Disney’s new TV adaptation of award-winning book series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” comes highly anticipated after nearly two decades since the first book came out and one decade since the poorly received film adaptation by 20th Century Fox. Executive produced by the book’s author Rick Riordan, fans have been excited for a more faithful adaptation of the books and the exploration of complex themes that have made the series appealing to a wide variety of ages. In short, the story follows 12-year-old Percy Jackson living in present-day New York who has just discovered that he is the forbidden child of a Greek god, making him a demigod. As Disney’s current big investment, the show is culturally relevant and has the budget to explore a lot (Porter, 2022). Additionally, Rick Riordan has never shied away from exploring social and political topics in his work. I figured such a high budget collaboration between a Hollywood behemoth like Disney and a deeply intentional author would produce content ripe for analysis. Looking specifically at Season 1, commentary on the nature of “Western civilization” is explored and grand historical narratives questioned. However, perhaps most interesting is the choice to cast a Black girl as a lead character repeatedly described as blonde in the books. This choice not only allows more people to feel represented on screen, but also adds a depth and intersectional lens to a lead character.

As a Disney product, the show is targeted towards a wide audience. True to the middle-grade level of the books, the show is TV-PG and stars middle school aged kids while not isolating older audiences. Since the show was announced, it has been made clear that this adaptation was made with book fans in mind, many of whom read the books when they first came out and are now adults. In an interview shortly after the show was announced, author and executive producer Rick Riordan said, “I feel comfortable telling fans of the books who have been waiting — in some cases, decades — for this kind of faithful adaptation, that this is the one you’ve been waiting for” (Holub, 2023). With that said, with a season 1 budget of $12 million to $15 million per episode, it’s also clear that Disney is wanting to establish the universe created in the IP, much like it has for the Star Wars or Marvel franchise (Hailu, 2023).

For better or for worse, race is never explicitly brought up in the show. As a show mainly centering children of gods and monsters, the intricacies of current racial constructs are easily muddled. Rather, its casual representation of BIPOC main characters that can be role models for viewers is what makes the show broadly positive. The closest thing to an explicit racial conversation occurs in Episode 4 in which the three main characters, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover, are chased by police to the St. Louis Arch or the “Gateway to the West.” Annabeth explains that the Arch is a monument to mathematical perfection and thus a temple to Athena while Grover notes “it’s a monument to some other stuff, too” as the camera pans to museum displays about westward expansion and a large painting with the words “manifest destiny” written next to it (Ep. 4, 17:35). This offers a critique of power structures that exist in the series, both human and godly. Manifest destiny is racial ideology at its most destructive, and the choice to acknowledge its presence while at an iconic location like the St. Louis Arch doesn’t allow viewers to sweep that piece of history under the rug (Perry, 2007, pp. 102–113, 128–131). Additionally, although not yet explained in the show, readers of the book know that the reason the Greek gods are stationed in America is because they move over time with the “seat of Western civilization.” This creates a tension that forces older viewers to question the supposed benevolence of Western society.

Additionally, questions about gender, especially in relationship to larger historical narratives are touched in a plotline about Medusa. Critical of the dominant narrative of Medusa as a monster, the show questions if the heroes should be mistrusting of her. She addresses Annabeth’s misgivings directly by saying, “You’re concerned I would hold a grudge against you simply because you are a daughter of Athena? You shouldn’t be. We’re not our parents after all.” Annabeth responds by asking, “So you’re not a monster, what are you then?” Medusa’s response is clear and cutting to those with knowledge of classical mythology: “A survivor” (Ep. 3, 22:50). While the story is diluted a bit to be appropriate for younger viewers, Medusa’s monstrous metamorphosis, a punishment from Athena for being raped by Poseidon, is framed as deeply flawed and unfair. The young heroes then must reconcile that the classic Greek myths, which function as representations of grand historical narratives, should be questioned and reconsidered critically. While this exploration of monstrosity and narrative truth is focused more on gender than race, it demands the main characters, and thus viewers of the show, think critically about the stories we take as objective truth — who is othered and who belongs (Hartigan, 2015, pp. 1–26).

