| “ | Welcome to the House of Hades, where... wait I know you, I guess that means you died out there, huh? Well don't be sad, though, pretty much everybody dies sometime ! | „ |
| ~ Hypnos |
Hypnos is the embodiment of sleep. He is one of Nyx's many children, and the younger twin brother of Thanatos.
He watches over the procession of newly-arrived shades coming before Hades, checking their names off his list. He is often seen sleeping on the job.
He greets Zagreus most of the time when the prince is killed and returns to the House via the Pool of Styx, and often gives unhelpful advice and a quip about whichever enemy or natural force did Zagreus in.
Hypnos will return in Hades II.
Characteristics and Personality[ | ]
In a constant battle against sleep, Hypnos is found sleeping more often than performing his task of accounting for the newly arrived dead to the House while awaiting judgment. He is the physical embodiment of sleep and is much more powerful than he appears, as he can put the entire House to sleep.
Hypnos is a serious case of immortal immaturity, constantly lounging around, and finding many ways to avoid his responsibility of accounting for the dead, from doodling to sleeping. Despite being lazy he is usually quite chatty. Achilles speculates that the reason he hasn't been fired yet is that Hades finds him very funny and considers him an "unofficial court jester."
Despite the dark nature of his work, Hypnos is very cheerful, and although he does not have the best professional conduct, he is always very receptive. Some dialogues suggest that Hypnos may be bored at work, "being one sad clown" feeling lonely, and wanting someone to talk to. He will greet Zagreus and happily comment and jot down notes in his report about his latest death.
In sharp contrast to Thanatos, who does his job masterfully, Hypnos does not take his work too seriously. Hypnos cannot be found outside the House at any point in the game and will remain in the House, unlike Thanatos, who often moves to help Zagreus behind Hades' back. Hypnos clearly admires his brother and wishes to spend more time with him, despite Thanatos' cold rejection. At one point, he suggests that Thanatos "kill all the mortals at once" to make his job easier and thus free up more time together, and this may save his brother from his hard work, but Thanatos reprimands him for the "stupidity" of his idea.
He's apparently powerful enough that he can put the entire House except Nyx to sleep, which Zagreus asks him to do when he goes to snoop around. But overall, he's not very good at his job and prefers lazing about and chatting to Zagreus when he appears from the pool from time to time.
Physical description[ | ]
Hypnos flaunts a lazy expression and sports curly hair, with a pen feather resting on top. His silver hair and golden eyes are the only features he seems to share with his twin brother. His complexion is extremely pale, almost taking on a bluish undertone. Hypnos possesses an average stature for a god; when not hunched or stretching, he stands noticeably taller than Zagreus and has a height similar to that of his brother, boasting a slender physique. He is frequently observed lying face down during sleep.
His attire comprises a long red tunic adorned with golden details, complemented by a long, velvety red coat with white trim that resembles a blanket. His belt is fashioned with poppies, which are often associated with sleep, and features a sleeping skull emblem. He always carries a clipboard and a feather, which he uses to read his reports. Much like his brother, he displays a pair of golden wings on his back, embellished with "four" ornaments on both shoulders. Furthermore, he wears a red eye mask to "feign" that he's awake when he's actually asleep.
In Hades II, Hypnos's curly hair has been straightened, showing its great length. His face mask has changed from a red one to a light blue one. His clothes remain the same.
History[ | ]
Before Hades[ | ]
Hypnos was born as one of the numerous children of the goddess of the night, Nyx, alongside his twin Thanatos, the god of death. Initially inseparable, the shared closeness between Hypnos and Thanatos gradually diminished, eclipsed by the incessant demands of Thanatos' vocation.
His essence summarized the very essence of sleep, gifting mortals with serene and tranquil nights. Despite being born of Nyx herself, Hypnos never gained fame as an independent child, often labeled as careless and lacking in his other vocations. He had a reputation as the least somber of chthonic gods.
Later, owing to the influence of their mom Nyx, Hypnos managed to secure a job as a receptionist at the House of Hades.
