The Significance of Percy's Mom's Blue Candy in Percy Jackson & The Olympians

The Blue Candy's Meaning in the Books

Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 1 includes a significant character moment from the source material, though without explaining its meaning: Sally Jackson's blue candy.

Sally holding a bag of blue candy in Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 1

In the original story of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, the home life of Percy and Sally is fleshed out slightly more than in Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 1. One of the elements revealed about Sally in the books is that she works at a candy store in Grand Central Station. When Percy was a child, his step-father Gabe once goaded him and Sally by stating that food could not be blue. As a result, it became an inside joke between Percy and Sally that they would use food coloring to turn everyday food items blue, as well as search for blue food to eat whenever possible.

Given that Sally works at a candy store with several multicolored sweets, she often brings Percy blue candy home as a treat. This explains the scene in Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 1 in which Sally presents Percy with a welcome home gift, a bag of blue candy.

The blue coloring of the candy will be apparent to those familiar with Riordan's books as a wink to the unexplained elements of Percy Jackson and the Olympians' characters.

The Foreshadowing of Episode 2's Ending

Percy Jackson and the Olympians' blue candy also foreshadows episode 2's ending. In the books, the blue candy is given an added layer of depth when it is revealed that both Percy and Sally's favorite color is blue. The reason for this stems from their connections to Poseidon, the god of the sea.

Percy Jackson standing on a beach next to Toby Stephens as Poseidon from the Disney+ SHow

While Sally likely picked blue as her favorite color as it reminded her of Poseidon, Percy's choice was more subconscious as he is not aware that his father is Poseidon until the end of Percy Jackson episode 2.

At the end of Percy Jackson episode 2, the titular character is claimed by his father. Poseidon reveals to everyone at Camp Half-Blood, including Percy himself, that the latter is the son of the sea god. This was set up in multiple ways, from Percy's mother standing out in the rain when first introduced to their love of the seaside cabin at Montauk. Similarly, the blue coloring of Percy Jackson and the Olympians' candy provides another hint at Percy's true heritage, only further deepening the seemingly meaningless scene from episode 1.

The Adaptation's Faithfulness to the Books

One of the primary reasons behind the overwhelmingly positive reviews for Percy Jackson and the Olympians is its faithfulness to the original books. Percy Jackson season 1 is adapting the first book in Percy Jackson's release order, The Lightning Thief, and includes much more of the book's story than the 2010 movie starring Logan Lerman did.

From the teases of Percy Jackson's main villain Kronos to the translation of the show's various locations, characters, and Greek mythological creatures, Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 1 proves to be the adaptation book fans have wished for. However, aside from the more consequential connections to Rick Riordan's original books, Percy Jackson and the Olympians episodes 1 and 2 include some smaller links that only those familiar with the source material will understand.