‘Percy Jackson’ Season 2 Episode 4 Recap & Review: Here There Be Monsters

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 Episode 4, titled “Clarisse Blows Up Everything,” continues its stride as the quest pushes deeper into the Sea of Monsters. The series continues fleshing out its young heroes, with Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries) stepping into the spotlight in ways the books only hinted at. The episode threads intimate character revelations as the tension rises during our heroes’ nautical journey, setting the table for a second half of the season built not just on prophecy, but on the fragile bonds between these young demigods.

What makes PJO Season 2 Episode 4 immediately stand out is how confidently it balances past and present. Flashbacks expand the world of Percy Jackson Season 2 without ever feeling like detours, illuminating the relationships that shaped Annabeth long before Percy (Walker Scobell) showed up at Camp Half-Blood. Meanwhile, in the present day, the show sharpens its emotional stakes as Percy, Annabeth, Clarisse (Dior Goodjohn), and Tyson (Daniel Diemer) confront both legendary monsters and the personal truths they’d rather ignore. It’s quieter and more introspective than its previous installment, before culminating in the series’ most ambitious action sequence yet.

Thalia Grace Makes Her ‘Percy Jackson’ Season 2 Debut

Percy Jackson Season 2 Episode 4 opens in a sewer, where Annabeth discovers a bracelet that triggers a flashback to her early days with Luke (Charlie Bushnell) and Thalia (Tamara Smart). Luke comforts Young Annabeth (Marissa Winans), much like a big brother would, while an off-screen Thalia battles cyclopes nearby. Luke tells the frightened Annabeth that the bracelet has magical stealth powers, easing her anxiety. Thalia makes her long-awaited onscreen debut after dispatching the cyclopes, as she rejoins Luke and Annabeth. But the trio’s refuge is short-lived, however, when Grover (Aryan Simhadri) arrives. The satyr hopes to deliver them safely to Camp Half-Blood on Chiron’s (Glynn Turman) orders. Thalia and Luke refuse, saying they have no interest in going to the camp.

Back in the present day of Percy Jackson Season 2, Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson regroup on a beach after Tyson repairs their boat’s engine. Tyson shares his concern that Annabeth might believe Percy is dangerous. Percy reassures him, echoing Annabeth’s warning from the previous episode that prophecies are often misleading.

Their moment is interrupted by Clarisse, who fires at the trio’s boat, destroying their vessel. She demands that Percy give her the correct coordinates to the Sea of Monsters. Annabeth offers a deal: take them aboard, and they’ll help her survive the trials ahead. Clarisse declines, citing her highly experienced crew. Percy challenges Clarisse to a duel while Annabeth, wearing her invisibility cap, silently incapacitates several crew members. Now down a few essential allies, Clarisse has little choice but to begrudgingly accept their offer.

Clarisse’s Odyssey and the Battle of the Sea in ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Season 2 Episode 4

Aboard the ironclad, clashes erupt between Percy and Clarisse. Annabeth reminds them that they must face either Scylla or Charybdis, the terrifying sea monsters of Greek myth and legend, as they enter the Sea of Monsters. She insists they face Scylla, reminding them that Odysseus survived despite losing six crew members. Clarisse refuses to risk her crew and chooses Charybdis instead. After Percy expresses faith in Annabeth’s plan simply because it’s hers, another flashback shows Young Annabeth losing her bracelet. In the present, she repeatedly tries to discard the charm, severing an emotional tie to Luke, only for a hippocampus Tyson calls “Rainbow” to return it.

As Percy Jackson Season 2 Episode 4 shifts between eras, Annabeth relives the time a group of cyclopes kidnapped her. The scene cleverly explains Annabeth’s distrust of Tyson and serves as the catalyst that convinces Thalia to head to camp. That act of selfless protection, of course, would lead to Thalia’s fateful sacrifice at the camp’s borders. In the present day, Percy comforts an unsure Annabeth, reminding her that he trusts her. The son of Poseidon also adds that she’s the reason he survived his quest to the underworld the previous year.

Clarisse, driven by duty and the promise she made her skeletal crew, chooses Scylla. However, when the monster begins snatching her men, she pivots, steering straight toward the angry maelstrom that is Charybdis. Amid the chaos, Percy races to the bow in an attempt to control the sea around them. Meanwhile, Annabeth activates Hermes’ Thermos of Winds, accidentally unleashing a vortex that tears the ship apart. The episode ends on a cliffhanger as the ironclad is lifted into the air and violently disintegrates.

“Clarisse Blows Up Everything” Pulls No Punches in ‘PJO’ Season 2

The episode excels where Percy Jackson Season 2 most needs to grow: character depth. By centering Annabeth, the episode elevates Rick Riordan’s corresponding book, revealing the emotional foundation upon which she stands. Shae Worthy’s script smartly reframes Luke and Thalia as formative figures whose care, flaws, and sacrifices shaped Annabeth’s worldview. The warm, almost nostalgic tone of the flashbacks contrasts beautifully with the uncertainty of the present-day quest, making Annabeth’s fear of losing Percy feel earned.

Clarisse, meanwhile, receives her best character moments yet in Percy Jackson Season 2. Dior Goodjohn continues to imbue the Ares daughter with a mix of false bravado, insecurity, and unexpected honor. Her refusal to sacrifice her crew adds a compelling layer to a character whose book counterpart is largely one-dimensional. Her conversation with Percy about parental expectations is an unexpected emotional anchor. It’s the clearest articulation yet of how the show is evolving these characters beyond what’s seen in the books.

Leah Sava’ Jeffries gives her best performance of the series, bringing emotional clarity to Annabeth’s unravelling composure. Her scenes opposite Walker Scobell are brimming with sincerity, and both actors do a wonderful job capturing the fragile trust growing between their characters. Daniel Diemer, though less of a focus this week, remains magnetic; Tyson’s longing for connections with Percy and Poseidon (Toby Stephens) adds a poignant undercurrent to the season’s ongoing focus on chosen family and the shortcomings of Olympus’ gods.

Percy Jackson Season 2 Continues to Elevate Its Source Material

Visually, director Jason Ensler delivers the most cinematic sequence yet of the entire series. Scylla and Charybdis are barely seen, but the danger they pose looms heavy throughout the hour. Scylla, stalking the ironclad from the mist-covered cliffs high above, and the horrible head of Charybdis, surrounded by the glowing whirlpool amid storm-wracked seas, blend CGI, clever cinematography, and practical water effects into an immersive, tension-ridden set piece that wouldn’t have been possible on the Volume stage.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 Episode 4’s focus on the past and Annabeth’s introspection may not please many book purists, but the hour understands and executes the mission of Percy Jackson Season 2 even better than its source material: epic fantasy hits the hardest when its characters feel real, vulnerable, and worth rooting for.

New episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians stream every Wednesday on Disney+. For more Percy Jackson and the Olympians coverage, follow the Agents of Fandom podcast and socials for the latest entertainment news and reviews.