#Smart percy jackson

[cynthiav06]

I cannot believe how this hasn't been addressed in the PJO Fandom yet but does no one notice that the books, Rick himself glosses over or downplays the fact that PERCY FUCKING JACKSON GAVE UP IMMORTALITY!!!

And in reason as to why Percy gave up immortality?

The Percabeth stans are only too happy to make "Oh Percy gave up immortality for Annabeth." The hell he did. Have we read the same books? Are you really demeaning the importance of what Percy did. Cause here's what happened, and here's why it's so important:

PERCY GAVE UP IMMORTALITY SO THAT GODS COULD CLAIM DEMIGOD CHILDREN EARLY SO THAT THEY DO NOT REMAIN DEFENSELESS.

Furthermore, he did it so CHILDREN OF MINOR GODS COULD HAVE A PLACE TO BELONG TO, TO HAVE IDENTITY OF THEIR OWN, SO MINOR GODS THEMSELVES CAN BE PROPERLY ACKNOWLEDGED.

Similarly, he further added that CHILDREN OF HADES SHOULD NOT BE OSTRACIZED, THEY AS WELL AS HADES DESERVE TO BE WELCOME INTO OLYMPUS AND INTO CAMP , DESERVE PROPER RESPECT.

What ticks me off the most is how such an important sacrifice such an important change is never addressed again to the extent it deserves.

Cause this is not a surface level thing. This is going to change and better the lives of all demigods that come after or even demigods who were wrongly forced to remain in Hermes Cabin. A safe, more respectful, more meaningful environment for all demigods no matter who their godly parent is.

Are you telling that children of minor gods don't literally worship Percy for doing all this? Don't wholly completely feel grateful at least that he voiced out for them over his own difficulties? That he made a safe place for them happen?

Are you telling me that Minor Gods themselves don't feel at least a little grateful and respect Percy who did this of his own volition without having even met many Minor Gods. That he voiced out for their own children when they couldn't?

Are you telling me that Travis and Connor or any other demigods and cabin counselors don't automatically rave on about the greatness of Percy Jackson to any new arrivals in Camp Half-Blood?

Cause we were robbed of this of a proper homage to the sacrifice other demigods, Luke himself and Percy himself made to make it happen.

Piper, Leo , and Jason all seem so ignorant to it. Even newer demigods in Chalice of Gods or other books seem ignorant to this, and that's so against the usual canon representation of Camp Half-Blood as a community.

We should have seen it in Lost Hero, should have seen it in Chalice of Gods, should have seen it acknowledge repeatedly. You know why?

Yes, Percy didn't want immortality, but don't you know that deep down Percy knew exactly what immortality meant? Eternal protection from his father in his realm. No Gods bothering him, no more sacrifices or death quests. Freedom to do what he wants. To be able to spend time with his family as long as he wants without the worry of risking their safety. And he gave it all up

NOT EVEN IMMORTALITY. GODS WOULD HAVE GRANTED ANY WISH. HE COULD HAVE WISHED ANYTHING. FOR HIM TO BE PROTECTED? NO MORE QUESTS? FOR GODS TO LEAVE HIM ALONE? HE GAVE IT ALL UP, ALL OF IT.

Perseus bloody Jackson made happen what no one in the History of Camp Half-Blood has ever done. He managed to make Gods change their ignorant ways. He dismantled a culture of neglect and abuse.

And the fact Rick himself let this happen, let all this gloss over, and the fact that Percabeth stans have the AUDACITY to insinuate that he did for Annabeth and demean Luke's sacrifice, Percy's sacrifice is beyond me.

[mmavverickk]

people seem to forget how smart Percy is. he's not book smart, but then, that's not the kind of smart he has to be, that's not the kind of smart his survival depends on.

Percy is an insanely good strategist. we don't often pick up on it, because he's placed himself right next to the smartest strategist at Camp, but he's a veritable chess master. book one, at twelve years old, we see him manipulate Procrustes to fall for his own trap in minutes. book two, he manipulates Luke into confessing his entire evil plan in front of the whole Camp, instantly clearing Chiron's name and revealing that hey there's a storm coming. we see that trend continuing all the way up until House of Hades, where Annabeth herself has to take a step back and reevaluate how she sees him.

