The Last Olympian

The Last Olympian is a novel by Rick Riordan, published on May 5, 2009. It is the fifth and final installment in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and serves as the direct sequel to The Battle of the Labyrinth.The Last Olympian revolves around the demigod, Percy Jackson, as he leads his friends into a last stand to protect Mount Olympus. The book received many positive reviews.

The Princess Andromeda is back
Percy Jackson and his friend, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, drive to a ridge overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. There, Rachel reveals that her father is sending her to a finishing school and that she wants Percy to vacation with her. Blackjack, Percy's Pegasus and Charles Beckendorf, a fellow camper, interrupt by landing on the hood of Paul Blofis's Prius. Beckendorf then announces that it is time for Percy and himself to take out the Princess Andromeda, a cruise ship filled with monsters. They sneak onto the ship and set Greek fire explosives in the engine room. Percy leaves the room to distract the monsters on the ship, telling Beckendorf to meet him at a certain point on the ship. Percy is confronted by Kronos. While on board, Beckendorf sets off the explosives and dies while Percy escapes from the ship, passing out in the ocean from burns and getting touched by Kronos's scythe (Rumored to be able to cut a person's soul away)

Poseidon's Kingdom
Percy dreams as he drifts unconscious through the ocean. The vision took place on Mount Othrys during a conversation between Krios and another unknown Titan. In the vision, the two Titans talk of the their plans to destroy Mount Olympus. After the two are done talking, Percy hears Nico di Angelo's voice telling Percy to follow his plan. As Percy comes to, he realizes that he is in Poseidon's kingdom and is being tended to by his half-brother, Tyson. Tyson then leads Percy to Poseidon's throne room, where he meets Poseidon's wife, Amphitrite, and Triton, his other son. Poseidon then informs Percy that he is battling Oceanus, and that Percy must return to Camp Half-Blood to fulfill the rest of the "great prophecy".

The Great Prophecy and Typhon
Returning to Camp-Half-Blood, Percy and Annabeth, another demigod, retrieve the prophecy from the Oracle and bring it before the camp's war council. Percy reads the prophecy and decides that regardless of the side he chooses, he would die. Then Clarisse, angered because of not getting a chariot, decides that her cabin and Ares will not support the war. Percy, with the help of Chiron, then discovers that Typhon has escaped his god-made prison and is heading toward the unguarded Mount Olympus to destroy the gods' domain. Percy and the other counselors of the camp decide they need to concentrate on defending Olympus. The night following the meeting, Percy dreams of Rachel. In his dream, Rachel looks over two photos she has recently drawn based upon dreams she's had. The first is a picture of Luke when he was nine years old and the second a picture of Mount Olympus surrounded by lightning and Kronos's army. The next day, Percy and Annabeth review the camp's cabins and reviewing reports sent into the camp. One reveals that Grover has disappeared without a trace and that his and Percy's link is weakening. Percy also discovers that the Ares cabin wants the chariot awarded to the Apollo cabin, and that they will refuse to fight unless they are given it. Needing a break, Percy wanders to the training arena to visit Mrs. O'Leary, a Hellhound. When he arrives there, Ms. O'Leary runs into the forest, causing Percy to chase after her. He follows her to the clearing where the nature gods of the forest hold their meetings. There, Percy finds Nico, Leneus, one of the Council of Cloven Elders members, and Grover's girlfriend Juniper talking about Grover's well being. Leneus initially denies to help Grover, but is then forced by Percy. When Nico and Percy are alone, Percy decides to carry out Nico's plan and together travel to find Luke's mother to discover Luke's past by traveling on Mrs. O'Leary, who performs shadow traveling.

The Last Olympian
Percy and Nico arrive at Luke's mother's house and find that she is in a psychotic state. Ms. Castellan greets the two boys as if they were Luke when they arrive. She then invites Percy and Nico to lunch with her. Percy discovers that Luke ran away in order to protect his mother. Also they learned that when he turned his soul over to the Titans, he required his mother's blessing. Having the information they came for, as they attempted to leave, Luke's mother suddenly has a vision of her son ruled by Kronos and cries out in horror. Disturbed, Percy and Nico run from the house to find that Mrs. O'Leary has been approached by the goddess Hestia. Hestia provides for the boys and then tells Percy that no matter what side he chooses, he must remember her because she is the last Olympian. She goes on to explain that while all the Olympians are gone, she is the only hope for Olympus and that all must remember her when they fight. Hestia then sends Percy and Nico to Percy's house where they are greeted by his mom and Paul, who finally believes Percy's mother about his life as a half-blood. Percy and Nico tell her of their plan and she reluctantly gives Percy her blessing, agreeing that he will signal her if he survives the war. Ready to carry out the plan, Nico and Percy travel to Central Park to reach the Underworld.

