MEDUSA and A CAMEO??? | *PERCY JACKSON* 1x03 Reaction | Film Grad's First Time Watching Episode 3

[@hufflepuff_halfblood]

Medusa was a victim caught between two gods and it's terrible what happened to her. But she still has hundreds of statues of people in her basement. To quote Jake Peralta, "Cool motive. Still murder."

[@illesalex5382]

What murdaaaaa?

[@moviemaestro800]

Also, victims of abuse can definitely become abusers themselves, in some form, sadly.

[@DorkQueen23]

I'd like to point out that there is a bit of manipulation from Medusa. She specifically says "I don't like bullies. When one shows up on my doorstep, they end up spending a lot more time there then they bargained for." And the statues we see outside are all "monsters" or creatures. But when we get to the basement, the statues are all humans, satyrs. Which indicate that she also uses her curse/gift on "innocents", but hides it away to present herself as more a victim. She uses her "gift" to harm as well as to protect herself. I think that is just enough here to justify Percy killing her, plus it was a kill or be killed situations. *Side Note: Something that isn't fully explained in the series yet but is in the books. Monsters don't stay dead forever. All monsters die and are reborn in Tartarus. Eventually they find their way to the surface. This can take years/decades/centuries The stronger/more powerful the monster, the sooner they come back. That's why Alecto/Karen came back so quick. (That and her master is Hades, god of the underworld)

[@Gradestar10]

Actually, in th books there are at least 3 certified ways to permanently kill a monster: kill it w/ a weapon made of stygian iron, which not only destroys its physical form but also absorbs n annihilates its immortal souls; throw it into th waves of th primordial sea of ​​chaos in tartarus, as happened to python; or if zeus/jupiter deprives it of its immortality, as he did in th mythological era to apollo n poseidon n again in 'th trials of apollo' again to apollo. Technically there would also be th method of execration of th sheut/shadow, but this is more a method of egyptian mythology than greco-roman, even if in any case these 2 mythologies are connected to each other in more than 1 way but whatevv. Btw, speaking of medusa it's also canon in th riordanverse that she's th only mortal born among th 3 gorgons sisters, so her death should be final even if she's a monster, technically speaking

[@ot7biasedmashups]

@@Gradestar10 all of these are true but considering Perseus beheaded Medusa and she's back in the Riordanverse that means that she's not mortal in the Riordanverse.

[@Gradestar10]

@@ot7biasedmashups in 'pj n th greek gods' n its sequel 'pj n th greek heroes' it's said that medusa was th only mortal among th gorgons tho. Given that both of these books came out years later than 1', most likely rick retconned th thing or it's a simple oversight on his part or smth

[@frankito1122]

I think the gorgons in The Son of Neptune mentioned that Meduse has a slow regeneration so that explains why she never shows up again.

[@Filiman22]

Well, the saying "not everyone who looks like a monster is a monster" might apply to Medusa but then you have to realize she has a full courtyard and basement of petrified people... Or the saying might apply to something in the future seasons... and then there is still the part "not everyone who looks like a hero is a hero"...

[@heyitsmira17]

This is common for many monsters, isn't it? The characters befriend many on their journeys. And the hero one... oh well.

[@jackcrofts-mullin461]

Medusa, both in this universe and in the myth, is a victim that became the bully. She was used and unfairly by the Gods so she takes out her rage on innocent people. I feel sorry for her but condemn her for her actions

[@Kkkkkkkkkkkk-7]

​@jackcrofts-mullin461 I don't think she is a victim in this one tho. It seems like she is the Greek version and was telling the Roman version to deceive the kids. She put all the human statues in a hidden place and left only monsters outside for others to think she doesn't petrify people.

[@brayanisrael9175]

…tyson?

[@All-ze9cl]

I think us book readers know who the hero line is about, but most people say the monster line is about clarisse or Tyson

[@andre1999o]

Fun fact: the idea of Medusa as a sympathetic figure is relatively recent. In Ancient Greece, she was seen as just another generic monster for the hero to defeat. It wasn't until the age of the Roman Empire that she was given a tragic backstory. Specifically, the poet Ovid, having been exiled from Rome, as retribution, began writing poems that portrayed the gods as malevolent and the mortals as their victims. In Ovid's version, Medusa was a priestess of Athena who was bound to celibacy, but was sexually assaulted by Poseidon INSIDE THE TEMPLE OF ATHENA. The goddess, unable to punish another immortal god, directed her rage to Medusa and her two sisters, Stheno and Euryale, turning them into monsters.

[@CWazBroadwayBandGeek]

This! It’s exactly why I’m Team Medusa.

[@movienightwithjacqui]

I've never done a deep dive into it, but I'm definitely familiar with the movement of making Medusa sympathetic. To be fair, it doesn't take much--the story is incredibly tragic. I still feel a bit conflicted about how it was handled here, because they set her up to be sympathetic, but then essentially just treated her like an ordinary villain. I enjoyed the episode (and Jessica Parker Kennedy was AMAZING!!!), but it makes me a little sad for her all over again.

[@CWazBroadwayBandGeek]

@@movienightwithjacquiJessica Parker Kennedy was excellent choice, I agree 👏🏻

[@RiriRuruu]

@@movienightwithjacqui They quite definitely treated her here way better than in the books and movie! They never disclosed Medusa being a victim, but in this version in the series, we get a more sympathetic view of her. In the end, she IS still a "villain" in terms of her directing her grudge at innocent lives seen at her basement turned into many many statues.. I would say them beheading her was justified to prevent her from turning any more people into stone. But her sharing her story definitely gave us more perspective on her and paints the gods in a more questionable light.

