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#you could say it's from alador though (which was also how i justified the way i drew her mouth since i normally draw Luz's differently-
welcometogrouchland · 10 months
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Hello, another doodle compilation post of everything I haven't posted since the period of May to now that I didn't hate but didn't like enough to post on its own + fanart i made of @catboymoments's fankids Azura and Hyacinth! I'm not normally a fankid person but these guys are a whole moment unto themselves I love them sm. ID in alt text bc it was getting lengthy! Let me know if there's any issues
#the owl house#toh#luz noceda#willow park#gus porter#hunter toh#(he's there too! just very small. let me have this)#i had a lot of fun trying to figure out Hyacinth and Azura! they were unfamiliar so it was a challenge#hyacinth especially doesn't have a face I'd normally draw but i ended up really enjoying getting out of my comfort zone for him#i hope all the details translated well and that i interpreted aspects of their designs correctly?#i ended up accidentally giving Azura a slightly hooked nose bc i for some reason thought she had one? also struggled w/ her mouth a tad#but i decided to keep it in bc it made her face more unique lol. i already draw amity with a hooked nose so it kind of makes sense#you could say it's from alador though (which was also how i justified the way i drew her mouth since i normally draw Luz's differently-#-just imagine she got it from Camila)#also i recognize thst Hyacinth's cane arm is wonky?? really sorry about that! he was leaning on it a certain way in the ref photo#and i tried to replicate that but. eh#It's been a weird difficult time art wise recently#mainly cause of the hiatus I had to take cause of exams that I'm still recovering from.#Probably gonna end up taking another art/posting break (though we'll see how that all plays out??)#it's been a weird few weeks but not bad. I'm just kind of. trying to remain chill!#kinds wanna rewatch but I'm always afraid I'll overindulge and get sick of the shows i love 😭 but also the longer i go w/o rewatching#the more insane i become. like the joker#I've also been slightly back into comics recently and it sucks. i hate it here fr let me out#but yeah that's where we are rn at ladel studios. just chilling i think!#i like it. gonna see if i can cultivate it as a skill
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smokestarrules · 2 years
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I want ALL of your Amity's analysis. Do u hear me? ALL, hahaha
ok bet
The family Amity grew up in was very simple: Odalia and Alador are the authority, Edric and Emira can do no wrong (though, of course, it’s more complicated than that), and Amity can never be enough. 
Luz was everything Amity wanted to be herself. 
She loved Grudgby, but she stopped playing it because she didn’t like the person she was while playing. 
She has no fucking idea on how to talk to people, including and especially Willow.  
Amity wasn’t going to fucking dissect Luz, and neither was Principal Bump. 
Amity Blight does not cheat. That is an essential part of her character. She does not cheat to get to where she is, because 1) Blights don’t cheat (and it doesn’t matter whether or not that’s actually true) and 2) Amity doesn’t cheat. Amity doesn’t cheat because she’s worked hard for every single thing she’s ever been given and cheating would undermine her entire character. 
She doesn’t have many safe spaces, so when she does find one, she makes sure to go all-out on making it feel like home. 
Amity grew up having to justify every single thing she did to her parents, having to justify her own existence, and that especially includes things she enjoys. 
If Luz hadn’t joined Edric and Emira in the library during Lost in Language, the relationship between the twins and Amity literally would have been damaged irreparably. She would have never spoken to them again. 
Luz was the first person on-screen to make her laugh.
She is just a little bit dumb sometimes <3
Luz saying “We can fix this together” in Understanding Willow is one of the most monumental moments in Amity’s entire life. 
If it weren’t for Luz, Amity almost 100% would’ve campaigned for the role of Grom Queen. Because Luz was there, though, her fears changed, and she knew it. 
Amity was going to confess to Luz before she had to go and fight Grometheus in Enchanting Grom Fright, but Luz offering to take her place stopped her in her tracks, because she wasn’t at all ready for that. 
Amity’s fear, too, is the culmination of everything she was scared of losing, not just Luz rejecting her advances. 
After King’s reassurance in Eclipse Lake, she’s self-aware enough to understand that the similarities between herself and Hunter don’t necessarily have to be a bad thing, and she makes a conscious effort to reach out to him. 
She started learning Spanish before she was stranded in the Human Realm in an attempt to further connect with Luz. 
Amity does not snoop through Luz’s things even when she thinks knowing more could help because she’s had that happen to her and she understands how small it makes you feel. She is ridiculously emotionally intelligent when it comes to Luz, and, later, when it comes to herself. 
She would do anything for her friends. 
She’s the only witch who’s ever read The Good Witch Azura series, which she latched onto because it served as a sort of escape for her. She sees herself within Hecate, because despite her wrongdoings, the narrative treats her with kindness. Consequently, the book in which Hecate is effectively redeemed is the only one she hadn’t been able to collect herself. 
She sets incredible boundaries with her father. He’s trying now, sure, but that doesn’t take back the years of pain, and it shouldn’t. 
Amity gets noticeably more and more silly as the time goes on, because she’s coming back into herself.
Also as time goes on, her magic grows more versatile!
She was not trying to antagonize Willow in Labyrinth Runners, but trying way too hard to protect the person that she had once hurt so deeply. It’s a setback, nothing more, and one that arises from miscommunication. It’s settled, too. They’re on the same page now. 
And because of that, Amity is able to let herself be silly with Willow, too!!
She may be the least powerful (certainly one of the least powerful, at least) of the main cast, but that’s a good thing. 
It’s also a good thing that we haven’t seen her library hideout since season 1, as cute as it was. She doesn’t need it anymore. 
Over time, her relationship with her siblings has improved to the point that they know her well enough to know how to calm her down, and she’s comfortable with them to be able to talk freely about Luz. 
Amity still had hope for Odalia, because even after everything she’s done to her, Amity still wanted to believe that she wasn’t all bad. 
She tried so hard to make sure Luz also got through the portal in King’s Tide. She would’ve stayed behind if Luz did. 
Amity knows full well in Thanks to Them that Luz is feeling guilty, if not the extent of it, and she tries to help out by setting up Halloween costumes that she thinks they’ll both love; Hecate and Azura, which is the thing they bonded over initially. 
Recognizing that Luz doesn't feel like she deserves love, Amity quotes her girlfriend to show her that, yes, she does, and this is how much she means to her. 
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bloodpen-to-paper · 1 year
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Review Blurbs: The Owl House Finale!
This is quite late but here it is, my assortment of random thoughts and screenshots from the finale.
-For one, the music was phenomenal; I feel like the crew really leaned into the fantasy elements for the soundtrack and it worked very well!
-The animation was gorgeous as usual, especially for the final battle (I adored everyone's outfits this episode). The finale went all out with the set and character designs so there is no shortage of stuff to draw once I get into sketching!
-Speaking of the final battle, you could tell they wanted something action packed but not repetitive to other final fight scenes. Luz wasn't just punching the hell out of Belos, she was aiming to separate him from the heart so he'd be powerless, while Eda helped her stronghold her way to him as King and Raine kept up defenses. Its an interesting juxtaposition from how Luz imagined her "epic fight scenes" from the very first episode of the show, where she's firing a bazooka at a giant monster with explosions going off and all the works; even though this final fight scene was flashy, the ultimate goal was to destabilize Belos into a weaker form so he couldn't cause any more harm, and I feel like that in itself show's Luz's growth as a person with a more grounded head on her shoulders.
-Very surprised that the show actually killed off Belos. Like, no imprisonment, no open-ended interpretation; they legit watched him corrode from acid rain and then curb stomped him to death. That's one helluva message to send in a kid's show (which I elaborated on in this post), and its very bold of the crew considering how strongly media tends to push for pacifism in children's content. Networks don't want kids thinking death is justified for bad people until they're at least old enough to understand the severity of taking a life, and I honestly can understand where they're coming from. However, that scene definitely did work very well when it comes to Luz's character (my thoughts are on the linked post) which is why I understand the decision to do it for the sake of storytelling. So yeah, very bold move that I think could've been executed better, but can't say I'm not very impressed.
-Ok, on to screenies!
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I am unhealthily obsessed with this look. Of course Mr./Ms. "but he does get his good looks from me" Titan would make sure Luz was dripped out in the most stylish final form possible lmao. I also like how her form of ultimate power includes all the magic glyphs being used at once, something I'm sure only the Titans could handle (well, the Titans + one funky little human).
