hades' realm, such as the Furies.
- Power Over the Undead: Nico can reanimate skeletons, summon Skeleton Warriors, put them to sleep, and destroy them. In The Battle of the Labyrinth, Nico was able to permanently banish Minos to the Underworld. In The Last Olympian, he was able to summon a large army of undead soldiers all by himself. It is unknown how much he has increased in power since then. This is an extremely powerful ability as it literally allows him to have an army anytime he wants. However, summoning too many undead warriors at one time can cause him fatigue. As shown in The Blood of Olympus, when he is angered enough, Nico can destroy even undead warriors that aren't under his control, which he does with Bryce Lawrence's zombie troops. Whenever he needs a personal chauffeur, Nico summons Jules-Albert, a loyal French zombie.
- Summoning Deceased Souls: as shown in The Battle of the Labyrinth, Nico can summon souls of the deceased by digging a pit, filling it with food (though animal blood can also be used), and chanting in Ancient Greek.
- Releasing Souls: as shown in The Battle of the Labyrinth, Nico can release the souls of people that should have died but had somehow managed to cheat death, such as Daedalus.
- Telepathy With The Dead: In The House of Hades, Nico warns the Lemures of Venice (angry spirits) to stay away from him, Hazel and Frank by giving off a warning vibe.
- Sensitivity to Death: Nico can sense death as it happens or when it is coming; when a person close to him dies, it comes as a ringing in the ears. In addition to that, he has a deep knowledge of the Underworld and knows when a person's life is being judged in the Underworld. Nico can also sense when an immortal is fading, as in the case of Pan in The Battle of the Labyrinth. His powers are so great he could even sense that Percy and Annabeth were close to the Doors of Death within Tartarus.
- Life Aura: Nico can sense someone's life aura (he sensed it when Rachel Elizabeth Dare's life aura flickered in The Last Olympian, and he told her, "I could see you dying."), and when Apollo became mortal in The Hidden Oracle Nico sensed an aura of death around him — "a thick possibility of death."
- Seeing the Power of the Doors of Death: Along side Hazel and Jason, Nico can see and feel the power of the Doors of Death.
- Power Over Ghosts: as the Ghost King, Nico can physically manipulate ghosts, such as taking hold of them by hand or forcing them to be silent with a gesture.
- Ghost Transformation: As seen in The Blood of Olympus, Nico can kill mortals, demigods and legacies by turning them into ghosts, and forcing them into the Underworld for eternity. Nico has only ever done this to Bryce Lawrence. However, this takes away a lot of his strength and may cause him to fatigue as he did after he killed Bryce Lawrence.
- Osteokinesis: As seen in The Blood of Olympus, Nico is able summon and telekinetically to control bones. Prior to his fight with Lycaon in Évoria he could only summon a few bones and skulls. But during his encounter with the wolf king he was able to summon hundreds of bones, enough to trap Lycaon and his wolves for a few minutes showing that his abilities improve extremely quickly.
- Death Trance: In The Mark of Athena, when he is sealed in the Bronze Jar, Nico shows that he can go into a hibernation called a Death Trance using the seeds of Persephone, which can only be eaten by a child of Hades. The Death Trance induces him to essentially die for a day, meaning he consumes no oxygen and doesn't need any kind of food (besides the seeds).
- Umbrakinesis: Nico has control over darkness and shadows for various uses such as solidifying it for attacks and to hide in it.
- Shadow Travel: Nico can use shadows as a way of transportation; however, great distances tend to wear him out. The first time he shadow traveled, he passed out for a week. He has said that while learning to use it, he ran into walls and made accidental trips to China. He seems to have gotten better control over it because in The House of Hades, he implied he could use shadow travel to send the Argo II across a mountain range, but was too weak because of his time in Tartarus. When he recovers his strength by the end of the The House of Hades, he decides to transport the Athena Parthenos across the ocean by shadow-traveling about three hundred miles at a time. However, as revealed in The Blood of Olympus, overexertion of shadow travel can cause the user's molecular structure to begin to fall apart, gradually turning them into shadows and lose themselves. Due to Nico pushing himself to bring the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood, he began to lose himself, even entering a "shadow coma".
- Shadow Absorption and Dissipation: as shown during his fight with Clytius in The House of Hades, Nico can also dissipate and absorb shadows with his sword, since he kept the Giant's dark aura from affecting his friends.
- Darkness Generation: He can shoot solid bolts of darkness, and surround enemies in pitch-black clouds of lightless space.
- Darkness Shields: He can solidify shadows into virtually impenetrable shields.
- Invisibility: He can use shadows to cover himself in darkness to become invisible.
- Umbrakinetic Healing: He can heal himself and others using darkness (minor injuries).
- Thermokinesis:Nico has been shown to generate extreme temperatures to the point of combustion and freezing. However he has yet to control the fire and ice he generates.
- Cryokinesis (limited): As seen in The Blood of Olympus, when Nico is infuriated, he generates an aura of intense cold, making the temperature around him drop to freezing, with the ground around him and the massive cairn turning white with frost.
- Pyrokinesis (limited): When Nico swallowed up the four skeleton warrior attacking him and Percy in The Titan's Curse, "flames erupted from the fissure."However, it is not known how powerful his control over fire actually is.
- Hypnokinesis: as seen in The Blood of Olympus, Nico can navigate through "the dark dreamscape" of dreams better than most other demigods (and is only somewhat surpassed by demigod children of Hypnos, like Clovis), since he claims that dreams and death are "old friends of his." Hence, Nico has a higher degree on control over his dreams, the ability to astral project his consciousness, find and enter the dreams of other demigods. Reyna notes that Nico can have an extremely heavy sleep at times, to the point that he won't even budge if Coach Hedge does a goat-hoof tap dance around Nico's head. Later in the book, Nico puts several mortals to sleep by sending deep dreams their way.
- Phobikinesis: Nico radiates an intense aura of fear and death like his father, Hades, but to a much lesser degree. In The Last Olympian, this aura was so strong that Kronos' monsters initially backed away from him. In The House of Hades, he is shown to radiate death from nervousness, as when Cupid intimidates him, "the grass turned brown and wilted" at his feet, as if "poison were seeping from the soles of his shoes." Even while he was still emaciated and weakened from Tartarus, even a demigod as brave as Jason Grace admitted to being afraid of Nico, possibly due to this fearsome aura in part.
Relationships
Love Interests
Percy Jackson, his good friend and previous love interest.
| “ | But it's cool. We're cool. I mean, I see now . . . you're cute, but you're not my type. | ” |
–Nico di Angelo to Percy Jackson, in The Blood of Olympus | ||
Nico and Percy met in The Titan's Curse after rescuing him from Westover Hall and. Nico has the ability to annoy Percy Jackson quite easily when they first met by asking Percy several questions. As Nico and Percy get to know each other, Percy feels bad for Nico after Bianca abandons him and tries to protect him while playing Capture the flag. As for Nico, Percy reminded him of heroes from Mythomagic and pirates, and developed a crush on him. Nico even covers for Percy when he goes on the quest, but makes him promise to protect Bianca, After Bianca dies, it is Percy that decides to break the news to Nico. Nico takes it very hard and begins to hate Percy, blaming him for his sister's death before running away from camp, telling him he promised to protect her and that he wished he was dead. However, another reason Nico ran away was that he was afraid of his crush on Percy. After Nico ran away, Percy decided to keep his parentage a secret from Chiron and decided to be the hero in the Great Prophecy in order to make sure Nico wouldn’t go through more pain. Percy searched for Nico all spring, to no avail. Nico was afraid of himself and afraid of his feelings for Percy, due to internalized homophobia, which persisted for years.
During The Battle of the Labyrinth, Percy has dreams about Nico and feels bad for him, but he became afraid that he would try to kill him as revenge to bring Bianca back. While searching for Daedalus in the Labyrinth, Percy runs into Nico at the Triple G Ranch. Nico becomes furious at Percy and orders him to go away, and thinks he will kill him. Percy calms down when he finds out that he wasn’t planning to kill him, after Nico said Biancas soul is worth more than his. He completes a job for Geryon to free Nico, even at the risk of Percy having to stay there himself if he fails. Even though Geryon double-crossed Percy, after his defeat, Percy asks Nico to stay on the ranch to keep him safe. In return, Percy helps Nico summon Bianca’s ghost, who tells him to forgive Percy. The next day, Nico is jealous that Bianca appeared for Percy and not him, but he wasn’t as angry at Percy and needed time to think.
Nico rushed into the Labyrinth again after King Minos told him Percy was in danger, showing that he indeed cared about Percy. However, when Percy found out Nico ran back into the maze, Percy wanted to return to the maze to find him. Percy and Nico were reunited at Daedalus' Workshop and Nico apologized to Percy, saying he was tricked by Minos and wanted to save him. Nico then saved Percy and the others by declaring himself the ghost king, finally becoming friends. During the quest, Nico saved Percy many times, especially when Kronos first rose from his sarcophagus in Luke's body; creating a large wall of black rock between them. He even aided Percy when the Titan Army began to attack Camp Half-Blood, but refused to stay. Also on the quest, Percy asked Percy if he really thinked he would belong at Camp Half-Blood, Percy hesitated, thinking about how he had creeped him out when he declared himself the ghost king.
After the Battle of the Labyrinth, Percy ran into Nico in the woods and said that he could’ve sat with him at dinner, but Nico declined, saying he wasn’t staying at Camp, and said he wasn’t welcome at Camp. Nico wanted to discover his past that he knew nothing about. Percy wanted to argue, but he realized there was a reason why Pan didn’t address him, and that he would have to find his own dark way. Percy then said he hoped he and Nico wouldn’t be enemies, and Nico apologized for being a brat and said he should’ve listened to him about Bianca. The two parted ways when Percy gave Nico his figurine and they shook hands, and promised to keep in touch. Nico later appeared in Percy’s apartment a few months later at his birthday party, and told him the fates of Minos and Daedalus. Nico wanted to tell him about how to bathe in the River Styx, but them asked if he had blue birthday cake. Percy realized he had never been invited to a birthday party before and invited him in, saying they had a lot to talk about.
