Titan

The Titans (feminine form Titanesses) were the first generation of Greek Gods on Earth, their domain being Greece and the Mediterranean. According to myths, they presided in the realm of Olympus and lived apart from their worshipers, considering themselves "lords of the Earth." (HTLJ: "Full Circle").

The Titans were the progeny of the primeval forces of nature of Uranus and Gaea, brethren with the Cyclopes and Hecatocheiroi whom Uranus locked away in the underworld for not being perfect. Gaea called upon the Titans for one of them brave enough to overthrow their father and free their brothers from the underworld, but they all refused from fear of him and his power.

From among them, Kronos promised to carry out her wishes and slew Uranus, seizing his throne and neglecting to follow his mother's wishes. Dying, Uranus prophesied that Kronos would likewise be overthrown by one of his own children, and upon the birth of his own children, he swallowed his children upon their birth. His wife Rhea concealed the birth of their last son Zeus. Upon reaching adulthood, Zeus freed the Cyclopes and Hecatocheiroi. Supported by a few Titans such as Oceanus, Tethys, Prometheus, Eprimetheus and Hecate, Zeus conquered Olympus and imprisoned the Titans in the underworld. Kronos fled from Greece while the Titans dwelled in the Isles of the Blessed.

These events unfolded in the Xenaverse with several variations. For example, only Prometheus from the Titans actually sided with the Olympians and Cronus was slain by Zeus rather than allowed to escape. The Titans are also revealed to be of extraordinary size and strength.

In the Xenaverse[]

Titans Origins Xena dark — The Titans are born. (*Dark Xena*)

Back when the universe was young and the world was new, the Old Ones ruled the Earth. Things soon changed however as new Gods arose - the Titans.

DarkXenaTitanOldOnesWar — The Titans wage war on the Old Ones.

The Titans waged war on the Old Ones, killing or banishing most of them (Dark Xena). The Titans then ruled for a while, but eventually their own children the Olympians would rise up against them as they had against the Old Ones. The Titans were finally defeated in a war against the Olympians after being weakened by Dahak (HTLJ: "Let There Be Light").

The term "Titan" eventually came to be used as an expletive (XWP: "Livia").

The Titans encountered by Gabrielle shortly after she first joined Xena (Crius, Theia, and Hyperion) had the appearance of gigantic humans, dressed in generally human fashion, and didn't appear to have any special powers beyond what their size granted them.(XWP: "The Titans")

The Titans freed by Evander several years later had a similar appearance, but these Titans (Atlas, Helios, and Oceanus) dressed differently and clearly possessed powers akin to (but apparently lesser than) those of the Olympian gods.(HTLJ: "Full Circle")

Dramatically different Titans appeared during the Battle for Mount Olympus. Porphyrion, Tethys, Mnemosyne, and Crius appeared as gigantic, humanoid embodiment of earth, water, fire, and air respectively.(Hercules and Xena - The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus)

Powers and abilities[]

The Titans seem to possess many of the same superhuman Powers and Abilities equal or on par with the Olympian Gods, including superhuman strength, stamina, endurence and immortality, but they seem to have less potential to tap into and manipulate mystical energies than the Olympians.

They can tap into and control the natural elemental energies, but only those energies linked to their personalities and spheres of influence. For example, Oceanus and Tethys could control over water, while Mnemosyne could conjure and control aspects of the volcano, including fire and magma. Helios could conjure fire. Several Titans working together are able to control natural phenomenon or create natural disasters.

Known Titans[]

Atlas - Mightiest of the Titans
Crius - Titan of Constellations in the myth.
Helios - Titan of Fire
Hyperion - Titan of the Sun
Kronos - King of the Titans. Slain by Zeus
Leto - Mother of Apollo and Artemis
Mnemosyne - Titanesses (and Goddess) of memory
Oceanus - Titan of Water
Porphyrion - In the Xenaverse, Porphyrion is a Titan of Earth
Prometheus - Titan of Forethought, the Titan closest to humanity
Pronoea - Wife of Prometheus
Rhea - Queen of the Titans
Tethys, Titanesses of Water
Theia - Wife / lover of Hyperion

Mythological basis[]

The Titans are the most notable of the many children of Ouranos (the sky) and Gaea (the earth). The male Titans were named Oceanus, Hyperion, Coeus, Cronus, Crius and Iapetus; the Titanesses were Mnemosyne, Tethys, Theia, Phoebe, Rhea and Themis. The progeny of the Titans were also considered Titans, including Prometheus, Eprimetheus and Hecate.
The children of Cronus and Rhea were considered Olympians; however, it should be noted that the Olympian pantheon was besotted by numerous groups (such as the Fates, Furies, Graces et al.) and companion races (Titans, Cyclops, Hecatocheiroi, Satyrs, Potamoi and numerous nymphs, et al.)