The Ithaca Saga was an Emotional CHALLENGE | The Challenge / Hold Them Down & Odysseus Reaction

[@antdelros6180]

Every saga everyone jokes about emotional trauma then Jorge actually delivers trauma everyone gets pikachu-faced

[@nataliamenna3352]

we always think we are ready.... we are never ready

[@VegaTheLyra]

We joke about the emotional trauma to _cope_ with it (yes that reference to that one cut song)

[@LimaBean-qz4jg]

@VegaTheLyralooks like we’ll Just have to cope with that

[@VegaTheLyra]

@LimaBean-qz4jg Exactly (Me internally: YES SOMEONE GOT THE REFERENCE!)

[@bananatos8929]

The background choir is chanting: "Odys..se..us" a callback to both the Polyphemus chant, and when the Underworld choir chanted his name during the prophet song. Meaning Odysseus- Odys..se..us.. is now the "monster."

[@soccerwizard975]

The oracle chant in the underworld...

[@avapatdu6828]

lowkey cool that the song is dedicated to and named "Odysseus," like how a song is also dedicated to and named "Polyphemus"

[@bananatos8929]

@@avapatdu6828 Right? Literally Polyphemus, Scylla, and Odysseus are the only ones dedicated to their characters by name

[@welikegamez6577]

@@bananatos8929technically Charybdis as well, all of the monsters

[@bananatos8929]

@@welikegamez6577 true! Knew I was missing a name lol

[@Fey-r3i]

The IMMEDIATE pause after the first note, I can’t- 😂

[@brendanmystery]

Antinious: Only the ocean and I will know. Poseidon: Oh hell no, I want nothing to do with this.

[@RainyLS]

Traumatized Poseidon

[@Synthesyn342]

I mean, he probably would tbh. Poseidon literally said “Both your wife and your son will drown” and “I’ll take your son and gauge his eyes”.

[@RainyLS]

@Synthesyn342 That was before he was repeatedly stabbed with his own trident. God or not, I'd stay far, far away from anyone related to Odysseus at that point.

[@nutelasaur9453]

Hold Them Down is such a subtle masterpiece, not only for the lyrics and their implications, but the fact that (at least to me), you can actually hear Odysseus in the chorus. He slowly gets louder over the course of the song right up until the end when he rightfully snaps.

[@ForeverMe217]

Really? Where?!

[@nutelasaur9453]

@ForeverMe217 In the chorus of voices saying "Hold us down", "Hold him down", "Hold her down", and finally, "Hold them down". basically any time all the suitors are singing together, I can hear a little bit of Jay's voice among the crowd

[@ventusbruma1039]

Which makes sense. He was probably in back singing like "yeah, I'm one of you!" As he made his way to the bow with utter rage in his heart. "Hold them down!" *picks up bow* "Hold them down!" *strings bow* "Hold them down!" *Picks perfect arrow* "Hold them down!" *take aim through the axes and shoots* It just makes me feel all warm and happy to imagine that during the end of song. H ​@nutelasaur9453

[@jeezsqueeze3201]

My old husbands bow🚫 My husbands old bow✅ I'm sobbing.. 🥺💖

[@dakotaiversen3964]

10:48 in some older versions of the myth, Odysseus' bow is a recurve bow, meaning it's bent the opposite way before its strung to build tension. None of the suitors knew this, and so kept trying to string the bow the wrong direction which is why none of them could do it. In other versions of the myth, Athena enchanted the bow so that it could only be used by Ody and Telemachus, but personally I prefer Penelope's clever trick with using Ody's recurve bow to fool the suitors

[@Potato29476]

6:30 i remember someone pointing out how penelope says “her husbands old bow” while the suitors say “ the old kings bow”. showing that penelope still thinks of odysseus as her husband while the suitors think of him in past tense Also in hold them down you can hear odysseus in the background and his voice gets louder towards the end

[@Starryflame]

it's why i think the suitor who said "Old king", if he changed his words to "True king" or similar, he might have lived (probably not) as it shows he considered a new king was needed. Also I looked up the name, and that guy was the most manipulative of the suitors

[@allyrei2547]

Yea, they've been saying Odysseus the whole time. Though it's the original Greek pronunciation (I think?) so the chant is Oh-dee-say-oos. Like Polyphemus, Scylla, and Charybdis, he's the monster now.

