There’s a lot to cover in this Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 2 review, including our first look at Camp Half-Blood, a potentially deadly game of Capture the Flag, and Percy’s divine claiming. Let’s get to it!

If you haven’t already, do check out my Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 1 review, where I discuss what’s been changed from the book, why Sally Jackson is the MVP of the show, and how we got so lucky to have such an incredible adaptation.

Oh, and I also wrote a separate article so you’d have a Percy Jackson and the Olympians end credits and monster notebook explanation to filter through when you get a chance. I’m super proud of this one, and if nothing else, it allows you to ogle the beautiful artwork found at the end of each episode.

But let’s get right into the Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 2 review, shall we? (Reminder that this is being written from the point of view of someone who has read the whole series multiple times!) The story picks up right where it left off, which may explain why we got a two-episode premiere. Episodes 1 and 2 feel like two halves of the same coin, one side depicting the mortal world and the other portraying the magical.

As a storm rages in the middle of the night, Percy wakes up to find Annabeth staring at him. “Where am I?” he asks. “You drool when you sleep,” she responds. This is one of Annabeth’s most iconic lines from the book, and I’m so glad they found a way to include it.

The next morning, amidst a sunny backdrop, Percy wakes to find Grover watching over him, his gaze settling on the broken minotaur horn. Grover tries to apologize—for lying to him, for not telling him sooner, for what happened to his mom—but Percy doesn’t want to hear it. The slump of Grover’s shoulders and the way he averts his eyes tells us how genuine his words are, but Percy’s on a mission to confront his father.

Leaving Grover behind, Percy steps out into the fresh air, and we get a glimpse of the Big House, which is at once battered and beautiful. The colorful stained glass windows are at odds with the peeling paint, and the team behind the show did an incredible job bringing it to life.

Percy walks into the sunroom to find a man in a tiger-print Hawaiian-style shirt, clutching a Diet Coke to his chest, sunglasses perched on his nose like he’s fighting a hangover he can’t possibly have. Fans had long used Jason Mantzoukas in their fancasting of Mr. D, and as he opens his mouth and yells, “PETER JOHNSON IS HERE,” we know that both the fans and creators were spot on in their choice.

Grover tries to warn his friend not to get sassy with the man because he is literally the god Dionysus, but it’s like a compulsion for Percy. Walker Scobell’s line delivery on “but did you?” kills me, and even the way he addresses him as “your highness” a few seconds later is more than just a tad flippant. Other kids might show more deference or fear upon learning they’re talking to a god, but Percy’s only got one thing on his mind—finding his father.

The sincerity of Percy’s plea is juxtaposed by the absurdity of Mr. D’s confession that he is Percy’s father. They can talk about whatever Percy wants, Dionysus insists, once the demigod retrieves a bottle of wine for him. Chiron enters, saving Percy from both humiliation and possibly angering Zeus further, to explain why Mr. D is only allowed to drink non-alcoholic beverages, despite being the god of wine.

Mr. Brunner’s warm wisdom is even more grandiose now that he’s dropped his guise, appearing as Chiron, the immortal trainer to demigods who also happens to be half horse. The exchange between Chiron and Mr. D as the former explains that the latter is definitely not Percy’s father was too quick—I want all the banter between these two. They are complete opposites in every regard, and after years of forced proximity, I imagine they each know how to get under the other’s skin. It’s too bad Percy needs to leave camp so quickly, because I’d watch these two verbally sparring for an entire episode.

Chiron leads Percy out of the Big House to show him Camp Half-Blood in all its glory, and you get a great shot of the brace they’ve added to his back leg, which is never explained in the show but was an addition to demonstrate why Mr. Brunner was in a wheelchair. Littered with wildflowers and statues of the gods, the camp boasts an amphitheater, pegasi stables, a place to practice archery, and an area that looks to be for chariot races. Oh, and they even included the strawberry fields. That attention to detail means so much to me as a fan of the books.

As we head toward the camp cabins (those owls were wild, by the way), Chiron explains how this magical world operates, including the way in which Riptide will always return to his pocket. Percy also gets the terrible news that they don’t know who his father is or when he’ll be claimed. As my Prophecy Radio co-host says in our discussion of this episode, Percy already has the measure of the gods. Considering this is a central theme to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series as a whole, I’m glad so much emphasis has been put on the absence of the godly parents and how it affects their kids.

But whereas someone like Luke, whom we’ll meet in a minute, takes issue with the gods in much the same way Percy does, Chiron’s explanation that all will be revealed in time puts his dedication to the gods on full display. It’s genuine, even heartfelt, offering both mystery and hope, but Percy’s played this game his whole life. He knows not to expect anything from his dad.

Chiron doesn’t pick up on Percy’s discomfort as he joyfully introduces him to the Hermes’ cabin, not even registering that none of the other demigods care about the newcomer, considering kids come and go amongst their ranks all the time.

