saw a tiktok pointing out that book!annabeth would not stand for how people are treating leah. and i've never heard a truer statement. just know that every iteration of annabeth chase (book, musical, AND movie) would rock y'all's shit. best believe.

percy: thanks for not telling annabeth what happened

grover, dumbfounded: i don’t even know where to begin trying to explain this

CONGRATS LEAH AND WALKER

The thing that I haven't seen anyone talk about re: Leah as Annabeth that we really need to is that yeah she's not blonde, so she's not giving any anti-"dumb blonde" representation. But "dumb blonde" is not the same stereotype it was in the early/mid-2000s. I grew up blonde, and I was smart, and I was treated that way, minus a handful of "blonde" jokes on like the school playground. There was no societal expectation that I would be treated dumb because of my hair color, not from my teachers or other adults I encountered. We no longer need the blonde Annabeth Chase to help show kids that they can be smart even if they have light hair. Book Annabeth did it, Elle Woods changed the world already, etc etc.

BUT there is just as much stereotype around "Black women are dumb" as there was around "dumb blondes" in the early/mid-2000s (if not more). It's a lot more racially motivated, and it has a lot more knock-on effects than being blonde has for decades. In addition to historic inequality that has led to Black people (esp girls) being denied access to education and able to like afford to pursue things on their own, people treat Black women as dumb. They just do. Just as stereotypical as the "angry Black woman" is that they are not smart, from stigmatism against AAVE to just general racism, internalized or otherwise. Portraying a Black girl as smart is not unheard of, but it's something society needs to see more of. It's something We need to internalize and accept and take into our everyday lives. Annabeth being smart and Black is representation we need, for all the BIPOC little girls and the rest of the world.

Annabeth no longer needs to be blonde. She is just as strong of a character as a Black girl, and still breaking stereotypes and working to improve the social view of girls. Perhaps even more.

Representation has power. Media has power. I think it's really powerful that Rick (et al) can see that power they're wielding, and use it to continue to make a difference that is positive and keeping with the spirit and message of the series as a whole.

I figured it was finally time I drew Athena...

Goddess of Wisdom and Battle Strategy

🫒🦉

Drop some drawing suggestions in my inbox?

Percy age 12: And if the mission required someone to push me down a flight of stairs for it to succeed… you’d want someone who won’t hesitate when they do it

Percy age 17:

Everyone holding Annabeth to an impossible Standard

And then there’s Percy

#Something something about Annabeth expecting help from her mother because she was always the perfect kid but getting sent to her own death and Percy expecting nothing because he doesn't believe in his dad and despite everything being saved from death by him

Bonus:

“Percy, you can't ship Medusa's head to Olympus.” “Why not?”

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS (2023-) S01E03 | “We Visit the Garden Gnome Emporium”

while we're on the topic of talking about changes the pjo show made that i love, im glad they didn't push the whole Annabeth saying she and Percy *have* to be enemies because athena and Poseidon have beef. Instead she's just this cryptid autistic strategist 12 yr old who stalks Percy and pushes him into the water. She's like "hmm this white boy will perfectly serve my purpose and schemes" and she's so real for that

gotta say hearing luke tell percy that annabeth is head counselor of the athena cabin and the cut to annabeth herself—my mind instantly went “what??? how??? she’s twelve???” like I KNOW she’s head counselor. I’ve known since I was in second grade. but actually SEEING a twelve year old child being put in charge of a cabin full of teenagers rewired something in my brain. and that’s how I know seeing these kids fight is going to break me

i just want to say that the purpose of the first act of in any story is to establish rules and set up promises that the final act will pay off. and there's a good likelihood that some of the changes that rick made in the show are just that. so respectfully. sit tight and let him cook. a watched pot never boils.

chiron: i hope you all make it to adulthood!

percy: that’s a great prayer

annabeth: a needed one

grover: a needed one indeed

Rick on threads recently

I hope they don’t change too much but I’ll be happy w whatever they decide

Percy Jackson and the Olympians | 1x07 "We Find Out the Truth, Sort Of"

Annabeth 🧢