**Due to recent misinterpretations of some one post
from this blog, a disclaimer is now apparently necessary. If this is your first visit to The
Scratched Camera, please read the introductory post and discover, for yourself, that every typed word that
follows is unabashedly my opinion and mine alone. In said introductory post, which,
shockingly, I did not simply type up for my own good health, I state that we
all read events and characters with our own baggage in mind; no one observes
with a perfectly clear lens—hence the
name The Scratched Camera.
Therefore, it is completely your will to disagree with any material that
follows, just as it is my will to agree and advocate for what is mine.** ~End, irritating obligatory disclaimer~
Percy Jackson versus Jason Grace—A Classic Nerdy Outcast
versus Successful Jock Throwdown
To
me, the conflict between Jackson and Jason unravels in a similar pattern to the
classic playground conflict between the nerdy rebellious outcast who sticks up
for their less courageous friends in the face of the popular and successful
jock. While each boy does serve as
occasional exceptions to the mentioned molds, they do spend the basis of their
time holding the standard of the two listed stereotypes. The conflict that results can, at
times, run a parallel to the ridiculous need to overcome what the other tends
to see as their archenemy.
Percy
Jackson is a rebel at heart. Quite
often, if he doesn’t particularly like an order issued by either Chiron or Mr.
D, he will simply choose to ignore it and seek to find his own solution to his
current predicament. We see this
particularly when he is younger, as he manages to join two quests that weren’t
even intended for him. Had this
been prompted by a purely prideful passion to be seen as popular and
prosperous, the character would’ve been labeled subpar and disappointing. However, as he always acts out of deep
concern towards the safety of his friends, his flagrant disregard for rules and
protocol deems the label of loyal, as opposed to arrogant.
At his core, Percy is an outcast
who, through various mistakes, expulsions and relocations has often been
credited with the title of troublemaker before he even truly earns it in the
eyes of the judging. This status
draws him towards the others who struggle to be seen as socially acceptable by
the commonwealth of their peers.
In short, Percy has very few friends and, therefore, feels particularly
impassioned to go to any length to protect the few that he has earned.
Despite
the disapproval of several of his compatriots—Reyna, Zoe and Octavion, to name
a few—Percy, in his snarky rebellious persona, simply feels like an
approachable character. The
audience feels as if they could very easily fall into a friendship with him,
with his quirks and his sense of humor, which are occasionally appreciated by
the supporting characters, although rarely given the credit they truly
deserve. Fandoms, such as those
who follow the publication of Percy
Jackson novels, are often composed of outcasts very similar to
Percy—characters in their own right, who were often ridiculed in school for an
affection towards reading and strange television shows no one has heard of and
an embarrassing pair of glasses that seemed to serve as a permanent declaration
of their nerd status. In essence,
Percy Jackson is one of us.
Jason,
on the other hand, represents a form of a superior—the jock that allusively
puzzled every nerd on the playground.
Jason is, of course, never as cruel as these stereotypes can sometimes
be; he has, in fact, been shown to favor outcasts himself in his past. However, he constantly serves to be
vaguely above his misfit companions.
Percy, with a hefty list of accomplishments of his own, never comes off
as superior or overly confident—except for that one awkward moment in the
first movie, but, generally speaking, that film is rarely spoken of, and never
in specific terms applicable to analyzing the characters. While Jason never forcefully reminds
the audience that he is more experienced than Leo and Piper in the issue of
battle, there is something about him, particularly in The Lost Hero, that seems
legendary and advanced—a fact which holds a particular force of irony, as,
at the time, he can’t even remember the accomplishments that have crowned him
with both of those labels to begin with.
Essentially,
until the most recent novel, the portrayal of Jason’s character has been that
of a legend. He has this huge list
of accomplishments, brought on by a rough form of Roman training that started
him on his path as a fighter from a very young age. These achievements give him credibility, but no
personality. Percy is able to
reflect on his conquering of the Minotaur and jokingly comment that there was
no way he should’ve survived the debacle.