But Percy knows what it’s like to be the new kid, having been to six schools in six years. It’s never fun, and his hackles are raised. He offers a half-hearted wave to the Hermes cabin, then becomes defensive when Luke approaches him, thinking the older kid is just another bully he’ll have to deal with in his life. But Luke defies expectations, shaking Percy’s hand and telling him that he knows how he feels. For those who don’t know Luke’s ultimate role in this series, it merely appears as though Percy may have finally found a place where he’s accepted for exactly who—and what—he is.

Before we see more of Luke and Percy’s growing friendship, however, the show takes a turn from the source material. Since the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is from the titular character’s point of view, we only get a glimpse of the other characters when they are within range (or, conveniently, when Percy has one of his prophetic dreams). The show, however, has already promised to expand the scope of the world, and as Grover ventures into the forest to head toward a meeting of the Council of Cloven Elders, they deliver on that promise.

Even though it might not be obvious at first glance, given the length and detail of this Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 2 review, this was far and away my favorite scene from “I Become Surpreme Lord of the Bathroom.” In part because it was new and refreshing, but also because the reveal of the dryad emerging from her tree caught me off guard. There’s a great explanation of how this moment was executed from costume designer Tish Monaghan in my article detailing the Percy Jackson press conferences I attended. “I wanted it to be a complete revelation when you first see her move, that, ‘Oh my god, that’s a woman,'” Tish said. And trust me when I say they got the results they were going for.

The dryad’s name is Helena, and she’s a mother figure in Grover’s life, commenting on how he’s picking at his growing horns while also giving him a confidence boost before he heads into the meeting. She advises him to remain truthful, and despite his nerves, Grover nods his head in determination. My only complaint is that this scene wasn’t longer. I would’ve loved to glimpse the other satyrs and dryads in more detail, to hear what a council meeting sounds like, to see Grover detailing everything he witnessed.

Alas, all we see is Grover barge in on Chiron and Mr. D playing cards, telling them what they already know—that Sally Jackson isn’t dead, but was instead saved by Hades at the very last second. The news is a relief to those who were afraid we’d never see Percy’s mother again, but it’s short-lived as we learn that Chiron and Mr. D have no intention of telling Grover’s friend. “The truth can be very dangerous if it isn’t handled carefully,” Chiron declares in a gentle voice.

Mr. D, on the other hand, is less subtle, ordering Grover to say nothing to Percy. The fate of the world is at stake, and they simply cannot risk Percy going rogue. In this moment, Mr. D’s absurdity is replaced by the force of Dionysus’ authority, and suddenly, it’s not so hard to remember he’s an ancient and powerful Greek god. Grover bows his head in surrender, and my heart breaks for him.

In yet another prophetic dream, Percy is no longer standing next to the ocean in Montauk, but is rather out in the desert amidst the mountains, sitting next to a flickering fire. He picks up a handful of sand and lets it slip through his fingers—perhaps an indication that time is running out—as the same figure from the last vision crests a hill in the distance, still wearing that tattered robe and carrying a glowing lantern.

“Ah, he left you here. Left you with nothing,” the figure rasps. “I know how you feel. You want what’s been taken from you. You want justice.”

These words, combined with the pit that opens and swallows Percy whole, indicate that this is Kronos speaking to him through his dreams. The titan is feeding into Percy’s anger over his father’s abandonment and his mother’s subsequent death. Empathizing with Percy and promising him justice is a clever way to recruit the demigod over to his side, which Kronos will need to do if he hopes to win a war against his children.

But as soon as Percy slips into the gaping maw of what must be Tartarus, he awakes to a concerned Luke asking him if he’s okay. The next few moments are full of exposition, but like other scenes in the show, it’s concise and given while on the move from one point to another. We learn that dreams are common, that Luke is the son of Hermes, and that Camp Half-Blood offers glory. This is where Percy meets Clarisse for the first time—and hatches his plan to gain the attention of his father.

What follows is a montage of Percy trying his hand at various activities, including archery (please tell me that hydra is a reference to the first movie) and swordmaking (that’s probably not Beckendorf, but I can pretend if I want to), to disastrous results. We also learn the significance of burnt offerings, which leads us to yet another scene that cannot be found in the books.

Out in the middle of the woods, Percy has managed to gather the supplies to start a small fire in a tin can, where he drops a piece of the precious blue candy from his mom into the flames. But instead of praying to his father, he speaks as though he’s talking to his Sally on the phone. It is a bittersweet monologue, filled with pride that he’s found a place and even some friends who accept him, but also with anger at his father’s neglect of them both. He promises that he’ll do everything in his power to make the god pay attention to him, to them both, and the sheer ferocity of the statement forces you to believe every word.

On his way back to the Hermes cabin, Clarisse and two of her friends ambush him. She doesn’t like that the new kid is claiming he defeated the minotaur, so she wants to teach him a lesson. Teach him to fall in line. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go her way, and Percy shows us why this episode is titled “I Become Supreme Lord of the Bathroom.”

And finally, at more than halfway through the episode, we get our first real interaction between Percy and Annabeth. It’s short-lived, but it’s significant for multiple reasons. Annabeth has been following Percy around to see if Clarisse would continue to harass him because it’s an integral part of the daughter of Athena’s plan to win Capture the Flag. As an added bonus, however, we can also infer that this moment gave Annabeth a massive clue as to who Percy’s godly parent is, which explains why she shoves him into the water later in the episode.