In The Demigod Files, Percy and Nico meet again with Thalia Grace when the three of them are summoned and sent to the Underworld by Persephone. When he finds out about Hades' Sword being stolen, Percy doesn’t want anything to do with Hades but Nico wanted to find the sword for his father and didn’t want it to fall in Kronos’ hands. Percy knew he wanted to impress his father and could see it in his face, so he decided to help him, not wanting him to go alone. Nico was amazed at Percy when he controlled the River Lethe and helped heal him after. Nico was also amazed when Percy defeated Iapetus. After the quest was over, Nico, Percy, and Thalia said their goodbyes on a balcony, and Nico decided to stay in the Underworld to help his dad. Percy and Nico shook hands and Percy had Nico promise to call him if he needed anything.
In The Last Olympian, Percy and Nico were reunited, and Nico told Percy he did a good job scaring the satyrs. Percy asked if he was there to see Juniper and Nico blushed and said he just stumbled in on their conversation, most likely to hide his crush on Percy. Nico reassured Percy that Beckendorf’s death wasn’t his fault, and said he spoke to his ghost. Nico and Percy then talked about the plan for Percy to bathe in the Styx. Though Percy was unsure, he trusted Nico and went on with the plan. Percy and Nico met May Castellan and later Sally Jackson, where Nico pleaded with her to give Percy the blessing to bathe in the River. In order to gain information on his mother, Nico lead Percy to the Underworld to unknowingly speak to his father, Hades. Hades double-crossed Nico and put Percy in his dungeon, making Nico angry at him, since he wasn’t supposed to hurt Percy or arrest him, and he was only supposed to talk to him.
Nico later helped Percy escape and sweared on the River Styx and said he didn’t know what he was planning, but Percy was angry and wanted to strangle him, but knew there was no point in arguing. They escaped and Percy gave Nico ambrosia to heal from his fight, and caught him before he passed out again. After Nico and Percy met with Achilles, Nico had second thoughts on Percy bathing in the river, but Percy said it was his idea and to wait for him, and that if he died, he could be the hero of the prophecy. Nico was very scared when Percy woke up and asked if he was alright, and tried to protect him from his father and his soldiers. After it was done, Percy told Nico to stay in the underworld and help his father, since he owed him, which made Nico believe that he didn’t trust him and apologized to him, which Percy didn’t accept. It is later revealed that Nico tried to make Percy fall in love with him by bathing in the Styx. After the events of the book, one of the reasons why Nico left Camp again was his sadness of Percy and Annabeth getting together.
In The Son of Neptune, Hazel introduces Percy, who lost his memory, to Nico. Nico was shocked when he saw him but regained his composure and shook his hand, shocked to see his crush. Percy and Nico studied each other warily, and Percy thought he knew him, and Nico responded, “do you?”. Nico told Percy about the Second Titan Warm but omitted details that Percy was involved in. Hazel later questioned Nico about this, and Nico told Hazel that he couldn’t say much about Percy due to a promise he made with his father, but said he was one of the good guys and dangerous only to his enemies. Percy later questioned Frank Zhang about Nico, wanting to know more about him. At dinner, Percy questioned Nico, asking if they met before, but Nico lies and said he spent most of his time in the Underworld and unless he saw him there, they never met. After Percy got his memory back, Percy wanted to strangle Nico for keeping it from him, but he wanted to find him since he was Hazel’s brother.
In The Mark of Athena, Percy dreamed of Nico and found out he was imprisoned in a bronze jar. However, Percy had mixed feelings about Nico, and was still mad at him for tricking him to go to Hades palace. He was also mad at him for hiding his last from him and thought of scathing things to say to him. But he wanted to rescue him and couldn’t stand seeing him in pain in a bronze jar, and didn’t want him to suffocate him to death. In Rome, he helped rescue him with Jason and piper, and was the most determined out of the three to rescue him. However, he was annoyed when he could barely crawl out of the jar, and wanted him to crawl more and groan less. When they went back on to the Argo II, Percy felt so sorry for him he couldn’t muster much anger at him. Nico apologized to Percy for keeping his past from him and said he knew about both camps, but couldn’t tell due to a promise to his father. Nico also told Percy the Doors of Death were in Tartarus. When Percy later fell into Tartarus, as Nico tried to save him, he had Nico promise to lead the Argo II crew to the other side. Back on the ship later, Nico was determined to rescue Percy and knew he would make it back from Tartarus.
In The House of Hades, Percy realizes that Nico indirectly saved his and Annabeth's lives by reminding Iapetus also known as Bob that Percy is a friend even though Percy didn't visit him and Nico was the one who actually visited him in Hades palace. When Percy found out, he felt low and dishonorable, unworthy of having a friend. He realized that he wouldn’t of survived in Tartarus if not for Nico. Percy, when on the verge of death from Gorgon blood, admits that Nico is another friend that he had not treated fairly. While on his journey in Tartarus, Percy realized Nico was stronger than he gave him credit for.
As for Nico, Nico missed him a lot and his voice broke when he mentioned him as being the sea expert. The crew offered Nico Percy’s cabin but Nico refused. The Argo II thought that Nico hated Percy, but it is revealed in Croatia that he actually had a crush on him, to Jason, who kept the secret from the others. Nico said he was over his crush, but he wasn’t. Favonius also called Percy, though not by name, “The person Nico cared about most.” When he rescued Percy and Annabeth from Tartarus, Nico accidentally held his hand for too long and let go. And Nico looked sad when he saw Percy and Annabeth holding hands. Percy was worried when Nico offered to transport the Athena Parthenos to Camp, but Nico angrily said that he’d changed since Tartarus. Later, Percy went to thank Nico for leading the crew to the House of Hades, and Nico said it was the least he could do after he saved him in Rome. Percy then told him about Tartarus and thanked him for helping Iapetus, and Nico said overlooking people can be dangerous. Percy then said he was trying to say thank you, and Nico told him to give him space, making Percy feel hurt. He was also confused as to who Nico was, as he wasn’t a nerdy little kid or an angry loner anymore.
In The Blood of Olympus, Nico thought that Percy’s humor was juvenile, and thought he acted so much younger than him, even though he was three years older than him. However, Nico found it endearing, but also annoying. Nico resented Percy for his feelings but knew he would do anything for him. When Nico found out that one of the seven may die, Percy was his third priority after Hazel and Jason. Nico was grateful for Percy for saving him in Rome and letting him onto the ship, and the thought of him or any of the seven dying made him feel like he was back in the bronze jar. After he returned to Camp, he was genuinely happy for Percy going to college in New Rome, and Percy was happy for Nico staying at Camp. Nico then confessed that he had a crush on Percy, but not anymore, since he isn’t his type, but still cute. He said that Percy was a great person and he was happy for him and Annabeth. Percy was too shocked to speak, oblivious to his feelings.
In Camp Half-Blood Confidential, Percy and Nico are good friends. At the campfire, Percy stared at Nico, stunned, when he sang and danced to a rendition of the hokey pokey. When Nico told the Camp about about the orientation video, Percy told him to look at what he started. Nico asked if he should stop them, and Percy smiled and said no and said to get popcorn ready. Percy and Nico later did the FAQ, where they both got annoyed at Annabeth when she yelled at them, yelling her name in unison.
Will Solace, current love interest and boyfriend
In The Blood of Olympus, it's hinted that Nico has developed an attraction to Will Solace, as they fought alongside each other. The two argue, but Will is shown to be able to withstand Nico's temper, and even order him around a bit. Nico develops an admiration for Will, who he hadn't thought greatly of before. At one point, Nico remembers his first arrival to camp in Apollo's sun chariot, and how Thalia had thought that Will's divine father was hot. While Nico didn't understand suddenly remembering this, it is most likely an indication of his budding feelings for Will, since Will is Apollo's son and shares physical traits with him. In the aftermath of the battle, Nico avoided Will, believing he was disgusted with him for allowing Octavian to kill himself, showing he cared very much about Will's opinion of him. To his surprise, Will is more upset that Nico didn't offer to help him, or more importantly, spend time with him after it was all over. Will ordered Nico to stay with him in infirmary for three days, and Nico "felt like a hundred skeletal butterflies were resurrecting in his stomach". Will also seems to reciprocate said feelings, or at the very least, is willing to be closer friends with the son of Hades.
In The Hidden Oracle it is revealed that shortly after Gaea's defeat, Nico finally comes out and confesses to Will Solace about having a strong crush on the latter, and the two begin dating, with Will at one point affectionately referring to Nico as his boyfriend. Will's father, the former god Apollo, is completely supportive of their relationship, due to him having had several mortal boyfriends himself. They continue their playful banter with each other, and are usually seen sitting close by, holding hands. In fact, Apollo claims that Nico and Will are so cute together as a couple, that it made him feel desolate, jogging his memories of the time he had spent with his mortal boyfriend Hyacinthus, one of Apollo's two all-time favorite lovers (the other being Daphne). Nico on his part, is always ready to help and support Will, such as when he tirelessly helped his boyfriend tend to wounded campers (notably Paolo Montes and Valentina Diaz). Nico also showed some jealousy when he caught Will staring at Paolo, but Will stated that it was nothing and that he was merely admiring how well his arms were functioning after surgery.
In The Tower of Nero, six months later, the two are still together and Nico is comfortable enough to sit at the campfire with Will's arm around his shoulders. When Nico discusses potentially getting Rachel Elizabeth Dare from Paris if she needs help, Will comments that he hopes that Nico is planning a date night in Paris, but is aware that his boyfriend is actually trying to get some prophetic help. When Nico explains his desire to go to Tartarus to help a guy, Will questions if he should be jealous, but Nico explains that its a Titan. Will makes it clear that he intends to support and join Nico on his dangerous journey to find out what happened to Iapetus and help him if need be.Friends
Annabeth Chase, a friend of Nico and his former love rival.
