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Published Jan 24, 2026, 11:54 AM EST
Michael Block is a 14 time GLAM Award nominated writer, producer, and host of the podcast Block Talk. Throughout his time in the entertainment industry, he has worked on and off Broadway as a stage manager, written several produced plays, critiqued hundreds of theatrical performances, drag and cabaret shows, and has produced events randing from drag competitoons to variety concerts!
On Block Talk, he interviews nightlife personalities, covers the wide world of entertainment through features, ranking episodes, and recaps ALL of Drag Race, as well as Dragula and Survivor. He has interviewed hundreds of RuGirls that span the globe at DragCon NYC, DragCon LA, and DragCon UK.
In his free time, he makes one-of-a-kind jewelry and gift baskets with his mom. He is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.
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Spoiler Alert: The following list contains spoilers for Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2.The extraordinary world of Rick Riordan's stories has served as the brilliant springboard for Disney+'s Percy Jackson and the Olympians. The small-screen adaptation starring Walker Scobell in the titular role has become one of the streamer's biggest shows. After a fantastic first season, the series' second season brought The Sea of Monsters to life. Focusing primarily on the quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece, Season 2 was an explosion of excitement. There's a reason the Tomatometer sits at 100% as Certified Fresh.
While Season 2 remained fairly faithful to the source material, several moments strayed from the book, leading to some brilliant artistic decisions. In turn, it created some major unexpected moments that we'll be talking about until Season 3 drops. And yes, Season 3 is coming this year! From new character arcs to major plot twists, these shocking moments made Percy Jackson and the Olympians flourish.
9 The Grey Sisters
Image via Disney+Since Percy Jackson and the Olympians wasn't our first live-action iteration of the source material, there are elements that you know are bound to come. One of which is the arrival of the Gray Sisters, the mythological figures who share one eye and took and just so happen to run a New York taxi service. While younger viewers may not have recognized the significance of the casting, the three female comedians taking on the parts are quite fantastic, and thus their brief appearance was iconic.
Taking on the trio were Sandra Bernhard as Anger, Kristen Schaal as Tempest, and Margaret Cho as Wasp. By bringing their comic chops to the scene, they heightened the chaotic encounter with Percy and his friends. The scene, though pivotal to explaining crucial plot points to both the audience and characters, was memorable for its unpredictability. No shade to the film, but this trio was a tremendous upgrade.
8 Percabeth's Development
Image via Disney+The focus of Season 2 was the quest for the Golden Fleece, but that doesn't mean there's no time for some subplots along the way. Whether you ship it or not, "Percabeth" hive rise! Percy and Annabeth Chase (Leah Sava Jeffries) are two individuals who have a quest on their mind, but as their friendship grows, so does the slow-burning, inevitable romance. Though their bond may appear platonic, we all know what's simmering underneath. The unspoken feelings between the pair are there, and through that subtlety, you can see, through those longing looks, that we'll see Percabeth sooner than anticipated.
From the Gray Sisters pointing out the attraction early on to Percy admitting he would burn Olympus down to save her, the emotional tension played a role in how they moved through their journey. Adding the complexities of Annabeth's role in the prophecy, which causes her to lie, it's not a clear-cut road to romance. That said, who doesn't swoon when Percy is around? Having seen the Season 3 teaser and having knowledge of The Titan's Curse, we know what's to come; it may have arrived a bit sooner than anticipated.
7 Athena's Brief Appearance
Image via Disney+For two seasons, we heard about Annabeth’s resentment toward her mother, Athena. Due to their broken relationship, Annabeth is stuck trying to do her proud and impress her while forging her own path. It's why her fear of her mother looms large through her fatal flaw, hubris. Though things don't go according to plan when she defeats her moral enemy, Medusa (Jessica Parker Kennedy), sending the Chimera after her as punishment.
When Annabeth continued on her journey, there she was, Athena, in the flesh. Or was she? In the end, it was just a ploy by the Sirens to test Annabeth's fatal flaw. The shock came in two forms. First, we put a face to the name. Second, said face was the iconic Andra Day. There is a world of potential if Day continues her arc as Athena. We haven't seen the depth of her strength just yet. As we dive into Annabeth's personal journey, we'll have a new perspective now that w'’ve met mother dearest.
6 Luke Almost Kills Percy
Image via Disney+We'll get into the shock of the epic finale in a moment, but we have to discuss the nearly knock-out blow that Luke Castellan (Charlie Bushnell) served Percy. The one-on-one showdown during the battle at Camp Half-Blood left little to the imagination. In the larger picture, just when Percy thinks he's got a victory, Luke gets the upper hand quite quickly and aggressively. For a show geared toward a younger demographic, it was quite graphic. The punches come barreling in. While the proverbial "kid gloves" are off, the fight signified a major shift and growth for both characters.
"Coming out of that, Percy is going to be livid; he's going to try to kill Luke the second he sees him. That's kind of true, but I also think after filming that and filming that scene in the infirmary, he's more sad, if anything," the series' star shared with Collider. Scobell continued, "I think it hurts him. Even though he was trying to take Luke out, it's actually real now. This isn't just like something they're talking about. Luke almost just killed him. He permanently rearranged his face, you know? Yeah. It's just different now."
