Harry Potter became a cop, Percy Jackson fixed the system
Only one of our beloved children's stories is a radical story of hope and resilience. Spoiler: it’s not Harry Potter
(disclaimer: i don’t support JKR’s hateful views, this is just commentary on my childhood reads)
Harry Potter and Percy Jackson were the pillars of my childhood entertainment. I read their series a thousand times each, and Harry Potter was my introduction to deeper thinking through pop philosophy.
After all, who better than a privileged boy, who grew up in an abusive household, and went on to fight for freedom and equality for all, to introduce a child to ethics and morals?
But when you look closely at both Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, you’ll notice that despite their good situations - sons of old powerful families, with more wealth, social capital and magical powers than their peers, they take very different roads in their fight for a better world.
Harry Potter joins the bad guys
At first glance, Harry Potter is exactly that: a fearless, kind, and selfless hero who fights oppression and helps his friends no matter the obstacle (well, except for the occasional ‘teenage drama’ slip-ups, we’ll forgive that). He doesn’t discriminate based on money, ancestry, ability or gender.
As Dumbledore says, “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light”. How much more hopeful and resilient can you get?
But the thing is, by the end of the series, Harry’s world doesn’t actually get better. Removing one bad leader, Voldemort, doesn’t fix a broken system. The deep-rooted issues of collaboration, inequality, and the aftermath of war didn’t disappear with his downfall. In the same way, defeating Voldemort didn’t magically reform the corrupt Ministry of Magic or solve the systemic injustices wizards had faced for years. Winning the battle is only the first step — what happens after the victory is what really counts.
And after the battle for Hogwarts is over, well, it’s not boding well. Dumbledore - the main counterpower to the Ministry - is dead (and no, three 18-year-olds aren’t able to do much in politics), house-elves remain enslaved, …
A very sad part of Harry Potter being paraded as a beacon of hope is all the children it leaves behind. The Slytherin students did embody that hope for a moment, when they decided to take a stand in the final battle and fight against their parents. And yet they are left on their own after that. An indoctrinated youth, even one with generational wealth, still needs support and help from adults - not more scorn and hatred. It feels like JKR stopped the ball just when it started rolling, and forgot that everyone in the story deserves love.
Worst of all, Harry becomes an Auror, that is to say an enforcer of all the policies that kept him with the Dursleys, being abused for 18 years. So instead of dismantling the system that failed him and countless others, Harry just sort of… joins it. There’s no real revolution, no breaking the wheel. Harry’s story is about personal survival and winning the battle, not about fixing the world’s bigger issues.
Percy is the hero we deserve
If there is anyone who embodies this idea of collective change for a better world, it’s Percy Jackson!
The gods in Percy’s world are a mess. They’ve been neglecting their demigod kids for centuries, causing all sorts of chaos, and abandoning their kids to be hunted by monsters. Percy could easily just fight beasts, save the day, and call it a win, but instead, he does something radical: he tells the gods to fix their mess. He fights his way up Mount Olympus and demands new rules be instituted, ones he doesn’t even benefit personally from.
At the end of book 1, when he finally meets his dad in person, his main demand is for the other gods to recognize their demigod children and to promise they’ll show up. He could ask to become a minor god himself so that he can be safe from monsters and see his dad more often - but he doesn’t.
In Percy’s world, it is capital for demigod children to be recognized by their Olympian parent. It allows them to settle in the correct group at camp, and to learn about their powers - on top of the emotional validation of course. The gods didn’t take their responsibilities seriously, and often let their kids wait for months or years in vain.
Percy changed the game by making recognition mandatory within a few days of the children’s arrival, and that was a tremendous ask for a demigod to make! He took this risk, not for himself or his friends–they were all recognized quickly– but for all the other kids he’s never met.
Percy’s story doesn’t end with him taking up some cushy job enforcing the same old rules. He’s not just about defeating Kronos and the Titans; he’s about making sure the world is actually better after the fighting is done.
That’s what makes him a true herald of hope — he believes that the world can change, even when it’s ruled by ancient, all-powerful gods who have been stuck in their ways forever.
Endwords
While Harry molded himself into the dysfunctions of the wizarding world, Percy didn’t rest until he had uplifted others. Instead of just enjoying the perks that come with having won the last battle, he actively fought for his fellow demigods, pushing for change and recognition from their parents. It’s this drive to make the world a better place, and his resolution not to stop until that is the case, that sets Percy apart. He understands that with great power comes great responsibility, and he uses his status to advocate for those who aren’t as fortunate.
In the end, both heroes teach us valuable lessons about using our privileges for good. But Rick Riordan, author of Percy Jackson, truly nailed the spirit of hope: he reminds us that rebellion isn’t just about surviving the challenges we face; it’s about using our strengths to lift others up and create a brighter future, together.
Thank you for reading my first essay ever! If you enjoyed it, feel free to let me know in the comments or by email — and if you loved it, don’t forget to subscribe for more!
I plan to write on reading, and sci-fi/fantasy books more generally, and you’re always welcome to suggest a topic :)
I LOVE PERCY JACKSON. Thanks for doing him justice.
This is a great first post, Rose! What a fresh and insightful take. I didn't read Percy Jackson growing up, and now I feel I missed out! See you at WoP and look forward to reading more.