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Funny frames for your serotonin (featuring King going into shock)
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We finally met the Titan! (Dilf detected) Seriously his vibe was great, he really is a laid back dad giving Luz uncle advice. Also loved how he is canonically nonbinary (he mentioned he was viewed as a king and a queen and that being called "dad" was not inherent to him but was acceptable). It was very poetic how we meet him through Luz and see him finally leave as a spirit; we want him to come back but we've known he was dead, and nothing could change that. At the very least, he got a final send off, and one last word in to his son through Luz. Gonna miss you Titan papa <;3 (Obligatory he looks and acts like Sans Undertale fuck you)
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Eda's chaotic smirk makes me weak in the knees. Dear god. Anyway
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Of course Hooty makes his return in the most extra way possible, that's why he's my favorite lmao
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Amity being disgusted by Hooty's existence, some things never change <3
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Alador finally got that hug! I remember people commenting on how important it was that when Amity was open to forgiving Alador for his parenting, he went for a hug and she rejected it, saying that they'd work on it. She set boundaries and opened up to her father when she was ready to, when she felt she could trust him again, which makes this hug all the more rewarding.
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Eda's a Headmaster! Very fitting for her that her whole journey since the start of the show was learning to become a mentor, and now she's the principle of her own school "The University of Wild Magic". Also love the new look (the pirate hook is so extra, and so very Eda).
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That's about it! There were many parts of the finale that I feel others have gone over already so I'll leave that up to them. Thanks for reading and have a good one. Goodbye The Owl House, until next time!
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softgaycontent · 3 years
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Autistic Amity Analysis:
(Spoilers up to S2E2 Escaping Expulsion)
CW for: referenced child abuse, ableism
Good post here as well on Amity being Autistic. I may touch on some of the same points because the source material is the same.
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Alador
Amity's father, Alador, is fairly overtly autistic. It runs in families.
Justifications real quick because he doesn't mask like Amity so it is easier to point to clear signs:
Fairly non-expressive, holding the same half-lidded expression that Amity does as default
Extremely interested in animals/creatures, to the point of being distracted by them in the middle of conversations
Unbrushed Hair / lack of attention to or care for grooming, even at important functions or for family portraits
Very intelligent / creative / technical (a successful inventor)
His body language and the way he holds his hands over one-another after Odalia crushes the bug-thing
Unsure if this is Odalia knowing her husband well or her being very rude (probably both), but she is constantly doing things like bringing him back on track or gently moving him away as they're leaving the school. He does look kind of annoyed when she reaches inside his coat for their business card though.
NOTE: I think if Odalia had any real influence over Alador at all, she would have at least made him tidy up for the family portrait (he has unbrushed hair, goggles, and abomination goop on him). She either truly respects him for who he is or can't make him do anything.
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Abuse
Odalia seems genuinely fond of her husband. She sees him as her equal, and expects others to respect him as well (introducing him as the greatest inventor in the Isles). Unfortunately Amity, as her child, is not given the same room to be herself. She is expected to have all the strengths as her parents, with none of the "weaknesses".
It would not be surprising if Alador struggled growing up autistic and truly believes that teaching Amity to cover it up is better for her. It's unclear how much of her overall abuse is perpetrated by each of her parents, but Alador does seem to be an active (not just passive) participant at least some of the time.
In Lost in Language, the twins justify being cruel to Amity because "she's got to learn", and that as "her family" they are responsible for showing her "tough love". This is clearly something they picked up from growing up in an abusive household, but it may be something they particularly believe about Amity, their weird little sister who doesn't act quite like the other kids, and gets upset too easily.
Amity's necklace may have started as a way for Odalia to remind Amity in public places to make eye contact with people, to stop stimming, or otherwise mask. She has worn it since at least whatever age she is in the flashbacks of Understanding Willow (6-10?).
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Special Interest
Amity and Luz both really love the Azura books. Luz is canonically neurodivergent with ADHD, which has some overlaps with ASD.
One of Amity's main forms of expressing herself seems to be in relation to the books. She draws herself as or with the characters often, befriends Luz more easily because of their shared enjoyment of the series, and tries to replicate a scene from tGWA in real life (Thorn Vault).
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Emotions
Amity is fairly stoic. She is not super expressive most of the time, and her eyes are often held in the same half-open way her fathers are. Exceptions being when she is very angry or (more rarely) comfortably happy that her eyes open fully and more of her face changes.
Amity taps her hands against her knees when she is excited in Wing it Like Witches, and really tends use her hands to express herself a lot.
Her siblings make fun of her for getting so mad that her whole face goes red, which seems like the sort of reaction you might have if you were taught not to stomp out your anger like you want to, and hold it in instead.
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Justice
One symptom of ASD is feeling very passionate about what is fair and what isn't.
Amity is shown consistently to get very angry over fairness. First, when Luz and Willow cheat by pretending that Luz is an abomination (taking Amity's badge), then again when Eda and Lilith cheat in Covention, and finally at the fact that her siblings never get in trouble despite their frequent troublemaking.
This is the thing that drives her to anger more than anything.
She seems visibly mad at her mom while her friends are being expelled in Escaping Expulsion up until Odalia reminds her that she didn't uphold her end of the deal (re: the expo) at which point Amity gives in and looks defeated instead. Seemingly, she accepts that this was her fault and there's nothing she can do.
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Comfort
Amity seeks comfort in dark, quiet places. Her favorite place to spend time is a secret little room in the library. In Covention, Amity finds a dark corner to sit in to calm down.
(Arguably the fort that she and Willow built in the flashbacks of Understanding Willow was away from the other campers and out of the sun as well.)
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Touch
Amity seems to like being touched (by Luz and Willow) clearly friendly ways, and strongly dislikes being touched at all other times.
Amity's siblings mostly seem to touch her in ways that annoy her in Adventures in the Elements. First on purpose, squishing her in a lean between them both, then possibly on accident, as Edric copies the hair ruffle Eda had just done to Luz. Amity seems to visibly dislike the feeling, and the fact that it messed up her hair.
She also really hates it when Hooty touches her; although most characters acknowledge him as annoying, she really loses it when he touches her again.
When Luz hugs her in Understanding Willow, Amity does not reciprocate, even though she seems to enjoy the gesture. She also reacts noticeably to the fact that Luz is still holding her hand after they arrive back in the owl house.
She seemed to enjoy keeping a close proximity to Willow when they were kids.
Misc
Amity takes Luz literally when she says, "I'm picking up what you're putting down."
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Hair
OK this one is purely a bonus headcanon about Amity's undercut. :)
Amity's hair is shown to be rather thick in her concept art, and Emira also seems to have very thick hair, so the reason it is not big and poofy in canon is probably due entirely to her undercut.
A lot of autistic kids have sensory issues around having their hair brushed, which only get worse with large, thick hair which tangles easily.
I like to think that Odalia had a lot of trouble brushing Amity's hair and putting it up into a neat style every day. much less teaching her to do it for herself. Eventually, she gave up and took Amity to get her hair cut, eliminating a lot of the thickness with the undercut, and providing Amity with a hairstyle she could easily manage herself.
Amity loved it, and also really likes running her hands over the short parts when she is by herself.
(While Odalia is too harsh about the way Amity behaves and looks, she will usually actually meet her half-way on sensory accommodations, like comfortable sheets)
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i-love-hobbies · 3 years
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(This isn't an anti-Eda, anti-Lilith or anti-Bump post. Just read this fully, please!)
Murder and violence are not ok!
This whole thing started literally after s1ep2 where Eda murdered a dude on screen.
What am I talking about?
"It's just a cartoon. Don't read too much into it."
I don't have a very strong opinion on this but I'm not a fan of normalizing murder. Also "Heroes that are genocidal maniacs, kill the villain cause he's awful." sounds extremely cringe.
And why are you reading a post that analyses a part of a cartoon right now?
"Death is normal on the Boiling isles, so that makes it ok."
Woah, woah! WHAT?
If everyone used that logic, slavery would still be a thing.
Just cause it's normalized in a culture doesn't mean it's less harmful or that everyone that comes from that culture does it.
It can be used to explain someone's actions, but not excuse them.
The ignorance of context.
1. Eda's murders
First I wanna point out that it was never emotional, it was all calculated. Remember when Tibbles scammed her, she didn't attack him back. None of her kills are revenge. She has always had something to win from them.
She has murdered two people, probably more, Adegast and Tibbles.
If she didn't kill Adegast. I can see this going two ways. He would starve to death, which means she put him out of his misery or he would slowly go back to full power which ties with Tibbles.
Batman kills the Joker.
No they are not as bad as the Joker but they would have continued trying to hurt her untill they got the idea of killing Willow and Gus in their sleep. TIBBLES KNEW THEIR ADDRESS!
Also if they were willing to do this. Who knows what else they have done to other people too. By doing this she has saved more lifes than she has taken (mostly kids).
Plus this willingness to kill is probably the reason Luz can go to school. Eda's enemies know that if they become an actual treat, things won't end well.
Her enemies are criminals. They are not stupid enough to think that she is helpless without magic. Especially now that she isn't running from the law.
- Now on to almost killing Amity in s1ep5 by making Luz cheat. That was messed up but not that badly.
