Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Percy Jackson & the Olympians season 1, episode 5, “A God Buys Us Cheeseburgers.”
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Summary
Ares sets up season 1’s ending twist by continuously telling Percy and his friends that their quest will fail, hinting at his role in the theft of Zeus’ Lightning Bolt. Ares wants the quest to fail because he is trying to instigate a war among the Olympians, and his interactions with Percy are meant to play mind games and sow seeds of doubt. Ares becomes one of the series’ antagonists, as he keeps the weapons Luke steals and helps frame Percy for Luke’s crimes, setting up the betrayal twist.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians episode 5 introduces Ares, and assuming the Disney+ series sticks to Rick Riordan’s source material, the Greek god of war’s entrance perfectly sets up season 1’s ending twist. Percy and his friends meet Ares after their disastrous trip to the Gateway Arch, and the Olympian promises to help them reach the Underworld — so long as they can complete a task for him. He asks Percy and Annabeth to retrieve his shield from Waterland, a task that nearly leaves Percy trapped sitting on Hephaestus’ golden throne indefinitely.
Ares doesn’t seem delighted when Percy and Annabeth return from their detour unscathed, and he continuously tells the trio that their quest for Camp Half-Blood will fail. While this attitude is to be expected of the Greek god of war, his interactions with Percy Jackson’s main characters go deeper than that. Ares’ entire introduction sets up the conclusion of Percy Jackson season 1, teasing his role in the theft of Zeus’ Lightning Bolt and the betrayal that awaits Percy later on.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians episodes 1-5 are currently streaming on Disney+.
Ares Keeps Telling Percy & His Friends They’ll Fail In Percy Jackson Episode 5
Percy mouths off to Ares at the end of Percy Jackson & the Olympians episode 5, as he’s tired of the Greek god telling him that his quest is destined to fail. When Ares sits down with Percy and his friends at a diner, he implies that Zeus and Poseidon are going to war with one another, regardless of whether Percy retrieves the former’s Master Bolt. He continues to speak pessimistically about Percy’s quest, sowing seeds of doubt in the young demigod’s head, even after Percy and Annabeth successfully find his shield.
While Ares doesn’t exactly come off as the supportive type, it seems like he’s trying to get in Percy’s head — and is more invested in doing so than someone with no skin in the game. Even his request for Annabeth and Percy’s seems intentionally laid out to make them fail. And there’s a deeper reason Ares wants this, one that sets up the ending of Percy Jackson season 1.
There’s A Deeper Reason Ares Wants Season 1’s Quest To Fail
During Percy Jackson episode 5, Ares makes it clear that he’s gunning for a war among the Olympians, and his interactions with Percy unfold with that end in mind. Ares is playing mind games with the demigods because he wants their quest to fail. Although he’s supposed to be aiding the effort to return Zeus’ Master Bolt, Ares is more invested in starting a new conflict among the gods. This much can be pieced together from his behavior in the fifth installment, but his motives go even deeper than that.
The ending of The Lightning Thief reveals that Ares is involved in the Master Bolt theft, as he knows precisely who took it — Luke Castellan — and lets the demigod get away with it in order to instigate a war. Like Luke, Ares is manipulated by Percy Jackson’s true villain, Kronos, in order to destroy the Olympian gods. While Ares doesn’t necessarily want the same end, he keeps the weapons Luke steals and helps Camp Half-Blood’s traitor frame Percy for his crimes. In doing so, Ares becomes one of the series’ antagonists. And the Disney+ adaptation sets that up perfectly during his on-screen introduction.
Percy Jackson & The Olympians Expertly Sets Up Season 1’s Ending Twist
Disney’s Percy Jackson series is faithfully following Riordan’s books, and developments like Ares’ introduction are setting the stage for the coming twists, making this adaptation far more effective than the movies. The show has already dropped hints about Luke being the one to betray Percy, and it’s also set up Kronos’ entrance through Percy’s dreams. Ares’ casting doubt on Percy’s quest in episode 5 adds another layer to Percy Jackson’s betrayal twist, revealing the god’s ulterior motives while making it unclear whose side he’s actually on.
Knowing that Ares wants Percy to fail, it’s even likely that he sent the demigod to Waterland in the hopes of him remaining there. Ares is intentionally stacking the odds against Percy, though newcomers to the series might not realize it. However, it’s a fun tease for fans of the Percy Jackson books who do know what’s coming — and it’ll be exciting to look back on. When it comes to foreshadowing, Percy Jackson & the Olympians is doing an impressive job. The Disney show doesn’t just establish the events that lead to season 1’s ending; it also sets up the rest of the series and even a sequel show.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
Release Date December 20, 2023
Cast Walker Scobell , Leah Sava Jeffries , Aryan Simhadri , Jason Mantzoukas , Megan Mullally , Glynn Turman , Adam Copeland , Virginia Kull , Lance Reddick
Rating TV-PG
Seasons 1