The Owl House (TOH) has recently come to an end and fans around the world are mourning its premature death. Starting in 2020, and ending on the 8th of April 2023, TOH is a cartoon about a teenage human called Luz Noceda, who stumbles upon the Boiling Isles where she learns how to become a witch, creating friends and foes along the way. 

TOH engages you through its brilliant storytelling, with twists and turns throughout, completely innocent looking characters - or even those from the past turning out to not be so nice, or seemingly evil characters turning out to be kind. The worldbuilding is exquisite and, best of all, there are no filler episodes! 

We all know representation matters and, when it comes to TOH, you can be rest assured it’s done and what’s done is done right; whether it’s disability, body types or colour, TOH knows how to do representation, with Luz being the first canonically bisexual protagonist in Disney history, as well as being in a relationship with a character who is canonically lesbian. However, as I’m sure some of you will have been quick to point out, there is one exception to this: Willow Park. It is to no-one’s surprise that Willow is a fan-favourite, she’s strong, is a badass plant witch, and is plus sized - without the stereotypes of the “fat funny friend” or her only being on screen to talk about food. Willow has been well-received by fans of all sizes, as she not only represents body positivity, but is also one of the most powerful witches on the Boiling Isles. The problem? She looks neither Black nor Asian, despite being canonically - which as I’m sure you can see is a problem. Now, this could be attributed to her having two dads, but it is implied that same sex couples having children on the Boiling Isles isn’t an issue, so why does Willow scarcely resemble either? Granted, she does more resemble her Asian dad but, again, has been confirmed to be Black-Asian, which would insinuate her being the biological child of both her dads, yet she doesn’t resemble her black dad at all. For a show that isn’t scared to represent people of all colours and backgrounds, why was Willow kept with a pale complexion and straight hair? As of yet, Dana Terrace (creator and producer) has not cleared this up, leaving fans to speculate on why this might have been. 

Finally, where does TOH sit when compared to other, similar, successful cartoons, such as Gravity Falls, Steven Universe and Amphibia? Worse? Better? Personally, I believe that each show built the stage for TOH to perform on. Gravity Falls being the foundations, the very base of modern cartoons like it, with its introduction to other worlds and magic, integrating magic and mystery in unpredictable ways. Steven Universe is the main frame, with its story amplifying the amount of magic and intensity, whilst also having female characters play a more constant prominent role. Amphibia, in contrast, brings down the intensity of the magic, opting for a route of “magic is the normal here”. This show also utilises another, magical dimension and has our protagonist sent there with the way out broken. Amphibia is the icing on the cake, the wings and lights, casting the spotlight down for TOH’s grand performance. TOH took the good parts of these great shows and turned it into something spectacular and eye-catching, a programme that is sure to not only leave you on the edge of your seat throughout the seasons, but leave a lasting impression on you for the better. 

Overall, TOH is a brilliant show, and I couldn’t recommend it enough. Despite its cancellation and resultant shortening of seasons 2B and 3, Dana Terrace and her crew did a wonderful job, creating a rich story with vibrant characters and crafty worldbuilding. TOH is a part of me that I will never forget, and I hope that everyone can see just how great this programme is. So, yes, The Owl House is truly the best!