Percy Jackson facts for kids

Perseus "Percy" Jackson is the main character and narrator of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson & the Olympians book series. He is a demigod, which means he is half-human and half-god. His father is Poseidon, the god of the sea, and his mother is a human named Sally Jackson.

Percy is first introduced in The Lightning Thief as a troubled twelve-year-old. He soon discovers he is a demigod and goes on many exciting adventures. He often risks his life to save his friends and the gods of Mount Olympus.

The actor Logan Lerman plays Percy Jackson in the movie Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. This movie is based on the first book in the series.

Percy's Personality

Percy is a kind, friendly, and brave person. He is always ready to risk his life to help his friends, strangers, and sometimes even his enemies. He has a funny and sarcastic sense of humor.

Percy does not like being called nicknames or titles, except for "Seaweed Brain" from Annabeth Chase. He often tells horses, which his father Poseidon created, not to call him "boss" or "lord." Percy's biggest weakness is his loyalty. He will do anything to protect his friends and family. This loyalty is sometimes used against him by his enemies.

Percy's Adventures in the Books

The Lightning Thief

Percy Jackson starts as a 12-year-old boy who has dyslexia (trouble reading) and ADHD (trouble paying attention). He has been kicked out of many schools. At Yancy Academy, his best friend is Grover Underwood, who is secretly a satyr (half-human, half-goat).

During a field trip, Percy accidentally uses water to pull a bully into a fountain. His teacher, Mrs. Dodds, turns into a monster called a Fury and attacks him. Percy defeats her with a pen that turns into a sword, called Riptide. Later, no one remembers Mrs. Dodds because of a magical force called the Mist.

Percy soon learns that his teacher, Mr. Brunner, is actually Chiron, a centaur (half-human, half-horse) and the camp's activity director. He also learns that the camp director is the god Dionysus. Percy meets Luke Castellan and Annabeth Chase, who becomes his close friend.

During a game at camp, Percy heals his injuries in water. A glowing trident appears over his head, showing that he is the son of Poseidon. When Zeus's lightning bolt is stolen, Percy goes on his first quest with Grover and Annabeth to find it. They succeed, and Percy's mother, who was taken by the Minotaur, is returned from the Underworld.

The Sea of Monsters

In this book, the magical tree that protects Camp Half-Blood is poisoned. Chiron is blamed and leaves the camp. The only way to save the tree is with the Golden Fleece, which is on an island in the Sea of Monsters (the Bermuda Triangle).

Clarisse, a daughter of Ares, is given the quest to find the Fleece. Percy and Annabeth decide to go too, to save their friend Grover, who is trapped on the island. Percy's half-brother, Tyson, a young Cyclops, joins them.

They face many dangers, like Scylla and Charybdis. They also meet Sirens and visit Circe's island. They eventually find Clarisse, Grover, and Tyson (who survived a shipwreck). They get the Golden Fleece and return to camp.

The Fleece not only heals the tree but also brings Thalia, Zeus's daughter, back to life. It turns out this was part of Kronos's plan to control a prophecy about the future of Olympus. At the end, Percy and Annabeth win a chariot race.

The Titan's Curse

Grover finds two new demigods, Bianca and Nico di Angelo. Percy, Grover, Thalia, and two of Artemis's hunters, Zoë and Bianca, go on a quest to save Artemis, who has been kidnapped. Percy also wants to save Annabeth, who was captured earlier.

During their journey, Percy meets a human girl named Rachel Elizabeth Dare at Hoover Dam. She can see through the Mist, a magical veil that hides the monster world from humans. Rachel helps them escape from skeleton warriors.

Aphrodite, the goddess of love, tells Percy that he has a romantic future with Annabeth. Bianca is killed by a robot while trying to get a figurine for her brother, Nico. During a battle with Atlas, Zoë is badly hurt and dies. Atlas is forced to hold up the sky again.

The gods decide whether to let Percy, Thalia, and a magical creature called the Ophiotaurus live. Thalia becomes one of Artemis's hunters, which means she cannot be part of the Great Prophecy. The gods let Percy live. Percy tells Nico about Bianca's death, and Nico blames Percy. Percy later realizes that Nico's father is Hades, the lord of the dead.

The Battle of the Labyrinth

In this book, the Labyrinth of Daedalus is discovered. Kronos's army plans to invade Camp Half-Blood through the Labyrinth. Chiron sends Annabeth, Percy, Grover, and Tyson on a quest to find Daedalus. They hope his knowledge will help stop the invasion.

They eventually find Daedalus, who has made himself a new body and is disguised as a sword-fighting counselor. A big battle happens as Kronos's army attacks Camp Half-Blood through the Labyrinth. Many are hurt. Daedalus and his giant pet hellhound, Mrs. O'Leary, help in the fight.

Daedalus gives himself over to Nico di Angelo, a son of Hades, so he can finally rest in the Underworld. Percy inherits Mrs. O'Leary. Percy and Annabeth's friendship grows even stronger. Annabeth saves Percy several times and shows how much she cares for him.

The Last Olympian

In the fifth book, Percy learns the truth about the Great Prophecy. The campers discover there is a spy among them who is reporting to Kronos. Kronos has taken over Luke's body. Percy fights Kronos many times.

Percy becomes nearly invincible by bathing in the River Styx, just like Achilles. His only weak spot is a small area on his back.

A huge war between the Titans and Olympians begins. In the end, Luke, who also bathed in the River Styx, sacrifices himself to send Kronos back to Tartarus. Silena Beuregard is revealed to be the spy. She was forced to help Luke, but she dies bravely trying to fight a monster.

