Classics Nerd Listens to EPIC THE MUSICAL: THE TROY SAGA - WARRIOR OF THE MIND

We've made it to the end of the Troy Saga! Only five songs, but I've already made, like, what...two hours of content for these five songs? It's gonna be a long ride, you guys, lol.
I thoroughly enjoyed this start to Jorge's musical adaptation and, if you could not guess, I am beyond excited that we seem to be diving headfirst into Polyphemus with the next song/saga.
Because of some comments I've seen, I will try to combine some songs of the next saga within videos, but as always: I make no promises dependent upon how many tangents I go on. I know everybody has said they have no problem with videos being long, but it's more about my ability to reel myself back in and back on target from tangents. But I was informed that some songs really do flow so directly into others that it's better to combine them -- so I shall endeavour to do so.
___
If you at all care to, you can find me lurking around these spots:
Instagram: @madcassier
Twitter: @madcassier
Goodreads: / madeleine_cassier

[@AmieTasteyFist]

Nerding out so much over the boar hunt you move to a second location. Yeah this is gonna be a great reaction series .

[@madNbooks]

Had to break out the massive family tree poster lol 😆

[@lizlilliman3644]

I want that poster ​@@madNbooks

[@madNbooks]

@@lizlilliman3644Sadly it seems to be out of print so I’ve only seen it available from like AbeBooks and Ebay 😢

[@Sen81222]

Welp, the training wheels are off now We are not responsible for any problems arising due to interaction with the upcomming sagas, all bills of damages will need to be forwarded to jorge himself Godspeed

[@gabrielintano2202]

Yep..... so more Patron help.....

[@LizaaFernando]

YEP! ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

[@actuallyGhostie_homie]

ANOTHER WINIONNN ONE OF US ONE OF US ONE OF US

[@AhmedBenjemaa-v3t]

Who's ready for some pancakes

[@Artemis_wolf.]

Get ready to learn the real name of Epic! “Emotional Damage the musical”

[@boreddiva21]

Every time one of her epic videos drops, I see the length and remember her saying "I might not have enough to tall about in one song to make an entire video" 😂

[@gabrielintano2202]

Fr!

[@madNbooks]

😅😅😅

[@perrybingham2503]

I love it. The deep dives from someone who knows their stuff is fantastic. I just wish I had the self control to wait and watch a few hours all at once.

[@freddiesintrouble]

Polites: “Great the world with open arms” Athena: “Don’t listen to that shit you crazy???”

[@KorusCharybdis]

"you cheeky shit" yeah summarises Odysseus pretty well

[@hinoarashi47]

19:37 I'm so happy you noticed that Athena picked up Odysseus' riff, you might be the only reactor to notice that. I believe the implication is that as much as she's teaching and changing him, he is affecting her as well.

[@gabrielintano2202]

*insert the last part of "I cant help but wonder"*

[@seriouslydon_t]

There's a video from Jorge about the reason Athena picks up that riff if you want, it's super nice!

[@BlitzerXYZ]

​@@gabrielintano2202 shhhh we'll get there

[@fireenderboy]

USB also noticed it

[@ourxstorybegins]

@@seriouslydon_tYes! But wait till after the cyclops saga. For no reason in particular.

[@Artemis_wolf.]

NOT YOU SAYING OKAY THE EXACT SAME TIME AS ODYSSEUS OMG- 😭 18:14

[@bonrick_0494]

NAH LEGIT THAT WAS CRAZY

[@GameWizard001]

I once read a list of insults to say, that don't involve swearing/cursing. The worst one to me was "You didn't live up to the potential Mr. Rogers saw in you." That to me is the equivalent of the gods saying they are disappointed in you.

[@madNbooks]

💀💀💀

[@flebdoodle]

I'm so ready for polyphemus to be the longest video in this series it'll be amazing

[@noitavlas]

I am so ready for hours of rambling omg

[@perrybingham2503]

I wish she was watching the animatics too. They’d probably be too much, but I’m honestly curious on her take about the, um, vagina face.

[@druid_the_lizard_wizard]

I'm genuinely so excited for the next song omg

[@someoneawesome8717]

18:54 I see it as she'd say "my friend Odysseus" in the same way i call my dog "my little buddy Gizmo", she fond of him for his wit and she'll point him in the right direction for the task at hand but they are far from equals.

