#Odysseus is the best song of the Saga fight me

[endead-art]

The Ithaca Saga (Epic the Musical) was so good

I already listened to the songs prior to the stream, but man

That truly was a journessy, an epic one at that

Thank you Mr. Jalapeño

[elleniemae]

“We both know what it takes to survive…”

[anotherlongstoryshort]

Things about the Wisdom Saga that have plagued me all damn day

Legendary

Whether intentional or not, Miguel's Telemachus really sounds like a younger version of Jorge's Odysseus. And that hurts.

"If I fight those monsters, is it you I'll find?" The layers. Could he go out and hunt for his father? Could he find his 'legendary' strength within himself? Or will Odysseus be the 'monster' he finds?

"Somebody help me, come and give me the strength" And his call is answered T_T

20 years.

Antinous fully interrupts this bop. Rude.

Ayron sounds legitimately scary and Telemachus taking a stand is so O.O

Little Wolf

I wanna fight this guy. Love that Athena agrees. (The beat of the song and sharp bursts of vocals really emulate blows.)

The quaver on "I don't know how".

Athena is immediately charmed by Telemachus' enthusiasm. She sounds so fond.

The fact she sees heart in him as an advantage when it was Odysseus choosing heart over mind that drove them apart. Guh.

Did she tell him to bite Antinous? XD

"Oh, maybe I pushed you a bit too hard." The change in her perspective is already so apparent - she wouldn't have admitted a mistake or miscalculation to Odysseus.

We'll Be Fine

"I had a friend before..." A FRIEND? FRIEND?!?!

An admission that she didn't fully appreciate what Odysseus was going through, that she feels guilty for having "missed it all".

It's unclear to begin with if she's come to Telemachus for Odysseus, or to try and replace him. Both are equally heart-breaking.

"I don't know who your friend is, I don't know what he's like" UNKNOWINGLY ECHOING HIS OWN THOUGHTS IN 'LEGENDARY'. NO IT'S FINE I'M FINE.

"The best day of my life because I got in a fight and I didn't die! :D" Telemachus, child, please.

"We'll be fine" using the same run as "this is my goodbye" T_T

Him immediately offering up friendship to Athena, like Odysseus once did, must hit her so hard. "You're a good kid." Yes he is - because he's more like his dad than he knows.

Love in Paradise

"Old friend..." FRRRRRIIIIEEEENNNNNDDDDD!!!!!

10 years.

The memory fragments sounding so fraught and chaotic together, hitting harder because they're hitting Athena all at once. She missed a lot.

"She's my wife." "Anyways..." Calypso, girl, please.

Love that they're singing completely different melodies through the first half of this song for two reasons: because Odysseus is revisiting previous motifs, once more trying to hold onto the man he was, and also because it shows Calypso is not willing to compromise on what she wants.

"Last I checked goddesses can't die." We'll come back to this later.

Then Odysseus realises he is truly trapped and he sings along to Calypso's melody in muted horror.

POLITIES OUT HERE STILL HAUNTING THE NARRATIVE.

Just the words "open arms" are enough to confront Odysseus (again) with all he's lost. All he hears are screams.

And the one he screams out for is Athena.

"He needs my help." NO KIDDING GO GET YOUR BOY.

God Games

"Father, God, King..." There's a lot to unpack in that fun family dynamic.

"To untie apprehensions that were placed on that Greek?" Zeus is like, nobody likes that guy, why do you care?

The gods being called out like X Factor finalists is everything.

So there's a great contrast against the previous song - unlike Calypso, Athena is matching each of her singing partners with their tone and beat as she convinces them. She isn't winning by 'imposing her will', she's meeting them where they are.

Rational arguments work until Aphrodite, where Athena says "please" for the first time. She softens to appeal to Aphrodite, which is why Ares has to step in.

The way she says his name XD

Ares' lines sound like as much of a fighting chant as 'Little Wolf' did, which makes it all the better that the mention of Telemachus is what gets her to 'fight back'.

"His son's my friend!" YES HE IS. And Athena of all people declaring "a broken heart can mend" is fascinating. Can't help but wonder if she's talking about herself coming around to forgiving Odysseus.

"Never once has he cheated on his wife." Handwaving the source material is worth it for this line ALONE.

Zeus is so pressed by everyone openly knowing he cheats on Hera. Stop doing it then my dude.

Ares sounding genuinely concerned for Athena is doing things to me. Goddesses can't die, huh?

Her time motif flitting in and out like a weak heartbeat.

The soft piano of 'Warrior of the Mind', touching on a whisper of 'Legendary', then rising to a triumphant crescendo as Athena regains herself. I will be forever haunted by visions of Odysseus and Telemachus helping her to her feet.

And then, finally, she faces her own father and begs. Because Odysseus and Telemachus deserve a chance to be father and child.

The parallel, by the way, of Athena entering this saga to help an outnumbered Telemachus, and now closing it with him/Odysseus unknowingly helping her win her own battle too. JORGE HOW DARE YOU T_T

[haze-of-hyperfixations]

So. Obviously the Luck Runs Out references in Mutiny are heartbreaking and fantastic.

But I think the song was also setting up some parallels with Puppeteer.

Puppeteer: "There's no length I wouldn't go, if it was you I had to save. I can only hope you'd do the same." Mutiny: "Don't make me fight you, brother, you know you'd have done the same!"

And the thing is, Eurylochus would have done the same. Earlier in the story. During Puppeteer, he wanted to run. He wanted to abandon his men. And Odysseus was the one to fight for their crew. And it worked!! They got out! Odysseus gave them a shred of hope and got them out of an impossible situation! So Eurylochus learns from that. He grows and changes. He becomes someone who refuses to leave his men at the mercy of a monster. Unfortunately, this was around the same time that Odysseus decided to become the monster.

That's the tragedy of it all; they both change, and they're still at odds! Eurylochus is throwing Odysseus's own past heroic decisions back at him. Odysseus retaliates by reminding Eurylochus of his own past cowardice. They don't know each other anymore!! They're two desperate people trying to make the best decisions they can, and they just keep getting people hurt, and they're both so tired.

Puppeteer: "I've got all the power, yeah, I've got all the power-" Mutiny: "If you want all the power, you must carry all the blame!"

In a way, the Eurylochus vs Odysseus conflict parallels the Odysseus vs Circe conflict. And the Circe Saga ended with Odysseus at Circe's mercy as he begged her to let them leave. The Thunder Saga ended with Eurylochus and the crew at Odysseus's mercy, with "Captain? ... But we'll die." Circe spared Odysseus. Odysseus chose to let his men die. He's come full circle, paralleling the enemy he once faced, and then going further than she did.

Does any of that make sense? I don't know, it's almost two in the morning. Anyways, the Thunder Saga ripped out my heart and I'm obsessed with the tragic humanity of all of it!!!

[madbard]

“Hunger is so heavy.”

I want to take a moment to rant about the role of hunger in Epic - specifically, the way nearly ever single saga is, at its core, a story about hunger and the way it affects us.

Let’s start with the Troy Saga. Odysseus’ men have won the war and are finally headed home when they run out of food. Upon discovering an island, Eurylochus immediately suggests they attack and take what they can. Right off the bat, the story associates hunger with violence. As we all know, Odysseus resists, and travels with Polites to the island of the lotus eaters - a society that has sacrificed their free will to slake their hunger for the glowing lotus fruits. If not for Odysseus recognizing the fruit, the crew could very well have met the same fate. Their hunger would have led to them losing their freedom forever.

Moving onto the Cyclops saga, the events of the Odyssey begin in earnest when Odysseus’ men slaughter Polyphemus’ sheep because they are starving. In response, Polyphemus decides to slaughter the entire crew and eat them instead - suddenly, theirs is not the only hunger that threatens their lives. The only reason they are able to escape is because Odysseus tempts Polyphemus with the “world’s best-tasting wine,” thus defeating the cyclops with his own thirst (I’m not going to differentiate between hunger and thirst here, as they are both intense physical cravings). Here, hunger is both a weakness and a threat. Giving in to hunger can lead to death and destruction, but hunger can also be used as a weapon, if you are clever.

Next up is the Ocean Saga. (This is where I start to seriously bend the definition of “hunger.”) This is the first saga in which food or lack thereof does not play a direct role. Here, Odysseus faces a new form of desire: exhaustion. Going back a bit, I described hunger as an intense physical craving for food. Well, what is exhaustion if not an intense physical craving for sleep? In this saga, Odysseus is given the chance to make it home. All he has to do is keep the storm trapped, and in order to do that, he has to stay awake. Odysseus resists his exhaustion for nine days, fighting off his desperate desire for sleep. But eventually, he relents and drifts off - which is when Eurylochus releases the storm and Poseidon kills all but 43 members of Odysseus’ crew. Once more, yielding to ‘hunger’ leads to tragedy.

