Content Warning: Spoilers, violence, & warnings for songs “Hold Them Down” and “Odysseus”, as they contain mentions of sexual assault though it is not discussed in this article.
Well, this has been quite the holiday season for the EPIC community. If you’re unaware, The Ithaca Saga (released this Christmas) concludes the EPIC (Official Concept Album) after exactly two years of periodical saga releases. Also, the fandom’s main platform, TikTok, was nearly banned in the US. Had TikTok been banned permanently, the momentum this project has built on the app could have disappeared with it. Whether that momentum will continue with the changes made to TikTok after its reinstatement remains to be seen. However, with over 700 million streams across all sagas on Spotify alone, and even beating Wicked: The Movie on the iTunes charts, EPIC’s current success guarantees a promising future.
Alright, now let’s rank the final installment of EPIC: The Musical!
- Would You Fall in Love with Me Again
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The melody of the chorus is so moving I can physically feel my heart strings being plucked.
On my first listen, when Penelope asked Odysseus what he had done to get home, I said out loud, “Girl, you don’t want to know.”
Odysseus owning up to “trading friends like objects” is such a gut punch. I thought we were getting a happy song, Jorge! What is this?
I love Penelope matching Odysseus’s energy after he gets offended by her demand to carry away their wedding bed (a test to make sure it’s really him). Their chemistry is insane and that’s just on a recording.
Anna Lea pops off in the song. She sang “The Challenge” beautifully, but her talent especially shines on this track. Her voice is packed with emotion as Penelope tells Odysseus she will always love him even if he’s changed. It’s so raw and powerful and perfect and I’m crying.
The melody of “Just a Man” playing because that song marked the beginning of Odysseus committing atrocities to make it home to Penelope and now he finally has…count your days, Jorge.
Perfect finale. Stunning. Gorgeous. No notes.
- The Challenge
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The violin intro playing Penelope’s motif is so pretty.
My family must hate me because of the amount of times I randomly sang, “They don’t know that eeeeevry night,” during winter break.
The drums coming in after the first chorus are kind of abrupt and I’m not sure whether or not that was on purpose.
Penelope seeing a big storm and immediately assuming it’s a sign from the gods is so Greek mythology and I love it.
The suitors’ background vocals are insanely catchy.
Penelope saying she would rather get shot with an arrow than live “without the best of” Ithacans/suitors is a beautiful, tragic way of proclaiming her undying love for Odysseus.
Using Odysseus’s mother’s motif to capture Penelope’s longing…how many times are you going to break my heart Jorge?
Overall a gorgeous ballad that effectively introduces Penelope after the short glimpses we’ve seen of her in the past. I love how it conveys her cleverness and personality, making her not just Odysseus’s wife but a stand alone character.
- Hold Them Down
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Out of all the songs in the Ithaca Saga, this is the one that has gotten stuck in my head the most.
The transition into this track being the background vocal part from the last song and then into the suitors’ motif is so smooth.
Ayron Alexander who voices Antinous has a killer (pun intended) voice. It’s silky smooth when he’s plotting but then becomes super gritty when he rouses the other suitors to act.
The horrifically vivid imagery turns the audience completely against the suitors, making it easier to digest what happens later in the narrative. I’ve seen fans express feeling super icky for jamming out to this track which I think is the mark of a great villain song.
Antinous’s death ending the song is a brilliant way to build suspense and set up the next song.
- Odysseus
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The way Jorge makes his voice low and gritty during spoken lines makes you feel how worn Odysseus is after 20 years away from home.
The background vocals singing his name make Odysseus seem like a final boss.
Turning the suitors’ motif from mocking to terror reminds the listener of the suitors’ crimes so that they don’t feel bad when Odysseus slaughters them all. It’s very satisfying to see them suffer the same fate they were planning for Telemachus.
“You don’t think I know my own palace? I built it!” is such a bar, oh my god.
Eurymachus’s verse is such an earworm. I think this might be the catchiest saga.
The callousness in Odysseus’s voice as he hunts down the suitors is palpable. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Jorge Rivera-Herrans is a phenomenal voice actor.
I hate to be a hater but I’m not the biggest fan of Jamie Wiltshire’s (Melanthius’s) voice. It’s pretty grating and I think he’s trying to do an American accent (he’s British) but it comes out kind of nasally. I don’t know if this was on purpose since it’s clear the audience is supposed to hate him. The nasally-sound could be Melanthius seeing himself as above everyone else. Sorry Jamie, I’m sure you’re very talented. I do love the way he sings the word “mistake” after Telemachus’s entrance.
Speaking of Telemachus’s entrance, it’s so cool. Athena’s little stutter thing (for lack of better words) plays to imply that he’s fighting with her by his side even if she’s not shown or heard in the scene. Then comes the melody to “Legendary,” referring back to when Telemachus longed for glorious battle and now he’s finally getting it.
Using the sound of Odysseus’s arrows hitting the suitors as a beat is such a genius idea. The intensity of the scene only grows as each arrow flies and Odysseus coldy expresses why the suitors have to die.
Brilliant song. I’m terrified.
- I Can’t Help but Wonder
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This song makes me cry every single time. I’m tearing up writing this right now.
The simple plucky acoustic guitar allows for the moment to feel intimate, like the listener is just a fly on the wall watching Odysseus and Telemachus reunite.
Both Mico Veloso and Jorge have lovely soft falsettos.
Odysseus calling Telemachus the “sweetest joy he’s known” is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.
Athena’s character development throughout the story has been so compelling. She goes from telling Odysseus to kill without hesitation to longing for a world filled with empathy. Her and Odysseus seem to swap worldviews as the narrative progresses. Also, I’m glad she’s okay after the Wisdom Saga ‘cause I was worried. Welcome back, Teagan Earley, you were dearly missed.
I like how the song ends with a message of hope: Odysseus telling Athena that he won’t live to see a better world but she can create one as an immortal being.
Just an overall simple but beautiful song.
Closing Thoughts
Yes, my ranking is just the tracklist except the finale is ranked first, and what about it? All jokes aside, it looks like this is my last time yapping about EPIC, for a little while at least. To the fans: I know we’re sad that this part of the journey is over, but I want everyone to keep in mind that this is just the beginning. As I mentioned before, the concept album’s success will open doors for stage and screen adaptations down the line. To quote The Cyclops Saga: “Mark my words now, this is not the end.”
If anyone who helped create EPIC is reading this, thank you so much for providing us with this incredible musical. The talent and hard work we’ve seen put into this project is unmatched. <3
If you enjoyed this article, please be sure to check out my rankings of the Wisdom and Vengeance Sagas! And if you haven’t already, be sure to watch the Ithaca Saga Premiere Party. I promise you won’t be disappointed!