Poseidon

"Percy, lesser beings do many horrible things in the name of the gods. That does not mean we gods approve. The way our sons and daughters act in our names… well, it usually says more about them than it does about us. And you, Percy, are my favorite son."

- Poseidon

Poseidon (Ποσειδῶν in Ancient Greek), meaning "Earth-Shaker"; is the Greek god of destruction, earthquakes, horses, hurricanes, oceans, seas, storms, and other water bodies. He is the son of the Titans, Kronos and Rhea, as well as one of the Big Three. His Roman counterpart is Neptune and he is portrayed by Kevin McKidd in the Lightning Thief.

Titanomachy
Poseidon was born from Kronos and Rhea, rulers of the Titan race. Because he feared that one of his children would sieze his throne, Kronos imprisoned the god along with his elder siblings by swallowing them whole. Rhea managed to save Poseidon's youngest sibling Zeus and raise him secretly in order to free his captive brothers and sisters.

When reaching adulthood, Zeus managed to infiltrate his father's palace and trick him into ingesting a purgative, freeing Poseidon and the others. They soon joined their brother and waged a war of vengeance against Kronos and the Titans. It was during this war that Poseidon would gain the allegiance of the Telekhines and receive a powerful Trident that he would use to symbolize his authority among the gods. After Kronos was destroyed and his followers were exiled; Poseidon, Zeus, and their brother Hades divided the earth between them and respectively claimed the Sea, Sky, and Underworld to rule. After Poseidon's brother, Zeus, imprisoned the Telekhines to Tartarus because they used dark magic.

However in some versions of the story, he, like his brother Zeus, did not share the fate of his other brother and sisters who were eaten by Kronos. He was saved by his mother Rhea, who concealed him among a flock of lambs and pretended to have given birth to a colt, which she gave to Kronos to devour. According to Diodorus Siculus Poseidon was raised by the Telekhines on Rhodes, just as Zeus was raised by the Corybantes on Crete.

Marriage to Amphitrite
Early in his reign, Poseidon began searching for a wife. His attention soon turned to the oceanid, Amphitrite, but she rejected his proposal and fled. Delphin, the dolphin god, was sent in pursuit and managed to persuade the goddess into reconsidering the offer. Poseidon gratefully awarded his lieutenant by creating a constellation in his honor. He would father several children by Amphitrite, including a son named Triton. He also went on to have children with various goddesses, and mortal women.

Rivalry with Athena
Athena and Poseidon had a rivalry between them since the two of them both wanted to be the patron of the city Attica. The people of the city told the two gods to each create a gift for the city, and whichever gift was liked the most, the god would be the city's patron. Athena gave the people an olive tree and Poseidon made them a salt-water spring. The people of Attica chose Athena, and made her the patron goddess of Attica. The city of Athens was named after her, and the people built her the Parthenon.

When Poseidon was courting Medusa, Athena caught them together in her temple. Furious with Poseidon and Medusa, she turned Medusa and her two sisters (who helped her get into the temple) into the three gorgons. She cursed Medusa when anyone looked into her eyes.

In variations of the story, it is said that Medusa was a priestess and Poseidon, who fell in love with her, wanted to be her husband. However, Medusa swore to remain a virgin and declined Poseidon's offer. Poseidon sneaked into the temple and had relations with her against her will. Athena thought that Medusa and her sisters were trespassers and transformed them into the Gorgons.

While Poseidon and Athena still had a heated rivalry, there were times they worked together. Together, the two made the chariot which combined their creation. Athena came up with the idea for the shape and design of the chariot, while Poseidon supplied the horses to pull it.

