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xxlemon-chanxx · 19 days

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I don't know if you were asked this before or already addressed it before, but what do you think of the argument that Belos' death was supposed to be anticlimatic

See, the problem with these arguments is that it assumes that people who were disappointed with Belos' death wanted a grand, epic battle when in reality, everyone that I've spoken to wanted him to suffer more. We wanted him to go out screaming, realizing that all he did for centuries was for nothing, since that was what the previous episodes were building up to. That's not grandiose, that's even more pathetic than what we got in canon.

Belos' death is anti-climactic because for two episodes, the show was expanding on his background, making him see ghosts or hallucinations, lashing out at the idea of being wrong when he sees "Caleb," all of this suggested that this would play into his ultimate undoing. Instead, we get Luz-With-Anime-Powers yank him off the Titan heart and then he melts in the rain. Cool.

What was the point of the previous episodes then?

Anti-climaxes can work if there is a point to them, be it comedic or tragic. But there was no point to how Belos died. Luz didn't need to learn anything about herself in order to earn the Titan powers, she didn't use anything she learned about the Wittebanes against Belos in the final battle, all that happened is that the Titan told her she's a good witch and to stop comparing herself to someone Obviously Evil like Belos. Great character moment there.

Hell, nothing about Belos played in his death. Not his backstory. None of his lies. Nothing. It just happens. Giving a megalomaniac an undignified death or defeat can work though. Just look at Ozai. He built himself as the Supreme Ruler of the World, as the Phoenix King. He sees himself superior to all others and uses everyone--even his own children as pawns. So to have him be defeated by the Avatar, by an Air Nomad child, who doesn't even give him the dignity of killing him in battle but by taking away the ultimate symbol of his power, his bending, works because it's the antithesis of everything Ozai believes in.

But Belos' death has nothing to do with him as a character or his beliefs. The idea that he needs an undignified death to bring down the megalomaniac doesn't work because Belos has suffered nothing but indignities since he got slammed into a wall. He's been dying for several episodes, lost his human form and the world he knew and loved is long gone and none of this is used against him in the final episode.

In fact, Belos' death actually supports his ideology: for centuries, he's believed that witches are evil and inferior to humans. And he justified all the evil he's done in the name of the greater good: of defeating what he saw as evil. So, picture the scene, you have a rapidly dying man who is no longer a threat to anyone, who is trying to reach out to the one person he thinks is moral by virtue of her species, only to be stomped on by beings who proudly proclaim that they are in fact, immoral.

Congrats gang. You just let the evil bigot die with his feelings justified.

Even how he died doesn't make narrative sense because we've seen him rebuild himself from a droplet and King even mentions some being stuck between his toes. How is it this fight is what finishes him off for good? He's both progressively weaker in each episode and yet is able to outrun (or out crawl) both the Hexsquad after entering the portal and Raine in the castle and possess the Titan heart. Plus, despite having possessed the literal Titan's heart, that equated to having just enough power to transform into his younger self and then get melted by the rain. Ok then.

So let's say that Belos' death works for meta reasons; that evil and bigotry should be given anticlimactic deaths. Ok fine, but it's still disappointing and boring af to watch. Giving a bigoted villain a gruesome, over the top, and entertaining death doesn't mean you suddenly validate the villain's ideals, just look at Raiders of the Lost Ark and its melting Nazis.

Also, unpopular opinion, but The Owl House is not about bigotry; it doesn't say anything about where it comes from, what perpetuates it, how people fall into it, how it can be stopped, etc. The writing is too inconsistent and the world building is too flat for any kind of deep or compelling themes. Instead, it has the grotesquely simplistic idea that "Bad Man Cause Bad Things. Get Rid of Bad Man and Bad Things Go Away."

And that's ultimately why Belos' death doesn't work; because The Owl House never had anything deep to say. It's a fun, escapist fantasy that wants to have deeper themes but can't commit to them. Anything "real" a person might interpret is largely projection because the show is too ineffectual in exploring its own world building and characterization beyond surface level meanings.

