#toh character analysis

[royal-they]

just thinking about how huntlows colors are yellow and green and then how the colors of their flyer derby uniforms are yellow and green. Like the others dont have that

Skara is red and green, Gus is a lighter blue and green, and Viney is brown a darker blue and green.

These colors are meant to be representing their track colors and then the Emerald Entrails:

So since Hunter is pretending to be in the potions track he wears yellow and green.

BUT so does Willow. Her colors are mainly green (duh, plant track and emerald entrails) but there are still tons of yellow accents:

Her gold frames, her fingerless glove, her knee pads.

NOBODY ELSE ON THE TEAM BROKE THE PATTERN TILL YOU GET TO HER

coincidence? i think not

[moonrose-mortem]

Since everyone is loving my TOH analysis posts, I think it's time to do one for the best girl witch: Willow Park.💚

✨From the start she became my favorite, everything except the hair color and ears, she looked like me when I was a kid. We even have similar personalities and a love for plants. When we are introduced to her she was sweet and shy, as well as showing kindness to the smallest flower that she stepped on. And when she got mad after Amity bullied her I'm not going to lie I had an "oh shit" moment that later on had me thinking that she was going to be a strong ally for Luz someday. Characters in anime and cartoons that show that level of power early on are usually going to be an important one, villain or hero. Like nature, Willow is a force to be reckoned with. Her own namesake resonates with the same power willow trees have had for thousands of years.🌿

🔮From my own studying of magic and witchcraft for years, I looked up anything and everything magical about my favorite trees and plants, and even before that I liked willow trees (kid me thought they were pretty because they "had hair" and I loved Grandmother Willow from the movie "Pocahontas".) Willow trees have long been associated with witches, ghosts, the moon, water, magic, music, love, and goddesses like Hecate, Persephone, Demeter, Artemis and Cerridwen. So when the episode "Hootys Moving Hassle" came out and they did the moonlight conjuring, I knew it wasn't a coincidence. It is also a tree that stands for healing of emotional wounds and the heart. 💚

🌱Willow has shown time and again that the process of healing from past wounds isn't steady, but the results are worth it. From there she found out her own strength and goals that she went for. It's also important to not forget the bad as much as the fond memories we have. (I almost forgot that Willow loved books as much as Amity as well as being covered in band aids all the time. Great episode to rewatch again.)🍄

🐝On to her palismen: Clover. I thought this was the perfect creature for Willow being both a pollinator and a fierce little buggy. Bees also have been considered sacred to goddesses of nature, Rhea, Freya, and Aphrodite, and is a symbol of the feminine energy. "Tender yet tenacious" is the best description the Bat Queen gave for both Willow and Clover. Bees are also an animal that symbolizes hard work, reaching for your goals and dreams, strength, unity, and most importantly family and community. Bees are a reminder to enjoy the sweetness of life and rhythms of nature.☀️

Her goal as a witch was "to be strong and wise to protect her loved ones and that if anyone gets in her way they feel the sting of defeat." Willow Park is the definition of strong and sweet, a great example that you can balance a female characters' best qualities. I'm so excited to see where Dana Terrace takes this character for the finale. Of course, I am excited for the possibility of her and Hunter. And yet most have forgotten that she is a great character outside of getting shipped with characters like her former bullies(really?) If anything her relationship with Hunter is meant to enhance her character and not overshadow it. Future analysis of their relationship will be made so I look forward to writing that.😊

[unfortunate-songbird]

Analysis because I’m bored

I’d do a venndiagram thing but it won’t fit everything so you get a confusing list instead

Zuko from Avatar. Hunter from Owl House. Leo from Rise. Tommy from DSMP.

What do they have in common?

a frikcin lot, actually

Leo&Hunter&Zuko&Tommy

16 y/old boy

Trauma city baybee

Has cried on screen at least once 

Self-sacrificial tendencies (some more prominent than others)

Mental health in the gutter

What’s a therapist

Magic exists

Angst magnets both in canon and in the fandom

Can Not catch a break ever

Cocky

They all have siblings

Dumbass. Every single one of them. They’ve all done really stupid things.

Sometimes they are in absolutely misery and sometimes they are just incredibly funny for no reason

High key dramatic 

“Most people find me annoying at first” they piss off a lot of people and can be kinda obnoxious 

Strange creatures exist

Distinct color

Almost fell to their death in a very dramatic scene 

But wait, there’s more:

Tommy&Hunter&Leo

No mom at all

Literally none

Silly goofy guys <3

Blonde (look ik Leo only had hair for 1 episode and it was evil but let me have this)

Really wants attention/validation and does some stupid stuff to get it (ok Zuko probably does too but it’s a little less?? Obvious?? Idk)

America exists 

They live in a comedy world (aside from the angst) and it Shows

Starts out silly goofy and then turns into angst (Avatar was kinda angsty from the beginning)

Knows a few words of Spanish (which is more than Zuko knows considering Spanish doesn’t exist in his world)

Leo&Zuko&Tommy

swords

swords

swords

Don’t wanna flex but they’ve never been possessed (rip Hunter)

Doesn’t travel between realms (fantasy vs the real world but with some magic involved)

Does not attend school at all and shows no interest in doing so

Has a normal vocabulary (doesn’t use nerd words as much as Hunter)

Face visible from their first appearance 

Has fist-fought people and will again

Fshshs this one is not very long

Zuko&Hunter&Leo

Cartoon

They can wield magic powers

Has a large support group of people who love them (oof Tommy)

Has at least one good parental figure (oof Tommy)

Recovery! Hopeful endings! :) (oof tommy) 

When they almost fell to their death they were saved by a loved one (oof tommy)

Big brother moment (at least one younger sibling) 

Very protective over younger siblings (adopted or not)

American accents

Tommy&Hunter&Zuko

human (look hunter’s a clone of a human I’m counting it)

They like girls (probably straight)

Manipulated by one of the most powerful character in their world

Experienced abuse and is very clearly traumatized by it 

Not very good at acting like they’re totally fine and not at all mentally ill

Trauma is actually addressed in canon (Fshshs rip Leo) 

Goes off into the wilderness alone for a while and comes back disheveled, distressed, and generally not vibing

Can go places without being immediately ostracized due to being an actual turtle (Rip Leo)

Can’t lie to save their lives

Actually exists in other worlds besides just like…. New York

But of course, who would I be if I just stopped there??