[@geraldgrenier8132]

Actual Mrduas was synthetic before Ovid, Ovid chaed to sat all the gods were bad, before Ovid the mist popular vertion was Athina changed her to protect her from Persadene, hence why her head were used to denote ancient women's shelters.

[@Spartan-qw2tr]

The line of "The gods will think its impertinent" "I am impertinent" was always one of my favorite lines of the book....I was so happy that they brought it back for the show!

[@mayalackman7581]

Wait, I totally forgot that line is from the book . . .

[@EyeMCreative]

Yes, and he nailed the quickness and attitude in that line so perfectly. He reminded me of Harry Potter/Daniel Radcliffe saying "but I am the chosen one" with a grin on his face. I was so happy when I caught that line.

[@Nortarachanges]

@@EyeMCreative, Harry owning his status vs Percy owning his sass seems very appropriate as character moments ^_^

[@Ghostdraconi]

I think Medusa is just someone who let tragic circumstances turn her into a monster, what happened to her sucks but the moment she decided to start hurting innocent people she crossed the line.

[@jacobmiller2663]

Yeah the unfortunate story of a victim becoming a victimizer.

[@mysticalmurray6373]

the clip at the end wasn’t a cameo, but a little teaser! he got casted to play hermes in the series

[@CWazBroadwayBandGeek]

Was just about to say LMM got cast as Hermes!

[@berengustav7714]

"It's not our abilities who define who we are,it is our choices." Medusa became a monster when she killed humans and hid them in the basment.

[@angie0_037]

I think you're missing an important detail that I feel makes the whole Medusa thing clear/clearer. Medusa has statues outside of her emporium but they are just statues of monsters, she talks about how the "gift" the gods gave her make it so she can't be bullied anymore, but in her basement you see all of the innocent PEOPLE she's killed. The point of this is basically that she is still manipulating the kids by acting like she only harms those who bother her which we know isn't true. Even after saying all of this it's still fair to feel sympathy for her and this detail shows you that she is a complex character. TLDR: She is a complex character who is worthy of sympathy, but she presents herself in such a way that does not show the 100% truth of her actions which can be manipulative. (Hopefully this makes sense lol, love your videos.)

[@hollywoodguy70]

and she did describe herself as a survivor. The innocents were likely a threat to her in some way. Likely they were on their own quests. We also see that police officer with his gun drawn. Whether it was in self defense or not doesn't matter.

[@ot7biasedmashups]

I enjoy her actually manipulating them instead of just knocking them out with food. It gives her so much more depth. However, unfortunately A TON of people did not connect the dots on that and are upset about that. Goofy af

[@xXyukinashiroganeXx]

@@hollywoodguy70Yes, she is a survivor, but no matter how tragic your past is, you shouldn’t use the victim card (even a legit victim card) as a justification for hurting innocent people. maybe some of those people were a threat to her, but I don’t think all of them were. I mean, we can safely infer that Grover’s Uncle Ferdinand was an innocent satyr walking the satyr path who got lured in by the smell of food or something just like Grover essentially did. She might even be doing the luring on purpose, or for leisure (because what reason would she have to purposefully lure people?), given that OP did state that the statues displayed in front of her house were that of monsters or bullies, but behind the scenes, actual people were there. Medusa wasn’t a monster because of her snake hair, petrifying powers, and tragic past (and rightfully shown, Percy didn’t judge her for this); she was a monster for what she chose to do afterwards. Her anger consumed her and she became the bully-all while manipulating others into thinking she is not (and the moment she threatened Percy’s friends was when he then deemed she /was/ a monster).

[@lianguyen8106]

I like this comment section, where people look at Medusa's story from two sides. Yes she might be a victim, but she did killed a garden of innocent people, tried to tell Percy to betray his friends, wanted to petrify both Grover and Annabeth (Annabeth is a child of Athena so that could explain the intention but what did Grover do?). And we can't rule out the possibility that she was villainizing the gods. I'm not saying I don't wanna trust her when she said she was a victim, but all the things she did made it hard to trust her. People all over Tik Tok was like "She did nothing wrong" "I will be Medusa defender for life" like she didn't murder a bunch of people.

[@lianguyen8106]

@@kmjkmjkmj coach Hedge is a whole other race 🤣

[@kimberleywilliams7802]

"SHE DID NOTHING WRONG" Mind you Grover's uncle Ferdinand who went missing is in her basement....

[@Charlie-tw3lj]

The great thing about this series is how relatable Percy is, in both show and book. You: Why not just take a plane? Percy, 3 seconds later: Why didnt we take a plane? Annabeth and Grover: *explanation* It makes you feel like youre right there with the characters.

[@StellaFreydis]

I just want to add about Percy 'killing' Medusa, in this universe 'monsters' can't actually be killed, they just turn to dust and their souls go to Tartarus but they will always eventually reform and come back to the world. It varies how long it takes, anything from a couple of days to many years. This is how the series justifies including figures who died in actual greek mythology such as Medusa and it allows for certain monsters to come back later in the story, such as Alecto in this episode who Percy 'killed' in ep 1. Also, Medusa was not a monster originally but it's clear from the extensive collection of statues she has and her willingness to kill actual children that she has allowed her hatred of the gods to cloud her judgement and turn her into a monster. And don't worry there will be plenty more discussion in this series about who should be considered a monster and a hero

[@Gradestar10]

Actually, in th books there are at least 3 certified ways to permanently kill a monster: kill it w/ a weapon made of stygian iron, which not only destroys its physical form but also absorbs n annihilates its immortal souls; throw it into th waves of th primordial sea of ​​chaos in tartarus, as happened to python; or if zeus/jupiter deprives it of its immortality, as he did in th mythological era to apollo n poseidon n again in 'th trials of apollo' again to apollo. Technically there would also be th method of execration of th sheut/shadow, but this is more a method of egyptian mythology than greco-roman, even if in any case these 2 mythologies are connected to each other in more than 1 way but whatevv. Btw, speaking of medusa it's also canon in th riordanverse that she's th only mortal born among th 3 gorgons sisters, so her death should be final even if she's a monster, technically speaking

