Strap in because this Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 5 review will take you on a wild ride from diner cheeseburgers to a tunnel full of love.
It’s not easy picking favorites, but the more I think about this episode, the more I’m in love with every single second. Not only does episode 5 move the plot along at a spectacular pace, but it builds on several relationships (especially Percy and Annabeth’s), highlights how clever Grover can be, and introduces not one, but TWO new gods into the mix!
For better or worse, we don’t pick up right where we left off in Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 4. Instead of going back to Percy underwater with the nereid, he surfaces and takes in the destruction he caused to a national monument. Might be the first time, but it won’t be the last.
While Grover gives the authorities a wary eye, Annabeth can’t stop looking at the Fates, who knit and clip a life’s thread right in front of her. She knows this is an omen, but Grover isn’t paying attention. They need to move if they plan on avoiding arrest and getting to Los Angeles in time.
Despite Grover’s worries, Annabeth doesn’t doubt for a single second that Percy is alive. We don’t know if she saw the water grab him or she just has faith, but either way, she’s proven right when Percy emerges from the river, dripping wet but very much alive. Having Percy tell Annabeth and Grover what he learned moved the episode along at a nice clip. It would’ve been nice to see the nereid up close, since we didn’t get a good look at her through the murky Mississippi water last week, but the kids have more pressing problems to deal with.
Percy starts to apologize for pushing Annabeth into the stairwell, and I love that this is the first thing out of his mouth. He know it sounds bad—that it was bad—but Annabeth isn’t the type of demigod to go without a fight, and they didn’t have time to discuss why he was the better option to fight the chimera. But Annabeth doesn’t care about that. Without another word, she hugs him.
This is a monumental moment for these two. That hug lasts a minimum of fifteen seconds, and even Annabeth is surprised by what she’s done, if her expression at the end of it is anything to go by. Grover interrupts with questions about how he survived, and Percy ignores what just happened between him and Annabeth to tell them they need to go to Santa Monica. His dad, of all people, will meet them there to help with the quest.
Unfortunately, the police think they crashed an Amtrak train and destroyed the St. Louis Arch, so they can’t show their faces pretty much anywhere at the moment. Choosing to walk until they find someone who can give them a ride, Percy realizes the theft of the master bolt goes a lot deeper than he originally thought. Someone had to steal it and give it to Hades, after all.
The look Annabeth and Grover share is part amusement, part exasperation, and it speaks to the length of time they’ve known each other, communicating like that without ever uttering a word. Percy is the last one to put this information together, and he admits his head wasn’t in the game prior to falling into the river. Now, though? He realizes he’s got to take this a lot more seriously.
And it’s not just because there’s a traitor in their midst. It’s also because he feels more of a connection with his father. Percy never expected Poseidon to save him, and you can hear the awe in his voice as he recounts what happened. I can only imagine what Annabeth is feeling in this moment, knowing that her mom chose to abandon her when they sought sanctuary inside the Arch.
Related: ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ forces us to reevaluate our definition of monstrosity
But Annabeth has a bigger problem on her mind at the moment—and it’s not the fact that she hugged Percy once she found out he was still alive. She saw Atropos, one of the Fates, cut a thread. This is an omen, and it means one of them is going to die—and soon. Percy is hesitant to put any stock into this, saying that he can change Fate through every action. You’d think at this point he’d know to listen to Annabeth and Grover, considering they’ve lived in the world of gods and monsters much longer than him, but as we’ve already seen, it takes a little while for some of this stuff to sink in.
Before the others can tell him that Fate doesn’t work that way, Ares pulls up on his motorcycle (noticeably sans the seat covered in human skin) and tells them he’s also out looking for the master bolt, on his father’s orders. I loved how the kids tried to send him on his way, popping up from behind the concrete barrier to wave him off, but the god of war isn’t so easily dissuaded. He offers them help and then drives off toward a diner down the road, leaving it up to them to decide to follow.
The kids arrive at the diner to find Ares sitting by himself, burgers and fries piled in the center of the table, laughing loud enough to turn heads, the sound on his phone all the way up so you can hear every click of his keyboard. Already, Adam Copeland is exactly how I imagined Ares would be, raucous and grating and infuriating, equal parts over the top and deadly serious.
