One of the things that always stuck with me was,when in SoN,Nico almost called Hazel Bianca,and Hazel felt really insecure about her place in Nico's heart as his sister. She thought she was a replacement: "A consolation prize from the Underworld". And I loved that part in a way that hurts.
I dislike Bianca,she never was my favorite and I don't like how she ditched Nico at the first chance she got,but I can also understand why she did it and that both Artemis and Zoë were guilty since they kinda groomed her into accepting the offer. That choise still hurted Nico deeply. It has always been them alone against the world,and Nico had his older sister taken away from him by a bunch of foreign girls,while also finding out that they were demigods and that half of his life was a lie. At camp,Nico didn't even have time to settle in before she immediately set off on a quest with those same girls. And she didn't come back. But he still loved her. He loved her so much that he went to the Underworld with the sole purpose of bringing her back. He didn't found Bianca but he found Hazel. Hazel,who was there because she basically sacrificed herself for her mother. Hazel,who was dead but remembered her life. Hazel,who was going to be part of the Seven and save the world. Nico brought her back to life because he saw another sister,not a consolation prize. He didn't even hesitated and went against the laws of the nature (the whole: "the dead needs to stay dead" thing) for Hazel,who he didn't even know and had just found. Nico loves her unconditionally,but she reminds him of Bianca (and what their life could have been like if she hadn't died) and that's probably why he almost called her with the wrong name. Also why he then he felt guilty immediately. The warmth of the sibling love that he had missed so much was finally back with Hazel,but she isn't Bianca. Binca was dead and Hazel was alive,there with him,and he was thinking of another sister. Both sisters are also a bit opposites: Binca went for rebirth as soon as she could,while Hazel remained there until Nico found her. While Nico and Bianca sibling relationship was complicated,Hazel doesn't have any idea of how they were with each other,and I don't think Nico ever told her. Hazel feels inferior to Bianca,because she think that she will never been like her with Nico. They will never have the same close bond she think they had,and probably feels hurt about it. Because she wasn't good enough to be "another Bianca",and she thought that her new brother didn't want her for who she was. And Nico doesn't know about her thoughts on it that because he never told her. And the best thing? Hazel and Nico sibling bond,even with all of the problem they had,is still better than Bianca and Nico's bond. Hazel stayed with him and was ready to save him,making sure that her brother was alive and fine,because she cares about him. That's her brother. And Nico tried to go out of his comfort zone for her,sharing all the informations he had (which he never did with anyone else,during HoH Hazel and Nico literally spent half of their time together talking about what was going to happen once they will reach their destination,and what they would have to do) and trying to protect her. That's his sister. I really wish that it would be talked more and that they actually acknowledge it in the books.
Hazel's insecurities and Nico's guilt in this scene has so many layers to analyze. I also love their sibling relationships and really wished that they could have more moments together (when he kissed her forehead when she went to talk to Hecate at the start of HoH? I screamed so much,they were so cute! Or when Hazel was worried about his safety and life during MoA? They care so much about each other 🥺🥺🥺).