[@lunakelly2113]

That's how I see it as well. I always have this hc that the gods see humans are pets, and they're the cruel masters. And much like how humans would have things dog fights for entertainment, the gods have humans fight in wars because it's entertainment for them.

[@scottwoodward7103]

7:15 Okay. I believe you. And you win. I think when measuring someone's commitment to Greek mythology the ability to whip out a freakin conspiracy board of greek heroes (one which is basically on standby just in case you get an urge to cover it with a web of red string like a TV police detective charting all the crimes of a serial killer) the game is over. GG. We have the champion. The fact this is a gift from your grandfather also implies this geekery has spanned generations, which just kind of cements it.

[@anareaty]

Also young Odysseus is just so funny here, he is like this overconfident teenager who got to talk to his favorite celebrity and immediately decided they are the best friends now)))

[@vari0R0-c2p]

5:09 YOUR FACE. You are so happy. I can sense a rant is about to come, and I'm so ready for it

[@vari0R0-c2p]

I was not disappointed.

[@madNbooks]

@@vari0R0-c2p Hahaha, oh my nerd senses were throwing a party 😂

[@someoneawesome8717]

I saw those happy stimmy hands, that was pure excitement and it was infectious

[@katzen1002]

when you explained the story of Tantalus and talked about his punishment, i immediately went "ohhh, that's where 'tantalizing' comes from" XD i'm a linguistics nerd before i'm a mythology nerd

[@MyCreativeArsenal]

Exactly where my brain went, any time I hear anyone say tantalizing (which isn't often but still) I think of his story and get a little grossed out, so funny to me that the word is usually used in a positive manner.😅

[@MaddyPerez128]

@@MyCreativeArsenalwhen has it been used positively? It means teasing someone with something unobtainable. What’s positive about that?

[@MyCreativeArsenal]

@MaddyPerez128 I was referring to using it to describe something desirable, or delightful to experience, such as a tantalizing scent or taste of delicious food. That's how I normally hear it used in our modern vocabulary. (Which now that I'm thinking about it, seems a little ironic lol)

[@Archangel1862]

Athena has a power called “Quick Thought” in Epic which allows an entire conversation to be a couple seconds or less in real time

[@a_person._.7214]

Yes! I was just about to say this! We can tell when it happens by that little stutter effect at the beggining and ending of this song. Also the ticking noise is a bit more prominent during quick thought.

[@anareaty]

Sooo, Athena came to warn Odysseus and remind him he is supposed to be the smart one. There is no way he is going to do something incredibly stupid now, right? Right? Great reaction, as always, I love to hear you nerding out about mythology! Also the Cyclops saga is amazing, it is one of my most favorite, I can't wait to see you react to it!

[@danylonazarov]

😮

[@anjahubner1067]

The excitement I feel when I see a new reaction to an EPIC song from you is almost rediculous :D I seriously LOVE your deep(ish) dives into the source material and the actual myths.

[@arielrife3792]

Same 😊

[@sleeples7852]

Right?! At first I was like "noooo.there is one upload every 4 weeks" And now we get this almost weekly upload and I always get so excited

[@andressolana8260]

Same, I’m learning way to much about the odyssey

[@adoragrayskull]

​@@sleeples7852 now its one every 4 days! I swear i count and come check everyday

[@twiingeneticist1417]

Same here. I saw the notification and said "Heck yeah! Another one!"

[@Tennishangman]

19:35 when you said “oh, she’s picked up his riff” I literally looked up from what I was doing and said “Oh my gosh!” I’ve watched dozens of reactors and am a big fan of Epic. You’re the first to catch that riff dynamic on first watch. Keep an eye on that specific riff going forward.

[@ten5h1]

With the gods, you never want to hear “We’re not angry. We’re just disappointed.”

[@BeyondTrash-xe1vs]

That was a great observation about how the gods don't usually make friends with mortals, at least not in the same vein of friendship as what we have. I think the way Athena speaks to Odysseus shows this well: "I see you changing from how I designed you... Turn off your heart this is not you." She speaks to him like an object, not a friend. Polites tells Odysseus that embracing warmth and peace can help assuage his guilt-ridden heart (he just killed an infant after all). Athena says, stop being human and be merciless. She's very right from a strategic perspective, that is certainly the most effective way to approach things. But it very much fails to account for the human element, no one can just turn off their heart, no matter how much they want to.

