#especially with their magic being permanently screwed up like Eda and Lilith

[hollowgirl136]

In the spirit of Halloween, I thought it would be fun to post an old AU that I was inspired to make before S3 aired based off the ragtag group that is the Coven Heads.

So before Thanks to Them aired, I got the wildest thought on a possible "What If" about the fate of the Coven Heads with The Collector being freed. Long story short, thought it would be a cruel twist of fate if they ended up cursed like Eda because The Collector, going to call them T.C. for now, wanted to make them more "fun" for the "Owl House" game.

Essential, when the kids came back they ended up going to Eda place and are ambushed by a fully Cursed Raine which. After Luz finds one of Eda potions still hidden in the house, Raine tells them what happened while they were gone. One resolution battle later with T.C. and Belos, it's now up to the kids to find the other heads and change them back cause, per Eda, no one deserves to lived trapped in their own bodies.

Half a season worth of adventures later to find and revert the heads back to their original forms, with no cure for being cursed discovered yet despite T.C. powers, Eda and Lilith takes it upon themselves to teach them how to lived their new lives.

Some rough sketches of what their "hybrid" forms look like once they harmonized with their curse beasts.

Additional details under the cut.

Raine curse beast is a "vampire" bat and the kids find them in Eda place cause they sought out a place of safety after transforming. Their compromise with the beast is to drink blood every so often, much to their disgust. Is granted night vision and flight when in hybrid form.

Darius curse beast is a kraken and the kids find them in the sea. Refused to fight Hunter, so the kids used that to their advantage to defeat them. Their compromise with the beast is to do long soaks in sea water, to his annoyance cause "sea water is horrible for his skin". Is granted the ability to breath under water and a octopus ability to squeeze into small places.

Eberwolf curse beast is a manticore and was found near Darius cause, despite being lost in their own mind they still sought out their friend/brother. Was the fastest to compromise with their curse cause they didn't mind eating raw meat. Is granted a prehensile "leech tail, alongside increased strength and speed in their hybrid form.

Adrian curse beast is a spynx and the kids find him in an abandoned theater/castle since some part of him still wanted to be near civilization. The only head who has a beast who the kids can understand in full curse form. Takes the longest to compromise with their beast cause they both have massive ego's, and the fact that Adrian does not want to read a whole philosopher book or eat rats. Is granted flight and increased cat like reflexes.

Terra curse beast is a giant snake, and the kids find her in an overgrown forest caused by her magic still being "active". Her compromise with the beast is to eat live animals and daily sunbathing. Her hybrid form turns her into a Lamia similar to a boa constrictor.

Vitimir curse beast is a mosquito/dragon hybrid and is found buzzing around a cliff face where Hettie curse form also resided. Their compromised with their cursed beast is to drink blood. Their hybrid form grants them flight, a needle tongue, and the ability to store liquids in a "throat sack" that they then can use to spray people with boiling/noxious liquids.

Hettie curse beast is a minotaur and is found in a cave on a cliff. Her compromised involved her eating raw meat. Her hybrid form grants her increase strength and improved sense of hearing and smell.

Mason curse beast is a lava golem and is found in a basin where they were literally melting the surrounding area where they walked. Matt and Steve have to help turn him back to normal. His compromise with his beast is to eat rocks/stones and sunbathing. His hybrid forms allows him to manipulate heat and create magma from the rocks he consumes.

Osran curse beast form is a giant spider and is found deep in a cave. His compromised with his beasts involves eating insects. His hybrid forms grants extra mobility, armor like chitin, web making from his snot (much to his chagrin), and improved night vision.

#Inspired by the possibility of more curse scrolls existing #the coven heads are not having a good time #especially with their magic being permanently screwed up like Eda and Lilith #Thought it would be a nice twist for the people who were once the strongest of their respective tracks to end up losing their magic #the RATTS are collateral damage to the others unfortunatly #at least they got some sick new powers out of it #toh #coven heads #raine whispers #darius deamonne #eberwolf the huntsman #adrian graye vernworth #terra snapdragon #vitimir #hettie #mason #osran #will probably post a part two cause holy hell they got a lot of growing pains to get through before harmonizing with their curses

[sepublic]

Who sold the Curse to Lilith?

           A while back, @loosescrewslefty pointed out to me that Tibbles’ shop, which he specifically cited as having been passed down through generations, is named Mud and Sundry. Mud and Sundry was located in the Night Market… Lilith bought her curse from the Night Market… Tibbles sells an elixir that cures said curse at exorbitant prices, and he is a remorseless, opportunistic capitalist. We’ve all wondered why it was called a Curse of Feathers and MUD… And the stand is called MUD and Sundry. You do the math.

