Mourning Innocence - Wittebane Episode 1 - Owl House Fan Animation

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

EDIT : I added a Dropbox link in the description so you can download the audio files separated if you want to do a dub in a different language :) FAQ and LINKS : www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TheEmperorsCoven ko-fi.com/magpievraven Can I use your animations for edits/tik toks ? Yes ! Just please don’t re upload the whole video unedited. I’m also ok with fan dubs as long as you credit me and link to the original 🙂 For edits credits would be nice too but I’ve seen my stuff reposted so much I don’t really care as much lol, just don’t claim you made the original and we’re cool Was the frog rock a Grimwalker metaphor ? Yes 🙂 I like doing a bit of foreshadowing hehe I also wanted to create some of my own stuff to add to the canon story, and considering Philip canonically kept Caleb’s coat (and his childhood mask, he wears it in one of the portraits as an adult in the Boiling Isles), I think he would keep trinkets like that, he’s definitely the kind to get really attached to objects he gives meaning to. Are you still animating the portraits ? Yes ! The next video will have some of the portrait scenes featured 🙂 I wanted to do this one first to introduce a bit of lore I want to re use later. The next episode will be about the day Caleb left. When is the next video coming out ? I have no idea, it’ll take me a minimum of 6-7 months to complete it because I’m just one guy animating, that’s if nothing bad happens in my life to delay the process 🤞 What softwares do you use ? Clip Studio Paint for backgrounds, Toon Boom Harmony for animation (tablet is Intuos pro large) Did you work on TOH ? No 🙂 I’m just a very passionate fan 😂

[@Пламбир-ф8я]

ОАОАОАО!!!!!

[@OyLorelai]

Passionate fan indeed ❤

[@Saverlazer123]

What animating studio do you use?

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

@@Saverlazer123I use Toon Boom Harmony, if you meant software instead of studio ! I’m just one guy animating ^^ Backgrounds were made in Clip Studio Paint (also by me !)

[@thebluekitkat7912]

YOU MAKE THESE BY YOURSELF?! Dude that’s awesome! These are so good! The art looks like Official Owl House. That’s a feat on its own but to make a story that did the same thing as owl house with the heartache. Thank you Thank you for making these.

[@The_Nailsmith]

The idea that Phillip was also a weirdo but in an environment that’s far more hostile to people being different.

[@L.Fenton]

More parallels to Luz.

[@hyperprincess48]

Ironic, right?

[@Demaad]

Making him a dark parallel to Luz. That’s Brilliant!

[@felipetorres5875]

If Phillip and Luz had met under different circumstances, perhaps they would be good friends and Belos would never exist.

[@Demaad]

@@felipetorres5875 Only if they were from the same time period. Or if they both came to the Boiling Isles at the same time as kids, each from their own eras (that’d be an interesting fanfic)

[@Idkwhattoputasmyusernameyay]

NO BECAUSE CALEB TAUGHT HIM THAT WHEN MR FROG DIED HE COULD BE REPLACES : (

[@jak2gooberglub]

FORESHADOWING THE GRIMWALKERS FR

[@Idkwhattoputasmyusernameyay]

EXACTLY OMG DJAK​@@jak2gooberglub

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

Yeee it was foreshadowing :D

[@lifeintheseven1603]

Oh naw

[@thomaskrol8574]

Oh no

[@daviszdirector]

what a wholesome first episode. i sure hope nothing horrible comes between those brothers, fracturing their relationship and corrupting the mind of the younger one :)

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

The next one will start showing a bit more of Belos in Philip :p

[@daviszdirector]

@@MagpieInGravesfield OH NOOOOOOO

[@Wyvernatus]

@@MagpieInGravesfieldI’m terrified, but intrigued!

[@multiverse_media2023]

Oh, you jinxed it.

[@ЛентяйДеРазгильдяй]

@@multiverse_media2023Are you getting here arcane vibes too?

[@mikechicago6200]

A tragedy Disney never gave us the full backstory on Phillip and his brother! I love to see more episodes

[@KaiyoMooooonTwT]

We probably would of gotten these episodes if they didn't want the show cancelled early 😒

[@traviswhitfield8045]

Would have been a really great episode.

[@multiverse_media2023]

Disney isn’t exactly known for good decisions.

[@Fuzzfloof]

@@multiverse_media2023tru dat

[@katieplaysroyalhigh894]

I know and I just finished the full thing in 2024 and I still wish they continued all the ships in the show that were cannon were so cute❤ Why Disney why 🥺😭 I still haven’t watched full amphibia… truly this is my favorite series so far besides Gravity Falls, Rapunzel’s Adventure and Molly McGee. I think it’s very unfair we never got another season I feel like it was too short and I hate when shows end, gravity falls only had 2 seasons. 😣

[@blorp444]

3:06 CALEB USING A RED FEATHER STOP ILL CRY

[@MelodiTheMess]

OMG NO

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

Yes ! They were really poor as kids so I imagined they made their own quills with whatever they found, I imagine Caleb was probably the kind who liked collecting feathers too !