Witches are harder to hurt, there were healers around who would help a Blight. She saw Amity use abomination so she knew mainly her traps were gonna be activated by a non-living thing.
Luz was going to be injured if that didn't happen. Amity was not in control of her strength and I don't think Lilith thought this trough. Though both sisters would have probably intervened when this got out of hand.
She also isn't the one to force Luz into the fight as many people have said. She has never on screen forced her opinion on someone else except in s1ep9 which was to protect her from school and changed in that episode. Luz just couldn't leave cause quitting ment never being able to perform magic.
Now I know that the right thing to do here was for her to try talk things through. I'm just saying it's not as bad as it seems.
2. Eda's scamming
To get my point across I'm gonna compare it to Wordlob.
Hers is the equivalent of you trying to buy gold and getting plastic. His is the equivalent of you're desperate for a cure and he promises to give it to you and then steals all your money and leaves you to die.
You're not going to try to buy gold when your desperate are you?
Scamming can take different forms and hers is the least harmful.
And consider this, what else can she do to put food on the table with her two adopted kids, Hooty and Owlbert. She can't find a legal job, cause that would be helping Belos, she'll die before she does that and she definitely knows ways to disguise herself but that puts her at risk as well.
3. Lilith's redemption arc still works
Yes, she did murder a bird in s1ep18, but the way it talked and acted. It seemed like it was mimicking speach.
Yes, she did almost kill a child, but she has made up for it probably in that week and a half that we didn't see considering this is the Boiling isles and everything is trying to kill you.
Plus, Eda only talked about the curse, considering "You hurt Luz, you cursed me!" She is not the person who would forget about her kid.
Bonus, she did make up for it on screen as well. In s2ep2 she saved King from Eda's experiments. In s2ep3 she saved Luz and King with her ice glyphs, when she could have just left, giving time for Eda to get them out of there. If Eda didn't show up Lilith would be dead.
4. Bump's jokes
- Dissecting Luz
I don't know why everyone talks about Bump and Amity trying to dissect Luz. They weren't certain if this was going to kill her. They weren't certain if she was alive. All they knew was that the lie will be broken if this would kill her.
Yes, they did try to catch her later on, but not to kill her. They wanted to make sense of what's going on and hopefully find her parents so she gets at the very least a talk on why she shouldn't do this.
Willow just overreacted which in return made Luz do the same.
- Bump's detention room
This room is a hypnosis one. Hypnosis is a job in real life. It can be dangerous but that can also be said about therapy if the therapist is bad. Depends on who does it.
"Impressive still alive!" This is a joke.
If a hypnotic session is stopped in the middle, you'd be too relaxed to be able to move. He was fine, he just needed some time.
- Bump's add
Everything that attacked Matt was alive. He probably did something to piss them off. But yeah Bump should have done something.
- Detention track
Guys knowing what he did for Willow in s1ep3, it's obvious that he was in a lot of stress. If he did what he did in that episode regularly. You just touch an orb and byeeeeee. Then this place should have been crowded.
Plus the wall with troublemakers' names had what six names and a portrait of lord calamity. Eda left school before three decades. And that's all we got.
He was probably not gonna keep them there even though he said so. He probably wasn't even planning that.
- Grom was very messed up. I have nothing to say except I wouldn't be surprised if the Emporer's coven forces this to be a thing and refuses to send actual adults, so the kids learn from a young age or whatever.
- Same with the photomemory class.
- "Bosha got away with murder. I can't say I approve, but at least she's trying new things."
This was a joke. Bosha's parents definitely have influence. His hands are tied like usual so he has learned to make jokes out of it. Plus since when are principals responsible for what happens out of school grounds.
5. The bat queen
She is a protector of palismans and I don't think she started to kill until the government was against her (I'm talking about her cave having bones all over it.)
I can't say it's completely justified like I did with Eda. But I don't see a way out of it where palisman wouldn't be extinct.
Now let's see our vilians' behaviour
1. Adegast
He was trying to kill Eda for his business by using a child as a bait.
2. Tibbles
He almost murdered four children so his stand is revenged.
3. Piniate
Is keeping people captive and literally is making them helpless as a punishment for not writing a book.
4. Demon hunters
They were gonna trow kids off a cliff. I'm not sure why actually.
5. The cat ladies
They were kidnapping children for their cafe.
6. The "coven" inspecture
She was stealing all the magic from none other than kids for power.
7. Wordlob
Who knows how many people have died, lost their jobs and so one, cause of his scams. All for money.
8. Warden wrath
He cut Eda's head so she goes out with him. Captures people for nothing.
9. Odalia and Alador
Alador was not stopping Odalia from trying to kill Luz. In their mind this was gonna help in combination with their child abuse, with their daughter helping their business. Everything they have done for now is for their business.
They backed up when Alador saw an opportunity for THEIR BUSINESS.
10. Kikimora
She tried to murder a child, cause of jealousy. Uses her authority to make the system even worse, cause how dare them look in her direction.
11. Belos
Is abusing a child and abused Lilith. Is the reason that palisman are getting extinct. Wild magic= death sentence. Basically created a horrible authority system that has created a lot of suffering and who knows how many it has killed. Probably all for power, though we don't know completely.
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sepublic · 3 years
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Who sold the Curse to Lilith?
           A while back, @loosescrewslefty pointed out to me that Tibbles’ shop, which he specifically cited as having been passed down through generations, is named Mud and Sundry. Mud and Sundry was located in the Night Market… Lilith bought her curse from the Night Market… Tibbles sells an elixir that cures said curse at exorbitant prices, and he is a remorseless, opportunistic capitalist. We’ve all wondered why it was called a Curse of Feathers and MUD… And the stand is called MUD and Sundry. You do the math.
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           Though, if this theory is correct, then it’s worth noting that it was probably Tibbles II who sold a young Lilith that curse- We know Tibbles III is a Witch, and according to Dana, witches have about the same lifespans as humans. I’m not entirely sure Tibbles III’s age, but he doesn’t seem to be that old- At least, he was probably a child when Lilith was. So it’s more than likely that his father was in charge of Mud and Sundry, and thus sold the curse to Lilith in this theory.
           So, we’ve got the scummy family of capitalist pigs, who literally create the conditions that others need a cure for- But said cure isn’t permanent and has to be constantly bought across one’s entire life, because the curse itself is permanent. I’m not saying Tibbles could potentially become the most reviled character in this entire show, even moreso than Adegast or Odalia and Alador for me… At least, I’m not saying this UNLESS the show confirms that it was his bloodline that caused this mess. And if so, then I hope that Tibbles straight-up died and was painfully devoured alive by his own animals, back when Eda dumped those crab apples on him.
           Like, let’s be real here- Lilith is definitely terrible for what she did back as a kid, BUT! The important thing to remember is that Lilith legitimately thought the curse would last for a day, and only hinder Eda’s magic; She couldn’t have ever imagined the curse lasting for the rest of Eda’s life, which it would also shorten… Nor could Lilith have anticipated the curse turning Eda into a beast as well. Lilith was willing to curse her sister for a day- NOT for the rest of her life, nor was Lilith willing to shorten that life either. The side-effects of that curse were out of her hand, but keep in mind that Lilith had a VERY different intent…
           What I’m saying is- Screw the dude who sold a child a curse. Screw the dude who willingly, knowingly sold this kid a curse, knowing exactly the kind of damage it’d cause- And screw them for not even having the decency to be upfront and honest about the severity of this curse, especially when you know this kid is going to be using it on someone. ESPECIALLY if the kid thinks it’ll last for a day, VS someone’s entire existence… If you’re going to sell a kid something that can and WILL permanently ruin a person’s life, at least be honest about it! I’m gonna be honest, I’m way angrier at whoever sold Lilith the curse, because this is something they did for a living, and something they chose to do; And I have no sympathy for them even if they were dirt-poor, because…
           Curses explicitly hurt and ruin people’s lives. That’s literally their only, primary function. Lilith can at least reassure herself because it’s supposed to be temporary, and she’s only doing it once, and by herself. Whoever sold her the curse was a bastard who enabled this for other people, who no doubt caused a lot of people pain for money- And they enabled others to do the same, horrible things. And, if they couldn’t even be accurate about the severity of their curses, then this seller likely got a lot of people to cross lines they never would’ve otherwise- You know, like Lilith herself. They sold permanent curses, stuff that can’t be taken back for people who justifiably underestimated their severity, stuff that forces you to basically sell your soul to afford elixirs and treatment. This seller legit ruined Lilith and Eda’s lives, and shortened Eda’s especially, and I just…
           LOOK. I really hope that after that incident… I really hope that Lilith tracked down that seller. And confronted them over their dishonesty, and how it ruined Eda’s life. Considering she tried so hard to cure Eda, you know she would’ve at least tried. And as a member of the Emperor’s Coven… Really, who’s to say Lilith didn’t take her revenge? The Night Market is a hive for illegal activity- She’s fully in her authority to arrest someone, not that an enforcer of a dictatorship needs much justification anyway. And, I’d like to imagine that Lilith got her revenge, for her AND Eda’s sake… Maybe she pulled strings to get the seller petrified. Maybe she offered them to Emperor Belos himself, as a sacrifice and a source of magic bile to drain, if the seller had any…
           Because screw that person. Seriously. I’m already incensed at them as-is for the nature of their profession and their willingness to sell to children, but now it’s personal because we see firsthand, intimately, how much a curse can screw people over- Not just the victim, but even the caster, who can get tricked into the guilt of crossing a line they never would’ve! And if it was Tibbles II who sold Lilith the curse, and if Lilith DID get revenge by having him killed or imprisoned for the rest of his life, sentenced to a fate worse than death ideally… I have to wonder how this would shape Tibbles III’s feelings about the Emperor’s Coven, and about the Clawthornes.