Tommy&Hunter

fully blonde

Has had multiple panic attacks on screen

Dog person (hunter likes wolves and tommy does too)

Finds out rather abruptly that their abuser doesn’t care about them and has a mental breakdown over it

Friends are all very very traumatized

Would cry at being accepted into a family (Hunter did and you can’t tell me Tommy wouldn’t bc he really badly wants a family) 

People tend to dislike them a lot despite them not really deserving it? (Like yeah they’re a little obnoxious at times but it’s not that big of a deal)

Their animal friends always die :(((

Worrying suicidal/semi-suicidal behavior?? (Hunter was digging his own grave ok I know it was kinda played for humor but that’s messed up. I don’t even need to mention Tommy boy was fully and canonically suicidal)

Spend most of their time in another realm being somewhat? Aware of another realm but no one really going there until much later

LGBTQ rep in canon (not them specifically tho)

“Aw, they’re finally heali- oop, nope, there’s another buttload of trauma”

Zuko&Leo

Uses two swords at once

Very good sword fighter also

Tends to kinda jump into things without thinking even though they’re smart and can strategize well but somehow it works out for them in ways it really shouldn’t 

Is occasionally the voice of reason while everyone else is being dumb

Feels weak and powerless next to their super-powerful awesome sibling(s)

Main parental figure is a short Asian man with grey hair that is very powerful but tends to act silly. Also they don’t like utilizing their incredible fighting skills unless necessary bc of their Tragic Past (TM)

Tommy&Leo

Your second priority is your loved ones. Your first priority should always be committing to the bit

Humor coping mechanism 

Makes stupid decisions for the funni

Really loves their older brother who gives them a lot of guidance (to the point of almost being a parental figure)

They have a main mentor/parental/familial figure that they really love and that loves them in return but their relationship is somewhat strained due to the mentor figure’s poor mental health causing them to inadvertently hurt them

Make silly noises heehoo

Some angst but mostly funni

They have heartbreaking angst and then straight back to crack levels of comedy

Can be very overconfident in their abilities, especially when it comes to smooth-talking/scamming people

Trapped in a prison with an unbeatable foe and basically beaten to death 

They only escaped because of magic previously thought impossible 

Angst in a dark void heehoo

Younger brother energy

Antagonizes a lot of people

Allowed to swear

Upset someone who loves them because they didn’t seem to be taking a situation seriously and it ended up with a lot of hurt from both parties 

Hunter&Zuko

Father figure is the leader of an oppressive regime 

Raised from birth to believe said regime is good and helping people

Good heart under it all

Redemption arc when they figure out they’re on the wrong side (takes a while because they don’t want to think ill of their father figure even though they’re blatantly abusive)

Mental breakdown moment when they realize- was in denial for a long time before that point

Visible scars caused by abuser

Gets a new, actually nice parental figure

Big brother of their friend group 

Bulliable 

Socially awkward 

Changes outfits throughout the show to show their character growth and development

Has some moments of empathy with protagonists before actual redemption arc

Not actually the protagonist/ main focus (look, Tommy and Leo are very much main characters)

Adopted 12 y/o younger brother who is very powerful and they are very protective over him 

Little brothers’ eyes glow blue when they use their powers

Zuko&Tommy

theater nerds 

Overdramatic

Red guys

Lashes out at people who care about him 

Born naturally (as far as we know)

One-on-one duels don’t work out so great for them

They have been Everywhere. Almost every large event involves them somehow

100% actually human 

Sometimes uses swords, sometimes other stuff

Don’t do great wandering in the wilderness on their own

Talks to themselves/random animals when stressed

Anger issues anger issues anger issues

Jerk with a heart of gold (real) 

Has canonically committed many crimes and doesn’t feel guilt about most of them (some of the worse ones that really hurt people they do feel bad for tho)

They commit arson and it’s not ideal

Falls into a minor villain arc right when it seemed like they were going to get better, then realizes this isn’t who they are and confronts the person encouraging them to be violent/cruel

Leo&Hunter

Artificially created by a dramatic being with a gold horned mask and nefarious plans centered around genocide and conquest

Obsessed with a science fiction franchise and dresses up as characters from it

Is shown to enjoy wearing animal costumes once and then it’s never brought up again (Leo’s unicorn onesie and Hunter’s split-second Flapjack costume)

Teleportation 

Trauma surrounding possession

Knows a little bit of Spanish 

Acts confident and smug and cocky when in battle mode but is actually insecure and sad

also:

anyway that’s all thanks for reading

[cryptidtumbleweed]

So, I’m sure that by now at least some of my followers know that I LOVE looking into meanings of names and comparing them to the characters that carry those names, to see if there’s any purpose or hidden meanings.

Today, I decided to look into some Toh characters - aka, brothers Wittebane. I don’t know if anyone’s pointed this out yet, so I wanted to share what I found! 

Philip

So, the name Philip means “warlike” - and yes, it also means lover of horses but I think we can ignore that meaning in this context :’)

Philip is a manipulative, ruthless man willing to go to the extremes to reach his goals. He’s willing to hurt people, to kill people and he places himself above others with the justification of his actions being for the greater good. He’s strategic and thinks his plans through, seemingly assuming he knows the best. His dedication to his goals, to his own personal victories is unwavering and he isn’t afraid to sacrifice friends and family on the way.

Philip Wittebane is a warlike man - his name is rather appropriate for him.

Caleb

Caleb means many things, including faithful, brave, bold and whole-hearted. We don’t know much about him, so analyzing his name’s meaning was (and is) more difficult.

So, what do we do know about him? We know he used to be a witch hunter. We know he saw the magical side of the Demon realm and saw good in the people he previously viewed as danger. We know he was close with a witch - and if the paintings in Philip’s mindscape are to be believed, he started - or was about to start - a family with one.

We also know that he was a good man. Every Grimwalker Philip made held his good nature - resulting in each and every one of them betraying him eventually. We don’t know how similar he and Hunter are by personality, but I think it’s safe to assume they do share some core traits, based on the pattern there has been with the Golden Guards and Philip’s relationship.

Another thing that speaks for his goodness is how after seeing Philip’s curse (or... whatever the palisman soul situation really is) he still fully accepted him - we see that in the mindscape paintings as well. He is loving towards his younger brother until the end, no matter how much Philip despises his relationship with the Demon realm and Evelyn.

It’s not much, but it’s something. I’m going off on only the little bits we know about him, but I do think that he’s deserving of the meanings of his name. He was faithful till the end - to Philip, to Evelyn. He might’ve been a witch hunter, but he was willing to give them a chance to understand them. (Of course, being a witch hunter is a big big yikes and there’s obviously problems with that kind of a view towards a group of people... but that’s not really the point here)

And he was brave. He took a chance on these people he’d grown up seeing as the enemy and fell in love with them. He was brave enough to step away from his old beliefs and learn.

So, yes. I think Caleb Wittebane was a brave, whole-hearted man.

Now, have the names been chosen on purpose? Considering the amount of detailing in this show, I think it’s very possible. It would be one hell of a coincidence if they weren’t.

