Based on the provided information, Gyges and Briareos were two guards at the Tartarus prison's main entrance. Their brief appearance in the story serves a very specific narrative purpose: to establish the immense and overwhelming power of the All For One-controlled Tomura Shigaraki. They are depicted as highly dedicated and capable guardians, but their swift defeat shows the severity of the threat facing hero society.
Roles and Abilities
Gyges and Briareos were brothers who guarded the Bronze Gate of Tartarus. Both shared an "Unknown Multiple Arm Quirk," though they had a different number of arms—Gyges had six, and Briareos had ten. Briareos's Quirk also provided enhanced strength to wield large miniguns, suggesting a versatility beyond just having extra limbs. Their personalities were defined by a "great sense of duty," as they immediately called for a security lockdown and fought to protect the prison, even after Briareos was killed. Their names are a direct reference to Greek mythology's Hecatoncheires, three giants who also guarded the gates of Tartarus, reinforcing their symbolic role.
Narrative Purpose
The main function of Gyges and Briareos in the story is to demonstrate the new level of threat presented by the Paranormal Liberation War. Before this point, Tartarus was considered an impregnable fortress. By having the two brothers, who are clearly formidable due to their Quirks and dedication, be defeated and killed almost instantly by a single Near High-End Nomu under Shigaraki's command, the author effectively raises the stakes. Their demise is not a failure of their own, but a stark illustration of how far beyond human limits the villains have progressed. This event signals to the audience that the villains are no longer a manageable problem but a catastrophic force. The tragic "We Hardly Knew Ye" nature of their characters serves to emphasize the cold, ruthless efficiency of All For One and the devastating consequences of his prison break.
