'The Lightning Thief' Ch. 7-11 | Percy Jackson

Transcript was generated automatically and its accuracy may vary.

0:00

Hey, I'm Derek.

And I'm Noah, and you're listening to A Bite Of, where we take our current favorite pop culture obsession and enjoy it 1 Nibble at a time.

Just one nibble.

OK, second episode of our ABO Book Club, reading through Percy Jackson.

0:21

The first one we're on.

Our second part?

We're halfway through.

That's wild.

It's really wild.

We read half a book already.

I mean, I know that's how reading works.

Of a middle grade book?

Yes.

Hey, this is dense, OK?

There's a lot being talked about here.

There's a lot of Greek history that we have to learn if.

0:40

A lot, yeah.

It's so, you know, normal stuff, subscribe, review, do all that stuff.

We're on our way to get 200 reviews, so please do that.

So just go down, do some stars.

Also, if you're on Spotify, we put questions and polls because Spotify lets you do that now.

0:57

So that's pretty cool.

So we have 50 Spotify baby.

Yeah, we have like stuff down there.

Go at this stuff there.

There are just so many ways to interact with us, so many different apps to follow us on.

You could you have the pick of the litter?

Very true.

Whichever one you like most.

So we're doing this, just explaining it one more time, one more time, because it's only the 2nd episode, you know?

1:18

So we're reading these chapter by chapter, breaking it down, talking about it.

If you've been with us since the beginning, you kind of know how this goes.

We've done this before.

It's a lot of fun.

We got new chairs, so we're probably going to be swiveling like this Part.

I realize that it's it's almost like I don't need my fidget that I have in my hands because I'm just going to be doing this the.

1:37

People watching this are going to be like, What is wrong with them?

There used to be like an AB machine that like you just do this back and forth.

We're going to have 6 packs.

Are we going to look like that, Minotaur?

Oh my God, so strong and big and burly.

1:54

But the chapter by chapter.

So today we are going through chapters 7 through 11 of The Lightning Thief.

Yeah.

So if you haven't read them yet, spoiler alert.

Big spoiler alert yes.

And also if you have read them, don't forget to jump on our discord or also send us your thoughts on ABO nibbles@gmail.com yeah?

2:15

I'll send us those thoughts.

Yeah, so let us officially take a bite of Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

The Lightning Thief.

Chapter 7 through 11.

So Chapter 7 is called My Dinner Goes Up in smoke, doused in duty water.

2:30

Annabeth continues Percy's tour, telling him all about the demigod drama.

Luke chats about Chiron putting the kibosh on quests.

Percy makes the meat extra.

Well done and leaves us with a foreboding final frame.

I was really excited to get to these chapters because this is when the quest starts.

2:47

This is when, like the book really kicks into high gear.

But this is like the third chapter in a row with a lot of exposition.

But at least chapter seven kind of lays the plot a little bit, yes.

And I also think that a good number of the questions that we had in our last episode get answered in this chapter, in some of the later chapters.

3:10

And so it's what's fantastic about this is Annabeth is just such a delight that even though she has been fully splashed with toilet water by Percy, she's still like, OK, so over here we have the climbing walls, she she continues to take them on his tour.

3:28

And we, we do learn a lot about why they're there, why they're there for longer periods of time and which is one of the questions that we had.

We're like, wait, is it just a summer camp?

Is it an all year thing?

And it turns out it's both, yeah.

I I do have, you know, again read these books so long ago I don't really remember.

3:46

Like what the cut off is, right?

So we we know that if you don't get a quest or anything you kind of can stay there, but like you don't want to be out in the real world, the mortal world, especially if you're a higher tier God's kid.

But like I kind of wish, I wish that we had more time at Camp Half Blood.

4:05

I don't know how much more we would see like I want to see more rock climbing wall action because there's boulders and fire and everything.

But in these chapters that we're going to talk about today, they leave.

At this point, so we only got a little tiny snippet of it.

I'm happy the time we got and I'm glad that we're outside of it.

4:23

But I am curious, like, can you just decide to stay?

Like, I know the Oracle might give you a quest and you have to do this and that, but like can you stay?

Like, are you only there during the summer?

But there's year rounders?

I don't know, right.

So like you said, we don't get a lot of time here and and in my little synopsis I say that Percy leaves us the foreboding frame because throughout these chapters he still is doing that, breaking the 4th wall thing, talking directly to us.

4:48

And the the last line of this chapter is that was my first day Camp Half Blood.

I wish I'd known how briefly I would get to enjoy my new home.

That's us, yes.

And so, and I agree, it kind of feels like it's like going to the magical school, but only staying there for three days and then going elsewhere.

5:07

It's like we're here because we want to meet all these people.

I would have loved to have gone in the cabins a little more to get to know a lot of the other campers, what sort of sons and daughters and and children of specific gods are like.

I thought that would have been a lot of fun.

5:23

So I do agree with that.

But like we said, Annabeth does a lot of telling us what this is all about.

You know, we know that both she and Luke have these beaded necklaces and basically you get a different bead for every year that you've been there.

5:39

She's been there for, what, seven?

Since she was 7?

Since she was seven, yeah, so she's like 5 now.

She has five.

Luke has five.

Math is math thing.

The Greeks can do math, and apparently so can we she.

They also make a distinction that Luke also has five, but she also has a golden ring on her necklace.

5:58

They didn't explain that though, but she does say that some campers only stay this summer.

If you're a child of Aphrodite or Demeter, you're probably not a real powerful force.

The monsters might ignore you so you can get by with a few months of summer training and and live in the mortal world.

Which is sort of hilarious because it's kind of like, well, if they don't really care about you, you'll be fine.

6:18

Your stench isn't stenchy enough.

Yeah, it's like a whiff rather than a stench.

It's like you just need some extra deodorant.

And in this chapter, so Percy and Annabeth talk a little bit, and she's just pretty much saying, like, you're a demigod, your your father is an Olympian.

6:35

Like this is what this is.

It's stuff that we kind of know, but like Percy is just kind of bewildered by everything that he has to be told this.

And what's really interesting about this, again, being in first person, is that like when we hear things about like Annabeth's father, like we we know we got it, we know what he does, we know where he is, she knows that her mother's Athena.