[@Meghancita512]

I think the point of the Medusa monster/not a monster discussion is that there is nuance to the stories that are told. Medusa might have been a victim and not at fault for what happened to her, but that doesn’t mean that what she’s doing is right either. She is putting on a facade that she can be trusted by having all the petrified monsters outside when in reality she’s killing innocent people as well, but hiding that away in the basement. That being said, the debate of what makes a monster a monster comes up over and over again in the PJO universe and I think it’s fuel for discussion as opposed to having a straightforward answer.

[@DorkQueen23]

You said this much better than I did!!

[@elioharrington]

I really like the depth they gave Medusa. She was still a monster, she was still evil, but because she chose to be. "We all chose who we make our monsters" she chose to become the monster she'd been made to look like when she began taking innocent lives. Athena isn't really the one who made her a monster in the end, she and her choices were.

[@zackshick9310]

I don’t think Percy necessarily thinks of killing Medusa as it’s because she was a monster. He was sympathetic but also can’t let her kill his friends or him, more of self defense than just because she was a monster. I think this episode really highlighted that the gods are not perfectly just or always in the right, they’re flawed just like humans

[@alwaysbam]

Are we sure she's dead. We thought the furies were dead

[@ot7biasedmashups]

​@@alwaysbamOh she isn't dead. Monsters always return, depending on how powerful they are it could only take a day to centuries

[@jordanpatten7685]

@@alwaysbamNo she isn’t dead dead. Technically all monsters never die they go into Tartarus. But that gets explains later in the series

[@makslesniewski]

Even though it's a small background detail, I like that it's implied that one of the strongest demigods on camp is disabled. Very empowering.

[@minnowmentality]

i was hoping for a different outcome for medusa as a book reader. percy didn't judge medusa based on appearance or reputation here, he kept an open mind to create his own judgements. so i think he honored his mother's teachings perfectly after revising this episode a few times.

[@ot7biasedmashups]

He did. First of all, he only killed her because of self defense. However, Medusa HAS become a monster. She purposefully only has statues of creatures outside to look like she's only protecting herself but the basement is full of thousands of innocent people she has killed. "We all decide who we make our monsters" & "We only become our parents when we choose to be". She's literally saying it herself. She chose to become a monster. The bullied became the bully

[@heyitsmira17]

It's important to take things with a grain of salt, especially when it comes to this universe. It's hard for me to rememeber a villain that didn't really have... actual reasons to be the way they are. Greek mythology isn't black and white, even the gods have huge flaws, which is why it's so interesting to analyse and discuss until today. One thing about this Medusa is that she is very subtly manipulative. She is more complex and has more layers than her book and movie versions, but she _is_ still a monster. She says she only fights bullies and puts monsters' statues on her frontyard to make herself seem sympathetic and only a victim defending herself from evil. But she actively hid all of those statues of innocent people, from a satyr to a regular mail man (whose statue was made after Rick Riordan, the book author, as an easter egg!). She says Athena "gifted" her so that she'd never be bullied again, but then admitted it was a punishment inflicted on her, filled with resentment. And since she's going with the consensual version of the tale, she conveniently omits the fact that she and Poseidon were... "dating"... inside of Athena's temple, and mind you, she's a virgin goddess and her priestesses made those vows too. So based on what she's saying alone, it looks like Athena only got mad because... ? Not to mention her manipulating Percy to get rid of Grover and Annabeth (Grover didn't even say anything to her, the poor thing). All in all, she's just complex and had indeed a tragic backstory. But she was projecting when she said "we are not our parents, but you guys chose to be them", because while she didn't have to be a monster, she still chose to be one.

[@enyamoore7929]

10:35 One thing that’s REALLY important from the books that they don’t mention in the show so far: demigods can’t use technology, especially once they find out they’re half-bloods. It basically acts as a huge homing beacon for monsters, allowing them to be tracked easier.

[@StellaLoreley]

That wasn’t just a cameo. Lin Manuel Miranda was cast as Hermes, therefore, in future season (hopefully) we are gonna see him a lot more

[@aceofspade2120]

It does a few things there, with the Medusa misdirect. 1. Sally Jackson's advice isnt always spot on. 2. Percy gave Medusa a chance, and found she could have been an ally. 3. Even though she was a monster, he judged her by her actions to them, not because the Gods made her a monster. But i like that Medusa wasnt a cut and dry, black and white villain as she was in he movie. It gave her layers, hopefully that we see in other monsters later on too.

[@MarkTheShadow]

The things is, you got manipulated by Medusa 😂 They put doubt in our heads by the lines of "Not everyone that looks like a monster is a monster" but she got a whole basement of what looks like innocent people 😂 She is not a monster before. But what she's doing now, she is.

[@Epicforlife2463]

This episode veers a bit off the story of the book BUT they did it the right way cause it makes more sense with how they had Medusa act then how they had her in the book storyline, I liked how Medusa was shown a bit more depth. Also, Lynn plays Hermes who is the god of delivery which is why he was there bringing the head

[@pommedeter7407]

The reason why Luke gave his shoes to Percy is first they’re old shoes, they’re too small for him now anyway, and second, being sent on a quest is super rare, so he wants his items to not completely go to waste and be of some use.

[@GiaSesshoumaru]

As others have said, Medusa became a monster when she started using her curse against innocents. Without spoiling anything, though, I just want to say this episode may not have been what the conversation at the beginning was being directed towards. No spoilers, though.

