Embedded Files
The Thunder Saga is the sixth saga of EPIC: The Musical, continuing the storyline from The Underworld Saga and marking the opening of Act 2. It was released on July 4th, 2024, and quickly became a sensation, garnering over 10 million views in less than 7 days. The saga consists of 5 songs, all crafted by Jorge Rivera-Herrans, who also produced the entire project. With its intense narrative and gripping music, The Thunder Saga further solidified its place in the EPIC series' legacy. The saga has a total length of 17:56 and is released under Winion Entertainment LLC.
SONGS
- SUFFERING
Suffering is the first song of The Thunder Saga and serves as the opening number of Act 2 of EPIC: The Musical. In this track, a siren disguises herself as Penelope to deceive Odysseus and attempt to kill him. Despite the siren’s intentions, Odysseus, unaware of the true danger, asks her for guidance on the best path to return home. The song sets a suspenseful tone for the saga as Odysseus grapples with his yearning for Ithaca and the deadly trickery surrounding him. Sung by Anna Lea as the siren and Jorge Rivera-Herrans as Odysseus, the song captures a pivotal moment in the narrative.
This song is in Ab major/F minor and has a 4/4 time signature.
Penelope’s theme plays throughout the song, but is slightly altered, musically representing that the siren is not truly Penelope.
A subtle clue is the absence of violas, which are Penelope’s signature instrument.
Before releasing the song, Jorge jokingly claimed the sirens were “cut” from the musical—foreshadowing their fate in Different Beast.
A popular meme emerged from the line: “Penelope, why? You know I'm too shy!”, featuring Jorge tucking his hair in mock anguish.
The lyrics use dual messaging, addressing both Penelope and the siren:
“More than you know” expresses Odysseus' deep longing for his wife and the siren’s ignorance of who he truly is.
“For you, I would die” conveys both his love for Penelope and the mortal danger of falling for the siren’s illusion.
In a behind-the-scenes video, Jorge explained that a siren needs her song to fully reach the victim’s ears to access their memories. Because of the beeswax, the siren only gathers fragmented memories.
She mistakenly uses Polites’ mallet motif instead of Penelope’s viola, reflecting Odysseus’ bond with Polites.
When the siren warns about Poseidon (“He will chase you high and low…”), she uses Zeus’ motif from The Horse and the Infant, confusing vengeance motifs across characters.
As the siren says “The lair of Scylla”, Circe’s motif plays on piano, subtly hinting at a mythological link between Circe and Scylla.
LYRICS
LYRICS
[SIRENS]
Penelope
Penelope
[PENELOPE?]
Don’t you miss me?
[ODYSSEUS]
More than you know
[PENELOPE?]
Then jump in the water and kiss me
[ODYSSEUS]
Penelope, I’ve told you this before
You know I’m afraid of the water
[PENELOPE?]
I’ll make sure that you are safe and sound
Come play with me and our daughter
and let’s watch our love leave the ground
[ODYSSEUS]
Oh, I would
But I’d be suffering trying to float the whole time
[PENELOPE?]
I would take the suffering from you
[ODYSSEUS]
Oh, as good as it sounds, right here I’m just fine
[PENELOPE?]
I could take the suffering from you
[ODYSSEUS]
You know that I prefer my feet on the ground
[PENELOPE?]
I will take the suffering from you
[ODYSSEUS]
Fine, but only if you answer a question or two
[PENELOPE?, spoken]
Of course!
[ODYSSEUS, spoken]
Okay, so let’s say I was on the run or hiding…
From, I don’t know, Poseidon…
And let’s say he blocked the way home with giant waves and giant storms...
[PENELOPE?, spoken]
Oh no!
[ODYSSEUS]
How am I to evade him?
How am I to get home?
Which route should I take?
Where am I supposed to go?
[PENELOPE?]
He will chase you high and low
So find a place he’d never go
The one way you'll get home
Is sailing where he's scared to roam, oh
It’s through the lair of Scylla
[ODYSSEUS, spoken]
No...
[PENELOPE?]
This is your only way home
The lair of Scylla
[ODYSSEUS]
But Scylla has a cost
[PENELOPE?]
