Even the most diehard Percy Jackson book fans may have been scratching their heads over Augustus, a character unique to Disney+'s Percy Jackson and the Olympians, seen during Episode 6.
The Disney+ series has been very faithful to the novels by Rick Riordan which inspired it. Beyond that, though, the show made an effort to introduce elements that were not in the book to complement the familiar sequences fans already know and love.
This has been particularly noteworthy as it pertains to Grover's story.
Do not misunderstand — Aryan Simhadri's character is certainly very important in The Lightning Thief. But, the show brings new depth to Grover and even digs a bit into the Satyr's family, community, and backstory.
Who Is Augustus in Percy Jackson Cast?
Augustus is an older Satyr who knew Grover before setting out on a quest to find Pan and is brand new for Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+.
Grover found the Satyr (played by Ted Dykstra) in the Lotus Hotel and Casino. Despite knowing that the casino's trickery already entranced him, Grover used the opportunity to tell him how his Uncle Ferdinand (seen in statue form in Episode 3, thanks to Medusa) was inspired by him.
Augustus may have vaguely recognized a mention of Ferdinand, as evidenced by his slow utterance of the name after Grover said it, but quickly bounced back into the trance he was in.
He then ushered Grover deeper into the casino, promising the younger Satyr that he found the elusive nature god Pan. Finding Pan is the quest of any Satyr who becomes a searcher, with the idea being that the lost god can help preserve the natural world.
Skeptical but curious (and perhaps already a bit dazed by the Lotus enchantment being pumped into the air at the Lotus Hotel and Casino, which makes people lose memories and any sense of time passing), Grover followed him.
Augustus offered Grover a taste of his snack (which he revealed to be nacho chips), but Grover declined, thinking it was a Lotus Flower.
Earlier, Grover, Percy, and Annabeth had agreed not to eat anything, as there is a myth about a beach where people eat Lotus flowers and forget who they are.
Suddenly, Grover began to feel the effects of the casino more explicitly, forgetting who he came with. Augustus told him that they were there together, and led him further, saying they were looking for Pan.
Augustus Meeting Percy and Annabeth
Augustus made one more appearance in the episode when a dazed Percy was trying to remember who Grover was.
He saw the older Satyr and mistook him for Grover, saying "Grover got old."
Then, after snapping out of it, he and Annabeth chased him down, tackled him, and had him lead them to Grover so they could all continue on their quest together.
When they found Grover, he was in the middle of what looked like a virtual reality game, wherein he was looking for Pan.
It is possible that this was what Augustus was referring to when he told Grover that he found the nature god there.
The first six episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians are now streaming on Disney+.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
