Echidna (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)

Echidna is a minor antagonist in the Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians. She is the Mother of Monsters who carries her daughter, the Chimera with her, at all times.
==Background==
In Greek mythology and in the show, Echidna is dubbed "the Mother of Monsters" after fostering many notable monsters with Typhon, such as the Chimera, Cerberus, and the Hydra.
===Physical appearance===
Echidna resembles an average middle aged woman who dresses in comfortable clothing that make her appear unassuming. Her natural form, in the original mythology that is, has that of a long snake-like body, accompanied by a long forked tongue and reptilian eyes.
===Powers and abilities===
Like other Greek mythological beings, Echidna has the ability to hide herself in the Mist. Besides that, she has control over various monsters, particularly the Chimera, whom she keeps with her.
==Role in the series==
After finding out that Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, and Grover Underwood were on a train, it was implied that Echidna had entered it by bursting through their window while they were in a different car.
After the explosion, Echidna played the part of a concerned passenger, telling an officer aboard the train that she "heard the windows smash, and then heard children's voices".
After the three went back to the dining cabin after being briefly interrogated, Echidna is seen talking to a different officer about the explosion. She then went over to them and began talking to them, and saying that she is a mother, and knows how scared they might be. She then asked an officer standing nearby to give them some space, so she could talk to them alone. She then said she didn't believe that they had caused the explosion, though Grover soon pointed out that she had glass on her shirt. She then went over to her bag, which had started shaking, due to her "dog" being inside. The trio soon concluded that she was a monster, and Echidna replied by saying they were her children. Grover and Annabeth quickly realized she was Echidna, the Mother of Monsters. She then told them that she was there to kill them, calling demigods "dangerous creatures". The bag soon began to shake more violently, and the creature began to unzip the bag from the inside. The creature was then able to open the bag and stab Percy with its tail, which had a stinger on it. Annabeth then took her knife and sunk it deep into its tail.
They soon began to run, so Echidna unleashed the creature, and it began to chase them, though to the human passengers it appeared as an innocent chihuahua due to the Mist. They were able to escape, however, and the monster did not chase them because she was young and unwilling to be separated from her mother.
After arriving at the Gateway Arch, a temple dedicated to Annabeth's mother, Athena, they saw Echidna slowly walking towards it, though Annabeth assured her Echidna would not be able to enter it due to her monster status. She then began to subconsciously talk to Annabeth, similar to how Alecto did to Percy.
They soon entered the trams, though they saw Echidna standing over a railing before the doors closed. Still, it should have been impossible for her to have entered. They then concluded that Athena had willingly let Echidna inside after she was embarrassed that Percy, Annabeth, and Grover had sent Medusa's head to Olympus.
Echidna and the monster, identified as the Chimera, made it to the top of the Arch, where Percy was waiting for them after locking Annabeth and Grover outside the room. After a brief fight, Percy was pushed into a hole made by Echidna and supposedly fell. However, when they came to inspect, they saw that Percy was still hanging on to a beam, 600 hundred feet above the ground. Echidna began to mock him, and he soon fell, though he was saved after Poseidon sent a spurt of water to break his fall.
==Trivia==
*Echidna was portrayed in the book as a plus-size woman wearing denim. Her true form was also displayed. Just like in the book however, she is never seen again after the Gateway Arch incident.
*Prior to Suzanne Cryer playing her, Echidna was played by Jalynn Steele (who also played Sally Jackson, Silena Beauregard, the Oracle, and Charon) in the Broadway show. She was completely absent in the live-action film with the Hydra taking her place.
==Gallery==
Percy Jackson and the Olympians - 1x04 - I Plunge to My Death - Photography - Echidna 2.jpeg
Percy Jackson and the Olympians - 1x04 - I Plunge to My Death - Photography - Echidna, Annabeth and Grover.jpeg
Percy Jackson and the Olympians - 1x04 - I Plunge to My Death - Photography - Echidna 3.jpeg
Percy Jackson and the Olympians - 1x04 - I Plunge to My Death (1).png
Percy Jackson and the Olympians - 1x04 - I Plunge to My Death (6).png
==External links==
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Category:Live-action characters
Category:Acquired characters
Category:Percy Jackson and the Olympians characters
Category:Villains
Category:Live-action villains
Category:Neutral characters
Category:Females
Category:Magic Users
Category:Monsters
Category:Transformed characters
Category:Siblings
Category:Greek Mythology
Category:Adults
Category:Spouses
Category:Parents