"We Visit the Garden Gnome Emporium"[1] is the third episode of the first season of the Disney+ adaptation of Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
Synopsis[]
Percy is tasked with the quest to return Zeus’ stolen Master Bolt, to stop a war between the gods.
Plot[]
Percy is sent into the attic of the Big House to visit the Oracle of Delphi and receive a prophecy for his quest. The Oracle's corpse comes to life and expels a green mist, which takes the form of Gabe Ugliano, much to Percy's disgust, and gives him his prophecy:
- You shall go west and face the god who has turned.
- You shall find what was stolen and see it safely returned.
- You shall be betrayed by one who calls you friend,
- And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end.
With the prophecy delivered, Chiron assembles the top candidates - including Luke, Chris, and Clarisse - for Percy to choose to join him on his quest. He instantly chooses Annabeth as his first companion, and also chooses Grover, who has missed the ceremony due to being forced to shovel pegasus dung as punishment for disobeying Mr. D's orders. The day he leaves, Percy is visited by Luke, who offers him another gift for the quest: flying shoes sent by Hermes, which activate with the command, "Maia." Percy admits he was going to pick Luke before changing his mind, but Luke reassures him that Grover was a wise choice.
The three questers gather at the border of the camp, where Annabeth shares a moment with the tree at the top of the hill. Grover explains to Percy that the tree is actually Thalia, who was transformed into that form by Zeus after she, Luke, and Annabeth were attacked by Alecto and Hades' forces. Annabeth and Percy bicker about the quest and who's in charge. The three of them take a taxi around New York, as Grover explains a bit more about the world; however, the scene quickly shifts to them on a bus in New Jersey. Percy is annoyed at the circumstances, and Annabeth is annoyed at him. Grover reasons that Zeus himself could take a shot at Percy, and with the sky as Zeus's domain, traveling via an airplane was out of the question. When the bus stops, she refuses to let him or Grover off, saying she will buy food herself. Percy tries to vote on the decision, but Grover won't take sides. To calm them, he starts to sing a "consensus song," which is used to soften arguments. Annabeth leaves for the shop, where she stares at the sweet aisle. Despite insisting otherwise, she starts to grab as many as she can. As she pays, she notices a suspicious woman in a leather jacket nearby.
Back on the bus, Grover and Percy discuss how unrelenting monsters will be in their bid to end a demigod's life; for outside of Camp Half Blood, monsters are both rampant and unseen, courtesy of the mist. Hence why a demigod beyond the camp's protection must identify them first before vice versa, or things will get ugly. And while it's true that stronger demigods, such as those fathered by the Big Three, are the most likely to draw their attention, the way monsters home in on their prey is actually much more complicated and has little to do with the demigod in question's rising potential. Percy suspects that monsters sense fear, but Grover corrects him, saying that the way monsters discern and track demigods depends on the monster itself, for some could sense a demigod's competence, or lack thereof, their ambition for glory, or even their personal insecurities, and so on. And then, of course, there is the matter wherein the monster is already familiar with their target, from way long ago, and thus can identify the demigod on sight.
Annabeth returns to the bus and spots Alecto - in the form of Mrs. Dodds - reading a newspaper. Putting on her invisible cap, she talks to the Fury, who taunts her over their past together. She offers to lure Percy away to be given to Hades, whilst Annabeth can continue on the quest without his annoyance. Annabeth seems to consider this, but returns to Percy and Grover to warn them. Alecto transforms into her Fury form and begins to advance, so Percy and Grover open the emergency window, causing an evacuation. Another fury, Tisiphone, bursts through the window to attack Percy, but Annabeth kills her with her dagger. The three of them then escape through the window.
The three questers walk along a Satyr Path together, where Percy wants to find a phone to call camp, as he believes they cannot complete it; Annabeth disagrees, insisting they have not failed. Grover attempts to change the topic by talking about his Uncle Ferdinand, who used the same path for his own quest. Percy and Annabeth ignore him, as she accuses him of being afraid of something he is keeping from them, and he tells her to call her mom for help, realizing that they haven't talked for a while. After Annabeth tries to pull Grover in, and they bicker about who he will side with, she reveals that he was the previously unnamed Satyr who was supposed to protect Thalia. However, Grover suddenly smells food and leads the other two along the path to Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium and Café.
