10 Greatest Disney Death Scenes

10. Hercules (1997) : Hades Death Scene

(Apologies that I couldn't find the youtube video of this scene... All the rest of the selections have videos attached) You could make the argument that Hades, god of the underworld doesn't in fact die in this scene because gods can not die- and you are probably right. But this is at the very least a symbolic death and a great moment from a highly underrated Disney movie which is incidentally one of my all time favorites. The death on its own isn't the most powerful moment of this scene but the whole lead up to this moment is an extraordinary one. Hercules, the son of Zeus storms into the Greek underworld in order to bargain with Hades to save the life and soul of his true love Meg. Hades agrees, but only if Hercules, who is at this point a mortal, jumps into the river Styx to retrieve Meg's soul from the underworld... although any mortal that swims in the river Styx will surely die. Hercules succeeds, but almost dies... the only reason he survives is because in saving Meg with no regard to his own life he has committed a truly heroic and unselfish act and because of this he is granted immortality by his father and becomes a God. Succeeding and now all powerful, Hercules punches Hades into the river Styx, where it is strongly suggested that the god of the underworld will never be able to make his way out of the river... because the many souls Hades has cursed to live for eternity in the underworld have a score to settle with him.
In this post: 
Pixar
 
Posted On: 
Contributor

I am a recent Screenwriting for Film and Television graduate from the UK. I am an unashamed geek who loves everything Marvel, and anything Joss Whedon has ever touched (except for maybe Alien Resurrection and Titan A.E). My current favorite TV shows are Breaking Bad, Family Guy, House of Cards, Game of Thrones, American Horror Story, Homeland and Glee. I look forward to debating things with all of you in the future. (As of January 2013 I have had over 1 million views since joining WhatCulture in September 2012. You can reach me at danieljamesbowen@hotmail.co.uk)