[@SpiciKing]

​@@MagpieInGravesfield I thought it was foreshadowing for flapjack lol

[@Locket_blogs]

⁠@@MagpieInGravesfieldHOW DID YOU KNOW LEFT HANDED PEOPLE WERE RUMORED TO BE WITCHES?!?! (At the start he was punished for writing with there left hand)

[@nourakhaleel7505]

⁠@@SpiciKingit is

[@owngamesgamer4030]

OMG The detail of philip changing the hand which he's drawing with! I love it

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

Aaaa I’m glad you noticed !! :D

[@DevsQuillsandCartoons]

I noticed that too 🩵 As someone who’s ambidextrous, I love the representation

[@siqxyre8473]

@@DevsQuillsandCartoons it might also be a reference to how back then they would beat left handed children until they used their right hand

[@Fuzzfloof]

@@siqxyre8473omg really? Why?

[@shade1elispe369]

@@Fuzzfloofbecause difference wasn’t accepted and being left handed was seen as something to correct

[@Joekerz666]

I like the thought that he'd be perfectly fine with amphibia just not the boiling isles

[@irca318]

36 likes and no commits, Let me fix that

[@ItzPokemon]

but what about maddie

[@danielperez143]

​@@ItzPokemonThat would be an exception

[@TinyCactus7628]

😂 That is an awesome take!

[@orlastarburst]

OMG I JUST REALISED THIS HELP

[@georg8192]

What makes Philip such a great villain for me is, that his backstory could actually be real

[@adamk-paxlogan7330Sucks]

the backstory we never got :'(

[@seeleunit2000]

​@@adamk-paxlogan7330SucksBlame Disney

[@youngtoddster]

@@seeleunit2000 I Do

[@Christianburn-tq5mo]

I love that he started of writing with his right hand but as he got more relaxed he tarted righting with his left again

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

I’m so happy a few people seem to have noticed that :D

[@gennaronarducci1333]

Man, Philip/Belos seemed such a cute kid, it's crazy to think what he will become

[@Murkyz48]

Similar thought. i thought Philip was Caleb and I think it was because he was so pure until he mentioned Caleb wanted him home by dinner… but this just goes to show evil is taught not born. 😔

[@Nolan86745]

All bad people are born cute and innocent to begin with

[@jackbelinski2661]

It’s disturbing to think that such an innocent kid would grow up to be a monster, and one of the worst brothers in history

[@CipherRage0909]

It was the society he grew up in. Believing that witches and everything magic involved is evil. But it was just the fear of not understanding things and the unnatural. Hence why Philip was scolded for writing with his left hand because he's a lefty whereas people usually write with their right hand. That was the era of the Salem witch trials.

[@LovedLamb]

@@CipherRage0909 tbf this show makes witches out to be good when irl they do a lot of bad things such as cursing peple and using animals for rituals and stuff. I have seen plenty of documentaries about how they would chase Albinos and about survivors talking about how they tried to attack them and stuff. Reality is... stay away from witches. Fictional witches? depends on the author. That left hand thing. Only happened in superstitious places. In the country I live in they used to believe that they would die if they sleep on the bed and therefore fell asleep sitting not laying. The bible actually depicts left handed men as very good at slinging stones and one Israelite left-handed man was a hero so I honestly do not know why they get hate for. Ig them being rare made them lose their minds or something.

[@tahraethestoryteller6079]

@@CipherRage0909so was Caleb and he didn’t turn out like Phillip/Belos

[@3ch0-J]

​@@tahraethestoryteller6079 he was, though he fell in love with a witch and got yo know her and stopped hunting down the witches if I recall correctly and he changed after that

[@SodaPop3092]

Just like Hitler or the fire lord

[@Indie973]

This explains so much, like how Belos voice actor considered him to be misunderstood

[@adamk-paxlogan7330Sucks]

yup,I wish we got the backstory,I'm sure dana wanted to give us was but disney decided to be an idiot instead,this is as close as we're ever going to get

[@Skidibibapbap]

I like how his voice actor understood how Belos was misunderstood because it really delivers how Belos is “misunderstood” in a way that he thinks he’s right and he has reasons to why he became the way he is but it doesn’t excuse all the horrible actions he’s done which I’m sure Belos is aware of.

[@CipherRage0909]

​@@adamk-paxlogan7330Sucks We could have a whole episode about Philip/Belos' past but unfortunately, thanks to Disney we will never have an official backstory about Phillip, Caleb, and Evelyn. We just had to put the pieces together ourselves through fan-made content. 🙄

[@coreyhorlacher3460]

If we ever get an official spinoff about the Wittebane Brothers, I'd watch that.

