So, before I read the book series and heard a summary of Trials of Apollo, and I assumed that when Apollo became mortal he also lost all his memories.
As in, he came to camp half blood like any other demigod, except with no memories, which is immediately concerning.
But like… he’s now just this stupidly powerful unclaimed demigod and nobody really knows what to make of it.
None of the other gods know where he went besides Zeus and no one but Artemis seems to care.
So the goddess goes on a quest to find her missing brother.
Meanwhile, Apollo/Lester is unclaimed, but it is blatantly obvious to everyone that he’s an Apollo camper (Or so they think)
The end of the first book would culminate in Artemis finding her brother and telling him in front of everyone who he really is, leaving Lester with the knowledge of that he is the man he thought was his father and the Apollo campers havin to come to terms with the fact that the boy they thought was their brother is actively their father.
I of course like the direction the series actually went in, but I just this would be a good gut punch.
Apollo spends time with all of his children. He visits Camp a lot, and they do things together. Watching movies, going hiking, arguing about the books they’ve been reading. He’s not sure that he’s a very good father, but he’s trying.
He also takes time for each of them individually. He takes Austin to watch jazz bands and when Austin gets a slot performing at a small venue, Apollo is in the crowd.
It turns out Will has a natural talent for driving the sun chariot. Apollo is relieved that he doesn’t have to relive the terror of letting Thalia take the wheel. Thank the gods his child is better at driving than his sister. Sometimes he and Will head out from camp and just drive around, listening to music and talking. Will has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders and it gives him a break.
Kayla is extremely competitive, and she’s never disheartened that her father has an unnatural ability in archery. In fact, she uses it as motivation to improve. They talk about the process of qualifying for the Olympics and what she’ll need to do. Apollo becomes her unofficial coach, and he even gets to meet her other dad again at one of her competitions.
He takes time getting to know his other children. At first, they’re confused. Was he always at Camp? Did he distance himself from them until they got there? He chooses to be honest with them. He could lie, and tell them he’s always visited Camp Half-Blood. But he knows now that he only hurts people by lying and pretending that he’s a better person than he is.
Piano lessons with Meg are predictably chaotic. He discovers that god or not, she’s not afraid to punch him in the ribs when he annoys her, which she seems to do more often than is reasonable. It unnerves him that Peaches also seems to show up every time he’s teaching Meg, as if he’s threatening Apollo.
Nico remains thoroughly unimpressed by him, but they begin to develop a friendship. He understands that Nico is reserved because he’s hurting. Apollo doesn’t push him to talk, but he makes it clear that if Nico ever needs anything, he will do what he can. He is happy to see that Nico and Will are happy together, and sometimes Apollo will take over healing duties at Camp so that Will can take time off and take Nico on a date.
Weekly pinochle tournaments are now a thing. Apollo and Dionysus have even drawn up a score board, and they take the competition seriously. At least, that’s what they like to pretend. Really, they just enjoy spending time together and talking as brothers. Chiron is resigned to their competitive attitude, but he can always be found on the porch, talking with them.
During their first winter break, Percy and Annabeth drop by and visit Camp. There are fewer people there than during the summer, but sometimes, less is more. The year rounders decorate the dining pavilion and all of the cabins, and even Mr. D gets into the Christmas spirit after being pestered by Nico, and agrees to decorate the big house. He tried to protest, arguing that Greek gods do not celebrate Christmas, but after the fifth zombie popped up in his path he gave up and agreed to join in. Percy and Annabeth bring lots of stories from Camp Jupiter and their first semester at New Rome University. They also bring plenty of photos of Estelle, and all of the campers agree that she is family.
They Iris message the Waystation, Meg, and Hazel and Frank at Camp Jupiter. Who knew four-way Iris messages were possible. Suddenly the room is full of familiar faces and voices, exchanging news. Apollo thinks that in all of his life, this is the most perfect holiday he’s ever had.
I don’t know why but I have this headcanon that the Apollo kids have an older sister who lives in NYC. She’s like 22 or something as of TOA, so she was only around 19 when Lee was killed and then a year later Michael died, so she feels pretty responsible because she’d gone off to college to start her life, and although she rushed to join the battles she couldn’t save her brothers.
But she’s that cool older sister. She’s really into music, she plays guitar in a band and sings, and when she was a kid she participated in a lot of theater. When Will and Nico are annoyed with everyone at camp she lets them crash at her place and they stay up late watching tv and she doesn’t care if they go to the movies and come home late as long as she knows they’re safe.
She doesn’t take any shit from Mr. D and she’s only two years older than Castor and Pollux so was pretty good friends with them when they were all kids. She’d just laugh when Mr. D would try giving her a hard time and he has grudging respect for her because of this.