Moving on to the Circe Saga, literal hunger plays a role yet again as Circe’s first move is to offer Odysseus’ men “something to eat.” The men soon discover that Circe enchanted their meal; upon eating, they are transformed into pigs - animals infamous for devouring anything in front of them. Here, hunger is portrayed as something animalistic, something which reduces the men from thinking, civilized beings to creatures, little better than livestock. Just a song later, though, Odysseus becomes powerful enough to face Circe when he consumes moly root. Notably, his consumption of this root was based on strategy, not hunger - a small but important distinction as it separates his consumption of the moly from his crew’s consumption of Circe’s meal. Wrapping up the Circe Saga, we have an entirely different kind of hunger as Circe offers to let Odysseus’ men go free if he shows his true colors in “acts of lust.” He refuses the promise of physical satisfaction because of his loyalty to Penelope, and in doing so, he earns Circe’s respect and assistance. Earlier in Epic, we were shown the power of hunger to inspire violence, tragedy and destruction. Here, we see it as an animalistic urge - the distinction between animals and men, then, is their capacity to resist such desires.

Writing this, the Underworld Saga was very frustrating for me because I could not find any significant references to hunger in any of the songs. Thinking back on it though, I wonder if that in itself is significant. The saga that takes place entirely in the world of the dead is the first saga not to heavily involve hunger or other forms of physical desire. Resisting hunger may be what distinguishes men from animals, but feeling hunger is what distinguishes the living from the dead.

Finally, we reach the Thunder Saga. The crew has run out of food for a final time, and in the grips of hunger, Eurylochus closes the cycle begun in the Cyclops saga when he slaughters the sun god’s cattle. At this point in the story, Eurylochus no longer believes they can return home. Eurylochus is exhausted, starving - he cannot bear to suffer any longer. Though Odysseus protests, Eurylochus insists that the crew cannot go on like this. They cannot survive much longer on these seas. His final defense as he slaughters the cattle? “I’m just a man.” The only person begging him to stop renounced his humanity in the Underworld.

Throughout Epic, hunger is a constant force. It inspires violence, steals free will. Submitting to it leads to tragedy, but it can also prove a powerful weapon. To resist it for a time is to be more than an animal. To feel it is to be alive. We cannot escape it forever, can’t fight it forever. In the end, we are bound by the needs of our fragile, ephemeral bodies. In the end, we must give in. And maybe, just maybe, that is what makes us human.

[evil-youth-messrs]

Okay so here's the list of moments in EPIC: the musical (in order) that make me go feral. Believe it or not, I tried to keep it as short and concise as possible but the albums are just too good.

The Troy Saga 💙

*tudududu dum tum tum tum tum*

what do you live for? what do you try for? what do you wish for? WHAT DO YOU FIGHT FOR??

PENELOPEEEE

who was that *CAWWWW* 🦅🦅

thisisthesonofnoneotherthan ~troooy's~ veryown prince hec!tor!

I could raise him as my own-HEE WILL BURN YOUR HOUSE AND THRONEE (the whole exchange) THIS IS THE WILL OF THE ✨️GODS✨️

but when!? does a comet become a meteor??? (both solo and ensemble versions)

six! hundred! men

and ithaca's waiting, my kindom is waiting, PENELOPE'S WAITIIIING for meeee

my second iiin commaaand

we're up, we're off and away we go (again both versions)

I'm fiiiiiiine, Polites 🙄

stay back!!! (lotus eaters: stay back~~)

you can relax my friend

*the intro and piano for warriors of the mind*

HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THE LESSONS I THAUGHT YOUUU

LET ME REMIND YOU

one day a boy came! for the thrill! a boy whose mind rivaled the boar's own wiiiiiiill

LET'S GO !!

*the entire chorus*

NAAAAAH DON'T BE MODEST, I KNOW YOU'RE A GODDESS

you are ~ATHEEENAA~ (*the growl* !!!)

if you're LOOking for a mentor, I'll make sure your time's well spent

*the chorus when they both sing*

*honestly every single line in this song*

The Cyclops Saga 👁

*the water droplets sound at the beginning*

loook at all this foood 😃

my name is nooooobody, nooooobody, noOoOoOobody

I'm so glad we see eye to eye

show me how. greatisyourwilltoSURVIIIIIIIVE

six hundred liiiives at stake

captain ENOUGH

*how the guitar fades in in remember them*

what do we do with our fallen friends?... remember them

*athena's piano and clock ticking*

HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN! THE LESSONS! I THAUGHT YOU?? he's still a threat! until he's DEEEEAAAAD

HEY, CYCLOPS!

remember them remember us REMEMBER ME

I'M THE REIGNING KING OF ITHACA I AM NEITHER MAN NOR MYTHICAAAL IIII AM YOUR DARKEST MOMENT I AM THE INFAAAMOUUUS. odysseus!

you were reckless, sentimental at best 😒

this way! you won't disappoint me, this way! you won't waste my time, thiiis waay

slefish and prideful and vain 🙄

YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A MENTOR I'M NOT LOOKING FOR A FRIEND I MISTOOK YOU FOR A GENERAL WHAT A WASTE OF EFFORT SPENT

at least I know what I'm fighting for while you're fighting to be known

YOU'RE ALONE !!!

but not today for after all you're JUST A MAAAN

this day! you SEVER your own head, this day! you CUT the liiine

The Ocean Saga 🌊

*trumpetttt*

these ~waves~ and ~tides~

is it nature? or diviiiine?

COMRADES

full spead aHEAD TOWARDS THE ISLAND

an island in the sky 🤩

STOOOOOOOORM STOOOOOORM everyone grab a harpoooon!

we're in the home of the ✨️wind god✨️ we don't know for sure how many floating islands have you seen before??

captain HOW? much longer til your luck. runs. out.

you rely on wit and people die on it wooah

I took six hundred men to war! and not one of them died there. in case you needed a reminderr.

woooaahoookayyy? okay. thank you 🙄

*ambient intro to keep your friends close*

I don't know if you know this 🥺 but our path to home is blocked by an impenetrable stooorm 😔

*growly hahahas*

KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE AND YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER

if they wanna get the bag open you gotta say no sirrr.

open the bag, let's see what you got. NO! DO! NOT!

see how this bag is closed that's how it's supposed to be

I'm getting closer to youuuu PENELOPEEE

JUST KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

wake up! wake up! odysseus, they're opening the bag WAKEEE UUUUP!

STOOOOfullOOOOspeedOOOOOaheadOORM

you're headed to ~the land of the giants~

OOOOOOOOODYSSEUS OF ITHACAAAAA do you know who I am?

PO SEI DON PO SEI DON PO SEI DON poseidon 😨

I try to chill~ with the waves

*THE GROWLY VOCALS*

that's right the cyclops you made blind. is mine. NO

the pack of wolves is swimming with the shark now

RuThLeSsNeSs is MERCY upon ourselves

you 🫵 are the worst kind of good cause you're NOT. EVEN. GREAT!

a greek. who reeks. of false righteousness that's what I HATE

I mean you totally could've avoided all this had you just. killed. my. son. but nOoOu ���

it's the final crack we're 'bout to break the ice now

CAPTAIN! CAPTAIN! CAPTAIN! CAPTAIN!

when does a ripple become a tidal wave?

*somebody stop me I just wrote every line of this song*

The Circe Saga 🐷

The Underworld Saga 💀

The Thunder Saga⚡️+ The Wisdom Saga ⏳️

If you read all of that, thank you and honestly WOW.

[pale-opal]

I Listened to "The Wisdom Saga" and I Have Some Things to Say - Part 1

If you haven't listened to this part of "Epic: the Musical" yet, feel free to click off this post and do that because not only are you doing yourself a disservice, I will also be giving ALL of the spoilers under the cut, and the Epic sagas are best experienced blind. It's free to listen to on YouTube, Spotify, and Amazon Music, and it's also available to buy on iTunes.

Okay. Did you listen to it? You did? Great! Now let's get into it: 1. Legendary- This is my favorite song in the saga. - Telemachus is precious and must be protected at all costs - The "l-l-l-l-legendary" is giving Hamilton (2015), not gonna lie. - I mean that in the best way possible. - Some people have pointed out that Athena's melody can be heard in the background, and we know from past songs that when her theme or ticking sounds can be heard when she's not present in the song, that means that she's just observing to see what's going to happen before getting involved. - And that's a good thing, considering what's about to happen. - But we'll get to that. - I want to talk about this part of the chorus for a second:

"Give me sirens and a cyclops Give me giants and a hydra I know life and fate are scary But I wanna be legendary" - I just think that first line is so ironic because Odysseus fought both sirens and a cyclops. - I also think the giants line is interesting, since Odysseus almost got sent to the Land of the Giants after a certain someone opened the wind bag (*cough cough* Eurylochus *cough cough*). - Now I wanna talk about these lines:

"There are strangers in our halls Trying to win the heart of my mom But she is standing tall 108 old faces of men who call me small They keep taking space and it's not much longer we can stall