Their last name

Yeah, I wasn’t just gonna go on about their first names and not consider the family name too. Wittebane isn’t an actual last name, so it was way more difficult to look into.

First thing I found was a vague explanation on some name meaning site. It claims “witte” stands for white and “bane” stands for menace. Which uh... I don’t know about that being the designed meaning of the name :’)

Or well, the two words combined anyway. I found a post on Reddit which I feel more drawn to. The poster had searched up what “witch” was in old English. And as it turns out, wiċċe is the female noun for the old English language’s version of witch.

So, my own conclusion is that their last name is supposed to mean something along the lines of “Bane of Witches”. It’s obviously much more open for everyone’s personal interpretation, so I’m open for future analyzing on it.

[loosescrewslefty]

I feel like some people within this fandom have forgotten this fact, so this is a super friendly reminder that Hunter has higher-than-average observation skills, especially with other people.

He is able to make quick and accurate assessments of Luz and Amity's personalities in Hunting Palismen and Eclipse Lake, despite both episodes being the first time he spends any significant amount of time with either of them (Because threatening Luz for two minutes in Separate Tides doesn't really count as a meaningful conversation)

Hunter is powerless, with a weapon pointed at his face, and is still able to maintain his composure and clearly and confidently lay out the fact that he knows Luz is bluffing here.

Likewise, he's able to quickly get a read on Amity in Eclipse Lake, and relate her insecurities about her relationship with Luz to his own struggles with his Uncle in order to gain Amity's sympathy and trust while also being the one who was most knowledgeable about their surroundings and keeping them alive, in spite of Eda and King's antics.

This continues into the end of the episode. Even when he's in the middle of a mental breakdown, Hunter is STILL able to keep his observation skills sharp and realize that; 1.) He has come into this fight already pretty spent after fighting off the other Coven Scouts 2.) He's using a new weapon he isn't used to yet, which differs enough from his former staff to throw him off 3.) Amity has allies in the form of King (who kept jumping in and making the fight more difficult for him) and Eda (who he knows is probably on her way) 4.) Amity's not a slouch, so all of these disadvantages will probably NOT work in his favor if he keeps trying what he's doing and doesn't change tactics.

The fact that he's got her at a stalemate is already pretty impressive, given the fact that the fight is heavily weighted in Amity's favor here. But, rather than continue combat, Hunter goes for what he knows to be Amity's weakness in order to secure what he needs, and reminds her that if she keeps the key, Luz WILL be in danger.

Then we have my personal favorite example of this, where we watch Hunter look at Willow and go from "Wow, she's awesome (neutral)" to "Wow. She's awesome (affectionate)"

Right off the bat, Hunter clocks Willow's talents. Her strengths with both magic and her physical skills, as well as her courage. But then she does something no one else ever did before.

She proves that his skills of observation, which he is obviously VERY proud of, are not infallible.

Hunter wrote off the rest of the Emerald Entrails as lost causes when he first laid eyes on them and nearly walked away from what ended up being one of the best things to ever happen to him, but Willow stopped him and proved his first impressions of the others to be wrong.

I feel like people underestimate just how much this exchange impacted Hunter, in many different ways. THIS was the turning point that made him take notice of Willow as more than just a potential Emperor's Coven scout. Here, she proved herself not only to be a capable leader, but even better then HIM at observing and assessing the talents of others. With Luz and Amity, Hunter was able to observe them in about the same amount of time, assess them accurately, and apply what he observes to get the outcome HE wants. But with Willow, right from the second he meets her, he's caught off guard, and swept up in HER energy. She's constantly surprising him, and effortlessly has him marching to the beat of her drum.

And even after he insulted her team and tried to blow them off, she gave him a second chance. Second chances are NEVER offered in the Emperor's Coven. There, failure is final. Which is probably a big reason why upsetting Willow impacted Hunter as much as it did.

And even at the end of the episode, Willow is still surprising Hunter. It's clear as day he didn't expect her to give him another chance, after he tried to have them indoctrinated into the Coven. He thought there was no coming back from that. He wasn't doing it to be forgiven. He was doing it because he cared about the team, realized he made a mistake, and wanted to save them from that mistake before it was too late to do so. Even though he obviously thought that Willow would never want anything to do with him ever again. But, just like before, Willow proved that he thought wrong.

So yeah, Hunter is NOT the naive, sheltered, inexperienced abuse victim that's completely ignorant of how to interact with others that some people like to portray him as. Not only does Hunter possess the power of observation and the ability to quickly assess someone's strengths, weaknesses, goals, and capabilities, but he's used to being quick and accurate in doing so even in extreme situations, and takes a great deal of pride in this ability. And he is NOT walking into his crush on Willow blind. He's been observing her, and his respect and affection for her has grown with every new side of her that he sees.

[tedturneriscrazy]

Hmm...

Something about how a big part of Luz's overall arc is how averse she is to choosing between certain things, and how in her mind she feels like she has to make choices (Hexside track, staying in the human realm, her Palisman), only for it to turn out that she doesn't have to stick with one thing in any of these situations and can actually have a life full of all the possibilities and things she loves without them canceling each other out.

Also how all this is explored with a character who is neurodivergent, bisexual, and gnc...

[eternalera]

i just noticed this really cool thing in the s2 intro of the owl house.

it shows lilith in this almost power like stance as if she's threatening someone it shows her as this basically enraged undefeatable foe and it shows her like shes a threat. she gives you the impression that she would never ask for mercy of any sort.

with hunter is shows him as the golden guard with his staff in hand and with his mask it demands power and respect it. it feels like your stereotypical warden who does a shit tone of bad stuff

then with kikimora she looks innocent and playful holding her cloth up to cover her mouth almost like a child would.

then with lilith when it turns it shows that what we saw before was basically just a facade. her hands are switched and shes looking down as if she's begging for either forgiveness or mercy. its almost like she's doing the action that's switched between frames

then with hunter his staff is gone and he's taking off the mask. both of which belos gave him to reassemble his power and his importance. yet its not here showing us that whatever we thought of this impenetrable warden that we saw before isn't true. once again it seems like he's doing this motion just like lilith

then with kikimora we see her crazed which honestly is just her whole buildup in the show which is pretty cool but she also looks angry. once again this seems to be done in one motion showing us that yknow 'theres more to them than we think'. as we get more of kikomoras insane devotion throughout the show (up until the part where she helps king) and i think this is supposed to show us that.

then we get belos scooping them up in his hand as if showing that he has power over them and that theyre his. he has control over them into doing basically whatever he wants

[existencebringsonlypain]

I love the attention to detail in this show, down to even how everyone blushes differently.

We've got classic tomato face Amity who blushes with her whole face, and Luz who only blushes on her cheeks.

