Jedetheus

Jedetheus is the slash ship between Jed Tien and Ben from the Legacies fandom.

Canon
Jed and Ben met in 4x07 when Jed, and his friend Kaleb, stumbled across a heavily mutilated corpse in the forest while on the hunt for an Argus. By the time they had managed to kill the Argus, night had fallen and they returned to where the found the corpse in order to bury it; only to be shocked to find it standing up and trying to put itself back together again. The next the audience sees them is in 4x09, as Jed crawls across the road to the body of the unknown man whom has healed considerably since his first appearance, with a burning car behind them. Jed says it's good the man has eyes now, but still no tongue and cannot tell him who he is. Kaleb interrupts by approaching from behind and breathes fire over the unknown man while Jed ducks out the way.

At some point off screen, Jed is able to save the unknown man from Kaleb. He brings him back to the Salvatore Boarding School for help, and insists on staying with the unknown man while the others go out to find Kaleb. When another of his friends, Ethan, also suddenly tries to kill the man, Jed once again protects him but ends up badly hurt in the process. By the end of the episode, Jed is lying in recovery when he's woken by commotion in the next room, he calls out for help as a man walks out unwinding bandages from his neck and face, but falls silent when he sees the man's face for the first time: he then stumbles over his words as he tries to explain they'd believed the man was a monster, unable to take his eyes off Ben. After apologizing for the unpleasant noises of his tongue growing back, Ben warns Jed that monsters are the least of their worries now.

In the following episode, The Story of My Life, Jed is reluctant to cast judgement on Ben until he knows more about him during a meeting on whether or not Ben should be allowed to stay given his presence drives monsters- and monster hybrids such as Kaleb and Ethan- into a murderous rage. He's distressed to find Ben stabbed with quills while the meeting was taking place, and attempts to fight off the creature that caused it. Between this fight and the next scene of the pair, Jed has given Ben his jacket now that the man's shirt is full of holes. Pleased to be sealed in a protective dome by Cleo, Jed says it's the perfect time for Ben to tell him about himself. After telling Jed everything, Ben expects the other to be angry with him and want him gone, but is surprised to find Jed is set on him staying; Jed tells him he has his vote, and that he wants to give Ben a home with him at least until they can help with his curse. He's turned down, and Jed is stood helpless as Ben simply walks through the barrier Cleo put up, having to sit in wait for the witch to return and lower it.

By the end of the episode, Jed and Ben are alone around a fire as Jed reattaches Ben's previously severed arm for him. His arm isn't completely healed and still hurts, which Jed says is the point; because Ben is Prometheus. Ben's visibly surprised Jed worked it out, and when Jed expresses excitement for the idea that gods and demigods exist, he explains that the names are wrong and that there were no cranes just monsters who were, as it turned out, also cursed to attack him against their own will. Ben says he's come to like the name 'Ben' since his name isn't pronounceable to people anymore, because it's simple like Jed's name... and he likes simple. Jed smiles and tells him he's his guy then, to which Ben responds that Jed can't be, because Ben still can't stay. Frustrated with this, Jed once again asks Ben to stay, offering up that he's also cursed given he is a werewolf, and is relieved when Ben finally agrees. They toast as they share flirtatious looks, and the scene closes with Jed's lingering gaze on Ben when the other isn't looking.

In the opening of Follow the Sound of My Voice, Jed swings his arm around Ben who looks lost in the school, and gives him advice on blending in; calling himself an expert wingman on first days. Ben's nervous if anyone there knows that he is a god and a magnet for monsters, but visibly relaxes when Jed assures him they don't because Ben isn't anymore thanks to Cleo's bangle still negating the frequency he gives off. He tells Ben to stick with him, and they sit together while waiting for the Headmaster to make his morning announcements: to everyone's alarm, he tells all the students there is a monster magnet in the school and they're all surely going to die if they stay, which devastates Ben and Jed tries to reassure him. After it is revealed the whole school has been dosed with blue calamus, a truth serum, Jed's behavior to Ben has changed and he begins avoiding him. Ben's disappointed not to get to meet Jed's pack, and asks what they'll do instead, to which Jed responds that Ben should do whatever he wants and that Jed wants to be alone because he's afraid he'll say something stupid to Ben. When Ben asks for more detail, Jed snaps at him that he doesn't want to be around him right now, and visibly hurt, Ben apologizes for intruding and watches Jed leave.

