Percy Jackson Fans Rejoice: Disney Fixes Ares Twist, Exceeding Movie Expectations After 13 Years!
Disney reimagines Ares' pivotal role in the Percy Jackson series, rectifying the movie's previous omission The show's beach scene pays homage to the original book, promising a fresh take on Ares' character and a departure from the movie's villain storyline
Summary
Percy Jackson and the Olympians TV adaptation rectifies a major plot point the movie series failed to include: Ares as one of the book's antagonists.
Riordan's active participation in the show's production guarantees a faithful adaptation, incorporating well-known characters and settings from the books. The inclusion of Ares in the television series will present a more distinct antagonist compared to the film, establishing the Titan Kronos and Luke's betrayal as the primary adversaries.
Warning! This article contains spoilers for the original novel "Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief." The recently released trailer for Disney's TV adaptation of "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" corrects a twist involving the character Ares, which was omitted in the movie series over a decade ago. Season 1 of "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" will be based on the first book in Rick Riordan's series, "Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief." In 2010, this book was adapted into a film titled the same, starring Logan Lerman as the lead.
The biggest complaint about the movie adaptation of Percy Jackson was its lack of faithfulness to the original story, as Riordan had minimal involvement in the film's production. However, with the TV adaptation, Riordan is directly involved in the creation of the show. This means that the Disney teaser for Percy Jackson included characters and locations that fans of the books instantly recognized, emphasizing the show's loyalty to its source material. One particular detail regarding the character Ares, the Greek God of War, showcased in the teaser demonstrates that Disney's "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" aims to address a plot point that was overlooked in the 2010 movie.
Percy Jackson Show's Beach Scene Honors Ares' Major Villain Twist From The Original Book
In the teaser for Disney+'s Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Adam Copeland portrays Ares as he confidently strides along the beach, wielding his sword. The trailer wraps up with a captivating shot of Percy Jackson's trio also standing on a beach. This significant nod hints at the inclusion of a pivotal sequence from the original book that was notably absent in the 2010 adaptation, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. This scene unveils Ares as one of the book's primary antagonists, ultimately leading to a climactic showdown between Percy and the God of War.
Earlier in the book, Ares initially appears to be a benevolent god, despite his tendency towards anger. He generously equips Percy, Annabeth, and Grover with necessary supplies for their journey. However, just before the anticipated beach scene alluded to in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians teaser, Percy uncovers the truth that the bag given to him by Ares was enchanted. This revelation exposes Ares' ulterior motive to manipulate Percy into stealing Zeus' lightning bolt, eventually sparking a destructive war among the gods. This iconic twist in the narrative is a key moment from the original book that was sadly omitted from the film adaptation. However, the forthcoming TV show promises to rectify this significant deviation from the source material.
Why Ares Was Left Out Of 2010's Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief Movie
In the movie Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, Ares' role is completely omitted, and he only makes a brief appearance without speaking during the film's climax. This exclusion was unexpected, considering how significant Ares' role is in the original book. The reason for this is likely because the film introduces Luke Castellan as a surprise antagonist, who is the son of Hermes. Similar to the book, Luke is revealed as the true mastermind behind the plan to provoke a war among the Greek gods, but the film neglects to show his manipulation of Ares.
This omission is probably due to the writers of the film wanting to emphasize Luke's character. In the subsequent four novels in the Percy Jackson series, Ares continues to have a hostile presence towards Percy, although they are often on the same side. In contrast, Luke is portrayed as the primary antagonist in the series along with the Titan Kronos. Therefore, the filmmakers of 2010's Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief likely decided to exclude Ares from the story to highlight Luke's role as the main villain, while also considering the potential for future installments.
How Ares' Inclusion In Disney's Percy Jackson Will Be Different From The Movie's Villain Story
In Disney's Percy Jackson, Ares' inclusion will set him apart from the other villains in the movie by providing a more clearly defined antagonistic role. While Percy and his friends encounter various monsters from Greek mythology on their journey to Los Angeles, they serve more as obstacles rather than main villains. However, Ares will be introduced as a significant antagonist in the sixth episode of the series, giving the show a distinct villainous presence. This also allows for the earlier introduction of Kronos, as it is revealed that Ares is under his control. The final episodes will further shake up the villain dynamic with the revelation of Luke's betrayal, altering the narrative compared to the 2010 film version.