Cause they're getting impatient, dangerous tooAnd I would fight them if I was half as strong as you Somebody help me, come and give me the strength Can I do whatever it takes to keep my mom safe?" - While listening to this song, I got reminded of when my 10th grade English teacher covered the original Odyssey.- A phrase she kept using to describe how the suitors were treating Penelope and Telemachus was "eating [them] out of house and home." - To sum up what she meant by that, the suitors are basically taking advantage of the concept "xenia", which is an idea the ancient Greeks had. They believed that visitors were under the protection of Zeus, and that they had to be treated with respect. - Odysseus and his men try to invoke this when they first meet the cyclops. - Because of xenia, Penelope and Telemachus are sort-of "barred" from kicking the suitors out. - And even if they could... there are one-hundred and eight (108) of them. They're horribly outnumbered. They could easily be overpowered. - Now you may be asking yourself: "How come they haven't been overpowered already?" - The original text actually gives us an explanation for that: Penelope started working on what was known as a "funeral shroud" (a fabric a dead person is wrapped up in before being buried) for Odysseus' father. - She told the suitors that she would choose one of them to marry once the shroud was complete. - However, what she DIDN'T tell them was that she was going to undo some of the work each night, thus allowing her to work on the shroud for an indefinite amount of time, or until Odysseus came back. - ...or, at least, that's what would've happened if the suitors didn't find out what she was up to. Hence why their so antsy to find out which one of them she intends to marry:

"Where is he? Where is the man who'll have you to wife? Oh Where is he? Where is the man with whom you'll spend your life? Cause it's been 20 years (20 years) And we still have no king" - And now it's time to talk about the only antagonist in the entirety of "Epic" who is a clear-cut villain with no redeeming qualities: Antinous.- I want this man defenestrated immediately. - You know how Telemachus is a young man who respects women, loves his dad, even though he's never met him, wants his mother to be happy and safe, and also wants all of these sleazy men out of his house? - Yeah, okay, well, Antinous is the complete opposite of him. Just take a look at this interaction between the two of them (cw for implications of SA):

"[ANTINOUS] Boy! When's your tramp of a mother gonna choose a new husband? ... Why don't you open her room so we can have fun with her?

[TELEMACHUS] Don't you dare call my mother a tramp! ...

[ANTINOUS, spoken] I just did! Whatchu gonna do about it, champ?" - And you want to know what Antinous does after saying all of this? - He challenges the son of the woman he supposedly wants to marry, the same son who he sees as a child despite him being twenty (based on "108 old faces of men who call me small" and how he calls Telemachus "boy"), to a fistfight. 2. Little Wolf- This was the song I was the most excited for prior to its release, and I am pleased to say that it does NOT disappoint. - One thing I noticed before the song came out is that Poseidon refers to Odysseus and his crew as a "pack of wolves" in "Ruthlessness". - Considering how animal symbolism is used in this musical, Telemachus is seen as being in the same vein as his father, but is called "little" because he isn't quite on the same level as him... not yet, anyway. - But I'm getting ahead of myself.

"Fight, little wolf, fight Wanna entertain me? Bite, little wolf, bite Let's see how you take this Strike, little wolf, strike Wanna be a man? Then Fight, little wolf, fight, little wolf, fight" - The chorus is literally a bunch of grown-men trying to pressure Telemachus, who they see as a child, mind you, into fighting a man who is not only older than him, but who is also implied to be stronger, too. - They want this boy dead, and that is apparent before they line "die, little wolf, die, little wolf, die" even leaves their mouths. - I can't wait for "King" to come out. I want these posers to get what they deserve. - Oh, and as for Antinous: "You've made your worst mistake here, might be your last one too You'll have run out of bones to break when you and I are through I'll teach you all the lessonsyour daddy never couldThis cruel world doesn't give out presentsjust for being good" - While I do agree that Telemachus needs to become less sheltered, beating him to death is NOT the way to teach him how harsh the world is. That lesson is going to do him no good if he has to die to learn it. - But, of course, Antinous doesn't care about that. He only cares about dealing with the person standing between him and "his" woman. - The further I go into this, the more I want Antinous chucked out of a window. - But it's okay. It's fine, everybody. Because Telemachus' real mentor soon arrives on the scene:

"[ATHENA, spoken]Need some help?

[TELEMACHUS] What's going on here?

[ATHENA] Is your plan to stand around? Cause I suggest you fight back

[TELEMACHUS] I don't know how" - Okay, so two things: 1. Athena being totally down with helping Odysseus' kid despite this being the first time they meet is awesome. 2. Telemachus wants to fight monsters, but he doesn't even know how to properly punch a guy. I love this. He has Odysseus' heart, but not his "mind" so to speak. He wants to do all these serious and impressive things, but when the time comes for him to do so, he hasn't the foggiest idea as to how.

"[ATHENA, spoken] Uppercut him, now.

[TELEMACHUS] Woah, how did I do that? Is time now moving slow?

[ATHENA] No, I just made your thoughts quick" - I'm so glad we get this explanation of how "quick-thought" works! It doesn't slow-down time. It speeds up the mental faculties of the person under its effects, and essentially puts them in a "bubble" where they can interact with the outside world in-real time while perceiving (and acting?) faster than their surroundings (I don't know if Jay explained this anywhere else. If he did, I'm sorry for being redundant). - And then we get these absolutely raw lines from Athena: "I've no respect for bullies Those who impose their will I've seen plenty enough to truly understand this kind of filth Let's teach this dog a lesson In front of all his kind One young wolf has a larger heart than all these men combined" - THIS IS WHAT I MEANT ABOUT THE ANIMAL SYMBOLISM! Dogs are considered by many to be the descendants of wolves. A genetic relative that is not quite as feral or quite as aggressive as a wolf, even if they're wild. And based on how Athena calls the suitors "filth" (ha!) and puts extra emphasis on how wolves are stronger than them, I wouldn't be too surprised if she was talking about domesticated dogs. And that case, they don't stand a chance against - oh, wait. Hold on a second: "[ATHENA, spoken] Ooh, maybe I pushed you a bit too hard!

[TELEMACHUS, spoken] Ow..." - I can totally imagine Telemachus getting a headache or a nosebleed here. It's his first day getting into a fight, and the first time he's experiencing deus ex machina. Ya boy is not qualified for all of this. He needs a break. - Oh, and then we get Antinous being butthurt about Telemachus actually managing to rough him up a little:

"Go back and cry in your corner Make sure your mother hears If she won't choose a man to adorn her We'll bring blood and tears" - Again. Defenestration. It would suit Antinous really well.- The next song is dedicated to Telemachus receiving an answer to this question: "Athena, why did you come to my aid?"

3. We'll Be Fine - I have a confession to make: I thought this song was going to be boring. - I am SO glad I was wrong. - I also thought that this would be a Penelope song. - I was wrong about that too, but I'm sure she'll get her moment eventually. - One thing that this song accomplishes musically is that it combines the melodies of "Warrior of the Mind" and "Legendary" together, making something that sounds new and different. It feels like Athena and Telemachus really see each other as friends, and that Athena felt the same way about Odysseus - she was just to focused on being his mentor to acknowledge that until now. - Oh, and we also find out that Athena has been dealing with some serious guilt since the cyclops argument:

"I had a friend before, and He was a lot like you I helped him fight through war, but He had his demons too And then we grew apart Then his light went dark

And so, I thought Maybe, if I made a different call Maybe if I hadn't missed it all Maybe, he'd be fine Maybe we'd unwind Maybe, if I help another soul Maybe, if I helped you reach your goal Life could be that bright I could sleep at night"

- This part of the song hurts, y'all. - Athena is genuinely convinced that if she had stuck with Odysseus then he would be home safely, and that what happened between them is mostly her fault, even though Odysseus told her to her face that he wanted to be rid of her, too. - AND she's losing sleep over this man? Somebody go get him immediately.- I really want to talk about the lines referring to light for a moment: - When I first heard "Then his light went dark" I thought that meant Athena legitimately thought Odysseus was dead. Which makes the fact that she feels guilty about everything that happened even WORSE. - And then "Life could be that bright" is just her saying that Odysseus made her life better and that she was wrong about not seeing him as a friend, and that friendship is necessary for living a meaningful life. - And you know, that kind of makes me want to grab Odysseus by the shoulders and violently shake him for shouting "YOU'RE ALONE!" to Athena all the way back in "My Goodbye". Like, no she wasn't, Odysseus, she had you. And you had her. And then you both screwed it up by being too stubborn to admit that the other person had a point. Now BOTH of you are sad and lonely. - But again, it's okay. It's fine (pun not intended). Because Telemachus is still here, listening to all of this: "Athena, I don't know who your friend is I don't know what he's like, but My time with you has been splendid The best day of my life Cause I got in a fight, and I didn't die" - He literally has doesn't know who Athena is talking about, and even if he did, it wouldn't matter, because he NEVER MET HIS DAD. - Why is this song so sad? - We're three songs deep, and I am HURT. - And it's just gonna get worse from here. - On a lighter note, Telemachus says that he has really enjoyed hanging out with Athena for the past fifteen (15) minutes, and that this is actually the best day of his life. His reasoning? He survived getting jumped! Hooray! - Wait, what? That's it? That's all took for this to be the best day of his life? Just... just how bad has his life been, until now? - ... - ...hm. "Maybe, if life wasn't spent as planned Maybe, it's time that you lend a hand I don't think he'll mind If not his friend, then mine

[TELEMACHUS & ATHENA] Maybe, to fall is to learn one way Maybe, it's all gonna turn out great I know we'll be fine I know it's light you'll find" - Telemachus offers to be Athena's friend, while also telling her that it's okay for her to move on from Odysseus. - And he still doesn't know that he's talking about his dad, I can't-- "To fall is to learn one way" = "Sometimes it's okay to learn things the hard way." - Athena had to learn that friendship was something worth pursuing with others by losing the first friend she ever had, and Telemachus had to learn to stand up for himself and come out the sheltered life he's been living by getting into a fistfight. - Light is being used as a metaphor for happiness, and that makes me happy. Because Telemachus and Athena needed a friends, and they have each other now. I love that for them. - This is also the point where the "Legendary" and "Warrior of the Mind" melodies combine. I know I said earlier that was a representation of how Athena and Telemachus friendship was forming, but I would like to off this interpretation as well: - Putting "Warrior of the Mind" and "Legendary" on the same level as each other musically could be a thematic way of saying that Telemachus is a "warrior of the mind", as it were. However, since I did say that Telemachus doesn't have Odysseus "mind" before, I would like to elaborate and say that in this instance, Telemachus is being considered to be an equal to his father due to his emotional intelligence. What he lacks for in book-smarts, he makes up for in heart.

