Titans in popular culture

The familiar name and large size of the Titans have made them dramatic figures suited to market-oriented popular culture.

1 General or collective references
2 Individual
3 References

General or collective references

In the Disney animated film Hercules there are five Titans, each embodying one of the four classical elements, with the fifth being a cyclops. They terrorize the earth until Zeus imprisons them. These Titans bore no similarity to their mythological counterparts. Later in the animated series the Titan Kronos is mentioned.
In the 1981 film Clash of the Titans, the Kraken, actually an entity from Norse mythology, is presented as "the last Titan". It also describes the usage of the head of Medusa, who is actually a Gorgon, to fight him, as "a titan against another titan". In the 2010 remake the Titans are mentioned at the beginning, when it is claimed Hades created the Kraken to defeat them.
The Italian sword-and-sandal film Arrivano I Titani shows the Titans first as prisoners in Tartarus, but they are later liberated by Zeus to take down the megalomanic King Cadmus.
The video game series, God of War, which is based on Greek mythology, features many of the Titans. Mainly Gaia, Cronos and Atlas. They attempt to reignite the Great War between the Titans and the Olympians with the help of a Spartan warrior named Kratos, who became the god of War after killing Ares.
The titans appeared in an episode of Charmed titled "Oh My goddess".
The Titans occasionally appear or are mentioned in Renaissance Pictures' Hercules/Xena franchise. In the Xena: Warrior Princess episode "The Titans," many Titans (far more than in the actual myths) were turned to stone by the Olympians, which Crius, Hyperion and Theia seek to undo. In the Hercules: The Legendary Journeys episode "Let There Be Light," it is said that the Titans successfully defeated Dahak, but the battle left them too weak to resist the Olympians. Also, in the Hercules series finale "Full Circle," Oceanus, Helios and Atlas appear, having made a deal with Ares to destroy the Olympians but spare him.
Titan appears as a regular Earth-based summon in the video game series Final Fantasy.
In the tabletop game, Warhammer 40,000, Titans are phenomenally large war machines, capable of laying waste to entire armies and cities with their colossal weapons. They are often referred to as "god-Machines" by Imperial forces, for they are virtually unstoppable (generally the only threat to a Titan on the battlefield is a Chaos Titan, or similar constructs created by other races).
The largest class of combat vessels in the MMO space opera Eve Online are classified as 'titans'
In the series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the Titans are the main villains, attempting to take over Olympus and rule civilisation once more, after most of them were imprisoned in the Underworld.
The DC Comics hero team originally consisting of the main heroes' sidekicks was called the Teen Titans.
In DC Comics the Titans were exiled to another world after their defeat, which they called New Cronos. Kronos, however, was imprisoned in a tree. The Titans raised Troia and gave her her powers.
Titans are depicted in Dante's Inferno.
The tabletop roleplaying game Exalted features a number of titan-like Primordials who were usurped by the gods prior to the First Age.
In 2004, the Japanese automaker Nissan began production of a full-sized pickup truck for the North American market called the Titan.
In Resident Evil Outbreak File #2, the giant zombie elephant rampaging throughout one scenario is called Titan.
In the Dune series created by Frank Herbert and his son, Brian Herbert a group of rebels conquest the Old Empire. They call themselves Titans and their reign the Time of Titans.
The popular Age of Empires Spin-off, Age of Mythology at first only contains three civilizations and mythologies: The Norse, the Greeks, and the Egyptians. Added in later in an equally-popular expansion, a fourth civilization was added, Atlantis, which worshipped the Titans. They are portrayed, as a whole, largely neutral with some Titans even switching sides at some points in the game for no reason. There are three Major Titans that can be worshipped: Chronos, Gaia, and Ouranos. Gaia is shown generally as good, Chronos as evil. Interestingly, Ouranos is mostly portrayed as a good force, but at one point in the game, his followers are on the evil side, however later still being the major god of the protagonists in one of the final battles.
Tennessee's NFL team nickname is the Titans.
Cal State Fullerton's student body as well as its athletic teams are collectively known as the Cal State Fullerton Titans.

Individual

Atlas

In the God of War video game series, Atlas is encountered twice by protagonist Kratos. In the 2008 game Chains of Olympus, Atlas (voiced by Fred Tatasciore) is freed from his prison in Tartarus by Persephone in order to use Helios' power to destroy the Pillar of the World; Kratos destroys her and chains Atlas to the world, cursing him to hold it on his shoulders forever. In the 2007 game God of War II, while seeking The Sisters of Fate, Kratos is caught by Atlas (voiced by Michael Clarke Duncan) after falling down the Great Chasm battling Icarus. After breaking his chains, he attempts to kill Kratos, but is convinced to help him and helps him across the Great Chasm, wishing him luck and granting him the last of his magic, Atlas Quake.
In Rick Riordan's The Titan's Curse (of the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series), Atlas is freed from the burden of the sky by various ways of tricking people to carry it.

