Thank you everyone for the compassionate responses to this lovely, ineffable Angel. It was brought to my attention that the subtitles were not in good order, so I've fixed that in this video, and will fix all previous videos immediately. I hope the improvement helps!
I must say I agree with your analysis entirely. I'm surprised people aren't more sympathetic to Aziraphale. He is not the sophisticated thinker that Crowley is, with the clarity that only pain can give you. I find it incredibly touching that Crowley has tried to shield him from such pain. Azi's enthusiasm for life has given Crowley his own life back to some extent. Meanwhile seeing them as the Two Goats blew me away - I didn't see that coming but I think you're right. I'm very worried for Azi because clearly the Metatron is up to no good. This would mean he is the innocent goat heading for slaughter! Heaven wants to change him or extinguish him I'm quite sure. I've said this in another post but I doubt they see him as a leader. Thank you for your wonderful analysis and your edit and video production qualities are tremendous.
@@janicechiaretto7082 I think he's highly intelligent and sophisticated but tries to stop himself acknowledging those thoughts.It's why Crowley said to him how can someone so clever be such an idiot.
Can we appreciate the work Michael Sheen put into Aziraphale and all his subtle changes in reaction? I cannot adore this man even more, yet he succeeds in stunning me again and again
I love Michael Sheen to bits. What he did for Aziraphale is incredible. For me, they are different people. Michael Sheen disappears completely into his character. Did you notice? They don't have the same voice!😮
Aziraphale is in many ways more complex than Crowley. He's still dealing with religious indoctrination and brainwashing, while Crowley is already over that and dealing with abandonment issues and trauma. Leaving a cult is much more difficult than being thrown out of it. I think Aziraphale is being played for a stooge by Metatron and I think it's going very, very much downhill for him.
@FrolleinFroschbein "Leaving a cult is much more difficult than being thrown out of it", yes exactly! So well put, very succinct. Thank you for this great comment!
@@Sendarya Aziraphale will have a complete breakdown, as his identity is so tightly woven into the cult (lets face it, heaven is a cult) he was born into. Crowley always questioned, when Aziraphale told him about the plan to shut creation down a few millennia later, his immediate reaction was to question and criticize that decision, while Aziraphale repressed any doubt he might have had. Following the rules of heaven gives Aziraphale not only a sense of meaning, even though it limits him in dooing what he wants, in following his own wishes and needs, doing what heaven wants gives him a sense of safety and security. As soon as that goes out the window, our bird boy will become unhinged.
Given how the partnership of Aziraphale and Crowley foiled the plan for armageddon, it's quite likely that the promotion was Metatron's solution to split them up. He knew there was no way Crowley would accept the insult of being forgiven when he was the one wronged. Hell, Crowley probably wants god to beseech forgiveness from him. Plus, don't forget that 25 Lazeri "little miracle" Aziraphale and Crowley performed together. The unexpected and exceptional power of their teamwork is a major threat to Metatron and the angels. Who knows what they could do if they weren't being so modest... Crowley has protected Aziraphale from falling, but he can't protect him anymore. In Aziraphale's new position he will eventually be pushed to either "get with the plan" and do something that violates his moral compass, or go against the plan and risk becoming a fallen angel. He won't be able to rely on Crowley to do his dirty work any more. For example, heaven might kick off the rapture and give Aziraphale the honor of summoning the first pure spirited human back to heaven. It'll inevitably be a pilot or some other person whose disappearance will cause many innocent deaths. The dominoes will fall and I expect Aziraphale will lose everything. The planet earth experiment will conclude, the universe will be wrapped up, and it will all end... Then Crowley will come sauntering "And so ends the ineffable plan... I forgive you." "Of course," Crowley will tell him, "This doesn't have to be the end. I still have the plans and the crank." After all, Crowley did engineer the universe, they could wind it up again, a big beautiful empty universe. "What would be the point of an empty universe?" Aziraphale would ask. At this point, Aziraphale is going to remember that tiny little 25 Lazeri miracle, you know, the one that had the equivalent power to bring back 25 people back to life? With a big whopping miracle, they would bring back, say 7.951 billion? "It doesn't have to be empty..." Aziraphale ponders aloud as he grasps Crowley's hand.
I just cannot comprehend how brilliant writing and execution THAT SCENE has. So many layers and emotions to untangle. So much misunderstanding and miscommunication. I was heartbroken for weeks, but OH MY GOD how I learned to appreciate it. The more I think of it, the more I realise, that Aziraphale was actually _proposing_ to Crowley. Aziraphale's offer is all about getting out of the closet, being together in the open, with more or less acceptance of both Heaven (for whom that will be maybe unusual, as Metatron says, but will need to tolerate that out of respect for Supreme Archangel) and Hell (they will be out of reach). He does not mean to "change" Crowley, as he deeply believes inside that he is still an Angel, maybe just a bit lost, but definitely with a simple act of forgiveness (which is way more a ritual for him, I dare to say just like wedding would have been for humans) they will live happily ever after (he still believes in magic, as Nina says). Once his de facto proposal is rejected, Aziraphale is just deeply hurt (rightfully so, everyone would have been in that situation), and the accusation that Crowley does not understand is completely valid. What Crowley understands, is that he is not enough as a demon. What Aziraphale understands, is that this is their only chance to be together without fear and constant fleeing from both Heaven and Hell. What they both completely not understand is the amount and kind of trauma and internal conflicts the other has been going through. We the viewers understand Crowley's point of view way more, simply because Crowley is already way more "human". Aziraphale's emotions are more complex for us mere mortals. I absolutely love that Aziraphale's final "I forgive you" is actually an equivalent of Crowley's kiss. They both expressed pain, hurt, hopelessness, broken heart, in the most brilliant, in-character way possible. Their barest, most primal instincts kicked in - Crowley's last desperate temptation, Aziraphale's final act of forgiveness. What they do best for centuries. What is the worst choice in this very moment. I cannot wait for the next season. In my opinion it will be a season of therapy. Aziraphale would need to somehow work out his internal conflict. Crowley would need to face his traumatic past. So much character development for both is ahead of us. Chef's kiss.
