Fans of Star Vs. the Forces of Evil or Gravity Falls, get ready! Owl House is a new hit and a bright spot in this crazy year. This wholesome, imaginative Disney show follows the adventure of Luz Noceda, a young human that stumbles into the Boiling Isles, a magical world of demons and witchcraft. She decides to stay and learn magic from the rebellious witch, Eda the Owl Lady, and her adorable demon roommate King. Along the way she makes new friends, lives out her fantasy dreams, and gets into trouble as the only human in this realm. The magic in the world often turns normal fantasy tropes on their heads and though darker than other Disney shows, Owl House is an overall delight. If I haven’t convinced you yet, here are eight more reasons why you should watch!

1. Our Hero, Luz Noceda

You couldn’t ask for a better protagonist to follow into the world of the Boiling Isle. Luz, voiced by Sarah-Nicole Robles, is inquisitive, enthusiastic, and 100% authentically herself. She is a bisexual Dominican-American teen that represents so many of us who grew up wishing that we could do magic like the characters we read about. For being a human that shouldn’t be able to physically do magic, she is determined to find another way, which is incredibly inspiring.

2. Memorable Characters

A show would be nothing without a great ensemble of characters and this show does not disappoint! They are all incredibly quirky and easy to fall in love with. Eda is a great snarky mentor, that loves to boast about her independence and the bounty on her head. King is a demon that wants to be a tyrant but is also too adorable to be taken seriously. Gus and Willow are such wholesome friends that are definitely more powerful than they let on, and Amity is more than just your average perfectionist mean girl. We also meet Eda’s sister Lilith, a straight-laced member of the Emperor’s coven, the most powerful coven that upholds the laws at any cost. They have a great dynamic and a sibling rivalry that is extra dangerous when you consider how powerful and hotheaded both of them can get. Everyone is more than the archetypes they fit into on first glance, and even the side characters have interesting plots and can capture your attention with a one-liner.

3. Unique World Building

From skin eating fairies to a spooky night market, the Boiling Isles is an incredibly fascinating land that turns the magical stories we know on their head. It’s dangerous but beautiful, with depths we’ve only just begun to delve into and creatures that are extremely imaginative and sometimes very creepy in the best way. Even common objects like watches have demonic versions. It’s such a direct contradiction to the human world and the Reality Check camp that Luz is supposed to go to. The systems of government are complex and hint towards larger systematic commentary later on in the series. The lore is hinted to get even more complicated, exciting, and darker as the series goes on.

4. So Much Magic

Fan of Harry Potter? We’ve got you. Magic is naturally wild and a force of nature on the Boiling Isles, yet it is regulated as everyone cultivates one track of magic at Hexside Academy, a Hogwarts-like school. Instead of four houses, there are different magical tracks like plant magic or illusion magic that eventually lead to a coven and the only magic you’ll practice for life. Every display of magic, from the smallest light spell to the weirdest body swap spell, is a rich display of power and imagination. The whole structure also brings up the essential question that hatstalls in Harry Potter face (with higher stakes)– what do you do if you feel like you’re in the wrong track or want to learn multiple kinds of magic? And are there other ways of doing magic?

5. Queer Representation

It’s official, Disney has its first canon bisexual protagonist! After years of creators fighting for any representation in animation, executives have started to come around. Owl House not only provides queer subtext but makes it very overt with intimate moments and clear attraction. They do not hold back! Dana Terrance confirmed that Luz was bi and even that Amity is a lesbian, but that did not come as a shock to anyone watching. There are some very nice moments of crushing and gay panic that are incredibly relatable. The relationship doesn’t overwhelm the plot but enhances just another part of their lives and relationships to explore. It is just a part of their story and it will be exciting to see where they take those characters in future seasons!

6. The Relationships

You’ve got found family, you’ve got tense family dynamics, you’ve got longtime rifts to mend! Each relationship has a fresh dynamic that pulls something different out of each other. Each character are weirdos in their own ways but they take care of each other and push each other to be their best selves. They each have a lot of skeletons in their closets but Eda adopting Luz, and by extension, her friends, creates something like the traditional covens but wild, accepting, filled with all kinds of magic, and are incredibly powerful.