          Does he recognize Eda as the sister of his father’s killer, low-key the cause of his father’s death? Does he resent Eda for this, is there another level to his conflict with Eda? He never brings it up, that’s worth mentioning… Though it’s possible Lilith came in and took out his father, before a younger Tibbles even realized who the culprit was. I wouldn’t be surprised if Lilith would’ve done this early into her career in the Emperor’s Coven, which likely meant that she’d be wearing the standard uniform and thus be unrecognizable.
           Would Tibbles know that it was the Emperor’s Coven who had a hand in this? Does he have feelings about giving them what they want- Or does he just not care, because profit is all that matters in the end? I wouldn’t be surprised if he was so utterly remorseless that he didn’t even bat an eye at his father’s death because it just meant getting inheritance. That in the end it’s all just business, and it’s his father’s fault for being so traceable and thus opening himself to a customer’s revenge. Then again, Tibbles DOES emphasize how Mud and Sundry was passed down through the generations, which implies some value of his familial connections and pride towards them. Who can say, besides Dana herself of course…
           All I’m saying is- I’m in the mood for bacon, all of a sudden. And if the seller IS still out and about, I really want a bonding episode between Eda and Lilith as they utterly eviscerate them. Maybe give them a taste of their own medicine… Or shall I say, curse? Really BOTH, if Tibbles II sold curses with the intent to make people reliant on the elixirs he brewed.
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atomicblasphemy · 3 years
Text
Blight Industries Board Meeting
I have some thoughts about that EE episode. Being myself I just couldn’t put them out in a sensible fashion, so I put on some crust in my headphones, amped everyone’s cynicism, and here’s the result.
                                                       O: Good evening everyone and welcome to the Blight Industries board meeting of number...            
Ed and Em shoot glances at each other as confused about how they ended up there as when it happened for the first time.            
Al looks longingly at his workshop door.            
Amity glares.            
Am: Mom, can we try to have dinner like a normal family which, according to Merriam-Webster at least, we technically are? For once at least?            
O: That can wait, Mittens. Anyway, I called you all here to announce I shall be making some changes to our company. Namely, I shall change the job titles of the three of you. I’m still CEO, Alador still development, research and, well, the assembly line I suppose. As for you, Emira, Edric, you’re now in charge of security. I don’t want to hear about company secrets leaking out, okay? Mittens, you’re our new marketing department.            
Am: Marketing?            
Em: Seriously, mom?            
Od: Dearests, this is a meeting please use our appropriate titles.            
Ed: No no no no. They have a point. Okay, let me see if I understand your thought process. So, you’re the head of a company, right?            
Od: I don’t like your tone, Edric. But okay, I’ll humor you. Yes I am, go on.            
Ed: And said company essentially sells only guns.            
Od: Mhmm, what’s your point?            
Ed: And you think that the best way to convey that is by using your local annoyed teenage lesbian that half the time looks like she would be rather doing literally anything else? Is that a correct assessment, ma’am?            
Od: Oh, and I suppose you have a better idea?            
Em: Yeah, we do. ANYONE ELSE. We *frantically and repeatedly points her finger from herself to Edric*  could do this, I mean we tried to leak our sister’s journal just a few weeks ago so we clearly know nothing about keeping secrets. You could do it. I mean, no offense, but putting up a show seems to be your only useful skill because if this your idea of how to run a company, we... aaaaand now I’m suddenly starting to realize where we get our decision making incompetence from. Anyway. This guy *points at Alador* could do it if you just made sure to remind him that that’s what’s funding his little research. Heck, you could hire Luz. She’s pretty charismatic and just took a shot at the Emperor himself. I’m sure having someone like that vouching for our products would do wonders for our business. See? That’s how you make a half-decent marketing strategy. Besides, I hear Luz could use the money and I’m sure Mittens would be happy to have her working here.            
Am: Yup, normally I’d have other reasons but honestly I’d just be happy someone else is doing this particular job.            
Al: *woop there goes gravity* Why? I told you this wasn’t the best idea. Besides, we agreed, twice at least, that I would take care of the abominations and you’d be in charge of everything else *leans in closer to whisper conspiratorially to Odalia* I don’t like dealing with them *points at their very loving children*.            
Ed, Em, and Am: HEY!            
Al: *sighs* Listen to your boss, children.            
The children huddle closer, they are the conspiratorial ones now.            
Am: We’re gonna end up broke and starving, aren’t we?            
Em: Yeah, isn’t it weird though? I mean, you’d think they’d have found someone better to... sponsor by now. Apparently that’s not the case. Moreover, why do they, our parents I mean, keeping putting so many resources into product development then? And it’s not even like we’re branching out into new markets, making some groundbreaking products. Nope, just shinier versions of the old stuff.            
Am: Hum... Can either of you teach me how to write a resume?            
Ed: I... uh... was going to ask you the same thing.            
--------------------------            
Later.            
Em: Okay, let’s recap the recent events, shall we?            
Odalia and Alador were sat side by side in flimsy wooden chair at the factory’s storage area. Their children loomed over them with stern faces.            
Am: First off, you decided to entirely restructure the company, you know, the one with our name in it. And you did so by making all possible wrong choices. Especially putting me as the face and head of marketing.            
Ed: Then, secondly, when you realized that wasn’t working due to Mittens, justifiably I might add, wanting to do pretty much anything else with her time. So you two in a strike of parenting brilliance decide that the best way to deal with all of that was not to, oh I don’t know, hire some specialist or anything like that for the position and let her, and us, be teenagers like any normal parent would do. No, instead you think: “Hey, I’ll double down and alienate the one of my children giving me a hard time from the only people she seems to like.”            
Al: In our defense...            
Em: AND THEN, when one of said people decide to actually do something about, and in a very diplomatic fashion given the circumstances, mind you, you go ahead and try to commit murder in front of a large audience of potential witnesses. Granted, not a particularly morally upstanding audience given the type of products they were trying to buy, but still. Do you have any idea how many people would want a piece of you if you actually hurt the human? You have three of them standing in front of you right now.            
Od: Well, Emira dearest, you can’t argue with the numbers. Tonight’s sale was an astounding success.            
Am: And she still has her poise despite all the failures... Look, the three of us, we’ve been talking. We somehow are also part of the board, right? Moreover, we are, despite all evidence on the contrary, still employs of this company. So we put things through a vote.            
Ed: First off, we’re unionizing. And your first demand is better working conditions...            
Od: I’m not putting apple blood fountains in the factory floors. That’s off the table. I already told this Edric. The abominations take a surprising liking to the stuff.            
Em: We can discuss the specifics later. We have other topics at hand.            
Al: Okay, like what?            
Em: You two are out. Actually just you mom. We still need dad for development of new products and stuff.            
Od: WHAT? You can’t do this.            
Am: Let me rephrase what Emira said: you’re not CEO anymore. She is.            
Al and Od: EMIRA?            
Ed: Yes, Emira. I’ll be in charge of supply and distribution as well as any other duties dad still had besides research and develop. Mom, you’re the new Mittens. I mean, marketing. You’re in charge of marketing now. Just marketing and literally nothing else. I’m sure we won’t regret giving you this much responsibility. And, by the way. One mistake and we’re hiring Luz for the job. AND we’re giving her enough shares to sit at the board.            
Od: *starts chuckling while reaching for a small book in her vest* I can’t say I’m not angry at the three of you, but it is indeed nice to see you trying to take a more active role in the company. But there’s a big flaw to your little coup. You see, according to article 15 of the Blight Industries statute, Alador’s vote, as well as mine...            
Al: I’m voting with them, Odalia.            
Everyone else turns to look at him, wide eyed.            
Al: Look, I’m not ecstatic about this or anything. But at the end of day if Edric is taking half the load off my shoulders then I’ll have the more time in my workshop. And away from them. Odalia, don’t look at me like that, I told you the other day I was wanting us to develop magic powered air fryers. Now I’ll have the time for that. We can tap onto more markets this way, more money.            