Nico and Annabeth first meet in The Titan's Curse, when Annabeth helps save Nico from the Manticore, and ultimately ends up captured. Nico asked Percy if Annabeth was his girlfriend, frustrating him. When Annabeth came home, she kept the secret that Nico was the son of Hades from Chiron, and searched for him all spring, to no avail.
In The Battle of the Labyrinth, Annabeth was uneasy when she found out that Nico was communing with the dead, saying that spirits are untrustworthy advisors, and that they needed to go track down Nico in the labyrinth. Annabeth became extremely worried when she thought Nico would come after Percy. When Annabeth and Percy found Nico at Geryon’s ranch, it is revealed that Nico, to some extent, blamed Annabeth for Bianca dying and had informed Geryon about her. Nevertheless, after Percy saved them from Geryon, Annabeth told Nico that Bianca’s death wasn’t Percy’s fault and that Kronos would do anything to get Nico on his side, and that Bianca wouldn’t want to be brought back to life by him. But this made Nico more upset, telling Annabeth that she didn’t care about Bianca, and that if she did she would help him. But even after everything Nico said to her, Annabeth helped him summon Bianca’s ghost and kept spirits away from him. She also told Nico that his sister was right when she told him that his anger will be his doom, and reminded him again that Kronos would do anything to get him on his side. The next morning, Annabeth tried to convince him to join the group, saying that Bianca just wanted him to be okay, and put her hand on his shoulder, but he brushed her off and walked away. After he left, Annabeth told Percy she was worried about him and scared he would talk to Minos again.
2 weeks after that, Annabeth got an iris message from Eurytion and learned he had left his ranch and went back into the maze, making her so worried about him she was queasy. She and Eurytion thought that he was talking to Minos again and knew he was in danger, afraid of what Minos wanted from him. However, Nico ended up choosing to side with Percy and try to save him, and Annabeth charged at Kelli, who had captured Nico in the first place, and Nico, in return, chose to save everyone, including Annabeth, when he declared himself the ghost king, finally trusting Annabeth. After they escaped, Nico chose to accompany Annabeth a gift shop to buy a prism. When they went back into the labyrinth, Annabeth and Rachel chose to guard Nico while Percy went to see Luke. Nico and the girls agreed that they needed to help Percy or else he’d mess things up, and they all saved him, and in return, Nico saved everyone again, including Annabeth, by making black Stone rise in front of Kronos’s fortress. When they all arrived back at Camp, Nico didn’t want to stay, but when Annabeth put her hand on his shoulder and asked him to stay for her, Nico decided to stay, but only for her, possibly to mess with Percy. During the Battle of the Labyrinth, Annabeth, along with the others, helped Nico sit up as he healed.
In The Mark of Athena, it is revealed that Annabeth has always had mixed feelings about Nico di Angelo, and suspects that he had a crush on her ever since she rescued him from Westover Hall. However, Annabeth herself has no feelings for him beyond kinship, since he is too young, too moody, and has a certain darkness in him that makes Annabeth uneasy. Furthermore, she has always found it hard to "read" Nico and his actions. However, Annabeth still admits to feeling responsible for him, and can relate to feeling like Nico did after Bianca's death—a homeless orphan, drifting through the world alone. Annabeth was upset when she found out about Nico’s imprisonment, and listened to the news sadly, shaking her head, but she wasn’t surprised at all by the news, and figured out he would die on the Kalends of July. She also figured out rescuing him was a trap, but felt a responsibility to save him.
A few days later, when she was reunited with Nico in Arachne's lair, Annabeth wasn’t surprised that he was there, and felt it was only right for him to be there with him. Nico, in return, didn’t say much, but he told her the other side of the Doors of Death was Tartarus. Their reunion was cut short when Annabeth began falling into Tartarus, and Nico rushed to try to save her, using his strength to hobble in her direction. He even leaned over the chasm, reaching out to help her and Percy, to no avail. The last sounds Annabeth heard before falling was Nico and Hazel screaming for help. Later, when Nico arrived back on the ship, Nico reassured Leo that Percy Annabeth were not dead, and if they were he would feel it. He also said that Annabeth would make it through Tartarus, and that Percy would make it, especially with Annabeth on his side, showing he thought highly of the daughter of Athena. However, he was unsure if he could get her back safely.
In The House of Hades, the Argo II thinks that Nico has a crush on Annabeth, including Jason, who learned from Piper. However when he and Nico went to Croatia, he thought his "crush" was bigger than he thought and was a deeper love. At first, Nico tried to lie to Jason, saying he left Camp half blood because he crushed on Annabeth, but then admitted that he wasn’t. Jason connected the dots and it is finally revealed that Nico was actually jealous of Annabeth, not in love with her, due to her relationship with Percy (his actual love interest), which is why Nico initially didn't want to be around her. Nevertheless, despite his jealousy, Nico led the demigods into the House of Hades to save Annabeth and Percy. After seeing Annabeth and Percy holding hands, Nico looks pained, showing that his secret crush on Percy is as strong as ever, although Hazel just thought it was because he went through Tartarus alone.
In The Blood of Olympus, it is revealed that after her return from Tartarus, Annabeth approached Nico as he was tying up the Athena Parthenos. Nico was afraid she found out about his crush, but instead, she went out of her way to thank Nico for being nice to Iapetus (even before Percy did so), and telling the Titan that Percy is worth saving. While Nico is still very jealous of Annabeth, and wants to hate her, he cannot bring himself to, since Annabeth's gratitude was genuine and sincere, and she never overlooked or avoided Nico like most people. Hence, Nico admits to himself that it would have been far easier for him if she were a horrible person. Later in the book, when Hades reveals to Nico that one of the Seven is destined to die, the idea of any of them (even Annabeth) dying made him feel empty—like he was back in the dark Giants' Bronze Jar. By the end of the book, Nico finally finds the courage to tell Percy and Annabeth about his past crush on Percy, coming out for the first time. By that point, however, Nico has come to realize that Percy is not his type, and that he is genuinely happy for Percy and Annabeth. While Annabeth is certainly shocked at such an unexpected revelation from Nico, she smiles at the son of Hades and high-fives him. Nico is also happy when he finds out that Annabeth and Percy are going to college in New Rome the next year.
Nico and Annabeth are on good terms. In the Camp Half-Blood Confidential, Nico, Percy, and Annabeth help with the FAQ. Annabeth remarked that Percy and Nico were idiots and she would yell their names, and Percy and Nico would yell her name in unison and annoyance.
Leo Valdez, his friend.
In The Mark of Athena, Leo was suspicious of Nico's loyalties, due to knowing about both camps, and thought rescuing him was a trap. However, after Hazel fought with him and Jason, Leo decided to rescue him for Hazel's sake and apologized to her, even though he thought he was suspicious for a good reason, and knew he had to travel fast to rescue him before it was too late. Leo even helped pinpoint Nico’s location with Hazel and [[Frank Zhang|Frank], and rescued him, Percy, Jason, and Piper McLean On Nico's end, he was very grateful that Leo rescued him and thanked everyone, including Leo, for rescuing him. After Percy and Annabeth fell into Tartarus, Nico reassured him that they were alive and that if they were dead, he would feel it. However, Leo was creeped out by the son of Hades and did not like how he hesitated if Percy would survive.
In The House of Hades, Leo was very creeped out by Nico and said he gave him the freaky deakies, thinking his eyes were sad and empty as if he stared into Tartarus, which he did. Leo would often make jokes at Nico’s expense, which Jason would often chastise him for. Leo once commented to Jason and Piper that Clytius reminded him of Nico and wondered if they were related. Nico, on his end, was frequently annoyed by Leo’s humor. While they were fighting the Ourae, Nico got annoyed when he said that masts didn’t come from trees, and he frowned and said that they are from trees, and Leo retorted that it wasn't the point. And on the way to the House of Hades, when Leo kept joking, Nico told him he wouldn’t keep his sense of humor for long. Nico also became more defensive around Leo after Croatia, due to being worried about what he would say while he was gone. However, Leo and Nico collaborated well on defeating the Ourae and both worried about Hazel while she was gone with Hecate. Later, when Nico fell a few days later, Leo hoped he was okay, and he wholeheartedly supported his plan to get Diocletian's Scepter, saying he wanted Pagan Zombies to fight with. After Leo came back from Ogygia, Nico was glad to see him and shook his hand.
In The Blood of Olympus, it is revealed that Nico greatly cared about Leo, since him and the rest of the Seven didn’t overlook him like the others and welcomed him onto the ship, and learning that he (and any other of the Seven) may die made him feel like he was back in the glass jar again. Later, when he arrived at Camp Half-Blood, and the Argo II exploded, he was worried about Leo’s fate and reassured Jason that he would be fine, but just in case, they charged into battle "for Leo". Nico eventually let the onager hit Festus and kill Leo, knowing that some deaths couldn’t be prevented, listening to his father, but almost lost his nerve knowing he let his friend be killed.
After his death, he honored Leo and the dead and oversaw the burial rites, and knew that Leo had made a real sacrifice. Nico thought that talking to the other demigods about Leo's death was the hardest part of him dying. Out of all the demigods, Nico the only one not mad at Hazel and Frank for what they did, because he knew what Leo did was a sneaky, twisted, ridiculously annoying and noble plan he would do. Nico knew better that Leo was dead, telling Jason so, and said that he felt his death. However, Nico was wracked with guilt of his death and replayed the scene of his death in his mind for two days after it happened, and wondered if what he did unnecessarily cost him his life. His death even led him to pray to his father for guidance for the first time. Even though Nico felt guilty himself of what happened, he reassured Jason and Hazel that it wasn’t their fault.
In The Hidden Oracle, it is revealed that in September, after the events of his death, he (and everyone else) received a parchment scroll from Leo saying what happened. Nico was very angry at Leo for not contacting camp after and would hold the scroll and watch it every time he wanted to be angry at him. In Camp Half-Blood Confidential, he was miffed at Leo she remarked that he was supposed to stay dead. Nico remarked to Apollo when they sat at dinner together that if he sees Leo again, he’ll kill him. Nico hated being left in the dark. However, when Leo returned, Nico arranged a single file line at Camp to punch him and even made a ticket dispenser, taking numbers, leaving Leo to ask if that was really necessary, which the other Campers agreed. After the punching was done, Leo yelled for Nico and asked if he was done with the physical abuse, and Nico smiled, saying there are plenty of people on the West Coast who want to punch him.