Willow also blushes on her cheeks. Hunter's blush is oddly inconsistent, but it's generally his cheeks and ears, though sometimes only on his cheeks when he's less flustered and more embarrassed. We never see Gus blush to my knowledge.

Rains blushes on their cheekbones and nose, Eda only on her cheeks.

We never see Masha blush, but Vee has a tendency to blush around her cheekbones.

Darius just has the anime lines as a blush. Alador, of course, is the source of Amity's tomato face.

So much diversity in something as ubiquitous as blushing, which you tend to think only has two kinds, lines and airbrush pink on the cheeks.

Now look back through at the eyes. Amity has heavy eyeliner but the same eye shape as Alador, formed by two curves and an angled curve connecting them on both sides. Hunter's is similar, but it's just two curves, one much larger than the other.

Luz, Gus, and Willow both have oval eyes, but Luz has two eyelashes on the lower curve of her eyes whilst Willow has one lash on the top. Gus has no eyelashes.

Raine's eyes are essentially a flipped version of Hunter's, a shallow curve on the bottom with a larger curve on the top.

Eda's are just tall "almond" shapes, wider toward the nose. Lilith's, though not pictured, are a mirror image- wider toward her ears. It's also worth noting that Eda's lower lip has visible lipstick, contrasting Lilith's upper lip- to drive home the similarities between them.

Masha's eyes are a lot more squinted and upward-tilting, wider toward the nose. Vee has near circles as eyes, though they look a bit down-tilted, and she has two lashes near the top.

Darius has nearly the same eye shape as Alador.

There's so much variety in the designs in this show. The eyes, the blushes, heck even the noses and eyebrows and chins if you go back and look. There was so much thought  put into the designs of these characters, I'm frankly astounded that more people don't recognize it.

[chocochipjewel]

Yapping about Belos and his ending excessively while also analysing him to the best of my ability under the cut

So given how much art of him I've reblogged by now, it really shouldn't come as a surprise that Belos is my favourite character from the Owl House.

I could talk about him for HOURSS but I just want to talk about 2 of my favourite moments of him to highlight the parts of him I love the most.

This moment in Hollow Mind, when he gets the key in his hand and you can see the light in his eyes. It's the only time his eyes have the distinct shine in them like every other character has all the time, and it's cause of the key he's holding. The key to the human realm is the only thing that gives him that shine cause it's the only thing he genuinely cares about. Everything he's doing is to go back home and revel in glory, which, while selfish, adds so much to his character. He's not doing this JUST for power, he became an Emperor just to tear his own creations down. I just find something extremely poetic about that.

And the second moment -

THIS MOMENT. THIS MOMENT IN KING'S TIDE AJDHSJSHSJS

I'm still mad these flashbacks were never brought up in any big way cause THEY REALLY SHOULD HAVE BUT AHSKSJS I'M GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF.

Belos reliving his worst memories was always a concept that was going to be interesting because it's an insight into what really gets into the head of our main antagonist. What does the guy who is everyone else's worst fear have to fear. And the answer is himself.

The 3 memories he sees are him approaching Caleb with the knife, the actual murder as pictured above, and the creation of the grimwalkers.

What really gets me is that his eyes are wide when he recalls the first memory, but they look smaller in the second memory (in the screenshot). Maybe it's just the angle but I always interpreted it as his expression shifting to be one of genuine sadness for this particular memory. Because the mere fact that his most personal crime is also his worst memory is such an interesting concept. How does he live with that sort of guilt and worse, keep doing those same crimes but WORSE?

All of Hollow Mind could just be here really and I wouldn't complain. It's THE episode for Belos fans that really allowed us to dig into him, and the mere fact that he's consciously scratched off Caleb from all the happy memories as if to justify his own fratricide is a level of desperate coping that I just find so very interesting ajdjhsjjs

Not to mention that his inner self is a child, which, while a pretence by him, could still say something about how in his head, he still has not grown up and is still playing pretend, still playing witch hunter with every version of Caleb he creates, still playing god to finally achieve a fantasy so very childish and so frankly basic that it makes anyone watching from the outside think "wait, that's it? That's all this is for?" AND THAT'S THE POINT

Cause none of this needed to happen. None of this has a greater value than Philip trying to chase after lost dreams. All the plans he made, all his great power and his great empire amounts to nothing because he himself plans to destroy all of it to chase that childhood dream. Just like Luz, he entered the Boiling Isles to find a home, only his home was Caleb and he was never willing to love new things in the Isles, while Luz loved so much she literally changed the lives of everyone she met by loving them. And unlike Luz, Philip never grew out of that mindset, only burying it in layers and layers of lies and half truths.

In general, his relationship with Caleb is for sure the most interesting part of his character to me. The fact that he both repeatedly murders and repeatedly creates new grimwalkers in an endless cycle and then hallucinates Caleb looking at him with disdain implies so much about his dependancy on Caleb and the deepest parts of himself that know what he's doing is wrong. The parts that have broken free from the layers and layers of cognitive dissonance and have accepted that he was wrong, without any more justifications.

And now, to 'briefly' rant about him in season 3

Thanks to Them was juicy for character exploration, but I wish we actually got to see him react to the human realm properly. It's everything he's wanted, it's the one thing that still brings light into his life but the world he returned to would absolutely hate him. He's done all this for nothing. I wanted so badly to see how he copes with his guilt then, but they were short on time so I get it.

For the Future's hallucination scene makes this even more interesting cause of the depiction of him actually seriously suffering from something like hallucinations. It was dark as hell, and it was really interesting.

And then... WaD. All in all, a great finale. The only real big problem I had with it was Belos' ending.

After so much buildup to his depth and his motivations and his guilt and all his lies slowly collapsing around him, after everything he did to so many people, he deserved a better death. I don't think he didn't deserve death, I just think it happened too quick. Where was the final cathartsis from all his victims shunning him (Luz staring was perfect don't get me wrong, but the whole Hexsquad deserved to be there). Where was the moment he would finally no longer be able to lie to himself and he would be forced to accept that he did EVERYTHING he did, made all those great sacrifices, tortured so many people, just to fail and be at his victims' mercy after accomplishing nothing?

I understand the finale was juggling many MANY characters and plotpoints, but that's not stopping me from wishing for a better ending.

I wish I had had the motivation to draw something for this like I'd hoped, but a brief description about what kind of ending I'd have wanted will have to do.

I wish Luz saw his memories in the place in between with Papa Titan. It would reinforce her arc of feeling like they come from the same place too, if she saw Caleb leaving Philip and Philip's original goal of just wanting to get his brother back. I wish Luz saw all his "sad" memories and really started to question herself.

