Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #5
The Last Olympian
by Rick Riordan
Contents
18. My Parents Go Commando
Overview
Kronos breaks through the defenders at the Empire State Building, defeats Chiron, and tries to isolate Percy’s group by sealing the building inside a force barrier. Nico’s arrival with Hades and an army of the dead changes the battle’s balance, finally bringing the House of Hades to Olympus’s side.
The collapse of Manhattan’s protection pulls mortals into the war, including Sally Jackson and Paul Blofis, who fight bravely outside the barrier. Percy is forced to leave his parents, the larger battle, and the buried Chiron behind so he can pursue Kronos into Olympus.
Summary
Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Thalia reach the street and find the defenders outside the Empire State Building badly beaten. Clarisse is frozen in ice, the centaurs are gone, and Kronos’s vanguard surrounds the building. Chiron stands alone against Kronos, aiming an arrow at him and refusing to step aside.
Chiron kills the charging dracaena queen, then confronts Kronos about Luke. When Kronos accidentally speaks as Luke, Chiron notices the slip and attacks, but Kronos overpowers him with a blast that hurls Chiron into a wall and buries him under rubble. Annabeth, furious and heartbroken, attacks Kronos with her knife, but the blade rebounds from his invulnerable body and worsens her injured shoulder; Percy pulls her away before Kronos can cut her down.
Before Kronos can press the advantage, Mrs. O’Leary and Nico arrive. Nico calls up thousands of dead soldiers, and Hades follows in a terrifying chariot with Demeter and Persephone. Hades announces that Nico convinced him to fight for Olympus, not because Hades likes Percy, but because Kronos is the greater enemy and a terrible father.
Kronos avoids a full battle with Hades by striking the ground and creating a force barrier around the Empire State Building. The barrier separates Kronos, Percy, and Percy’s friends from the main armies while the larger magical protection around Manhattan begins to collapse. Mortals wake, including Sally Jackson and Paul Blofis, who run toward Percy instead of fleeing.
Outside the barrier, Hades’s forces and Kronos’s monsters clash while Demeter and Persephone use their powers against the enemy. Nico fights to protect mortals, Paul proves unexpectedly capable with a sword, and Sally blasts a charging giant with a shotgun taken from a police car. Sally and Nico urge Percy to go after Kronos while they help handle the army.
Kronos sends Ethan Nakamura and the remaining giants to delay Percy’s group, then enters the lobby. Percy, Annabeth, Thalia, and Grover quickly destroy the Hyperborean giants. Before following Kronos inside, Percy asks Mrs. O’Leary to dig Chiron out of the rubble, then the group races for the elevators.
Who Appears
- Percy JacksonLeads the response to Kronos’s attack and chooses to pursue him into the building.
- KronosDefeats Chiron, wounds Annabeth emotionally, and seals the Empire State Building from the battlefield.
- Annabeth ChaseAttacks Kronos in grief and anger after Chiron is buried, worsening her shoulder injury.
- Nico di AngeloArrives with Mrs. O’Leary, summons the dead, and helps protect mortals during the battle.
- HadesJoins Olympus’s defense after Nico persuades him that Kronos is the greater enemy.
- ChironStands alone against Kronos, confronts him about Luke, and is buried under rubble.
- Sally JacksonRuns into the battle to help Percy and blasts a giant with a shotgun.
- Paul BlofisFights monsters with a fallen sword, using swordplay learned as an actor.
- Thalia GraceHelps Percy’s group fight through Hyperborean giants blocking the entrance.
- Grover UnderwoodProtects the injured Annabeth and follows Percy toward the elevators.
- Mrs. O’LearyArrives with Nico and begins digging through rubble to rescue Chiron.
- Ethan NakamuraStands with Kronos’s vanguard and is ordered to attend Kronos inside.
- DemeterAccompanies Hades and turns enemy giants into a wheat field.
- PersephoneAccompanies Hades and transforms dracaenae spears into sunflowers.