It was the curse that created the rift between us.

Young Eda: It always starts the same way. I wake up someplace dark. And then it appears. And eventually, I wake up, and I know I turned into…that thing.

We finally start delving into Eda’s backstory here.

Healer: Mrs. Clawthorne, we have never seen a curse quite like this. I’m not sure it can be healed. Perhaps if we consult the Potions Coven, they may know a way to keep it at bay-

Mrs. Clawthorne: Keep it at bay? Oh no! My daughter is suffering, and I want that thing out! Cut it out if you have to.

Upon overhearing her mother so flagrantly disregarding her opinion on her own body, Eda runs away and discovers the portal door…

Eda: Calm down, just calm down. The curse acts stronger when you’re stressed.

Lilith: That was…horrible! How have you managed all these years?

Eda: Well, it’s been hard, but since we split the curse, at least the elixirs are working again.

[…]

Lilith: I had no idea this is what I did to you. I am so, so sorry.

Eda: Eh, at least I got company now. And you got me if you need anything.

This episode doesn’t so much feature two separate plotlines as variations on a common theme: Relationships with parents.

Gwendolyn: Hello, little witchlet! Come here!

Eda: Gwendolyn.

Gwen: Are we still on that? I’m your mother. Call me Mom!

Lilith: Mom?

Gwen: Today, I am about to complete a thirty-year mission.

Eda: Oh no.

Gwen: Your mother has finally succeeded!

Eda: Here it comes.

Gwen: Today I shall be curing your curse!

Eda: No thanks.

And then she proceeds to send her flying away on her staff.

Eda: Moms, amiright?

Lilith: I haven’t seen Mother in forever! And she was handing you a cure on a silver platter!

Luz: I’d kill to see my mom right now, and you just launched yours into the sky?

Eda: Oh, listen. She comes around every year toting a new cure for my curse, but they never work! So I am done getting my hopes up.

Lilith: Mother visits Edalyn regularly?

Luz somewhat understandably wants to reconcile Eda with her mother because of her worries about her separation from her own mother.

When Gwen offers a hint about creating a new portal to the human realm in exchange for Luz’s help with breaking Eda’s curse, that’s just the icing on the cake.

Then King and Lilith get to talking about their respective absentee parents.

Lilith: Good luck with all that dad stuff. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how dutiful you are, or successful you are, parents just won’t give you the time of day.

King: Don’t listen to her, Francois. My dad won’t be like that.

Lilith: Right. Your mysterious father, who didn’t even stick around to watch you hatch! Looks like you and I are in the same boat, King.

And it gradually devolves into a full-fledged pity party.

Hooty: That’s, uh, that’s an awful lot of ice cream you guys are eating. You know Eda gets that stuff from the Night Market, right?

Lilith: Are you my mother? Because that is an awful lot of judgement.

King: This stinks! If my dad doesn’t care about me, why should I care about him, hm? Well I’m not going to him! He’s gonna have to come to me!

Well, In King’s case, that’s the only possible way that he could connect with his dad, but these two aren’t exactly in a rational state of mind right now…

Meanwhile, Gwen is trying to scare the curse out of Eda or something.

Gwen: Only people who have scaled Wartlop’s pyramid of study can touch the tome!

Luz: Gwen, you’re being scammed! Wartlop is a fake!

Gwen: You really think I’d spend my life savings on a fake?

While I appreciate the jab at multi-level marketing schemes, it’s ultimately a distraction from the point of the episode.

Gwen: Luz, I really thought we were on the same side. According to Wartlop, poison like this is made by healers and potion-makers who simply want money!

It doesn’t help that this isn’t really the language of anti-vaxxers (which this is clearly alluding to as well), since they’d just say that it’s poison without citing the source (at least initially), because they would genuinely believe that.

Luz: Whatever. I’ll just get more at the house.

Gwen: I’m afraid that will be a waste of your time. Hawksley cleared out every bottle hours ago.

Luz: Why would you do that?

Gwen: Because I am a mother who will do anything for her daughter.