[@AlexSilverCat]

I've got a lot to say about Athena and her powers and sound design later- but yes, Polities did say "maybe no violence?" and Athena showed up to give 5 minutes of a musically lovely version of "WTF don't listen to that noise!" I personally love the song, but think her showing up is a little sad- my personal interpretation is that she's actually making a mistake, here. She's sensing Ody's emotional turmoil- but is mis-attributing it to Polites' advice, rather than his trauma from the war. She's not wrong that his decision making is becoming compromised, but is mistaken about the cause. That means she's making an actual logical fallacy mistake: post hoc, ergo procter hoc, attributing a result just to the immediate event she sees. Which I find very, very telling for a Goddess of Wisdom- I think it adds a lot to later character development.

[@liamwhite3522]

Athena: *pops into Ody's mindscape holding a sandal like a weapon* DID I JUST HEAR YOU CONSIDER GIVING PEACE A TRY

[@laytonjr6601]

Also, if you pay attention to the lyrics, you notice that Odysseus and Athena aren't on the same page. What are Odysseus' goals? Go back to his island. He would "sacrifice the world" for it. What are Athena's goals? Create the greatest warrior, teach people and improve the world. The goals aren't diametrally opposed, but they aren't aligned either

[@Tioko]

I’d like to point out what was said in this video: gods are not humans and never were. Athena is misunderstanding Odysseus just like he is misunderstanding her. “Mentor - friend”, that whole conflict. So this is in fact in character. Like Mortius said, “She’s the goddess of wisdom, not emotional intelligence.”

[@BeyondTrash-xe1vs]

I absolutely agree. If you think of things from a purely strategic perspective, then certainly Athena is right. Polites has a much more human perspective, and he speaks to Odysseus like a friend, not an object. It makes for a great contrast between the two songs.

[@piperpanda6587]

Ngl sometimes I put this song as song 2 instead of 5. Because then it's a bit more attributing to the war and his hesitation to kill the infant. It also gives more time for us to forget and go with polites philosophy for the next saga, as listeners before "my goodbye" makes us go "ooh shit, we forgot the warning ⚠️

[@sleeples7852]

11:52 i am both great full and impressed that you picked up on the fact that this is a flashback to Odysseus youth. You have the knowledge to know that this takes place in the past, i personally and other reactors didn't exactly pick it up on a first listen and needed help from an animatic. I think that is why many people in the comments asked you to react to the animatics, a fear that you wont get some parts. But you clearly dont need them, and i am even learning more cool shit! Also: your uploads are the highlight of my day. I drop everything to watch them. So glad i found you

[@MJAnonymous6003]

I love how you picked up on how Athena learns Odysseus's riff. Jorge loves imploying tactics like that and the way Athena transitions between using Odysseus's riff and her own very straightforward ending note is one of the ways their relationship and the turns it takes is portrayed.

[@thebitten1]

"We dont really get a scene between Athena and Ody til the near end of the story" Gee, I wonder how that couldve happened... ... The fear and excitement I felt when you pulled out the poster; cause I knew we were gonna get DEEP into the greek weeds. .... Off to the Scary Cave we go. Surely this'll be a brisk moment in the travels to get to Ithaca

[@CaymanGiordano]

The “stop everything, I’m going to boar you all for 5 minutes” face is such a mood.

[@denniszaychik8625]

In the Epic musical Athena and Odysseus have a very interesting relationship. On one hand Athena is trying to impose himself upon Odysseus and make him an ideal avatar of the powers that she embodies, while on the other hand we have Odysseus who through his character and nature tries to connect with the Goddess which in turn brings Athena closer to Earth. In other words Athena is one of the abstract ideals that impose themselves upon mortals while Odysseus through his humanity impacts the ideal in reverse by making her more grounded and vulnerable.

[@tammyt3434]

"Don't disappoint me." Is one of those lines that always gets such a delicious response. XD I love it.

[@RileyDaemonCreations]

Fun fact is early on in the development of Epic, Jorge initially was going to have the timelines match up to the actual Odyssey but at some point decided to make it linear instead.

