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It isn't dead, or at least, not permanently dead. Legendary monsters like it is hard to kill. To permanently put it down meant you have to destroy it at its root, erasing it from the history and myths and culture of the Greeks for eternity. Trust me, it's as hard and controversial as it sounds.
Diana Black.

The Lernaean Hydra, or simply the Hydra for short, is a gigantic dragon monster with numerous heads, with the center one being immortal. It is one of the offspring of Typhoeus and Echidna.

Overview[]

The Lernaean Hydra is a gigantic, ancient nameless serpent-like chthonic nine-headed water dragon. The monster's haunt was the marshes of Lerna near Argos which was the site of the Danaids. Lerna was reputed to be an entrance to the Underworld, and archaeology has established it as a sacred site older than Mycenaean Argos.

There were also another Hydra, called Hydrae, that had many differences from the Lernaean Hydra.

Appearance[]

Personality[]

Similar to the Trihexa, she does not have a "human" personality, instead having a more animalistic personality, driven by instinct. This can be reinforced by the fact that she is a child of Typhoeus, the personification of natural disasters, literally a force of nature driven by a desire for destruction. However, like her father, it is likely that she still has some rationality, probably being much more intelligent than other land creatures.

Powers and Abilities[]

History[]

Origins[]

The Lernaean Hydra was one of the monster born from the unity of Typhoeus and Echidna before the former went out to defeat and usurp Zeus. It, along with the rest of its siblings, were allowed to leave their nest by Echidna.

While a young Lernaean Hydra wandered around, it was found by the goddess Hera who decided to raise it herself for unknown reasons. The Lernaean Hydra guarded an entrance to Hades at a swamp near Lake Lerna where it terriozed nearby villages.

Labors[]

The Hydra, a fearsome creature, had the peculiar ability to regrow two heads for every one that was severed. Consequently, Iolaus resorted to cauterizing the neck stumps with firebrands as soon as Heracles cut off each head to prevent them from regenerating.

In the end, Heracles managed to overcome the Hydra by severing its one immortal head from its body, ensuring it would never regenerate. He then buried this immortal head beneath a massive rock. Additionally, Heracles used arrows dipped in the Hydra's poisonous blood or gall, which inflicted fatal wounds on his enemies.

Revival[]

A couple of years after its death, the Lernaean Hydra was revived by Hera to be used as her personal monster and "pet".

Myths and Legends[]

There are often 2 kinds of hydras in Greek Mythology. The serpentine, aquatic hydra with fins on its head and usually no legs was the Lernaean Hydra which Heracles fought. The other is the terrestrial hydra which is the one with 4 legs and horns and spikes which is usually in other tales. Both of these hydra's could have any number of heads and does not have a set amount.

Quotes[]

No husband. If you can put that stupid lion that the bastard killed to honor his first labor then there's no reason I cannot put my dear hydra up there as well. It will no doubt place even greater glory upon his head. And you seem to love him more than you love your wife and trueborn children after all, aren't you Zeus?
Hera to Zeus.
A giant multi-headed dragon... Hmmmm... the hydra looks like me in my true form. I think it would be a good idea to have her as an ally, what do you think? Do you think our creator will be mad that we're teaming up with a descendant of Khaos?
Trihexa to Divus.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • The Lernaean Hydra is usually referred as a female.
  • The Lernaean Hydra does not already have a set number of heads because the hydra had way too many heads for the vase painters to paint so they always gave it between 3 and 20 heads. Under normal circumstances the monster never has less than 3 heads.
  • Some believe that the Hydra was the offspring of the Titan Pallas and Styx.
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