“I’m sure—and this is me again, huffing Hopium—he’s got something planned.” Set sail to prevent Ragnarok in Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Ship of the Dead! Other topics include ranking Riordanverse books based on satisfying endings, the injustice of Halfborn Gunderson’s Big Damn Hero Moment happening off-page, the LEGENDARY transcription…

“I’m thirty. I don’t hang out with sixteen-year-olds who haven’t been to therapy yet.” The podcast course corrects and dives back into Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard! Other topics include Magnus Chase subverting the expectations for a male hero protagonist, the three-way tie for Worst Parent Ever, an unexpected comparison of an elf and dwarf t…

We're not ending the show! If you read the title, got freaked, and immediately checked the show notes, let us assure you that the announcement isn't the end of Muses of Mythology. Since you're here, we'll give you the short version: The first ten minutes is the start of what was meant to be our Einherjar episode. Then we went off-mic for about 30 m…

“Water? Do you think Odin would serve water?!” Time to begin the journey through Norse mythology in earnest! First stop: Valhalla. Other topics include a brief examination of how far away Iceland is from the rest of the Nordic countries (Thank you, Owen!), a correction on the number of floors in Hotel Valhalla, Odin’s penchant for costumes, a typic…

“He’ll flood the Earth. So, let’s not do that; we’re in Iceland.” Before we get into talking about Norse mythology, Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) spend some time exploring why talking about Norse mythology is so weird. Other topics include the brevity of the Viking Age compared to other mythic eras, when Christianity became all the rage in Scand…

“Have you heard the theory that Jason Grace goes to Valhalla?” Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) leave Greek mythology behind and check into Hotel Valhalla with Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard. Other topics include the perfect timing to branch away from the Percy Jackson books, first-person narrative being Rick Riordan’s greatest strength, the f…

"Illuminating the often-overlooked stories of women in mythologies." In this special bonus episode, Darien was joined by author, drawer, and singer Amrita Sen to discuss her musical audiobook, Hidden Women. "Hidden Women is a captivating collection of stories that shines a spotlight on the often-overlooked women who played significant roles in the …

Is A Christmas Carol the best Christmas tale ever told? Yes, and we're still not taking feedback at this time. Enjoy the first episode of our special Patreon Holiday Event: 12 Days of Musemas! Listen to the rest of the series over the next 11 days at Patreon.com/musesofmythology Spoilers for A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Support the Show.…

“Why is he a bird still?!” From the top of Mount Olympus, we explore the home of the gods and reflect on our journey through Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Other topics include the name for a group of pegasi, Medusa’s inventory management strategy, the correct number of treats to give a multi-headed canine, weirdly specific myths P…

We apologize for the delay in our regularly scheduled programming. We need a bit more time to release the best version of our finale of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Please accept a very special Patreon episode drop, our ReMyth episode about the first print volume of Lore Olympus, the beloved webcomic by Rachel Smythe. The volume focuses on the …

“Oh my God, the winds are real?!” It’s the big one. This whole season has been leading up to The Iliad. Buckle up, dear listeners, because we brought in a real Iliad kid. Emily Garber (she/her), classics scholar(ish) and co-host of The Monster Donut podcast, shares the kind of insight about The Iliad you’d usually have to pay tuition to get. And so…

“You can’t be precious about your interpretations of a text that was so unstable.” Returning guest and temporary co-host Megs Peterson (they/them) comes aboard to discuss the many rich, valid interpretations of Achilles and Patroclus’ relationship and how it’s not necessary to have a strict definition of said relationship to value their bond—but th…

“Hesiod definitely didn’t have a problem with women.” Pandora gets blamed for everything. Literally, Hesiod decided the first human woman is responsible for every bad thing in the world. Quinn Albert (she/her) joins the podcast to discuss the terrifying implications of stories that blame women for the suffering of men. Also, charm bracelets! Topics…

“You were never going to take us to McDonald’s, Zeus!” Rick Riordan created a rather bizarre portrayal of Prometheus. But what else is new? The Ancients also presented dramatically different versions of the fire-thieving Titan of foresight. Let’s talk about all of them and Mary Shelley, too! Talking points include who is really to blame for Luke Ca…

“Rivers are goofily important.” Life thrives around rivers, and fandom thrives around fan creators. This week, we’re joined by special guest DisenyBeans (Bri) to discuss the potamoi (AKA River Gods). Talking points include minor spoilers for Chalice of the Gods, the importance of cutting those plastic can holder rings up, a friendly reminder to STA…

“Persephone is not a minor goddess.” Our residency in the Underworld ends with some quality time spent with Queen Persephone. Talking points include Rick Riodran’s wildly different portrayals of Persephone in various stories, DJ’s season-based headcanon to explain the wildly different portrayals, Darien ruining another beloved mythic name etymology…

“Guess we know who planned the menu for this one.” The other half of Camp Half-Pod, writer and Dolphin Girl Erin Moynihan (she/her), joins the show to reexamine Demeter’s reputation as mythology’s biggest helicopter parent. Talking points include which godly parents actually care about their demigod children, projecting difficult parental relations…