7. The Beautiful Animation

The animation style is definitely up there with shows like Steven Universe and Gravity Falls. The whole world comes alive in bright colours and memorable 2D designs. Every movement is so fluid and detailed, especially in the different action sequences. There is one dance sequence late in the season, in particular, that is beautiful and worth re-watching over and over again. The characters’ designs are all unique and the different creatures are unlike anything I’ve seen before.

8. The Fandom

The fandom is incredibly active and enthusiastic. From coming up with theories to making fan art, people have gotten very involved. Fans have even adopted an anthem! After an animated video of Luz and Amity was released to the song “Little Miss Perfect” by Joriah Kwamé, it quickly blew up. Even though the song was originally released as a 13 Reasons Why song in a contest, the lyrics seemed to fit Amity in particular so well. People were so engaged that Joriah Kwamé wrote another song called “Ordinary” as a sequel from Luz’s point of view that was dedicated to the Owl House fandom. Both songs are super cute, especially in relation to each other, and the enthusiasm really represents the passion of the fandom.

Owl House is a great balance of humour and emotional depth and the first season really kicked off with a bang. It has some great messages about staying true to yourself, and that even if your dreams seem impossible, there still might be a way to get there. With a clever plot, and so much still unanswered, this show still provides plenty to explore and mull over. As fans wait patiently for season 2, you can check this show out on Disney Plus now!

Have you watched Owl House? Or will you be checking it out? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 8 Reasons Why You Should Watch ‘Owl House’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

In the history of television, LGBTQIA characters have been few and far between, and the ones that did make it onto our screens for years were either reduced to stereotypes or punchlines. We’ve come a long way but bisexuality still sometimes gets watered down as an “in between phase” between gay and straight and often gets misunderstood or used to cause drama between characters. It is often hypersexualised or attached to cheating, and those who might be considered bisexual never claim the identity, leaving it up to interpretation and thus possible erasure.

For those who don’t feel like they are just attracted to one gender, to see a character on the screen that they can identify with is extremely powerful. It helps us see that our experiences are real and that we are not alone. Television allows you to spend quite a bit of time with a character and get to know their entire experience. In recent years, more and more characters have been open about their sexuality and have been exploring the many different experiences bisexual people can have, which helps people feel seen, and helps people understand what bisexuality really is. We still have a long way to go, but every step helps bisexual people of all ages come to understand their sexuality and feel valid. Everyone deserves to see themselves on television and these characters are just a few of canonically bisexual characters that are incredible and deserve to be celebrated.

Rosa Diaz

Rosa Diaz on Brooklyn Nine-Nine is an extremely private person and although she doesn’t come out on the show until Season 5 Episode 10, she has known that she is bisexual since she was 7. When she finally does come out to her friends and family, the plot is handled with extreme care and respect. Her coming out arc with her parents shows a more bittersweet, authentic experience where her parents do not understand it at first and their relationship becomes more complicated. The actress, Stephanie Beatriz, is also a bisexual icon, just adding more authenticity and clear representation to this world. In an interview in 2018, she said, “I never had anything like that representation when I was growing up, I didn’t know how to name myself for a really long time”. Her sexuality is not treated as a tragic storyline, or a problem to overcome, it is an important part of her identity that is named and not pushed to the margins. Rosa’s bisexuality is not her entire identity as well, which is an important step to normalising all types of experience and validating so many people!

Sara Lance

Sara Lance, the bisexual former assassin and current captain of a time ship on Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow, was one of the first openly queer characters in the cinematic DC universe. She is very open about her sexuality and has very deep relationships with both men and women, including Oliver Queen, Nyssa Ra Gul, and now Ava Sharpe, her “co-captain for life”. Sara and Ava’s relationship is beautiful and healthy, with many plotlines dedicated to them working out problems together, communicating and building a life together through all the chaos of their time traveling jobs. Throughout her travels, she has quite a few flings with characters throughout history, and helps some women find freedom in their sexuality, no matter what time period they are from. Sara is never reduced to just her sexuality, but it is a celebrated part of her that no one questions, a trend that is so inspirational and important.