6:58

It's great.

But like the detriment, I think to like point of view, like first person, is that like we'll only know the extent of the story if it's told to him.

So like we won't get a chapter where it's like.

And of Beth grew up here and this is how our house was.

7:15

So it's only whenever they're giving it to you, right.

And so like all the development stuff is kind of happening over here and we're stuck with Percy.

What I do like, but I'm also like can we know a little more.

And I know it's worth their story and we're going to get more later.

But like, I just want a little more.

Yeah, I I think that is definitely part of Reardon's plan because in meeting all of these new people and these new characters in this new world, we're with Percy and feeling out, well, who can we actually trust and why are they holding back information?

7:46

And I think that's a big part of Percy's story.

I think with any God or demigod you are on a quest not knowing who's actually your ally or who can turn around and stab you in the back.

So I think that this is all part of this Greek myth that Reardon is is handing to us.

8:04

But I think as a reader, it can be frustrating because you're just like, tell me now because, like you're saying with Annabeth, she's been there for five years, you know, Percy thinks that he's like, who's your father?

She's like, well, my father's a teacher.

My mother is Athena, you know, So shame on you.

Yeah.

8:20

Why do you think it has to be?

Percy is Jackson.

And I want to say like, again, I don't want to keep like alluding to other works and stuff like that.

But even within these first 11 chapters, the the awareness of some of that is more at the forefront than some of the other big series that we've gotten, especially in this age group.

8:39

And I really appreciate it.

Like, I mean, even just using the word sexist in there, I think is important for even kids that age to, like, understand like, oh, that's what that means.

Like, no, I shouldn't assume that it has to be the male God it could be.

A woman?

8:55

Yeah, 100%.

And I think that Reardon also does something where he's not really sugar coating the myths that much either.

Because Annabeth says here she's like, you know, all those stories about the gods just going around and sleeping with people, Well, they're true and that's what they did.

And that's why we're all here.

9:10

That's our parents.

Those are our parents.

Yes.

They sleep around a lot.

And so I think that's the truth of it, right.

Those are those tales.

Those are those myths.

And so as a middle grade novel, I mean, he's not saying like, you know, they were, you know, fucking people left and right.

But he's saying like he's saying, well yeah, this is what they did and that's why we're here.

9:31

And I mean it.

It does sort of sort of show how they're deadbeat parents, though, how they just have these kids and then disappear forever.

There are some reasons why, which we will find out a little later.

I mean, they still do it.

But like, my problem though is that Chiron and Mr. D are very busy rounding up all your children in one easy access point and they can't even care to visit.

9:56

What about the play at the end of the summer?

It's a it's a camp.

I'm sure they have some sort of craft day.

Just reenactment of their parents adventures.

Totally.

So the end of this chapter, really.

This chapter was just saying, yeah, you're a demigod, this is.

10:12

A tidbit of my family, but like, that's really it.

These are how this is how the camp works, and here's the rock climbing wall.

I want to see more of that.

But really, the only way to leave is if you get a quest.

Yes, and it wouldn't be Percy Jackson if there wasn't going to be a quest being introduced.

10:28

Yes, and and we also learn here that Luke has a little bit of a back story, that quest stop being a thing when he messed things up for everyone, he says.

The last years, ever since my trip to the Garden of the Hesperities went sour, Chiron hasn't allowed any more quests.

10:45

So Luke is telling us this, but it's also showing us that maybe he has a little bit of a chip on his shoulder.

And what exactly did he mess up, especially for everybody else and particularly Annabeth, Right, Exactly.

So there's something there that again in our Percy Jackson first person point of view, we're only getting one tiny tidbit of information.

11:08

And then we also, you know have the idea of giving the offerings to the gods and.

Which I think is funny because I, you know, my my mythology is like, not really.

I'm at the forefront of my head right now, but what I want to say, there was a story where like, they kind of, like, didn't, like, stopped doing that.

11:26

Like, they were like, you don't have to give, like the best parts of your thing to the offering, whatever.

So I do think it's funny that they're like, still doing it, but like, I want the cup that he has because he could just tell it what he wants.

And he says I want Cherry Coke.

And then he's like, wait, I want blue Cherry Coke?

11:43

And it turns blue.

And it's perfect.

That's so cool.

What would my cup be Full of water.

The perfect lemon accented water.

Yeah, just a hint of lime or lemon.

So refreshing.

Oh, it's not tart, it's not sour, it's not bitter.

12:00

It's just gorgeous.

What would yours be?

I mean it's like, if I'm being honest, probably like a Sprite.

I love Sprite.

He does love a Sprite.

Sprite right here.

No, it goes on.

Sprite runs.

He's like, I'm going to the store, I'm like, what do you need?

He's like Sprite.

12:16

It's Friday, I don't have any Sprite.

I need it.

But like if I wanted to be healthy, or at least my favorite juice or something.

Guava.

Whoa.

I love guava juice.

What about Aloe I?

Do have aloe both and two separate cups.

12:35

I actually do think they make a guava flavour.

They do.

It's not.

OK, you know what?

Don't.

Just because they're both your favorites doesn't mean they should be together every once in a while.

Mine would have like a milkshake in it.

Oh, that's nice.

What kind?

Chocolate.

No, not for you.

12:52

No.

Vanilla.

Yeah, I know.

Cookies and cream.

Cookies and cream is good made with oat milk.

Let us know what you would have in your cup chalice.

I don't know what it was.

If you were to raise your cuppeth to the ceiling if, what would it be followed with?

13:11

So then, at the end of this chapter, we do get that line that we said I wish I had.

I had known how briefly I would get to spend my time here.

Way to lay it on thick, Perseus.

He's always reflecting back into this.

So this brings us to Chapter 8, which is an exciting one and I think one that kind of broke a lot of people's back when it came to the movie.

13:32

Yes, because they whatever.

We won't get into that now, but this one has the most direct chapter title.

Chapter 8.

We capture a flag.

OK, I think they're all pretty direct, right?

Yes, But this one isn't as silly, you know, They're like more.

The other ones are like, fine, no, I blew up a bus.

