If Zagreus Was In PJO:

If Zagreus was in PJO:

For context let me explain who Zagreus is first as his actual myth gets confused with the Hades game lore. Zagreus is the som of Zeus and Persephone (pre-Hades relationship) and he was considered Zeus’s favourite son, he was even considered as the next heir of Olympus. Hera ofc got angry ans sent out the titans to rip Zagreus apart but because Zeus mourned so much, he had Zagreus be reborn as Dionysus or reborn by Semele.

So this can go down two roads, Zagreus as Dionysus, or Zagreus reborn as his own God. If Zagreus was reborn as Dionysus in the PJOverse it would explain why he is so close to Nico. Why mr.D actually calls Nico by his legitimate name, because they are step-brothers. It could also explain a bit more why Mr. D was punished, beyond fawning for a wood nymph he want supposed to. Zeus probably couldn’t bare to see the son he once loved so much turn into the God of Chaos so he kept on banishing and punishing Dionysus throughout his life.

And as we know in the PJOverse the greek and roman gods can swap between those figures of themselves, and in telling of Zagreus/Dionysus they can also switch forms from a Burley bearded man, to a young fit man. Its also canonical Mr. D chooses to look rugged, so whenever he does appear as a more younger handsome man, could that just be Zagreus? But then their is also the other statement, what if Zagreus was reborn as his own god?

As I said earlier, Zeus would probably hate to face his son that he once loved so much, and fears Hera would kill him again so he sends Zagreus to the underworld to live with his mother and Hades as his new stepdad. Both Nico and Zagreus having a rocky relationship with their step-god parent would a a strong reason for them to meet each other as they are brothers from another mother. But with Zagreus living in the Underworld, he could help out Nico going back to tartarus under Hades nose to save Bob.

(Let me know if I missed anything myth wise or if ya’ll have some input too!)