I completely agree! I think Aziraphales actions were more based off of his religious trauma and always being harassed by Heaven, constantly seeking their approval. He went to Heaven not only bc he still believed Heaven to be good, but because he believed in humanity. He wanted Crowley to come with him not because he needed him to be an angel to love him, but because he loved him and needed his support to make humanity happy.
This!!! Aziraphale’s religious trauma is so overlooked by the fandom, especially the fact that trauma doesn’t always mean fear, it can manifest as a sense of obligation!
Exactly! And when I found out that he has religious trauma, I was like, “how did I not see this?” 😂 And that’s why I 1000% agree with what you said in this video of yours, @beanutputter
Agreed, and I think he also had two other motives for wanting to re-angelize Crowley. First and foremost, he's been afraid for Crowley's safety for a long time and this would put him past hell's reach and under the direct and close protection of the Supreme Archangel. Secondarily, we got a glimpse of who Crowley was before the Fall, and that angel seemed (on the surface) like a happier person. Crowley's suffered a lot of pain and fear and trauma, and I think Aziraphale wanted to give him that carefree happiness back "only even nicer" (because he does like Crowley and their close relationship).
8:26 I think the only reason Metatron even told Aziraphale he could do that was because he knew Crowley wouldn’t do it. He wanted to separate Aziraphale from his only support network and isolate him to Heaven. I also believe that he wanted to separate the two as when they performed a miracle together, the magical energy given off was incredibly powerful.
This is a very strong possibility! I didn’t think much about their joint miracle but I think it’s definitely worth considering. I love your point about isolation, if that ends up being canon then it really says a lot about the manipulation and corruption of Heaven. I think we’ll see a lot of Heaven being horrible in season 3, especially where the second coming is only really their thing.
@@beanuttputterr I completely agree, I think season three will show the true nature of Heaven, showing how their following the rule book and sticking to their same ways is a detriment. I think Crowley is going to witness some of this abuse and stick up for Aziraphale, saving him and sweeping him off his feet. Or at least, that’s what I need to happen
oh yeah exactly! i was going to say this in a reply to your other comment but then i saw you said it first lol. i think this is the most likely scenario for sure
Ur the goat, very exactly my thoughts. Like Metatron knew good and well that conversation would end up a fight and got Aziraphale as excited and hopeful about heaven as possible, to make sure they'd have no possible way of resolving that ideological divide in a healthy way lol
I disagree with people saying Aziraphale chose Heaven over Crowley, because I think in his mind, loving Crowley and running Heaven are fundamentally intertwined. We all heard him say he doesn't want to go, he only agrees to when he learns Crowley can become an angel again. He says over and over he wants to go _to change things,_ he _needs_ to change things. What's evident to me but also what Aziraphale is failing to communicate in the chaos is "I'm leaving _because_ I love you. I want a better world for us. If you won't come with me, then I'll just have to make it without you." It goes from a small price to pay (leaving his bookshop) to a huge sacrifice (being apart from Crowley)
Sorry, the "lie" theory doesn't hold water either. Look at the acting in that masterpiece of a last scene and tell me that Michael Sheen is playing Aziraphale as showing manufactured grief. He is a virtuoso actor--if he wanted to signal that Aziraphale's emotions were not genuine, wouldn't he have done so? No, he is playing Aziraphale as actually broken-hearted, scared, and confused. Why can't he just be a character we love who makes a choice--a mistake, if you like--that we just don't like? He's flawed, which makes him more real. I do think Metatron manipulated him--made him that offer because he knew Crowley wouldn't accept. The look he gives Crowley when he's following Metatron out of the shop is one of pure hatred. After Crowley leaves, Metatron comes in immediately, not giving Aziraphale even a second to be alone to rethink things. He continues to disparage Crowley, calling him a damn fool. I think Aziraphale still desperately wants heaven's and his fellow angels--his family's--approval. He also wants Crowley safe and cared for. His purpose in creation was to lessen human suffering. He sees a chance to get both, but feels Crowley rejects him.
Absolutely spot on, whether fans want to admit or not it was a perfect ending, life doesn't always give you things easily (I'm going to assume that majority of the fans being upset about the ending are very young and unexperienced in life lol), life normally gives you challenges on your journey to get to that thing that you really want (especially if the journey is a 6000 year old one) and overcoming those same challenges will let you understand what it is that you really want in life, my guess is there will be another season, which will allow these characters to taste the fruits of their individual choices and embrace their individual flawed journey, mark my words :)
I agree with you and I do think it's a perfect ending. Michael Sheen''s performance in that scene is perfection. I think Aziraphale is genuinely trying to do the right thing. He's rejected Crowley asking him to come away with him twice before. He might well think that he's calling his bluff again for the 3rd time, but of course he should know Crowley would never agree, he hates the whole lot of them.
Yeah, Azi chose heaven both because of the trauma that he has and needs to confront and because he thinks that he can change things for the better. He really does think that he can not only make heaven better, but make it good enough for Crowley to come back (not in a petty way, though, he would never be petty like that). That's why Azi has that enigmatic smile at the end.
Neil Gaiman has said this is planned as a second series with a third coming. It’s a cliffhanger. Crowley , whoever he was as an angel, was at least a throne or a dominion, based on his clearance level. Aziraphale was initially infatuated with him, and presumably remembers who he was, while Crowley has few memories of his time as an angel. Aziraphale clearly thinks he can make a difference in heaven. I’m content- well, more or less, as I’m 72, and don’t know how many years I have left, and while not facing deathly ills, one never knows- to wait until Neil wraps up the third season in the way he’s obviously planned, even though he’s not telling. I’m not going to favor one theory over another. I love Good Omens including series two, and love what Michael Sheen and David Tennant are doing with the characters. Cliffhangers are hard. But I have faith in Neil’s work and in how everything will turn out in the end.
YES!!! this entire comment i agree with. both the coffee and the lie theory don’t sit right with me given both michael sheen’s acting and aziraphale’s character. aziraphale just seems so genuine and ecstatic to come to crowley about being together in heaven. and i feel like both theories miss out on the point that aziraphale doesn’t want to return to heaven for heaven’s sake-he wants to return to heaven for love’s sake. he wants to make heaven a better place, not only because it’s what he should do, but most importantly because that means him and crowley (and any other future demon and angel) can have the life they’ve always wanted without constant supervision and criticism. it’s the most queerest tale in the book imo-just two beings who want to love each other unapologetically, but are unable to do so because of the forces that be. it’s all of this paired with aziraphale’s own trauma that causes him to be manipulated, even to the point where he mistakeningly reverts to his old way of thinking of “heaven good, hell bad”. what aziraphale wants to say is that “heaven is where i can change things for us, and you can be happy again, like when you were an angel”. it’s his own way of loving just as crowley’s own way of loving is to runaway to paradise together, and ignore the poorly handled institutional problems up in heaven (and hell) that’s making them runaway in the first place.
Honestly, as someone with religious trauma, I think his actions make a lot of sense to me in the way that, like... if the group of people where you grew up, the ones who raised you and grew with you, eventually decided that you were in some way flawed or bad and ousted you, but then changed their minds and said they would welcome you back, chances are you would want to believe them and go back with them. There's always a piece of you that still loves that environment and, to a degree, those people who hurt you, and it really just comes down to whether or not you're able to rationalize out of it. Aziraphale almost did, but inevitably couldn't, and that's why he did what he did.
13:18 I honestly don’t agree with lie theory because Aziraphale had seen Crowley come and go there entire lives on Earth, and the Bond and love between them never faded. They always helped save one another, always found one another, and Aziraphale knows that even when he goes to Heaven, some part of Crowley will still love him. And that he will never stop loving him.
Agree to disagree. Coffee theory aside, Metatron *absolutely* offered Crowley's restoration to Azi because Metatron *knew* Crowley would NEVER agree to that. This isnt about Azi or his place in Heaven at all, this is specifically to split Crowley and Aziraphale up because their combined power in doing joint miracles is astronomically powerful- and that is a threat to Metatron's Great Plan, especially since he's trying to get the Second Coming on a roll.
aziraphel lying and aziraphel being exited and nervous is very different. He wants Crowley to join him in heaven because he really is that naive and thinks he can make the change. The season shows aziraphael disagreeing with the angels in heaven but never trully loosing the conviction that heaven is in the right . azirphrael has his own morals and acts accordingly so when he sees a chance to apply his morals too the proceedings in heven of cours he jumps at it. aziraphael is selfserving for sure but the way he talks to nina implies he know he is doing a "wrong/ Bad", but he is doing it as a disguise for doing a good thing for nina letting her keep the shop.
Personally, I don't buy either theory. I have one of my own. I believe that Aziraphale was telling Crowley the truth about what Metatron told him, and that he was just too excited by the prospect of being able to "fix" things for Crowley, whom he knows has never liked being referred to as "fallen." Much like Crowley has always had a desire to protect and rescue Aziraphale from trouble, Aziraphale has always been determined to point out the good in Crowley and to help fix any situation that might otherwise paint Crowley in a bad light. He even worries about whether or not Crowley will "get in trouble" with Hell whenever he does something overtly good, as he did in the Resurrectionist minisode. He's so desperate for everyone else to see the good in Crowley that he sees, he's willing to give up his life on Earth for the chance to get Crowley reinstated. He was all set to deny Metatron until Metatron mentioned (in a weasel-y tone, I might add) that Aziraphale might restore Crowley's angelic status. I think if anyone was playing the lying game, it was Metatron, and he knew just where to dig to get Aziraphale to agree. I actually believe Aziraphale was acting completely IN character when he kept trying to convince Crowley to go with him, because he wanted Crowley to be reinstated as an angel. And after the kiss, he began to really question going back to Heaven, because he realized Crowley truly didn't WANT to be an angel, again (I honestly believe Aziraphale loves him no matter what). He wanted to make excuses to stay, and when Metatron asked him if there was anything he needed to take with him, Aziraphale looked at the chair -- presumably because that's where Crowley often makes himself at home when at the book shop -- and then started to say he wasn't going. I think it's Aziraphale's determination to keep his word at all costs -- like he told Gabriel when the demons were trying to get Aziraphale to send him out -- that made him agree to go. Then, when he asked about the big plans, and Metatron revealed the Second Coming, Aziraphale froze in place, and his expression said he was about to say no, yet again. Until he looked over and saw Crowley watching him. Recall that Aziraphale told Nina and Maggie that he always had a plan, but that rescuing him always made Crowley so happy. I don't think that comment was just a throwaway. I believe he only got on that elevator because he's hoping Crowley will follow him to Heaven, to try and rescue him, and he might get another chance to convince Crowley to stay. *shrugs* That's my personal theory. Everyone sees something different in characters, though... that's something I've learned in 35 years of writing fiction. Until we get a Season 3 and whatever Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett cooked up is finally revealed, there's no such thing as a "bad theory." ADD: I actually just finished my own fanfic look forward at what I theorize Season 3 COULD look like.