13:47

So you know, like, I zonked my math teacher.

This one's like we capture a flag.

What do we do?

In this one we play Capture the flag.

Percy can't always come up with nice titles.

Sometimes he's tired.

OK, so Percy finds that camp activities don't come easily until it's time for capture the flag.

14:04

The game reveals Percy is a pawn in Annabeth's plan.

There's sneaky, sinister summons and Percy's Papa is Poseidon.

Oh.

My God, your peas.

I was trying to hold them back.

I was trying.

I was trying to, not just.

I just made in in general, a lot of peas.

14:20

I'm this is, I'm scared.

So I'm halfway through the book and so I've already used so many P words I'm I'm nervous that I'm going to run out by our next episode.

Well, OK, so in Chapter 8, we find out what Percy is good at and not good at.

14:36

He's not good at everything, but he's not good at most most things.

Yeah, and he's good at canoeing.

Water, yeah.

But he's not good at archery, foot racing or fighting, which I feel like he is good at fighting, like he has his moments.

14:55

But the other one's fine, yeah?

Yeah.

And and we have Luke trying to make him feel a little better about all of his failures.

And he's like, you know, maybe you are really one of us.

Maybe you are a child of Hermes and you just are Jack of all trades and you're good at a bunch of things or or not good at a bunch of.

15:12

Things, which is kind of nice, like Hermes isn't a bad cabin to be in.

It's a little crowded, but like it seems mostly nice.

I feel like I would be in Hermes just because I like being a host.

That is true.

15:28

You'd be like, the best parts of Hermes.

Yeah?

Yeah, I wouldn't.

I don't think I would be so much the thief or the trickster.

I'd be like, what kind of cheeses do you like?

I'm making a charcuterie.

Yes, very true.

And you welcome everybody.

I welcome everybody.

I got jellies and gyms and trackers.

15:43

Don't betray people.

And you don't steal stuff.

I I try not to.

Unless it's just your heart.

So next episode we'll take a quiz.

So you're supposed to do that.

No, we weren't.

Yeah, he's winking.

Winking.

15:59

Winking at the camera, we'll take a quiz to see what cabin we're supposed to be in, and then we'll post it on Discord.

What if I get Athena?

That would be so confusing.

I feel like I'm going to be Athena.

That makes sense.

It would make sense.

Or Athena Or Zeus.

OK, I thought you were going to say another one, and I was about to be Hades.

16:15

Yeah, I don't think he doesn't have a cabin.

That's true.

He's not invited.

OK, so Luke does the.

Older camp counselor thing and kind of takes Percy under his wing and teaches him some swordplay, some sword fighting.

16:32

Watch your man all.

Right.

Just stop.

Oh my.

But he teaches him how to reverse and how to parry and all of that, and Percy actually picks it up pretty quickly.

So I do think it's funny at the beginning of this, it's like he's not good at this, but then he like, learns very quickly.

16:49

Maybe he just needs his like.

Demigodness To activate a little more.

Yeah.

I mean, the kid barely even knew.

I mean, he's known.

He's a demigod.

What, for two days now, If even that?

Yeah.

He was just told in the last chapter, so everybody back off.

17:05

Let him chill out for a second.

How is he supposed to be climbing walls and not falling into lava?

Just give him his time.

So he does it to Luke and Luke's like, right on, man.

Very good.

But we get a history lesson in this one, and it's with Grover, which I actually think it's kind of nice.

17:27

I didn't remember how much Grover and Percy really weren't together in the camp.

It makes sense, right?

He was in the beginning and now it's more about him and Annabeth kind of getting close but also discovering this world and Camp Half Blood.

But I do like these moments that Grover and Percy are able to be best friends, but also Grover being able to get all of this information out to him.

17:50

That he hasn't been able to tell him before, right?

Absolutely.

And I mean, we have to remember that Grover and Percy were friends before they even got to camp.

Grover knew who Percy really was, but Percy didn't know that he was a Seder.

And so they do have that relationship and they are best buds.

And so it is nice that, you know, I think at this camp the demigods are busy doing X things on some days while the Seders are doing other things.

18:12

And we know that there's like Seders, Niads and like 100 demigods there, which isn't.

No.

And some walls down, they're everywhere, right?

I wonder if the Niads, because there's a scene where we've seen a part in the book where they kind of like look at Percy, but like kind of like act like they know him but don't.

18:31

And so I'm curious if they, like, know, but they didn't say anything to him.

You belong down here with us, young Sir.

Come here.

Come weave baskets with us in the ocean.

Which is nice.

So Grover tells us and Percy that about sixty years ago, after World War 2, the Big Three, who are Zeus, Poseidon and Hades, the brothers.

18:54

I always want to say it's Aries because usually Hades isn't.

I don't know.

Grouped in with like when we think that's the problem with Hades, though.

Poor Hades.

He's always like I'm here.

Too.

I love Hades.

Like his stories are always so interesting.

He's awful, but he's very interesting.

19:10

I was just, I watched.

I wasn't part of, but for my Stonewall committee there was a big discussion about how Hades is very misunderstood and I feel like Olympus lore.

I only read the first volume of that.

That delves more into who Hades actually is compared to the Disney version of Hades, which he's like, you know?

19:29

Love it, though.

Like Robotnik?

That's not true.

It's like James Woods.

So.

So they agreed these big three after World War 2 that they wouldn't make any more heroes.

Just those three, because they were causing too much chaos.

19:47

They were too powerful compared to the other ones, and they were making too many of them, which makes sense compared to like those three.

They got around quite a bit.

Pay attention to your children.

So we go ahead.

20:04

I want to say we also hear and then it goes into a little bit of the lore of of Camp Half Blood and and the Hill.

Right.

So we learn of a demigod, the daughter of Zeus named Thalia.

Thalia, how would you say?

20:19

How do you say it?

That's Thalia.

Thalia I would say yeah, I feel like the the Greek names are really more of like how they actually look instead of like putting flair.

Maybe they'll say it in the show and then we will know.

I listen to it on audiobook and I think I want to say it's Thalia.

20:35

OK, so we'll say Thalia.