The Underworld
When Percy and Nico arrive at Central Park, Nico tells Percy they'll need music to enter the Underworld from that entrance. Suddenly, Percy feels Grover's presence and, using his empathy link to awake Grover out of a deep sleep, Grover falls out of a tree near Percy and Nico. He explains that he was spreading the news about Pan's death and recruiting fighters when he saw a strange man walking through Central Park where everyone near the strange man was falling asleep. When Grover went to confront the man, he turned his powers on Grover. After Grover's story, Nico says that Grover had encountered Morpheus and that his presence meant that the invasion was coming sooner than expected. Grover then plays a song to open the gate to the Underworld before leaving to tell Juniper that he was alive. Traveling into the Underworld, Nico detours Percy towards the gate for the dead ultimately handing him over to the Furies, including Alecto, who posed as Mrs. Dodds in The Lightning Thief.

The Domain of Hades
When Percy realizes he's been tricked, he retaliates against Nico but is stopped by the Furies and has his sword thrown off a cliff, leaving him defenseless. Nico explains that his father had promised him information on his past if he turned in Percy. Upon arriving in Hades's throne room, Percy, Nico and Hades are joined by Persephone, and her mother Demeter. As a reward, Hades reveals that he sent Nico and his sister to the magical hotel they were abandoned at to protect them and so that they would never age until they left, and that the lawyer that collected them was Alecto (Mrs.Dodds). Hades promised that he planned to not help out in the fight for Olympus and then after the Titans took over, strike their weakened forces. He then sends off Nico and takes Percy captive.

Percy ends up having a nightmare and wakes up having Nico pinned to the floor of his cell. Nico then helps Percy escape to the River Styx on Mrs. O'Leary. When the two get there, Percy has a talk with Achilles before bathing in the River Styx to become nearly invincible (his only weakness is the small of his back). When Percy is done, he is attacked by Hades' minions and Hades himself. Percy escapes after defeating Hades and his minions using his new found strength (bathing in the Styx made him more powerful, faster, and stronger, among other things) As he leaves he tells Nico to stay and convince Hades to fight.

The Battle Begins
Percy travels to the Empire State Building, meeting up with some other campers. Remembering that one of them could be a spy, he tells the group of his plan to get Zeus to defend Mount Olympus. They head to the 600th floor and find the throne room empty except for Hestia, who is still tending the fire. She sends him a vision of the day Luke and Thalia found Annabeth, the same day Luke gave her the knife she still uses, and when Luke meets his dad, Hermes, for the first time. Afterward, Hestia leaves after Hermes arrives, who relays a message from Athena. They go outside when they find out that all the mortals in New York have fallen asleep because of Morpheus. Afterwards, Percy sends groups of campers to guard the bridges and tunnels of Manhattan from Kronos' army. As Kronos and Hecate use their magic powers to slow down time, Thalia and the Hunters of Artemis come back to guard the Lincoln Tunnel on 33rd Street from the army. Percy and Annabeth fly on pegasi to help Apollo's campers on Williamsburg Bridge. They encounter and defeat many monsters such as hellhounds, dracaenae, etc. Percy soon encounters and defeats the Minotaur again, as shown in The Lightning Thief. He then heads to the bridge to fight Kronos. As Percy realizes how much power he has (Percy bathed in the River Styx) he strikes Riptide into to the bridge that causes a force to make the bridge break. After that, Kronos disappears and the campers settle at their new headquarters, a hotel at the southeast corner of Central Park. Some of the demigods help Annabeth with her wound.

Percy's Dreams
Percy dreams about Maria di Angelo and Hades arguing about Nico and Bianca's safety (World War II). Hades wants to take them to either the Underworld, or to the desert where time stands still and Maria doesn't agree with Hades' idea. Zeus then makes the hotel explode, killing Maria di Angelo, because he is afraid of the Great Prophecy. Hades sends Alecto to take Nico and Bianca to the Lotus Hotel, where Zeus can't harm them. Percy then dreams about Rachel at the beach with her parents. She has a feeling that New York is being attacked by a monster and that Percy is in trouble. When she oversees this, she persuades her parents to leave the beach with her.