#the owl house #toh critical #toh criticism #emperor belos #philip wittebane #asks #long post #belosfanstakeover #toh philip #toh

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xxlemon-chanxx · 22 days

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heyy I have a question abt Philip and/or Belos and idk if it's stupid or not but imma ask it anyway :)

Soo imagine Philip/Belos has a partner who got prego and it's childbirth time, how would he react?

Also another question, would he treat his partner differently after childbirth?

Last question I promise, how do u think he would treat his child??

These are all fantastic questions and they're all things I've had long, in-depth discussions about! I have a lot of thoughts on this.

1. Childbirth

Philip during child birth is pretty useless. He doesn't know what to do but also doesn't trust any witches or demons near his S/O enough to let one assist in the birth. (though, if the birth is truly horrible and there's tons of complications, he will run to fetch a healer. If it comes down to choosing between his partner and the baby if things go horribly wrong, he's almost always going to choose his partner to be the one to survive.

Belos during childbirth is a lot more competent. He’s going to be a lot more calm and isn't going to just be running around like a chicken with its head cut off. This is mainly because now he has an entire hospital wing’s worth of healers attending to you at any given time. He absolutely refuses to leave the room, though. For any reason. If his S/O doesn't want men present in the room, he thinks he is the exception because he is the father, if S/O tries to tell him directly to get out, he chalks it up to hysteria and stays anyway. (side note on Belos: he takes the baby immediately after birth and cuts it's ears to match it's parents’ ears. He’s the first one who gets to hold the baby, so the S/O doesn't see the baby until it has little gauz wrapped around its head.)

The childbirth discussion was one I had with @sariacreedsthirst and was inspired by the AO3 story “And In Her Gilded Cage, She Sang”

2. Post-partem

Philip would give his partner a few days/weeks to recover until they weren't literally bedridden from a massive, gaping, bleeding hole that just shot out something the size of a watermelon. He's definitely more inclined to lay next to his partner, resting his forehead against theirs, caressing them lovingly, etc. Just overall being far more romantic and gentle with them than he ever would be otherwise. This lasts for a couple of months before he slowly goes back to his old self.

Belos would treat his partner like they were made of glass or fine china. He did this during the pregnancy too, but especially now with them being so bedridden and exhausted after the birth.

3. Parenthood.

I think no matter what Belos/Philip would be a “I put food on your plate, clothes on your back, and a roof over your head, be GRATEFUL” parent.

But when the children are babies he's sooooo much more affectionate with them. And then when they get older he starts to turn stricter, just in different ways.

I can also imagine him using prayer as a form of punishment because it's God’s will for children to obey their parents, so I imagine him saying this at some point: "Be thankful for what you have here. You have a roof over your head, a comfortable bed to sleep in, food in your belly. The only reason you have any sort of life in this place is because I grant you those things. Now, you are going to go up to your room and pray for forgiveness for defying God and his word by not honoring your father, *understand*?"

Also, physical punishment is very much his cup of tea because, well… *gestures wildly at Hunter.*

I've always thought that he would expect his daughter to grow out of “playing” much faster than he would a son. Like, it's super unfortunate, but when his daughter is a baby/toddler he practically fawns over her. She can do no wrong, she is the apple of his eye…but then she turns ten/eleven and she's expected to act like a proper lady while his son would be able to act like a kid and play in the dirt for a few more years. Her punishments aren't as severe when she gets in trouble, but she will get in trouble far more often over stuff that wouldn't even matter if she were a boy, like getting dirty, roughhousing, wanting to go out and play in general.

#philip wittebane #toh philip #belosfanstakeover #toh #toh emperor belos #emperor belos #belos wittebane #the owl house belos #toh belos

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xxlemon-chanxx · 22 days

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I'm a cringe person so here the question

How would Philip react to being abandoned after just one night of casual sex? I mean, instead of him being the one who leaves the next day, let it be the other person, who would react like: ok I'll continue with my life idk or how dare you leave me after one night!? I was supposed to do it!

NSFW under the cut!

I actually don't think Philip would have “casual” sex. If he has sex, it’s going to be with someone he expects will be in his life forever. Someone he plans to marry if he hasn’t married them already.