Well, you asked and now you know
Now jump in the water!
[ODYSSEUS]
Penelope, why?
You know I’m too shy and terrified
[PENELOPE?]
I would take the suffering from you
[ODYSSEUS]
Oh, for you, I would die, but can't you let me stay dry?
[PENELOPE?]
I could take the suffering from you
[ODYSSEUS]
You should come onto the ship
We'll jump at the same time
[PENELOPE?]
I will take the suffering from you
[ODYSSEUS]
Ah, the things I do for you
2. DIFFERENT BEAST
2. DIFFERENT BEAST
Different Beast is the second song of The Thunder Saga and follows immediately after Suffering. In this song, Odysseus embraces a darker side of himself, displaying a newfound ruthlessness as he faces off against the packs of sirens. As Odysseus decides to take a more aggressive approach, the song emphasizes his transformation and the growing intensity of the challenges he faces. Sung by Jorge Rivera-Herrans as Odysseus and Anna Lea as the sirens, with the full cast of EPIC: The Musical, this track marks a pivotal moment where Odysseus moves beyond mere survival, showcasing his evolving nature in the face of overwhelming odds.
The song is in F# minor and has a 4/4 time signature.
The line “…'cause we won't take more suffering from you” is sung to the same melody as the chorus of "Suffering", tying the two songs together thematically and musically.
The lyric “We've been away from home for about 12 years or so” likely references the timeline error from There Are Other Ways, where Odysseus says it’s been 12 years, though canonically it would be 10. This self-referential line playfully nods to that inconsistency.
“First, we slayed in our own war” directly alludes to "The Horse and The Infant", referencing the Trojan War and their victory.
In the final segment of the song, the crew sing using the same melody from "Remember Them", symbolizing their growth since that moment. It reflects how they’ve internalized the pain of losing their crewmates after sparing Polyphemus and have vowed not to repeat that mistake.
LYRICS
LYRICS
[ODYSSEUS grabs his bow and arrow and shoots the SIREN. SIREN screams in pain.]
[ODYSSEUS]
Let's cut this charade, you are no wife of mine
You've been tryin' to take my life this whole time
I know underwater, there are packs of you hiding
Yeah, I know exactly what you are: a siren
[SIREN hisses at ODYSSEUS]
[ODYSSEUS]
My real wife knows I'm not scared of the water
And my real wife knows I don't have a daughter
But while you were so focused on turning my men into snacks
You didn't notice that your friends got snatched
[SIREN]
What?!
[ODYSSEUS & SOLDIERS]
We are a different beast now
We are the ones who feast now
No more of us deceased, 'cause we won't take more suffering from you
We are the man-made monsters
We are the ones who conquer
You are a threat no longer
We won't take more suffering from you
[ODYSSEUS]
We've been away from home for about 12 years or so
First we slayed in our own war
And now, we're here with more foes
While on the run from Poseidon
We found a ship with no crew
I realized nearby, there were sirens
Singing sailors to their dooms
We filled our ears with beeswax
That's how we resist your song
You pretended to be my wife, so I just played along
I read your lips and phrases
Scanning for information
Sirens know about every route and horizon
Now I know how to get back to my island
[SOLDIERS]
We are a different beast now
We are the ones who feast now
No more of us deceased, 'cause we won't take more suffering from you
We are the man-made monsters
We are the ones who conquer
You are a threat no longer
We won't take more suffering from you
[SIRENS]
Spare us
Oh, spare us please
[ODYSSEUS]
Why?
So you can kill the next group of sailors in this part of the sea?
Nah, you wouldn't have spared me
I made a mistake like this and almost cost my life
I can't take more risks of not seeing my wife
Cut off their tails! We're ending this now
Throw their bodies back in the water
Let them drown
[SIRENS]
No!
[SOLDIERS]
He is a different beast now
He is the one who feasts now
No more of us deceased, 'cause he won't take more suffering from you
He is the man-made monster
He is the one who conquers
You are a threat no longer
He won't take more suffering from you
[ODYSSEUS]
Kill them all!
[SOLDIERS]
Oh, woah-oh-oh, oh woah-oh-oh, oh, woah-oh-oh
[ODYSSEUS]
Kill them all!
