Annabeth Chase (to Percy): For a while, I was treated like a gift. My father cared for me. He loved me. I knew it. Then he met a woman. They had their own kids. And to her, I–I wasn’t a gift. I was a problem. So I left. I was seven. It isn’t the gods who think that way. It’s everybody. But at least with the gods you know the rules. Show them respect and they’ll be in your corner, no matter what.
Where does this quote come from? (Source)
This quote comes from a TV series ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’. The scene where this moment comes from is in Season 1 Episode 4, with the title of ‘I Plunge to My Death’ (1×04). Percy Jackson is based on a book series of the same name written by Rick Riordan. The series Percy Jackson and the Olympians is produced by Disney Branded Television and 20th Television (Disney+)
- TV Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians (2023)
- Season: 1
- Episode: 4
- Episode Name: I Plunge to My Death
- Production: Disney Branded Television, 20th Television (Disney+)
Why we collected this quote
We chose this quote because it reveals Annabeth’s cynicism. It’s a sad look into why she ran away from home at seven years old.
What does this quote mean? (Meaning & Context)
Annabeth counters Percy’s idealism. She explains that her human family treated her as a “problem” once she was no longer a “gift.” She believes the gods are actually better than humans because their rules (transactional loyalty) are at least clear and predictable.
Book vs TV Series
Annabeth’s escape from her stepfamily in the book is rooted in feeling like a “freak.” This quote hardens Annabeth’s worldview with a cynical statement. She’s basically arguing that the gods’ transactional cruelty is merely a reflection of universal human nature. The show uses this line to justify her preference for the demigod world, at least the gods’ rules are clear, unlike the confusing cruelty of humans. It’s a very mature and cynical take for a young hero.
