In Season 1, Episode 8 of the Disney Plus series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, titled “The Prophecy Comes True,” the story continues the quest of Percy (Walker Scobell), Annabeth Chase (Leah Sava Jeffries), and Grover Underwood (Aryan Simhadri) to the Underworld to save Percy’s mother, Sally Jackson (Virginia Kull), and find the Master Bolt.
In a flashback, prior to starting his quest, Luke (Charlie Bushnell) trains Percy in how to use a sword and does this via sparring practices. After one of the sparring practices, Luke and Percy talk about how the Greek Gods operate during times of conflict. The truth is the Greek Gods cannot fight each other because of a rule they made and can only do so with their demigod children. It is the reason why the demigods fight on behalf of their divine parents via quests and heroic missions. The revelation is dark because it is almost as if the Greek Gods made more children just to give themselves enforcers to attack their family members during their family bickerings. However, this is not all true because the Greek Gods do care about their children. Sometimes they are neglectful and distant due to their divine jobs or just being tired of raising them for centuries.
In the present day, Percy duels with Ares on the beach. Ares is beating Percy effortlessly because he is the God of War, but the son of Poseidon uses his abilities to gain the upper hand by summoning a wave to crush Ares as a distraction before cutting Ares’ legs. Angered at his defeat, Ares declares Percy made the God of War his enemy for life and escapes but not before attempting to show his true divine form to Percy, Annabeth, and Grover in an attempt to kill them since no one but gods can see the gods’ divine forms. The trio stopped themselves from looking and Ares teleports out of the beach. Despite Ares’ escape, the God of War leaves behind the Helm of Darkness which he kept on behalf of the Lightning Thief. In the aftermath, Percy gives the Helm to Alecto (Megan Mullally) so she could return it to Hades in exchange for the God of the Underworld to release his mother Sally Jackson (Virginia Kull).
Soon, Percy returns to New York City and heads to the Empire State Building which is the gateway to Olympus in America. He then takes an elevator up to Olympus and walks to the Greek Pantheons’ Throne Room where Zeus (Lance Reddick) is sitting. Percy returns the Master Bolt to Zeus and warns the King of the Gods regarding Kronos’ return. Zeus rudely thanks Percy regarding the information of Kronos and for returning the Master Bolt and dismisses the son of Poseidon. Angered at Zeus’ behavior, Percy defies the God of Thunder by scolding him of how much of a mess his family is, to the point Ares betrayed Zeus by aiding one of Kronos’ agents, the Lightning Thief, to start a war. Percy’s rebuke infuriated Zeus and he attempted to smite Percy with lightning from his Master Bolt until Poseidon (Toby Stephens) intervenes and saves his son in exchange for stopping the war and giving Zeus his victory. Zeus stops, and Poseidon asks his younger brother who knows about Kronos’ return in which the two Gods conclude that everyone knows so they agree to make preparations for a war against their father.
Zeus leaves to start preparations and to have a family gathering to fix the family mess and unify them for a war against Kronos. Poseidon stays behind to talk with Percy sharing how proud he is of his son’s heroic deed. After a short discussion, the God of the Sea teleports his son with a pearl back to Camp Half-Blood where Chiron (Glynn Turman), Dionysus (Jason Matzoukas), and all the demigods in the camp celebrate the success of Percy’s quest. In the night, Luke asks Percy for a private discussion that leads up to Percy realizing Luke is the Lightning Thief. Luke does not counter the accusation and affirms he is the Lightning Thief because of his loyalty to Kronos since he believes Kronos will be a better ruler than Zeus and bring back a Golden Age of peace back to Earth. Luke attempts to recruit Percy, but Percy refuses so Luke starts to use his sword Backbite to open a portal to escape Camp Half-Blood, and Percy attempts to stop the Lightning Thief’s escape which leads to a duel between the two demigods until Annabeth intervenes. Heartbroken that Annabeth witnessed his betrayal with her invisibility cap the whole time, Luke spares Percy and escapes through the portal to join Kronos’ army in preparation for the war against Zeus and Olympus.
On the last day in Camp Half-Blood, Percy returns home to reunite with his mother whom Hades released, Annabeth returns home to reconnect with her father and his mortal family, and Grover heads out to sea to search for Pan. It won’t be until another year until the trio reunite. After returning home and falling asleep, Kronos (Nick Boraine) confronts Percy in a dream stating that the latter is the key to his return. The series concludes with an ominous loom to war and it will all center around the rivalry between the son of Poseidon and the King of the Titans. In the mid-credits scene, Gabe Ugliano (Timm Sharp) tries to divorce Sally by hiring a lawyer until she receives a mailbox which turns out holds Medusa’s head and it petrifies Percy’s abusive adoptive father into stone, killing him in the process.
Percy and Poseidon + Percy and his Friends
Season 1, Episode 8 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, titled “The Prophecy Comes True,” was an exciting episode. It presents a pivotal moment in the series’ storyline. Directed by Jet Wilkinson and written by Craig Silverstein, with inspiration from the original author Rick Riordan’s work, the episode is marked by its deviation from the corresponding chapters in The Lightning Thief novel.
The episode not only advances the central quest of Percy, Annabeth, and Grover to save Percy’s mother and retrieve the Master Bolt but also delves deeper into the complexities of the Olympian world. Through Percy’s interactions with Luke and his confrontation with Ares, the audience gains insight into the intricate dynamics among the gods and demigods.
One of the notable departures from the novel lies in the portrayal of Zeus and the revelation of Luke as the Lightning Thief. While the novel introduces Zeus in a more distant and authoritative light, the episode presents him as cold and violent to Percy, showcasing his wrathful nature to the point of being willing to murder an innocent boy. This portrayal adds layers to Zeus’ character and underscores the tensions within the divine hierarchy.
Moreover, the revelation of Luke as the Lightning Thief adds a compelling twist to the narrative. Luke’s allegiance to Kronos and his vision of a Golden Age bring a new dimension to his character, setting the stage for future conflicts and betrayals. The Lightning Thief novel, Luke never had plans to recruit Percy and attempted to assassinate him with a scorpion before escaping Camp Half-Blood.
Overall, Season 1, Episode 8 stands out for its exploration of themes such as loyalty, betrayal, and the consequences of divine power. The collaborative efforts of the director, writer, and original author ensure a gripping and thought-provoking viewing experience for fans of the Percy Jackson series.
Rating: 9/10