Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 Episode 3 Review

With episode 3, Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 sails into uncharted waters and new dangers.

As they arrive on the ship, however, the trio is welcomed by some familiar foes who will make their stay on the Princess Andromeda a lot shorter than they had imagined. At the same time, Clarisse (Dior Goodjohn) leaves Camp Halfblood on the CSS Birmingham to fulfil her quest and find the Golden Fleece herself. Despite deciding to undertake her mission alone, Clarisse is joined by the undead soldiers that crew the ironclad ship given to her by her father, Aries (Adam Copeland). 

In the latest episode, season 2 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians introduces a new setting: the two ships that the main characters board and the sea they will sail in order to find the elusive Golden Fleece. While a lot of season 1 took place across the United States in the real world, episode 3 is mostly set at sea once all the main characters leave Camp Halfblood. This is particularly exciting as Percy’s powers, as a son of Poseidon, are water-related, which we have seen very little of so far in the show, and it might give the audience a chance to explore this aspect of the demigod world a little bit more.

Episode 3 does an excellent job at emphasising how much of a real threat Kronos is. While in season 1 this was merely suggested, season 2 immediately reminds us that the real antagonist will always be Kronos and that the war between Titans and Olympians could have devastating consequences for everyone. With this new antagonist and wider setting introduced in episode 3, Percy Jackson and the Olympians promises to deliver a season 2 with significantly higher stakes that go far beyond the quest for the Golden Fleece or the relationships between the demigods at camp. 

The focus on two separate storylines also works well, as episode 3 gives enough time to both Percy’s self-assigned quest and Clarisse’s solo one, as both demigods are out at sea with a similar purpose. However, Grover’s absence in this episode can certainly be felt. On one hand, there are fewer comedic moments and less heartwarming scenes that portray his friendship with Percy. On the other hand, Clarisse’s story struggles to fill that void as we still know far too little about her or her background to be emotionally invested in it. 

Unfortunately, this episode could have done with a little more showing and a lot less telling. While the interaction between Luke, Percy, and Annabeth is filled with tension, we do not see a lot of this play out as the conflict is resolved with minimal action. Instead, much of this long-awaited confrontation – and of the entire episode – is only shown through dialogue which can at times feel over-explanatory and flat. This is because Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 still feels very introductory to the actual events of the season and has to relay a lot of necessary background info in order for the audience to understand the heightened stakes of this new season. 

Similarly to the season 2 premiere, episode 3 shows some significant changes from the books and not necessarily for the best. The big reveal of the prophecy at the end of this episode feels quite anticlimactic, especially to those in the audience who have read the books and know how this was originally handled in the source material. Fans of the original series will also have noticed some notable beloved characters missing, but we can keep hoping that a certain hippocampus will find its way into the show in the next few episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. 

Overall, Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 episode 3 is a good start to what promises to be a thrilling and adventure-filled season. Despite the slow introductory tones that are still present in episode 3, the audience finally sees the start of the demigods’ quests as all of the characters set out to find the Golden Fleece, but how will they navigate the Sea of Monsters? We’ll just have to tune in and find out in episode 4. 

Season 2 Episode 3 Percy Jackson and the Olympians is now available to stream globally on Disney Plus.