Dionysus (better known as Bacchus) is the Olympian God of wine, party, and merriment from Hercules.
Appearances[]
Hercules []
Dionysus plays a very minor role in the film usually only appearing in cameos.
At the beginning of the film, he is present for the party celebrating Zeus and Hera's newborn son, Hercules. Eighteen years later, Hades unleashes the Titans on Mount Olympus and imprisons all the Gods, including Dionysus. Luckily, they are all saved by Hercules. Near the end of the film, he is seen celebrating Hercules' arrival after having gained his Godhood, but when Hercules decides to live as a mortal on Earth with Megara, Dionysus still celebrates Hercules' decision, even opening a bottle of wine in celebration of the new couple.
Hercules: The Series[]
Dionysus plays a much larger role in the series and even acts as the main force behind the plot in one episode.
In "Hercules and the Bacchanal", Hercules asks Dionysus if he can liven up things at his party which is being held at Phil's Island, to which he full-heartedly agrees. The party eventually gets out of control when Dionysus begins destroying some of Phil's belongings.
In "Hercules and the Golden Touch", after Midas, the king of Phrygia, did an act of kindness for a friend, Dionysus rewarded him by granting him the ability to turn anything he touches into gold. This, however, turned the king into a mad and greedy king whose lust for gold made him create a plot to turn the whole world into gold by using Hercules' connection with the Gods to steal Hermes' magic shoes so he could turn the world to gold in a faster time. After he accidentally touched his daughter and turned her into gold he realized the error of his ways and prayed to Dionysus to rid him of his curse which he did.
Trivia[]
- Bacchus, the Roman equivalent of Dionysus, also appears in the Fantasia segment "The Pastoral Symphony", though depicted differently than as in the Hercules series.
- Dionysus' role in "Hercules and the Bacchanal" was similar to Bacchus' in "The Pastoral Symphony"; both hosted a celebration that was disrupted by a major god (Zeus throwing lightning bolts down at the festival/Poseidon sinking Phil's Island where the Bacchanal took place).
- The theme park version of Dionysus that appeared in the Hercules Victory Parade also looked more like Bacchus.
- In "Hercules and the Bacchanal", Dionysus appears to have a crush on the muse Thalia, as he gave her a kiss on the cheek, much to her surprise.
Gallery[]
Concept art[]
Screenshots[]
Hercules[]
Hercules: The Series[]
Miscellaneous[]