Crius

He appears in Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus where he is depicted as the Wind Titan.
In episode 7 of Xena: Warrior Princess, The Titans, Crius is awoken by Gabrielle alongside Theia and Hyperion.
Crius (as Krios) is the main hero in the 1962 sword-and-sandal film Arrivano I Titani.
Crius (as Krios) very briefly appears in the last Percy Jackson and the Olympians book, The Last Olympian. When the other Titans march to invade Manhattan, Krios is left behind to guard Mount Tamalpais, the location of the Titans' base, Othrys (named after their orginal home, Mount Othrys). While The Last Olympian doesn't say what happens to him, The Lost Hero (the first book of The Heroes of Olympus, the sequel series to Percy Jackson and the Olympians) reveals Othrys was invaded by the Roman demigods of Camp Jupiter, and Krios was killed by Jason Grace.

Cronus/Saturn

Appears in the God of War video game series (spelled Cronos in series). In the 2005 game God of War, he is featured roaming the Desert of Lost Souls with Pandora's Temple (which holds Pandora's Box) chained to his back as punishment for his role in the Great War. In the 2007 game God of War II, Cronus (voiced by Lloyd Sherr) is featured in flashbacks showing when he devoured his children and it is revealed he had offered The Sisters of Fate the Steeds of Time in an attempt to change his fate (he also stored magic, "Cronus's Rage", in the Steeds which is acquired). In the 2010 game God of War III, it is shown that Cronos (voiced by George Ball) was banished to Tartarus since protagonist Kratos was able to conquer the temple chained to his back. He is then confronted as a boss that Kratos kills.
In John C. Wright's Chronicles of Chaos, the world the children are in is the world of Saturn; although they differ in what story they know about the origin of the world, all agree that Saturn created it.
In Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Kronos is the main antagonist. In The Last Olympian. he possesses Luke as the leader of the Titan attack on Mount Olympus.
In the kid's show Class of the Titans, Cronus is the main antagonist voiced by David Kaye. He escaped from a 4000 years emprisonment and want revenge. The main characters have to get him back to Tartarus.

Eos/Aurora

In The Awakening of Flora, Aurora consoles Flora with the news that Apollo will soon herald the day.
Eos appears in the 2008 game God of War: Chains of Olympus. She informs Kratos (main character) that he must seek out the Primordial Fires to awaken the Fire Steeds which will find her brother Helios in the Underworld. Kratos also acquire her magic the Light of Dawn. In the 2010 game God of War III, she is referenced with a level called the Path of Eos.
In John Milton's L'Allegro, Aurora is described as a possible mother of Euphrosyne.^[1]

Epimetheus

Appears in the 2010 video game God of War III as one of the Titans in the assault on Mt. Olympus. He is killed when Poseidon dives off Mount Olympus and through his chest, sending him off the mountain.

Helios

In John C. Wright's The Golden Age, Helion has controlled the sun to prevent sunspots and other disruptive solar activities.^[2]
In John C. Wright's Chronicles of Chaos, Helios is the father of Amelia/Phaetheusa, the narrator.^[3]
Helios appears three times in the God of War video game franchise as the Sun God. He appears at the end of the 2007 game God of War II with fellow gods Hades, Poseidon, and Hermes as they are being urged to unite together by Zeus to destroy Kratos. In the 2008 game God of War: Chains of Olympus, Helios (voiced by Dwight Schults) is kidnapped by Atlas on behalf of Persephone so that they can use his power to destroy the Pillar of the World. The plan is thwarted by Kratos who rescues Helios who returns to the sky. His shield is also acquired for use in this game. In the 2010 game God of War III, which continues where God of War II ended: with the Titans climbing Mt. Olympus; Helios (voiced by Crispin Freeman) is the first to jump to battle, calling his chariot and jumping into it. He is later encountered by Kratos battling Perses in Olympia, but is defeated when Kratos fires a ballista at the chariot, which crashes into Perses' hand and thrown across the city. After a brief conversation, Kratos pulls with his bare hands the Head of Helios, using it to show hidden secrets during his quest. His death causes the sun to be blocked by dark rain clouds.
In the Wii game Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, the second Seed guardian is named after Helios.

Hyperion

Appears in the 2008 game God of War: Chains of Olympus as a Titan chained in the pits of Tartarus. He is also referenced throughout the God of War series, such as the Hyperion Gate, the Stone of Hyperion, etc.
Marvel Comics features four Hyperions, two villains and two heroes from alternate universes.
In Rick Riordan's The Last Olympian, satyrs trap him within a tree in the Titan war on Mount Olympus.
In Tarsem Singh's film Immortals, Hyperion is a king who declares war on humanity and leads a bloodthirsty army on a murderous rampage across Greece in search of the Epirus Bow in order to free the Titans and annihilate the Gods and mankind. Hyperion is played by Mickey Rourke.
In StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, Hyperion is the name of the Battlecruiser that Jim Raynor's rebellious forces command in the game.
His name is a weapons company in the game Borderlands.
In episode 7 of Xena: Warrior Princess, The Titans, Hyperion is awoken by Gabrielle alongside Theia and Crius.