Unfortunately, my complete thoughts on this particular saga are too long for tumblr to allow as one post, so I'll have to post a part 2 later today. We'll be covering "Love in Paradise" and "God Games" then. Furthermore, please do not confuse me talking trash about any of the characters or wanting to see them face consequences for their actions as me speaking poorly of or wishing harm upon any of the actors or crew for "Epic" or any other real people, because that is not what I am doing. I hold great respect for the "Epic" team, and I am eager to see what they do in the future. That's all I can say for now. I'll see you all in a few hours with part 2. Update: Part 2 can be found here.

[rubysephi]

This is my take on the Ithica saga, feel free to tell me your thoughts

The challenge: the song starts with the viola, which is Penelope motif. The challenge she prepared is a display of her annoyance to the suitors because she knows only ODYSSEUS can succeed, this challenge is to show the suitors they can never compare to Odysseus, to the true man of the house. Speaking of man of the house, it was a cut song from the musicals, in the original Homer Odyssey, Telemachus called himself the man of the house, however here, he is not, the suitors took too much space in the house. The suitors only want the power that comes with being the man of the house, the challenge is to buy time for Odysseus to come back because she saw the storm, the abnormal behavior of the sea, she knows or at least hope Odysseus is coming. “ I'd rather die then grow old without the best of you” oh she ain't talking to the suitors, she is talking about Odysseus, knowing the suitors won't succeed in stringing the bow and shooting through the axes. Waiting, waiting she was waiting for years and yet she still have to wait for a few moments, she is longing for her husband

Hold em down : ‘ thrown back to the end of legendary with the “ where is he “. The suitors not being able to string the bow, and antinous releasing penelope tricked them, to forever delay them. we can hear Odysseus in the background, he is hearing the suitors plan, ready to kill them. We can also hear the viola in the background when antinous speak about what he will do to Penelope, perhaps showing her lack of say in the matter because only her instrument is there and not her voice

Odysseus: Odysseus chorus being the same as Polyphemus showing he is no longer a man during this, he is the monster. Also he said enough just before killing the suitor, Jusy like how polyphemus said enough before killing his man .All he has been through as shown him mercy isn't the solution anymore. Normally through the other saga the “ open arms “ melody shows that Odysseus still hung on to his friend, polities, view on the world but now he abandoned it . The danger motif keep showing up cause Odysseus is the danger, nother suitors, the electric guitar is always present. He is aiming for the torches, just like Scylla did when she killed his man, taking another inspiration from another monster. He is not letting them threaten his family after Fighting so hard to get back to his island, his loves one. The Legendary motif and Athena motif mixing omg , Athena taking in Telemachus like she did to Odysseus, full circle moment. “ Hold him down “ thrown back to the previous song , but all to the end of legendary “ where is he “. “ Mercy ? Mercy!” His mercy has long since drowned, perhaps like how he nearly drowned in “ get into the water” ; it stayed underneath the way, only ruthlessness remained. Also Eurymachus's askinf for forgiveness just like how Odysseus asked for forgiveness to Poseidon, getting the same answer “not” he truly took something form every foe he fought. Unlike the suitors, his aim is true, the arrows flying right to the target without fail. The end of the song mimicking the end of “ Survive” with Polyphemus, the chorus singing Odysseus, showing how much he embraced the monster, also the screams of the suitors omg, perfect . Perhaps as well the Chorus saying “ ody sseus” is the the same as the chorus at the end of no longer you

I can't help but wonder: nylon or acoustic guitar playing at the beginning , this isn't the monster, this is Odysseus, he softened for his son, once the threat was dealt with. The reunion between Telemachus and Odysseus is so heartwarming, Telemachus kept hearing tales and stories about his father, making up his vision of Odysseus based on those. However Odysseus only saw Telemachus as an infant, he didn't have anything to imagine what he son would be like, other the image of the infant Telemachus once was ( also the infant imagine of Telemachus could be tainted by the fact that Odysseus had to kill infant astanyax). They only could wonder about each other for years, and now that they are faced with each other, they can answer those questions. Also as they start to sing together, we can hear Athena motif, showing she is there watching over them both. I think I can hear a chunk of “ I'm just a man “ guitar before Odysseus says “ show yourself” also a huge throwback to warrior of the mind, them finally meeting back after all these years. The character development of Athena is so massive, going from no feelings to wanting to have a better world where people could be more kind. When she speaks we can hear the piano notes from the end of “ my goodbye”. The clock from the deep dive in the hour Glass, mixing with the guitar, both theirs opinion co existing

Would you fall in love with me again: the viola and the guitar finally together. “ I'm not the man you fell in love with” he truly thinks he became the monster, that the prophecy Tiresias told was true “ I see your wife with a man who is hunting”. When Penelope asked what he did , the ruthlessness motif okay, then thunder wringer motif and then the Scylla motif, showing his journey of sacrifice, the man he lost. The guilt heavy to Carry for a man that wanted to make it home. Penelope didn't ask Odysseus to move the olive tree bed because she thought Odysseus wasn't her husband but because she knew he wouldn't do it, she asked him to make him realize he was still the same man who carved that bed from the tree they first met at. This was Penelope making him know that , no matter what he did, the trouble he went through, it's still him , the man she decided to love and cherish , the man she married and waited for . Perhaps it was also to reassure herself that her wait is finally over, that her husband is truly standing there, in arm reach. ( The olive tree is also a cut song ). Penelope says “ waiting” 8 times because she waited 8 sagas for her husband to come home, this section also last 20 seconds for the 20 years she waited for him . She is so faithful to him, no matter if he did horrible things to survive, he was just a man who tried to survive and make it home to his wife and son. The instrumental of “ just a man “ playing soon after Penelope said you, "Is so genius, because at the end of the day, he was not the monster he made himself to be, he is just a man, who traded the world ( his crew ) for his son and wife.

Perhaps I can also hear in the Instrumental “ just a man, who Finally made it home, after all the years away from what he knows, he's just a man , who has fought for his life, deep down , he traded the world for his Son and wife” also him not singing the lyrics over the instrumental because he made it home, he don't have to sing about going home anymore, just like dangerous where the crew didn't sing “ making back Alive to our homeland” because they died,

And the musicals ending with” I love you “ ,omg , it's was a journey about love and lost, a man doing everything for love and losing a lot during his journey

Also the constant acoustic guitar playing while Odysseus talk showing he is the man and not the monster

Edit : I just realized between challenge and wyfilwma, Penelope sings waiting 13 times (6 in challenge, 7 in wyfilwma) and Ody faced 13 obstacles to get home (cyclops, storm, giants, circe, Underworld, sirens, scylla, mutiny, zeus, calypso, charybdis, poseidon, suitors)

[universitysunflowers]

rapid fire nonsense thoughts from the Epic listening party (Ithaca saga took me out)

so glad they got the stream set up they were all so excited?? love them so much the introductions are so cute (telemachus are you ok??); love that his parents are there it really is a family activity

they went on a whole odessey to get there its so fitting

"they don't know that they're stuck with me"

the matching sweatshirts they are literally so sweet this is the highlight of my day

the energy in this stream is unmatched i was not expecting prop acting but im here for it

Mico???

he cant see his wife and son with all those glasses

🥬

just chucked his own son off a wall s i r

they are committed to the vibes (the lighting? the rowing? the quick thought lights? spectacular.)

Teagan's little message are you kidding me???

this song is so good-

I-

Luke???

