We’re past the halfway point now! And these kids aren’t done encountering gods on their quest… like, a lot more gods. Like, maybe the show shouldn’t have been front-loaded with this many gods?
Eh, whatever, I’m having fun.
While waiting to see if Percy survived, Grover and Annabeth see the fates cutting a thread, which… I mean, sure, I guess we can shove that in here. I really like this scene in the book, and I think its placement makes more sense at the beginning of the quest, especially with Percy being the one to notice them, then Grover panicking and reluctantly admitting what the cut means. But hey, I’m glad to see them.
Unfortunately, that scene is followed by one of my least favorite tropes. You know when a group of characters reconnect and only the love interests embrace? To bring back a reference from last week, like the Rebels season 1 finale? Why can’t Grover and Annabeth hug Percy? Sure, it’s a nice gesture from her, but Grover and Percy are supposed to be BFFs prior to this! Give us something from them, too! Cutting out scenes like the hacky sack game from the book is killing me – we’re supposed to see all three of them as a team by now, not Grover third-wheeling future Percabeth!
Anyhow, as the kids continue their journey, they follow canon nicely by encountering their second god of the week: Ares!
While many of the characters have me thinking “that’s not a bad interpretation,” Ares looks truly ripped from the pages of the book, motorcycle and all. His starting flame wars online is a fun modern take on him needing fights and chaos. And his interactions with Grover when the latter is smart enough to empathy-bond with him then narrow in on getting answers… that angle shift when the tone of their convo changes, good stuff!
This time around, instead of the trio taking on the amusement park together, it’s just Percy and Annabeth encountering a hilariously dated Tunnel of Love. And now I get to rant again about a terrible adaptation change!
The point! Of the spiders! Is to show that cool, brash, confident Annabeth has a deep, debilitating fear!!
We’d almost made it to the rim when the row of mirrors opened like hatches and thousands of tiny metallic . . . things poured out.
Annabeth screamed.
It was an army of wind-up creepy-crawlies: bronze-gear bodies, spindly legs, little pincer mouths, all scuttling toward us in a wave of clacking, whirring metal.
“Spiders!” Annabeth said. “Sp—sp—aaaah!”
I’d never seen her like this before. She fell backward in terror and almost got overwhelmed by the spider robots before I pulled her up and dragged her back toward the boat.
Chapter 15, A God Buys Us Cheeseburgers
I want to see Annabeth freaking out! I want her to experience pure, undiluted terror! I want Percy to be caught off guard by this massive drop in the front she puts on! And knowing the Ariadne story, the fear makes sense! Removing that scene just adds to this show’s irritating depiction of Annabeth!
But hey, at least we get a good scene from her later on! The inclusion of Hephaestus’s throne (and the accompanying myth) was a nice addition, paired with Hephaestus himself! I’m torn between “whoa, it’s so cool to see him!” and “I don’t know; is it too much to show two gods in one episode?” Either way, Annabeth’s speech to him was a highlight of the episode! While I wish she’d show some of this friendship and loyalty to Percy and Grover directly, this is still one of the best moments we’ve gotten from her yet!
That ending with Grover claiming he knows who stole the bolt… well, we’re obviously not making the big reveal at this point, so let’s see where this line will lead next week!
Here are my live notes!
