The Fates

The Three Fates are characters in Disney's 1997 movie: Hercules. These three sisters share one eye, which they use to see the future. They also determine the deaths of mortals, cutting a mortal’s Thread of Life to send them to the Well of Souls in the Underworld. They know everything that has happened and will happen, and are an authority above the gods in this respect, though the one thing they cannot do is kill a god.

Appearance and Personality
The Fates resemble demonic hags and are dressed in simple black cloaks. They seem rather proud that they ‘know everything’, and never hesitate to emphasise this claim. This is only challenged at one point in Hercules, perhaps for the purposes of dramatic effect (see below).

They appear to relish ending mortal’s lives, each looking on with glee as Atropos cuts each thread (though they will only cut at each designated time and will not kill a mortal prematurely). They are not allied with Hades, and are not denizens of the Underworld; however, they seem to prefer Hades to the gods on Mount Olympus, at one point referring to Hercules as a ‘bouncing baby brat’.

The three sisters bicker among themselves. They often snatch their single eye from one another quite aggressively, and do not always agree on matters.

Lachesis is the tallest of the three, with blue skin and a long nose. Her role is to measure out a mortal’s Thread of Life, and she knows all of the past. She appears to have a spider living in her nose; at one point, it makes a bid for freedom, but she sends it back up her nostril with a sniff. She seems to be the grumpiest and most disapproving of the three.

Clotho is green-skinned, with a large chin and worm-like hair. Her role is to spin the Thread of Life, and she knows all of the present. She is the most friendly of the three with Hades, and her readiness to provide him with information is frowned upon by Lachesis and Atropos.

Atropos is short and stout, with purple skin, serpent-like hair, and a single eye socket. Her role is to cut the Thread of Life, and she can see the future.

Prophecy
Following the celebration of the god Hercules’ birth, Hades calls the Fates to the Underworld, where he asks them whether Hercules will interfere with his plan to take over Mount Olympus. They reveal some of the future to him (reluctantly, on the part of Lachesis and Atropos). Clotho reveals that, in eighteen years, the planets will align; Lachesis reveals that Hades will then release the Titans from their prison. Clotho says that Hades will overthrow Zeus, but, as Atropos reveals, only if Hercules does not interfere.

Their role in Hercules is perhaps similar to that of the Witches in Shakespeare's Macbeth; not only do they resemble hags, but they also reveal the events of the future in verse (much to Hades’ annoyance), and do not reveal all of the truth (they do not say whether or not Hercules will fight or not, making it unclear whether Hades will succeed or fail).

Cutting the Thread
They are later shown cutting Megara’s Thread of Life, a while after she, in saving Hercules, is crushed by a pillar. After Hercules defeats the Titans at Olympus, Hades angrily returns to the Underworld; Hercules, after witnessing Megara’s death, goes to Hades to plead for Megara’s soul. Hades lets him dive into the Well of Souls to recover Meg’s soul, knowing that a mortal will die quickly in the vortex. While Hercules swims after Meg’ soul, the Fates prepare to cut his Thread of Life. However, Atropos is unable to cut the thread, indicating Hercules' transformation from mortal man to immortal god. The fact that the Fates do not realise this at first suggests either that they do not in fact know everything, or that they are sometimes forgetful. It may also indicate that it is possible to change one's fate.

Role in Ultima
In ultima, the Fates.