Poseidon Character Analysis in The Lightning Thief

Poseidon is the Greek god of the sea, and he’s Percy’s father. Poseidon can change his size, but he looks like a tanned fisherman in Bermuda shorts and a patterned shirt. One of the Big Three, Poseidon, along with his brothers Zeus and Hades, agrees to stop fathering demigod children after World War II. However, Poseidon broke this promise by falling in love with Mom and fathering Percy. Percy has mixed feelings about Poseidon for the entirety of the novel. Before Percy knows who his father is, he resents Poseidon for not claiming him; after Poseidon does claim him, Percy resents him for not doing so sooner and for not providing more support. When Percy does meet Poseidon, however, he decides that the god’s reaction is the best possible one: Poseidon seems unsure of how to engage with Percy, which seems to be an honest response. He does, however, say outright that he’s proud of Percy, which helps Percy start coming to terms with his parentage.

Poseidon Quotes in The Lightning Thief

The The Lightning Thief quotes below are all either spoken by Poseidon or refer to Poseidon. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Identity, Heroism, and Normalcy Theme Icon

“I wish he could see you, Percy. He would be so proud.”

I wondered how she could say that. What was so great about me? A dyslexic, hyperactive boy with a D+ report card, kicked out of school for the sixth time in six years.

Related Characters: Percy Jackson (speaker), Mom/Sally Jackson (speaker), Poseidon

Page Number and Citation: 38

Explanation and Analysis:

When Mom tells Percy that his dad would be proud of him, Percy has no idea how this could be since he struggles so much in school and is, in his own mind, a total failure. This speaks to the fact that not having important information about who and what he is seriously damages Percy’s self-esteem. Practically speaking, mortal school probably isn’t all that useful for Percy, since Percy isn’t a regular kid—his father is the Greek god Poseidon, meaning that Percy is actually a demigod and a hero. Percy’s life will therefore be centered on fighting monsters rather than Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rer

“That’s the only way to know for sure: your father has to send you a sign claiming you as his son. Sometimes it happens.”

“You mean sometimes it doesn’t?”

Annabeth ran her palm along the rail. “The gods are busy. They have a lot of kids and don’t always...Well, sometimes they don’t care about us, Percy. They ignore us.”

Related Characters: Annabeth Chase (speaker), Percy Jackson (speaker), Poseidon, Mom/Sally Jackson

Page Number and Citation: 96

Explanation and Analysis:

One afternoon at Camp Half-Blood, Annabeth explains that Percy won’t move out of the Hermes cabin until and unless his father, whichever god he is, claims Percy—but that might never happen. Annabeth makes it very clear that, unfortunately, demigod children are often the last thing on their divine parents’ minds. They don’t have the time or the inclination to deal with possibly dozens of half-blood children, all of whom want attention but all of whom are also, strategically speaking, probably unimportant to their parent. This begins to show why Camp Half-Blood is so important to the demigod children: it gives Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi n

Just when I’d started to feel accepted, to feel like I had a home in cabin eleven and I might be a normal kid—or as normal as you can be when you’re a half-blood—I’d been separated out as if I had some rare disease.

Related Characters: Percy Jackson (speaker), Poseidon

Page Number and Citation: 127

Explanation and Analysis:

At Camp Half-Blood, Percy is miserable in the Poseidon cabin all by himself, especially since he was just starting to feel like he fit in with the Hermes kids and with the rest of the campers. His reaction shows how easy it is for someone’s perception of what’s normal to change. Percy knows that he’s not a normal human, but Camp Half-Blood has helped him achieve a sense of normalcy that he’s never had before. He shares so many life experiences with the campers that it’s easy to make friends, something that was never easy for Percy in the mortal Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas

“Remind me again—why do you hate me so much?”

“I don’t hate you.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

[...] “Look...we’re just not supposed to get along, okay? Our parents are rivals.”

“Why?”

She sighed. “How many reasons do you want? One time my mom caught Poseidon with his girlfriend in Athena’s temple, which is hugely disrespectful. Another time, Athena and Poseidon competed to be the patron saint for the city of Athens. Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift. My mom created the olive tree. The people saw that her gift was better, so they named the city after her.”

