Who Is Percy Jackson's Father?

Rick Riordan's first Percy Jackson novel, "The Lightning Thief," was first published in 2005, riding on a wave of ultra-popular young adult fantasy literature that persists to this day. One can easily see that the "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" books lift a lot of ideas from J.K. Rowling's blockbuster Harry Potter novels and follow a lot of the same story beats. Both were about young men who, while living unhappy lives among the hoi polloi, discover they actually possess royal blood. Their previously unknown lineages allow them access to worlds of magic and/or deities, which they are able to explore through either a wizards' boarding school (in Harry Potter) or a demigod summer camp (in Percy Jackson). 

Both Potter and Jackson also have to face off against intergenerational enemies that are directly linked to their absent parents; with Potter, it was a wizard named Voldemort, and with Jackson, it was Hades. In a curious coincidence, Ralph Fiennes played Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies, and Hades in the remake of "Clash of the Titans." 

Percy (short for Perseus) was the son of Sally Jackson. He never knew his father and isn't made privy to his identity until he's 16. By then, he was already an unhappy high school student, struggling with ADHD and dyslexia, and suffering through the abuses of his mother's horrid boyfriend. In the 2010 feature film adaptation "Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief," Percy was played by Logan Lerman, and Sally by Catherine Keener. In the 2020 TV series, Percy is played by Walker Scobell and Sally by Virginia Kull. 

But Percy Jackson's true father is a Greek god.

The story goes that Sally, when she was on vacation in Montauk, New York, encountered the Greek god Poseidon out at sea. They had an intense summer-long whirlwind romance — a Poseidon Adventure, if you will — and conceived Percy. Poseidon offered to move Sally and their unborn half-god son into a magical undersea kingdom, but Sally refused, not wanting to exit the human world. Sally gave birth to Percy on her own and raised him as a human. As it so happens, the Greek gods have strictly forbidden the practice of having children with mortals, as it had brought them too much trouble in the past. Anyone familiar with Greek mythology knows how randy deities repeatedly romanced and impregnated mortals as a matter of course. 

In the world of Percy Jackson, the "Big Three" gods (that is: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades) are no longer allowed to sire children because of — believe or not — World War II. It seems that many of the Allies were actually the children of Poseidon and Zeus, while the Axis powers were children of Hades. The War was partially fought as a legacy battle of ancient gods. Because that war was so destructive, the gods had to promise to stop having kids. 

Not that the pact stopped them entirely. Not only did Poseidon have Percy with Sally after World War II ended, but had other children as well. Zeus also didn't abide by the rules and also had some younger offspring. Throughout the Percy Jackson book series, movies, and TV show, audiences will meet myriad demigod teens, as well as centaurs, satyrs, and other Greek beasties.

In a fun conceit, demigod kids are said to give off an odor that is only detectible by mythological Greek monsters, and they'll be killed if the odor is detected. Sally ended up marrying a horrible man named Gabe, whose bodily stink was so powerful, it masked Percy's god-smell.

And it seems that Poseidon was busy. At some point along the way, he also had an affair with a nymph and fathered a cyclops named Tyson (played by Douglas Smith in the movies, and Daniel Diemer on TV). Tyson lived a miserable childhood, raising himself on the streets, and sleeping in alleyways. He also, with his god-odors, attracted plenty of monster attacks and was once scratched up pretty viciously by a sphinx. It wouldn't be until he was a teen that Tyson would be able to contact his father (via prayer) and be placed in a protective boarding school. 

Eventually — in the second of the Percy Jackson stories, "The Sea of Monsters" — Tyson and Percy would meet and become friends. Tyson often lived under a spell, making it look like he had two eyes, or he wore special wraparound shades to disguise his cycloptic nature. Tyson was a handsome and shy lad and didn't feel a kinship with other cyclopes. He would eventually fight against the notorious cyclops Polyphemus (from "The Odyssey") and be accused of betraying his own kind. Tyson said that he wasn't the same "kind" as Polyphemus, possessing helpful, demure, and even heroic qualities. 

Tyson, because he was a cyclops, knew a lot more about the world of the Gods, making him more in tune with his lineage than Percy. He had a girlfriend, Ella, who was a harpy, for instance. Tyson is, to date, only a supporting character in the Percy Jackson movies and TV show, but has a much more consistent role throughout Rick Riordan's many novels. 

The character of Annabeth is played by Alexandra Daddario in the Percy Jackson movies and by Leah Sava Jeffries on TV. Annabeth, like Percy, is the child of a deity and a mortal. Her father is a human professor named Frederick Chase, and her mother is the goddess Athena. She is one of the lead characters of the Percy Jackson series, and a bold, forthright warrior. She is aware of her heritage and insists on maintaining a sense of godlike propriety. Percy's human bumbling eventually brings her down to earth and makes her a little bit more empathetic. Annabeth and Percy would eventually become a romantic couple. 

While it's not addressed in the Percy Jackson movies too closely, Annabeth and Percy are actually related. At least, they are if one goes by Greek mythology. As we all know, Annabeth's mother Athena was born fully formed out of the skull of Zeus, cracked open when he complained of a headache. That technically makes Zeus Athena's father. That means Zeus is Annabeth's grandfather. 

Mythology nuts will also be able to tell you that Zeus and Poseidon are brothers, however. Which means Zeus is also Percy's uncle. That means that Annabeth and Percy are second cousins. And yes, they are dating.

Of course, given the wild amount of incest that took place in Greek mythological stories, two teen second cousins having a romantic relationship is small potatoes. Zeus famously had an affair with Persephone, his own daughter. Indeed, the earth goddess Gaia is said to have had the 12 Titans with her own son, Uranus. Many brothers and sisters married one another on Olympus. The Percy Jackson books are relatively tame in comparison.

Sally Jackson, as noted, dated a very smelly man named Gabe Ugliano, played by Joe Pantoliano in "Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief," and by Timm Sharp on TV. Gabe was cruel and abusive to Percy, and his foul odor was only tolerated by Sally because she knew it would shield her demigod son from monsters. Sadly, the monster at home was almost as bad. Gabe was kind to Percy for only a very brief spell but is mostly just a mean ol' jerk. Audiences are meant to hate him. 

In "The Lightning Thief," Percy escapes Gabe, goes to a summer camp for demigods, and finds himself embroiled in a magical Odyssey of his own. Like his namesake, Percy had to face the gorgon Medusa (Uma Thurman, in a decidedly not-dangerous gig) during his adventure. He used the reflective surface of an iPhone to distract Medusa and behead her in self-defense. 

In a cute epilogue, Percy or Sally secured Medusa's severed head and planted it inside Gabe's refrigerator, knowing he would go in there eventually. When he opened it, the severed head turned him to stone. A sweet revenge on a terrible man. 

After Gabe had been petrified, and Percy was protected, Sally was free. She ended up taking a writing seminar where she met a man — handsome, smart, and kind — named Paul Blofis. Sally and Paul would fall in love, marry, and have a daughter together. Paul, however, is kept blissfully ignorant of Percy's divine lineage. He has yet to appear in a Percy Jackson movie or TV series, but perhaps when he does we'll finally get to see Percy have a somewhat "normal" family life.