Jason, with the extensive training he has survived, is incapable of
merely shrugging off these achievements as luck. He knows where he stands and, therefore, rarely struggles to
succeed in a battle.
This
confidence, while not necessarily full-fledged arrogance, can serve as a
disconcerting factor for the audience’s perception of the character. Rarely does Grace experience
doubt or concern that he will not be prosperous in a battle. In the case that he does encounter some
form of insecurity—battle or otherwise provoked—he never allows the struggle to
surface. He internalizes any
anxiety or turmoil, hiding an intricate part of his character from his
friends. Often, unless he is the
character responsible for the narration of the novel at the time of his struggle,
the audience also misses the experience entirely.
His
method of detachment from his worries serves as a barrier between his character
and the audience. Where Percy is straightforward,
Jason places a protective wall around his true feelings and, therefore, forces
the audience to struggle to understand him. Until House of Hades,
my intense favoring of Percy prohibited me from seeing any signs of further
complexities in regards to Grace; the complexion of his character made the task
a difficult one and, therefore, in my natural inclination to support Percy, I
settled upon the fact that there must be no further complexities to be
found.
While
this was an unfair snap judgment on my part—one, I must note, Percy may have
been inclined to make as well—consultation with other Percy fans have led me to believe that I am not alone in this
matter. Grace’s taciturn and serious
nature puts up the illusion that he believes himself better than others; his
intention, which is eventually revealed to be obviously opposed to the previous
preconception, is wrought null and void by the impression already made upon the
audience. Much like the popular
jock that the nerds found secretly fascinating, but obviously feared far too
much to approach, Jason serves to elude the audience in a similar fashion.
Fortunately,
much like the aforementioned revered jock, Jason’s character does eventually
become clearer to the audience, in the process revealing both negatives and
positives. Two separate debates
serve to reveal just how insecure he is, as he prolongs decisiveness in favor
of meticulous forms of evaluation, once between his Roman and Greek influences,
and again to decipher his feelings and sense of obligations towards Reyna and
Piper.
Worry
is, of course, a realistic consequence of regularly winning the position of
leader. As Jason and Percy are
both natural leaders, a variety of complications between the two are to be
expected, as they struggle to work together to compromise their perspective
styles of management. Where Jason
is eventually revealed to be plagued with doubts and a tendency to overanalyze,
Percy is portrayed as an impulsive decision maker; he decides quickly and
marches forward aggressively. As I
stated in his individual post, this results from an appreciation that there is
only so much one can control about their own fate. In his rationalization, it is his job to set the plan in
motion and fight to insure fate stays on his side; studying several plans of
action tirelessly does far less good than simply setting a plan in motion. This precise implementation results in
less worrying on Jackson’s part.
While he does suffer the occasion insecurity—particularly in terms of
speculating on Annabeth’s feelings for himself and Luke in the first series—he
rarely feels he failed so utterly as to accomplish nothing; his plan may not
always succeed completely, but it was, at the very least, a much needed
start.
There
are benefits to both methods of decision-making. Percy thinks with his heart; he’s impulsive, but dedicated,
particularly in plans that involve a sacrifice for his friends. Jason is completely brain based—he
thinks things through thoroughly.
But, once he arrives at a decision, he knows, beyond a shade of doubt
that it is the best decision.
While it may not always be in his
best interest, it will undeniably serve the greater good in the best possible
way.
Regardless
of how they reach decisions, they are both overly eager to engage in a
fight. Typically, any mention of
his friends being in danger is more than enough to entice Jackson. He volunteers to conquer the creatures
and the eruption of Mt. St. Helens for Annabeth in The Battle of the Labryinth.
He would’ve sacrificed himself for the entire world in The Last Olympian, had Luke not seen
their true navigation away from war.