Jed is later found by Finch hiding, and when confronted by her Jed explains that he's having all these confusing feelings bubbling inside him and he's frightened he's going to say the wrong thing to Ben without knowing precisely what that would be. They're interrupted when Cleo collapses through the door, and find out from there that Ben has been taken by a powerful witch Aurora, and is being tortured for information from her. Worried and upset, Jed- with help from Finch- finds Ben dead in the forest with a sign from Aurora stabbed into his heart. As Ben recovers under Cleo's care and the truth serum has fully worn off, Jed distracts himself by playing pool when Finch approaches him again to apologize for how invasive she'd been earlier. Jed tells her it's okay, because he shouldn't have left Ben after promising the man somewhere to belong after potentially thousands of years feeling alone, and admits to Finch that he realized when Ben was in danger what the feelings he was having were. He says he thinks he likes Ben, which Finch at first mistakes as meaning friends, and when she realizes he means it romantically, she offers to be a confidante as he has no one else to speak to about it.

Episode thirteen, Was This the Monster You Saw?, opens with Jed flustered by Ben's flirting when the god holds his gaze then removes his jacket, and the sight of his bare arms as he works on a confetti cannon has Jed stumbling over his words and finding an excuse to do something else in his embarrassment. The episode sees Jed try a number of times to tell Ben how he feels, but either changes his mind because of nerves or is interrupted when a monster leaps up behind him and bites him. When Hope steals and breaks Ben's bracelet that neutralizes the curse on him, Ben once again attempts to leave the school to draw away any monsters that may come and Jed follows him arguing against Ben leaving. Ben asks Jed to chain him to a tree once they're a good distance into the forest, but Jed refuses and when asked why it was such an issue for him, Jed tries to express his feelings. For a moment, the pair hold gaze when Ben attempts to ease Jed's obvious anxiety, but before anything further can happen a monster surprises them and bites Jed. Ben's previously amiable behavior towards Hope changes after he brings Jed back to the school, and he's openly hostile towards her: blaming her for what happened to Jed. When plans to lure the monster away from the school and kill it himself so that Jed can live, and no one else will be hurt in the process either, Hope snaps his neck to keep him there after learning her barrier spell won't work on him.

Upon revival, Ben's disappointed to see that Jed has already recovered and taken off without sticking around to wait for him. Ben finds Jed at the Old Mill where they had previously shared drinks together, hoping to continue their conversation about their feelings from before the Protoclown attacked them but trails off when he sees Jed is crying. Jed tells Ben about Trey, about how he didn't know it at the time but his feelings for Trey weren't platonic either, and he admits to Ben that they have abusive fathers in common. Jed and Ben bond over feeling as if family is another curse they have, and when declaring that he doesn't want to be the violent person his father wanted him to be anymore Jed musters the courage to tell Ben he likes him. While he's happy about the confession, Ben tries to assure Jed that it's alright if he isn't ready for anything yet. Jed cuts him off with a kiss that Ben immediately reciprocates, reaching up to tenderly hold Jed's face as the camera pans away.

Episode fourteen, The Only Way Out is Through, saw the pair at the Old Mill fireside once again, sharing drinks with their chairs situated much closer than the first time they had done so in episode ten. They reflect on the day they've had, with Jed teasing Ben when the man says how terrible it felt having to kill them in the simulation, making Ben laugh. Ben expresses that Jed made him feel positive for a change, compared to his usual pessimistic outlook on life, and after Jed counters that the day only further reminded him to appreciate the good times- and good people, with emphasis as he makes eye contact with Ben making him blush- Ben admits that Jed makes him feel as if he could become a better person. Jed shares the sentiment and for a moment the pair look at one another, briefly leaning in as if to kiss before Jed abruptly changes his mind and announces he needs check on the pack for a moment. Ben smiled and although noticeably disappointed, watches Jed leave with a soft expression. Their date was intended to continue once Jed returned with more beers, however Ben was kidnapped in the final scenes of the episode.

