Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hermes: Everything You Need to Know About Percy Jackson's Most Important Greek God

Percy Jackson and the Olympians is gradually giving color to the second-half of its series title. The Disney+ adaptation of Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief began in the mortal world, showcasing Percy during his Yancy Academy days. The titular demigod quickly gets roped into the greater mythological world, finding himself at Camp Half-Blood by the second episode. There, he meets his first Olympian, Dionysus, the god of wine. Subsequent episodes bring Ares (god of war) and Hephaestus (god of the forge) into the fold, slowly rounding out the full Olympian council. While he has yet to meet the king of the gods, Zeus, Percy has now encountered this story's most important deity.

Percy Jackson Officially Introduces Hermes

Say hello to the messenger god. 

The latest episode of Percy Jackson and the Olympians officially introduced fans to Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hermes, expanding on the character's brief cameo at the end of Episode 3. Hermes is confronted by Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) and Annabeth Chase (Leah Jeffries) inside the Lotus Casino, an original scene created for the streaming adaptation. 

Hermes refuses to help Percy and Annabeth continue their quest until they mention a crucial detail: they're friends of Luke. The god of travelers' face is immediately struck with a multitude of expressions. Regret. Reflection. Realization.

Warning – The rest of this article contains spoilers from the Percy Jackson books.

Hermes and Luke's Relationship Explained

Disney+'s Percy Jackson and the Olympians makes small hints at the rage and resentment Luke feels for his godly parent. 

Luke makes his debut in Percy Jackson Episode 2, showing Percy the ropes of Camp Half-Blood and catching him up on some of the rules and regulations of the world that exists on the other side of the mist. His reaction to giving "burnt offerings" to the gods and the way he talks about his father is a small hint at how the two do not get along.

closer, yet even farther https://t.co/cqZzo9Hlav pic.twitter.com/Lj7Lvv4lpJ

— Liam (@LiamTCrowley) January 17, 2024

Hermes expands on that relationship in Episode 6. He mentions that he was advised by Poseidon to stay out of Luke and his mother's lives, but he didn't listen, and consequently made the situation worse. On the page of The Last Olympian, the final book in the Percy Jackson pentalogy, Hermes and Luke's relationship completely deteriorated on one fateful night in Luke's Connecticut home. There, Luke lived with his mother, May Castellan. May is a seer, meaning she can look through the mist.

This ability made May ripe to host the Oracle of Delphi, a responsibility May genuinely wanted to take on. The Oracle of Delphi was secretly cursed by Hades, and when May went to take on its spirit, she went insane. 

How Hermes Created Percy Jackson's Ultimate Villain

Part of that insanity was related to being burdened with glimpses of her son's bleak future.

May saw fragments of who Luke would become, including the knowledge that he would help resurrect Kronos and lead a war against the Olympian gods. Hermes was also aware of Luke's fate, and when Luke confronted him about it, he refused to tell.

"What did my mom see that made her like this? What's going to happen to me? If you love me, tell me." 

Hermes's expression tightened. "I cannot."

-Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Last Olympian, Page 225

It was in this moment that Luke felt justified in his frustration with the gods, which eventually sent him down a path that would lead to Kronos returning to tear down Mount Olympus. Disney+'s Percy Jackson is seemingly building to making Kronos the series' big bad, as many suspect that it is the king of the titans that has been haunting Percy in his dreams.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians debuts new episodes every Tuesday at 9 PM ET on Disney+. Tune into ComicBook Nation presents Riptide Radio – A Percy Jackson Aftershow immediately after for an in-depth discussion and exclusive interview!