He isn't just a god with a fork. Honestly, if you've been following Jorge Rivera-Herrans and the absolute whirlwind that is Epic: The Musical, you know the Ocean Saga changed everything. It wasn't just another chapter. It was the moment the stakes went from "we're trying to get home" to "we are all going to die." Poseidon isn't a background character here. He is a force of nature that forces Odysseus to break.
Most adaptations of the Odyssey treat Poseidon like a grumpy uncle who’s mad about his eye. Jorge doesn’t do that. In Epic: The Musical Poseidon is a mirror. He represents a philosophy that directly clashes with everything Odysseus tried to be in the Troy Saga. It’s brutal. It’s loud. And if you’ve heard Steven Dookie’s vocals, you know it’s hauntingly catchy.
The Ruthlessness of "Ruthlessness"
Let's talk about the song "Ruthlessness." It’s the centerpiece of the Ocean Saga and probably one of the most important tracks in the entire project. Why? Because it’s a lecture delivered through a slaughter.
Before this point, Odysseus is trying to be the "enlightened" leader. He spared the Cyclops. He told Polyphemus his real name because he wanted the glory without the gore. Poseidon shows up and basically tells him that his mercy is actually a weakness. It’s a terrifying perspective because, in the context of the Greek gods, Poseidon is right. Mercy towards a monster just leaves the monster alive to tell his dad who hurt him.
The lyrics "Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves" isn't just a cool line. It’s a fundamental shift in the story's morality. Poseidon is teaching Odysseus that to survive the world of gods and monsters, you have to become a monster yourself. You can hear it in the music—the heavy brass, the deep, rumbling bass that feels like a literal tidal wave hitting your speakers. It's meant to feel overwhelming. It's meant to make you feel as small as the Greeks in their little boats.
Why the "Ruthlessness" Motif Matters
If you listen closely to the later sagas, you’ll hear Poseidon’s theme coming back. It’s not always obvious. Sometimes it’s just a specific rhythm or a hint of that deep brass. This is intentional. Even when the sea god isn't on screen, his influence is there. He’s the one who planted the seed in Odysseus’s head that being a "good man" is a death sentence.
When Odysseus eventually makes his darker choices later in the show, he’s basically just echoing what Poseidon told him in the middle of the ocean. It’s a tragic arc. The hero is being molded by his antagonist.
The Sound of the Sea
Jorge Rivera-Herrans is a genius when it comes to "character sounds." Every character in Epic: The Musical has a specific instrument. Athena has the owl-like woodwinds and the "glitch" sounds because she’s a goddess of wisdom and strategy—she sees the world differently.
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Poseidon? He’s all about the low end.
The production uses massive, distorted synth-brass to represent his power. It doesn't sound like "water." It sounds like the weight of water. Think about being at the bottom of the ocean with miles of liquid pressing down on your chest. That is the auditory experience of Poseidon’s entrance.
Steven Dookie’s performance is also worth deconstructing. He doesn't play Poseidon as a screaming villain. He plays him as someone who is bored, then annoyed, and then efficiently violent. There’s a swagger to it. When he sings about the "line between the naive and the wise," he sounds like an adult explaining something very simple to a particularly slow child. It’s condescending. It’s perfect.
The Problem with Polyphemus
People often forget that Poseidon’s rage is actually justified within the logic of the story. Odysseus broke into a home, stole food, and blinded a son.
In the original Homeric epic, the Cyclops is just a beast. In Epic: The Musical, Jorge adds a bit more flavor to it. By the time Poseidon arrives, he isn't just seeking revenge; he’s upholding a standard. He views Odysseus’s attempt at "mercy" (leaving Polyphemus alive but blinded) as an insult. To Poseidon, if you’re going to strike, you kill. Anything less is just cowardice masquerading as virtue.
This creates a massive internal conflict for the audience. We want Odysseus to be the "good guy," but we see that his "goodness" is what gets his men killed. Poseidon is the catalyst for the "Monster" persona that Odysseus eventually adopts.
Comparing Epic to the Original Odyssey
If you go back to the text, the Poseidon of the Odyssey is a bit more distant. He’s a constant threat, but he doesn't always have these face-to-face philosophical debates with Odysseus.
