Chapter 39: Understanding Lilith
Art by Crash X Fusion: It's time to look inward and ask yourself the big question: Was giving it all up worth it?
Lilith is forced to confront her past head on with help from an "old friend".
Tropes that appear in this Chapter:
- Adaptational Explanation:
- The chapter gives Lilith a bonus reason for cursing Eda: someone else gave her the idea.
- The reasons why Eda forfeited the witch's duel against her sister was because she saw the blank sign-up sheet and she felt Lilith deserved to have her dream.
- All for Nothing: Lilith says this word for word when she refuses to leave with Stanford, as she believes Emperor Belos is the only one who can cure Eda. In present day, she has to accept that it was in the reverse; everything she did to get him to keep his end of the deal falls into this.
- Amicable Exes: Averted with Lilith and Ford Pines, as their relationship ended because Ford knocked Lilith out so she wouldn't stop him from escaping the Demon Realm and wouldn't go with him when he offered.
- Appeal to Flattery: Emperor Belos won over a teenage Lilith by using kindness to make her feel important.
- Back from the Dead: Thanks to Dr. Bride, Lilith manages to survive.
- Badass Boast: As the Inner Demon chides Lilith for being too late to save her family and turns into Grom saying she couldn't beat it, her counter sums up her drive to right her wrongs:Lilith: You think that scares me? I'm not a child anymore. (draws a large spell circle with her staff) I am Lilith Clawthorne, eldest daughter of the Clawthorne family! And you are nothing. (blasts him with a light spell)
- Big Damn Kiss: Downplayed. Lilith gives Ford a peck on the cheek after learning he doesn't have a significant other or any close acquaintances.
- The Bus Came Back: Dr. Bride and Iggy reappear for the first time since "Doctor's Visits and Party Incidents" (not counting Dr. Bride's appearances through flashback in "Regretful Decisions" and "I'm Fine Memories".)
- But Now I Must Go: Ford packs up and leaves the Demon Realm after he suspects Belos has ulterior motives.
- Call-Back:
- Eda said that Lilith's hair used to look like a red cotton ball in "Human Date", and that's how "Ford" describes it here.
- Odalia mentions all of the incidents Eda caused at Hexside such as the ghost infestation in the girl's locker room, the Abomination uprising, and the boy band songs playing through the bells.
- Ford mentions his fallouts with his friend and brother.
- After realizing Belos can't be trusted, Ford brings up the last time someone claiming to be helping him was revealed to be using him for their own gain.
- Lilith faces the Inner Demon while remembering how Luz mentioned him while Lilith was saving her from the Forest of Fear.
- The Cameo: Unlike the other people from Lilith's past who pop up in her memories, some play minor roles:
- Luz only shows up for a few seconds. It's the first time since the prologue where she's ever appeared in a minor role.
- Alador is briefly seen, Odalia trying to convince him to show an invention to the Emperor's Coven.
- Warden Wrath is shown standing sentry during Lilith and Ford's date at the Conformatorium.
- Chekhov's Gunman: To save Lilith, King has the group bring her to Dr. Bride.
- Commonality Connection: Between their scholarly personalities, their grievances with their younger siblings and their pride, it's no wonder Lilith and Ford fell for each other.
- Continuity Nod: Lilith remembers seeing Anu Bist at the semester exams.
- Crush Blush: Lilith does this when she attempts to flirt with Ford.
- A Day in the Limelight: Obviously, Lilith is the focus character this chapter.
- Face Your Fears: Lilith does this and concludes being unable to do so is why the Inner Demon always preys on children's fears: because they lack the maturity to face them.
- Forced Sleep: Ford uses a sleeping potion on Lilith to prevent her from stopping him as he escapes.
- Foregone Conclusion:
- It was clear Lilith wasn't going to leave with Ford given Belos' promise to cure Eda is still valid to her.
- Dr. Bride has finally gotten the test results for Luz's condition. Unbeknownst to her, Luz has already learned the truth by now.
- Foreshadowing: Lilith having streaks in her hair and Dr. Bride having apparently died.
- Heartfelt Apology: Following her revival, Lilith takes a moment to apologize to Amity for everything she made her do and promising to help her save Luz and Eda.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: The Inner Demon gets his strength by showing his victims their greatest mistakes and breaking their wills. However, his attempt with Lilith just strengthens her resolve to redeem herself and leads to her victory over him.
- Internal Reveal: Lilith meets Puck and Dr. Bride for the first time while formally meeting Anu Bist.
- Irony: It's revealed that Lilith ended up in a relationship with Stanford Pines, the long-lost twin brother of her human brother-in-law Stanley Pines. Talk about a Contrived Coincidence!