Related Characters: Percy Jackson (speaker), Annabeth Chase (speaker), Grover, Athena, Poseidon

Page Number and Citation: 157

Explanation and Analysis:

While Percy, Annabeth, and Grover travel to the Greyhound station, Annabeth grudgingly explains why she’s been so cold to Percy since they discovered that Poseidon is his father. Essentially, Annabeth believes that she has to mirror everything her mother does—and since Athena has a grudge against Poseidon, Annabeth feels like she has to make that grudge her own. Importantly, however, Annabeth didn’t behave so coldly to Percy before Percy’s parentage came out. There did seem to be genuine interest and possibly friendly affection between them, which makes it very clear that no matter what Annabeth thinks, it is indeed possible Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui au

“Can’t we work together a little?” I pleaded. “I mean, didn’t Athena and Poseidon ever cooperate?”

Annabeth had to think about it. “I guess...the chariot,” she said tentatively. “My mom invented it, but Poseidon created horses out of the crests of waves. So they had to work together to make it complete.”

“Then we can cooperate, too. Right?”

Related Characters: Annabeth Chase (speaker), Percy Jackson (speaker), Poseidon, Athena

Page Number and Citation: 202

Explanation and Analysis:

When Percy begs yet again for Annabeth to cooperate with him and temper her bad attitude, Annabeth does come up with one time when Annabeth’s mom and Percy’s dad (the goddess Athena and the god Poseidon) also cooperated. Percy’s initial question about their parents’ history shows that he fully understands how Annabeth thinks about the situation: he understands that Annabeth believes she must do and think everything that Athena does, even if doing so doesn’t necessarily serve her. This can even mean rejecting a person who, under other circumstances, could be a great friend. By asking Annabeth to think more Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Po

“So if the gods fight,” I said, “will things line up the way they did with the Trojan War? Will it be Athena versus Poseidon?”

She put her head against the backpack Ares had given us, and closed her eyes. “I don’t know what my mom will do. I just know I’ll fight next to you.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re my friend, Seaweed Brain. Any more stupid questions?”

Related Characters: Percy Jackson (speaker), Annabeth Chase (speaker), Athena, Poseidon, Ares

Page Number and Citation: 251

Explanation and Analysis:

In the semi-truck on the way to Las Vegas, Percy asks Annabeth what will happen if war comes—and specifically, if their parents will be on opposite sides. Annabeth insists that whatever happens, she’s fighting with Percy. This reflects Annabeth’s transformation from believing that she had to mimic everything about Athena, including by hating the same people Athena does, to understanding that she has the power to make her own decisions about who her friends are and how she treats them. In essence, Annabeth shows that she now understands that genuine friendships are far more important than loyalty to her parent, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessita

“More security ghouls,” he moaned. “Traffic problems at the judgment pavilion. Double overtime for the staff. I used to be a rich god, Percy Jackson. I control all the precious metals under the earth. But my expenses!”

[...]

“Problems everywhere, and I’ve got to handle all of them personally. The commute time alone from the palace to the gates is enough to drive me insane! And the dead just keep arriving.”

Related Characters: Hades (speaker), Percy Jackson, Grover, Annabeth Chase, Zeus, Poseidon

Page Number and Citation: 311-12

Explanation and Analysis:

When Percy suggests that Hades would benefit from a war with Zeus and Poseidon—it would expand the Kingdom of the Dead substantially—Hades makes it inarguably clear that this isn’t the case because war would make his life far more difficult. Hades’s complaints humanize him and his role as the Lord of the Underworld. He makes it clear that ruling over the Underworld isn’t just about lounging on his throne in fancy clothes and being powerful; rather, the Underworld runs like any other fast-growing municipality, with traffic issues, staffing questions, and a budget to balance. In Percy’s mind, this begins to Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum

“Hades will be mad at both Zeus and Poseidon, because he doesn’t know who took this. Pretty soon, we got a nice little three-way slugfest going on.”