But the kids aren’t deterred, and they join him at his table. When Ares suggests the quest will fail, Percy pushes back against the notion, but Ares knows something they don’t—his step-father, Gabe Ugliano, is on national television, calling Percy a delinquent and blaming him for Sally’s disappearance. Considering the show already made them out to be fugitives after the incident at the Arch, including Gabe’s interview wasn’t absolutely necessary, but it’s nice to see this bit from the book come alive. Plus, Timm Sharp continues to deliver in his performance.
Ares takes this time to sow seeds of doubt, dropping the news that Zeus and Poseidon will go to war regardless of whether they retrieve the bolt. He questions whether the Oracle said they could stop the war, or if that’s just what Chiron implied. And then we get a little history lesson on just how messed up this family truly is.
I’d be remiss not to use this Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 5 review to mention how impressed I am that the show incorporated some background information on Kronos within the context of Ares explaining how volatile their family is. It’s a subtle way to lay some groundwork for what’s to come, both in this episode and the future of the series, but it’s also relevant to the point the god of war is trying to make in the moment. Anyone who thinks this show isn’t doing a fantastic job of delivering exposition in all the right moments needs to reevaluate what they’re witnessing on screen.
“We’ll push anyone down a flight of stairs to get ahead,” Ares says, speaking of his family and echoing Percy’s sentiments from episode 3, where he said he’s choosing Annabeth because she wouldn’t hesitate to do exactly that. While no one would argue that Annabeth and Ares are cut from the same cloth, it shows how those embroiled in the world of gods and monsters must think in order to survive.
But nothing is for free, and if the trio wants Ares’ help, they’ll need to retrieve his shield from a nearby amusement park. The catch? Grover must stay behind as collateral. What follows does not appear in the Lightning Thief book, but happens to be one of the best additions to the show to date. Aryan Simhadri proves with every scene how he not only embodies the role of Grover, but elevates it to a new level.
While Percy and Annabeth go on to the waterpark, Grover stays behind to pick Ares’ brain. Going toe to toe with a god is no easy feat, and Ares is a contender for most intimidating. But Grover knows some well-placed compliments will get the deity’s attention, and the knowledgeable satyr goes for the deep cuts in order to get into his good graces.
And then he adds the cherry on top—letting Ares complain about his kids. With well-timed nods of his head and a sympathetic eyeroll, Grover waits for his opportunity to strike. As soon as the god talks about the winter solstice, the satyr sees his opening. One of the demigods must’ve stolen the master bolt during that time, but before Grover can cycle through all the possibilities, Ares cut’s him off: “Not everything is a puzzle that needs to be solved. You’re as bad as my sister.”
The glint in Grover’s eye tells us he sees yet another opening. “Was she always like that?” he askes. “Always making things more complicated than they need to be so people will think she’s smarter than you?”
This is a bold statement to make. First, Grover is talking ill of a god. Considering Athena is known for her pride—and for punishing those who’ve insulted her—this is quite the risk to take. Will the goddess seek retribution, either directly or indirectly? And second, there’s Ares’ reaction to consider. You can see the look on the god’s face as he sorts through his thoughts. Sure, he might not like his sister, but Grover is still insulting one of his own. Ares isn’t exactly known for his even temperament and logical reactions, so there was no way Grover knew how Ares would take this jab at Athena.
And then there’s the implication that Grover might sometimes feel this way about Annabeth. When she correctly guesses Ares’ identity shortly after he first arrives on his motorcycle, the god quips, “You must be Athena’s kid. Always gotta be the wisest one of the bunch.” We haven’t seen any cracks in Grover and Annabeth’s friendship up until this point, but it’s something to keep in mind if the show decides to lean into that for some added tension. If so, we’ll be able to look back on this moment and see that they laid the foundation as early as season 1. And I can point back to this Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 5 review and say I saw it coming.
As Ares stares down Grover, you’re worried the satyr may have made his first wrong move. But then the god bangs his fists on the table and shouts, “Thank you!” before going into a tirade about Athena and her pet owl. I swear, once we’re introduced to Athena, that owl better be in every shot with her. Everyone around her needs to be questioning why she’s so obsessed with it.
“It’s like people only see what they wanna see, and ignore anything at all that doesn’t fit the story they like to tell themselves,” Ares says. (This is, ironically, something the trio needs to keep in mind.) “Exactly!” Grover says, “Like you being the one to find the lightning thief and not her.”
Ares stills, and the angle of the camera changes, peering down at Grover from above, uncomfortably close. His eyes are wide and innocent, but he can’t quite bite back the small smile on his face. Ares stares at him, then leans into the camera, mirroring Grover’s position, but not his expression. The god of war is unblinking as he asks, “What’d you mean by that?”