Right now there there is a there is a Latin American pop star named Thalia that spells it that way.

Anyway, And so she was almost in the camp, but she sacrificed herself and now she was turned into this giant tree that protects the camp and everything.

20:53

And that's why monsters and stuff can't get in.

They can get in.

If somebody summons them, they can't get in.

So she is forever protecting the camp, which is very sad but very sweet.

And this was Zeus's kid.

And so that's kind of what caused a big rift between a lot of stuff that was happening and they made, they swore on the River Styx that they wouldn't do this anymore.

21:14

But of course, Percy is here and they've been making other kids, so it doesn't really go well for their relationship at Mount Olympus.

But you know.

They have such family drama.

It's like they just can't help it.

21:31

They can't help it.

Yeah, but this leads into finally our big capture the flag scene.

We had to get some exposition again setting it up, but now we have capture the flag, yes, which was a lot of fun.

It was, and we got to see a really great fighting scene.

So a lot of the time, I mean, we haven't had a big action scene since the Minotaur fight with his mom, and so the last couple of chapters have just been him.

21:53

Getting used to camp half blood and knowing what goes on there.

So this was really fun because he's kind of thrown into it.

I mean, he is on Luke and Annabeth's team, so we're like, yay, the good guys and they're going against Clarice.

But Clarice has our target set on Percy for no other reason than an act of vengeance.

22:11

I mean, Aries, it makes sense.

So we have we have Athena and Apollo and Hermes.

Cabins versus Aries.

Confess this and the other ones because they just made alliances with all of them, so they pretty much just conglomerated into a full-fledged team, while Hermes pretty much is a bulk on most of the other team.

22:32

And so I I love how Chyron explains the rules.

He's like the Greek is the boundary line.

The entire force is fair game.

All magic items are allowed.

I will serve as referee and battlefield medic.

OK, like that's you can't bound or gag them, but everything else is fine.

22:49

Yeah, he's like, and I will be the referee.

I will make sure no one gets hurt.

And I also will always have a bow and arrow at the ready.

Now let's talk about a Jack of all trades.

It's our Goodman, Karen, who also on the side is a Latin teacher.

Yeah.

So he's just, you know, when you got it all, you got it all.

23:07

He did not train Hercules and Jason and Achilles and all of them for nothing.

I don't know if he did.

He actually train Achilles.

I feel like the song of Achilles is going to mess with my head.

I'm just going to say you did.

I'm agreeing because I have the same knowledge that you do of our good horse legged friend here.

23:26

So during the game there has to be at least two people guarding the flag at all times.

So Annabeth and Percy are going to be guarding the flag she puts on her Yankees cap, which is so cool.

The famous turns are invisible, which I love it when these type of things like use normal items, but they have the mythical properties, which is a lot of fun.

23:47

Also it's a Yankees cap or New York.

It makes sense.

And so she leaves.

So he just, she's just by a Creek and he's like, OK, I got this and of course Clarice and all her goons come up and are like, OK, we're going to get paid back here.

If they don't even go for the flag, they could have went for the flag.

24:04

They were just waiting for him to be by himself and.

Clarice is just hell bent on vengeance, and she even has an electrified spear so cool that she's fighting with it.

Yes, she is very cool, Clarice, but she's also very scary.

And it's funny because not only is it just her goons, but it's her.

24:22

It's her siblings.

Oh yeah, that's what I meant.

They're all half siblings.

They're just hilarious.

I mean, aren't they all technically kind of related in some weird way?

Well, they're all cousins.

Yeah.

Well, are they all cousins?

Are all the Olympians siblings?

I don't think so Everywhere.

24:39

Well, they were kind of weird.

We need to, we need to do a little more.

We need to do a little more research only because like Percy and Annabeth, like you know.

Kissing cousins, Kissing cousins.

Oh, my Celestial removed.

Yeah.

So OK, well, no, I think they are right.

24:55

Weren't they all swallowed by Kronos?

And then we threw them all up except for Zeus.

Y'all OK we got to do some research or let us know.

It's all incestual, but I mean, at this point in time, I mean, it's been millennia, so I'm sure the DNA is a little different.

25:14

I don't know.

It got weird.

It got weird.

So he's I'm just going to move on from this.

Take us away from here.

You're spiraling.

So when all is said and done, he ends up fending off Clarice.

I really can't wait for this fight in the show because the one that we got in the movie was not great.

25:34

Also in the movie, him and Annabeth were like enemies.

It was ridiculous.

Well, because she because Clarice wasn't in the movie.

I feel like Annabeth was like a mix between Annabeth and Clarice because she was very much like an antagonist.

Yes, we're at the camp and then they left.

25:51

And then she's like, oh, you're great.

Yeah, I feel like the teasing in the book.

Is just that, it's teasing, whereas in the movie it felt more like bullying and she felt like, why are you even here, you turd, whereas here she's like, you're a seaweed brain.

Come on.

Well, that's nice, though.

Yeah?

So he has some battle wounds.

26:07

He ends up breaking her spirit that she's not happy about that.

But the water wakens something inside of him, and you know, he becomes determined.

He finally got in the last chapter, he told the fire.

Please show me a sign, Claim me whatever.

26:26

And in this, when he finally goes into the water to heal himself, he feels invigorated.

Annabeth is like, step out of the water and he's like felt very weak.

He felt his, you know, he's not numb anymore.

He goes back into the water, he heals, and then the Trident above his head.

Yes, Poseidon is like, that's my kid.

26:43

I love you.

Which is bad, because he wasn't home.

He wasn't supposed to have any more kids.

And for Poseidon to go out of his way to claim a demigod is not good.

Yeah.

And so Chiron kind of makes this big announcement, he says.

26:58

Poseidon, Earthshaker, Storm Bringer, father of horses, Hail Perseus Jackson, son of the sea God.

And everybody's like.

Another part of this, though, is that we get the Hell Hound right inside of Camp Half Blood, which means that someone summoned it.

27:17

So there's a bit of a.

A mole within the ranks here, which is.

It's good, though, that Kyron had that bow because he took it out real quick.

Yeah, because it like, was going to kill Percy.

