[Amity and King approach Hunter, who is digging in the ground]
HunterDon't worry, I won't pick a fight. There's no titan blood.
Then why are you digging?
Hunter
Oh, it's simple really. Belos needs titan blood to make a new portal key. Can't get to the human realm without it.
[to herself] There's blood in the key?
Hunter
And since I failed my last mission I thought, hey! A chance to make up for it! But I can't go back empty handed [chuckles hysterically] Not again. Long story short, this is my grave. Want me to make you one too?
This is really bumming me out.
Hunter
That's just life, rat. Everyone has a use, and if you don't [blows a raspberry] Buh-bye! Your friend gets it.
Luz has been sending me these strange human codes. I don't understand all of them but this one seems pretty clear. "Come back with results or we're done."
[King flips the device so Amity can see the messages from a different angle. Her eyes widen]
[reading the messages] "U R RAD." "FOOLS BLOOD BAD." "U OK?" "COME HOME." [chuckles happily] Of course! This is Luz we're talking about here.
Hunter
[as Flapjack pulls on his cloak] Hey! Go find a better witch to be with. [buries his head in the dirt]
[walks over to kneel beside him] You know, you were right. We do have a lot in common. I grew up thinking that everything was an opportunity to justify existing! But there are people out there who won't make you feel worthless. You just have to let yourself meet them. [holds out her hand to him]
Hunter
Darius! Eberwolf! Why is everyone leaving? We're scheduled to have a recruitment meeting!
DDarius
[sighs] Good morning to you, too, little prince. We've decided to reschedule the meeting, so go play arts and crafts, or...whatever it is you do. Oh? Looks like you've already started. [confiscates Hunter's Golden Guard cloak]
Hunter
HEY!
DDarius
[chuckles] This is impressively bad. Wait, is this the old Golden Guard sigil?
Hunter
[angrily] Of course it is! And this is no way to treat the emperor's...
DDarius
Nephew? I knew your predecessor. He was my mentor. One of the strongest witches I've ever known. [looks at Hunter judgingly] But you? Hmmm...
Hunter
[unsurely] But Belos says I don't need magic to serve the coven.
DDarius
And I say you don't deserve to wear that patch. [he and Eberwolf begin to leave]
Hunter
Wait. What should I do? How do I...earn it?
DDarius
[groans exasperatedly] Sweet mother of titans, I...I don't know. Find new recruits for the Emperor's Coven? The best and brightest witches in all the land. Then maybe you can get this back.
Hunter
I'll do it.
DDarius
[disdainful] Of course you will. You're very good at doing exactly what you're told.
[While Luz and Hunter are inside his mind, Belos tricks them into helping him capture the creature resembling his monster form, composed of the souls of the Palismen he's devoured.]
Ah. I was finally able to catch it. This thing's been a thorn in my side for years. All these weepy Palismen souls, their voices constantly nagging me. [grabs a bird Palisman out of the creature] Vile. But without them, I wouldn't be able to do this. [to Hunter's horror, Belos transforms his arm and crushes the Palsiman] Ah... I'm feeling better already. Thank you for distracting it.
Hunter
[close to tears] What did you do to the other guards? To our family?! It wasn't wild magic, was it?!
[coldly, flicking Hunter's hair] What a shame. [sighs] Out of all the grimwalkers, you looked the most like him.
[Gus finds a disheveled Hunter in the school theater while chasing Flapjack]
What are you doing here, Golden Guard?!
Hunter
Wouldn't you like to know? [chuckles menacingly] But rest assured, Gus, I...
[A clattering sound is heard and Gus looks behind Hunter to see packets of Hex Mix and some books; Hunter tries to hide this while blushing with embarrassment]
I'll ask you one more time: what are you doing here, Hunter?
Hunter
[Flapjack grabs him by his hair] OW-OW-OW-OW! Okay, fine! [glares at Flapjack in annoyance as the latter perches on his shoulder] Truth is, my living situation has been compromised. Maybe! So I just need a place to crash. Temporarily! Hexside...was the only place I could think of.
How...vague of you. Do you know where Luz is, by any chance?
Hunter
[surprised] She's...not with the Owl Lady?
PBPrinciple Bump
[over the P.A. system] Students, please join me in the gym for an important announcement.
[summons his lunch bag and gives it to Hunter] I'm not sure what you're going through, but that much Hex Mix can't be good for your stomach. [he leaves]
[A transformed Belos corners Luz and the Hexsquad, and prepares to kill them - but his scythe-shaped arm is effortlessly held back by the Collector in his true, childlike form, to everyone's surprise.]
[smiling cheerfully] Whatcha playin'?
[trying to hide his fear as the Collector glares at him] Collector! You're free, just as promised...
"As promised"? I remember someone throwing me off a bridge... [smiles again] I'm not angry, though. Say, you wanna play tag? [twirls his finger, dragging Belos towards him] I'm it.
[The Collector taps Belos' face, immediately launching him into the door and splattering his body into a pile of slime, to the Hexsquad's further shock.]
[giggles] Too slow! [approaches the Hexsquad curiously] You guys look slow too. Do you need a head start?
[hurrying in, nervously] Whoa, whoa, Collector! Buddy, pal!
Remember what we talked about? You gotta help all my friends outside, or, uh... we won't get to play "Owl House"! [looks back at the group]
[playing along] Uh... Owl House? Uh, gosh! [chuckles nervously] I love that game!
The memories last a lifetime!
Hunter
[squeals, looking particularly terrified]
I'll explain the rules later. But remember, we need lots of players.
