Dive into the New Percy Jackson Series: a Breakdown

Calling all demigods! Percy Jackson and the Olympians got a new adaptation on Disney +! The series has eight episodes spanning across the first book. The series took two and a half years to make and edit but it was worth it. Considering that the book came out 19 years ago, we are well overdue for a faithful adaptation. So grab your blue cupcakes and lace up your greek battle armor because it’s time for Percy Jackson! Spoilers for the first book and the first season.

Episode 1: I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre- Algebra Teacher

In the first episode, we meet our main protagonist, Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell). A dyslexic, ADHD, 12 year old boy who struggles with school. On the field trip to a museum in New York, Percy’s teacher becomes a monster who attacks Percy. After the attack, Sally Jackson (Virgina Kull) takes him to the beach and he finds out the truth about himself only when it’s too late. The Mintour gets Percy’s mom and kills her (sort of).

Episode 2:I Become Supreme Lord of the Bathroom

In this episode we meet Annabeth (Leah Jeffries), daughter of Athena (goddess of wisdom) and Clarrise (Dior Goodjohn) daughter of Ares (the god of war). Percy tries to figure out his godly parents with the help of Luke (Charlie Bushnell), son of Hermes (god of messages and thieves). After a game of capture the flag, Percy gets the answer to his question. His dad is Poseidon, god of the seas and one of the big three which means he shouldn’t be alive.

Episode 3:We Visit the Garden Gnome Emporium

Percy finds out Zeus’s lighting bolt is missing and Zeus blames Percy. So, Percy must take on a quest to find the lightning bolt (they think it’s in the Underworld) before the Summer Solstice . He gets to choose two companions, in which he picks Annabeth and Grover (Aryan Simhadri). As they start on their quest, they meet Alecto (Megan Mullally), the monster that tried to kill Percy in the first episode. They are forced to go into the lair of Medusa (Jessica Parker Kennedy) who wants Percy to betray Annabeth and Grover. In the end Percy kills Medusa and our protagonists get a heartfelt conversation. 

Episode 4: I Plunge to My Death

Our heroes face the mother of all monsters, Echidna (Suzanne Cryer) with her daughter the Chimera. After being chased into the St. Louis Arch, our heroes are trapped. Percy bravely sacrifices himself, fighting the Chimera and Echidna alone, which ends in Percy falling from the Arch. Little did Percy know that Posiedon would save him, catching him as he fell.

Episode 5: A God Buys Us Cheeseburgers 

After saving Percy with the water, Poseidon has a nereid (Water nymph) tell Percy to go to Santa Monica. On their way to Santa Monica, Percy, Annabeth and Grover meet Ares (Adam Copeland), the god of war, who orders Percy and Annabeth to go to “Waterland” to get back his shield. After riding the “Thrill Ride O’ Love” Percy has to sit on one of Hephestus’s traps so that Annabeth can retrieve the shield. After some convincing, Annabeth persuades Hephestus to let Percy go, to which Percy and Annabeth give the shield back to Ares. The War god then gives Grover, Percy, and Annabeth a ride to Vegas. 

Episode 6: We Take a Zebra to Vegas

On the train to Vegas, Percy and Annabeth talk to Luke through an Iris message. When the trio (Percy Annabeth and Grover) arrive in Las Vegas, Percy and Annabeth find Hermes (Lin Manuel Miranda) while Grover finds Augustus (Ted Dykstra) who believes the god of the wild, Pan, is somewhere in the Lotus Hotel and Casino. When Hermes refuses to help, Annabeth steals his keys and they all drive away to Santa Monica, in Hermes’ car only to find out it’s too late. While they were in the casino, time sped up and the summer solstice passed; however, Percy is determined to save his Mom.

Episode 7: We Find Out the Truth, Sort Of

In this episode, our heroes make their way into the Underworld to find Hades. Annabeth gets separated when the trio gets attacked by Cerberus, so Percy and Grover keep going. On the way, Grover almost falls into a pit (The entrance to Tartarus). That’s when Percy figures out that Ares was working against him and his quest. The backpack Ares had given to him had the lighting bolt the whole time. Still Percy and Grover keep going, to try to save Sally. When they reach Hades’s palace, Percy figures out that Kronos, the lord of the Titans, stole the master bolt with the help of Ares. Hades and Percy make a deal, saying that Percy would retrieve Hades’s helm and Hades would give Percy his mother. 

Episode 8: The Prophecy Comes True

Percy fights Ares, the god of war. After the fight, Percy takes the bolt up to Mount Olypmus and gives it back to Zeus. After a talk with his dad (Poseidon), Percy returns to camp. Instead of celebrating, Percy finds out the hard truth, that Luke, his friend, has been trying to raise Kronos and wants to end the reign of the gods. The end is positive though, with Grover getting his searcher’s license to look for Pan, Annabeth goes back home to her dad, and Hades keeps the end of his bargain, bringing Sally back to life.  

As you can see, the series is different from the books. However the series keeps the heart of the book which is the most important part of making a faithful adaptation of a book. The actors put their hearts into their roles. You can tell that they really care about their roles and want to please the Percy Jackson community. The performances were incredible and the stunts were well done. 

So what did you think about the series? What was your favorite episode? Let us know in the comments!