Frank Zhang, a good friend of Nico and his sister’s boyfriend
Frank and Nico met before the events of The Son of Neptune. Frank is not uneasy around Nico like the other kids at Camp Jupiter, though he doesn't think he is as nice or as good looking as Hazel. Frank didn't know much about him though, or about his past. Frank even thought his father was cool. On Nico's end, Nico was amused by the son of Mars and smiled when he saw him. In The Mark of Athena, Frank wanted to save Nico from the bronze jar and was extremely angry at Jason and Leo for not wanting to, and was worried about how long he would survive in the jar. After he was rescued, Nico thanked everyone, including Frank, saying he had almost lost hope. Nico later reassured Frank that Percy and Annabeth falling into Tartarus wasn't his fault.
In The House of Hades, it is revealed that Frank is secretly scared of going to places alone with Nico, and thought he was quiet and ghostlike, and felt like he was from the past. But Frank still tried to be his friend and encouraged him to talk about his past and his childhood in Venice. Frank was angry at Nico and wanted to kill him after Hazel was poisoned, but his anger subsided when it was revealed that he used to play Mythomagic too. And when he was turned into a plant by Triptolemus, he demanded that he be turned back, calling him "his friend". Later, Nico called Frank brave for killing all of the Katobleps in Venice, but became shocked when he found out he actually killed all of them. Frank was later worried about Nico after he became quieter after the incident.
Later, Nico and Frank fought off hordes of monsters together in the House of Hades, and it was because of Nico that Frank was promoted to Praetor. Nico even smiled and laughed when Frank commanded the ghosts and killed the ghosts, saying "That’s more like it! Let’s turn this tide!" Nico later told Frank he had an arrow in his arm.
In The Blood of Olympus, Nico regarded Frank as one of his friends, not overlooking him like others, and when he found out he may die, he felt like he was back in the Bronze Jar again. Later, when he was back at Camp Half-Blood, Frank visited Nico and Hazel in the cabin and Nico said it was an honor to quest with Frank, and thought it was a good sign he could talk openly about his lifeline. Nico told Frank that he wasn't close to death and he had many more adventures ahead of him, and told him to be good to Hazel, and that he was a good guy, though secretly jealous of his happy relationship. Frank asked Nico if he wanted to come to Camp Jupiter with them, and that he would always have a place in New Rome but Nico said he would stay at Camp, and that he would visit. Frank said he’d hope he'd see him again, and Nico promised to be flower boy at his wedding. Hazel then chastised Nico for teasing him about that.
In The Hidden Oracle, Nico says that he doesn't see Frank often, since he's busy with the whole "Twelfth Legion Thing".
| “ | Easy for you to say. You're everybody's golden boy, the son of Jupiter. | ” |
–Nico di Angelo to Jason Grace, in The House of Hades | ||
Jason Grace, a close friend of Nico.
Jason met Nico at Camp Jupiter at once point. Before rescuing him in The Mark of Athena, Jason voices his doubts on Nico's loyalties, infuriating Hazel, and wanted to leave him to die in Rome. Jason pointed out that it might be a trap and also found Nico's loyalties doubtful, because despite knowing about both the camps, Nico did not tell anyone. Jason had also learned from Percy about the incident in Hades' Palace in The Last Olympian, not knowing what to think of him. Nevertheless, he still saved him, and Nico thanked him and the rest of the crew, saying he almost lost hope. Nico later told Jason about how they could save Percy by going through the House of Hades.
In The House of Hades, Jason is still creeped out by Nico, and fears going alone with him, and thought that he had a tendency to hide in the shadows. Nevertheless, Nico still trusted Jason and obeyed his command, and Jason tried to talk and bond with Nico, letting Nico share his news about meeting priests of Hecate to the crew, and told Leo to stop making jokes while he was talking.
The two go to find the Scepter of Diocletian in Croatia. Jason flew Nico into the sky, which makes Nico angry about being touched. Jason comforted him when Nico was nervous about confronting Cupid, even though he thinks it’s just a crush on Annabeth. When the two arrive in Salona, Jason is grateful to have Nico there with him, and the two defended each other during Cupid’s attacks, and Jason was so shocked by what he saw from Nico’s past that he was unable to move or speak. Nico eventually was forced to confess that he had a crush on Percy, and Jason accepted him immediately, thinking about his perspective, and told Nico that he wouldn’t tell anyone if he didn’t want to, but what he had done was the bravest. Nico brushed Jason off though.
After the events, Jason is a lot more concerned for Nico and even defends him when Leo calls him creepy, and never told anyone about Nico’s secret. He was also surprised when Nico became buff. At Auster’s palace, Nico lashed out and yelled at Jason for not being able to convince Auster to leave sooner, and that he had suffered too many embarrassments. Jason encourages Nico to take a risk be his friend and that everyone will accept him for being gay, and that’s who he is. Jason also tells Nico to stop running away and stop hiding, which angers Nico, which makes Jason incredibly scared, and finally said that he would help them, then leave forever. Jason was incredibly scared when Nico got angry, and thought that maybe being friends with Nico is more trouble than it’s worth, but his talk with Nico helped him choose to stay at Camp Half Blood.
At the House of Hades, Nico gives Jason the chalice first to drink and asks him if he trusts him, which he does without hesitation, signifying that Nico trusts him. At the battle, Nico and Jason stick by each other and Jason catches Nico and protects him from falling at one point. The two also helped save Hazel and Leo. When Nico says he is going with Reyna to retrieve the Athena Parthenos, Jason said he didn’t doubt his strength, but after Nico said he had changed since Tartarus, Jason trusts him and knows he will be okay.
While Nico is gone, the two think about each other all the time. Jason is grateful for Nico and his actions at the House of Hades. Jason worries about him and is grateful that he went to bring the Athena Parthenos. Every time Jason sacrificed his food to Jupiter, Jason prays for him to help him. Nico, on the other hand, is still embarrassed about Salona and when Jason picked him up. Nevertheless, Nico's primary concern other than Hazel is for Jason.
At the battle to kill Gaia, Jason was happy to see Nico fighting with Camp Half-Blood, and the two talked and ran into battle together. Two days after, Nico comforts Jason over Leo’s death, and told him that he felt him die. They also talked about how maybe they don't need more prophecies for awhile, after they find out the Oracle was blocked. Jason tried to convince Nico to stay at Camp again, but when Jason finds out Nico is staying at Camp Half-Blood, Jason hugs him, which Nico accepts, and talks about all the fun they will have. Nico pretends to be annoyed, but Nico believes that he's actually excited for him to stay.
After Nico sensed Jason’s death, he flew into a rage and destroyed things around him, and began suffering from PTSD: seeing flashbacks, not eating or sleeping, and hearing voices from Tartarus. When Apollo confirmed his death to Nico in The Tower of Nero, Nico spoke Italian and ran out of the room, a thing he only does when upset. Jason was one of the first people Nico thought of as a friend. Nico later admits that he considered trying to bring Jason back like Nico did with Hazel, but he senses that Jason has made his choice and Nico would be dishonoring his sacrifice by bringing him back. Nico tries to find out from Apollo if Jason went to Elysium or rebirth, but Apollo doesn't know.
Piper McLean, a friend of Nico
| “ | “No one did. Piper tried to imagine what Nico di Angelo was feeling, stuck in a jar with only two pomegranate seeds left to sustain him, and no idea whether he would be rescued.” | ” |
–Piper thinking about Nico in “The Mark of Athena“ | ||
Piper first learns about Nico in The Mark of Athena, when she learns he is dying, but only thinks of him as Hazel's brother. However, even after Piper found out it was a track, she was still determined to save him, and reassured Hazel that she would. Piper also decoded what Nico was in the prophecy and how he must have found the Doors of Death. After Jason and Leo opposed rescuing him, Piper lectured them, saying that was cold and that Nico was dying, and went to comfort Hazel. While crossing the Atlantic, Piper was anxious to reach Rome to save him, and imagined what Nico was feeling- stuck in a jar with only two seeds left, no idea if he would be rescued. However, when Piper saw a horrifying vision in Katoptris that hinted at Piper, Percy, and Jason dying on the way to Nico and saw that saving him was too easy, Piper briefly hesitated saving him, but still wanted to save him and saw a vision of him lifeless, making Piper hope he was still alive. After Nico was let go, Piper shielded Nico from leopards attacking him and defended him. Piper then tried to pull Nico to safety, injuring herself in the process, signifying how Piper was willing to sacrifice herself for him. After Nico was rescued, he thanked everyone, including Piper, and said he had given up hope. Piper later asked Nico where in Greece the Doors of Death were. After Annabeth and Percy fell into Tartarus, Nico agreed with Piper that it wasn't Frank or Jason's fault that they fell into Tartarus.
In The House of Hades, Piper and Nico appear to be on good terms, with Piper trying her best to include him. However, Piper thought that he had a crush on Annabeth, and mentioned that to Jason. She offered to go to Dalmatia with Jason and Nico, but Nico objected to her going, saying that Diocletian may appear to Jason or him, but not to anyone else, because Piper might spook him. After Croatia, Piper noticed that Nico was acting nervous and cagey, like something major had happened there, and worried about him. Piper became concerned when he kissed Hazels cheek, since he hated physical contact, and thought he was almost saying goodbye. Piper also felt Nico’s defenses going up, afraid of what him or Leo would say about him when he was gone. However, Nico and Piper cooperated well going into the House of Hades and when Piper said the doors opened every fifteen minutes, Nico corrected her and said every twelve, and discussed a lot while walking. When they fought monsters, Piper stood at Nico’s back, and was concerned after he almost fell.