@devetakhii 😭" that Aziraphale was actually proposing to Crowley". What a beautifully worded comment, from beginning to end. Thank you for sharing this.
Oh god. Holy shit. When Aziraphale said 'I need you' I heard 'I love you, don't leave me'. These two need counselling and to learn how to communicate clearly, goddammit.
Aziraphale is a much more complex and complicated character than many people give him credit for. And he still has a long and dark road to walk before he can finally find freedom and happiness.
I kinda read Aziraphale's I forgive you as also being an "I forgive you for doing that at the absolute worst time and ruining our first kiss because that'll haunt me now"
This made me both laugh and tear up a little, because no matter what ELSE the I forgive you means, it definitely means that, lol. They better have the kiss to end all kisses in s3 to make up for it! Awesome comment.
I may be dense, but I didn't catch Crawley becoming Crowley AFTER changing the goats into crows. It clearly indicates a change in self perception. A redefining of who he is. He is not the squirming at your feet being any longer. Crows symbolically represent death, danger, misfortune, and illness but also rebirth, self-reflection, intelligence, and loyalty. A good or bad omen. Then he eventually adds "Anthony". Anthony means "priceless one". Another indication of an increasing self worth. Again an evolution, and growth. Crowley has had a long time dealing with his trauma, and coming to terms with his actual value and values.
Totally didn't get the crow thing either, so we shall just be dense together, right? 😅 Actually, there is just SO much packed into the GO universe, I think the only ones who could pick out every single speck of symbolism are the authors! RIP Sir Pratchett
@@Jen_S_Hassler1258 Every time I think that I have sieved through all of the details someone points out something new, or I rewatch and see a symbol, or an expression that gives a new understanding of the meaning and emotions. It's made me realize that I'm not a very good consumer of media. My ADD means I usually "watch" things (often means I'm just listening and ignoring the visual) while multitasking. This show has made me stop, and pay attention to everything going on, on the screen. So much communication that occurs between Crowley and Aziraphale is unsaid. It's all in the expressions, or an implication, even a gesture that happens while some other action is occurring. There is so much symbolic and emotional depth to it all. It's unique and special and stunning.
@Jen_S_Hassler1258 Do not feel dense, I watch this show (over and over) and make notes on every detail I can, and every single video, people still point out half a dozen things I missed. It's just that deeply layered! And I love how Crowley is constantly redefining himself. And how Aziraphale loves every version of him.
I think you make some great points about Crowley's name changes to define himself and I think the interesting thing is that he chose to make his name Anthony Crowley to blend in with the human world where Aziraphale is just A.Z. Fell to stay close to his angel name and stay close to heaven... AND YET if he were to be more accurate and close to his heavenly name he would be Mr. Fail..
@@theonlylunchbox Maybe I'm making to much of it, but Fell, feels like a reference to the Fallen, i.e. Crowley. As in Mr. Fallen. As in Mr. Crowley.😁. Like I said, I'm reading to much into it. Lol
I love your perspective on Aziraphale’s character, it makes sense he reacted to Crowley “forgiveness”. He still has to learn to be an individual and separate himself from the angel who “goes along with heaven as much as he can.”
I still believe that finally learning about Crowley's fall will trigger Azirphale into letting Heaven go. He will either be shown Crowley's trial much like Gabriel's was uncovered or Crowley will be at risk to erasure from the Book of Life. Until Aziraphale can really SEE Crowley's trauma he will be hard pressed to fully understand what's at stake. I love the God-shaped hole....brilliant and heartbreaking. I know Neil has made it clear he doesn't respond to fan ideas on what he should or should not write for the 3rd season and is very cryptic in some of his responses to questions, but I hope he finds your analyses and comments on them.
That might be the thing that cracks that foundation! Crowley has hidden it from Aziraphale forever. I would be flattered beyond words if anyone involved in the production ever even noticed me. But I appreciate that Neil must stay away form fan sites until after he's done filming s3. He's amazing to his fans, and I appreciate the sacrifices he makes to be an honest writer. (and a great one!)
Oh I love that, he might find the records of Crowley's fall and see it for himself? I can't imagine them showing him voluntarily. Unless Crowley did something terrible. Neil Gaiman has said that Crowley's version of his fall is unreliable..