Jason, though slowly developing a
sense of sacrifice in regards to his friends that trumps all of his previous
denotations on the term, is originally ruled to insure the success of the quest
above all else. Frequently this
further confirms his status as the jock, as he repeatedly volunteers to protect
someone who is assigned a specific task that is crucial in the progression of
the quest. He accompanies Piper
and Percy—although, let’s be honest, Piper
is the one accompanying them—to
attack the two giants in The Mark of
Athena. Grace graciously
volunteers to serve as Hazel’s safety net as they approach Sciron, a choice
which, while logical due to his specific powers, was necessarily surprising, as
his keen sense of justice and dedication to the quest isn’t a secret.
The
sacrificial distinction between the characters serves to define how others
perceive them. Percy Jackson, once
again returning to his roots as a rebellious nerd, wins the favor of gods and
beings that are routinely identified as persistent in their animosity towards
various aspects of his being. His
repeated effort to include Annabeth in his strategies wins him the favor of
Athena, despite the unsightly discord that exists between her and his
father. The unlikely victory he
experiences over the god of war in The
Lightning Thief, wins him the approval of Ares, albeit briefly. This is particularly remarkable, as he aggravated
the god directly before the duel and was, at the time, eleven years old. In turn, this furthered the opinion of
the other gods, especially those who are not necessarily fans of Ares. Also in his debut quest, Jackson, in a
moment fueled by his perceived injustice at the hands of the gods, mails the
head of Medusa to Mount Olympus, with only a note sending his best wishes. While Grover worried this would only
cause the gods to rain more destruction down upon their path, several of the
deities later admit to respecting the crassness of the move.
This
habit of taking risks and following his instincts could’ve very easily
backfired for Jackson. Had he
failed in his missions, he would’ve certainly been forced to pay at their
hands. However, as he is also
extremely skilled in dueling—not to mention, impeccably lucky at times—he
not only survives, but often comes out on top and, in the process, not only
wins the approval of several gods that are openly hard to impress, but manages
to teach them a thing or two as well.
Jason,
who adamantly relies on orders to follow, very rarely, if ever, actively
strives to upset the gods. He does
earn a decent amount of respect, as he is very successful in all of his
endeavors. However, while the
merit his methods earn him is satisfactory, he fails to share the same
closeness to some of the supporting gods that Jackson relishes. This proves that the gods, no matter
what form they may be in, and despite all of their complaints and objections,
truly do enjoy a rebel over a robotic repeater of orders. In short, where Percy’s risks sometimes
cause him to stumble, his strong dedication eventually pays off as he continues
to push until he receives the respect of the gods. Grace’s impressive lists of accomplishments, while demanding
some respect of their own, simply can’t compete.
Regardless
of the opinion of the somewhat cruel and judgmental gods, both characters prove
to be very solid leaders. Their
styles may differ but they do, at their very core, understand what it means to
lead their peers into a battle that could serve as their last. They are confident in their own
abilities and, as a result, don’t feel the need to assert their dominance. When the sacrifice that is required is
some measure of their power, they are willing to part with it, despite their
own sacrifices to accumulate the authority to begin with. Jackson eagerly awaits Annabeth’s
orders in both The Battle of the
Labryinth and The Mark of Athena. Jason eventually rises above his Roman
origins to part with his title as praetor, knowing that it is what must be done
for the sake of the quest. Both characters
know that, to get a little, one must give a little. Although, I do believe that Jason could do with a humbling
dose of the situation that caused Percy to suffer the afflictions he has cast
on his previous adversaries. While
I wish that suffering on no one, I can’t help but think, perhaps that, and that
alone, could awaken something akin to a personality amongst the generally cool
and collected officer.
From Gary King to Nicholas Angel: Are Percy and Jason good role models? I have rated both of these
characters individually in the past.
However, for their evaluations here, I will be comparing them to their
foil alone, as opposed to their previous ratings, which resulted from a
comparison in regards to the general population of other strong male characters. Percy is stubborn and rebellious,
insisting on paving his own path to the result he desires, even if the fates seem
determined to make it impossible for him.