Mnemosyne

In the science fiction novel "City at the End of Time" by Greg Bear, Memnosyne plays a major, if largely invisible role in the plot, having created the protagonists (Ginny, Jack and Daniel) in order to restore her to her full power and save the future of the multiverse. She is also called Ishanaxade or 'the reconciler'.
In "Sailor Moon Sailor Stars," there is a Sailor Senshi named Sailor Mnemosyne who appears alongside her twin, Sailor Lethe. They are a part of Shadow Galactica.
In Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus, Mnemosyne is re-imagined as the vicious Titaness of Fire. She also seems to be romantically involved with the Wind Titan Crius.
In the Xena: Warrior Princess episode Forget Me Not (Season 3, Episode 14) the character of Gabrielle goes to the temple of Mnemosyne to try to forget her painful memories. (Throughout the episode it is mispronounced in a fashion that rhymes with limousine.)
In Hercules: the Legendary Journeys, Episode 91 Let there be Light, Hercules visits Mnemosyne in person. This depiction combines elements of the other two depictions in the metaseries. Here, Mnemosyne is depicted as the fiery daughter of Cronos and an enemy of Zeus. Though angry and hostile towards Zeus, and by extension Hercules, Hercules sought her out for her wisdom and counsel.
In Xanadu, Mnemosyne is the (unnamed) mother of the Nine Muses, including Kira, the heroine.
Mnemosyne is the name of a computer software project that helps people to memorize facts, such as school exams, as well as builds data on memory research.
In the MMPORG Asheron's Call, green triangular devices called Mnemosynes are used to store large amounts of knowledge/history and are used to pass this information across generations.
In the Oliver Stone, ABC Event Series Wild Palms made for TV miniseries about a Cyber Cult, "Mnemosyne" was a vision educing blue fluid.
In Mass Effect 2, a mission takes place aboard a derelict ship orbiting around a Brown Dwarf named Mnemosyne.
In the anime Rin - Daughters of Mnemosyne the Time Spores that make women immortal also absorb their memories and anyone else's they pass through before depositing it back into Yggdrasil, the Tree of all Life.

Oceanus

Oceanus appears in the 2010 video game God of War III as one of the Titans in the assault on Mt. Olympus.

Perses

Perses appears in the 2010 video game God of War III, depicted as a massive brute made of rock and molten lava. As Kratos is ascending the Chain of Balance, Perses attacks him (possibly avenging Gaia, who Kratos had cast off Olympus), but is stabbed in the eye with the Blade of Olympus, sending him falling off.

Recently, in the manga Medaka Box, the heroine Medaka entered a berzerk state nicknamed Perses Mode.

Prometheus

Main article: Prometheus#In_modern_culture

Prometheus is a supervillain in the DC Universe,who is an enemy of the Justice League.He stated that he named himself Prometheus because he "wanted to take fire from the Gods themselves.Steal their knowledge and techniques and use them against them".The "Gods" being anyone who is just using stolen money to purchase advanced weaponry.
In Rick Riordan's The Last Olympian, Prometheus gives Percy Jackson Pandora's jar and tries to get him to open it and give up the fight against the Titans.

Rhea

Appears in the 2007 game God of War II in a flashback. She is shown preventing her son Zeus from being devoured by Cronos.

Selene

Tethys

Tethys is a character in Greenwitch, in Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising series.

She appears also in the animated film Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus and is the most human looking of the Titans, appearing as a water elemental giantess with long hair. But this version of her is utterly ferocious and ruthless, at one point picking up Aphrodite and attempting to crush her.

Caitlin R. Kiernan introduced a white dream raven named Tethys, in her story "The Two Trees" (The Dreaming #43).
The Yu-Gi-Oh! card named Tethys,Goddess of Light is named for her.

Theia

Theia tried to take over the world in the pages of The New Teen Titans. In volume 2, issue 9, she was destroyed by her husband Hyperion's self-immolation.
In episode 7 of Xena: Warrior Princess, The Titans, Theia is awoken by Gabrielle alongside Crius and Hyperion.

References

^ "Milton, L'Allegro and Il Penseroso"
^ Greg West "The Golden Age: A Romance of the Far Future"
^ "Fugitives of Chaos by John C. Wright Dramatis Personae"
^ Social Security Administration Name Popularity
^ Philips, F. Carter. "Endymion." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2010. Web. 22 Dec. 2010.

Titans in popular culture

Contents

General or collective references

Individual

Cronus/Saturn

Eos/Aurora

References