“I didn’t want to be a half-blood.
Being a half-blood is dangerous. It’s scary. Most of the time, it gets you killed in painful nasty ways.”
This monologue in the beginning of the novel “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan has a nostalgic feeling for many and attachs itself to a generation of readers.
So when Disney created a new TikTok account for their upcoming show named “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” fans flocked to their calendars to add the release date, Dec. 20, of the first two episodes on Disney+.
The initial release of the main characters’ actors on July 22 led to even more excitement and a little controversy, since Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson, Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth Chase, and Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood do not fit their characters’ descriptions. Annabeth has blonde hair and blue eyes, but Jeffries does not. Many are happy to have an African American actor play this brilliant character, but others are annoyed that she is not completely book-accurate.
I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher
The episode begins with the opening to the first book over a montage of the different Greek creatures Jackson can see while he talks to his best friend, Underwood, about them. Many fans were excited about this monologue as it is nostalgic for them.
While he can normally control his feelings about seeing these monsters, he cannot when bullied by a classmate on a field trip to The Met Museum. After the first spot, Jackson is given a pen by his history teacher, Glynn Turman, and then later when the class goes outside, Jackson pushes his classmate into the fountain. He never touches her.
Sensing his powers, a furry attacks Jackson, and the pen he was given tansforms into a sword. In the books, this attack is inside the museum; however, it is more plausible for the attack to be outside.
When Jackson is expelled, Underwood betrays him by saying he did push the classmate into the water. In the books, this never happens and Jackson finishes the semester. This act separates the two as friends even though the book shows Jackson in pain over losing Underwood.
Once home, Sally Jackson, played as Virginia Kull, takes him to Montauk where Jackson tells her about the attack and he is told about his father being a god. They are interrupted by satyr Underwood, half-man-half-goat, trying to take Percy to camp.
The show comments on Underwood’s panicked nature, but in the book, Underwood is panicked taking Jackson home. By forcing a divide between them, Jackson does not trust Underwood completely like he does in the book.
However, the show builds Jackson’s relationship with his mother as she sacrifices herself to the minotaur chasing them in order to save him. Percy fights back trying to protect Underwood and without training, wins.
I Become the Supreme Lord of the Bathroom
The second episode introduces more text references through Chase telling Jackson he drools in his sleep and Dionysus, played by Jason Mantzoukas, calling him Peter Johnson. Furthermore, Scobell portrays Jackson’s sassiness by making snarky comments, and Mantzoukas makes Dionysus blush as he tries to get Jackson to get him wine. All before Chiron, Jackson’s history teacher, takes him on a tour of Camp Half-Blood.
Camp has gotten a total makeover and has expanded all over Long Island, but it has kept its normal charm with strawberry fields, a dining hall, and u-shaped cabins.
Jackson is put in the Hermes cabin where he meets Luke Castellan, acted by Charlie Bushnell, who takes Jackson under his wing. What could have grown their relationship was the fighting practice in the book; however, the two grow closer in different ways as Castellan is like a brother to Jackson.
Jackson becomes the supreme lord of the bathroom because he blows up a toilet using the plumbing when Clarisse LaRue, played by actor Dior Goodjohn, tries to push him in. Because of this, Chase uses Jackson as a distraction for LaRue in Capture the Flag. Scobell again is comedic, as before being attacked by LaRue, he flosses, pees, and pets a lizard.
LaRue attacks Jackson, and he is pushed closer to the canoe lake. When he is pushed into the lake, a blue trident hangs above his head, claiming him as a son of Poseidon.
The show recognizes that Chase needs Jackson to be a child of the big three gods, Poseidon, Zeus, or Hades, in order to go on a quest to get Zeus’ master lightning bolt back. Scobell portrays Jackson’s anger about being a pawn to stop a war between gods by reminding everyone that his mother is the only person who cared for him over 12 years.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
The actors portray the characters well and hit every emotion any of the characters may be having. Having Riordan on set keeps it true to the book; however, people who have never read the book are sometimes confused to the references and others think they are dry.
The new details have also added a lot to bring the books to life; however, they have left out certain details and characters that may detract from the story. People on TikTok have commented on LaRue’s reaction to her spear snapping as unwarranted, yet book readers understand that it is a gift from her dad.
Overall, the special effects are great as the minotaur, centaur, and satyrs all look realistic and nothing is too uncanny or weird. Many cannot wait for the episodes to drop each Tuesday on Disney+ and have also started reading the books.
So “read on.”
