Gen Z is Epic.

A TikTok phenomenon among Gen Z, Epic: The Muscial, written by Jorge Rivera-Herrans, tells the story of Odysseus from Homer’s Odyssey, and has gotten over 200 million views despite its lack of big-name singers. Why is it so popular, especially among Gen Zers?

I happened upon the musical, researching for my next book and was warned that older generations wouldn’t get past the second song. In the song, I’m Just a Man, Odysseus kills a baby because the child would one day grow up to be his enemy, burning Odysseus’s kingdom and killing his wife and family. Admittedly, I did turn off my computer after the second song—my heart troubled for this younger generation. But later, I turned it back on and continued watching because I needed to understand why this musical stirred young adults my boys' age.

The music and singing are exceptional, with a Hamilton-like feel. Specific instruments are used to represent each character, and different animators created drawings for each song for Japanese anime visuals. For the most part, Epic: The Musical’s storyline stays true to its original source, Homer’s Odyssey. Capricious gods and goddesses use Odysseus and the humans for their amusement, helping, tricking, or hurting them without much regard for human life.

Odysseus stays true to his wife and his goal of returning to his family. His intentions are good, but over twenty years, he justifies killing and sacrificing his men for his need to get back home. War and his choices haunt him and he’s uncertain whether the monsters he’s let in make him still lovable to Penelope, his wife.

Why would Odysseus become a hero to a generation who was told they couldn’t wait at the bus-stop alone, who missed out on proms and graduations due to Covid, who struggle to determine what is real due to all the deep fakes, and who can no longer rely on the same institutions and positions of authority that past generations said were trustworthy?

Do they relate to the hard choices that Odysseus must make? To his loneliness? To the skepticism he must have toward the gods who were supposed to help him? To the lies he was told that he would never make it home or that he must kill a child to save his future. Are they inspired by his devotion and fidelity to his wife and son or his willingness to keep fighting to see his family even if it means doing the hard thing?

I had wanted to turn Epic: The Musical off, but I’m glad I finished it, because it broke my heart for this upcoming generation, but also gave me hope. They no longer want to be victims. There is fight in them, and they want to be heroes and seek the redemptive story at the end.

I also want to tell them about a true hero, one who asks them to battle against evil. An all knowing, all-powerful God who offers them justice, forgiveness, and redemption, who stood in the face of political and religious tyrants and didn’t flinch—didn’t back down. He willingly suffered horrific torment and sacrificed his life on the cross so that we may live in freedom.

This world is fallen, and like Odysseus, we all have our battles with inner demons (our flesh and sin nature), but God knows our hearts doesn’t see us as monsters. He chose us to be his children. Whereas Odysseus crossed the seas to get back to his wife and child, God crossed heaven and earth to live among us, to see through our human eyes, and understand our hurts, aches, and fears. He wants nothing more than to be with His creation and shower us with His love.

We don’t need an Epic hero. We already have one. His name is Jesus. All we have to do is answer his knock on our hearts.