What happens in The Odyssey? Homer's story, in manga
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey arrives on digital on November 17, 2026. If you want to know the story Homer told, start here. It's free, there's no sign-up, and the first page is right below.
The story in one minute
After ten years of war at Troy, Odysseus, king of Ithaca, sets sail for home. One more night of feasting costs him men. A land of sweet fruit makes his crew forget home. Trapped by a one-eyed giant, he survives by calling himself Nobody, then shouts his real name from the ship and brings down the sea god's curse. A bag of winds, the witch Circe, the Land of the Dead, the Sirens, and the choice between Scylla and Charybdis all stand between him and Ithaca, where Penelope is still waiting at her loom.
Who's who
- Odysseus King of Ithaca, the cleverest man at Troy, who only wants to go home.
- Penelope His wife, who has waited twenty years.
- Polyphemus The one-eyed giant who asks his name.
- Circe The goddess who turns his scouts into pigs.
- The Sirens Their song promises to answer any question.
Read it: free episodes
Our manga is still being made. So far it runs from the fall of Troy to Scylla and Charybdis. The homecoming to Ithaca is still to come.
NEWEpisode 1
"Just One More Night" Cost Him His MenThe Cicones and the Lotus-Eaters
Fresh from victory in the Trojan War, Odysseus sets sail for home, but his men beg for "just one more night" of feasting, and he can't stop them. It costs him dearly. Then the fleet drifts to a land of sweet fruit that makes anyone who eats it forget the way home. His crew are weeping and refusing to leave, and Odysseus must decide whether to drag them back to the ships.
19 pages
Episode 2
The Man Who Said His Name Was NobodyThe Cyclops Polyphemus
Trapped in the cave of a one-eyed giant, Odysseus survives by giving up his own name. But once safe aboard his ship, he shouts his real name back at the shore — and brings the sea god's curse down on himself.
19 pages
Episode 3
He Could See Home. Then He Fell Asleep.Aeolus and the Bag of Winds
Episode 3 of the series. Aeolus, keeper of the winds, gives Odysseus an oxhide bag with every contrary wind sealed inside. For nine nights Odysseus never sleeps and never lets go of the sail rope, until the fires of home come into view. Then one moment of sleep and a little suspicion among his crew tear the bag open, and in a harbor of giants he loses nearly his whole fleet.
19 pages
Episode 4
Pigs on the Outside, Still Men InsideCirce
Deep in a forest stands a beautiful mansion, and the scouts who go there are turned into pigs by the goddess Circe. Odysseus walks in alone. With a white flower from the messenger of the gods and the nerve to stand his ground, he wins the witch over. But after a year of peace, she tells him something he never wanted to hear: "First, you must go to the Land of the Dead."
19 pages
Episode 5
What the Greatest Hero Said After DeathThe Nekyia — Journey to the Underworld
At the lightless edge of the world, Odysseus summons the dead—yet even when his own mother appears, he keeps his sword raised so the prophet can drink the blood first. Three times her shade slips through his arms, and the heroes of Troy speak their hearts. Odysseus learns what it truly means to come home alive.
19 pages
Episode 6
He Wanted to Hear the Song That KillsThe Sirens
Odysseus wants to hear the Sirens' song, which promises to answer any question. Knowing from the start that he'll lose to it, he has his crew tie him to the mast. When the song takes hold and he screams, "Untie me!", his men, their ears stuffed with wax, only pull the ropes tighter. The promise he made before the song began is what saves him.
19 pages
Episode 7
Sacrifice Six, or Sink Them AllScylla and Charybdis
On one side, a whirlpool that swallows whole ships. On the other, an undying monster that always takes six men. Odysseus alone knows the truth. He keeps it from his crew and just keeps shouting "Row!" Then the hands reach out to him, calling his name, and there is nothing he can do.
19 pagesQuestions
Is this the story of the film?
This manga is based on Homer's ancient epic, not on the film, and has no connection to the film or its makers. We can't say what the film changes.
Is it really free?
Yes. Every episode is free to read with no sign-up. The site is supported by ads.
Do I need to have read Homer?
No. Episode 1 starts from the night Troy falls, and the story explains itself as it goes.