Let's go over the plan one more time. King and Hooty will pilot the float during the parade. Once it gets to the halfway point, you two will set off all the glyphs, potions, and fireworks to distract people.
With my love of mayhem and Hooty's desperate need for attention, this'll be a cake walk! [Hooty nods]
When Kikimora sends off the guards to investigate, that's when Eda and I will obscure the stage and whisk her and Raine away. The Coven can't banish Kiki if she's missing! She'll get the best of both worlds! She'll set an example for us all!
[The others stare at her.]
[nervously chuckles] Um, I mean... Eda gets to talk to Raine! It's romantic!
[blushing] Oh, it's not that romantic.
Witch, this is peak of Mount Romance.
Hooty, what would you know?
Come on, time pools. Mama needs to commune with the dead.
[She pokes her head into one, and sees three medieval-looking witches sitting around a campfire]
W1Witch 1
Tonight I shall revel so hard, I shan't stand any longer!
W2Witch 2
I shall revel mineself to death!
[Pulling her head back to the present, Luz sees his skeleton in that very spot, giving two thumbs up]
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]
DDarius
[chuckles] This is impressively bad. Wait, is this the old Golden Guard sigil?
[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...
[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]
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.
DDarius
[disdainful] Of course you will. You're very good at doing exactly what you're told.
[to Willow about Gus, Skara, and Viney] You said you'd find the best witches for this team. But them? They're pathetic.
[indignant] You just met them! Give them a chance!
Well, where I come from, even chances have to be earned. Especially if you're considered half-a-witch like me. [Willow stares at him in surprise] Sorry, captain. Good luck with your match.
VViney
[about Hunter] Did he just make an account?
[chuckles] He's worse than my dad.
[They notice Luz and Amity up ahead]
I am really digging those outfits. So, how was work at school? Did we miss anything?
Just had our first team win as the Emerald Entrails. [she and her team pose]
Oooh! Lemme see! Lemme see!
[Willow displays the Emerald Entrails' team photo in her social media feed; seeing Hunter among the group, Luz and Amity gasp]
LALuz and Amity
[in unison] WHAT?!
Listen, Belos has been Emperor for fifty years. Everyone is used to this. No one's gonna risk change unless you have proof that he's up to something. [sees Luz looking dejected] Ah, come on. We'll figure something out. But first, let's see if there are any respectable criminals left in this city.
[As Eda walks away, witches and demons give her dirty looks and whisper gossip.]
I hate seeing people look at Eda that way. But how can I prove he's actually evil? It feels so obvious, but no one believes me! No one answers my letters! [groans] I don't know what to do!
No one wants to think they've wasted their life following the wrong person. You just gotta find something big to change their minds.
[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.
[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.
[Confronting Belos while inside his mind, Luz has learned that he is really Philip Wittebane, who tricked her into helping him when she travelled into the past.]
It does feel good to hear another human say that name. I had to change it when Philip was run out of too many towns. I told you once before, "Luzura"... [morphing into Philip] perhaps we were destined to meet.
And what about Hunter? What's a grimwalker?
[turning back] He's... a better version of an old friend. But thanks to you, I'll have to make another one.
But... why? Why go through all this?!
I'll do anything to save humanity from evil.
[shakes her head in revulsion] No. You're evil!
[nonchalantly] Can't reason with crazy.
[Gus finds a disheveled Hunter in the school theater while chasing Flapjack]
What are you doing here, Golden Guard?!
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?
[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?
[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]
GGuard Captain
When Emperor Belos catches wind of this...
PBPrincipal Bump
[smirking] I'm sure he'll be thrilled to learn one of his captains was defeated...by a couple teenagers.
GGuard Captain
[groans, then notices a guard leaving] Severine! Get on that ship or you'll be walking back to the castle!
SSeverine
Y'know what?! It has been a rough year, and my self-esteem can only take so much! [removes her mask and throws it to the ground in rage] I QUIT! I'm going back to the Tiny Cat Coven...
Raine, why didn't you tell me anything? I could've helped.
RRaine
Is it so unbelievable that I wanted to keep you safe? But, in typical Eda fashion, you're not gonna stop until you make things right.
Things aren't hopeless. They have a plan to stop Belos and the Draining Spell!
[gasps] Really?! Wait, wait, before you get into that, please tell me you have a cool rebel name!
RRaine
Actually, we do. Allow me to introduce...
RRaine
The Covens Against the Throne...
DDarius
We talked about this, you promised!
DDarius
[angered] I DID NOT AGREE TO THIS NAME!
[Katya, Amber and Derwyn do playful hisses.]
[pulls up the cat-eared hood on her hoodie] Everything's come full circle, baby!
[in shadow form, excited] We did it! It's done, it's done! Now you can set me free and we can play new games!
[with a cruel smirk] I'm afraid that's impossible.
[confused] Uh... excuse-a-what now? [Belos sets down the mirror dismissively] B-But you said... you'd use the Titan blood to help free me!
And I'm sorry, but I just realized I only have enough Titan's Blood to open the portal.
[After removing his cape and tying back his hair, Belos takes out the portal key and drains the last of the blood into a device powering the portal]
[with rising anger and hurt] But you said we were friends! W-We pinky-swore! You lied! Liar! Liar! LIAR, LIAR, LIAR, LIAR, LIAR, LIAR!!! LIAR-- [disappears as Belos covers the mirror with his cape]
[entering with the orb containing Luz (whom she thinks is Hunter)] Emperor, congratulations on this momentous day. I come bearing a gift. [Belos slowly walks towards her] You had been looking for the Golden Guard, and here he is! Perhaps this act is worthy of me returning to my old post? Or, if you're looking for a new right hand...?
Have you as my right hand? I'd sooner cut off my whole arm.
[taken aback] But... uh... I just want to help!
You want to help? [takes the cloak-covered mirror, with the Collector's muffled screams still audible, and forces Kikimora out of the room with magic] Go find a hole to wither away in. [leaves a shocked Kikimora, goes to the edge of the bridge and uncovers the mirror] And you...
[appearing again] I gave you the draining spell! I taught you magic stronger than anybody's!
And that's why I won't release you. Can't have you giving that to anyone else. Goodbye. [throws the mirror and cloak over the edge]
[screaming as the mirror falls] YOU'RE A LIAR, LIAR, PANTS ON FIRE!!!
I didn't realize you're already combining glyphs! You do have a strange intuition with these. It took me years to figure that out. Almost like the Titan himself didn't want me to have that knowledge. Though you're still decades away from beating me. [seizes Luz in a morphed hand]
[screams in anger] EAT DIRT, BELOS!
It's Philip. And despite our differences, I want to help you, Luz. I can send you home. I have just enough Titan blood for one more trip. [Luz glances at the portal] Please. I don't want to see another human life destroyed by this place.
[disgusted] You're such a hypocrite. You talk big about protecting humanity, but after everything you've done, you're barely human yourself!
[As she speaks, Belos' scar reappears on his face]
I do pity you. These monsters have warped your sense of reality. Perhaps it'd be merciful to put you out of your misery.
[While Luz and the others try to force Belos to stop the Day of Unity, King encounters a forlorn and weakening Kikimora.]
It's pointless. Belos can't stop the spell any more than they can. Only the Collector has that power.
Neither witch nor demon - a child from the stars. Belos only talked to him when he thought no one was around, but I was always listening. Belos was afraid of him.
[thinking] An opportunity...! Take me to him!
If that means kicking the Emperor's butt... gladly.
[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!
[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!