I would add that maybe Aziraphael suspects that the Second Coming might be a bad thing and it’s better if he were in Heaven to supervise (find out if humanity is going to be ok in the end)
@@karmaforall18 I agree! This point cannot be overstated. What a strong sense of duty Aziraphale has, not to The Plan but to See Things Through once he's started down a path. Consider (1) how often he (along with Crowley, more often than not) sees clearly what needs doing, and when he follows through on that, things do get righted. Not only do things work out for the best, but it's clear that without Aziraphale's intervention *no one else would have stepped in* to do things the right way. That's big. And (2) at two pivotal points in the major arcs of both seasons (at the very beginning of S2 when Gabriel appears at the book shop, and previously at the point when A&C discovered that they had the wrong antichrist) Aziraphale decides to go forward with his own idea of the correct and duty-bound course of action, without Crowley's approval, and we see how quickly Crowley realizes his error and follows behind. Even doing the apology dance!
@AuthorEstherMitchell I also REALLY like your way of framing all this, with one additional major tweak: As I see it, Az isn't all amped up to restore Crowley to angelic status *as such*. The key is that he wants to restore Crowley to the angelic status that he himself shares. That way they can finally be together. Without all the games and subterfuge. All the coded messages and secret meetings cut short. And on a metaphysical level, he can love Crowley fully. He won't have to be torn between his love for Crow and his allegiance to Heaven. Might call this (most straightforward of all the readings I've seen) "Freedom Theory." It posits simply that Az is so nervous and excited by the prospect of returning to Heaven because it means that he and Crowley can finally be on the same side. With all that that implies, it's like each of them will be entirely new people *to each other* as well. That's part of what's so devastating about C saying "We could have been us!" I think it's this *impossible* idea coming true that blinds Aziraphale to the pitfalls and possibilities for error that suddenly confront him when talking to Crow.
Agreed. I have my opinions about season 2 and how “good” it was though, so I’m hesitant to say that I think another season is a good idea. Yes it clearly will wrap things up better and conclude the story, (we kind of need that closure now) but I’d have a hard time saying I *want* a third season
Nice video! I'm new to the party since I just watched both season this week so I had never heard of any theory and I have to say I agree with neither because honestly it was chocking but not so out of character (like someone said, seeking approval and religious trauma) that it would need a complicated explanation. I do love what RachelGat said in the comments about the miracle they perfomed together, I also though there would be more about it in the next season because it's the second time in the show that they allude that combining the power of an angel and a demon could be big.
The more time I sit with it, the more I see holes in lie theory. Neither of them are perfect, of course, but I hope my video achieved its goal of comparing the two major theories and which one is more “believable” in my opinion! Thanks for your comment xx
I think you presented them well, and if I had to pick I would rather go with lie theory than coffee one since it gives more depth to the character... but I hope both are wrong ^^@@beanuttputterr
Aziraphale is a terrible liar. His big announcement, and how happy he is about it, however, seem perfectly genuine. In fact, Aziraphale has been using raised clenched fists all season long to indicate triumph and excitement, and he does this gesture several times as he delivers the news; proof, in my mind, that he is genuinely triumphant and excited, NOT lying. Whatever the reason is for Aziraphale's behavior, it MUST be quickly and easily understandable to the casual viewer. Anything that takes in-depth analysis, psychological or otherwise, to explain or make sense of it is by definition false. I see only 3 possibilities to explain what Aziraphale did that are quick and easy to understand for everyone. The first is that Neil Gaiman just wrote things the way he wanted to, and doesn't grasp that to many fans Aziraphale's behavior seems out of character. The second is the coffee theory. And the third, and I think most likely, one is that the Metatron did something during the part of the "chinwag" that we didn't see that unduly influenced Aziraphale.
Aziraphale didn't, "choose a job" over Crowely. He did what he's been doing since episode 1...he chose the world/humanity over everything/everyone else.
Some elements of the so-called "coffee theory" (the word theory means a proposed concept based on a logical premise; most of the coffee "theory" isn't) are just dumb. The chances that a sugary syrup at a coffee shop contains enough actual "almond' taste to mask cyanide is almost nil; it's mostly, if not totally, artificial flavoring. Second, Metatron is the VOICE OF GOD. Why would he need to use some earthly substance to confuse Aziraphale's mind? Third, trying to draw comparisons from cyanide to codeine (laudanum) is moronic. Laudanum is an actual intoxicant--it produces mind-altering effects, so Crowley's reaction makes some kind of sense. Codeine is not a poison in that there are helpful, non-damaging reasons to ingest it; it's only a "poison" (i.e., dangerous to the human body) if the subject deliberately takes or is given an overdose. Cyanide has no intoxicating effects and is ONLY a poison--there are benign reasons to take it.
I completely agree, it’s incredibly unlikely that there’s enough almond flavour to mask anything, and as I said in the video it’s just way too specific to make sense
I take a middle stance. I think the coffee will end up being significant, just not in the way coffee-theorizers imagine. It could be something that only takes hold once Aziraphale is in Heaven, or have a much more nefarious purpose than simply splitting the two up. The way Metatron was insistent that Aziraphale drink it was just really sus. I think Aziraphale’s actions make sense even without lie theory, because of the first scene, where we see him with Crowley as an angel, and Crowley being happy as an angel. I think Aziraphale genuinely thinks Crowley will say yes, or at least consider it. In Aziraphale’s mind, Crowley never should have Fallen. He’s really just too excited to see it clearly. So I don’t think he’s lying, or drugged. Manipulated, yes, probably. Brainwashed? Well when has he not been? Heaven’s conditioning takes a while to escape from, and Aziraphale still believes that Heaven is ultimately good, despite there being bad people running it. And perhaps he’s right. Muriel is evidence that not all angels in Heaven are douchebags, but Crowley makes the point that they are like bees. So logically, if Aziraphale is “queen bee,” so to speak, he actually CAN change things. Aziraphale is not being stupid here. The logic makes sense on paper. In practice, maybe less so, but that remains to be seen.
the only form of 'brainwash' is Metatron dangling the prospect of working with Crowley in Heaven again. aziraphale really believes he can make a difference in heaven, especially with crowley by his side. now he's alone but he still believes it.
Ok one thing I don’t see anyone talking about is that Metatron got the coffee for Aziraphale simply as a professional gesture since they’re talking business, and the fact that Metatron might also have an affinity for earth food too! It alludes to the fact that he’s spent time on earth before. According to his mythology, Metatron was born a man named Enoch and is the only human to ascend to heaven without dying because he was appointed by God.
personally I don’t really believe either of these theories anymore, but lie theory definitely makes more sense to me than coffee, though I personally feel the motive to be off. from my perspective, the stumbling speech and everything about aziraphale telling crowley the offer felt more like a lot of excitement, I get similar when I’m talking about an interest, I trip over my words, struggle to put words in the right order, my hands move a lot because I need to stim, so maybe my perspective is kinda scewed? I did have my doubts at first about metatron offering crowley redemption, but now that I’ve thought about it a little more, I reckon he would know that crowley doesn’t wanna come back, that he has bad memories of heaven and being an angel after his fall and doesn’t want to associate with them anymore, and that the offer would cause a rift between aziraphale and crowley, which metatron needed in order to bring aziraphale up to heaven and start the second coming. i can understand why some people believe aziraphale lied to crowley about how he can become an angel again, but I personally don’t see why aziraphale would feel he needs to lie to crowley at that point, as he doesn’t find out about the second coming until after crowley’s left the bookshop, since I don’t really see him going back up to heaven and becoming a full on angel again without crowley, and his denial would have thrown a spanner in the works. but aziraphale has always been characterised as clever, that’s one of the first three impressions people get of him according to the book if i’m remembering correctly, so he probably knows that if metatron is coming to him and offering him a spot back in heaven, especially one as high up as supreme archangel, there’s a plan behind it that aziraphale will have to work to prevent coming to fruition, and the best way for him to do so is from a high position in heaven. however I do believe he thought he’d have crowley by his side, which would have made it much easier for both of them to prevent the second coming, which is precisely why metatron had to throw the offer out for crowley to be reinstated as an angel, something metatron knew he’d turn down. there are probably holes in my understanding, but I also find some in other theories, so until season three comes out there isn’t likely to be a solid answer, and honestly I prefer it like that. I prefer this reading over any other theory I’ve heard as in my opinion it doesn’t reduce or dismiss aziraphale’s past trauma from heaven, the manipulative nature of heaven, or aziraphale’s past characterisation which I feel makes his decision make perfect sense for him. he likely hasn’t realised yet that he’s being manipulated and used, throughout both seasons so far he’s taken compliments at face value even when they’re more sarcastic in nature, I believe that he fully believes what metatron is saying to him and that crowley would at least consider coming back to heaven, which opens up its own can of worms in terms of interpretations of intentions, etc etc. I did not mean to ramble about this as long as I have, my apologies, I’ve just been seeing what feels like a lot of reduction of aziraphale’s character, so some of these theories bother me a little too much ^^’ good video overall, I can see where you’re coming from with the lie theory, even if I personally don’t believe it, and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes of season three! thank you to everyone who read all my insane ramblings, have a great day/night! if anyone has any questions on ‘what about this [insert thing I probably forgot to explain]’ please do feel free to ask them, I love discussing theories and would love to talk about the finale with someone ^^
Thanks for your comment! Yes you’re right about everything here, and to repeat what I said in another comment, the more time I sit and spend with lie theory, the less I agree with it. If I had the skills to come up with a theory of my own I would at this point lol!
