1 Percy Jackson And The Olympians Scene Is Already Fixing One Of The Movies’ Biggest Mistakes

Disney+’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians suggests a satisfying retelling of the titular character’s story with one confirmed scene that fixes a major mistake from the movies. The TV series based on Rick Riordan’s popular book series has already teased a faithful adaptation with Percy Jackson and the Olympians‘ episode titles matching chapter titles from the book. With Riordan intrinsically involved in the making of the show, there’s promise that the source material is much more directly followed than in the films.

The Percy Jackson and the Olympians‘ cast includes Walker Scobell as Percy, Leah Jeffries as Annabeth, and Aryan Simhadri as Grover. With the main trio already hitting the mark age-wise, Percy Jackson and the Olympians has already gained fans’ favor. Unlike the films that rewrote details like the trio’s quest to the Underworld, the TV show has revealed ahead of its December 20, 2023, release just how closely it’s following the books. From Percy’s quicker wit, as seen in the trailer, to Riptide’s shimmery design, Percy Jackson and the Olympians offers the chance to correct the missteps of the films.

Percy Jackson And The Olympians Will Include Percy’s Kronos Dream

During the 2023 New York Comic-Con, Percy Jackson and the Olympians‘ senior VFX supervisor Erik Henry gave insight into Percy’s more internal moments from the books, namely his dreams. He describes the scene where Percy uses Riptide to create a grip so he can save Grover from sliding into Tartarus. Henry adds, “It’s a really important moment and that’s probably my favorite” (via Kristen Maldonado). He also mentions, “That, to me, is like that moment of [realizing Percy’s] seen it in his dreams and this is a moment where he’s like, ‘Oh, what’s that like, being confronted by your nightmares?’“

What this suggests is that the show will include Percy’s recurring dreams about Tartarus, which was Kronos’ way of communicating with him to join the Titan army. Not only will this help guide Percy in his understanding of his new world, but also set up future events faithfully. In the books, Percy’s dreams are prophetic and foreshadow the reveal of Kronos as the true mastermind behind Zeus’ master bolt disappearing, as he manipulates Luke to take it. So, with Percy’s dreams about Kronos and Tartarus included, it’s highly likely that his dreams about Poseidon and Zeus will be too, which offers insight into how Percy learns more about his father’s family.

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Why Including Percy’s Dream Is More Faithful Than The Percy Jackson Movies

While the Percy Jackson movies have multiple criticisms, how Kronos is handled is one of the biggest. In Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Kronos is only mentioned in a short history lesson. Additionally, Percy’s insight via dreams is altered to Percy hearing his father’s voice, which guides him. Kronos’ foreshadowing in the books is drawn out to make Percy’s showdown with him more impactful, even though Kronos is possessing Luke. This leads into how the films fail Luke – an extension of Kronos’ story – by revealing his dubious intentions early and painting him as inherently evil as opposed to being controlled by the Titan.

With no real hint of Kronos’ presence in Tartarus in the first film, the second film forces him into the story with little set up. Instead of emphasizing Kronos’ looming threat to Percy, the film materializes him as a flaming creature after being resurrected by Luke. Again, this diminishes Luke’s nobility and vulnerability to selfish motivations about harnessing the Greek gods’ power in Percy Jackson. Focusing on Percy’s dreams in Percy Jackson and the Olympians can, therefore, fix the films’ Luke portrayal and properly establish the unavoidable Kronos threat in a more effectively paced manner.

How Percy’s Dreams Are Promising For Percy Jackson And The Olympians’ Future

By using Percy’s dreams to slowly build up this threat, Percy Jackson and the Olympians can ensure Kronos’ eventual appearance is much more satisfying than it was in the movies. Using proper foreshadowing can amplify how important Percy’s growth is. Since he learns more about Kronos as the books progress, more faithful pacing will match how his dreams have limits because “knowing too much of [his] future is never a good thing,” as Chiron says. Not only does this allow Scobell’s Percy to honor the source material, but it further promises an adaptation that matches the books’ timeline.

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While no subsequent seasons are confirmed yet, the existing anticipation and hype around the show suggests the audience reception will be positive. Including Percy’s dreams can solve one of the challenges Percy Jackson and the Olympians faces with adapting the books, namely fan approval. Mirroring Percy’s overarching journey – or at least confirming the setup for much of it – in season 1, could entice book fans more, which could boost the show’s success and likelihood of more seasons. Percy Jackson and the Olympians‘ focus on maintaining core parts of Percy’s story, like his dreams and Kronos, adds to the franchise’s on-screen redemption.