While his capriciousness isn’t always exemplary, his dedication to find
a resolution that results in all of his friends and family alive and happy,
even if it costs him his own life in the process, is commendable. There is just a trait about Jackson
that allows me to admire him for who he is. He spits in the face of fate, despite knowing he will most
likely pay for it later. When the
consequences rain down on him, he acknowledges that he brought it on himself,
and yet still perseveres to reign victorious. At his very core, he is beyond tenacious about his adherence
to his own moral code that allows this nerdy outcast to very easily win my
favor. His best example, however,
is, by far, his ability to feel concern and worry, and yet manage to evade a
paralyzing fear. He tackles the
problems that chase him down one at a time, showing an admirable strength in
the face of adversity and deafening odds.
This, combined with his tenacity, creates a character that, in the
words of A Goofy Movie, won’t
stop until he starts to stand out.
Role Model Rating:
10/10
Jason is, in several aspects, the complete opposite of
Percy. He was created to serve as
the brunette’s foil—particularly in his ability to appear as a blonde
Superman. Where Percy is
snarky and rebellious, Jason is reliable and obedient—sort of like a dog. Percy, when presented with a choice,
will always play the riskier gamble, whereas Jason is inclined to decide, after
much thoughtful debate, to follow a sturdier structured plan. As I mentioned in Jason’s individual
post, this should serve to make this steadier character a better role model
than Jackson’s tempestuous recklessness.
However, this mechanical process can have some unexpected
consequences. The decision he
often comes to is in the best interest of the quest, not necessarily what is
best in the interest of his friends—although I can concede that this is in the
process of improving, as the series progresses. In the process of finding a solution, he often ignores the
instincts of his heart for the logic of his head for far too long, resulting in
prolonged debates that weren’t necessarily necessary. This also sends the message that emotions are
inconsequential and should, therefore, often be ignored—a prospect that can be
quite disastrous when taken to extremes—Bruce Banner can vouch for this. Finally, the jock-like role of
the character pits him as nothing more than a one-dimensional character, better
for nothing more than providing the muscle of the group—ironically, also
akin to The Hulk, as I picture Jason punching his fists into the ground and
grumbling, “Grace smash!”
While his strength and skill as a fighter is indisputably important in
regards to the success of the Seven in the Great Prophecy, it should not be the
only merit provided by the character, who’s meager contributions to the quest
range very little past a boy who’s lethal with a sword.
Role Model Rating: 4/10
From Peter Parker to Spider-Man: Are Percy and Jason relatable? As I mentioned previously, Percy, in his quirks and
oddities, naturally appeals to the type of fans that are inclined toward novels
such as The Percy Jackson and The Heroes of Olympus series. He’s constantly on the outskirts of
society, marked as a failure in school while the populace fails to recognize
the deeper potential that resides within him. This allows the audience to fantasize that we will
eventually find our own society in which we are accepted, thrive and succeed,
much as Percy was able to with Camp Half-Blood. His fundamental need to question authority is also relatable
to anyone—no matter their gender, race, etc. We all feel a need to prove others wrong and mark our own
path to stand out, something that Percy personifies perfectly, allowing the
audience to understand his motivations and ambitions with the ease of an old
friend.
Relatability Rating:
10/10
Jason, on the other hand, serves as a metaphorical Ken
doll—he’s attractive, athletic and accomplished. His ability to succeed so easily in the face of odds that
should be insurmountable make it very difficult for the mere mortals that
comprise the audience to relate to him.
Truthfully, the issue with Jason in terms of relatability is his
depiction. Until House of Hades, he’s portrayed as a legend,
not a person; someone so skilled and proficient that he seemed completely
falsified and unattainable—an imitation of a character, instead of a person
with tangible quirks and personality.
However, House of Hades
introduced a version of the character slightly more comfortable in his own
skin, including a resulting prospect of deeper insecurities and
complexities. His declaration of
Greek intentions could perhaps serve to propel his role as something other than
Piper’s boyfriend and the muscle of the Seven. Hopefully, future novels can broaden the character and allow
him to relate to the audience as something other than the Ken to Piper’s
Barbie.
Relatability Rating:
2/10
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