- Jerkass: The coven guard in charge of sign-ups, as Eda had found out and later revealed to Lilith that he lied about there only being one spot left.
- Journey to the Center of the Mind: Lilith and "her conscience" take one down memory lane.
- Karma Houdini: Harry Houdini escaping from the EC led to the creation of the term In-Universe.
- Lightning Can Do Anything: Electrocution is how Lilith is revived.
- Locked into Strangeness: Lilith ends up with several white streaks in her hair because Dr. Bride used electrocution to revive her.
- Love Cannot Overcome: Lilith and Ford's relationship ultimately wasn't enough to get Lilith to abandon the Emperor if it meant he wouldn't cure Eda.
- Multi-Part Episode: Part 2 of the Book 1 finale and covering the second part of "Young Blood, Old Souls".
- Must Make Amends: Lilith vows to atone for her actions, starting by freeing her sister and niece from being petrified.
- Mythology Gag: Ford is shown recording all his findings on the Boiling Isles in a new journal. Gravity Falls: Lost Legends reveals that Journal #1 has a section on the Boiling Isles and that a fourth journal was eventually created.
- Near-Death Experience: Lilith comes close to passing on, but between the mysterious figure healing her and Dr. Bride finishing the job she comes to believe that, as she states in the next chapter, "the Titan gave her another chance".
- No Body Left Behind: To finish off the Inner Demon-turned-Grom, Lilith uses a light spell to vaporize him.
- Noodle Incident: Dr. Bride had previously died and was revived via electric shock.
- The One That Got Away: Not only was Odalia this for Lilith due to their careers, but Ford was too because Lilith believed Belos wouldn't help Eda if she left with him.
- Out of Focus: As Luz and Eda were previously captured, they don't physically appear in present time. While Eda had major prominence in Lilith's memories, Luz is only granted a cameo.
- Pensieve Flashback: Lilith travels through her most painful memories and sees how much she gave up following Belos in order to help Eda and fix her mistake.
- Pre-Mortem One-Liner: Lilith's last line to the Inner Demon before burning him out of her mind? "You are nothing."
- Present Absence: Eda plays a large part in Lilith's life, thus appearing in her early memories, but not in the present as she's locked up with Luz. Luz is also part of Lilith's massive guilt, so she contributes to it.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech:
- Eda gave one to Belos over how corrupted the coven system was, telling him and Kikimora to go suck eggs.
- The illusions of the people most important to Lilith (Luz, Amity, Ford, Odalia and the child, teen & present day versions of Eda) join Belos in giving her one for pushing them all away because of her selfishness.
- Lilith gives the Inner Demon one, calling him a coward for feasting on kids' misery because they're weaker than adults.
- Rescue Romance: The infatuation between Lilith and Ford began when she saved him from falling off a cliff after he got decked by a tree.
- The Reveal:
- The human Lilith was charged with watching in the past? Stanford Pines! Apparently, he ended up in the Boiling Isles during his interdimensional travels and they developed a relationship which ended when he left after realizing Belos couldn't be trusted.
- Odalia was the one who suggested Lilith curse Eda. Although like Lilith, she said it herself that it should only leave Eda powerless for a day.
- Geist works at a night lounge, at least in the past.
- Harry Houdini was a witch and criminal who disappeared into the human realm to escape arrest.
- Security Blanket: It seems Lilith has a habit of stroking her hair whenever she was nervous.
- Shout-Out:
- After getting lost during the field trip, Lilith says " Oh, poison apples!"
- Odalia's Affectionate Nickname for Lilith was "Lilipup", one letter off from the Pokémon of the same name.
- The tree that attacked Ford can unintentionally bring to mind the whomping willow from Harry Potter.
- Spotting the Thread: "Ford the Conscious" mocking Lilith for pushing everyone away is what causes her to realize it's really the Inner Demon.
- Talk to the Fist: Lilith punches the Inner Demon as she begins fighting back against him.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: King straight up tells Lilith that he doesn't trust her but since their family's in danger, he's willing to ally with her to free them.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Odalia, as she gave Lilith the idea of cursing Eda.
- Wham Episode: Lilith was in a relationship with Ford (the human who she once watched over), Odalia suggested she curse Eda, she defeats the Inner Demon and she joins King, Amity, Puck and Anu Bist in the effort to rescue Luz and Eda.
- Wham Shot: Lilith's "conscious" takes the form of someone she was close to in her past: a human man with brown hair, glasses and six fingers!
- Whole Episode Flashback: Up until the end, the entire chapter takes place within Lilith's memories.
