Toby Stephens breaks down Poseidon's big sacrifice in 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' (2024)

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What happens when Percy Jackson finally meets his father?

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Toby Stephens breaks down Poseidon's big sacrifice in 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' (1)

Toby Stephens in "Percy Jackson and the Olympians."Credit: Disney / David Bukach

To say Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) has a complicated relationship with his father would be like calling the Pacific Ocean a puddle.

For starters, there's the bombshell that his father is none other than the Greek god Poseidon (Toby Stephens). Then there's all the baggage that comes with that, like Poseidon not being able to support Percy or his mother Sally (Virginia Kull) except from afar, or legends of Poseidon's cruelty and mistreatment of mortals such as Medusa (Jessica Parker Kennedy).

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There are also moments throughout Percy Jackson and the Olympians where we see Percy connect with his father. When Percy leaps from the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Poseidon sends a water funnel to save him. Before Percy completes his quest, Poseidon provides him with four pearls that will help save him, Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries), Grover (Aryan Simhadri), and Sally escape the Underworld. And in a flashback discussion with Sally in episode 7, we see that Poseidon truly does care for Percy in a way we wouldn't understand from solely seeing Percy's point of view.

All of these moments come to a head in Percy Jackson and the Olympians' Season 1 finale, when Percy and Poseidon finally meet face to face on Mount Olympus. In a shift from the books, Percy arrives on Olympus after the deadline to return Zeus' (Lance Riddick) Master Bolt passes, meaning Poseidon and Zeus are officially at war. Yet when Zeus attempts to strike Percy down, Poseidon gets between them and surrenders — a move that feels less like a prideful Olympian and more like a father prepared to lay down his life for his child.

"It's a sacrifice Poseidon makes for his son, and it's a huge thing," Stephens told Mashable in a video interview. But is Percy aware of just how major this sacrifice is?

SEE ALSO:

Sally Jackson is 'Percy Jackson's not-so-secret weapon

"That moment between Zeus and Poseidon is not seen by Percy," said Stephens. "He doesn't fully understand what happened, and I liked that. When Poseidon turns around to Percy, it's like, 'You don't realize what you've cost me,' but he's not going to let him know that. Instead, he's like, 'You're trouble, but I love you and I'm proud of you at the same time. And I'm willing to save you.'"

For Stephens and for showrunners Jonathan Steinberg and Dan Shotz, that genuine connection with Percy and Sally was crucial for understanding the role of Poseidon. "They wanted to make the relationship between Poseidon, Percy, and Percy's mom feel real, and to have a kind of complexity to it," Stephens said.

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That undercurrent of complexity runs through Percy and Poseidon's entire conversation, but especially in the moment when Percy asks Poseidon if he ever dreams about Sally. Instead of answering, Poseidon takes a silent beat before deflecting. Yet for Stephens, that silence speaks volumes.

"He's like, 'Yeah, I dream about her all the time, and it's incredibly painful. And if only I could talk to you about it, but I'm not going to do that,'" Stephens explained. "There is that side of our parents that is always mysterious. You can be incredibly close to your parents, but there's an interior life and and interior history that you cannot have access to. I think that moment [with Percy] opens up the question, 'What is that about for Poseidon? What is going on in there?' And that's what you want to leave the audience with."

Percy Jackson and the Olympians is now streaming on Disney+.

TopicsDisney+

Toby Stephens breaks down Poseidon's big sacrifice in 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' (2)

Belen Edwards

Entertainment Reporter

Belen Edwards is an Entertainment Reporter at Mashable. She covers movies and TV with a focus on fantasy and science fiction, adaptations, animation, and more nerdy goodness.

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Toby Stephens breaks down Poseidon's big sacrifice in 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' (33)

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Toby Stephens breaks down Poseidon's big sacrifice in 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' (2024)

FAQs

Toby Stephens breaks down Poseidon's big sacrifice in 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians'? ›

Yet when Zeus attempts to strike Percy

Percy
Character. In the story, Percy Jackson is portrayed as a demigod, the son of the mortal Sally Jackson and the Greek god Poseidon. He has ADHD and dyslexia, allegedly because he is hardwired to read Ancient Greek and has inborn "battlefield reflexes".
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Percy_Jackson
down, Poseidon gets between them and surrenders — a move that feels less like a prideful Olympian and more like a father prepared to lay down his life for his child. "It's a sacrifice Poseidon makes for his son, and it's a huge thing," Stephens told Mashable in a video interview.

Did Poseidon surrender to Zeus in Percy Jackson? ›

Poseidon surrenders to Zeus to save his son Percy and prevent the war against his older brother. In a flashback from episode 7, we witnessed Poseidon promising Sally that he'd be by Percy's side when he would need him the most.