           Though, if this theory is correct, then it’s worth noting that it was probably Tibbles II who sold a young Lilith that curse- We know Tibbles III is a Witch, and according to Dana, witches have about the same lifespans as humans. I’m not entirely sure Tibbles III’s age, but he doesn’t seem to be that old- At least, he was probably a child when Lilith was. So it’s more than likely that his father was in charge of Mud and Sundry, and thus sold the curse to Lilith in this theory.

           So, we’ve got the scummy family of capitalist pigs, who literally create the conditions that others need a cure for- But said cure isn’t permanent and has to be constantly bought across one’s entire life, because the curse itself is permanent. I’m not saying Tibbles could potentially become the most reviled character in this entire show, even moreso than Adegast or Odalia and Alador for me… At least, I’m not saying this UNLESS the show confirms that it was his bloodline that caused this mess. And if so, then I hope that Tibbles straight-up died and was painfully devoured alive by his own animals, back when Eda dumped those crab apples on him.

           Like, let’s be real here- Lilith is definitely terrible for what she did back as a kid, BUT! The important thing to remember is that Lilith legitimately thought the curse would last for a day, and only hinder Eda’s magic; She couldn’t have ever imagined the curse lasting for the rest of Eda’s life, which it would also shorten… Nor could Lilith have anticipated the curse turning Eda into a beast as well. Lilith was willing to curse her sister for a day- NOT for the rest of her life, nor was Lilith willing to shorten that life either. The side-effects of that curse were out of her hand, but keep in mind that Lilith had a VERY different intent…

           What I’m saying is- Screw the dude who sold a child a curse. Screw the dude who willingly, knowingly sold this kid a curse, knowing exactly the kind of damage it’d cause- And screw them for not even having the decency to be upfront and honest about the severity of this curse, especially when you know this kid is going to be using it on someone. ESPECIALLY if the kid thinks it’ll last for a day, VS someone’s entire existence… If you’re going to sell a kid something that can and WILL permanently ruin a person’s life, at least be honest about it! I’m gonna be honest, I’m way angrier at whoever sold Lilith the curse, because this is something they did for a living, and something they chose to do; And I have no sympathy for them even if they were dirt-poor, because…

           Curses explicitly hurt and ruin people’s lives. That’s literally their only, primary function. Lilith can at least reassure herself because it’s supposed to be temporary, and she’s only doing it once, and by herself. Whoever sold her the curse was a bastard who enabled this for other people, who no doubt caused a lot of people pain for money- And they enabled others to do the same, horrible things. And, if they couldn’t even be accurate about the severity of their curses, then this seller likely got a lot of people to cross lines they never would’ve otherwise- You know, like Lilith herself. They sold permanent curses, stuff that can’t be taken back for people who justifiably underestimated their severity, stuff that forces you to basically sell your soul to afford elixirs and treatment. This seller legit ruined Lilith and Eda’s lives, and shortened Eda’s especially, and I just…

           LOOK. I really hope that after that incident… I really hope that Lilith tracked down that seller. And confronted them over their dishonesty, and how it ruined Eda’s life. Considering she tried so hard to cure Eda, you know she would’ve at least tried. And as a member of the Emperor’s Coven… Really, who’s to say Lilith didn’t take her revenge? The Night Market is a hive for illegal activity- She’s fully in her authority to arrest someone, not that an enforcer of a dictatorship needs much justification anyway. And, I’d like to imagine that Lilith got her revenge, for her AND Eda’s sake… Maybe she pulled strings to get the seller petrified. Maybe she offered them to Emperor Belos himself, as a sacrifice and a source of magic bile to drain, if the seller had any…

           Because screw that person. Seriously. I’m already incensed at them as-is for the nature of their profession and their willingness to sell to children, but now it’s personal because we see firsthand, intimately, how much a curse can screw people over- Not just the victim, but even the caster, who can get tricked into the guilt of crossing a line they never would’ve! And if it was Tibbles II who sold Lilith the curse, and if Lilith DID get revenge by having him killed or imprisoned for the rest of his life, sentenced to a fate worse than death ideally… I have to wonder how this would shape Tibbles III’s feelings about the Emperor’s Coven, and about the Clawthornes.