She was left at camp when she was really young, younger than Annabeth even and so she looks up to Chiron as a parent. She’s tried to be there for her younger siblings, but in that chaotic way you do when you’re not raised in a typical family and don’t actually have a great role model to follow. She remembers the things Chiron taught her, not just about studying but also about being kind and showing up for your friends, and she tries to model those things in how she interacts with her siblings.
She listens to Will and tries to guide him through his task of leading the Apollo cabin. Austin hangs out with her and they play music together and she takes him to see all the cool bands in the city. Kayla is relieved that she has an older sister and they talk about growing up and figuring out who you want to be and how you’re supposed to have anything close to a normal dating life when you live at Camp Half-Blood. Neither of them are really interested in their hair or makeup but sometimes they will dye each other’s hair and they wander around the stores and pick out ridiculous outfits that they think are ugly and are never going to buy.
Apollo disappointed her a lot. He was never really there for her, as he was never there for any of them. And there’s a part of her that resented him for this, particularly after Lee died and he didn’t even visit any of them. But she would have never considered joining Luke to fight against the gods. Not because she thinks the gods are right, she doesn’t. But because she loves Camp Half-Blood and everyone who lives there too much, and she wants to build something better, not tear down the world.
So there you go. A headcanon that has absolutely no basis in anything RR has written but that still feels very real to me.
Ok so in Tower of Nero, when Apollo and Nico and Will visit Rachel in Brooklyn, she mentions her weird neighbors who live in a mansion that Apollo can’t see and occasionally has penguins on the front desk. Remind you of anything?
That’s right, the Kanes are Rachel’s neighbors. This has so much great crossover potential, I love it.
I LOVE THIS IDEA WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME THIS SOONER WE NEED A CROSSOVER
grecia reading The Trials of Apollo #1: the hidden oracle
first impression: the covers of this saga look actuallydope
“My name is apollo. I used to be a god” hi sweetheart
“I inflicted a plague on the Greeks who besieged Troy.” can u shut the fuck up
WHO TF IS LAST-NAMED PAPADOPOULOS IM CRYING
A four thousand year old god being afraid of a 12y.o girl? this is amazing
“I know someone who might help. He lives on the Upper East Side. Take me to him, and I shall reward you.” let it be who i’m thinking of please
“Zeus did not answer. He was probably too busy recording my humiliation to share on Snapchat.” Help me
“Let’s find Percy Jackson.”’ WAAAAAAAA
“For children blessed with an immortal parent, they were strangely sensitive about their backgrounds.” this bitch didnt just say blessed
“the young man swung open the apartment door and said, “Why?” As usual, I was struck by his resemblance to his father, Poseidon. He had the same sea-green eyes, the same dark tousled hair, the same handsome features that could shift from humor to anger so easily.” PERCY MY BELOVED SON, MY FIRSTBORN HI BABY BOY
“sacred sybil” ??? “Are u cursed?” what the actual fuck apollo
“The war ended in August. It’s January.” percy is 17 im gonna fucking SOB
sally finally got to write her book <333
“He smiled, and some of that old demigod mischief twinkled in his eyes.” STOP
“Some of the best demigods have gotten their start by blowing up toilets.” *sobs in the lightning thief*
“I did not like the way she was grinning at Percy. I didn’t want the girl to develop a crush. We might never get out of here” LMFAO everyone falls in love with my boy i know he’s so gorgeous he’s stunning he’s mesmerizing
Because Poseidon
“I keep thinking, I have now killed every single thing in Greek mythology. But the list never seems to end.” “You haven’t killed me yet” “Don’t tempt me.” percy is so done w apollo’s shit
“The calmness of his eyes, the smile resting easily on his lips, the way his hair curled around his ears…” oh? look at that! im sobbing!
“crotchkicker mccaffrey” I CACKLED
WAAAAAAAAHH NICO HI MY BABY
significant annoyance
“they were so cute together it made me feel desolate” istg
not paolo’s arms JFJKFKS
“She’s a communist!” JFKFKDJF THIS CSNT BE REAL
apollo sayin’ gay relationships w gods can also have children might be the best thing i’ve read
MY CHILDREN KAYLA AND AUSTIN ARE MISSING WHAT
paolo got his leg sewed for god’s sake
will being a doctor in charge and nico his little nurse this is good food
rachel elizabeth dare my redhead beloved so pleased to see u again !! <3
rachel jealous over apollo having more oracles bestie pls
apollo using meg’s rings as a necklace </3
apollo’s thoughts about daphne in the woods oh the poetic tragedy of a lost love <\3
“rhea’s laugh reminded me of a piglet with asthma” HELP ME??