The Lightning Thief
After Percy survives the attack during his first game of Capture the Flag at camp, Poseidon claims him as his own. This causes discord among the gods of Olympus as it is proof that Poseidon had not honored the pact that was made between the Big Three after World War II. After Zeus' lightning bolt is discovered to be missing, Zeus immediately suspects Poseidon of having used Percy to steal it, and demands that it is returned by the Summer Solstice. Poseidon, in turn, wants an apology for being suspected by the same date. A quest is eventually given to Percy to find the missing master bolt and return it by the Summer solstice in order to stop a war amongst the gods. Percy succeeds, and Poseidon gets to meet his son formally. Poseidon tells Zeus that he admits his wrongdoing, and Percy feels as if he is just a mistake, and not actually Poseidon's son. Poseidon feels very sorry for Percy, because heroes typically meet tragic ends. Percy tells his father he isn't sorry for being who he is, and Poseidon in turn tells him he is a true son of the Sea God.

The Sea of Monsters
Poseidon does not make an appearance, but he is said to have sent his Cyclops son Tyson to the same school as Percy, in order to get them to know each other. Tyson later tells Percy that he had asked for a companion, a brother to Poseidon, and his wish was granted, which means that Poseidon does care for him. Poseidon also sends the Hippocampi to help Percy and his friends. Percy also gets a letter from Poseidon near the end of the book telling him to "Brace yourself". Even though he was only 13 at the time, the letter could mean something about the Great Prophecy. It could also refer to Thalia's resurrection at the end of the book.

The Titan's Curse
After completing their quest to save Artemis, Percy, Thalia, and Annabeth arrive to the Winter Solstice meeting. Athena suggests the gods kill Percy because he is meant to be the child of the Great Prophecy, since Thalia pledged herself to Artemis, meaning she would never reach the age of sixteen. Poseidon places faith in Percy and claims he can be trusted, giving the other gods his word. Fortunately, the majority of the gods vote in Percy's favor. Poseidon also vouches for Bessie the Ophiotaurus. He suggests the gods keep it on Mount Olympus. After the meeting, a party is held and Poseidon has a private talk with Percy.

The Battle of the Labyrinth
Poseidon visits Percy, Sally, and Tyson at their apartment. Sally is embarrassed at seeing her old boyfriend again. Percy and Tyson greet him, and Poseidon is introduced to Sally's boyfriend, Paul Blofis. Poseidon then tells Percy of the war he is having in his underwater kingdom, and gives him a birthday present, a sand-dollar. He then warns Percy of the upcoming disasters, and leaves. He also tells Percy that he is his favorite son and Percy thinks that his arrival was the best gift in its self.

The Last Olympian
When Percy meets Poseidon in his kingdom, he looks aged and weak, unlike the man Percy once knew. Poseidon is busy fighting the Titan of the sea, Oceanus, who is constantly attacking his kingdom. Poseidon had been fighting so hard, his strength has deteriorated which results in him looking aged. Percy is later able to convince Poseidon to come up from his kingdom and help defend Olympus. Poseidon and his Cyclopes aid in defeating Typhon, and eventually send him to Tartarus, saving Olympus. After the Battle of Manhattan, Poseidon is on Olympus along with the other gods when Tyson, Grover, Annabeth, Thalia, Nico and Percy are rewarded for saving the world. Poseidon states that Percy has surpassed all heroes including Hercules and afterwards gives Percy a hug to which Percy admits tearing up (as it was the first time his father had ever hugged him). Later on the beach at Camp Half-Blood, Poseidon thanks Percy for saving Olympus. He also says that he may send Percy some siblings in the future. Poseidon then leaves, leaving behind a troubled Percy who isn't sure if he was joking.

Personality
Poseidon is overall a benevolent god even though he shares many characteristics with Zeus including pride, stubbornness, and being temperamental. However, he appears to have matured over the centuries to a point where these attributes do not dominate him to the same extent they do Zeus, making him much more reasonable (which is strange because in the myths Poseidon was considered the moodiest of the gods). Poseidon loves and cares for his children and watches over them more than most of the other gods, actively giving them advice, and aiding them indirectly, though this might be since he only has one son. Poseidon has a more caring and overall human personality, which Percy inherited many traits from. His personality in the book is the same in the movie, being calm and slow to anger unlike Zeus'. Poseidon also has a very particular sense of humor, sometimes making it hard to tell if he is joking or not. After Percy saves Mount Olympus, he tells him he can now claim all his other children and gives Percy a wink as if he's joking. He also has a habit of toying with his younger brother. As Zeus is begrudgingly thanking his brother for his help in defeating Typhon, Poseidon would interrupt with phrases like "I'm sorry brother. What was that?" and correcting him when Zeus says it would have been "difficult" instead of "impossible" to defeat Typhon. It has also been shown that he is very protective as seen in The Last Olympian when Percy in attempting to convince him to help Olympus, he states that he must protect his home (the sea), but Percy then reminds him that Olympus is his true home.