No baaaah dee

🥞

Cooking class????? Jorge????

so many pancakes

survive and remember them are some of the best songs you cant change my mind on that (the remember them animatic is one of my absolute favorites)

the lighting matching the saga is just *chefs kiss*

my goodbye is one of those songs that i listened to enough times that now its one of my all time favorites

stevens message these people are so amazing

storm never fails to give me chills

109,200 people watching this live are you kidding me

how many floating islands eury

"in private" sir thats a corner- ... did he just get slapped??😂

i love the trash bag wind bag the props add a level of sophistication to production

stevens entrance gets me every. time.

the fork trident 10/10 🔱🔱

the pink lighting for circe its so perfect🩷

are we getting the full cast audio??? you're telling eurylochus what??

Jay and Talya hes so gone for her this is odysseus level wife devotion

Hermes!!!!!!!!

guys its his roommate

troy understood the assignment his energy is unmatched (the absolute perfect hermes)

Janani as the chimera the girls are working together we love to see it

Jay and Talya the cutest combo he is so gone

all we hear are screams

Polities??? ghost Polites????

his mom 😢

mason you absolutely nailed the creepy dead vibe spot on

🦉

the slow dancing??? baby boys

rar rar rar

122,200 people this is the turn out they deserve

🦖

12 years ok then

Odysseus is dr doofenshmirtz?

the end of different beast is so good are you kidding me

the rules state what now-

jays face poor ody

scyllas entrance 10/10 just perfect

the mutiny intro its so good nvm the whole song is so good that music is amazing

the bromance ends in tragedy (Armandos little head pats i cant)

☀️🐮

Poor JP

⚡️

thunderbringer oh my god Luke is so perfect as Zeus

the lighting behind the cast they know how to set the mood

that animatic is so good oh my god i love it (luke is having the time of his life)

Ayron!!

Mico as Telemachus amazing perfect no notes i wish he could have been there

Argos the bestest boy

the animatice for little wolf is the best so perfect

the art for we'll be fine is so beautiful are you kidding me

that might be the cutest song in the entire saga

gigi's art is such a vibe its so pretty

"shes my wife" ��

ody screaming athena's name kills me every time

Jay fangirling over the cast in the chat is so adorable hes so happy to be there

didnt even try tequila

luke looks so done

athena holding baby telemachus is the sweetest thing ever i cant

is she dead???? i need that answered???

Barbara as calypso is so perfect Not sorry for loving you is so sad im still not over this song

Hermes!!!!!

Dangerous is such a good song Troy absolutely kills it

love hermes just vibing while ody is fighting for his life thats their whole relationship in a nutshell

Princess Winion!!!!

Charybdis is so good one of my favorite songs

hes back our boy is back

"ITS STEVEN" jay trust me we are right there with you

return of the fork trident hi fork trident

I will never get over 600 strike never in my entire life

were so close to ithaca saga im not ok

"next to my wife" that line oh my god

Steven thank you for your service (that is a broken man)

oh my god i am unwell

Penelope???

150,000 people on this stream yes exactly

oh my god this song is so good

the suitors???

i am in love with this song are you serious

NO YOU CANT DO THAT WHAT IS THIS

song 37 oh my god

Ayron is giving me chills and mico is missing what is happening

only the ocean and i will know are you serious

*speechless*

WAIT WHAT

oh my god oh my god

"i built it" *screaming*

NO

ARE YOU SERIOUS

TELEMACHUS MY BABY

IS ATHENA WITH HIM????

oh my god

odysseus

oh

my god

...

baby boys back together look at them i cant

this saga is going to kill me

Jay hugging mico im dying are you kidding me

NO

OH MY GOD

ATHENA???

song 40 is about to be the death of me

the one time he says everything he does and its to Penelope this is just

the animatics in the background????

this song is giving me chills are you serious

the music i cant handle this

im crying i love them so much

i cant believe its over i need to go process this what just happened

[alpenglowmoons]

The Ithaca Saga!!!

Folks it's out!! Sadly that means Epic has finished. But we got it!! It started with My brothers and ended with I love you. We also finally got a motif and reference back to Warrior of the Mind!! I felt sick during Hold Them Down. Best villain song I've ever heard. It was musically fantastic. Even better when you hate it with your full being. Odysseus becomes the final boss! With his name being the title like Polyphemus, Scylla, and Charybdis! Finally Ody and Telemachus meet. Odypen reunite. The tears were in my eyes. I was a latecomer to the process but it has been amazing my friends. The way Ody said No reminded me of Poseidon in Get in the Water. Might just be me. I love the Challenge so much. Penelope is the best. Odypen take love to the next level. They are the ultimate soulmates. Fucking fight me. Try to change my mind. I. Dare. You. Athena and Odysseus meet once again. I love them so much. Y'all. I'm telling you.

[beauty-and-passion]

So... The Wisdom Saga

Also called "The Videogame Saga".

But seriously, now I understand where all the videogame influences went. In five songs we have a mini-boss fight and, shortly after, a boss fight with five levels and an open-ish end.

Also, this is probably the first time we have had such smooth transitions from one song to the next. While other songs in other sagas may be divided by hours or days, these songs are divided by minutes - a couple of hours max for the last two.

These songs surprised me. When I listened to the first snippets long ago, I wasn't particularly captivated by some of them and didn't enjoy the voices much either. Well, this proves I should never listen to the snippets, because the songs I considered weak turned out way better than I imagined.

But let's start from the beginning.

__________________

Legendary: as I imagined long ago, this was an upbeat song and yes, It also hints at how Telemachus deals with his father's legacy. But it's also more than that.

First of all, we get to know more about the situation in Ithaca: there are 108 suitors, which by itself already gives you an idea of how "crowded" the place is. It's not a couple of people: there are people literally everywhere. And these people are getting more violent and more unhinged, to the point they call Penelope "a tramp" (thus also disrespecting her as their queen) and showing how much they want to violate her.

This raises the stakes A LOT, because neither Penelope nor Telemachus are safe. Penelope probably lives in terror, because who knows what could happen, if any of the Suitors get a hold of her in an empty corridor. And Telemachus literally told Athena: "today is the best day of my life because I got in a fight, and didn't die", which by itself shows how heavy life must be for him, to the point he risks his life every time he gets out of his room.

Honestly? Love this. High stakes, real dangers and Antinous as the bigger threat who can destroy everything Odysseus left. Cannot wait to see him coming back and slaying all the Suitors.

Back to Telemachus, we learn a lot about him too! He's a young boy who, just like any other young boy, wants to prove himself. His desire to show his strength and fight monsters is typical of any young adult: he feels big, he can fight! He wants to fight!

However, this "want to fight" isn't just young impetuousness. There are at least three reasons why Telemachus wants to fight this much:

Hope. By fighting, Telemachus hopes to find his father. As far as he knows, Odysseus might be dead: he himself admits it too ("And no idea if you're dead or just too far"). Still, he wants to believe he will find him, by fighting the monsters around him. Cannot wait for the Ithaca song in which he will realize that oh, his father became one of the monsters he wants to fight.

Awareness. Telemachus's desire to fight isn't just big, reckless words. He wants to fight, sure, but he's also aware of his limits ("And I would fight them if I was half as strong as you"). This proves how mature he is, despite being still a kid.

Responsibility. Despite knowing he's not the biggest or strongest fighter, Telemachus still wants to fight, in order to protect his mother. (Somebody help me, come and give me the strength / Can I do whatever it takes to keep my mom safe?"). And this proves Telemachus already has something a future king need: a sense of responsibility. The awareness that, even though he's not the best, he's still responsible for the wellbeing of all the people around him, therefore he must intervene.

At the end of the day, all Telemachus needs is what he asks for: a supporter. Someone who will give him a sign/the strength to do what is right. Someone who will tell him he did good and guide him.

And yes, he probably needs this, because he always missed a father figure in his life, the father who should've taught him how to fight and helped him. And this proves Telemachus is alone. Think about it: he's a young man who was probably forced to stay inside for his entire life, while his home is invaded by strangers and he cannot even walk around freely without being picked on by these older, stronger men. Of course he craves someone who will tell him that hey, you're good and strong, just do this and that and you can fight these monsters.

Thankfully, today is his lucky day.

__________________

Little Wolf: it's such a videogame song, it's great <3 The singers are all amazing, Athena's voice always gets me on my knees because she's too good and how she helps Telemachus... uuurgh, I love character development <3

Also, this confirms my previous point: all Telemachus needed was someone teaching him how to fight and motivating him. As soon as Athena does both things, he's able to fight.

And this fight made something clear: Antinous can be contrasted, but not defeated. He's too strong for Telemachus, despite the help of a goddess. The stakes are very high: this guy is dangerous, he promised blood and tears, he will not stop. Telemachus and Penelope are in danger. We need Odysseus' return.

__________________

We'll Be Fine: Athena's character development time! After dropping Odysseus on the spot because he refused to obey her when she forced him to do the right thing, now she's back, with a more mature mentality.

Athena wasn't in the wrong, when she told Odysseus to get rid of Polyphemus: he was an enemy, he could've brought more danger - and so it was. Her mistake was being too harsh. She was so focused on the matter at hand, to ignore Odysseus' emotional state. She was so wrapped in her own logical thinking, to ignore his demons. Or, as she said:

Maybe, if I made a different call Maybe if I hadn't missed it all Maybe, he'd be fine Maybe we'd unwind

And we saw this change in her demeanor in the previous song, as well as in this one! She apologizes for pushing Telemachus too much, she supports him, she opens up and accepts his friendship, instead of saying "nope, we're not friends".