So if one day he wakes up after a night of passion to find his S/O missing, he's going to lose his fucking mind. He's going to hunt them down because obviously they're lost and need his help to find their way back. If his S/O isn't willing to come back, he drags them back kicking and screaming, and if that’s not an option, well…clearly this world has sunk its claws too deeply into them and the only way he can rectify that is with their death.

If Philip manages to get his runaway S/O home, they’re going to need to expect a tighter leash from now on. Likely restraints keeping them from leaving and even harsher treatment than before. Philip will expect them to pray for his and God’s forgiveness for hours without allowing them to move. Hours upon hours of prayer everyday for however long it takes for him to let up again.

The chains remain, though. Obviously him allowing them too much free rein was what caused them to stray from his light. He won’t be making that mistake again. He’ll build a contraption that spans the entire cave that allows his love to move around wherever they’re needed for chores and cooking or another night of passion or whatnot.

#philip wittebane #toh philip #belosfanstakeover #toh #toh emperor belos #emperor belos #belos wittebane #the owl house belos #toh belos

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xxlemon-chanxx · 22 days

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On the spicier side, ever thought about doing a full NSFW alphabet for Beardo Philip?

Sorry this took me so long! I was having a lot of trouble with some of these lol

Anyways, NSFW alphabets for Philip and Belos!

Philip NSFW Alphabet

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

I hate to say this, but nonexistent. He's incredibly rough with S/O and then he leaves them to be sore and shaking while he goes off and does…whatever the hell he thinks needs to be done. The only time the effort for aftercare is made is in two scenarios:

• The S/O is VISIBLY pregnant with his child

Philip is so rough with S/O that he feels he must do general maintenance to not have his partner break on him.

Unfortunately, Philip is really shitty and neglectful towards his lovers

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Anything that's chubby—stomachs, breasts, thighs, etc… being plump or chubby was considered very attractive I'm Philip’s time, so I imagine that he would enjoy the warmth and softness that comes from having a partner with excess fat on them. He loves to bury his face in S/O’s breasts/bosom or their belly. He loves to grab handfuls of it with his hands and knead and squeeze it.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

He paints S/O. Whether it be on the inside or out, he enjoys seeing them quivering as he pumps his length, aiming towards whatever spot he hasn't covered yet.

D = Dirty secret (a dirty secret of theirs)

Philip keeps a secret “sin journal” of all of the fantasies he wishes he could make a reality with S/O but refuses to actually do it in real life because it goes against what he believes is “proper.”

E = Experience (how experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

He's most likely a virgin before he meets S/O. His experience is limited to what S/O is willing to show him and how much he is willing to LEARN from them. He's stubborn, rude, and needs to have things done his way. He's a very selfish lover, is what I'm trying to say in so many words.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Missionary. He will change it up sometimes, but usually when he does it's because he feels too ashamed by his urges to want to look S/O in the eye, so he’ll push them face-down on whatever surface is available and fuck them that way.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? Are they humorous? etc.)

He's usually very serious. Very rarely is lovemaking something he’s playful for. When he is loving, he practically WORSHIPS S/O, but for the most part, he's usually all business and no play. Puritans, am I right?

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? Does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

I've made another post about this, but no…he’s not well-groomed at all. He actually has a constant dirt cloud swirling around him like Pig-Pen from Charlie Brown. When Lilith punched him in the nose, she kicked up a small flurry of grime that swirled around his head for hours. His hair is greasy and probably has a dead moth somewhere in it, and he smells like he would hiss and scurry to hide if someone held up a soap bar.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? The romantic aspect)

He's either very emotionally detached or he's angry-fucking. Philip hates the idea that he's succumbing to his lesser impulses when he's having sex. The only exception to this is if him and S/O are properly married, ONLY THEN he will allow himself to be more emotionally present and warm towards his partner.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

He does not, and he actively forbids his S/O from masturbating either. Sits down with S/O and makes them pray with him if he catches them doing it. Continues to shame them after.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Breeding. He loves the idea of getting his partner pregnant and making lots of babies. A strong bloodline needs lots of healthy babies.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

