It’s like all of Hexside’s caught Willow fever!

Sweet, wholesome Willow has suddenly gotten quite popular!

Willow: Ever since I patched things up with Amity, I’ve been feeling more confident. I guess it shows.

But all’s not as perfect as one could wish. Despite Amity telling her friends to lay off of Willow, Boscha’s picking on her worse than ever now that she has some degree of popularity, stealing her thunder as the captain of the Grudgby team, the requisite magical sport.

Boscha: It’s weird that Amity hangs out with you now. Ever since Grom, she’s gone soft. But don’t worry, I’m still here to show you who’s boss.

Luz: Don’t worry. It’s not like she can follow us around all day.

Luz: She followed us around all day. She LITERALLY followed us around all day!

But this is a state of things that Luz cannot allow to stand. So she tries asking Amity about it.

Amity: Oh, Luz! You’re here! I mean, obviously you’re here, this is school, and you go here now, with, uh, me…I’ve been talking for too long.

Poor Amity just can’t spit it out, can she?

But as soon as she stops talking, Luz draws her attention to Boscha’s handiwork.

Amity: Yeah, this time of year [Grudgby season] she’s extra unbearable.

Luz: You’re friends with her! Can you help us?

Amity: The hard part is, there’s no reasoning with Boscha. She only speaks in Grudgby terms.

So that gives Luz an idea…

Hooty: Guess who found a special friend in the forest? It was me!

Meanwhile, back at the Owl House, Lilith’s been caught/dropped in for a relatively friendly visit.

Lilith: Come on! I have to bring you in! It’s time for you to join the coven. The Emperor has big plans for the isles, and he wants you to be a part of it all.

As always, Eda declines the offer to join willingly, but she seemingly appreciates that Lilith is still asking (as opposed to trying to force her), so she proposes an alternative.

Eda: Luz is always challenging people to things. Why not me?

She challenges Lilith to a one-on-one Grudgby match, since they were evidently quite good at it in their own ways back in school.

Unsurprisingly, Luz has pretty much the same idea: Challenging Boscha and her team to a Grudgby match, which she readily accepts. The problem, of course, is that none them have ever played Grudgby before.

Luz: What about you, Amity?

Amity: Me? On a team with you? Running around in cute uniforms? Sweating? I gotta go!

Her embarrassed face is the same as her angry face!

Anyhow, Luz really doesn’t know what she’s doing, but that’s kinda her M.O. She relies on good old movie/TV magic to do the heavy lifting for an underdog sports story, starting with a training montage.

Gus: What’s a…mon-tage?

Gus: Oh, I get it now! Wait, were we just having a tea party in animal jammies?

Luz: What happens in the montage stays in the montage!

I’ve got to admit, this is probably the most consistently funny episode yet. It helps that, while there are still clear stakes in both of the plotlines, situating them around games makes them feel a bit more manageable. And I also care about the outcome of both games.

But Luz pushes her team a bit too hard with her training, and Gus gets hurt, leading him and Willow to give up on the whole endeavor.

Willow: Luz! Not everything con be solved with a good attitude and a dope music soundtrack. We’re going to lose, and no movie can help us against that.

So Luz decides to forfeit the game and take all the punishment on herself, because of course she does.

Luz: I just hate seeing Willow get picked on. She’s one of the best friends I’ve ever had. Winning this game is the only way I know how to help.

But Luz being in danger in turn triggers the Amity.

Amity: Luz needs our help! I know she pushed you guys, and she always gets in over her head. She can be so stupid, which I love- I mean hate! In any case, she needs you right now, which is sweet- I mean, I hate it! And it’s dumb!

She done gone soft! And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Back at the Owl House, it’s a pretty even match, even with Hooty occasionally popping in and interfering with both sides.

Then Eda pulls out her box of tricks in a tight spot – as in, a literal box of cheats that she used to earn her place on the Grudgby team.

Eda: Dangit, Luz! Your nonsense has gotten into my head.

So Eda reluctantly opts for a clean game.

Amity manages to rally the troops, but as Gus is still slightly traumatized by the Grudgby field, Amity herself takes his place as the third player (evidently it was just training with Luz that she found so unbearable…).

Boscha: You just destroyed your social life.

Amity: Nah. I think I made it better.

Luz proceeds to learn the fire glyph from Boscha’s flaming Grudgby strike, and they also befriend Boscha’s teammates by being good sports. And they seemingly manage to eke out a win!

But then Boscha pulls this out.

Willow: She caught the rusty smidge.

Luz: The what?

Boscha: Yeah, while you were celebrating your victory, I caught this guy. It means we automatically win. All magic sports are like this.

Luz: That just invalidates all our efforts! If catching that thing is so important, why do anything else? There’s no reason to watch any of the other players! That’s such a stupid rule!

It’s clearly a jab at Quidditch and it is hilarious.

But now that Luz and Willow have earned the respect of the other players, they’re not going to pick on them anymore, even if they did technically lose.

But there is one more casualty…

Luz: I could help carry you if it really hurts.

Amity: I’m fine! Who’s Amity?

THESE TWO!

Meanwhile at the Owl House, Eda’s won fair and square, but still takes pity on her sister.

Lilith: I can’t go back to the Emperor empty-handed!

Eda: Here. Tell him I put up a heck of a struggle.

Lilith: I will be back for you. And next time, I won’t be alone.

This is a great comedy episode, managing to develop the characters (and have some great jokes) without losing sight of the larger plot.

Until next time…