Odalia isn't a 2 dimensional evil villain
Hot take: Odalia isn't as awful as the fandom makes her. Hopefully I won't get too much hate because I'm sensitive.
Don't get me wrong, she terrible but she she not heartless or evil for the sake of evil. She not two dimensional as the fanbase makes her. She not punting a puppy into the boiling sea and watching it suffer while cackling maniacally. She not out to torture her own family for funsies. She in fact, love her family...she was just terrible toxic and blinded by her need of control. She does make her family miserable but she does it so they can achieve a goal she had set thinking its whats is best.
Look as Odalia traits. In my last post, (cue a copy and paste) She very intuitive which is why she a great oracle. She acts like a know it all because of it, but within reason, she is usually right about things. Because of this, she thinks her opinion is the only right opinion and there's very little variety from that. If something goes wrong she thinks its because no one listened to her.
She also a very driven, goal oriented. Boy, does she have goals! She is very much a "ends justify the means"
Another trait, and her oracle skill encourages this, is she plans ahead. In fact, that's all she does. She is constantly looking ahead, to ensure her family and business is ahead of the game. She rarely in the now.
She shown to be very involve in her family. She notice Amity forgot her lunch and sent the twins to give it to her, she in the Parent Creature Association. The Blight children biggest grips is Odalia being too involved and being controlling because of it.
Let's get into her headspace. Odalia is use to being right about things so when she planned things for her children, it was for their best interest (she believes). Despite them protesting and not desiring whatever it is. She so busy looking to their future she not looking at their needs and desire now. They are kids, they don't know better...but Odaila does. She older, wiser, experienced and rarely wrong. They will thank her when they are older when they are successful adults. They may be miserable now, but who isn't happy once they become successful? Which they will be later, as long as they listen to her. The end justify the means.
She may even grew up in a very similar way. She turn out alright, even better! Look at her now! she living the life, successful, beautiful, she has it all. She can do the same for her own children but even better.
She still a terrible and toxic mother. Im sure she give many back hand handed compliments. But did want what's she thought best for the family. Again, she rarely wrong. how can she possibly be wrong about this? Nearly everything she done it was for the family. Which in turn. she benefits greatly from as it also boost her image and status more. It's a win-win for her.
I'm not saying she did it for them as for an example, a parent painfully endured a children concert of whatever the child obsessed with at the current moment to make them happy. No. she the catalyst of having her children endure what she thinks is best for them. Like how a parent force their children to learn an instrument and practice, practice, practice! But its not an instrument she making them endure but things she believe would benefit them later. Amity will thank her later in life when she get to keep all schools of magic when she joins the emperor coven.
All this makes Odalia look good and furthering her family higher in status. Status is Odalia personal desire. She money hungry but I think that's because it easier to raise status when your filthy rich and how inconveniences can be pay away.
Isn't it so wonderful Odalia can reach her dream while bettering her children's lives?
Then theres a Day of Unity. I have no reasonable explanation why Belos would include her. The only thing I can think up was, She very intuitive and with the large shipment she knew something was up. Somehow Belos knew and they had a meeting.
If anyone has headcanon on how or why Belos included Odalia, I would love to hear it.
I have to have another watch, but I found it odd that the whole Isle had to be at the head for the Day of Unity and not celebrating in the streets at their homes. I think the spell to work effectively, needed witches to close distance to the conduit. Which, Belos needed the abomtrons to entrap them.
So Belos manipulated Odalia. He good at telling people what they want to hear. I'm pretty sure he told Odalia point blank, a lot of witches will die during the Day of Unity but only the worthy and the faithful to the Titan will survive. It's the Titan will. You don't want to go against his will do you?" Essentially trapping her to keep the secret. It worked. She was terrified. But Belos still can't risk her telling people that would start an uprising. So he promise her all something she always desired if she stay quiet. Higher status. What higher than being royalty of the new world of the faithful and worthy?
Belos also plan may extended that knows Luz affections for Amity. Luz being a weird wild card to that might ruin his plan, so he may implied to Odalia he wanted her to home imprisonment Amity so Luz would go to her and away from the skull. It's a bit of a stretch but it can sort of work. It explains the gaslight Odalia did in that episode. I'm sure she regularly gaslights but that seemed a bit excessive to me.
So Odalia kept silent, fulfilling the Titan will. She'll sacrifice the whole damn isle to ensure her family safety. The end justify the means. Plus she'll get a nice crown, what a nice bonus for keeping a secret.
It's ironic that Odalia the oracle could be so blinded to everything she held dear. Including her own actions and the immediate effects. But the end justify the means, the means of her perception on how things should be and the way to achieve them. She never once foreseen or thought the means would go against her and veer into a different end. Why would they? Her end is the correct one...it's what's best. She's always right? right?
She doesn't realize her opinion isn't always the right and/or only opinion. It cost her everything. She still doesn't believe she wrong and her family turning their backs on her, after EVERYTHING she done for them. It was a slap in the face. What a bunch of ingrates! They should apologize to her. In her mind, Alador betrayed her destroying their life work and leaving their partnership. The kids shunning her. Odalia believes she did nothing wrong, all the hardship she force them to endure would have payed off if they just waited a little longer! Then her family realize it was all worth it and thank her for her wise foresight.
After her separation of the family, she will judge her family from a distance. Scoff when they seem to struggle. They should have listen to her. But over the years, she see that they are happy...thriving. Maybe not thriving in fortune sense, but just in life. After some time...a lot longer than is should have, and replaying her memories as she reflects about her currently life, i'm sure are a lot of screaming, scoulding, yelling matches after the Day of Unity and they took separate ways, in retrospect can see some of family points about her and her...mistakes. She start to feel a pang of remorse. She won't apologise...not until years has passed. Not like 2-3 years, im talking...10-15 years she try to make contact and apologise.
I think, surprisingly she'll miss and feel bad about Alador the most. He pledge and gave his life and everything to her. He was so damn loyal to her to a fault that her misuse of her family made him snap that unwavering loyalty and that oh so important word of a Blight he gave her for 30 years. While everyone was hurt and sad and a slew of negative emotion about the situation, the children was fueled more by anger. Alador gave her his own choice angry and hurt words, but he just looked so heartbroken in the end.
I realize people may wonder at this point... after the Day of Unity...how can she think she not wrong? She was a victim of the spell too...surly she must know she was wrong! Remember earlier I mention "If something goes wrong she thinks its because no one listened to her." Guess what? Alador and Amity didn't listen to her and they ran off. It doomed her and partner. She also may consider she doomed herself by going against the Titan wishes by admitting what she knew to them before the family battle.
So that's my take on Odalia. I think she more dimensional then the fan makes her. I know its so easy for people to just make her a flat evil villain. She is cruel, manipulative, and an abuser. I don't think she realizing she abusing. She knows she being underhanded but I think she thinks the word "abuse" is too far and exaggerating. As I mention, she may grew up similar so this is just "normal parenting" from her own childhood observation. I'm not saying she gets a pass. Just she has more depth.
If you use my headcanon for fic or art, I'll appreciate a shout out. I'm hoping to incorporate my headcanon into my own fic. Particularly the Belos bit, and Odalia feeling betrayed by her family while feeling she didn't do much wrong to warrant it.
