| “ | You. Oath-breaker. Do not think I have forgotten. | ” |
–Styx to Apollo in The Dark Prophecy. | ||
Styx is the goddess of the River Styx. She is the eldest Oceanid.
History[]
Early life[]
Styx is one of the Oceanids, the eldest daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, and presides over the River Styx in the Underworld.
Styx married the Titan Pallas, with whom she had four children; Zelus (“Zeal”), Nike (“Victory”), Kratos (“Strength”) and Bia (“Force”). Although she is married, one myth states that her river once was in the mortal world. However, after seeing the god Phlegethon, she felt so attracted to him that she moved her river to the underworld in order to be closer to him (Some versions state that his heat burned her, and that's why she had to stay there).
First Titan War[]
During the First Titanomachy when Zeus was gathering allies, Styx and her children journeyed to Mount Olympus, whereupon she swore her allegiance to him. She was the first to do so and, in gratitude, Zeus bestowed high honors upon Styx. He decreed that the name of her river would be the one by which the gods took their solemn oaths, and that her children would live with him on Olympus.
The Trials of Apollo[]
The Dark Prophecy[]
After drinking from the springs of memory and forgetfulness, Apollo sees the goddess glaring at him and promises to make him pay for breaking his oath to never fire an arrow or play music until he became a god again.
Apollo, or Lester (mortal), one person known to have broken an oath.
The Burning Maze[]
She appears to Apollo in a dream to taunt and scold him about breaking another oath and letting Jason Grace and Crest die.
The Tower of Nero[]
After Apollo defeats Python, she appears before him and asks him if he is holding on, when he asks if he should be holding on to the ledge, the lessons he learned over the past six months, or both, she smiles and vanishes.
Appearance[]
When Apollo encountered her in his dream, Styx had ebony hair that was wafting in the cold current. Her face appeared delicate and sublime. Her obsidian eyes gleamed with absolute hatred.
Styx's purple and black dress billowed around her like volcanic smoke. Her lipstick, eye shadow, and mascara were all expertly done in shades of midnight. In another one of Apollo's dreams, Styx was wearing black silky robes.
Abilities[]
According to Apollo, Styx is the strongest child of Oceanus and Tethys, showing some fear of her himself.
- Hydrokinesis: As an Oceanid, Styx possesses a considerable amount of power and control over her river.
- Power Bestowal: She can bestow incredible power to mortals, such as the Curse of Achilles which gives a human the power to physically challenge a god.
- Toxikinesis: As her river can burn away even souls, it is implied that she can do this too.
- Binder of Oaths: As the river all people, even the gods, swear upon, Styx possesses the power to bind an oath and punish those who break them. However, no Olympian seemed to be directly punished by her, though their demigod children were often punished instead and they do show be scared of her in that sense; It is assumed she can still control them.
- Necromancy: Styx can summon the souls of those who have broken oaths to her aid. Their souls belong to her in death.
- Odikinesis: As the Titaness of Hatred, Styx can sense, have insight on, and remove hatred.
- Hypnokinesis: Styx can control and enter the dreams of others. She was able to speak to and influence the hallucination-like dreams of Apollo.
- Immense Godly Durability: As seen during Apollo's final battle against the Python dangling in the edge of the chasm leading to Chaos, Styx is able to freely appear and manifest herself within the edge of the chasm despite the fact that being so close to the chasm was capable of undoing and fading even the most powerful of Gods. Apollo stated that this immense Godly durability was likely due to her being the Literal Embodiment of Hatred, one of the most powerful and long lasting emotion that all beings have in common.
Trivia[]
- Orcus is said to be Styx's ruler in his Roman counterpart.