Interlude: What If II: What If... Abigail raised Luz?
Art by Crosshot: Time for another visit to an Alternate-Alternate Universe!
The Guardian shows us another Alternate Timeline, one where Eda gave Luz up and she became Abigail's daughter. How will things go for Luz Noceda-Gates?
Tropes that appear in this Chapter:
- Adaptation Relationship Overhaul: Being adopted by the Gates family means Luz gains Abigail and Frank as her parents, Clara as her little sister, and Angel as her aunt. She also befriends Gus G, Masha, Rudo, and Dana at some point in time.
- Adoptive Name Change: Luz still uses her birth surname, but being adopted by Abigail and Frank means it's hyphenated to "Luz Noceda-Gates".
- Adults Are Useless: As Luz grew up she not only became aware of how the grown-ups talked about her and Abigail behind their backs, she became disgusted by how all of them including Frank wouldn't help her mother with her depression.
- Alternate Reality Episode: Like the previous "What If?" one-shot, someone else raises Luz and we're given a completely different outlook on her life.
- Alternate Timeline: In a reality where Eda left Luz at the nun orphanage, she was found and adopted by Abigail and Frank, growing up in Gatesfield as Clara's big sister. She grew up being ostracized by the town for her way of thinking and is distanced from her family by the time she's 14.
- Ambiguous Situation: It isn't revealed why Angel is arguing with Abigail, but if one takes the events of "Fallen Angel" into account, it might have to do with Luz being taken to the Demon Realm.
- Ascended Extra: Paulina, Willow's human counterpart who only makes cameos in "A Lying Witch and a Warden" and "Thanks to Them", has a speaking role and serves as a friend to Luz and Gus G.
- Breather Episode: Following after "Those Gravity Falls Kids", this serves as preparation before the main storyline dives back into the multi-chapter buildup to the events of "Reaching Out".
- The Bus Came Back: Alternate versions of Gatesfield civilians return after lengthy absences;
- Angel, who had disappeared after "Closing the Gates".
- Jacob, Frank, Jordan, Cree, and Braids, all of whom make their second appearances since "Escape from Gatesfield".
- The Cameo:
- Eda and King are only seen in the beginning, when Eda drops baby Luz off at the orphanage.
- Angel is shown having an argument with Abigail in a flashback to when Luz is 5 years old.
- A Day in the Limelight: The entirety of Gatesfield has the floor... at least alternate versions of those characters.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Luz speaks up about the negative actions of past presidents in English class and is given detention because her teacher claims she caused a disturbance in class, despite not even raising her voice. Later, Principal Hal recommends she be sent to reform school for attacking Prince Daniels and Frank agrees with him without hearing out her side of the story, showing just how flawed things are in Gatesfield.Gus: Authority here sucks, man.
- Downer Ending: Luz is punished for saving Clara from a guy trying to force himself on her with the threat of being sent to Smile Away Reform School and runs off to the Gatesfield Cemetery to cry. Not long after, she meets the Weird Sisters...
- The Dreaded: The Guardian recognizes the Weird Sisters as mysterious threats due to their habit of popping up out of nowhere.
- Flat "What": Frank asks this in response to Abigail's Death Glare after his insensitive ignorance causes Luz to run away.
- In Spite of a Nail: Luz's behavior as a child earns scorn from other parents and leaves her a social outcast among her peers. She auditions for Romeo and Juliet and uses the "sausages as guts" bit for her death scene and when she does something over the top by school standards, Principal Hal recommends she go somewhere to correct her behavior with one parent agreeing to it which leads her to meeting a magical being.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: While prank-calling Jacob, Masha makes her voice sound completely different and is told she should be a voice actor. Her actual voice actress, Grey DeLisle, is well-known for her versatility in her occupation.
- Mythology Gag: Paulina's name was Willow's beta name during development of The Owl House, as seen in the series' animation test reel.
- Out of Focus: As the chapter never features the Demon Realm, the rest of the main cast aside from the original three stars don't appear.
- Point of Divergence: By letting go of Luz, Eda left her to be raised by Abigail and Frank as a member of the Gates family. Years of being shunned by the Gatesfield community turned Luz into a jaded shell of her former self and led to her isolating herself from her adopted family. At the very least she made a few friends as discontent with the town as her: Gus G, Masha, Dana, Rudo, and a girl named Paulina.
- Queer Establishing Moment: The moment Clara catches sight of the adult magazine Luz had, she starts to become attracted to women. It gets to the point where she prevents Prince Daniels from kissing her on the lips.
- Shout-Out: Principal Hal recommends Luz be sent away to the Smile Away Reformatory School, which was seen in Phineas and Ferb.
- This Is Gonna Suck: Clara has a Gay Panic when she has to attend a meeting with the cheerleaders and thinks about how cute they look in their uniforms.
- The Un-Reveal: Whatever Abigail and Angel were arguing about isn't revealed; all that's disclosed is the implication that they've had it before.
- Villain Respect: Abigail isn't a villain but she is antagonistic to Eda, and she states her gratitude toward the Owl Lady for saving Luz and dropping her off at the orphanage without ever knowing it was her.