Hades[ | ]
Hypnos appears as the receptionist and the first to welcome Zagreus, trying to comfort him when his first death occurs, but miserably failing and initially unsettling Zagreus.
Epilogue[ | ]
He falls asleep during the family meeting of the Olympian gods in the epilogue.
Before Hades II[ | ]
Hypnos was able to escape the Underworld after the Titan Chronos took control of it but has fallen into a deep slumber where he cannot be awoken. During a flashback, a young Melinoë can interact with him but still remains alseep.
Hades II[ | ]
Years later, Hypnos still remains asleep with no way for him to be woken up and interacting with him will only cause him to snore.
Affinity[ | ]
If given Nectar, Hypnos will give you the Chthonic Coin Purse.
Hypnos' affinity gauge is maxed out at 8 hearts, requiring the gifting of 6 Nectar and 2 Ambrosia total.
Favor[ | ]
Completing Hypnos' favor involves witnessing a series of events between him and Thanatos. To start, Hypnos will tell Zagreus that Thanatos has said some things to him that make him feel as though he's displeased his brother, and Zagreus states he will talk to Thanatos on Hypnos' behalf.
After Zagreus confronts Thanatos about Hypnos, periodically between runs Zagreus will encounter the brothers engaged in conversation. Thanatos will repeatedly criticize Hypnos' work ethic until finally seeming to discover a way to help Hypnos focus. Later, Thanatos praises the quality of his brother's improved work and apologizes for treating him badly. Afterward Hypnos will thank Zagreus for speaking to Thanatos, completing his favor.
Other characters shall comment on the quality of Hypnos' work, such as Dusa asking Hypnos how he managed to keep the shades orderly and moving swiftly, only for him to refuse to divulge his secrets, and state that he shall one day have his picture on the wall in the Lounge.
Autograph from the Minotaur[ | ]
After dying for the first time while facing Asterius—whether as a miniboss or in the arena of Elysium—Hypnos will start asking Zagreus to get him an autograph from the Minotaur. In order to actually get him this autograph, Zagreus must first die a total of six times in order to hear six unique greetings from Hypnos: three of these require dying to Asterius himself, two require dying to Theseus, and one requires dying in the final boss room of Elysium. The game tracks which of the two deals the final blow, but it doesn't matter if you have activated the Extreme Measures aspect of the Pact of Punishment. After getting all six lines of dialogue from Hypnos, encountering Asterius as a miniboss will finally allow Zagreus to get Hypnos his prized autograph.
Codex entry[ | ]
Trivia[ | ]
- He is the biggest fan of Minotaur and asks Zagreus to get an autograph. After some obstacles, Zagreus manages to get the autograph, It says: “To Hypnos, my biggest fan, stay tuned” with a small image of a bull – at this, Hypnos gets emotional.
- If Zagreus stealthily crawls out of a pool of blood, Hypnos will immediately awaken, shouting, "I'm awake! I'm awake!" probably thinking it was Hades coming back to check on him.
- He was one of the characters whose design underwent significant changes before the official release, notably not featuring his iconic red cloak.
- Hypnos displays characteristics of ADHD, including lack of attention, difficulty concentrating, and hyperactivity.
- For a long time, he thought Zagreus' escape attempts were because he was unhappy about being fired from his job.
- He slumbers while levitating amidst the departed souls on their way to Hades. Zagreus has the option to purchase a comfortable sofa for Hypnos to take his naps on.
- Hypnos is likely narcoleptic due to his excessive sleepiness.
- His wish for Thanatos to spend more time with him might stern from how both were mostly depicted together in Ancient Greece, and even considered inseparable.
- In Greek Mythology, Hypnos is married to Pasithea, one of the Graces. She does not seem to exist in the game's world, however.
Additional notes[ | ]
For additional information on Hypnos that does not pertain to Hades, see Wikipedia's article: Hypnos
Purchasing the Chaise, Divine (Great Hall) from the House Contractor will trigger a conversation from Hypnos.
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