It's our birthday week! Our gift to you, dear listeners, is a sneak behind the Patreon paywall! (Our gift to ourselves is an extra week to get back on schedule!) Learn more about SAGE at https://www.sageusa.org/ "What if Mulan had to travel to the Underworld?" This week's journey through the Twisted Tales series takes DJ and Darien to somewhere the…

"I just love Hades as a character." In antiquity, the wise refrained from even speaking the name of the god of the underworld to avoid drawing his attention. Today, Manasa (she/her) from Camp Half-Pod joins us to talk about Hades a whole lot! Talking points include the staying power of childhood favorites, translations of The Iliad, the chilling po…

“William Shakespeare? The playwright?" Do you get déjà vu? Podcast favorite Robert Gaymer (they/them) returns for what can only be described as an episode remake. We’re heading back to the Underworld to thoroughly examine its landscape, citizens, and infrastructure. Talking points include the various rivers that make up Underworld topography, contr…

“I get to talk about the Sandman now!" We hope you're well-rested because this week's episode is about the god of dreams, Morpheus! Who is definitely, totally, absolutely a legitimate figure from ancient Greek mythology and the god who put Manhattan to sleep in The Last Olympian. Talking points include cringe couple pet names, Harley Quinn and Pois…

“That's some BIG AroAce vibes, kid." It's time to give the goddess of home and hearth her due! This week, Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) discuss the Top Three Hestia Moments in the Rick Riordan Books (Spoiler: There are only three Hestia moments). Talking points include why the home is not passive but something heroes fight for, how the hosts kno…

"Thetis had to be always on her grind." Mythology has a lot of terrible dads. For once, let's talk about an excellent mother! Thetis did the MOST for her son, Achilles (even when she probably shouldn't). But as Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) learn, not even a goddess can save her son from a prophecy. Other topics include Achilles having no chill,…

DJ overcame a fate that took out Houdini—but he's still recovering from the experience. Please enjoy this Unlocked Patreon episode from Bunker 9 in which Darien and DJ dunk on Percy's terrible presents outlined in a 2022 Read Riordan post (https://rickriordan.com/2022/08/happy-birthday-percy/). Note: DJ was totally correct about Chainsaw Man poppin…

“What are morals to a dolphin?" Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) journey under the sea and get to know important members of Poseison's court: Amphitrite, Triton, and Delphin. Talking points include mythological evidence that Amphitrite wouldn't be mean to Percy, how Triton's fishtail directly led to the transformation in how sirens are depicted, an…

“‘No one touches her!’” Katie (she/her) from The Dam Snack Bar podcast joins the show to discuss the fate of Andromeda and present such piping hot takes as, "The Damsel in Distress trope isn't bad, actually." Talking points include Andromeda possibly being the earliest known damsel in distress, Darien fondness for an incredibly unpopular ship, DJ’s…

"Because horse." Would you believe this episode was originally going to feature a talking horse? Fortunately, we got Owen from Through the Mist to come back instead! And he's bringing all his knowledge of the lore and a fabulous theory regarding the true heritage of pegasi in the Riordanverese. Talking points include Pegasus' brother being just a g…

"Guess who was the father." It's been five books, so we guess we have to talk about Kronos now. Good thing Robert Gaymer (they/them) of TheDamMemePage is here to help get through the mess that is the Names of the Titans. Talking points include which Titan had what job, the value of the name "Kruke," the reason why the Titanesses sat out the Titan W…

"Nico breaks Percy out of jail." Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) finish their conversation about The Last Olympian–for real this time! Topics include the curse of Achilles making Percy a full-on superhero, whether Luke went to the "Middle Place," if the armpit is a good weak point, a direct call out of Seaweed Brain podcast, and much bemoaning ove…

"It's all Zeus' fault." Let's kick off the final book in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) have so many thoughts about this book that it became the podcast's first two-parter! Topics include who has a claim on loot (magical, flying chariot loot, or otherwise), the tragedy of mortals who cannot let go o…

Get a taste of Darien's new podcast! Welcome to the inaugural episode of Eragon and Back Again! Hosts Darien Smartt (she/her) and Lucy Hart (she/her) dive into the world of Alagaësia and explore the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. Join us as we explore themes, foreshadowing, and narrative techniques that will give you a whole new apprecia…

NEW PODCAST COMING WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 Two adult writers revisit a childhood favorite and journey through Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle! It's a weekly podcast about adventure stories and writing tips, with plenty of laughs along the way. Keep up with the show on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/eragonpod/ Send an email to Eragon…

“Pan went back to the primordial god soup.” We close out season four with an episode about Pan! Which means it's finally time to answer a question from the beginning of the season: What counts as "the wilds?" Beloved past guest, podcaster, and meme maker Robert Gaymer returns only to be dragged into a fierce debate! Other topics include Grover’s ar…

"Ethics are optional." Our favorite grad student Lochlyn (she/her) joins the pod to discuss the incredibly creative and ethically ambiguous mythological inventor Daedalus! Was he just one guy? Was he really from Athens? And what was up with the nephew murder? Other talking points include the bizarre human impulse to feel threatened by greatness tha…