In the end, she reaffirms her support too, by telling him he's a "good kid"! I doubt she ever said to Odysseus he was good.

And this change proves, again, how human the gods are. They are flawed, they make mistakes and, when they do, they realize it and change. Exactly like us.

__________________

Love In Paradise: I have two thoughts about this song I need to share asap:

The singer has the voice of an angel and I love her and I am so SO SORRY for not liking it when I heard the snippets months ago. I will blame them forever, because the final version of this song is amazing and her voice brought me to my knees.

Holy shit this song is a lot darker than I thought.

I love how we moved through the sagas with Athena, only to find Odysseus stuck on Calypso's island, Ogygia.

Also, I love how Calypso is like: "Ahah, you silly, you talk in your sleep <3 Who is Penelope?" "She's my wife" "... Anyway, you're stuck with me forever, now let's make love". She wants the man and doesn't give a fuck about anything else, not even the wife. I hate you and I love you, Calypso <3

And that's when the song gets dark. Because Calypso can say "yes I get it, your life was difficult"... but she's too stuck looking at everything behind rose-tinted glasses. She loves him and she believes her love will be enough to solve all issues.

the only problem is that her love won't solve any issue. Because he still suffers for all the shit he went through. Shit he faced (and made it happen), for one sole reason: to come back home.

So, once you take back from him that reason... of course he ends up being suicidal. Of course he gets haunted by the voices of his past. If he was still able to come back to Ithaca, at least these demons would be quieted. They would still haunt him, sure, but the awareness home was close could've helped Odysseus to keep himself sane.

But if you take away the possibility of coming back home, which was the sole thing keeping these demons at bay... of course they get so strong. Strong to the point, he begs for help from his old friend.

And Athena, who finally learned her lesson, offers her help.

__________________

God Games: this song is weird.

Unfortunately, I spoiled most of them thanks to the snippets (I'll never make the same mistake, I promise) and they were about the best parts. Apollo and Hephaestus' were very short and their reasons quite basic - which is perfect for a game with multiple levels so I get the progression from level I, to level II, III and so on.

In addition to that, I would like to point out this post from @wildissylupus in which they point out how Athena used the three modes of persuasion to win the game and how Zeus, despite making it difficult, didn't make it impossible for her.

The only thing that left me confused and the song weird is the end. Zeus throwing a tantrum because Athena won his game can be understandable, but also... no? I mean, she's the clever one. She's the goddess of wisdom. He should know, considering she's his daughter.

And since we're at it, she's not just his daughter: Athena is Zeus' favorite daughter. And he struck her with lightning, out of a tantrum? Zeus? At her, let me repeat that, favorite daughter?

I don't know, it's too weird. Zeus is an asshole, sure, but not to her. Not even during a tantrum. So... maybe he will repent too? Maybe he wasn't as hard as it seems? Also because why get angry, when you already know she's clever and will definitely win your stupid game?

No idea, but I cannot wait to hear how things will go. And considering Mr. Rivera-Herrans' speed in releasing the sagas, I bet the next one will come out sooner than we think.

Wow, only two sagas left...

[kashlyn]

Lines from the Ithaca saga that I kept replaying over and over again in my first listen cuz they gave me chills and changed my brain chemistry:

The Challenge

"Whoever can string my husband's old bow

And shoot through twelve axes cleanly

Will be the new king, sit down at the throne

And rule with me as his queen

I've heard these lines even before the saga was officially released (cuz I ain't new and been waiting for this so SOOO long) and it felt so weird without Ody's little laugh in the background! Like, unlike the first drafts, PENELOPE REALLY DOESN'T KNOW HE'S THERE! NOT EVEN A LITTLE HINT! HAD TO TRIPLE CHECK!!

Let the arrow fly

Once you know that your aim is true

Cause I'd rather die than grow old without the best of you

No words, just tears and heart full of feelings... Repeated this at least 2 times

Hold them down

And then we'll

Hold her down while her gate is open

Hold her down while I get a taste

Hold her down while I share her spoils

I will not let any part go to waste

I kid you not, I had to pause, play that again, pause and repeat five times because I was seething with rage. Like, I knew what it implies and I just had to make sure like my brain won't let me register it

Odysseus

Somewhere in the shadows lurks an agile, deadly foe...

We have the advantage. We've the numbers and the might. No... You don't understand it; this man plans for every fight!

Did a repeat three times cuz SLAY, Ody! That's our captain!

You don't think I know my own palace? I BUILT IT!

I SCREAMED! DAD GOT MAD AND SIS LOOKED AT ME WEIRDLY BUT DANGGGGGGGGG! I watched the movie/miniseries and he said this there too but chills. Literal chills. Repeated... Idk how many times 🤣 too many to count!

You plotted to kill my son...

You planned to RAPE MY WIFE!

Had to repeat this over and over again cuz the chills and literal tears that went down my eyes when listening to his anger! Especially when he said rape so so much anger in his voice! Like... Something inside me healed. Especially since he ACTUALLY said it instead of just implying it! Like... Couldn't stop listening to this on repeat with tears going down my eyes. My standards have been raised.

I can't help but wonder

Father?

First line and I was already on my knees. Had to repeat this multiple times tho cuz I still wasn't processing the last song completely. I was practically dissociating... But when it finally registered, my heart!

Son...

THE LONG PAUSE AND THEN THIS?! HOW CAN TWO SINGLE WORDS MELT ME SO MUCH!! REPLAY!! HEART IS SHATTERED?? THEN FIXED??? IDK

For twenty years I never could outgrow you Oh, and now you're here

The eldest child in me broke... Had to re-listen to that again

I can't help but wonder What your world must be If we're like each other If I have your strength in me

Nvm. This shattered me. I knew my parents growing up and this SHATTERED ME. Didn't repeat it but I had to have a long pause.

Twenty years we've wandered But today you're not alone My son, I'm finally home!

Had to keep repeating this out of sheer joy! Like YES!

You might live forever So you can make it be But I've got one endeavor There's a girl I have to see

Had to listen to this again cuz it hurt yet feels so right... Like... Ody is getting old. It's bad enough that Tele grew up without him and he made Penelope wait for so long... He won't live forever. And even if he could (ex. With Calypso) he wouldn't want to. Because it would be a world without Penelope. He HAS to see her.

Would You Fall in Love with Me Again

Hurt more lives than I can count on my hands But all of that was to bring me back to you

YES! ONLY REPEATED ONCE! EVERY TIME I LISTEN TO THE SONG! NWYSNS

See that wedding bed? Could you carry it over? Lift it high on your shoulders And take it far away from here?

Had to repeat this twice out of disbelief... Like, did she actually ask that of him?! What?!

Only my husband knew that So I guess that makes him you!

Repeat this over and over again! (3rd repeat and above, I screamed along with Penelope) Like husband like wife! These two 🛐 all hail the king and queen

[slowed down "Just a man" instrumental plays]

COULDN'T NOT REPEAT THIS! It's like a reminder, that no matter how much Ody sees the changes in himself, Penelope still sees her husband. He changed but he's still Ody. As he said he would, he HAS traded the world to see his son and wife. He's just a man. To quote Undertale, "Despite everything, it's still you."

I cried so much guys 😭😭 the musical ended the same way the movie did! With Penelope and Ody in each other's arms!

[nandysparadox]

six hundred strike may not be my favorite song of the saga, but it is the one i think about the most 😆 i have a lot of ideas of how that fight could've gone down, and since i'm not an animator, i figured i could at least write it down. i apologize in advance for the long post haha

it bears mentioning that i don't find issue with odysseus defeating poseidon as a plot point, i think it works thematically and since i try to take epic as a work separate from the mythology it doesn't bother me. it's alright if it does not work for you! that just mean this won't be the post to fix this song for you (not that that's my goal, i just wanted to share my interpretation)

second to this, i think it's important to keep in mind that in epic, functionally, the gods work like videogame bosses. this is established well in god games, in my opinion, and i take it as a feature of the universe.

the thing that made the vision of six hundred strike click for me was a video where jay explains how the gods' powers work in epic - particularly the sections where he discusses hermes and poseidon. well, i'm afraid to say jay hid the biggest spoiler for six hundred strike in this unassuming video 😆

about hermes - jay mentions that he relies on speed and flight, and that although his hits are not as powerful, he can get a lot of them in quick succession, and cause a lot of damage. does that remind anyone of something? yes, that is pretty much how odysseus attacks poseidon! using the power of the windbag to be faster and fly, and then landing the 600 strike move (on its own, i already think this is a cool detail. especially since hermes helps him so much)

and now, about poseidon - he's a long range fighter, it means most of his attacks involve things like overwhelming tsunamis, the shatter the ocean move where he gets a big water monster armor, etc. it also means that his weakness is close range attacks. he's still strong up close, but not nearly as strong. normally you wouldn't even be able to get close to him, for that to be a problem, but in particular, jay mentions someone like hermes could be able to get the jump on him. do you see where i'm going with this?