This is really funny, but considering we see Philip’s home is mostly stationed in a cave, that's also where I headcanon he's most willing to do the deed. He doesn't like staying in towns in the Boiling Isles because of the denizens, so he's going to stick to the series of cave hideouts that he's carved out across his journey in the Demon Realm. Philip shagging on a cave floor is just really funny to me.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Stress. He's most likely to seek out his partner for sex if he's under an insane amount of stress. Something about all of that stress boiling over REALLY puts him in the mood to angry-fuck to get all of his frustration out.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn-offs)

He would hate not being the dominant one. He NEEDS that control over the situation because God forbid he gets caught unawares or someone is able to have an iota of power over him. He likes holding all the Aces. He won't even entertain the idea of his partner PRETENDING to be the dominant one for the evening. Its also partially an ego thing.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

This is similar to masturbation. He doesn't, whether that's giving or receiving. His view on sex is very narrow and he's very resistant to trying new things. He doesn't give oral and he's downright offended if his partner asks him to go down on them.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Fast and rough. This ties back in to the “angry-fuck” or “stress-fuck” idea, but he really does treat these things as annoying urges that he should get over with so he can go back to ignoring them.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

kind of self-explanatory lol. He doesn't do slow and sensual sessions. Every time he fucks his S/O it's like he's speedrunning.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? Do they take risks? etc.)

No. He doesn't really want to differ from what he deems as “appropriate.”

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? How long do they last?)

His rounds never last too long, but he usually has at least two or three in him before he's done. So think three nuts over the course of 7 minutes.

T = Toys (do they own toys? Do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

No, kind of self-explanatory.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

His ‘teasing’ is very mean. Borderline insulting with what he says. He's very much the type to use abusive language and then frame it like his partner is the one in the wrong for being upset over it.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

He's very quiet, but the sounds he does make are very ragged. A lot of grunts and growls. Occasionally he’ll mutter something like “take it” or “c’mon,” but for the most part it's silent with the occasional grunt.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

If Philip accidentally hurts his S/O during sex, he’ll actually take the time to take care of them until it was clear they were going to be okay. Puritans were very much against physical spousal abuse, so he’s not going to raise a hand to you to hurt you intentionally if it's not a situation where he deems death as being the only resort.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

He's not particularly muscular, but he doesn't look emaciated either. He has some clear definition where you can see his ribs poking out, but he also has a bit of a gut. For anyone who doesn't know, if you’re malnourished, that can cause a lot of problems for your gut health, which can lead to inflammation and swelling, which results in a distended, rounder belly. Because Philip has a completely messed up eating schedule where his body never knows what it's gonna get or when it's gonna get it, he is showing some signs of malnutrition.

And of course, he's covered in dark, curly hair, and some spots where his veins would be showing are subtly tinted that sickly cursed green.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Non-existent until it's there. Anyone with ADD or autism may be able to relate to this, but it’ll very much be like when you go a day without eating and then have your body scream at you at 2am because it's starving. Essentially that. He doesn't feel the urge to engage (and is actually generally repulsed when his S/O tries to instigate) until it hits him like a truck at the most inopportune times.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterward)

He’s either awake for several hours after or he conks out immediately. It entirely depends on if he was in the middle of something when he felt the urge.

Belos NSFW Alphabet

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

He's actually incredibly good at aftercare, which is surprising. Whether it be massaging a sore muscle, cuddling, drawing a bath for S/O, or anything else they need done.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Same as Philips, anything soft and squishy, so stomach, tits, etc

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

As much as he would love to paint his partner like he used to be able to, his shots don't have the same oomph that they used to. Cum just sort of oozes out in waves. He’ll likely pull out just enough so the head of his cock is slowly leaking onto his S/O’s entrance before pushing back in.

D = Dirty secret (a dirty secret of theirs)

He enjoys subtly guilting S/O into putting on “special outfits” for him when they’ve been “misbehaving” in his eyes (aka not blindly listening to what he says). He likes to make sure he gets what he wants in the least confrontational way.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

He's not very experienced before meeting S/O, but he's very eager to learn and he's very gentle, so even his most noticeable shortcomings in the bedroom are more endearing than anything else.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

He likes S/O on his lap facing him. His hand finds its way to their lower back and firmly presses their hips against his. Even after completion he could sit like that for hours with them.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? Are they humorous? etc.)