In The Blood of Olympus, Piper cared about Nico, and reassured Jason that he, Reyna, and Coach Hedge would be fine, and told Jason that after the war ended, everything would work out for Nico and that Jason had done what he could, being a friend to him. Piper could sense what was happening with Nico due to being a daughter of Aphrodite, sensing people’s heartache, but never pressured Jason to talk to her about it. Later, when Piper met Zeus for the first time, she immediately asked him if Nico, Reyna, and Hedge were okay. Piper also believed Nico when he said that Leo indeed died. As for Nico, Nico greatly appreciated Piper for everything she had done for him, welcoming him on to the ship and saving him in Rome, and when he found out one of the Seven may die, including Piper, he felt empty, like he was back in the bronze jar.
| “ | You're the most courageous demigod I've ever meet, Reyna. I—I won't let you down. | ” |
–Nico to Reyna, in The Blood of Olympus | ||
Reyna, an ally and close friend of Nico.
Nico and Reyna first met before the events of The Son of Neptune, where Nico brought Hazel Levesque to Camp Jupiter. Dakota mentions that Percy “should’ve seen Reyna’s face” when Nico asked her to take Hazel in, hunting that it was not pretty. Reyna was suspicious of Nico, because children of Pluto were bad omens, and she thought he wasn’t who he said he was. She thought of him as a travelling oddball, harmless as fauns, and a bad omen like the other Romans at Camp. She did reluctantly make him Ambassador of Pluto, though she didn’t know what to do whenever Nico came. Reyna was still suspicious of him after months, and didn’t believe him when he told him about the Gigantes being reborn. During a senate meeting, Reyna thought it was suspicious how Nico knew so much about Alcyoneus, and said he sounded like he was “quite familiar” with him. However, Reyna would occasionally ask Nico questions, like when Gwendolyn came back to life, she asked Nico if it was a power of Pluto. In The House of Hades, Reyna was not against going with Nico to deliver the Athena Parthenos to Camp.
In The Blood of Olympus, the two eventually grow close over the course of their journey. Reyna lends Nico strength to shadow-travel, and, as a result, she learns quite a bit about his past and the tremendous internal pain that he's been harboring. She is horrified at the amount of internal pain and raw anguish (even a portion of which is greater than what she had felt from even her entire legion during the battle against the Giant Polybotes. Reyna became very impressed with Nico after she found out how he kept the secret between both camps, survived Tartarus, leading the Argo II to Epirus, being imprisoned. When Nico learned that Reyna had seen his memories, Nico put his guard up. Reyna even began thinking of Nico as her younger brother in spite of herself, and wanted to give him her cloak as a blanket, but she stopped, telling herself that he was her comrade, not her brother. But by the time they made it to San Juan, Reyna had seen enough of Nico’s pain that she tucked him in with her cloak anyway.
Nico, on his part, admits to "kind of" liking Reyna, even calling her his friend. When he learned more about Orion from Hades, he remembered that Reyna was being guarded by Coach Hedge and wanted to return to her immediately. Nico became a little upset when he had to shadow travel the Athena Parthenos across the Atlantic, because he was used to people asking him to do the impossible. However, he was surprised when Reyna asked him how she can help him, which was something no one really asked him. Nico told her to lend him her strength again. Reyna reassured Nico that he would make the jump.
When she was briefly taken away by the Hunters of Artemis, Nico is enraged, since he didn't want them stealing another important person from him, and ripped up the note Thalia Gabe him in rage. He is relieved to have finally found her again. Nico, however, is worried at how brooding Reyna had become after leaving Puerto Rico, and encourages her talk about what troubles her (much to his own surprise, since brooding was usually his own method of dealing with internal turmoil as well), reminding her of the numerous ghosts of Asphodel, who are unable to speak any longer, due to them never speaking out during their lifetimes, reminding Reyna that her voice is her identity, and that unless she uses it, she is "halfway to Asphodel already." Nico then tells Reyna about Jules-Albert, his French zombie chauffeur that Hades gave him that he never told anyone about. As a result, Reyna finally opens up to Nico and she tearfully describes how she killed her father in Puerto Rico, something she'd never ever told anyone up to that point, since patricide is an unforgivable crime by Roman law, because he knocked out Hylla. Nico is quick to comfort Reyna, insisting that it was a mania (with only her father's worst qualities) that she had killed, not her actual father.
Reyna later witnesses him kill Bryce Lawrence after he cuts Reyna’s cheek and threatens to execute her for patricide (he found out she killed her father) and seems horrified at the ferocious display of Nico's infernal powers. At that moment, Nico accidentally generates a "flood of pain and anger" on everyone present, allowing Reyna to finally experience his hardships from his point of view and also see Nico's greatest fears and secrets (including his homosexuality and his crush on Percy). Reyna was shocked at the beginning and didn’t know how to process it at first, with him reminding her of her father, but then she realized how much she trusts him and how he removed some of her burden, and said that she trusted him, healing him for 3 days. When Nico woke up, he was worried of what Reyna would think of him, and apologized to her, worried that he poisoned another friendship. But to Nico's surprise and relief, she told him how much she trusts him and how everyone lets out the darkness once in awhile, and how they are friends.She did, however made him promise to not turn someone into a ghost again. Nico realised that Reyna wasn’t judging him, but that she cared even more now that she knew who he was. Reyna's unconditional acceptance and support was what most likely gave Nico the courage to finally come out to a very surprised Percy and Annabeth shortly thereafter.
In addition, Reyna appears to be in awe of Nico's powers, especially after learning that he also possesses hypnokinetic abilities. She also greatly admires Nico's immense tolerance to both physical and mental pain. Nico, in turn, respects Reyna quite a bit, and by the end of their journey to Camp Half-Blood, he even calls her the most courageous demigod he'd ever meet, and promises to not let her down. Reyna wants to hug Nico in return, but doesn't think the gesture would have been welcome, so she settles for a friendly handshake. When Reyna arrived at Camp with the Athena Parthenos, Nico yelled at the Camp about everything she had done for them, and that they should be grateful for her, something Nico barely did.
After Gaea's defeat, Reyna tells the two camps about Nico's part in saving them, brings him out of the shadows, gives him a big hug, and Nico tearfully returns it, burying his face in Reyna's shoulder. The crowd of demigods roars with approval in response, indicating that thanks to Reyna, both Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter have finally come to truly accept the son of Hades. Shortly before leaving Camp Half-Blood, Reyna promises Nico that he will always have a place in New Rome, and he promises to visit her, Hazel, and Frank often.
In The Hidden Oracle, Nico states that Reyna is busy with the whole “Twelfth Legion thing”, hinting that they don’t see each other often.
Dakota, who helped Nico get to the front line.
Nico knows Dakota from Camp Jupiter and seem to be on good terms. Nico talks to the son of Bacchus in The Son of Neptune and Nico doesn’t mind when Dakota says that Reyna has no idea what to do with him. Nico makes Dakota blush when he compliments him for standing up for Nico. The two later go to discuss war strategies with Vitellius and Don.
In the The Blood of Olympus Dakota and Leila are the second people to find out about Jules-Albert, his French zombie driver. They bond over their hatred for Octavian. Dakota and Nico seem to trust each other, with Dakota listening to Nicos orders and Nico saying he counts on him. It is unknown how Nico will react to his death.
Apollo, a god he has met multiple times.
Apollo and Nico first meet in The Titan's Curse. Nico is excited and giddy around Apollo and asks him a lot of questions, while Apollo answers them and gets along with him fine. At the time, he sees Nico as a little kid.
Nico and Apollo seem to be on good terms, since he is the father of Will Solace, Nico's boyfriend. The two interact in The Hidden Oracle and Nico tells him of the whereabouts of the seven. Apollo sees the son of Hades as a capable fighter, and Apollo is supportive of his relationship with Will, even if he doesn’t know why he would be attracted to a Son of Hades. He thought that him and Will reminded him of him and Hyacinthus, making his heart hurt. He also liked his Ramones shirt, thinking he had good music taste. Later, Apollo helps Will and Nico heal Paolo Montes after he loses a leg. Nico also comes to Apollo and Meg McCaffrey's going away party. Nico later helps heal Apollo with Will, saying that he and Will were both worried about him. Nico helps Apollo defeat Nero and the Colossus Neronis.
In The Tower of Nero, it is revealed that Apollo thinks very highly of Nico, thinking that he is someone you’d want on your side and never as an enemy. He thought he was brave for all that he had been through, having more resilience than Stygian Iron, from Tartarus to accepting his identity as a gay man. He wanted his help for the quest to Neros Tower, and he accepted it. Apollo was later skeptical when Nico told him about the Trogdolytes, but he later believed him, showing his trust in the son of Hades. Nico collaborated with Apollo also, shadow travelling with him, and Apollo trusting him to be able to Sabotage the vats. Later, when Apollo went through Neros tower, Nico helped him kill Gauls in the hallways and kill Nero.
Two weeks after the defeat, Apollo visited Nico and Will at Camp Half-Blood, since Apollo was worried about the fate of his friends. Apollo was worried about Nico hearing Jason’s voice, but Nico reassured him that it wasn’t, and that he knew he was in a better place. Apollo was shocked when Nico and Will wanted to journey into Tartarus to save Bob, but he didn’t want to tell demigods what to do anymore.
Dionysus, friend and mentor to Nico
Nico met Mr. D in The Titan's Curse, being very excited and giddy to see him, knowing him from Mythomagic. He called him “The Wine dude” and talked to him about all the defense points gods had in the game. Dionysus, on his end, was very annoyed by Nico and gave him a look of loathing when he called him “the wine dude.”
In The Tower of Nero, it is revealed that Nico and Dionysus had grown very close, with Dionysus thinking he had been through too much. After Jason died, Nico and Dionysus began eating most meals together, with Dionysus even letting him sit at his table, something he never did. Dionysus helped Nico make sense of the dreams he was having, figuring out what was real and what wasn’t. Dionysus didn’t want Nico going on the quest with Apollo and talking to trogdolytes, saying it was bad for his mental health, but Nico insisted on going, and an annoyed Dionysus let him.
Rachel Elizabeth Dare, his good friend.
