| “ | I promised to tell you everything you need to know. The thing is, however, you don’t really need to know anything. You see, even if you made it to Rome, which is quite unlikely, you’d never defeat my giant brothers without a god fighting at your side. And what god would help you? So I have a better plan. You’re not leaving. You’re VIPs—Very Important Prisoners! | ” |
–Phorcys to Frank Zhang and Percy Jackson, in The Mark of Athena | ||
Phorcys (or Phorkys), is a god of the hidden dangers of the deep. He is a primordial sea god, generally cited as the son of Pontus and Gaea. His wife is Keto and he is most notable in myths for fathering, by Keto, a host of monstrous children collectively known as the Phorcydes.
In the Series
Phorcys and his sister Keto joined their half-brother Kronos to fight against the gods in the Second Titan War. However, once Kronos was defeated and his army fell, Phorcys and Keto were banished to Atlanta, a landlocked city in Georgia. They made the best of it and opened up an exhibit in the Georgia Aquarium.
The Heroes of Olympus
The Mark of Athena
Percy Jackson, Frank Zhang, and Gleeson Hedge meet Phorcys and his sister Keto at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. The god lets Percy, Frank, and Gleeson Hedge in for three denari, and gives them a VIP tour. Phorcys shows them the rare monsters the aquarium has in captivity. Keto soon takes Coach Hedge to a different area to show him more dangerous monsters. Then, Phorcys traps Frank and Percy in a tank, with a plan to make them fight everyday for the entertainment of the visitors. Percy tries to control the water, but fails because he was in Phorcys' territory. Percy and Frank, who had turned into a koi fish, try to get Hedge's attention when the latter walks by with Keto. Frank, Percy, and Hedge then break the glass tank and escape with Percy promising to return, and free the monsters and sea creatures in captivity.
Personality
Phorcys was very robust. He had the tendency to act on the more flashy side of things. Instead of relying on information to entertain tour groups, he used fireworks; he felt that too much information would bore guests, which led to him constantly getting angry at Keto. He was also playful, joking around with Percy and Frank before finally trapping them. Much like Keto, he had no problems mistreating sea creatures except if it prevented them from performing tricks.
Appearance
In The Mark of Athena Phorcys wore a wet suit that appeared to be several shades of green. There were glittery silver words printed on the side: PORKY'S FOLLIES. In his greasy wiry hair, he wore a microphone headset. His eyes were milky blue with one higher than the other. When he smiled, his smile looked like it was being peeled back.
Phorcys had many features similar to a crab. He tended to scuttle around sideways on his bowed legs. He had a hunched back. He also kept his arms in the air as if holding plates.
Abilities
- Hydrokinesis: Being a sea god, Phorcys has a high level of control over sea water, though inferior to that of Oceanus and Poseidon. He used his ability to aid in his control of the aquarium and all the creatures kept there. He was able to overpower Percy's ability to control water, but only as long as he was in his immediate area.