Annabeth tells Luke she only saw him as a brother. Percy and Annabeth finally show their strong feelings for each other. They share a special underwater kiss, which Percy calls "pretty much the best underwater kiss of all time."

Percy in the Movies

Logan Lerman played Percy in the movie Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief. This movie was based on the first book. A movie of the second book, The Sea of Monsters, was released in 2013.

Percy's Powers and Abilities

Like most demigods, Percy has some special traits:

• ADHD: This is actually a heightened alertness that helps demigods be ready for battle.
• Dyslexia: His brain is wired to read Ancient Greek, not modern languages.

Percy is given a magical sword called Anaklusmos, or Riptide. It is made of celestial bronze, a special metal that can hurt gods and monsters but not humans.

As a son of Poseidon, one of the "Big Three" gods, Percy has many powerful abilities:

• Percy is a naturally skilled swordsman. He can fight well against stronger and more experienced opponents.
• Percy has amazing physical strength. He tore a horn off the Minotaur and was able to hold up the weight of the sky.
• Percy has special dreams that show him events happening far away.
• Percy has a mental connection with his friend Grover, called an empathy link.
• After bathing in the River Styx, Percy becomes almost impossible to hurt, except for one small spot on his back. This also makes him stronger and more skilled in battle.

Water Powers

Percy has many powers connected to the things Poseidon controls: the sea, horses, sea creatures, and earthquakes. His water powers are stronger in seawater.

• When in water, Percy gains strength, fighting skill, and speed.
• Percy can control large amounts of water with great force. He can move rivers, create currents, or make water firm enough to stand on.
• Percy can breathe underwater and is not harmed by water pressure.
• When underwater, Percy stays dry unless he chooses to get wet. He can also dry objects by touching them underwater.
• Percy can talk to sea animals, and they usually obey him.
• Percy can talk to horses, zebras, and pegasi, because his father created them.
• While at sea, Percy always knows his exact location.
• Percy can control parts of boats with his mind, especially sails.
• Percy can sense where objects are underwater.
• Percy can talk to other children of Poseidon, like Cyclopes, underwater.
• Percy is very resistant to burning and can even survive in magma because of his water power.
• Percy can create water from nothing, but it takes a lot of energy.
• Percy can summon hurricanes, as his father is the god of storms.
• Percy can create air bubbles underwater so his friends can breathe.
• Percy can use ocean currents to move quickly underwater or even launch himself into the air.
• Percy can harden water to form shields.
• Percy can heal small cuts and gain energy when in water.
• Percy can cause small earthquakes.
• Percy can create small cyclones around his body.

Important Friendships

• Annabeth Chase: Percy and Annabeth are very close friends throughout the series. They meet in The Lightning Thief and build a strong bond through their adventures. Their friendship grows deeper in each book. Annabeth often saves Percy, and they care for each other deeply. They are often called "Percabeth" by fans.
• Calypso: Percy meets Calypso on her island, Ogygia, after being hurt. She takes care of him. Calypso is very beautiful, and Percy enjoys his time with her. She offers him a chance to stay and become immortal, but Percy chooses to leave to help his friends. He promises to plant a garden for her, which he does.
• Rachel Elizabeth Dare: Rachel is a human girl who can see through the Mist. She helps Percy and his friends. Rachel likes Percy, but Percy's feelings are mixed because of his strong friendship with Annabeth. Rachel later becomes the new Oracle, which means she cannot have a romantic relationship. They remain friends.
• Nico di Angelo: Nico is Bianca's brother and a son of Hades. He initially blames Percy for Bianca's death. Over time, their friendship improves. Nico later reveals his past feelings for Percy, but they remain friends.

Relationships with the Gods

• Poseidon: Percy and his father, Poseidon, have a good relationship. Poseidon calls Percy his favorite son and even forgives him for sitting on his throne.
• Zeus: Zeus, the king of the gods, has mixed feelings about Percy. He was upset about Percy's birth because it broke a pact. However, he was pleased when Percy returned his lightning bolt. Zeus eventually offers Percy godhood for saving Olympus, but Percy declines.
• Hades: Hades, lord of the underworld, also has mixed feelings. Percy initially accused him of stealing the lightning bolt, but later cleared his name. Hades helps Percy during the war in The Last Olympian.
• Ares: The god of war dislikes Percy, especially after Percy defeats him in a duel. Ares curses Percy's sword, saying it will fail him when he needs it most.
• Athena: The goddess of wisdom and war, Athena, does not approve of Percy's friendship with her daughter Annabeth because of her rivalry with Poseidon. However, she sometimes helps Percy.
• Hera: The queen of the gods, Hera, has a neutral relationship with Percy. She helps him at times but also dislikes his views on perfect families.
• Dionysus: Also known as "Mr. D," Dionysus often calls Percy by the wrong name. He usually seems annoyed by demigods. However, their relationship improves over time, and Dionysus even calls Percy by his real name once.
• Hephaestus: The god of blacksmiths, Hephaestus, is grateful to Percy for finding out who was using his forge.
• Artemis: Percy is on good terms with Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, after he helped save her. She respects him and even calls him a man.
• Hermes: Hermes, the messenger god, initially helps Percy. Their relationship becomes strained when Percy cannot save Luke, Hermes's son. However, they mend their relationship after the war.
• Aphrodite: The goddess of love, Aphrodite, is interested in Percy's friendship with Annabeth. She says she will make his love life difficult because she likes him.
• Apollo: Apollo, the sun god, treats Percy like a younger cousin. He helps Percy twice in The Titan's Curse.
• Hestia: Percy and Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, have a good relationship. Percy trusts her with the spirit of hope, which helps improve her view of demigods.

See also

In Spanish: Percy Jackson (personaje) para niños