I just realized what the feth is going on here. Gideon is supposed to be the Mentor to the Hero. NORMALLY (and by which I mean STORIES THAT ACTUALLY MAKE SENSE [unless this a subversion of some sort, and I hope it is]), the Mentor is an older person who has lived a full life, gained practical experience, and can protect the fledgling Hero and teach them until such point they die/are killed/disappear, allowing the Hero to carry on at an initial disadvantage but to otherwise rise to the challenge and overcome.
HAVING A CHILD POSSESS THE "POWER" AND RESPONSIBILITY OF "MENTOR" IS JUST
Seriously, Gideon had all the skills of a world-wise elder battle strategist: ability to assess the strengths and weaknesses of those around him; ability to command logistics (“
You will not find it difficult to prove that battles, campaigns, and even wars have been won or lost primarily because of logistics.” – General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who might know something about that); ability to negotiate; ability to strategize and operationalize with superior tactics based on accurate assessment of the abilities he has at hand.
Granted, he has shortcomings, such as a lack of comprehension of macro and micro-economics, which are a direct result of his immaturity. But, if you look at the list of his abilities, you see an older general or adviser character, not some teenager. I hope to Calliope and Clio that the author at some point will introduce the idea that the powers of Evil/Chaos were moving so rapidly that the gods had to shortcut development of the Mentor so as to get the Hero on the field as soon as possible, and that decision, due to the Menor being cutoff from the Hero too soon and by stupid shortsightedness on the party, is going to result in a cataclysmic event.