@@Sendarya I wonder if Crowley has really hidden it from Aziraphale or if he just can't remember. He seems to have partial amnesia, he doesn't remember Furfur or Saraquael, even though he could've just said that to fuck with them. I wonder if falling as such erases a demons memory and replaces it with a new identity. I mean, what are we without our memories? Who do we become if we can't remember who we were? Gabriel without his memories was actually quite nice and even mirrors Aziraphale's naivety and enthusiasm for earthly delights. My theory is that Crowley's mind was partially wiped or the fall caused partial amnesia.
I hope Gaiman doesn't find them. He can't be influenced by anything we come up with, and a lot of what we come up with is just in response to what he has put there, so I think he knows where he wants to go.
I immediately noticed how both times Aziraphale says "I forgive you," it's in response to Crowley calling him either an idiot or stupid. It's an instinctive pushback to being put down: to elevate. He doesn't know how to respond to the kiss, but he knows how to respond to being insulted, so I think he defaults to the response he knows. The response that he feels confident in, when he doesn't feel confident in anything else. I loved the connection of Crowley's name change to the crows/goats during the Job story: brilliant!
Honest, profound, and empathetic analysis of this complicated character. This answers all the shallow "fans'" childish and cruel hatred and criticism of Aziraphale just because he did not do what they wanted him to. If he had, he would have betrayed his own ideals and character arc.
It is an easy mistake to make. I think we should have empathy for the fans as well. It was a very gutting ending, and people do all sorts of things to cope with pain. I think they'll come around, if we just show them the way. :)
I'm super late to the Good Omens party and these videos are keeping me sane lol. I find it so fascinating that at their core, Crowley and Aziraphale want the same thing, to be together, but in radically different ways. And because they are immortal dorks, they can't just say that plainly.
I think he says "I forgive you" because he litterally pleaded with Crowley, he said "I NEED you" and Crowley is still effectively abandoning him(from Aziraphale's perspective). We saw this earlier in the season when Crowley abandoned him to deal with Gabriel alone, only now the stakes are so much higher, the hurt is much deeper, and there may be no chance for an apology dance. They both know how badly they're hurting eachother here, and they both wish they weren't. He doesn't want Crowley to live with that guilt, the guilt of knowing youve hurt the person who matters most to you, the same guilt Aziraphale himself is going to be carrying, and I think forgiveness here is meant to absolve Crowley of that guilt when it inevitably arrives.
I think I relate most to Aziraphale since the beginning cuz of my religious upbringing (my dad is a pastor) but I'm a queer person (so, you can imagine what is like). My life is a mix of apparently contradictory worldviews. I nearly cried when you mentioned about the cognitive dissonance, that's so frikin' true! I loved this video so much, thanks for all ur work.
🫂 I am so sorry you've had that difficult path. I also had a religious upbringing, and have been through what I think Aziraphale is about to go through, so making this video was, and I don't say this lightly, devastatingly hard for me. I cried. A lot. Getting into Azi's head was hard to do, but I think...healing in the end?? I hope you find his character the same. :) We're all on his side, and we know he'll pull through this struggle.
@Sendarya Sending you a big hug on your healing journey! ❤️🩹 Thank you for pulling through a devastating healing crisis to put together a great video. Religious Trauma Syndrome is absolutely real. You are not alone. There are a lot of us and I think a lot of us are drawn to Good Omens because it speaks to us on a deeper level. We see you and appreciate you. I was raised in a cult led by a charismatic leader (that was my Mom's choice, not mine) and it's really hard to write about it. I'm happy to say that I'm much better (mentally, financially etc) since I walked away and I get to make my own choices now. Hang in there. It gets better. @paolanicollalzurucastillo4627 a big hug to you too!
And good catch on the ring fiddling that he obviously does, which I totally missed. I believe that the Metatron doesn't really comprehend the depth of Crowley and Aziraphale's love, which is frankly quite human. I am going to cling to that smile and Crowley's lack of emotion in the final scene as a "cloo" that each knows what's at stake and trusts in the other to make the right decision. Crowley was ripped apart thinking Aziraphale had died in the fire, but not as such driving away.
I like how you pointed out that Aziraphale always accepted Crowley's changes in identity without question. Like, despite always insisting on good and evil and Crowley being a demon, he never actually treats him as such. I like to believe (even though we don't know) that Aziraphale was the only one who just accepted Crowley's name change. In the book it's said that he still has to sign the hellish contract with his "real name", and I can just imagine all of Hell calling him Crawly for centuries until at some point they basically just forgot that he used to be called something else. Heaven mostly probably doesn't know his name. Sorry for the ramble, just had to share my brainrot.
