The Odyssey might be bringing some of the most powerful and iconic Greek Gods to the big screen. While audiences still know very little about the full scope of Christopher Nolan’s upcoming take on the ancient epic, the short teaser for The Odyssey released earlier this year indicates it is a faithful adaptation of the source material.

While all of the Gods that could appear in The Odyssey are powerful compared to Odysseus and his crew, there is definitely a way to rank them in terms of raw ability, status in the pantheon, and prevalence in other myths. Here are the Gods who could appear in The Odyssey, ranked by power.

10

Calypso

A nymph and the daughter of the тιтan known as Atlas, Calypso is one of the final supernatural dangers that Odysseus encounters on his journey back to Ithaca in The Odyssey. Gifted with a form of immortality thanks to her heritage, Calypso tries to convince Odysseus to remain with her and abandon Ithaca for seven years.

Calypso showcases some minor abilities in The Odyssey, such as when she is able to influence and impact the wind to help him on his way. However, she also recognizes that she must follow the commands of the Pantheon, as Hermes conveys Zeus’ command, and a bitter Calypso reluctantly complies.

This highlights how Calypso is the weakest of the deities that Odysseus encounters in his quest. While she can offer immortality and impact the world around her, she doesn’t even dream of countering the other Gods. More than mystical power, Calypso’s greatest threat to Odysseus’ quest is the temptation to simply remain with her.

9

Ino

The aunt of the Greek God Dionysus, Ino was a human queen who ascended to become the sea goddess known as Leucothea. She raised the future Olympian, earning her the infamous ire of Hera. After Hera drove her husband, Athamas, to murder their son Learchus, Ino threw herself and her other son, Melicertes, to escape him.

This led to their ascension as minor Gods of the ocean. Although she is powerful in her own right, her domain over the seas has its limits. With her help, Odysseus is able to survive the ocean currents after a storm almost drowns him and kills his crew.

However, Ino does not get involved elsewhere in the story. Although Ino is more powerful than any mortal, she doesn’t have the same scope of awesome power that many other Greek Gods possess; instead, she largely uses her powers to save a life that otherwise could have been lost at sea.

8

Circe

A powerful minor goddess and enchantress, Circe is an important figure in The Odyssey whose overall power — although impressive when compared to mortals — pales in comparison to some of the other Gods who appear in the story.

Circe is encountered by Odysseus and his crew when they reach Aeaea, where she displays her ability to shapeshift people into animal forms. This is consistent with her appearances in other myths, highlighting her abilities and mastery of a certain kind of magic. With her powers, Circe comes close to upending Odysseus’ journey home.

However, her power and station do not match that of Hermes, who arrives and advises Odysseus through his first mate, Eurylochos, on how to escape Circe. Circe’s importance in The Odyssey is more relevant due to how she almost entices him to remain on her island, underscoring that her most dangerous qualities aren’t necessarily her magical capabilities.

7

Aeolus

King of the floating city of Aeolis, Aeolus was made “keeper of the wings” by Zeus and is able to muster and alter the winds as he sees fit. A friend to the Gods, Aeolus plays a minor role in The Odyssey (as well as in other stories, such as in the quest of Jason and his Argonauts).

Aeolus helps Odysseus by gifting him a bag of winds, but the sailor’s crew opens the bag prematurely and sends them off course. Aeolus refuses to help them again, out of fear that they are cursed by the Gods. This illustrates the power of Aeolus, as well as his place in the general power rankings of the Green deities.

Aeolus may be powerful, with his control over the winds leading Olympians like Hera to call upon his aid. However, Aeolus has no illusions that his powers could overcome one of those higher deities. This is true in Virgil’s Aeneid, where Neptune (the Roman equivalent of Poseidon) easily halted the waves caused by Aeolus’ winds with relative ease.

6

Heracles

One of the most iconic figures in Greek Mythology, Heracles only has a minor role to play in The Odyssey that barely hints at his true potential. The son of Zeus, Heracles was a great hero even before a jealous Hera set several impossible labours for the superstrong demigod to accomplish.

By the time of The Odyssey, however, Heracles is long ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. After his death, the divine part of Heracles was accepted by the other Gods on Olympus. This left his human half to linger in the underworld, a shade of the hero whom Odysseus encounters while making his way through the land of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ.

