The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical has continued to entertain audiences across the US and UK since 2014. As suggested by the title, the show is a musical retelling of the classic 2005 novel The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. The franchise has since developed film adaptations and a TV series on Disney+. The Lightning Thief tells the story of a teenage boy named Percy Jackson discovering that he is a half-blood before later going on a quest to find Zeus’s missing lightning bolt in order to prevent a world-changing war.
The musical has seen many different iterations throughout the years, starting originally as a one-hour Off-Broadway musical. As the show continued to develop, revisions occurred to both the script and the music to strengthen the production. During this time, additional songs were written that were ultimately cut due to pacing issues, one of which is the focus of this analysis.
‘Try’ is currently the opening number of Act 2 of The Lightning Thief musical. The song depicts Percy, Annabeth, and Grover as they attempt to set off on their quest, battling the self-doubt that each of them has within. Through this song, ‘Try’ captures the essence of the musical’s central themes related to perseverance, identity, and being ‘different’. Throughout this analysis, I will discuss the reasons why ‘Try’ is the emotional peak of The Lightning Thief and stands as one of the show’s most compelling compositions.
Context:
As mentioned previously, ‘Try’ is the current opening number of Act 2. At this point in the story, Percy has decided to take on his quest in order to save Sally, his mum, who had died earlier in the show. To do this, Percy ventures to the Underworld to confront Hades, the current suspected thief. Alongside Percy, Annabeth and Grover agree to take on the quest. Each of the main characters contemplates what this quest means to them and why they are going to ‘try’ to complete it.
Character Development Through the Lyrics:
Percy starts the song by recounting how far L.A. is at “two thousand four hundred forty-eight miles”, reflecting on how far away the final destination of the Underworld is. Following this, Percy suggests that he could “blow it” and “fail” during his journey but reflects that it “doesn’t mean that I won’t try”. Through this, Percy contemplates his feelings of inadequacy while still recognising the need to try anyway. This relates to Percy’s earlier self-doubt, where he believes that because he has failed so many times before (through moving schools and being socially isolated), this time will end the same way.
Percy continues to sing alongside Annabeth and Grover, stating that “the weight of the world’s on my shoulders”. Among the three of them, Percy reflects on his own life choices and his passion to keep going. The song ultimately ends with Percy recounting that he is “not leaving your side” alongside Annabeth and Grover, showing their genuine friendship beginning to grow. The song concludes with Percy again reflecting on the distance ahead, but this time alongside his friends, proving the growth of their friendship.
Annabeth is on this quest to prove to her mother, Athena, that she is worthwhile and should be noticed. She starts the song by mentioning that she might “blow it”, but that she is “going there anyway”, reflecting her inner strength. She later mentions that she wants to “prove to the gods that I belong”, bringing the point back to her need for approval from her mother.
Annabeth continues by saying that she will “not be rejected”, changing her perspective from a question into a statement. She expresses that she will be remembered and stands with stronger confidence than before. The song ends with Annabeth reassuring Grover and Percy that she is present and that she is “not leaving their side”, showing the strength of their newfound friendship.
At this point in the show, Grover’s backstory has only been hinted at a few times, though it is clear that he has a purpose behind joining the quest. Joining in during the second verse, Grover reflects on the distance they still have to travel, similar to Percy. Following this, Grover mentions that he is going to “wash his hands of past mistakes”. This hints at a tragic backstory to Grover’s actions, which is later followed up on in the song ‘The Tree on the Hill’.
Grover also mentions that “he must be protected”, hinting at his connection to Percy and his past. The song continues to its conclusion with Grover reassuring his friends that he is not “leaving your side”, showing his commitment to the quest regardless of uncertainty.
Relation to Themes
The main themes of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical are identity and being different, perseverance, and redefining heroism in a modern context. ‘Try’ perfectly captures all three of these themes within one song. Perseverance is shown throughout by the characters reassuring themselves that they will keep trying no matter what.
Similarly, the idea of redefining heroism is captured in this song. All three characters reflect on how they are not traditional heroes, but they are what the world needs now. Moreover, identity is explored in ‘Try’ through the characters reflecting on who they are and why they are on this quest.
Is ‘Try’ Genius?
Ultimately, ‘Try’ stands as the emotional peak of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical. The song highlights the internal struggles of the three core characters, each contemplating their existence and ambitions. Throughout the piece, the characters begin to sing in harmony, demonstrating the developing friendship between them and their growing confidence in each other.
By combining these vulnerable lyrics with a sense of uncertainty, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover unite, ready for the quest ahead. ‘Try’ presents the argument that true heroism does not lie in certainty, but in the simple decision to keep trying.
Max
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