One of the most memorable characters in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is Zendaya’s Athena, who, despite her limited screen time, makes a strong impression and continues a decades-long Nolan trend. Also part of the star-studded cast of The Odyssey is Zendaya, who plays the goddess of wisdom, Athena. Zendaya, then, plays Athena, who takes the form of the priestess Odysseus’ men kill in front of him to represent his guilt. Zendaya's Athena Role Is A Classic Christopher Nolan MysteryBruce and Selina at the end of The Dark Knight RisesThe mystery of Zendaya’s Athena role in The Odyssey is what continues a well-known Nolan trend. Ultimately, the mystery around Zendaya’s Athena fits the themes of The Odyssey, particularly those of trauma, faith, and guilt, and leaves the audience with a lot to think about and process.