[@FernTheBoba-os8yj]

I love how Philip couldn’t write with his left hand (long ago, people with a dominant left hand would be seemed as witches)

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

Yeee if you pay attention there are a lot of hints in the show about him being left handed :)

[@hyperprincess48]

@@MagpieInGravesfield *cough cough* Elsewhere and Elsewhen *cough cough*

[@trinitystorm4635]

It wasn't as long ago as we think! My great grandma used to be a lefty, and her teacher hit her knuckles with a ruler until she learned to use her right hand. She's only 88! Isn't that just nuts?

[@garden_creature]

@@trinitystorm4635 same with my grandpa in his 70s, he went to Catholic school and the nuns didn't like him because he was left handed

[@jean6122]

actually i remember talking to someone years ago to someone who in their late 30s(iirc?) who experienced this treatment. so i think it was up fairly recently… like the 80s or 90s when forcing people to use their right hand stopped.

[@francesleones4973]

I felt cheated that Disney didn't let Dana Tarrance and her team have more episodes that would have let us know more about Caleb and Philip's story. Thank you for filling in the gaps for us.

[@TheDailyDevDev]

0:03 Mr Frog :"I'm Mr. Frog. This is my show. I eat the bug. *EATS BUG* I ate the bug. This is the end. I love you."

[@RedEveTillDawn]

Mr. Frog 4 president!!!

[@sethisevilone02]

mr frog runs in when belos and luz fight in s1 and hit belos in the head with a hammer

[@enkayrome]

i’m mr belos this is my castle i eat the palisman EATS PALISMAN i eat the palisman this is the end i hate you

[@vedji1857]

@@TheDailyDevDev “um. Can I pull your hair?”

[@CaptainBloodsail]

Emperor Mr. FROG

[@raven3067]

Magpie does such a good job making young Phillip a sympathetic character. Almost makes me forget the terrible monster he grows up to be...almost.

[@UponAStarGMD]

3:20 wtf i actually empathize with belos for once? IMPOSSIBLE

[@musicalsaber6433]

Empathizing is one of the first steps towards understanding, even if you eventually come to understand that there's no good reason

[@docfox4353]

I love the differences in how the brothers react to death around them. His parents death probably made Caleb start doubting if there was a God, and if there was, why he would take his parents away. That is likely what enabled him to be more open-minded to Evelyn, the demon realm, and magic. Philip on the other hand seems to represent a lot of typical Puritan attitudes. God punished those who did not follow his word. His parents' deaths were the consequence of not being good people, and Mr. Frog's death was the result of Philip himself not writing with his right hand (I really appreciate how you incorporate a lot of actual history into this, showing how the messed up Puritan ideology plays a lot into how Belos was formed) Some of my headcanons for Belos include that he gave some of the Grimwalkers very Puritan names like "Fear God", Sorry for Sin", etc. to remind himself he was doing God's work.

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

Philip was also the younger one, so when the kids had to obey by the rules of the village in Gravesfield, Philip was more affected by it than Caleb. Caleb was also the one who taught him how to be a witch hunter to fit in - maybe Caleb didn’t believe it too much himself at first, but he was really young and he didn’t realize it would have consequences later, he was just doing what he thought he had to do to keep his little brother safe at the time

[@gennaronarducci1333]

​​@@MagpieInGravesfield Man, and that's...really depressing and sad, honestly Belos seems a very interesting character to me, despite being a hateable, zealot, self righteous asshole. But yeah, honestly it would be rather interesting to show that Caleb, due to the hard life he used to have in the human world, had his moments where he doubted his faith even BEFORE Evelyn, like that "if God is merciful and forgiving and loves ALL of his children, why would he let us die and live in such misery with little to no hint of hope?", while Philip probably would have had a totally different reaction, clinging so much to his faith and religion to keep doing in life, but to the point it eventually became an obssesion/fanaticism. Also, i kind of imagined Philip/Belos would have called the first golden guard "Adam", cuz ya know, Adam was the first man in the bible and stuff

[@SiriusGalilei]

Seeing the ending shot with Belos still keeping the Mr. Frog stone after all these centuries. Makes you wonder if there was ever a time that for a brief moment, he wishes he could go back to that time, when everything was simpler. It reminds me of Avatar in the episode where Aang sees Roku’s past with Sozin, and Sozin’s testament first mentions a time when things were not so twisted. Both Sozin and Belos have done terrible things, but there was a time that each of them were still good people, and it makes you wonder if they’ve ever looked back and wished they could return to that happy time. Love the first episode, it makes you see Phillip as a human but also subtly hints at what he will become. Looking forward to the next one!

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

I think part of the reason he continued with his plan is because he felt like he backed himself into a corner where if he didn’t do it, Caleb’s death would have been for nothing in his eyes. He had no home left, no family and had to live with the fact he killed his brother, so he convinced himself at least it was for a higher cause. But I think if he could press a button and into it all, and Caleb being alive, he would absolutely do it. The Grimwalkers and Caleb’s ghosts were confirmed hallucinations, there are a lot of subtle hints in the show that he’s eaten by regret but he’s still pushing himself to continue, I think a lot of what we see him be like in the show is a mask

[@lavenderrose82]

They also remind me of Sunny/Omori and Mari from the game Omori.

[@p.8967]

​@@MagpieInGravesfield True this. Gus also used the mirror to make Belos see his worst memories in the S2 finale, and him killing Caleb and making a deadwalker flash through his mind. Meaning Belos himself considers it his worst memories and he does regret all of it. But that doesn't take away he still believes witches are evil and he stands by what he does. Although perhaps he wishes with Caleb alive he could've gone down a different path, but that's too late now.

[@ZettyLad]

Don’t think it’s getting enough attention, but Philip’s intellect! Not only writing down all sorts of mathematical equations in his little book, but also reasoning them out and pondering their concepts! Not to mention reading books that lead him to see 10 x 100 was 1000! Definitely love this little detail, because it not only shows he was a brilliant mind from the start, but also a precursor to the insane mathematical genius it took for him to build that portal and actually get it to function properly! Honestly, could possibly say he even went into the theory of relativity a bit with the portal, which can be correlated to a wormhole and the whole bending of space-time. 👀

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

thank you !! :D There was a page you see very briefly in his journal in canon where he writes down equations (it's when Luz shows him the light glyph in Elsewhere and Elsewhen), I wanted to do a parallel of that page :)

[@DatTran1]

Yeah in a scene about Phillip dairy from ss2 ep8, it is shown that Phillip combined both quantum mechanic and Einstein Rosen Bridge ( general relativity theory) to create the portal which is something we can't even do today😥. If he was borned in the 21th century, he would become a famous scientist like Einstein for sure instead of a muderer sociopath.

[@Kalamity_Music]

This animation turned out so beautiful, it's honestly like it could have come from the show itself. It was an honour to do the music for this!

[@Cris_127-g6d]

Wow the ost sounded exactly like the owl house nice job! 👍👍

[@Zephirite.]

You did a fantastic job!

[@Tomotasauce]

This series is what the fandom needs more than anything. Your talent is out of this world! Can't wait to see more of what you're doing bud!

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

Thank you so much !! You did amazing with the voice acting for the next one :D

[@Tomotasauce]

@MagpieInGravesfield I'm hyped to see it!

[@CallistosCosmos]

I love how this went into Phillip/Belos's backstory! Him having a frog friend is so innocent and sweet... VERY unlike later in his life!! I can't wait to see more of Caleb and Evelyn! 😄 AMAZING job!!!

[@songbirdrebel5895]

If Phillip hadn't become Emperor Below, I can clearly envision him having a frog-like palisman.

[@cavernecho]

it also feels like foreshadowing in a way to how he denied caleb’s death by reviving him over and over, with the stone frog ‘never dying’

[@CallistosCosmos]

@@cavernecho SO TRUE!!

[@AirQuotes2962]

Can't believe they managed to make Belos cute. Great voice acting and animation! Looks professional, seriously!

[@jean6122]

1. this is great 2. i have a feeling belos/philip’s behavior stems from an extreme fear of abandonment (which probably stems from his upbringing/backstory)… it’s quite tragic imo.

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

It absolutely does !

[@DatTran1]

Yeah i'm pretty sure that the witch hunter doctrine wasn't the only motivation Phillip tried to kill Evelyn. It was his fear of abandonment, that Philllip would be all alone the moment Caleb left him for Evelyn. But unfortunately Caleb took the stab for Evelyn and you know the rest.

[@BrookeCzekanski]

He probably took the stab for her because she was pregnant. Ugh!! These are so cute! We should’ve had these flashbacks! At least make a prequel series.

[@guilherme7438]

I swear I never get tired of seeing fan content exploring Philip/Belos' point of view on the story. Too bad we'll never see an official exploration of this. Also excellent work on the animation. Simply excellent, the attention to detail and foreshadowing were fabulous.

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

Thank you so so much !! :D

[@fyrebirdarts7634]

Props to Magpie! We never got to see Phillip/Belos' backstory in the official show, but THIS...THIS IS PHENOMENAL. The animation is so similar to the show- spot on, in fact- and the writing... I'd always thought of Belos as an irredeemable bigot of a villain (and he ABSOLUTELY still is), but this shows another side of him. He started off as a lovable, innocent boy slowly broken down by years of hurt as he was raised to adulthood in a society that punished anyone who deviated from the norm. Eventually, these toxic teachings became so ingrained in his heart that he went on to shape a dysfunctional society in the image of the one that he had grown up in. My favorite detail in this animation is how when Phillip became Belos, he kept the stone Mr. Frog. It could be a reminder of his brother, but I think it's more likely that it's a reminder of the false belief he has that "those who are different will inevitably be punished for it", adding a bit of continuity to his arc and giving commentary on real-world issues. Villains like Belos are a warning to all of us who are watching. Because when we hurt others for being different than we are and teach others to do the same, we perpetuate the same cycle of hate and abuse exemplified in Phil/Belos' story. And even though he's a fictional character, I wish I could tell little Phillip he was fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of a forgiving, loving God, a being who is nothing like the one the people of his town follow. One that doesn't punish people for being different, because He made so many people with different personalities and passions and yes, different dominant hands. I wish I could tell Phil he was loved for who he is. I wish I could take him away from that place and help him heal and grow into the person he was meant to be, instead of taking the dark path he did. And for the person reading this, I don't know if you believe in a God, but I hope you know that you are, and always have been, loved. Pass that message on, so we can make our world, and our stories, filled with far less horror and tragedy than Belos'. gosh that was long...and sappy, towards the end... but I had to get that off my chest. Cheers!

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

It actually makes me really happy to see someone who believes in God appreciate this ! I’m in the “I think there is something up there but I don’t know what” category so I don’t think I’d consider myself religious, but I was kinda worried that maybe people would misinterpret the story as religion as a whole being bad, but the message is more than people are the ones using it to do bad things (like how left handed people used to and still are being punished). I think religion should only be used to bring people love/comfort and I’m really happy you got that message ! I also have pretty similar views on Philip, so I’m glad you enjoyed this :D

[@Yarocrafter]

When Disney doesn't do an Owl House spin-off, of course the community goes ahead! Loved this SO MUCH! ♥

[@acesinger6092]

Is this gonna be like a whole mini series👁️👄👁️ This is just incredible, and you can bet I’ll be watching every episode. This is now the unofficial official prequel to The Owl House

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

Thank you so much !! And yes it’ll be :D

[@magicjuulbus7140]

0:33 Wait... where their parents accused of being witches and killed?! How can you subtly drop that info in such a sweet little scene!?

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

Yes that’s exactly what happened :D It’ll be a theme that’ll be explored in a future project I’m already working on ;D

[@hyliangaming8942]

Philip's bruise from the left hand punishment being in the exact location of coven sigils. Even down to it being the left hand too.

[@meganguess6467]

Tiny Philip/Belos is so outrageously cute and adorable ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ I wanna see Caleb take care of his little brother when Philip gets sick it be so outrageously cute and adorable

[@FreakxWannaxBe]

Ouh, the detail of Philip using drawing to process the trauma he went through, something that is incredibly common for young children to do. If I got this right, the Wittebane parents were rich and prosperous, doing well for themselves and providing for Caleb and Philip, but their uncle in his greed accused them of witchcraft. Thus, when they were hanged for their "crimes", he inherited their land and money. Probably got guardianship over the two children, and put them immediately to work and probably treated them cruelly. Very ironic that with this scenario, later on Philip would become the monsterous uncle to Hunter, just as his own was to him.

[@DatTran1]

Yeah quite tragic indeed because he saw witches as his mortal enermies but the real enemies were his village all along.

[@familytomasin4749]

Woah, this is exact owl house style, you should ask to join their team

[@StellarCat]

I can’t with Mr. Frog’s pose when he died 😭

[@ElLiAnimates]

Family guy flashbacks 💀

[@peblezQ]

The idea of Belos having that rock still is both hilarious and adorable

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

considering he kept both his childhood mask and Caleb's coat in canon, I think he absolutely would ahah. I also wanted to introduce the rock because I wanted to re use it for another scene in the next epispde :)

[@Cheshire_Rose]

I… LOVE THE FACIAL EXPRESSIONS! 1:17 LUZ MADE THIS FACE 1:50 HUNTER MADE THIS FACE 1:55 1:57 2:01 THE EYE LID LIFT 2:05 2:07 2:27 2:48 IVE SEEN BELOS’ FACE DO THAT (Also the fact that Phillip hit Caleb when he got upset/defensive… yeesh.)

[@chaerii]

Haven't seen anyone point this out yet, maybe because it's a no-brainer, but still- young Phillip reminds me SO much of The Collector, even though this isn't canon. There are so many signs as to why Belos did the things he did, and when you break it down, I think this representation is an awesome way to show all of the toxic traits he inherited from a young age.. that also happen to align a lot with The Collector's. I could break down every point but I think you can assume a few; neglecting guardians, very talkative and easily persuaded, struggles with the concept of death, not fitting in, wanting everyone else to stay in line under their control- and mostly the general need for control and power. Obviously, The Collector gets a redemption arc, which leads me to wonder if Phillip could've too, and how it would've played out.

