We never forget our first pet. Although we’re a bit hesitant to call Blackjack a pet, per se. He’s more of a foul-mouthed, donut-craving, flying equus warrior. He’s also really cute. So we figured it was time to shine a spotlight on our favorite loyal horse. Got it, boss?

Free at Last

When we first met Blackjack, he was a miserable prisoner on Kronos’s ship. After he was freed by Percy Jackson, the Pegasus devoted his life to returning the favor. Cut to a lifetime of Seaweed Brain bumming rides with no questions asked. We would never insinuate that Percy takes advantage of Blackjack, but did he really need to go Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon on the same day? He wasn’t even fighting monsters at the time!

Possessive Percy

Similar to how he might be with, let’s say, a precious sports car, Percy has a serious problem letting other people ride Blackjack. You’d think a talking horse would have more say in the matter. Still, Blackjack has been permitted to give rides to Annabeth, Nico, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, and Charles Beckendorf, to name a few. But those were exceptions for emergencies, so don’t even think of asking for a ride to the donut shop. You might have more luck summoning Tempest these days. . . .

Bad Neighbors

Speaking of Tempest, who would have guessed that these two flying equines would have developed a rivalry, considering that their riders, Percy and Jason, became BFFs? The chief difference between the steeds is that Tempest isn’t a Pegasus, but a Storm Spirit made of thunderclouds and electricity. He’s also more of a stick in the mud than Blackjack has ever been. Who knows, though? Maybe one day these two will settle down and become friends. We all know that Tempest needs one right now.

Another Close Call

We’d be remiss not to mention Blackjack’s most recent appearance and brush with death. Due to an arrow fired by Orion, the Pegasus was unable to assist Percy and friends in their final battle against Gaea. We don’t know about you, but during that entire fight we couldn’t focus on anything other than his recovery! Thankfully, Blackjack survived and he now stands as one of the few animal companions that hasn’t been killed for the sole purpose of breaking our hearts.