so yes, i think this is the vision of how that fight went down. i still think the visual execution was a bit lacking, considering i only got it after watching a video on jay's youtube channel '^^ but i also think it is possible to convey this visually! here's how I'd go about it, without contradicting canon (although some headcanons with the ghosts are so cool):

let's start with the windbag. listen, i love whimsy, but i also thought the jetpack thing was a little too silly 😆 i'm fine with it as a means to propel himself out of the water, i thought that was awesome, actually. but out of the water, why not keep it a little more unpredictable? odysseus struggles to use to zip around, but manages to control it enough to avoid poseidon's long range attacks. this is an opportunity to showcase that this is poseidon's attack style. then, unleash the power of the storm to break poseidon's water cthulhu. i think using expressions here would be the best way to show poseidon is now out of his comfort zone. he holds against odysseus for a while, but then with the speed of the windbag, odysseus unleashes an overwhelming six hundred strike attack. poseidon can't keep up with it, and odysseus manages to throw him to the shore, getting him out of his domain. I'd make poseidon more active in this bit, just so he isn't lying there and taking it.

then the trident scene follows as it - because i like it that way (using poseidon's own trident is a good explanation of how he did all that. also it is wicked cool, sorry)

this post has ended far longer than i expected, oops. this is just my interpretation of how things could've gone down, at least in a way that doesn't change canon too much. i will say, i love the idea of the ghosts helping (which would explain the chorus!) and i want to see someone tackle that in an animatic so bad 😆

TL;DR: with some visual changes, like keeping the windbag more unpredictable, showing explicitly that odysseus was able to get poseidon out of his comfort zone, and keeping the fight more dynamic, i think the first half of six hundred strike would've worked a lot better, but that's just my opinion

@glacierruler @caruliaa

[ravenscamander]

To celebrate the one-month anniversary of EPIC: The Circe Saga I present to you:

Moments in EPIC: The Musical that make me go

Mhhhhhhhh

dundundundun dun dun dundundun alright my brothers listen closely

but now we'll be the ones who ~Slayyyyyy~

Penelopeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Penelopeeeeee

And TELEMACHUUUUUUUS

i couLD RAISE HIM AS MY OOOOOOOOOOOWN

The Blood On Your Hands Is Something You Won't Lose, All You Can Choose Is Whose

(literally all of Just A Man, that song will haunt me forever)

(but especially:)

how could I hurt youuuuuu

I'm just a man who's trying to go home even after all the years away from what I've known

I'm just a man who's fighting for his life, deep down I would trade the world to see my son and wife

the choir chorus. Just. All of it.

forGIIIIIIVE MEEEEEEEEEE

forgiiive meee

I'm juuuust aaaaa maaaaaaan

The Full Speed Ahead Instrumental Intro.

Six. Hundred. Men.

600 miles of open seaaaaaaa

But the problem's not the distance (it's what lies in between)

And Ithaca's waitiiiiiiing, my kingdom is waitiiiiiiiiiiiiiing, PENELOPE'S WAITIIIIIIIIIIIING for meeeeeee

That High Note™ on full speed aheeeeeaaaaad

Captain? EURYLOCHUS

Captain?Politeeees

GIVE ME TIL SUNRIIIIIIIIISE AND IF WE DON'T RETUUUUUUUURN

Then 600 men can make this whole place BURN

So full speed aHEEEEEEAAAAAAAAD

WE'RE UP WE'RE OFF AND AWAY WE GO

You can relax my friend (...what)

That High Note™ on Give it a try it's not that hard

STAY BACK (stay back...)

See? This life is amazing when you greet it with open arms (~ahhhhhh~)

A CAVE

East! (That way)

Thank you! (Welcome)

HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THE LESSONS I TAUGHT YOU

LET. ME. REMIND YOU.

~Goddess of Wisdoooooom~

~Master of Waaaaaar~

i HAD a challenge, a TEST of skill, a magic BOAR only the best could kiiiiill

Little Odysseus's LET'S GO

I can see youuu HOW CAN YOU SEE THROUGH MY SPELL

I was lying! And you fell for my bluff! Hahahaha

Nahhh, don't be modest, I know you're a goddess, so let's be honest you are

ATHENAAA (athena!)

Badass in the arena! Unmatched, witty, and queen of the best strategies we've seen!

The duet harmonies in the second chorus! Fucking superb

Look at all this food! Look at all these sheep!

WHO ARE YOU

YOU KILLED MY SHEEP

banger cello solo

MY FAVOURITE SHEEP

Take from you as you took from meee

theRE'S BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING

Wine?

A gift from you and a gift from meee

My name is noooobody, Noooooobody, Nooooobody (aka That High Note™ part 3)

I'm so glad we see eye to eye

...what?

WATCH OUT

POOOOOOOLYYYYYYYYYPHEEEEEEEEMUUUUUUUUS

PO!LY!PHE!MUS!

Six Hundred liiiiiives at stake, it's just one liiiiiiiife to take

Stay in his blinds while you striiiiiiike his heels (STRIKE THE HEELS)

Show him that we're deadly! (HAH! HAH!)

SIX HUNDRED LIIIIIIVES AT STAKE IT'S JUST ONE LIIIIIIIIFE TO TAKE (pt. 2 choir version)

*body tumbles across the ground* cap...tain...

banger cello solo pt.2 electric boogaloo

*electric guitar fades in* dundundundundundun dundundundundundun

But captain, what will we do with our fallen friends?

remember them

REMEMBER THEM

(let's kill him!)

Remember them (part 3 choir version)

SCATTER

It was noooooobody, Nooooobody, Noooooobody

If nobody hurt you be silent! (Don't go!)

HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THE LESSONS I TAUGHT YOU (no.2)

no

No??!!!

What good would killing do? When mercy is a skill more of this world could learn to use?

don't

HEY CYCLOPS

The next time that you dare choose not to spare, remember them! Remember uuuuus! Remember me!

I'm the reigning king of Ithacaaaaaaaa

I am neither man nor mythicaaaaal

IIIIIIII am your darkest momeeeeeent

IIIIII am the infamooouuuuus

Odysseus

(aka the first time our main character gets actually named aka the worst decision ever made by the poor guy)

You were reckless, sentimental at best. That's not a teaching of mine. You've grown soft! Your dead friends can attest! (hey) Put your emotions aside.

That Growl™ on I don't know where I went wrong

That's just like you! Why should I be surprised? Selfish and prideful and vain

You're Not Looking For A Mentor, I'm Not Looking For A Friend

At least I know what I'm fighting for while you're fighting to be known! Since you claim you're so much wiser, why's your life spent all alone? You're alone!

One day, you'll hear what I'm saying, one day, you might understand, one day. But not today for after all you're

JUUUUUUST AAAAAA MAAAAAAAN

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

*soft piano outro*

*epic horn intro*

*epic trumpet solo*

These waaaaaves and tiiiiiides have grown in strength and siiiiize

Brace for a STOOOOOOOORM (stoooooorm)

The likes of which we've never seen before!

Have them follow my ship, I'll ensure that we'll PREVAIIIIL

At this rate we won't make it out aliiiiiive

~an island in the skyyyyy~

We're gonna shoot for the sky! (what.)

STOOOOOOOOOOOORM, STOOOOOOOOOOOORM (this time with amazing harmonies)

WE'RE SHOOTING FOR THE ISLAND IN THE SKY! IN THE SKYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Please don't tell me you're about to do what I think you'll do

We're in the home of the Wind God! (We don't know for sure.) How many floating islands have you seen before? This is the home of the Wind God! (And what's your plan.) I'm gonna climb to the top and ask 'em for a hand

Have faith friend, we've come this far

Yes, but how much longer til your luck runs out

You rely on wit and people die on it, whooaa

I still believe in goodness

I still believe that we could be kind

Lead from the heart, and see what starts

Thank you for the concern but brother I can assure you, our journey is almost done. I understand that we're tired, I understand that we're fazed. But don't forget how much we already faced!

I took 600 men to war and not one of them died there. In case you needed a reminder.

If you want to talk more, let me pull you aside then. I need to talk to you in private.

Hahaha

I am the wind, twisting and turning

HAHAHA

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer! (Never really know who you can trust)

If they wanna get the bag open you gotta say No Sir (Sometimes killing is a must what)

It's treasure! what.

NO DO NOT.

Everybody listen closely. See how this bag is closed? That's how it's supposed to be.