Percy can be oblivious, certainly, but any time he acts downright dumb, he's doing so to make his opponent underestimate him or annoy them. he's loud, and brash, and speaks before he thinks, and honestly his sarcasm may get him killed one day, but all of that meshes together into a facade that he's happy to hide behind so that no one knows how smart he really is.

[incorrect-seafam-quotes]

Kymopoleia: That sounds like a terrible plan.

Poseidon: Oh, we've had worse.

Percy Jackson: Much worse.

Triton: Did I ever tell you about the plan someone made that destroyed Atlantis on purpose?

Percy Jackson: It was the only way to save the world!! I'm sorry I couldn't think of anything else - but neither could you or anyone else!!

Kymopoleia: This I have to hear.

Poseidon: Not now, can we stay on task please?!

[incorrect-percabeth-quotes]

Percy: Hey Annabeth look! I finally got some decent grades in school!

Percy: This is the first time ever I can be proud of myself for something in academia, despite my learning disabilities holding me back!

Annabeth:

Annabeth: How the FUCK did you get better grades than me?! You're a seaweed brain! If this keeps up I'm going to fucking drop out-

[timdrakemybeloved]

So I don’t know if I’m overthinking this but whatever it’s about how I feel so:

I hate how Percy has come to be seen as dumb. I understand that people are joking for the most part but I think it’s fucked up to choose Percy out of all people to be the “dumb” one. Percy is an extremely smart, strategic and kind leader.

Just to be clear, for all of these points, there are too many examples to name so I’m sticking to one each.

For one, because with almost every person he meets he empathizes with them even when whatever is happening is risky to his well-being, he’s seen as dumb. Like with the river nymph at the farm with Apollo’s cows, when he had to clean the river, he chose to overexert himself rather than cause her harm, even before she offered him another solution. This was empathetic, not dumb.

Second, I’m not trying to diminish Annabeth by saying this because she is very intelligent and capable, but Percy has much more battle leading experience than her. It’s distasteful to say that he’s a “moron who wouldn’t have survived without her” and I don’t think she should have said or agreed with that. Just because his plans are often more risky and he’s capable of improvising doesn’t mean he’s an idiot. For example, when he and the Hunters are fighting the Nemean Lion he throws the space food which is very creative and strategic and I don’t really think anyone else would have considered that. Teamwork is one thing, which is very valuable and yes Percy did need help to survive, but I would go so far as to say that Annabeth wouldn’t have survived without Percy, not the other way around, if it has to be such a competition.

Third, my main point, is that the reason these books were written were to help Rick Riordan’s son feel less like he was lazy/stupid/different/insert other reductive adhd stereotype. When Percy has been othered his whole life for his adhd and dyslexia, abused and called stupid by his stepfather for it, and has now come to a world where his skills are valuable and useful, calling him dumb is so insensitive. Leo and Percy are the ones with the most visible adhd and they’re also the ones who are viewed as dumb or needing others to survive. Basically, it’s a bad joke that just reinforces the adhd=dumb stereotype and I really don’t fucking like it. :))))

I’m not actually diagnosed I just have a family member with adhd and I have most of the symptoms so I feel like I can speak on this with some experience but yk ymmv.

[iamnotadumbdonut]

percy jackson isn't stupid. he's just too much in love with annabeth to function

[dandelion-blues]

Inspired by @nanali

This is Percy Jackson’s Miraculous!

Just finished the shading 😆

This connects to my What...if? Percy Jackson and Adrien Agreste were related.

Percy's kwami's name is Veejo, inspired by Vejovis, the Roman god of healing. The kwami is also a Caladrius bird, a mythological Roman bird associated with healing.

I'm really excited about this concept!

[i-have-no-feelings-help]

HC: Percy Jackson is like a legend at chess, but refuses to learn the names of the pieces like “horsey” or “tower guy”

[kosmicpowers]

YES. The whole point of the books was to show the education system was failing Percy cause they didn't know how to handle his disabilities, leading him to think he's an idiot cause he's not booksmart like Annabeth (even she struggled because of ADHD and dyslexia) when actually he's very good with quick strategies and people's emotions.