Aziraphale is a very conflicted character, and no one other than Michael Sheen could pull it off. He has excellent micro expressions that always add an extra layer to whatever it is that he's doing. I also feel like Aziraphale is an anxious person, and I sometimes wonder if perhaps if he's not masking that anxiety by using forgiveness as a sort of shield. I always felt a special kind of pull in my heart for Aziraphale, and because I'm an anxious person, I wonder if it's that kindred spirit feeling. ❤
@@Sendarya Oh, thanks! I appreciate that. Again, as said anxious person, I always worry that I’m not observing things correctly, and then thusly getting things wrong. Do you Think Aziraphale has that same mindset too? I’m Really enjoying your videos, by the way.💕
@marzettik I'm glad you are enjoying them. ❤️ I think Aziraphale has specific anxieties, about doing the right thing. He doesn't seem to have any social anxiety to speak of. It's funny, here I am making videos that thousands of people are watching, and EVERY TIME, all I'm thinking is "This was the stupidest observation, I'm an idiot". What I'm learning is, that with art, there are no wrong observations. It's all interpretation, and guesswork, and feeling. So go out there and share your thoughts! As long as you are honest and sincere, I think people are very generous and kind, mostly. 🫂
Excellent analysis, as usual. And thank you for bringing up the crows (goats) and the name change. I noticed that a while back and figured that the Job experience Crowley had with Aziraphale had a profound impact on him, thus the name change. You're the first person I've seen also make this connection. 🙂
YES! Exactly! Love this, thank you ❣️😍. My heart goes out to Aziraphale too, very much 💗. Michael Sheen said that something he likes about playing Aziraphale is his courage in choosing the right thing to do, no matter how difficult it is or what he loses in the process. So you could be right in your prediction.
I agree that this trait is totally ripe for exploiting by Metatron. Or by Neil Gaiman... I am also sure it is why Crowley loves Aziraphale too - although he'd be loathed to admit it. And just as Crowley was showing imagination right from the beginning, Aziraphale (by giving away the flaming sword) was also showing a commitment to not just follow the rules if doing the "right" thing seemed to differ.
I also find it strange that when Aziraphale gives away the flaming sword - God herself chooses to question Azirphale, not Gabriel or Metatron. Is God surprised in this moment? And perhaps is God formulating a new plan when she sees one of her children doing something unexpected, a plan that will play out by the end of season 3? I feel Metatron and God are not really on the same page - but I could be wrong!
@@schubertukoh, I completely agree that the Metatron (and all the other figures of authority in heaven) are NOT on the same page of the "great plan" as god. They all seem to be stuck in the "before the apocalypse" chapters and are refusing to see that earth had evolved and matured SO much more than they can comprehend. Gabriel's book shop scene in S1 was proof of that: claiming how gullible humans are, secure in his belief that he fooled all the other (clearly NOT tricked) patrons of the shop when claiming he was buying "questionable" materials. Personally, I think Supreme Archangel Aziraphale needs to ship the other Archangels down for a turn on earth with humans to learn some things! (Maybe he will?) 🤔
@@schubertukI think we haven't seen the Almighty interact with anyone after the Job minisode. In S1 She was the narrator, but She didn't take active part in the actual story other than when asking Aziraphale about the sword. It feels like the Almighty is in the back seat in Good Omens, unlike Satan who took active part several times in S1.
@@kalessinsdaughter5460 Agreed - but that is why I am speculating whether that back seat now has a strategic purpurse, after all, all Crowley wanted was a chance to ask God directly some questions... I doubt Neil & the team are going to leave that sitting. However most of my speculations have been incorrect, it is just a guess.
So Crawley rescued himself and transformed himself from a victim to a survivor, changing his name to Crowley to centralize/cement this shift of self. He could never go back to heaven as an angel, where he could be victimized again. Once burned, twice shy. As a survivor, he can grow in ways he never could if the trauma had never happened. Maybe healing for him will come from understanding that and learning that was God's plan all along. She had given him something none of the other demons had -- imagination. Perhaps he will come to understand she ineffably loved him all along. We all want to know more about Crowley's fall and see Aziraphale's realizations about heaven, Crowley, and himself as he discovers records of the fall, but the script writing is so brilliant it may not be that simple.
Excellent points....what I also noticed is Crowley's reactions being back in Heaven. He's quite confident and somewhat defiant at being there. I have no idea on what that costume was though LOL....and that hair. He certainly didn't wander around as a traumatized person going back to the scene of the crime as it were. And going down afterwards alone in the lift he seemed quite pleased with himself.
@@BytheBentley I think that costume was Crowley's idea of "lame angel". It was a bit of a dig at the lame aesthetics of heaven (Michael's fabulousness not withstanding) Crowley hates heaven's style, evident from the way he says "celestial harmonies" and making fun of the sound of music in season one to the Scoobydoo type sneaking behind Muriel in season two and the pure glee he can wear his own clothes again in the elevator, knowing the angels standing there with him would find it offensive. If you've ever had a goth/punk/metalhead/etc. friend from a conservative family you'd recognize the very real joy that comes with being a thorn in their sides, even if they do struggle with the trauma of being othered. I have seen people who feel they have been unfairly cast into the role of the villain, take on that role with zeal because "that's what they want".
I don't think the idea that God deliberately traumatized Crowley to make him grow in different ways is exactly something that would endear God to Crowley--quite the opposite, I'd say. Although there's certainly a possibility that God is testing the angels and demons as She tests the humans.
After I finished the second season, I was a little confused on why Aziraphale did what he did. But after a day or so, it didn't take me that long to realize that our angel has got a LOT of things to unpack. His suffering/trauma is less noticeable, more vague. But I, and some others, understood it far more quickly because we have always paid more attention to Aziraphale than any other character.
