#percy jackson deserved better

[forgechildofheph]

Can we also add the fact that Percy was actually abused too? Literally there it is in book fucking one but people seem to forget that a loooooot or use it as justification for why it's not abuse because Percy doesn't see it that way

Dude. Just because Percy doesn't see it that way or doesn't phrase it as bad, it doesn't mean that it's not abuse or, at the very least, problematic. He could be desensitized for one, got used to it or worse yet, he doesn't see it as bad because a GIRL is doing it to a BOY.

Which btw, if we go down that route, is quite misogynistic in nature because it silently depicts men as these STRONK creatures that can handle anything a weak tiny girl does to them.

Sure, we can justify this as them being demigods. "Their lives aren't normal, they fight all the time." They fight MONSTERS all the time, everything else is training! The camp literally has rules for no maiming or fighting outside of sparring (iirc)? Was the judo flip done in an appropriate setting? Was the punch in the gut during a sparring session? We all know the answer to those questions.

Just because you can see yourself in Annabeth's shoes and that you empathize with her, it doesn't mean that you cannot see and acknowledge her flaws either. If you relate with Annabeth, that's fine, good for you to be able to have a character you can relate to. Any hate or criticism she gets is not directed towards you specifically, it is directed towards how she is written and portrayed and in turn skewing the perception of an actual healthy relationship since Percabeth keeps getting called as the ✨️golden standard✨️ in fictional couples.

Both of these kids have suffered, so why is it that one can perpetuate the cycle and have the excuse of "Oh, she was abused, it's understandable why she would do it".

No. You might not be able to control how people treat you or what might happen to you, but you can certainly control how you act/react. You can't always blame everything that happened to you in the past to justify everything that you have done wrong.

You can say she was just a kid, but she doesn't always remain a kid. She's 17 by the end of BoO but her character has barely changed at all—showcasing her hubris (that she never really resolves because of Rick's favoritism and plot armor), lack of maturity and just general self-centered outlook in life again and again.

Yes, Annabeth can be kind at times, but when it mattered the most in their relationship, she focused on herself, on what she felt, instead of the person she supposedly loved, who had been kidnapped and memory wiped. Heck, this could even be seen as love-bombing!

This is something I really want to talk about in the near future, and I hope to get to writing that paper/explanation as to why I dislike this pairing so much.

And before you say anything, I don't ship Perachel, Perpollo, Pernico, Permes, etc. so please don't see this as someone who just hates on your canon pairing because I have another that I prefer, I really don't. The only thing I ship is Percy x Therapy and Annabeth x Therapy because these two desperately need it.

Annabeth apologising to Percy for setting him up against the Ares cabin, anyone?

I was rereading the Lightning Thief, and I wanted to share something that's been on my mind for the past few weeks-

So in Percy's first game of Capture The Flag, Annabeth sets him up against 5 trained Ares warriors, one of which has a literal electric spear.

And Percy does get injured and even maimed. Clarisse's electric spear is painful to him. It numbs and stings him.

And then Luke gets the flag, they win, and Percy's mad at Annabeth, who shrugs and says, 'Hey, it was just for strategic distraction, you were handling it sO wEll!

(Rick and Annabeth really piss me off sometimes)

To digress, I like this scene because Percy is actually mad at Annabeth. I want more Percy mad at Annabeth.

And then with the ensuing chaos of there being a hellhound and Percy being claimed, both he and Annabeth forget about this.......seemingly forever.

And it's just frustrating, because I really want Annabeth to apologize for this. I want her to grovel about this, even. I want her to be really sorry and keep apologizing, because Percy was in literal danger. Clarisse and her cabin mates would have maimed Percy and possibly even killed him. In their POV, he was drowning in the creek and they were laughing.

And it doesn't MATTER if Percy and Annabeth weren't friends and lovers then. They were friends and lovers later, so Annabeth can apologise and grovel later.

Rick should have written a sincere apology scene where Annabeth apologises to Percy about this. In my opinion, in TLT she should've apologized and in HOO, she should've remembered this and apologised again.

We'll never get it since Percabeth is now a toxic couple......sigh..........oh my god, I feel so horrible for Percy, even if he's a fictional character. Percy you need a break from everything magical, just go fish with your dad or something. PERCY GO HEAL YOURSELF PLEASE

[fanfic-lover-girl]

Canon shipper salt

Canon shipper: You may not like the ship but the characters are in love and happy together and that's all that matters. Go eff yourself.