I like the idea of Aziraphale being a sort of inside agent, like what Crowley said about angels being like bees. Like, one of the first things Aziraphale does is start subtly digging for information about these Big New Plans heaven has going on. I can also see why heaven would want to separate Aziraphale and Crowley, they've already stopped one armageddon together and they don't want to take the chance they could stop the next one, especially since their miracles are so strong together.
I would certainly be terrified of displeasing the almighty and try to play it safe. It’s a pretty strong parallel to real people from strict religious households that would be judged perhaps ostracized for dating a non believer.
I personally don't believe in any of the theories. It is much simpler. Aziraphale is Heaven's employee, it's everything he ever wanted, to be respected and valued. He is an angel. Angels can hardly say no to a direct order that is for the perceived benefit of humanity. It's too strong to refuse. It goes against his nature. The final scene in the elevator was nothing more than Aziraphale doing what he was told, but at the same time knowing that he had fucked up and should have said no to Metatron and yes to his love for Crowley, but again, because angels are bound to Heaven, he had to bottle it up.
both the coffee and the lie theory don’t sit right with me given michael sheen’s acting and aziraphale’s character. aziraphale just seems so genuine and ecstatic to come to crowley about being together in heaven. and i feel like both theories miss out on the point that aziraphale doesn’t want to return to heaven for heaven’s sake-he wants to return to heaven for love’s sake. he wants to make heaven a better place, not only because it’s what he should do, but most importantly because that means him and crowley (and any other future demon and angel) can have the life they’ve always wanted without constant supervision and criticism. it’s the queerest tale in the book imo-just two beings who want to love each other unapologetically, but are unable to do so because of the forces that be. it’s all of this paired with aziraphale’s own trauma that causes him to be manipulated, even to the point where he mistakeningly reverts to his old way of thinking of “heaven good, hell bad”. what aziraphale wants to say is that “heaven is where i can change things for us, and you can be happy again, like when you were an angel”. it’s his own way of loving just as crowley’s own way of loving is to runaway to paradise together, and ignore the poorly handled institutional problems up in heaven (and hell) that’s making them runaway in the first place. the most ironic thing about this whole situation is that aziraphale and crowley have been on earth for more than 6000 years, and know the ways of humans like the back of their hand. but when presented with the issue of love that lasts eternally (because they don’t have to deal with the burden of mortality), it becomes a very confusing situation for them to handle, and they become, essentially, the same as humans. their poor miscommunication is at fault for basically everything in the last 5 minutes of season 2, but also we see it constantly throughout other episodes that aren’t just limited to season 2. they never actually have a proper talk about why aziraphale seems so adamant on staying with the institution and why crowley’s so adamant on running away. that’s been the reason why they’ve fought so many times in season 1 and again in season 2. this is also a reason why i think season 2 was absolutely needed if gaiman wanted to expand upon aziracrow’s characters, and i think he did a damn good job. it was just the shock and the pain of seeing aziracrow have their biggest falling out while they confessed to each other. it blinded us to why the scene makes sense with their characters and the theme of love being messy (shown in maggie and nina’s story line) in retrospect. i posted this as a reply to another comment, but i felt like i should also post a comment about this in general (with some more added at the end)! overall, i think this video was really well done and your arguments are reasonable. i personally just think there’s major flaws in both that miss out on some key details of the show.
I agree that "coffee theory" as it has been stated undercuts the growth of Aziraphale. In fact, if I was to have a theory about the coffee, it would be that Aziraphale didn't even drink the coffee (maybe miracled it away) because: 1) he doesn't like coffee, he likes tea; 2) he doesn't trust the Metatron; and 3) he "reads too many books" and would EXPECT something to be in the coffee. I have a modified version of the "lie theory" as well, because I feel that Aziraphale lying to Crowley here undercuts their trust in each other. I agree that Aziraphale is lying, but not about the conversation with the Metatron; I feel he is lying about being fooled by the Metatron, because they are being watched, and he hopes Crowley will figure it out. This explains his real desperation to convince Crowley: he feels that both of them in Heaven with their boosted power could beat whatever was thrown at them. I think Crowley does figure it out somewhere in the conversation, but feels that the Metatron must be ready for that possibility, and also he learned the hard way that war is not a good answer. So, Crowley desperately offers the alternative of them going off together instead. However, Aziraphale feels that with the obstacles to Armageddon 2 removed, this is the best chance to save the Earth, and that that is more important than the both of them. Crowley lets him go because he feels Aziraphale is more likely to succeed without him, but he is afraid because he knows how much danger Az will be in.
If I get some more inspiration, definitely!! My videos typically stem from whatever I’m feeling like making a video about at the time, typically hyperfixations lol, so it’s not impossible that I could get some more ideas for Good Omens!! Thanks for your support, it means the most
I agree with you Beanut Putter, the coffee theory is daft and Aziraphale lying about what the Metatron's deal was probably because he was forced to go back or the book of life would be used is a lot more plausible
I think a lot of people are missing the more obvious meaning or metaphor of the Metatron offering Aziraphale coffee right in front of a great big sign that says GIVE ME COFFEE OR GIVE ME DEATH right after asking Nina if anybody ever chooses death over coffee. It also seems like a lot of people are unfamiliar with 3 act story structure. The end of the second act is supposed to be as far from the final ending as possible, usually due to something ill-advised that one or more protagonists did. If a story is going to end like Romeo and Juliet, it's going to have a rushed wedding at the end of act 2 like Romeo and Juliet. If it's going to end like a NON-tragic romance, the end-game couple finish act 2 apart because of a combo of "torn apart by circumstance" and being big dum dums. The end of S2 is just the Bandstand on a bigger scale. It's even the same fundamental conflict.
The Metatron knew that Crowley would say no. Shown by the Metatron saying 'he always went his own way'. Metatron waited to find out if Crowley was coming too, which means the lie theory is incorrect.
If it's too long feel free to ignore it. I honestly have my personal opinion (and with this I'm not saying you are wrong obviously because in the end it's all a matter of perspective and how someone sees it) and personally I disagree with the part where you say that it almost feel not right for Aziraphale to chose heaven over earth and especially Crowley. I think so because Aziraphale is still fully under the control of Heaven mentally. Take it as a cult who took control of his mind. Aziraphale is still "too pure" of a angel to feel ready to actually "sin", to not want to go back on Heaven because for how sad it is Aziraphale deep down always hoped for that he wouls go back to Heaven because he never managed to get the character development of him realizing that Heaven isn't such a good place and that God is wrong which is probably something they wanted to keep for later on. Yes on season 1 ending it might look like Aziraphale moved on from Heaven but he didn't, he just HAD to run away from it because they wanted him dead, but since he's still a loyal angel and still believe in God and Heaven he doesn't think he didn't deserve it even if he won't say it out loud. He's still too devoted to God to let go. He desperatly want to believe God never do things wrong and there's a reason for everything they (they is God because I don't think they said which pronouns God use or if they will stick with He/Him) chose to do and while Aziraphale doubted that sometimes he still have hope exactly because he's the actual example of a Angel according to media, sure at the end of the day all angels are generally good both in bible and in media but not all of them are like Aziraphale who lowkey goes against God but still falls for it while the other angels are a bit more cynical than the bible ones who still follow God but do have emotions however aside satan not all of them sin. He's pure, almost naive and extremely gentle. The other angels in here are almost cynical and they don't like humanity a lot, they don't even actually care opposite to the bible Angels who still won't hesitate to let a human die if it's part of God orders but they still are emotive and a bit kind to/concerned for them. Aziraphale never had a development yet in which he learned properly how Heaven and God is bad because as a angel he still wants to hope, he thinks he's going to be able to do something to prevent the destruction or earth if he goes back to Heaven and even if he loved the earth and Crowley he still missed being a Angel, stay in Heaven. That at least to me was kinda obvious in season one as well. Crowley moved on, Aziraphale never fully did and still wanted to be loyal to Heaven and God because he's so deep into this incultrination that he genuinely believe there's a good reason why God is doing all of this because God is good, Hell is bad. Everything that comes from God can't be bad in his mind because that's how he was "raised". Aziraphale always felt conflicted since season 1 to go against Heaven and you can see as a character he didn't grow up a lot, he was almost always the same aside from the few times he tried to do the right thing sometimes and didn't do what God wanted, while the one who went through more changes was Crowley. He always has. From Angel to fallen angel/demon, to a demon who pretend to be mean but still want to do good things and refuse both hell and Heaven. Aziraphale instead always remained as this Angel who loves earth and grew to love Aziraphale but still crave to reach Heaven again, however not alone. He wants things to go back to "normal", to be Angels because his mind can't accept a Angel and a demon loving each other, he wants to go back to Heaven like he always did, for Crowley to go back being "pure" and a Angel like him because Aziraphale wants to stay with him as angels and Crowley wants to stay with him as normal. One moved on from their "role", the other didn't which I don't think it's bad because they never completely removed Aziraphale doubts so it wasn't random. There's more I would like to say to make this comment make a bit more of sense. There are a lot of missing things that I didn't wrote here because it's already too long and I don't want it to become repetitive because sharing my opinion would require a whole video tbh XD Still I hope it makes somewhat sense. I know it was a bit too repetitive and the English isn't really the best but I'm too sleepy and also it's not my first language so I can't exactly write better now XD
I agree‼ Aziraphale and Crowley want their relationship to go in different ways. For Aziraphale he wants Heaven and Crowley (in the same way that a person wants to have their cake or crepes and eat them too). As for Crowley he wants Aziraphale and to leave heaven and hell in the past‼
I think both theories have potential but they also have obvious flaws. I personally think mashing the two together makes more sense than being separated. I do think Metatron did something to the coffee. Not poisoning; I feel that’s excessive, even for heaven. It’s the faces and creepy smile Aziraphale makes in the credits. Aziraphale is naturally a very happy, perky character. So him making grim, almost evil faces is not him. Even when he’s angry he’s still nice. The closest he’s ever been to insulting Crowley over the span of thousands of years is “and you, I’m afraid, are evil.” For the lie theory: they’re completely incapable of seeing each other in pain or being sad. I’m not saying the bits of the theory are false, but I think Aziraphale simply hides his layers much better than Crowley (because Crowley doesn’t seem to care if people knew he was a demon). Towards the end of episode 2, when Aziraphale says “I’m a fallen Angel!” it’s very quick, but you can see Crowley drop his face a bit and indicate - very slightly - that he now feels bad for making fun of Aziraphale’s appearance and starts back peddling. Aziraphale can lie very well. A good example being him staring into Gabriel’s eyes and lying through his teeth so well he convinced everyone it was true. But with Crowley he can’t come up with a better comeback than “Or I’ll never talk to you again!” while literally holding a sword he could use to harm Crowley. He obviously cares so much about Crowley that it’s an iceberg and we’re only seeing the top. I can’t see him lying and/or hurting Crowley this bad and doing so on purpose. (It’s currently 2:40am so I’ll probably edit/add more to this when I’m awake 😂)
Coffee Theory is definitely off.. Lie theory also sort of misses some important points. Mainly - Aziraphale signs up for the role thinking he's going to be able to make changes and improve things. Metatron dangles the possibility of him being able to work with Crowley to sweeten the pot. Aziraphale, despite having tons of evidence to the contrary, still wants to believe in the good in Heaven and "the plan". Throughout the series he's overall he has sort of obeyed Heavenly decree - albeit reluctantly at times. He's seen the cracks , and might have misgivings, but he keeps telling himself that it'll all work out in some way and ultimately Heaven will triumph. It was written afterall. Crowley, from the start, has loved Creation and everything in it. He questions the plan, because he has a sincere appreciation for the Universe. It's a system that can go on for infinity, but he knows the plan is to only let it go for 6000 years... And then what? Destroy it all? Kill everything in it? That's a waste of literally everything and all life within it. He knows that's the plan - hasn't forgotten the plan - and suffered greatly for questioning it. He also has an imagination and a sense of empathy. We sort of see that Aziraphale sort of develops this moreso as time goes on, but the other angels don't really "get it". They can't understand why Job and his wife wouldn't be happy just having more kids and why they'd be bothered by the loss. Afterall the good ones go to Heaven, the bad go to Hell, and they only suffered a minute - what's the big deal. Crowley and Aziraphale sort of "get it" though. They end up becoming advocates for humanity as they are probably the angel and demon that interact with us most directly. In doing so, they become more human themselves in many ways. Crowley even pleads in a way and I'm poorly paraphrasing , "I know you're testing them - you said you'd be testing them- but don't do it to destruction." Aziraphale though, easily gets caught up in the moment. He is probably just so excited at the possibility of being the one "in charge" forgets there's a hierarchy still above him with their own agenda. And that agenda means destroying the world he and Crowley worked so very hard to protect from Armageddon once already. All he hears is - I can work with my best friend, we can both be angels, we can both be on the side of good, and we can help people again - TOGETHER! Crowley knows better. Aziraphale has never really gone so far astray that he's truly suffered for it. He doesn't question it too deeply. Heaven can only want good things in his mind. Metatron waits for him to fully agree and is ushering him to the elevator before revealing that the "big plans" are the Second Coming / Armageddon. Which you can see takes Aziraphale off guard. But by that point, it's too late to turn back. He does look back at Crowley, and seems to sort of comprehend why the demon wasn't keen on joining him. At that point though, he's already signed up for it... He's already messed things up on Earth, and there is a "Greater" plan and "Greater Will". It's possible he is justifying to himself that it won't be that bad, and maybe he can do something to minimize the harm done. But like many who are in high control groups and religious cults, the main person Aziraphale is lying to is himself. So if there is a lie theory - it should probably focus on how Aziraphale is capable of lying to himself. Funnily enough though, we see Muriel finding books and getting enchanted with them. She's so sheltered ( like most angels), I suspect her having access to literature is going to lead to her becoming a lot more cunning and "human". And I'm not sure how closely the narrative follows, but it's probably a good time to point out that the Metatron was once the human Enoch before becoming basically the voice of God.
Love it! I also thought the emphasis on Muriel reading in that scene was curious. Metatron's comment on it seems to stick out, as he doesn't appear to be one to comment on things much. No idea what that's about, other than yet another dig at their intelligence/naivety.
@@lexismore Considering how soon things are going to be "wrapping up", the assumption might be that there isn't enough time or enough force to bear to stop the "inevitable ineffable".
ive always hated any and all theories that try to excuse aziraphale's actions in the finale as "it's not really what he feels". like you said, aziraphale is a complex character and i don't doubt that these theories are copium coming from people who have always oversimplified his character and now don't know how to react to the idea that they might have been wrong. throughout the whole series, but especially in season 2 we get PLENTY of examples that show off aziraphale's flawed view of the world, heaven, hell, and crowley by extension. i felt that the minisodes especially did a great job of showing off just how bad it is. the resurrectionist is the most obvious example of his black and white worldview being challenged, as he condemns grave robbing for no particular reason other than "its bad" until he finds out it could save the lives of others. there are SO many more examples if you just look a little past surface level. aziraphale can make mistakes, just like he can learn and make up for them. forcing an explanation for his behavior as if it warrants one other than "he messed up" just shows how little people try to really understand his character. the whole show is about how things arent in black and white, let the angel make mistakes and be wrong!!
i love this comment!!! aziraphale is such a complex character and it really bothers me when people make him this can-do-no-wrong holier-than-thou guy just because he's someone's scrunkly. that's also why i agree that the minisodes in season 2 put his character into a lot better context. I hope than in season 3 we see more of aziraphale's flawed thinking (maybe that's just my desire to see corruption arc aziraphale talking). I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
I don't really believe either theory. I think Aziraphale is still so caught up in the dogma of heaven and "heaven = good" that he would legitimately return if given good reason to. And he was. After trying and failing to change heaven he's now offered the chance to actually be in charge and make positive change (at least in his eyes, i doubt he'll actually be able to do much). But even more than that, he's offered the chance to restore Crowley and return to heaven WITH him. He has never been able to wrap his mind around Crowley being both a good person and a demon so he still sort of views him through the lens of the angel he was. He remembers how happy he had been as an angel and thinks he was unfairly cast out since he knows he's not evil. He wouldn't even dream that Crowley would turn down that offer because Crowley hasn't been open with him about his feelings regarding the matter. As Maggie says they never talk about their feelings and Crowley has a tendency to shelter Aziraphale from things so he probably doesn't know the time extent of his trauma with heaven. So basically I dont think Aziraphale was brainwashed or lied but that he made what he thought was the right decision and will probably find out in season 3 why he was wrong.
Okay so i think the lie theory makes sense but i think Aziraphale doesn't want to go to heaven but does it for the greater good, placing other before his happiness and lying to Crolwey he tought would make Crolwey hate him and so that Crolwey would find happiness without him, and maybe Metatron knew this too because he left Muriel on earth with Crolwey since Muriel and Crolwey get along well
i think lie theory is more believable than coffee. also, as is mentions in the video, takes Aziraphale's personality into account better than coffee theory. that being said, i personally think he went back to heaven because of religious trauma, gaslighting, etc. i think it makes even more sense to for him to go back because he was told for the entirety of his existence that heaven was perfect. that they were the good guys. im not gonna do a full analysis of the last 20 mins of ep6, but i dont think he would have accepted if the metatron hadnt brought crowley into it. but it was too late to decline afterwards. i think azi remembered how happy crowley was as an angel and assumed that they would want to be an angel again, which they didnt. azi did love crowley, but i think crowley was still going a bit too fast for him. i dont think azi meant to choose heaven over crowley but he was torn between to person he loved and what he was told was right since the beginning. sorry this is so long haha
Oh sorry! I thought I had removed the avatar for those portions where there was text on screen. Must have just slipped through the cracks. Sorry for the inconvenience, I’ll be more careful next time!
It's just fate that these two never should have been a team. I hope in season 3 Crowley goes off the deep end, on a bender. The two are really arch rivals, even though both have shades of gray. Ultimately Crowley is un-redeemable. Sadly, because I love the character.
I completely agree! I think Aziraphales actions were more based off of his religious trauma and always being harassed by Heaven, constantly seeking their approval. He went to Heaven not only bc he still believed Heaven to be good, but because he believed in humanity. He wanted Crowley to come with him not because he needed him to be an angel to love him, but because he loved him and needed his support to make humanity happy.
This!!! Aziraphale’s religious trauma is so overlooked by the fandom, especially the fact that trauma doesn’t always mean fear, it can manifest as a sense of obligation!
Exactly! And when I found out that he has religious trauma, I was like, “how did I not see this?” 😂 And that’s why I 1000% agree with what you said in this video of yours, @beanutputter
Agreed, and I think he also had two other motives for wanting to re-angelize Crowley. First and foremost, he's been afraid for Crowley's safety for a long time and this would put him past hell's reach and under the direct and close protection of the Supreme Archangel. Secondarily, we got a glimpse of who Crowley was before the Fall, and that angel seemed (on the surface) like a happier person. Crowley's suffered a lot of pain and fear and trauma, and I think Aziraphale wanted to give him that carefree happiness back "only even nicer" (because he does like Crowley and their close relationship).
8:26 I think the only reason Metatron even told Aziraphale he could do that was because he knew Crowley wouldn’t do it. He wanted to separate Aziraphale from his only support network and isolate him to Heaven. I also believe that he wanted to separate the two as when they performed a miracle together, the magical energy given off was incredibly powerful.
This is a very strong possibility! I didn’t think much about their joint miracle but I think it’s definitely worth considering. I love your point about isolation, if that ends up being canon then it really says a lot about the manipulation and corruption of Heaven. I think we’ll see a lot of Heaven being horrible in season 3, especially where the second coming is only really their thing.
@@beanuttputterr I completely agree, I think season three will show the true nature of Heaven, showing how their following the rule book and sticking to their same ways is a detriment. I think Crowley is going to witness some of this abuse and stick up for Aziraphale, saving him and sweeping him off his feet. Or at least, that’s what I need to happen
oh yeah exactly! i was going to say this in a reply to your other comment but then i saw you said it first lol. i think this is the most likely scenario for sure
Ur the goat, very exactly my thoughts. Like Metatron knew good and well that conversation would end up a fight and got Aziraphale as excited and hopeful about heaven as possible, to make sure they'd have no possible way of resolving that ideological divide in a healthy way lol
I agree completely
neil gaiman himself being the og ineffable bureaucracy shipper was the wildest plot twist of the season
THIS ^^
I disagree with people saying Aziraphale chose Heaven over Crowley, because I think in his mind, loving Crowley and running Heaven are fundamentally intertwined. We all heard him say he doesn't want to go, he only agrees to when he learns Crowley can become an angel again. He says over and over he wants to go _to change things,_ he _needs_ to change things. What's evident to me but also what Aziraphale is failing to communicate in the chaos is "I'm leaving _because_ I love you. I want a better world for us. If you won't come with me, then I'll just have to make it without you." It goes from a small price to pay (leaving his bookshop) to a huge sacrifice (being apart from Crowley)
100% agree!! It’s all failed communication I think, especially where so much of aziracrow’s arc this season was about communication.
Yup, especially since Aziraphale's biggest threat was "come up with something or I'll never talk to you again"
@@boomgirlbucko Yes! Imagine how cathartic itll be when they actually do communicate!! That shit will be GOLD
Sorry, the "lie" theory doesn't hold water either. Look at the acting in that masterpiece of a last scene and tell me that Michael Sheen is playing Aziraphale as showing manufactured grief. He is a virtuoso actor--if he wanted to signal that Aziraphale's emotions were not genuine, wouldn't he have done so? No, he is playing Aziraphale as actually broken-hearted, scared, and confused. Why can't he just be a character we love who makes a choice--a mistake, if you like--that we just don't like? He's flawed, which makes him more real. I do think Metatron manipulated him--made him that offer because he knew Crowley wouldn't accept. The look he gives Crowley when he's following Metatron out of the shop is one of pure hatred. After Crowley leaves, Metatron comes in immediately, not giving Aziraphale even a second to be alone to rethink things. He continues to disparage Crowley, calling him a damn fool. I think Aziraphale still desperately wants heaven's and his fellow angels--his family's--approval. He also wants Crowley safe and cared for. His purpose in creation was to lessen human suffering. He sees a chance to get both, but feels Crowley rejects him.
Absolutely spot on, whether fans want to admit or not it was a perfect ending, life doesn't always give you things easily (I'm going to assume that majority of the fans being upset about the ending are very young and unexperienced in life lol), life normally gives you challenges on your journey to get to that thing that you really want (especially if the journey is a 6000 year old one) and overcoming those same challenges will let you understand what it is that you really want in life, my guess is there will be another season, which will allow these characters to taste the fruits of their individual choices and embrace their individual flawed journey, mark my words :)
I agree with you and I do think it's a perfect ending.
Michael Sheen''s performance in that scene is perfection. I think Aziraphale is genuinely trying to do the right thing. He's rejected Crowley asking him to come away with him twice before. He might well think that he's calling his bluff again for the 3rd time, but of course he should know Crowley would never agree, he hates the whole lot of them.
Yeah, Azi chose heaven both because of the trauma that he has and needs to confront and because he thinks that he can change things for the better. He really does think that he can not only make heaven better, but make it good enough for Crowley to come back (not in a petty way, though, he would never be petty like that). That's why Azi has that enigmatic smile at the end.
Neil Gaiman has said this is planned as a second series with a third coming. It’s a cliffhanger.
Crowley , whoever he was as an angel, was at least a throne or a dominion, based on his clearance level. Aziraphale was initially infatuated with him, and presumably remembers who he was, while Crowley has few memories of his time as an angel.
Aziraphale clearly thinks he can make a difference in heaven. I’m content- well, more or less, as I’m 72, and don’t know how many years I have left, and while not facing deathly ills, one never knows- to wait until Neil wraps up the third season in the way he’s obviously planned, even though he’s not telling.
I’m not going to favor one theory over another. I love Good Omens including series two, and love what Michael Sheen and David Tennant are doing with the characters. Cliffhangers are hard. But I have faith in Neil’s work and in how everything will turn out in the end.
YES!!! this entire comment i agree with. both the coffee and the lie theory don’t sit right with me given both michael sheen’s acting and aziraphale’s character. aziraphale just seems so genuine and ecstatic to come to crowley about being together in heaven. and i feel like both theories miss out on the point that aziraphale doesn’t want to return to heaven for heaven’s sake-he wants to return to heaven for love’s sake. he wants to make heaven a better place, not only because it’s what he should do, but most importantly because that means him and crowley (and any other future demon and angel) can have the life they’ve always wanted without constant supervision and criticism. it’s the most queerest tale in the book imo-just two beings who want to love each other unapologetically, but are unable to do so because of the forces that be. it’s all of this paired with aziraphale’s own trauma that causes him to be manipulated, even to the point where he mistakeningly reverts to his old way of thinking of “heaven good, hell bad”. what aziraphale wants to say is that “heaven is where i can change things for us, and you can be happy again, like when you were an angel”. it’s his own way of loving just as crowley’s own way of loving is to runaway to paradise together, and ignore the poorly handled institutional problems up in heaven (and hell) that’s making them runaway in the first place.
The mental image of a giant transformer handing Aziraphale a coffee and asking him to come back to heaven is hilarious. Thank you for this gift. 😂
Dude I honestly can’t believe I called him megatron for that long. I’m not even a transformers fan 😭😭
Honestly, as someone with religious trauma, I think his actions make a lot of sense to me in the way that, like... if the group of people where you grew up, the ones who raised you and grew with you, eventually decided that you were in some way flawed or bad and ousted you, but then changed their minds and said they would welcome you back, chances are you would want to believe them and go back with them. There's always a piece of you that still loves that environment and, to a degree, those people who hurt you, and it really just comes down to whether or not you're able to rationalize out of it. Aziraphale almost did, but inevitably couldn't, and that's why he did what he did.
13:18 I honestly don’t agree with lie theory because Aziraphale had seen Crowley come and go there entire lives on Earth, and the Bond and love between them never faded. They always helped save one another, always found one another, and Aziraphale knows that even when he goes to Heaven, some part of Crowley will still love him. And that he will never stop loving him.
Agree to disagree. Coffee theory aside, Metatron *absolutely* offered Crowley's restoration to Azi because Metatron *knew* Crowley would NEVER agree to that. This isnt about Azi or his place in Heaven at all, this is specifically to split Crowley and Aziraphale up because their combined power in doing joint miracles is astronomically powerful- and that is a threat to Metatron's Great Plan, especially since he's trying to get the Second Coming on a roll.
aziraphel lying and aziraphel being exited and nervous is very different. He wants Crowley to join him in heaven because he really is that naive and thinks he can make the change. The season shows aziraphael disagreeing with the angels in heaven but never trully loosing the conviction that heaven is in the right . azirphrael has his own morals and acts accordingly so when he sees a chance to apply his morals too the proceedings in heven of cours he jumps at it. aziraphael is selfserving for sure but the way he talks to nina implies he know he is doing a "wrong/ Bad", but he is doing it as a disguise for doing a good thing for nina letting her keep the shop.
Personally, I don't buy either theory. I have one of my own. I believe that Aziraphale was telling Crowley the truth about what Metatron told him, and that he was just too excited by the prospect of being able to "fix" things for Crowley, whom he knows has never liked being referred to as "fallen." Much like Crowley has always had a desire to protect and rescue Aziraphale from trouble, Aziraphale has always been determined to point out the good in Crowley and to help fix any situation that might otherwise paint Crowley in a bad light. He even worries about whether or not Crowley will "get in trouble" with Hell whenever he does something overtly good, as he did in the Resurrectionist minisode. He's so desperate for everyone else to see the good in Crowley that he sees, he's willing to give up his life on Earth for the chance to get Crowley reinstated. He was all set to deny Metatron until Metatron mentioned (in a weasel-y tone, I might add) that Aziraphale might restore Crowley's angelic status. I think if anyone was playing the lying game, it was Metatron, and he knew just where to dig to get Aziraphale to agree. I actually believe Aziraphale was acting completely IN character when he kept trying to convince Crowley to go with him, because he wanted Crowley to be reinstated as an angel. And after the kiss, he began to really question going back to Heaven, because he realized Crowley truly didn't WANT to be an angel, again (I honestly believe Aziraphale loves him no matter what). He wanted to make excuses to stay, and when Metatron asked him if there was anything he needed to take with him, Aziraphale looked at the chair -- presumably because that's where Crowley often makes himself at home when at the book shop -- and then started to say he wasn't going. I think it's Aziraphale's determination to keep his word at all costs -- like he told Gabriel when the demons were trying to get Aziraphale to send him out -- that made him agree to go. Then, when he asked about the big plans, and Metatron revealed the Second Coming, Aziraphale froze in place, and his expression said he was about to say no, yet again. Until he looked over and saw Crowley watching him. Recall that Aziraphale told Nina and Maggie that he always had a plan, but that rescuing him always made Crowley so happy. I don't think that comment was just a throwaway. I believe he only got on that elevator because he's hoping Crowley will follow him to Heaven, to try and rescue him, and he might get another chance to convince Crowley to stay. *shrugs* That's my personal theory. Everyone sees something different in characters, though... that's something I've learned in 35 years of writing fiction. Until we get a Season 3 and whatever Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett cooked up is finally revealed, there's no such thing as a "bad theory."
ADD:
I actually just finished my own fanfic look forward at what I theorize Season 3 COULD look like.
I would add that maybe Aziraphael suspects that the Second Coming might be a bad thing and it’s better if he were in Heaven to supervise (find out if humanity is going to be ok in the end)
@@karmaforall18 A good thought/theory. That might prompt him to go, no matter how much he'd prefer to stay with Crowley.
@@karmaforall18 I agree! This point cannot be overstated. What a strong sense of duty Aziraphale has, not to The Plan but to See Things Through once he's started down a path. Consider (1) how often he (along with Crowley, more often than not) sees clearly what needs doing, and when he follows through on that, things do get righted. Not only do things work out for the best, but it's clear that without Aziraphale's intervention *no one else would have stepped in* to do things the right way. That's big. And (2) at two pivotal points in the major arcs of both seasons (at the very beginning of S2 when Gabriel appears at the book shop, and previously at the point when A&C discovered that they had the wrong antichrist) Aziraphale decides to go forward with his own idea of the correct and duty-bound course of action, without Crowley's approval, and we see how quickly Crowley realizes his error and follows behind. Even doing the apology dance!
@AuthorEstherMitchell I also REALLY like your way of framing all this, with one additional major tweak: As I see it, Az isn't all amped up to restore Crowley to angelic status *as such*. The key is that he wants to restore Crowley to the angelic status that he himself shares. That way they can finally be together. Without all the games and subterfuge. All the coded messages and secret meetings cut short. And on a metaphysical level, he can love Crowley fully. He won't have to be torn between his love for Crow and his allegiance to Heaven.
Might call this (most straightforward of all the readings I've seen) "Freedom Theory." It posits simply that Az is so nervous and excited by the prospect of returning to Heaven because it means that he and Crowley can finally be on the same side. With all that that implies, it's like each of them will be entirely new people *to each other* as well.
That's part of what's so devastating about C saying "We could have been us!"
I think it's this *impossible* idea coming true that blinds Aziraphale to the pitfalls and possibilities for error that suddenly confront him when talking to Crow.
For my money it was a perfect ending seeing as it's a great cliffhanger inevitably leading to another season..
Agreed. I have my opinions about season 2 and how “good” it was though, so I’m hesitant to say that I think another season is a good idea. Yes it clearly will wrap things up better and conclude the story, (we kind of need that closure now) but I’d have a hard time saying I *want* a third season
oh, I definitely want and NEED the third season lol @@beanuttputterr
Nice video! I'm new to the party since I just watched both season this week so I had never heard of any theory and I have to say I agree with neither because honestly it was chocking but not so out of character (like someone said, seeking approval and religious trauma) that it would need a complicated explanation. I do love what RachelGat said in the comments about the miracle they perfomed together, I also though there would be more about it in the next season because it's the second time in the show that they allude that combining the power of an angel and a demon could be big.
The more time I sit with it, the more I see holes in lie theory. Neither of them are perfect, of course, but I hope my video achieved its goal of comparing the two major theories and which one is more “believable” in my opinion! Thanks for your comment xx
I think you presented them well, and if I had to pick I would rather go with lie theory than coffee one since it gives more depth to the character... but I hope both are wrong ^^@@beanuttputterr
@@135Nemesis135 I agree!!
You saying "legally you can't be mad at me" is like that joke from Smosh "legally you have to look at me"
Aziraphale is a terrible liar. His big announcement, and how happy he is about it, however, seem perfectly genuine. In fact, Aziraphale has been using raised clenched fists all season long to indicate triumph and excitement, and he does this gesture several times as he delivers the news; proof, in my mind, that he is genuinely triumphant and excited, NOT lying.
Whatever the reason is for Aziraphale's behavior, it MUST be quickly and easily understandable to the casual viewer. Anything that takes in-depth analysis, psychological or otherwise, to explain or make sense of it is by definition false. I see only 3 possibilities to explain what Aziraphale did that are quick and easy to understand for everyone.
The first is that Neil Gaiman just wrote things the way he wanted to, and doesn't grasp that to many fans Aziraphale's behavior seems out of character.
The second is the coffee theory.
And the third, and I think most likely, one is that the Metatron did something during the part of the "chinwag" that we didn't see that unduly influenced Aziraphale.
Aziraphale didn't, "choose a job" over Crowely. He did what he's been doing since episode 1...he chose the world/humanity over everything/everyone else.
Some elements of the so-called "coffee theory" (the word theory means a proposed concept based on a logical premise; most of the coffee "theory" isn't) are just dumb. The chances that a sugary syrup at a coffee shop contains enough actual "almond' taste to mask cyanide is almost nil; it's mostly, if not totally, artificial flavoring. Second, Metatron is the VOICE OF GOD. Why would he need to use some earthly substance to confuse Aziraphale's mind? Third, trying to draw comparisons from cyanide to codeine (laudanum) is moronic. Laudanum is an actual intoxicant--it produces mind-altering effects, so Crowley's reaction makes some kind of sense. Codeine is not a poison in that there are helpful, non-damaging reasons to ingest it; it's only a "poison" (i.e., dangerous to the human body) if the subject deliberately takes or is given an overdose. Cyanide has no intoxicating effects and is ONLY a poison--there are benign reasons to take it.
I completely agree, it’s incredibly unlikely that there’s enough almond flavour to mask anything, and as I said in the video it’s just way too specific to make sense
I take a middle stance. I think the coffee will end up being significant, just not in the way coffee-theorizers imagine. It could be something that only takes hold once Aziraphale is in Heaven, or have a much more nefarious purpose than simply splitting the two up. The way Metatron was insistent that Aziraphale drink it was just really sus. I think Aziraphale’s actions make sense even without lie theory, because of the first scene, where we see him with Crowley as an angel, and Crowley being happy as an angel. I think Aziraphale genuinely thinks Crowley will say yes, or at least consider it. In Aziraphale’s mind, Crowley never should have Fallen. He’s really just too excited to see it clearly. So I don’t think he’s lying, or drugged. Manipulated, yes, probably. Brainwashed? Well when has he not been? Heaven’s conditioning takes a while to escape from, and Aziraphale still believes that Heaven is ultimately good, despite there being bad people running it. And perhaps he’s right. Muriel is evidence that not all angels in Heaven are douchebags, but Crowley makes the point that they are like bees. So logically, if Aziraphale is “queen bee,” so to speak, he actually CAN change things. Aziraphale is not being stupid here. The logic makes sense on paper. In practice, maybe less so, but that remains to be seen.
the only form of 'brainwash' is Metatron dangling the prospect of working with Crowley in Heaven again. aziraphale really believes he can make a difference in heaven, especially with crowley by his side. now he's alone but he still believes it.
Ok one thing I don’t see anyone talking about is that Metatron got the coffee for Aziraphale simply as a professional gesture since they’re talking business, and the fact that Metatron might also have an affinity for earth food too! It alludes to the fact that he’s spent time on earth before. According to his mythology, Metatron was born a man named Enoch and is the only human to ascend to heaven without dying because he was appointed by God.
Haven't seen the video yet but I don't like the coffee theory either.
personally I don’t really believe either of these theories anymore, but lie theory definitely makes more sense to me than coffee, though I personally feel the motive to be off. from my perspective, the stumbling speech and everything about aziraphale telling crowley the offer felt more like a lot of excitement, I get similar when I’m talking about an interest, I trip over my words, struggle to put words in the right order, my hands move a lot because I need to stim, so maybe my perspective is kinda scewed? I did have my doubts at first about metatron offering crowley redemption, but now that I’ve thought about it a little more, I reckon he would know that crowley doesn’t wanna come back, that he has bad memories of heaven and being an angel after his fall and doesn’t want to associate with them anymore, and that the offer would cause a rift between aziraphale and crowley, which metatron needed in order to bring aziraphale up to heaven and start the second coming. i can understand why some people believe aziraphale lied to crowley about how he can become an angel again, but I personally don’t see why aziraphale would feel he needs to lie to crowley at that point, as he doesn’t find out about the second coming until after crowley’s left the bookshop, since I don’t really see him going back up to heaven and becoming a full on angel again without crowley, and his denial would have thrown a spanner in the works. but aziraphale has always been characterised as clever, that’s one of the first three impressions people get of him according to the book if i’m remembering correctly, so he probably knows that if metatron is coming to him and offering him a spot back in heaven, especially one as high up as supreme archangel, there’s a plan behind it that aziraphale will have to work to prevent coming to fruition, and the best way for him to do so is from a high position in heaven. however I do believe he thought he’d have crowley by his side, which would have made it much easier for both of them to prevent the second coming, which is precisely why metatron had to throw the offer out for crowley to be reinstated as an angel, something metatron knew he’d turn down.
there are probably holes in my understanding, but I also find some in other theories, so until season three comes out there isn’t likely to be a solid answer, and honestly I prefer it like that. I prefer this reading over any other theory I’ve heard as in my opinion it doesn’t reduce or dismiss aziraphale’s past trauma from heaven, the manipulative nature of heaven, or aziraphale’s past characterisation which I feel makes his decision make perfect sense for him. he likely hasn’t realised yet that he’s being manipulated and used, throughout both seasons so far he’s taken compliments at face value even when they’re more sarcastic in nature, I believe that he fully believes what metatron is saying to him and that crowley would at least consider coming back to heaven, which opens up its own can of worms in terms of interpretations of intentions, etc etc.
I did not mean to ramble about this as long as I have, my apologies, I’ve just been seeing what feels like a lot of reduction of aziraphale’s character, so some of these theories bother me a little too much ^^’
good video overall, I can see where you’re coming from with the lie theory, even if I personally don’t believe it, and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes of season three!
thank you to everyone who read all my insane ramblings, have a great day/night! if anyone has any questions on ‘what about this [insert thing I probably forgot to explain]’ please do feel free to ask them, I love discussing theories and would love to talk about the finale with someone ^^
Thanks for your comment! Yes you’re right about everything here, and to repeat what I said in another comment, the more time I sit and spend with lie theory, the less I agree with it. If I had the skills to come up with a theory of my own I would at this point lol!
I like the idea of Aziraphale being a sort of inside agent, like what Crowley said about angels being like bees. Like, one of the first things Aziraphale does is start subtly digging for information about these Big New Plans heaven has going on.
I can also see why heaven would want to separate Aziraphale and Crowley, they've already stopped one armageddon together and they don't want to take the chance they could stop the next one, especially since their miracles are so strong together.
I would certainly be terrified of displeasing the almighty and try to play it safe. It’s a pretty strong parallel to real people from strict religious households that would be judged perhaps ostracized for dating a non believer.
I didn’t even think of this parallel!! Incredible comparison on your part, I love it!!
I been waiting for someone did this video about this theory
I hope it lived up to your expectations!
I personally don't believe in any of the theories. It is much simpler. Aziraphale is Heaven's employee, it's everything he ever wanted, to be respected and valued. He is an angel. Angels can hardly say no to a direct order that is for the perceived benefit of humanity. It's too strong to refuse. It goes against his nature.
The final scene in the elevator was nothing more than Aziraphale doing what he was told, but at the same time knowing that he had fucked up and should have said no to Metatron and yes to his love for Crowley, but again, because angels are bound to Heaven, he had to bottle it up.
I like Sendarya's analysis of Good Omens! They really break down the "Give me coffee or give me death" scene!
My theory is just that Azi is just a silly sausage 🤦♀️🤯
Now this is a theory i can get behind
both the coffee and the lie theory don’t sit right with me given michael sheen’s acting and aziraphale’s character. aziraphale just seems so genuine and ecstatic to come to crowley about being together in heaven. and i feel like both theories miss out on the point that aziraphale doesn’t want to return to heaven for heaven’s sake-he wants to return to heaven for love’s sake. he wants to make heaven a better place, not only because it’s what he should do, but most importantly because that means him and crowley (and any other future demon and angel) can have the life they’ve always wanted without constant supervision and criticism. it’s the queerest tale in the book imo-just two beings who want to love each other unapologetically, but are unable to do so because of the forces that be. it’s all of this paired with aziraphale’s own trauma that causes him to be manipulated, even to the point where he mistakeningly reverts to his old way of thinking of “heaven good, hell bad”. what aziraphale wants to say is that “heaven is where i can change things for us, and you can be happy again, like when you were an angel”. it’s his own way of loving just as crowley’s own way of loving is to runaway to paradise together, and ignore the poorly handled institutional problems up in heaven (and hell) that’s making them runaway in the first place.
the most ironic thing about this whole situation is that aziraphale and crowley have been on earth for more than 6000 years, and know the ways of humans like the back of their hand. but when presented with the issue of love that lasts eternally (because they don’t have to deal with the burden of mortality), it becomes a very confusing situation for them to handle, and they become, essentially, the same as humans. their poor miscommunication is at fault for basically everything in the last 5 minutes of season 2, but also we see it constantly throughout other episodes that aren’t just limited to season 2. they never actually have a proper talk about why aziraphale seems so adamant on staying with the institution and why crowley’s so adamant on running away. that’s been the reason why they’ve fought so many times in season 1 and again in season 2. this is also a reason why i think season 2 was absolutely needed if gaiman wanted to expand upon aziracrow’s characters, and i think he did a damn good job. it was just the shock and the pain of seeing aziracrow have their biggest falling out while they confessed to each other. it blinded us to why the scene makes sense with their characters and the theme of love being messy (shown in maggie and nina’s story line) in retrospect.
i posted this as a reply to another comment, but i felt like i should also post a comment about this in general (with some more added at the end)! overall, i think this video was really well done and your arguments are reasonable. i personally just think there’s major flaws in both that miss out on some key details of the show.
neil has always said that s2 was a buffer between s1 and the eventual s3, and i for one, love the f outta it
I agree that "coffee theory" as it has been stated undercuts the growth of Aziraphale. In fact, if I was to have a theory about the coffee, it would be that Aziraphale didn't even drink the coffee (maybe miracled it away) because: 1) he doesn't like coffee, he likes tea; 2) he doesn't trust the Metatron; and 3) he "reads too many books" and would EXPECT something to be in the coffee.
I have a modified version of the "lie theory" as well, because I feel that Aziraphale lying to Crowley here undercuts their trust in each other. I agree that Aziraphale is lying, but not about the conversation with the Metatron; I feel he is lying about being fooled by the Metatron, because they are being watched, and he hopes Crowley will figure it out. This explains his real desperation to convince Crowley: he feels that both of them in Heaven with their boosted power could beat whatever was thrown at them. I think Crowley does figure it out somewhere in the conversation, but feels that the Metatron must be ready for that possibility, and also he learned the hard way that war is not a good answer. So, Crowley desperately offers the alternative of them going off together instead. However, Aziraphale feels that with the obstacles to Armageddon 2 removed, this is the best chance to save the Earth, and that that is more important than the both of them. Crowley lets him go because he feels Aziraphale is more likely to succeed without him, but he is afraid because he knows how much danger Az will be in.
Are you going to do more Good Omens work? Even if that isn’t the case, I like your channel and style!
If I get some more inspiration, definitely!! My videos typically stem from whatever I’m feeling like making a video about at the time, typically hyperfixations lol, so it’s not impossible that I could get some more ideas for Good Omens!! Thanks for your support, it means the most
@@beanuttputterr you’re welcome!! I love Good Omens and it’s my hyperfixation at the moment rn lol
Me when Megatron causes the break up of the biggest ship of over four thousand years: Oh.
I agree with you Beanut Putter, the coffee theory is daft and Aziraphale lying about what the Metatron's deal was probably because he was forced to go back or the book of life would be used is a lot more plausible
you are not alone with the "megatron" 💀
Finally!! A video that puts my thoughts into words about the coffee theory!!
I’m so glad you like it!!
I think a lot of people are missing the more obvious meaning or metaphor of the Metatron offering Aziraphale coffee right in front of a great big sign that says GIVE ME COFFEE OR GIVE ME DEATH right after asking Nina if anybody ever chooses death over coffee.
It also seems like a lot of people are unfamiliar with 3 act story structure. The end of the second act is supposed to be as far from the final ending as possible, usually due to something ill-advised that one or more protagonists did. If a story is going to end like Romeo and Juliet, it's going to have a rushed wedding at the end of act 2 like Romeo and Juliet. If it's going to end like a NON-tragic romance, the end-game couple finish act 2 apart because of a combo of "torn apart by circumstance" and being big dum dums. The end of S2 is just the Bandstand on a bigger scale. It's even the same fundamental conflict.
Still, if he HAD been brainwashed by Megatron, what a twist that would be!
The Metatron knew that Crowley would say no. Shown by the Metatron saying 'he always went his own way'. Metatron waited to find out if Crowley was coming too, which means the lie theory is incorrect.
If it's too long feel free to ignore it.
I honestly have my personal opinion (and with this I'm not saying you are wrong obviously because in the end it's all a matter of perspective and how someone sees it) and personally I disagree with the part where you say that it almost feel not right for Aziraphale to chose heaven over earth and especially Crowley.
I think so because Aziraphale is still fully under the control of Heaven mentally.
Take it as a cult who took control of his mind.
Aziraphale is still "too pure" of a angel to feel ready to actually "sin", to not want to go back on Heaven because for how sad it is Aziraphale deep down always hoped for that he wouls go back to Heaven because he never managed to get the character development of him realizing that Heaven isn't such a good place and that God is wrong which is probably something they wanted to keep for later on.
Yes on season 1 ending it might look like Aziraphale moved on from Heaven but he didn't, he just HAD to run away from it because they wanted him dead, but since he's still a loyal angel and still believe in God and Heaven he doesn't think he didn't deserve it even if he won't say it out loud.
He's still too devoted to God to let go.
He desperatly want to believe God never do things wrong and there's a reason for everything they (they is God because I don't think they said which pronouns God use or if they will stick with He/Him) chose to do and while Aziraphale doubted that sometimes he still have hope exactly because he's the actual example of a Angel according to media, sure at the end of the day all angels are generally good both in bible and in media but not all of them are like Aziraphale who lowkey goes against God but still falls for it while the other angels are a bit more cynical than the bible ones who still follow God but do have emotions however aside satan not all of them sin.
He's pure, almost naive and extremely gentle.
The other angels in here are almost cynical and they don't like humanity a lot, they don't even actually care opposite to the bible Angels who still won't hesitate to let a human die if it's part of God orders but they still are emotive and a bit kind to/concerned for them.
Aziraphale never had a development yet in which he learned properly how Heaven and God is bad because as a angel he still wants to hope, he thinks he's going to be able to do something to prevent the destruction or earth if he goes back to Heaven and even if he loved the earth and Crowley he still missed being a Angel, stay in Heaven.
That at least to me was kinda obvious in season one as well.
Crowley moved on, Aziraphale never fully did and still wanted to be loyal to Heaven and God because he's so deep into this incultrination that he genuinely believe there's a good reason why God is doing all of this because God is good, Hell is bad.
Everything that comes from God can't be bad in his mind because that's how he was "raised".
Aziraphale always felt conflicted since season 1 to go against Heaven and you can see as a character he didn't grow up a lot, he was almost always the same aside from the few times he tried to do the right thing sometimes and didn't do what God wanted, while the one who went through more changes was Crowley.
He always has.
From Angel to fallen angel/demon, to a demon who pretend to be mean but still want to do good things and refuse both hell and Heaven.
Aziraphale instead always remained as this Angel who loves earth and grew to love Aziraphale but still crave to reach Heaven again, however not alone.
He wants things to go back to "normal", to be Angels because his mind can't accept a Angel and a demon loving each other, he wants to go back to Heaven like he always did, for Crowley to go back being "pure" and a Angel like him because Aziraphale wants to stay with him as angels and Crowley wants to stay with him as normal.
One moved on from their "role", the other didn't which I don't think it's bad because they never completely removed Aziraphale doubts so it wasn't random.
There's more I would like to say to make this comment make a bit more of sense.
There are a lot of missing things that I didn't wrote here because it's already too long and I don't want it to become repetitive because sharing my opinion would require a whole video tbh XD
Still I hope it makes somewhat sense.
I know it was a bit too repetitive and the English isn't really the best but I'm too sleepy and also it's not my first language so I can't exactly write better now XD
I agree‼ Aziraphale and Crowley want their relationship to go in different ways. For Aziraphale he wants Heaven and Crowley (in the same way that a person wants to have their cake or crepes and eat them too). As for Crowley he wants Aziraphale and to leave heaven and hell in the past‼
BAD MEGATRON
I think both theories have potential but they also have obvious flaws. I personally think mashing the two together makes more sense than being separated.
I do think Metatron did something to the coffee. Not poisoning; I feel that’s excessive, even for heaven. It’s the faces and creepy smile Aziraphale makes in the credits. Aziraphale is naturally a very happy, perky character. So him making grim, almost evil faces is not him. Even when he’s angry he’s still nice. The closest he’s ever been to insulting Crowley over the span of thousands of years is “and you, I’m afraid, are evil.”
For the lie theory: they’re completely incapable of seeing each other in pain or being sad. I’m not saying the bits of the theory are false, but I think Aziraphale simply hides his layers much better than Crowley (because Crowley doesn’t seem to care if people knew he was a demon). Towards the end of episode 2, when Aziraphale says “I’m a fallen Angel!” it’s very quick, but you can see Crowley drop his face a bit and indicate - very slightly - that he now feels bad for making fun of Aziraphale’s appearance and starts back peddling. Aziraphale can lie very well. A good example being him staring into Gabriel’s eyes and lying through his teeth so well he convinced everyone it was true. But with Crowley he can’t come up with a better comeback than “Or I’ll never talk to you again!” while literally holding a sword he could use to harm Crowley. He obviously cares so much about Crowley that it’s an iceberg and we’re only seeing the top. I can’t see him lying and/or hurting Crowley this bad and doing so on purpose.
(It’s currently 2:40am so I’ll probably edit/add more to this when I’m awake 😂)
Coffee Theory is definitely off.. Lie theory also sort of misses some important points.
Mainly - Aziraphale signs up for the role thinking he's going to be able to make changes and improve things. Metatron dangles the possibility of him being able to work with Crowley to sweeten the pot. Aziraphale, despite having tons of evidence to the contrary, still wants to believe in the good in Heaven and "the plan". Throughout the series he's overall he has sort of obeyed Heavenly decree - albeit reluctantly at times. He's seen the cracks , and might have misgivings, but he keeps telling himself that it'll all work out in some way and ultimately Heaven will triumph. It was written afterall.
Crowley, from the start, has loved Creation and everything in it. He questions the plan, because he has a sincere appreciation for the Universe. It's a system that can go on for infinity, but he knows the plan is to only let it go for 6000 years... And then what? Destroy it all? Kill everything in it? That's a waste of literally everything and all life within it. He knows that's the plan - hasn't forgotten the plan - and suffered greatly for questioning it.
He also has an imagination and a sense of empathy. We sort of see that Aziraphale sort of develops this moreso as time goes on, but the other angels don't really "get it". They can't understand why Job and his wife wouldn't be happy just having more kids and why they'd be bothered by the loss. Afterall the good ones go to Heaven, the bad go to Hell, and they only suffered a minute - what's the big deal. Crowley and Aziraphale sort of "get it" though. They end up becoming advocates for humanity as they are probably the angel and demon that interact with us most directly. In doing so, they become more human themselves in many ways.
Crowley even pleads in a way and I'm poorly paraphrasing , "I know you're testing them - you said you'd be testing them- but don't do it to destruction."
Aziraphale though, easily gets caught up in the moment. He is probably just so excited at the possibility of being the one "in charge" forgets there's a hierarchy still above him with their own agenda. And that agenda means destroying the world he and Crowley worked so very hard to protect from Armageddon once already. All he hears is - I can work with my best friend, we can both be angels, we can both be on the side of good, and we can help people again - TOGETHER!
Crowley knows better.
Aziraphale has never really gone so far astray that he's truly suffered for it. He doesn't question it too deeply. Heaven can only want good things in his mind.
Metatron waits for him to fully agree and is ushering him to the elevator before revealing that the "big plans" are the Second Coming / Armageddon. Which you can see takes Aziraphale off guard. But by that point, it's too late to turn back. He does look back at Crowley, and seems to sort of comprehend why the demon wasn't keen on joining him. At that point though, he's already signed up for it... He's already messed things up on Earth, and there is a "Greater" plan and "Greater Will". It's possible he is justifying to himself that it won't be that bad, and maybe he can do something to minimize the harm done. But like many who are in high control groups and religious cults, the main person Aziraphale is lying to is himself. So if there is a lie theory - it should probably focus on how Aziraphale is capable of lying to himself.
Funnily enough though, we see Muriel finding books and getting enchanted with them. She's so sheltered ( like most angels), I suspect her having access to literature is going to lead to her becoming a lot more cunning and "human".
And I'm not sure how closely the narrative follows, but it's probably a good time to point out that the Metatron was once the human Enoch before becoming basically the voice of God.
Love it! I also thought the emphasis on Muriel reading in that scene was curious. Metatron's comment on it seems to stick out, as he doesn't appear to be one to comment on things much. No idea what that's about, other than yet another dig at their intelligence/naivety.
@@lexismore Considering how soon things are going to be "wrapping up", the assumption might be that there isn't enough time or enough force to bear to stop the "inevitable ineffable".
ive always hated any and all theories that try to excuse aziraphale's actions in the finale as "it's not really what he feels". like you said, aziraphale is a complex character and i don't doubt that these theories are copium coming from people who have always oversimplified his character and now don't know how to react to the idea that they might have been wrong.
throughout the whole series, but especially in season 2 we get PLENTY of examples that show off aziraphale's flawed view of the world, heaven, hell, and crowley by extension. i felt that the minisodes especially did a great job of showing off just how bad it is. the resurrectionist is the most obvious example of his black and white worldview being challenged, as he condemns grave robbing for no particular reason other than "its bad" until he finds out it could save the lives of others. there are SO many more examples if you just look a little past surface level.
aziraphale can make mistakes, just like he can learn and make up for them. forcing an explanation for his behavior as if it warrants one other than "he messed up" just shows how little people try to really understand his character. the whole show is about how things arent in black and white, let the angel make mistakes and be wrong!!
i love this comment!!! aziraphale is such a complex character and it really bothers me when people make him this can-do-no-wrong holier-than-thou guy just because he's someone's scrunkly. that's also why i agree that the minisodes in season 2 put his character into a lot better context. I hope than in season 3 we see more of aziraphale's flawed thinking (maybe that's just my desire to see corruption arc aziraphale talking). I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
I think the classic “make them hate me before I leave so they don’t miss me” would be better received by fans than, ooops big dum dum woopsie
I totally agree. It’s just too simple!!
NOT MEGATRON
I don't really believe either theory. I think Aziraphale is still so caught up in the dogma of heaven and "heaven = good" that he would legitimately return if given good reason to. And he was. After trying and failing to change heaven he's now offered the chance to actually be in charge and make positive change (at least in his eyes, i doubt he'll actually be able to do much). But even more than that, he's offered the chance to restore Crowley and return to heaven WITH him. He has never been able to wrap his mind around Crowley being both a good person and a demon so he still sort of views him through the lens of the angel he was. He remembers how happy he had been as an angel and thinks he was unfairly cast out since he knows he's not evil. He wouldn't even dream that Crowley would turn down that offer because Crowley hasn't been open with him about his feelings regarding the matter. As Maggie says they never talk about their feelings and Crowley has a tendency to shelter Aziraphale from things so he probably doesn't know the time extent of his trauma with heaven.
So basically I dont think Aziraphale was brainwashed or lied but that he made what he thought was the right decision and will probably find out in season 3 why he was wrong.
Okay so i think the lie theory makes sense but i think Aziraphale doesn't want to go to heaven but does it for the greater good, placing other before his happiness and lying to Crolwey he tought would make Crolwey hate him and so that Crolwey would find happiness without him, and maybe Metatron knew this too because he left Muriel on earth with Crolwey since Muriel and Crolwey get along well
i think lie theory is more believable than coffee. also, as is mentions in the video, takes Aziraphale's personality into account better than coffee theory. that being said, i personally think he went back to heaven because of religious trauma, gaslighting, etc. i think it makes even more sense to for him to go back because he was told for the entirety of his existence that heaven was perfect. that they were the good guys. im not gonna do a full analysis of the last 20 mins of ep6, but i dont think he would have accepted if the metatron hadnt brought crowley into it. but it was too late to decline afterwards. i think azi remembered how happy crowley was as an angel and assumed that they would want to be an angel again, which they didnt. azi did love crowley, but i think crowley was still going a bit too fast for him. i dont think azi meant to choose heaven over crowley but he was torn between to person he loved and what he was told was right since the beginning. sorry this is so long haha
Totally agree with you.
You’ve got to move your avatar. I can not read your graphics…
Oh sorry! I thought I had removed the avatar for those portions where there was text on screen. Must have just slipped through the cracks. Sorry for the inconvenience, I’ll be more careful next time!
I dont like any of the theories out there.
It's just fate that these two never should have been a team.
I hope in season 3 Crowley goes off the deep end, on a bender. The two are really arch rivals, even though both have shades of gray. Ultimately Crowley is un-redeemable. Sadly, because I love the character.