| “ | Goodness. I ... I dropped the cookies. How silly of me. | ” |
–May to Percy and Nico, in The Last Olympian | ||
May Castellan is the mother of the demigod Luke Castellan and a lover of Hermes.
History
Early Life
May Castellan is a clear-sighted mortal who also possessed the gift of prophecy. Hestia stated she had many talents and Percy Jackson said she carried a kind aura. She attracted the attention of Hermes and they began a relationship. They had a beautiful baby boy that she named Luke, and for a year or so they were happy.
Failing to Host the Oracle of Delphi
However, May had the ability to see through the Mist, like Sally Jackson. Hermes told her how the Oracle of Delphi couldn't take another host, but May believed she could take the spirit. Hermes also didn't support May's decision because it meant that the two would be parted forever, as are the laws of the Oracle of Delphi. However, Hades cursed the Oracle decades ago and the spirit of Delphi was trapped within its current body, a curse that no one besides Hades knew about.
Luke, her son
May tried to take the spirit into her body, but as a result of Hades' curse she went insane and was plagued with fits in which her eyes would glow green and she would have shattered glimpses of her son's future. She saw that he would hold Kronos inside himself and all the atrocities he would commit, claiming that this wasn't his fate.
Losing Luke
Eventually, Luke could no longer take his mother's fits as they frightened him and ran away when he was nine, promising never to return.
Ever since Luke left, she would make peanut-butter sandwiches, burnt cookies, and Kool-aid for him every single day. Also, any boy that arrived on her doorstep she would always think was Luke. She also claimed that Hermes would visit her on occasion, but it is unknown if it was the real Hermes or simply the picture of him she kept taped above her sink.
Son’s temporary Returns
Luke did return to his home two times after leaving. The first was when he needed supplies while traveling with Thalia Grace and Annabeth Chase. Luke got into a fight with Hermes while Annabeth and Thalia were told stories of Luke's past by May, who served them burned cookies and Kool-aid. When Luke finally stormed out of the house, with Thalia and Annabeth close behind, May tried to go after him only to be held back by Hermes. May then had another vision of the terrible fate of her son.
The second time he visited her was many years later. In order to prepare his body to hold the Titan lord Kronos, he had to get his mother's blessing in order to bathe in the River Styx and gain the Curse of Achilles. His mother gave him her blessing and Luke left shortly after.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
The Last Olympian
Shortly after Percy got into a fight with Annabeth, Nico di Angelo once again appeared in front of Percy and asked him if he had made a decision about his plan. When Percy hesitates once again, Nico forced him to make a decision, which Percy finally agrees to. Before they can complete the plan, Nico takes Percy to go see May Castellan, as Nico is unsure of one detail. When they knock on her door, she appears and called both Percy and Nico her son, Luke. Percy and Nico are both a bit frightened of her, as it is shown that she has stacks of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in containers, some of which had already started to mold. She also had several trays of burned cookies set up, with even more on the way.
While Percy is scared, Nico managed to ask her a few questions about her son and about the last time he visited her. Percy asked her if his eyes were gold when he saw her, but she claimed that his eyes were blue. From this, Percy figured out that Luke had come here before turning into Kronos. Nico then asked if Luke had asked for anything when he was here. May said that he had asked for her blessing so he could go swimming in a river, which is what Nico wanted to know and he is ready to leave.
Just then, May's eyes began to glow as she had another one of her fits. She started talking about how she must protect her child and called out to Hermes for help. She grabbed Nico, who in a panic pushed her away. She started to collapse, but Percy grabbed her and placed her in a chair. She went back to normal and said they were talking about her son's blue eyes before noticing she dropped the cookies. Percy and Nico tried to leave, but May kept offering them Kool-aid and cookies, even grabbing Percy's wrist before he could make it out the door. She told Percy to promise he'd be safe (thinking he is Luke), and Percy told her he would be, calling her mom to make her happy. She happily went inside after this and told someone that she knew he would be safe.
The Heroes of Olympus
The Demigod Diaries
May is briefly mentioned in the story The Diary of Luke Castellan.
The Blood of Olympus
Annabeth mentions May when she tells Jason that Luke's mother was similarly reduced to insanity like his own mother, Beryl Grace.
Personality
Before trying to become the Oracle, May was very confident in her abilities. She loved her son deeply and also loved Hermes, even if both eventually had to leave her. Because of her confidence however, she believed that she could become the new Oracle, which caused her to go insane. From then on, she was always in a half-crazed state that scared Luke before he eventually left.
Appearance
Hermes, her lover
She is described in her younger years as a tall, pretty woman with blonde hair, shining eyes, and a friendly smile. As an old woman she is thin as a scarecrow, has cloudy eyes, and her hair is white and stuck out in tufts all over her head.
Abilities
May has the ability of Clear Sight, meaning she can see through the Mist. However, her ability was much stronger than most mortals (like Sally Jackson) and she could have become the new Oracle, if not for Hades' curse. After trying (and failing) to become the Oracle, she gained the ability to see small glimpses into the future, seeing the fate of her son Luke.