[@junovzla]

Latin Pronunciation more than original Greek pronunciation, but yeah same thing applies for the Polyphemus chant, they're saying poh-lee-fay-moos

[@radicaledward84]

@@junovzla Isn't the latin pronounciation just Uh-lys-ses (Ulysses)

[@junovzla]

@@radicaledward84 yes that's the traditional Latin name of Odysseus, but Odysseus is also a latinised word, and can be used in Latin the original Greek name is Odusseus which is pronounced differently

[@brendanmystery]

The callback to waiting, is actually a motif that started all the way back in full speed ahead, with the line "And Ithaca's waiting, Ithaca's waiting. My kingdom is waiting (the kingdom is waiting). Penelope's waiting for me."

[@windwulfboi]

I don’t remember what portrayal it was, but Odysseus had a trick to his bow being strung. It was a massive draw weight that you’d need to use your whole body to flex it, wrapping it around the leg for one side and your arms on the other. After he strung it, the shot through the eyes of twelve axes was really a test of timing and patience he had, including the massive strength to hold and fire. I honestly like this because it showed he was intelligent AND strong unlike other men.

[@serendipitish]

And it was such a clever way for Penelope to tell the suitors "you don't measure up. you can't even match the simplest feats my husband could do. you shouldn't even be trying to step into his shoes."

[@vic-c2x]

Not to mention that even if they strang the bow they would still have to shoot through the axes. It's a challenge in a challenge. A failsafe if you will.

[@bridgergriffiths4364]

Wasn't the bows draw weight like 500 pounds or something ridiculous as well so you needed the technique AND be built like a truck

[@Phasmania]

22:12 I’m glad to see other ppl point out how hard this one suitor went vocally for having a single song, the performances were sooo good. The “get off me, GET OFF ME, fight til the prince can BARELY STAND!” is burned into my brain

[@gooseminecraft2499]

i heard today's telemachus's birthday, and i heard today he comes back to town ✨

[@riduanaqil1452]

Literally can't unhear that and "what the king will do to people with their hands in the air" 😂

[@Kamarovsky_KCM]

If you'd like some info regarding who the main suitors here were, they're: Eurymachus - voiced by Dennis Diaz. He's the "Open Arms" guy, and in the Odyssey he served a very similar role, as he blames all the suitors crimes on Antinous so that Ody spares them. Though he genuinely was not that bad, as he was Telemachus's favorite, as the Prince believed him to be "the best man in Ithaca" who was most-deserving of the throne, besides Odysseus. Amphinomus - voiced by Tristan Caldwell. He's the "Damn he's more cunning" guy. In the Odyssey he's genuinely a kind guy, and was Penelope's favorite. He was very much against Antinous's plot, and was warned by a disguised Odysseus "not to come into the school tomorrow" in a way, before the massacre lmao. Tristan also voiced the unnamed suitor saying "You don't understand it, this man plans for every fight!" Melanthius - voiced by Jamie Wiltshire. He's that final suitor who begged for mercy, and who probably had the most lines here. In the book he's actually Odysseus's old goatherd, who sided with the Suitors and aided them, enough to become one of them. At the end, he got brutally mutilated by Ody or his helpers, and I mean BRUTALLY. Some of our other beloved singers also provided some lines, like Luke "Zeus" Holt doing some Frenchy accent for "We have the advantage, we've the numbers and the might" and "we know these halls, the odds can be tilted" lines. Also TROY "Hermes" Doherty sang the "We're empty-handed up against an archer, our only chance is to strike him in the darkness" line. Likely all 5 of those, as well as the singer for Ares, Earle Gresham Jr. voiced the remaining unnamed suitors. And they all sounded so amazing! Their voices so unique and brilliantly characterized!

[@falperio05]

Wow, i didn't know that Luke, Troy and others we're also suitors, that's so cool, and now I can hear it

[@ayymenalsabahi5440]

That "...Jorge- sorry language" made me cackle! I wonder what was cut🤔

[@gasaiyuno9608]

We actually heared Penelope before her singer also sang Suffering ^^

[@Spectralyzed]

We also heard her in Keep Your Friends Close when Odysseus was struggling to stay awake, and in Thunderbringer, but this is the first time we've gotten a song from actual Penelope.

