Christina Murphy examines how Percy Jackson and the Olympians delivers a positive message to a generation experiencing the story primarily on screen rather than in print.
After a two year wait, the second season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians was finally released to streaming platforms Hulu and Disney+ late last year. The Walt Disney Company production premiered the first two episodes in early December, with the rest being dropped every Wednesday, up until the 21st of January.
With a returning cast, the show picks up after season one as Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) attempts to return to Camp Half Blood with Annabeth Chase (Leah Sava' Jeffries), and his new cyclops friend Tyson (Daniel Diemer). Upon nearing the camp, they quickly realize that their world appears to be a far more dire state than where things were left off.
In comparison to the books written by Rick Riordan back in 2005, the show does well to try and follow the original narrative plot, but still fails to portray some fan-favourite scenes. Season two adapts the novel The Sea of Monsters to the screen. Though it isn't a perfect adaptation, the show offers positive representation for the neurodivergent community, and other groups of children who have faced bullying because of their differences or backgrounds.
Season two pays particular focus to Clarisse La Rue (Dior Goodjohn) and Luke Castellan (Charlie Bushnell), the children of Ares (Adam Copeland) and Hermes (Lin-Manuel Miranda), respectively. Goodjohn takes the spotlight in this season as her character is assigned the main quest to go in search of the famous Golden Fleece, best known from the Greek myth of Jason of the Argonauts. Clarrisse is under immense pressure as a daughter of Ares to never fail. It is highlighted that there is a rocky relationship between the Olympian and his children as they constantly strive to impress him through any means necessary. At only fourteen or fifteen years old, Clarrisse is forced to make an impossible decision regarding her quest.
Knowing that Percy, a son of Poseidon, would aid her on the quest, she is warned that this decision could be the catalyst for the fall of Olympus. Annabeth points to her previous warning of a great prophecy involving a child of the Big Three (Zeus, Poseidon or Hades), signalling a concern for danger.
Clarrisse’s character gives solace to a lot of children in the real world, watching this show, who are also angry at their parents and the world they are forced into. Even though Camp Half Blood is considered a “haven” to the demi-gods, allowing them to escape the monsters and the bullying of their hometowns, the camp is not as perfect as it seems. In truth, the Gods are forming their own army of children to fight the impending war against the Titans. This season effectively captures the rising pressure between the children and their parents, as well as the fractures forming amongst the children themselves.
In short, audiences have always loved a hero willing to throw everything away for the ones he loves.
This pressure faced by the demigods mirrors the stress and isolation often felt by neurodivergent individuals. In saying this, there is a wholesome message evoked and interwoven throughout the episodes. As relationships grow, the season emphasizes the strength that can be found in unity and difference. While this strength is emphasized however, it is steadily worn down as the Titan Kronos grows in power, corrupting the minds of the demigod children.
We are now faced with less than ideal parents who just so happen to be Gods, and an evil Titan that manipulates and consumes the thoughts of vulnerable children. This broaches the question of who is on the right side of the war. The most interesting way to look at this question is by studying the mindset of the two leading demigods on either side of the battle.
On one hand, Luke Castellan believes he is fighting for the greater good of the demigods who are constantly at the mercy of the Gods, demanding equality for his siblings and friends by siding with the Titans. Opposingly, Percy Jackson, gradually realises that he cares less and less about the well-being of the Gods, choosing instead to protect his friends and his brother above all else.
This contrast of mindsets can be seen as the portrayal of a villain with the heart of a hero, and a hero with the mind of a villain. Yet, time and time again, the fanbase always chooses Percy Jackson, even when his motives grow increasingly murky. Regardless of where his morality is heading, Percy has always been the poster face for troubled kids since season one. Despite his age and history of being bullied, Percy is never one to back down from a fight when it comes to protecting those he cares about. In this season, his loyalty extends to Tyson who was bullied at Percy’s New York school. In short, audiences have always loved a hero willing to throw everything away for the ones he loves.
Although the show has cut some fan-favourite scenes from the book, Percy Jackson and the Olympians remains an important show for its thoughtful and positive representation of struggling kids. In an era of declining interest in reading and increased screen time post-pandemic, the messages delivered through television and other media sources have never felt more important.