Yeah, it just went straight for him, which it just, it furthers the thing of like people are definitely after Percy for some reason, which we find out in this next chapter, but somebody in camp is after him as well, as it's not good that he's Poseidon's kid.

27:45

Right, right.

For for like you're saying many reasons, so.

Chapter 9.

I am offered a quest.

See another simple.

I guess that one is all right.

All right, the next one Stop.

I stand corrected.

Being Poseidon's sun isn't a day at the beach.

28:01

Percy accepts a quest to retrieve a stolen lightning bolt.

He heads to the attic to be told by a hippie mummy that he's going to fail.

Very nice.

He's in Cabin 3 by himself.

And I love it.

I love that he's finally in his own space.

It isn't used by anyone.

28:18

He can kind of just breathe and relax and not be like it.

He doesn't like being alone.

Well, he tells himself.

Lights out.

Yeah, it's very sad.

But also like, what's kind of shitty in this situation too, is like, there's another part to this that I forgot, But like, there's the aspect of the mortal world knowing that a mother and son disappeared and when he gets to the cabin on his door is a piece of a newspaper about his disappearance.

28:46

And you know, smelly Gabe is blaming Percy.

Yeah, he's like he was a troubled boy, which is like you're just mad your Camaros torn shreds.

Absolutely.

Like, fuck off.

What about your wife?

Aren't you concerned about her?

Doesn't care.

No.

I mean, in the little bit that we got, he didn't say anything about that.

29:03

Yeah.

And and and we also know, though, that the way Percy perceives this is that.

Someone is kind of playing games with him inside the camp.

So there was the monster and now there's this like mysterious article left there.

So he feels like there is definitely someone that is coming for him.

29:21

And also the number to call, like if you know information, it's circled so it's like we're fucked up.

That's not nice.

So somebody knows and it's not good.

As soon as he gets out of camp half blood, is somebody going to call that number?

We'll see.

Depends there.

Is there a reward?

Probably so.

29:36

Mr. D summons Percy because he needs to talk to him, because he was determined.

And Percy is worried that the gods are fighting because of him, because of his existence, which technically they kind of are.

But like, it's one of those things of like, Percy keeps having these visions.

I think the first vision he had when he was at the cabin with his mom, he saw a horse and an eagle fighting.

29:56

Those are monikers of Poseidon and Zeus.

Now he has another vision of these people fighting, and it's ancient Greek robes fighting on the beach and he hears like kind of snippets of things, but you know, give it back, tell him to give it back, blah blah blah.

30:13

He doesn't really know.

You finally find out, though, that the master bolt has been stolen.

Yes, So the master bolt is described as a 2 foot long cylinder of high grade Celestial bronze capped on both ends with God level explosives.

30:33

I don't know what that means.

I don't either, but I really like how it looks in the show.

Is it just like a Roman candle?

Like fireworks had it in the motion poster.

It looks like a lightning bolt, but it has like a little handle in the middle.

It's really cool.

Delightful.

30:48

Good for travelling, but that's that's how Zeus gets like his.

Yes, it's like the master bolt where he gets the other bolts from.

Don't know how it works.

It's cool.

Chiron goes on to say I just like this description.

Zeus's master bolt, the symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned.

31:06

The first weapon made by the Cyclops of the war against the Titans, the Bolt had sheared the top of Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne.

The Master Bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers.

31:23

Very nice.

So it's good that it was stolen.

Yeah, and no one knows where it is and like, but they think it's Percy.

And Percy's like, oh, got it.

He's like, I just found out.

It's like, I don't know if you remember what happened to me just two days ago.

31:40

I'm dyslexic.

Yeah, I just learned why I can understand Ancient Greek.

I did not have time to go steal this lightning bolt.

I didn't even know I existed in this world when that got stolen.

But This is why he keeps having visions of both of them fighting.

31:56

Because they're having like the worst fight Concenturies these two.

And and Zeus is like my brother stole my lightning bolt and he's having his cyclops make more.

And Poseidon's like, no, go fuck yourself.

Yeah, I don't know what Poseidon's doing.

32:11

I will say Cyclops has come in.

The series is and becomes like a very lovely character.

I do remember that, yeah, because it's very nice.

What's his name?

I don't remember.

It was a brother, though.

Why would you ask this?

I don't know.

I somebody were fine.

You said you liked it.

You said you liked it.

32:28

I know, but I didn't remember.

At least I at least I was like, I just don't know.

Jack.

No.

Percy Jackson is OK, so moving on again.

So Chyron tells Percy that he has to go upstairs to the attic to get the quest from the Oracle.

32:45

Because even though Chyron has heard some of Annabeth's, you know, like he knows Annabeth's fate, he won't tell her that he knows about this.

He won't tell him that you have to get it.

This is just a rite of passage.

They're all about tradition, these, these gods and this mythology and stuff.

33:03

But it makes for a very cool scene.

Goes up to the attic, smells like reptiles.

Gross.

He doesn't like that smell.

Mummy opens her mouth, green smoke comes out.

And who comes out?

None other than smelly Gabe and his friends playing poker.

Yeah, hilarious.

And this is how the Oracle delivers the information.

33:19

So it's a Four Point Destiny?

Yeah, here.

So the four points are You shall go West and face the God who has turned cool.

Understand.

Right.

Everything's a Riddle.

You shall find what was stolen and see it safely returned.

33:35

That feels like the lightning bolt.

We got it.

You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend.

There's a few.

Anyone, and you shall fail to save what matters most in the end.

Cool.

What's fun is that if you read them, it rhymes.

33:52

Yeah.

Whereas in the book there's like you know, he's describing the friends.

So you shall go West and face the God who has turned.

You shall find what was stolen and see it safely returned.

You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend, and you shall fail to save what matters most in the end.

Very nice.

So fine.

34:08

So cool, He So Kyron tells him that they're kind of like double meaning.

Like, you know, it's not exactly what they mean.

Great.

Again, just talking rules doesn't really.

Help.

And then Kyron's like, OK, goodbye, goodbye, bye.

But Percy doesn't tell him about the last two because, one, it says somebody that calls you a friend is going to betray you.

