The Heroes of Olympus, #2
The Son of Neptune
by Rick Riordan
Contents
L Percy
Overview
Percy leads improvised reinforcements into Camp Jupiter’s battle, arms the Fifth Cohort, and turns the tide with the legion’s eagle. Hylla’s Amazons ally with the Romans, breaking the siege. Percy lures Polybotes across the city border and, partnering with Terminus, kills the giant. The legion acclaims Percy as praetor.
Summary
Percy arrives with unconventional allies: Hazel on Arion, Frank as a bald eagle, Tyson, Ella, and Mrs. O’Leary hauling a chariot of Imperial gold and the legion’s eagle. They smash Cyclopes attacking the Fifth Cohort, then Percy distributes gold weapons, transforming the cohort into the battle’s spearhead.
With the eagle standard, Percy leads the Fifth to relieve the Third Cohort and rout centaurs, then joins the First and Second near the aqueduct. He unleashes the eagle’s lightning, obliterating the enemy center and stunning Octavian, but the Fourth Cohort remains besieged and Polybotes floods the field with basilisks.
As Percy prepares to face Polybotes, a camo-clad army appears—Hylla’s Amazons. They charge to aid Reyna, hitting the monsters’ flank. Romans and Amazons advance together while Percy draws Polybotes away, testing the giant and realizing he needs a god’s aid.
Percy sprints to the city boundary and enlists Terminus, who refuses to fight but rages about broken rules. Percy baits Polybotes across the Pomerian Line; when the giant topples and smashes Terminus’s statue, the indignant border god agrees to help. Percy drives Riptide into Polybotes’s chest and uses Terminus’s stone head to finish him, fulfilling the god–demigod requirement.
With the giant destroyed, enemy forces collapse. Friends gather—Tyson, Ella, Hazel, Frank, Reyna, Hylla—while Romans chant for Percy. They raise him on a shield, and with Reyna’s support, the legion acclaims Percy Jackson as praetor of Camp Jupiter.
Who Appears
- Percy JacksonLeads reinforcements, arms the Fifth Cohort, wields the eagle’s lightning, and with Terminus kills Polybotes; hailed praetor.
- PolybotesGiant born to oppose Neptune; turns water to poison; lured over the border and slain by Percy and Terminus.
- ReynaPraetor who rallies Romans to the eagle and fights from Pegasus; later supports Percy’s acclamation as praetor.
- Frank ZhangFifth Cohort centurion; commands volleys, shapeshifts (eagle, elephant, weasel) to counter threats and support the line.
- Hazel LevesqueCharges on Arion, cuts down foes, shields campers from basilisks; fights alongside Romans and Amazons.
- TysonCyclops ally who smashes Ma Gasket and Earthborn, protecting Roman lines and cheering Percy.
- TerminusBorder god angered by broken rules; after being toppled, aids Percy in killing Polybotes with his stone head.
- Queen HyllaAmazon queen and Reyna’s sister; leads Amazons to flank the monsters and aid Camp Jupiter.
- DakotaFifth Cohort centurion who bears the golden eagle and blasts enemies with its lightning.
- OctavianAugur shocked by the eagle’s power; joins the cheering as Romans rally to Percy.
- EllaHarpy who dodges missiles and offers tactical facts while staying near Tyson.
- Mrs. O’LearyPercy’s hellhound mount hauling gear; helps break enemy ranks.
- ArionHazel’s swift horse; tramples enemies and carries Hazel through key charges.
- Ma GasketCyclops leader briefly confronts Tyson and is promptly destroyed.