Summary
Athena and Telemachus join forces in The Wisdom Saga
EPIC: The Musical released The Wisdom Saga on the 30 August.
Explaining The Saga
After Zeus spares Odysseus from his wrath, the musical’s narrative shifts to his son, Telemachus; who he has not seen in 20 years.
Athena, the goddess of wisdom who mentored Odysseus, is worried about her former student. He has been missing for seven years after his encounter with Zeus so she begins to search for him.
Legendary
The saga’s first song leads with Telemachus singing about how he wants to prove himself and misses his father. He is voiced by Miguel Veloso, also known as MICO.
Telemachus has lively music to show how he brings levity to a usually heavy story.
Because of his future connection to Athena, his main instrument is an indie piano. However, his parents’ instruments, a viola and guitar respectively, also make their way into his music to show their connection to him. These instruments combine well to create a unique instrumental for Telemachus.
As he sings, “Come and give me a sign.” Athena’s piano motif plays; signalling that she will come to his aid.
At this time, 108 suitors are living in the palace all wanting to replace Odysseus as the king of Ithaca. Penelope and Telemachus try to stall them as they wait for Odysseus to return.
As the suitors grow impatient they sing, “Where is he? Where is he?” Which is a reference to a cut song, Man of the House, but it is also foreshadowing a future song in the final album of the musical.
Antinous, the main suitor played by Ayron Alexander, starts taunting Telemachus and slanders Penelope. His voice is deep and intimidating compared to Telemachus.
Antinous challenges him and Telemachus realises he must stand up for himself.
Little Wolf
Every important character in the musical has an instrument and a motif associated with them.
Since there are so many suitors, they are represented together. The composer and lyricist, Jorge Rivera-Herrans decided that because the suitors have been in the palace for so long, their music has a sense of familiarity to it. One of their instruments is a grungy guitar, as they are trying to replace Odysseus; his instrument is an acoustic guitar. Also, since the suitors are Telemachus’ main adversary, their music also includes trumpets. Which are Poseidon’s instrument – Odysseus’ main adversary.
The music is fast and loud as Antinous attacks Telemachus. But because of his lack of experience, Telemachus is losing.
Athena then appears in Telemachus’ mind, signalled by a clock sound effect. This is a reference to an ability she has in the musical: Quick Thought, giving her the ability to have a conversation with someone telepathically within milliseconds. She guides Telemachus through the fight and he gains the upper hand.
Athena’s piano accompanies the guitar before the fight continues.
During Athena’s lines in the song, she refers to her time meeting and mentoring Odysseus. By helping Telemachus she wants to do things differently in teaching him, as she was very hard on young Odysseus.
Antinous eventually wins, and threatens violence if Penelope does not choose a suitor soon.
We’ll Be Fine
We’ll Be Fine opens with Athena singing about a friend she had in the past who she lost contact with. She of course is referring to Odysseus. Unlike the last time we heard Athena, she refused to call Odysseus her friend. Now, she realises that’s what he was to her. She reflects on her actions and how she responded to Odysseus wanting to show more mercy to his enemies. This is why he cut her all those years ago.
As well as her lyrics, Athena’s voice changes with this new saga. In previous songs, Athena’s voice is commanding and sometimes aggressive. In The Wisdom Saga she sings more gently and even has light-hearted moments as she befriends Telemachus.
Some lyrics are sung in the melody of Athena’s first song, Warrior of the Mind. This song focuses on how Athena and Odysseus met and how he must not show mercy to his enemies. By using this melody, Athena is shown to remember her mistakes and learns from them.
Telemachus remains optimistic about the future and Athena’s search for her friend. As he sings, his instrumental is more upbeat. He is overjoyed that he survived the fight and didn’t care that he lost, because that was the first time that he felt strong.
Love In Paradise
Athena begins her search for Odysseus. Her piano motif and clock sound effect play.
She calls Odysseus “old friend” which is something she has never done before.
Athena and Odysseus cut ties when he blinded the cyclops Polyphemus and didn’t kill him. This song touches on this by using lyrics from that song, Remember Me.
