Mr. Charon is a ghoul who admits spirits to the Underworld and ferries them across the River Styx—but only if they can pay or if he’s feeling generous. Aboveground, Mr. Charon takes the form of a well-dressed man; down in the Underworld, he wears dark, billowy robes. He’s a vain being and he’s recently discovered Italian suits, which means he eats through his paycheck quickly. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover convince Mr. Charon to ferry them across the River Styx because they promise to mention to Hades that Mr. Charon deserves a raise.
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Mr. Charon Character Timeline in The Lightning Thief
The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Charon appears in The Lightning Thief. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 18
...Smoothly and coldly, the guard asks if he looks like a centaur, spells out his name—Charon—and insists on being called Mr. Charon. He asks what they want and how they died....
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...from Crusty and puts three on the counter. He insists that he’s dead, but Mr. Charon hisses that Percy is a half-blood. Percy insists on going to the Underworld and bravely...
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...and the spirits in the elevator are suddenly wearing hooded robes, not modern clothes. Mr. Charon’s appearance changes too: his suit turns into black robes and his eyes turn into dark,...
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Mr. Charon steers the barge to the shore of the Underworld. Percy, Grover, and Annabeth follow the...
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Chapter 19
...and traffic problems, and he has to pay his staff overtime. Percy blurts out that Charon wants a raise, which makes Hades shout that Charon is impossible. Hades doesn’t want war,...
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