Taken at face value, WE TAKE A ZEBRA TO VEGAS is a solid installment in the PERCY JACKSON series; but knowing the potential of this episode left me a bit disappointed. The Lotus Hotel turns out to be a venue for plot exposition, character development, and world-building.
As we move further west, the timeline of Percy’s quest is getting more and more accelerated. We don’t feel this time pressure until this episode; but it feels like too little, too late. It’s also frustratingly similar to Medusa’s lair in that the twist is ruined before the encounter starts. It’s more realistic that a trio of demigods would be cautious around a place with an Odyssean namesake…but also much less fun.
The biggest upside of this episode is the bonding between Percy, Annabeth, and Grover. All things considered, their relationship is the most important thing to get right, and it’s achieving that goal. PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS is streaming on Disney+.