Me: I don't care how happy the character supposedly is. My poor baby is clearly delusional and/or trapped in toxicity. He/she deserves better.

[decaffeinatedpartymuggoop]

“If you want more representation” okay but what if they did a better job than all the other actors???

Like, with PJO Rick didn’t go “only black people can audition for Annabeth!! Grover has to be Indian! Zeus has to be black!”

No, the actors auditioned, did a good job, and got the gig.

Like instead of crying cause all these white actors didn’t get it, ask yourself if they even deserved the position.

Everything isn’t some “woke” propaganda or “more representation.” They just deserved the job.

[blabbering-and-such]

"I'm a Jason apologist"

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO APOLOGISE FOR????? WHEN HAS HE EVER DONE WRONG????

[doc-killjoy]

i love Percy so much but him telling the rest of the Argo II crew basic fucking horror stories about Nico was really fucked up, especially since the stories were so bad that they shaped Jason’s whole view of Nico as a person and made everyone scared of him.

[thetimetraveler24]

Sometimes I think about how people rank Jason as their least favorite because he’s “such a bland character with no personality”, but was he even allowed to have one in the first place?

He’s two years old when Lupa guides him to Camp Jupiter. He’s brought up to be the perfect soldier, the perfect Roman, the perfect hero. He doesn’t know life outside the legion. He’s the son of Jupiter, he has to be great. If he’s not, he’s a failure and a disgrace. If he is then he’s still not the best because there so many other heroes who did it better than him so he has to keep trying harder and harder even though no matter what he’s never going to be good enough because the moment he slips up he’s no longer the perfect hero.

The few times he actually tries to do something he wants, he’s only cut down. Changing the 12th legion to the 1st legion? No, you can’t do that. It’s tradition. You’re wrong. That’s stupid. Joining the 5th cohort? Why would you join those losers? You’re only hurting yourself. You could be great if you join the 1st cohort instead like a good Roman boy.

So why would he try to do anything that cultivates his identity? Why would he try to do anything that brings him joy if everyone around him is just going to suck it right out?

He has no best friends at Camp Jupiter. He has acquaintances. He has people he’s friendly with. Say what you want but Reyna was a coworker. Dakota was cool, Gwen was nice. But none of them make Jason want to stay at Camp Jupiter instead of Camp Half-Blood. He thinks of Reyna but only in terms of he doesn’t want to saddle her with the responsibility of picking a new praetor. He thinks about duty. When he is picking between the camps he’s weighing his options between doing his duty as he’s done his whole life or picking himself for the very first time ever and he picks himself.

And it’s honestly so fucking depressing that the first time Jason picks himself and is actually supported in his decision happens when he is sixteen years old. And most of the people supporting him have only known him for a month.

But then he saddles himself with duty and responsibilities because that’s all he’s ever known and Percy is dying and Jason is a good Roman and a good hero and his job is to sacrifice his life for everyone else because of course it is. So he takes on Pontifex Maximus to build shrines and temples to minor gods and goddesses (not that they shouldn’t be honored but… once again he’s sacrificing his identity for the good of everyone around him).

And then, just as he’s finally discovering an identity for himself—he likes physics, he’s learning about the mortal world and living in it, he’s becoming more than just Jupiters son and Juno’s perfect hero—he’s killed.

Jason never got to be Jason. He only got to be Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, Praetor of the 12th Legion, slayer of Krios, one of the Seven, Juno’s Champion, Pontifex Maximus. He always belonged to someone else and never himself.

All this to say, Jason is my favorite of the Seven and although he’s not the eldest nor a daughter, as an eldest daughter I relate so hard and feel very seen in him.

[helenofsparta2]

R.I.P. the version of Percy Jackson, who spoke competently in front of the senate, fairly easily ridiculed Octavian, and managed to sway the romans to his side simply by providing good arguments and being a natural born leader in Son of Neptune, you will always be famous to me

[readrantannotate]

LOOK AT THEM

I’M SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP

[ms-dead-inside]

Can we please stop making unwanted, antagonistic rivalries between Percy and the people he genuinely cares about? It's getting tiresome.