[SOLDIERS]
Oh, woah-oh-oh, oh woah-oh-oh, oh, woah-oh-oh
[ODYSSEUS]
Kill them all!
[SOLDIERS]
Oh, woah-oh-oh, oh woah-oh-oh, oh, woah-oh-oh
[ODYSSEUS]
Kill 'em all!
[SOLDIERS]
Oh, woah-oh-oh, oh woah-oh-oh, oh, woah-oh-oh
Odysseus
3. SCYLLA
3. SCYLLA
Scylla is the third song of The Thunder Saga in EPIC: The Musical, in which Odysseus is forced to make a devastating choice in order to pass through the deadly domain of the monster Scylla. As the tension escalates, Odysseus sacrifices members of his crew to ensure the rest can survive the treacherous passage, highlighting his internal conflict and the emotional toll of leadership. The song is performed by Jorge Rivera-Herrans as Odysseus, KJ Burkhauser as Scylla, and Armando Julian as Eurylochus, with additional vocals by the cast portraying Greek soldiers. The scene captures the brutal reality of Odysseus’s journey and sets a darker tone for the challenges still to come in Act 2.
This song is in C#/Db minor and has a 3/4 time signature.
This is the song where Eurylochus admits he betrayed Odysseus and damned the crew by opening the wind bag given to them by Aeolus.
Scylla, after being turned into a monster, has a dark view of humanity and the gods, evident in the lines "Deep down, we only care for ourselves", or "We both know what it takes to survive".
According to Greek mythology, it was Circe who transformed Scylla (by putting one of her potions in a pool where she bathed), jealous of her because she was the beloved of Glaucus, a sea god Circe herself loved.
Jorge has said that during The Circe Saga, a motif called Circe's Motif can be heard being played on a staccato string instrument; in The Thunder Saga, the same motif can be heard on piano when the siren mentions Scylla’s lair, symbolizing the connection between Circe and Scylla.
This song was vaguely spoiled in No Longer You, where Tiresias says "I see the sacrifice of man", and Odysseus does, in fact, sacrifice six men to escape Scylla’s lair.
Exactly six screams can be heard when Scylla sings her main verse (albeit subtly layered under the audio).
When Odysseus orders Eurylochus to light six torches, he covertly reveals his plan to sacrifice the men holding them.
In the Odyssey, these men die not by sacrifice, but because the crew is distracted by Charybdis, allowing Scylla to strike.
This song has the same runtime as Wouldn’t You Like — 2 minutes and 54 seconds.
LYRICS
LYRICS
[ODYSSEUS]
The lair of Scylla
This is our only way home
[SCYLLA]
Deep down
[EURYLOCHUS, spoken]
You're quiet today.
[SCYLLA]
Deep down
[ODYSSEUS, spoken]
Not much to say...
[ALL]
Deep down
[SCYLLA]
You hide a reason for shame
[EURYLOCHUS]
I've got a secret I can no longer keep
[SOLDIERS]
Deep down
[SCYLLA]
You know that we are the same
[EURYLOCHUS]
I opened the wind bag while you were asleep
[SCYLLA]
Leaving them feeling betrayed
Breaking the bonds that you've made
[EURYLOCHUS]
I'm so sorry
[SCYLLA]
There is no price we won't pay
[EURYLOCHUS]
Forgive me
[SCYLLA]
We both know what it takes to survive
[SOLDIERS]
Full speed ahead, full speed, full speed ahead
Full speed ahead
[ALL]
Deep down
[SCYLLA]
We only care for ourselves
[ODYSSEUS]
Eurylochus, light up six torches
[SCYLLA]
Deep down, we're lonely demons from hell
[EURYLOCHUS, spoken]
Captain! Something approaches!
[SCYLLA, spoken]
Hello...
[ODYSSEUS]
Row for your lives!