“You think you know wrestling?!" Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) know nothing about wrestling. If only someone would show up and help them get through this episode about wrestling! Other topics include deadly bearhugs, reused plot lines, kayfabe, and Darien's heel turn to becoming the villain of the podcast. Learn more about the Malala Fund at htt…

“The most Sad Girl in the Rick Riordan books.” Experiencing heartache? Maybe skip this episode for now. Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) present their most melancholy episode yet by discussing Calypso. She’s sad, she’s pretty, and she’s nothing like her mythic source material in The Odyssey. Other topics include Darien being weirdly cool with age g…

“Hephaestus is our protagonist, so we’re on his side right now.” Leo the GeekScorpio (he/him) returns to discuss the god of the forge, Hephaestus! And that means DJ, once again, gets to dunk on Eternals (2021). Other topics include wedding anniversary gifts, reorganizing the Periodic Tables of Elements, DC Hephaestus being a secret-keeping bro, Pan…

“Riddles are hard! Even Tolkien.” The Sphinx arrives from a distant land, which means it’s time for a battle of wits! DJ (he/him) challenges the listeners to a riddle contest. Darien (she/her) did not come prepared. Other topics include conspiracies surrounding ancient sculpture techniques, math tricks for solving riddles, Darien’s favorite riddle …

“He gets bodied by an eleven-year-old!” King Minos was a malevolent tyrant who became a judge of the Underworld because he happened to be a son of Zeus. Talk about a nepo baby. In this week’s episode, DJ presents the single example he could find of King Minos in modern pop culture. Then Darien throws out the script to present her essay on the ancie…

“Don’t fly too close to the sun.” Let’s fly into 2023 with a big myth that doesn’t have much to it. In fact, it really is just the one thing. But the story of Icarus flying too close to the sun has permeated storytelling for centuries. So, naturally, Darien and DJ take the opportunity to discuss how much they dislike Eternals (again). Other topics …

“I will watch Troy BURN!” After finally escaping the Labyrinth, the siblings come face to face with what might be the scariest goddess of all: Hera. Fortunately, writer and podcaster Megan Peterson (they/she) is here to provide literary insight, historical context, and biting wit. Other topics include the Cold War and the American Nuclear Family, l…

Is A Christmas Carol the best holiday story ever told? Yes, and we're not taking feedback at this time. Enjoy the first episode of our special Patreon Holiday Event: 12 Days of Musemas! Listen to the rest of the series over the next 11 days at Patreon.com/musesofmythology Spoilers for A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Support the Show.…

“Have you heard about the Ship of Theseus?” We’ve talked about the Labyrinth. We’ve talked about the Beast of the Labyrinth. We’ve talked about the woman who navigated the Labyrinth. Now, we finally discuss the hero who gets all the credit: Theseus. Bad news, y’all. He’s actually pretty cool. Owen from Through the Mist returns to talk about all the…

“There’s nothing there, so I’m projecting onto Ariadne so hard!” Quinn from The Monsterous Woman Pod joins the show for an episode about Ariadne. Not Theseus, Dionysus, Medea, Renya’s sister, Quinn’s niece, or Megara from Disney’s Hercules. Ariadne. Seriously. Other topics include Theseus, Dionysus, Medea, Renya’s sister, Quinn’s niece, and Megara …

“Run! Just run! Go!” Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) are trapped in a labyrinth! Which is totally fine cause it turns out a labyrinth is just basically a really long hallway. So, why did Theseus need help navigating it to slay the Minotaur? Turns out, Daedalus really is just that good. Other topics include not-so-hot takes about the Frozen level i…

“If you can't make your own goat's blood, store-bought is fine.” Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) find themselves haunted by another podcast! Tim (he/him) and AJ (he/they) from Standby Line have materialized to socialize over ghosts, shades, and happy haunts of all shapes and sizes. Other topics include the nuances of cheating death, how children o…

IT'S OUR BIRTHDAY!!! Muses of Mythology turns two this month! We're celebrating by unlocking special bonus episodes from Patreon, giving listeners new episodes every week! This week, we're unlocking our very first Remyth episode, previously only heard by our Podcast Hero and God-tier level Patrons. In this episode, we discuss the 1997 Disney animat…

“I’m pretty sure—with very little evidence to support this—that nymphs and satyrs are the same species.” Women in mythology deserve more respect, and nymphs are no exception. In this episode, Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) examine how nymphs went from revered nature goddesses to helpful but unimportant NPCs. Then, the show briefly becomes an epis…

IT'S OUR BIRTHDAY!!! Muses of Mythology turns two this month! We're celebrating by unlocking special bonus episodes from Patreon, giving listeners new episodes every week! Let's start with a hiatus favorite: DJ tells Darien about one of the books in the YA Disney AU Twisted Tales series. Go the Distance: A Twisted Tale by Jen Calonita asks the ques…

“Why? Why?!” The podcast finally gives Grover Underwood and all satyrs their proper due! Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) talk about Percy and Grover’s friendship, the difference between Greek satyrs and Roman fauns, and… Wait. What’s with all this art featuring naked, horse-tailed men balancing wine goblets on their genitals? Spoilers for Go the D…