Episode sixteen, I Wouldn't Be Standing Here If It Weren't For You, has Jed defending Ben and refusing to believe the other man would betray the Squad. Desperate to understand Ben's part in what is happening, Jed proposes to Cleo that he ask her about Ben then her powers might reveal something. He jokes to her that he'd "become a bit of a mythology buff, since [Jed's] into a mythological guy that's, y'know, buff" and is amused by his own joke, despite Cleo not understanding. She reassures him that it's normal to be worried about those they care for, and Jed states that it doesn't make sense for Ben to have betrayed them, given he'd only ever protected them in the past. Cleo is struck by a vision then of Ben holding Kaleb's decapitated head in the town square, prompting Jed to race there in order to prevent it from happening. Ben had been attempting to lure as many members of the Squad away from the school as possible by setting fire to multiple areas in order to protect them from his father, whom was after Jen seeking refuge there, however this backfired when Kaleb realizes Ben's plan and states there's no one that needs help; prompting Ben to change his plans and attack Kaleb, hoping to insight a fight that would draw the Squad to him instead. Ben demands from Ethan that he get everyone there to fight him "quickly", but they are interrupted by Jed's arrival. While Kaleb, MG and Ethan flee, Ben walks away and Jed follows after him demanding to know the truth.

Ben snaps at Jed that he already knows the truth, upsetting and angering Jed who attempts to goad Ben into fighting him. Ben refuses to hurt Jed, and instead attempts to reason with Jed that he had to wake his father to get his curse lifted. In a misunderstanding calling back to episode ten, The Story of My Life, in which Jed had compared the werewolf curse to Ben's own curse, Ben suggests they can get Jed's lifted too which only serves to offend Jed whom is proud of his werewolf heritage. Pretending to lean in for a kiss, Jed suddenly breaks Ben's neck and with a distraught expression catches Ben's body as it falls. Next, Ben revives in the cells beneath the school, where Jed sits opposite him. The share an emotional scene of Ben once more trying to explain himself, reasoning that it was worth it because at least Jed is "alive to hate him, which means I saved the life of someone I love." Rather than responding positively, Jed is offended that Ben chose then to tell him he loves him for the first time, which Ben admits isn't ideal. Jed denies believing Ben's confession, saying that love meant fighting beside those you care about not against them as Ben had done, and indirectly confesses he loves Ben too by stating "I would have fought with you no matter what came for us.". When Ben asks if that's still the case, Jed says silent and closes the cell doors before leaving.

Although they do not interact, Jed and his relationship with Ben is referenced in episode seventeen titled Into The Woods, when Alaric meets with Ben in the cells and listens to Ben's plan to have Lizzie siphon his godly magic and use it to create a weapon that will be able to kill Ken. After investigating it, Alaric finds out that while the plan would work doing so would kill Ben, and he's unsettled to find that Ben already knew that. Ben expresses that of all the times he's died, it had been meaningless, and he'd like this final death to be to protect the school... and so that Jed would be safe. Alaric notices Ben's feelings for Jed, and tells him that they're not going with that plan; he tells Ben instead that staying alive would make Jed happiest rather than dying for him. Alaric then gives Ben permission to leave the cell.

