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Is Luke’s Dad Hermes?
If you are a fan of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, you may have wondered about the identity of Luke Castellan’s father. Luke, one of the main characters in the series, is a demigod who initially appears as a rival to Percy but later becomes an ally against Kronos and his army of monsters.
While we know that Luke’s mother is May Castellan, a mortal who was driven insane by the sight of the Fates’ tapestry, we are not explicitly told who his father is. However, there are several clues and theories that suggest that Luke’s dad could be Hermes, the god of travelers and thieves.
The Clues
Firstly, there are similarities between Luke and Hermes in terms of appearance and personality. Both have curly hair and mischievous smiles. Both are skilled at using swords and daggers. Both have a penchant for trickery and cleverness.
Moreover, both have connections to Luke’s hometown of Westport, Connecticut. Hermes has a statue in the town center that he occasionally visits to deliver messages or gifts to his children or other demigods. Meanwhile, Luke mentions that his mother used to take him to a park by the river where he would watch boats go by and play with toy boats made by his dad.
Secondly, there are moments in the series where Luke displays traits or abilities that could be linked to Hermes. For instance:
- In The Lightning Thief, when Percy notices that Luke has stolen his backpack without being detected by anyone else on Camp Half-Blood’s border patrol, he asks Annabeth if her dad (who is Athena) taught her how to move so silently. Annabeth replies that she learned it from watching Hermes.
- In The Titan’s Curse, when Thalia and Zoë are trying to track down the location of Atlas, Luke suggests that they use his dad’s power of finding things that are lost or hidden.
He then takes out a map that he claims was left by Hermes in his backpack, which leads them to the location.
- In The Battle of the Labyrinth, when Percy, Annabeth, and Rachel are navigating through the maze designed by Daedalus, they encounter Luke disguised as a janitor who is apparently working for Kronos. When Percy tries to attack him, Luke reveals that he has learned how to use teleportation from his dad and disappears.
The Theories
Based on these clues and others, some fans have speculated that Hermes is indeed Luke’s father. Here are some of their arguments:
- Hermes is one of the few male gods who is not married or committed to a single partner. He is known for having many affairs with mortals and nymphs, some of whom have borne him children such as Pan (a satyr), Autolycus (a thief), and Odysseus (a hero).
- Hermes has a history with May Castellan, who used to work as a travel agent before her breakdown. In The Demigod Diaries, there is a short story called “The Staff of Hermes” where Percy and Annabeth meet up with Luke’s mother in an asylum where she is being kept. May tells them that she once met Hermes in person when she was young and working at an airport.
She describes him as charming but elusive.
- Hermes has shown interest in helping Luke in various ways throughout the series. For example, he gives Luke a pair of winged shoes that allow him to fly and escape danger. He also sends him a message through a dream in The Battle of the Labyrinth, urging him to reconsider his allegiance to Kronos and warning him of the consequences. Finally, he appears in person to Luke in The Last Olympian, where he tries to convince him to surrender and promises to protect him from any punishment.
The Counterarguments
Of course, not everyone agrees that Hermes is Luke’s father. Some fans have proposed alternative candidates such as Apollo (god of prophecy and music), Dionysus (god of wine and madness), or even Zeus (king of the gods). Here are some reasons why:
- Some fans argue that Luke’s personality and actions do not necessarily match those of Hermes. While Luke is certainly cunning and resourceful, he is also bitter, vengeful, and willing to betray his friends for the sake of his goals. Moreover, he harbors a grudge against the gods for their neglect or mistreatment of their children, which seems more aligned with Hades or Kronos than Hermes.
- Some fans point out that Luke’s age does not fit with the timeline of Hermes’ known affairs. According to the series, Luke was born around 1989 or 1990, which would make him a teenager in the late 2000s when the main events occur.
However, most versions of Greek mythology place Hermes’ birth much earlier, around 700 BCE or earlier. While it is possible that Rick Riordan took some liberties with the timeline or adapted it for modern times, there is no direct evidence that supports this idea.
- Some fans argue that Luke’s mother May Castellan had no reason to hide her son’s paternity if it was Hermes. May is portrayed as a sympathetic character who suffered greatly from her encounter with the Fates and her subsequent mental illness. However, she never mentions Hermes as Luke’s father or shows any sign of recognition or fondness when his name is brought up. Moreover, she seems to blame herself for Luke’s fate and wishes that he had never been involved in the world of gods and monsters.
The Conclusion
So, is Luke’s dad Hermes? The answer is not clear-cut.
While there are clues and theories that suggest that Hermes could be the father, there are also counterarguments and uncertainties that make it impossible to confirm or refute the idea definitively. It is possible that Rick Riordan intentionally left this question open to interpretation or simply did not consider it important enough to address explicitly. Nonetheless, the speculation and debate surrounding this topic show how rich and complex the world of Percy Jackson can be, even beyond the main storyline.