[@gasaiyuno9608]

@@Spectralyzed I was talking about songs where she is one of the man singers :)

[@arynoob1392]

@@gasaiyuno9608 yeah but hes cooking we do hear her for the first time before suffering

[@philipdodd451]

Yeah, 11:24 was also very literal, Odysseus was the only one strong enough to string the bow, and skilled enough to make the shot. Penelope was tricking them in a way, but only bc she knew Ody was just built different 😭

[@dominicbroome9381]

Ody is summoning his own background vocals to sing his name like with the Cyclops

[@radicaledward84]

As I call him, he's Godysseus at this point. With trumpets joining his guitar riffs.

[@silvamillion21]

I'm not really sure if you got it in the end, but the choirs in Odysseus are singing "Odysseus" and it is at first a callback to the Polyphemus choirs in the Cyclops Saga and later in the song it switched to a callback to the choirs at the end of No longer you.

[@brendanmystery]

They start with Po-ly-phe-mus and then switch to Oh-dee-sey-oos. With the first choir portion ending with O-dy. Then as the song progresses it switches to just singing Oh-dee-sey-oos

[@papaspice4932]

Epic isn’t over, but the concept album is

[@peterjones6810]

Your phone doing a suitor impression was icing on the cake of Odysseus, ngl.

[@jamie4707]

When the waiting motif came back in The Challenge I just about died /pos

[@elenjulia8271]

same

[@LiviListens]

24:44 Idk if you remember, but we've heard those choir vocals before. They were at the very end of No Longer You - and in the official animation, there were dozens of burning bodies when that part happened. Tiresias was showing Odysseus the men he would end in the future and he didn't even know. The "Man with your wife who is haunting" Tiresias saw and "with a trail of bodies" wasn't one of the suitors. It was Odysseus

[@Fey-r3i]

The way I couldn’t wait for your reaction! It’s always so relatable.

[@nicalexui1821]

12:45 "what you gonna do?--if you lay hands on telemechus...!" -well, it's worse than you thought😢

[@winstonpham4809]

14:23 Gag reflex understandable for what was said

[@athenacabin8]

In the background of Oddysyus they are chanting his name but it sounds like Polyphemus

[@RazorisProductive]

this is truly epic (the arcane to epic pipeline is a circle)

[@LiviListens]

It's crazy getting emotional hearing the official release of The Challenge for the first time, then getting even more emotional seeing other people hear it for the first time. Your reactions are amazing :)

[@seanchesteralexisexamen5964]

The first chants of Odysseus was pronounced in the original Greek way I think O-de-se-hus, while the last chants were like the last chants in No Longer You (which is a clear Odysseus)

[@garywatters11]

If you listen closely to when the suitors are singing 'Hold him down' before Ody shoots his arrow, you can hear Jorge because Ody is hiding within the group of suitors before shooting Antinous.

[@LiviListens]

10:50 actually, as is said by Antinous, the main singer of the suitors in Hold Them Down, it is simply because they aren't strong enough. This was in the Odyssey as well - Penelope knew her husband was the only one with the strength to string it and fire through all the axes cleanly, which is why she issued the Challenge. None but her husband or someone even stronger and smarter (who didn't exist) could. Also it's funny you say Odysseus is the man of the house because fun fact: the melodies of that part are from a cut song called Man of the House that was essentially Odysseus telling the story of how he became the king of Ithaca in which he is told to be "the man of the house". So, pretty spot on :)

[@bluewhitevoice]

I was waiting for your reaction (especially knowing you'd love the songs and finally hearing more of Penelope) 💙

[@ANP4158]

I can just see the ambition in the eyes of the Suitors when she announces the challenge

[@juliusbutnotlikethat]

Love your EPIC reactions. I don't at all mind you listening to the music and watching the animatics later, like you have with some others. It's a fun experience to listen to the songs again or watch them play out. In regards to Arcane, I think it's totally cool if you want to film a reaction rewatching it. First time reactions are fun, sure. In a rewatch, you're picking up on all the clues you didn't initially and have had time to digest it. So I'd love to hear your thoughts as you rewatch through the show. I hope you consider doing it, I think it would be very fun! Have a good New Year!

[@vic-c2x]

You reaction is so genuine. I knew that Hold them down will get you. But the end of it is very satisfying. And, yes, they are singing Odysseus in the back. That song was our therapy session. Can't believe you missed the open arms part, I was looking forward to your reaction. At least you can watch the animatics with it. Can't wait for the next part.

