Warning: The following contains spoilers for Percy Jackson and the Olympians Episode 5.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians continues its thus-far impressive trek to the Underworld in its fifth installment, “A God Buys Us Cheeseburgers.” In the previous episode, Poseidon (Toby Stephens) unexpectedly saves Percy (Walker Scobell) after he tumbles out of the Gateway Arch and into the Mississippi River. There, Percy learns that his water-based abilities are far beyond anything he ever imagined.
The complexities of Percy’s world continue to reveal themselves in unexpected ways in Episode 5. The main trio — particularly Grover (Aryan Simhadri) and Annabeth (Leah Jeffries) — show new facets of themselves and enjoy some wonderful character growth, even as they come across the most temperamental god they’ve met thus far.
The Fates Appear With a Warning
With a gaping hole in the Gateway Arch billowing smoke and emergency vehicles surrounding the monument, Annabeth and Grover frantically search for Percy. While they look for him, they nervously take note of three older women knitting on a nearby bench who are watching them.
Percy climbs out of the river and says they need to head to Santa Monica, where his father will assist them. Grover points out that getting there will be difficult, as they’ve been identified as suspects in the train accident and the incident at the Arch.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians continues with Percy, Grover, and Annabeth walking west down a highway. Along the way, Percy wonders who stole the Master Bolt for Hades (Jay Duplass) and why. Annabeth is nervous about playing detective after seeing the three older women, whom she recognized as the three Fates of Greek mythology. She explains that one of them cut a piece of thread, which is an omen of death.
The God of War Buys Percy, Grover, & Annabeth Cheeseburgers
At that moment, a rugged-looking man (Adam “Edge” Copeland) riding a motorcycle stops in front of them. Annabeth immediately recognizes him as Ares, the god of war. He offers to help them on his quest if they meet him at a diner up the road.
At the diner, Ares (after picking a fight with someone on Twitter) tells the trio that their quest will fail. He then shows them news footage of Percy’s good-for-nothing stepfather, Gabe (Timm Sharp), blaming his stepson for Sally Jackson’s (Virginia Kull) disappearance. He also says a war between Zeus and Poseidon is inevitable, as the Olympians are a big family that always treats each other terribly. Ares offers them a way to get to the other side of the country while avoiding the authorities.
Though he’s ecstatic at the prospect of a war, Ares says he can get them to the Underworld the next day. He requests that Percy and Annabeth retrieve his shield from a nearby water park. Ares keeps Grover with him as collateral to ensure that Percy and Annabeth bring the shield back to him.
Grover Interrogates a God in ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’
Back at the diner, Grover carefully and methodically strikes up a conversation with Ares. He tells the god that they once met and that he’s a fan of his work. He name-drops the Turbot War, the Lobster War, and the Three Hundred and Thirty-Five Years’ War (Ares’ deep cuts), impressing the god.
From there, Grover masterfully strokes Ares’ ego, playing off his insecurities and getting the god to open up to him. For the third time in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Ares expresses his jealousy of his sister, Athena. Grover prods a bit more, eventually learning an important bit of information.
Percy and Annabeth Explore the Tunnel of Love in ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’
Meanwhile, Percy and Annabeth arrive at the abandoned Waterland amusement park. Annabeth realizes the park is a creation of Hephaestus (Timothy Omundson), the god of craftsmen. Once inside, she and Percy wonder why Ares was in a park built by his enemy. They piece together that Ares left his shield behind while having an affair with Hephaestus’ wife, Aphrodite. Hephaestus caught them and Ares left in a hurry.
The Thrill Ride O’ Love ride activates as they approach, and Annabeth guesses Ares’ shield must be inside. In a classic scene from the Percy Jackson book, they ride a boat through the tunnel. As they do, they see Hephaestus’ tragic story, including his rejections from Hera and Aphrodite, depicted on the walls.
The ride deposits Percy and Annabeth into a chamber with a large statue holding Ares’ shield and a throne at its feet. Percy remembers an ancient myth in which Hephaestus trapped Hera on the throne and only freed her in exchange for Aphrodite’s hand in marriage. Percy realizes he must sacrifice himself by sitting on the throne like Hera so Annabeth can retrieve the shield.
Annabeth Meets the God of Craftsmen Hephaestus in Episode 5
After convincing Annabeth that this is the only way forward, Percy turns to gold as he sits on the throne. Ares’ shield clatters to the ground. But as Annabeth inspects the gears on the back of the throne, Hephaestus appears on an upper walkway.
The god of craftsmen tells Annabeth that Percy’s fate can’t be undone. He also says that Athena will forgive Annabeth if she leaves with the shield as a hero. Annabeth argues that it shouldn’t be that way and says she no longer refuses to think that way. Hephaestus releases Percy from his gilded prison and says he doesn’t want to be that way either. He promises to put in a good word for Annabeth with Athena.
Percy and Annabeth return with Ares’ shield. In exchange, Ares offers the trio a truck ride to the Lotus Casino in Las Vegas, the location of one of Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ most iconic adventures. There, they’ll be able to get a ride to Los Angeles from Hermes (Lin-Manuel Miranda). After entering the truck, Grover reveals to Percy and Annabeth that, thanks to his conversation with Ares, he knows who stole the Master Bolt.
‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Heads to Sin City
With Percy Jackson and the Olympians now entering its third act, the stage is set for a dramatic conclusion, beginning with the trio’s trip to Las Vegas in next week’s episode. With a new outlook from Annabeth and a new side to Grover further enriching their characters, the fate of Percy’s quest becomes even less certain than before.
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