          Does he recognize Eda as the sister of his father’s killer, low-key the cause of his father’s death? Does he resent Eda for this, is there another level to his conflict with Eda? He never brings it up, that’s worth mentioning… Though it’s possible Lilith came in and took out his father, before a younger Tibbles even realized who the culprit was. I wouldn’t be surprised if Lilith would’ve done this early into her career in the Emperor’s Coven, which likely meant that she’d be wearing the standard uniform and thus be unrecognizable.

           Would Tibbles know that it was the Emperor’s Coven who had a hand in this? Does he have feelings about giving them what they want- Or does he just not care, because profit is all that matters in the end? I wouldn’t be surprised if he was so utterly remorseless that he didn’t even bat an eye at his father’s death because it just meant getting inheritance. That in the end it’s all just business, and it’s his father’s fault for being so traceable and thus opening himself to a customer’s revenge. Then again, Tibbles DOES emphasize how Mud and Sundry was passed down through the generations, which implies some value of his familial connections and pride towards them. Who can say, besides Dana herself of course…

           All I’m saying is- I’m in the mood for bacon, all of a sudden. And if the seller IS still out and about, I really want a bonding episode between Eda and Lilith as they utterly eviscerate them. Maybe give them a taste of their own medicine… Or shall I say, curse? Really BOTH, if Tibbles II sold curses with the intent to make people reliant on the elixirs he brewed.

#the owl house #owl house #the owl house lilith #lilith clawthorne #the owl house eda #edalyn clawthorne #the owl house tibbles #speculation #theory

[sepublic]

Luz’s Self-Punishment?

           I actually think that like Lilith, Luz has a tendency to overtly punish herself for mistakes, she’s just… WAY more productive and efficient about actually fixing the situation, even at the cost of herself- Maybe even especially because of it!

           I say this because Luz makes the understandable mistake of crashing Owlbert, who was fully willing to indulge in Luz’s antics during Escape of the Palisman by taking her to the Glandus game. And obviously Owlbert is also justifiably hurt and maybe reluctant to reconnect with Luz… But it’s also worth observing that Luz is clearly beating herself up mentally over her mistake, she doesn’t hesitate to throw herself into the Bat Queen’s trials and even risk her life to rescue Owlbert!

           And, obviously- Luz is a very impulsive kind of person in general, incredibly brave, and would do anything for her friends. But I am concerned about Luz possibly beginning to see herself as like, a burden, or even someone who keeps hurting people even when she tries to help them… Especially when they tell her not to. Take for example, Luz turning Willow’s memory photo back up because she still wants her and Amity to reconnect… and it leads to Willow’s mind almost being destroyed. Luz’s efforts DO pay off in the end; However, Wing it like Witches has Luz recklessly challenge Boscha to a Grudgby game, over Willow’s honor.

           That’s fine as it is… But the problem is that Luz says that Willow is challenging Boscha. And I think this is a scenario where Luz legit thought she was doing what was best for Willow, that this was of course what Willow wanted… And while she was justifiably mad, I think Luz may have projected some of her own anger onto Willow by assuming she felt the same way, while also seeing an opportunity to play out her Azura fantasies through a Grudgby match; Hence why moments before Boscha drops trash on Willow, Luz looks VERY intrigued by Amity pointing out that Boscha only listens to Grudgby… Amity wasn’t at all suggesting Luz challenge her to a game, but Luz is remembering that Azura movie she brought up earlier, and getting ideas.

           So when Luz does recognize she made a mistake… I think she’s just a tad too eager to both take on ALL of the responsibility and repercussions, but also doesn’t do too much to vouch for herself when Boscha starts attacking. Now, you could argue that this is just Luz being kind of impulsive and thoughtless, not thinking of herself in a genuinely forgetful way, while also not anticipating Boscha to be THAT intense; But I have to wonder if Luz will sometimes shoulder the blame and burden of her mistakes too much. Just as Amity did when she cut herself off from Grudgby after accidentally injuring Boscha and Amelia that one time… And it’s interesting that Luz is inspired to take all of the blame after Amity recounts this story; And it’s Amity who realizes what’s up and thus goes out to get Willow’s help.

