Percy Jackson and the Olympians premiered with on Disney+ on December 19th. One of the most intriguing characters in the first batch of episodes is Mrs. Dodds, one of Percy’s teachers. But who is Mrs. Dodds really, and what role will she play in Percy Jackson and the Olympians?
Who Is Mrs. Dodds in Percy Jackson and the Olympians
The show, which is an adaptation of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, is set to follow the adventures of demigod Percy Jackson as he gets used to his newfound divinity – and tries to prove to Zeus that he did not steal his master lightning bolt. It is based on the first book in the series, titled The Lightning Thief.
But nothing – and no one – in Percy Jackson and the Olympians is what they seem, and Mrs. Dodds is the perfect example of that. The seemingly innocuous teacher turns out to be much more malicious than your garden variety mean educator. Indeed, Mrs. Dodds’ real name is Alecto, and she is a mythical creature known as a Fury.
The Furies are the chief servants of Hades, the God of the Dead and the King of the Underworld. Hades also happens to be the brother of Poseidon, who is Percy’s dad. The Gods truly make it confusing with the whole sleeping around thing. Alecto attacks Percy during a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art during the first episode of the show, aptly titled “I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher.”
Her full reasons for attacking Percy are not revealed at the time, though it is implied she knows Percy is Poseidon’s son because of the way he was able to push class bully Nancy Bobofit into the water fountain.
Mrs. Dodds Is Played by Megan Mullally
Actress Megan Mullally, better known for playing Karen Walker in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, plays Mrs. Dodds in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Mullally has done a lot of voice work in recent years, voicing characters in The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers, American Dad, and The Great North. She also appeared as Tammy Swanson II in nine episodes of Parks and Recreation, playing the wife of Nick Offerman’s Ron Swanson. Mullally and Offerman are married in real life.
Percy seemingly slays Mrs. Dodds in the first episode of the show, but considering she is a Fury, it’s probably a little too early to rest easy. This might not be the last we see of Megan Mullally or Mrs. Dodds.
