“ | From what I can tell, we're looking at a Titan. (...) Best I can tell, Prometheus. (...) He Ocean's Eleven'd Mount Olympus and stole the flames of Olympia. | ” |
Prometheus was a pagan deity of the Greek Pantheon. He is a Titan, described as a "proto-god" or "the gods before the gods." For a time, he was named Shane, the lover of Hayley and father of her son Oliver. Prometheus was responsible for bringing fire down from Olympus and giving it to mankind to provide them with light and warmth and to protect them from monsters. For this action, Zeus chained Prometheus to a mountain in Europe, cursed him to die each day, have his entrails (mostly his liver) eaten by an eagle and then resurrect the next day to endure the process over again for all eternity.
History
Early life
Prometheus was responsible for stealing fire from Olympus and giving it back to humans. According to Zeus, Prometheus's act was the reason the Greek Pantheon (and possibly all others) are no longer worshiped and ruling the world. For such actions, Zeus cursed Prometheus to die everyday. The titan was imprisoned in a mountain in Europe, where after thousands of years, he was discovered by a mountain climber named Hayley after an avalanche freed him. Hayley later gave him the name Shane.
Season 8
Due to loss of memory, he forgot his past, and was given the name Shane. He developed a relationship with Hayley, and even fathered a child named Oliver. His curse passed on to his son as well, forcing him and Sam and Dean Winchester to summon Zeus to lift the curse. In the confrontation, Zeus proved unyielding, until he managed to convince Hayley to release him from the trap. Zeus then attacked the hunters and Prometheus. Zeus promised to make up for lost time since Prometheus's escape from the mountain and started attacking Prometheus.
The titan was attacked by Zeus with a combination of electrocution and physical beatings to the point of nearly passing out. Meanwhile, Sam used the feelings Artemis was harboring for Prometheus to convince the goddess to put a stop to her father. Artemis threatened to kill her father with an arrow, but Zeus shielded himself from the attack by using the body of the titan. However, Prometheus pushed the arrow through himself, into Zeus. This killed them both and broke the curse on Oliver. Hayley and Dean later cremate Prometheus' body.
Physical Appearance
Prometheus appears as a young adult male with brown curly hair, blue eyes, and a beard. It's unknown if this was his real appearance or if he had an alternate, more monstrous form like some other deities.
Powers and Abilities
As a deity, Prometheus possesses several abilities that are common for his kind. He was also highly skilled at hand-to-hand combat, enough to defeat the Greek goddess of the hunt. It is possible Prometheus possessed other abilities, but due to his amnesia, he had no knowledge of them.
- Immortality - Prometheus was thousands of years old or older, yet retains the appearance and health of a young man. He has an infinite lifespan and is not subject to old age or any form of illness.
- Super Stamina - Prometheus was trapped in the mountain for many centuries without any form of sustenance, however, due to his immortality, he survived.
- Self-Resurrection - Prometheus has the ability to come back to life after being killed, although this was due to a curse laid upon him by Zeus and came with the caveat that he had to die every day. Very few things are able to kill him permanently such as Artemis' Blade and Artemis' Bow and Arrows.
- Regeneration - After each resurrection, Prometheus will instantly heal all injuries, whether it be minor cuts, ballistic wounds, or even lost organs & limbs.
- Super Strength - Prometheus was able to overpower the deity Artemis, and throw her against a wall with considerable force. Prometheus was also able to push an arrow through himself and into Zeus.
- Skilled Hand-to-Hand Combatant - Prometheus is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant, likely due to his age and experience although he lacks memory of how he knew how to fight and appeared to be fighting more on instinct and muscle memory.
Weaknesses
As a "proto-god", Prometheus has few weaknesses, and even fewer due to his curse reviving him from most mundane means of death.
- Zeus's Death - Should Zeus die, the curse requiring his death and resurrection each day would be lifted, though he will still retain his natural divine immortality.
- Divine Weaponry - Sam mentioned that the Artemis' Blade and Artemis' Bow and Arrows can kill deities, but it is unclear if these weapons would have permanently killed Prometheus while he remained cursed.
- Artemis' Bow and Arrows - He was killed by one of Artemis' Arrows when she tried to kill Zeus.
- Artemis' Blade - Sam mentioned that the blade can kill Prometheus just like Artemis' Arrows.
Lore
After Zeus revoked mankind's ability to make fire, Prometheus stole fire back from the Olympians and gave it to mortals, carrying it away from Mount Olympus in a fennel stalk. He is credited for enabling the progress of civilization for the benefit of humanity. Because of this transgression, Zeus punished Prometheus to an eternity of torment, where he would be bound to a rock and an eagle would come each day to eat his liver. In other stories, he is freed by Hercules.
Appearances
Trivia
- Prometheus holds the title of being the first truly benevolent pagan deity to appear on the show.
- In Haley's story to Sam and Dean, she was rescued by Prometheus, suggesting that he is truly benevolent.
- Prometheus is the second deity that was shown to be killed by another deity, and the second deity to kill another deity.
- Interestingly, Prometheus didn't seem aware of his martial arts until he re-met Artemis, suggesting that the danger unlocked them unconsciously.
- Interestingly, Prometheus had a brother, Epimetheus, and a sister-in-law, Pandora.
- Prometheus was the Titan of prophecy and forethought. He may have retained the power of Precognition, allowing him to see the future and think ahead.