The pair reunite in episode eighteen, titled By the End of This, You'll Know Who You Were Meant to Be, during which Jed and Ben are present alongside Alaric, Hope, Lizzie, and MG to discuss their fight plan against Ken. Jed is openly mistrustful of Ben when the plan involves using a method Ben suggested, which visibly hurts the demigod, and talks as if Ben is not in the room. Later, when distributing the chemicals for Ben's plan, the pair come to a short confrontation when Jed insists he doesn't need Ben's help and Ben wanting to. Finch interrupts, reminding them they are playing tug of war with a bag of explosives and is able to make them separate; Ben attempts to reason with Jed that although he has the right to be angry with Ben, what's going on is bigger than their relationship and they can't afford to be feuding. Jed clarifies why he's angry, hurt that Ben seemed to think being a werewolf was something Jed needed to change about himself- despite the notion coming from a miscommunication in episode ten- and tells Ben he doesn't want him anywhere near his pack. The two part ways, leaving Finch alone. Later, when students accidentally set off the explosives and a fire starts, Jed attempts to get them to put it out with water which Finch interrupts, putting it out herself and telling Jed that water would have made things worse, as she had asked Ben about it given Jed wouldn't allow Ben to help. When Jed continues to reject Ben's help, Finch tells that Jed that he's putting himself first and that's placing the rest of them at risk, and that he isn't the only reason Ben is helping as the demigod's original plan involved giving up his life so that the school could be safe. Realizing the risks he's taking with his friends for the sake of his own pride, Jed concedes and listens to Ben's plan. Towards the end of the episode the pair reconcile again when Jed approaches Ben and tells him that he needs Ben to accept the werewolf side of him too. Jed asks him to stay with him during the full moon that evening albeit on the other side of the bars so he doesn't hurt Ben, and with a smile Ben takes Jed's hands and says that Jed can't hurt him, and whatever Jed goes through Ben wants to be there for him for it. Jed smiles, looking down at Ben's lips, and the scene ends with them staring at one another holding hands.

Fanon
Jedetheus is a newly emerged ship as of season 4. So far fans have had positive reactions to the introduction of Ben as a love interest of Jed, and while many caught on as early as episode 9's finale, very few actually believed the show writers would make it a canon romance. As of episode 11 when Jed's true feelings were first revealed, there has been excitement about the show introducing for the first time a main male LGBT+ character when beforehand there have only been women. In episode 13 fans' excitement was renewed when Ben felt the same and the pair shared their first kiss. Actors Ben Levin and Zane Phillips have been praised for their chemistry.

There was early speculation about Ben's involvement and that he would be a love interest of one of the male cast, when a casting call for the boyfriend of a male character on the show was released, with many believing this referred to Ben. However, it was eventually discerned that this call was instead for Ashur, Ben's past lover, given it was for a one to two day shoot released by an agency supplying extras for the CW and not a recurring role.

On the negative side, some denied the chance of romance out right. They believed Jed "showed no signs" of being into men beforehand, that the pair would just be good friends, and there are some online who believe it is just "check box filling" after Josie's departure and the break up with Finch as a result. Counter arguments are that little had ever been known about Jed, let alone his orientation, and since episode 13's release it has both been shown that Jed had a crush on a boy as a child, and as is the case with Ben, didn't truly understand what it was he was feeling. Finally, there's the reasoning that there is no way of knowing for certain whether or not Kaylee Bryant's departure from the show had any impact on Ben's roles in the show. In relation to this: an interview with Max Gao of the Observer in May 2022, revealed that Bryant themself was the catalyst for Jed and Ben's eventual romantic inclusion in the show when they suggested Jed to new writer and producer Price Peterson, and subsequently showrunner Brett Matthews back during the filming of season three. They were in turn prompted by Ben Levin having "expressed his willingness to play a queer character" in the past, hoping to offer homage to members of his family whom are LGBT+.

In late March 2022, a Twitter fan poll decided on 'Jedetheus' as the ship's official name. The choice being a portmanteau of Jed and Ben's name from Greek legends 'Prometheus'. Prior to this Benjed, Jedben and many other variations were used with confusion and disagreement on which should be used. In an interview with TVGuide's Max Gao, actors Ben Levin and Zane Phillips agreed on a preference for Jedetheus, along with Jedben and Benjed variations. Furthermore in another interview, this with CBR's Bryan Cairns, Phillips states that Ben has "absolutely [fallen] in love with Jed" and would go to extreme measures to protect him.

