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Get To Know Medusa in ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’

Jessica Parker Kennedy as Medusa in Percy Jackson
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Percy Jackson fans haven’t forgotten the neat trick Percy pulled off against the Queen of the Gorgons in the first movie. Although Medusa doesn’t live long, even in the books, Percy Jackson and the Olympians might find a way to surprise fans of the franchise.

Annabeth, Grover, and Percy found themselves wandering into Medusa’s lair in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. They only found out because Grover realized that one of the statues in the garden looked a little too similar to his uncle, who died because of Medusa.

Morbid family reunions aside, Medusa also hated both Annabeth and Percy, both of whom are children of the gods responsible for her demise. Luckily, none of them turned to stone because Percy was able to fight and behead Medusa by watching her reflection on a chrome iPod. No other slay could be more innovative than that.

No matter how brief Medusa’s appearance was, it’s arguably still one of the most memorable scenes in the first movie, bolstered by its goofy ending and Uma Thurman’s superb acting. I would open my eyes for her too, even if it turned me into stone. A different actress has taken on the role of Medusa in the Disney+ original series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, however.

Who plays Medusa in Percy Jackson and the Olympians?

The new Medusa, as portrayed by Jessica Parker Kennedy, is a great fit for the show. In her role as Nora West-Allen in The Flash, Jessica was able to portray a young woman who recently discovered her powers and the joy and responsibility that comes with them, forced to simultaneously deal with feelings of betrayal, grief, and helplessness. You might also recognize her from her role as Max in Black Sails, or her brief stint as Plastique in Smallville.

It’s been great to see Percy and his friends take on one of their most formidable foes once more.

(featured image: Disney+)

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Vanessa Esguerra
Vanessa Esguerra (She/They) has been a Contributing Writer for The Mary Sue since 2023. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy, she (happily) rejected law school in 2021 and has been a full-time content writer since. Vanessa is currently taking her Master's degree in Japanese Studies in hopes of deepening her understanding of the country's media culture in relation to pop culture, women, and queer people like herself. She speaks three languages but still manages to get lost in the subways of Tokyo with her clunky Japanese. Fueled by iced coffee brewed from local cafés in Metro Manila, she also regularly covers anime and video games while queuing for her next match in League of Legends.

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