[@LordCrag1998]

"Only the ocean and I will know" Antinous buddy I promise you Poseidon does not want any part of this rn

[@vic-c2x]

He would throw a storm at Antinous before he had any part in that. No thank you sir. Not today.

[@karolinebergin9347]

Yesssss omg I've been waiting (waiting, waiting) for your reaction!

[@SeerOfTime577]

I've been looking forward to your reactions do much! We had the same experience listening to The Challenge.

[@josant5697]

Best way to start a year✨

[@nahlannentrela5376]

Then "Eurylochus, light up six torches" Now "Keep your head down-he's aiming for the torches!!"

[@Icy648]

Read somewhere that the viola playing in the background is playing the same melody as the "No" odysseus shouts in keep your friends close when the wind bag is opened. Which we can probably assume that penelope is shouting no in that scene

[@sharinganwolf2784]

I've been waiting...for this moment- //slapped//

[@amaygadalak]

in the chanting in the song odysseus, they are saying the greek pronunciation of odysseus which is something like ‘ah d ce us’

[@lizcywen6245]

19:24 the chant is "Odysseus" (Odys-se-us --> greek pronunciation)

[@drow_Lilith9940]

Penelope: shows up in the last saga and steals the show. Everyone else: yeah, I get Odysseus now, I'd kill for her too. also i love her in song penelope calls it "the kings old bow" but the assholes call it "the old kings bow"

[@maryjonbooks13]

she actually says 'my husband's old bow'!

[@drow_Lilith9940]

@@maryjonbooks13 yes and the asshole the old king bow, showing mindset of her belive in alive and asshole write him off as dead

[@bonniethebunny3971]

watch the official animatic version of the songs

[@zekielangelopere6026]

The song Odysseus,Odysseus used some plans of the foe/enemies he faced,like trapping the suitors in the palace like the cyclops did and the aiming the torches like Scylla did

[@michaelsutton1615]

The odysseus battle song is a callback to man made monster and it's no longer you..... friggin... genius

[@michaelsutton1615]

You can hear it in the guitar staccato, he is the man-made-monsterrr...

[@TrickySpirit]

Not only have they been chanting Odysseus, but they were doing it the same way as the spirits in the Underworld did while predicting his future.

[@jeezsqueeze3201]

"Cause i'd rather die than grow old without the best of you!" Best of you=Odysseus 😭💖 he's the only one capable of doing the challenge..

[@Just_MelOFC]

As a fellow nz epic fan, i love how you hate the suitors and I relate

[@cyrusellis2114]

If you listen closely you can hear odysseus's voice faintly in the background singing along

[@battleboyy14]

Antinious: Only the ocean and I will know. Posidon: Oh hell no I don't want any more to do with that family.

[@andrewjo6718]

3:21 If it's any consolation... you fared better than the suitors?

[@IcecreamCat23]

It’s a Greek choir chant. So it doesn’t sound like how we pronoun Odysseus. It’s more like Oh-Dee-seh-oos

[@themoonlit-wolf3773]

I would love if you did arcane discussions or whatever you wanna do with it (this is also the rabbit hole I’ve been down)

[@aranthur]

On the topic of books and Arcane, This Gilded Abyss is one I know is inspired by the aesthetic of stuff like Arcane and BioShock, and the main characters also have some Vi and Cait vibes to them I also believe the second book in the series should be coming out fairly soon but am not totally sure on that

[@RandomMan784]

Welp we back to the best reactions 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@battleboyy14]

Also the background singers are saying Odysseus like they sang polyphemus in the cyclops saga. Essentially that Odysseus has become the monster in this instance

[@1nn3r3V1L]

honestly there was ONE suitor who was not pointed out in the song who was actually a decent person he kept the men from doing alot more through out his stay. sad thing is he didn't leave in time and was killed with the rest

[@josant5697]

ARCANE. Please, anything. Let everything out, love to share it with you ✨🎉👾

[@ModernAegis]

Hey, are you feeling okay after Hold Them Down? Consider this comment a wellness check.