34:26

So I do think it's smart on Percy to be like, I'm not really going to tell my friends.

Grover's right there.

Like, somebody's going to betray me because, like, what if I tip them off that I know, even though Kyron's like, tell me everything that they said and he's like, I'll tell you 2.

Not for almost everything, because he also says that he won't, that that failed to save what matters most.

34:47

In the end, he doesn't tell him that either.

Which is it?

His mom?

His mom?

Is it the lightning bolt?

Is his relationship with his father.

Who knows what matters most to Percy at this moment.

I tell you it's his mom.

But will it change over the course of this journey?

35:04

There's still half a book left.

We have to find out.

So we do find out that he is going to have to go to the underworld, to Hades, because they work out, which I wish Zeus would do this.

And he's like, who would send hell hounds?

Oh hell Hades, OK, Hades would do that.

35:24

Who would benefit from making Zeus the Poseidon fight Hades.

So he's like, it's probably in the underworld, so you're probably going to have to go there, 12 year old.

I remember loving the reveal that one, Mount Olympus is over the Empire State Building.

35:42

But two.

The Underworld is located in Los Angeles.

That's so good.

I just, I remember being a kid because, you know, growing up as a New Yorker, you're always kind of feeling like New York and LA are just city rivals.

And the fact that we have Mount Olympus and then they were the Underworld, it was kind of like, oh, they're the bad ones.

36:02

We win.

Are they?

We shall see.

We shall see.

So he tells them that you can take two people with you.

I love these like I love these things.

Right.

It's like, here's the quest, but like, there's like fun things that you get to decide.

It's an RPG now.

So like, you get to have all your packs and everything, but like.

36:18

Who's your tank?

Who's?

Who's your healer?

Who's your sport class?

Of course, Annabeth already volunteered.

She's like, this is my moment.

Part of my prophecy said I could not go on a quest until a important person was here.

She knew it was Percy.

It's Percy.

36:33

So she gets to leave now.

So, Grover and Annabeth, I have to go to the underworld.

Yes.

Brings us to Chapter 10.

Yes, and so chapter 10 is I Ruin a Perfectly Good Bus.

See, That one's a little funny.

That one's.

Fun Yeah.

The gang packs only the essentials as they begin their journey.

36:51

W their bus ride is interrupted by three nasty grannies I love.

I had more time.

I well, because The thing is, is that with this chapter, although it is like you know, kind of the same length as the ones before it.

It's It's really divided into two sections.

37:08

It's them packing for half of it, going to the thing to then travel.

And then exactly, exactly.

So the beginning of this I really loved.

So these are the things that I feel like kids really think about when they're like what I'm going on at adventure, what am I going to bring?

37:24

And so we really get to see what they're packing.

And it goes kid by kid.

And we see that Percy, he's going to leave the Minotaur horn.

OK, I don't think that was smart, but I.

Don't think so either, right?

You could probably stab people or just carry it and be like, don't bother me I did this.

37:39

I killed a minutes.

A lot.

Look at me.

Be scared.

Hell hounds.

That's what I would say.

So he just brings clothes, a toothbrush, and a backpack.

Really nice.

That's about it.

They also get loaned $100 in mortal money and 20 golden drachmas.

37:57

Yeah, and then Annabeth.

They have a canteen of nectar, a zip lock bag full of ambrosia squares and like that, it's squares in her hat.

In her hat.

Yes, she's bringing her magic hat.

It was a 12th birthday present from her mom.

She also carried a book on famous classical architecture written in ancient Greek to read when she got bored.

38:15

Find a long bronze knife.

Love that Grover.

He brings his fake feet, pants, a Rasta style cap.

And a backpack full of scrap metal and apples to snack on.

And his Reed.

Pipes.

38:30

That's right, his Reed pipes.

You keep forgetting the fun that things you're.

Right.

No, wait, it keeps going.

I do have it.

I do have it.

In his pocket was a set of Reed pipes his Daddy Goat had carved for him, even though he only knew 2 songs.

Mozart's Piano Concerto #12 and Hilary Duff's So yesterday.

38:48

Both of which sounded pretty bad on Reed pipes.

I love it.

Grover is the best.

I love Grover because also around this time when it was written, yes, I loved Hilary Duff and probably Mozart too.

But those are like two things that like at the time 12 year olds are going to know.

39:07

I don't know if 12 year olds now would know who Hilary Duff is.

But that's such a good question, right?

It would be funny.

What are they going to change it to in this show?

Is it like Billy Eilish, Taylor Swift?

Taylor.

Oh, Taylor Swift.

39:23

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Or Olivia Rodrigo.

I would, no.

I feel like she's more older.

People like her.

Taylor Swift.

Is more universal.

Well, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé.

I feel like you can't go wrong with either of those in this current climate.

OK, if it's Taylor Swift, it's going to be shake it off, no?

39:41

But that's like, I hate that song.

That's.

Wow.

OK, the same blank space.

No, kids don't.

Kids don't want to listen to blank space.

They want to shake it off.

I do.

You're not a kid.

Well, I'm watching it.

And then Beyoncé would be love like that.

39:59

Surfboard, are you saying?

Love on top?

Oh.

Love on top?

That's fine, I said.

Love on top.

I'm sorry.

And that's drunken love, by the way.

Love.

It's all Oh my God.

OK, moving on.

So they have it all packed.

40:15

But I also do like their chauffeur, who is also the security guard for this.

And he has eyes everywhere.

And the reason why he has eyes everywhere, so nobody can sneak up on him, which makes a lot of sense.

I feel like when he blinks it goes like, Oh yeah, just all different times.

Yeah, exactly.

40:31

All blinks.

So he takes them to the Greyhound station, but on the way there, there's some interesting kind of dynamics happening with Annabeth and Percy.

We know that their parents are kind of rivals.

They don't get along a lot, and we'll find out why in the gnome chapter of also why they don't get along.

40:52

But it does seem like some of these traits do pass on to their kids a little bit like they are kind of they do butt heads quite a bit, but I like that they still come back together to do the common goal.

So it's very nice to see.

How do familial histories, you know, manifest themselves in the children?

41:10

Yeah, and oh, we almost forgot.

