Check out our episode here! (featuring The Battle of the Labyrinth and The Last Olympian) The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
Percy and his friend Rachel Elizabeth Dare are on a drive at the beach. Rachel tells Percy that her father wants her to attend Clarion Ladies Academy to become a proper lady, but she doesn’t want to go. She also asks if has decided whether he will join her family on vacation, but Percy doesn’t get the chance to answer because Blackjack, Percy’s pegasus, lands on the hood of the car. With Blackjack is Charles Beckendorf, a son of Hephaestus, who tells Percy it is time to take out the Princess Andromeda, Luke's cruise ship base of operations.
Rachel kisses Percy and wishes him good luck and Percy, Beckendorf and Blackjack head out on their mission. Together they sneak onto the ship and are spotted by a telekhine, a sea demon, but they kill it before it can raise an alarm. Heading down to the engine room, the plan is to set Greek Fire explosives. Percy and Beckendorf split up, Percy to distract the creatures and Beckendorf to set the charges. Unfortunately, or yet again, Percy is captured. Luke, who is now the vessel for the Titan King, Kronos, fights Percy and taunts him by mentioning a spy in his midst. Beckendorf is also captured but made it look like he was on his way to set the charges, not that he’d already completed his task. As time turns into a blur, Beckendorf tells Percy to flee and triggers the Greek Fire. Percy escapes the ship as it explodes, but then he blacks out.
While Percy is unconscious, he dreams of Mount Othrys and a conversation between Krios and Hyperion, two Titans that are planning to destroy Olympus. The scene shifts. Percy sees Nico, son of Hades, eavesdropping on the Titans. Nico asks Percy how he intends to defeat the Titans without his plan, the same one he mentioned at Percy’s fifteenth birthday party. When Percy wakes, he realizes that he is in Poseidon's Palace and Tyson, his cyclops half-brother, is tending to him. Tyson takes Percy to see their father where he meets Poseidon’s wife, Amphitrite, and their son, Triton. Poseidon tells Percy he is battling Oceanus and that Beckendorf did not survive the mission, but it was not in vain, Beckendorf has bought them vital time. Poseidon also tells Percy he must return to Camp Half-Blood to fulfil the prophecy.
Percy returns to camp bringing news of the Princess Andromeda (yay!) and Beckendorf (aww). At the war council later, Chiron asks Percy and Annabeth to retrieve the prophecy from the Oracle. It is time Percy heard it in full. When they return, the council is in chaos. The head counselors of Ares, Clarisse, and Apollo, Michael, are at each other's throats. They are disputing which cabin should keep the spoils of a skirmish, a chariot. One cabin led the charge, another took the victory but the Apollo cabin kept the chariot. When no one backs Clarisse’s claim, she storms off telling them the Ares cabin will not help them fight the war.
They read the prophecy again and everyone agrees it has to be about Percy and that ultimately he will not survive it. Brushing this aside, Percy changes the topic to the spy in camp Kronos bragged about. Accusations fly and are only stopped when Silena Beauregard, Beckendorf’s girlfriend and daughter of Aphrodite, reminds them that Beckendorf died and all they can do is squabble like children. Chiron then shows them that despite the combined forces of the gods, the Titan Typhon has finally broken free from Mount St. Helens and is on his way to Olympus.
Percy has another of his vivid dreams, this one of Rachel. In it, Rachel is looking at two pictures she has drawn. The first is of a young Luke, the second is of Olympus surrounded by lightning and figures wielding weapons. The following day, whilst carrying out chores, Percy tells Annabeth that Grover has disappeared, their empathy link is so weak it’s almost not there. When they talk about the prophecy, Annabeth storms off when Percy says the situation is hopeless.
Percy wanders to the arena to visit Mrs. O'Leary, his hellhound, and when he arrives, Mrs. O'Leary runs into the forest. Percy chases after her into a clearing where the Lords of the Wild hold their meetings. Nico is there with Leneus, a member of the Council of Cloven Elders, and Grover's naiad girlfriend, Juniper. They are talking about needing to help Grover. Leneus refuses at first, until forced by Percy. After he and Juniper leave, Percy and Nico discuss his plan again. Percy remembers how he couldn’t hurt Kronos in their fight and Nico points out he could get that same advantage. Together with Mrs.O’Leary, they shadow travel to speak to Luke’s mother.
