EPIC: The Musical is a musical depiction of The Odyssey, consisting of two acts with twenty songs in each act. Additionally, the acts are split into nine “sagas”, which are essentially chapters of the overall story. As of 2024, EPIC is not a theater production. However, the majority of it has been officially released as a concept album that could change if future opportunities open for Jorge Rivera-Herrans, the writer of the musical. I first listened to EPIC while I was reading The Odyssey for my English class and instantly fell in love. I was amazed by the catchy songs, the introspective lyrics, and the fantastic voices of the current cast. I admire Jorge’s contemporary approach to writing EPIC, as well as the community he’s built around his work.  To express my love for the musical and celebrate The Vengeance Saga’s release on October 31st, I thought it would be fun to rank the sagas of EPIC: The Musical. 

I will rate the currently released sagas, with 1 being the best and 7 being the worst, or, to put it more lightly, my least favorite. I will also include what I think are the best songs in the sagas. Unfortunately, I cannot rate the final two sagas because they are unreleased. Please understand that despite my rankings, I love each saga and am not attempting to put anyone else’s opinions down. I’d also like to note that because The Odyssey is considered a classic epic poem and is widely known, I will not be spoiler-free about the basic premise of each saga. 

1. The Wisdom Saga

The Wisdom Saga is the seventh saga in EPIC, and it takes place seven years after the events of The Thunder Saga. In this saga, we are introduced to Telemachus and the current state of Ithaca. Additionally, we are also introduced to Olympus for the first time and meet other gods aside from Athena, Zeus, and Poseidon. This is by far my favorite saga, purely because of the diversity of the cast and characters. The song God Games is also my favorite out of all the musicals because of how much it resembles a video game, with the leveling up of different gods being boss fights. Luke Holt, the voice of Zeus, also did an amazing job in this song. I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone perform such a thunderous, haunting voice as well as he does. 

Best Song(s): Love in Paradise, God Games

2. The Thunder Saga

The Thunder Saga is the sixth saga in EPIC and the beginning of Act II. This saga follows the crew as they encounter several monsters and characters on the rest of the journey home, including the Sirens and Scylla. I love this saga in particular because it evokes the greatest amount of emotion from the listener. When I first listened to it, the second half of the saga gave me an overwhelming sense of dread. A friend of mine, also a fan of EPIC, described a similar feeling, saying that she felt “empty” after the end of Thunder Bringer. I once again praise Luke Holt for playing Zeus, as well as KJ Burkhauser, the voice of Scylla. 

Best Song(s): Scylla, Mutiny, Thunder Bringer

3. The Underworld Saga

The Underworld Saga is the fifth saga in EPIC, and the shortest one, containing only three songs. This saga follows the crew’s journey into the underworld to seek out the prophet Tiresias and find out how they can return home. I think this is one of the better sagas not only because it provides a satisfying conclusion for Act I, but also because it is one of the most important. Jorge took a more creative approach when writing The Underworld Saga; instead of Tiresias telling Odysseus the physical path to get home, he tells him the mental path. To put it simply, he warns Odysseus that he needs to change because he won’t make it home as the person that he is. It’s as Odysseus declares in the lyrics of the song Monster, “I must become the monster / And then we’ll make it home.”

Best Song(s): The Underworld, No Longer You, Monster

4. The Ocean Saga 

The Ocean Saga is the third saga in EPIC, where Odysseus gains and loses the windbag from Aeolus, the wind god. Additionally, Poseidon attacks and kills the majority of Odysseus’ crew as an act of revenge for his son, Polyphemus. I enjoyed this saga because Poseidon is a direct influence on Odysseus’ development throughout EPIC’s progression. Poseidon is the first to say a phrase that is repeated over and over after The Ocean Saga, “Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves.” Odysseus is a merciful man and even claims in the song Remember Them that “mercy is a skill more of this world could learn to use.” His mindset is understandable, given that he has experienced war and the deaths of his comrades. However, in this case, it’s not the smartest move. Poseidon even tells him directly that if he had just killed Polyphemus, he wouldn’t be pursuing him. This, combined with the advice from Tiresias, molds Odysseus into the “monster” that he later becomes.

Best Song(s): Keep Your Friends Close, Ruthlessness

5. The Circe Saga

The Circe Saga is the fourth saga in EPIC, where Odysseus and what’s left of the crew settle on Aeaea. When Odysseus dispatches some of his men to scout the island, he discovers they were turned into pigs by Circe. Despite the lower rank, I enjoy this saga fairly well. I particularly like how each song has a different rhythm. Puppeteer constantly switches between the other characters’ voices, creating a back-and-forth that the listener can easily picture. Wouldn’t You Like is certainly one of the catchiest songs in the entire musical because it is Hermes’ debut; his flamboyant nature adds a certain flair to the song. Done For serves as the “boss battle” song of the saga, and so on. This saga is also very humorous in certain parts of each song, which I find charming. Talya Sindel, the voice of Circe, has a beautiful voice and perfectly conveys Circe’s intentions through her singing. It’s a remarkable talent and is worth the praise.

Best Song(s): Wouldn’t You Like, There Are Other Ways

6. The Troy Saga

The Troy Saga is the first saga in EPIC, which follows the end of the Trojan War and the start of Odysseus’ journey back home to Ithaca. Considering that this saga contains some of the most relevant and iconic lines out of the whole musical, it may be surprising that it ranks lower in my ranking. I think this is primarily because I don’t have many deep-rooted feelings that resonate within this saga. It was very special to me when I first heard it, and it still is. I like to think of it as this: since much more of the musical has been released, there’s more than just the Troy Saga to love. I also see it as the calm before the storm of the story. As for the songs, Just a Man is one of my favorite songs in the musical, mainly due to the amazing lyrics at the end of the song, as well as the way it reveals Odysseus for who he truly is during the Trojan War—a man longing to see his wife and son again. The Troy Saga does an excellent job of introducing the characters and their goals, which is what I admire most about it. 

Best Song(s): The Horse and the Infant, Just a Man, Full Speed Ahead

7. The Cyclops Saga

The Cyclops Saga is the second saga in EPIC, which follows Odysseus and his crew’s attempts to scavenge for food and encounter Polyphemus. This is the saga I tend to think about the least; however, it demonstrates that there is always something to love about each saga. For example, the transition from Polyphemus to Survive is immaculate. It’s a moment that truly makes your heart drop. The voice acting in Survive is also one of the best examples of sheer terror I’ve ever heard. That, combined with the music and the repeated slams of the Cyclops’ club, creates an unbearably dreadful feeling. 

Best Song(s): Polyphemus, Survive, My Goodbye

Please consider checking out EPIC: The Musical! If you wish to learn more about it or the mind behind it, you can follow Jorge Rivera-Herrans on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter/X,  and whatever music platform you use.