Od: ... You’re sleeping on the couch tonight.            
Al: *sighs* How about Mittens, what will she do now?            
Am: Librarian. That’ll be my new job title.            
Al: We have no use for a librarian, Amity. You know that, don’t you?            
Am: I know. I’m not working here anymore. Gary had been telling me for some time about this internship opening. I start Monday. But don’t go thinking I’ll leave the board. I’m keeping my shares and besides, Ed and Em agreed to keep me as an adviser.            
Od: Oh look at our daughter, Alador. Going all out on that daily grind, making the minimum wage. Are you sure you can handle it, Mittens my dear?            
Am: Well, you paid me in passive aggressive comments and threats so far. I consider minimum wage a raise if anything.            
Od: Whatever you say... In any case. I suppose I’ll now be some sort of glorified secretary then.            
Em: What do you mean, mom?            
Od: Oh, right. You weren’t there at the time. We struck a big contract, big enough so we won’t need to worry about marketing for the foreseeable future.            
Em: What? HOW?            
Al: That uhh... That kid, what’s his name again? The new head of the Emperor’s coven. He came in after the sales ended, said we should go around building Frankenstein mercenaries, and that the Emperor would be buying all of our Thanos thingies aaand on top of that the state would fund all our future research.            
Ed and Em: Oh... Oh... Ohh Titan... Didn’t he get ahold of Eda’s portal? Mittens, we have to tell Luz.            
Am: *chuckles* Yeah, good luck with that, Emperor.            
Ed: I... Are you okay? Shouldn’t you be worried?            
Am: Eh... I mean... First things first. Yeah, I know he’s building an army to invade the human realm and yeah, I know we’ll be supplying the weaponry and that I should probably give Luz a heads up. But, you know. That’s pretty stupid of him when you think about it.            
Ed: What?            
Am: I mean, think about it. He is getting a supplier that he knows, for a fact, has a positive connection to his enemies. Meaning it would be in our interest - especially mine, you know, the other Blight with Abomination know how and the one closest to the one human living in the Boiling Isles, as proven today - to put some back doors in all the tech we’ll be selling them. Moreover... Sure humans don’t have magic but they make up for it in other ways. Luz was telling me about her realm the other day and... Well... Let me put it this way: we are not humans, meaning we are not covered by the Geneva convention. Best case scenario once Bellos opens the portal we, not them, become a colony. And humans don’t make a habit of treating their colonies with any decency. So, you know... Anyway. Worst case scenario, they’ll just start pumping napalm, anthrax, mustard gas, and all sorts of fun stuff chemical and biological weapons through the portal. Meaning we’ll die. Painfully. Heck, they can even make good on their anti-nuclear proliferation treaties and just throw it all here and make it go boom. Trust me, that alone will be enough to finish sinking the Titan.            
All the other four Blights look at her wide eyed.            
Am: Eh... But you know, I’ll go and tell Luz and Eda. Fir witchkind’s sake or whatever. So... See you guys later.            
Od: *shaking the shock away from her head* Oh... Quite a hurry to go and see Luz, aren’t we Mittens? *a sly smile forming* I’m sorry... I meant YOUR Luz.            
Ed and Em: Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Damn, missed the joke.            
Al just nods in agreement.            
Am: What are you people talking about?            
Od: Oh, it’s nothing really Mittens, my dear child. It’s just that, you seem to be rather attached to her, aren’t you? In a very weird way, but still.            
Am: Weird? Weird how? You’re talking non-sense.            
Ed: No, Mittens, the lady has a point. I don’t get your thought process tonight either.            
Am: I have no idea what...            
Ed: No, seriously. I mean, no need to beat around the bush here: you have a gargantuan crush on her. That’s plenty obvious to everyone here.            
Am: *blushing* No comments.            
Ed: Whatever, I’ll take that to mean you do. So, you see your crush up on the stage. She’s fighting dad’s Thanos thingy. Which, might I add, was being controlled by him. Seriously, what the hell, dude? Is this a way to meet your potential daughter-in-law? Anyway. She’s potentially in mortal danger. And your first thought is: I’m gonna woo her.            
Am: That’s... not what I thought...            
Em: Yeah, Mittens. Sure. That’s why the first you did was to turn around and start climbing the ladders.            
Am: I... They were fighting up there, I wanted to get to close quarters.            
Em: Nope. Not buying it.            
Ed: We were watching it all unfold Mittens, you started climbing the ladders before, long before, they were up there.            
Am: But... the crowd.            
Ed: Dispersed pretty quickly, and knowing Abomination magic, as you do, you definitely knew Thanos would have that effect.            
Am: I... But... I wanted to fight close quarters... and I wanted... the higher ground.            
Em: So... You are up in the pipes, and by then Luz and Thanos are already back in ground level. So you position yourself in the spot with the best lighting and a means for you to quickly climb down - I swear, I’m certain I saw you double checking to make sure you were positioned just right. Then you take your sweet time pulling your hood back up. And finally, then and only then, you go to Luz’s rescue by using your magic. And you do that before you climb down, meaning your magic has enough range, as we’ve all always known, to be effective without the close  quarters or the higher.            
Ed: Come on, Mittens. Just admit it. You wanted to do a super-hero landing in front of your crush. Come on...            
Am: I... Do you think it worked?            
Everyone, expect for Amity, looks at Alador.            
Al: I dunno, why are you asking me?            
Ed: Because somehow out of all of us you’re the one most likely to pick up that sort of stuff.            
Al: Right, and I’m also the one least likely to care.            
Am: I’M YOUR DAUGHTER.            
Em: *taking a deep breath* Okay, lets pause for a second here. Ed, Mittens. Pat yourselves on the back. Come on, do it. Look, I’ll do it too. *begins  patting her own back in tandem with her siblings’ more tentative display*            
Am: Em... Why are we doing this?            
Em: For not succumbing to drugs and alcohol (shrewd ad campaigns on Twitter aside). *Edric and Amity begin patting their backs more enthusiastically, Emira turns to their parents* You know, you two. You should pat yourselves on the back as well. I mean, sure, we’ll need years of therapy to undo all the damage the emotional neglect the both of you show us has caused so far, but no one can say we don’t get plenty of variety.            
Al: Are you done being passive aggressive, Emira?            
Em: What can I say? I’ve learned from the best. *looks at Odalia, who just rolls her eyes*            
Al: *sighing* As for your previous question. The human seemed to be blushing as well. So my best guess is that Amity’s little... spectacle... did work.            
Od: See? And you dare say it was a bad idea to put her on marketing.            
Am: That’s because I had a reason to care when I was doing all that.            
Od: Ohh right, then what do you suggest I had done to make you care about our, emphasis on our, business.            
Am, Ed and Em in unison: Pay us for our labor.            
Am: I mean, seriously. You guys built a whole business model around Abominations: a.k.a. free labor. Sure you could afford to pay us, a.k.a. self aware creatures that are not (and I’ve checked this) Abominations, something.            
Ed: So... again to recap the day. Mom and dad lost their company, Bellos shot himself square in the foot. Hell, even this new coven head pretty much proved his lack of intelligence gathering competence by doing business with us. Today was a failure on every front. Even Luz when you think about it.            
Em: Luz?            
Ed: Yeah... She trusted... her *points at Odalia*.            
Em: Ohh...            
Od: HEY! I’m still your mother.            
Em: Nominally, maybe. Jury still out on that one. Anyway, that reminds me. I want all our financial books for the past five years i my desk, formerly yours, in two days.            
Am: I think my day was pretty successful. I have reason to believe my crush likes me back and I’ll know what a healthy professional and financial life looks like for the first in these 14 groolling and long years of existence. So things are looking up for me. Anyway... Are we done here?            
Am: I guess so, why?            
Am: Cool. Gonna head out.            
Em: Oh, going to let your Luz know of the Emperor’s plan and bask in her presence.            
Am: Emira, I swear in the Titan’s name that if you ever address her like that in front of her they will never find your body. But yes, that’s the gist of it.            
Em: Fine. Actually, wait up. Lilith is living there now isn’t she? I wanted to talk to her.            
Am: Lilith as in Lilith Clawthorne? Eda’s sister? Former head of the Emperor’s Coven? My former mentor? That Lilith?            
Em: Yup.            
Am: Why, pray tell, do you want to talk to her?            
Em: Wanted to hire her. We need a new accountant.            
Am: And you thought of her because...?            
Em: Lack of options?            
Am: I... You know what, fair enough.            
Ed: Hold up. I’m coming with. I don’t like being around them *points at Odalia and Alador*.            
Am: Sure.            
They leaving. Only Odalia and Alador are left in the room.            
Al: Wow.            
Od: I know.            
Al: Just... wow...            
Od: I know.            
Al: I don’t know how to process any of this. It happened all so fast.            
