I will never not be amused by how much of a badass mastermind the WW stories portray Ares. He is always a chump in mythology. Ares represents the young warrior that things combat is like a Dynasty Warriors game. He goes in thinking he will defeat everyone only to get outsmarted by anyone with a brain (even MORTALS) and end up grievously wounded. I am glad that he is shown as somewhat competent but he is mainly a warrior god as opposed to a strategy god. He almost never gets shown in a good light in Greek Mythology.
Ares in myth is complex.
He’s the only Greek to actually love his mortal children enough to defy Zeus. His relationship with the Amazon’s in myth is literally him supporting them, even in the Trojan War (there is more than one motivation) that he switched sides because one of his Amazonian daughters is fighting for Troy.
Zeus hating him also likely springs from Zeus fearing being usurped as Ares is his first born and Zeus openly hates Ares. Like beyond just outright saying it, you know the myth where the cuck god gets angry that he’s getting cucked and everyone laughs at how the cuck god confirmed he was a cuck? Yeah, Zeus used Aphrodite as part of the ransom payment because Hera was strapped to some ultra cuck chair the cuck god made. Ares has to see some spiteful midge get his girl because Zeus gambled her and Ares wasn’t expecting guns when he went to punt that disgusting midge.
Ares beyond being used for stakes is basically the errand boy with Hermes. Literally any random bullshit Ares or Hermes has to do it.
I am being autistic, but I loved myth as a child. Ares and Hades always got the short end despite effectively having some very noble, human traits. Ares also wins, Rome big dogs everyone and he as Mars is their patron god. The Trojan War is literally Ares game planning and playing 4D chess from the Roman perspective.
To bring my point home, I have never understood why Ares is her enemy. Ares at most should be one of those frenemy characters. Opposed, but not malicious.
