Who Is Percy Jackson’s Polyphemus? Greek Mythology & Sea Of Monsters Character Explained

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Just a heads-up – spoilers ahead for the first two episodes of Percy Jackson & The Olympians season 2! As a big fan, I’m excited to share that this season will pit Percy and his friends against the legendary Polyphemus from Greek mythology. If you’re following the show on Disney+, you can watch new episodes weekly, and the first two are already available.

Season two is starting strong, only making changes to Rick Riordan’s The Sea of Monsters when it improves the plot. The story quickly establishes the main adventure: Percy learns in a dream that Grover went missing while looking for Pan, and ended up trapped with Polyphemus, guarding the Golden Fleece, on the cyclops’ island. Now, Percy has to rescue Grover and find the fleece.

In season 2 of Percy Jackson & The Olympians, the main villain will be Polyphemus, while the larger story also focuses on Kronos’s plans to return to power. Here’s a breakdown of the famous character from Greek mythology and the island he’s known for.

Polyphemus Is The Villain Keeping Grover & The Golden Fleece Captive

Percy and Grover share a special connection that lets them talk to each other in Percy’s dreams. It’s during a funny dream sequence – where Grover is wearing a wedding dress – that Grover lets slip he’s being held prisoner by Polyphemus. Polyphemus also has the Golden Fleece, a powerful item that can heal any wound.

As a huge mythology buff, I always loved the story of the Golden Fleece, and it turns out it’s got some seriously cool magical energy that draws in these creatures called satyrs – they’re basically Pan’s followers. Now, here’s where it gets wild: satyrs are apparently a favorite snack for cyclopes, like Polyphemus! Luckily for our satyr friend Grover, Polyphemus isn’t much of a looker, so Grover’s been cleverly disguising himself as a lady cyclops to survive. But here’s the problem – Polyphemus now wants to marry Grover, and he’s starting to get suspicious. It’s a pretty tense situation!

Polyphemus Is The Cyclops From The Odyssey

Similar to many characters in the Percy Jackson series who aren’t demigods, Polyphemus comes from actual Greek mythology. He’s best known from the story of The Odyssey, where he encounters Odysseus during the hero’s long trip home after the Trojan War. By the time the Percy Jackson story begins, Polyphemus has become bitter and dislikes humans, likely because of the events described in the ancient poem.

Odysseus and his crew violated the sacred rules of hospitality, known as Xenia, which governed how ancient Greeks treated guests and honored the gods. They entered Polyphemus’ cave without permission, helped themselves to his food, and even planned to steal his most valued sheep and potentially kill them. Odysseus also wasn’t honest about who he was. Furthermore, Odysseus attempted to impose his own religious beliefs and expectations of hospitality onto Polyphemus, who didn’t follow those customs. When Odysseus pressured him to adhere to these rules, Polyphemus responded defensively.

You must be either incredibly naive or from a very faraway land to tell me to fear the gods! My people pay no attention to Zeus or any other god; we rely on our own strength, which is far greater. If I choose to let you and your companions live, it won’t be because of any fear of the gods – I’ll be acting on my own will.

Traditional retellings of the story of Odysseus and Polyphemus often portray Odysseus as the hero and Polyphemus as the villain, focusing on Polyphemus’s act of killing Odysseus’s men and cursing them. However, these versions simplify a more complex situation. They ignore the fact that Odysseus blinded Polyphemus and used deception. Furthermore, they overlook the fact that, according to the ancient Greek custom of hospitality (Xenia), Polyphemus was technically within his rights to punish Odysseus’s men, as they were the ones who initially violated customs.

Sadly, the stories about Polyphemus ended up coming true. He became the cruel monster legends described, especially towards humans. And in season 2 of Percy Jackson & the Olympians, any children of the gods would have already known about his history with Odysseus, unfairly biasing them against him.

Annabeth will find this mission particularly challenging because she’s aware of Polyphemus’s dangerous reputation and doesn’t trust cyclopes in general. She already dislikes Tyson and others of his kind, so she’ll be extra cautious throughout the journey.

Polyphemus Is A Son Of Poseidon & The Sea Nymph Thoosa In Greek Mythology

A fascinating part of the upcoming season of Percy Jackson & The Olympians will be the story of Polyphemus and his family. Polyphemus is the son of Poseidon and a sea nymph named Thoosa, and in the original myth of The Odyssey, he actually prays to Poseidon for assistance. This father-son relationship adds another layer of difficulty to the heroes’ quest.

Percy recently discovered he has a brother, Tyson, and now they’re about to meet another one. Unlike Annabeth, they might actually get along with this new brother. However, Percy is very close to Grover and might prioritize their friendship, even over family. This is going to be a difficult and emotional time for both Percy and Tyson.

Polyphemus’ Role In Rick Riordan’s The Sea Of Monsters

Be warned: the following contains major spoilers for Rick Riordan’s The Sea of Monsters! While Polyphemus is a significant danger to Grover and the demigods, he only physically appears in three chapters of the book (not counting Percy’s dream sequences). However, those chapters are full of exciting action, making his appearances impactful.

Percy, Annabeth, and Clarisse manage to sneak onto the island, avoiding the dangerous automated sheep (which are always a fun part of the story!). Unfortunately, Clarisse is captured. Polyphemus initially intends to kill her and marry Grover, but when Clarisse reveals Grover’s true identity as a satyr, his plans change.

Annabeth tries to rescue Grover and Clarisse by using her invisibility cap and tricking Polyphemus into thinking she’s someone unimportant, claiming to be ‘Nobody.’ However, the plan fails, and Annabeth is badly hurt until Tyson arrives to help.

The heroes believe they’ve defeated Polyphemus and attempt to flee, but he unexpectedly reappears at the shore, triggering a massive battle involving Polyphemus, Tyson, and Percy. Poseidon, being the father of all three, won’t intervene. If the show, Percy Jackson & the Olympians, stays true to the book – and it appears to be doing so – viewers can expect some impressive action scenes.

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2025-12-11 16:32