Half-giant

Half-giants are fictional beings that have one parent that is a giant and another parent that is a different species.^{[citation needed]}

Description

In most cases, a half-giant is the result of a union between a human and a giant. Often they are of normal size or slightly larger and either have abnormal or supernatural abilities, or are unusually strong and hearty.^[1]

One notable half-giant is Antaeus of Greek mythology who is the son of Poseidon and Gaia.^[2][3][4]

In Arthurian legends, Galehaut^[5] and Guinevere were also considered half-giants.

In popular culture

• In The Chronicles of Narnia series, by C.S Lewis, the White Witch is a half-giant where her parents are rumored to be a giant and a jinn from Charn.^[6]
• In Marvel Comics, Executioner is half-giant due to his parents being an unnamed Storm Giant and an unnamed Skornheim Goddess.^[7]
• They feature primarily in fantasy role-playing games, where they often are a playable race (for example, Half-Giants in the Dark Sun setting for Dungeons & Dragons and another race of half-giants in the MMORPG Horizons: Empire of Istaria).
  • In the game Dungeons & Dragons, Half-giants are a race of enormous demi-humans who have adapted to a variety of lifestyles in the many harsh terrains of Athas. The origins of the race are unclear.
• Half-giants are also known from the Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling. Rubeus Hagrid and Olympe Maxime the headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic are examples.
• In the One Piece manga and anime, there are half-giants known as "Wotans" which are the results of a crossbreeding between fishmen and giants.

References

1. Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock (1 April 2016). The Ashgate Encyclopedia of Literary and Cinematic Monsters. Routledge. p. 494. ISBN 978-1-317-04425-3.
2. Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 2.5.11
3. Hyginus, Fabulae 31 & 157
4. Statius, Thebaid 6.893 ff.
5. La Tavola ritonda, o L'istoria di Tristano: 1: Prefazione, testo dell'opera (in Italian). presso Gaetano Romagnoli. 1864.
6. Lewis, C.S. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.
7. Journey into Mystery #103. Marvel Comics.