First Impressions: Percy Jackson and the Olympians Are So Back — in the Trenches

After a groundbreaking first season nearly two years ago, our favorite Olympians are finally back to prepare for the worst adventure we’ve seen yet. The second season, based on the hit series’ second book Sea of Monsters, marks a darker shift in unfolding the rest of Camp Half-Blood’s story.

Viewers were left on an imploding bombshell, as Percy and Annabeth’s beloved friend Luke had more tricks up his sleeve than we thought. Not only did they discover he was the culprit responsible for stealing Zeus’s lightning bolt, but his plan to frame Percy for it. Luke quickly made his escape from Camp Half-blood, finally pledging his loyalty against the Greek gods. 

Despite the uncertainty of his plans, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover promised they’d reunite at camp together again. Besides, how much can really change in one year?

The Lost Satyr

Within the first five minutes, Grover already finds himself in a world of trouble. The opening scene finds him in a mysterious forest looking for the lost nature god Pan, as newcomer demigod Alison appears with a posse of campers. Grover initially greets them but realizes they’ve been sent by Luke and Kronos. It’s already too late as the satyr finds himself with no escape but the water, and a large tentacle rapidly rises to snatch him out of plain sight.

Although Grover, played by Aryan Simhadri, is sadly not present at camp quite yet, he reveals two critical revelations to Percy. Through an empathy link, Grover shares that Luke is after the golden fleece, a mythical object that can heal anything. He also gives him the exact same set of coordinates the Gray Sisters said to Percy in episode one, which lead to his exact location: the Sea of Monsters.  

The end of episode two leaves off with the long-awaited wedding dress scene, which is arguably one of the series’ most comical moments. While Percy is completely bewildered by the fact Grover is hiding decked out in a wedding dress, it’s a hilariously awkward scene that captures their endearing friendship. With Percy and Annabeth on the rocks, Grover continues to listen to Percy’s concerns and be a mediator but is cut off once he senses danger is coming.  

While Grover has always been designed to be someone else’s protector, will he be 

able to save himself and become a “final girl” or will this be his final bow?

The Hero No One’s Letting Be A Hero

Percy Jackson, played by Walker Scobell, reigned victorious in his quest last season, but is still balancing his life as a teenage boy and demigod. His inner monologue exemplifies this, as our hero falls out of bed and frantically runs around his room to get ready for school. In an endearing moment, Percy smiles while looking at pictures of Grover and Annabeth taped on his bedroom mirror. It’s a subtle nod to the two people that make being a demigod worth it for him. You also can’t help but laugh at the concept of Percy shopping for washi tape just for them.

After the tumultuous events of season one, he and his mom Sally find a new calm that’s refreshing to see. She treats him and newly added character Tyson to homemade breakfast, then later shares some of the visions they’ve both been having. Percy shares his nightmare about Grover possibly being in danger while Sally shares her dream about Tyson, explaining how she sees more in him and emphasizes that “Being a real hero… means standing up for others.”

As Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson are attacked by cannibal giants on their way to camp, it’s clear he isn’t someone who’s running away from the fight anymore. He immediately whips out his classic Riptide, or sword pen, to protect the others. But shortly after everyone discovers Tyson’s true identity, it looks like Percy’s taken a fall from grace and gone right back to being an outcast. Despite being mocked and dismissed by the entirety of camp, including new camp director Tantalus, Percy still chooses to stand up for himself especially when it comes to finding Grover.  

While tensions between Annabeth and him are at a high, Percy still maintains his rebellious side by choosing to leave camp quietly in the middle of the night. As he approaches the water, he requests Poseidon give him a sign of approval, but an unexpected god arrives instead. 