[@arkossunset6947]

I am 110,000% here for you going nerdy XD I absolutely love your energy

[@J.D.onthego]

I love Athena coming in at this point being like ”… bro… don’t be a dumbass… ok?” And coming here, right now because of the cave! Basically shes trying to warn him like, maybe don’t be a dumbass and listen to the high little gremlins and your dumbass friend who almost got you drugged… you’re better in this… And she thinks he’s smart enough to just read the subtext and figure it out… And then he doesn’t.

[@reycheong6719]

The dual "ok 🙄" absolutely sent me 😂

[@TheLadysAtelier]

Ohh the Tantalus explanation at the end,, I'm familiar with the myth but I never heard of it as him actually being... well not well intentioned but like actually trying to please the gods. I think I always heard (or at least understood) it as him getting cocky and basically trying to prank the gods, asserting himself smarter than them by being like "ha I fed you my children and you didn't even notice"

[@madNbooks]

Oh that's definitely a version as well -- depends on which one you're reading. Greeks love to do variations on themes with their myths lol

[@xbluefish24x]

Lol, Greek Mythology is basically Spiderman. You have all the same characters, but the story changes every few years.

[@sigal42]

You picked up on Athena matching his riff IMMEDIATELY, you are a freaking genius! What do you do IRL 👀 you're freaking brilliant, i hope you do something that makes your soul and brain oh so very happy!

[@liminalpsych]

I believe she mentioned that her family is very musical and that she played flute for many years!

[@sigal42]

@liminalpsych definitely proves her musical background didn't go to waste, I was in choir for 15 years and play drums and viola, and I didn't notice the riff at all 🤣🤣 only realized it when Jorge made a vid reacting to someone's tiktok about it!

[@600pebblesinabox]

This is now my absolute favourite of EPIC reaction series, as much as I appreciate people reacting to the music aspect of EPIC (or just knowing nothing about greek mythology and getting pulled into the story,) I really love listening to your in-depth knowledge of the actual epos, underlying contexts and picking up on all those beautiful, BEAUTIFUL details!!! ❤❤❤ I look forward to your future reactions, you are amazing!!

[@AlexSilverCat]

So Jorge, creator of Epic and voice of Odysseus, has a lot (A LOT) of supplementary videos and material out about different cut songs, the powers of the gods/monsters in this universe, and details about the music that add to plot/story interpretation. I'm going to talk about some of them here (probably been said by many other commenters at this point, but maybe I'll mention a new factoid...). Jorge assigns specific musical instruments as well as motifs to important characters. You've noticed Ody's guitar, and Athena's piano, and even heard a bit of Penelope's viola in the opening song when Ody is thinking of her- Eurylochus' instrument is actually the crew men, since he often functions as the voice of the crew. This can give you a lot of interesting information as you analyze the music! Ody's guitar, for instance, is acoustic when he's feel relaxed/open, but is electric when he's in combat mode. I loved that you noticed that Athena followed Ody's riff at the end of Warrior of the Mind, rather than belting her note- it has been confirmed by Jorge that that represents Ody's influence on her, that they have a genuine (but as you note, unequal) relationship. One of the (many) aspects of Epic that is a departure from the source material is that the gods can be dynamic characters- making choices and showing character growth (or not), so I think the starting point of an unequal relationship between Ody and Athena is a very interesting layer to bring to the story. Especially given that the gods as a whole have pretty much abandoned the Greeks due to actions in sacking Troy (where they aren't actively angry at them, as you've talked about previously). I'll have more to say about that relationship at the end of the (highly anticipated, clearly) Cyclopes Saga. I'm wondering if you'll actually manage to get the first two songs into one video, given that they're extremely linked- well, you've already recorded them, so I'll need to wait and see. Athena's signature power in this musical is called 'quick-thought,' and its basically an ability to slow perceived time in a mental space. This gives the target either a greater opportunity to plan, or a way to have a private, mental conversation with Athena. The sound key that lets you know its happening is that stuttered 'bah-bah-bah' you can hear at the start of her song, signaling that she's pulled Ody into that mental space with her. So this entire conversation/berating session- all took place over the course of a moment or two, right at the end of the previous song. And its the second (or third, if we ever want to count Eury for anything) philosophy presented to Ody- 'ignore all your feelings, use your head!' Or, possibly, depending on Athena's own ego 'ignore everyone else and do what I say!' Which we know is going to wrong pretty darn soon... Thanks for the video, looking forward eargerly to the next one!

