Medusa

Medusa was a witch before being transformed into a gorgon.

History

Early Life

Medusa was one of three sorceress sisters before she was raped by the god, Poseidon, and wrongfully turned into a gorgon by Athena to cover up his misdeeds, so that no one would see her pain. Legend has it that Medusa was beheaded by the son of Zeus, Perseus.

Season One

Medusa started turning men into stone at the university. The Charmed ones found out what the victims had in common, they were all members of Phi Delta Upsilon. She was accidentally summoned by Daphne, a Kappa spring rushee who had been slut-shamed after one of the Phi Delts, Brett, had posted provocative photos of her and refused to take them down, leading to Medusa being summoned and promising to make him and anyone else involved pay for their misdeeds. Eventually, at a Phi Delt Greek party, she managed to petrify everyone at the party, including Parker, Harry, and Charity, though, excluding the Charmed Ones.

Before the Charmed Ones could behead her, however, Macy noticed that Medusa had only frozen the ones who looked away, meaning that she wanted people to see her pain. Macy tells Medusa that she saw her pain and promised her that she and her sisters would do everything they could to set things right, allowing Medusa to finally let go of her pain.

Personality

Medusa initially appeared to have the typical characteristics of a demon; inconsiderate of others, vindictive, and perfectly willing to harm others. However, this was simply an outer layer she projected, as she felt pity for Daphne, who had inadvertently summoned her through her pain, and resolved to use her powers to punish those who had hurt Daphne, and only petrified those who turned away from her, since she truly only wanted someone to see her own pain.

Physical Appearance

Medusa is a beautiful woman wearing a dark dress with a golden ornamental neck SB's shoulder piece. Unlike the myths, she does not have many snakes for hair. She has only one snake that coils around the top of her head and hair. When she uses her ability, her eyes turn vivid green with snake-like pupils.

Powers and Abilities

• Gorgon Form: The ability to shift between human and gorgon form. Her hair turns into a snake. Medusa only has one snake rested on her head in the form of a ponytail.
• Petrification: The ability to change another being into stone. Medusa uses her power with her eyes and turns other beings into stone if they look away, after staring at her.
• Sensing: Medusa had a powerful sense of smell that allowed her to sense that Macy, Maggie, and Mel were in the fraternity house and that they were witches.
• Immortality: The ability to live a potentially eternal life. Medusa is alive for thousands of years and maintained the form of a young woman.

Book of Shadows Entry

The most powerful known gorgon

Medusa was one of three sorceress sisters– Medusa, Stheno & Euryale. She was renowned for being an enchanting beauty   Poseidon could not resist her and raped her in Athena's temple. To punish her for this she was transformed into a demon with serpents hair. No one could ever look upon her beauty again; One look into her eyes and the onlooker would turn to stone.

The hero Perseus was sent by the King Polydectes of Seriphus to destroy a sleeping Medusa. He used the reflection of her in his shield he recieved from Athena to guide and behead her. Her severed head retained its powers and so Perseus used it as a weapon in battle to turn his foes from being into stone.

Decapitation is the only known method of vanquishing Medusa should she be summoned. The use of mirrors or other reflective materials is advised to avoid her destructive gaze.

Trivia

• Medusa is a character in Greek mythology. She was a monstrous Gorgon who could turn others to stone if they looked into her eyes. She would be beheaded by Perseus, the son of Zeus, who was able to do so by gazing at her through his shield.
• Medusa's backstory mirrored the one in the e-book novel of the original series, Let Gorgons Be Gorgons.
• Unlike the usual myth, Medusa's power worked on those who looked away from her instead of the opposite because of her desire to be seen by people who know her pain.
• She only had one snake that rested atop of her head in Gorgon form, despite the common depiction of having many snakes for hair.
• If the mythology serves correct, it is unknown how Medusa was summoned as she should have already been vanquished after being beheaded by Perseus thousands of years ago.

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