Luke’s mom is… unusual. Ms. Castellan greets both Percy and Nico as if they are Luke. She offers Luke peanut butter sandwiches and cookies that she made, but they're rotten and burned. Percy and Nico discover that Luke ran away to protect her from the monsters that hunt demigods, but he returned to gain her blessing before becoming the host for Kronos. Ms. Castellan has a moment of possession before they leave and her eyes turn flaming green which scares them.
When they leave, they find Mrs. O’Leary with Hestia, the goddess of the hearth and home. She welcomes them to her fire, gives them a meal, and reminds Percy that no matter what happens, he must remember she is the last Olympian. Hestia then sends Percy, with Nico and Mrs. O'Leary, back to his mother's apartment. Sally has told her new husband, Paul Blofis, all about demigods and Olympus, though he remained somewhat skeptical. Now the evidence is building that it’s all true, especially since they just magically appeared in the living room and that Mrs. O'Leary literally fills the entire room and then some. Percy and Nico tell Sally their plan, but in order for Percy to complete the task, she needs to give him her blessing. She isn’t happy about the plan but reluctantly gives her blessing, asking Percy to give her a signal in blue at the Empire State Building after it's all over so she knows he survived the war. It’s time for Percy and Nico to enter the Underworld.
Percy and Nico will use an entrance to the Underworld in Central Park. Nico tells Percy they need music to enter from there and Percy, sensing Grover is nearby, reaches out through their empathy link to get him to come play his pan flute for them. It’s a struggle to connect with Grover though as he seems to be asleep. Percy is able to wake Grover from what was a deep magical sleep. Grover tells them that as he was spreading the news about Pan’s death and recruiting nature creatures to help in the oncoming war, a strange man walking through Central Park sent everyone around him to sleep. Nico tells Grover it was the god Morpheus, the god of dreams, his presence can only mean the invasion is soon. Percy and Nico explain their plan to Grover, who is not pleased about it, but plays his song opening the entrance to the Underworld before returning to camp.
In the Underworld, Percy and Nico reach the River Styx. Nico needs to take a detour first to Hades’s palace where he hands Percy over to the Furies. It’s a trap! Nico explains that his father had promised him information on his past if he surrendered Percy. In Hades's throne room, Percy, Nico and Hades are joined by Persephone, and her mother Demeter. Hades tells Nico that he and his sister Bianca were sent to the Lotus Hotel to protect them. Hades also tells them that he will not be fighting in the upcoming war, he will wait until the Titans win and strike then, when their forces are weak, then dismisses Nico. Yup, Percy is captive again.
Percy has another dream of Rachel, this time she is on vacation with her family. She’s drawing again, this time in the sand and in ancient Greek. The image changes then to the St. Louis Arch where he sees the Olympians fighting Typhon. When Percy wakes, Nico is standing over him. They scuffle until Nico can explain to Percy he didn’t know his father's intentions and helps him escape on Mrs. O’Leary. At the River Styx, Percy speaks to Achilles who warns him of the consequences of his actions, but Percy is resolved. In order to become nearly invincible, leaving only a small weakness on his body at the base of his back, Percy steps into the River Styx. He has to find something to tie him to life, otherwise he'll die in the river. As he steps out, Hades attacks but Percy escapes, able to beat Hades with his new strength. Before he leaves the Underworld, he tells Nico to persuade his father to join the fight.
Percy exits the Underworld and heads to the Empire State Building, calling Annabeth on his way. He tells her to gather the campers and bring them to the Empire State Building to make their stand. On the 600th floor, Percy finds Hestia still tending the fire. She shows him images from the day Luke first met his father Hermes. It is the same day that, with Thalia, Zeus’ daughter and now leader of the Hunters of Artemis, he met Annabeth and he gave her the dagger she still uses to this day.
