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My Hero Academia S5, Episode 18 Review

You know how a lot of religions and spiritual schools say that we shouldn’t hold a grudge and learn to forgive and move on? It’s simple in practice, but in reality, it’s a lot harder to implement. There are going to be times when we meet people who commit actions that we consider unforgivable, such as Natsu’s resentment for his father, Endeavor, for how abusive he was in the past. We know that Endeavor’s trying to change for the better, yet Natsu refuses to give him a second chance. So what happens then? What happens to someone who remains unforgiven despite everything they try to do to make things right? That’s what this episode of My Hero Academia tackles.

The Unforgiven

After the awkward dinner of the last episode, Endeavor gets ready to take Deku, Bakugo, and Shoto back to U.A.. However, a psychotic villain that Endeavor put away years ago shows up out of nowhere and holds Natsu hostage in front of him. His goal’s simple: force Endeavor to kill him and end his miserable life, or watch as he kills his son. 

It’s a classic dilemma in the superhero-supervillain formula. Some villains aren’t out for power or wealth or fame. All they want to do is prove that even the Heroes can be as bad as they are. Batman and Joker have this dynamic in most incarnations, and it never gets any easier. Like Batman, the normally confident and brutal Endeavor hesitates, not for fear of taking a life, but for fear of what his son would think of him. Therefore, it’s appropriate that the Big Three of 1-A capture the villain before he can hurt anyone. 

Trying to Change

After this, Endeavor gives Natsu a genuine hug and apologizes for his hesitation. Moreover, he apologizes for being a terrible Dad over the years. However, Natsu still refuses to forgive him, despite all that Endeavor’s trying to do. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but Endeavor admits he doesn’t wants forgiveness. He wants to atone for his past sins, even if it means distancing himself from his family forever.

I personally liked this moment in the episode. It’s a very realistic outcome that I’m sure countless people have experienced. No matter how much someone might try to change for the better, some of us can’t forgive or forget their past actions. It’s hard being unforgiven by the ones you love, but it happens. And when it does, the best thing they can do is accept this and keep trying regardless. 

I understand why Natsu considers Endeavor unforgiven, and he may never forgive his Dad. However, I’m still hopeful that Natsu will be able to accept that his Dad’s changing and moves on with his life.

In the meantime, there are only six episodes left in the season, so the Paranormal Liberation War Arc better be beyond epic. GO BEYOND, PLUS ULTRA!

I Give “The Unforgiven” A 4/5

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The Owl House Season 2, Episode 8 Review

When it comes to the residents of the Owl House, Hooty is the black sheep of the group. Or rather, the black owl. He can be incredibly badass, holding off the Emperor’s Coven on his own. At the same time, he can also be super annoying, and some of the stuff he does can give people nightmares. Thus, some fans jokingly groaned when this week’s episode would be Hooty-centered. After the episode aired, though, it’s safe to say that fans appreciate Hooty more than ever!

Helpful Hooty is Here!

The entire episode starts with Hooty writing a letter to Lilith, the two becoming penpals after she moved back with her Mom. This serves as the framework for the story as the entire episode takes place via flashback. To sum it up: with all the adventures and events going on in the Owl House resident’s lives, Hooty feels left out and not needed. However, after Lilith gives him some words of encouragement, the tube-owl resolves to help the residents with their various problems.

• Eda’s overworking herself, trying to get strong again and stop whatever Belos’ got planned.
• King’s still upset about not finding his Dad, and how his voice starts to crack.
• Luz is torn between her desire to return home and her growing feelings for Amity.

Hooty ends up helping, but not in the way he intended. In the process, though, we end up learning more about the world of the show than we could’ve ever thought.

King Goes Through Puberty

Firstly, we have King, who’s going through what’s essentially demonic puberty and everything that goes with it. Thus, Hooty resolves to help him figure out just what he is. As a result, we end up learning more about the different categories of Demons and Witches that inhabit the Boiling Isles than before. Unfortunately, its made evident that King doesn’t even fall into any of these categories. Hooty tries to cheer him up by telling him that it doesn’t matter since he’s loved for who he is, but that doesn’t help. Instead, it ends up awakening powers in him that he didn’t know he had. King has sonic screams! He can use his voice to break objects like Danny Phantom, the Banshee, or Black Bolt. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There’s no telling what else he may be capable of as he gets older!

Hooty, though, isn’t happy.

Eda the Harpy Lady!

Next, we have Eda as we gain more insight into her curse. Despite gaining a measure of control over it, it remains a problem for her, and not getting enough sleep makes it worse. Thus, Hooty knocks her out with cookies laced with a sleeping potion. Unfortunately, those cookies amplify her dreams and take her down some uncomfortable memories.

This portion was absolutely brilliant, as it demonstrates how much a serious condition like Eda’s can affect a person’s life. To start off with, we learn that Eda accidentally clawed her Dad’s eye out via the Owl Beast. Then, we learn Raine broke up with her when she kept pushing them away because of the curse. However, none of that compares to what we see next. It’s revealed that the Owl Beast isn’t just a curse but also an actual living being. A being native to a different island in the Demon Realm that got captured by an unknown entity and sealed away before washing up on the Boiling Isles as the scroll Lilith would find. 

Eda’s a Jinchuriki

This is big for two reasons. Firstly, it explains why no one on the Boiling Isles knows what to do about Eda’s curse. It’s not from the Boiling Isles, but another place entirely! Secondly, the Owl Beast isn’t inherently evil. All it wants is to return to its home, only to be trapped inside Eda. In other words, Eda’s a Jinchuriki, and the Owl Beast is her Tailed Beast.

As a result of this revelation, Eda and the Owl Beast come to something of an understanding. Neither likes their current situation but accepts that they’re stuck together for the time being. So, they agree to work together. And as I suspected, this new cooperation and control allow Eda to assume a new, hybrid form. She’s like a freaking Harpy! While she may not regain her magic, the trade-off here is amazing!!

LUMITY IS CANON!!!

Last but not least, we have the saga of Lumity. Ever since Amity kissed her, Luz can’t stop thinking about Amity Blight. She’s crazy about her, but she’s been ridiculed in the past so many times, she’s too afraid to act on her feelings. So, Hooty decides to force the issue! He drags Amity to the Owl House’s basement, where he set up this cheesy tunnel of love to help Luz convey her feelings for Amity.

Cheesy or not, Amity thinks it’s sweet because it shows how much Luz cares about her, though. However, Luz almost ruins everything by destroying it, not wanting to look lame in front of Amity. 

Part of establishing a strong romantic relationship is finding someone who likes you for you, both the good and the bad. If someone loves you, you shouldn’t have to worry about looking lame in front of them, because it won’t matter. And when Luz almost lets her fear win out, she nearly wrecks everything.

In the end, Hooty gets so upset he tries to run away from everyone. Fortunately, his family points out how much he ended up helping them and is able to calm him down. In addition, Luz and Amity finally confess their feelings and start dating.

LUMITY IS NOW CANON, PEOPLE! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!!!!!!

Best Episode Yet!!!!

This has to be one of the best episodes that The Owl House has ever put out. Not only did we get Lumity becoming canon, but we got a ton of lore and character development. And the ending leaves us room for more. A mysterious being that looks like an older version of King shows up at the Owl House with a letter for King. While Hooty ends up eating it, I have no doubt that this letter will return in the future.

After seeing this episode, I couldn’t stop squealing. The Owl House just keeps getting better and better, and I can’t wait to see what comes next. Also, LUMITY IS CANON!!!!!!!

I Give” Knock Knock Knockn’ on Hooty’s Door!” A 5/5

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