As they enter, they see the numerous statues of monsters at the front of the building, and Annabeth realizes that they're entering Medusa's lair, and the trio tries to make their escape. Alecto suddenly arrives, taunting them and telling Annabeth she should've taken the deal, to the others' confusion. Before anything can happen, Medusa herself arrives, and everyone shields their eyes from the gorgon's gaze. She invites the three questers inside for lunch, claiming no intention to harm them. As they enter, Medusa assures Annabeth she does not hate her just because of who her mother is, asserting that she is a victim rather than a monster. As they eat, Medusa tells them how she devoted her life to Athena, and the Goddess of Wisdom only noticed her after starting a relationship with Poseidon, turning her into a Gorgon after he left her. Annabeth retorts that her mother is just, but Medusa casts doubt on her beliefs. Medusa then invites Percy to help her in the kitchen, and when he leaves, Annabeth tells Grover they need to run. In the kitchen, Medusa attempts to persuade Percy to let her petrify them for him. Upon this, the Son of Poseidon runs, and Medusa removes her hat and veil before going after the three.
Percy, Annabeth, and Grover meet up in the basement, where a trail of fire reveals countless statues as Medusa makes her way downstairs. The trio argues about what to do next before Grover puts on Luke's winged shoes to enact their plan. Unfortunately, he activates them before they are ready, and Percy and Annabeth are forced to split up and hide. Medusa finds Percy hiding behind a crate and tries to manipulate him into looking at her. He stands up and closes his eyes. Medusa taunts him before Grover flies down, which Annabeth uses as a distraction to put her hat on the gorgon before Percy beheads her. Percy and Annabeth head upstairs and back outside together to where Alecto is waiting, with Percy having an idea on how to get past her. He walks towards the Fury, who lunges towards him before he reveals Medusa's head to her. Alecto turns to stone and falls apart upon hitting the ground.
Back in the basement, the demigods find Grover in front of his Uncle's remains, the only statue without fear on his face. They begin to discuss what to do with Medusa's head, which quickly devolves into an argument between Percy and Annabeth after the former suggests they bury it in Annabeth's hat. The two argue about their secrets before Grover, tired of the two's constant bickering, berates both of them; Percy for suggesting Annabeth surrender the only gift she got from her mother, and Annabeth for being defensive towards Percy when he's trying to choose between saving the only person who has ever cared for him and the world. Grover then asks Percy what he’s so afraid of, like Annabeth did earlier that day. Percy reveals the last two lines of the prophecy, which is why he picked Annabeth, someone with whom he'd never get along, and Grover, someone who would always take his side, as his companions. Afterwards, Annabeth and Percy reveal to each other that they were both offered a way to betray their companions, and ultimately chose against it. With their differences set aside, Percy gives Annabeth her hat back before he mails Medusa's head to Olympus using Hermes Express, despite the warnings of his companions.
After the package arrives in New York City, Hermes takes it to Olympus, knowing his family will not be as amused as he is.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson
- Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth Chase
- Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood
Guest Starring[]
- Megan Mullally as Mrs. Dodds/Alecto
- Jason Mantzoukas as Dionysus / Mr. D
- Timm Sharp as Gabe Ugliano
- Jessica Parker Kennedy as Medusa
- Charlie Bushnell as Luke Castellan
- Dior Goodjohn as Clarisse La Rue
- Glynn Turman as Chiron / Mr. Brunner
Co-Starring[]
- Andrew Alvarez as Chris Rodriguez
- Threnody Tsai as Sarah
- Sara J. Southey as Tisiphone
- Jennifer Shirley as Oracle
- Brooklyn Scotland as Samara
- George Moran as Red Team Bully
- Darla Fay as Cashier
Uncredited[]
- Lin-Manuel Miranda as Hermes
- Rick Riordan as Mail Carrier Statue
- Rebecca Riordan as Statue
Differences[]
- While Gabe does appear in the vision of the Oracle of Delphi, his poker friends do not (since he doesn't even have any) and he uses his own voice.
- Percy does not accidentally blow up the bus they are on, or become a wanted fugitive because of it.
- The trio realize "Auntie Em" is Medusa immediately after arriving, and she makes no effort to pretend to be a human woman.
- Alecto appears outside Aunty Em's Gnome Emporium when the trio meet Medusa.
- Percy informs Annabeth and Grover about the Oracle's Prophecy shortly after defeating Medusa.
Trivia[]
- The title is derived from Chapter Eleven of The Lightning Thief while the episode itself is an adaptation of Chapters Ten through Eleven.
- Rick Riordan has a cameo as a statue in Medusa's collection, as does his wife Becky.