           Or, take Witches before Wizards! Luz enrolls in Adegast’s Quest, wanting to play out her fantasies, and does so on her own, on her own terms… Ideally only Luz should be in danger, if any comes around; And yet Eda and King still get involved to rescue Luz, and Luz finds out that her getting into this quest was what endangered them in the first place, because she was meant to be a hostage! Then we have Agony of a Witch; Eda tells Luz to just mind her own business and be happy, and not concern herself. But not only is Luz legit scared for Eda… She also expresses a desire to ‘pay her back’, as if Luz thinks the happiness she provides isn’t enough. As if Luz feels she’s inadequate, perhaps a burden…

           Which, matches with Luz being the child of Camila, who’s single and occupied with the VERY time-intensive job of being a nurse, and is already stressful as-is. I think Luz quietly taught herself to not try to be a burdern on Camila… Or at least thought that was what she became, when her mother agreed to send her to Reality Camp. This is her mom, who objectively loves her and is supposed to, and likely was the only one supporting and indulging in Luz’s interests for her entire life. So when Luz DOES meet Eda and King, Willow and Gus, or Amity… While she’s still very much herself in a lot of ways, an utter weirdo and a cryptid;

           I AM concerned that Luz is going to be too conscious of the impact she has on others, a bit too much. She went ahead with trying to help Eda’s curse despite Eda telling her not to… And it led to a disastrous heist at Belos’ castle that led to Eda being captured and losing all of her magic, permanently. Luz let Willow and Gus help her in the heist, and they got in trouble as well… And I’m afraid that maybe Luz is beginning to think that any time she tries to help others, she just makes things worse. And/or, Luz feels like she should do things on her own so her loved ones don’t get involved… But even when she tries to in Witches before Wizards, her actions directly lead to Eda and King being captured.

           Am I saying Luz is a bad or thoughtless person? Absolutely not- She can be a bonehead sometimes, but all of her mistakes are completely understandable. Luz needs to remember that a lot of her friends chose to get involved for Luz’s sake, they mutually care for her and vice-versa, she is by no means a burden and her own presence lights up their world. Eda reassures Luz that she chose to sacrifice herself for the girl, and hopefully the advice will stick there… But even so, Luz is a fourteen-year-old who was ostracized for a LONG time.

          She’s no doubt been conditioned to think of herself as a screw-up who hurts people… Hurts her mother by lying to her, Luz should’ve been honest when she had the chance; Hurting Amity by accidentally reading her diary when she just wanted to be friends… Making a statement that Viney and the others justifiably take out-of-context, but Luz interprets this not just as Viney and the others being valid in their initial fears; She thinks it means she HAS done wrong and hurt people, and so she accepts Viney’s rejection without a second thought and really lets it get to her.

           I’ve seen others speculate that Luz has Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, and I really think this could be the case? Luz normally is herself, but lately, when things suggest otherwise… Luz starts to doubt her world-views, at least in application to herself- For others she’ll always vouch for them! But it takes a lot to love oneself… Take for example, Luz clearly berating herself for being too forward with Amity when she tries to initially approach her in Lost in Language, perhaps acting on some confirmation bias; That if Luz fails, then clearly this means she shouldn’t have tried in the first place, and of course nobody is interested in her.

           Luz knows to unapologetically be herself and encourage others to, and then fully support them… But does she expect a lot of support herself? Is Luz resigned to the idea of being rejected either way, so she just goes ahead with who she is… And just waits to see what people DO respond to her, without getting her hopes up? Luz gives it a try, see what happens- And if they don’t respond, alas. If they DO respond… New friend, and Luz can get a bit carried away. Like her plan for Willow to sneak into Hexside and get a better grade… Luz was also legitimately altruistic, but I certainly hope that Luz doesn’t blame herself for getting Willow into trouble, especially since Willow ended up in the Plant Track because of her. Like Eda, Luz has accepted being herself unapologetically and not needing the approval of others- But Eda was also clearly lonely for a while too, having to wait for fellow weirdoes to resonate with her and reciprocate. For Luz, I imagine it’s a very different scenario with just passively waiting for someone to respond to your open invitations about who you are…

           …VS actively WANTING someone, wanting them to accept you, etc., hence Luz’s apprehension about confessing to Camila. And maybe this could lead to some dynamic between her and Amity, where Luz doesn’t know how to handle actively desiring a connection with a specific person that may or may not fully reciprocate her… Luz loves intensely and affectionately and she focuses on making others happy so they don’t suffer like her; Is there the fear, the resignation that they won’t return the same? And that’s okay because they’re already doing so much for Luz just by tolerating a screw-up like her and her mistakes…? Coupled with how stressed Amity is and the abuse she has, and Luz might be afraid that Amity won’t ever feel the same way- So Luz should just be content with what she has, and then not move forward. Don’t get her hopes up.

           Believe me, I don’t find this at all contradictory with my past takes of Luz as being someone who constantly asks why can’t she have it all, both for herself and others… I think she’s rightfully defiant and demanding in that self-respecting way, thanks to Eda especially. But when it comes to emotional love and whatnot, that kind of intimate connection, unconditional kindness and favors… I’m not sure if Luz ever expects that from others, nor does she ask it of them? It’s of course because she’s so kind and selfless towards people, her own demands and challenges towards the system are also into consideration of others just like her.