[@CloverEtoile]

That perfectly timed "okay" was fantastic 😂😂😂

[@allisonpratt8296]

Your reaction at 5:04 is perfect and I knew you were about to go off. I love seeing the excitement in your face and I can’t wait for you to hear more!!

[@Sofi473wolf]

YES IVE BEEN WAITIIIIIING WAAAAAITIIIING FOR UUUUUUU

[@CaptainAvenger15]

Just thought I'd explain Jorge's interpretation of how Athena's powers work in Epic. Athena has an ability called "Quick Thought," where she can accelerate the thoughts of anyone so she can have full-length conversations with them in a matter of seconds. This is represented by the ticking clock sounds along with the weird synth wooshes.

[@KennaBoBemma]

I can already tell you're gonna love the Wisdom saga SO MUCH - I can't wait for your mythology-accurate rants when we get to that point!

[@emilbks7143]

Since you don’t want to watch the animatics (which is very understandable), consider giving watching the cast “reacting” to the full musical. They got together most of the cast and watched it through from start to end, which includes them getting really into it and having fun with it. It was from the live stream of the release of the last saga (which to my knowledge wasn’t officially recorded) and a fan recorded it and put it up on yt. I found it earlier today and watched it through and it was amazing. Lastly, I absolutely love your reactions so far and telling more of the myths. Edit: The whole reaction stream can be found on Jorge’s channel, but that has animatics in it. The fan video is just the crew cam.

[@liamwhite3522]

It also comes with "stage directions", little blurbs about character movements that aren't being visually depicted. I put it in quotes because they aren't exactly like real stage directions, but they provide added context, especially helpful for the first song of a certain saga down the line where people might be confused about the change of lead vocalist

[@yeshagoyal2966]

Given her reason for not doing animatics i feel like that's worse for her

[@Biaso1997]

I can't wait for you to react to the future sagas! And all therapy bills must be sent to Jorge himself lmao

[@AlexSilverCat]

Simultaneous skeptical 'okay's are hilarious! 🤣🤣

[@MattHersee]

The worst part about these videos is when they end and we have to wait a few more days for the next one to come out 😭. Great video as always! the context about the boar was great to learn (it borrowing from another myth) and the moment where you said "okay" at the same time as Athena legit had me busting up laughing.

[@laytonjr6601]

It's from a cut song so I'm not sure how canon it is to the musical, but Polites was fighting the boar with Odysseus (with many fan interpretations that Eurylochus was there too) and Ody got his famous scar by jumping in the way of the boar when it was charging at Polites (who was frozen with fear)

[@laytonjr6601]

The song in question is "Your Light". It got replaced by Open Arms but I'd still recommend listening to it (it's basically a finished song, only that Polites doesn't have the right voice actor)

[@TacchinoTurchino]

This is a great reaction series! Thank you for nerding out with us! Keep up the good work!

[@MyCreativeArsenal]

"Let's Go!" "Nope, nope, we're gonna pause....I get to nerd out!" 😂 I love it Athena really did say, "Polites is stupid, don't get emotional Odysseus." 😂 So excited for your Cyclopes saga reactions!

[@arkossunset6947]

I love listening to your stories because it makes me happy I’m not the only one who knows some of these stories, such as the story of Atalanta

[@Bitbyboth]

Every time one of these ends I am so sad because I just want more. Your reactions are so fun and as a fellow 'classics nerd' who dabbles and knows bit more than the average bear, but still not everything it is so fascinating to hear you tell these stories and give context which I love so much. I think when I started learning more about the classics between Greece and Rome there is a piece of the puzzle that we miss out on because we aren't taught it as much is just the tone of the CULTURE that these stories are told in. HOW the gods were worshiped, HOW people back then thought and their customs and how that is just INSIDE the story we are reading or being told. Hearing you explain all of it is so lovely and I love, love, love listening to your take and just gushing about these things you're passionate about!