Od: I know.            
Al: Like... no sense of pacing at all.            
Od: I know, Alador. Titan do I know.            
Al: Almost as if everyone’s words were being written by an extra-dimentional entity that reaaally wanted to rant but didn’t want to put out their opinions in a more reasonable manner, and wasn’t even remotely concerned with making it sound like a normal conversation.            
Od: I know.            
Al: Anyway. We failed as people, didn’t we?            
Od: *sighing* I know.            
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sepublic · 3 years
Text
Eda’s Happiness
           Okay, but can we talk about the importance of that entire crowd, vouching and cheering for Eda’s escape?!? Every time we’ve seen Eda transform in public, it’s always gone wrong- Her first moment was no doubt incredibly traumatic, especially with her own older sister doing nothing to help Eda, as she was forced to navigate this curse on her own. And you can TELL that Eda actually has a lot of trust issues, and concerns with being a freak; Like yeah she still manages to have so much self-confidence, because that’s the only way she can survive and deal with how she’s treated! Not just for her ideals, but for her curse as well… The hurt of seeing her own sister prioritize the system that hurt and abused Eda, over Eda herself!
           And so Eda assumes that she’s naturally unlovable. That she’s only someone’s last choice, and the kind of people that would hang around her are only ‘weirdoes’ who have nobody else to go to. She doesn’t tell King nor Luz about the curse because she’s so afraid they’ll be turned off, that they’ll ditch her… And it’s hurting her inside because you KNOW the general public is at least somewhat aware of her curse. You know the Emperor’s Coven played up the incident as proof of what happens to Wild Witches –given Belos does so in the season finale himself- and how scummy people like Odalia and Alador told their children stories of the evil Owl Lady… And it must make Eda feel so humiliated, dehumanized, and unvalid? So unsupported and lonely???
           There were no doubt snobs and bullies who rubbed it in Eda’s face afterwards, or mocked her behind her back, about having the last laugh- That no matter how much more talented or enthusiastic Eda was compared to them, it was Eda who ended up worse off as a criminal rooting around in trash, that she got what she deserved in the end! There were probably plenty who mocked Eda for the lost, wasted potential because of the curse- While her enemies and bullies went to higher, prestigious places, such as the Emperor’s Coven. And to cope with this kind of mockery and humiliation, this feeling of being outdone and left behind by people so consdescending of you when you were once the best… Like they were right all this time about you turning out to be nothing.
          I think Eda really had to learn to love and appreciate what she was doing, while disregarding any notions of superiority and hierarchy existing in the first place. That Eda didn’t need to feel like she was actually secretly doing better than others by being a wanted criminal, any lifestyle was valid! Eda chose not to wallow in bitterness and self-pity, to avoid that sense of entitlement and jealousy towards others for having what she was rightfully owed and then cheated out of, when it should’ve been hers and not theirs- Eda didn’t become obsessed with petty spite, about proving everyone wrong about her, about caring about what others had to say… She didn’t foolishly invest her energy towards revenge!
          At her lowest point, Eda avoided looking to Belos’ toxic system for validation and an answer like so many others had. By doing so, Eda got to live truly freely without anything holding her down, she didn’t fall for that trap, validation from herself was all Eda needed… No wonder there was such a refreshing relief and sense of self-discovery in her newfound lifestyle, and why Eda so unironically boasts of it to Luz! But in the end… it feels good to receive support from others as well, and Eda no doubt missed that from a lot of people, especially her sister Lilith. And when you have only yourself… Amidst society and your own sister calling you a degenerate and a freak? With even the nature and the Boiling Isles/Titan that Eda found inspiration from, seemingly rejecting the kind of person she was, according to the Titan’s alleged messenger?
           It’s no wonder she’s so tsundere about showing affection. Why Eda insists on being closed-off, and it’s why Eda insists on being nice to Luz despite her own fears of rejection, because she really doesn’t want Luz to go through what she did! And it just… MEANS. SO. MUCH, to her, when Luz and King stick with Eda after learning of the curse! And they actively help Eda with the curse, go out of their way to help her when Eda isn’t asking them, when Eda is telling them NOT to… And Eda’s kind of nervous and unsure of how to feel about Luz’s hugs. Maybe she’s afraid of being abandoned for the Coven System like Lilith did to her, which is why she’s so against Luz joining Hexside; But she also doesn’t want to force things on Luz, and she recognizes that Luz’s autonomy is more important, and that if Luz makes the choice to leave Eda, Eda should respect that! So she gives Luz that choice without trying to sway Luz to any particular opinion…
           Luz is just SO KIND, and it’s all so unusual and overwhelming to Eda! Then Luz brings her friends, and Eda’s not so sure what to think, but she lets them in, she doesn’t want to be downright hostile. She’s cautious, she lets Willow and Gus exist and feels there more Luz’s friends than anything else, they probably have no opinions of her- Don’t complicate the kid’s relationships like that! Then Eda meets Odalia and Alador’s kids… And maybe she’s lowkey afraid of them recognizing and calling her out as a freak; But Amity, Emira, and Edric never do that! Amity goes out of her way to fix her own problems and it’s lowkey relieving that this girl that Luz clearly loves and vice-versa, is no threat to Eda- Though of course Eda would bear a lot of pain for Luz’s sake, you know she would even if Luz would never ask her to do that! The twins even conjure up a giant illusion of Eda that she adores…!
           During Grom, it’s so painful and traumatic to see her cursed form assumed by Grom, and to have those kids look at her- And Eda must be lowkey getting panic attacks from her old memories again, but she bears through and watches so she can keep an eye on Luz, and then comes to the kid’s rescue so that Luz never has to worry about handling an uncomfortable situation without support! And Eda is just so STUNNED by how much Luz is doing for her, that she feels obligated to pay her back, as if Luz’s love isn’t unconditional to Eda and vice-versa… So she makes the Witch’s Wool cloak for Luz- And then when Luz breaks into the Conformatorium for her, Eda is just. SO touched, but concerned???
           You can only imagine how much the pain of Lilith’s betrayal meant- Not just her being the curser, but especially Lilith kidnapping Luz, which is something Eda ALWAYS cites first before reminding Lilith that she cursed her little sister? But regardless this genuine betrayal of family hurts so much, but Eda swallows her pride to beg Lilith to protect Luz or at least keep her from Belos, because her love for Luz overwhelms any hatred she could have for anyone else… And Eda is resigned to her fate. She thinks this is what happens to her, and that Luz made it worthwhile, and maybe only Luz, because Eda underestimates herself.
           Eda thinks she accomplished nothing. She was a rebel but never managed to change the system, and her curse discredited Eda to the public as a ‘savage’ beast. Eda felt like she had SO many unfulfilled dreams, that she was lowkey just taking up space and could never do the good things for this world that she always wanted to, so she always saw herself as just a criminal… Eda felt like all of her efforts against the system were for nothing when her own sister abandoned her for it! She thinks Luz and King are the only valid things about her, Eda relapses into that feeling that she needs to justify her own existence…
           And then Willow and Gus step in. They mostly know Eda through Luz and not much more beyond that… But they VOUCH for her, and surely it’s only because Eda means a lot to Luz herself! Even so Eda is touched, but then… This entire crowd of randos, of utter strangers starts vouching for her? Morton expresses gratitude to Eda, who must’ve thought herself as just another needy customer to him… Principal Bump, who probably has regrets about failing Eda- He straight-up says Eda made him love teaching again? And you KNOW that means so much to Eda, because she has a relationship with wanting to reclaim education on her own terms, free from the Coven System’s influence…
           Eda no doubt has trust issues over being taken advantage of, in regards to her curse, and her need for elixir. Tibbles didn’t exactly help that, so it means a lot to see Morton appreciate what Eda did; Obviously partly as a customer, but there’s a sense that Morton doesn’t just need Eda’s business, he wants her happiness in general out of true gratitude! Even the DEMON HUNTER who captured her in Episode 10, vouches for Eda’s escape! Granted that dude probably didn’t even know that was a person he was capturing and not a mindless beast (granted he has no qualms about murdering children even if he won’t glorify it), and maybe that Demon Hunter is vouching more in opposition to Belos, than an ACTUAL support for Eda herself…
           But still, even this random jerk who persecuted Eda for being cursed, as a beast, who dehumanized her- This former enemy is now vouching for Eda’s personhood, for her right to live and exist! Then you’ve got a bunch of kids who are cheering for Eda too, even kids from high-status families like Skara- You’d think those families would be particularly against Eda, if Odalia and Alador are any indication… But the Blight kids prove that wrong. So does Skara, and then you’ve got some regular students, among them a kid who looked at Eda when he recognized her cursed form during Grom… And Eda’s felt like a freak for so long, so having these innocent kids actually vouch for her, like she’s a role model, like she’s someone to rally around and defend- It means so much! That these strangers don’t care for Eda on a personal level, but on a moral obligation they can’t bear to see her suffer- Just as Eda doesn’t connect with most people, but she defies the Coven System because of what it does to society! Even when the system offered her a place at the top, she refused because she saw others being hurt by it…
           Eda is very much the kind of person who would vouch for an enemy, I feel, if she thinks their mistreatment is coming from a place of injustice, by a cruel system, and is undeserved in this particular scenario. She’d vouch for the rights and personhood of EVERYONE… Even if she’d totally kill them in self-defense for harming her Luz. To Eda, your right to exist is something you really have to work to forfeit through heinous acts and threatening others’ right to exist, instead of being something one must earn- You’re already entitled to it by default! To finally see her ideals be repeated, to have that sentiment echoed through others… After so long of feeling unheard, of feeling like her ideas have been dismissed because of her curse…
           And now people are doing this, while Eda is LITERALLY cursed, right in front of them! She’s taking the form of a monster, but that doesn’t matter to any of these people! The dweebus’ dad even risks his job to let Willow and Gus fight against the system, because he thinks they and Eda make some good points; Or AT LEAST, Eda doesn’t deserve this! Every time Eda’s transformed, it was always a state of vulnerability and trauma where she was hurt and rejected. Even King, her trusted friend, lowkey dehumanized Eda by treating her as a beast to conquer others with (even if he learned his lesson in the end). Whether through Luz or her own actions, which DID affect Luz to begin with, or both… Eda has done something. Eda has actually put something out into this world, and is now receiving back from it so gloriously and kindly.