I know I already mentioned this once in my Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 5 review, but Adam Copeland is the embodiment of the god Ares. One second, he’s laughing and joking and thinking about strangling an innocent owl, and the next he reminds you exactly how much power he has. This is what the gods are like, and though we’ve seen how mercurial they can be thanks to Dionysus, he really doesn’t hold a flame to Ares’ volatility.
Grover keeps up the act, not flinching in the presence of the god before him, saying that it doesn’t matter whether Percy stole the bolt because Zeus thinks he did. Catching Percy and turning him in would make Ares look good, especially as he stands next to his sister.
If it wasn’t already obvious from this Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 5 review, I love every single choice this show has made when it comes to Grover. This version of Percy’s best friend is less skittish than the Grover we see in the books, and I’m all for it. Instead of letting Annabeth be the one figuring everything out, Grover brings his own knowledge to the table. He is, after all, 24 years old. And a satyr. He’ll have insight into this world that no one else does. Aryan Simhadri plays him to perfection, depicting someone gentle and kind who also uses his cunning in subtle ways to find the answers he seeks. Giving Grover a more active role in the quest has made me fall in love with this character even more, and I can see why both Rick and Becky Riordan talked about how much they loved this scene between the young satyr and the ancient god of war.
Aryan Simhadri isn’t the only one hitting it out of the park, however. Leah Jeffries is playing Annabeth Chase spectacularly, and each episode proves why she was cast in this role. Upon entering the waterpark, when Percy is trapped in the turnstile, she looks at the gears above his head in fascination, muttering, “Oh. Oh, look at that.” We can see her breaking down the puzzle in order to put it back together again, figuring out how it works and whether it will hurt Percy. It’s such a quick moment, just a quiet bit of dialogue, but it offers an incredible insight into this character, and Leah plays it to perfection.
I also loved this scene because it introduces tension and (perceived) danger while giving us some vital information. We learn what celestial bronze is and how it works, plus we discover that Hephaestus built the park. It even builds on Percy and Annabeth’s relationship, with her telling him to push through the gate and him trusting her with only a moment’s hesitation.
Once inside, we also get some vital information on Ares, Aphrodite, and Hephaestus’ messy relationship before they stumble upon the Thrill Ride O’ Love. Once in the tunnel, animation plays out across the walls, providing us with the quick and dirty version of Hephaestus’ tale. Percy and Annabeth already know this information, but it highlights something that’s been bothering the son of the sea god ever since he stumbled into this world—this is the way the gods are with each other. It harkens back to that conversation on the train where Percy says, “People who are close to you aren’t supposed to treat you that way.”
Percy’s whole world has been turned upside down, not just because he’s found out the Greek gods are alive and well, but because he’s suddenly thankful that his dad was there to save his life and angry with his mother for not preparing him better for what’s to come. If you had asked episode 1 Percy whether he’d ever feel close to his dad and mad at his mom, he would’ve laughed in your face.
Annabeth pushes back against this notion, saying Sally did prepare him—she prepared him to be different than the rest of his family. She had her reasons for sharing these stories with him, just like she had her reasons for naming him after Perseus.
What I truly love about this scene is Annabeth’s desire to reassure Percy that although he might not be in his element right now, that doesn’t mean he has nothing to bring to the table. The relationship between these two characters has been evolving at a steady pace over the last five episodes, and it really comes to a head while they’re at Waterland. When Annabeth says she’s never seen a movie, Percy suggest they fix that after they make it out of there alive. When Percy’s stuck in the turnstile, Annabeth cracks her first joke in an attempt to relieve some of the tension he’s feeling in the moment. When they stop outside the Thrill Ride O’ Love, she says, “Don’t you even try to tell me not to be weird about this.” And when he mentions the fact that he didn’t say anything, she says, “I could feel you thinking it.” Just try to tell me these two aren’t on their way to becoming the best of friends! All it took was a little divine intervention and some mortal peril.
But there’s no time to think about that because the ride sends them barreling toward their destruction, and they must jump out of the boat and into the water to escape their doom. Percy has no idea how, but he saves them both with his water powers. I think having a shirt that reads, “I’m figuring this out as I go,” so he can point to it during appropriate moments, would be incredibly helpful over the next five seasons.
After going back through the story about the throne Hephaestus gifted to Hera, Percy figures out that it’s a bargain—one of them must sit in the throne in order to release the shield. And whoever goes in probably won’t be coming out.
