King discovers who he really is…and it is A Lot.

The episode opens with King dreaming about what his bio family will be like, and the gradual realization that it IS just a dream is kind of heartbreaking.

But unfortunately, the Owl Family has bigger issues at the moment.

King: What’s going on? Is there trouble?

Eda: We’re about to find out. Luz is ready to talk.

And naturally, she has to make some visual aids first, because this is still Luz.

Eda: This is just a lot to take in.

Luz: We don’t have time to take anything in. We have to stop Belos! I was a part of his plan – I fell for everything!

Eda: King, Hooty, you know what to do.

To be fair, cuddles are a great place to be when you’re stressed.

Eda: Well, one thing’s for sure. People can tell when you’ve been inside their head. It’s only a matter of time before Belos sends his scouts over here. You need to hide.

Luz: I am not hiding. I am gonna stop Belos from completing the draining spell! I just need to figure out how.

Then they’re interrupted by Lilith, and Hooty’s so happy to see her that he…barfs up some garbage?

Including that letter for King from like, half a season ago.

King: “Dear King Clawthorne, if you wish to know who you truly are, come to this location and meet our warrior clan.” I think they might be my family!

Of course, Luz is eager to follow that lead, but Eda’s still (understandably) stressing over the whole Belos situation.

Luz: I say let’s go for it!

Eda: I say you two need a safe place to hide while the adults take care of things.

Surprisingly, Lilith supports the endeavor, too.

Lilith: It wouldn’t hurt to check. Plus, judging by King’s map, you two would be taken far, far away from the Boiling Isles, and Emperor Belos.

Eda: What if something goes wrong?

Lilith: Hooty could accompany them. Their safety would be your responsibility, my dear, brave Hootsifer.

Hooty: I would protect these silly children with my life!

I can’t say I understand their relationship, but it appears to be doing both of them some good, so I won’t question it.

Eda: Fine. You can go. We’ll find out all we can on our end to create a plan for, ah, when you get back.

Besides reconnecting with King’s lost family, they also have a slightly more relevant goal, as a warrior clan could be a useful ally, if they can enlist their help in the fight against Belos.

But it’s all Eda can do to see them off with a smile.

Eda: Oh, this is so much bigger than I imagined, Lily. I thought Luz was just some lost kid, but because of me, she’s wrapped up in this thing with Belos and it’s- it’s just not fair. She and King are children, they shouldn’t have to deal with this.

On the one hand, don’t you go blaming yourself for all this, Eda! On the other hand, I do appreciate that they bring this up. Luz (and King) shouldn’t feel responsible for the actions of any adults, let alone Belos, who was clearly intent on destroying the demon realm long before she showed up. It’s shockingly common in children’s media to show kids shouldering the weight of the world, but that’s never the way it SHOULD be. But at the same time, the stakes are just as high for them as for the adults.

Anyhow, they’re off onto the high seas!

Hooty: Is that a finger? It’s a long way from our Titan.

Salty: That’s cause it’s not from our Titan. This be part of a different beastie.

They find a portal leading here, to what appears to be some sort of Titan graveyard.

By the Huntsman, tis King! My name is Tarak. Hail and well met!

King: Did you send me that letter? Are- are you my…

Tarak: Father? Alas, no. Nor is he here. But I did send the letter, and by the sight of you I know he was one of us. He passed down that handsome skull of yours, didn’t he?

Tarak: We are Titan Trappers, under oath to protect the world from giant monsters of death and destruction! But, uh, not many of us have seen a live one, of course. […]

Luz: Aren’t titans extinct?

Tarak: Not all of them. The Grand Huntsman says one remains, so we sharpen our spears until the vile creature rears its head, and a new hunt can begin!

King: They’re gonna show me their Titan Trapper ways, Luz! I guess they’re my ways, too!

Luz: How about Hooty and I go see the elder, and in the meantime, you learn all you can about being a Titan Trapper.

King: This is a dream come true!

But of course, the dream has to end sooner or later…and it does all too soon.

And so, Luz goes to talk with their elder, Bill, about lending their aid to the fight against Belos.

Bill: If you think Belos is evil, you’ve never seen a live titan. The children out there haven’t, either. Don’t know a thing about their ravenous appetites, or their terrible cries! Even their babies act like little monarchs. The last living titan. I saw it once. Before it disappeared, its hateful roar blew out my eardrums. How did it go? “Weh”!

Luz: So, titans are always hungry, act like monarchs, and say, “weh”?

Bill: The Huntsman wants us to find the last one. Only a titan’s power can free him from his prison, but we’ve had no luck.

Then Hooty discovers they have a shrine for the Collector.

Bill: Ah, you’ve found the shrine to the Huntsman.

Bill: Like our disguises? Gotta look like a titan to trap one. And if I ever find that missing titan, I’d hunt it down, tear it limb from limb, and mount its head in pride as we release the Huntsman! Then we could finally go from Titan Trappers to Titan Slayers! Say, who’s your buddy’s tailor? His costume looks so real!

So that’s enough for Luz to make a move for the door, but as soon as Bill returns to his window, he hears a telltale “weh”…

Of course, King should find it weird that they seemingly mount the heads of “their own kind” on walls, but he’s just so happy to have a family…

King: Woah! There’s all sorts of things I shouldn’t touch.

Tarak: Aye, for now. But when you grow older, I would be delighted to show you how to dismember your enemies.

King: You would do that?

Then he ASKS TO PLAY CATCH. i can’t.

And just then, Bill calls him up, and Tarak announces that he’ll be “inducted” into the clan…

Tarak: Your presence is very special to us, King. Now, we can release the Grand Huntsman from his prison, and be granted power and glory!

King sets this broken symbol of the Collector on fire, and hears a familiar (to the audience) laugh.

And Luz has suspiciously vanished…

…because now she knows how much they want to kill our good boy. And subsequently rescues him.

But of course, that’s not how he sees it (because he was literally blinded during the ritual).

King: These guys wouldn’t hurt me. They get me! They know what it’s like to be left behind.

Luz: King, if this is about your dad-

King: No! I mean, yeah, but…it’s you too, Luz. You’ll eventually go back to the human realm, I know how it works. I’ve read your Azura books, you even promised your mom. I just thought I had to…prepare for a world without you in it.

Luz: But they won’t help! King, you’re not one of them.

King: Then what am I?

Luz: You’re…you’re a Titan, King.

But even when the warriors outright ATTACK them, King still can’t quite believe they’re not his people.

King: Stop fighting! I’m one of you guys!

Until he knocks off Tarak’s skull.

Tarak: You were never one of us. My brothers and sisters, a new hunt begins today!

And then Bill attempts to rally the troops.

Hooty: Are titans even evil?

Luz: How much have you been making up?

But the resulting quarrel only allows them a little head start.

Luz: We can’t let them get through. We have to destroy this thing!

So King destroys the portal with his Titan powers.

King: I want to go home.

this show…

King: Um, hi…

THIS SHOW

And to top it all off, they can’t even go home!

This was the one twist I didn’t see coming, but as with all good stories, it makes the whole story make more sense. But more importantly, this is an important aspect of King’s development. Now he knows not only that his father is definitely dead, but that he’s the last of his kind, and there might very well be others out there who’d want him dead just for who he is.

Until next time…