Hermes, also known as the god of travelers and Luke’s father, talks to Percy and signals him towards a cruise ship out at sea. As he’s known for using tricks to deceive others, Percy lets him know he’s onto him and asks what the catch is. In a surprising turn of events, Hermes confesses he’s trying to save Luke, but Percy is relentless in his belief that it’s too late. Regardless, Hermes repeats to Percy that “he’s my son” numerous times while trying to believe blood is thicker than water despite his apparent absence. Before leaving, he provides Percy with an inflatable boat as a means to escape as Annabeth and Tyson show up. While Tantalus finds and attempts to kill them all, the three are able to successfully escape. 

Will Percy miraculously come out alive once more, or is he bait to become the ultimate sacrifice?

The Girl With Secrets

Annabeth Chase, played by Leah Sava Jeffries, returned to our screens in a bold way we didn’t see coming. After having a nightmare about Camp Half-Blood in flames, she reunites with Percy by arriving in the middle of New York City. Although Tyson has never met her, he unknowingly blurts out loud “You look at her picture all the time, right?”, while Percy and Annabeth stand awkwardly unable to make eye contact with each other.

The three make a spontaneous getaway to camp via taxi with the Gray Sisters, which leads to one of the show’s funniest Percabeth scenes to date. As the Gray Sisters chaotically spit out Annabeth’s dreams, one of them excitedly assumes Percy is her boyfriend. Annabeth gets nervous and quickly denies the allegation saying “I never said boyfriend” to Percy, who reacts unfazed. But another Gray sister asks if Grover is her “other boyfriend” and Percy jolts back, asking Annabeth, “You have another boyfriend?”

While all three of them make it in one piece, Annabeth suspects the giants’ attack at the back of camp was a distraction and feels something larger at play here. Soon after, they all witness Luke poisoning the tree at the front of camp who also happens to be the dead daughter of Zeus, Thalia. From the moment Annabeth discovered Luke’s sinister plan at the end of season one, there aren’t many words exchanged between the two. Unable to process her brotherly figure could hurt Thalia, she visits her in a gut-wrenching scene as she wishes for a sign from her even if it’s beyond the grave.

Considering all the plotlines of season two, it’s easy to overlook Annabeth’s pain, but she’s arguably one of the characters that’s already suffered the most. After she and Percy execute a plan to sneak into Tantalus’s office to communicate with Chiron, she discovers Percy is the real target and by no means should he ever go on the quest for the golden fleece or know anything about this prophecy. Because of this, Annabeth chooses strategy over honesty with Percy in numerous ways. By telling Percy they can’t partner up for the camp’s chariot race together and whispering to Clarisse not to pick Percy for the quest, she ends up betraying his trust in silence.

This results in a later argument with Percy about the secrets and fears they’ve been keeping from each other. Annabeth confesses her year out in the real world wasn’t as fun as Percy told her it would be, explaining she’s seen too much to truly embrace anything about a normal life. 

Although Annabeth knows Percy is to be forbidden from the quest, she ultimately chooses to leave camp with him and Tyson anyways. Can Annabeth manage to save all of her friends – including her deserted brother Luke – or save any of them at all? 

The Cyclops Who’s Just Happy to be Here

One thing’s for sure: we all feel maternal instincts towards this high schooler slash cyclops, played by Daniel Diemer. While the new addition to the Jackson family is an occasional annoyance to Percy, their dynamic balances out sweetly as Percy apologizes for calling him a monster at home, to which Tyson isn’t bothered because he technically is one. Tyson’s excitement about seeing Camp Half-Blood for the first time is like seeing a kid in a candy shop, though he isn’t let in right away as he’s categorized as a monster that can’t enter the camp’s barrier. However, Tyson still takes a hit for Percy as a fireball launches towards them and ends up surviving.

While Sally always believed there was more than meets the eye with Tyson, it seems as though he and Percy have a little more in common than just being outcasts. Just as the campers and Tantalus are about to kill the one-eyed monster, Tyson gets claimed by Poseidon and is shockingly revealed to be Percy’s brother. While Percy is bewildered at the revelation and even questions if Tyson knew all along, he immediately denies it and simply says, “It means I’m not alone.” 

