Son of Mars. World-class archer. Praetor of the Twelfth Legion. Despite his litany of accomplishments, this hero of Olympus never seems to get his due. Let’s change that by highlighting everything that makes Frank Zhang so awesome.

A Wild Family

As the son of Mars and a legacy of Poseidon, Frank was born into a family closely associated with the gods. Thanks to Mars’s blessing, the Zhang clan can shapeshift into any member of the animal kingdom, something Frank does on occasion. The Zhangs take their power very seriously. You won’t see any Lion King skits at family reunions.

We do hope Frank and Hazel survive whatever “dire challenge” Uncle Rick has in store for them. . . .

Justice for Shen

Speaking of family, Frank arrived at Camp Jupiter with some ancestral baggage. He was advised to apologize on behalf of his great-grandfather Shen Lun, who was believed to have caused the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Instead, Frank cleared Shen’s name. If any other demigod is accused of something like that, we hope it won’t take over 100 years to clean things up.

A Wooden Curse

Most demigods are destined for a life of pain and curses. For Frank, that comes in the form of an annoying piece of eternally burning firewood, a “gift” from Juno . His life is tied to it—if the stick ever burns completely, it’s lights out for Frank. Thankfully, the kindling is safe in his girlfriend Hazel Levesque’s hands. We don’t want to think about what would happen if Frank entrusted it to someone else . . . like, say, Leo. 

Praetors Gonna Praet

A skilled warrior, Frank single-handedly defeated three basilisks at once, commanded an army of undead Legionnaires, and helped unite Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter. In short, he’s more than earned Praetor status. The role grants him universal respect, authority, and, of course, his favorite perk: a discount at the Mythomagic store.

Eyes for Hazel

Frank’s relationship with Hazel is easily one of the most stable of the Seven. Although they grew up in separate eras, they’ve always had a special connection, and can even share each other’s memories. We love them together, and seriously, talk about #RelationshipGoals. We do hope Frank and Hazel survive whatever “dire challenge” Uncle Rick has in store for them in the next installment of The Trials of Apollo.

What do you think the future holds for Frank? Let us know!