And then I would have wanted Papa Titan to shoot that down regardless, and then explain that while Belos may have started out a victim of his circumstances as an orphaned child in a cult, the Isles gave him chances to change. Memories of Philip in the Isles seeing Caleb happy, being given chances by witches, being given so many chances to change, and rejecting them accompanying this scene would be ideal. Really hammer in that he aas responsible for his own suffering and that he has absolutely no excuse for what he did to all his victims.

And then, in the final death scene, as he claims that as humans they are better than witches one last time, I wish the ghosts of all his victims showed up to prove him wrong. Every witch and grimwalker who choose to be better than him before they fell. Every member of the Hexsquad who believed in him and his regime at one point. Every single one of them a reminder of how his lies can't even convince himself anymore.

And finally, his own brother, a fellow human, who appears before him. I imagine Caleb looking at him with pity, almost sympathy, before a quiet acceptance comes onto his face and he turns away from him. He walks towards the crowd and chooses their side, next to Evelyn. Neither Caleb nor Luz say a single word. There is nothing left to be said to him anymore. Every single person on the Isles, human or witch, has turned against him now.

If anything could break his will, I think this would be it. I imagine him phasing through his different forms, trying to find a way to justify himself in each one, gradually desolving into desparate screams, before the boiling rain melts him away like in canon (except without the stomping please).

Aaaand that's it, no more notes. Thanks so much to all the Wittebane fans in the community who have kept his fanbase fed when the show didn't meet our standards and who prompted the line of thought that led to this post.

There are so many of you all who inspired and made my fandom experience fun and created so much out of just Philip, Caleb, and Evelyn (and all your OCs of course!!) so I'm just going to shoutout the ones I remember off the top of my head -

@talisman975

@jess-the-vampire

@calebsrottingcorpse

@owlyhouse

@anona1-mous

@captainmera

@moonmeg

@azure-blaze92

@a-magpie-in-the-bi

@a-magpie-in-gravesfield

This is no particular order and I'm surely missing more so this is by no means exhaustive, but this is just a shoutout for those who kept this fandom going. Y'all are the real troopers for sure.

That's all I got, but I'm posting some old Belos art soon! Cheers all, and may the terrible awful no good goo babygirl keep inspiring us for all the great art <3

[jubileemon]

Lumity Analysis: Why They're Perfect

"Lumity" refers to the ship between Luz Noceda and Amity Blight from the Disney animated series "The Owl House." Disney has made strides in LGBTQ+ representation in recent years. Historically, the company has been criticized for a lack of diversity in its characters, but there have been notable developments toward inclusivity.

Their Introduction

In the first season of "The Owl House," Luz Noceda and Amity Blight are initially introduced as classmates at Hexside School of Magic and Demonics. Amity is a skilled and popular student, while Luz is an enthusiastic human girl who lacks magical abilities. Their relationship starts with Amity being dismissive and condescending towards Luz, especially due to Luz's unconventional approach to magic.

As the season progresses, particularly in episodes like "Understanding Willow" and "Enchanting Grom Fright," their dynamic begins to shift. Luz learns more about Amity's struggles and challenges, and Amity starts to see Luz in a different light. The development of their friendship and eventual romantic undertones forms a significant part of the first season.

Understanding Amity Blight

Amity Blight is portrayed as a prodigious young witch attending Hexside School of Magic and Demonics. Initially portrayed as a competitive and dismissive character, the show explores the reasons behind her behavior, delving into her struggles with family expectations and her own desire to fit in. Instead of sticking to a one-dimensional "mean girl" persona, Amity's relationships with other characters, especially with Luz and Willow, showcase a more nuanced personality.

She once had a close friendship with Willow Park, but due to peer pressure and her desire to fit into her family's expectations, Amity distances herself from Willow. This storyline is explored in the episode "Understanding Willow," shedding light on the complexities of Amity's character.

Family Life and Abuse

Her parents, Odalia and Alador Blight, are portrayed as strict and demanding figures, particularly her mother, Odalia. The show hints at emotional abuse from her mother, adding layers to Amity's internal conflicts. Amity has older siblings, twins named Emira and Edric Blight. They play a significant role in the series, as they really love their little sister and occasionally offer advice to her. While they share the Blight family ambition, they also display a more carefree and rebellious attitude compared to Amity.

Being the more overtly abusive parent, Odalia sets unrealistic expectations for Amity by pressuring her to conform to the Blight family's high standards. This constant pressure to excel and meet these expectations contributes to Amity's initial behavior as an arrogant rival and her internal struggles. Odalia's emotional manipulation and criticism shape Amity's sense of self-worth and contribute to her insecurities. The fear of disappointing her mother and the desire for approval become driving forces in Amity's life, affecting her interactions with others, including her peers like Luz.

On the other hand, Alador's neglect also plays a role in Amity's development. His lack of active involvement in her life might leave Amity feeling overlooked and contribute to a sense of loneliness. The absence of positive attention from a parental figure could impact her emotional well-being and contribute to her seeking validation elsewhere, whether through academic achievements or conforming to societal expectations.

Early Behavior

At the beginning of "The Owl House," Amity was introduced as an arrogant rival and a bit of a bully. Driven by her desire to excel academically and meet her family's expectations, she initially sees Luz as a threat and behaves dismissively and competitively.

One example of this was when she almost got Luz dissected by Principal Bump, mistaking her for an abomination. This incident shows her willingness to use any means to maintain her status, even if it means putting Luz in danger. This showcases the extent of her dedication to conforming to her family's standards.

Similarly, in the episode "Covention," Amity's actions, like stepping on King's cupcake, illustrate her inclination to follow the expectations set by her peers and her mother. These instances lay the groundwork for her eventual realization and character development as she begins to question the values she once upheld and develops a more authentic sense of self.

Why Luz Is A Positive Influence?

Amity's transformation into a better and more compassionate person was strongly influenced by her friendship with Luz Noceda. When Luz entered Amity's life, she challenged the rigid expectations set by Amity's family and offered genuine friendship. Luz's positive influence on Amity stems from her acceptance and encouragement. Since Luz doesn't judge Amity based on her family background or talents, this acceptance allows Amity to gradually break free from the toxic influences of her parents. Through various adventures and shared experiences, Luz helps Amity rediscover her own values and passions.

As their friendship evolves into a romantic relationship, Amity learns the importance of authenticity and staying true to herself. Luz's influence empowers Amity to challenge societal norms and expectations, fostering a sense of independence and self-discovery.

Her Friendship With Willow

"Understanding Willow" is a pivotal episode in "The Owl House" where Amity confronts the regrets and pain she caused Willow due to her past actions and toxic friendships. In this episode, viewers witness the depth of Amity's character as she reflects on her role in distancing herself from Willow and succumbing to the toxic influence of her friend group, particularly Boscha and Skara.

