It's no secret that Rick Riordan based his Percy Jackson & the Olympians series on Greek mythology. This is why there are bits and pieces of Greek mythology sprinkled around in his writing and the TV adaptation of his novel. One thing we're looking into in this explainer guide is the Hephaestus Chair in Percy Jackson & the Olympians episode 5.
Here's what we know about this throne.
What is the Hephaestus Chair in Greek Mythology?
In Greek mythology, Hephaestus was the god of metalworking and fire, thus named the blacksmith of the Gods. He was an artisan and the son of Hera without a father.
Since Hera rejected him, Hephaestus created a golden throne to get his revenge on her. The story in Greek mythology shares that once Hera sits on the throne, she can no longer get up from it unless he decides so.
What is the Hephaestus Chair in Percy Jackson and the Olympians?
In the source material written by Rick Riordan, Hephaestus, and his chair play a vital role. But his presence is not found until the third book, Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse.
In the books, Hephaestus' chair was described by Percy Jackson as a "La-Z-Boy type design covered in bronze and silver gears and whirring with secret gears and mechanics." Thanks to Hephaestus' craftsmanship, his throne has a built-in defense system that has purple energy tendrils and can shoot electricity.
The chair is situated in the Hall of the Gods, between Apollo and Hermes' thrones.
When Does Hephaestus' Chair Appear in Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series?
There was a slight change made in Percy Jackson and the Olympians episode 5. While trying to retrieve information from Ares (played by Adam Copeland), the God of War asks them to go on a side quest to retrieve his shield from a waterpark.
In the book, the trio go together to complete this mission. But in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, only Percy (played by Walker Scobell) and Annabeth (played by Leah Sava Jeffries) go to the waterpark. Meanwhile, Grover (played by Aryan Simhadri) stays at the diner to get information from Ares.
Another change that was made in episode five is the side quest that the heroes perform. Instead of facing thousands of metal spiders set by Hephaestus (played by Timothy Omundson), they come face to face by Hephaestus' golden chair.
Since the two already know what this is, Percy selflessly decides to sit so Annabeth can get Ares' shield. Once Percy sits on the chair, he starts turning to gold. The blacksmith appears before her and encourages her to leave Percy behind.
But Annabeth declines and begs Hephaestus to free Percy since he is not clouded by power or glory. Annabeth also tells Hephaestus that Percy doesn't want to be like the other gods.
This convinces Hephaestus. He knows Percy is good and tests Annabeth's loyalty. In the end, he tells her that she's a good kid and that he'll put in a good word to Athena, her mother.
Although the change isn't a big one, it gives us a glimpse of the budding love and deep friendship Annabeth and Percy have developed since they first met. And with more battles to come, theirs is the kind of trust that can never go wrong.
Follow our Facebook page for more news coverage and other explainer articles.
RELATED: What Does the St Louis Arch Mean in Percy Jackson? Scene Explained