Still kind of serious, but it's more light-hearted and loving than what Philip would be. He can whisper in S/O’s ear, call them little endearments, make little quips here and there depending on how noisy/responsive his partner is, etc.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? Does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

He's immaculate. He's the emperor. He lives in a massive castle with dozens of people waiting on him hand and foot, there's not a chance in hell that man is not the most well-groomed man on the boiling isles.

His hair on his chest and naval is going to be patchy because there are several scars on his body (both from his curse and otherwise) that leave bare patches of skin where hair doesn't grow

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? The romantic aspect)

Super gentle and compassionate. I headcanon that Belos will actually be so gentle that it's maddening. He actually has to hush his S/O because they will often whimper and beg for him to please go harder/faster and he just…doesn’t. He likes his pace. It gets him where he needs to be by the end of the night and he doesn't have to worry about throwing out his old man back.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Unfortunately, he’s still a lot like Philip in this regard. He doesn't masturbate and he doesn't believe his S/O should either. But, instead of shaming his S/O if he catches them, like younger Philip would have, he takes it as a sign that he's neglecting them, and immediately interrupts them to “fulfill their needs for them.”

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks

Once again breeding. Man loves the idea of his partner having babies.

Now there's an added worship kink. He loves tracing his beloved’s body with his lips and lingering on the parts he likes the most.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Bedroom. He's a very private man and doesn't even want to RISK the chance of being spotted doing the do out in public. Imagine the scandal and shame.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Sometimes seeing his partner naked is enough to get that ball rolling, other times it can be something as simple as his partner sensually tracing his shoulders and spine as they pass by that make him ready for action.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn-offs)

Being totally submissive. He could NEVER be fully submissive. He doesn't feel safe not having some semblance of control. Even if he trusted S/O more than he's trusted anybody in his life, it's not enough for him to be completely at their mercy. He will always need one hand on the wheel.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Will most definitely need to be coaxed into it, but if his partner frames it as something popular that human’s do in modern times, he *might* be convinced to try it out. He might even like it! Even if he does like giving/receiving, that will have to be for very specific circumstances.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Slow and sensual babyyyyyy

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

Sometimes he likes to get a load out before he has to start his day. Morning wood and all. Definitely at least a weekly occurrence.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? Do they take risks? etc.)

Anything Belos experiments with are things his S/O pleaded with him to try. He's a very old man who is mostly blind to the world of sex.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? How long do they last?)

One and the round will last around ten minutes.

T = Toys (do they own toys? Do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

No.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Again, he likes to tease when his partner is begging him to go faster/harder. He absolutely refuses to be any faster than a snail's pace.

“My my, someone is impatient.”

“Don’t rush, darling. Enjoy this time with me.”

“Be at ease, my sweet. There's no need to fuss.”

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Very quiet with the slightest moans and gasps.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

He reaaallly enjoys praying in the bedroom. I once had the headcanon that he prays in Latin and I have not since been able to imagine a sex scene with him where he doesn't sing praises to the heavens in Latin at least once.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Slender, but with old man sagginess on his abdomen, under his arms, etc. His scar wraps around him like a spiral with branches, cutting across his chest, naval, one branching down his arm and another one halfway down one thigh.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

He will want sex at least 4-5 times a week, maybe less if he's incredibly busy.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterward)

If it's a nightly fuck, he's out like a light as soon as he's finished with aftercare.

#philip wittebane #toh philip #belosfanstakeover #toh #toh emperor belos #emperor belos #belos wittebane #the owl house belos #toh belos

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xxlemon-chanxx · 25 days

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Something new because it's been a hot minute lol

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xxlemon-chanxx · 30 days

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oh god there’s more of them

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xxlemon-chanxx · 1 month

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I know that there are different headcanons but also I see who shipping with so many OC`s :D

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xxlemon-chanxx · 1 month

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I had a long argument with someone on whether or not stomping Belos before he dies was better than letting him die pathetically, and I asked myself if that is what fans really believe in... or if they would hail any Belos' death as the perfect one if Dana choose a different one?