Hermes arrives in the throne room then. He has a message from Athena who tells them to defend Manhattan using Plan 23. This means nothing to Percy, but everything to Annabeth who has Daedalus’s laptop with all his plans. Athena also reminds Percy about the rivers surrounding the island and tells him to stay away from her daughter! When Annabeth mentions Luke, Hermes becomes mad and blames Annabeth for letting Luke turn to Kronos.
Across New York, Morpheus has made the mortals sleep. Beyond, Kronos and Hecate have slowed time around Manhattan. Percy divides the gathered campers into different forces to guard the bridges and tunnels onto the island, unfortunately forgetting the Lincoln Tunnel. Thalia appears and tells them the Hunters will guard the tunnel. Percy and Annabeth then fly on pegasi to activate Plan 23, which causes all statues to come to life as fighting automatons. The children of Apollo are guarding the Williamsburg Bridge when Percy and Annabeth fly in to help, they see Kronos is leading the army from Brooklyn. A heated battle takes place and Annabeth is stabbed, taking a blow meant for Percy, directly at his weak spot. The campers retreat but Percy realizes the extent of his new strength as he stabs Riptide into the bridge, breaking it. Kronos and his army fall back and the demigods take the opportunity to rest.
Percy has another vivid dream, this one of Nico trying to summon his mother’s ghost, but she won’t let him, instead there is a vision of Maria and Hades during World War II, arguing about Nico and Bianca’s safety. Hades wants them in the Underworld or the Lotus Hotel, Maria wants to keep them with her. Zeus blows the building Maria is in to pieces, killing her, but he was aiming for Nico and Bianca. He did this because of the prophecy now coming to pass. Hades has his children taken to the Lotus Hotel to protect them. In his anger, Hades also curses the Oracle declaring that it will never find another human host until he and his children are welcomed in Olympus. Then the dream changes. Percy sees Rachel at the beach with her parents but she wants to return to New York, she senses that Percy needs her.
When Percy wakes, the Titan Prometheus has come to negotiate. Percy, Grover, and Thalia go to Central Park where the Titan is with Ethan Nakamura, an empousa, and a clumsy Hyperborean Giant. They have come for the half-bloods' surrender. Prometheus then gives Percy Pandora's box, containing the Elpis, the Spirit of Hope. He tells Percy when they decide to surrender, he only needs to release Hope.
Back at headquarters, Percy falls asleep and dreams of Poseidon's undersea palace. It’s in chaos. The dream shifts to Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium where the vast enemy army is stationed. The dream changes again to the Big House back at camp where he sees Ms. Castellan trying to take in the spirit of the oracle, not knowing about Hades' curse, which makes her lose her mind. When he wakes, Percy goes back to Central Park and battles the Titan Hyperion. Percy creates a hurricane to douse Hyperion's flames, giving Grover and other creatures of the wild the chance to trap him in a tree. There is no rest though. Right after this battle, the Clazmonian Sow attacks. Chasing it across Manhattan, they activate some more of Daedalus's automatons, including the New York Public Library Lions, and they defeat the sow. Returning to the Empire State Building, Percy realizes that the half-bloods and their allies have been pushed back to the building. What can help them? Chiron and the Party Ponies.
The Titan army retreats, and now they have some breathing space. It is during this down time that Dionysus warns Percy not to lose Olympus, for it would mean the end of Western civilization. Dionysus also asks Percy to keep his son Pollux safe. Suddenly a helicopter is spotted. Rachel has returned to New York, but unfortunately the pilot is affected by Morpheus and falls asleep in the air. Annabeth, like a badass, manages to get inside the helicopter and land it safely. Rachel tells Percy that he is not the hero. This revelation rocks Percy.