Like, some of y'all act like Percy killed Bianca and then laughed in Nico's face with how much part of the fandom likes to act like Percy doesn't care. They'll talk about how he said that he wanted to cut Nico's 'stupid head off,' like he would ever actually do that. Like the same guy who hesitated to harm Luke when he was possessed by Kronos would actually follow through on what was a visceral reaction to betrayal when Percy knew that people's lives were on the line. Like he didn't spend months and months of searching for Nico, concerned for his safety. Like he didn't hide his parentage, wanting to make sure that the other campers didn't treat him differently as a son of Hades. Like he didn't steel his resolve to be the one to fulfill the prophecy so Nico wouldn't be in more danger than necessary. Like he didn't introduce Nico when he first appears in Percy's dream in the Last Olympian as 'My friend, Nico.'

And then there's Leo. And sure, Leo was angry at Percy at first because Calypso thought he had abandoned her to her fate, and that was the side of the story that Leo heard. But some people act like he actually did so, ignoring the fact that he made the gods promise on the River Styx to free her, something that they were then bound to do. And then he was kidnapped and put to sleep for months with his memories wiped. Where on earth would he have had the time to ensure they kept their promise? Even Leo, who still didn't know the whole story, essentially went, "Damn you, you're impossible to stay mad at." Yes, they had a rocky start, but they do form a genuine friendship.

And Will. While I think it be cool to explore how Will felt during the second Titan war, and all the angst that came with it, I don't think he'd blame Percy for Michael's death. Perhaps at first, or maybe even as a little voice in the back of his head, but that isn't going to stop him caring about the campers, Percy included. Y'all act like he wouldn't chain Percy to an infirmary bed if he learned just how many times Percy has had suicidal thoughts or feelings.

[6vaguebook]

I wish we got Jason being upset or jealous or something of Percy being closer to Thalia than he was. Annabeth too, tbh.

Like, can you imagine what that would have been like. Thalia is the ONLY family Jason really has. Camp Jupiter thinks of him as a soldier. His mom is dead and his dad is Zeus.

And he barely has any relationship with her!! He didn't even know she existed for most of his life and then they finally found each other but they had to split up after just a few hours and only saw each other a couple of times after that! Meanwhile Percy has gone on multiple quests with her and got to spend around a year with her and they were already pretty close at the start of TTC. Annabeth spent a year on the streets with her and also got to hang out with her pre-TTC to the point where Percy was competing with Thalia to be Annabeth's best friend (albeit one sided) And then there was Luke and Nico and the hunters of Artemis and even Reyna.

Just. Idk. Give me Jason wishing he could have that with Thalia.

[somewhereincairparavel]

i will forever be disappointed at how the Aphrodite cabin is portrayed in the books.

Silena was an exception I guess but it wasn't enough tbh. I really dislike the way wearing makeup or dressing up fancy is seen as "shallow" or "too much". There's nothing wrong in wanting to dress extravagantly, it's a form of self prep. Fancy ≠ shallow. And the only "good" member of the cabin after silena was a girl who didn't like her own cabin and was seen as super "cool" simply because she rejected all the "girly" stuff by rebelling. Why can't we have both "girly" and non girly girls as cool people?

Drew was genuinely very shallow, but every time she's brought up in the books, instead of soley describing her personality, her tendency to wear makeup is shown as a bad thing. And it's not just because she's seen in piper's pov, she wasnt really described any better in Sadie Kane's povs either. When Sadie described drew wearing "awful pink eyeliner" upon seeing her + plus saying her perfume was 'too much' or something like that.

Reading about Drew's character description just gives me a headache lol because the way Rick wrote her as being shallow while ironically making other people judge her in a shallow way is just off putting. Like, no need to bitch on her for wanting to be more 'feminine' and "princess-y" ?

Give me an Aphrodite kid who sees wearing makeup as an art form (because it is) and not simply just to impress other people, like drew.

Give me an Aphrodite kid who uses fashion as a coping mechanism from their shitty life.

Give me an Aphrodite kid who loves knitting other people cute scarves as presents.

Give me an Aphrodite kid who loves doing younger camper's hair for them as their love language.

[fate-of-the-envious]

How is canon Annabeth abusive?

You want a list?

Alright!

1. She constantly hits Percy. Kicking him in the shins, elbowing him in the ribs, punching him in the gut. Not to mention the judo flip scene. Also, this is never said to be done playfully whatsoever. And it's done constantly in EVERY book.

