Season 2 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is officially in full swing as the first two episodes have premiered to much acclaim. Fans got to see the return of Percy and Annabeth, and Percy’s new Cyclops brother Tyson, as they face a new struggle at Camp Half-Blood.
These two episodes also contain some surprising elements that some have noticed from the get-go. One of these elements is the background introduction of a character that fans might recognize from Rick Riordan’s later books: Kayla Knowles.
In Season 2 Episode 1, Percy and Tyson are brought to camp by Annabeth, who’s hesitant to accept Tyson’s presence as a monster. Although they make it inside the camp, thanks to the Gray Sisters and Clarisse, the trio find Luke Castellan poisoning Thalia’s tree and try to stop him.
However, Tantalus, Chiron’s replacement, finds Tyson hiding, he orders the campers around him to fire. Fortunately, Tyson gets claimed by Poseidon in the nick of time before anything bad can happen. Amidst this group of arrow-ready archers is one camper in particular with light green highlights in their hair equipped with armor that would make Apollo proud.
In Riordan’s sequel series to both Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus, The Trials of Apollo, the Greek god gets sent down to Earth by Zeus in a mortal form. Teaming up with a daughter of Demeter, Meg McCaffrey, the two venture out to save the Oracles from falling into the hands of some evil Roman emperors, led by Nero.
In the book series, Kayla, along with a few others, help Apollo reclaim his godhood by training him and protecting camp from Nero’s automation Colossus Neronis. She also fought in the final battle involving Apollo and Nero, healing Apollo with the help of Nico di Angelo. Kayla would also return in the Nico di Angelo-centric book, The Sun and the Star.
While there’s not an official confirmation on whether or not this camper is indeed Kayla Knowles, some believe that this isn’t a coincidence as their physical appearances are very similar. However, there’s also some doubt considering what’s been officially said about side character castings.
In the past, Mythomagic Inc., Riordans’ production company, stated on Threads that “some side characters have a more important role or are always side characters.” However, this post was referring to castings for Percy Jackson Season 3 instead of Season 2.
Given what happens on Season 2 Episode 1, it’s very likely that Kayla could have been relegated to always being a side character. The character itself isn’t seen until Riordan’s last book in the mainline Percy Jackson series, The Last Olympian.
However, that doesn’t mean that side characters, like Kayla, could return in the future. In fact, the additions of other fan-favorite characters in Disney+’s Percy Jackson are still on the table. Two of these characters are Charles Beckendorf and Silena Beauregard, who are integral in helping Percy and his friends. Though they do not make their appearances in Season 2, their future appearances were teased by the show’s creative team.
In a previous interview with TV Insider, executive producers Jonathan E. Steinberg, Dan Shotz, and Craig Silverstein confirmed that they’ll be series regulars. Although they understand the challenges that come with casting series regulars, Steinberg, Shotz, and Silverstein said that both Charles and Silena will “eventually come into it.”
Given these statements, it’s very likely that the on-screen debut of Kayla Knowles has happened here. Although it is in a much minor role, it has left room to explore her as an integral character for important characters, like Apollo and Nico di Angelo, moving forward.
This also means that other characters from Camp Half-Blood, like Ethan Nakamura, Travis Stoll, and Connor Stoll, are still likely to appear. What the right conditions are to introduce these characters in the Disney+ show remains unknown so far. With the addition of original characters, like Alison Simms, as well, it’s hard to determine the outcome.
Fortunately, other side characters, like Chris Rodriguez, are gradually gaining some depth going into Season 2. Fans can look forward to seeing more demigod action in the coming weeks as Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson head to the Princess Andromeda.
New episodes of Season 2 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians release Wednesdays on Disney+ and Hulu.
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Christopher Gallardo is a freelance entertainment writer and critic. While not running The Reel Roller, Chris can be found writing reviews and breakdowns on all things films and TV. Outside of entertainment writing, he’s currently taking classes for a Bachelor’s of Science with a minor in Digital Media & Journalism. Plus, he loves Percy Jackson, animated films and shows, and Fallout! Follow Christopher on Instagram & X.