Due to caring dearly for his children, according to Polybotes; Poseidon greatest weaknesses is his Demigod son, Percy Jackson, as if Percy is harmed the giants believe that Poseidon will weaken.

Appearance
Poseidon has black hair, a neatly trimmed beard, sea-green eyes, and a nice tan, as well as "smile crinkles" around his eyes and cheeks. When casual (which is almost always), he wears Birkenstocks (leather sandals), khaki Bermuda shorts, and a shirt with coconuts and parrots on it (or any other Hawaiian shirt), and a battered cap decorated with fishing lures which says "NEPTUNE'S LUCKY FISHING HAT".Sally Jackson describes him to be "handsome, tall, powerful yet gentle." During The Last Olympian, Poseidon's visage has aged to that of an old man due to his kingdom being destroyed in his battle with Oceanus, having white/grey hair and beard, and an aged face. When Percy asks what happened to him, he says he chooses to reflect the state of his realm, and it is not in a good state. However, when he abandoned the battle to fight Typhon, his appearance returns to normal. Poseidon's demigod son, Percy Jackson, is noted to be nearly the spitting image of his father, with black hair and green eyes, Percy also inherited Poseidon's good looks, as was noted by Hades in the movie and as Hazel mentioned in The Son Of Neptune, "he had the good looks of a Roman God".

Abilities
Possessing the standard powers of a god, Poseidon is rivaled only by Hades and Zeus in might with these personal abilities:
 * Command over both freshwater and saltwater creatures
 * Greater divine influence as one of the Big Three
 * Hydrokinesis
 * Aerokinesis
 * Geokinesis
 * Cryokinesis

Attributes

 * Dolphin (Animal)
 * Horse (Animal)
 * Trident (Weapon)

Family
Poseidon is married to Amphitrite and has three children by her but he is also the father of a diversity of children.

The Lightning Thief
Kevin McKidd plays the role of Poseidon in the movie. His personality is vastly different from that of the actual series. While in the book, he makes sarcastic jokes aimed at his brother Zeus and has a laid back demeanor. In the film, he is much more serious and treats Zeus as a superior instead of as his brother, even asking him to be allowed to talk to his own son, Percy. Poseidon's relationship with Percy is also revamped. Throughout the movie, Poseidon defends and guides Percy and shows obvious love for him. In the book, Poseidon is much more aloof. Here, it is stated that Poseidon was with Sally much longer than in the book, even being with Percy until he was seven months old, meaning that he was present when Percy was born, while in the book, he left before Percy was born. In the book, Poseidon sports a Hawaiian-print shirt and shorts, but in the movie, he is mostly in Greek armor, or jeans, T-shirt, and a hoodie.

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Trivia

 * Interestingly, he is the only Big Three god who doesn't have two known demigod children born to him by the same mortal mother since Zeus had Jason (Roman) and Thalia (Greek) with Ms. Grace while Hades had Bianca and Nico with Maria di Angelo.
 * Neptune, the eighth and last official planet from the Sun, is named after Poseidon's Roman counterpart.
 * Out of the Big Three gods, Poseidon has the least amount of demigod children in the series.
 * Poseidon's favorite son is Percy Jackson.
 * Poseidon seems to be the most caring father among the Big Three, especially when he comes to visit Percy on his fifteenth birthday.
 * Polybotes believes Poseidon's greatest weakness is his love for Percy Jackson.
 * He is the only Big Three god known to have a legacy, which is Frank Zhang.