5 Circe Is a Morally Gray Antagonist
Image via Disney+Disney+ has not minced the star power in the young adult-centric series. The casting has been quite stellar. Season 1 brought us Megan Mullally as Alecto and Jason Mantzoukas as Dionysus. Season 2 introduced Timothy Simons as Tantalus. And then there was the always mesmerizing Rosemarie DeWitt as Circe. When you have a powerhouse actress in a crucial role, it opens up a world of possibilities to make the character even more complex. What DeWitt did with Circe was make her a morally gray antagonist.
Rather than simply turn men into pigs, she runs a spa that trains heroes to face their fatal flaws, whatever they may be, before they head out to face their fatal flaws with the Sirens. Rather than portray her as a straightforward villain, there's a new sense of trauma within. That said, it doesn't deny her manipulative intentions. She plays emotional mind games for her own benefit. And if you pick up what she's dishing out, a guinea pig you'll be! Like Medusa in Season 1, adding depth to the one-off villains has proven a worthy decision.
4 The Golden Fleece's Emotional Stakes
Image via Disney+For Season 2, the big quest revolved around retrieving the Golden Fleece. Though it may not seem like a major detail in theory, the objective is immensely crucial for how the season plays out. As detailed in the book, the power of the Golden Fleece came as a complete surprise when the Golden Fleece resurrected Thalia (Tamara Smart). Originally, they believed it would prevent further poisoning. In the series, the powers of the Golden Fleece are known from the get-go.
Knowing that the Golden Fleece could bring Thalia back, the emotional stakes changed, and the race to claim ownership of the Golden Fleece intensified. By changing the mission from intent to suspicion, the entire season felt more important. It's why Luke was willing to kill to get it. It’s why Clarisse was willing to side with her rivals to obtain it. Everyone had a different reason to be in possession of the Golden Fleece, and you could tell through each actor's stellar performance.
3 Tyson Is a True Hero All Along
Image via Disney+Perhaps the most pleasant addition to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians was Daniel Diemer as Tyson. Introduced as Percy's Cyclops half-brother, Tyson was the odd guy out yet had a heart of gold. Bringing warmth, strength, and a unique perspective to the group as he joined Percy and Annabeth on their adventures, often using his immense power for good despite being an outcast. Though large in stature, he was just a gentle soul. Even with a childlike innocence, Tyson was more than just an asset; he was a bona fide hero.
Whether picking up Percy in the heat of battle, fixing the Princess Andromeda engine, or standing by his newfound friends to protect Camp Half-Blood, Tyson proves he was the biggest hero of the season, offering immense emotional depth and a story of acceptance. Tyson was essential to the season. If Tyson's line in Percy's reunion dream, "I prayed for a friend, and I was sent a brother," didn't make you weep, you might be missing a heart. Diemer enhanced Tyson's arc, setting him up for glorious things moving forward.
2 The Final Battle Is on Land, Not Sea
Image via Disney+Staying faithful to the source material can be a blessing or a curse. Sometimes the practicality of bringing it to life may be impossible, or it may not be practical. Such was the case for the big epic fight in the finale. In the book, the epic battle royale occurs at sea and involves Luke's boat. For the show, the climactic battle in the season finale takes place at Camp Half-Blood, where Luke leads an army of giants and rogue demigods to destroy Thalia's tree with fireballs and mighty force. It may seem like a minor change, but the excitement factor was amplified to the extreme. And that's an excellent thing.
By having the action on land, not only is the fight sequence extraordinary, but it also heightens the stakes by the expanse and grandeur it creates. Being the biggest fight climax thus far, you could compare it to Game of Thrones-light. The clash truly made you suspect whose side could be triumphant. It led to the epic one-on-one between Percy and Luke, the pivotal moment that led to the grand finale. Though in the scope of things, it was brief, the thrilling scene was a pleasant, unexpected change, even if you knew it was coming from the season trailer. The camp siege will forever be etched in our memories. Just like Tantalus. RIP.
1 The Zeus–Thalia Tree Twist
Image via Disney+One of the most important unseen characters in the series was Thalia, daughter of Zeus (Lance Reddick and Courtney B. Vance). With Season 2 following the book Sea of Monsters, a good chunk of the plot stayed true to the source material. But the biggest twist came in the reveal of why Thalia was ultimately turned into the tree that protected Camp Half-Blood's barrier. Instead of having Zeus honor his daughter's sacrifice in a monster fight like in the book, Thalia's transformation was a deliberate punishment of her father when she wouldn't comply with his wishes. Furthermore, Chiron (Glynn Turman) witnessed it all and nearly intervened, but kept it secret for six years instead. The twist not only came as a shock to the fans, but the major reveal will also likely alter the events moving into Season 3. As showrunner Craig Silverstein told Collider, "Instead of really changing the story, it enhanced the stakes of where this story goes." He continued to reveal that it was important to keep the surprise.
First and foremost, with Thalia revived thanks to the Golden Fleece, she'll likely have more of a motive to hate Olympus. This could cause her to join her dear friend Luke on a tour of revenge in the rebellion for Kronos. Now there's a battle over who may be the reason The Great Prophecy comes true. With newfound objectives and potential rivalries and alliances brewing, the big plot twist is setting up an explosive third season where anything can happen. If you think you know based on the books, be warned, anything is in play now.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
Release Date December 19, 2023
Network Disney+
Showrunner Jonathan E. Steinberg, Dan Shotz
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Walker Scobell
Percy Jackson
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Leah Sava Jeffries
Annabeth Chase
English (US) ·