Annabeth is quick to volunteer, but Percy tells her to wait. “This isn’t the Arch, Seaweed Brain,” Annabeth replies. “You’re not pushing me into the stairwell again.”
The shriek that left my mouth at hearing Seaweed Brain was totally normal and not at all unbecoming of a woman my age. And now that we’ve got that out of the way, I can say that I’m so happy they managed to slip that nickname into this argument. It was so fast, it took my brain a second to catch up and realize what was said. Though this scene was different than what was in the books, their back-and-forth is so genuine and so representative of these two from the novels.
After he stops her from sitting down in the throne, Percy lands the final blow, telling her that this is why she’s here—so she can be the one to sacrifice him in order to see that the quest succeeds. It harkens back to what Ares said about the gods pushing each other down a flight of stairs to get ahead, and you can see the hurt on Annabeth’s face as she realizes Percy’s implying she’s like the rest of them. But the reason why that sentiment is so painful is because it’s true. She’s better at being a demigod, and he trusts her to get the job done.
Percy relinquishes Riptide and starts toward the throne, turning back only to request a favor. Annabeth assumes he’s asking about rescuing his mom from the Underworld, and you can see how much that touches Percy. But he was really asking if Annabeth could swing by after the quest and get him out. “You think you had to ask?” she says. “Just making sure,” he replies.
The chemistry between these two actors turns an already heart-wrenching scene into one of the best this season has to offer so far. All of my reviews have ben effusive, but this Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 5 review might top the list. I really can’t overstate how incredible these two are on screen together. Each has tears in their eyes, and their words are soft and full of resignation. This is not a position either one of them thought they’d be in, but they can’t see another way around it.
Percy sits down, and the Annabeth watches as gold swirls up and across his body, encasing him until he is nothing more than a statue. His quiet “It’s okay. I’m okay. I’m okay. I’m okay. I’m—” just about killed me. It starts off as a reassurance for Annabeth, but that last one feels a little like he’s trying to console himself. He trusts Annabeth to do everything in her power to free him, and when she steps around the shield to look at the gears on the back of the throne, you know that she won’t rest until she learns exactly what lever to pull in order to free him.
Before she can, however, a man steps out from a secret door above her. It’s none other than Hephaestus, who reminds her that if she walks out of there with the shield in hand, she’ll have proven herself to her mother and gained the greatest glory. All will be as it should. “It isn’t how it should be,” Annabeth says. “It isn’t. Eat or be eaten. Power and glory and nothing else matters.” All the gods are like that, but Percy isn’t. And she doesn’t want to be anymore either.
It astounds me that Annabeth has known Percy for, what, a week or so? He’s challenged her way of thinking so profoundly that he’s shaken her convictions to the core and has her standing up to a god, refusing glory when it’s handed to her on a golden platter, and refusing to play her mother’s games any longer. This episode has gone above and beyond in terms of building the relationship between these two, but it’s also laying such a strong foundation for what is ultimately the entire goal of the series. And if it’s already happening in episode 5, I can’t wait to see what else they’ll bring to the table in future seasons.
Hephaestus, moved by Annabeth’s speech, releases Percy, saying, “Some of us don’t like being that way either,” before promising to put in a good word with her mom and leaving. While he wasn’t on screen for longer than a moment or two, Hephaestus made quite the impact, considering he listened to what Annabeth had to say and changed his mind about freeing Percy. We don’t often see glimpses of empathy in the gods, but we certainly saw it here.
Returning to the restaurant, Percy and Annabeth hand over Ares’ shield, and he keeps his promise to provide them help. A backpack full of supplies and a ride in the back of a truck hauling animals to Vegas isn’t much, but it’s all they have at the moment. At the Lotus Hotel and Casino, they’ll find Hermes, who will be able to transport them to L.A. and point them in the direction of the Underworld.
Before they part ways, Percy steps up to Ares and tells him that one day soon he might find out exactly what Percy is made of. We know this to be true, and we know the outcome, but it doesn’t make the clench of Ares’ jaw any less terrifying. Luckily, Grover pulls Percy back and utters potentially the funniest line in the show so far: “Thank you for the emotional abuse and the cheeseburgers—and the ride. We’re gonna take you up on that, too.”
With that, the trio load themselves into the truck, and Grover drops the bomb he’s been sitting on since his conversation with Ares—he knows who the lightning thief is.
‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ airs Tuesday nights on Disney+ at 9pm ET
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