Frank Zhang

Frank Zhang  is a Roman demigod at Camp Jupiter and is one of the main characters in The Son of Neptune. He is the son of Mars and a legacy of Poseidon. Frank is one of the seven demigods mentioned in the The Second Great Prophecy.

History
In Antiquity, the Argonaut Periclymenus, received from his grandfather, Poseidon, the gift to change into any animal at will. Centuries later, Seneca Gracchus, one of Pericylmenus’ shapeshifter descendants who served in a legion of the Roman Empire, participated to the Battle of Carrhae against the Parthians on the eastern border of the Empire. This battle was a huge disaster for the Romans and Gracchus was captured with 10,000 legionnaires and put to work in Asia by the Parthians, until the attack of Chinese peoples, who took the prisoners on their lands. The Romans eventually put down roots, mixed with the local population, and built a new hometown, Li-Jien (Legion), in which the descendants of Seneca Gracchus (Shen Guo) and their gift prospered for millenia.

In the nineteenth century, the Chinese descendants of Graccus and Periclymenus emigrated to Canada, and in the early twentieth century, a member of the family, Shen Lun, was invited to join the Camp Jupiter as legacy of Poseidon. But because of his Asian origins, his kinship with Neptune and his unusual gift, he was blamed without evidence for the earthquake of San Francisco in 1906. His granddaughter, Emily Zhang, and the roman god of war, Mars, later gave birth to the demigod, Frank Zhang in June 1995, who combines the metamorphosis gift of his family and the War powers conveyed by his father. However, Frank's energy was so powerful that it was destined for his life to be short. Juno came to his mother the night he was born and warned her that once a certain timber burned out, Frank would die.

The Son of Neptune
When Percy reaches Camp Jupiter, the Gorgons have Frank in their arms. He then uses his water abilities to sweep up the river and force them to release the demigod before sucking them into whirlpools and crushing them with giant hands shaped out of water. Hazel helps pull him to safety after the whirlpools Percy created calmed down.

Frank has always been good at archery and hoped that it would be Apollo who would eventually claim him, especially since he's only been at Camp Jupiter for six weeks after the death of his mother, Emily Zhang. Frank later meets up with Hazel and Percy again and they play some Roman War Games. With Percy's help the three of them make a win for the Fifth Cohort, which has not happened for a long while.

After the games are over, Mars appears and claims Frank as his son. He also declares the Quest to Free Death and issues it to him. He is proclaimed centurion by Reyna and the Senators of Camp Jupiter. He chooses Percy and Hazel to go along with him. During the journey, Frank harbors a secret that his life will end in flame on a piece of wood due to so many powers that he possesses. Along the way, Gaea plays with Frank, knowing that he is one of the Prophecy of Seven and will be her downfall. Frank finds confidence thanks to the goddess of rainbows, Iris, and battles several "basilisks" alone.

When the group finally reaches Canada, he speaks with Mars and Grandma Zhang who encourage him to find his hidden power and save his friends. He later finds that he has the ability to change into animals due to him being a legacy of Poseidon. He battles the giant, Alcyoneus and defeats him with Hazel's help. He is able to free Thanatos at the cost of the timber which his life is tied too, making it much smaller but not gone. He also harbors feelings for Hazel, which is mutual, and the two finally share a kiss as they win the battle against Polybotes at Camp Jupiter.

He gathers with the campers in the Forum upon the arrival of Camp Half-Blood in the Argo II.

Personality
Frank is somewhat pessimistic with a dislike for "Ding Dongs" and snakes. He has a slight lack of self-confidence but he is loyal and a true friend. Frank is a skilled military leader as a result of his father. He is one of the leaders of the seven in the prophecy.

Appearance
Frank has a chubby-cheeked face and black hair with a military-style haircut. He has a big frame and is stoutly built.

Abilities

 * ADHD: Like all demigods, Frank possesses inborn supernatural battle reflexes and senses that he uses to analyze the fighting style of his opponent.
 * Archery: He has always been skillful in archery and prefers to use a bow and arrow more than a spear.

Demigod Powers

 * Physically Enhanced: He is very strong and swift.
 * Warfare: Frank may have some small degree of powers that Mars himself possesses.
 * Weapon Expert: Being a child of Mars would make him an expert in all weapon usage and may even have some degree of magical control over them.
 * Undead soldiers have to obey him because they are under Mars sphere of power..
 * Shape-shifting: Due to his status as legacy of Poseidon, he has the ability to change into any living animal.

Trivia

 * Frank is a name derived from a spear that was used by a Germanic people of the same name.
 * Frank's last name comes from the Chinese word for "Bow-maker," as well as "Master of bows."
 * He's lactose-intolerant.
 * His favorite foods are poached egg and bacon on toast, with a glass of orange juice.
 * Few people know that he once gave indigestion to an elephant by feeding it peanuts.
 * Frank claims he is one of the few demigods without dyslexia and at one point won a spelling bee.
 * Like Meleager from mythology, their life forces were connected to a piece of wood and they would die if it was ever completely burned.