To understand the modern portrayal of mother-son relationships, one must start with Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex . More than just a story, the Oedipus myth established a foundational template for narratives of fate, transgression, and the terrifying consequences of subconscious desire. The prophecy that Oedipus would kill his father and marry his mother has become one of Western culture's most enduring and troubling stories.