Luke's betrayal in the Percy Jackson books and Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+ is one of those moments many audiences wish they could experience for the first time again.
At the end of The Lightning Thief — and therefore also at the end of Season 1 of the television adaptation — Luke (played onscreen by Charlie Bushnell) reveals that he is the Lightning Thief, and has been working for the enemy, Kronos, from the start.
This betrayal makes so much sense in hindsight — the explanation had been building up piece by piece all along.
[ Every Percy Jackson Book In Order (Chronological) - How to Read All Rick Riordan Books In Series ]
Why Did Luke Betray Percy In The Lightning Thief Book?
The Lightning Thief book by Rick Riordan and the Percy Jackson and the Olympians show go about the reveal of Luke's betrayal somewhat differently, and focus on different specifics within the argument. But, they do ultimately cover fairly similar ground.
In the book, Luke explains his reasoning while slowly poisoning Percy with a scorpion. He begins by talking about how he feels that what the demigods do is "useless," arguing that the gods "should've been overthrown thousands of years ago," but have managed to stay "thanks to us half-bloods:"
"'I saw a lot out there in the world, Percy,' Luke said. 'Didn't you feel it—the darkness gathering, the monsters growing stronger? Didn't you realize how useless it all is? All the heroics—being pawns of the gods. They should've been overthrown thousands of years ago, but they've hung on, thanks to us half-bloods."
Luke explains to Percy that he thinks "'Western civilization' [as the gods created it] is a disease." Luke tells Percy that in order "to stop it" he thinks they need to "burn it to the ground" and begin all over again:
"'Luke...you're talking about our parents,' I [Percy] said.
He laughed. 'That's supposed to make me love them? Their precious 'Western civilization' is a disease, Percy. It's killing the world. The only way to stop it is to burn it to the ground, start over with something more honest.'"
Percy saying that the titan Kronos is "brainwashing" Luke only leads to latter doubling down. The older demigod explains to Percy that "after all the training [he'd] done," Hermes could only give him a quest that was a repeat of one Hercules did.
Luke argues that there is no "glory in repeating what others have done," and that the gods can only "replay their past." After "all [he] got was pity" for the scar he received on the quest, he "wanted to pull Olympus down stone by stone right then," but was patient:
"'You're wrong. He showed me that my talents are being wasted. You know what my quest was two years ago, Percy? My father, Hermes, wanted me to steal a golden apple from the Garden of the Hesperides and return it to Olympus. After all the training I'd done, that was the best he could think up.'
'That's not an easy quest,' I [Percy] said. 'Hercules did it.'
'Exactly,' Luke said. 'Where's the glory in repeating what others have done? All the gods know how to do is replay their past. My heart wasn't in it. The dragon in the garden gave me this'—he pointed angrily at his scar—'and when I came back, all I got was pity. I wanted to pull Olympus down stone by stone right then, but I bided my time.'"
This, Luke says, was when Kronos started speaking to him in his dreams. The titan had tried to pull this with Percy in order to convince him too, but to no avail.
Luke then explains how he successfully betrayed Percy, before returning to his reasons why. When Percy brings up Luke's friend Thalia, who had been turned into a tree, Luke says that "the gods let her die," and it is among "the many things they will pay for."
Luke proceeds to try to help Percy see it his way, bringing up how there is little Poseidon had "ever done for" his son. But ultimately, Luke says, Percy "only delayed [Kronos'] plans," and the only ones who will survive are "the strongest—the ones who serve him:"
"'Thalia gave her life to save you,' I [Percy] said, gritting my teeth. 'And this is how you repay her?'
'Don't speak of Thalia!' he shouted. 'The gods let her die! That's one of the many things they will pay for.'
'You're being used, Luke. You and Ares both. Don't listen to Kronos.'
'I've been used?' Lukes voice turned shrill. 'Look at yourself. What has your dad ever done for you? Kronos will rise. You've only delayed his plans. He will cast the Olympians into Tartarus and drive humanity back to their caves. All except the strongest—the ones who serve him.'"
Before leaving, he reminds Percy that "there is a new Golden Age coming," and Percy "won't be part of it."
Why Did Luke Betray Percy In The Percy Jackson Show?
In Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+, the reveal of Luke's betrayal is handled somewhat differently, even though the reasoning is relatively similar.