2. She always belittles and calls him stupid. Like his plans never work. Ha, they work more than hers! Also, the parallels of her calling him Seaweed Brain, when Gabe called him Brain Boy! Like how would you feel if you have a nickname constantly degrading your worst insecurities?! All the damn time! Not to mention Thalia, who Percy was the first person who helped her after she stopped being a tree, after spending the school year with Annabeth started calling Percy Kelp Head and viewing him as dumb. Annabeth who ignored Percy all this year, and was overall just selfish and mean when they met again.

3. Annabeth is so possessive of Percy. Even before they are dating (which doesn't make it any better when they are), Annabeth doesn't let Percy be friends with Rachel. Trying to drive a wedge between the two. And Percy, literally only has Grover and Annabeth for friends. He is so alone, he needs more friends! Oh, and then with Jason she interrupts the two of them chatting and trying to get along. Also, just how she doesn't like that Percy seems to like Camp Jupiter, like he can't seem to have his own differing plans from her.

4. Tartarus. Everything about that was so bad. Like in Tartarus, whom Percy fell down to FOR HER, Annabeth brings up Rachel because in her thoughts, she needs to keep her boyfriend on his toes. Like bitch! Then, we get to how she thinks Percy is so manipulative when he talks his way to get Bob to kill his brother. Like that isn't Annabeth's number 1 tactic. She's so fucking judgemental!

And then the scene with Akhlys in Tartarus. Where yes, Percy is being scary torturing this goddess who tried to poison them to death. But she just tried to kill them! He's saving their lives! And then, Annabeth makes Percy promise her to never use those powers again, because "Somethings aren't meant to be controlled." Like do you know how useful poison-bending could be to save lives? What difference does this make from using a sword to kill monsters when all of them are trying to kill and/or eat Demigods! Not to mention, if someone is poisoned, Percy could help heal them!

Next, because of how horrible Annabeth made Percy feel for using these powers he attempts suicide. After he gets out and faces Polybotes, who controls poison, he doesn't even try to save himself and says to Jason that he deserves to die by poison for what he did! He tried to kill himself! And Annabeth never talks to Percy about this again, and instead talks to Piper who thinks Percy needs to be restrained like he's some kind of monster when he was saving them! Percy is literally the most selfless and kind person out there. And Annabeth treats him like crap! She doesn't deserve him!

5. Percy isn't allowed to have bad thoughts on Luke. Luke, who's tried to kill him repeatedly since he was twelve! And in general, this ship is so toxic and codependent right now, it's in no way healthy.

Anyways sorry for my rant, but yeah Annabeth is abusive, and it's just so concerning how people possibly in elementary school are being exposed to this being a healthy relationship, where girlfriends can hit their boyfriends, and can stop them making friends with others, because they belong to them like some sort of object.

Yeah, I just relate to Percy so much, and I don't want him to deal with another Gabe.

Edit: Okay, for anyone who likes Annabeth or Percabeth, I don't care - you do you. You can like and dislike all the characters and ships you want, just as I can. So, if you disagree with what is said, that's fine, but don't expect me to change my stance when I have already pointed out several concerning behaviors. So, like good humans, we'll just have to agree to disagree and move on with our days.

[insane-fanfic-author-4life]

Blofis-Jackson-Grace AU Where Percy introduces the traumatized, anxiety ridden, orphan, Roman Demigod Jason Grace to Paul and Sally, and they immediately sign mental adoption papers.

With a side of big brother Jason to baby Estelle. Jason gets all mushy and depressed, and heartbroken around her because how could his mom live him alone when he was that small and breakable

[ofswordsandpens]

Riordan: And the grand lesson that Percy needed to learn over the course of hoo, the culmination of his character arc of this series, the moment where the fate of the world hangs in the balance because of a single decision he has to make... is realizing when he needs to take a step back :)

Me:

[confusionmeisss]

maybe jason is boring or maybe it’s the forced upon military training since the age of two (2!) and the expectation/pressure to be perfect that deprived him of having an actual childhood and having access to hobbies to figure out who he is & what he likes, and he still didn’t get to have that after the wars bc demigods can’t have anything for themselves for just one fucking second!

[dodgytransformer]

Bianca: Me and Nico only have each other!!!

Bianca, as soon as she hears Artemis say “new family”: