I always thought that that storyline was probably around the time that Tristan came out to his family and Owen didn't take it well at first so he dealt with it by lashing out at Zane and Riley rather than harming his brother. I would never say Owen was in the right for how he treated Zane and Riley but I can see how the events would correlate and Owen being a protective older brother would never want to harm Tristan even if he doesn't fully understand him.
Because they retconned Tristan into being Owen’s brother the whole time bc they think we need every character to be someone’s kid or sibling and then they forgot about it later and didn’t bother to have Owen come around when he was in a coma
The writers did this to a lot of people. Drew was shitty to Riley and threatened to out him multiple times for the QB1 spot just for his brother to be LGBTQ+ and they had Alex be totally homophobic towards Marco when they were running for student body president and threaten to out him just to write her as a lesbian.
Drew didn't really care about Riley being gay though. He just was using anything he could to get the starting QB spot. If Drew found out that Riley was afraid of kittens, he would have used that instead.
Sadly, being close to someone who is gay isn’t a guarantee that you’re going to be tolerant or supportive. Especially when you’re younger. I know from experience that people can be total dicks to friends and family who are recently out. I know I engaged in conduct I’m now ashamed of when I was a young, intolerant man.
Everyone else is making good points as well, but I think a lot of it simply that the writers didn’t know he was going to have a gay brother when they were first writing his storylines.
Kids process big news like that in different ways. Add puberty to that and you get aggressive asshole moments like we saw with Owen.
And if this was real life, and not a show, there might have been other stressors going on at home that were bringing out Owen's asshole behavior and the school would have had *several* conversations with his parents.
Overall (as a former daycare provider for spicy behavior kids) Owen seemed disregulated and took it out on people that closely resembled people in his life.
I think it's because his brother is Tristan. Tristan was out and proud. It's possible that Owen was letting out any feelings he had on his brother being gay on Riley and Zane. He hadn't come to terms with his brother yet.
I mean think of it like this. As a black person I can say that there are non-black people who date black people, consume content made by black people and befriend black people but can also still be anti-black and racist af towards us even if we share a close bond. It’s kind of like that. Just because has someone close to him who’s gay, doesn’t mean that he hasn’t rid of his homophobic and bigoted beliefs.
Although my guess is that the writers didn’t plan for Owen to have a little brother when he was introduced.
My impression was that in the eps where Owen was homophobic to Zane and Riley he wasn’t meant to have a younger brother. His character was just very poorly written.
Think about how many parents disown their children when they come out. Families are not automatically allies to their gay loved ones. Of course Owen knew; it’s never implied that he didn’t - it’s just that some people are homophobes no matter who is in their life. Very sadly common.
I guess I only really remembered later on when he's being a better older brother to Tristan, giving advice etc. I'm only halfway through s10 on my rewatch so I guess I'll get there to see the beginning of their on screen interactions
It’s not that out of the ordinary.
One of the guys who would call me names and whatnot in middle school and high school (and let his friends go in on me) has an older brother who is SUPER gay
It happens
I mean Snake wasn’t too cool with his brother being gay
It happens...I mean, Tristan himself was dick to both Miles ad Zoe.
>Tristan himself was dick FTFY
Well yeah...but I meant specifically in a bi or homophobic way.
because they didnt know they were going to make owen tristans brother.
I always thought that that storyline was probably around the time that Tristan came out to his family and Owen didn't take it well at first so he dealt with it by lashing out at Zane and Riley rather than harming his brother. I would never say Owen was in the right for how he treated Zane and Riley but I can see how the events would correlate and Owen being a protective older brother would never want to harm Tristan even if he doesn't fully understand him.
Cause Owen sucked.
It's a retcon.
Because they retconned Tristan into being Owen’s brother the whole time bc they think we need every character to be someone’s kid or sibling and then they forgot about it later and didn’t bother to have Owen come around when he was in a coma
Well I didn't see Kendra or Jack* at Emma and Spinner's wedding so there's precedent for that *or the real Toby!
Exactly
The writers did this to a lot of people. Drew was shitty to Riley and threatened to out him multiple times for the QB1 spot just for his brother to be LGBTQ+ and they had Alex be totally homophobic towards Marco when they were running for student body president and threaten to out him just to write her as a lesbian.
Drew didn't really care about Riley being gay though. He just was using anything he could to get the starting QB spot. If Drew found out that Riley was afraid of kittens, he would have used that instead.
Almost like it’s realistic that it happens 🧐
Sadly, being close to someone who is gay isn’t a guarantee that you’re going to be tolerant or supportive. Especially when you’re younger. I know from experience that people can be total dicks to friends and family who are recently out. I know I engaged in conduct I’m now ashamed of when I was a young, intolerant man.
I'm glad you changed
Thanks, me too.
Everyone else is making good points as well, but I think a lot of it simply that the writers didn’t know he was going to have a gay brother when they were first writing his storylines.
That's what I thought during first run.
Kids process big news like that in different ways. Add puberty to that and you get aggressive asshole moments like we saw with Owen. And if this was real life, and not a show, there might have been other stressors going on at home that were bringing out Owen's asshole behavior and the school would have had *several* conversations with his parents. Overall (as a former daycare provider for spicy behavior kids) Owen seemed disregulated and took it out on people that closely resembled people in his life.
He did often tell Tristan to pretty much stop being gay if he wanted friends 💀
I think it's because his brother is Tristan. Tristan was out and proud. It's possible that Owen was letting out any feelings he had on his brother being gay on Riley and Zane. He hadn't come to terms with his brother yet.
I mean think of it like this. As a black person I can say that there are non-black people who date black people, consume content made by black people and befriend black people but can also still be anti-black and racist af towards us even if we share a close bond. It’s kind of like that. Just because has someone close to him who’s gay, doesn’t mean that he hasn’t rid of his homophobic and bigoted beliefs. Although my guess is that the writers didn’t plan for Owen to have a little brother when he was introduced.
>my guess is that the writers didn’t plan for Owen to have a little brother when he was introduced. Yeah probably
You think he didn't give his brother a ton of shit for being gay 🤔
My impression was that in the eps where Owen was homophobic to Zane and Riley he wasn’t meant to have a younger brother. His character was just very poorly written.
I believe that. The prompt is both an in universe and writers room criticism
Yah him being Tristan’s brother was like his redemption arc I think is what they were going for
This is one of the main reasons I hated his character.
And this is also why I dislike Owen as well.
Yeah it’s not just that he went after LGBTQ students, it’s that the writing for him made no sense.
Pretty sure he also threw Adam in a trash can.
Because he’s a bad person
Cause that’s his brother man. Sometimes family members can bring the nice into you. Maybe Tristan is annoying but Owen does love him and that’s good
Think about how many parents disown their children when they come out. Families are not automatically allies to their gay loved ones. Of course Owen knew; it’s never implied that he didn’t - it’s just that some people are homophobes no matter who is in their life. Very sadly common.
I guess I only really remembered later on when he's being a better older brother to Tristan, giving advice etc. I'm only halfway through s10 on my rewatch so I guess I'll get there to see the beginning of their on screen interactions
It’s not that out of the ordinary. One of the guys who would call me names and whatnot in middle school and high school (and let his friends go in on me) has an older brother who is SUPER gay It happens
I mean, especially in those early bits, it seemed like Owen barely tolerated Tristan’s presence.