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The Owl House Episode 19 Review

I’ll be honest with you guys: after the news broke last night about Chadwick Boseman’s passing, I wasn’t sure if I was in the mood to do a review this week. However, after remembering the hype last week built up for us, I realized I needed a pick-me-up. Also, my desire to learn how the season would end was too great to be quelled. Remember everything that happened? Eda succumbed to her curse and got captured by Lilith. We got the first appearance of the show’s apparent antagonist, Emperor Belos. And top it all off, we learned Lilith cursed Eda as kids. Everything had led to Luz hitting rock-bottom, but we all knew that she wasn’t going to let Belos win. As a result, we got to see Luz come into her own as a witch this episode. This marks the rise of the Good Witch Luz.

Full disclosure: due to everything that happened in the finale, I’ll be breaking down a lot of what we learned in this review.

The Good Witch Luz Goes to War

Picking up where we left off, we see Luz’s guilt-ridden over Eda’s capture. And while it’s never addressed, I think Lilith’s last words really got to her:

Go back to your world, human. This one’s ours

The Owl House, Agony of a Witch

Ever since she got to the Boiling Isles, Luz has had to fight to prove that she can stay there. Rather than breaking her, Eda’s capture fills her with more determination than ever. Donning the cloak Eda made for her, Luz vows to save Eda, even if she has to fight the Emperor himself.

Her timing couldn’t be better. Rather than cure Eda like he promised, Emperor Belos plans to publicly petrify her. As the name implies, that means turning someone into a stone statue; according to King, it’s a process that can’t be undone.

Fortunately, Luz and King are able to break into the Conformitorium, and unlike the last time she was there, she doesn’t have to be sneaky. As a testament to her growth as a witch, she proceeds to plow her way through the guards and members of the Emperor’s Coven in search of Eda. In her subsequent fight with Lilith, Luz manages to put the older witch on the defensive. But most impressive of all, in the episode’s climax, she faces down Emperor Belos and manages to shatter part of his mask!

While I think the fights could be more action-packed, I’m impressed with how badass she is. She’s likely the first person to defy the Emperor like this and live to tell about it. And while she saves Eda in the end, I doubt Belos will forget what Luz did to his pride.

The Start of Lilith’s Redemption Arc

Since we learned last week that Lilith cursed Eda, I’ve seen her get a lot of hate on social media. Like, a lot of hate. That said, I refused to let my disgust fully cloud my judgment until I had learned the whole story. It looks like that was the right call, too, as we get Lilith’s side of the story this week.

As stated by Lilith in the episode “Once Upon a Swap“, Eda also wanted to join the Emperor’s Coven when they were kids. However, this episode reveals that only one of them could join, so the two would have to fight for the position. Rather than lose to Eda, Lilith put the curse on her to lock away her magic. The curse was only meant to last a day. To Lilith’s shock, though, Eda chose to forfeit, knowing how much joining meant for her sister. Tragically, Lilith was unable to undo the curse before the spectators drove her away. Thus, Lilith naively trusted the Emperor to heal her, and is shocked when he reveals he had no intention to do so.

What Lilith did to Eda was horrific, and I don’t think she should be forgiven any time soon. Having said that, this episode leaves little doubt that Lilith is a good person, merely misguided by years of guilt and the Emperor’s lies. When she learns the truth, she doesn’t hesitate to turn on Belos and save Eda, risking her own life in the process. After the group flees, Lilith then uses her powers to transfer part of the curse to her. As a result, Eda reverts to her normal form, but can no longer perform magic naturally. It’s implied that Lilith may not be able to, either.

More World-Building and Belos’ Plans

It may have gotten glossed over by everything that happened, but there was some world-building found in this episode. After pausing the screen at the start of the episode, I read a page of the book that King was reading about the history of the Boiling Isles, and put the photo here.

The book reveals that, eons, ago, beings called Titans roamed the Demon Realm, one of them ending up in the Boiling Sea. It’s remains became the Boiling Isles, and its magic is what the islanders drew from for power. The implications here are that there are lands in the Demon Realm beyond the Boiling Isles. Could future seasons lead to Luz and the others journeying beyond the Isles? Just something to think about.

As for Belos, he keeps talking about this “Day of Unity”. While do don’t know what it is, we get hints at what he’s planning. What Belos really wanted from Eda is the key that opens the portal to Earth. He claims he has no intentions of invading Earth, but that could easily be another lie of his. Or it could just be him seeing it as not an invasion, but “liberation” or some dumb excuse dictators give.

Regardless, Luz knows that if Belos got the key, Earth wouldn’t be safe. Thus, in an act of sacrifice, she destroys it, stranding her in the Boiling Isles in the process.

Belos’ plans have not been stopped, though. In the final moment of the episode, we see him constructing a portal-like machine out of the remains of the door to Earth, and presumably other dimensions. It’s a nice shout-out to Gravity Falls, but it only adds to the mystery of what he has planned.

