The best-selling fantasy novels Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan have been adapted into a television series on Disney+. Joining Percy on his epic quest is fan-favorite character Grover Underwood. But how old is Grover in Percy Jackson and the Olympians?
How Old Is Grover in Percy Jackson and the Olympians?
Though Percy and his friends are ostensibly 12 years old at the start of the series, Grover’s true age is more complicated, given the fantasy nature of the story. Because of his Ancient Greek mythological origins, Grover is actually much older than Percy and their mutual friend Annabeth Chase. So, here is the true age of Grover Jackson in Percy Jackson and the Olympians and why he physically appears to be the same relative age as Percy and Annabeth, the two true adolescents forming the story’s core trio.
Grover is a satyr who possesses a largely human upper half but has goat-like legs and cloven feet, along with small horns protruding from his scalp and pointed ears. Because satyrs age approximately at half the speed as humans, Grover physically looks like he’s 12, but he’s actually 24 years old at the start of the series. This slightly complicates his rapport with Percy and Annabeth, as he is assigned to protect people who appear the same relative age as himself. Even Percy and Annabeth have to occasionally remind themselves that their protector is actually twice as old as both of them.
As the series progresses and Grover matures, he has to go to additional lengths to conceal his satyr physiology from the general public, with both his horns and stature growing as he grows older. This adds to the understated comedy throughout Percy Jackson and the Olympians, not only from Grover’s youthful appearance but also the escalating headache he endures to blend in with humanity as part of his ongoing mission.
