"I HAD DESPAIRED OF BRINGING A GREEK DEITY TO MY CAUSE, BUT ONE NIGHT, ZEUS CAME, IMPARTING A PORTION OF HIS POWER. AND THE MEANS TO CALL IT FORTH."-- Wizard Shazam, War of the Gods # 4
Zeus has mostly appeared in the Wonder Woman title, always being portrayed as the leader of the Olympic Pantheon. His personality has changed along the time, from the magnificient and irascible god of Thunder to the worried and one of the cosmic guardians of the Universe, as a member of the Quintessence (first revealed as such in the Elseworlds title, Kingdom Come), and guardian of reality (Teen Titans 23-25), where he advices of the impending danger that Hypertime may prove to the reality of the modern DCU.
One of his first appearances in Post-Crisis continuity is in Wonder Woman # 1, were, in a council of opposing factions of gods try to decide to create a chosen race. Zeus denies any part in being involved in such a task. Nonetheless, and without the support of Zeus and Hera, at least, the five goddesses, Athena, Aphrodite, Demeter, Hestia, Artemis and the god Hermes decide to go on with their plans, with the conviction of the goodness of the creation of the Amazon race for the Olympic pantheon.
Some time later, the wizard Shazam, in a journey looking for gathering the powers of different gods and heroes in order of creating a champion for justice, knows Zeus when he travels to Greece during the Ancient Heroic Ages. During this time, the wizard decides to do as the ancient gods who gave him powers did, to choose a boy as a champion, and not a man.
The versions contradicts at this point. It is not clear if Zeus granted him this power by then, or many years later, until the King Solomon died, and the wizard Shazam decided it was time to make the spell for the creation of the champion (as revealed in the book 4 of the War of the Gods saga). The truth is, that Shazam decides along the gods and the spirits of heroes, that a champion will be chosen in the future to stop the menace of the Evil forces over the Earth.
The faith on the Amazon race is justified, when the plans of Zeus' son, Ares, god of War, are frustrated by the participation of Wonder Woman in stopping him in unleashing the World War III, in an attempt of becoming the most powerful of all the Olympic gods, and dethrone his father.
Zeus flatter the goddesses, telling them, that he will pay a closer attention to this extraordinaire race, and with a little help of a Manhunter, disguised as the Mischievous god, Pan, an idea of 'prizing them with the ultimate comunion between followers and gods', make the rest of the goddesses be aware of his true intentions.
After a lot of insistence, Zeus decides to make his move, offering Diana the chance of experiment the 'manly' glory of Zeus. With the intervention of Hippolyta, and the strong self defense of Diana, Zeus decides to punish Diana for her denial, with an strong price in the middle... the fate of the entire Amazon race, challenging her to survive the tasks the gods of Olympus will put to her, and telling Diana, in a riddle: "At the end of thy task, child, my greatest treasure awaits thee--and thou shalt retrieve it!", beginning in that way, The Challenge of the Gods.
The 'Greatest Treasure' is revealed to be his son, Heracles, who has spent more than 3,000 years, as a giant statue under Paradise Island, and being tormented by harpies. Hippolyta and Diana rescue him, and after Diana comes to his aid, Zeus decides to give Heracles his forgiveness. After this, Heracles takes once more his place among the Olympic pantheon.
Not too much time elapses, and when the gods leave Olympus for a Council, the Dark Lord of Apokolips Darkseid, invades Mount Olympus. Thanks to the intervention of Wonder Woman and Superman, the mystical place is saved, but with a price, the home of the Olympic gods is left wounded of death, causing the gods to begin a Cosmic Migration in order for recovering their power, in a quest for making new followers in new places in the Universe.
Finally, after some time, the gods return, just in time for Circe to begin the War of the Gods, the Roman counterparts of the gods invade the new Mount Olympus, Jupiter among them. But, Zeus falls prey to an strange affection that coincides with the apparition of Pariah and Donna Troy on Mount Olympus. The worst part of the battle goes on, without the presence of Zeus, who recovers in time, to grant once more a part of his power for the re-creation of the World's Mightiest Mortal, Captain Marvel, via the wizard Shazam. The power of Zeus was handled by the Son of Vulcan.
When this happens, the gods come to an understanding, finishing the War of the Gods. After this, it could be assumed that both pantheons co-habited in peace in the New Mount Olympus.
The truth after this, is that Zeus comes back for making once more a judgement to the Amazon race, when the entire people of amazing women begin to revert to clay when the gods become too far for them. Zeus helps to restore the race, not before bestowing some power to Cassandra Sandsmark, when she approaches him to ask for powers and in so, becoming the new Wonder Girl. Amused by the freshness of this young girl, Zeus concedes her wish, giving her the ability to fly and super powers, with a handicap... Cassie's mother, Helena, is able to disactivate the powers of her daughter whenever she touches her for an hour.
But tragedy strikes Diana, when she effectively dies at the hands of the Hell's Lord, Neron, and she dies. The gods prizes their champion making Diana the new goddess of truth, and going to Mount Olympus to live among them.
While all of this happens, a terrible crisis of faith strikes the DCU, when the Godwave, the expansive wave of energy that comes from the Source (and that, in a contradiction of continuities, gives all the super powers to superbeings, first the gods and then the superbeings) begins an implosion, taking with her, the faith and the powers of the superbeings. This crisis is coped by the Earth's meta-humans, along with some other beings from other planets, such as Apokolips and New Genesis.
When this crisis is happening, it is revealed that both, the Greek Olympians and the Roman Olympians are in truth the same beings, separated to make them less formidable. All this, a plan of the New God named Uxas (who will later be known as the fearsome Darkseid).
In an attempt to make it through the Wall, the protection of the Source, a consequence unknown to the gods, less for the gods of war, Ares and Mars, the two pantheons fusion into one once more. When this happens, it is revealed that is also true that both pantheons forgot that they were the same beings. Zeus joins with Jove and becomes one god, known either as Zeus or Jupiter. And so is truth with the other gods who have a counterpart in the Roman pantheon (with the exception of Pan and Hermes, most probably).
Shortly after this, Diana returns to Earth, not tolerating the pasive role that is required for being a goddess, and Zeus takes the godhood from her as a result of such decision.
But even with all their formidable powers, the gods have the need of Wonder Woman once more, when Cronus, and some other Titans of myth, get back to life and begin a war of the gods. The terrible god and his children come with a vengeance and defeat the combined pantheon with an extraordinaire ease.
But Cronus grows too naive, and let Zeus go, as a homeless old man, as punishment for his pride. Diana, finds him, and alongside the Hindu champion, Rama, began a counterstrike against the new Lord of Olympus. This terrible war comes to a climax, when Cronus invades the very same Heaven. Diana, in a desperate effort for bringing back the lost memory of Zeus once more, challenges him, and makes him remember who he is. The Titans are defeated, and Zeus restored (alongside all the pantheons that fell in the way), in a more inclusive Olympus, now open to any other god apart from the Olympians.
One of the last recorded appearances of Zeus in the DCU with an active role, is assuming some active role of the Universe, most probably as a result of his inclusion in the Quintessence, as guardian of the reality. In order of saving diverging timelines, Zeus sents a group of future Titans from another reality to save Donna Troy from being erased from reality by Dark Angel, the eternal enemy of Queen Hippolyta as Wonder Woman.
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