           It must mean a LOT to her, it must mean so much… And obviously she couldn’t immediately react in the chaos. But afterwards, when things have calmed down and they all have time to recollect their thoughts at the Owl House? It probably struck Eda. To see kids, low-key a symbol of her lost youth, vouch for Eda… To change for the better just as Eda wants this new generation to avoid the trauma of the old one. It gives Eda a sweet hope in the new generation to save things, it gives her even more faith towards Luz, a desire to truly see her do well and propagate… Teenagers, from her first experience transforming, mock and hurt you for the curse even when you’re scared and need help. So it means a lot to Eda to see the situation change, so see Teenagers now being the kind of people who vouch for Eda…
           Because keep in mind, this is all at the risk of Belos’ retaliation! This is an execution specifically propped up as being what Belos himself wants, to the point where he isn’t even going to hide it- He’s going to publicize and broadcast it! These people, kids and adults alike, even Bump who feared Belos because he likely saw his violent rise to power; They’re in the Conformatorium, at the heart of a symbol of Belos’ cruelty. The Emperor’s Coven could lash out at them for this, but they don’t care, because Eda deserves better than this, because ANYBODY deserves better than this, by principle! These people are risking themselves for Eda on the same kind of principle she tried to spread and feared would never be heard…
           And it’s so incredibly validating. That Eda herself made just a change, not only for this specific kid named Luz –and she’d have been content with just that- but even with all these strangers from Bonesborough! Her existence and efforts weren’t for naught, and they expanded well beyond what Eda expected. Eda had resigned herself to never getting the dreams she wanted, and opted to get them for someone else- But now, this gives her hope that maybe Eda CAN live out the dreams she thought she lost, after all! And so when it’s finally tied off with Lilith… With Lilith risking Belos’ wrath, for Eda’s sake- Lilith FINALLY prioritizing her little sister, after all this time?
           Lilith’s betrayal was among the first of Eda’s trauma. Lilith, siding with the Emperor’s Coven when Eda first transformed… It no doubt stuck in Eda’s mind and influenced her feelings of worthlessness a lot. Eda hoped that Lilith could turn around, not just because she loved her sister, because it also made Eda hope that she was lovable, that Lilith could still care for her in return… Which is kind of a parallel to Lilith hoping Eda would join the Emperor’s Coven for her, albeit in a much more compassionate and respectful way, of course! And Eda becomes resigned to Lilith’s rejection as the fundamental truth of how unlovable she is if her own sister rejects her, ESPECIALLY after learning that Lily even cursed her to be beside Belos…
           And now Lilith is changing. Lilith has FINALLY changed, and now has King vouching for her- Luz has no doubt changed Lilith’s heart, and Eda is so indebted to the kid for this… But then she remembers that Luz was influenced by Eda, too. In a sense, it was Eda who indirectly managed to finally change her sister’s heart… Lilith finally realized how much she cared for Eda unconditionally. And Eda is just SO touched, after all these years of pain and abandonment- That she takes the petrification blow for Lilith and King. Probably more for King, with Lilith having to unintentionally benefit from Eda’s cursed girth that SHE caused, but still! It must be an overwhelming series of events- To have Luz and King affirm their love for Eda, to have this entire AUDIENCE of strangers, some of whom aren’t so strange to Eda, vouch for her? For Eda to realize she made a positive impact…
           And now Lilith, the person whose betrayal likely hurt her most? Now even Lilith is vouching for Eda? When it finally settled in, after they all returned to the Owl House? Eda could’ve very easily cried and sobbed intense feelings of relief, of happiness, of validation… And I can see her just letting go of any grudge against Lilith, at least in the moment, because she’s just so happy and grateful for this. That she just wants love and validation, that she doesn’t care to hate- Eda never wanted to hate Lilith, always she wants to regain that lost love between them, and now it’s being offered back! Maybe in calmer moments, Eda will rightfully recall her issues with Lilith… But right now, she’s so happy. Eda’s never felt this relieved and content before, as she hugs Luz and King… It’s like she really COULD die without regrets this time, unlike what she claimed in Agony of a Witch…
          Eda’s at peace with every decision she’s made now, and if given the chance to redo her life, would pick those choices again without hesitation! Eda wouldn’t change a thing, especially not after seeing where it’s gotten her now- Not a single of her own actions, she regrets! And at the same time, Eda’s still got so much more to do, so much more to look forward to! Making up for lost time with Lilith, learning Glyphs alongside Luz… Eda felt like it had already ended, or was in the process of ending- Her own lifespan had been shortened by the curse! But now, NOW, it feels like it’s just begun…! And Eda’s rediscovered that lost passion and hope for the future, that desire to head forward and explore to her heart’s content, to seize opportunities- And she’s just so happy. It just means the world to her, so much, and she’s eternally indebted towards Luz for this, for showing Eda the Light at the end of the tunnel; For getting her out of that dark place of resignation.
           It’s like Eda’s going back in time, almost, to get the life she actually deserved and wanted for herself- And she is taking her chance! She’s not going to forget what she actually went through as an adult of course… But regardless, Edalyn Clawthorne has hope for the future. And not just the future, but for herself as well- It feels like she’s undone and made right her greatest regrets and failures, and now Eda feels the capacity to not just undo mistakes, but to make good… Because she DID make good, she did inspire people! And now Eda is determined to be what she always dreamed of, now that she has the chance to put in the work, and now nobody else can ever take that from her! And she won’t let people take from anyone else, either… What had been possibly the worst night of Eda’s life, was immediately followed by the best one… Not just in years; Maybe the best night in all of Eda’s life, period! And Eda could understand if there will never be a moment as great as this, ever again, because all ensuing moments from now on will still be worth it, especially if it’s with her family… And hey, who’s to say Eda can’t work to make things even better, as is?
           Her confidence in herself to improve, to change the world around her, to make things better for herself and others- Not only has it returned, but it’s been truly validated! And now… now, it’s like a spark has been relit in Eda’s heart, more potent than her lost bile magic, and Eda can finally unapologetically be herself and fully pursue what she wanted, without anyone else to drag her down! Screw you Belos- Eda feels like she practically has the entire world behind her back! Fitting, given the possibility of the Titan siding with Luz… And ironic, given how Belos claimed it was the Titan’s will to spare Eda!
          Maybe Belos WAS right about that in the end, and never even realized it… And being validated by the wilderness Eda loved and found solace in when there was nobody else to reassure her, the wilderness that inspired and defined her? To be told it was real, that it felt Eda’s attention and that it was touched by it in return? To do for Nature, after Nature did so much for her? Finally earning others’ respect for nature by getting them to challenge the Coven System’s loathsome rejection to wild magic… That there really was always somebody listening, that Eda was never wrong, and even on her own, she was still valid? That the world will never be against her, it too wants the best?
           Eda’s life really has turned around. She was on the trajectory for what she thought would be a meaningless, unnoticed end, isolated from all others, forgotten even by the Coven System, with Belos not caring for Eda until she had the portal. But now it’s changed around, and Luz’s Light has shown her that in many regards, Eda’s life really was already that valid as she claimed, after all! And now, it’s like Eda can do anything… She knows who she is and can truly trust in that, now. The Owl House was an environment where people could finally be themselves- And after all this time, its most long-lasting and famous resident can enjoy this comfort at home for herself.