Nico and Rachel met in The Battle of the Labyrinth, where Nico saved everyone, including Rachel, by declaring himself as “The Ghost King”. Nico later says that Rachel and Annabeth dragged him along with them, saying that saving Percy was the only thing they could agree on. In The Last Olympian, even though Nico didn’t know her well, he was worried when she took Blackjack and went to Half-Blood Hill.
In The Tower of Nero, Nico and Rachel had become friends and quested together to stop Nero. Nico liked Rachel’s paintings and called them amazing, while Rachel liked Nico’s “black and white aesthetic”. Nico also trusted Rachel when they thought that the cows outside her house were dangerously The two later helped sabotage the vats with Will and the troglodytes to stop Nero from burning New York. Two weeks later, Rachel and Nico were at the campfire together with Apollo and Will, and Nico was very worried when Rachel got a prophecy, saying it wasn’t good, standing over her with a perturbed look.
Gleeson Hedgea mentor and satyr he quested with.
Coach Hedge is very protective of Nico and in return, Nico respects him. Nico, Reyna, and Hedge helped the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood. Nico also called the coach his friend, which was a huge step for him, considering he thought he never had any friends. When Nico displays his horrifying show of rage, Hedge does not judge him, but thinks his rage was dangerous and dark, but Nico was surprised he didn’t care that the thought that. Hedge didn’t judge him when he found out he was gay either. Nico realises that now that he knew who he was inside, he cared more about him, instead of wanting to push him away. Nico saved Hedge’s life many times, like from Bryce Lawrence and Lycaon.
Hedge greatly cares about Nico’s well being and asked him how he can help him, and also cared for Nico in a shadow coma for three days, using woodland magic, and didn’t leave him behind because he was a part of the team. Later, when they returned to Camp Half-Blood, Hedge told Will about Nico overusing his powers, obviously concerned.
The two spent plenty of time together on the quest, including going shopping together at San Juan, buying matching shirts, and going to the Buford Zippy Mart. Nico is also very excited about his baby, and couldn’t help but smile with happiness when Will, Lou, and Cecil mention the baby’s birth.
Iapetus, the titan of morality and his friend.
After the Titan Iapetus lost his memory, Nico would visit him at his father's palace. The son of Hades managed to convince Bob (Iapetus) that Percy was a good person, which would eventually lead to the Titan helping Percy and Annabeth reach the Doors of Death from inside Tartarus.
In The Tower of Nero, Nico reveals that he feels guilty for Bob getting left behind in Tartarus and possibly being destroyed. Nico's description of Bob, before Nico explains that he's a Titan, causes Nico's boyfriend Will Solace to wonder if he should be jealous. Nico reveals that he thinks that a voice that he's been hearing calling to him from Tartarus might be Bob, suggesting that his friend survived. Nico intends to travel to Tartarus to try to find out what happened to Bob and help him if he can.Family
Hazel, his half-sister
| “ | You’re my sister too. You deserve another chance. Come with me. | ” |
–Nico to Hazel, in The Son of Neptune | ||
Hazel and Nico first met a month after the events of The Last Olympian, when Nico went into the Underworld after Thanatos was captured to bring Bianca back from the dead. However, she chose Rebirth, and instead, Nico found Hazel in the Fields of Asphodel. Nico could immediately sense that she was a daughter of Pluto and that she remembered her past. Nico told her that he came to being his sister, Bianca, back, but he failed, but he told Hazel that she needed another chance and come with him. While on their journey to the world, Nico brought Hazel to Persephone’s garden and told her about the pomegranate seeds: a last resort food only children of Hades/Pluto can eat. Nico brought Hazel to Camp Jupiter to meet Reyna and Jason, and Nico told them that he found her in New Orleans. Hazel first thought that Nico was a scrawny white boy that couldn’t fight and laughed when he first called his sword “Stygian iron”. However, Hazel soon realized that Nico was the most dangerous demigod, even more so than Reyna, Jason, or Octavian.
In The Son of Neptune, Hazel and Nico are on good terms, with Hazel greatly caring about Nico as the only family she has left. Nico and Hazel discussed a lot about current events going on, and both figured out that Thanatos was captured, and knew a lot about the Gigantes, especially Alcyoneus. Nico also helped Hazel with her blackouts and helped her control them, and was the only one who knew about Hazels past.Nico liked to remind her that she could make things right and that she belonged at Camp Jupiter. However, Hazel sometimes gets very frustrated with Nico, especially when he keeps secrets from her, like refusing to tell her where Percy came from, and sometimes can’t trust him. Nico would sometimes accidentally call Hazel Bianca, making Hazel jealous and her mouth taste like metal, reminding her of his “real” sister. Hazel also sometimes dreaded when Nico came to camp, because all of the Romans (except for Frank and Dakota) saw it as a bad omen. However, Nico tried to protect her whenever he could: healing her cuts when she ran to the mess hall and yelling her not to apologize for her blackouts. Nico also had a tendency to call Hazel his sister, and “sis” when he was especially proud. Nico was very proud of Hazel when she stood for Percy. The two also discussed Alcyoneus at the next senate meeting.
Later, when Hazel left for Alaska with Frank and Percy, Nico pulped Hazel aside to wish her luck and say goodbye. She hoped he would stay at Camp to defend it, but Nico said he was going to the Underworld to help his father and try to find the Doors of Death. Hazel told Nico to be careful and was worried she would never see him again. Nico told Hazel to take care of herself and took her hand, saying he wanted to give her a chance at Elysium and didn’t want to lose her again. Hazel knew he was thinking of Bianca, but for once, she wasn’t jealous of her, and just wanted to spend more time with her brother. Later, Hazel got a vision from Gaea who told her that Nico was manipulating her and using her, which she didn’t believe, and then told her that she captured him and he would die soon, making her cry and panic. She didn’t want to believe that he was captured, but she had a feeling that she was right, and worried about losing the only family she had left.
In The Mark of Athena, Hazel was terribly worried about Nico. She found out from Nemesis that he only had six days to live and was determined to help him. After Hazel found out that Nico was in the bronze jar, Hazel burst out sobbing and was even more determined to rescue him. Hazel became furious at Leo and Jason for suggesting that they should leave him in Rome to die, storming out of the room. However, she forgave them when they apologized. Hazel later went to track down Nico’s location with Frank and Leo. After she rescued Nico, Hazel sat with Nico and gave him Ambrosia as they spoke. Nico told Hazel about Tartarus and how he found the Doors and arrived in Rome. Hazel later helped Nico to his feet to speak to the group, and held his shoulders as he coughed until he could stand again. After Percy and Annabeth fell into Tartarus, Hazel agreed with Nico that they were alive.
In The House of Hades, Hazel and Nico were very close, with Nico mostly spending time with her. They both cooperated well with the Ourae and they both went to Venice with Frank to get barley cakes from Triptolemus. Hazel and Nico both knew secrets about the House of Hades that they refused to tell the others, showing how they trusted each other. Hazel felt that Nico radiated old energy and felt that he didn’t belong in the modern world. Hazel and Nico understood and shared each other’s sadness, knowing children of Hades rarely had happy lives. Nico and Hazel often worried about each other’s well being. Nico worried about Hazel when she went to see Hecate and blamed himself when she was poisoned by Triptolemus, even threatening the god to heal her. As for Hazel, when Nico fell against the ship walls and goblets fell on him, Hazel stayed to take care of him. And after Venice, Hazel often worried about Nico, who became even more reclusive and morose, and from everything he had gone through. However, Nico began to show Hazel affection, getting closer, giving her a kiss on the cheek when she was seasick.
After they went through the House of Hades, Hazel called Nico to her. Nico kissed Hazel on the forehead and told her that the ghosts were right, only one of them would make it to the Doors, and they were right. Nico then said that she made her father proud. Hazel then cupped her hand on his face, saying that she wouldn’t of defeated Clytius without him. Hazel noticed that Nico had been crying. Hazel wanted to know so sadly what was going on with him over the past few weeks, but was so glad to have her brother there with her. Hazel and Nico then helped the group Shadow Travel back to the ship, combining their strength, holding hands. Hazel glanced at Nico soon after and saw pain in his eyes, looking at Percy and Annabeth hold hands, but she thought it was because he went through Tartarus alone while they had each other.
In The Blood of Olympus, Nico and Hazel were very worried about each other. Hazel asked Artemis if Nico was okay when she went to Delos. Nico, meanwhile, missed Hazel very much and his primary concern was for Hazel out of the Seven. When he found out that one of the seven, including Hazel, may die, he felt empty again, like he was back in the bronze jar. He was very grateful to Hazel and the others for rescuing him in Rome and welcoming him on to the ship.
When Nico reunited with Hazel, Nico was the only demigod not angry at Hazel (besides Frank) for Leo’s death, because he knew that’s what Leo would’ve done. Nico and Hazel also knew that Leo was dead for good. Nico and Hazel shared Hades' Cabin together, with Nico grateful to be with his sister. Hazel and Frank offered for Nico to come live at Camp Jupiter with them, but Nico declined, opting to stay at Camp. Nico then told Frank to be good to Hazel and that he would be flower boy at his wedding, embarrassing Hazel. After Frank left, Hazel chastised Nico for this. They both agreed that they would miss each other and Hazel made Nico promise that he would visit. Nico congratulated Hazel on becoming Centurion and asked if there were rules against Centurions dating praetors, which Hazel said was the least of her problems. Nico also told hazel that she wasn’t the same girl he brought to Camp Jupiter and that she was confident now, and Hazel thanked him for it, but Nico said it was because of Hazel she was. Hazel and Nico then discussed Leo’s death and he reassured her that it wasn’t her fault. Hazel expressed guilt over him dying alone and Nico hugged her and tucked her in as she cried herself to sleep. The next morning, he made sure he and Jason didn’t wake Hazel, as she was still asleep.
In The Hidden Oracle, Nico said that Hazel was busy with “The twelfth légion thing” implying that they didn’t see each other much. In The Tyrant's Tomb, Hazel mentions that Nico could help cure Apollo’s scratch.