[@caparashon]

I'm probably one of the few watchers here who's NOT in the Epic fandom. I really like Greek myths although I haven't read the works of Homer directly yet (I've tried reading both the Iliad and the Odyssey several times, but I've struggled with their inner structure and end up dropping the poems after a few books/chapters... luckily every Greek mythology book ever summarizes the main events and tales so I have a vague idea of the important parts.) Anyway, my friend adores Epic and has been trying to get me into it for months. It's been on my list but no time. The algorithm brought me to your reactions and this is EXACTLY the push I needed. I love the format of you listening to the song and immediately pointing out the details (plus extra derails) I might've missed or forgotten. It's both educational and entertaining. So I've subscribed and I'll be following (for now, might slip in during a cliffhanger) your videos blind -I watch yours as it's released and then I check the original song with the lyrics now uninterrupted with the lore fresh in my mind. Yeah, you have this unusual watcher in the audience who's not a classicist or a musical nerd but is here just vibing while getting educated, hi!

[@JoshZanders]

Ohhh, this series is GREAT! As someone with a passing familiarity with Greek mythology but decidedly NOT possessed of such a deep and expansive knowledge as yours, seeing EPIC broken down and analyzed like this is an absolute treat. It scratches the same itch as the old "making-of" bonus features for movies, where learning the context is just as interesting as the story itself. [[MILD SPOILERS BELOW]] I know you've mentioned that you intend to keep the mainline reactions audio-only for now, and I think that totally makes sense given your presentation style. That being said, the animatics that people have made REALLY do add a lot to the story of EPIC, giving expressive faces and emotional weight to the characters, making the settings more environmentally concrete, and often sneaking in visual references to the myth that didn't make it into the audio (e.g. Poseidon Hippios in Anniflamma's "Ruthlessness"). It might be worth considering a bonus series at the end (or maybe at the end of each saga?) watching the animatics after you've finished the actual analysis? I (and many others, I'm sure) suspect you'd probably enjoy the visuals as much as the music and story.

[@transparentdreaming]

I need you to know just how much I am LOVING these videos. I forced multiple other people to watch them with me. They all loved them fyi. You don’t have to apologize for pausing! We’re here to listen to you talk about it, not to listen to the songs. We can (and do) go listen to the songs when we just want to enjoy the music. When we’re hear it’s cause we want to hear and see your reactions. IMHO this kind of content is why I care about the internet continuing to exist. It is the best of collaboration and interaction and love things loudly and unapologetically. Thank you. Truly.

[@big3fanboy19]

Yo I need more videos can't stop watching them. 😭 keep up the great work.

[@bradleyhall4315]

Best reaction series, hands down

[@allisonpratt8296]

I just can’t wait for you to get to the most ruthless song in the album! Not spoiling which one, but if you know, you KNOW!

[@lizlilliman3644]

I love your reactions your story telling us amazing. I don't know if you have done in the past but would love you to do some videos telling the Greek myths.

[@madNbooks]

I haven’t done that in the past, but am open to considering it!

[@lizlilliman3644]

@madNbooks that would be amazing as your story telling us filled with the live for the stories but also you make them feel modern as well

[@LordCrag1998]

I love that you noted Athena adopting Ody's riff, it's meant to symbolize them becoming friends (using that term loosely lol). The synth pulse noise you hear throughout this song is not only indicative of Athena's presence, but it's actually tied to an ability of hers. In EPIC specifically, she has an ability called quick-thought, where she can pull someone into her quick-thought dimension and have conversations with them or mentor them in a fight, all within a split second in the real world. So this whole song is a conversation that basically happens in Odysseus' head in the span of about a second as he and Polites are leaving the Lotus Eaters. This is the first of many heavily video game inspired things Jorge has woven into this musical, which makes the journey that much more fun

[@Ekami-chan]

👏👏 Warrior of the mind~ is so awesome, Athena's voice is so gorgeous! This and just a man, best songs of the Troy saga :D and yeaaah, veiled threat of "Don't disappoint me..." is so amazing~

[@liamwhite3522]

A personal theory of mine about Epic's Athena is that she seems to be a new Goddess. In this song, she shows she is singlemindedly focused on "[creating] the greatest warrior." Warrior, singular. In the first chorus, during/after Odysseus beating her challenge: "Maybe one day he'll follow me and we'll make a greater tomorrow, then they'll see I know he'll change the world... Maybe one day I'll reach him, and we can build his skills as I teach him" She is making clear delineations between her, Odysseus, her and Odysseus together, and a nebulous 'they'. Once Ody is singing alongside her, the lines change to "Maybe one day they'll follow me and we'll make a greater tomorrow, then they'll see I know we'll change the world... Maybe one day we'll reach them, and we can build their skills as we teach them. " The focus is now more directed to the 'they' while Ody and Athena are more closely linked. This change in lyrics makes me think that Athena's plan to be worshipped is "First step, I make a great warrior. Then next step, the world"

[@Nolrai12]

I mean, it worked! :)

[@songsayswhat]

These are so interesting. I was about to recommend Mircsy's animatic, then remembered you're reacting to the music only (which I always like because it's so easy to get distracted by the art). But I'd be curious to know your take on that version of the cyclopes, which is far more monstrous. Not what we're told, but there are call backs to Poseidon in Polyphemus's build . Also, how cool is it to have a grandparent who helped grow and support your love of the classics!