          An unimaginable burden has been lifted from Eda’s shoulders, and now she feels freer than she’s ever been- And now she can truly love herself, not just in the present, but every moment in the past. Eda can fully, intensely self-love, and from there, her love of others can only flourish and bloom- And for Luz, it’s pretty intense as-is! Eda’s making new connections… All that went wrong has gone right, and Eda can safely be reassured that she doesn’t just owe it to others for this- She owes it to HERSELF as well, that Eda’s own efforts and struggles paid off in the end! 
          Eda made her own life not just better, she made it great from the very beginning, she truly defined herself, and applied those principles of determining one’s fate, to herself, and not just to others. Eda was a mentor to many, but now she gets to be the apprentice who learns and benefits after all this time- Not just from her own lessons, but from Luz’s as well! Eda did make a change, she really did… And I wouldn’t be surprised by a major shift in Eda’s mood from now on, in how she interacts with others and strangers, as she becomes even more open, and unapologetically herself, and openly loving with those hugs that Luz taught, or reminded her, of…
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sepublic · 3 years
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Belos the ‘Humble Messenger’?
           A thought just hit me, but if Lilith deflects some of the blame of her own actions onto Belos, by claiming she’s just enforcing his will, that he’s making her do this, in addition to considering what HE would do and how that influenced her initial choice to curse Eda…
           …What if Belos is the same way, but with the Titan? Especially with how he constantly insists that he’s just a Humble Messenger for the Titan… It’s not BELOS that’s choosing to hurt people, it’s the Titan! Blame the Titan, don’t shoot the messenger… I have to wonder if Belos is also being a coward like Lilith in this own way, absolving himself of what he’s done wrong, of his own mistakes in carrying out the Titan’s alleged will. Like Lilith, Belos could be operating on a “I was just carrying out orders” type of defense here.
           And given what his VA said about Belos being ‘misunderstood’ in his own way… Maybe that’s what he meant? Belos thinks there’s nothing he can do, he’s resigned himself to his own powerlessness because he really thinks he lacks the ability to make a change. That he really isn’t enjoying this… Though of course, like Lilith or Amity when she cut ties with Willow, he still bears some responsibility for the consequences of his actions, as cruel and unfair as it is. And with Belos, I imagine he bears WAY more fault and guilt for carrying out the Titan’s will, than any other character has for doing what others tell them to… Belos might think he’s choosing the path of least resistance, that he’s actually being helpful by implementing the Titan’s will in the least bloody was possible; Which, when you consider his implied genocides, says a LOT…
           But it also calls into question if Belos even IS communicating with the Titan, or some impostor, or if this really is the Titan’s will, and not the influence of Belos trying to make it be the leader and role model he WANTS it to be, the way Simon Laurent from Infinity Train felt with Grace, or how Jasper tried to mold Steven Universe into the Diamond she wanted him to be; It’s that desire to have someone who validates you, who takes responsibility for you, who comforts and knows exactly what to do… While always enabling any decisions you make and encouraging them, because you can do no wrong; You’re just doing what THEY’re saying, you have no blame in this!
           Maybe Belos is outright influencing the Titan, or at least interpreting its will in a very specific way, and has deluded himself into believing he’s carrying out exactly what the Titan is saying… Even if that isn’t exactly what it said, because Belos secretly knows what the Titan really meant and that’s why it was so vague, because of course Belos will understand the intent! So when the Titan tells him to spread the knowledge of magic, Belos interprets it very specifically as ‘Establish a Coven System’, because surely that’s what the Titan specifically meant…
          It’s like how some alleged ‘Christians’ interpret the Bible in a way that’s very tailored and convenient to their own pre-existing beliefs and bigotry, to justify their own terrible actions. And given the comparisons between Belos and Western Imperialism by fans… In addition to Dana Terrace mentioning how she was once put into a headlock by a nun, and the way some Chrstians appropriated and assimilated pagan cultures (again sounding a lot like what Belos does)… And maybe Belos has a deluded perception of reality, of projecting of what he thinks is best, and believing that everything his role model does is actually indicative of and in support of his own beliefs. Kind of like what I speculated with Boscha, thinking Amity’s actions as a bully were validating to her own cruelty, when really Amity was horrified at the kind of person she was becoming, and did NOT approve of Boscha whatsoever!
          Maybe Belos has a warped sense of identity, because he’s so convinced to himself that everything he does is the Titan’s will, he assumes the Titan’s feelings are the same as his (“The Titan will be pleased!” A triumphant Belos cries upon receiving the portal from Luz), etc. And Belos has trapped himself in his own fantasy, into thinking that he basically IS the Titan because everything he does is surely a reflection of what it believes, because it obviously agrees with him 100% and he completely understands it in a way that nobody, not even the Titan, does… Because Belos KNOWS better, he knows what’s good for the Titan, just as Odalia and Alador claim so for Amity, or what Lilith used to for Eda!
          Which, this just leads to a lack of identity, no sense of self on Belos’ behalf, just as he inflicts upon others with his cult-like indoctrination… Just as Lilith might question who she is without the Emperor’s Coven, perhaps Belos, deep-down, doesn’t know who he is without the Titan; A question any parasite would ask, because Belos can’t stand on his own. He has no will nor convictions of his own, he can’t rely on just his own reasoning to justify himself because he lacks that confidence… So Belos seeks someone who CAN justify what he does, and then warps them to fully fit that idealized image of his. And so just as Lilith realizes that she doesn’t really understand Eda, that she hasn’t figured out that Eda secretly wants to join the Emperor’s Coven but just needs time or a cursed curse to join… Belos will realize that he didn’t exactly understand the Titan at all, and probably was outright influencing and projecting onto it!
           This is going to lead to a lot of confusion, self-doubt… Plenty of denial, certainly. If Belos did accept this reality, this truth, and discern his delusions from what actually is… Then I could see him recovering in a way similar to Lilith, and maybe the two could find a very unusual solidarity in this, while awkwardly naviating how he used to be her feared boss and influenced Lilith herself, threatened her… And yet now she’s way past him in terms of growth and sense of self. Maybe Belos HAS considered that he’s been wrong about the Titan’s will in the past, but he doesn’t want to admit/explore this possibility, because he’s already done so much….
          Maybe he’s just doing what seems to be the least challenging for him, maybe Belos has legit fooled himself into thinking he too is at the Titan’s whim and mercy, he feels bad for his victims, but what else can he do? He’s already sacrificed too many people by this point, he doesn’t want to invalidate those deaths by not going through with what he (and the Titan) planned… He’s not brave enough to do the right thing and Belos is convinced that even if he tried, he wouldn’t accomplish much. To him, he’s most at his useful as a ‘humble messenger’, probably… Belos could be a lot like Krika from Bionicle, perhaps.
          Belos is certain that what the Titan has decreed WILL come to pass, it makes no difference if he or someone else carries out its will- So Belos can’t really be blamed for getting it over with, because someone else will… Or he CAN be blamed, but so what? Maybe Belos thinks he’s the best candidate to do what has to be done, the only one willing to do the dirty work, kind of like Thanos from Infinity War. Maybe he ironically thinks that only HE is the one who is acknowledging this cold, hard truth of the universe, and actually doing something about it; While everyone else is simply in denial…
          If only people could just understand what he’s doing, where he’s coming from, that Belos takes no pleasure in this, he’s trying to make this as smooth and painless as possible. It really, truly DOES hurt him to sacrifice others like this for his goals… And while he ultimately disagrees with such people, Belos can still admire witches like Luz, as he used to be like them, and he finds an almost admirable youth and naivete to their traits that reminds him of his young, foolish self, so wide-eyed and really believing it could all be that black-and-white and simple, that good will prevail… Belos can’t totally blame them for thinking that way, because he made the same mistakes, so he doesn’t have THAT much of a place to judge; But he still has a tiny place, because at least Belos had the ‘wisdom’ to realize the truth and move on.
           Of course, Belos doesn’t see what the Titan or the world is secretly getting at, because there’s nothing there. The Titan is indeed being fully transparent about what it has to say, it isn’t secretly ‘testing’ Belos’ faith… He is acting VERY contrary to a lot of people and things, but just as some deluded, alleged ‘christians’ believe that their god is secretly testing their faith, offering them temptation and false evidence to convince them to go off the right path, when really they just need to keep being stubborn and blocking out all other noise… Maybe Belos is just like THAT.
          It’s like Luz saying that she’s picking up what Amity is putting down, even though as far as Amity can tell, she’s not putting down anything (in addition to maybe being autistic and thus not understanding this kind of saying), she wasn’t suggesting that Luz challenge Boscha to a grudgby game; Except, Belos took it WAY worse, and WAY too far to an unimaginable extent… Again, as a dark parallel to her, despite being associated with a much blinding and radiant Light than Luz’s.
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