[@josiahkrodel4656]

idk if you figure it out? 18:18 but they are chanting in the same way, OH DE- SAY OOS (Odysseus) over and over

[@nothingreally7518]

If you like deep voices, then you would definitely like Hades in Hadestown 🥵🥵

[@kamidende1596]

idk if any told you or if you cought on later on but the chorus in the backgrouds were chanting ''poly...phemus....Ody....sseus'' .....sooo yeah he fully became the monster in that moment xD

[@SuperSonicBlur]

So fun fact i found after seeing some of Jorges callback breakdowns. For his interpretations of the prophet in the underwold who name i cant spell, the idea isnt that he can see all of time but rather he can see every part of someones life through THEIR perspective abd their emotions and thats what hes relaying. Meaning that the thoughts of "no longer you" are oddys own thoughts of himself. Penelope dismantles that in 12 words: "only my husband new that. So I guess that makes him you!" Its not Oddy she us waiting for, its her HUSBAND. She never calls him by name. It's always, ALWAYS *HER HUSBAND* because thats what is more important to her. Even the melodic line for "Odysseus" is used on "for" before resolving to just "you".

[@jacobgivens2274]

Moment of realization at 17:32 is my favorite part

[@projetpolaris6648]

7:05 yes we know how you've been waiiiiiiting waiiiiiiting

[@Kao_Chuuyahat]

I just got into Arcane. I've watched season 1 but not season 2 yet. Already love it. Gonna have to go back and watch episode 9 of season 1 though. Vi and Jinx are my faves.

[@m1sh474]

20:08 that's because you don't go back a few seconds like you should every time you pause.

[@Frounkie]

I would love an arcane reaction cause I feel you can never get enough arcane

[@austinsherrell5496]

Just wait till you go on TikTok and see the videos people have paired together with Would You Fall in Love with Me Again and Arcane

[@LizaaFernando]

I knew u would be spellbound by Penelope's motif 6:18 time to get them to the underworld actually, poor Hades first he had 600 men and now another 108 men are coming his way 15:02 Penelope's viola she overheard them😢 the suitors are chanting Odysseus's name just like the crew chanted Polyphemus's name, Ody aims for the torches just like Scylla; he becomes a monster

[@Matthew-c3y]

I'm shaking right now

[@radicaledward84]

- How is it that you keep pausing and commenting right before every time Hold Them Down goes into a deeper abyss? - What do you mean, I'm pausing literally at every line! - Yes.

[@elenjulia8271]

19:10 the accidental NAT20 I can't xd

[@crusaderofhell2028]

Ody-sse-us, ody-sse-us, ody-sse-us

[@Skeet8813]

personally id LOVE an arcane series

[@harmonyhaven-xn4qq]

I also heard polythemus at first 😂😅

[@romansotelo690]

I believe they’re chanting Odysseus in the Greek pronunciation

[@picodudedaRIZZLER]

OHHHHHHHHHHHHH CANADA OUR HOME AND NATIVE LAND

[@ldeidara968]

Are you going to continue your watch with your friends when you’re back in school??

[@felpsp1493]

You should eatch the livestream to get penelope canon design

[@intotheunknown2008]

Canada rules (from a totally not canadian) also me too with the arcane

[@nicalexui1821]

19:26 it's ODY-SSE-US

[@giant_pigeon]

I think you could just talk about your thoughts on each arcane episode. Like a recap or video essay

[@flyingstormboyz3479]

So many of her answers would be answered in like 10 seconds if she stopped pausing lol

[@hamkyo07]

Can we normalise listening to the song before pausing or atleast not every 5 to 10 seconds

[@nguard2008]

They are saying Ody-sse-us

[@avita.exarii]

11:24 this. ❤

[@SteffenLizbeth]

Thanks for the breakdown! Could you help me with something unrelated: My OKX wallet holds some USDT, and I have the seed phrase. (alarm fetch churn bridge exercise tape speak race clerk couch crater letter). How can I transfer them to Binance?

[@soccerwizard975]

I'm convinced no one knows the original content...

[@thelucca8449]

the problem is that you stop alot, and almost every important part, to say what the character will say next

[@shwonnnn]

ARCANEEEEE

[@aGumball]

pausing on the best parts and yapping bruh. 🙄

[@iamsonia-nevermind8366]

This is a literal blind react, why would she know when the “best parts” are 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

[@DaughterofAthena28]

Hey fellow Winion I hope. I think we should all be respectful in this community. You can click off the video if you don’t like it. Let’s be happy and nice Winions😊

[@tengenuzui8425]

ODY-SSEUS

[@hamkyo07]

Can we normalise listening to the song before pausing or atleast not every 5 to 10 seconds

[@lela1263]

girl it’s a reaction 😭 if you don’t want them to pause and, y’know, REACT, then just listen to the songs yourself