It starts with a heartbeat. Not a literal one, but that thumping, rhythmic pulse that Jorge Rivera-Herrans has mastered in his concept album, Epic: The Musical. If you've been on TikTok or YouTube lately, you’ve probably seen the fan art, the animatics, and the frantic theories. Most of them circle back to one specific, haunting refrain. People are searching for the get in the water lyrics because they represent a massive, terrifying turning point in a story we all thought we knew from high school English class.
Odysseus is tired. He's been through hell. Literally. But the "Get in the Water" moment isn't just about a guy on a boat; it’s about the exact second a hero decides to stop being "the good guy" and starts being the monster he needs to be to get home.
The Brutal Context of the Get in the Water Lyrics
To understand why these words hit so hard, you have to look at where they sit in the Ocean Saga. We aren't just looking at poetry. We’re looking at a death warrant. The lyrics are delivered by Poseidon, voiced with a terrifying, bass-heavy authority by Steven Rodriguez. After Odysseus blinds Polyphemus—the cyclops who happens to be Poseidon’s son—the god of the sea shows up to collect the debt.
The song "Ruthlessness" is where the get in the water lyrics actually live. It’s a masterclass in musical storytelling. Poseidon doesn't just want to kill Odysseus; he wants to teach him a lesson about the world. He mocks the idea of mercy. He calls it a "victory of the heart" that leads to "the death of the mind."
When Poseidon bellows for Odysseus to "get in the water," he isn't inviting him for a swim. He’s demanding a sacrifice. The lyrics symbolize the transition from the clever, hopeful Odysseus of the Troy Saga to the hardened, desperate man of the later acts.
Why the Internet is Obsessed With the Wordplay
Jorge Rivera-Herrans, the creator of Epic, uses a technique called leitmotif. It’s a fancy way of saying he repeats musical themes to trigger your emotions. When the get in the water lyrics kick in, the melody mirrors the crashing of waves. It’s chaotic. It’s loud. It’s meant to make you feel small.
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Honestly, the reason it resonates so much with Gen Z and Millennials is the sheer "theatre kid" energy of the production. It’s a DIY project that sounds like a $100 million Broadway show. You’ve got these incredibly tight rhymes like "the sea doesn't direct many paths, it only directs its wrath." It’s punchy. It’s easy to clip for a 15-second video.
But there is a deeper layer.
The lyrics tackle a very modern question: Is being "good" a liability? Poseidon argues that Odysseus's choice to spare the cyclops was a mistake born of ego, not kindness. He tells him that "ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves." That line alone has sparked thousands of hours of debate in Discord servers. Is Poseidon right? In the context of the Greek myths, usually, yeah. The gods didn't value "turning the other cheek." They valued results.
Breaking Down the Key Verses
If you look at the structure of "Ruthlessness," it’s built like a trap.
- The Confrontation: Poseidon arrives and calls out Odysseus for his name-dropping. Remember, Odysseus couldn't just leave; he had to shout his name so the cyclops knew who beat him. That pride is what leads to the get in the water lyrics ever happening in the first place.
- The Philosophy: This is the meat of the song. Poseidon explains that the world is a cold, dark place where the strong survive.
- The Execution: The literal "Get in the water" command.
The phrasing "Get in the water" is a direct order to face the consequences. You blinded my son? Fine. Now come meet the father. It’s a terrifying parental dynamic blown up to cosmic proportions.
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The fans who hunt for the get in the water lyrics often find themselves stuck on the delivery of the word "water." Rodriguez draws it out. It’s growled. It sounds like the literal ocean pulling you under.
The Impact on the Epic Fandom
This isn't just a song; it's a meme. It’s a cosplay prompt. It’s a workout anthem.
I’ve seen artists spend weeks on five-second animations of this scene. They use the lyrics to highlight the scale of the gods. In the Epic universe, Poseidon is huge. He’s the horizon. When he says those lyrics, he is speaking as the environment itself.
There’s also the "Troy" connection. In the beginning, Odysseus is told by Athena to "be a warrior." By the time we get to the get in the water lyrics, he’s realizing that being a warrior means losing his humanity. The lyrics act as a bridge between the man he was and the king he has to become to survive.
Comparing Epic to Traditional Homeric Texts
If you go back to The Odyssey, Poseidon isn't quite this chatty. He’s more of a looming threat, a series of storms and bad luck. Rivera-Herrans makes him a character with a point of view.
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In the original text, Poseidon’s anger is a given. In Epic, through these lyrics, it’s a lecture. He’s a mentor of the worst kind. He’s teaching Odysseus that his "cleverness" is just a fancy word for cowardice if he isn't willing to finish the job. This change makes the get in the water lyrics feel more personal. It’s not just "god is mad." It’s "god thinks you’re a hypocrite."
How to Experience the Song Properly
To really feel the weight of the get in the water lyrics, you can't just read them on a screen. You have to hear the production.
- Listen with headphones. The spatial audio in the Ocean Saga is incredible. You can actually hear the waves moving from the left ear to the right.
- Watch the animatics. Creators like WolfyTheWitch or Gigi have visualised these lyrics in ways that clarify the story better than any textbook could.
- Read the comments. Kinda sounds weird, right? But the Epic community is brilliant at catching the small callbacks to earlier songs that Jorge hides in the lyrics.
The Actionable Insight for Fans and Writers
If you're a writer, study these lyrics. They show how to use a "villain" to push a protagonist into a corner. Poseidon isn't just evil; he's a mirror. He reflects Odysseus’s own flaws back at him.
If you're just a fan, the next time you hear those get in the water lyrics, pay attention to the silence right before the beat drops. That’s the moment of no return.
The best way to engage with this track is to look at it as a character study. Don't just sing along. Think about what you would do. If a god told you that your kindness would get your friends killed, would you stay kind? Or would you get in the water?
To dive deeper, go back and listen to "Warrior of the Mind" immediately followed by "Ruthlessness." You'll see the exact moment the philosophy shifts. It’s a jarring, intentional transition that proves why Epic: The Musical is the most interesting thing happening in musical theatre right now.
Check the official social media pages for Jorge Rivera-Herrans for the most accurate, updated lyric sheets, as he often shares "behind the scenes" notes that explain the specific word choices he made for Poseidon’s big moment. Understanding the "why" behind the lyrics makes the "what" so much more powerful.