[@Natalyflyer]

I'm also watching these without reading the books or seeing the second movie (2013). I was sold SO quickly! I knew Walker Scobell is talented (saw him in Project Adam) but he is something else in the show. Him, Leah and Aryan are great, their chemistry as kids is unbelievable, already need a second season!

[@superboyprime515]

I like how complex they made Medusa,Grover's song was really funny :)

[@WhatsGnat]

This was my favorite episode yet. Its so nice to finally see a book accuarte version of the trio(especially Grover who was not even close to himself in the movies). They actually modernized Medusa here compared to the books. Going with the more victim of the gods approach which is more vastly believed now. Which i LOVE Also Lin Manuel is Hermes so im sure we'll see him again!!!

[@Heresskip]

the whole book series is kinda a thesis on what makes a monster/hero and the ways it can be subverted. Medusa parallels another character (who I won’t spoil) who has the same path in that they are a monster, but the gods are at fault for creating them, even if it’s ultimately the path they chose to go on and harm innocents because of something the gods did (like Medusa chose to turn innocent people like uncle Ferdinand to stone). Aka Medusa is just foreshadowing for all of that, as was Sally’s story. This element to Medusa has actually been switched about from the books, where she was just a monster, along with some other things, but as someone who read the books when they first came out I think this is better. It’s making the story more cohesive.

[@niekemaes3705]

Lin-Manuel Miranda actually plays Hermes, the god of travelers/messengers and the godly parent of Luke.

[@sadesbieman8999]

Medusa isn't inherently a monster, just a person with their own experience that informs their choices. Medusa is just as capable of doing heroic things as anyone else. She is only a monster because she chooses to do monstrous things like turning children into stone just bc she doesnt vibe with them. I think this lesson is really important for both the trio and people watching because it gives everyone the power to decide who is a hero or a monster based on their actions instead of their being

[@thedavidpearson]

I think a huge part of what was missing is that the Medusa complexity did not exist in the books. She cons them into coming into her lair and she truly is just a monster. However, in the last decade or so, a newer telling of Medusa has become popular, one where she is sympathetic and a victim. So there is a conflict between the two source narratives. They handle it well, but it left me feeling really bad for Medusa.

[@laurenjohnson5941]

grover the underpaid camp psychologist RESPECT HIS NAME, HELL YEAH

[@ZeynepAryaman]

In the books meeting with Medusa is like first realization for Percy. He starting to understand that all these things they do to survive always ended up with helping to Gods whom actually don't even bother to talk their own children and some of those kids are always ready to die on quest, for one chance to show themselves to their parents. Percy, with his own words, decides that he doesn't wants to be a pion for the gods that's why he send Medusa's head to them. He says look I killed one of monsters that you create and i don't like it. Love your reactions btw 💙

[@401felix]

I think it’s a mix of two lessons, “don’t judge a book by its cover(not every monster is a monster) but also holding onto pain and revenge turns you into a monster.

[@analuizahenriques1703]

Also, they haven't really explained... "monsters can't die, they can be killed, but they can't die". So if it helps... Medusa will come back, eventually. Like Alecto did

[@Gradestar10]

Yeah, hb that.. also in th riordanverse it's canon that she's th only mortal born sister among th 3 gorgons.. which should mean that, even if she's in fact a monster, her death should be final unlike her sisters n other types of monsters, technically. Btw, in th books there are at least 3 certified ways to definitively kill a monster, 4 if we also consider th 1 seen in 'th kane chronicles'

[@Bruce20147]

I am suprised that Medusa revealed herself in the beginning. This is different from the book. As I remembered in the book, Medusa was seeking for revenge for children of Poseidon and Athena, and she was later revealed her identity after they get invited into the house. I think the tragic of Medusa is very interesting because I cannot tell if Medusa is telling the truth or lies. Let's forget about what mythology story we are told first. Athena, Posidon and Medusa are three people in the room and they are the only three knows what really happened back there. Athena and Poseidon never truly reveal their version of stories to Percy (not in the book, at least). I assumed Annabeth heard the Athena's version of story, but we didn't know what the story actually was. I think Percy believed Medusa's story in the beginning and started to feel suspicious when Medusa''s description of Poseidon was different from what he knew from his mother. The interesting part is that we do know what really happens back there. She could be telling the truth or lies, or half truth, half lies. She could be the victim, true evil or an innocent suffered being turned into darkness. I noticed Sally Jackson might also know a version of story of Medusa, although the story provider is Poseidon himself. And according to her attitude to Medusa, Sally does not consider Medusa is the true evil there, and of course Poseidon probably would probably say that he could not stop Athena from her doing (Well, technically he was not wrong because Athena is not like puny Ares. Her power level is near the Big Three and it wouldn't be easy for Poseidon to beat Athena). There is another version of stroy says Medusa intentionally seduces Poseidon in the temple of Athena which made Athena angry so she cursed Medusa and her sisters. As we can see in the show thate Medusa can be very manipulative. In the frontdoor, we see monster statue, but in the bunker, we also can see hundreads of people turning into statue. Not sure if these people come here to kill her or they are turned into statue after Medusa invites them into her house. I don't belive they are all "bullies" as she says. This made Medusa's backstory mysterious and complex which is what I liked about the show.

[@illesalex5382]

I mean, Annabeth is very smart and seeing stone monsters at a place called "auntie em's garden gnome emporium" is very suspicious, not suprised she figured it out so early

[@Bruce20147]

@illesalex5382 I am not sure if I remembered correctly (it was 9 years since I read the first book). In the book, these statues were not outside. They saw statues when they entered the house. And I don't recall Grover suspected Aunty Em was from their world in the book. They thought Aunty Em was a regular human in the beginning. My memory was fuzzy, so I could be wrong.