The New Status Quo

So, this episode shakes up the status quo for the series. Firstly, Luz is now in the Emperor’s sights along with everyone in the Owl House. Lilith is now a fugitive alongside her sister. Luz now has no way back to Earth. And lastly, Eda can’t use magic anymore.

When Season Two will come out is uncertain due to COVID-19, but I can think of a few ideas as to what will end up happening. The new season will see the conflict against Emperor Belos begin to take center stage. Meanwhile, Luz will be trying to help Eda regain her powers, stop Belos’ plans, and find a way home. And while this finale could have been a little more exciting, I’m still satisfied with how things turned out. It’s been a good season, and I can’t wait for the next one.

I Give “Young Blood, Old Souls” A 4/5

Stray Observations

• Did you guys see how Luz can use Eda’s Staff to generate magic now, or remotely activate her spell cards? Could we see more of that in Season Two?
• Luz’s spell cards do not work on Earth. My guess it’s because she can’t draw magic from the Boiling Isles from there. So much for using magic when she decides to go back home to Earth.

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The Owl House Episode 4 Review

When I read the synopsis to this episode, “The Intruder”, I thought that I wasn’t going to like it. Fortunately, I was wrong: this was the best episode of The Owl House yet. Not only was this episode filled with great lines and jokes, but we got some plot development. Luz takes a big step in her witch training, and we get a potentially big mystery to solve; the kind of stuff that these shows thrive on!

Rainy Day Schedule

As it turns out, not even the weather on the Boiling Isles is safe; the rain is boiling hot and melts everything it touches! With Eda keeping everyone inside the Owl House for the night, Luz sees it as her chance to finally learn some magic from Eda. However, putting up a magic barrier took a lot out of Eda, so she soon falls asleep, much to Luz’s frustration.

On the other hand, King’s been trying to teach Luz all about demons. I quickly figured out that it’s just an excuse to spend time with one of the few people who likes him for who he is. Under his snarky exterior, he’s a lonely little guy. In desperation, King takes an elixir from Eda and gives it to Luz, thinking it will give her magic. At that moment, though, an intruder breaks into the house!

Like A PG Horror Film

From here on out, The Owl House plants itself firmly in the horror end of the spectrum. Luz and King’s search for the intruder has all the hallmarks of a horror film. The lack of light, the broken window and doors torn off by the hinges, and the snarled sounds of the intruder give off a genuinely creepy vibe. To top it off, the way the creature moves is creepy as they come. It’s like the writers fused Noh-Face from Spirited Away, the Summerween Trickster from Gravity Falls, and Hungry Larry from that Star vs. Halloween episode. That last one still freaks me out; so scary.

It turns out, though, that the creature’s Eda, though I can’t say I didn’t see the twist coming. I knew something was up when I saw the tag on her elixir said “an elixir a day”. What happens next, though, ends up being even more amazing!

Luz figures out how to use magic. Those circles that Eda draws to use magic have patterns inside of them. Luz figures out how to draw a light spell and uses them to stun Eda long enough to turn her back to normal!

More importantly, though: LUZ CAN DO MAGIC NOW! This is a huge step forward in regards to the show, as it opens up the gateway for Luz to learn all sorts of things. If all she has to do to use magic is create patterns in circles a la Fullmetal Alchemist, then who knows what she be capable of.

Owl Lady Mystery

Aside from letting Luz dip her toes into the pool of magic for the first time, this episode opens up a potentially big mystery about Eda. Once the intruder ordeal’s over, Eda reveals that she was cursed when she was younger. As a result, if she doesn’t take that elixir, she turns into that were-demon. Hence why people call “the Owl Lady”.

My mind’s already racing with dozens of ideas about where this could take us, and just as many questions. Who was it that cursed Eda and why? Why is it that she can’t remember anything about it? It may not be as big as learning about who wrote the journals in Gravity Falls, but it’s still a big mystery to solve. If Dana Terrace and her crew play their cards right, they could make this into a huge story arc to carry the show.

By a wide margin, “The Intruder” is the best episode of The Owl House. Alex Hirsch and Wendie Malick’s lines are spot on and hilarious, we got some actual character development, and two major events occurred that will play a role in the plot moving forward. This is the kind of stuff that I want to see more from this show; the A-material! The Roundtable’s going to have a field day with the theories from this episode, and so will I.

I Give “The Intruder” a 4.8/5.

Stray Observations

• We get a cameo from Willow right after the intro rolls.
• That little conspiracy demon from the prison makes a return. Guess she was able to get out in the end.
• So Giraffes really are demons, huh? Look!

• Is someone going to make Luz’s cat hoodie? They’ll make a fortune selling it to fans
• So Eda actually sleeps in a nest like a bird.
• So what other ways are there to do magic. Besides having a sac of bile attached to the heart.

Favorite Quotes

• “And here we the most fearsome creature in the world, the king of demons. Facing his natural enemy, the ducky sock.”

