We Finally Learn the Truth About Luz’s Dad!

The Owl House Season 2, Episode 14 Review

One of the things that Luz and Amity have in common is that they don’t have the best relationships with their parents. In Luz’s case, her relationship with her Mom’s strained by her choice to stay in the Demon Realm. Amity’s is because she’s got a control freak of a Mom and an absent-minded Dad. But they still have each other, and are there to help each work through their problems. Even if one of them refuses to admit that they have a problem to begin with, like Luz with her Dad.

A Very Important Day for Luz

While Luz has shown no interest in returning to Earth beyond showing her Mom she’s alright, the day this episode takes place is an exception. We open up to a reminder on her phone for a very important event with her Mom that she quickly tries to ignore. In addition, she spends the rest of the day trying to stay as busy as possible by helping Amity with her problems.

The annual Bonesborough Brawl is taking place that day, and Amity’s always dreamed of winning it like her Dad did back in the day. However, her Dad’s too busy to care and wants her to go to the Emperor’s Coven tryouts. Rather, her Mom wants her to go, something she has no interest in. It drives home how much of an influence Luz has been on Amity when she says she may not even want to join a Coven at all. Luz’s solution is simply to go anyway and compete in disguise.

However, things get derailed when Luz decides to ultimately compete in the Brawl herself, all while claiming that nothing’s wrong. It all comes to a head when Luz ends up alerting Alador to what his daughter’s really up to, making Amity mad at both of them and storming off. What follows is something that fans suspected but is now confirmed.

RIP Mr. Noceda

From the beginning, fans have speculated about the abscence of Luz’s father. Some people thought that her parents were divorced. Others thought that he was a Witch. However, I guessed that he was actually dead this whole time; and it turns out I was right. Luz’s dad died some time ago, and this date marks the anniverserary of his passing. Her Mom and her would lay flowers on his grave to honor his memory every year, and the fact that she can’t do it is eating away at the poor girl.

Once again, I would like to say that this was something that I already suspected. However, knowing this doesn’t diminish the importance of this moment any less. If anything, Luz’s obvious grief tugs at the heartstrings even more. Despite loving her life in the Boiling Isles, she does miss some things from Earth. And this led her to cope by trying to help Amity sort out her own paternal issues.

Hearing her motives is more than enough to get Amity to forgive Luz, and hearing her girlfriend’s lack of a father spurs her to confront Alador as he’s fighting a mutated Warden Wrath (long story!) Afterwards, the two have an honest heart-to-heart, where Alador admits that he hasn’t been the best parent, but is willing to respect her daughter’s choices and be there for her. I hoped that Alador was the good parent.

Cracks in Belos’ Reign

In the b-plot of the episode, Eda, King, and Edric team up to learn more information about what Belos is planning, and why Raine’s acting weird. Their planned blabber (truth) potion backfires, though, and leads to Wrath being mutated and everyone having to lay down the smack on him. It doesn’t even matter in the end, though, as Wrath got demoted for stealing coworker’s lunches! However, they do learn a little bit of information.

It turns out, not everyone in the Emperor’s Coven is into the Day of Unity plan. Belos claims it will unite them all with the Titan, but some think that no good could come of that. If all the signs shown thus far are true, than they’re right to be afraid. Belos might be planning on using the Boiling Isles residents as fuel for a massive spell, one that could destroy everything in the process. However, we won’t know until the Day of Unity arrives.

Parent-Child Bonds Transcend Worlds

The episode ends on a very somber note. In the Boiling Isles, Luz and Amity pick flowers and send them skyward on an Abomination balloon. On Earth, Mrs. Noceda puts flowers in a vase while solemnly looking off into the night sky, thinking of her husband and daughter. It’s a very sad moment. In fact, the whole situation seems sad.

This was a suprisingly emotional episode of The Owl House that touched on character arcs and past decisions, but it was one that I loved. It showed just how far Amity has come since we first met her, and how far she has to go. And while Luz might not be able to work things out with her Mom right now, she’s not alone. She’s got others to help her through this.

I Give “Reaching Out” a 4/5

Stray Observations

• I love how Alador automatically calls Luz Eda’s kid!
• The tree from Grom is still there
• My friend JP-Ryder and his beta-editor got Luz’s Dad right in their fanfic!

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