[@TearYouApart360]

Medusa is a good example of if someone is treated like a monster long enough eventually they will play the part.

[@justaguynamedx]

Although this sympathetic side of Medusa is new to the series (it wasn't in the books), I think that it is meant to show that she is not a monster but human. She doesn't try to kill them because she wants to, like most monsters, she actually wanted to help them. However, after what Annabeth said about Athena and how Percy supported Annabeth, Medusa thought that they were like their parents (the bullies). She is less like a monster and more like a serial killer who does what they believe is right. Hence, the show is trying to prove that even those who seem like monsters may just be people who tried to do what is right in their own corrupted way. Everyone she has petrified she probably had a perceived reason to kill, we just don't know that reason. A lot of people look to Medusa for courage and hope after SA, especially women like Sally Jackson. People need her to be human, not a monster or else those who see themselves in her may see themselves as monsters too or feel like they are alone in their experience.

[@whitehelm]

Cool detail- when Percy sings the song at the end he just sings the first line followed by "Consensus!", because that's all he remembers

[@midoriya-shonen]

I have some information about Medusa that might help you sort through your feelings on her! There's a couple reasons why things went down the way they did. Most importantly, the kids just aren't ready to confront the moral argument she's making right now, and they're scared 12 year olds in way over their heads, so their immediate reaction is to get rid of her and have it be done with. But the moral challenges she poses to them are important, and that's what matters. The other more practical reason is that Medusa's complexity is a new addition created for the tv show. In the books, she was little more than an obstacle standing in our heroes' ways -- an evil monster that the kill and move on from. But that was back in 2005, and the popular understanding and retelling of Medusa's story has changed since then. She's become a symbol for survivors of s*xual assault, and it's become more common for survivors to get tattoos of her in conjunction with that. So the show's team decided to update her role in the story to reflect that, and to help build up the moral quandaries our heroes will have to face as the story progresses. I absolutely love what they did with her. Even though I knew how this episode was gonna end, I found myself rooting for her and hoping that they'd spare her and come to an understanding. She'd be a formidable ally. It's astounding to me that they managed to create such a strong emotional tie to a character that was always fated to end so soon. I love it.

[@muppetsstoogesfan1]

The statue that Grover crashes into was of Rick Riordan, the author of the books!

[@sarahnadeofpoetry]

Did he seriously need two cameos here? I understand he's the author of the books and co-wrote the series and did a whole bunch of other stuff, but come on, at least be humble. lol. One cameo was enough.

[@muppetsstoogesfan1]

If you were making a tv show and your production team asked you if you'd liked to be scanned and turned into a statue would you say no? Of course not! That'd be silly!@@sarahnadeofpoetry

[@Melanie-jy2nw]

@@sarahnadeofpoetryare you seriously taking issue with this?

[@sarahnadeofpoetry]

@@Melanie-jy2nw Ironic that you're taking issue with me taking issue with this, showing you have an opinion about it, too, and clearly feel that it matters. . . too 🙄But okay, I guess it's insignificant.

[@oceanmythjormundgandr3891]

Medusa is the perfect example of Hurt People-Hurts People.

[@ericstorm6582]

Lin-Manuel Miranda is playing Hermes, Luke's father in the show Of course that makes him the messenger of the gods so he was the one bringing the head to them

[@kodykoolrocks]

So medusa is changed from the books and for the better imo. Also that scene with percy and his mom is completely new too. I think shes supposed to be a character you sympathize with and someone who helps u question whether supporting the Gods is right or wrong. She didnt pose a threat to percy but to the group as a whole and had to be dealt with so they could continue their quest. Same with Dodds, shes just following orders given to her. She only wanted percy. I think if medusa hadnt tried to get percy to turn on his friends she might’ve been a good ally. But apart of me suspects she had nefarious plans for him as revenge on poseiden. So i think ur suppose to feel bad for her but understand that they had to kill her in order to go through with their quest.

[@helloitscj5331]

My feelings about Medusa are that inside she isn’t a monster but pretty much no one has seen her as anything but that , which is why she is so ominous, she’s turned into a monster because people treat her like one, I feel like she just needs a friend to be honest, someone who doesn’t see her as a monster so she can rehabilitate the human part of herself

[@shrapnollr]

“I am impertinent” is one of my favorite lines from the book, and I’m so happy they kept it in the show! The delivery guy at the end is Hermes, btw

[@Drag_on_king]

Fun fact: since I know this isn't in the show. In the book/musical the entrance was in DOA Recording Studio with DOA being short for death on arrival.

[@amelooloo]

“not everyone who looks like a monster is a monster” and then “we are not our parents until we chose to be” medusa wasn’t always a monster-she was a victim first. but she chose to become a monster by killing all those innocent humans. the point wasnt that she “wasnt a monster”, the point was that it’s more complicated than that. and they HAD to kill medusa. she was going to kill them and there was no other way out

[@typo1345]

Not a cameo. Lin is playing Hermes, who has a major role in the series, so youre gonna get to see a lot more of him edit: also, the line "not everyone who looks like a monster is a monster" is gonna come back later in Season 2. Its really foreshadowing that character, not just Medusa

[@matte5705]

I think it could have been clearer but i think what Sally was trying to say was that thinking of the world as a dichotomy of monsters and heroes is reductive. Medusa has become more of a monster because of how the gods victimized her and how the world sees her. She also reinforces us the danger of black and white thinking, she now sees everyone as a victim or a bully. Most importantly she is our first big indicator that we need to apply those shades of gray the gods as well. To Sally, Poseidon was a man she loved and who gave her her son, but Sally also learned Medusa's story and knew to her he was a monster (even more so in the non child friendly version of the myth, in which Athena punished her for being r**** by poseidon in her temple). I also think its important that we also saw this episode that mythical creatures dont stay dead forever (Megan Mulally on the bus) so even though he beheaded her this isnt necessarily the end of Medusa's story (and not even her first beheading by a Perceus)

[@tylerbrown7246]

Monsters in the Percy Jackson series never truly die. They reassemble themselves eventually which is how monsters that have been defeated by different hero’s end up coming back.

