Ugly is only the beginning when talking about the horrible gorgons. These serpent-like creatures were once beautiful women, but were so vain that the gods of Greek myth turned them into monsters. At the same time, however, they were given the power to change any creature to stone with a single glance-a power they used to satisfy their hatred for humans.
Stone Cold: These monsters were among the ugliest creatures ever known in any of the Greek myths-and it was their hideous appearance that gave the gorgons their power. Any living creature that looked into their eyes was so horrified that it instantly turned to stone.
Snake Ladies: The gorgons are snake-women from head to tail. Their hair is a tangle of venomous snakes, they have long fangs and forked tongues, and their bodies are those of large serpents, forcing them to slink along by slithering their tails.
Sister Act[]

Snakes sprang from gorgon heads.
Gorgons weren't always such ugly beasts. They were actually the daughters of a sea monster, Ceto, and her brother, Phorcys. The daughters, Stheno, Euryale and Medusa, had human form, and all were beautiful. Medusa messed all that up by claiming she was more attractive than the goddess Athena, and tried to charm Posiedon, God of the Sea, in Athena's temple. This enraged the goddess, who took revenge by transforming Medusa and her sisters into gorgons. Even worse, she stripped Medusa of her immortality, which meant she would eventually die.
Scale Mail: Though Medusa had become mortal, her snake-like scales were so strong that no known weapon could pierce them. The god Hermes crafted the sharpest sword in the land and gave it to Perseus, who had vowed to kill Medusa.
Off With Her head: While on his way to kill Medusa, Perseus met with Athena, who had heard of his vow. Athena gave him a polished shield. As he approached Medusa, Perseus used the shield as a mirror; by looking at the reflection, he managed to slice off Medusa's head and avoided her stony stare.
That's Using Her Head![]
After slaying Medusa, Perseus took her head and put it in a bag, knowing that it still held terrifying powers. In fact, on his way back from the gorgons' lair, he came upon the maiden Andromeda, who was chained to a stone and about to be sacrificed to Cetus, a giant sea monster. When the beast rose from the sea, Perseus showed it Medusa's head, turning it to stone.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The knowledge card says Gorgons. The trading card says Gorgon.
- In "Sister Act', 'Poseidon' is spelled 'Posiedon'.
- As mentioned in "That's Using Her Head!", Medusa's head can be seen being used by Perseus to kill Cetus in the back illustration on the mythical sea serpent's knowledge card.
- The heading "Sister Act" on the back of the card is most likely a reference to the 1992 Whoopi Goldberg movie of the same name.
- The gorgon is featured in Hero's Quest on Monster Mania 52.
- Gorgons are one of two monsters capable of turning victims to stone, along with the Basilisk and the Catoblepas.
- All three appear in packet set 4.]