Did I forgot?

Yeah, you blazed right past it.

So Luke gives Percy at first a pair of winged sneakers.

He doesn't want them because he doesn't want to, like, be up in the sky because like Zeus.

41:26

So he gives them to Grover.

And I love this scene because he's like doing stuff, but he also narrates like Grover, just like, Yes.

Flying around the hill and figure it out.

We also get the the naming of the bronze sword, which is Riptide.

41:43

Riptide which is very cool.

There's another name, but Riptide's cooler.

Yes, and I don't even want to try to pronounce that name, even though I have it here in my notes.

I don't either do it.

Anaclusmos.

Sure.

All right.

But it is really cool because it's like one of those things that like if he loses it, it will come back.

41:59

Yes, So cool.

So it was funny because as I was reading this, right, it's like he he describes it as just like a 30 cent pen and he has to uncap it.

And I thought, Oh my gosh, what happens if he loses the cap?

Then he can never close the sword.

But apparently you can't lose the sword.

42:16

It'll always come back.

So I wonder if you drop the cap, it will always just send them back in your pocket.

I do wish it was just like a clicker that like how they did in the movie that made more sense, like click it, it comes out.

I don't know what you would Click to make it go back in, but like putting a cap on a sword just doesn't seem like a.

That's hilarious, though.

Just just the tiniest little Cap My sword.

42:35

Now it's a pen, so they're all ready to finally go on their travels.

Yes, finally and so they.

You know he he's really thinking about his mom again and that's it.

We also learned though, which I love is this is a question that we had is why is Sally with Ugliano?

43:00

Oh, right, right.

I think I did.

I don't know if I subconsciously knew this, but I think I did say why in the last episode.

I'm just saying.

He had it.

He knew it all along.

I was writing that theory.

So, so he smells.

So it's right.

43:15

Exactly.

So basically, Grover tells him your mom is actually with him for you because he smells so badly.

He smells so much like a dirty, disgusting, horrible human that he's going to mask any of your demigods scent.

I also think it's just like the scent of being a Jackass, you know what I mean?

43:34

Like does he actually smell or just more like the like stuff coming off?

That's what I think it is.

It's it's very much he is just disgusting.

Yeah, he's just releasing horrible evilness into the world and it covers Percy.

43:49

Disgusting.

One of the truest statements as a New Yorker that I've ever read in the middle grade novel is traffic slowed us down in Queens.

Yep.

And then 100% my God.

We're traveling to the city the moment we get to Queens.

It is always bumper to bumper traffic, but we know whenever we get out of Queens it's going to be faster.

44:09

Booth sailing.

Yeah, yeah.

Oh, get over Queens.

It's so bad.

So they finally get to the bus station.

They get on the bus.

They're ready to go.

Who do they see on the bus?

Missus Dobbs is back, but not just herself.

44:25

She has two others that look very similar to one another.

It's a Three Fury problem, Three Fury problem.

I love this description of when the three of them get on the bus.

They sit in the front and they all cross their legs, so it creates an X as a sign of no one is getting past us.

44:43

It's so good.

I thought that was such a fun detail, so, so good.

But we know that they don't die.

They will come back.

She came back fairly quickly.

It's been like a couple days, so she's already back.

Yeah.

I wish we had a true timeline to know how long, but it almost seems like because Percy is around and things are heating up with the gods, that the these beasts are coming back more and more quickly.

45:08

There's just too much God and demigod energy happening in the world right now.

We also have to think though too is like Hades, if he does have the bolts that he's going to be sending people to be like, stop him from trying to get this bolt to like ruin my plan.

45:25

So it's like, not only does, it's like you have to worry about Hades and all of that or Zeus and all that, but he has to worry about Hades, which has armies of monsters.

Not good for this little kid, no?

And and so we see our first moment here of Annabeth and Grover really coming to Percy's defence and they're like put on the cap, get out of here.

45:44

And but he can't leave.

He can't leave them alone.

And a giant fight happens on the bus.

He has crashes the bus.

Whoopsies.

What else would you do?

Everybody gets off the bus, but they stay on and they fight the Furies and they kind of take them out fairly easily.

They get off the bus, it explodes, misses.

46:02

Dobbs is still kind of alive, and she's like shrieking inside of.

Side of the bus, just wailing, calling all the other ones.

But a tourist does take Percy's picture, which will come into play a little later.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

All right, so on to our final chapter.

46:17

For this episode, Chapter 11, we visit the Garden Gnome Emporium.

It's another short synopsis.

A stone statue store turns out to be more than the gang bargain for perfect.

I kind of didn't finish taking a step.

46:33

I told you it was going to be short.

I told you very good though.

Yes, So our trio, here they are now walking through the deep and dark woods of New Jersey.

And they stumble.

Sorry, they stumble.

That is what it says in the text.

46:49

I know it didn't make it up, OK.

I love Rick.

Is Jersey covered in deep and dark woods?

I feel like, yes, there are woods in New Jersey, but close, right When you're on the Greyhound just out of Manhattan, you got like, Hoboken Keep.

47:07

Going Jersey City.

Maybe.

Listen, we're New Yorkers.

It's Jersey, yeah.

Jizzy somewhere there will be woods.

Maybe this is a mystical woods.

True that only the Mist, yes, the mist only the demigods can stumble into.

47:22

I do wonder what so Chiron does tell Percy that these the Mist like changes what mortals will see and everything.

So I, like, really want to know what the tourists and everybody was seeing happening with these three kids on a bus with like these Furies and fighting them.

47:38

I want to know, like, I think that would be funny.

I wonder if in the show they're going to show us, because that would be fun.

In my mind it was these 3 old ladies with really sharp knitting needles being like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, like.

And they're just like.

Attacking them, Yeah, but that will be fun.

So they end up at this emporium of stone statues.

47:59

Auntie Em's Garden Gnome Emporium And Who is there?

None other than Auntie Em, who is a Middle Eastern woman, is very nice and she wants to give them food because they're orphans and they, you know, they got lost.

Yeah.

And they she's going to feed them.

48:16

This chapter was a little frustrating, only in that, like, Percy is showing his, like arrogance a little bit in this one.

