Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 premiere ending explained: Who ends up getting on the quest to find the Golden Fleece?

Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 opens with a two-episode drop to kick off Percy Jackson's quest to save Camp Half-Blood from being overrun by monsters. The new season boasts darker, higher stakes for the titular demigod after returning to the camp and realizing that it's not going to be a magical reunion with his friends. 

The camp is under attack by Kronos' forces. Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson end up going on the quest to find the Golden Fleece that can save Camp half-Blood and Grover in the process.

But their quest is not particularly sanctioned. It means Percy and his friends have people coming after them from both within the camp and along the way to the Golden Fleece. 

Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 premiere: Why is Percy forced to go on an unsanctioned quest to the Sea of Monsters?

Percy ends up going on an unsanctioned quest to the Sea of Monsters to save Grover and retrieve the Golden Fleece after Annabeth's betrayal. When Tantalus refuses to send Percy and Annabeth on a quest, because he's more focused on the chariot race, the pair decides to join the race to win the boon. They can use it to ask the gods to send them on the quest instead.

However, Percy and Annabeth race in different teams to increase their chances of winning, per Annabeth. Neither of them wins after they leave the race to deal with the bird attack. Tantalus picks Clarisse as the winner because she's the only one to finish the race amidst the bird attack chaos. 

Clarisse picks Annabeth to join her on the quest. Annabeth influences her to pick someone else - not Percy - which makes him feel betrayed so decides to go on a quest of his own, hence, unsanctioned. 

But Annabeth discovers his plan, so he follows him. Tantalus follows and tries to kill them because they broke the rule of staying inside the border. Tyson also ends up following them.

He saves Percy and Annabeth from Tantalus, who keeps shooting arrows at them. The three of them scramble into the boat to head out to a bigger boat that will bring them to the Sea of Monsters. In the end, it's Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson coming to rescue Grover and find the Golden Fleece.

Why does Annabeth betray Percy in Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 premiere?

Lying to Percy is not something Annabeth wants to do. However, she is forced to do it because of what Chiron, who is in Miami visiting his family, has told her. 

It's also for Percy's own good, which is why she decides to lie to him despite not wanting to. In Chiron's understanding, Kronos doesn't do things by chance. He believes it was his plan for Luke to poison the tree and push Percy into a quest to find the Golden Fleece - it's a trap.

And they don't want Percy to fall into Kronos's trap. Hence, Chiron tells Annabeth that she can go on the quest to get the Golden Fleece, but she has to leave Percy out of it. 

The betrayal hurt him. But Grover makes Percy understand in the dream that Annabeth may have a good reason to lie to him and sabotage his race. Their misunderstanding is thankfully short-lived.

What does Hermes want from Percy in exchange for his help?

Before going on a quest by himself, Percy goes to the water's edge and asks not for Poseidon's help but for him not to interfere with him going on the quest. But Poseidon doesn't appear in the season 2 premiere.

It's Hermes who makes an appearance with Poseidon's message to Percy that he won't interfere with his plans. He also helps Percy with logistics, including his transport to the Sea of Monsters and some supplies like a thermos of wind. 

But he has something he wants from Percy in exchange for all his help - he wants him to help save Luke. Percy doesn't think Luke can be saved or even wants to be saved, but Hermes doesn't want to give up on family. 

Watch the first two episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 on Disney+.