Before Cupid’s appearance in the Heroes of Olympus series, you probably imagined the god of love as a chubby, winged baby in a diaper pointing a heart-shaped bow and arrow. Like Favonius says, everyone has the wrong impression of Cupid . . . until they meet him. Then he’s impossible to forget.

Rocking the Look

Ever seen someone so handsome, you thought That person is hard to look at? Replace “person” with “god” and you get Cupid. It makes sense that the god of desire would look like a sultry male model with a ripped torso and huge, powerful wings. But if you ask us, the searing, blood-red eyes that burn a hole in your soul are a bit of overkill on his part.

More Than Just a Pretty Face

Luckily for mortals, Cupid spends the majority of his time being completely invisible to us. That’s just one of his many abilities. Others include shape-shifting, uncanny archery skills, and of course, complete control over love and desire. Imagine the godly equivalent of that friend who’s always pestering you. . . “Who do you like? Who do you re-e-e-ally like?” That’s him, but with the power to actually do something about it.

Love or Death?

Due to Cupid’s somewhat creepy and threatening demeanor, the Roman god of love has frequently been compared to Thanatos, a Greek god of death. Turns out the two of them are counterparts, but Cupid insists that Thanatos is “somewhat kinder.” Why? Because, at the end of the day, death is less terrifying than the horrors of true love.

The Power of Love

Cupid’s power is not to be underestimated. Just think of the dirt he got out of Nico di Angelo in The House of Hades. Nico’s confession that he has a crush on Percy is probably one of the most squee-inducing moments of the Heroes of Olympus series (even if Nico hated every second of it).

This Valentine’s Day, keep in mind that even if you don’t want to reveal your true feelings to your boo, Cupid already knows all about them. And trust us, it’s better to admit it now before you’re shot up with one of his exploding arrows.