And Annabeth they Grover is the only one at first where he's like, I don't know if I like this when they're eating.

48:31

Then Annabeth is finally like way what did you say about like you had a sister like she's putting together her story matching up with the myth of Medusa and Annabeth keeps telling Percy, like, no we don't.

We shouldn't stay for a story or a pitcher.

48:47

We need to go.

Let's go.

And Percy's like, what are you talking about This is fine.

Like, I feel so like kind of like full and.

Like groovy man.

And I'm good, but Annabeth is like, no, let's go.

And it's like, Percy, you don't know what anything is.

Sweet baby child, can you listen?

49:06

Yeah, I have to say that this chapter was a lot of fun, because I think we catch on readers as readers faster than Percy does.

Obviously Medusa though, this is like the one thing that I wish that we weren't told because I think it was better because we kind of knew it.

49:21

So he so it's written.

Percy speaks to us and says.

I only thought about it later.

That she already knew that her name was Annabeth.

Yeah, because she's saying their names, but they never introduced themselves.

And so obviously she knows who Annabeth is because she has beef with her mom and all this stuff.

49:38

But like I was like I didn't need Rick to tell us that 12 year old though.

Yeah, I know.

It just kind of felt like, oh, it adds to, it adds to the thing of like, these people are literally after them and they also know more than these kids.

Oh yeah, 100 percent, 100%.

49:54

I just didn't need him to flat out tell us.

That she didn't know.

She shouldn't have known their names, right?

But this is seriously a lot of fun.

And again, we see Grover and Annabeth coming to Percy's rescue.

So even as arrogant as he is, it does happen quite a bit until he has to do his, his hero act.

50:12

This is all part of the hero journey, right?

It's like the one that doesn't really know much.

And then he has some for some reason is in a situation where he can save everybody, but he needs.

It's the friends you make along the way there to help you in that journey, and they do it here.

But I really, you know, after reading this part again and thinking at the movie, I'm like, they really put Uma Thurman in this role as like a Middle Eastern woman.

50:36

They're just like, it's fine, just put a head wrap on Uma Thurman and it'll be fine.

It's not.

It's really not.

I'm very glad that the actor that they have now playing Medusa, if you haven't seen her, very excited.

They're they really went for in the show just being as true to the book as they possibly can.

50:53

And that just makes me so excited as somebody that reads the book, you know?

Yeah, I agree.

I mean I think that's one of the things that we look for, right?

There's such, there's that that phrase, right?

Well, well, this is how it was in the book or that's not how they did it in the book.

And because I feel like when we fall in love with something, we want it to be as represented as closely as possible.

51:11

And I think there is something to be said that, you know, let's not cast white people as non white characters.

No, let's not do that, but.

It was just like the protector was like we got Uma.

We got to put her in that role, but that was the role.

51:27

You could have put her as Athena or anybody else.

No, they're like, I know the perfect role.

So, and I actually really liked how they did this because, you know, it took the classic thing of you have to cut off Medusa's head to really, like, immobilize her.

But I like the further thing of like after they do cut off the head and pursue very persistently, you know, protesting, cutting off somebody's head, he's like, no, I don't want to do that.

51:54

I loved all your peas thank you.

I'm.

I'm learning my but also using like the the garden globes like look it's just it's such a cool thing and it's like those little details that make it fun but they cut it off and I like that because I was thinking when I was reading this I was like isn't she just going to disappear?

52:12

But they become trophies just like the Minotaur horn becomes a trophy.

So that's a a cool thing that Rick set up really early to help them later on.

But it's a nice little thing, because even our heroes in the myths do that as well.

And I and I loved this this sentence here.

52:28

It says something fell to the ground next to my foot.

It took all my willpower not to look.

I could feel warm ooze soaking into my sock, little dying snake heads tugging at my shoelaces.

Mew, that's so great.

It's so good.

I love it good.

So they use the head wrap to wrap it up, and they're like, cool, now what?

52:49

Of course she's like, I know I got this and this made this made me happy, right?

Because we they made such a big deal about them taking $100 and the drachmas and then it all blew up in the bus.

So he's like, I'm going to go check her offices and I'm going to see what money he has.

But then he also discovers the Hermes FedEx.

53:07

Yeah, Hermes is a traveller.

And so he ships the head off to Mount Olympus.

So good.

Such a baller move.

It's like you know nothing, but you do know how to really get at them.

But he ships the head to them.

It's so good.

53:23

If there's anything about Percy that is true, it is that he is a snarky New York twee nature.

I love it.

And they also get the address to the underworld.

It's at a music studio, a record label or something like that.

Which makes sense.

53:38

Than an executive, especially during that time.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I mean, coming like from the 90s and everything, it's like all that stuff that happened to a lot of like those producers and record labels.

It makes sense that, like, in Rick's head was like, OK, who would Haiti?

OK, Got it.

53:54

Record label.

So good.

OK, so that leaves us, this is like, midway through the book.

We're just starting our journey.

Where are they going?

And we're only in Jersey still.

They got to get all the way to LA and they can't fly because.

54:12

Also, another detail we learned about his mother's very sad past is that her parents died in a plane crash.

Well, also he can't be in a plane because Zeus.

Because of Zeus, Yeah.

That's also why she never took a plane.

They got to walk.

She's like, I can't take a plane because my parents died.

Also Zeus.

54:30

You know, Poseidon has really just complicated their lives.

They have to go across the US, There's not waterways that go that.

Way and and you know, I think to take Amtrak, it takes three days or something.

Oh yeah, so 100%.

So next week, third part to our four part Percy Jackson.

54:49

Read along if you're reading with us.

Let's know, let's know what you're thinking.

We're having fun.

We're having fun.

I am having fun.

I'm really enjoying rereading this book.

So good, Yeah.

Mm hmm.

Delightful.

So we have lots of questions.

Who is the friend that's going to betray him?

55:05

What is he going to lose at the end?

Will he get his mom back?

Will he ever see Poseidon?

Yeah, maybe, I hope.

What's Hades really up to?

Who has the lightning bolt?

What happens in the second park?

All right.

55:22

So till next.

Week.

All right.

Bye.