For my mutual @deadbaguette who wants a Diomedes-Neoptolemus parallel.
I consider Neoptolemus a darker and twisted version of Diomedes, who unfortunately did not escape the shadow of his very own father.
Interestingly even in the start both of them were already very similar. They were son of great established war heroes who were aided by deities Athena and Thetis, who later also aided them. (Thetis in one version took Neoptolemus away pretty soon if I remember correctly.)
Tydeus was almost an immortal, Diomedes succeeded in becoming one. While Achilles died as a mortal, Neoptolemus also suffered the same fate.
Both of them were born in the home of their mothers, Skyros and Argos. Both of their fathers stayed at their wives’ house before going to war.
Their mothers also had a somewhat similar names: Deidamia and Deipyle 😭😭
There was so exact confirmation of Neo’s age during the Trojan war but we can say he’s probably a teen. Diomedes joined his first war as 14 years old which also made him a teen.
They both somewhat had a responsibility to finish their father’s wars. Diomedes became one of the Epigoni who vowed to take over Thebes, while Neoptolemus was one of the final factors to end the Trojan War.
They joined in the very same war that their fathers failed and walked out of it alive. Diomedes managed to take over Thebes and Neoptolemus sacked Troy.
They both carried a remnant of their fathers into war: Diomedes with the sword of Tydeus and Neoptolemus with the whole attire.
Their fathers’ names were also the things that overshadowed them greatly. Their own identities matter less than their fathers’.
They both became kings after their first war but then later in life left their previous kingdom, either willingly or forcefully, to establish kingdoms in another places.