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A little while back, we ranked the gods and monsters that Percy, Annabeth, and Grover faced during The Lightning Thief. Quite honestly, almost none of those so-called villains scored particularly high. Despite all the myths and legends surrounding them, we learned that figures such as the Minotaur, Medusa, and even Ares, the god of war, can be bested by a couple of pre-teen demigods and a satyr on a good day.
But the second installment in a fantasy series always brings higher stakes and deadlier challenges for the heroes. And in the case of our favorite trio from Camp Half-Blood, the villains from The Sea of Monsters seemed determined to bring their A-game.
Did the baddies from The Sea of Monsters deliver on their promise to provide an adequate threat to Percy and his pals? Or do these villains belong in the Kiddie Pool of Monsters instead? Let’s find out!
The Laistrygonian Giants
As we all saw in The Lightning Thief, Percy’s troubles as a demigod often spill over into his normal school life. And if there’s one place where a potential “accident” would befall a certain demigod, look no further than the school gymnasium. Enter three cannibalistic giants, charmingly named Marrow Sucker, Skull Eater, and uh, Joe Bob, and their deadly game of flaming dodgeball.
Ultimately, these three chumps are bested by Percy, Annabeth, and Percy’s half-brother, Tyson. Marrow Sucker, Skull Eater, and Joe Bob played a good game, but the other team wanted it more. The giants get points for tapping into our inherent fear of getting slammed in the face by a rubber ball, but let’s face it: Flaming Dodgeball is only slightly scarier than regular old dodgeball.
Score: 3 penalty throws out of 5.
The Colchis Bulls
Two of these bad boys invade Camp Half-Blood once the camp’s borders are weakened by the poisoning of Thalia’s tree. Colchis Bulls are built from Hephaestus’s designs with high-quality bronze and state-of-the-art fire-breathing capabilities, so you know they’re nothing to mess with.
Yet, while you wouldn’t want to face a Colchis Bull one-on-one, they’re not as threatening when you’re surrounded by a whole camp of powerful demigods. Especially when a few of those campers can reprogram the bulls from foe to friend.
The real danger is what happens after your fellow demigods find you hiding under the amphitheater with your hands over your head asking, Is the invasion over yet? There’s no way you’re ever going to live that down.
Score: 4 software updates out of 5.
The Hydra
Now we’re talking. The legendary nine-headed horror put up a fantastic fight against Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson. Aided by the fact that our intrepid heroes couldn’t think of a battle strategy beyond Let’s keep chopping its heads off, the Hydra came very close to achieving final victory against Seaweed Brain.
Anyone familiar with the Hydra myth knows that the beast grows another head each time one is lopped off. Kind of like when a coffee shop closes in Seattle—two more immediately take its place. Unfortunately, the Hydra’s regenerative powers don’t work when it takes a cannonball to the gut. We can thank Clarisse for that one. A poor showing for our heroes, but at least they got a box of donuts as a consolation prize.
Score: 9 heart pendant necklaces out of infinity.
Scylla and Charybdis
Anyone else feel kind of bad for Scylla and Charybdis? Sure, they almost destroyed the CSS Birmingham with Percy, Annabeth, Clarisse, and Tyson aboard, but we don’t get the feeling that they were necessarily asking for a fight. As far as we’re concerned, these two were just minding their own business.
Charybdis, the giantess daughter of Poseidon and Gaea (a totally cursed pairing, by the way), and Scylla, a nymph cursed to become a massive sea serpent, are the first monsters that sailors encounter before entering the Sea of Monsters.
Those adventurers who set a course for the Bermuda Triangle must decide which monster they feel more comfortable facing: the ravenous Scylla, or Charybdis, who is essentially a giant whirlpool with scores of sharp, misaligned teeth. Somehow (thanks to the decisions of a certain captain), Percy, Annabeth, Tyson, and Clarisse wound up battling both Scylla and Charybdis on their journey. The two monsters performed to the best of their ability, but at the end of the day, the only casualties were some of the ship’s already-undead crew. At least Percy was able to meet another half-sibling . . . and learn a lesson in proper dental hygiene that he’ll never forget.
Charybdis’ score: 3 trips to the orthodontist out of 5.
Scylla’s score: 4 cases of zombie-related heartburn out of 5.
Circe
Although the Immortal Goddess of Magic rebranded herself as C.C., this sorceress is still playing the same old hits. Lure heroes or pirates onto her island with the promise of good food and good company, magically transform the men into some variation of pig, and wash, rinse, and repeat.
If C.C. had tried something new, maybe it wouldn’t have been so easy for Annabeth thwart the goddess’s evil plans. Circe’s fancy spa and resort was an inspired ruse, but the minute Percy morphed into a guinea pig, we knew the jig was up. And we’re so happy that the other prisoners-turned-pigs are finally free. We just hope that some of them stayed behind to reopen the spa under new management. We totally want to visit someday.
Score: 2 book reports on The Odyssey out of 5.
The Bear Twins
You may remember Agrius and Oreius, aka the Bear Twins, as Luke’s bumbling Titan sidekicks aboard the Princess Andromeda. Their biggest claim to fame is briefly holding Percy and Blackjack captive on the enemy ship. And their biggest embarrassment is being easily defeated by Chiron, the Party Ponies, and the very same Pegasus they were responsible for guarding. What a kick in the head.
No judgment here, but clearly the path of villainy isn’t the right career choice for everyone. These two goobers just weren’t cut out for a life of treachery and turpitude. We wish them nothing but the best in their future endeavors, however. Maybe the Country Bear Jamboree is hiring.
Score: 1 paw caught in the honey pot out of 5.
Polyphemus
Ah, Polyphemus. The final boss of the Sea of Monsters. On the surface, this guy has it all. His own island. A bunch of sheep to hang out with. An impeccable sense of style. One big, beautiful eye that sometimes works. All he’s missing is that one special person to share his life with. (Oh, and the Golden Fleece. But it’s only a matter of time until he gets that back.)
Think about it. With the right life partner by his side, Polyphemus wouldn’t be so bad. Our man just wanted to settle down and get married. Maybe this is why Percy struggled to fight back against Polyphemus. Percy must have recognized that underneath the bluster and appetite for satyrs, his half-brother possessed a kind and romantic soul.
Too bad Tyson didn’t feel the same way and the final battle devolved into a savage rock-throwing contest. Still somewhat preferable to junior high school dodgeball, though.
Score: 5 dream weddings out of 5.
Who was your favorite villain from The Sea of Monsters? Are there any that you would like to see come back for a proper rematch? Be sure to let us know!
2017 Read Riordan. All Rights Reserved.
