Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Episode 1 Review: I Play Dodgeball With Cannibals (and Somehow Survive)

Reel Perspectives

December 15, 2025

Disney+

The Sea of Monsters era begins with prophecy, chaos, and just enough Percabeth tension to send fans into a spiral.

Percy Jackson Returns With Higher Stakes, Messier Gods, and Peak Middle-School Angst

Good Vibes Camp Counselor Morgan here, reporting for tween angst, mythological mess, and the return of Disney+’s most emotionally stressed middle schooler. Percy Jackson and the Olympians is back for Season 2, and the vibes are darker, the stakes are higher, and the gods remain… profoundly unserious.

Looking at you, Dionysus.

Set one year after the events of Season 1, the premiere opens with trouble already brewing. Grover (Aryan Simhadri) has been satyr-napped by a kraken while searching for the long-lost god Pan, Luke is still out there plotting like a man with too much time and not enough supervision, and Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) is spiraling after weeks of unanswered letters from his friends. Peace at Camp Half-Blood, it turns out, was always a temporary arrangement.

Enter Tyson (Daniel Diemer), a towering cyclops with golden retriever energy and a heart big enough to make you immediately worry for his safety. Taken in by Percy’s mom, Sally (Virginia Kull), Tyson is kind, loyal, and gentle — which, in the Percy Jackson universe, is basically a narrative death flag. After prophetic dreams and a chaotic taxi ride with the Gray Sisters (played by the incomparable Sandra Bernhard, Kristen Schaal, and Margaret Cho), Percy and Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries) rush back to camp, only to find that something is deeply off.

Their instincts are right. The camp’s magical barrier is failing, Thalia’s tree has been poisoned, and Luke makes his dramatic return to remind everyone that the era of safety is officially over. Clarisse goes full Ares-core, tensions boil, and Poseidon finally shows up to claim Tyson as his son.

Folks, a gentle reminder that all of these gods and goddesses continue to display aggressively hoe-ish tendencies to get with anything that walks, swims, or anyone and anything that draws breath, it seems.

What elevates this premiere is how much it trusts its characters. Tyson isn’t treated as a joke or a problem to be solved — he’s allowed to be tender, brave, and deeply human when he's actually anything but. Percy, meanwhile, is starting to realize that being a hero means making impossible choices, especially when the adults — and yes, the gods — refuse to act like adults at all.

The series also continues to stand out within Disney+’s crowded slate. Unlike the widely panned film adaptations, this version works because it lets its young cast grow naturally into their roles. And holy Hades, have these young stars aged so well since season 1. Way to go, casting team. 

More importantly, it presents a world where a Black girl can be the smartest person in the room without explanation or apology. Leah Sava Jeffries’ Annabeth is afforded something rare for a Black girl in fantasy: complexity without explanation, confidence without apology, and vulnerability without spectacle. Aryan Simhadri’s Grover brings warmth and humor without slipping into stereotype. For Black and brown kids watching, that representation hits different.

As both a longtime reader and now a devoted viewer, Percy and Grover perfectly capture the episode’s energy: “This is so cool.”

Top 3 Percabeth Squee Moments 🔱🧡🦉

1. Percy taping up Annabeth’s photo Straight out of The Sea of Monsters. Yes, there’s also a picture of Grover, but it’s the soft, lingering touch on Annabeth’s photo that does the talking. The subtext? Loud. Me? Tossing the book across the room.

2. “I never said boyfriend.” When the Gray Sisters assume Percy is Annabeth’s boyfriend, Annabeth spirals — twice — directly to Percy. The denial is immediate, emphatic, and deeply unconvincing. Sure, girl.

3. “That’s what I’m trying to do now.” Percy clocks what Annabeth doesn’t say about school and her attempt at a “normal” life, proving he knows her better than she thinks. They soften. They hesitate. Timing remains the villain. The angst is undefeated.

Shipping Verdict: The slow burn is intentional, the foundation is solid, and the middle-school dance awkwardness is officially entering its meme era.

🏛️ Olympian-Level Quotes

💭 “You guys get nightmares, right? Probably not like mine.” — Percy, casually unveiling his latest YA prophecy starter pack

Being a real hero means standing up for others.” — Sally Jackson, YA Mom and Most Responsible Parent of the Year (again)

🍷 “He never could keep his trident to himself.” — Mr. D, saying what everyone’s been thinking about these gods and their mini tridents

🧠 “Boom! Empathy link! Has to be!” — Grover, explaining the bromance telepathy with confidence and zero doubt

Reel Perspectives’ Grade

🏕️ Camp Half-Blood Rating: 9.2 / 10 Golden Drachmas  Smart, character-driven, and emotionally intentional — a strong start to a messier, angstier season.

🐦 What’s Happening this Season: