Owen Milligan: He Got Better

NotAVampyre explains why Owen isn't good, may still be bad, and is just nice now.
Disclaimer: Some clips have been mirrored due to YT trying to run ads.
Thank you ever so much to TheVeryMask for your brilliant art! theverymask.wordpress.com/
I do Let's Plays on this channel: / @thearchplays5533

[@ChristineTheHippie]

Maya throwing the breast implant at him and hitting him in the back of the head, then telling him "It's the only action you'll get all year!" was a thing of beauty.

[@NotAVampyre]

It was

[@kevink3928]

What episode is that

[@NotAVampyre]

Season 12 episode 2 I believe

[@oooh19]

women and girls are so harshly judged for how we look and our bodies not our personalities or minds and it's terrible society!

[@joshshipp2979]

​@@NotAVampyre yeah he was still so what of a jerk but he wasn't as bad as he was in season 10 because in season 10 he was very horrible but like season 11 and 12 he was a little bit better but not as much though it would have been nice if he came back in Degrassi NC to check on Tristan

[@SmurfENT1]

I’m glad you brought up how Owen went after Luke when he had Tristans phone ,, that was my favorite moment of his 👏🏾

[@NotAVampyre]

Same!!

[@tesorodelao6792]

Yes!!!! I loved Owen for that!

[@tesorodelao6792]

I loved when Owen gave Tristan advice telling him, “The world is full of sharks and unless you adapt, you are gonna get eaten alive.”

[@Ross-cecil]

My fan theory about Owen and his views on homosexuality is that he was raised in an enviornment that wasn't great with homosexuality and used it as the end of jokes often. We know that Tristan came out in middle school because his first year in high school he was open about being gay. My theory is that Zane joined the football team as an openly gay guy and Riley was defending him at the same time that Tristan came out. Owen felt like the gays were invading his entire life at school and at home. He couldn't escape his brother coming out because Zane was on the team. He couldn't escape gay people being on the team because his brother was also gay. It doesn't excuse his actions, but it might be why he was so quick to anger when the topic of gay people came up. And as he came to accept his brother he became more accepting o those at Degrassi.

[@RachelRamirezCaroline]

The Mind Of Ross Good theory!

[@siftubes]

same. bro if they woulda let me sink my teeth into this character I'd have been crying on screen. I was super emotionally invested cause my backstory for him was pretty much this and I used to meditate on it constantly. for certain scenes I would actively work myself up to tears just beforehand to get that "suppressed macho guy that would never cry like a sissy wtf r u talking about" who had no idea how he was supposed to deal with his problems- just that he couldn't be a wimp or he was worthless. Had the abusive home life and psychiatric disorders all mapped out. one of my biggest sadness's was not getting to open him up on screen.

[@NotAVampyre]

@@siftubes Thanks for chiming in! It's always interesting to hear what's behind characters like Owen who sometimes come off as one note because we don't get to see them in different lights. Not just that you had a whole story of how he came to be in mind, but also the process of looking like Owen.

[@BigAmericanGirlFan]

I guess that would make him similar to Kathleen from DJH where, while it doesn't excuse her bigotry, we see what's going on in her dysfunctional home life to get an insight to why the way she is

[@mia-solace]

degrassi's history often makes me feel like they don't really consider these things that deeply, but this is my headcanon of owen now. really thoughtful analysis. it's refreshing reading something more nuanced about the characters that people loudly, vehemently hate and don't give any fair consideration to.

[@maricela55126]

Let’s not forget when he LITERALLY picked up Adam, through him out of them men’s room and into a glass door just because he was trans

[@jalyceabraham1902]

Owen threw Adam into a glass door because Bianca outed him as a transgender.

[@NotAVampyre]

Perdy shitty

[@joshshipp2979]

​@@NotAVampyre he and Fitz both did that in season 10

[@anonnimus3193]

I thought owen was cute at first, but then his attitude just completely rid me of those feelings. His behavior when trying to win over Anya was low key predatory. She declined his advances SOOO MANY TIMES!

[@NotAVampyre]

Yeah. Very uggg

[@oooh19]

yea hes a good looking guy but it is creepy behavior tbh

[@tylerkochman1007]

I mean same goes for the actor himself. Hot looking, but then you learn he seems to be an obnoxious Trump-loving guy.

[@NotAVampyre]

Yup

[@bboombayah4662]

I still can’t believe one of the writers actually ships Owen and Anya together… Like Owen’s action clearly is predatory, but somehow, it’s a good idea for them to be together?

[@johannegirard6350]

I would love to see a segment on Alli.

[@rockrobster27]

Although the circumstances were tragic, I was hoping to see Owen reappear during the bus crash arc in Next Class.

[@tradbimbo]

I had the most massive crush on Owen, which shows my bad taste as a youngin. Haha

[@NotAVampyre]

Hey, I liked Eli at his most toxic, so you're not alone

[@patrickstar796]

My goofy ass had brief crushes on both Dylan and Craig so you’re not alone when it comes to crushing on the goofs

[@bellonacanino3422]

As I'm watching the show, I can't look away from Peter 😂 He's just so attractive

[@tesorodelao6792]

You aren’t alone, crushed on him, too.

[@jaycharleston2570]

Seriously he actually got better but when the kids, zig, Maya, imogen, and Tris, came in, he matured that final season

[@NotAVampyre]

I wouldn't really say he got fully better because there are a lot of troubling aspects to him that were never revisited, but he certainly improved immensly.

[@riyalukose6688]

The actor actually went to my high-school

[@NotAVampyre]

Cool

[@patrickstar796]

Nice. What was he like?

[@kelsey1467]

@@NotAVampyre What is that image of that woman that appears as your saying "no I don't think so" where is that from

[@realemmcee]

I'm curious to know what you think of Craig and his track record with emotional cheating.

[@NotAVampyre]

+emm cee "Ugg Craig. Why you gotta be like this?" -sort of sums it up. He was very believable and realistic in his portrayal, but like Joey in Degrassi High/Junior High, he can still be a jerk.

[@AliceInWonder98]

I wish they did another child abuse storyline that lasted longer then Craig's did and unlike Miles lived in a realstic finical stitution

[@NotAVampyre]

Are you saying that there's never been a rich family before that is involved with local politics? Miles' family situation may not be the norm, but that fact does not make it unrealistic.

[@realemmcee]

@@AliceInWonder98 They sort of did it with Alex and Ellie. We never saw either of them get physically assaulted but their home lives were both pretty terrible.

[@NotAVampyre]

@emm cee Child abuse comes in many forms. I'd say Marco's case was less abuse and more of a toxic and unwelcoming environment, but you're still right to not only look at cases where the abuse turned physical. Ellie's mom was definitely emotionally and mentally abusive.

[@melancholysimmer3676]

I rewatched his scenes and thought I'd give my ideas. 1. About the "Luke Baker & Poolhouse" thing Owen definitely doesn't mind taking advantage of girls (something he hopefully learned better from) but he doesn't strike me as the type who would've taken advantage of Zoe when she was passed out. However, if she came up to him, instead of Miles, it would've shocked me if he went along with it. 2. Owen and Anya I hated how they started and the first half of their relationship, the second half (army/career hunt part) made me like them a bit more. I really think I would've liked it a lot more if it was a more slow burn. He and Anya go on a date and end on somewhat good terms, after that he keeps pursuing her and uses a different tactic since they're more civil, eventually, he proves to be an okay/good guy and Anya gives him a chance. Something else I thought about (and a few others) is; what if Anya had stayed to redo her senior year? There's a deleted scene where Anya is graduating and Owen shows up with flowers. He voices his thought about her leaving after Anya brings it up, she tells him that she's thinking about staying a bit longer. She even suggests a year and Owen tells her not to because he doesn't want her to be held back. She then brings up possibly redoing her year and Owen says if she decided that he'd feel like the luckiest guy in the world. Also, on his official Twitter account, which is made by the Degrassi creators, he says that him and Anya broke up and implies that he isn't getting over her easy. I forget what it says exactly but it's something between the lines of "You'll have to be really amazing and special to win my heart because it's already taken" even though he and Anya broke up after this was tweeted. 3. Owen and Tristian I wish season eleven or twelve focused more on Owen. They could show his home life and give us the look that Owen didn't grow up in a homosexuality positive house. Then show Tristian coming out to his brother who, because of how he was raised and thought, reacted badly. I like to think that Tristian came out around the time Owen fought with Adam. Then show him slowly accepting it and then deciding if he's okay with being seen in public with his gay brother and show him slowly accepting that. . They could've done a lot with his character but decided not to for some reason. I wish we would've seen more of him.

[@NotAVampyre]

On the Tristan and Owen thing, likely they didn't think of making Tristan and Owen siblings until writing the season Tristan became a full student, so trying to make a storyline with them earlier wasn't really possible.

[@heidiheisele8608]

I agree

[@HaleyNicole11]

I would love it if you made a video just about Alli. ❤️

[@NotAVampyre]

+Haley Padour Wouldn't be a bad idea. But there's sooo much to talk about with her!

[@terranceforeman5116]

For some reason he reminded me of Paige Brother Dylan but i never realize until now he was getting better even through i usually tuned him out everytime i see before but another good video and now i can see him in another light

[@NotAVampyre]

+Terrance Foreman Yeah, I tuned him out initially too. He didn't really seem that important until later rewatches.

[@GG1Productions]

I just finished an every Degrassi ever marathon and I hate to say it, but Owen needed a focus episode. It could have been about literally anything but he never had an A plot to himself. It would have been nice to see what kind of home life he and Tristan had.

[@sweetgeo96]

I’m new to this channel and love it

[@NotAVampyre]

+Georgia Loughran Thanks!

[@sweetgeo96]

NotAVampyre you're welcome

[@SMP2390]

It was interesting Tristan was his brother all along possibly it effectived the home which is why he acted the way he did but I wonder why he changed.

[@ellewinnifred2449]

Hey. I know you created this two years ago, but I love browsing your videos because you seem to be very observant and analytical about all things degrassi. Related to Owen and his toxic ways, I would love to see a video where you compile a list of the most toxic--yet most "fangirled"--male characters on Degrassi. I was guilty of harboring a giant crush on Rick Murray lol.

[@Tatie1996]

As soon as Anya came into his life he changed for the better!

[@heidiheisele8608]

Yeah wish they did more with this character

[@ChristineTheHippie]

Can you do a video on toxic masculinity on Degrassi? We see varying examples in Owen, Luke, Rick, Fitz and even Neil.

[@NotAVampyre]

I wouldn't say Rick was a case of toxic masculinity as he was fine with being taken to task over the terrible things he'd done. He only flippled when he felt the punishment was too much and people refused to forgive. Who's Neil?

[@ChristineTheHippie]

Neil Martin. He was the other boy who raped Zoe. Ok, maybe Rick. Isn't really toxic masculinity. Luke and Owen are. With Rick, he was partly pushed over but the way he grabbed and kissed Emma and his abusive relationship with Terri does show some entitlement. I wish I knew more.

[@NotAVampyre]

Ah okay. He was more of a name and device than a character, so I didn't recal him by name and really can't say if he embodies toxic masculinity. With Rick, there was some entitlement in his treatment of Emma and a bit less with Terri, but it's not the same brand. It's still not toxic masculinity. It's nice guy ness and being an abusive, possessive partner.

[@tylerkochman1007]

Riley

[@multi298]

Alli is my favorite character from her season you should do a video on her complex character to me

[@kevink3928]

I wish that owen was in more episodes

[@lividp0ser]

okay, but tell me why I have a huge crush on him

[@karleecraziness9216]

Daniel Clark and Melinda Shankar dated in RL. Also Owen threw Adam through a door because he was Trans.

[@user-jc5ll1rx3f]

Daniel Kelly' and yeah him abusing Adam was horrible

[@karleecraziness9216]

@@user-jc5ll1rx3f Oopa Daniel Clark is Sean

[@CaptainChapin]

Aka he did the bare minimum of growth😂😂

[@NotAVampyre]

Basically.

