The Owl House and My Expectations

Five Things I’m Hoping to See in The Owl House

A few months back, I gushed over this upcoming cartoon on Disney Channel called The Owl House. Created by Gravity Falls alumni Dana Terrace, it tells the story of 14-year-old Luz, a human girl who winds up in the Demon World and trains to become a witch. Now after months of waiting, the show’s only two days away, and anticipation for it is high.

The show’s already garnered a lot of interest from different fandoms. It’s got the magical adventure aspect of Star vs. the Forces of Evil, the other-world setting of Amphibia, and best of all, the lore and mystery of Gravity Falls. In other words, expectations for the show are high. With the premiere this Friday and reviews already looking good, I wanted to go over the five things I want to see the most in Disney’s The Owl House.

Gravity Falls References (Among Others;)

Given the fact that Dana Terrace is a Gravity Falls alumni, I think a lot of fans are hoping to see some references to the older show in The Owl House. Adding fuel to this fire is the fact that Gravity Falls creator, Alex Hirsch, is going to be voicing King. The fact that King sounds a lot like Alex’s voice as the villain Bill Cipher has not gone unnoticed, either. Fans even jokingly commented at how King was once Bill, but got trapped in his current tiny and adorable form!

While I think the chances of them sharing a universe are low, that won’t stop fans from hoping they do. However, I’d be thrilled to see Dana drop some overt references to Gravity Falls in her own show. Not only would it pay tribute to one of Disney’s best shows, it would also help cement The Owl House as the next Gravity Falls. All I know, though, is that I see an image of Bill Cipher, I’ll flip out!

Gravity Falls Level Lore

One of the massive draws to Gravity Falls was the emphasis the show put into its sheer amount of lore and mystery. The show’s not even out yet, and it already looks like The Owl House will repeat that formula. All the clips and trailers that we’ve gotten alone have hinted at some massive mysteries in store. For one thing, the entire show takes place on the Boiling Isles, a land created from the body of a giant titan! How did it get there? So many questions!

This show, for all intents and purposes, looks to uphold the theme of mystery that made Gravity Falls a hit. I have little doubt that fans will keep coming back to learn the answers to the many questions left in store. Thus, The Owl House will prove to be just as enticing as its predecessor.

As Scary As Disney Can Get

I admit, Disney has plenty of shows under its belt that can dish out good horror. Gravity Falls was certainly one of them, and I still can’t watch the Star vs. Halloween episode without being unnerved. However, it doesn’t change the fact that Disney’s making this stuff. Last time I checked, Disney’s not in the business of giving children nightmares. At least, not on purpose.

The Owl House is officially defined as a comedy/horror, and it looks like the staff’s gone out of its way to play up the horror. With its demon world setting and Lovecraftian inhabitants, it looks like Dana’s going all out. I, for one, am thrilled by this implication. This way, the show will not only draw in its targeted kids audience, but bring back fans of Gravity Falls who are now in their teens. Either way, it looks like it’s going to be popular come Halloween.

Interesting Character Backstories

So far, The Owl House seems focused on its three main characters, Luz, Eda, and King. Each of them has proven to be very interesting in their own right. First we have Eda, whose snark and feisty nature won me over in the first two minutes. Then we have Luz, with her seemingly boundless energy, love of the weird and the cute reminding me a lot of Star and Mabel. Then, we have King, whose voiced by Alex Hirsch. In other words, the cast looks pretty solid.

Like any good show, though, The Owl House needs to build upon its characters in order to keep us interested. In other words, they need some good backstories, and I am dying to learn about each of theirs. I can already think of so many potential stories to be found, like “What let Luz enter the Boiling Isles” or “How did King and Eda first meet?” Getting those questions answered will be something that I would be thrilled to see happen. Given how it takes after Gravity Falls, I think we’ll likely learn in due time.

Less Emphasis on Shipping

I will be the first to admit it: I enjoyed the shipping aspect of Star vs. The Forces of Evil. To an extent. I thought the evolution of Star and Marco’s relationship was one of that show’s strongest plot points. That said, I’m not in the mood to repeat the shipping wars in The Owl House.

It’s fun to pair your favorite characters in a show up, especially when said show hints at the potential romantic chemistry between a pair. However, it can get to the point where the shipping and love triangles become drawn out and unecessary. Thus, I would love it if Luz didn’t have to go through any love triangles or romantic sub-plots on this show. Simply focusing on the mysteries and overarching plot will be enough for me this time around.

This is Gonna Be a Hoot

All things considered, I think that The Owl House is going to be one of the cartoons to watch out for in 2020. If it does well enough, it could end up being one of the best cartoons of the decade, in my honest opinion. I’ll be putting my review and verdict regarding the series up this Saturday. However, given all that I’ve read so far, I honestly think that The Owl House will meet my expectations. At the very least, it will fill the magical void left behind by Star. Then I can stop talking about it all the time!

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