The Battle of the Labyrinth

Previous books made it clear that demigods do not live to be old, and the aftermath of the invasion shows Percy the realities of war. Percy hadn’t seen “burial shrouds used on bodies” before (337), but now watches as some campers are laid to rest. This moment moves Percy, who wishes he could’ve known the fallen campers when they were alive. The campers are of a similar age to Percy, which brings home to him the reality that his life could be over within a matter of years.

The theme of environmental activism reaches its climax at the Council of Cloven Elders meeting. The change that Grover proposes—rebuilding the wild without guidance from Pan—is scary for the elders, who call Grover a “traitor” (339). The elders want to evade accountability for the environment by clinging to an impossible dream: That a single deity will fix all of nature’s problems. Grover and the other young nature spirits work together, like Pan advised, to make a plan for protecting the wild, spreading out the responsibility: Some will “go to the national parks,” others “search out the last wild places,” and more will “defend the parks in big cities” (341).

Percy’s two father figures meet in Chapter 20: Poseidon, his real father, and Paul Blofis, his soon-to-be stepfather. Each man offers Percy something that the other man can’t. Poseidon loves Percy, but he rarely sees Percy because of his godly duties. Poseidon can give Percy advice on half-blood related problems, like his quest, and can tell him news about the mythological world. Paul Blofis doesn’t know that Percy is a half-blood, but he can comfort Percy’s human half. As a mortal, Paul can be around more often. Having a divine and a mortal father means both halves of Percy receive the care they need.

Riordan uses the final chapters to foreshadow events for the final book of the series. After Percy and Annabeth confront Hera, she tells them they “will regret this insult […] very much” (351). The Olympian gods are known to hold grudges, so Hera will likely hold onto her anger and withhold future help. Poseidon tells Percy that the monster Typhon continues to stir, foreshadowing a potential awakening. Poseidon also gives Percy a sand dollar for “when the time comes” (357), ominously predicting an exchange Percy will need to make. The book ends on a cliff-hanger when Nico tells Percy he has found a way to stop Luke—the “only way” (361). Riordan ends the book before telling the reader what this way is, building suspense for the next book and for Percy’s fight against Luke/Kronos.