Graphic by Karina Wu ‘22
by Ezri Braid-Grizzell ’23
Staff Writer
On Aug. 29, 2020, the Disney Channel aired the season one finale of its new animated series, “The Owl House.” The show tells the story of Luz Noceda, a teenager deemed “too weird” after her frequent chaotic mishaps at school and sent off to “Reality Check” camp for the summer. But as a name as strange as “The Owl House” might imply, Luz does not find herself at camp. Instead she stumbles through a door into a magical world full of witches, demons and spider-breathing griffons. (Who knew?)
After Luz (Sarah-Nicole Robles) settles in with the rogue witch and con woman, Edalyn Clawthorne (Wendie Malick) and King (Alex Hirsch), a demon, she sets off to find her own magical calling.
There have been so many stories in the world that, at this point, it’s impossible to avoid common narrative tropes. But “The Owl House'' doesn't fall into cliches. A magical school may at first scream “Harry Potter,” and while there are many purposeful nods to the franchise, Hexside is completely unique and full of new possibilities to explore. “Chosen One” quests and “impossible” trials are included in the show as a warm, giggling acknowledgment that the show knows exactly what it’s supposed to do as part of the fantasy genre.
But perhaps one of the most celebrated elements of “The Owl House” is that Luz, the main character of the series, is confirmed as bisexual. According to creator Dana Terrace, there was some initial resistance from Disney higher-ups, but now she is “VERY supported by current Disney leadership” (@DanaTerrace, Twitter). Another major character, Amity Blight (Mae Whitman), is initially introduced as the gold star student and the main rival to Luz. Over the course of the show, however, she gets her own redemption arc and is revealed to have feelings toward Luz.
That’s not one main character, but two, confirmed as LGBTQ+.
That’s a big step up from Disney’s shallow attempts at representation with LeFou in the live-action “Beauty and the Beast” or the minor character of Officer Slater from “Onwards” (who was considered by many to be Disney’s first-ever openly gay character).
When I first started watching “The Owl House” about a week before the final episode of this season aired, I wasn’t sure quite what to expect. My only real connection to the show was Alex Hirsch, the creator of another Disney favorite, “Gravity Falls,” who is now the voice of a two-foot, tummy-rub-loving demon in “The Owl House.” But actually, the connection tracks — Terrace worked as a storyboard revisionist on “Gravity Falls” way back in 2012. Because of these overlaps, it’s not hard to notice the similarities in animation style, writing and humor. The overarching elements of the supernatural, mystery, family-friendly cosmic and eldritch horror and government conspiracy all align as well. That, and Alex Hirsch is still the voice actor for many minor characters in the show.
If you’re looking for a sort of spiritual sequel to “Gravity Falls,” or just a segue into the new, quirky and colorful era of animation, “The Owl House” has got your back.