who’s the emperors??? nero??? caligula??? commodus?? TELL ME
OH IT’S NERO
apollo’s melancholy singing for daphne & hyacinthus <\333
‘“Sing. Sing like you did before" “I—I can’t. My voice is almost gone.” Besides, I thought, I don’t want to risk losing you again.’ man dont do this to me
"I love the Internet! It is impossible for me to fade completely now. I am immortal on Wikipedia!” i DID SEARCH THIS DUDE, sorry apollo
MEG WHAT DID YOU DO
"Artemis shot me in the groin because I was flirting with her Hunters.” JDFKDFK GO BESTIE
“I stared at my beloved Dumpster waif. Yes, somehow over the past week she had become beloved to me.” awe
The dryads & zephyros helping apollo in the woods <3
“Will, Kayla, Austin. Come with me” “And Nico. I have a doctor’s note” boi ur doctor’s note only consist on being by will’s side
WAAAAAAAHHH MY OCEAN BABY BOY IS HERE
“I wanted to flirt with Chiara and steal her away from Damien…or perhaps steal Damien away from Chiara, I wasn’t sure yet.” this dude is so painfully bisexual it kills me
percy & rachel together again it’s been so long since i read them interact <3
MY FIRE BOY AND MY GIRL ARE BACKKKK
they’re beating the shit out of my boy leo
“When they first saw each other, Percy and Calypso had hugged awkwardly. I hadn’t witnessed such a tense greeting since Patroclus met Achilles’s war prize, Briseis. (Long story. Juicy gossip. Ask me later.)” DUDE YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME
“piece of torta” help. also my water boi & fire boi giving each other a high five
apollo, leo & calypso walking together to the amphitheater <3
grecia reading Trials of Apollo #2: the dark prophecy
LEONIDAS- NO PUEDE SWR
Calypso just punched the shit out of that oldass lady, go bestie !!
“The most worthless of teens!” JFKSKDK calypso istg
leo wearing overalls tho
“Our adopted daughter” GO LESBIANS
not apollo thinkin’ the hunters of artemis are some kind of mafia
small exploding latino ☄
“These tofu enchiladas are sabrosas. Gotta get the recipe from Josephine. My homegirl Piper would love them.” oh gods leo & piper besties my beloveds
MEG’S BACK
meg crying into apollo’s chest <\3
“My sister has saved many young women from horrible situations.” finally u realize dumbass <3
madre de los dioses
love is an open door from frozENJKDKFKS i was obsessed with this movie
WISDOM BABY!
THALIA MY BELOVED THUNDER GIRL IS HERE
“lesteropoulos” dude what
“I think you decided to help me because you like me.” “What makes you say that?” “Oh, come now. The first time we met, you said I was hot. Don’t think I didn’t hear that comment.” JAKZJFK DKSLK WHAT IS THIS
thalia meeting meg <3
leo & calypso are gonna stay at Waystation <\333
because meg <3
No spoilers??? bestie u’re about to die and u want to be surprised of ur imminent death??
“Okay. Get ready.” “For what?” “No spoilers.” “I hate you.” them >>>
'“Yes,” I found myself saying. “Yes, I would die to save Meg McCaffrey.”’ oh apollo
apollo cradling meg’s head into his lap in the cave i will sob now
uh oh apollo turning into light in front of everyone
georgie just- didn’t give a fuck about apollo lmfao ok ok that’s fine she’s better w her mums
“that’s gotta be my homeboy frank zhang” homeboi
“T”???? Valdez’s hot texan sauce???? MY TWO CHILDREN THALIA AND LEO ARE BESTIES NOW AAAHH
leo’s gonna go to camp jupiter and see my other children hazel, frank & reyna oh my god
thalia asking apollo to check on jason my beloved thunder children <3
GROVER MY SATYR SON WHERE HAVE U BEEN
grecia reading The Trials of Apollo #3: the burning maze
*eyes bloodshot and swiping her nose w her sleeve* oh boy this was a nightmare
Grover misses my baby boy percy me too boi
THE EMPEROR IS CALIGULA WHAT THE FUCK
PIPER HI SWEETHEART
piper worrying about leo my sweet children <3
oh piper & jason broke up?- oh okay okay
piper my love girl hugging meg and giving her a kiss on her forehead i cant cry this enough
omg ong piper using her charmspeak as if nothing: gaslight gatekeep gIRLBOSS
apollo thinking piper reminds him of aphrodite when she’s mad <3
omg they’re gonna go to find my thunder boy jason !! :3
WAAAAHHH JASON HI BABY I MISSED U HE’S USING HIS GLASSES
thalia’s pic on jason’s wall ahh i love my thunder children ⚡
APOLLO SAYING HE ALREADY FLIRTED W THALIA WHILE BEING SIBLINGS KDFJFJDSK NAO PUEDE SERR
WHAT DO YOU MEAN ONE HAS TO DIE
“Promise me one thing. Whatever happens, when you get back to Olympus, when you’re a god again, remember. Remember what it’s like to be human.” bro don’t do this to me
jason & apollo’s brothers moment <33
’“Im furious.” “Oh.” “Furious, but also empathetic.” “Right.”’ what am i gonna do with these two
apollo explaining to meg that maybe she’s reflecting her anger to someone else…. dude this saga gets more into psychological stuff i love it honestly…
jason complimenting meg my sweet myopic thunder boy i love him sm <3
“Aphrodite pushed me into thinking I was…that I needed to…” ………my bestie can u please explain what exactly do you mean here?