"By revealing the goats' true nature to Aziraphale, Crowley is also revealing his own." Oh that got me good! Really enjoyed this one, it was indeed enlightening. Poor Aziraphale 😭❤
What a beautifully articulated video! Every sentence you said felt like consecutive gunshots because of how devastatingly true they all rang out 😭. I remember being so taken aback when I first watched Aziraphale saying “I forgive you”, because I thought it was like… one of the worst ways you could ever respond to one of the most desperate love confessions I have ever seen. But after this season sat in my mind for the past couple of months, I realize now that it was SO in-character for Aziraphale to express forgiveness whenever he feels the most hurt. I was just blinded by my want for them to finally be happy together that I completely missed the traumas that Aziraphale and Crowley both need to resolve before they even get to that point. And as you said, Crowley’s wounds seem so much more apparent and ripe for empathy, but it’s easy to forget that Aziraphale is struggling with the same exact wounds. Good god, I will never get over how brilliantly these characters are written. I’ve never felt so warm and content one moment, only to feel like I’ve been gutted with a cleaver the next. It truly is drama at its finest!!!
Thank you for sharing that. I think a lot of fans are going through a similar process. There are steps and stages and layers. And yes, the writing is brilliant to be able to do that to us all!
I thought that sometimes when Aziraphale said "may god forgive you" it seemed like he was afraid for Crowley and trying to protect him from god's wrath - like how Crowley reacted when Job's wife cursed god.
i can never understand all the hate that Aziraphale got at the end by some fans. like how could you blame him for just being who he is?? seriously, S3 can't come soon enough!!! 😭😭😭😭 thank you again for your thorough and eye opening videos!!
This is my thought. I think Crowley changed his name is because he did spend time with the son of God and got to know him. Which brought a different prospective view to him.
Can I just say ?? Michael sheen said himself that in his portrayal of aziraphale his objective is often “to not let you know how much I love you.” I feel like as obvious as these two idiots are to the audience, there’s a good chance that not only does aziraphale think he’s been successful in hiding his feelings all this time, but he also has convinced himself that Crowley, being a demon, doesn’t feel the same way, is in fact incapable of it. Even if he believes deep down Crowley is good, he’s terrified enough of the possibility of him being apathetic and manipulative to hide his feelings all this time. This interpretation would mean a couple things. First, it would underscore the importance of Crowley joining aziraphale in heaven. If Crowley was an angel again and they expressed their feelings for each other, aziraphale would know he was telling the truth, something he would never be sure of if that happened while Crowley was a demon (just look at all the times azi has said something along the lines of “you’re a demon, lying is what you do.”) Additionally, this means that when Crowley kisses aziraphale, there’s a chance aziraphale is afraid that Crowley is not doing it because he wants to, but is doing it because he knows how aziraphale feels, sees it as a weakness, and is preying on it in order to manipulate him into staying. I always thought that after the kiss aziraphale looked mortified, humiliated. I interpret that as him being like “oh god, I’ve been so obvious this whole time that he thinks this will make me stay.” Especially because it ALMOST WORKED. aziraphale reciprocated that kiss, despite being upset and caught off guard. Honestly if I thought someone I loved used my intense feelings for them as a way of getting what they wanted, I’d find it hard to forgive. And that’s the sentiment I see in Michael sheens performance in that moment
It's often thought of that each of them believes they're the only one that feels that way about the other. Crowley thinking well aziraphale, being an angel, can sense love he knows how I feel and he hasn't said anything or responded to the love he must sense in my presence. He must not a knowledge love from a demon. And then there's the notion that Aziraphale does feel it but considers it background noise, all while knowing how he feels about Crowley and thinking a demon wouldn't reciprocate or wouldn't want to be loved by an Angel.
That's interesting about the scape goat ritual. It makes me think of family dynamics with the scapegoat and golden child. The scapegoat is blamed for everything while the golden child forced into a mold and stripped of anything that doesn't fit. Both Aziraphale and Crowley are relatable to me. Crowley is more relatable to me now that I'm out of my family's religion. I was deeply hurt and traumatized by religion and I've spent years picking up the pieces (and really still am). But Aziraphale is experiencing something very close to what I experienced for years before I finally left. Those tiny thoughts of "that can't be right" or "God would never do that" or "that's not what that passage means." It's easier to replace old bricks with new ones. But in my experience, there was a single moment when the wall came crashing down. I tried desperately to replace the broken bricks, it had become impossible. That didn't stop me from trying tho. I think it would be interesting if Aziraphale went through something similar in season 3
Thank you for this deep-dive! Aziraphale deserves the grace of understanding, and you've captured it beautifully. The fandom has turned against him, but it's a knee-jerk reaction when each side deserves deserves a more compassionate exploration of their perspectives and motivations.
Your insights are very well thought out AND articulated! A story that provokes so much introspection and high-quality, ongoing discussions is a gift to all.
Yes yes YES!! It's so refreshing to see someone in the fandom that has so many thoughts that align with what I've seen and analyzed about these characters myself and with my friend! The Good Omens fandom sometimes frustrates me, but seeing your videos always breathes some fresh air into my chest, so thank you and I'm now subscribed!