I seen a lot of people argue at Percy is too smart in the show but One, Sally Jackson used Greek myths as bedtime stories, she took him to museums, she did her best to teach him about the God's and monster's that were gonna come to hurt him, was he ment to not learn anything? And Two, Perseus Jackson isn't an idiot! The books are from HIS point of view and he's is an unreliable narrator that THINKS he's an idiot. He's not ACTUALLY an idiot.

[cynthiav06]

I can Almost imagine how Impressive you have to be To Pull THE percy Jackson. Like pulling any Demi-God is great but PERCY?!? The son of posiden?!? THE SAVIOR of Olympus?!?

I headcanon that Percy is really just out of Anyone's League And You gotta be Pretty damn Special to be able to Pull him

Like imagine Fumbling him or breaking his heart

THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

Like come on Rick you are telling me Percy the greatest demigod of all time Jackson has to be paired up with someone who has nothing in common with him, frequently condescends him, literally forces her own views on him, hates his father, has a mother who tried to kill Percy, is controlling and toxically possessive of him and most importantly someone who has completely different life goals than him?? It doesn't even make sense when you look at it rationally.

I think Rick himself was trying to put Percy down in post Son of Neptune books by making his personality all about Annabeth.

We are talking about the Savior of Olympus, the bearer of Achilles Curse, the strongest demigod, the man who denied immortality from the King of Gods, Poseidon's favorite son, the only demigod to have been approached by other Pantheons first and well respected among their demigod equivalents, the only male demigod to have respect of Artemis, only one to be favored by so many Gods on the Olympian Council and that's only pre-Heroes of Olympus.

The Survivor of Tartarus, the demigod whose blood even Gaia wanted to wake to due to his power, the first and only Greek to be made a Praetor and now two times savior of Olympus. This is all without mentioning his singular and unique feats, and he has many.

AND THIS IS WHAT RICK DOES WITH HIS CHARACTER ARC????

Had Rick not been so obsessed with shoving Percabeth down our throats, he could have totally made Seafam Arc, and all our fics would have not been fics. We wouldn't even have needed headcanons for seafam cause Amphitrite and Triton and all of Atlantis would have absolutely loved him cause come on, it's Percy. It's impossible not to love him. So let's assume that's exactly what happened.

So the whole of Atlantis, Seafam, and most of the Olympian Gods love Percy and not to mention Sally and Paul, who are also very protective of Percy.

The new Lord of the Wild is his best friend, The Lieutenant of Artemis is his other best friend and cousin, both the children of Hades/Pluto are his best friends/cousins, the only other demigod to be blessed by Poseidon with a rare gift is also his very close friend not to mention other members of the Seven also respect him greatly and owe him quite a bit.

Hestia, Apollo, Hermes, Aphrodite, Artemis,Hades, Hepheastus, and even Dionysus and River gods either openly favor him or have much respect for him. (Poseidon and the Seafam are implied, Bob and Damasen as well).

This isn't even taking into account all the pegasi and nymphs and sea creatures who love him and that he has a literal hell hound.

Percy not only has friends in high places and the favor of literal gods on top of being Poseidon's favorite son as told by Poseidon himself, all the people with special abilities are all close friends with him.

In Riordanverse, Percy is like the only person you don't want to cross like ever.

So you know logically if anyone needs an explanation as to why Annabeth isn't a good match for him and someone like Rachel would have fit much better. A mortal blessed with sight much like his Mother later turned Oracle of Delphi, the girl who saved his life in literally the very first two encounters they have, a girl under protection of Olympians and blessed by Apollo?

Apollo could have definitely waived the celibacy rule as there have been mentions of married women later becoming oracles in Greek mythology( May Castellan too if you count the books) and that the rule is only to prove devotion to the God nothing more. And if Apollo can't, then Delphi, who is a spirit older than Gods themselves, could just change allegiances. She once belonged to Poseidons' domain, so there's that.

But since I am biased in favor of Rachel, literally any other ship but Percabeth would have been logical and fitting and better off compatibility wise.

