Athena and Poseidon's Parenting Rivalry in Percy Jackson Is One For the Ages, Literally

percy jackson athena poseidon
Credit: Disney+


percy jackson athena poseidon
Credit: Disney+

Athena and Poseidon have always been pitted against each other whenever they were mentioned in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. It just so happens that this episode had fans on edge, seeing how different the parenting styles of Percy Jackson's Athena and Poseidon were.

Percy Jackson's Impertinence Led To Athena and Poseidon's 'Parenting War'

percy jackson athena poseidon
expand image
Credit: Disney+

Percy Jackson meant no harm when he decided to send Medusa's head to Mount Olympus. However, Annabeth did warn him that the gods did not like being offended.

Now, in the fourth episode titled I Plunge to My Death, Annabeth was led to believe that Athena's temple would provide them a haven from Echidna aka the Mother of Monsters, and her minions.

However, when Percy realized that Echidna told Annabeth something, Annabeth explained that Athena's temple was no longer a sanctuary for them, considering that Percy's package of 'impertinence' embarrassed the goddess.

What clearly 'embarrassed' Athena was that Annabeth went along with it. Because of this, fans have taken to X (formerly Twitter) their reactions after witnessing the episode unfold:

Even though the episode had Annabeth explaining the reason behind nearly falling to their deaths, some fans have made Percy's scene into a running joke of the series.

Okay, to be fair, Percy imagining that Athena would have a British accent is not a form of impertinence, per se, but fans took it as a joke as to how Athena must have been offended about his depiction of her.

READ MORE: Who is Jelena Milinkovic, Who Plays Nereid in Percy Jackson and the Olympians?

Percy Jackson Fans Pit Athena and Poseidon's Parenting Styles

percy jackson athena poseidon
expand image
Credit: Disney+

Throughout the series thus far, Annabeth has shown to be fully supportive and respectful towards her mother, Athena, despite not being given the attention Annabeth needed as her kid.

Poseidon, on the other hand, had fans rooting for him despite being a deadbeat dad. Because he had not only claimed Percy but healed his wounds and even saved him from falling to his death.

The thing is, there is a reason behind the difference between the parenting styles of Athena and Poseidon in Percy Jackson.

Apart from a fan observation of how Annabeth and Percy led different lives growing up, in Greek Mythology, the Greek Gods have always been pitted against each other.

Athena and Poseidon's Rivalry Explained

The rivalry between Athena and Poseidon in the Percy Jackson books started when the modern iteration of the Greek Gods led them to leave their contribution to the city.

When Athena's olive tree proved to be more useful than Poseidon's water spring and horses, the god of the sea decided to take his revenge that involved Medusa, which kickstarted their rivalry in the books.

The original Greek mythology story had a similar dispute between the two gods, just that the Percy Jackson franchise includes a more detailed plot.

Hopefully, we'll get to see more of their distinctive parenting styles as the series grows.

READ NEXT: Is Medusa Bad in Percy Jackson? Villain or Victim Explained

Interested in reading more Percy Jackson and the Olympians explainers? Check out more right here on EpicStream!

This Article's Topics

Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!

Percy JacksonPercy Jackson and the OlympiansDisneyQueriesGeek Culture