[@themarkercollectors]

so philip was a quirky kid like luz than he became this.. Monster everyone hates , 2:22 very very long time i cried hearing that scene

[@Yoshihelicopter]

I saw a comment that said that Philip was also a weirdo like Luz, but Philip is in a environment that’s far more hostile to being different, and due to the town basically shoving that idea down his throat, he became a monster.

[@Grickens]

1:46 bro did the family guy

[@Assassin272]

That drawing animation at 2:55 was incredible!! I was always curious on how to make a drawing look charcoal/ink-like and this serves as a beautiful example!

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

Thank you !! :D There’s an easy trick for that ! You place the drawing on a layer underneath so you can animate the hand going exactly over the line. Then you go backwards when you erase. That way the line isn’t wobbly (if you draw but by bit it won’t look as smooth). I started with the last frame on the frog layer, then erased frame by frame backwards using the already finished hand animation as a guide :)

[@Assassin272]

@@MagpieInGravesfield thank you for the animation tip! :o

[@Dweddle]

The wait for this animation was absolutely worth it. The animation, voice acting, and music was absolutely perfect. I love all the detials of Philip's past and the additions that has been made to his backstory; like how it seems like Philip would repeat the cycle of abusive uncles in the Wittebane family (Philip would be abusive to Hunter, who he called his "Nephew"). Based on the uncle's happy reaction while looking at the Wittebane house in the 5th drawing, I'm guessing the reason the uncle had them killed was because he wanted their property. Maybe, like Philip, he was the younger sibling and thus didn't get a lot of his parent's inhertence. I also like the detail of Philip's nose looking like his father's and Caleb/Hunter's nose being more similar to his uncle's. Belos is by far my favorite character in The Owl House (if one couldn't already tell from my profile picture) and I remember his design is what convinced me to watch The Owl House in the first place back in 2020 after Season 1 had finished. I remember being sad that we didn't get to see much of his story directly in the main show. But considering that you're mini-series is going almost exclusevely focus on Belos, I am so happy that we'll be able to get more detail on his backstory than we ever could have possibly gotten from the main show. Thank you so much for making this.

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

Yes you got this correct !! :D The uncle had their parents falsely accused of witchcraft to get their property and it got the kids banished from the village too. Thank you for taking time to pause on that part :D

[@Olga9815]

Umm...WOW?! Dana really could've used her on the Owl House Production Team. Holy crap, this was a pleasure to watch. Belos and freaking Vitimir were always the two characters that I wish we got to see fleshed out. Great work!

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

Thank you so much !! :D I hope you’ll like the next one too ! (I go by he/they btw !)

[@Olga9815]

@@MagpieInGravesfield Whoops! "Her" was a typo lmao. I wanted to say "you." Either way, you are more than welcome for the praise!

[@pancakeeeditz]

This is absolutely STUNNING. The animation is amazing, the voices honestly match the characters, the story is heartbreaking yet so good, everything about this is PERFECT. Excellent work!

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

Thank you so much !! :D

[@soccer4207]

I love this. The way I interpret this, this is also how Philip learned the wrong lesson about death. Instead of learning that living beings die and to let go/remember the joy they gave you, Philip learned that he can just pretend that living being is alive by making a hollow copy of the original. Obviously, that is relevant when it comes to the grim walkers he would make.

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

Yeah ! More like he didn’t learn to grieve properly and he can’t let go of someone who passed (Caleb’s case was also a bit complicated because Philip was the one who caused that to happen), I also have another headcanon that Caleb’s coat (the blue one he wears in the show) was originally their father’s, and he also stayed really attached to this as the last thing he had from their parents

[@soccer4207]

@@MagpieInGravesfield Yeah, that is probably a better way to phrase it. This was brilliant. Genuinely, this was wonderfully animated and written with so much care and effort put into every single frame. Well done and thank you for gracing us with this.

[@KitNWei]

God such a good characterization of Phillip. The denial of death/loss, his first reaction being "but it's not my fault though/must have been an accident". Even though in this scenario it really is not his fault and he's just a child... this behavior model followed him to his adulthood and this whole situation kinda reminds me of... another death Philipp will have to witness and deny.

[@DeathWolf88888]

Caleb giving Phillip a nickname is really cute and gives their bond a lot more depth

[@im_bored_hi_]

Me before watching this: Oh boy! Another Philip video! Sure hope I don’t get crushed by the signs of who he’ll become! Me at the end: *sigh* god damn it

[@ScarletRebel96]

This is gonna be awsome im sad we didnt get more backstory on Belos (f**k you disney!)

[@llamaporg282]

I’m not sure of this was intentional but the rock Mr Frog reminds me of how palismen were shaped. That’s kinda cool that Caleb already did that just with a rock instead of wood

[@gabrielpossebondasilva1024]

Villains have a sad past in your backstory: Belos, 😢 MY FROG NOOOOOOO Also I really like how Evelyn have hair color more brown/orange and blue eyes, remember me Eda’s mom and eyes of Lilith

[@magic-world9724]

Это потрясающе! 🧡 Так трогательно и мило, грустно и трагично, особенно если учесть, что будет дальше! Вам великолепно удаётся передать атмосферу истории братьев Виттебейн, что веришь в каноничность каждого события. Желаю всей вашей команде творческих успехов и вдохновения!🍀

[@caIebsrottingcorpse]

About to blind react to this I’m terrified

[@caIebsrottingcorpse]

IM ENSIDNG EVEYRHTING

[@graceslagle9240]

Literally came here bc of your tiktok just now. Currently making sounds that a human's vocal cords shouldn't be able to make.

[@caIebsrottingcorpse]

@@graceslagle9240 I DIDNT MEAN TO CONDEMN YOU TO THIS. I AM SO SOSRYU

[@frogkik]

OH MY GOD YOUR @ 😭😭😭

[@The-Coven-Head]

I love seeing this side of Philip. I wish we got to see more of his and Caleb's relationship in the show.

[@thoughtsofananon]

My head is in my hands this is so TRAGIC. THIS IS INCREDIBLE. Actually screaming in my mind.

[@Fivee_5.]

1:53 Well that went dark.. (Thank you for giving us wittebane content)

[@ElsieLovelock]

This is so stunning, thank you so much for letting me be part of it!! ❤

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

Thank you so much !! You did such an amazing job as always :D thank you for being a part of it !

[@MelodiTheMess]

OMG ITS YOU

[@downbeatdialga1341]

Mr. Frog origin story!?! 11/10 Edit: and TRAGEDY?! My heart

[@szelda]

THE QUALITY IS INSANE HOLY COW????????? AMAZING JOB TO EVERYONE INVOLVED👏👏👏

[@jonsocks746]

This is *so* well done, wow. How incredible, I've followed you from near the beginning and am just so, so impressed. It turned out to feel and look like the actual show.

[@SpeckO_Stardust]

You can't just hit me with an adorable little philip like that I can't take this

[@RyanShears-xg1wd]

Yo this is incredible this is like a real owl house episode and has such a sad twist with the frog this writing is incredible

[@azure-blaze92]

Absolutely amazing!!! Hitting me in the feels with frieght train, and the foreshadowing, and just everything!

[@faddedreality6885]

ive got to say that the amount of effort and passion put into here shows sooo much. with you recreating the art style so closely that i cant tell the difference and with the frog being forshadowing and a metaphor for the grimwalkers it shows that you are a true fan

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

aaa thank you !! yes I've poured my heart and soul into this series !!

[@thateye49]

0:21 MOOOD! I type this comment with left, but as a child my parents put me to wrote with right to not become a Belos probably. _xD_

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

I’ve actually heard a few people had that experience even to this day, I’m sorry that happened to you ! I’m glad the animation was relatable tho :)

[@Kota-DaraWildCraft]

Анимация стала такой плавной, а ещё я так рада, что хороший контент по Дому Совы всё ещё выходит и будет выходить ещё долго

[@_Kai-is-in-the-walls_]

Dude I’m so glad people like you and Tomota are keeping this show alive. Especially with your backstory on Caleb and Philip! Makes me excited to see more in the future! Keep it up Mag!🫶🏽

[@susanroche597]

Damn ever was a fan of this show but it’s super clear that their so much love in this fan community

[@grimoireweiss6428]

Don’t matter the reason or backstory. Belos will always be Disneys most vile villain no exceptions in my book.

[@Пламбир-ф8я]

И чё? Мне это не мешает его любить . Особенно если ты оговорились . Белос самый харизматичный, продуманный и запоминающийся злодей Диснея

[@gunstrokethecybertronian8659]

Aye. The young Philip we know was already dead about 3-4 centuries ago. The day he killed Caleb. As a result of the witch hunter doctrines

[@grimoireweiss6428]

@@gunstrokethecybertronian8659 not just the witch Hunter doctrines but considering the time and place their were other doctrines that turned what could have been a human into a monsters on the same level as Marshall D Teach, Akainu, Lute, Adam, Sera, Griffith, Aizen, Saturn, and countless others.

[@gunstrokethecybertronian8659]

@@grimoireweiss6428 too right yo.

