All fandoms are mad here

(To preface I am not a Christian but I love learning about theology) no, “Zeus’s law” is not the same as something Christian god would decree. Zeus does not “love” humans the way that Christian god is described to love humans. “God”’s commandments are for the benefit of humans and so they love each other, Zeus’s “laws” are basically threats because we are not his children and he doesn’t even like his actual children.

you treat a Christian angel badly in disguise and they might smite you. you treat them well and they’ll reward you.

you treat a god in disguise well and they don’t kill you. you treat them badly and they kill you.

you don’t defy the gods, they are literally everywhere and everything. you don’t live under their rules because they have your best interests at heart, you live staying out of their way and making sacrifices and praying to them for your own safety because at the smallest slight, they will literally create plagues, wars, and whole seasons. Odysseus works with Athena but that is because he is the EXCEPTION not the RULE

in Christian scripture, being good and generous is rewarded. In classical mythology you literally don’t have any other choice but to make yourself useful because the gods didn’t care how many humans died in the titanomachy and they won’t care if they kill one more.

Zeus’s law isn’t a decree or a scripture, it’s a lesson you learn the hard way and you pass onto your children. But that’s also because Zeus’s law isn’t even REAL and Greek hospitality can’t be boiled down to one single aspect of their mythology and culture Mr Nolan I’m looking at you when I say this

EDIT: TL;DR is that anglicizing the concept of Xenia reduces it to essentially the most prominent western societal understanding of religion-based “deity in disguise” generosity, which comes from biblical values. My post is just defining the ways that those two instances of “gods in disguise” differ

he's judgemental, patronizing, and self-righteous - especially towards the sinners (not to mention his own daughter). he seems to have given the sinners a chance but likely had standards they wouldn't be able to meet given how judgemental he is of the hotel and way he keeps looking for fault in people like alastor before getting to know them even as charlie keeps pointing out their redeeming qualities (which he then gets jealous of - like when charlie tells him how much alastor has done for the hotel)

he's arrogant and self-centered -- a well-intentioned narcissist who's less concerned with authentically bonding with his daughter and making her feel heard and supported than making her believe he's impressive and getting validation and recognition from her. he can't just be in service of his daughter and contribute towards her vision - he immediately makes it about what HE can do and how impressive he is in the song.

despite being the king of hell with all the power that entails which alastor is clearly jealous of, he still envies alastor's relationship with his daughter and can't be happy she has it - he's jealous and wants it for himself

So, it changes the setting, casting, plot points and tone and everything else, to send clear and relevant messages. There was already another Odessey adaptation that did that- "O Brother, Where Art Thou". And guess what? It didn't try to claim it was The Odyssey, while making it clear that it was a TAKE on The Odyssey, and its now a classic. It is honest about being a reimagining rather than a page-to-screen depiction. Retellings, reimaginings and general New Takes on old stories aren't anything to be ashamed of, I think the DisneySlopification of the concept of a "reimagined old story" has given the concept an aura of hackiness, fake-woke, and shame that it doesn't deserve. Reimagingings are important and profoundly human. Reimaginings AND accuracy-focused adaptations BOTH are vital to keeping these ancient tales alive and engaging. It would just, imho, be helpful if people knew which to expect when walking into the theatre**

I really think that at least the non-blatantly-racist section of this movie's haters would be enjoying the fuck out of it if it had been more clearly billed as a reimaging/retelling rather than just "The Odyssey The Movie". Maybe that billing existed somewhere, but if so, I never saw it and it seems many others didn't either. If you walk into a coffee shop, order a coffee, and are given an apple cider, its understandable that you'd be upset even if it was the best cider you've ever had.

*too white, to be clear. wayyyyyy too white and too northwest-european. what the fuck is Tom Holland doing here, adapt the Canterbury Tales or something if you want that guy in your movie that bad. ...actually wait hold up, Tom Holland in Chaucer would be awesome????

Alastor's "Pride"

Sometimes being ACE gives you the imposter feeling within the community.

scarred