           But maybe it’s because Luz is partially demanding because she sees it as helping others in a roundabout way… Or she’s only ever like this with strangers, with people she expects to already not think much of her, to not accept her, so Luz doesn’t have too much qualms with trying to be all perfect and subdued for them… But for people who DO accept Luz, it suddenly feels like a lot of pressure and responsibility, because she’s not used to this. She doesn’t want to screw it up, making friends who like her, because this is so rare, and it requires a lot more mutual reciprocation from others, VS an attempt to change the system or fight against the law, cause a prison break, etc.

           Luz seems like the person who can handle learning a lost form of magic, fighting monstrous demons, all that jazz incredibly well; But when it comes to navigating actual emotional relationships, Luz has a lot more difficult navigating. Sometimes she copes with her fear by just going for it, sometimes she forgets about it entirely in her eager excitement, getting her hopes up… But in general, I don’t want Luz to think that she actively causes trouble for people, and that she hasn’t done enough to deserve the people who actively choose to be around her; Much less Luz’s potential apprehension about not being enough for someone she ‘forces’ interaction with because she wants to be with them, like Amity. I think Luz’s growing mistakes and incidents could contribute towards a growing sense of being a screw-up in her own way… And when you’re an insecure teen, you tend to forget about and disregard your good actions in hindsight, even as you’re performing them.

           While Luz’s efforts do sometimes pay off, it’s usually after something goes wrong and everyone grapples with the situation. Sometimes Luz has to wonder if it could’ve been done in a much better way, and if her friends had to do too much heavy-lifting to make things right, to pick up after Luz’s mess- Like maybe her friends could’ve just fixed this on their own, it was only Luz getting into a mess that made them get involved sooner rather than later. The thing about Luz’s mistakes is that a lot of them are understandable, or while bad, nevertheless escalate past a point she could’ve feasibly expected, so maybe she’s being too hard on herself for the consequences.

           I think Lilith is someone who also has an issue with this, as does King- And both have learned to confront that they cause messes that they didn’t intend, but still contributed towards. Of course, King is way more adjusted than Lily… And I can see Lilith and Luz potentially bonding over that feeling of being ‘cursed’, like any attempt to make things better for others just causes problems… And they’re already so much of a liability and a burden as-is. Even when they do things alone and for themselves, issues for their loved ones can develop as a direct result… So maybe they should just cut ties? To protect the ones they care for… Besides, their loved ones probably don’t need them THAT much anyway, their friends are too cool for losers like them.

           I kind of feel like Luz and Lilith could have a potential issue of really undervaluing themselves and their achievements… That when they do bring them up, they don’t really mean it and it’s just a shallow attempt at making themselves feel good- But deep inside they know it means nothing. Lilith knows that being Head Witch of the Emperor’s Coven means nothing, not without Eda’s approval, and especially because she got it as a hand-me-down from Eda… But she still boasts of it anyway to invite other witches, and to lie to herself. If Eda contrasts with Lilith and can teach her sister to engage in some self-love… Then consider that Eda does the same to Luz; And what this could say about Luz and Lilith as two people on the receiving end of Eda’s support, who have a lot to learn and benefit from Eda and already have.

           Maybe Luz expects herself to do a lot, because she recognizes that she IS a lot… So she tries to take advantage of this, and tries to compensate for past failures, by doing something good with it. This isn’t to say that Luz never acts in her self-interest, ever, because she’s still a fourteen-year-old kid with a loving and supportive family, who’s allowed to have fun and has still had genuinely positive lessons and growth in the Boiling Isles… Any issues she suffers in the Boiling Isles, if Luz gets them, would’ve been less worse than that of the Reality Camp, minus the physical harm bit of course. But that doesn’t seem to register to Luz that much because that’s not what really matters to her in the end.