Bianca Di Angelo, Nico’s late older sister
| “ | I love Nico—don't get me wrong—I just needed to find out what it would be like not to be a big sister twenty-four hours a day. | ” |
–Bianca about Nico, in The Titan's Curse | ||
Nico and Bianca shared a very close relationship. When they were younger they were inseparable, chasing each other in the front of a hotel as Hades and Maria talked. As their mother died when they were young, Bianca assumes an almost motherly role, bearing the responsibility that a parent would normally bear. Bianca was very overprotective and close with Nico, and Bianca had a tendency to argue with Nico a lot and get annoyed, like when they were arguing at the Westover Hall school dance, waving their hands. And when Nico said it was cool when he found out they were demigods, Bianca said it was not cool and that they weren’t demigods. Bianca also has a tendency to not believe Nico, like when he said when a bus driver had thorns. However, Bianca deeply loved Nico and said he was the only family she had left, feeling alone. Nico also loved Bianca, clinging to her and telling her that he was scared when the Manticore kept attacking them. Nico also stood up for Bianca when he called her an Insufferable girl. It is mentioned that Bianca was strict at the movies she let him watch. The two did have happy memories together, like Nico and Bianca walking through the National mall in Washington D.C in the 1940s.
Because of Nico’s dependency on Bianca, it led to her joining the Hunters of Artemis to be free of the responsibility of raising her brother, and was reassured that Camp Half-Blood would care for him. Bianca talked to Nico and told him that she was joining, and Nico became very mad and grumpy at Bianca for leaving him. While on the bus back to Camp, Bianca whispered something in Nicos ear, but he scowled and looked away. However, Nico still had love for Bianca left, and he told Percy to join the quest to protect her, and made him promise to. On the quest, Bianca confided in Percy that she loved Nico but she wanted to know what It’d be like to not be a big sister 24/7. But Bianca proved that she still cared for Nico when she died trying to get a gift for Nico in Junkyard of the Gods, the only Mythomagic figurine he didn’t have. She then told Percy to give it to him and tell Nico she was sorry.
When Percy returned, Nico immediately asked him where Bianca was. When Nico found out she was dead, he threw her figurine on the ground and took all of his anger from Bianca on to Percy, and ran away from camp in tears. Nico mentioned that he also had nightmares of Bianca, and could feel her being judged in the Fields of Asphodel.
While Nico was gone, he was approached by Minos, who offered to do a soul for a soul: Daedalus for Bianca. Nico wanted to do it and wanted his sister to be back. For months, Nico tried summoning Bianca’s ghost, but Bianca wouldn’t answer. In desperation, Bianca sent an Iris Message to Percy showing Nico’s state, badly wanting revenge against his sisters death and wanting revenge, and begged Minos on how to get Bianca back. He later summoned Theseus, and begged him on how to get his sister back, and how to do “a soul for a soul”. Later, at the Triple G Ranch, Nico successfully summoned Bianca with the help of Percy and his friends.
When Bianca appeared to Nico, Nico was excited to see her, and her face was sad, like she was dreading this for a long time, and told Nico that he had gotten tall. Nico questioned why she hadn’t answered him and she said he hoped he would give up, making Nico’s heart break. Bianca told Nico not to try to save him and that Percy is right, putting her hand on his face. Bianca told Nico that he must forgive Percy, and that grudges are fatal flaws for children of hades, and that he must promise her. She then told him to admit that he was mad at her, not Percy, and he was mad at her for abandoning him to join the Hunters, and she apologized for that. But she said he must overcome the anger. Nico was still in denial though, wanting his sister back. Bianca then started to tell him that if he loved him, to not bring her back, but then she said that Tartarus was stirring, and that she must leave. Nico didn’t want her to leave, but Bianca said that she loved him, and to remember what she said. Nico cried that night about the exchange and was jealous of Percy that Bianca summoned him, but gave up on trying to get her back. After the Battle of the Labyrinth, Bianca said goodbye to Nico.
However, Nico saw Bianca another time after this, in The Last Olympian. She appeared to him when he was trying to summon Maria di Angelo, their mother, and Bianca warned him not to, saying she was the one ghost they were not allowed to summon, because the knowledge was too painful, and that holding grudges was dangerous for children of Hades. Nico said that he knew that, and told Bianca to stop trying to protect her, and that he wasn’t the same as he was before. Bianca told him he didn’t understand, but Nico brushed her off and put his hand through the mist, making her disappear. Nico also has a bit of self hatred for not being Bianca, when Hades says she should of survived, not him. Ici later mentions that he had seen her spirit a few times in the Underworld.
After the events of The Last Olympian, Thanatos was captured, and Nico used this as an opportunity to try to get Bianca back. However, he was saddened to discover that Bianca had chosen Rebirth. He soon rescued Hazel, and he became very protective over her, not wanting to lose another sister. Nico would sometimes accidentally call her Bianca, making Hazel have a taste of metal in her mouth, reminding Hazel that she wasn’t Nico’s “real” sister. In The Son of Neptune, when he told how she was dead to the others, Nico was still very saddened on it, and sad how he would never see her again. In The House of Hades, it was still hard for Nico to talk about his past and Bianca, because it saddened him. He eventually told Jason that Bianca was the only person who accepted him, and she died, not yet fully over her death. In The Blood of Olympus, he dreamed of Bianca.
| “ | Nico and Bianca need their mother . . . | ” |
–Maria di Angelo about her children, in The Last Olympian | ||
Nico and Maria were very close when they were little, and they visited Dalmatia once in 1938. One of Nico’s prized memories of her is him and her walking hand in hand in the Venetian canal. Maria was a great mother who cared for her children, and was determined to live with them and protect them. It is mentioned that Maria raised Nico and Bianca in a conservative Catholic family. When Nico was an adolescent, Maria fleed Italy to escape Mussolini in WWII, to protect her children.
When Nico was ten and Bianca was twelve, they ran around on the porch as Maria and Hades discuss how Hades can bring her to safety to protect them from Zeus, though his offer of building her a palace is declined. Hades wanted to send them to the Lotus Hotel to protect them, but Maria declined, saying the children needed their mother. Zeus destroys the hotel they were staying in in an attempt to kill him and Bianca. Nico and Bianca then witnessed Maria’s death, and stared at her uncomprehendingly, not understanding what happened to her. Nico and Bianca’s memories of her were then wiped by the River Lethe.
In The Battle of the Labyrinth, Nico was very Impatient to learn about his mother, due to having no memories of her. By The Demigod Files, Nicos memories were back enough to recognize his mother, and when summoned by Melinoe, Nico was sad to see her and said “mama”? In The Last Olympian, Nico summoned his mother to see what happened to her, and Bianca tried to stop him, but he did anyway. He expected to see her , but instead saw her death. Nico was shocked when the ordeal was over.
By The House of Hades, Nico couldn’t remember much about Italy and his mother, but had some memories of her back.
Nico with his father, Hades, ruler of the Underworld.
| “ | My son, whatever happens, you have earned my respect. You brought honor to our house. | ” |
–Hades to Nico, in The Blood of Olympus | ||
Nico and his father share a complicated relationship. They are both extremely similar, especially in their ability to hold grudges. Both of them are also somewhat cynical. However, Nico seems to have a stronger tie to his friends, while Hades seems to have a much darker view of his siblings. Nico is also a more genuine person than his father- Hades can be crafty, as seen from how he used Nico to attempt to trap Percy.
Hades occasionally remarks that it would've been better if Bianca survived, much to Nico's dismay, though deep down, he cares a great deal for his son, as his gaze softened "from steel to stone" when he saw him. He also wants to redeem himself in the Olympians' eyes through Nico, believing his son to be the demigod of the First Great Prophecy. Nico also appears to want to please his father, and beams with happiness when he gains Hades' respect after Kronos' defeat. At the same time, Nico is unafraid to challenge his father in order to do what Nico believes is right.
After the Battle of Manhattan, Hades begins trusting Nico with much more information, and even tells him about Camp Jupiter and the Roman demigods, trusting Nico not to share this knowledge with anybody else until the time is right. Hades might have foreseen that Nico was destined to find the Doors of Death and lead the Seven Heroes of Olympus there.
In The Blood of Olympus, Hades and Nico speak in Évora. Hades tells Nico that "some deaths cannot be prevented" which alluded to Octavian's death. Hades also praises Nico for his past accomplishments, letting him know that he is proud of his son, and that he wants Nico to be happy. Their relationship seems to have improved, since Hades' tone is described as "almost gentle" while he is taking to his son, while Nico (who usually dislikes being touched), feels reassured when his father briefly touches his shoulders. It is later revealed that Hades gave Nico a zombie chauffeur as a birthday present once, since he was trying to be more like normal mortal parents, who normally drive their children to places.
Persephone, Queen of the Underworld and Nico’s step-mother.
Nico and his stepmother Persephone mutually dislike each other, as he is a reminder of Hades' affair with Maria di Angelo, who Persephone is jealous of. This same dislike appears between Percy and Amphitrite, as well as Thalia and Hera. Persephone appears to take it to another level through turning Nico into a dandelion as stated by him in The Demigod Files when Percy, Thalia, and he ended up in the Underworld together.
In The Mark of Athena, it is revealed that Nico carries around some pomegranate seeds from Persephone's garden in case of an emergency, and so uses them when he is trapped by the twin giants. It is unknown how Persephone feels about Nico using an item from her personal garden, or if she is aware at all.Others
Minos, his mentor who betrayed him.
Shortly after Nico initially ran away from Camp Half-Blood, he was found in the Labyrinth by the ghost of King Minos, who intended to manipulate the son of Hades into killing Daedalus in revenge for his unjust, however much deserved, death. In order to gain Nico's trust, Minos leads him through the maze of the Labyrinth, saved him multiple times, and taught him how to utilize the infernal demigod powers he got from his father. It is most likely that Minos was also the one to teach Nico to shadow travel. In the end, however, Nico realized Minos' malevolent goals, and banished him back to the Underworld, stripping him of his Ghost King title, and taking it for himself.