Prophecies
In The Last Olympian, the Great Prophecy is revealed:

A half blood of the eldest gods, (Percy Jackson)

Shall reach sixteen against all odds, (Percy turns sixteen)

And see the world in endless sleep, (Morpheus puts all mortals in Manhattan into a deep sleep)

The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap, (Annabeth's knife kills Luke)

A single choice shall end his days, (Percy's choice to give Luke the knife)

''Olympus to preserve or raze. ''(Luke chooses to save Olympus rather than destroy it)

Near the end, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, the new Oracle, speaks a new Great Prophecy:

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,

To storm or fire, the world must fall,

An oath to keep with a final breath,

And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

Chapter List

 * 1) I Go Cruising with Explosives
 * 2) I Meet Some Fishy Relatives
 * 3) I Get a Sneak Peek at My Death
 * 4) We Burn a Metal Shroud
 * 5) I Drive My Dog Into a Tree
 * 6) My Cookies Get Scorched
 * 7) My Math Teacher Gives Me a Lift
 * 8) I Take the Worst Bath Ever
 * 9) Two Snakes Save My Life
 * 10) I Buy Some New Friends
 * 11) We Break a Bridge
 * 12) Rachel Makes a Bad Deal
 * 13) A Titan Brings Me a Present
 * 14) Pigs Fly
 * 15) Chiron Throws a Party
 * 16) We Get Help from a Thief
 * 17) I Sit on the Hot Seat
 * 18) My Parents Go Commando
 * 19) We Trash the Eternal City
 * 20) We Win Fabulous Prizes
 * 21) Blackjack Gets Jacked
 * 22) I Am Dumped
 * 23) We Say Good-bye, Sort Of

Characters

 * Percy Jackson - Main Protagonist. Son of Poseidon. Narrator of the story. Becomes Annabeth's boyfriend. Child of the Prophecy. Annabeth, Thalia and Grover's best friend.
 * Annabeth Chase - Daughter of Athena. She becomes Percy's girlfriend at the end of the book. Thalia, Percy and Grover's best friend.
 * Grover Underwood - Satyr. Percy's best friend. Becomes Lord of Wild. Is the Chosen One of Pan. Becomes a member of the Council of Cloven Elders. Percy, Annabeth and Thalia's best friend.
 * Thalia Grace - Huntress of Artemis. Daughter of Zeus. Percy, Annabeth and Grover's best friend.
 * Nico di Angelo - Son of Hades. Stays in Underworld for part of the Battle of Manhattan.
 * Kronos - Father of the Big Three. Possessed Luke Castellan's body. Leader of Titan Army. Main Antagonist.
 * Luke Castellan - Son of Hermes. "Hero" of the Prophecy. Possessed by Kronos. Main Antagonist. Dies after stabbing himself in armpit on Olympus.
 * Charles Beckendorf - Son of Hephaestus. Dies on Princess Andromeda. Silena's boyfriend.
 * Silena Beauregard - Daughter of Aphrodite. Beckendorf's girlfriend. Kronos' spy. Dies after fighting drakon.
 * Clarisse La Rue - Daughter of Ares. Silena's best friend. Doesn't fight in Battle of the Labyrinth.
 * Travis Stoll - Son of Hermes. Survives the Battle of Manhattan.
 * Connor Stoll - Son of Hermes. Survives the Battle of Manhattan.
 * Rachel Elizabeth Dare - Percy's friend. Can see through mist. Likes Percy.

Deaths

 * Charles Beckendorf - Sacrificed himself to destroy the Princess Andromeda.
 * Michael Yew - Likely killed when Percy destroyed the Williamsburg Bridge. His death is not certain but it seems to be the general opinion at camp.
 * Leneus - Stabbed in the final battle.
 * Silena Beauregard - Killed fighting a drakon
 * Ethan Nakumura - Stabbed with a piece of steel from his sword when he attemped to attack Kronos but failed. He was then thrown through a fissure in Mount Olympus.
 * Luke Castellan - Stabbed himself to destroy Kronos.