           Regardless, I’m afraid that Luz is going to pick up on the idea that each time she innocently tries to go forward and do something for herself and/or others, without their permission… It just makes things worse, forcing others to not only fix the problem, but also make things better so Luz doesn’t mess up again. In other words, Luz probably thinks her friends are doing all of the actual work in making things better, which could play into how Luz thinks the world of her loved ones and is incredibly supportive of them. Perhaps she thinks they’re way cooler than her, too cool for Luz… It’s not too much of a prevalent issue NOW, I think, but it could be in the future. Luz could begin to wean herself off from doing what she enjoys, just for herself, because she thinks she’s a screw-up…

          And then her friends have to reassure her otherwise about everything, that even if Luz seems to be a disaster-magnet, it’s part of the charm and not her fault, she shouldn’t hold herself back! If anything, Luz should keep weaponizing her chaotic energy, making the most of what she has as always! Considering the school system that Luz grew up in, and how she’s ND-coded… I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of schools really punished her and forced Luz to dwell a lot on her mistakes, without much room for productively fixing things; It’s a common neurodivergent experience to be unproductively yelled at for messing up, and then to internalize that. And it could contribute to Luz focusing on what she’s done wrong over what she’s done right. If Amity is learning to love herself, then… I sincerely hope Luz isn’t contrasting, by learning to doubt herself. Especially since the Boiling Isles has been almost objectively superior to the Reality Camp; Because there, she would’ve REALLY internalized even worse lessons, and not gained any of the good ones.

           Now, maybe I’m looking too deep into it; But hey, what if I’m right? At the very least this provides food for thought… You may as well take a chance, because what do you have to lose if you’re wrong- Nothing! But if you don’t try, you could lose the opportunity to really think and enjoy and anticipate something… And be right, or wrong- Either way you had fun!

#the owl house #toh #the owl house luz #luz noceda #toh luz #Luz toh #speculation #angst #meta

[sepublic]

Accommodating the Curse

           Again, it’s heartbreaking how Eda initially must’ve thought that the curse was something she could easily live through and get by with a few elixirs here or there, to the point where it may not have even been noticeable- That to her, all this meant was an extra drink doused here or there, and that’s it! Considering the kind of bold person that Eda is, she really might not have batted much of an eye, even if she’s still unhappy that someone cursed her in her sleep to begin with and it’s technically still an ongoing issue that’ll cost money… Because obviously, it shouldn’t have happened in the first place, but at least Eda can get by like nothing happened, right? This doesn’t have to CHANGE anything, not in any notable, substantial way…?

           And then it just gets worse. The curse begins actively affecting Eda outside of the transformations, making her tired, making her older and her hair gray… It’s even hindering her magic as the curse starts becoming more frequent and needy, and then suddenly it’s an elixir a day that’s needed, and that’s getting all the more costly and cumbersome for Eda. She needs to find a reliable source, she needs the good amount of snails to afford those elixirs (which could play into her being a bit of a pickpocket and slightly greedy), and she can’t really enjoy herself as free and unbridled as she used to without having to stop and go back to prioritize her medicine. More and more, this curse insists on interfering with her life, when it already caused quite a ruckus the first time- Because ruining Eda’s social life and causing her terror and distress in the initial periods of figuring it out wasn’t enough… She can never be sure if she has the curse fully figured out and thus she can be sure if she’s truly accepted and learned to live with it, because it keeps evolving.

           Eda can’t be sure if this is something she can live with, because she has no idea how far the curse can go- And so she has to account for worst-case scenarios, and that restricts Eda from the life she wanted because what happens if the curse gets worse and she’s in a vulnerable position? And that means staying at home, alone, more and more… Eda’s playing it safe and missing out, even when there may not have been a need to because she can never be certain, and it contributes to why she’s so adaptable and just accepts things in stride, immediately working with them instead of letting it soak in how it’s all been changed and disrupted. Eda can never truly settle down lest she have to move things around again and adjust her life around the curse accordingly, it’s a large and unruly, disregarding beast that keeps taking up space and shifting around with Eda having to navigate around it the entire time, no room to breathe. It might shed hairs that make Eda sneeze, or slobber all over the place- Never get comfortable because anything is liable…

           Eda used to not have a care in the world, she used to be so happy as a kid- And now she has to deliberately consider what she does with the curse on her mind, so it’s really hard to live life as if it’s not there, to not have her mind and actions wrapped around it in the end. Even when the curse isn’t there, Eda has to think about it and how it could get worse, so she couldn’t enjoy herself as the free adult she was supposed to; Obviously Eda still had room to experiment in relationships given her long list of exes… But I do have to wonder how many exes were superficially turned off in reaction to Eda’s curse, and it worsening- And how Eda may have had resentment and bitterness at the curse for ruining her relationships, only to realize that anyone who’d cut ties with her over the curse, probably wasn’t worth it anyway.

