I’m an avid lover and watcher of cartoons— it might sound a bit childish, but there’s something wonderful and nostalgic about sitting down to enjoy a cartoon every now and then. One that I recently have started is one called The Owl House on Disney and Disney+. It follows teenage Luz Noceda, a Dominican-American teenage girl, as she’s thrown into the weird world of the Boiling Isles, where she meets witches, demons, and all sorts of supernatural creatures. It’s an incredible watch for many reasons— the writing, plot, animation, and characters are just a few of them.
However, one aspect of this show that makes it so important and incredible is how Luz is written. She’s an intelligent, kind, and funny female lead who has flaws just like everyone else. Her teenage antics are what makes her so lovable and so human— she was just like the rest of us when we were her age. Luz is described as “eccentric” but others but she does not care; she marches to the beat of her own drum per se. It’s definitely comforting to see a character who embraces everything about herself, even the unconventional parts, and something I would have loved to see as a kid who didn’t always “fit in”. She strives to be a part of a world that she can fit in with, which anyone can find inspiring at any age. Luz is a wonderful protagonist. The other protagonist, the owl lady Eda, is an independent and carefree individual who goes by her own rules. The two make up a wonderful duo of individuals who don’t exactly fit the mold of what they’re supposed to be but find their own family within each other.
One of the most groundbreaking factors that set The Owl House apart from other shows is the diversity and LGBTQ+ representation of the characters. Luz Noceda is bisexual, as well as her partner Amity. This was a huge step in the right direction for representation, as this is the first young queer couple ever canonically shown on the Disney channel. As a queer person, this was amazing to see and I can’t imagine how impactful this would have been for me to see when I was younger. However, the romance isn’t over the top and is a tasteful representation of what it feels like to have a crush as a preteen.
If this isn’t enough to convince you to give The Owl House a watch, the show has wonderful animation, and writing, and the supporting characters are just as wonderful and diverse as the main cast. Shows like this are important because they break the mold of what children’s cartoons have been for years, and put forth wonderful storylines filled with diverse characters and representation that are important for younger audiences to see. However, it’s still charming enough for audiences of any age to sit down and enjoy, much like myself. The Owl House has definitely changed the game for animated shows in terms of characters and representation. It offers a fresh perspective on the potential that animation can have when it comes to these factors, which is why it is such a wonderful watch.