As someone who values charity but know many charities are flawed I like to remember “a flawed organisation is more likely to change you than you are to change it” doesn’t mean you can’t change things but more often than not your taken down by the effort.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for this video. I'm someone who grew up in a high-control Christian church/denomination, who was extremely devout and obedient to the church and had a huge part of my identity invested in it, and who ultimately went through the deconstruction Aziraphale is going to have to go through and made the choice to leave as a young adult. So I have identified VERY deeply with Aziraphale right from the beginning of the show. His behavior may be confusing to the average viewer, but it's the most honest portrayal I've ever seen of the effects intense religious indoctrination can have on a person. The fan anger at Aziraphale has been really hard for me to watch and this video is so wonderfully kind and understanding. Your analysis of Aziraphale as the sacrificial goat to Crowley's scapegoat honestly brought me to tears. Crowley's trauma is much more apparent to viewers, like you said, but being part of a high-control religious group is very much its own trauma, *especially* if you don't really fit in (as Aziraphale obviously doesn't, as someone who consistently has his own ideas about things even if he is afraid to trust or express them). And the process of deconstructing one's religious beliefs and leaving the group is ALSO extremely traumatic, because it's an upheaval of your entire worldview and identity combined with the loss of a community that has been central to your life. Aziraphale already hasn't had an easy time of it, and he most likely still has a lot of suffering ahead of him before he can break free from Heaven.
🫂 I'm sorry you had to go through that. One of the amazing things about Good Omens is how it uses comedy and fantasy as vehicles to address some very serious real world situations. Aziraphale is so well written and acted, that those of us who've been through something similar, can really relate. I hope his journey is, ultimately, one that other people can relate to and find healing in the end (because at this stage it's part of why the whole thing is so emotionally painful!) Thank you for sharing your personal experience.
@@Sendarya I’ve already found a lot of catharsis and healing just from seeing this much of Aziraphale’s experience portrayed in such an honest and compassionate way, in all its messiness and complexity. The narrative doesn’t excuse the poor decisions he sometimes makes, but it also doesn’t make him a villain-just a flawed person in an extremely painful situation struggling to figure things out. (Just like Crowley!) Obviously I am VERY invested in seeing these two get their happy ending, but the part of the story we’ve gotten so far already means so much to me. Thank you again for your videos, this has quickly become one of my favorite channels because of your thoughtful and compassionate takes on every aspect of this story.
I don’t know if I can watch Aziraphale be hurt… feel very much like Crowley here, want desperately to protect him and knowing that he will be alone in Heaven is agonizing. And for what it’s worth, seeing Michael cry makes me want to hurt someone … the man’s eyes are a powerful weapon. Dang him. 😊 your views/ideas are very impressive.
2:46 whether he wants to do it or not, he HAS to do it, or else he's punished severely!!!!!! He also gets penalized if he "does good" or "is nice," which is why he pushes back so firmly against being called good or nice.
I think Aziraphale is stepping into a trap with Metatron/Heaven. I was just saying in a fb group last week, they were recently trying to destroy him with fire and now promotion? That's like the definition of sus. But they knew Aziraphale wouldn't be able to refuse their (sus) offer, and it's because of all the ways his personality and logic are which you pointed out in this video. I think pauvre Aziraphale is playing right into their (sus) hands. Hopefully, Crowley will still be watching (like he always does).
Aziraphale and Crowley are from one specific viewpoint, so similiar in their way of being, well, themselves. Crowley always questions the system, doing good whenever he can (while actively denying it) , and Aziraphale has a deep urge to be the main protagonist of changing the same system. It's just that Crowley needs to understand that he can't be free while running away from it all, and Aziraphale needs to understand he cannot be free until he lets go of what he can't control, and focuses on smaller scale good deeds that make a difference. Then they can be together and be free to create their own version of heaven. Just my thoughts
God that final scene will never not absolutely break and destroy me every time it is the most jagged painful devastatingly tragic thing I have ever seen. Aziraphale keeps saying "I forgive you" and Crowley keeps saying "why can't you understand that I don't need to be." No you are so right because Aziraphale thinks Crowley is good because he comes from Heaven and Crowley sees himself as being who he is DESPITE whatever Heaven tried to make him into. !!! Aziraphale cannot separate goodness from Heaven !!! and that's the one thing Crowley has been trying to show him for the last 6,000 years. "Emotional and ideological turmoil" is, I think, the most accurate summary of Aziraphale's entire character XD Thank you for your emotional labor this scene is hard enough to watch so I can't imagine how difficult an in-depth analysis was. Thanks again for your service 🫡
I don't know that we can heal from that scene until they do. Honestly, I've never been so devastated by a work of fiction in my life. I appreciate your acknowledgment of the emotional labor involved in making these. ❤️
Loved this video, so well articulated, and I agree. Aziraphale feels like the one to 'blame' because he's the one who left. But the situation is just far more complicated than that. Both of them did hurtful things right at the very end. Just one thing I wanted to suggest. Crowley is not one who sticks around. It's not cowardice, it's a combination of understanding how incredibly large the forces at work are, some really gritty realistic view in fact, a sensible amount of self-preservation from someone who already fell once, and the instinctive reaction to immediately get Aziraphale to come with him. I think that Aziraphale has heard this conclusion from Crowley a number of times, and was expecting it during the talk. It's the typical time where Aziraphale gets to hold the fort, hold them together in place, to do the right thing. It seems kind of brave, but sometimes can be a little naive as well. And then Crowley suggested they run off together.... the head-shake is (as I see it) a sort of disbelief. Not this again. Here's something big once more, something to hold oneself together and do the right thing, again, and not go away. By this time, they danced the dance a bunch of times and it is practically impossible for Aziraphale to accept that particular suggestion. The big thing of course is, he DOESN'T want to be separated. And that's where he loses sight of what could be Crowley's terms of such an agreement. It's all built on so many layers of conversations and I find it excellent writing (even if it hurts, ouch!).