          Still, Eda’s condition interfering with other activities (including her weakened magic) would really sour her attitude and bring up old pains, thereby preventing Eda from moving on because even when she tries to forget about the curse, others will bring it up to her- Like Lilith. Obviously Eda was still able to enjoy the freedom of being on the run and escaping the system, and that clearly helped offset the restrictions of the curse… But it must’ve been hard, if not impossible, to ignore the curse and only think about it whenever Eda had to take her elixir, or when the curse became relevant- Because it could always be relevant, and it’d just make Eda feel like her entire life revolved around the curse. Every thought and happy moment had the disclaimer of “But…” regarding the curse in order to dampen her mood.

          Eda can’t fully enjoy herself, it must’ve felt so restrictive and it could’ve felt like her identity was ‘Cursed Eda’ rather than Eda as she always was, but with a curse. Eda can’t ever really move on from the curse, because it might and will get worse. Those moments where she can just live life as if she’d never been cursed at all, like she could pretend it wasn’t there- They become fewer and farther in between, as the curse takes up more of her time, suffocates Eda with the constant reminder of what she has and what she doesn’t, and invasively contributes to the idea that Eda as a person has permanently changed to be of the curse, not just occasionally with it.

          Eda could feel less like her original, happy self, and more like a curse/condition that needs to be taken care of, constantly maintained instead of a carefree witch who only needs to consider her own happiness and fulfillment. She might feel more like a problem that constantly needs to be looked after, instead of a person… And it doesn’t help how the transformations can literally cause Eda to lose her sense of self. Particularly worrying is the implication that the curse is messing with her memories, making Eda feel like she’s losing grasp of herself, and causing her to forget the childhood when she wasn’t cursed- So more and more, it feels like she’s always had the curse, and that her entire life and identity has been marred by it, that Eda is nothing without it and defined by her condition. 

         It’d feel heartbreakingly frustrating and unfair for her, to be so completely blind-sided around this sudden curse, having her life gradually flipped upside down and being almost helpless to do anything but search for a cure and fail. It goes from “I’m Eda living life as I always have and occasionally I have to step aside and deal with the curse” to “I’m always dealing with the curse and then sometimes I can just be the Eda I used to be.” It’s like the curse has overtaken, overridden Eda, replaced her original life and identity that’d been planned and intended by Eda with something else- AKA her Owl Beast form, and how it sometimes acts like a different person and won’t recognize her loved ones at first. And it’d just conflict with Eda’s belief in making your own destiny, choosing your own life, when this curse has come out of nowhere and decided so much of that for her, now dictating a huge portion of what her future will be like and stripping a lot of autonomy from Eda in that sense, especially when she transforms and can’t control her actions.

          So maybe it just causes Eda’s sort of ‘screw-it’, somewhat apathetic attitude at times because this may as well happen, so let’s just get it over with and be done, and it just makes her tired. It’s somewhat an acceptance, but also an exhausted resignation as well, so Eda doesn’t bat an eye and doesn’t fixate on what could be better, just what could be worse, so she’s glad it doesn’t get as bad as it could be, when really she needs to focus on how it could be even better- And so Eda’s never quite able to make the changes to society that she always wanted to, because she’s still too busy holding onto and maintaining whatever she can, minimizing her losses…

           It’s kind of like how Luz had to work to minimize her losses by the Season Finale- Eda still lost her magic, but at least Luz and Eda didn’t lose each other… And they DID get Lilith, admittedly! Though whether or not she compensates for their losses at all is something they need to figure out… And Lilith will have to decide if she can make up for it as well- Especially with Luz and Eda somewhat resigned to the idea of just being glad they didn’t lose what they could’ve, that it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been… So why not provide a pleasant surprise for them, Lilith, and make some things better? Luz and Eda taught Lilith that things can get better so you may as well try, Lilith can remind them what they showed her, how they’d always lived by this principle themselves! Do the good to themselves that they’ve done unto others.

           Eda wasn’t ever able to truly relax until Luz came along and Lilith had a change of heart, but even then… Eda always expects that things will come and go and change, and so she’s blindsided when she has to account for someone like Luz being a permanent presence, a relationship to get invested in and thus take proper care of; When initially, Eda wasn’t too concerned and thus not the most providing. She likely expected Luz to eventually leave, either when she learned of the curse or had to go back home by the end of summer, so no point in getting attached if she’s going to lose it- But Luz reminds Eda that she’s always been a ‘live-in-the-now’ kind of witch, who has no regrets; Surely she won’t regret enjoying her time with Luz, even if it might end.

