expository essay about my fav cartoons GO‼️ (spoilers for the owl house, gravity falls, and over the garden wall):

Alex Hirsch once said, "When the cops aren't around, anything's legal!" As someone who has worked for both Cartoon Network and the Walt Disney Company, he knows what he is talking about. Together, those two companies have made some of my favorite shows: The Owl House, Gravity Falls, and Over the Garden Wall.

The Owl House, created by Dana Terrace, tan on Disney Channel from 2020 to 2023. The show's main character, Luz Noceda, is Afro-Latina, Neurodivergent, and bisexual which are all tremendous steps for Disney. The story follows Luz entering a portal to the Boiling Isles where she meets a witch named Eda and a titan named King. While there, she makes friends with several witches, and a Grimwalker, and defeats Emperor Belos with their help. One entertaining aspect of the show is how it decides to poke fun at other fantasy franchises, such as the Harry Potter series. In the seventeenth episode of season one, Luz and her three friends Amity, Gus, and Willow play a game of Grudgby. They are able to score more points than the Grudgby team, but the scoreboard then changes to display the Grudgby team as the winner. Luz is confused until Boscha, the team captain, explains that they caught the Rusty Smidge, causing them to automatically win. Luz proclaims that this is a stupid rule that parallels the creator's reaction to the rules of J.K. Rowling's Quidditch.

Created by Alex Hirsch, Gravity Falls tells the story of twins Dipper and Mabel Pines visiting their Great Uncle Stan in Gravity Falls, Oregon. During their stay, the twins investigate supernatural anomalies and fight villains, such as Bill Cipher. Bill is a yellow triangle that resembles the back of a one-dollar bill. He is the over-arching bad of the story with powers including pyrokinesis, mind reading, and possession. In fact, he possesses Dipper in the fourth episode of season two. Bill was able to do this by manipulating Dipper into making a deal. Similarly, Bill causes Mabel to give him a rift that brings on an apocalypse called Weirdmageddon. Dipper and Mabel are very interesting characters, too. Dipper is an introverted bookworm obsessed with finding out the secrets of Gravity Falls. On the other hand, Mabel is extroverted and can be rather silly at times. But together, along with eight others, the twins are able to take down Bill and return Gravity Falls to its normal self.

Finally, Over the Garden Wall is a ten-episode mini-series produced by Cartoon Network in 2014. The show is centered around half-brothers, Wirt and Greg, and a bluebird named Beatrice. Wirt and Greg find themselves lost in a seemingly never-ending forest. There they meet Beatrice who offers to lead them to a witch who can help them get home. However, there is also a mysterious beast in the woods trying to lure them to their demise. The beast uses clever manipulation and deception to trick a woodsman into keeping it alive. Luckily for the beast, the manipulation does not work on the self-deprecating Wirt. Instead, Wirt proclaims the beast's demands are stupid and saves his little brother from turning into a tree. Greg, the little brother, is the polar opposite of Wirt. Where Wirt is anxious and overthinks, Greg prefers to play things by ear and is very naïve. Thankfully, they make it out of the forest. It is then revealed that they were drowning in a lake. Wirt then drags Greg and himself out of the lake and they are taken to the hospital. Many speculate what the forest, referred to as "The Unknown," is. However, the most popular theory is that it is a type of purgatory for the boys that gives them a chance to live.

In conclusion, all three of these shows have amassed large fan bases. The Owl House is still a topic of discussion even almost a year and a half after ending. Gravity Falls has managed to stay relevant to many, although it ended eight years ago. Lastly, Over the Garden Wall is still a seasonal watch for thousands every autumn. So, it is no wonder these shows are my favorites. All three are witty, entertaining, and heartening, solidifying them as well-loved shows in modern animation.

A/N: god sometimes i HATE writing essays but i enjoyed getting to yap for three pages :D