Xerxes then launched a diplomatic attempt to subdue Greece, though Athens turned him down, and Sparta responded by killing his envoys. He then made his choice to lead a conquest on the world. He eventfully found a Hermit's cave, and through the use of dark magic, was stripped of his humanity and was reborn as the god king. Xerxes wandered out into the desert, while Artemisia assassinated all of Xerxes' advisors. Artemisia then manipulated Xerxes, to become a god king. However, as he tried tell his son about his choice, his last words were not heard as Artemisia pulled the arrow from his chest, and he died. Themistocles' arrow struck Darius down, and near death, decided to let the Persians and the Greeks form a truce. Xerxes saw the arrow coming and tried save his father, but he was too late. Xerxes was the son of King Darius, who during an attempt to invade and conquer Greece, was killed by Themistocles of Athens by a well-placed arrow. He demands that all those beneath him bow down to him. Xerxes is depicted as being extremely egocentric, and proclaims himself a "God-king". Xerxes eventually won this battle by having superior numbers in his army and due to the Greek traitor Ephialtes, who aided him by showing him and the Persians the existence of a small pass in the Hot Gates that allowed Xerxes to attack them from behind. He is based on the real king Xerxes I of Persia who sent his army to fight against 300 Spartans in the battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. Xerxes I of Persia, also simply known as Xerxes, is the main antagonist of the 300 duology, serving as the main antagonist of the 2007 film 300, and the central antagonist of its 2014 sequel, 300: Rise of an Empire, both based on the graphic novel 300 by Frank Miller. Yours is a fascinating tribe, even now you're defiant, in the face of annihilation, in the presence of a god.