[@Gradestar10]

In general yes, but there are exceptions to this rule in th books

[@fairycat23]

I want a full version of the consensus song.

[@CaptoftheHaggister]

I love they got Jessica Parker Kennedy (Max from Black Sails, Nora Allen from The Flash) for Medusa and LMM as Hermes!

[@vengefuljester2090]

Loved your reaction and your take on the concepts of this episode

[@JacksWorldYT]

This reminds me a TON of Narnia as well! Especially the petrified stone people

[@AVERAGE_I_SWEAR]

at 3:33, you can just barely see what I assume is a camera or sound device accidentally poke into frame

[@rubybee2180]

Agree with the comments saying that Medusa may have been a victim, but her current actions still make her a “monster.” She offered to help Percy with the quest but asked him to turn his friends in (basically so she could turn them into stone) which is not exactly a good thing to do. Also with the fact that a lot of the petrified statues doesn’t seem to be of any monsters, mostly of satyrs and humans

[@Gradestar10]

Well, technically speaking, satyrs are monsters 2. Good monsters, at least in th riordanverse, but still greek monsters by definition. Except th ethiopian satyrs, those are th only satyr species in th books to be evil, as they are carnivorous predators

[@nanalove3819]

If that makes you feel better, monsters never really dies in this universe : in the book they explain they come back to life after a while. So Medusa will not be dead forever.

[@INFPIlovethebigbangtheory]

In the book, they didn't know she was medusa until later. Medusa just invited them in with food, they accepted the food, then afterwards, grover recognized his uncle Ferdinand and then they realized she was medusa

[@perrccyyy]

Lin plays Hermes! (you cant tell unless you have subtitles as it labels him)

[@lizziemallow]

The point of Percy still cutting Medusa's head is that he needs to survive, so do his friends. Doesn't mean the nuance isn't there. The theme comes back later in the books, I really like they decided to put it in the lightning thief. Also, Lin Manuel Miranda, not a cameo. You'll see

[@dcemerald70]

Excellent reaction! In my opinion, Medusa is the kind of monster who didn’t get a choice in her origin, but merely chose how she presented herself later on. She may not been the the evil that created her, but she became evil when she chose to hurt people that were innocent like her at one point. Kind of like Wanda from MCU or Ingrid from Once Upon A Time. I will say that you’re very observant to the details of the show, but I’m not spoiling anything until the end. 🧑🏼‍🦱👩🏿‍🦱🧑🏾‍🦱🗡️🧢🐍💙🩵🩶🤍💚🤎

[@rhorn3462]

Good job figuring out the prophecy

[@mirandacamila982]

Hi! I love your reactions 😊 I think that Medusa's characterization here is related to the main theme of the whole series, which is breaking the cycle. Gods and monsters are a huge dysfunctional family and people get hurt, just to continue this cycle. Medusa is not a monster for what happened to her and the way the gods hurt her, but she is a monster for deciding to continue hurting people. Not different from a god or a hero who chooses to hurt and become a "monster"

[@salamandertoast]

They portrayed Medusa much differently in the show than in the books, and I have to say, I really enjoyed the changes! In the book, she is unambiguously a monster who lures them into a trap and tries to turn them to stone because that's just what Medusa does. This take on the character felt more nuanced and dynamic. She was unfairly cursed, but she *is* still a monster-not because Athena turned her into one, but because she chose to hurt innocents with that power. I liked that she got to say her piece, though, because it highlights something that Percy and his friends will struggle with throughout their journey: as demigods, they are expected to honor and fight for their parents, but sometimes those parents truly can be petty and cruel. And I liked that it was Percy's mom who taught him that just because someone looks like a monster, doesn't mean they are one; it is because of this that he was willing to hear Medusa out and not judge her automatically. In the book, she just has hypnotic powers that make him trust her. I felt like this version emphasized Percy's innate kindness more. They do still have to kill her for plot reasons, but I think it was still justified, seeing how many innocent people she had turned to stone in her basement. I thought it was a lot more interesting to make the monster they had to slay someone they could also sympathize with. Not to mention I just really liked this Medusa's style 😉

[@nicoleterego]

My fave pjo reactor has posted yay!

[@constanza7528]

actually i never thought percy chose grover because he was his protector, like okay yeah it maybe was part of it, but also and mainly because he actually trusts him to not betray him, because he actually considers grover his best friend

[@rockerfarm6445]

as a book reader I'm really excited Hermes is played by Miranda

[@mrs.manrique7411]

What bridges Medusa and Percy is that they both wanted to send their enemies to Olympus to teach the gods a lesson. Percy agreed with Medusa is that the gods needed to be taught a lesson.

[@paolaquinones809]

Each episode is a chapter in the book

[@CWazBroadwayBandGeek]

I’m Team Medusa 100%. If you know the mythos behind her story, and putting it into the context of the show…Medusa’s grudge against Annabeth and Percy’s parents is justified. (Seriously, Google it. It’s rather sad, and a bit infuriating.) The helmet you saw belonged to Achilles (as in Achilles Tendon).