The scene in the show featured an active sword fight between Luke and Percy, instead of a slow poisoning. Also Annabeth was present invisibly for the reveal in the show, which did not happen on the page.
The book version sees Luke try to convince Percy to see things his way, and later books feature Luke continuing to actively try and recruit Percy. But book-Luke really was planning to kill Percy, while show-Luke was more focused on convincing Percy to join him and Kronos.
Luke insists to Percy that he actually does care about the younger demigod, and that "none of this was meant to betray" him.
He declares that "the gods are [his] enemy," in a line similar to his explanation in The Lightning Thief, but focuses on a different piece more closely — the control of the gods in their lives.
Luke criticizes how "the gods want us to fight for them, worship them, fear them," and never consider "what we want."
Like in the book, Percy tried to help Luke see that "this is Kronos" putting these ideas in Luke's head. Luke refuses to believe it, insisting that Kronos "opened [his] eyes to the truth."
Then, taking parts of the line from the end of the conversation in the book, Luke refers to a "Golden Age" of Titan rule. He hopes Percy will join him and "help Kronos bring the Golden Age back."
This is where the sword fight begins. While the dialogue is certainly not identical to the book — especially when it refers to Percy meeting Hermes, which was a scene exclusive to the show — it has the same energy and meaning.
Luke is impatient, wants to change the status quo, but through the wrong methods and for the wrong reasons. Percy does all he can to try and turn his former friend around. Then, Luke leaves camp.
Reasons For Betrayal From Other PJO Books (+ Show Speculation)
Warning: This section contains spoilers for the entire Percy Jackson and the Olympians book series by Rick Riordan.
Again, though the two are not identical, Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+ has maintained the authenticity of its source material.
As such, the more complex layers of Luke's beliefs and reasons for siding with Kronos to destroy Olympus revealed throughout the rest of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians novels will likely make their way onto the screen too.
For instance, The Sea of Monsters (which will be the basis for Season 2) sees a meeting between Luke and both Percy and Annabeth.
Throughout, Luke tries more explicitly than in The Lightning Thief to recruit Percy — and Annabeth, too, though presumably for the first time. In doing so, he goes a bit deeper into his rationale for his betrayal in The Lightning Thief.
He again criticizes Western civilization, calling it "rotten to the core" and saying that "it has to be destroyed:"
"The gods have blinded you. Can't you imagine a world without them, Annabeth? What good is that ancient history you study? Three thousand years of baggage! The West is rotten to the core. It has to be destroyed."
Later in the scene, Percy mentions Hermes, and Luke begins to reveal the more personal reasons behind his decisions. Percy tells Luke that Hermes "won't give up on" him, and Luke responds, saying that Hermes "abandoned" him:
"'He [Hermes] told me [Percy] he won't give up on you, no matter how angry you are.'
'Angry?' Luke roared. 'Give up on me? He abandoned me, Percy! I wanted Olympus destroyed! Every throne crushed to rubble!'"
In the final book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, The Last Olympian, this more personal reason is explored in great detail.
In short, the actions of the gods surrounding the Great Prophecy (which has been looming in the background since book one) indirectly led to Luke's mother, May Castellan, learning that there was darkness in her son's future. She was angry with Hermes for being unwilling to try and prevent it.
Hermes, though, knew that Luke would have to be the one to sacrifice himself in the end, and so was unwilling to toy with fate that would save or destroy the world. But, he did not trust that he could avoid trying to save his son, so he distanced himself from Luke.
This led to Luke feeling abandoned by his father, as he was unaware of these surrounding events, and the role he would play in eventually saving the world. This abandonment, combined with Kronos' convincing and seeming logic, brought Luke to where he was in The Lightning Thief.
Interestingly, though none of this is revealed until the fifth book, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians Disney+ series has started laying the groundwork for it already.
In Season 1, Episode 6, Annabeth talks about meeting May, and reveals she is a "seer," as in "a human who can see through the mist." She alludes to May possibly having lost part of her sanity after seeing something, but does not get more specific.
It will be interesting to see how this effects the way Percy learns about Luke's past and deeper reasoning for the decisions he made — especially if the show continues beyond Season 2.
Season 1 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is available to stream on Disney+.
Read more about Percy Jackson on The Direct:
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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.
