Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Legends

He is described as pale thin man in a threadbare orange prisoner's jumpsuit. He has blue shadows under his eyes, dirty fingernails, and badly-cut gray hair.

Tantalus is shown to be a cruel and sadistic person. He takes joy in watching others get hurt, such as when he was watching the Chariot Races. He also punishes others for his mistakes, as he had Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, and Tyson do dishes for defending themselves against the Stymphalian Birds he set loose on the campers. He’s hated by a lot of the campers at Camp Half Blood who were overjoyed when he was sent back to the underworld.

Tantalus, when he escapes Erebos, replaces Chiron as the activities director for a time at Camp Half-Blood when Chiron is suspected of poisoning Thalia's Pine Tree since he is Kronos's son. He seems to take particular pleasure when the campers realize who he is, and tells them a story about a mortal king who was beloved by the gods - himself. While he was at the camp, Mr. D took particular pleasure in watching him try to eat or drink, always unsuccessfully. Just before he was sent back to the Underworld, he managed to pick up a burger, but before he could eat it, he was sent back to the Underworld after being dismissed by Dionysus, much to the joy of the campers.