           But, getting back to the curse- It really hurts during Sense and Insensitivity, when Eda is all nonchalant and apathetic, and then… She notices how the curse is worsening in her reflection and genuinely freaks for a moment. It terrifies her when Eda realizes that the curse is getting even worse, especially after the previous episode- And it hurts because she’s always considered this as a possibility, but now she knows it’s real and it’s literally in Eda’s face what she’s losing and just lost… It’s hard to handle and accept sometimes, Eda really wished and hoped it wouldn’t be this way, deep down; So she’s rudely reminded that of course it’d be this way with the curse, she can never get what she wants so don’t pursue it, just be happy with what she has… Don’t bother reaching out to make friends with Luz or anyone else because you’ll always be lonely and you’ve always been happy like that, what more could you need? It makes Eda a bit cautious to try new things to an extent, like enrolling her kid at Hexside and reconnecting… And it’s this careful consideration of her comfort zone that clashes with Eda’s normally adventurous and exploring personality.

           When Eda realizes the curse is getting worse, it’s like the wound is freshly opened anew- And once more it’s like she’s that young kid again, when she first found out she had the curse… When she had to deal with its unexpected effects and lived in constant paranoia, never knowing what might come or happen next, if she’ll suddenly transform or if her magic will glitch out, and this is why she can’t be around people and has to be safe at home for herself and others. It’d no doubt bring back a lot of old pains and trauma, like Eda is reliving those days when she first suffered the curse… It’s so much more difficult to be certain of the life she chose for herself, because Eda can never be certain about the curse and just how bad it’ll get- And she’s afraid she won’t always be so confident about her decision to not give herself up to Belos just to cure it…

           Because maybe the curse WILL get worse to an unexpected point, that even Eda will have to change her mind and join the Emperor’s Coven just to be free of it- Because who knows what may happen? So again, Eda has to prepare for the worst-case scenario, that she’ll hurt others and probably die an early, magic-less death, or a fate worse than death… And because she has to accept this at such a young age, Eda is too accustomed to the idea of her life ending, because she’d rather die than join the Emperor’s Coven, and had to make sure she’d be ready to make that decision at any point in her life. Only then could Eda refuse to let the curse sway her into breaking her own beliefs, by treating its worst possibility as an inevitability- And it almost was, and definitely hastened, no thanks to Lilith…

           And it culminates in Eda losing magic- But also thanks to Lilith, she’s shared the curse. And there’s no doubt SO much relief because of this, because aside from the lost magic… Any progression of the curse Eda will go through, will be something she’s already retread- So she’ll be prepared this time, and with her support network… With Lilith also here to help, Eda will know what to do. And guiding Lilith on what to expect will help Eda feel reassured even more about what’s ahead of her… So with an entire crowd confirming Eda’s choices in life by providing their support, even when they saw the extent of the curse and what it’s done to her- I think Eda can truly begin to rest now, and be at ease…

          The curse is still an issue by technicality, but it’s no longer that unpredictable monster that a paranoid Eda would always have to account for- It’s either stopped getting worse, or she’s personally lived out and seen the worst… She finally knows what’s ahead of her down this path, so now she can accommodate and adjust her plans arrangements accordingly, enabling Eda to be at ease as the only surprise she has to look forward to, is how things between her and Luz and Lilith and the others with go- And the wonderful, joyous surprise of discovering new Glyphs and magic! Eda has conquered the unknown, and now it’s something she can look forward to as pleasant surprises regarding the new developments and happiness in her life.

          It doesn’t just have to be the consideration of things staying the same, or worse, and trying to find a middle ground between the two; Eda herself taught Luz to make her own destiny, so make your own options just as the two made their own options, either opting out of the Coven System or engaging in Multi-Track learning! Don’t accept what others have laid out for you, take life by the horns and steer it wherever you want- Staying the same, getting worse… Let’s add getting better as an option, and take the initiative to choose this choice and make fate stick to it and give what it owes you.

          You’ve made your decision and you’ll stick by it, so everyone else should learn to accommodate this choice of yours and who you are, this time! Eda learned to figure out her curse and live with it, she conquered it- And she’s not someone to pity, but a witch to admire and look up to, and Luz can confirm this for her! It’s Eda who’s enviable, even with the drawback of her curse- And Lilith can attest to how much better Eda’s life is, compared to having been non-cursed in the restrictive Emperor’s Coven! Eda really went out and didn’t just make her life better than it was, didn’t settle for as good as the typical one, or the one she was meant to have- She made her life one of the best ones out there! Eda got the life she deserved, even if it might not have been the one she expected, but; She’s always worked with what she gets as a trash collector and as an adaptable survivor.

#the owl house #toh #the owl house eda #edalyn clawthorne #toh eda #eda the owl lady #speculation #meta #angst