Percy catches another nap, seeing Nico trying to convince Hades to fight. He also sees Kronos ordering the release of drakon. When he wakes, he and Annabeth go to slay the giant, serpent-like monster, but according to Rachel, only a child of Ares can kill it. Fortunately, they see Clarisse leading her half-siblings into battle. Unfortunately they see her fall from her chariot. Then Clarisse appears. Wait, what? Two Clarisses? Silena Beauregard disguised herself as Clarisse and convinced the children of Ares to follow her into battle, since earlier Clarisse refused to fight because of the stupid squabble over the chariot. Before she dies, Silena reveals herself to be the spy, saying that before she started dating Beckendorf, Luke was very kind to her and asked her for help. She wanted to stop helping him and spying on the campers, but he threatened to blackmail her. After this, Clarisse single-handedly kills the drakon, avenging her friend.
Thalia recommends that Percy and Annabeth go to Olympus to set up the final defenses. On their way, they see Grover kneeling over a dying Leneus who is reincarnated into a laurel. Grover accompanies Percy and Annabeth to plant Leneus in the gardens of Olympus. As they approach, they find Rachel holding Pandora’s Box, which is actually a jar, but she doesn’t seem to be herself. Hestia appears and Percy gives her Pandora's jar in order to resist giving up hope. Percy needs to get his dad into the fight at Olympus, and so, to get his attention, Percy sits on his giant throne and is able to convince him to fight Typhon. It is then that Thalia enters the throne room, warning them that Kronos is closing in on the doors of Olympus.
As Kronos approaches, Hades appears with Persephone, Demeter and Nico, bringing a huge undead army. Kronos collapses the magical barriers around Manhattan and draws it closer to Olympus, closing the battle ground, but also waking the mortals. As Percy’s fighters battle, Ethan heads up to Olympus to start destroying it. Percy, Annabeth, Thalia and Grover follow Ethan but Thalia is trapped by a fallen statue of Hera. In the throne room, Percy fights Ethan, desperately trying to get him to turn against Kronos. He does, and Kronos kills him when he enters the throne room. Annabeth then tries to reach Luke and convince him to assert control over Kronos, however Kronos incapacitates them. Boasting, Kronos shows them Typhon in the Hudson River. The gods are desperately fighting him, but then Poseidon appears and they manage to send Typhon back to Tartarus. This, obviously, makes Kronos rather angry.
Annabeth is injured but tries to reach Luke again, reminding him of his promise to her: they would always be family. Kronos throws her across the room, which is what helps Luke regain control, but it’s a struggle. Luke tells Percy that he must be slain by his own hand to defeat Kronos. Picking up Annabeth's dagger he gives it to Luke. Luke then stabs himself in his own weak spot, sacrificing himself and defeating Kronos. Luke’s body is taken away by the Fates.
The gods return to Olympus and reward the heroes. Tyson is promoted to General of the Cyclopes and gifted with a finely crafted weapon of his choice, a stick! Annabeth is made architect for the redesigning of Olympus. Grover is given the empty seat in the Council of Cloven Elders. Percy is offered full godhood, but he declines asking the Olympians to swear on the River Styx for his request, which they agree. He wants every half-blood to be claimed by their godly parent by the age of thirteen, and he wants every god, Olympian and minor, and Hades to have a cabin at Camp Half-Blood. Additionally, he wants all the victims of the war to achieve Elysium.
Percy finds out later from Nico that Rachel has gone to Camp Half-Blood. Realizing what she is going to attempt, Percy summons hippocampi to take him, Annabeth and Nico to camp, but it’s too late. Rachel has gone into the Big House and taken in the spirit of the Oracle, but she doesn’t lose her mind like Luke's mother. Hades' curse has officially been broken now that Percy has made the gods promise to include him and his children at camp and Olympus. Rachel has successfully become the new Oracle and speaks her first prophecy.
That night, the dead are burned in their funeral shrouds, Silena's shroud is included, she is honored as a hero and no one mentions the fact that she was a spy. Percy and Annabeth finally decide to acknowledge their feelings for each other, and camp life returns to relative normality for the last two weeks of summer. New demigods start appearing in camp, new cabins are being built and even with Rachel’s prophecy, Percy and Annabeth look forward to the future.