| Sisyphus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Biographical Information | |
| Real Name: | King Sisyphus of Ephyra |
| Species: | Mortal |
| Originally From: | Ephyra, Greece |
| Family: |
King Aeolus (Father) |
| Weapons: |
Sword |
| Physical Description | |
| Gender: | Male |
| Hair color: | Orange/Red |
| Eye color: | Green |
| Height: | 6'4 |
| Character Information | |
| First appearance: | Like a Rolling Stone |
| GALLERY | |
Sisyphus is a prisoner of The Underworld who was too clever for his own good, and most well known for being a trickster who imprisoned Thanatos.
Appearance[]
Sisyphus is a tall man with a lean but muscular build. He has short red/orange hair, wears a red toga, and sandals.
Personality[]
Sisyphus is a well-known trickster and con man. He was able to cheat his way out of death twice before being dragged to the Underworld to carry out his punishment. Despite his trickery to save himself, he claims to not be a killer. However, he also does not help others, seen when he did not help Theresa when she fell from a building.
Role in the Series[]
Burdened with the eternal, difficult, and repetitive task of rolling a large boulder up a mountain, only for the boulder to roll down again. He is freed by Cronus, but only as long as Sisyphus can elude Thanatos. Cronus provides him with metamorphosis provided that the person he chooses to take his place is one of The Chosen Ones.
Taking on Neil's appearance, Sisyphus blends into the group as they head to lunch. During the meal, his non-Neil behavior immediately catches the attention of the others but he is not fully discovered until he captures Theresa and the real Neil arrives. Fortunately, Theresa had been able to leave a video clue on her PMR that exposed Sisyphus' identity to the others.
With the other teens having to go to the Underworld to seek Thanatos' help in finding Sisyphus, the dead king takes Theresa to the roof an unfinished building where he learns from Cronus that he has to kill Theresa to make the exchange work. However, Sisyphus hesitates at the thought of having to kill Theresa but, as she tries to escape, he doesn't offer help when she slips and falls to her apparent death.
Fortunately for Theresa, Thanatos had agreed to be captured and this allowed Theresa to survive the fall. With Jay and Atlanta helping, the three used the moment of immortality to fight Cronus long enough for him to retreat. Afterwards, Sisyphus apologizes for the mess and escaped just before a now free Thanatos arrives.
Sisyphus is last seen leaving the area but having to keep his guard up as he is well aware Thanatos will be looking for him.
Mythology[]
King Sisyphus was the king of Ephyra. He was punished for his self-aggrandizing craftiness and deceitfulness. He was sentenced for killing guests and travelers to his castle in violation to his hospitality, seducing his niece, and reporting one of Zeus' sexual assaults.
When Zeus ordered Thanatos to chain up Sisyphus in Tartarus, Sisyphus tricked Thanatos by asking him how the chains worked and ended up chaining Thanatos; as a result, there was no more death. Ares freed Thanatos and turned Sisyphus over to him. Later, Sisyphus had Persephone send him back to the surface to scold his wife for not burying him properly. Sisyphus was forcefully dragged back by Hermes when he refused to return.
In Tartarus, Sisyphus was forced to roll a large boulder up a mountainside, and when he almost reached the crest, it rolled back down the hill, and Sisyphus would have to start again. This represented the punishment of Sisyphus claiming that his cleverness surpassed that of Zeus, causing the god to make the boulder roll away from Sisyphus, binding Sisyphus to an eternity of frustration.
His name is the origin for the word "Sisyphean" which denotes a task which is undertaken with great effort but ultimately is pointless.