[@CWazBroadwayBandGeek]

@@kmjkmjkmjAgree to Disagree. 👋🏻

[@movienightwithjacqui]

I was generally aware of the story before this, but I definitely felt like she was more victim than villain, and I feel a bit conflicted about how this episode handled her. Not saying I support her attempt to murder children, but it was still a bit sad to see her die 😢

[@nayogn9549]

@@movienightwithjacquino worries! In the PJO universe (or it could be the mythology) monsters can’t really “die”. After their death they will return to Tartarus and they will come back to Mortal world… eventually.

[@ot7biasedmashups]

You're wrong considering she killed thousands of innocent people. Yes she was a victim to God's playing with her. However, she decided to become a monster. If she didn't kill innocent people then that would ofc be another thing but she literally only portrays statues of creatures outside so it looks like she's only protecting herself

[@ldkinbote]

Medusa was not a monster because of who she was before. She wasn't a bad person. The gods turned her into a monster physically because of their petty jealousies (which is a huge theme all throughout mythology), which always made me feel bad for her and (the way I've seen it since I was a kid 'cause I've read it in different tellings) having this curse to always kill anyone who looks upon her and maybe show her kindness drove her insane and vengeful. She now calls it a "gift from the gods." So, like Frankenstein's monster, she was not a monster until they made her into a monster and she just began to play the part they painted her as. She really didn't have much of a choice. You can feel bad for her, but in the end she did become a monster and revealed that when she tried to kill them. It was literally kill or be killed, so yes, have sympathy for her, but know they didn't have much choice in the matter in the end. It is not black and white and that's what, I think, Percy's mom was trying to point out for him to remember. You can't judge the book by its cover, but you can by its content.

[@reverance_pavane]

There are a lot of different gorgon myths and they show a definite historical evolution. The earliest has them as cthonic (Underworld) monsters, which is why earlier depictions featured snakes and reptilian scales (the snake hair is a remnant of this) and brazen wings and the tusks of boars, and even guarding the way into and out of the underworld. [Again many ancient goddesses have close associations with both life and death ... and snakes and poison. In fact the Latin venefica translates as both witch and poisoner (since it was the traditional Roman women's weapon), and guess which translation the English used when they wrote the Bible.] Homer had the Gorgoneion (Medusa's head) placed on Athena's shield (the Aegis), and the use of this emblem as a protective symbol carried on walls and cast as medallions well into the Renaissance. Certain classical depictions had Athena wearing her skin ("a tasselled aegis"). All very evocative of their being an ancient female cult with the priestess in ceremonial robes (potentially a cape, mask, or headress). Whilst Homer only considered there was one gorgon, it soon (707 years before Ovid) became associated as a Triple Goddess (as was the case of many female cults around the world - the Norns, the Fates, the Furies) or sisters, perhaps cantered around Libya (or at least North Africa - the Perseus myth is very African in nature with his travels [the Atlas Mountains, the Lotus Eaters and Herodotus's Ethiopian Gorgon (the Catoblepas or as it is more probably known the wildebeest)]). It is interesting to note that only Medusa was considered to be mortal (her sisters were true immortals). Similarly the adoption of the Asia Minor cult of Hecate as a Greek Goddess shows a strong matriarchial tradition on the other side of the Med (as well as being the Goddess of Life/Death and witches she was considered a protector of the home). The Roman destruction of their Carthaginian rivals during the Punic Wars didn't leave us with a great deal of unbiased cultural evidence, although it is important to remember that Carthage was founded by a Queen. And given the intense patriarchalism of the Romans a lot of earlier myths/history were cast in a very different light when they dealt with women. Often recasting such ideas as monsterous. And *then* we get to the more classical mythology as espoused by Ovid and what happened in Athena's temple. One of the reasons I like the Greek myths is that they are some of the first where the gods are very human in nature and you can see the historical antecedents in their construction over time.

[@AlpenglowSunlightLighting6634]

It's funny how everyone who didn't read the books suspected Grover, I guess it was a surprise to find out who REALLY betrayed Camp.

[@davidcrowe93]

Im enjoying this new Percy Jackson series so far 🔱

[@rhorn3462]

Ok to answer your ramble at the end of the video about what the mother comment “ How do you know she is a monster. Not everything that looks like a monster is a monster.” This comment was to prepare him for the greek world. Where as a demi god percy would have peoples lives in his had on a daily basis. He would need to be able to look at the strangest creatures and judge them not by their looks but by their actions. This was a comment that had multiple purposes this was a message to the viewer that just because somebody looks doesnt mean they should be differently. As well this will set up for his second quest as well when he meets his half brother. Annabeth will see him as a monster but Percy will see him as his friend who has saved his life. There will be several other times but his mom knowing how the greek storys go she aimed to put percy on a path that she hopes ended in a happy ending. In percy’s world names have power. So she named him percy in the hopes that it would help him on his way to a happy ending. Sometimes it helped sometimes it hurt but in the end mother knows best. Read those books you will see this show in an amazing light. The confidence in the entire series is unbelievable and honestly if they keep going like this justified

[@Myreegirl200]

The end credits show scenes for the next episodes, I never read the books either I am really enjoying the show so far I just wish the episodes were longer

[@emmabeer9589]

Fun fact about the series after each episode there is a post creddit scene which shows some extra info about the series.

[@pattern841]

I never here people mention the musical, but I love some of the songs.

[@jahnavivarier2427]

Great reactions!! But I think the lesson from this isn't whether Medusa is good or bad. It's that all monsters, heroes and gods are gray characters who sometimes do bad things. Sally wanted Percy to know the good AND bad parts of Greek mythology so he can decide for himself how to do the right thing. It's important in the last book and a huge plot point actually. Sally's lessons about monsters affect his actions in future scenes.