[@snarkykryptonite4768]

I just watch binged watch a bunch of your videos. Although there are some stuff I dont agree with you, I enjoyed your content. I haven't seen degrassi or even thought about the show in almost a decade. haha

[@NotAVampyre]

Haha! I'm glad to gear you enjoy them!

[@Sidthekid-l1t]

5:32 what episode is that called

[@NotAVampyre]

Paper Planes Part 1 from season 11

[@ItsMarcemellow]

I lowkey liked Owen. He did some bad things but deep down, I think he was a good guy. Sometimes it was really deep down, lol. Or he wanted to be a better guy, especially compared to the beginning. That time he threw Luke up against the locker in defense of Tristan, I loved that! And when he was in the hospital with Tristan, I thought it was sweet. I do wish they had more character development with him or more episodes about him, though. Would’ve been cool to a real crummy guy turn into a good guy.

[@adamsmoberly]

I think the actor is kind of similar (like right leaning but cool with some liberal things; I get this vibe from Hunter’s actor as well), but not as bad and likely the same things. I feel like they kind of match each other in a way of being guys who have serious problems with others and need help. Also what is it with Degrassi characters around this time with non-straight and non-cis characters siblings acting homophobic and bullying said group of people? Both Owen and Drew did this to Riley and it felt really scumy to me. Especially when Paige’s brother was gay since day one and she wasn’t at all not okay with said issues (being not straight herself, but you know).

[@dsullivanation]

Owen has gotten better, but he'll never be a role model to anyone.

[@NotAVampyre]

Oh for certain. can't argue with that

[@dsullivanation]

@Lexi 93 Nope!

[@NotAVampyre]

I'd argue yes alot of characters are depending on when you look at them.

[@realemmcee]

and the actor is a POS garbage person

[@realemmcee]

Just want to point out as well that based on Daniel Kelly’s behaviour, playing someone as unlikeable as Owen really was not a stretch at all.

[@NotAVampyre]

Unfortunately that seems to be the case.....

[@oooh19]

@@NotAVampyre He was a good looking guy though. nice build. dark hair. cute smile and eyes.

[@NotAVampyre]

Doesn't mean much to me if he's such an awful person

[@bestabothworldz2766]

Isn't he tristan brother?

[@NotAVampyre]

Yup

[@gachavbassie7123]

What episode does Tris come out in again?

[@NotAVampyre]

He's basically out from day 1. He came out some time before high school.

[@gachavbassie7123]

Leslie Churchwell I meant in which episode does he come out

[@gachavbassie7123]

NotAVampyre Thanks!

[@montanaworthen5876]

Is owen spinners replacement

[@NotAVampyre]

Yes and no

[@montanaworthen5876]

@@NotAVampyre how

[@montanaworthen5876]

@@NotAVampyre i think yes because they were both homophobic

[@NotAVampyre]

Yes because of his homophobia and his general toxicity, but no because Spinner learned and grew from those. Owen just sorta for some reason stopped being the worst

[@montanaworthen5876]

@@NotAVampyre owen changed two after Tristan came on the show

[@charlesjunior5087]

What show is this?

[@NotAVampyre]

Degrassi

[@cslocum4054]

I know this is late but most of the seasons are on KZbin just search degrassi seasons 1 through 14

[@isaiahsturgis5037]

9:09 Not to mention, Luke has always been a scumbag and a bully. From Bullying others like Cam, Tristan and Jake, to literally assaulting Zoe while she was drunk. And yet he claims to be Christian, but his actions shows otherwise. that is what i say that’s lukewarm behavior. (Pun intended)

[@hostileX7]

I've always interpreted Owen as changing(albeit minimally) off screen and through internal reflection. It happens, people grow and mature. Although I agree, just because we don't see him being an asshole doesn't mean he isn't still an asshole, the opposite is also true: you can't be an asshole until proven innocent. He went from garbage to... not the worst. But, Anya clearly had some effect on him and he at least gets my benefit of the doubt 👍!