Years later, in The Blood of Olympus, Nico has several flashbacks of Minos in his dreams. It is also revealed that Nico's experience with Minos made him realize that most specters held only as much power as one allows them to. Hence, the son of Hades has learned to shield himself from specters' influence, and can even turn the tables now, bending them to his will.
Octavian, the former augur of Camp Jupiter and Nico’s enemy.
| “ | Some dogs need to be put down, like you! | ” |
–Nico to Octavian, in The Blood of Olympus. | ||
As seen in The Son of Neptune, Octavian, much like most others at Camp Jupiter, thinks of Nico as just a somewhat creepy traveling outcast, considering the Ambassador of Pluto to be as harmless as a Faun. However, Octavian does grow suspicious when Nico seems to know about Alcyoneus in the meeting.
By The Blood of Olympus, Nico comes to absolutely despise the self-proclaimed Pontifex Maximus (to the point that his throat "constricted with hate" while just thinking about Octavian), and even considers personally assassinating Octavian without any qualms. Nico notes how different Octavian is from his love interest Will Solace, and describes the former as looking like a watered-down, unhealthy version of Will, without anything in him that makes a child of Apollo special. Octavian, on the other hand, seems to have finally come to appreciate what a powerful ally Nico could potentially be for him, as he claims to see a decent amount of ruthlessness in the son of Hades, which he also greatly appreciates. Hence, Octavian promptly attempts to sway the son of Hades to his side, arguing that the Greeks hadn't ever actually done anything for the former. Octavian claims that he can beat any offer the Greeks might have given Nico, and assures him a place in New Rome in return for Nico siding with him and allowing the Romans to win. Nico, however, does't even consider the offer, declines right away, and promptly tells all of the assembled demigods to listen to what Reyna has to say, just as she arrives with the Athena Parthenos in tow. Nico is later present when Octavian intends to shoot an onager at Gaea, and clearly sees that doing so will result in Octavian's death. However, it is at that moment that Nico recalls what his father Hades had told him, about some deaths that cannot and should not be prevented, and Nico needing to act when the time comes. Hence, for the first time, Nico decides to trust the wisdom of his father, and stops Will (who stares at him in disbelief) from trying to prevent Octavian's plan, and subsequently witnesses the augur's horrific fiery demise, along with the death of Leo and destruction of Gaea. While Nico isn't at all saddened by Octavian's death, he is very guilt-ridden, since Nico feels that him choosing not to prevent Octavian's death unnecessarily cost Leo his life, something that he is unable to forgive himself for. Nico is also horrified of Will now possibly thinking of him as a monster for letting Octavian die, but is extremely relieved to learn of that not being the case.
The Hunters of Artemis, who recruited his sister.
Etymology
- The name Nico is the diminutive form of Nicolò or Nicola, the Italian form of the Greek Nikolaos (Nicholas), meaning "victory of the people." It is most likely intended to evoke the prefix necro-, meaning dead.
- His surname di Angelo is Italian for "of the angels".
- The full meaning of his name would thus be "angel of the dead", alluding to his role as the Lord of the Dead's son.
- Nico is also a form of the Greek Nike, meaning "victory".
Trivia
- The line "With great power . . . comes great need to take a nap." is an obvious reference to one of Spider-Man's most famous lines: "With great power, comes great responsibility", albeit a bit altered for comedic effect and to indicate that Nico's powers tire him greatly, prompting him to take naps every now and again to regain his strength, as he did at that moment in The Last Olympian.
- Nico has many similarities to Anubis, the Egyptian god of funerals.
- They share the same nickname: "Death Boy".
- Nico's physical description (pale olive skin, dark hair, brown eyes, black clothes, and an aura of death) also fits Rick Riordan's description of Anubis, the Egyptian god of funerals, in The Kane Chronicles trilogy.
- The first time he met Mr. D, he called him "The Wine Dude", which irritated the god, but he forgot about it soon after as Nico complimented him.
- Nico has been shown to be a solitary type of person, but he has a certain way of communicating with people. He was the first demigod in years to notice the goddess Hestia and speak with her, he persuaded his father Hades to fight in the Titan War when no one else could, and he alone convinced the Titan Bob to save Percy and Annabeth.
- Nico has been to a New Orleans graveyard, though it is unknown why he went. Interestingly, this is one of the favorite hangouts of Anubis. It was also the place that his half-sister Hazel Levesque lived just before her death.
- Nico and Jason Grace have similarities:
- They both have older sisters, whom have both been/are Hunters of Artemis.
- They have both been to Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter.
- They have godly stepmothers (Persephone, Juno).
- Both have lost their memory. Nico's because of being dipped in the River Lethe and Jason's was removed by Juno (though Jason's is temporary; in The House of Hades he seems to be recovering from his amnesia, much like Iapetus).
- Hazel Levesque and Nico's mothers share similar first names: Marie Levesque and Maria di Angelo.
- Nico's birthday is undecided. Rick Riordan has stated on two different occasions his birth-date: January 28th, 1924 and May 16th, 1924. However, the year would be way off since in The Son of Neptune, Hazel stated he was only a few years younger than her. Another contradiction comes from The House of Hades where in Nico mentioned that he was about six years old when he first visited Diocletian's private residence in "[nineteen] thirty-eight or so". This would put his date of birth at around the early 1930's.[2]
- In the series, he is described as having long, shaggy black hair, but in his earlier portrait he has short brown hair. Also, he seems to have green eyes instead of brown, and not as pale of skin. A more recent portrait shows a more accurate image of him to the story.
- He is the only child of the Big Three to never have gone on an official quest in either series.
- However, Nico, Percy, and Thalia were given the task of retrieving the then unfinished sword of Hades, and succeeded. He also aided the Seven Heroes of Olympus in closing the Doors of Death and helped Reyna bring the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood to end the impending civil war.
- Unlike his half sister Hazel, horses don't like Nico (as Porkpie, one of Blackjack's friend once stated: "He smells like dead people.")
- Most animals don't like Nico due to him smelling like death, and the feeling is often mutual.
- Nico speaks fluent Italian, as he is Italian by birth. (It should be noted, however, that he had his memory wiped in the River Lethe. It is possible, though, that he picked up the language sometime between The Last Olympian and The Son of Neptune.)[3]
- Nico has the ability to control ghosts. However, Melinoe is the goddess of ghosts, not Hades.
- Prior to Camp Half-Blood Confidential, Nico was supposedly the only person who had ever seen Camp Half-Blood's Orientation Film. Unlike the others, for which the film was "traumatizing", Nico enjoyed it, calling it "awesome." (Also noting in Camp Half-Blood Confidential, his decision has changed as he was discussing with Percy what changes they would make if they ran the camp and he mentioned ‘the first thing I’d do is make sure the poor newbie demigods don’t have to suffer through the orientation film.’)
- As of The Last Olympian, Nico is the first demigod in many years known to have stopped by and spoken to Hestia, who is usually ignored when she visits Camp Half-Blood.
- As of The Son of Neptune, Nico is the first known Greek demigod since the First Demigod Civil War to learn about the existence of Roman demigods and to visit Camp Jupiter.
- Nico is the only known Senator at Camp Jupiter that was neither a Centurion nor a Praetor, instead serving as the Ambassador of Pluto.
- As of The Mark of Athena, Nico is the first known demigod ever to have returned from Tartarus alive, but even as a son of Hades, his stay in Tartarus left him shattered, irascible, and even more withdrawn than usual.
- Percy speculates when on the verge of death and seeing Tartarus as it really is, that Nico had seen it that way the whole time, and that even a few moments of seeing, it was maddening. He wonders how Nico had survived with his sanity. Nico himself stated it nearly drove him insane.
- As of The House of Hades, Nico is the only known demigod that Leo, Frank, and Jason are afraid of.
- Nico has been transformed into plants twice in the series: into a dandelion by Persephone during a "family spat" shortly before The Demigod Files, and into a corn plant by Triptolemus in The House of Hades.
- Nico is the first confirmed LGBT demigod (with Will Solace and Alex Fierro being later confirmed to be as well, in The Hidden Oracle and The Hammer of Thor respectively), something he has been trying to hide for years. The only blatant clue is in The Titan's Curse when he asks Percy if Annabeth is his girlfriend. Jason believes that Nico's hiding of this has to do with Nico being from the 1940s, where homosexuality wasn't accepted.
- Hence, as of The Hidden Oracle, Nico and Will are the first gay couple shown in the series.
- As of The Blood of Olympus, Nico is the only known hypnokinesis user that is not a child of Hypnos.
- In both the Percy Jackson and the Olympians and the The Heroes of Olympus series, Nico ensures the fulfillment of the Great Prophecies: Nico helps Percy gain the Curse of Achilles, which enables both Percy and Luke to defeat Kronos ("the hero's soul cursed blade shall reap"), and Nico tells Iapetus that Percy is a friend, which induces him to follow Percy and Annabeth to the Doors of Death ("foes bear arms to the Doors of Death").
- Hades once gave Nico a French zombie chauffeur, Jules-Albert, for his birthday.
- When he was little (even before he became interested in Mythomagic), Nico was obsessed with pirates.
- In The Titan's Curse, Nico is ten and Percy is fourteen. There is a four-year age difference. In The Hidden Oracle, Nico is fourteen and Percy is seventeen, turning eighteen in August.
- Nico is mentioned in the Lightning Thief Musical by Bianca Di Angelo.
- As mentioned in The Tower of Nero, Nico was raised Catholic and Conservative.
- As of The Tower of Nero, Nico is confirmed to have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. This also makes Nico the first character in the Percy Jackson Universe to have a mental disorder outside of ADHD and Dyslexia.
- In addition to PTSD, Will says "... Nico doesn't eat very much these days", which may imply that Nico, could have some kind of eating disorder.
- Nico is described as smelling like rain against a stone.
- Nico has taken part in the final battle of each of the last books of the Camp Half-Blood series.
References
- ↑ Rick Riordan's Instagram
- ↑ The House of Hades, page 272
- ↑ The House of Hades, page 129