"I Accidentally Vaporize my Pre-Algebra Teacher"[1] is the first episode of the first season of the Disney+ adaptation of Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
Synopsis[]
Expelled from school, Percy Jackson unravels the truth of his life as he confronts a world of gods and monsters.
Plot[]
As 12-year-old Percy Jackson goes on a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, he reflects on his past “episodes” on seeing things no one else can see and meeting Grover Underwood. During the trip, Percy becomes lost in thought and he calls out his mother. Nancy Bobofit, Percy’s tormentor, and her friends mock him as Mrs. Dodds tells him to behave. Mr. Bruner approaches and tells Percy he is special before handing him a pen. During lunch, Percy tells Grover that he wants to get back at Nancy as Grover is against it. After Nancy throws her lunch at Grover, Percy goes over to her and she is pulled into the fountain. Soon Mrs. Dodds walks over to Percy and, without talking, says she has been looking for him and asks him where the bolt is. Unknown to the other students, she transforms into a monster and attacks Percy. He unknowingly uncaps the pen and it transforms into a sword and he kills her before fainting. When Percy comes to, he tries to explain what happened, but none knows who Mrs. Dodds is.
At Yancy Academy, Percy and Grover are in the principal’s office where Percy is accused of pushing Nancy into the fountain. Percy denies this but Grover says Percy is at fault for pushing Nancy and Percy is expelled. Angry with Grover, he waits for his ride and Mr. Bruuner appears, telling Percy that Yancy was not the place for him and that Percy is one of the truly special students. Percy gets annoyed and goes into the truck.
Upon returning home, he runs into the building superintendent after fighting with his stepfather, Gabe Ugliano. When he enters, Gabe mocks Percy for being expelled and berates the boy when he stands up to him. Percy finds his mother standing in the rain and hugs him. She gives him a bag of blue jellybeans and tells Gabe she and Percy are going to Montauk. Gabe reluctantly lets them go after she agrees to get sandwiches for poker night.
At their usual cabin, Sally listens as Percy tells her he feels out of place in the world and he is surprised when she guesses the gender of his attacker. Sally tells Percy she met his father at the beach they were at and says his father was a Greek God and that Percy is a half-blood. Percy does not believe her and starts to get frustrated. Just then, Grover arrives and Sally lets him in. Grover says they are in danger and Percy is surprised that Grover has goat legs. Sally ushers them to the car as Grover reveals he is a satyr and lets slip he knows Mrs. Dodds was real. As Grover mentions a camp, they see an explosion and see the Minotaur. Sally tries to evade it, but the Minotaur pushes them off the road.
They crawl out of the wreckage and Grover reveals that camp is close by. Percy urges the group to hurry, but is disheartened to learn his mother cannot cross the boundaries. She takes Percy's coat in an attempt to confuse the Minotaur and Grover guides Percy to camp. As they get close, they stumble down the hill and Percy watches as his mother is disintegrated. Enraged, Percy takes the pen out of his pocket and, despite Grover’s warning, attacks the Minotaur. He loses his sword and climbs the Minotaur, ripping off his horn and piercing his head. The Minotaur disintegrates as Percy passes out from exhaustion. He briefly comes to to find himself surrounded by kids and a figure telling them to give him space.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson
- Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth Chase (credit only)
- Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood
Guest Starring[]
- Megan Mullally as Mrs. Dodds/Alecto
- Virginia Kull as Sally Jackson
- Timm Sharp as Gabe Ugliano
- Glynn Turman as Mr. Brunner/Chiron
Co-Starring[]
- Hiro Kanawga as Headmaster
- Azriel Dalman as young Percy
- Olivea Morton as Nancy Bobofit
- Nick Boraine as Voice in Dream
- Simon Chin as Super (Eddie)
- Manooj Stood as Principal
- David Beairsto as Social Service Counselor
- Athan Irinakis as Martin
- Billy Christos Jr. as Snickering Kid #1
- Malcolm Clarke as Snickering Kid #2
- Drako Cheng as Bubblegum Kid
- Adam John Patrick Gillese as Kid #2
- Mateo Duema as Kid #3
- Peyton Feltham as Nancy's Friend #1
- Valencia Budijanto as Nancy's Friend #2
Uncredited[]
- Rick Riordan as Yancy Academy Staff Member
Differences[]
- Mythomagic was shown by Nico di Angelo in The Titan's Curse.
- Chiron gives Percy Riptide before Alecto attacks, and does not take it back.
- Alecto’s death in the book and show are very different. In the book, Percy catches Riptide after it is thrown at him and slashes her with it. But in the show, he just lies down and the blade goes through her, killing her.
- Rather than getting expelled for snapping at a teacher, Grover gets Percy expelled by stating he pushed Nancy into the fountain, hoping it would protect him from further danger.
- The scene with the Fates is omitted.
- Gabe and Eddie are antagonistic towards each other rather than having a somewhat friendly relationship.
- Sally explains that Percy is a demigod rather than Chiron.
- Sally yells at Gabe, rather than being kind and patient towards his behavior.
Trivia[]
- The title is derived from Chapter One of The Lightning Thief while the episode itself is an adaptation of Chapters One through Four.
- A black pegasus, presumably Blackjack, makes a cameo appearance, spotted by a second-grade Percy on a nearby building.
- At the fountain, Grover mentions Mr. Kane, which is most likely a reference to The Kane Chronicles.
- At the apartment, Sally mentions a deli called D'Angelo's, which is most likely a reference to di Angelo family.
- Grover is introduced playing Mythomagic with Percy to prepare him for the dangers of being a half-blood.
- Sally's line, "Not everyone that is a hero is a hero, and not everyone who is a monster is a monster," foreshadows Luke Castellan being a demigod in league with Kronos and Percy's allies Tyson and Mrs. O'Leary.
- Rick Riordan has a cameo appearance as a Yancy Academy staff member in the Headmaster's office.
- Sally giving Percy blue jelly beans which is a reference to the first book. In the book when Sally and Gabe got into a argument Gabe says, "Blue foods don't exist" so Sally buys blue food every now and then to prove him wrong.
- Sally uses Percy's jacket as a matador's cape, this is a subtle nod to "My Mother Teaches Me Bullfighting", the title of Chapter Four of The Lightning Thief.