Recap:
Percy Jackson is back as he accepts a quest and ventures out past the protection of Camp Half-Blood.
In the attic of the Big House, Percy (Walker Scobell) is wandering through the remnants of previous quests looking for some hint of assistance. He comes upon the still form of the oracle, which Percy thinks is a Halloween decoration, but is surprised to see it come alive to grant validity to Percy’s upcoming quest.
The oracle green mist produces the image of Gabe Ugliano (Timm Sharp), which annoys Percy, but the oracle does offer advice for the upcoming journey. Back in the camp, Chiron (Glynn Turman) announces that the quest has been confirmed by the Oracle, and that Percy and his group will journey to Los Angeles to access the Underworld and confront Hades, the brother who has rebelled.
Percy immediately chooses Annabeth (Leah Jeffries) to join the quest. Grover (Aryan Simhadri) is off in the distance shoveling Pegasus poop and feels dejected. Percy joins his friend and tells the young satyr that he chose him to join his quest because Percy trusts Grover, even after the oracle warns that he will be betrayed, Percy believes in Grover’s friendship.
Returning to his cabin to pack up for the quest, Luke (Charlie Bushnell) walks in to wish him well. Luke explains what a golden drachma is, and how important they are. Luke also has a present for his friend. In a shoe box, Luke presents Percy with a pair of winged sneakers which were a gift from his father Hermes (Lin-Manuel Miranda). Percy explains why he didn’t choose Luke for the quest, and the older councilor tells him not to worry.
Before leaving camp, Annabeth says goodbye to the Thalia tree. Percy doesn’t understand why Zeus would not save his daughter Thalia and instead changed her into a tree. Annabeth has no time for Percy to understand the rules and sacrifices made by the gods and demigods. She tells him to pay attention and he might learn something on the quest. (The banter between Percy and Grover is pitch perfect in line with the dialogue from the book.)
The trio rides through New York City to catch a bus at the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Percy is less than impressed with having to travel by bus and wonders why Chiron didn’t spring for plane tickets. Grover explains that not only are monsters after them, but since Percy is a forbidden child, Zeus just might take a shot at killing him as well. There is no way they would be able to travel by air then because it’s Zeus’ domain.
While Percy and Annabeth argue over who is in charge, Grover frets over not wanting to be the tie breaking vote. Percy relents and Grover and he stay behind on the bus while Annabeth gets off to get snacks for the group. As Annabeth pays for the candy, she notices that Alecto/Mrs. Dodds (Megan Mullay) is in the store. Percy gets the details about what a monster senses.
Annabeth wears her invisible cap and confronts Alecto on the bus. Though she praises Annabeth, Alecto informs her that she is here to collect Percy and tries to entice her to turn him over. Alecto assumes her real form and attacks. Another Fury arrives which Annabeth quickly dispatches, and the three friends escape through the back window to the woods.
Safe for now, the group walks through the woods, and while Percy is concerned about their safety, Annabeth wants to know what Percy is afraid of. While the two argue, Percy learns that Grover was Annabeth’s protector first, and finally puts all the pieces together about what happened to Luke, Annabeth, and Thalia.
Confronting the satyr, Grover distracts the group with what he smells. The aroma of hamburgers gives Grover a direction which forces Annabeth and Percy to follow him. Through the woods, they stumble upon Auntie Em’s Emporium. Alecto surprises the group and lands to cut off their escape.
Auntie Em enters the scene, and the group averts their eyes. Percy learns that Auntie Em is Medusa (Jessica Parker Kennedy). Medusa offers them a choice, lunch with her, or fight Alecto. Percy convinces the group to accept her invitation and encourages his friends to trust Medusa, because his mom always told a better story of the cursed mythical figure.
Percy, Grover, and Annabeth enter the building and while Medusa assures Annabeth that she holds no grudge against her because she is the daughter of Athena. Percy asks if Medusa isn’t a monster, then what is she. Medusa explains that she sees herself as a survivor, and that she doesn’t like bullies. When a bully arrives on her doorstep, they end up spending more time than they planned. (I love the petrified statues of various creatures.)