“But they’re your family!” Annabeth protested.

Ares shrugged. “Best kind of war. Always the bloodiest. Nothing like watching your relatives fight, I always say.”

Related Characters: Ares (speaker), Annabeth Chase (speaker), Percy Jackson, Grover, Zeus, Poseidon, Hades

Page Number and Citation: 322

Explanation and Analysis:

Once Percy, Annabeth, and Grover escape from the Underworld and meet back up with Ares, Ares shares his entire plan to start a war through thievery with the trio. Shockingly for Annabeth, he insists that inciting war between family members is the best kind of war. That Ares feels this way certainly reflects his identity as the god of war—it’s in his nature and in his best interests to create war wherever and whenever he can. However, this is also rooted in the questionable familial relationships among the gods more generally. As Zeus’s son, Ares is in the second generation Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque erro

I got the feeling Poseidon really didn’t know what to think of me. He didn’t know whether he was happy to have me as a son or not. In a strange way, I was glad that Poseidon was so distant. If he’d tried to apologize, or told me he loved me, or even smiled, it would’ve felt fake. Like a human dad, making some lame excuse for not being around. I could live with that. After all, I wasn’t sure about him yet, either.

Related Characters: Percy Jackson (speaker), Poseidon

Page Number and Citation: 342

Explanation and Analysis:

When Percy and his father, Poseidon, finally meet, Percy finds that Poseidon’s noncommittal and unemotional reaction is the best he could’ve hoped for—it seems the most honest reaction. With this, Percy discovers that when it comes to family (and particularly difficult family relationships), honestly and openness are truly the best policy. Percy comes into this meeting already harboring complicated emotions about his relationship with Poseidon, but Poseidon’s reaction makes these emotions feel far more acceptable and normal than Percy thought they were. In other words, what Percy discovers here is that it’s normal to have conflicted feelings about an absent Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium rec

I moved back into cabin three, but it didn’t feel so lonely anymore. I had my friends to train with during the day. At night, I lay awake and listened to the sea, knowing my father was out there. Maybe he wasn’t quite sure about me yet, maybe he hadn’t even wanted me born, but he was watching. And so far, he was proud of what I’d done.

Related Characters: Percy Jackson (speaker), Grover, Annabeth Chase, Poseidon

Page Number and Citation: 355

Explanation and Analysis:

Percy’s return to Camp Half-Blood goes extremely well; for the first time in his life, he feels loved, accepted, and as though he has a place in the world. Importantly, this is primarily because Percy has found friendship (with Annabeth and Grover) and a sense of family by finally meeting Poseidon. When it comes to Poseidon, Percy fully recognizes that their relationship might not be the classic, close relationship between father and son. In fact, there are many questions surrounding their relationship and how strong it can ever be—but the simple fact that Percy has met Poseidon and had the Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omn

Poseidon Character Timeline in The Lightning Thief

The timeline below shows where the character Poseidon appears in The Lightning Thief. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...be trouble—and she was hoping, since Athena can work with any god but Ares and Poseidon, that she and Percy could work together. She mutters that she’s not too young for... (full context)

...cabin, being the god of the Underworld. Grover says that after World War II, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades—the Big Three—swore on the River Styx that they wouldn’t father any more heroes. (full context)

...trident appears above his head—at this, Annabeth and Chiron inform Percy that his father is Poseidon. (full context)

...D wants to see Percy. Percy is sure he’s going to be punished for being Poseidon’s son. Grover insists that the storm will pass around them, but Percy notices the other... (full context)

...what the quest is, but Chiron says that the details are fuzzy. Percy suggests that Poseidon and Zeus are fighting over something stolen. Percy shares what he’s picked up from Annabeth... (full context)

Percy is adamant that this is nonsense and asks if Poseidon really had someone steal the master bolt. Chiron sighs that stealing isn’t Poseidon’s style, but... (full context)

...he’ll fail, according to the Oracle. He asks why they can’t just tell Zeus or Poseidon that Hades has the bolt, but Chiron explains that the gods can’t go into the... (full context)