Many songs in EPIC call back to previous songs as well as foreshadow future events in the story. In Love In Paradise, Athena searches through Odysseus’ memories to find him in the “Time Dive.” As she searches, melodies and lyrics from songs from the last four sagas play. These show events from meeting Aeolus the wind god to facing Poseidon, meeting Circe, entering the Underworld, encountering Sirens and sea monsters, and, eventually, Zeus.
As Odysseus’ location remains unknown, steel drums and wave sound effects play. He wakes up on an island to a nymph singing to him. She is infatuated and wants him to stay with her forever. But, Odysseus is fervently loyal to Penelope and threatens the nymph.
She reveals herself as the goddess, Calypso. And with a spell, her island is unknown to others.
In The Odyssey, Calypso is cursed to fall in love with anyone who comes to her island (Ogygia).
Odysseus remains trapped on the island for seven years. As time weighs more on him, he is haunted by the memories of everyone he has lost. Including, his mother Anticlea, his friend Polites and his friend Eurylochus. Lyrics they sang in previous songs overpower Odysseus’ and Calypso’s singing. The voices mix together and Odysseus cries for Athena’s help.
The sound of the ticking clock fades out.
God Games
Athena asks her father to release Odysseus from Ogygia. Zeus decides that Athena must convince him, Apollo, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Ares and Hera to release him.
This song drew inspiration from video games and anime. So, the gods each have their own “level” like in a fighting game. Zeus introduces the gods dramatically like at the start of a boss fight.
Apollo, voiced by Brandon McInnis, supported the Trojans in the war and thinks that Odysseus should not have killed the sirens, as he is the god of music. His instrument is a lyre which is a symbol of Apollo. Athena quickly argues that his actions were in self-defence. Athena convinces him and moves on to level two.
Mike Rivera, Jorge’s father, plays Hephaestus the god of the forge and volcanoes. His music has a hammer on an anvil and church bell sounds. Hephaestus questions Athena’s motives as Odysseus sacrificed his men to Zeus. The god’s focus on loyalty stems from his wife Aphrodite cheating on him with Ares. Athena reminds Hephaestus that the crew betrayed Odysseus and will return to his family if he is released.
Aphrodite, the goddess of love, blames Anticlea’s death on Odysseus because he was away for so long. Her music is sensual with a saxophone and divine chorus. She initially wants Odysseus to rot on the island.
Ares then steps in with an erhu playing. This two-stringed instrument originates from China and is a reference to Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, since that is Ares’ domain. He brands Odysseus a coward for not fighting back against the sea monster and facing enemies head on. He calls Telemachus weak as well which Athena immediately counters. She fiercely sings in the melody from Warrior of the Mind that broken hearts can heal and that Odysseus will kill the suitors if he can go home. The two choose to release him.
While writing Hera’s music, Jorge took elements from disco and I Will Survive. Because Zeus fathered many Greek heroes, Hera has a disdain for them. As Athena and Hera go back and forth, she reveals Odysseus’ loyalty to Penelope and instantly convinces her.
Zeus, the final level, is furious that Athena won and strikes her with lightning. As the gods fear she is dead, the piano notes from the Warrior of the Mind chorus play. The chorus then plays in triumphant brass with the melody from Legendary. As Athena remembers why she came to Zeus. She then asks Zeus to let him go.
Final Thoughts
EPIC: The Musical continues to guide the listener through this interconnected and complex story with The Wisdom Saga‘s new characters and conflicts. As Athena learns from her mistakes, Telemachus gains confidence and Odysseus loses hope, we draw closer to the long-anticipated conclusion of this story.
The first three songs brilliantly show Telemachus’ growth and relationship with Athena.
Love In Paradise reminds the reader of how far Odysseus has gone to see his family again, and how his past still haunts him. And God Games uses video games, skilled voices and previous conflicts to show the story from the Gods’ perspective.
In summary, The Wisdom Saga is another excellent addition to EPIC: The Musical.
The album is available on all major music streaming platforms. Progress on the two remaining sagas can be found here.
Featured Image Credit: EPIC The Musical Wiki