They also justify the stomping as being part of horror-comedy genre and that Belos should not have any dignity what so ever because apparently letting him die in despair with no stomping is running the risk of making the audience feel "sorry" for him.

Honestly, these justifications make The Owl House feel more shallow. Like, why shouldn't the audience be allowed to feel sorry for Belos? What is the danger? That people would agree with Belos' views?

Or are we supposed to develop a black and white view of the world akin to a conservative view but inverted? And then hide behind the horror comedy genre to justify less drama? I hate to say it, but Nostalgia Critic is right about Belos being this strange outlier. The show seems to be afraid of actually doing a complex, tragic and yet irredeemable villain.

It doesn't make any sense to argue that Belos' death fits because of toh's genre as a horror comedy because the scene was neither played for horror nor laughs. At best, you have the image of Philip slowly being dissolved by the rain and then Raine's smug "that was satisfying" line. The overall tone of the scene is one of contempt as Philip tries one last plea to Luz only to be snuffed out (and weirdly validated) by the heroes. Its intent is to be cathartic for both audience (though as you know doubt know, YMMV) and the characters.

Frankly, despite its marketing, I don't see toh as either a horror or a comedy because it spends more time on slice of life stuff and high school teen drama and romance. And even when it does go for the horror and comedy, both are rather tepid. You want a real example of a horror-comedy for kids, then go watch Courage the Cowardly Dog or Invader Zim.

The reason why I argue the heroes validated Belos is because in the moment of his death, he clings to the idea that as humans, "we're better than this!" It's a moment of pathetic delusion that is appropriately met with silence but then it's ruined with Eda and Co. barging in with "Well, we ain't!" only to then prove his point by mercilessly stomping an already dying man to death. There's a reason why kid shows usually end with either the villain being imprisoned or not outright being murdered by the heroes. Evil has to die by its own hubris, not get killed by the heroes after the Big Battle when they're no longer a threat. I made a post about the importance of defeating a major antagonist twice.

Belos' death also doesn't work with a "Kill your oppressors" theme because the show isn't about that. The show barely spends any time showing why the EC is bad for the Boiling Isles and Eda is the only named wild witch we see getting harassed by them and even then, it's mostly played for laughs given how inept the coven scouts are (seriously, they're able to quit without fear of repercussions).

I think a reason fans are split on Belos' death is because of differing expectations; the fans who paid attention to Belos and the implication of his backstory and waited for every lie to come crashing down on him since that's what the show seemed to be building up to only to be unceremoniously ignored in the end were no doubt disappointed. Then you have the other fans who hated the character to the point that any gruesome death will do, regardless whether it made narrative or thematic sense or not.

Ultimately, I think the biggest reason his death doesn't work is because Belos fails as a villain.

Belos' status as a colonial puritan only works on a meta-level; it serves a cathartic release for marginialized people to see a representative of real world oppression beaten by queer characters as it fulfills the fantasy of finally overthrowing an oppressive system. The fatal flaw though is that none of this works on a narrative level because the coven system is either treated as a joke or simply a career path one must choose and we never see the disenfranchisement of wild witches. People largely get off scot-free opposing Belos, which undermines his credibility as both a dictator and a villain because no one cares about him until the plot needs them to. Luz doesn't even care about proving he's evil until Hollow Mind, which is halfway through season 2.

Belos as a villain only works if you project your own feelings and desires in wanting to see the Evil Christian/Evil Parent destroyed. While this is extremely satisfying emotionally, it does not make a sound story.

All the reasons why people like his death ("it's great the evil colonizer died so pathetically!" "omg, the white christian colonizer was killed by two queer people and their adopted son!" etc) are all meta reasons. And to be clear, it's totally fine if you thought his death was satisfying. But for many people, it did not work for a variety of reasons, including narrative ones. And that differing opinion should be respected instead of arguing some nonsense like "we have to make our villain as stupid/evil as possible or run the risk of people liking/sympathizing with him."

Belos should have died in a manner that connected back to his original sin: the murder of his brother. All of his lies and delusions and fear of being wrong should have played a part in the finale. He should have not died thinking he was right. He should have died realizing that all he did was for nothing. And that he is to blame. And that there is no one waiting for him back home.

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