This episode also marked a turning point for Amity as she decided to make amends with Willow. This act of vulnerability and apology demonstrates her willingness to break free from the toxic patterns in her life, thanks to Luz. It sets the stage for Amity's broader character development, paving the way for her eventual growth into a more better person.

Luz Is Amity's First Crush

Amity's revelation of her attraction to women, particularly her crush on Luz, in "Enchanting Grom Fright" can be relatable to many teenagers discovering their own sexuality.

Amity's realization and expression of her feelings for Luz capture the uncertainty and excitement that often accompany one's first crush. When Grom attacks her, and Amity's worst fear is seen as being romantically rejected by someone unspecified, shown by Grom tearing up a note, Amity was seen throughout the episode. Luz reassures her it's alright and offers to go to Grom with her instead, as that's what friends do.

Amity and Luz then team up and fight Grom by dancing together, where they are portrayed to be extremely close while doing so. After their dance, it is revealed to the audience that it was Luz who Amity had been planning to ask out to Grom but didn't out of her fear of rejection.

Certainly, the intensity of Amity's feelings for Luz has been a notable and recurring theme in both Season 1 and Season 2 of "The Owl House." The blushing moments between Amity and Luz serve as visual cues to emphasize the romantic undertones of their relationship.

How They Fell In Love?

At first, Amity sees Luz as a rival and is dismissive of her unconventional approach to magic. Amity's uptightness and desire to maintain her status as the top student clash with Luz's spontaneous and chaotic nature. Despite their differences, Luz's persistence and kindness slowly break down Amity's initial resistance.

As Amity and Luz spend more time together, they begin to form a genuine connection. Amity starts to appreciate Luz's unique perspective and adventurous spirit, which contrasts with her own practical and regimented approach to magic. Throughout their adventures, these experiences deepen their bond and allow Amity to see Luz in a new light. As their friendship evolved, Amity began to realize her feelings for Luz. Despite her initial resistance and the societal expectations placed upon her, Amity embraces her love for Luz, recognizing that their differences complement each other. Ultimately, it's Luz's uniqueness, kindness, and unwavering support that lead Amity to fall in love with her.

Will They, Won't They?

The show subverted the common "Will They, Won't They" trope by providing a more nuanced and progressive approach to the development of romantic relationships, particularly the central one between Luz and Amity. Rather than drawing out the tension over multiple seasons, the show addresses Amity's feelings for Luz relatively early in the series. This allows for a more extended exploration of their relationship beyond the initial stage of uncertainty.

The show also doesn't rely heavily on misunderstandings or miscommunication between Luz and Amity to create drama. Instead, it focuses on their genuine connection, allowing the relationship to progress organically. This subverts the common trope of prolonged miscommunication, leading to unnecessary tension.

While the romantic aspect is crucial, the foundation of Luz and Amity's relationship is built on a strong and supportive friendship.

Becoming An Official Couple

In the episode "Knock, Knock, Knockin' On Hooty's Door ", the Tunnel of Love scene shows the depth of their characters and the relatable challenges they face in expressing their feelings.

Luz's Perspective: Luz's awkwardness and reluctance in the Tunnel of Love stem from her past experiences of being mocked for her unconventional behavior. This fear of rejection has likely been exacerbated by instances where her crushes didn't reciprocate her feelings, making her cautious and hesitant in expressing herself romantically.

Luz's attempt to stop the ride and dismantle the romantic setting reflects her desire to show Amity a grand and unique romantic gesture. She may feel that Amity deserves something more extraordinary than what the Tunnel of Love provides, inadvertently overlooking the fact that Amity finds the gesture charming.

Amity's Perspective: On the other hand, Amity was seeking confirmation that Luz reciprocates her feelings. The romantic setting of the Tunnel of Love, despite its cheesiness, is a sign to Amity that Luz might share her romantic interest. Amity's genuine flattery and blushing indicate that she appreciates the gesture, but Luz's reaction misleads her. Amity's fear of rejection, rooted in past experiences such as Grom taking Luz's form and tearing her note, resurfaces. Luz's destructive response triggers Amity's trauma, as she believes Luz is rejecting her. The heartbroken expression mirrors the pain of potential rejection.

The episode hints at Luz's past experiences of bullying on Earth, likely due to her neurodivergence and inability to conform to societal norms. Amity's socially inept behavior is a result of her strict upbringing, making both characters relatable to those who have faced similar challenges.

Their First Kiss

The first kiss between Luz and Amity in "Clouds on the Horizon" is a heartfelt moment in their relationship. Amity's vulnerability, coupled with Luz's genuine concern, sets the stage for a deepening emotional connection when Luz used vines to climb to Amity's room and the privacy provided by Amity's siblings leaving emphasize the intimacy of the moment.

Amity's uncertainty about Luz's safety adds a layer of tension that is beautifully resolved when they run to each other with joy upon realizing they are both safe. Luz's promise to take Amity on a real date showcases her commitment and care for Amity beyond the immediate circumstances. The unexpected kiss between Amity and Luz is a culmination of their growing feelings for each other. The blushing aftermath reflects the natural and tender awkwardness of two characters navigating new romantic territory.

Amity's decision to defend Luz against Odalia's dismissal is a powerful declaration of their relationship, marking a turning point in Amity's willingness to stand up for her feelings and challenge familial expectations.

Conclusion

Finally, in the series finale, "Watching and Dreaming," Luz and Amity's love for each other shines through as they confront their greatest challenges yet. From supporting each other in the dream realm to sharing a heartfelt reunion after the final battle, their bond remains unbreakable. The tender moments they share, including a kiss on the cheek and their affectionate embrace, affirm the depth of their feelings and the enduring nature of their relationship.

From their initial interactions marked by misunderstandings to the development of a deep and supportive connection, Lumity stands out for its positive representation.

[tempoaryblogformightyjensblog]

....Did they make Boscha a Philip parralel?

Oh god they made Boscha a Philip parralel

Boscha misses Amity. But more specifically her version of Amity. They did bad things as school bullies, they hurt people. Boshca enjoyed it and Amity pretended to but didn't really. Amity found someone, she left Boscha's group and it made Boscha feel alone. Wich her dialogue makes explicit

"Amity: Let us go, Boscha.

Boscha: Oh, Amity. I already let you go. Many times. When you stop hanging out with the group, when you left the grudgby team, when you disappeared for months!"

"Boscha: I won’t let you leave again!

Amity: Boscha, you’re hurting me!"

And of course, it all comes down to the fact that Boscha didn't just care about Amity. She cared about a specific version of Amity. As Amity says "I can't be who you want me to be".

So...on to Philip and Caleb.