[SCYLLA]
Drown in your sorrow and fears
Choke on your blood and your tears
Bleed til you've run out of years
We must do what it takes to survive
Give up your honor and faith
Live up your life as a wraith
Die in the blood where you bathe
We must do what it takes to survive
[SCYLLA & ODYSSEUS]
We are the same, you and I, I
4. MUTINY
4. MUTINY
Mutiny is the fourth song in The Thunder Saga and a major turning point in EPIC: The Musical. After surviving the monster Scylla, the crew finds out that Odysseus had planned to sacrifice six of them to get through safely. Feeling betrayed and heartbroken, Eurylochus and the other soldiers decide to turn against him. In this intense song, Eurylochus leads a rebellion, and the crew begins to question if Odysseus is still the hero they believed in. Sung by Armando Julian, Jorge Rivera-Herrans, Ayron Alexander, and the cast, the song shows the crew’s anger and sadness as they prepare to fight their leader and take back control.
This song is in D minor and follows a 4/4 time signature.
The opening melody of the song is the same as the ending of "My Goodbye", creating an emotional link between the songs
It includes references to several earlier songs: "Luck Runs Out," "The Horse and The Infant," "Just A Man," and "Full Speed Ahead."
The second half of the song mirrors the melodic structure of Zeus’s lines in The Horse and the Infant, hinting at a connection to the next track, "Thunder Bringer."
The “Danger is Nearby” motif appears during three intense moments:
When Eurylochus admits his betrayal.
When he kills one of Helios’ sacred cows.
As the crew rows away from Thrinacia, desperate and panicked.
This is the first time Eurylochus calls Odysseus by the nickname “Ody.”
The song's ending parallels Poseidon's first appearance in Keep Your Friends Close:
But while Poseidon speaks, Zeus doesn’t need to—his thunder alone sends the message.
The lyric “If you want all the power, you must carry all the blame” is a callback to the cut song "Unhand Him," where Odysseus says “You can’t have all the power and none of the blame.”
LYRICS
LYRICS
[EURYLOCHUS]
Tell me you did not know that would happen
Say you didn't know how that would end
Look me in the eyes and tell me, Captain
That you did not just sacrifice six men
Use your wits to try and say I'm crazy and mad
That this is all some trick the gods have sent
Tell me you did not miss home so painfully bad
That you gave up the lives of six of our friends
When we fought the cyclops, you were quick to hatch a plan
And when we fought with Circe, it was you who left behind no man
But when we fought this monster, we didn't take a stand
We just ran
Say something!!
[ODYSSEUS, spoken]
I can't!!
[EURYLOCHUS, spoken]
Then you have forced my hand...
[SOLDIERS]
Eurylochus
[ODYSSEUS, spoken]
Lower your weapon!
[EURYLOCHUS]
No can do
You miss your wife so bad, you trade the lives of your own crew
[ODYSSEUS]
Don't make me fight you, brother, you know you'd have done the same
[EURYLOCHUS]
If you want all the power, you must carry all the blame
[SOLDIERS]
Eurylochus, Eurylochus, Eurylochus
Odysseus, Odysseus, Odysseus
There is no price he won't pay
[ODYSSEUS]
I am not letting you get in my way
[PERIMEDES stabs ODYSSEUS]
[ODYSSEUS, spoken]
My brothers, why?
[PERIMEDES & SOLDIERS]
How are we supposed to trust you now?
Now your time has come, your luck's run out
Now, the time has come to shut you down
You relied on wit and then we died on it
Woah-oh-oh
[ODYSSEUS, spoken]
Agh, my head...
Where are we?
[EURYLOCHUS]
Some island, the first one we found
It's bursting with cows just roaming around
Begging us to eat, so much meat
And hunger is so heavy
This statue
The God of the Sun
Don't know where it's from
But here's where we found all these cows to hunt
Right in front
And hunger is so heavy
[SOLDIERS]
Hunger is so heavy
[ODYSSEUS]
Please don't tell me you're about to do what I think you'll do
[EURYLOCHUS]
Ody, we're never gonna get to make it home
You know it's true
[ODYSSEUS]
You don't know that's true
This is the home of the Sun God
[EURYLOCHUS]
I'm starving my friend
[ODYSSEUS]
But if you kill his cattle, who knows what he'll send?