...but then he excitedly offers Percy his pen. He explains that it’s a gift from Poseidon; he’s been keeping it safe. Percy uncaps the pen and it transforms into a sword.... (full context)

...for not telling Grover and Annabeth the truth that he doesn’t care much about helping Poseidon, whom he’s starting to resent—he just wants to get Mom back from Hades. They play... (full context)

...asks if they have Athena to thank for Medusa. Irritated, Annabeth says that Medusa was Poseidon’s girlfriend and that they met in Athena’s temple. Athena turned Medusa into a monster, and... (full context)

...quest so he could go to the Underworld and rescue Mom; he doesn’t care about Poseidon at all. Grover says that no matter what Percy says, he’s glad that Poseidon claimed... (full context)

...laughs at the thought of Annabeth being an architect and sitting still, so Annabeth insults Poseidon. Percy asks if they can cooperate at all, pointing out that even Poseidon and Athena... (full context)

...to protect the mortals. Echidna taunts Percy that he should jump and prove that he’s Poseidon’s son. Percy stands at the edge, thinks of his childhood memory of Poseidon visiting him,... (full context)

...He imagines a woman’s voice like Mom’s asking what Percy should say, and Percy thanks Poseidon for saving him. Percy wonders why Poseidon saved him when he’s such a poor hero,... (full context)

...campers are taking sides; it’s like the Trojan War all over again. Ares is on Poseidon’s side. Percy tells Luke everything, even his dreams. Luke insists that Hades stole the bolt... (full context)

...the possible coming war will break down like the Trojan War did, with Athena fighting Poseidon. Annabeth says she doesn’t know, but she’s fighting alongside Percy because they’re friends. She falls... (full context)

...in the Mississippi. She introduces her self as Nereid, a sea spirit who serves in Poseidon’s court. Nereid explains that they’ve been watching Percy for years, but Percy asks why Poseidon... (full context)

...When Percy suggests that Hades did steal the bolt, Hades stands and says he sees Poseidon’s plan: Poseidon made Percy steal the bolt and his own helm of darkness, but Hades... (full context)

...Someone else stole the bolt and the helm and then framed Percy, hoping to frame Poseidon. Grover asks who would want war that badly, and Percy looks ahead to where Ares... (full context)

...the middle. Only two gods sit at the end: Zeus in a pinstripe suit, and Poseidon in Bermuda shorts. Percy approaches Poseidon’s throne and kneels. Zeus reprimands Percy for not addressing... (full context)

...Percy says that whatever it is is in Tartarus and is older than the gods. Poseidon and Zeus confer in ancient Greek, and the only word Percy catches is “Father.” Zeus... (full context)

Poseidon sighs that Zeus should’ve been the god of theater. Percy awkwardly asks what was in... (full context)

Percy wants to argue, but he grudgingly agrees. Poseidon chuckles at Percy’s struggle to be obedient, stands and says that Mom is at home—Hades... (full context)

...box he shipped to Mount Olympus a week ago. Percy knows this is the decision Poseidon mentioned. (full context)

...with Gabe, and he insists that she deserves better. Mom says that she can’t let Poseidon or Percy take care of her; she has to find her own courage. Percy says... (full context)

...cabin doesn’t feel lonely anymore. He has friends during the day, and he knows that Poseidon is watching and is proud of him. Mom also writes to say that she’s doing... (full context)

...next summer, they’ll hunt down Luke no matter what. Annabeth joins her family. Percy promises Poseidon that he’ll come back next summer. (full context)

Poseidon Character Analysis

Poseidon Quotes in The Lightning Thief

Chapter 3 Quotes

Chapter 7 Quotes

Chapter 9 Quotes

Chapter 10 Quotes

Chapter 13 Quotes

Chapter 16 Quotes

Chapter 19 Quotes

Chapter 20 Quotes

Chapter 21 Quotes

Chapter 22 Quotes

Poseidon Character Timeline in The Lightning Thief