[The Collector looks outside, wincing as he sees the eclipse, and briefly enlarges his eyes like binoculars to see everyone having their magic drained away.]
[He moves the moon with a simple movement with one finger, stopping the spell and saving Hunter and everyone else. The Hexsquad wait to see what happens next.]
Hmm... [chuckles] If we're gonna play Owl House, [floats up into the air] we're gonna need an Owl House!
[He claps his hands, and the Titan's skull starts to disassemble into rearranging pieces, while the Hexsquad looks on in growing fear]
[excited and delighted] WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BLAST, EVERYONE!
MMasha
I hope you're all prepared for a truly scary ride.
GWGus and Willow
[chanting] Make us cry! Make us cry!
MMasha
Because there's nothing scarier than knowledge.
MMasha
Let me tell you the eeriest unsolved mystery of Gravesfield: the Tale of the Brothers Wittebane.
[to Luz and Hunter] Wittebane? Isn't that Belos?
MMasha
The year is 1613. Two orphaned brothers arrive in Gravesfield. Their names? Philip...and Caleb.
Hunter
[experiencing flashbacks of Belos and himself] Oh, no...
MMasha
Caleb did his best to take care of his younger brother. They tried to fit in with this town, and its unsavoury practices. They became witch-hunters! Local lore suggests that the Brothers Wittebane met a real witch from another world - her name was Evelyn! And the older brother was spirited away. She dazzled him with magic and visions of a strange yet beautiful place! They used a secret code to travel between worlds. Philip set off to save his brother and bring the witch to justice - but neither were ever seen again! Maybe Philip saved Caleb, and they went on to lead peaceful lives. Or maybe he's still chasing his brother, [shining their flashlight under their face] caught in a cycle of horror and strife! [turns off the flashlight, casually] Sounds like big bro got a hot witch girlfriend and little bro got upset. But that's just me.
[Luz arrives in the flooded Old Gravesfield cemetery and creates an ice bridge to the island in the centre; there, she finds Hunter, whom Belos has secretly possessed]
Hunter. Are you okay? Do you see Belos?
Hunter
Oh, no. Just my imagination playing tricks again. Why don't you find the Titan Blood while I find my Palisman? Little guy got...spooked off.
Good idea. All this Belos talk has me on edge. [to herself] I hate to ruin Amity's surprise. I really appreciate that everyone wanted to do this. You guys are great friends.
Hunter
[clutches his arm as Belos' possession nears completion] Have you found the blood yet?
I'm on it. I just have to— [sees Flapjack cowering behind a headstone] Flapjack? Why do you look so scared?
[Belos, now fully in control of Hunter's body, approaches her from behind, eyes aglow and with his and Hunter's voices laid over each other]
Luz...didn't you use an ice glyph to get here? [horns sprout from Hunter's head as he speaks] Your magic is working.
[Luz's eyes dilate with horror as she realizes; she suddenly hears Amity call out to her and turns away]
Luz? I think she's this way.
[Luz takes Flapjack onto her shoulder and turns back around to find the Belos-possessed Hunter standing in front of her, his face and arms now marled with Belos' ooze]
I saw you. Glyphs do work here.
I did. Thanks again for all the help, Luz. But I don't need you anymore.
[he swipes at her with his transformed arm, narrowly missing her and Flapjack]
[digs up the Titan's Blood vial] Ah... There you are. [Luz knocks the vial out of his hand with an ice spike and attacks him, missing each time; he stares at her mockingly] You're not even trying right now. What? Afraid you'll hurt him?
[Luz sweats with fear and anger as her other friends, Vee included, and mother arrive]
[raising Hunter's voice above his own to mock Luz] See? this is why you're so useful, Luz. You're so desperate to help people...you even helped me meet the Collector.
[The others look shocked]
Luz [increasingly panicked, her secret now out] I didn't mean to! I thought I was doing something good!
You did do something good. I thought this one was another lost cause. Because of you, we can finish our work as witch-hunters, starting with THEM!
[He proceeds to attack the group using Hunter's body]
[seizes Flapjack using Hunter's body after fighting off Amity, Willow, Gus, Vee, and the Nocedas] That's right. You wouldn't want me harming your precious palisman, would you? Oh, but then again, I don't care what you want. Goodbye, Evelyn...
[To everyone's horror, he pierces Flapjack and starts absorbing his green essence, but Hunter's personality starts to resist, forcing him to let go, and the wounded Flapjack flies back to Luz.]
[crying] Flapjack! Flapjack, you'll be okay...
Hunter
[regaining control] You know what I'd like, Belos? [struggles and groans in pain] I'd like to leave the Emperor's Coven and never step foot in that throne room again. I'd like to study wild magic, and learn how to carve palismen. I'd like to attend Hexside as a regular student and play flyer derby with my friends. [grabs the vial of blood] But most of all, I'd like to make sure you NEVER! HURT ANYONE! AGAIN! [throws the vial into the moat]
[retakes control of Hunter, enraged] NO!
[Belos jumps into water to retrieve the vial, but he and Hunter cannot swim because of the possession and begin to drown]
Move. [dives into the moat and resurfaces with the possessed Hunter, whom she drags onto the bridge]
[Belos leaves Hunter's body and materializes before the group in his lich form while grabbing the Titan's Blood vial]
Caleb! You would stab me in the back?!
[coldly] You did it to him first.
[growls and smashes the vial of blood against an archway, creating a portal to the Demon Realm] This is for the good of your souls. You'll thank me later! [he leaves through the portal]
[dumbfounded] THAT'S THE "BELOS" YOU'VE BEEN FIGHTING THIS WHOLE TIME?!
The Owl House · 63 quotes