Cause the end always justifies the means (everything's changed since Polites)

For nine days I've stayed wide awake, tried to make it home with no storm or tidal wave. I remain unopposed, the bag is still closed and I'm getting closeeeer to youuuuuuu (Penelopeeeee) I can't wait to make some new memories (Teleeeemaaaachuuuus) Time for me to be the father I never was

(just keep your eyes open) why are my eyes and my heart and my soul so heavy (just keep your eyes open) I keep on trying to embrace you both why won't you LET MEEEEEEE (Just Keep Your Eyes Open) So much has changed, but I'm the same, yes I'm the SAAAAAAME

Just keep your eyes open, keep your eyes open

Wake up. Wake up, Odysseus, they're opening the bag, WAKE UP

EPIC ORCHESTRA™

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

STOOOOOOOOORM

OOOODYSSEUS OF ITHACA

do you know who I am

*wave sounds*

POSEIDON POSEIDON POSEIDON POSEIDON POSEIDON POSEIDON POSEIDON Poseidon

In all my yeeeaaaars of living it isn't very often that I get pissed off

Iiiiii've been so graaaaacious

That's right, the Cyclops you made blind is mine (no)

I'm left without a choice, and without a doubt, Guess The Pack Of Wolves Is Swimming With The Shark Now

You are the worst kind of good cause you're Not. Even. Great.

A Greek who reeks of false right.eous.ness that's what I HATE

I mean you totally could've avoided all this had you just killed my son. But ~nooo~

YOU ARE FAR TOO NICE, MERCY HAS A PRICE

Unlike you, I have no mercy left to give cause

Ruth.less.ness is mercy upon ourselves

Ruthlessness is MERCY UPON OURSELVES

OURSELVES

*wave sounds pt.2*

We took no pleaaaasure in his pain

That High Note™ on We only wanted to escaaaaaape

The Line Between Naivety And Hopefulness Is Almost Invisible

die

When does a ripple become a tidal wave

43 left under your command

When does a man become a monsteeeer

Iiiiiii am your daaaaaarkest momeeeent

Any last words?

ALL I GOTTA DO IS OPEN THIS BAG (WHAT)

EPIC BRASS SOLO™

Remember meee...

*eerie strings*

We came across a palace, inside we heard a voice

Sir! Sincewelefthomewefacedavarietyoffoesfromawiderangeofplaces gods, monsters, you know the roster, hostile creatures that we could resist, but this was a hell of a twist cause we are weak to a power like this!

What was it??? A woman.

What.?

She had us in just two words

~Come inside~

Damn

That Run™ on Go ahead and rest wherever you liiiiike

Take a seat (Yeah)! Let me bring you all something to eat (Yeah)!

This is the priiice we pay to liiiiive, the world does not tend to forgive

We have to go save them. No we don't

There's no length I wouldn't go if it was you I had to save! I can only hope you'd do the saaaame?

hehehe

hehehehehehe

hahahaha

I must say, what a brilliant speech you gave

Divine intervention, someone who's not afraid to... Send a message

Hermes? AHOHOHOHAHAHAHA

the chorus

That Run™ on When you take her on aloooooooone

the chorus again, this time with harmonies

~Here in the root of this flower there lies such a power to take her on~

That High Note™ on then you'll manifest a Being of your creation (all you need's imagination)

And I call this root ~Holy~ ~Moly~

Ahh...

AHAHAHAHAHAHA

More Chorus with More Harmonies!

OHHHHHHHHHHH OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH OHHHHHHHHHHH OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Don't thank me friend, you very well may die. Ahmhmhmhm! Good luck

*Carmen intro*

Lady of the palace

Did you do something to them? Who me? All I did was reveal their true forms.

You turned them into pigs.

Ha

I don't know who you are nor why you're here, but let me make this one thing clear: I've got people to protect, nymphs I can't neglect, so I'm not taking chances, dear

If you make one wrong move then you're done for, anything I don't approve and you're done for, I could put a spell on you and you're done for, boy you better run or soon you will be done for

I DON'T MEAN TO TIP YOUR SCALE

~dire consequence~

Hermes gave it to you, didn't he?

Okay fine, yes, but regardless-

Duet version of I've got people to protect

*sword sound* You've lost.

My nymphs are like my daughters I protect them at all costs

... I'm not sure I follow

There are other ways of persuasion, there are other modes of control, there are other means of deceit, there are other roads to the soouuul, there are other actions of passion, you have so much left to learn, want to save your men from the fire? Show me that you're willing to buuuuuurn ohhhhhhh

~so much power, so much power~

I can't

*Penelopeeeeee* but make it viola

She's my everything, my Penelope

*sigh* Poseidon, eh?

I know of a brilliant prophet! Problem is this prophet is dead

I remember actions of passion, I have been in love once before. Maybe one day the world will need a puppeteer no moooooooore. Or maybe one day the world will need a puppeteer

MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE

I apologise for any spelling mistakes and also for the length of this. It took me way too long but oh well

[readingismyhobby24]

FAITH I LISTENED TO THE VENGEANCE SAGA AND OH MY GOOD GOD...

im a sucker epic the musical it sounds sooooo strong and powerful GOD I LOVE IT

personally for me, I died when listening to six hundred strike.... odyessus fighting posideon out of true rage because he is being threatened and just wants to go home to his son and wife...

ALSO THE

"How will you sleep at night?"

"Next to my wife."

It was over for me oh my god I am tweaking out this musical is the best AND THE FADING VERSES OF THE OTHER SONGS OH MY GODDDSDD IM LOSING IT I LOVEEEE EPIC THE MUSICAL

OH MY GOSH!!! YES!!! IT'S SO GOOD!!!

And the "how do you sleep at night?"

"next to my wife" took me out. And Odysseus was not holding back in this saga.

YES! THE FADING VERSES OF THE OTHER SONGS!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

I LOVE EPIC THE MUSICAL!!!!!!!

[sarnai4]

The Underworld

I cannot even express how excited I was to listen to the Underworld Saga. It did not disappoint at all (of course, I wanted more songs, but the trio was amazing). Spoilers ahead for Epic the Musical.

"The Underworld" was an amazing setup for what we had coming. There are just so many tiny details! There are callbacks with "Full speed ahead," "Open Arms," and of course, we also have the "Ruthlessness" callbacks with the army. That would be so horrifying. He's surrounded by the 500+ soldiers who relied on him and trusted him to bring them back home. He even stated back in the Ocean saga how he didn't lose a single soul in the war. It's when they leave that everyone starts dying. Then, we have the heart-breaking Polites cameo, reminding Odysseus of how he cost his best friend his life. Now, the part that got me a little choked up was when his mom showed up. I have read even the story, so I know that she's gone, but it hurt so much to hear him realize he'd been at war so long that he never got to see her alive again. Him saying "Bye, Mom," just tears my heart strings right out. I love the contrast too of the quiet sadness in his voice with this line, then immediately yelling "All I hear are screams!" There's so much rage and pain as he's forced to confront everything that's kept him away from his family--including those he'll never be reunited with in life.

Then, we have "No Longer You." When I say the snippet did not do this song justice...(sighs dreamily). I still enjoyed the snippet, but this is probably my favorite of the bunch to listen to. The melody, the vocals, it's all just so beautiful. The tune just seems to float like you could do a ballroom dance with someone. That's not to say that the lines aren't great too. I love how this one plays on Odysseus's fears and how his increased time away from home has jaded him. The prophet basically says, "I see you with your wife, but you're messed up from your time away" and our Ithaca king is just pissed that he saw someone with his wife. Uh, buddy...well, I guess you'll find out soon enough. It's also so fun to know the story and get reminded of what Odysseus will be doing when he returns to Ithaca, fighting subjects who just assumed he had died and don't have respect for anyone in his family now. Even this entire concept to me in fascinating since it considers an underlying theme of the play: how people change due to their experiences. Odysseus will return, but it'll never be the same Odysseus who left in the first place.

And we end with "Monster" which is such an awesome ending to a first act. I wish this was live, so the audience could erupt in applause. (Small detail, but I love the music at the beginning. It's so unique when compared to the other songs and is pretty cool, gradually growing when more instruments are added). A bigger detail is that you have the instrumental intro matching the intro for "The Horse and the Infant." It just shows how far they've come and calls back to the very first time Odysseus was responsible for a lost life in the musical. My favorite line in this song is "I'm the only one whose line I haven't crossed." That's saying something too because this song is full of amazing lines. I just love the implication since we know Odysseus has often had lines he thought were too far. He didn't want to kill the baby, chose to spare Polyphemus, didn't kill Circe when he won in the fight, etc. Still, as he finally admits in this song, he did kill the baby. Despite that, he hasn't crossed his line. Why? I think it's because he keeps pushing it back each time he's confronted with something he doesn't want to do but feels he has to. It ties into the end of this song where he considers everyone he's lost, fully understanding the scope of it now that he's seen the spirits of his loved ones. Turning into someone he never wanted to be doesn't matter anymore. If he's a monster who still has a living family and hasn't proven the faith people had in him was foolish, then it's fine. He might have even been a monster before by not going against their enemies with everything he had. It's all a matter of perspective. Was he a monster for killing the baby, one for causing so many in his fleet to never return to their families, or one for both of those choices? The ending going back to "The Horse and the Infant" with him calling out for Penelope and Telemachus AND pairing that with the repeat of "Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves" is marvelous. It's almost like it's in the same sentence where he's explaining his actions to them, telling them that he has to become a monster because it'll make things alright for everyone they hold dear.

The only thing that made me mad about this is that I have no clue when the next saga is coming out or what it's even called. So, I'll just be playing the songs on repeat until I can add however many more to the playlist.