[@Kayoss13212]

Also, I feel like it goes to show the personality of the gods (at least in terms of the show.) It goes to show their ego and narcissism. And that most of the gods probably aren’t capable of love. They just love being loved.

[@polo189]

By the way, there are a few clips after the credits of every episode as a 'next time' kind of thing - if you're interested :)

[@Tar-Numendil]

14:35 It also doesn't help that Poseidon is much more powerful than Athena.

[@keab2105]

I love your reaction and I totally understand the confusion with Medusa. In recent years, she has become a symbol for victims of s*xual assault. I think in the original, even when it is mentioned that things happened between her and Poseidon less violently, it is still inferred that he is a god and she is just a human priestess and there was already a huge power imbalance. A notation of coercion is there even in the original myth so it was not that huge of a leap for the Romans to eventually turn that into a tragic backstory. I really think a lot of people missed that the story here in the show is that Medusa is someone to falls into the cycle of abuse. A lot of people who are abusers come from backgrounds of abuse, but that doesn't make their abuse okay. Medusa using her gift to petrify all those kids and satyrs in the basement while keeping the more violent statues outside to project an air of victimhood shows that she became abusive from her own trauma. She is both a victim and a monster because of how she chose to deal with her pain. At least thats how I view it. I think the stories of halfbloods throughout all of Ricks series were always supposed to show the people who don't fall victim to the cycle of abuse. They take their backgrounds that involve being bullied, neurodivergent, and having abusive or neglectful parents and decide to instead become better people. Annabeth and Percy both refusing to choose easy ways to get what they want in this episode proves they are willing to put in the hard work.

[@agentstarmora]

I also kind of wish we could have seen medusa get more of a redemption but I think the main take away from the scene in the met in the first episode will eventually be revealed as "not everyone who looks like a hero is a hero" because of who eventually betrays Percy.

[@aldeannadonald1578]

The monster quote will make sense in later books or seasons.

[@trevorsongary3431]

Just because a person ISN'T a monster, doesn't mean they aren't a threat! Also, she's been sitting on an unhealthy vendetta for a VERY long time! She might not be a Monster, but she IS a Villain! She was a victim of the pettiness of the gods, but she created her own Villain-hood through her own pettiness. There is also some lore behind individuals like Medusa (and THE Minotaur). They are something different than monsters because they've been cursed by the gods. They are eternal.

[@carlitabobar]

With the Medusa thing, there are many different versions of the myths and she is more or less sympathetic in different versions. I think that the theme of "what makes a monster" is going to be explored a lot in this show, specifically with Medusa I think that her connection with his mom is what gets Percy to start thinking about this. I think it ultimately boils down to our choices. What Athena did to her didn't make her a monster, her killing thousands of people did. She was wronged by the gods and was a victim in that situation but she chose to perpetuate that cycle by terrorizing people for thousands of years after that. Basically having bad things done to you doesn't mean you can do bad things to other people.

[@3614v]

Lin manuel wasn't a cameo, he's actually hermes which was shown as he was the delivery guy for the gods

[@jennysutton7409]

This was altered slightly Annabeth never met the monsters she wouldn't do that and it wasn't the monster that got them off the bus it was lightning from zeus that put the bus on fire if I remember correctly. It was raining when they go into Madusa's lair they never talk to her she traps them and Percy uses his phone as a mirror to see where she is and he cuts her head off. It's true that monsters do not stay dead for long once 'killed' by half weapons. I like how they show that normal people can not see the monsters because it's true they can't and at times they are even invisible to them all together as well. I like the saying that not all monsters are evil though because that means there is always two sides to the coin and it's true for all of us really. Nice reaction again.

[@danielhead8123]

Lin as Hermes is a great unusual choice

[@amicoolyet]

Yesssssssssssss

[@AbbyPegna]

Percy: Harry Grover: Ron Annabeth: Hermione Luke: Draco Mrs. O'Leary: Dumbledore

[@jomz2058]

I think they're daying she wasn't a monster but the shit she went through made her into one.

[@DeepFriedFriar]

She wasn’t talking about Medusa, the not everyone who looks like a monster is a monster, refers to a character you will meet in season 2

[@miladamasceno8265]

the quote from Sally really apllies over all the series, not because youre been told that something is a monster and the gods are goods that it is really truth

[@zetzle]

hermione Wishes she was annabeth

[@EmperorDxD]

I personally think its an improvement over the book

[@aspen1889]

I think the virtue of Medusa is that- yeah, she wasnt a monster. She certainly wasn't when Perseus killed her. And she wasn't for years after that I imagine. But after a certain point, she clearly lost control over herself and ended up using her powers on the innocent as well. But she hides them in her basement partially from shame and partially so she can always see herself as a victim. Even when shes killing innocents shes still a victim of the "monster" image the gods placed on her, she cant even escape that belief herself. So she tries her best to make atleast herself believe shes a good person still, despite the skeletons or in this case statues in her basement.

[@cthulhuwu_]

I think they chose to make the step-dad give the prophecy because it reflects how Percy feels about the quest. Gabe always yells at him for things he didn't do, says that he doesn't understand what's going on, feeds him total BS. Percy's reaction is going to his mom. Now Percy has finally been claimed by his real dad, only to be told he's in trouble for things he didn't do, that he can't understand the full scale of what's happening, and forced him to go on a quest when he just wants to find his mother. It's a very similar situation.

[@Gradestar10]

In th book th oracle come to life n showed a vision of gabe n his friends playing poker as they spoke of a prophecy to percy. It's canon, pretty much

[@cthulhuwu_]

​@@Gradestar10Totally forgot about that, thanks. I think it still is an intentional parallel between Percy's home life and his situation at camp but now I definitely wanna reread the whole series