Philip and Caleb probably did some horrible things as witch-hunters'. From what we can tell with their personalities, Philip enjoyed doing those things while Caleb, deep down, didn't. Caleb changed for the better and left the town. But Philip felt left behind, and became obsessed with finding Caleb again. He wanted things to go back to how they were, when they were Witch-Hunters. But the version of Caleb that Philip loved...just wasn't real. Unlike Boscha, Philip could not accept that. So he killed the original for not being like how he wanted to be. And dedicated a part of his life to trying to make his preffered 'version' real.

To summarize:Boscha is the good ending version of Philip. She was able to accept that Amity was not happy as who she used to be and that she can't force Amity to be the person she wants. And it'll take time but she's on the path to being a better person herself.

[royal-they]

I feel like a lot of people misread Willow as being the mentally stable friend. 

She’s not, she just puts up a good front. Her goals aren’t about her. She doesn't consider her own emotions. Everything's about others. 

Willow is someone who tries her best to appear put together and stable on the outside. She won’t let you see her crack. Because to her her friends are 1000x more important. Many witches state a goal that involves their career or deepest wish for themselves when they chose a palisman or make one. Willow doesn’t, and she’s one of the few we’ve seen who makes this choice. She doesn’t want to be strong to help herself gain power, she wants power to protect those close to her. 

Willow isn’t one to let her emotions get the better of her. But when they do she breaks. She can’t put up with all the pressure, she has a breaking point. And this breaking point usually stems from this insecurity of her not being good enough. She needs to be good enough for others. And she is. But she’s not good enough for herself. 

Willows an amazing friend but she’s in no way less mentally ill then anyone else. She is unsure of herself and always needs to prove herself to others. It’s not quite as obvious as it is with Hunter; he’s always running around trying to prove his worth and having panic attacks because of it. But it’s still there, she just does a good job of keeping it all inside. 

With Hunter we see this aspect of him a lot. It’s a huge plot point in Eclipse Lake. He’s scared of rejection from Belos. He’s scared of being replaced. He’s scared of not having a place in the world. He puts the needs of others over his own constantly. But Hunter can’t put up a front like Willow can. The only time we get to really explore Willows insecurity's properly is when we literally are seeing inside her head. The episodes literally called Understanding Willow for crying out loud:

As someone who was bullied mercilessly for years when I was the age Willow is in this memory I really understand this whole episode on a very personal level. The things people said to Willow got to her. Her inner self says she’s just “finishing what (Amity) started.” Even when she heals her relationship with Amity she still has moments of insecurity. She calls herself, “half-a-witch.” She gets mad when Amity trys to protect her. She gets upset when she is captured by someone she trusted. All these things resurface old familiar emotions for her. 

Willow has been trying her whole life to help people and for so long it didn’t work out. Amity calls her a “weakling.” She vows to be a powerful witch. Amity tells her she causes problems. Willow says she is going to protect everyone she loves. Amity rejects Willows friendship and picks on her. 

Willow is scared of rejection. 

Scared of disappointing people. 

She is upset when Amity replaces her with new friends and lets them pick on her. 

She can’t deal with any of these emotions - similarly to Hunter - so she combats it by constantly comforting and prioritizing others.  

Willows incredibly powerful and strong. And amazing friend and a force not to be taken lightly. 

But in no way is she over these deep rooted anxiety's of losing her friends, not being able to protect people, or being a nuisance and a problem. 

I really want this to be an aspect of her that is focused on sometime in the future, because its a problem she has that is never really solved. 

She’s not completely indestructible. 

[rex-shadao]

The Lonely End of Belos

Or why Hunter, Caleb, Evelyn, Lilith, Collector, or anyone that Belos personally wronged didn't get to be the witness to his demise.

I admit, I was a bit unsatisfied with Belos' demise. After all the build up with Caleb hallucinations and Grimwalker bones, I thought he would fall into the graveyard pit, see the ghosts, and realizing all too late it's his fault before he melts into a pile of bones.

Prior to that, before Thanks to Them, I speculated on Belos' fate would be him being hunted down by an angry mob of humans led by Jacob Hopkins believing him to be some kind of cryptid monster either threatening the town... or offer a rare opportunity to get rich on the news. And then he falls apart like an animal.

And when Watching and Dreaming trailer hinted at Belos possessing the Titan, I wondered how they were going to defeat Belos without resorting to revenge or poetic irony (since Belos is this big final boss that the heroes would blow up like with the core). I thought perhaps they would turn Belos into a Palisman tree and make him give back all the Palisman he devoured in a twisted form of redemption. Perhaps they'll remind him of his past and start a mental collapse that causes him to lose control of the Titan as he sees images of Caleb. I was pretty sure Caleb would show up just before Belos dies, giving him the realization that he's damned.

But his actual demise... feels empty. He did fall apart as I expected and there's sense of loneliness in his demise, but... no Caleb. No Evelyn. Nothing hinting to his past. Heck, I don't think the name Philip is even brought up once. It feels like we've been cheated out of a cathartic demise, and I spent the hours since the special aired trying to make sense of this choice and why. Why is there no Wittebane lore.

And ultimately, I make this conclusion:

Belos refused to open up about his past. It's quite telling the Collector spilled everything of his Freudian Excuse from being bullied by the Archivists to being wrongfully imprisoned by King's Dad to his desire for friends and being accepted. Him opening up communications of his insecurities allowed Luz, Eda, and King to empathize and help him. To teach him kindness and forgiveness. To teach him the value of life through death. And through their teachings does the Collector become better and ultimately redeemed.

But Belos? We know he had a traumatic past and a lot of insecurities with his brother. We know he's a lot like Luz and the Collector when he was a child. But unlike them, he never opened up about his insecurities. He forcibly molds them into abstract ideas and rules. For the greater good of humanity. For the good of your souls. He always tries to make it non personal, thinking it makes him selfless and pure.

But what he ends up creating is a caricature of himself. A shallow representation of his former human life. The Hollow Mind portraits released this week on Twitter shows tragedy with the happy memories being free of scratches and burns. Those were the original looks. But in the actual episodes, even the happy memories were scarred and burned. As Understanding Willow reveals, if you burn the memory pictures, you essentially erase them from existence. This means that Belos barely remembers his past. Now that I think about it, Belos never actually used the word brother at any point. Just an old friend. At first, I thought he was trying to avoid triggering trauma memories regarding Caleb's murder, but now I wonder... did he actually forget Caleb was his brother?

Because if he did, then it explains why he never seem to make the connection that Eda and Lilith may in fact be the descendants of Evelyn and Caleb. He only remembers Evelyn's first name but can't remember her face or anything that would link her to the Clawthrones.

And then it hits me. Despite being the big main antagonist of the series... Belos has only one personal connection to our main trio: Luz the Human. Eda, he dismisses her as an Owl Lady outlaw who isn't important in the grand scheme of thing. And King, he thinks it's a weird dog demon, not a baby Titan. But Luz, he's obsessed with because A) she would help him learn the Light Glyph and find the Collector and B) she's the first human he has seen in centuries.