i never thought i’d see a god threatening to kill himself in order to safe his mortal friends oh gods apollo ily <\333
“This idiot cant even kill himself right!” skdjdf u really had to say this didnt u
my thunder boy making a mega explosion how powerful <3
jason appearing thru the smoke with his sword on his hand such an entrance for my thunder son >:)
oh piper looks baddass all wrecked up and mad we love to see it >:))
WHAT TEB ACTQUL FUDK DID JUST HAPPEN???????¿¿¿????????¿¿¿¿¿¿???
NONONONONOOOOO TEMPEST GO BACK GO BACK FOR HIM
AH TEMPEST BROUGHT MY THUNDER BOY FUCK YES
HE’S STILL DE*D, FUCK NONONONO ¿$¡¿%#¡¿#*%!
apollo & meg’s conversation in the car…… smiling thru my tears rn
“Her fury in combat had been rivaled only by the tenderness with which she spoke of her brother.” I CANT STAND THIS ANYMORE
Απολλων = apollon
apollo cupping his face w his hands after the verse mentioned hyacinthus <\3 i love it sm that he’s very sentimental <3
'“Meg,” I said, “can you attach yourself to the wall?” “Do I look like Spider-Man?” JFKFKSKFK
“I wondered, not for the first time, why we Greek deities had never created a god of family therapy” this is a good question tho
PIPER MY LOVE GIRL IS BACK
'“One good stab in the back deserves another.” Piper kissed Medea on the cheek. “I’d tell you to say hello to Jason for me, but he’ll be in Elysium. You…won’t.”’ GASLIGHT GATEKEEP GIRLBOSS
’“Hail the Meg, daughter of the creator!” “Hail satyr!” cute
im gonna fucking rip my neck my boy jason is in a FUCKING COFFIN OH GOD GET HIM TF OUT OF IT WAKE HIM UP WITH A ELECTRIC SHOCK OR SOMETHING
piper cut her hair choppier and she kinda looks like my thunder girl thalia i will cry <\3
PIPER AND LEO CRYING NO STOP THIS NOW
“I would be apollo. I would remember” ah gods <\3 <3
I read all of the trials of Apollo in January and haven’t stopped thinking about Piper listening to classic rock since. Please let these kids have a nice fun road trip.
it will never not be funny to imagine a 16 old emotional, awkward and acne covered boy aka apollo as lester calling himself the father of a bunch of kids that are OLDER than him and giving them tearly proud dad smooches
Lester stans are either new to the social media side of the fandom and in a sense, new to the pjo fandom itself- or have been on pjo insta/tumblr etc for years and resonate their 12 year old self with him. Sure in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd book he’s an egotistical, immature child who would rather children die than come to terms with his mistakes; by the end he’s deeply wised and saddened by their loss and has become a responsible, respectful person actually capable of strong empathy. Part of you might miss childhood, or maybe you lost someone important to you.
I’m going to be honest, it was hard to do this but that is because you guys stick to yourselves and don’t tend to participate in pointless discourse such as whether Nico is gay or not *news flash hes very, very gay* and for that I have a lot of respect for you.
However, you tend to get hated on by the fandom a lot especially those die hard HOO stans (ironic since when HOO came out pjo tumblr/insta hated on the seven just the same). You seem like an animal person and maybe you feel misunderstood.
You definitely have a great sense of humour even if people mistake your sarcasm for honesty. Your favourite book is Tower of Nero and you ship Solangelo and sometimes Caleo .
Samirah: Okay, we’re at the window, what do you want?
Magnus: A falafel. Alex: There’s no falafel on the menu. Magnus: I want a falafel. Samirah: Magnus, we’re at KFC. Magnus: Quiero una falafel. Jack: The number of people in this car is about to go down to quiero uno if you don’t shut the hell up.