[@bellarora9478]

I’m so so so excited for you!! I love listening to you nerd out and I promise I can listen for over an hour. Just know I am here for the long run now and I just subscribed lol There are a lot of call backs in the songs moving forward so I hope you enjoy

[@martinlangstein5266]

i love learning stuff from you!

[@jordanNCM]

I don't know if there's a better way to sum up the Epic viewer experience than "You guys I'm gonna loose my mind" while grinning ear to ear! Great video I'm always so excited to see your posts!

[@xwixy9994]

ohhh i am oh so exited for the cyclops caga this is gonna be fireeeee also i absolutely love your rants and explanations they are so informative and i like that the musical does actually stays somewhat faithfull to the original myths at least in terms of characterization, just anextra proof of the amount of work and detail Jorge has put into it 🙏 can't wait for Polyphemus already omg

[@laurasanchez8210]

Yay! Omg I was so excited to see your reaction to this song, and I was not disappointed! I really love the deep dives you do and how excited you get, this has become my favourite reaction series of all time 💖

[@yeshagoyal2966]

Random fun fact : in epic, the gods get to summon entire choirs and stuff because they're gods, this will be notable in the next saga, whereas mortals don't have that privilege, Any background vocals you hear have a source, like in full speed ahead, Odysseus isn't a god so those are the voices of the crew

[@TheLadysAtelier]

Honestly I would love extra long videos covering like a saga at a time but that's totally understandable if you're not comfortable with that! Love the reactions and unique perspective and insight ❤

[@tassji_s]

There's nothing like waking up to a hyperfixation rant. I love this. Keep ranting, 30 min videos per song is amazing, even though it sometimes feels short! I can't wait for your ramblings on Polyphemus and then later Circe, Tiresias, Scylla, and many of the other greek figures of myth, especially the later rants on Eurylochus.

[@hemillylianne]

I get so excited whenever you upload and it never disappoints, I love the tangents you go on and learning more about greek mythology. Off to the Scary Cave!!

[@stormy7745]

These are delightful- looking forward to continuing this journey with all of the nerdy tangents!

[@elinatural2058]

your love for Greek myths is so infectious I can't wait for the cyclops saga and what you'll have to say about it!

[@giuliaantuofermo3659]

Really love your analysis: it’s what is missing from others reactions! It’s what I’ve studied and loved in my equivalent of your high school! Really cool ❤ thank you! PS I AM IN LOVE WITH EURIPIDE’S MEDEA!

[@Feasael]

I really loved the characterisation of Athena in this song. Im very interested to see what your take aways are from her character through the musical.

[@saulesriets]

So exited for this! And the next one, and the next one...... and the next one

[@noitavlas]

FAVORITE SONG

[@liminalpsych]

seconded!! c’mon we’ll all totally watch an hour long video :D (Or well. You could watch it back to back and then post them in separate 30 min videos, that works too 😅 )

[@felixhenson9926]

Omg your excitement at the boar hunt memory was adorable 💖

[@ravengoinglive4928]

30 min video let's go, gotta love boar rants xD Can't wait for the next to be about 45 min beacuse polyphemus XD

[@tyamizuki5304]

This is one of the ones I was waiting for you to react to. Was so excited for you to see Athena and hear her talk about the boar especially. Cannot wait to see you go on to the next saga!

[@Doctor_17]

That one mention of how killing someone and spreading out their body parts so that there can't be a proper burial being a gravest of sins... that might directly come back later in this musical. Much, much later. If you know, you know.

