Disney’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians Premiere Review
The long-awaited fantasy series Percy Jackson and the Olympians premiered on Disney+ December 20, 2023. This two -episode premiere was heavily anticipated by Rick Riordan fans. Percy Jackson does not disappoint and leaves us eager for the next episode.
Let’s begin with Episode One: “I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher.”
The Beginning
The episode opens with Percy warning the viewers about the dangers of discovering you are a half-blood. It transitions to a montage of Percy’s memories growing up. If you look closely, you’ll realize that his school uniform changes in most scenes. It ends with Percy at Yancy Academy with Grover playing the Mythomagic cards, coincidentally showing the Minotaur.
Then we head off on a school field trip to the Met. As Percy looks at a statue of Perseus, he has a flashback to a visit with Sally Jackson, his mom, telling him about his namesake. She also share a key piece of advice: “Not everyone who looks like a hero is a hero; and, not everyone who looks like a monster is a monster.”
Percy jolts from his daydream to be made fun of by a classmate, Nancy. He tries to say something to her and is stopped by Mrs. Dodds. Nancy tells her not to worry about it since Percy is “special.” Mr. Brunner then steps in and gives Percy a pen. (This pen is important later.)
Where All the Trouble Begins
Percy tells Grover he’s tired of being Nancy’s punching bag. At which point, Nancy throws cheese on Grover. Then, Percy stands up to Nancy and “pushes” her into a fountain. This signals to Mrs. Dodds, AKA Alecto (a harpy), that Percy is a half-blood (AKA demi-god). Percy has no idea what happened with Nancy and watches Mrs. Dodds transform. She attacks him, at which point the pen uncaps and becomes a sword. Alecto falls on his blade and she disintegrates.
In the headmaster’s office, we see Percy and Grover called in to discuss Nancy. Apparently no one knows about Mrs. Dodds or what transpired with her. (If you look to the left of the headmaster, you’ll notice Rick Riordan seated.) In a surprising turn of events, Grover tells the headmaster that Percy pushed Nancy for revenge.
Homecoming
After being expelled, Percy heads home and is greeted by his mom’s boyfriend, “smelly” Gabe. We see Sally sitting in the rain before she welcomes Percy home with blue candy. Percy’s mom always brings or makes him something blue for big events. She tells him that they are going to Montauk for the weekend. Gabe argues, but Sally holds her own — in this series, she shows more power than in the books, leveling the playing field between the two adults in Percy’s life.
When they arrive at the beach house, Percy tells his mom that he needs to talk. He’s concerned that he’s losing his mind. Sally tells him that all the myths and stories she has told him are true and that he is a half-blood. His father is a god.
Off To Camp
Suddenly, Grover arrives and explains they must head to camp immediately. Percy learns that Grover is a satyr and his Protector. Grover tells him about Camp Half-Blood and that the attacks, like Mrs. Dodd’s, won’t stop coming. In these explanations, Grover also explains the Mist to Percy. The Mist shields mortals from seeing the mythological world. (This is why no one remembers Mrs. Dodds.)
En route to camp, the Minotaur materializes. A car crash ensues, and Sally tells Percy to leave her to get to camp and safety. Percy watches as his mom duels with the Minotaur and disintegrates into gold dust before his eyes. He then attacks and defeats the Minotaur and is dragged to camp by Grover.
Entering Camp Half-Blood
Percy wakes up from being out cold and his first thought is to find his dad. He walks out of the infirmary and runs into Mr. D. Immediately, Mr. D calls Percy the wrong name. (Get used to it, he’s never going to call him the right one). Grover rushes in to explain that Mr. D is really Dionysus. Dionysus seeks to take advantage of the situation to try and get himself wine, which he is forbidden.
Luckily, Mr. Brunner appears to clear up the confusion. Turns out he’s the centaur Chiron, who used a magical wheelchair to hide his horse half. Chiron takes Percy on a tour of the camp. Percy apologizes for losing his sword in the battle with the Minotaur but Chiron says that so long as Percy does not willingly give the sword up, it will always come back to him.
Chiron explains that there are twelve cabins for the twelve Olympians. Once a demi-god is claimed, they go to their cabin. In the meantime, Percy will stay in the Hermes cabin.
Hermes Cabin
Percy thinks he’s about to get picked on when Luke comes up to introduce himself. Instead, he tells Percy he’s sorry for what happened and that now, he’s just like everyone else — ADHD, dyslexia, and all. Luke tells Percy that all demi-gods are after kleos, or glory. At this moment, Clarisse (daughter of Ares) shows up. She doesn’t believe that Percy defeated the Minotaur.
Percy wants to make it hard for his dad to avoid claiming him so he asks Luke what he needs to do. At which point, Luke says they need to find his skill. Percy tries archery and metal working but none of these pan out.
Wishes & Secrets
Grover was troubled by what happened with Sally and goes to the Cloven Council to report. He learns that Hades snatched Sally before the moment of her death and has her in the Underworld. Grover goes to Chiron and Mr. D to learn they already know this and want it kept from Percy.
That night Percy prays to his mom and burns a piece of his blue candy. He tells her that even though his dad has ignored him always, this man doesn’t get to ignore her. On his way back, he is confronted by Clarisse and two Ares campers. Clarisse threatens him so he’ll admit to being a fraud. Percy stands his ground and Clarisse’s group attempts to stick him in the toilet. Suddenly, three streams of water jet out from the toilet and attack Clarisse and her siblings.
Capture the Flag
Annabeth is watching, waiting to see if something would happen. That’s why she chooses to use Percy as bait in Capture the Flag, a Camp Half-Blood tradition to gain kleos. Luke tells Percy that Annabeth is his little sister. Luke and Thalia, another half-blood, found Annabeth on their journey to camp. Thalia was a forbidden (AKA the child of Zeus, Poseidon, or Hades) and didn’t make it to camp.
Previously, Chiron had told Annabeth she would not get her own quest until a camper came who prompted a quest that could not be ignored. Annabeth thinks Percy may be that camper. She uses a Yankees cap gifted from her mother to go invisible and make Percy the bait for Clarisse. Sure enough, Clarisse and her two siblings turn up.
Percy Is Finally Claimed
Clarisse attempts to use her electric spear on Percy but the closer they get him to the water, the more powerful he becomes. Percy defeats Clarisse and snaps her spear. Annabeth reappears and confirms that she watched the whole thing. She pushes Percy into the water. His cuts heal and he is claimed by his father, Poseidon. Turns out Percy is a forbidden.
Mr. D and Chiron tell Percy that he must undertake a quest to find Zeus’ master bolt. Zeus believes that Percy has it, but they believe Hades has it. Percy wants nothing to do with the quest until Grover tells him that his mom might be alive down in the Underworld.
During the end credits preview for next week, we see Percy, Annabeth and Grover head out on the quest. They ride in an elevator to the Empire State Building, Mrs. Dodds returns, and Medusa introduces herself. The title of episode 3 is “We Visit the Garden Gnome Emporium.”
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