Meanwhile, back at the Owl House…

Lilith: I’m sick of being overlooked! From now on, I- I have no mother! And I’d say that to her face!

[…]

Hooty: Isn’t that taking it a bit too far?

King: It’s not taking it far enough! Go tell her! Go on! She’s right outside.

Lilith: She is?

King: Yeah, I saw her go off with Luz. I think they’re gonna heal Eda’s curse or whatever.

Lilith: Oh, is that so. Mother paying attention to Edalyn. Again. I mean, it’s not like I care.

And then, with no elixirs left in the house, she succumbs to the curse.

And then Luz is dealing with the same issue with Eda right now.

Eda: This was all you? You weren’t healing me! You nearly killed me!

Luz: Eda, please, try to stay calm.

Eda: Why? Why should I be calm? I have a right to be upset!

And before they know it, both Eda and Lilith are in their owlbeast forms rampaging around Boneseborough.

Gwen: That was my little sweet flea? That means she’s also-

King: Cursed, yes! Were you not paying any attention to her?

With a regular family crisis on her hands, Gwen is forced to rethink her strategy, and hence goes to confront Wartlop (who turns out to be three little gremlins in a wizard suit).

Gwen: You know, right after Eda was cursed, I joined the Beastkeeper Coven. I thought they surely would know what to do. But the Beastkeepers told me it couldn’t be tamed, and the healers told me it couldn’t be healed. Eda told me she found something that made it manageable at least, but I didn’t listen.

It’s still an unrealistically swift change of heart, but at least they took a stab at developing her before she joins the fight.

Gwen: My beautiful daughters, I’ve failed you. Edalyn? You’re in there, aren’t you? I should’ve listened to you. I know now why you pushed me away. […] I made you think your curse was something to be ashamed of. Whether we want it or not, it’s a part of you. And I love every part of you.

This is the piece Gwen was missing all along, and it rings true for many neurodivergent people: Trying to get rid of the symptoms can be tantamount to removing a piece of your child.

Eda gets the strength to fight back against her curse because she finally knows that it’s okay if she fails.

Eda: My turn to drive.

And then she finally turns to Lilith.

Gwen: Lilith. You were always so self-sufficient. But I didn’t give you the attention you deserved.

Gwen: It’s okay. Everything’s okay now. I’m here for you both.

Although this episode is sort of wish-fulfillment in a similar vein as Steven Universe, it improves upon that in two ways. First, unlike with Dr. Maheswaran or even White Diamond, this episode actually takes the time to explore Gwen’s perspective before she changes her mind, and unlike them, it didn’t necessarily feel like she HAD to change her mind for the sake of the plot. Luz and King were there, and while it would’ve been a lot more difficult without Gwen’s help, it wouldn’t have been impossible. The other difference is just the fact that Eda and Lilith are adults, and hence their mother isn’t nearly as important a part of their lives as was the case with the child protagonists of SU. They’ve managed to get along without her for decades, so there was no guarantee she’d ever be reconciled with them, let alone in this episode.

Lilith: Well, we were talking, and I’ve decided to go home with mother and make up for lost time.

Luz: What?

Eda: Lily?

King: You lived here?

But of course the only one who’s really sad is Hooty.

Hooty: No! Lulu, you can’t!

Lilith: Hootsifer, I have to. But don’t worry, we can be pen pals!

Hooty: But I can’t hold a pen!

And Gwen finally tells Luz what she knows about portals.

Gwen: You’re not the only human to have lived in Bonesborough. There’s a rare substance called Titan’s Blood. It is extremely powerful, and sometimes causes leaks between our realms. Plants, animals – you guys have a lot of garbage, by the way. But humans are rare. My great grandmother told me about a human who once lived here, but one day he just vanished. Rumor has it he left something in the library, and if you can find out more about him…

Luz: Maybe I can find out how he got here!

But Luz is still missing her mom.

Luz: I’ll be home soon, Mom. Camp’s probably ended by now. She must be so worried.

But back in the human realm, Luz’s mom is shockingly okay…

“Luz”: Here, Mamá.

Mama Noceda: Thank you, Luz. You always know what to do.

Until next time…