Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 1 Episode 7 Review: We Find Out the Truth, Sort Of

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 1 Episode 7, “We Find Out the Truth, Sort Of,” sees the trio make it to Hollywood and immediately put their plan to infiltrate the Underworld into motion.

For such a momentous episode, the victory should go to Percy for outsmarting Hades and uncovering Kronos’ plan to steal the bolt.

However, his quest pales compared to the meeting between Sally Jackson and Poseidon. Those two star-crossed lovers steal the show and leave no survivors.

A Godly Romance

Fans hoped the show would do what the books could not and give us a glimpse of the romance responsible for Poseidon’s forbidden child.

Well, Percy Jackson has complied and, in doing so, confirms what we suspected — Sally and Poseidon’s relationship is a goddamn heartbreaker.

Theirs is a romance worthy of the gods or, at the least, a Taylor Swift breakup song.

For a children’s show about mythology, it manages to outdo most rom-coms with a milkshake and a match. Poseidon immediately comes to Sally’s side when she calls. Couple that chivalry with the rain shower announcing his arrival and they are enough to make a cynic swoon.

Who could prepare for just how likable Toby Stephens would make our problematic sea man Poseidon? That accent alone is enough to understand why Sally puts up with an absent baby daddy.

Then Poseidon has the nerve to do something so undeniably hot — he listens and validates. Sally needs someone to understand and acknowledge her sacrifice, and Poseidon takes comfort in knowing he can at least do that for her.

Their quiet reunion is heartbreaking, and it’s beautiful in its simplicity.

The silence as they look anywhere but at each other, because to make eye contact would be to risk everything, is unnerving. Also, the unresolved romantic tension between them at the bar could be a character for how much it is doing to propel this interaction forward.

Theirs is a story of forbidden love and a painful passion that has to be left unacknowledged. It clearly tortures Poseidon to know instead of giving this goddess a place of worship, he gave her a heartbreaking burden to carry.

Sally and Poseidon prequel series when Rick Riordan?

Mother is Mothering

As much as Sally and Poseidon are fireworks together, Sally on her own is a force.

Percy Jackson’s greatest accomplishment was structuring the season around Sally and Percy’s relationship and how they brave the storm when external forces try to come between them.

Using Sally to ground the most mythology-filled episode in real emotion is a calculated move. One that cleverly lends gravitas to the trio’s underworld adventure through planted connections and references.

However, this episode shines in the decision to show us the ugliest of Percy and Sally’s relationship — the day that left Sally’s heart cracking in half.

It fleshes out their relationship as something complicated. It also allows Virginia Kull to single-handedly walk this penultimate over the victory line with a performance that is as heartbreaking as it is harrowing.

We don’t need much context to tap into the pain of her inner turmoil. This episode, however, with its half-hearted dive into the land of the dead, needs her to lend authenticity where there is none.

To Hell and Back

The main storyline of this episode is okay — a deflating thing to be, given Percy Jackson came into this season swinging.

Our trio of brilliant young actors hits every note with precision. Hades takes on a persona similar to his musical counterpart, but it works. And Crusty’s Waterbed Palace is straight from the subconscious when we imagine this set coming to life.

However, the series is losing steam. The pressure of these short mini-seasons is chipping away at Percy’s playful chivalry in its race against time.

Grand settings like the Underworld feel underwhelming in scope, confining the story to one or two sets for the episode. The logistics of how Percy is getting from Point A to B aren’t clear either — like not crossing the River Styx to get to Hades despite establishing as much.

Also, the choice to remove Annabeth from the showdown with Hades feels reductive to the trio. What is the payoff to having her leave?

A Hero’s Fatal Flaw

Ultimately, Percy knows who Crusty is before he walks into the store, and he immediately puts together Kronos’ plan as if there were more clues than what we were privy to this season.

It’s becoming apparent the fatal flaw of this hero journey is not its actors; it’s writing that does not allow these demi-gods to walk into traps or assume wrong.

Even though that proves beneficial in moving the plot along at a break-fast pace, this plot armor will ultimately hinder the series from reaching its full potential.

Poseidon and Sally steal the show in a pivotal hour of Percy’s quest.

That said, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover’s rock-solid dynamic continue to hold fast against anything this show throws at them, and that alone could carry this final to glory.

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New episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians stream Tuesdays at 9/8c on Disney+.

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