Medusa is one of the Gorgons in Greek myth. She appears in the Disney's Animated Myths and Legends episode Perseus and the Gorgon, which aired on May 18, 1998. She is voiced by Canadian actress Jennifer Hale.
Biography[]
Medusa's childhood is unknown. She is the youngest of three sisters, which also include Stheno and Euratye. All three were once ravishingly beautiful young women, particularly Medusa. She was sought after by every man in Greece, however she was a priestess in the temple of Athena, and as such was bound by a vow of celibacy.
Although this vow of chastity meant Medusa's beauty was off limits, this did little to deter the sea god Poseidon, who had an affair with her. This was much to Athena's anger and, although she was not angry with Poseidon, she punished Medusa and her sisters (who had been observing her sleeping with Poseidon), by having them turned into Gorgons; their hair transformed into a mass of writhing snakes, their skin became scaly and reptilian, their teeth transformed into fangs, their nails became claws and their eyes became dangerous; one glance at their faces would turn onlookers into stone.
As the final part of their punishment, Athena had the three monstrous sisters banished to a desolate, remote island, where those who travelled there would run the risk of being turned into stone. Stheno and Euratye were both immortal, while Medusa herself wasn't, and this would lead to her death at the hands of Perseus.
Appearance and personality[]
In her human form, Medusa is a young woman with fair hair and blue eyes. She sports a purple and black top and skirt, two golden bangleson her wrist and a golden choker. Unlike her sisters, who wear shoes, she is barefoot. After being cursed by Athena, Medusa assumes a monstrous form; her silken locks become a writhing serpentine mass, her skin becomes scaly and reptilian and her nails are turned into bronze claws. She retains her outfit, but it is torn around the edges.