Following fans concerns after Ben's actions in 4x15, the episode implying that Ben disregards his budding relationship with Jed in favor of reviving his past love Ashur, Phillips tweeted that fans shouldn't "take what Ben said about Ashur at face value". Additionally, writer Price Peterson implied in a tweet that Ben sees history repeating itself in response to a fan calling Ben evil, stating "you'll do whatever it takes to prevent history from repeating even if it involves facing the threat head-on"; the repeated history speculated to be the death of Ashur.

Both Levin and Phillips highlight in the May 2022 interview with Max Gao, that Jed and Ben love one another deeply: with Levin stating that Jed now has an "extremely powerful force of love in his life" in reference to Ben, "who makes [Jed] feel safe now", a sentiment echoed by Phillips whom expressed that the pair were "a place of safety for each other". Phillips also explained that the result of past traumas informs Ben's controversial actions in episodes fifteen and sixteen in ways that aren't what people "think is right," and those same traumas drive Ben's protectiveness of Jed in order to "keep the man he loves safe". In the same interview, it is once more stated that Jed and Ben share a "soul connection" and the pair noted as being kindred spirits or soulmates, marking third time this has been implied or stated by both actors and writer, Price Peterson.

Quotes
The Story of My Life | 4x10

Follow the Sound of My Voice | 4x11

"Is something wrong?"

- Ben, worried about Jed's change in behavior.

"It's all jumbled and confusing, and I... I just feel this pressure like... I'm gonna say the wrong thing to him."

- Jed to Finch when confronted about why he's avoiding Ben.

"You were right, I shouldn't have left Ben alone. But I was having all these feelings that were... confusing. And it didn't make sense until when we thought he was in danger... then I understood. I think I like him."

- Jed confessing how he feels for Ben to confidante Finch.

'''Was This the Monster You Saw? | 4x13'''

"So trust that no matter what you have to say to me, I will hear it with my very soul."

- Ben reassures a nervous Jed.

"I assumed you'd be by my side when we revived. I was hoping that maybe we could further... our discussion."

- Ben finds Jed by the Old Mill.

The Only Way Out is Through | 4x14

I Wouldn't Be Standing Here If It Weren't For You | 4x16

"I've become a bit of a mythology buff, since I'm into a mythological guy that's, y'know, buff [Laughs]."

- Jed jokes about his affections for Ben.

"But you're alive. So at least part of my plan worked."

- Ben talking to Jed in the cells.

"Well you can't mean it, because love means fighting beside the people you care about not against them. I would have fought with you no matter what came for us."

- Jed is skeptical of Ben's love confession.

Into The Woods | 4x17

By the End of This, You'll Know Who You Were Meant to Be | 4x18

Fandom
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Trivia

 * Ben's actor Zane Phillips expressed a dislike of the ship name 'Bed' some fans use, in an Instagram live; stating "I'm sorry it can't be Bed. We're not doing that."
 * Due to body doubles having been used for scenes of Ben flayed or burned, the closing scene of 4x09 in which Ben reveals his healed face to Jed for the first time, was Zane Phillips' first ever scene for the show, filmed the same day he and Ben Levin met.
 * Episode thirteen, wherein Jed confesses and the couple share their first kiss, hit the highest ratings of season four since the fifth episode; with a 58.4% viewership increase despite following the show's second prolonged hiatus due to COVID.
 * The Old Mill has become something of a signature location for the ship, as the pair have shared three romantic scenes there as of episode fourteen. The scene in which Jed reveals he knows Ben is Prometheus and they share drinks, when Jed confesses his feelings and they share their first kiss, and finally when they tell one another they make them feel as if they make each other better people, this scene with a call back to sharing drinks the first night.
 * In a broader sense, forest locations are also significant as the forest is where they met, where the Old Mill is situated, where they shared their first kiss, and the setting of Jed's interrupted confession.

Gallery

 * Jedetheus/Gallery