However, the most interesting aspect of the show’s depiction of race comes with their casting of Annabeth Chase. Following Disney’s nondiscrimination policy in casting, auditions were open to actors without regard to race, ethnicity, ability, or any other identity category. Leah Sava Jeffries, a Black girl, was cast as Annabeth, a character repeatedly described in the books as someone with blonde hair and blue eyes. This not only offered the added benefit of intersectional representation but also allowed the character to be understood in a more complex and culturally relevant way. Although protective over the IP, Riordan staunchly defended his choice in casting saying, “Leah impressed me from the moment I met her … Now again, does she look like Annabeth looks in the book? No. Was that important to me? No. If anything, it was a massive benefit to broaden the cast in terms of representation” (Hailu, 2023). This comes at a moment in time in which Hollywood is finally beginning to catch up in terms of proportional representation of BIPOC lead characters (Ramon et al., 2025). Nevertheless, this casting choice was not without backlash, emphasizing the way structural and interpersonal racism still persists due to internalized racial narratives even when institutions aren’t actively discriminating (Race Forward, 2014). However, Riordan was quick to address and label the issue for what it was saying, “Some of you have apparently felt offended or exasperated when your objections are called out online as racist … You are judging her appropriateness for this role solely and exclusively on how she looks. She is a Black girl playing someone who was described in the books as white. Friends, that is racism” (Sharf, 2022).

As a daughter of Athena, Annabeth is introduced as confident, competent, and incredibly smart. Immediately, the show’s depiction of Annabeth as a Black girl quashes racist ideology about the intellectual capacity of Black people — a narrative that lives on today through the prevalence of things such as IQ tests and the racial “bell curve” (Joseph, 2024). While originally, the books address only misogynistic narratives about underestimating girls’ intelligence, especially in regards to the “dumb blonde” stereotype, Annabeth’s intersectional identity as a Black girl allows a wider audience to see themselves represented positively in her. “She will be a role model for new generations of girls who will see in her the kind of hero they want to be,” Riordan said (Sharf, 2022). Similarly, Annabeth is frequently trying to prove her competence to her mother and feeling as though there are greater institutional rules she must follow to be respected. When Percy suggests they send Medusa’s decapitated head to Mount Olympus, Annabeth immediately is concerned with how those in power (the gods) will view it and the potential consequences of doing so stating, “The gods won’t like it … They will see this as impertinent” (Ep. 3, 37:47). Percy, who is a white boy, responds by saying, “I am impertinent” to which Annabeth retorts, “Yes but [I’m] not” (Ep. 3, 38:01). Although this reflects the individual personalities of the characters, it also occurs in conversation with larger questions about who gets to disrespect authority and what their consequences are. Institutions have historically punished Black people disproportionately and unfairly for fighting back against systems of power and oppression. This creates a multi-layered depth to Annabeth in the show that enriches her as a character while providing a social commentary on current problems posed by racism.

Overall, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” questions the legitimacy of the race ideology without ever explicitly talking about race. Its multilayered approach allows viewers of differing ages to get a different depth of critique. By asking its audience to question grand narratives, offering critiques on the meaning of Western civilization, and demonstrating the importance of intersectional representation, the show offers a positive case study for creating media that disrupts the dissemination of race ideology.

References

Hailu, S. (2023, October 18). “Percy Jackson” Strikes Back: How Rick Riordan Defied Fox’s Failed Movies, Fought Racist Trolls and Finally Returned to Hollywood for Disney+ Series. Variety.com; Variety. https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/percy-jackson-tv-series-rick-riordan-diverse-cast-movies-1235759319/

Hartigan, J. (2015). Race in the 21st Century: Ethnographic Approaches (Second Edition, pp. 1–26). Oxford University Press.

Holub, C. (2023, September 18). “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” introduces a new generation of demigods. EW.com; Entertainment Weekly. https://ew.com/tv/percy-jackson-and-the-olympians-rick-riordan-preview/

Joseph, J. (2024, March 27). Bad Science Revisited: “The Bell Curve” Turns 30. Madinamerica.com; Mad in America. https://www.madinamerica.com/2024/03/bad-science-bell-curve/

Perry, R. J. (2007). Race and racism: The Development of Modern Racism in America (First edition, pp. 102–113, 128–131). Palgrave Macmillan. (Original work published 2007)

Porter, R. (2022, January 25). “Percy Jackson” Series Officially Happening at Disney+. TheHollywoodReporter.com; The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/percy-jackson-series-disney-plus-1235080597/

Race Forward. (2014, January 22). Moving The Race Conversation Forward. Www.youtube.com; Government Alliance on Race and Equality. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjGQaz1u3V4

Ramon, A.-C., Tram, M., Abston, J., & Hunt, D. (2025). Hollywood Diversity Report 2025: Streaming. In Hollywood Diversity Report. UCLA Entertainment & Media Research Initiative. https://socialsciences.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/UCLA-Hollywood-Diversity-Report-2025-Streaming-Film-6-18-2025.pdf

Riordan, R., & Steinberg, J. E. (2023, December). Percy Jackson and the Olympians [Streamed episodes]. Disney+.

Sharf, Z. (2022, May 10). “Percy Jackson” Author Rick Riordan Slams Racist Backlash Against Leah Jeffries’ Casting as Annabeth. Variety.com; Variety. https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/percy-jackson-rick-riordan-racism-leah-jeffries-casting-1235263216/