• “Our only weaknesses are purified water and passive-aggressive comments, sometimes.”
• “Even demons have inner demons.”
• “Now we’re boo-boo buddies”
• “Painbows. It’s like a rainbow, but looking at it turns you inside out!”
• “Magical, sassy, surprisingly foxy for her ages”
• “It sparkles and shimmers and shines and delights. I must have it for my nest!”
• “I respect your cunning, but I also hate you for it.”

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twitter.com/danaterrace/status/1215644951867822080

It’s already up on DisneyNOW and I can’t remember my Xfinity password!! Crud!

My Thoughts on Disney’s Upcoming Magical Show

Ever since Gravity Falls came to an end, fans have been searching for the cartoon that could be called its successor. I already said that Amphibia could potentially be the next Gravity Falls, but there’s an upcoming show that could also fit the bill. That show would be The Owl House, and this year’s New York Comic Con gave us our best look at it yet.

I’ve never been one to pass up on good cartoons, and my gut tells me The Owl House will be good. With New York Comic Con over, I’m giving you my thoughts on the show I’m calling a fusion of Gravity Falls and Star vs. The Forces of Evil.

Dana Terrace, Creator of The Owl House

The Owl House is the brainchild of Dana Terrace, who’s got her fair share of experience working with Disney. She was a storyboard artist on Gravity Falls, which ties into the whole “successor” thing I mentioned. After that, she served as a director on the DuckTales! reboot. Since I like both shows and know how awesome they are, I know her creation will live up to the hype.

As another tie-in to Gravity Falls, Dana is also dating the creator of that show, Alex Hirsch. Between the two of them, this will be an amazing cartoon.

Synopsis

The show revolves around Luz, a normal, teenage human girl who accidentally stumbles on a portal into the demon world. There she befriends a rebellious witch named Eda and decides to become her apprentice so she may learn magic herself. This is in spite of the fact that she has no talent for magic, and most of the Demon World’s inhabitants don’t like humans.

According to the Wikipedia page, the show’s a horror-comedy. While our first look does have a hint of the macabre, I’m getting more of a comedy vibe, not that I’m complaining.

The Main Characters

Now then, let’s take a look at our three main characters and what we know about them

Luz

This is Luz, our heroine and main character, voiced by Sarah-Nicole Robles. She’s described as self-assured, normal human girl who gets sucked into the Demon World. Apparently she had a hard time fitting in with other people back home, so while she’s a little scared of her new world, she takes to it quickly.

I don’t know much about Luz right now, but from I’ve seen, I like her. She seems fascinated by her new world and eager to learn as much as she can about it. She also seems knowledgeable on myths, which should serve her well in her new surroundings. Her sense of adventure seems to mirror other recent female Disney protagonists. I don’t know much about her voice-actor, but I think she has potential based on what I’ve seen. I look forward to seeing what kind of trouble she gets in.

Eda

This lady is Eda, voiced by Wendie Malick. I thought her voice sounded familiar, and there’s a reason. Turns out, she played Chicha, Pacha’s wife in The Emperor’s New Groove (good times.) Eda’s a rebel and the owner of the titular Owl House. She uses it as a self-described place to hide “from the pressures of modern life. And the cops. And ex-boyfriends.” The wanted poster in her living room indicates she’s not joking about the cops. That’s a lot of zeros.

If I had to sum up in one word, it would be sassy. She’s snarky and sarcastic and seems to have a low tolerance from other people’s crap. She just does what she wants and loves her freedom. According to news from NYCC, she’s the kind of mentor who will shove you into the deep end. Why am I being reminded of Grunkle Stan right now?

King

This is King, voiced by none other than Alex Hirsch. According to the show, he was, in fact, once the King of Demons. After getting trapped inside a diminutive state, he became Eda’s roommate as he finds a way to regain his powers. His newest obstacle may be Luz, who finds him absolutely adorable.

Gravity Falls, Star Vs Fusion

Like Amphibia, which was also created by a Gravity Falls alumni, The Owl House is like a western Isekai. Whereas Amphibia seems to take after Gravity Falls sense of adventure, The Owl House leans heavily on the supernatural side. The fact that it takes place in a world of magic and monsters reminds me a bit of the setting of Star vs. In fact, I bet Janna from Star would feel right at home in this world.

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I actually see a lot of Gravity Falls and SvTFOE in the title and end credits. The opening credits, with its lack of dialogue and showing off the characters and setting, reminds me a lot of Gravity Falls.

Then we have the end credits, showing Luz walking through the settings in the demon world back to the Owl House. It reminded me a little bit of the end credits from the first two seasons of Star vs The Forces of Evil, but with an aura of supernatural mystery.

In short, it has some of the best aspects of both shows.

A Show to Be Watching Out For

A new decade is approaching, and The Owl House seems set to ring it in on Disney Channel. With an interesting premise and exceptional people working on it, I think this will be a cartoon to watch out for. In fact, The Owl House and Amphibia could end up becoming the two big cartoons to watch out for on Disney in 2020. The Owl House premieres in January 2020, and i have every intention of writing about it!

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