I Love Coventions!

The Owl House Episode 5 Review

I love conventions. A gathering of like-minded people to share knowledge, products, and revel in what they enjoy; it’s all so amazing! As it turns out, Luz thinks the same thing. When Gus and Willow tell her of Bonesborough’s annual Covention, where students can learn all about the Covens they can join, she begs Eda to go. Eda, on the other hand, wants nothing to do with the Covention since she hates authority. Nonetheless, they end up going, and we get another piece to the puzzles of Eda’s past and the world of the Boiling Isles.

Enjoy the Covention (I love puns)

This episode managed to pique two different aspects regarding conventions; or coventions, in this case. On the one hand, I can’t help but geek out like Luz at all the cool stuff she sees. On the other, I remember how all the job fairs I’ve attended have been useless, so I get what Eda’s saying. It’s the classic “wide-eyed idealist vs. cynical realist” conflict. 

It’s no surprise, though, that Eda’s concern may be justified. This episode reveals three big pieces of information. Firstly, when a witch joins a coven, they lose the ability to perform any other form of magic. Secondly, the only ones who can use all kinds of magic are the Emperor’s Coven. Enforcers for the Emperor of the Boiling Isles, the fact that they’re said to enforce an order of “controlled magic,” makes me wary. Groups like that have a history of being jerks.

Finally, the leader of Emperor’s Coven turns out to be Eda’s sister, Lilith! I think this reveal was even more significant than Eda’s curse in the previous episode. Two sisters, both having powerful magic, on opposite sides. It reminds me of the relationship between Stan and Ford Pines in Gravity Fall, and that’s a good thing!

Though they never planned to do so, Eda and Lilith come to blows due to Luz. When Amity insults King, Luz rashly challenges her to a Witch’s duel, with the condition that she has to stop training as a witch if she loses. The fight between two students devolves into a contest between Eda and Lilith when both teachers are revealed to have helped their students cheat. 

Can Amity Be Nice?

Despite establishing her as an arrogant ice queen in her last appearance, I was delighted to see this episode deconstruct that notion about Amity. She’s not bad. She pushes herself too hard to be the best but is so insecure when she’s one-upped that she lashes out. She’s like Vegeta, Sasuke, or Bakugo. Fortunately, Luz manages to get through to connect with Amity, and even impress her a little bit when she shows off how she can use magic. Seeing how their relationship develops will be interesting.

Eda and Lilith’s relationship, on the other hand, seems to have gotten more strained. Lilith wants to help her sister, but as she says, Eda “makes it so hard to want to help you.”

Regardless, I think this episode gave us a lot of significant payoffs. We got to learn more about Eda, who’s by far my favorite character on the show. On top of that, we got to see some character development for Amity and Luz. In addition, we learn about Emperor Bellos (I hope that’s spelled right), who may or may not become the main antagonist down the road. Covention maybe my second favorite episode of the show!

I Give “Covention” a 4.5

Stray Observations

• We got a cameo from the prisoners that Luz, Eda and King freed. It’s the Eye-eating Monster and Dana’s author avatar
• I will now refer to Dana’s Author Avatar as Little Monster Dana, or LMD. I also realize that shares an acronym with Life Model Decoy.
• KAIO-KEN!

• King channels the spirit of people who go to conventions for free swag.
• Does it really matter that people know Luz is a human? Everyone pretty much knows by now.

Favorite Quotes

• “Cupcakes in my tummy-tum makes the King say yummy-yum!”

• “Eda, I need your help, I accidentally challenged Amity to a witch’s duel and I think she’s going to kill me all the way dead!”
• “You were defeated, don’t get heated, get your stank face treated… because my rhymes are depleted!”

check out this awesome video I found on Twitter! It’s a video created by the director for this episode!

Covention was not the best thing I directed on The Owl House, no, my greatest directing contribution to The Owl House was creating this Dana Terrace // Terrace House // Owl House mashup (Sound on) #TerraceHouse #TheOwlHouse #TheDanaTerraceTerraceHouseOwlHouse pic.twitter.com/OgD4v8oYmM

— aminder_d (@aminder_d) February 8, 2020

Click here to see my other animation stuff.