Luke explains the purpose of Capture the Flag—mock warfare, all glory to the victors—and clues us into who Annabeth is. Not only is she the head of the Athena cabin, but Luke also sees her as a little sister, declaring that he’ll always take her side. I’ve seen a lot fans mention how happy they were for this clarification of Luke and Annabeth’s relationship, as it was a little murkier in the book, so I wanted to be sure to mention it in my Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 2 review.

Luke’s story about how he and Thalia (it’s gonna be difficult to remember to pronounce it that way…) found Annabeth aligns with her backstory in the book, and he once again calls them family. But this also serves to introduce not only Thalia’s history, but the concept of a Forbidden Child, a kid of one of the Big Three. We also learn about Annabeth’s desire to prove herself, as well as the fated quest that even Chiron won’t be able to prevent.

For those who aren’t in the know, this is what we call foreshadowing.

Capture the Flag starts with a quick explanation and basically one rule—no maiming or killing. Chiron announces this from atop a large rock that could quite possibly be Zeus’ Fist. If so, I love that they’ve included this in the first season, given its importance in Battle of the Labyrinth.

This was one of the most anticipated scenes in the Percy Jackson adaptation, and it didn’t disappoint. We get a quiet moment between Percy and Annabeth where she refuses to tell him how he fits into her plan, an explanation of her Yankees cap, and several scenes of the campers clashing before Clarisse and her minions sneak up on their prey.

There’s been a lot of talk about Leah Sava Jeffries portraying Annabeth, and I’m here to use my Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 2 review to say that she’s absolutely perfect for this role. Her silence stretches between her and Percy, but there’s no wondering how she feels or whether she’s strategizing. You can read all of that on her face, and her refusal to show her hand is as significant as her blunt answers to Percy’s probing questions. His frustration is tangible, and I love how this sets up the beginning of their relationship. A rocky start makes the smooth sailing down the line even more satisfying.

But now, the point in this Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 2 review has come to talk about Dior Goodjohn as Clarisse. While I’ve always pictured someone much more physically imposing, Dior has captured the essence of what it means to be a child of Ares—her single-minded pursuit of revenge for what Percy did to her in the bathroom, the disbelief that he could defeat the minotaur, that little giggle right before she attacks, but especially her roar of rage when she realizes Percy has broken her spear. I’m so excited to get more of her in Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2, if we’re lucky enough for a renewal.

Thankfully, Clarisse can’t do anymore damage to Percy as Luke arrives with the red team’s flag, cementing the blue team’s fourth win in a row, thanks to Annabeth. The child of Athena chooses that moment to appear, and we watch in real time as she forms a hypothesis and conducts an experiment. When she pushes Percy into the water, she’s already sure she knows what will happen next.

Percy, on the other hand, is at the end of his rope. He feels targeted and bullied, and he lashes out at Annabeth, drawing everyone’s attention. But perhaps it wasn’t just his sharp words, considering there’s a giant trident floating over his head now. I’ll admit, I pictured it much smaller when I read the books, but I love how grandiose the sign is. Seems appropriate for the gods to go big, especially when your father is Poseidon.

Unfortunately, this puts an even bigger target on Percy’s back, now that it’s been revealed he’s a Forbidden Child. Chiron then explains the situation that will drive the rest of the story—that Zeus’ master bolt has been stolen, how the sky god believes his brother Poseidon sent his one and only child after it in a fit of jealousy, and why Chiron believes that Hades is actually behind all of this. And it wouldn’t be a Percy Jackson quest without a tight deadline ticking away against them.

But Percy wants nothing to do with this. He just found out he’s a demigod, and he isn’t the lightning thief, so why should he do anything to help his father or any of the other gods? Mr. D doesn’t take kindly to the refusal, but Percy doesn’t care, and we see the anger that is so apparent in the books. Walker Scobell shoulders it easily, making you believe that maybe he could go toe-to-toe with Dionysus.

But Grover doesn’t give him the chance, going against Chiron and Mr. D’s choice to keep Percy in the dark. The Grover that kowtowed to his elders earlier in the episode is nowhere to be seen. He’s willing to stick his neck out for Percy, knowing how much it will mean to his friend to learn that his mother is still alive.

It seems like a no-brainer to tell Percy that Sally is in the Underworld so he’ll agree to the quest that will send him in that direction anyway, but I assume Chiron and Dionysus are hesitant because they’re afraid that Percy will become distracted. That he doesn’t understand just how important it is for him to retrieve the master bolt. How important it is to prevent a war amongst the gods.

But for now, the cat is out of the bag, and Percy agrees to the quest with one simple question: When do we leave?

Though the first episode felt a little rushed in the beginning, and this episode was packed full of vital information, I’m loving what Percy Jackson and the Olympians is giving us so far, especially when it comes to its faithfulness to the source material. I’m beyond excited to visit Aunty Em’s Garden Gnome Emporium in episode 3.

‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ airs Tuesday nights on Disney+ at 9pm ET

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