Luke Castellan

A son of Hermes who turned against Olympus after being abandoned by his father.

Luke Castellan was a son of Hermes and May Castellan, described as handsome with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a long scar on the side of his face given to him by the dragon Ladon. He served as the friendly head counselor of the Hermes Cabin at Camp Half-Blood before his betrayal was revealed at the end of The Lightning Thief. Luke possessed the ability to open locks with his mind and was an excellent swordsman. His resentment toward the gods began early, driven by Hermes' neglect and the failure of his quest, compounded by his father's non-interference despite his mother May's mental illness.

Lore & Background

Luke ran away from home at nine years old and eventually arrived at Camp Half-Blood aged fourteen with Annabeth Chase and Thalia Grace. Following the loss of Thalia, a failed quest, and continued silence from his father Hermes, Luke's resentment turned into strong hatred for the gods. At the end of The Lightning Thief, he was revealed to serve Kronos. He received a sword named "Backbiter" from the Titan Lord. It was later reforged as Kronos' scythe, which can harm both mortals and immortals. Luke's descent was fueled by his belief that the gods neglected their children, leading him to orchestrate events against Olympus.

Reader's Guide

Luke Castellan is a son of Hermes and former head counselor of the Hermes cabin, Cabin 11, known for his skills with a sword and his ability to open locks with his mind. He is defined by his tragic turn from hero to villain after running away at nine and arriving at camp at fourteen. He wields Backbiter, which becomes the scythe of Kronos. His motivation stems from resentment over Hermes' silence regarding his mother's illness and the gods' non-interference policy. Ultimately, he hosts the spirit of Kronos before his final moments.