In his prime, Heracles was powerful enough to combat divine powerhouses all by himself. Even other Gods couldn’t always match him, although he openly feared Helios’ wraith. However, while Heracles could overcome any danger thrown his way, he still couldn’t compete with the forces of nature that are the Olympians (and definitely won’t as a shade in The Odyssey).

5

Helios

The God of the sun, Helios, is a son of the тιтans and an ancient figure who drives the sun across the sky each day. This makes him vital to the structure of the world in Greek Mythology, with powerful Gods like Zeus and Hera often forced to appear or bargain with him for his ᴀssistance or favor.

Helios appears in several Greek myths and plays a minor, vital (and brutal) role in The Odyssey. It is his sacred cattle that Odysseus’ crew kill towards the end of the journey, prompting the sun God to demand vengeance. Zeus acquiesces, sending a bolt of lightning during a storm that destroys Odysseus’ boat and kills his remaining crew.

Helios is a powerful figure, even inspiring fear in the heart of Heracles. However, Helios still follows the command of the Olympians, such as Zeus. This suggests Helios is indeed very powerful, but is still not as strong as the most powerful of the Greek Gods.

4

Hermes

One of the 12 Greek Gods known as the Pantheon, Hermes is among the most powerful forces in Greek Mythology. The messenger of the Gods, Hermes, is most often seen in myth conveying some information or orders from on high.

This extends to The Odyssey, where Hermes repeatedly serves as a messenger for the likes of Zeus and Athena. Although he is powerful, it’s worth noting that Hermes isn’t among the strongest of the Pantheon. His greatest abilities, beyond his immortality, stem from his absurd speed.

Even compared to other Gods, Hermes is fast. However, that really can’t compare against the might of other Gods, whether that be the unique strengths of someone like Athena and Ares or the elemental might of Zeus or Poseidon. While Hermes is powerful (and crucial in The Odyssey), there are other Gods who outclass him.

3

Athena

Goddess of Wisdom and War, Athena is the most openly heroic deity in The Odyssey. As patron of heroes, Athena plays a role in many myths as a guide, advisor, and even unseen ally to heroes like Argos, Perseus, and Heracles. Having come to see Odysseus as worthy of her attention, Athena plays a key role in getting him home.

Athena is among the more skilled of the Gods, her tactical brilliance and insight making her a gifted negotiator and crafty warrior. In various myths, she quarreled with her uncle Poseidon, outshone her brother Ares, and fought off the advances of Hephaestus. This highlights how even other members of the Pantheon can’t always compete with her.

Athena is among the most enduring of the Greek Gods, especially in stories like The Odyssey. However, even she must defer to Gods like Zeus. In some versions of her birth, Athena was meant to replace Zeus, but Zeus threw off the prophecy. This highlights how even Athena doesn’t match the King of the Gods.

2

Poseidon

One of the children of Cronus and one of the most powerful Gods in the Greek Pantheon, Poseidon is one of the most consistent and dangerous threats to Odysseus in The Odyssey. One of Zeus’ brothers, Poseidon, rules over the oceans in Greek Mythology.

Considering the importance of sailing and the sea to the ancient Greeks, this made Poseidon a frequent figure in myths and stories. This includes The Odyssey, where Poseidon becomes enraged by Odysseus’ blinding of his Cyclops son and sets about preventing him from ever returning home.

It is Poseidon who frequently endangers Odysseus and his crew as they make their way across the ocean, working to upend his potential destiny. However, while he is powerful even compared to other Gods, Poseidon notably does not match the authority and ability of his younger brother.

1

Zeus

The King of the Olympians and the ruler of the skies, Zeus is the most powerful God in Greek Mythology and the strongest abstract figure in The Odyssey. Born from Cronos and his eventual usurper, Zeus’s influence on Greek culture and mythology extends far beyond The Odyssey.

Although Zeus was prone to plenty of debate with his fellow Gods and often found himself at odds with many of them (especially his wife Hera), his authority was rarely questioned and almost never challenged. This extends to The Odyssey, where Zeus plays an almost impartial role as enforcer of divine intervention.

When Athena wants to help Odysseus, she must convince Zeus that it is the right course of action. When Helios demands vengeance, he brings his anger to Zeus for fair judgment. In The Odyssey‘s world of Gods and Men, it is Zeus who can be considered the lord of both and the most powerful deity of them all.