Jason— Greek Hero"Leader of the Argonauts"

The Rightful King

Jason was the son of Aeson, rightful king of Iolcus, whose throne was usurped by his half-brother Pelias. To protect the infant Jason, Aeson sent him to be raised by the centaur Chiron on Mount Pelion. When Jason came of age, he returned to claim his birthright—arriving with one sandal, having lost the other helping an old woman (actually Hera in disguise) cross a river.

The Impossible Quest

Pelias, warned by prophecy to beware a man with one sandal, refused to surrender the throne. Instead, he set Jason an impossible task: bring back the Golden Fleece from Colchis at the edge of the world. The fleece, guarded by a sleepless dragon, hung in a grove sacred to Ares. No one expected Jason to return.

The Argonauts

Jason commissioned the ship Argo, built with a magical prow from Dodona that could speak prophecy. He gathered the greatest heroes of Greece: Heracles, Orpheus, the twins Castor and Pollux, Atalanta the huntress, and dozens more. This crew of demigods and champions would face every danger the ancient world could offer.

Medea's Love

In Colchis, Hera arranged for Aphrodite to make King Aeëtes's daughter Medea fall desperately in love with Jason. Medea was a powerful sorceress, granddaughter of Helios. She gave Jason charms to tame the fire-breathing bulls, sowed the dragon's teeth, and drugged the sleepless serpent. Without her magic, Jason would have died in Colchis.

The Tragic End

Jason promised Medea eternal love in exchange for her help, but years later in Corinth, he abandoned her to marry the king's daughter. Medea, driven mad by betrayal, killed their children and the new bride. Jason lost everything—his family, his glory, his purpose. He died alone, crushed by a rotting beam from the Argo, forgotten and cursed.