Medusa asks if they know the real story about how she became the monster she was. Explaining that her devotion to Athena was never answered by the god, Medusa explains that another god, Poseidon, spoke to her and told her that he loved her. Athena took that as an insult and punished Medusa so that no one would ever see her again. Annabeth refutes this lie, and while Medusa convinces Percy to help her in the kitchen, Annabeth tells the feasting Grover to get ready to run.
Trying to reduce the tension, Percy tells Medusa that Annabeth isn’t usually so confrontational. Medusa tells Percy that Annabeth will betray him, and though he denies this, Medusa insists that he will be an easy mark for the daughter of Athena. Trying to connect with Percy by comparing herself to Sally Jackson, Medusa explains that she feels protective of Percy. Sowing seeds of doubt about Grover and Annabeth, she offers to remove them from stopping Percy from saving his mother in the Underworld.
The trio band together and try to hide. Medusa removes her head covering because her nice approach is over, and the monster has been unleashed. Hiding in the basement of the house, Grover is wearing the winged shoes Luke gave him, and the trio hope to avoid Medusa. When the basement cavern is lit, more petrified statues appear startling the heroes. Amongst the darkness the haunting voice of Medusa fills the air and begins to hunt them as her newest statue conquests.
Playing on their insecurities, Medusa confronts Percy, who wisely looks away. Though she hopes to solidify her friendship with Percy (Yes, I intended that pun.) Grover crash lands in the flying shoes which distracts Medusa allowing Annabeth the opportunity to place her invisible hat on the monster and lets Percy decapitate the fiendish villain. (This was a clever change from the original text.) Grabbing the invisible head, Percy walks outside towards Alecto and removes the hat which freezes the monster instantly and Medusa’s head appears.
In the caverns Grover finds the petrified form of his Uncle Ferdinand. He explains that this must have been as far as he got on his quest, and despite the other statues Ferdinand doesn’t look afraid. Wondering what to do with the head of Medusa, Percy suggests leaving the hat on to keep the head hidden.
This creates another argument between Percy and Annabeth. Grover has had enough with the fighting between his two friends. Trying to resolve the tension and bitterness, Percy finally admits what the oracle told him. He explains that someone is supposed to betray him, and that he will fail to save what matters most to him. Though they didn’t choose the quest, Grover unites the group as a team to work together.
Percy plans to ship Medusa’s head to Olympus via Medusa’s shipping organization. While Annabeth and Grover disagree with the idea, Percy is insistent. He believes the gods will take the delivery of the head as a tribute. (Something tells me that Percy is very wrong in this assumption.)
The shipped head arrives at the Empire State Building where it makes its way to the 600-floor courtesy of the god of deliveries, Hermes (Lin-Manuel Miranda).
Review:
This is a pivotal moment for Percy, Annabeth, and Grover. They need to figure out their own quirks and quarks if they hope to succeed on the quest. Before entering the Underworld, these three need to be unified, and their encounter with Alecto and Medusa is a necessary step to their success.
Jessica Parker Kennedy’s Medusa is incredible. Confined to being the vile villain of Greek mythology, we get a far more nuanced and human approach to the character that may have readers reflect on what they know about this mythical monster. Medusa is a survivor of the bitter mistreatment of the gods, and she is given a life on the show that is memorable for such a short appearance in the show.
I would credit a great script for this set up, but Jessica Parker Kennedy has brought out such a strong performance that it reminds me that Percy Jackson and the Olympians is filled with monumental moments that are small steps on the journey. Medusa definitely gets a much more appreciated tone as opposed to just outright casting her as the monster.
Of course, what makes Medusa so dangerous is that the trio, especially Percy, starts to connect with and see the viewpoint of Medusa. This is a major growth point for Percy. He needs to be able to trust Annabeth and Grover and not fall victim to the monsters he will encounter.
I like how even though the audience may sympathize with Medusa, she shows her true colors, and when defeated by Percy, it’s a step stone on his journey. The fact that the disposal of the head brings in Lin-Manuel Miranda as Hermes is a perfect entry point for the messenger god in the show.
Not only was it great to see Miranda on screen, but it was a wonderful moment to solidify how Percy is going to challenge the gods. Sending the head of Medusa to Mount Olympus is one way to announce your independence from tradition, and Percy succeeded in a triumph.
Episode Rating: A
For even more, be sure to check out this week’s installment of the Page to Screen series looking at how this episode was adapted from the book series.