Tyson is someone whose love shines in all the little things. From fixing Percy’s chariot before the race to writing a letter to Sally and encouraging Percy to write one too, he’s one of the most lovable monsters that have ever graced our screens. However, like all of our characters, he possesses fears that aren’t visible to everyone else right away. He’s severely afraid of the dark, as he advises Percy to sleep because that’s the only way you’ll ever be truly safe from the monsters. It can be hard to miss, but the show details large scar marks on his back which alludes to his darker backstory before meeting Sally.

Tyson is generally a bit clumsy, from tripping in school hallways to accidentally taking out Clarisse’s companion during the chariot race, but he’s ready to truly live. While he escapes with Percy and Annabeth to the Sea of Monsters, he exclaims, “Now we’re going on a quest.” So Tyson’s ready to see the world, but will it be ready for him? 

The Neglected Soldier

Starting off as a playground bully to Percy last season, Clarisse isn’t backing down to finally be at the top and prove everyone wrong, including her father Ares. Played by Dior Goodjohn, she’s got her game face on in more ways than one.

There’s still some sense of hostility towards Percy when she immediately tells Jackson to shut up amid his return, but it’s nothing we wouldn’t expect to see in a complicated rivalry. And just like siblings, it’s not complete without a bit of teasing involved. One of the book series’ favorite ships between camper Chris Rodriguez and Clarisse, or “Chrisse,” is finally rising out of the shadows into the light. As everyone prepares for the chariot race, Clarisse takes the chance to show hers off to Chris in a beautifully but painfully awkward move that results in him asking her to back up. It’s hilarious to watch Percy immediately clock Clarisse’s flirting attempt by giving a witty smirk at her after. It’s also slightly baffling he doesn’t realize how much he’s already yearning for Annabeth.

Regardless of her failed attempt to charm Chris, Clarisse clears her head and goes into full swing once the chariot race starts. She sabotages another cabin’s chariot immediately and then continues the race, despite demon pigeons from the sky attacking campers in the stands shortly after. This act of leadership, as viewed by Tantalus, grants her the title of leading the quest for the Golden Fleece to secure the camp’s barrier.

While she originally chose Annabeth and Chris as her quest members, we know one has already jumped ship. Will Clarisse rise to the challenge, or is she set for failure?

The Other Side of the Same Coin

While our main protagonist Percy is fueled by the love surrounding him from family and friends, you’ll find Luke on the other side. Charlie Bushnell’s performance of Luke brings out a stark contrast, delivering a more sinister presence this season.  He manages to not only poison Thalia’s tree, but leaves on a pegasus horse with visible shame from seeing Annabeth. On top of that, after nearly killing Percy at their last interaction, he directs one line to him that sends chills down your spine: “I’ll see you out there.” 

The final verdict on Luke? Honestly, the internet’s still deciding if they’re going to be Luke apologists or not. But fans can expect more flashbacks with Luke, Thalia, and Annabeth this season, so perhaps there’s more to his story than we think. Will Luke be able to redeem himself or has the damage already been done?

Heading Off to Sea

As we leave off on our new main trio setting off to sea, Clarisse is visibly stressed out as her godly, deadbeat father Ares shows up to camp. There, she’s given a new group of soldiers, but the trio are already one step ahead. 

A preview shot shows them sneaking onto the Princess Andromeda, the cruise ship Hermes mentioned to Percy before taking off. Tyson reunites with the cannibal giants from episode one, but it seems it’ll be a little less deadly this time around as he’s holding a sphere of some kind. 

It doesn’t seem like it’ll be long before Alison and the rest of Luke’s crew fights back, with Luke appearing in a preppy boy school outfit leaning over the deck. Percy notes “Luke is here,” but Annabeth realizes, “He’s not just here, this is his ship.” So what’ll it be: loyalty to the Gods or loyalty to themselves?

Want to hear about more new releases? Read our first impressions of Heated Rivalry here!