Every mythological figure in Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey,' ranked

Spoiler Alert: This list contains spoilers for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey.The most anticipated movie of 2026 was by far The Odyssey, but now that Christopher Nolan's epic adventure movie is now out, fans are going in droves to see it. While the film did have some online controversy before it came out, that has mostly washed away, with glowing reviews from critics and fans alike shining brightest. The Odyssey has already made over $260 million in its first weekend, meaning there is a likely chance that it will make over a billion dollars, which would be Nolan's third movie to do so.

There are plenty of things to love about The Odyssey, from the deeply personal tale of Odysseus (Matt Damon) trying to get home to the symbolism of the Siege of Troy. However, any good mythological and adventure story has to feature gods, monsters, and other magical beings, and The Odyssey is no different. That is why this list will rank every mythological figure in Nolan's The Odysseybased on importance, portrayal, authenticity, relevance, originality, and overall quality. This film took a lot of liberties and left many things out, but these nine beings were still a highlight of the film.

Charybdis

Near the middle of the film, Odysseus and his crew need to make a very important decision: whether to sail past a whirlpool that will either kill the entire crew or sail neatly past it, or risk going through a small rock formation that could also destroy the ship. Odysseus, of course, knows what the answer should be, but he withholds it from his crew. He says they should take the whirlpool route, but the crew chooses otherwise. However, it isn't just a normal whirlpool; it is actually Charybdis, a sea monster that swallows the ocean.

Out of all the monsters and beings in The Odyssey, Charybdis was the least consequential and mainly just a quick appearance since the crew didn't take that route. The original myth had Charybdis as an actual monster, but this movie had it be a natural phenomenon instead. Still, what makes Charybdis stand out is the sheer scale and look of the beast, making an authentically crushing sensation that proves this is already one of Nolan's best adventure movies.

The Laestrygonians

One of the most marketed aspects of the film was these giant silver warriors who easily dismantled much of Odysseus' crew, but who actually are they? The Laestrygonians are a race of giant cannibals, and while they don't eat people in Nolan's The Odyssey, they still kill two-thirds of his crew. With the help of the winding woods, they killed a starving crew of sailors, with only Odysseus and his men escaping.

Nolan needed a reason to kill more of Odysseus' crew, and that is where the Laestrygonians came in, with their only purpose being to shrink the number of sailors. Any other part of the film could have been substituted for this, but the Laestrygonians made for a more compelling fight scene that showed the helplessness of the crew and the fierce might of these cannibals. It was an eerie and terrifying moment, but it felt a bit rushed and sudden, feeling forced into the film just so fans had a reason why most of Odysseus' crew perished.

Scylla

As mentioned earlier, Odysseus' crew had to make a pivotal decision between a tight passageway through some rocks or sailing past a whirlpool. They avoided Charybdis, which would have killed them all, opting for the safer route. However, inside the cove was another monstrous being, Scylla. This six-armed beast tore through the ship and ate a handful of the crew.

Like Charybdis, Scylla only had a brief cameo in the film, but its impact is much greater. Devouring most of the crew and leaving the remaining few in doubt of their leader created a dire shift in the story, prompting a later mutiny. The sudden jump scare and ominous design of the creature left an instant impression on fans, proving to be a unique take on the beast that left its mark on the audience and story.

Sirens

The Odyssey is a famous story, but there were many parts that are more popular than others. The Sirens, for example, are much more widely known than the Laestrygonians. Knowing they would pass through the rocks with the Sirens, Odysseus' crew put wax in their ears in order not to hear their tempting song. Odysseus, on the other hand, ties himself to the mast in order to hear what no man has heard before. However, what starts off as beautiful turns into his worst nightmare. One soldier also gives in, taking the wax out and swimming off the boat.

Many different works portray the Sirens as different creatures, with the original having them be half-human, half-bird creatures that lured ships to crash into the rocks with their song. In Percy Jackson, they are stone beings that take the form of whom the person loves the most. In Nolan's The Odyssey, the Sirens are mermaids that offer a sweet song that acts as an impossible itch to scratch. This adaptation feels more like pirate folklore, but it is still unique in the way that Odysseus cried in agony when not able to scratch the itch, experiencing more pain than joy, making it a fresh take on one of the greatest fantasy books of all time.

