WARNING: mild spoilers for “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” season one
Last month, on December 20th, the long awaited Percy Jackson and the Olympians show began streaming on Disney+. Long time fans of the book series, including myself, were overjoyed to get an adaptation loyal to the books. The season focuses on the first book out of the five book series, and fans are waiting for season two to be greenlit by Disney.
For those who are unaware, Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a book series following Percy, a 12-year-old boy, who finds out he is the demigod son of Poseidon. Although it is a YA series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians has immense character depth and amazing plot twists. Percy is given a quest and prophecy by the Oracle of Delphi: “You shall go west, and face the god who has turned. You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned. You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend, And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end.” Percy, along with his friends, Grover, a satyr, and Annabeth, a daughter of Athena, travel from their training camp in Long Island, New York to Santa Monica, California, stopping in places such as the St. Louis Arch and the Lotus Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, to retrieve Zeus’ lightning bolt, which has been stolen by an enemy known only as the lightning thief. The reveal of this character’s identity is absolutely heart wrenching to read, and fans cannot wait to see the scene on screen.
However, fans of the books are not the only ones enjoying the new show. The fanbase of Percy Jackson has greatly expanded with the release of the show. It is one of the most streamed show debuts on Disney+ ever.
The cast, especially the main trio, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover, are all insanely talented. Percy is played by Walker Scobell, who has previously starred alongside Ryan Reynolds, Annabeth is portrayed by Leah Sava Jeffries, and Grover is played by Aryan Simhadri. As young actors, these three have done an amazing job so far at capturing the subtleties in the characters while also being able to show that deep down, they’re just kids.
As previously expressed, long time fans of the books are ecstatic over the show. Senior Jack Vollaro said, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a well-crafted and lovingly made adaptation. While faithful to the core messages, themes, and characters of the original books, the show makes intentional changes that were formulated by the author. In most cases, those subtle changes streamline the story and enhance the richness of the characters’ development. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover are well cast, and the show is both fun, visually stunning, and at times emotionally moving.” As he stated, the author, Rick Riordan, had input and control in the outcome of the show, making it turn out beautifully. The show is a masterpiece, and as a seven-year-fan of the book series, I cannot wait for the rest of the books to be adapted.
