Zendaya's Athena Role In The Odyssey Perfectly Continues A Decades-Long Nolan Trend

Zendaya’s Athena in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is described as having a small but lasting impact, continuing a trend that spans decades of Nolan projects. Based on Homer’s ancient epic, the film follows Odysseus (Matt Damon) after the Trojan War as he faces obstacles on the way back to Ithaca, while Telemachus (Tom Holland) searches for his father and Penelope (Anne Hathaway) deals with suitors, including Antinous (Robert Pattinson). Zendaya appears briefly as a figure of wisdom, guide, and protector. The article focuses on a third-act twist that raises whether she is truly Athena or instead the priestess Odysseus’ men desecrate in Troy, with the question left for audiences to interpret.