Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 1, episode 5 has viewers wondering, “What was the Lobster War?” in light of Grover’s (Aryan Simhadri) shocking “praise” for Ares (Adam Copeland), the arrogant God of War. In Percy Jackson episode 4, the titular demigod fights off Echidna’s Chimera monster, falls from the St. Louis’ Gateway Arch, and survives the ordeal thanks to his absent father, Poseidon, by way of the Mississippi River. On the run from both angry Olympians and human law enforcement, Percy (Walker Scobell) and his companions, fellow demigod Annabeth (Leah Jeffries) and satyr Grover, decide hitchhiking is the only way they’ll make it to Los Angeles.
In the world of Percy Jackson, LA is home to the entrance to Hades’ Underworld domain. Percy, who’s been accused of stealing Zeus’ thunderbolt, must travel to the Underworld to retrieve the Olympian’s prized item — otherwise, Poseidon and Zeus will go to war. Zeus’ kids, including Ares, are also looking for their father’s bolt. The ever-arrogant God of War stumbles upon the Camp Half-Blood trio and offers to help them reach Los Angeles. Of course, this comes at a price: the demigods must retrieve Ares’ shield from Percy Jackson‘s Hephaestus (Timothy Omundson), giving Grover ample time to slyly pump Ares for information about the true lightning thief.
The Lobster War Was A Conflict Between France & Brazil Over Spiny Lobsters From 1961-1963
When Ares tells the trio that Grover will be staying with him at the burger joint as “collateral” while the demigods retrieve his beloved shield, Percy protests, fearing for Grover’s safety. Percy’s satyr best friend assures him that it’s fine; in fact, Grover has hatched a brilliant plan. While Percy and Annabeth navigate the trials of Hephaestus’ amusement park, Grover pretends to fawn over Ares. At first, the God of War is skeptical: satyrs worship nature — they’re inherently committed, life-long pacifists. In order to convince Ares of his devotion, Grover shouts out some lesser-known conflicts that the Olympian presided over, including the Lobster War.
Since Grover isn’t the type to watch Saving Private Ryan, he wisely skirts around the God of War’s biggest hits, highlighting some of Ares’ more niche wars in Percy Jackson episode 5. While it sounds like a made-up conflict, the Lobster War (1961–63) is very real. As its name suggests, the conflict saw Brazil and France arguing over spiny lobsters. Essentially, the Brazilian government didn’t want French vessels fishing for spiny lobsters within 100 miles of its coast, arguing that the crustaceans “crawl along the continental shelf” of Brazil’s land (via National Archives). France argued that lobsters swim, so anyone should be allowed to catch the ocean-dwelling creatures.
Grover “Liking” The Lobster War Still Maintains His Pacifism As A Satyr
Since Grover and Ares’ conversation is a subplot that was invented for Disney’s Percy Jackson TV series, some viewers might have been taken aback by the satyr’s apparent fandom. Of course, by the end of Percy Jackson episode 5, it’s abundantly clear that Grover was just buttering up the God of War in order to learn more about the true identity of the lightning thief. Even so, Grover needs to convince the Olympian of his supposed devotion. Picking the Lobster War, of all conflicts, is a smart move. Since there were no casualties or losses in the war, Grover maintains his pacifism, all while brilliantly messing with Ares.
New episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians premiere on Hulu and Disney+ every Tuesday through January 30, 2024.