Petra Solano

Petra is another character that has a sexual revelation in the middle of the series. Introduced on Jane the Virgin as a villain, she has incredible character development as she becomes a better person and learns to be more open with others and herself. She figures out that she is not straight later in life, after having children and relationships with a few male characters. Her feelings for her lawyer JR are unexpected and take her out of her confident comfort zone as she begins to overanalyse text messages, get jealous and make romantic gestures to win her over. Their relationship progression is adorable and accepted quickly by everyone in Petra’s life. Her family is the driving factor for Petra’s development, but her relationship with JR definitely pushes her to be more vulnerable and honest, while still allowing her to stay true to her ambitions and tough exterior. Petra is another character that also says the word bisexual, providing more explicit representation that people can look up to.

Avatar Korra

Avatar Korra is one of the original animated bisexual icons. After a love triangle with her friends Mako and Asami at the start of Legends of Korra, she ends up having relationships with both of them by the end of the series. Her and Asami’s relationship was groundbreaking for television and their relationship is a beautiful progression that takes the subtext between the two and leans into it. Their relationship is natural and builds upon incredible chemistry, and instead of just ignoring it and letting fans read into it forever, the show makes it canon. Although the two women don’t progress more than holding hands at the end of the series (though that’s enough in my book to demonstrate a relationship), the comics that follow delve deeper into their relationship.

Darryl Whitefeather

Darryl’s arc on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend proves that it is never too late to figure out your sexuality. He is a middle-age divorced man that realises that he is bisexual and explores his sexuality after being attracted to another man. Not only does he say that he is bisexual on the show, but he also sings it! During a meeting at his law firm, he comes out to everyone in the song “Getting Bi” which has quickly become a bisexual anthem! He sums up the bisexual experience really well, celebrating his identity while calling out biphobia and stereotypes such as bisexuality being a “phase” or that he is just being indecisive. It’s an incredibly fun jam, and extremely refreshing that when he performs this song, people are more annoyed that he is taking up time in the meeting to sing, rather than reacting negatively to his bisexuality. He provides some of the most explicitly bi representation on television and validates bisexual people no matter how old.

Toni Topaz

Toni has a very casual coming out on Riverdale, normalising bisexuality further, when she comes out to Jughead after they spend a night together. She is bisexual in the comics and though Riverdale is not always a show to stay close to the comics, they continue to explore her sexuality and relationships with Jughead and Cheryl. She is very confident and engaging already as a character, and she helps Cheryl come to terms with her own sexuality. Admittedly she really does deserve better, as she is often reduced to a sidekick or love interest and hasn’t had much character development since she was introduced. Sometimes it feels like Toni is just a way to boost Cheryl’s character up more but she has so much potential and should be treated as the independent queen that she is.

Eleanor Shellstrop

The protagonist of The Good Place, Eleanor has never defined her sexuality on the show. However she has many flirtatious moments with Tahani, and they were even soulmates for a split second while they ran through all the different simulations. Eleanor has never been shy about her feelings and admits at one point that she might actually might be into Tahani, though never pursues it. William Jackson Harper, the actor that plays Eleanor’s main love interest, Chidi, confirms her identity in an interview with Metro in 2018, saying “There’s a million different possibilities and one of the things I think the show does well, and [which I’m] really kind of into, is the fact that Eleanor is super bisexual and it’s not something that we just focus on. It’s not the reason for the show and it’s not a thing that is harped on, it’s just who she is”. All the characters accept each others’ sexualities without question and although it would have been great to dive deeper into her sexuality, it wasn’t the direction of the show.

Luz Noceda

Perhaps the newest (and youngest) character on this list, Luz Noceda is the protagonist of the new Disney show Owl House. She is an incredibly imaginative young human thrown into a magical world, and is unapologetically herself. Throughout the first season, she has already shown hints of being attracted to male and female characters, and the creator, Dana Terrence has officially confirmed that she is bisexual. This is an incredible feat, especially considering Disney’s track record with representation. Terrence herself is bisexual and especially pushed back against Disney officials’ initial hesitation because she knew how important it would be for the community and the character. If I had seen a character like Luz when I was young, it would have saved years of confusion and uncertainty. It will be very exciting to see Luz grow and come into her sexuality in the coming seasons!

Do you have any other favourites? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 8 Established Bisexual Characters On Television To Celebrate appeared first on The Nerd Daily.