Since you wrote about this in one of your posts, I'm very interested in asking you about the scene where Jason renounces his Praetorship to Frank. I, angst-writer that I am, have been toying around with the idea of writing something about Jason secretly feeling absolutely miserable - perhaps even borderline humiliated - over not being Roman enough anymore to wield authority over the skeletons. The problem is that after reading your piece on Jason's internal development, that scene seems more emotionally liberating rather than emotionally crushing for Jason. I haven't read the books in forever, could you tell me whether there's room for the emotionally crushing interpretation, or would I just need to go OOC for this hypothetical angst fic?
First, thank you for the ask! I love getting these, however, like I always do, I put off getting to this one for a minute because I want to put this in a concise way.
I am fully open to the idea that this could be viewed as either or. I think that the distinction could be made that, while this is painted in a way that is internally liberating, it doesn't change the fact that it was publicly humiliating, to an extent. I feel like that does allow for some internal turmoil, as so much of Jason's character revolves around untangling his wishes for himself vs. others expectations for him.
For example, we know that from what Piper states in Blood of Olympus that it is her interpretation that Jason is relieved and unburdened from relinquishing the praetorship:
"...Piper couldn’t help liking Frank...whenever Piper saw him
wearing Jason’s old praetor’s badge she felt grateful to him
for stepping up and accepting that job. He had taken a huge
responsibility off Jason’s shoulders and left him free (Piper
hoped) to pursue a new path at Camp Half-Blood …" (The Blood of Olympus, p. 182-183).
However, we know that right after Jason is told that the legion won't listen to him, the first thing he does is grimace and curse (House of Hades, p. 291). He also states in Blood of Olympus that this event in particular is what triggers him losing his taste of ambrosia, and feeling disconnected from his former identity:
"In fact the nectar tasted like liquid sawdust, but Jason kept
that to himself. Ever since the House of Hades when he’d
resigned his praetorship, ambrosia and nectar didn’t taste
like his favorite foods from Camp Jupiter. It was as if the
memory of his old home no longer had the power to heal
him" (The Blood of Olympus, p. 50).
It makes me think about the scene everyone likes to bring up from Mark of Athena when Jason openly expresses resentment towards Percy (Mark of Athena, p. 173). I feel like it is not often mentioned how that comes right after Jason is publicly admonished by just about everyone at the table for suggesting Nico is untrustworthy. At the beginning of that scene, he was treated as a leader, right after he does this (suggesting Nico is shady), however, everyone looks at Percy instead. It could be interpreted that he is resentful due to being socially demoted by the crew in that instance.
It is true that Jason hails from a culture that holds power and control in high regard. Reyna even remarks how Percy turning down power in The Son of Neptune is "not very roman of [him]" (The Son of Neptune, p. 183). Gaia also torments Jason with these perceptions of inferiority calling him "second best" (The Blood of Olympus, p. 17). That to me is evidence enough that Jason could, to an extent, view his loss of praetorship as a serious one for his identity.
But all that being said, I also don't mind different interpretations of his character that are non-canon contingent as well. :)