[incorrect-percabeth-quotes]

Annabeth: Percy's dumb.

Annabeth: Well he's not actually dumb... he can be surprisingly intelligent at times. But he's so obtuse! Can't see anything, even if it's right in front of his face.

Percy: The fuck are you talking about? I figured out that Kronos was behind the thief in tlt. I figured out that the wind-bottle was also a compass - something even a god hadn't figured out. I figured out that the 5th cohort lost their precious eagle within a day at their camp.

Percy: How the fuck are you still calling me dumb and obtuse?

[soapywankenopy]

Sally Jackson did not teach her son all about Greek mythology just for you to say that Percy 'made the leap' between assuming Hades was behind everything to figuring out that it's actually Kronos. Percy is a smart boy. The show changing it so that Sally taught him about Greek mythology is genius. Sally is such a good mom.

Percy figuring out Kronos is actually behind everything:

Fans wondering how the hell he made that leap:

[timdrakemybeloved]

Now that pjo is a show and you have even less of Percy’s perspective, even more fans are gonna misunderstand him fundamentally as a himbo and unintelligent.

[blink182times]

Thalia Grace 💙⚡️

[lilislegacy]

percy: *intensely watching the news, waiting to hear about something he may have caused*

piper: come on percy, come eat with us. you’ve been sitting there waiting for hours. if something happens, you’ll hear about it eventually. a watched pot never boils

percy, distractedly: yeah and an ignored one boils over

piper: that-

piper, turning to annabeth in confusion: have i been spending too much time with him or is that one of the most logical things i’ve ever heard someone say?

[cynthiav06]

I am so sorry op but I think it's more on the inverse side. Percy's powers are so in tune with him that even with limited time, he was able to access a large arsenal of them. Sure he hasn't specifically trained to fine tune his powers but unlike the other big three children who have all experimented their powers before, he always ends up in mortal peril everytime he has to come up with something new. So unlike others who have kind of tried and tested and put a few limits on their powers, Percy just goes with it. He doesn't think about whether he can or not, it's always a case of "I must".

Iapetus is going to kill Thalia and Nico, so I have to find a way to stop him. But I am half poisoned and bruised, I can't fight him. Oh okay so I will just use the rivers in Underworld for help. They are water right?

Akhyls is going to kill me and Annabeth here, we aren't strong enough to fight a primordial. She is going to choke us with poison. Annabeth's going to die. I am going to die. Annabeth's going to die. Wait poison has large amount of water or even liquids. I can control it!

And each time he proves himself right he goes Oh cool, that's helpful. With no idea how world transcending his own abilities are. Were it anyone else they would have let their training and mindset of myths limit their imagination and their ability to fight. But Percy hasn't been trained traditionally, he has never put a limit on his own power. He does with it whatever he needs to and he doesn't let a pre defined set of rules or ways inhibit him. "What do you mean I can't overpower a Primordial in her own domain with her own poison? Of course I can. Poison contains water, it's liquid. I can totally do that."

I think Percy using less powers in the first series has more to do with his trust issues with it. See Percy has deeply internalized his self loathing and self esteem issues. He sees himself as a burden, a troubled kid who only causes problems. He doesn't want his powers to do that, to destroy everything in their path. So he keeps them coiled tight and shut. He needs it to do precisely what he wants, which it does almost always. He starts trusting them but but then at times when he he lets a leash loose, his powers do crazy shit like, blow up a volcano, lift an entire river bed from its roots, level a creek, start a hurricane or other disasters, so he keeps them tightly leashed.

We can see evidence of that with words like "a pull in my gut" "I felt something inside me break" "something uncoiled" and so on.

Whether he does it consciously or not, it only serves to benefit him because everytime his opponents foolishly think,

Enemy: I know all that you can do Perseus Jackson.

Percy: ........

Percy: Damn, even I don't know everything I can do. It's cool that you think you know all I can do though.

*obliterates the monster with something new he comes up with*

Percy: Ha didn't know I could that but boy am I glad it worked. See this is what I was talking about.