[@Casterspellproductions]

No doubt about that, but I like that the show at least implied that there were layers to him. The best antagonists are human beings who had a reason to do the things that they did but are still held accountable for the things that they did because regardless of anything else it was all their choice

[@Yeewen88]

Up to 2:29 Caleb seems way nicer less off than show shows at first thought reversed. But yah Pip seems quite different

[@alyssabullock6421]

THIS IS ACTUALLY SO GOOD AND FEELS SO OFFICIAL 😭

[@Byrdstar6423-un3me]

My god this series makes Belos even more terrifying, think about it, he was a happy go lucky child just like Luz at one point...and many, many evil atrocious human beings were once happy thriving children with nothing on their minds but as to what kind of fun they would have the next day and it just shows how ANYONE can become a hideous monster like Belos

[@ccherry.berryy]

4:28 bro your writing the show Disney didn’t dare to- that’s awesome

[@hyacinths8694]

THIS IS SO GOOD!! No matter how many views this gets it will remain underrated

[@edsonjairquinteromagana9079]

Now that´s a spin-off i´d watch, your work is awesome Magpie 😁😊 Such a backstory for a villain that evil, "Did God punish me because i used my bad hand?", poor child, he succumbed to the doctrine after all.

[@xyzabcdeff3000]

This is AMAZING! I am so glad you kept making these animations! It turned out really well, the hard work you put into this really payed off! Congratulations on this masterpiece!🎉

[@madlynova]

It was amazing, it's definitely an amazing job. My congratulations to all the effort behind it, they delivered a beautiful piece. ✨🐸

[@The_fastfreddy]

Dang this looks beautiful and practically identical to the show. Great job man

[@Black_Rose-Rei]

NO I CANNOT FEEL SYMPATHY FOR BELOS!

[@skylily427]

The quality of animation and attention to detail throughout all of this is astounding! I'm excited for what's in store (tho no rush: animations of this high quality take time, and I understand that, especially when you're on your own) I'm so grateful to have stumbled on this gem - instantly shared with all my friends ❤

[@ccherry.berryy]

4:22 TOMOTA FLEXING AS HARD AS HE CAN- AND WITH A BRITISH ACCENT NO LESS!!

[@athenafollower]

after no Owl House content for a year, this really lightened up my day ngl

[@inky-rose6460]

I've been waiting for this to realese! Been seeing the progress on Tumblr. I know it'll be great as usual

[@DramaticChemist]

This was incredible work! I can completely see this being a canon backstory. For now, it'll just be my official headcanon. 😊

[@agentneko9]

I heard that. Reference: amongus killing sound 0:10

[@Peppmintleaf]

This just showed up on my recommendations and I just have to say that I LOVE IT!!! It looks so professional and the movements are so smooth just A++ work all around. I don't frequently watch the Owl House but I can see this lil animation being a cool lil fan prequel series. Overall, great work!

[@FAEDOODLE]

Okay those final few frames had no right to hit that hard, and that's not even getting into the animatic at the end. Magpie you beautiful critter

[@TheInfintyithGoofball]

I love anything owl house but knowing what happens to these two might make my cry and I might even fear this series because of it

[@Coughs_up_nails]

Same :(

[@StruijsBirdie]

This looks so good! It NEEDS more attention!!

[@Grimmijaggers]

Ooooo amazingly well done! They're so cute, hope nothing bad happens. The voice acting is so good

[@fullmetalpianist]

This animation was really sweet!!! I love it!!!! Your animations are always amazing!!!!!! I can't wait to see more episodes in the series!!!!!

[@bread2423]

This is one of the Best fan project i’ve ever seen, Philips backstory could have been developped further more, i feel like disney didnt really do a good job at this but seeing this and how much passion driven the people behind it are is phenomenal, i’ll definetly be sticking waiting for what’s next! 🤩❤

[@SakuraTea69]

I AM ACTUALLY CRYING TIGHT NOW

[@ARCADE_OBSESSION]

Me too 😭😭

[@livandsab]

years later i am still watching fan animations. luv it

[@ccherry.berryy]

3:32 OH MY GOSH WAIT THATS SO CUTE HOLD ON

[@gabrielpossebondasilva1024]

Ótima animação trás um toque de felicidade depois de querer tanto mais da série até hoje esperando um episódio explorando outras cidades/escolas (as florestas e as criaturas de lá também). Like e compartilhado 😉

[@LaraNotLazy]

THIS IS A FAN ANIMATION ⁉️ HOLY MOLY IT LOOKS LIKE ITS FROM THE ACTUAL SHOW!!!🤯 THIS IS PERFECT!

[@MagpieInGravesfield]

Thank you !! :D

[@sp00k...123]

THAT WAS SO SAD IM GONNA TITANING CRY I’m sorry I’m so late to this, I didn’t think to check on KZbin when it came out 😭 I adore these animations because I really like history, and also I love making lore about the history the wittebros!

[@xyzabcdeff3000]

You provide the TOH fandom with the stories Disney denied us