Does Poseidon actually love Percy? ›

Poseidon's demeanor towards Percy is formal, and Percy finds it challenging to discern clear signs of love or approval from him [2]. However, at the last moment, Poseidon tells Percy that he is his true son and a true son of the Sea God, which can be seen as a declaration of love and pride [2].

Who was Poseidon in Percy Jackson? ›

Toby Stephens brilliantly embodies the role of Poseidon in Percy Jackson & the Olympians, with his portrayal reflecting his previous iconic role as Captain Flint in Black Sails.

Who are the forbidden child in Percy Jackson? ›

Zeus, meanwhile, fell for the mortal Beryl Grace and bore Thalia Grace to her. Poseidon fell in love with Sally Jackson, and the two had Percy together. Percy and Thalia are considered Forbidden Children because they were born after the gods swore to keep their pact.

Does Zeus end up liking Percy? ›

The Olympians then voted on whether Percy should live, and despite not liking Percy's existence, Zeus voted for him to live.

Who betrayed Percy Jackson? ›

Upon returning to Camp Half Blood, Percy is betrayed by his friend Luke, son of Hermes, who turns out to be the human hero whom Kronos used for the theft. Luke poisons Percy, and tells him before leaving that Kronos will rise and destroy the age of the gods. Western Civilization is unraveling.

Who did Percy kiss? ›

Percy pulled Annabeth close and kissed her... long enough for it to get really awkward for Piper, though she said nothing. She thought about the old rule of Aphrodite's cabin: that to be recognized as a daughter of the love goddess, you had to break someone's heart.

Who is Percy Jackson's crush? ›

Annabeth Chase

She dislikes him at first, but they become good friends over the course of the series, and eventually Percy confesses his feelings for her. Their relationship deepens in the Heroes of Olympus series. Percy imagines himself going to college with Annabeth and eventually marrying her.

Does Percy have a crush? ›

It's pretty clear that he loved Annabeth as far back as the first book The Lightening Thief. He described her as attractive and I think that's when he started having feelings for her. Percy didn't even like Rachel and doesn't now. He always had considered Rachel as just a friend and nothing more.

Does Percy and Annabeth have a kid? ›

Yes, Annabeth is married to Percy Jackson, and has three kids: Cast, Ethan, and Zoe. How was Annabeth Chase born? Annabeth Chase is the half-blood daughter of the goddess Athena and the mortal man Frederick Chase.

Is Percy Poseidon's kid? ›

Fact: Percy Jackson is the son of one of the big three Greek gods – Poseidon, and is named after Perseus, another Greek hero. His birthday falls on August 18th.

Did Percy ever meet Poseidon? ›

At Olympus, Percy meets his father face to face. Poseidon seems distant and sad, but says he is proud of his son. He says he fears Percy has been born for a hero's tragic fate.

Who killed Thalia in Percy Jackson? ›

We first learn about Thalia in Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, where her absence is explained. Before reaching Camp Half-Blood, she sacrificed herself to hold off monstrous pursuers, allowing her younger brother Luke, Annabeth, and Grover to reach safety.

Would Percy and Annabeth's kids have powers? ›

Rick riordan stated that the kids of demigods, “would probably pass for normal mortals, since the godly powers get diluted with each generation. If the parents were extremely strong, the child might be more like a demigod.”

Is Thalia alive in Percy Jackson? ›

Thalia and the Hunters of Artemis show up when Percy is looking for someone to defend the Lincoln Tunnel against the Titans. Thalia helps Percy and the other demigods defend Manhattan. At the end of the story, Thalia is still alive, and is granted help in getting more Hunters, because a lot of the Hunters died.

Why did Poseidon surrender to Zeus in Percy Jackson? ›

Percy completes his quest and secures the Master Bolt and Helm of Darkness, hoping to prevent a war and save his mother. Poseidon surrenders to Zeus to prevent further conflict and protect Percy after the revelation that Kronos is looking to be revived.

What happened when Percy met with Zeus and Poseidon? ›

Percy returns the bolt to Zeus on Mount Olympus and meets his father, Poseidon. Percy informs them of his quest and shares his concerns about the mysterious pit, but Zeus dismisses the conversation. He rewards Percy by sparing his life.

Why did Poseidon leave Percy? ›

Percy has very few memories of his father because Poseidon was forced to leave Sally and Percy to protect them from Zeus, who would be angry if he knew his brother had fathered a child. Demigods are considered powerful, and Zeus views them as a threat to his own position.

What happens when Percy met with Zeus and Poseidon? ›

Zeus dismisses Percy's concerns and spares his life since he returned the bolt. Poseidon reassures Percy that he claims him as his son and tells Percy that he will have a decision to make regarding a delivered package when he returns home.

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