Tiresias

Continuing on their quest home, Odysseus and the rest of his soldiers are lost, and in order to know how to get back, they must visit Hades, also known as the Underworld, where the lake of fire and ice combine. Reaching their destination, they sacrifice some sheep to summon Tiresias (James Remar), a blind prophet, and the Shades, the fallen soldiers who besieged Troy alongside Odysseus, which include Sinon (Elliot Page) and Agamemnon (Benny Safdie).

Tiresias is sometimes portrayed as a mortal and sometimes as a mythological being, but considering he was blessed by the gods with foresight, he is eligible for this list. Tiresias served as a crucial character in directing Odysseus on his journey home, foreshadowing what will happen to him and his crew if they do not heed his warning of Helios' sun cows. The Shades also offer a more personal connection to Odysseus that forces him to confront the ugly truth of Troy and those who died, which made him question his own desires and past triumphs.

Calypso

Odysseus' first appearance in The Odyssey is on the beach alongside Calypso (Charlize Theron), a beautiful nymph. It tells the story of him remembering past events while on the beach, learning he got there after the storm of Zeus' and Helios' rage capsized their ship, killing their crew and leaving Odysseus on this island without any memories. Calypso feeds him the lotus flower to be at ease, but also to keep him there since she fell in love with him.

On top of being in love with him, Calypso didn't let Odysseus leave because he still had remaining doubts about going back home, mainly because he was tortured over what he did in Troy. The Odyssey spent a lot of time with her and fleshed out her character, making her more of a tragic, lonely soul instead of a selfish nymph. Her direct decision essentially led to the main story of The Odyssey, considering she kept him on the beach for seven years.

Polyphemus

In desperate need of food, Odysseus and his crew land on an island to get the supplies they need, which is when they encounter a sheep. Following it up to a cave, they find bags of cheese, but the person who made them turns out to be the Cyclops known as Polyphemus. He ate many members of the crew, but they managed to escape by blinding him with a burning stick and escaping with the sheep. The film left it open to interpretation whether Polyphemus knew they were escaping or not, simply letting them leave since they caused him such a headache.

Nolan made a lot ofchanges in The Odyssey compared to the original story. Some were great, and others were not so well-received, but the biggest scene they took out was their conversation with Polyphemus and the iconic "nobody is attacking me" moment. Still, this version was a much better fit for Nolan's vision, considering how the crew didn't even attempt to converse with the beast, simply resorting to violence first, playing into the themes of abandoning Zeus' principles and them being the Sea People. The massive puppet was completely practical, adding to the sense of dread and immersion. Polyphemus is a highlight of the film and a critical part of the main message, on top of being absolutely stunning in terms of practicality.

Circe

A lot of the exploration in The Odyssey comes from the crew needing provisions, and that is exactly how they stumble upon Circe (Samantha Morton). After their crew forces Odysseus to stay and hunt, they are turned into pigs by the witch, who resents them for their greedy and barbaric ways. Odysseus catches on to this and doesn't eat the stew, taking her sister captive and striking a deal to release her if she brings back his crew.

Circe was one of the most fascinating characters in The Odyssey, being depicted as a tragic character who resents men for the way they treat her. This unique depiction was a brilliant change, but she further established herself as one of the best characters through the grotesque transformation sequence. She brutally disfigured and shaped the soldiers into pigs, resembling a potter melding clay. It was such a visually striking and intimate spell of disgust that stood out as one of the best moments in The Odyssey.

Athena

Almost all the characters on this list are either monsters or some sort of magical being, but the book was known for having many gods. Nolan took out most of them, only being mentioned in name or divine act, but one face who appeared was Athena (Zendaya). Athena was a constant presence who spoke to Odysseus in moments of crisis, reminding him of his mission and offering him guidance.

While fans would have loved to see more gods in The Odyssey, it was clear that this wasn't that kind of movie, especially since Athena's depiction is up for interpretation. She could have been the physical manifestation of the deity guiding him, or she could have been a representation of his guilt and broken psyche after destroying Troy, since she took the form of an innocent girl he killed. The pin given to him by his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) was meant to be a good luck charm, but Athena herself was more of a reminder of his trauma. This was a brilliant change and fascinating depiction that proves The Odyssey is Nolan's finest work.