[@sleepingroses761]

Oh... I didn't make that connection! I was thinking more when I was listening about how Zeus killed Kronos and scattered his body parts. This is a whole new perspective, thanks for pointing it out! 🙂

[@AceCookie]

Only the ocean (and we) will know

[@JoshZanders]

​@@AceCookie *how dare you* Well played, but also *how very dare you*

[@noitavlas]

*having an OHHHHHHH moment*

[@AceCookie]

@@JoshZanders hehehehehe

[@thumper15bambi]

The reaction to the bore being mentioned was great, i knew immediately that i was going to get lore! Loved it, these are my absolute favorite reactions to watch for epic. Can't wait for more

[@jityjedi]

I can’t wait for you to get through this series!! I’ve learned so much already and love your opinions and takes on the differences of the musical vs the written mythology. At some point you’re gunna have to go back and make another reaction playlist with all the animatics. Some of these animators do such an amazing job taking Jorge’s musical and translating it perfectly into an animatic. Especially “mircsy” for the cyclops saga. One of my fav. animatics. I look forward to your next vid!!!

[@allisonpratt8296]

I just can’t wait for you to get to certain songs. I also think after everything is done you should go back and watch the animatics. It gives you a bit more into the choices Jorge makes and how characters are portrayed as each character has a canonic design that is seen throughout all the different artists and animators!

[@GabyAMF]

I just wanted to say I am LOVING every single one of your videos. I CAN'T WAIT for you to get into the Circe Saga (we are kinda far but I am already hyped up). Let's go to the emotionally devastating Cyclops Saga. My popcorn and wipes are ready.

[@laurencekerr956]

Not only are you super well versed in greek mythologies but also music theory! You are so articulate and funny and your editing is fantastic. This series is on my "immediately watch" list.

[@lilmiacasand9095]

I’m loving your reaction to epic so much!! You know so much about the original myth and I love listening to people break things down and explain all the parts!!

[@Domi.Cookie]

I love it so much when you nerd out

[@jamestarragano2156]

"I had a challenge..." MadnBooks happy dance❤

[@zeldafreak2232]

Interesting. That must be where the word "Tantalizing" comes from!

[@someoneawesome8717]

There are a surprising number of common words that have their origins in Greek names, I've recently been trying to get "Cassandrian" to catch on as a description of information that is very important but everyone believes it to be ridiculous

[@AnatoleVGC]

This gotta be my favourite. Not that later songs arent as good, I just love this interpretation of Athena. I laughed so hard at the "ok" part lol

[@michellewest4796]

So excited for the breakdown and I absolutely love how you are both understanding about the adaptive nature of the musical and willing to show the background info that went into the juice press for Jorge's muse. Absolute ambrosia to my mind!

[@Cisaraleitao]

I’m shaking waiting for the wisdom saga YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE IT!!!

[@ashleykabbes9316]

I was busting in here, like "OMYGOD!!! A NEW REACTION IS UP!!!" You are keeping us well fed!!!! I am so excited for you to listen through The Cyclops Saga!!!!!!!

[@aliaab123]

I love your analyses so much. I love your perspective.

[@UsagiKasanagi]

I absolutely love your reactions to this, as well as your deep dives into the mythology! Are you excited for Christopher Nolan’s adaptation? As a Greek Mythology nerd, I would absolutely LOVE to hear your theory as to which actor that has been cast will be playing which character. I can’t wait to see your Cyclops Saga reactions!!!

[@RosileeJe]

Ooooh i love that you picked up on the detail of Athena picking up his riff on the harmony at the end!! I'll admit I didnt even register that until i saw a video where Jorge pointed it out lol 😅 These videos are so fun, i love hearing your analysis and explanations of everything

[@The_dandy_zombie]

I would listen to hours of you geeking out about Greek myths and how it’s been adapted

[@IrfanArifSidratul]

I know you are far away from completing EPIC but I would LOVE to see your reaction and analysis for the cut songs (there are bunch of them) after you finished all the sagas! As usual, love the reactions and analysis. Keep it up

[@parzivalkni110]

I love these videos so much!!! Can not wait for cyclops saga!

[@alexandersean4708]

Oh boy, this is gonna be fun. So much of what you said comes back later, even little random asides. I am so excited to see more nerding out, and I cannot wait to see what you have to say about future Sagas. Also, I knew that there was a piece of firewood that had someone's life connected to it in Greek mythology, but I didn't know the context, so it was so satisfying to finally learn!

[@ZumiiiFraisette]

seeing a new video from your channel always brighten my day!