Any space mission named after Apollo would be special to us, but this weekend is a big anniversary of a giant leap for mankind. July 20 marks 50 years since the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle landed on the moon.
But enough about mankind. What about gods-kind? Maybe in 1969 it felt like we owned the moon, but as we know, this whole moon obsession is not new. There are even a few deities who might be locked in an eternal custody battle over that giant hunk of space rock.
Selene
Selene is the rare Titaness who prefers to keep to herself, mostly staying out of her family’s affairs. Although, as we learned in Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods, when Mount Olympus needs to be defended from Typhon, Selene will certainly ride her chariot into battle. Her Roman counterpart, Luna, is a bit more savage. Ever wonder where the word “lunatic” came from? Don’t pick a fight with her during a full moon. It may be enough to drive you mad.
Artemis
Starting with The Titan’s Curse, we got to know Artemis as the goddess of the hunt and the wilderness, but these days she also moonlights as the current Greek goddess of the moon. Since inheriting Selene’s moon chariot, Artemis drives it across the sky each night . . . which makes us wonder, when does this woman take time for herself? Imagine how exhausting it must be to hunt beasts all day and then fly over the entire globe at night. If she ever starts picking up passengers and charging fares for chariot rides, we’ll know it’s time to start worrying about her mental state.
Khonsu
We conducted an interview with the Egyptian moon god not too long ago, if you want insight into what makes this guy tick (and tock). But if you’ve yet to read it or The Kane Chronicles, here’s what you need to know: while he is undeniably stylish and charming, Khonsu is not to be trusted. If he ever challenges you to a game of chance, just walk away.
Mani
Mani, the rarely seen Norse goddess of the moon, is one of the few immortals who has a healthy relationship with her brother. As the embodiments of day and night respectively, Sol and Mani are responsible for the solar and lunar cycles, which explains why they were too busy to interact with Magnus Chase and his crew. Unfortunately, Mani’s steady gig is poised to come to an end once Ragnarök hits and she and her brother are eaten by sky wolves. At that point, a certain moonlighting Greek goddess may have to clock in a few extra hours.