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Jorge’s version is much more personal. By making "Ruthlessness" a direct confrontation, the musical turns the sea god into a mentor of the worst kind. He’s the "Anti-Athena." Where Athena teaches strategy and "just enough" violence, Poseidon teaches total annihilation.
- The Odyssey: Poseidon is a vengeful force of nature.
- Epic the Musical: Poseidon is a philosophical obstacle that changes the hero's DNA.
It's a clever way to adapt a story that is thousands of years old. You make the conflict about ideas, not just survival.
The Visuals of the Ocean Saga
Even though we only have the "concept album" and the animatics right now, the community's visual interpretation of Poseidon has become iconic. The fan artists (shout out to WolfyTheWitch and others) have leaned into this "unstoppable tide" aesthetic.
When you see the animatics for "Get in the Water," there’s a sense of scale that most movies can’t even capture. Poseidon is often depicted as being as large as the horizon. This isn't just for "cool" points. It reinforces the theme: you can't fight the ocean. You can only survive it. And according to Poseidon, you only survive it by being just as cold as the water.
Breaking Down the Fan Reaction
Why did this character go viral?
TikTok played a huge role. The "Ruthlessness" trend wasn't just about the song; it was about the attitude. People latched onto the idea of a villain who isn't just "evil," but is instead operating on a completely different level of reality.
He’s also incredibly meme-able. The contrast between his terrifying power and the fact that he’s basically a "dad" getting mad about his kid is funny. But the music keeps it grounded. You can laugh at the memes, but the second the first note of "Ruthlessness" hits, the vibe shifts. It’s intimidating.
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Technical Detail: The Time Signatures
One thing that experts notice in Jorge's writing is how he uses rhythm to convey stress. During the encounter with Poseidon, the music feels unstable. It’s driving. It’s relentless. Unlike the more melodic and "human" songs in the Ithaca Saga or the Troy Saga, the Poseidon tracks have a mechanical, inevitable quality to them. It’s the sound of a storm.
Misconceptions about Poseidon’s Role
A lot of people think Poseidon is the "main" villain of the whole show. He’s actually not. He’s the primary antagonist of the first half, but his real role is to change Odysseus.
Once the Ocean Saga is over, the damage is done. Odysseus is no longer the man who left Troy. Poseidon’s presence lingers in every choice Odysseus makes afterward—especially when we get to the "Monster" track. If you listen to "Monster," you can hear the echoes of Poseidon's philosophy. Odysseus is finally answering the question Poseidon asked him: "What is the price of a life?"
He realized that the price of his own life, and his return to Penelope, was the lives of everyone else. Poseidon didn't just sink the ships; he sank Odysseus's soul.
What to Expect Next
If you are just catching up, the story doesn't end with the sea. The fallout of the encounter with Poseidon leads directly into the Circe Saga and the Underworld.
The lesson of "Ruthlessness" is tested again and again. Does Odysseus regret what he did? Does he wish he had just killed Polyphemus from the start? These are the questions that make Epic: The Musical so much more than just a soundtrack. It’s a character study of a man being broken by the divine.
How to Deep Dive into the Lore
- Listen to "Ruthlessness" and "Monster" back-to-back. You will see the direct evolution of the lyrics and the shift in Odysseus's tone.
- Watch the official animatics. The visual cues for the "trident" sounds add a whole new layer of storytelling.
- Follow Jorge Rivera-Herrans on social media. He often posts "deep dives" into the specific instruments he used for Poseidon, including how he layered sounds to create the "oceanic" feel.
- Read the original Odyssey. Compare how the "No One" trick plays out in the book versus the musical. It makes the musical's version of Poseidon's arrival even more impactful.
Poseidon represents the moment the "adventure" becomes a "tragedy." He is the turning point. Without his intervention, Odysseus might have stayed a "good man" and never made it home. It’s a dark, messy, and beautiful part of the story that proves why Epic: The Musical is a modern masterpiece of musical storytelling.
The ocean doesn't care about your morals. It only cares about its own power. That is the essence of Poseidon. That is why he is the most terrifying character in the show. If you haven't felt the bass shake your house during his solo, you haven't really experienced the Ocean Saga yet. Get your headphones, turn the volume up, and prepare to feel very, very small.