Much has been made in recent years over Disney’s interest in finding their own Harry Potter franchise. But truthfully, they may have already found it in Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

Despite being on the small screen, Percy Jackson continues to have similar benefits. It’s got a young cast who are growing up together onscreen, features mystical powers and beings and continues to lay the pieces for what should be an epic finale when the series. What’s more, because it’s based on an already successful book series, the path of its franchise is already laid out, offering more consistent storytelling. Now, the epic adventures of Percy Jackson have returned to Disney+ with more maturity and more monster-mashes.

In the second season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, we find that Camp Half-Blood’s protective border has been breached, leading to a potential invasion from outsiders. While this situation would be stressful enough for Percy (Walker Scobell), things escalate when he discovers that his best friend Grover is missing as well. Fearing the worst, Percy, Annabeth and Percy’s half-brother Tyson embark on a quest to save their friend and retrieve the only item that can save their summer home – The Golden Fleece.

One simply can’t deny the fact that, in its second season, the series continues to come into its own. The production design is good, especially considering the special required for a series such as this. Characters feel like they’ve matured and new ones add to the tension. (Although, one cannot help but miss the late Lance Reddick who passed away between seasons.) Mythical monsters (and guest stars) remain aplenty to appeal to a broad audience.

And, most importantly of all, it continues to be very entertaining, especially for younger viewers.

Adapted for the small screen by creator Rick Riordan, one can sense the care that has gone into the series’ development. Unlike the film versions, the Disney+ series takes its time with its storytelling and allows for its characters to grow at a reasonable pace.

In short, moments seem to matter more here than they did in the films.

A big part of the success stems from the growth of young Walker Scobell who has matured greatly in between seasons. As Percy grows into his knowledge of the mystical world, so too does Scobell show more promise as the series’ lead. In Season Two, Scobell simply seems more confident in his approach to his character. Given the opportunity to wield his sword, he reveals more focus in his eyes. When asked to be dramatic, he has more command in his voice. Even so, he still feels… normal. Despite being a ‘son of Poseidon’, Scobell plays young Percy with an innocence (and, arguably, an immaturity) that feels genuine and appropriate for his age. In this way, he continues to develop his skills as an actor while still remaining relatable to young people as well.

In the series’ second season, Jackson and the crew embark on another quest. (Although, this time, they do so without the blessing of their camp leader, Tantalus (Timothy Simons). Setting out on their own, the team find themselves in similar situations as the first season. Suddenly, they’re thrown against mythical beings who will stop at nothing to prevent them from reaching their final goal.

But this season differs in the way that Percy handles his god-like struggles. In the new season, Percy has fully accepted his parentage and seems to lean into his destiny as a hero. He’s more headstrong and willing to take on the mythological world.

Yet, with maturity comes complexity. And Percy is starting to feel the weight of expectation on his life.

He wants to be a hero but, suddenly, new prophecies suggest that his decisions will have greater effect on the world around him. His desire to do the right thing mixed with his youth can lead to rash decisions. In short, every choice he makes could have massive consequences. This pressure forces Percy out of his depth (pun intended) in ways that he isn’t quite prepared for. Facing off against Kraken-like beasts and armies of the undead are par for the course for Jackson. But it’s the call to grow up that seems difficult for him in his over-confident youth.

It’s this character growth that shines through in Percy’s second go-around on Disney+. Given more meaty material, Scobell steps up, showing a maturity that wasn’t there in the first season. And, assuming the opportunity arises, our family will be ready to hit the high seas with them again next year.

Percy Jackson S2 begins streaming on Disney+ on Wednesday, December 10th, 2025.