Hermes (to Percy): It was your father who warned me to stay away. Said it was awful watching you struggle and feel powerless to stop it. But that sometimes… that’s what parenting is.
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 6, with the title of ‘We Take a Zebra to Vegas’ (1×06). 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: 6
- Episode Name: We Take a Zebra to Vegas
- Production: Disney Branded Television, 20th Television (Disney+)
Why we collected this quote
We collected this because it reveals the hidden depth of the gods’ parenting. It shows that their distance isn’t always indifference; sometimes it’s a painful choice.
What does this quote mean? (Meaning & Context)
Hermes tells Percy that Poseidon warned him about the pain of watching his children struggle. He explains that “parenting” for a god often means standing back and letting them find their own way, even when it hurts to watch.
Book vs TV Series
This theme is consistent across the source material, whether from the Nereid or Hermes, who both explain the gods’ strict rule against direct interference. The show’s line is a concise and poignant reflection of the divine perspective. It captures the god’s pain of being compelled to observe their children suffer. It’s a direct thematic match that underscores the immense emotional cost of the gods’ rules.