Thus, it is Luz that Belos focuses on the most. It's Luz that Belos wants to form an actual connection since Caleb's death. And when you think about those witnessed Belos' demise... Luz is the only one that Belos has any genuine interactions with. Eda, King, and Raine... they were all background pawns or obstacles, not even worth specializing personal grudges towards like he would with Lilith, Hunter, Evelyn, or even Caleb.

So in spirit, Luz is the last lifeline for redemption and forgiveness. And Belos blew it. He was so obessed with Luz due to her human status but he never gave anything about his past to her (Luz only got Belos' backstory from Masha). He assumes that being human alone is sufficient enough for speaking terms. And he choose the best looking human look for her: A non-broken nose Philip Wittebane. Just as how she saw him in Elsewhere and Elsewhen. The ideal adventurer and hero of the 17th century. He evidently forgot that this bearded Phillip destroyed Luz's respect for him. This Philip lied to her and betrayed her and Lilith. This Philip was not the hero Luz envisioned. After all, the Philip she idolized in the diaries was clean shaven. He could have chosen that form... if he actually remembers that.

And then he sloppily try to make himself sound like he's freed from a curse, sloppily using the term dark magic instead of wild magic, and taking great pains to even say that he did horrible things, even under the excuse of a curse. He has no idea on how to make himself relatable when it's all there within him deep down. He just uses the surface-deep level of relatability and Luz doesn't buy it. And the boiling rain melts away that skin deep humanity, revealing a rotting ghoul barely clinging onto life, screaming of how witches are evil and unforgivable as he crawls to Luz. Notably, he still doesn't give a reason as to why he thinks they're all evil. We all know what it likely is, but Belos never confirms it to Luz.

Belos is virtually on autopilot, repeating the mantra of humans are superior and witches are evil. He never speaks about how Caleb was "stolen" from him by a witch. He never speaks about how Gravesfield taught that witches are evil. His memories almost completely erased by his self-inflicted denial, all he can think of is wiping out witches and saving humanity. A caricature of his former self.

And by failing to swayed Luz, he's completely alone. There is no Caleb now. No Evelyn. No Hunter. No Lilith. No Grimwalkers. No Flapjack. Just Luz whose connection he tries to forge is now a shallow parody because of how much he doesn't understand her at all. But she wouldn't kill him since that would give him a known company at his last moment. Instead he meets his end by those that he doesn't even see as personally important beyond pawns. Though they have a lot of personal grudges against the former Emperor and tyrant, Belos only sees strangers at the end of in his long life.

Philip Wittebane is nothing more than a faded memory of a bygone era. He died with his brother Caleb, regulated to just folklore ghost stories told in Halloween of Gravesfield. To some, they may never really exist in the first place since 1613 is a very long time.

The creature that resembles Philip is just Belos and he is little more but a parody of a man, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

[toffeebeantable]

Ok but can we all appreciate Willow's character? Her goals were to be "wise and strong to protect everyone she loved" when she stated it in front of the palisman in Hunting Palisman.

And throughout the episodes, you can really see the acceleration in her growth. She's sorta like an older sibling to everyone now.

Mediating fights and arguments, (though in this example it was more of a joke)

Making soup,

She even started working out to improve her physical strength to better protect everyone she loves! (She even changes the way she uses her magic to better suit her new physical strength she's been building) Even though she's always had the immense amount of power, she's still seeking to improve herself in terms of strength and character.

And in the last episode, when everyone else was arguing with each other, she was the only one quiet and calm on the side. She of course was probably also going through things in her mind but didn't let it affect her and she managed to calm everyone else down too. She gave some advice to King about looking for opportunities to help others too.

"There's always a way to help, you just have to look for the right opportunity"

[welcometogrouchland]

I know it was unexpected for plenty of people but I LOVE the implication that in S3 willow is the one rocking a tough, practical jacket and hunter is the one in the cozy nerd sweater. Especially in the context of how they've always viewed each other?

Willow has always been the "leather jacket-wearing bad-boy with a heart of gold" in hunters eyes when you think about it. She's strong, plays a flashy contact sport that's essentially fantasy-roller derby, stands up to authority and fights for a cause, all the while being sweet and silly and sensitive and secretly insecure but healing from something traumatic that happened to her.

And on the flip side, willow didn't meet Hunter when he was the golden guard, she met him when he was pretending to be a normal kid. He was weird and awkward and overzealous and stand offish. His best friend is a bird and his name is Caleb Jasper Bloodwilliams. BUT as the day goes on he makes friends, acts dorky and encouraging, does something really weird and messed up but (most important to willow) demonstrates that he can mend the mistakes he makes. He's soooo the sheltered "good" girl learning to come out of her shell and willow is the risk taking beefcake who shows him the world. It's disgusting and I love it

[loosescrewslefty]

I've seen a few people misinterpreting this scene, and thinking that Willow is saying that she WOULD invade Luz's privacy if it were her, and it's frustrated me to the point where I feel the need to say something, because that is 100% NOT what this scene is about.

Willow is NOT telling Amity to snoop in Luz's phone, or saying she would if it were her. Willow is setting healthy boundaries with Amity.

Willow is concerned about Amity here. And she understand why Amity is worried, and why Amity is tempted to snoop (because she IS tempted. They would not be having this conversation if Amity wasn't) but while she might not intend to do so, Amity is trying to push Willow into being her moral compass, to make a difficult choice FOR Amity, so Amity doesn't have to.

And instead of just telling Amity what SHE would do in her shoes, and taking the burden of deciding if it's right or wrong to look through Luz's phone off of Amity's shoulders, Willow goes for the neural ground. Not judging, not deciding for, but listening to and talking with Amity, so Amity can make HER decision about HER relationship with HER girlfriend, without Willow getting dragged into it more than she is comfortable with. This is the best thing someone could do for Amity at this stage, as she is a recovering abuse victim who still isn't used to deciding things for herself instead of following a predetermined path. Setting a boundary here keeps Amity from slipping into a bad habit and putting an unhealthy expectation on Willow as her friend. Because this is NOT Willow's circus, and these are NOT her monkeys.

This isn't the only time we see them show Willow's character possessing a strong interpersonal intelligence, either. We also see a few examples of Willow showing a keen ability of knowing when it's necessary for her to step in and help because someone she cares about is over their heads and spiraling or bit off more than they could chew;

And when she needs to step back, either to give others space to deal with their emotions or to let them manage things on their own, even if she wants to jump in and help.

This is an extremely difficult balance to strike in a character, but they manage it really well with Willow, making her one of the most level headed characters in the show who is willing and capable of helping others without compromising her own happiness and well being or taking on burdens that she should not be expected to bare.