This is the home of the Sun God
[EURYLOCHUS]
I'm tired, my friend
[ODYSSEUS]
But we're so close to home, this can't be where it ends
[EURYLOCHUS & ODYSSEUS]
How much longer must I suffer now?
Please don't do this
How much longer must I push through doubt?
I need to get home
How much longer must we go about
Eurylochus
My life like this when people die like this?
Woah
[EURYLOCHUS & SOLDIERS, ODYSSEUS]
How much longer must we suffer now?
Reconsider
How much longer must we push through doubt?
We can get home
How much longer must we go about
Eurylochus
Our lives like this when people die like this?
Woah
[EURYLOCHUS]
I'm just a man!
[ODYSSEUS, spoken]
Eurylochus, NO!!!
You've doomed us...
YOU'VE DOOMED US ALL, EURYLOCHUS!!!
[EURYLOCHUS, spoken]
Captain?
[ODYSSEUS]
We need to get away from this island now!
Grab an oar with all the strength your arms allow!
These cows were immortal! They were the Sun God's friends!
And now that we've pissed them off, WHO DO YOU THINK HE'LL SEND?!
[SOLDIERS]
Full speed ahead
Full speed ahead
[ODYSSEUS]
Faster!
[SOLDIERS]
Full speed ahead
[ODYSSEUS]
Faster!
[SOLDIERS]
Full speed ahead
[ODYSSEUS, spoken]
...We're too late.
5. THUNDER BRINGER
5. THUNDER BRINGER
Thunder Bringer is the fifth and final song of The Thunder Saga, marking the climax of Act 2’s opening arc in EPIC: The Musical. In this powerful and intense number, Zeus descends from Olympus to unleash his divine wrath on Odysseus and his remaining crew as punishment for slaughtering the sacred cattle of the sun god, Helios. The song captures the moment of reckoning, as divine judgment crashes down in the form of thunder and devastation. It is performed by Luke Holt as Zeus, Jorge Rivera-Herrans as Odysseus, Anna Lea as Penelope, Armando Julian as Eurylochus, and the rest of the cast of EPIC: The Musical portraying the Greek soldiers. The song brings The Thunder Saga to a dramatic and tragic close, paving the way for the next chapter in Odysseus’ long journey home.
This song is in F minor and has a 4/4 time signature.
The line "Please don't make me do this, don't make me do this." is sung in the same tune as the same line from The Horse and The Infant.
LYRICS
LYRICS
[ZEUS]
Pride is a damsel in distress
Hiding away where only I can undress her
Try all she can not to confess
In the end, it's all the same once I apply all the pressure
Thunder, bring her through the wringer,
Show her I'm the judgment call
The one who makes her kingdom fall
Lightning, wield her, use and yield her,
Show her what she can't conceal
For true nature will be revealed
Tell me, Odysseus
If I were to make you choose
The lives of your men and crew or your own
Why do I think they'd lose?
Enlighten me, King of Ithaca
Since hunger was far too great
I wonder who'd take the weight of the damned
And suffer a gruesome fate to the
Thunder Bringer, here to ring your
Ears until you're deaf with fear and
Spear you while your death is near
Lighting wielder, here to yield your
Time for you have passed your prime
Sublime you for your act of crime
[ZEUS, spoken]
Choose.
[ODYSSEUS, spoken]
Choose?
[ZEUS]
Someone's got to die today
And you have got the final say
You?
Or your crew?
[ODYSSEUS]
Please don't make me do this
Don't make me do this
[SOLDIERS]
When does a comet become a meteor?
When does a candle become a blaze?
[PENELOPE]
I can take the suffering from you
[SOLDIERS]
When does a man become a monster?
When does a ripple become a tidal wave?
When does the reason become the blame?
When does a man become a monster?
[PENELOPE]
Let me take the suffering from...
[EURYLOCHUS, spoken]
...Captain?
[ODYSSEUS, spoken]
I have to see her.
[EURYLOCHUS, spoken]
...But we'll die.
[ODYSSEUS, spoken]
...I know.
[ZEUS]
Thunder, bring her through the wringer
Show her I'm the judgment call
The one who makes her kingdom fall
Lightning, wield her, use and yield her
Show her what she can't conceal
For true nature will be revealed
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