It is indeed excellent writing. Every time I think I've got it, I find another layer! Great points, btw. There's so much going on in each of these characters, they are so very very 3 dimensional, there's a lot we can easily overlook, and also how many different and completely legitimate ways there are to interpret it all. Thank you for this well thought out comment! Agreed, Aziraphale cannot run away. It's never been in has nature, and he's not going to start now. I have no idea how they are going to end up on the same page in that regard by the end.
@@Sendarya We all are missing things, to no fault of anyone, because of who the authors are. Remember Pratchett's books have a fictional country with a lot of philosophers/scientists and there's a brief mention that the word "Eureka" means "get me a towel", with no other explanation. So either you're familiar with the legend of Archimedes discovering a way to measure density of matter and you get it, or you just think it's some silliness. And there's a LOT of silliness. I'm always paranoid that I am seeing silliness when there's story to it I just don't know.
@@aurawilming6047still catching up.. I have to smile at your comment about perhaps missing a deeper story behind all the silliness. I try and try to view these series with a critical eye, every time I get caught up in my emotional response to pretty much every scene.
I agree the Job minisode is the most important one. The scotland one is also very important, but this is the one that plants the seeds. And you did not put AS much emphasis, but when Crowley is refuting Aziraphale, he repeats the word blameless for each new entity. I found that so incredibly potent. Of course Aziraphale did not realise (cause tbh in my personal opinion I don't think they were properly friends there yet, so they didn't know each other all that much), but yeah, he was showing him there how against all that he was. The point about Crowley's fear and hope of his reaction tho, yeah, I did not really pay much attention to that, and you are so right. I am not 100% sure he made the goat sounds, I think it was just a convenient coincidence, and I interpreted his face more like an 'oh shit, my cover blew', but there is hope there. A LOT of it. And it does tie with my view that they didn't know each other that much, so it was a little bit of openness to... something I love this minisode cause it show us the anger of Crowley at injustice, and a whole effing lot of Aziraphale's moral conflict. With the always present and enjoyable comedy I also like your explanation of Azi's continuous believe that heaven is good. It is the part I struggle with the most tbh. He'd had thousands of years, beings and situations to know that is not true (and deep down I am pretty sure he knows) but he still clings to that believe that Heaven=Good as if his life depends on it. Because in a way it does. It makes so much sense, and it also explains why he was so exited about the Metatron's offer. I know he didn't like Gabriel, but he could have rationalized it like 'Gabriel, as a being, was an asshole, therefore if a better being (aka himself) is there, things will be different'. We lack some more info about the Metatron tho, I've always thought that. We know he is hierarchically above the angels we know, but the fact no angel recognized him (with the maybe exception of Seraqiel) made me think he might be way more detached from them. Like, I don't know how much about his plans the rest of the angels know. And it does bother me a bit, with his conversation with Azi. Again, it is something we all know is the biggest mistake ever, but Aziraphale doesn't, and I agree with you he NEEDS to live it to understand it. For as tragic and painful this whole break up was, I think it is so necessary for Aziraphale's growth. If only it didn't hurt so much... Also... holy cow the explanation about how he still sees Crowley as the angel he once was, thousands of years ago. 10000% non-toxic behaviour right there. It made me see the 'I am good, you, I am afraid, are evil....' from the Scotland minisode (I'm sorry, the spelling of that capital is a nightmare, I can't hahaha) in a whole new light. It is his black and white mentality shining, but also put the conflict into the forefront, as Crowley has never EVER hurt somebody, and he knows that, yet refuses to acknowledge it. You did highlight something here I also didn't see. Ignoring the kiss, the 'I forgive you' in S2 also comes after Crowley insults him. And with how overwhelmed he was, I can see him blatantly ignoring the kiss and following the conversation, pretending the thing did not affect him as much as it has affected us all (': Of course the wrong effing answer cause Nina and Maggie were so right when they said these two do not talk about the important things By the way the emotional incompetence of these milenary beings is part of the charm of it all. They've been around for so long they're literally ancient, and hey both know with 100000% certainty they are partners/friends/soulmates/whatever-word-to-designate-very-close-people but they are /just/ starting to realise that also includes romantic feelings for eachother, six thousand years after their relationship started. And it does make sense, cause as celestial beings, love/romance might not be as intrinsic as it is for humans, so their sheer naivety is just natural and endearing. Bureocracy gave them a thousand kick in the face tho, with how effing fast their relationship evolved compared with the husbands. I didn't know there was a kinda negative view about Aziraphale in the fandom? I mean, I am somewhat angry at him for the finale, but there are a thousand factors why he reacted the way he did, none of them being malice. The fandom is making him a scapegoat at this point, and maybe it was even intentional to cast him in a somewhat negative light to kickstart S3 with some wariness towards him. For some reason Azi makes me think a lot about Icarus. He is in his way to the top to get burned, after all, but probably the fall will not kill him, cause Crowley will be there to catch him. and following your random thought Yeah, can be. His explanation of not liking Crawley was the slither around your feet-ish (i don't recall the exact phrase, but it's brilliant xD). He literally changed a moving touching the ground reference, for a flying one, so I do see it as a metaphor for the freedom he longs. But #darks cause he spooky fan, of course. As always, thank you You destroy me a bit with these, but I might be a bit of a masochist after all hahaha
@@elimgarak7090 yes he did. Which was super duper weird. I was focusing on the angels in the comment, that's why I didn't mention him, but yeah. The only one who 100% recognised him was the only non-angel in that room
Saraqael looked like she had realized and was keeping quiet: I wonder about her, she seems to be in charge of the mind-wiping, but she didn't try to mind-wipe Crowley when he was in Heaven (although maybe as a non-angel he was out of her purview?). Saraqael scolded Muriel for bringing Crowley, but didn't seem to sound an alarm or want to stop Crowley, and she wanted him and Muriel to see the full story of Gabriel's trial. Saraqael also seemed to be the one to choose to send Muriel to Earth.
