Bonus Dream Interpretation: Zeus⚡

Hello again, and welcome to the final subject in my Dream Interpretation series: Zeus! (Catch up on previous posts in this series here.)

We thought the Main Four were Super Villain’s antagonists, but check again…the real mastermind behind it all is none other than the Greek god of thunder himself. What does Zeus’s dream say about him?

After his disguise is shed and his true identity revealed, Zeus is immediately thrown into one of the Main Four’s now empty cryotubes and trapped inside his own mind. Featuring an upside down Mythology Island with an inverted color palette and randomly scattered letters that, when assembled, spell out an override code, Zeus’s dream is very weird — but also might be the easiest to interpret.

Right off the bat, the inverted colors and anti-gravity effects likely mean Zeus is very shocked and disoriented at the moment; you could say he’s had his whole world turned upside down, figuratively in real life and literally in the dream. One moment he’s on the path to world domination, the next he’s fighting the player with the power of the totems behind him, and now he’s in cryostasis! The upside down world could also mean Zeus is worried his life will never be normal again.

The labyrinth sector of Zeus’s dream points generally to the same issue, but it’s slightly different. While representing confusion, labyrinths in dreams can also symbolize unending stress and complications or an unsolved problem that keeps repeating itself. Makes sense, seeing as Zeus has now been foiled by the player twice. How much more will it take to execute his villainous scheme?

Once you exit the labyrinth, you’ll find yourself on the Tree of Immortality. The tree could show Zeus recovering from his recent defeat and finding new hope; encountering a tree of life in a dreamscape might symbolize a new motivation, or it may be saying that although life is difficult, there’s always room to bounce back and continue. Good news for Zeus, but not so much for us in this case. 😬

The Tree of Immortality is also the first place in his dream where we see Zeus, and he’s not feeling too friendly towards us at the moment. He’ll attack by whizzing across the screen every time you find a letter.

Similar to the Black Widow’s dream, attacking someone could represent taking action against a threat or overcoming issues. Zeus isn’t wasting any time firing up his fighting spirit and launching back into battle!

Then there’s the matter of the scattered letters. I think it’s possible Zeus has a mind map — in other words, he stores important information throughout his brain and can easily access that info later, similar to the detective Sherlock Holmes.

After you’ve located all the letters in the Tree of Immortality, you’ll find yourself in the final location, an upside-down Mount Olympus. Mountains in dreams symbolize huge challenges and obstacles, or a growing need to prove yourself. Here, Zeus’s attacks become more frequent; he’s onto our plan, and he’s determined to ruin it.

Something else worth mentioning is Zeus’s abilities in his own dream. While we can only jump, Zeus soars across the screen like the thunder god he is. However, he’s still limited by this anti-gravitational world — he can’t hover in midair with nothing beneath him like he’s normally able to, and instead must find a rock or a branch to steady himself.

Upon picking up the last letter, you’ll be freed from Zeus’s dreamscape with the override code in hand, and everything in Erewhon Prison is set right. Except for the four escaped villains. Just a minor detail that might’ve been overlooked.

In conclusion: Zeus’s dream as a whole displays a realization process of sorts. In the beginning, he’s confused, in shock, and very unsure what to do or where to go. He then reminds himself that he’s quite literally king of the gods — no cryotube or bobble-headed avatar can stand in his path and get away with it! He must not give up. Zeus doesn’t appreciate being exposed or showing weakness, which is perhaps why he’s so quick to forge on and attack the player the moment they appear.

Unfortunately, Zeus isn’t taking much time to think here. His undying need to prove himself and live up to his reputation overpowers any sensibility he might have, and he refuses to pause and adjust to his new circumstances, which is perhaps why he’s unable to fly properly; and why his dreamscape hasn’t righted itself yet. Maybe next time, he should take everything into account before attempting to overthrow Poptropica.

…and with that, Interpreting the Main Four’s (Five’s?) Dreams has come to a close! It’s been a long time coming, but I’ve really enjoyed writing these posts, and I hope you’ve all enjoyed reading them too.

Dream on,

~💜