The Owl House will not be receiving a full third season, with the storyline set to wrap up with a trio of 45-minute shorts. This has since been confirmed by Disney and show creator Dana Terrace, and the second season will enter hiatus later this week with the mid-season finale.
While the show has pushed boundaries in terms of queer representation and has attracted a fanbase desperate to see more from this world and its characters, the rug is being pulled out from beneath them just as its full potential is starting to be realised. The community has been tremendously vocal about the show’s premature cancellation for months now, but this coming weekend will mark the most comprehensive display of support yet with a campaign known as ‘MoreTheOwlHouse’ set to explode across Twitter.
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I recently caught up with Rebecca Rose, the figurehead of the campaign and an active member of the community working with the help of the show’s creators to help make this declaration of support a success. “I've been following The Owl House since it was greenlit back in February 2018,” Rose says. “I remember the promotional poster coming out with Luz floating, clutching a staff, an ominous-looking Eda looming behind her, and cute little King off to the side. I immediately posted it in a Discord server I was in with some other cartoon content creators and was basically like, ‘Guys, this show is going to be the next big thing.’”
Her presence in the fandom grew as she began making video essays focused on certain characters, particularly around the early development of Amity Blight. “I really liked what the show was doing with her as the bully character and how quickly they were moving that arc along to make way for more interesting character development,” Rose explains. “Even in her first few episodes, she was a nuanced and layered character. So, I made a video. This was right before the pandemic and quarantine really hit and also around the time when Steven Universe Future was ending. Looking back, the timing of when I posted that video, quarantine really coming into effect, and Steven Universe Future wrapping up, leaving a hole in many cartoon fans' hearts, was a moment in time I could not have foreseen, predicted, or replicated. I think with so many people being stuck at home and having nothing to do because of the pandemic, it caused a lot of people to look for another show to get into. I think that show was The Owl House.”
Rose’s nuanced analysis of the show’s characters and themes attracted a number of new fans, many of which were migrating over from similar series like She-Ra: The Princesses of Power and the aforementioned Steven Universe. Given the symbiotic relationship between content creators and those who help make these shows a reality, Rose has been afforded chances to collaborate with Dana Terrace and other creatives in the field of animation. “I've had some awesome opportunities,” Rose tells me. “The most notable being an interview I got to do with Amphibia creator Matt Braly and The Owl House creator Dana Terrace. I did the interview as part of a charity event to raise money for Equality Federation and Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta. I honestly thought I was reaching when trying to raise $2,500 for each organization in a month, but viewers hit both goals in like… seven hours. I kinda felt like I insulted or offended them in setting those goals.
“Matt and Dana have both been awesome in engaging with the fandoms. I constantly see them liking and retweeting art, animations, animatics, cosplays, music, and memes. I know social media can be a toxic thing, especially since the pandemic, but it is always nice seeing those two, as well as other showrunners and creators, engaging with fans and viewers. I think a big part of that is that content creators are making videos of things they are fans of and passionate about and it definitely shows in their work. In talking to Matt, Dana, and other industry professionals, they are aware of the content that is out there when it comes to their shows. I just think it's really cool that we live in a time where we are seeing a bit more of a bridge between content creators and industry professionals.”
Having connections with Dana Terrace and company alongside an established place in The Owl House community, Rose was more than happy to champion a campaign that aims to involve fans, draw the attention of Disney, and simply have a good time as the show enters its mid-season hiatus. “In terms of the actual planning and organizing, I have to give a lot of credit to Infinity Train creator Owen Dennis,” Rose tells me. “Back in April, the Infinity Train community and Owen did a Twitter trend and giveaway to show support for the show getting additional seasons beyond the four it received. It was wildly successful, trending ahead of the NFL Draft that was happening that same day. I also have to give a lot of credit and thanks to Dana Terrace, Mike Austin, who is a board artist on the show, and The Mystery Shack, who makes awesome merchandise of cartoons, for contributing to the giveaway prizes. They have all been so awesome in taking the time to work with me on this and I can't imagine this Twitter trend being the same without them. I feel truly lucky and appreciative.”
As for why the show was cut short, Rose feels like it comes down to many factors, none of which can be nailed down as the primary reason. However, a large amount of fans believe that Disney isn’t keen on a show pushing LGBTQ+ themes so overtly. “I think it's one of many reasons,” Rose admits. “The LGBTQ+ representation has been awesome to see so normalized in the show. I mean we have Luz and Amity as a couple mid-way through season two, in starting the show I never would have thought that would be canon, but here we are. It's the kind of thing I would have loved to see when I was younger. Plus, we had a non-binary character, Raine, introduced. I know a lot of people jumped into the show after Enchanting Grom Fright where the whole plot thread of Amity having a crush on Luz was really cemented. I think that caused people to watch specifically because of the LGBTQ+ representation. But, I hope that they see The Owl House has *so* many other things to offer.
“Since I have followed the show since day one, I got attached to the characters, world, and story without even knowing the LGBTQ+ stuff would happen. The latter of which has been amazing, obviously, but this show has such incredible worldbuilding and characters. I mean, it takes place on the rotting corpse of a giant Titan. That's awesome. Also, characters like Eda and Lilith who are adult characters in a show aimed at a younger audience, yet they are each given depth and nuance. I feel in most shows aimed at kids, adult characters aren't given that same care when it comes to their writing and development, but The Owl House does.”
The big question surrounding all of this is simple – will Disney listen? Rose is keeping a positive outlook on things, knowing that this campaign will bring the community together and highlight the show’s importance regardless of the outcome. “It can't really hurt, right?” Rose asks. “This show ends up trending every week when a new episode comes out and has recently been on the Disney+ trending queue, there is obviously support from viewers. I feel if we keep making that support and interest known, those in charge at Disney will at least be aware of it. I think if you're truly passionate about something then it's worth making the effort.
“I've got a relatively small platform, but hey, if I can use that to try and get more additional content for The Owl House, then I'm going to try. Even if we don’t get anything, it's still an incredible show that has had a huge impact on so many people. Additional content or not, nothing is going to change that fact. I know it's disheartening to have the show cut short, but damn, do I feel so lucky and appreciative to be able to watch and experience it as it airs. What's the quote? ‘Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened?’ Honestly, why not do both? I know we're only halfway through season two and I am looking far into the future, but reaching that end will be bittersweet. That doesn't mean I'm not going to enjoy and appreciate every single second of the show till we get to that point though.”
If you’re passionate about The Owl House and fancy spreading the word and winning some signed prizes, you can check out the campaign on Twitter this weekend. Even if a third season doesn’t materialise out of it, a fictional world and characters capable of bringing people together like this is worth celebrating.
Next: Avi Roque on The Owl House, Raine Whispers and Non-Binary Representation