Well, how do I explain this.
If you're wondering “why,” it happens that some time ago I made a (semi-OC) reimagining of Charybdis for RP reasons. I liked the concept, and Hades 2 gave me the chance to apply it within the game's universe. And so, all this art and yapping below was born.
(Hyperfixation time, oh yeah)
The following long text explains these ideas. All I can say is that I hope you enjoy them, and hopefully they inspire someone in some way!
➤ The idea behind the concept:
This reimagining uses one of Charybdis’ myths from Greek mythology, in which she aids Poseidon in his feud against Zeus by flooding the land, thus expanding her father's domain. This angers Zeus, who decides to curse Charybdis and (supposedly) chain her to the depths of the ocean.
Charybdis is known for being a monstrosity of great size, capable of raising and lowering the tides by drinking water three times a day, causing dangerous whirlpools and sinking ships in the process. Her jaw and mouth are her defining characteristics.
Hades II takes a similar approach in her existing boss form; however, this concept explores the idea of who Charybdis was before her curse. Formerly a sea nymph, she takes on an antagonistic and defiant role against Olympus. This stance is born from Zeus' curse and from being discarded by Poseidon. Believing that mortals don't deserve to suffer from the gods' arrogance, she willingly joins Chronos’ forces.
Being the Titan of Time, Chronos time-reverses her physical transformation, restoring her to her former nymph form, though her curse remains active. Despite being the shadow of a once-glorious champion, now haunted by her actions against mortals, she pridefully fights for what she believes is right, even if it means facing her own blood.
➤ About Poseidon:
Well, Poseidon is known to have quite the temperament, but he's also shown to be protective toward his children. Charybdis comes from an era in which Zeus and Poseidon were in active conflict, so my interpretation is that the gods were more chaotic back then. I picture them as being very alike, sharing the same explosive, aggressive, and prideful personality—an emotional inheritance, we could say.
Being father and daughter, the God of the Sea and a nymph capable of controlling the tides on her own (as implied by Circe in The Odyssey, or in one of its many versions, where even Poseidon himself could not impose his control over her waters), is something that would influence their relationship, I believe.
It's through this likeness that I imagine Charybdis aspiring to be “like her father,” for better or for worse. Perhaps Poseidon, in his past pride, likewise expected his daughter to "be like him" for the same reason. This would result in Charybdis becoming Poseidon’s champion, defined by her profound loyalty. However, these expectations, combined with their temperament, would make their father-daughter relationship somewhat “toxic”. Not in an abusive sense, but rather through idealization and destructive, pride-driven behavior, to put it in a way. I hope that makes sense!
Nowadays, Charybdis feels a mixture of sorrow and anger toward Poseidon. After all, she was “discarded” or "abandoned" after Zeus cursed her, even if it was the result of her own actions.
Her thoughts are sort of: “I defied the very gods, conquered lands and brought terror, only for you to cast me away.” And: “I will no longer tolerate the arrogance of the gods, not after feeling it coursing through my veins and seeing how mortals pay the price for the whims of Olympus.” Which leads to a flawed self-awareness. I call it flawed because, in this interpretation, I don't try to make her perfect or absolutely good. Even if her intentions are noble and she is now haunted by regret, she remains questionable and contradictory in certain aspects, something I personally like.
➤ About Scylla:
★ Are they related?
While it can happen in the mythos, depending on who Scylla's parents are, it's not the case in Hades 2.
★ Is this yuri?
You bet it is (unrequited at first, but I still root for them anyways). Chary wasn't into Scylla before, but after regaining her form and being able to experience life again, new feelings had the chance to appear. On Scylla's part, well... *Stares at Bewitching Eyes*
★ What's their relationship?
Long time co-workers. I don't think their relationship was very deep since Charybdis was a monster, and Scylla sees her as a collaborator. Now that they can interact with one another, a proper friendship blooms between them, as well as their contrast and similarities are more visible.
Scylla is highly egotistic, aggressive, loud / over-the-top, impulsive and deeply insecure about herself. Charybdis is much serious and calm, her past pridefulness has made her more humble, she's reflective and has accepted her cursed condition. Despite this, they make a great and fearsome duo, just like the good old times. Even with Scylla having quite the toxic behavior, since Charybdis knows how to go around it.
Both also have bad ways to cope with their personal issues (curses, guilt and stuff), but they give each other what they need, in their own ways.
➤ About Melinoë:
While they've met on the Rift of Thessaly, they don't personally know each other. And since they're on opposite affiliations, their opinions would clash constantly.
I haven't deeply thought about Melinoë's POV, but I know she'd stand firm against her cousin as her goal is to save her family and kill Chronos. In Charybdis' case, she would respect her motivation. Seeing their circumstances, Chary considers their conflict to be unfortunate, but she wouldn't back down either as she firmly believes in her own cause as well. I think they'd have some sportsmanship moments and recognize each other's skills, though.
➤ About Chronos:
While Chronos is her grandfather and both are against the gods, seeing his arrogance, I don't think he's really affectionate towards her. More than seeing Charybdis as a "decent side of the family", she's mainly a tool for him, while Charybdis unconsciously seeks a family member to rely on. But perhaps things can change with time.
➤ About the in-game 3D Model:
In case someone wonders about it, I don't know 3D modeling, so I made an illustration that looks like one instead (as best as I could). Hopefully it tricked somebody!
➤ What about the already existing Charybdis boss?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ honestly I don't know. I like the idea of Chary being (and living?) with Scylla and the Sirens too much, although it would makes sense for her to remain in the surface going against Olympus. Think what you prefer!
➤ About attacks:
I'm no gameplay expert but, I picture her being a melee fighter who also uses water abilities (AOEs, waves and stuff), capable of parrying Melinoë's attacks as a way to show her mastery in battle. She'd summon her three hippocampi to make them dash from point A to B as a form of pressure. I have the idea of Charybdis using her full chariot too, at some point. In an hypotetical Vow of Rivals fight, she'd still join Scylla (and obviously still do the guttural, deep vocals of the song).
I believe this is all I have to say about this whole thing. If you decided to read this mucho texto, thank you for your time! Go bring to life your ideas, OCs and yap proudly about them.
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EDIT: Dear God I wasn't expecting a reaction like this, absolutely insane. Thank you all for your kind comments, they mean a lot! This project is basically me and my hyperfixation lol but it warms my heart to see how many people enjoyed the design + story.
I encourage you to bring your ideas to life and be passionate about the things you enjoy! We all have the power of creation, and art, in all its forms and skills, is a wonderful thing. ❤️