#there are more Ls in season 1 than season 2 but oh lord season 1 is still really great

[waywardsunlight]

Season 1 of the Owl House is important, not just from a world-building and character standpoint but also as a way to show the throughly different perspectives of Luz and Belos. I think Belos only works so well as a villain because he’s so much like Luz, and while they had different intentions neither of them had interest in the world around them and rather their idea of that world. Both of them wanted to be a hero. However, in season 1, Luz breaks down her perception of what it means to be a hero and develops bonds with the people of the Isles and the world around her. She starts out as somebody who wants to fight but has no idea what she’s fighting for, she thinks she can live out a fantasy but she realizes that she cares about the people around her, that her actions have consequences. 

The season ends with Luz taking a stand and fighting for her family- her focus is no longer being a hero and the ideal that goes with it but rather protecting the people she loves, and Belos recognizes himself in her which is why he says “go, be a hero,” which hits pretty hard because Luz realizes that “being a hero” means that she has to be pretty ruthless and make sacrifices that cause her harm, which is a lesson Belos also learned but his sacrifices are entirely selfish and Luz’s were to protect her family. 

#the owl house #SEASON 1 ARGUMENT #there are more Ls in season 1 than season 2 but oh lord season 1 is still really great #and they're heavily thematically connected #no season 1 slander here

[whitetrashphilosopher-blog]

Top 5 RTD Multiparters

5. The Stolen Planet/Journey's End: This episode is so indulgent, and I love it to bits. I would liken the rest of the episodes in this list to a hearty meal, but this is a decadent dessert. It is pure fanservice and I eat it with a spoon. My favorite companions all back? Check. Awesome cameos by beloved characters from the spinoffs? Check. Funny callbacks? Check. Everyone gets to showcase why they're incredible? Check. Killer one-liners? Check. If only RTD hadn't done Donna dirty. Also, why didn't Martha and Mickey join Torchwood?! C'mon. "Tell the Doctor that he chose his companions well." Yes, he most certainly did.

4. Aliens in London/World War Three: God this episode is fun. And what an amazing cast. Harriet and Margaret are GEMS. Also the Doctor owes Mickey about a thousand apologies. Mickey is a superstar. Manages to compile piles of information about the Doctor. Faithfully watches street corners waiting for Rose to come back. He's loyal, brave and a freaking genius. Mickey Smith is the man. Also Jackie is number one mom. Yes she also did Mickey dirty, but she SLAPPED THE DOCTOR. She slapped the oncoming storm. I love Jackie Tyler so much. The characters make this storyline, but the plot it also really great. It's clever and well paced. The whole thing is oodles and oodles of fun. "Prove it, stitch this mate." I adore you Jackie Tyler.

3. Utopia/Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords: I love Donna, but can you imagine season four with Martha, Jack and Ten as the team? Wow. The chemistry of this trio is in-freaking-credible. This is the storyline that keeps on giving and every moment is full of entertainment. There's a perfect balance of fun and humor compared to tension and dread. The Master is a brilliant villian and a delight to watch. The stakes are so high and we never lose sight of them. And the dialogue, this arc has such great dialogue, especially from the master. Except for that dumb demographic boxes comment. That was beyond stupid. But this finale beats all other finales for me because the characters sacrifice so much. They suffer for the world and they do so willingly. Martha chooses to undertake her pilgrimage. Jack surrenders his chance to escape. The Doctor bares the indignities inflicted upon him. They are tormented for a year, but they come out the other side with the world intact. They earn their happy ending. "It's like when you fancy someone and they don't even know you exist. You too huh?" He doesn't deserve you Martha, Jack.

2. Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks: I love every single thing about this story SO much. I love the mystery. I love the complex plot. I love the social commentary. I love Tallulah with 3 Ls and an H. I love the showcase of the best and worst of humanity. I love the capacity for change even within a creature as deplorable as a Dalek. I love Martha Jones. I loved her from her first episode, so clever and brave even under the worst of circumstances, saving the Doctor and saving the world. But this episode is where she truly comes into her own. She takes charge when the Doctor is with the Daleks, coming up with brilliant solutions and leading well in a crisis. She is brilliant, but so much more than that she is kind. Her empathy is her greatest strength and it is showcased so well here. Her friendship with Tallulah is beautiful, and I wanted more of it by the end. I also love how the Time Lord attribute given to the hybrids that saves the day isn't mercy or compassion, but curiosity. It's not that they abhor violence, but they demand to know why. They don't want to take orders but decide for themselves. That's VERY the Doctor. Free Will saves the day is hardly a brand new idea, but damn it plays out so well here. Lazlo is a gem, and his romance with Tallulah is precious. I do wish the hybrids had survived and been allowed to start a civilization on a new world, but you can't have everything in life. "It plays music. What's the point of that? Oh, with music, you can dance to it. Sing with it. Fall in love to it. Unless you're a Dalek, of course. Then it’s just noise."

1. The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances: This episode was when I fell in love with Doctor Who. Was it because of the charming Captain Jack played by the fantastic John Barrowman? Was it because of the amazing anti-war pro-welfare message? Was it because of the incredible chemistry between Jack, Rose and Nine? Was it because of the fascinating storyline that kept you hanging onto the edge of your seat? Was it because of all the amazing one-liners? I mean yeah, all of those things, but most of all it's because of Nancy. Because the world is cruel and so unkind, but Nancy's not. Nancy cares for the children even after losing her own. Nancy braves the horror and the danger. Even when she has no hope. Even in the pit of despair. Life has been so unkind to Nancy, but she never lets it make her unkind. When faced with monsters she sings to them. Soldiers are useless and only worsen the situation. It's Nancy that saves the whole world with just a single hug. The philosophy behind this episode is so good and it bleeds through in every interaction. There's a banana grove where a weapons factory used to be. A screwdriver is more valuable than a gun. Forgiveness is more persuasive than force. It's all so beautiful. Even the most bitter misanthrope couldn't help but fall a little bit in live with humanity after seeing this. I should know. "Everybody lives! Just this once Rose, everybody lives!"