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Greg Germann tells THR about Hades and Zelena’s connection, why Rumplestiltskin is a “lethal compatriot,” and if Belle is in danger when she comes to the Underworld.
Move over, Snow White and Prince Charming — there may be a new power couple on ABC's Once Upon a Time.
During Sunday’s episode, "Our Decay," Hades (Greg Germann) and Zelena’s (Rebecca Mader) relationship will be explored in flashbacks, and then the god and Wicked Witch will meet again in the present-day Underworld.
Germann tells The Hollywood Reporter that there’s “more than it seems” to their powerful connection, and their “strong bond” comes from both being black sheep of their families.
Below, he reveals what to expect from the evil duo, plus how in danger Belle (Emilie de Ravin) is once he forces Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle) to bring her down from Storybrooke, and if we’ll see Zeus and Poseidon anytime soon.
How much will be revealed about Hades’ back story? Is this more just about his relationship with Zelena?
A little bit of both. As the season goes on, you're going to learn more and more about why I'm doing what I'm doing. This episode is a little bit more about Zelena and me first. Delving into that a little bit and finding out that it's more than it seems on the surface. Who's not drawn to a green witch?
How would you describe Zelena and Hades' relationship history? It seems very complicated.
I end up getting green makeup all over myself. Is that enough? At first we seem like we're good adversaries, good equals, and then we see how we can use each other. It kind of grows from there. We both have a similar path. The thing I love about this show is that even though it lives in the realm of fantasy, at its essence it's pretty human. When you meet somebody that has a past that you can identify with because of maybe the kind of pain they've suffered, you're drawn to that person. That's ultimately what Hades and Zelena find in common with one another.
Zelena obviously has some abandonment issues. Does Hades feel that way? Zeus and Poseidon are out ruling happier parts of the world — does he feel like he's the loner who is left out, or does he like being evil?
That's a great question. As the season goes on you find out more about that, which speaks to his back story. Even the mythology of Hades in the different tellings of that story, it's true that my father and my brother Zeus ... I'm kind of the black sheep of the family and so is Zelena. We both have a similar kind of identification that way. That's a pretty strong bond.
Has Hades been keeping tabs on Zelena at all, or has he does not know what she's been up to?
Coming up, you'll see how I am keeping tabs on her and why now I'm going back there again. That's something that you find out as the episodes unfold.
Does Hades perhaps wish that he was the baby daddy of Zelena's little boy?
Who wouldn't? Come on, who wouldn't? That's not so much of what's going on really. It is true that there's more to Hades and Zelena's connection than just an alliance to get back at whoever it is that we're trying to overcome. There's more electricity there.
Another complicated relationships is with Hades and Rumple. He's kind of got Rumple under his thumb. Who do you think is more powerful?
I obviously think that Hades is, but Robert [Carlyle] has been around a lot longer on the show ... You see that as Hades gets the Dark One, as you said, under my thumb, that's a pretty lethal compatriot to have working for me. For now I certainly have a one up on Rumple, but he's a good adversary.
Hades makes Rumple open a portal to Storybrooke and brings Belle to the Underworld. Is she in danger, or as long as Rumple keeps his promise, will she be safe?
Yeah. Hades is really good at finding the weak spots of all these characters and using that as leverage. Belle certainly for Rumple is his Achilles' heel. By staying one step ahead of everybody, Hades is planning out what their weak spot is and then leveraging that to get what he wants.
Now that his focus is kind of with Gold, is Hook off the hook, or is he Hades’ next target? Is his main goal just to keep everyone in the underworld at any cost?
I want to keep every possible soul in the underworld. All these people have unfinished business. I want to keep them down there. I'm a collector.
Would Hades be open to any alliances with the Storybrooke crew?
Do you know something I don't know? Because that would be great. I wouldn't have the hubris to say that I need anybody. I'll be able to do this all on my own. I'm just going to use everybody. I'm Hades, I don't need these people. I'm going to use them though. I'm not afraid of anybody. I suppose if somebody said that they would help me, maybe I would take what help I can get, but in a second if it's not working out the way I want it to, beware.
Do you think that Hades wants to find someone special in his life, or has he kind of put up these walls maybe after Zelena, whatever happened there?
God, I love that question. The very first scene I shot was in the Underworld talking to Cora, and I was getting a pedicure. I thought, "I'm Hades. I can kind of have whatever I want," but you're speaking to the one thing that Hades doesn't have. You're picking up on that. That's the thing that's great about the show is that as iconic as all these characters are, Adam [Horowitz] and Eddy [Kitsis] tap into that deep, deep down, they all want the same thing we all want. You could surmise that what's motivating Hades is like the same thing that's motivating Rumple or anybody is something that's a little bit more human than just two-dimensional power. Without saying too much, I'd answer your question “yes.”
We talked a little bit about Zeus and Poseidon. Would you like to see them come in? Do you have any dream casting choices for your brothers?
Again, without revealing too much, one thing that's so great about doing this show is the cast is so extraordinary ... It's a great group to play tennis with, and the upcoming cast is just as good.
Once Upon a Time airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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