Either way I do agree with op on a few things like children of Hades have the most potent abilities, most broken ones but I think their lack of stamina does hinder them. And I mean Nico has known about his powers for even less time than Percy while neither Thalia nor Jason are very creative.

I think Hazel comes really close due to her versatility and creativity. Magic, mist and her own powers along with her fighting prowess. Her and Meg McCaffrey should have been compared to Percy more so than others given they were in similar situations and have such strong abilities. Technically Meg is a child of the Elder Gods.

I think Rick should have explored a bit more on the big three children and their powers.

The point I was trying to make is Percy is so powerful because of his lack of traditional training or traditional fighting knowledge. He learns by hands on experience, adapts on instinct and improves by finding loopholes or getting a better grasp of his already present abilities.

can we/rick talk more abt how extremely inexperienced percy is with his powers in comparison to many of the other big 3 kids

like it’s actually very interesting to think abt if you think abt the connection they each have as a scale to how connected they are to their godly parent (not like emotionally lmao but their godly heritage if that makes sense)

like if you think of nico and hazel those two are arguably the most like in tune with their powers both having used their powers since they were very young and being forced to kind of connect with their godly side much sooner/faster then the others

thalia and jason being second since thalia is literally the second in command to a literal goddess and as a soldier camp jupiter would definitely push jason to know his limits but they both haven’t reached that ease that nico and hazel have — thalia probably could’ve reached it if she hadn’t been snubbed at 15 and wasn’t scared of heights lmao and if jason had probably any type of support that wasn’t pushing him to just be better or focused more on his powers then physical strengths

both thalia and jason also started very young with using their powers yet both had that small blocker of other mortals/people around in comparison to hazel and nico

like hazel and nico are both so small that they’ve been taught to mostly use their powers not that they can’t fight but they rely a lot more on that rather then a sword unlike jason thalia or percy but i think that also just goes with the age that they are since their so young and were taught at that young age to lean on their powers that’s simply what’s easier

then you have percy who literally just found out half this shit was real like 5 years ago and knows nothing abt his powers like genuinely the amount percy leans more on his physical strength bc that’s all he’s had up until he was 12 in comparison to how much he leans on his actual powers is crazy especially if you look at the difference between how much jason or nico rely on their powers at their ages in comparison to how much percy did at those ages

it’s also interesting how that plays into people not taking him very seriously people see him as much more mortal and “weak” bc of it

not that any of them are doing it wrong obv it’s just very interesting to think abt

i think this also plays into percy’s morals a lot ? i recently saw a post saying nico wasn’t scared of percy when he was taking down an army and had hades with a sword to his neck yet annabeth was when percy was choking that goddess in tartarus even tho it was self defense which is all true but if you boil it down to those key points you can really see the clear distinction between the morality of nico and annabeth in those moments and how they know percy in that way as well

nico who’s on the cusp of godly hood in a way - being hades ambassador and spending most time in the underworld - he looks at percy as this hero who fights and kills and wins so that’s what he was letting percy do and he was watching it in awe

yet annabeth knowing percy stopped him yes in fear but in fear of the fact that that is simply not percy percy is the most mortal demigod we’ve met (him and piper tbh) he’s lived his life with mortal morals and he barely uses his powers bc of it so when he’s using his powers to literally kill a goddess like who tf is that ?? and who would he have been if he had gone through with it

i think that’s a pretty easy summary of why percy doesn’t really use his powers much as well he’s always seen himself as just some guy he doesn’t really like ppl calling him a hero he doesn’t really show off (on purpose/without reason) he’s just fighting to survive or to get shit done which is a very human trait percy is a very humble guy and it would just be crazy to see how much more powerful he’d be if he wasn’t bc ik a lot of that is what’s holding him back

also i think it’s interesting to point out the fact that percy used a sword when fighting hades in comparison to tartarus when he used just his powers id be interested to see what nico/annabeth would’ve thought if they were in each others shoes in those moments

also interesting that in both cases he doesn’t go through with it (killing a god/goddess) for 2 different reasons but what would they have done if he did …

i’m realising the purpose at the start of this is very different then what it ended in but i’d like to hear what ppl think if i’m just yapping or if anyone else knows wtf im talking abt lmao