The Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 finale brings our heroes back to Camp Half-Blood for a final showdown with Luke and his followers — and there's plenty of action and drama to enjoy, though there are also questionable choices. After getting the Golden Fleece in "I Go Down With the Ship," Clarisse and the others make it back to camp (separately), but they're greeted with major challenges from the start. This isn't unexpected, given the preview for "The Fleece Works Its Magic Too Well." However, despite teasing its big battle last week, the finale still manages to deliver some surprises.
FULL SPOILERS ahead for Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 Episode 8.
And it wastes no time throwing its main characters into the action. It's clear something is off at Camp Half-Blood as soon as Sally Jackson pulls up. Blackjack confirms that Kronos' followers and monsters are laying siege to the camp, forcing Clarisse to carry the Golden Fleece the rest of the way on foot. Percy and his friends rush to help without further ado (well, after a touching moment between Percy and Sally). Things continue to ramp up from there, taking the story in expected and unexpected directions.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians' book changes pay off at first
The choice to end Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 with a battle outside Camp Half-Blood — in addition to last week's confrontation on the Princess Andromeda — is a bold one, but it mostly works. It pays off the building sense of anticipation throughout season 2, offering a bigger climax than readers were expecting. And the best thing is that it doesn't sacrifice many major plot points to get there; it merely alters how we reach them.
The fight opens with the Disney+ show getting rid of one obstacle right away: Tantalus. Timothy Simons' character has been preventing Camp Half-Blood back from rallying against Luke and Kronos all season, and the finale makes quick work of him. Hilariously, he's hit by a fireball just as he believes the gods have lifted his curse. It's a shocking but comical end that gives his send-off a bit more fanfare than the books.
As fireballs and arrows fly, Clarisse runs towards camp, and the others overhear Luke's true intention: to revive Thalia with the Golden Fleece and see her fulfill the Great Prophecy instead of Percy. He may be onto something with that plan, but more on that later.
Clarisse has a run-in with fellow campers and demands they escort her to Thalia's tree, while Percy rallies the demigods at the Big House. He gives a worthy speech, and it's nice to see Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 putting him at the center again. Walker Scobell does a great job with the material he's given. This is clearly his episode, and it's telling that even Dionysus seems impressed.
But while Percy inspires the campers at the Big House to fight Luke's forces, Clarisse is faced with a harsh revelation: that the ones escorting her to Thalia's tree are working with him. The betrayal is a fun twist, though it lacks a strong emotional core. Clarisse realizing that she's become friends with Annabeth, Grover, and Percy is a nice touch though. And from there, the battle begins in earnest. It's one of the show's most epic sequences so far, but it's not without its flaws.
The finale's battle at Camp Half-Blood is great, but there's one problem
After Annabeth and Grover save Clarisse from Camp Half-Blood's traitors, they race towards Thalia's tree on their chariot. At the same time, Luke grants the Laistrygonians access to camp — and Percy shows up with a force of demigods to fend them off. Percy's arrival is perhaps the best moment of the episode, establishing him fully as a leader. If the image of him standing before a host of demigods is supposed to make us respect him more as the series' hero, it's working.
Things boil over, with the demigods clashing near Thalia's tree. And the stakes feel higher than ever, with Luke and Percy having a rematch the latter nearly loses. Annabeth also gets hit with an arrow, and it all makes for a thrilling showdown. However, there's no sense that major characters are in any real danger. And when people do fall during the fight, it's not given the emotional weight it demands. So, the finale winds up being a suspenseful spectacle, but it's still missing something.
The conflict ends when Percy gives the Golden Fleece to Clarisse, wrapping it around a spear that she can throw at Thalia's tree. She hits her mark, and Annabeth's suspicions are proven correct. Thalia emerges, but it's more violently than anyone expects. She screams "Never!" and fills the field with lightning, which knocks Percy out. Fortunately, it seems to end Luke's onslaught for the time being as well.
Percy being unconscious gives him a chance to catch up with Poseidon, who confirms that war is upon them. He gives Tyson a new task: to make weapons for him. And then, Percy's father offers some encouraging words about fate and love, all of which speak to Percy Jackson and the Olympians' themes. It's not the most memorable moment from season 2, but it ensues Poseidon's presence is still felt and offers some hope ahead of season 3.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2's big Thalia change is... interesting
I'm generally a fan of Percy Jackson and the Olympians' approach to Rick Riordan's books, even when the show changes things. Usually, the outcome ends up being better than what's in the source material, or at least making sense in the jump from page to screen. However, I'll admit, I'm skeptical about the season 2 finale's big Thalia change.
When Percy wakes up and is reunited with Chiron, the centaur reveals he hasn't been truthful about what happened to Thalia. Thalia isn't turned into a tree because she's dying, like she is in the books. In the show, Zeus kills the Furies before they can harm her. He then turns her into a tree because she refuses to embrace her role as his daughter. This dramatically alters their relationship, and it gives Thalia reason to hate the gods as much as Luke.
And the latter is precisely what Percy Jackson and the Olympians seems to be going for, as the final moments of "The Fleece Works Its Magic Too Well" see Percy saying his nightmare "just woke up." This suggests the two will be at odds with one another in Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 3, and it hints that Thalia will be tempted by Luke's mission.
I'm assuming her story will still lead to the Hunters of Artemis, and this is an interesting way to provide a mirror to Luke — an example of someone who should want revenge but chooses not to pursue it. If handled well, it could end up being another good change. However, this is the first one I'm side-eyeing, as it doesn't feel all that necessary and could easily go sideways.
Verdict
The final battle at Camp Half-Blood generally works, but there's one problem with Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2's ending: it falls flat emotionally in certain places. The interactions between major characters make up for that, but there's not enough weight given to certain events. For example, despite Luke's hesitation about demigods killing other demigods, there isn't much reflection on it. Even after the battle, injuries and casualties are hardly addressed.
Moments like Clarisse being betrayed also don't land as well as they should because we don't actually know the demigods involved. It's surprising, sure, but it doesn't pack the same punch as Luke's turn in season 1. We simply aren't invested in the relationships enough to care.
The Thalia situation also makes me skeptical, and I hope Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 3 handles it well. There are some interesting conversations that can be had through this new backstory. Yet, if the series leans too heavily into her being like Luke, it could ruin an already-great character — and create unnecessary tensions that drag on, similar to those between Annabeth and Percy earlier in season 2.
Despite these shortcomings and my skepticism, Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 still mostly sticks the landing. The finale is genuinely enjoyable to watch, even if some elements fall apart on a second glance. And there are many moments that work well and will continue to hold up — from Percy's speech and Clarisse's character growth to Tantalus' farewell to Camp Half-Blood.