I don't remember if you've mentioned it in another video but what you said about the way Crowley uses food (and more generally things Aziraphale likes on Earth) to get Aziraphale back on their side made me think of the last episode of season 2 because it can be paralleled with the Metatron offering coffee to Aziraphale: is the Metatron offering a human drink to Aziraphale because he has been watching them for the past few years and kinda understood food can help to get a point across when talking to Aziraphale? But at the same time he is giving him a drink (Aziraphale enjoys solid food more) and on top of that a coffee (which is something I think we never see him drink in any episode) which is really weird... By doing that is it a way of saying: Heaven is ready to take you back even with your uncanny liking of human things (and everything that symbolism implies) but we will not fully embrace it and you'll have to accomodate with what we offer? And also Aziraphale would have been very happy with any drinks really so why offer coffee? It's like wanting to say: we have been watching you, we are very aware of what you like and how you work but we are precisely gonna give you something you don't like, which is pretty threatening actually Ok well while writing this I realized there is a loooooot to say about the parallel between Crowley offering food to Aziraphale and the Metatron handing him coffee but I don't have the strength to write everything down hahaha but I think it is an interesting perspective to consider
I love your analysis videos. I noticed a difference in their angel robes from the star garden scene. Crowley’s has a gold stripe around the sleeve cuff, whereas Aziraphale’s sleeve is plain. Stripes usually denote a higher status, at least in the military. I wonder if that shows that Crowley was a higher status and why he was able to open that restricted file up in heaven.
Crowley sees Zira for exactly who he is, Zira sees the 'deep down' base personality of Crowley before the fall, ironically he's the blinded one. Blinded to the pain and torture and hate Crowley has and is still going through helped along by Crowley's protection of him. Even though he witnesses the bad actions of heaven and his black and white morality which Crowley helps to unpick he still remains mostly steadfast to his view of good and evil. I think Zira will end up seeing the evils of heaven and the inherent goodness of Crowley in order to truly break from heaven and come back to Crowley loving ALL the parts of him.
I think we will find in season 3 that Aziraphale's ability to forgive does in fact have limits. Even if Aziraphale is able to enact changes in heaven that make things better (and that's a big IF), one thing that cannot ever be fixed no matter how much good he does is the fact that Crowley is not and will not ever be welcome in heaven (even if he wanted to be there). The Metatron offered Aziraphale everything he's ever wanted, but what he got in reality was a distant second choice that didn't even remotely resemble what he wanted at all. When heaven used Crowley as bait to get to Aziraphale, it planted the seeds of it's own demise (as you like to say). Aziraphale will never recover from the heartbreak of not being able to share heaven with the person he loves, and as such, he will never give 100% of his loyalty to heaven. A part of him will always be loyal to Crowley. I predict that this will be a deal-breaker for him at some point. I think we will see a moment where Aziraphale is unable to easily forgive and forget because the cost of doing so will be too high, and there are some things that simply just cannot be forgiven no matter how much you value the act of forgiving.
oh that's so good, interpreting the "I forgive you" as a mechanism of old patterns rather than something Aziraphale actively puts some kind of message in. AND listen as you mentioned how Aziraphale connects his own goodness with the goodness of heaven, and how he knew the angel Crowley were (I mean it's so right on the nose now, it hurts???!?? He is certain he knows Crowley, because he knew him as an angel. He said it word for word. He oversees how much Crowley was forced to not be an angel any longer, as he constantly searces for the goodness in Crowley (I'm in tears, it's so sweet and hurtfull at once)) yeah. so. when Crowley offers to run away TOGETHER. It makes zero sense for Aziraphale. Because they could be TOGETHER in heaven. And Crowley must want to be an Angel again and be that good person (he can't openly be, cuz demon). Beeing in Heaven together as angels ís from Aziraphales pov everytheng they BOTH ever wanted. Aziraphale didn't take the offer for himself.
Thank you. I wasn't sure I explained it all that well, lol. A lot of people want to know what that last "I forgive you" means in a very literal way. What's he forgiving Crowley for? The Kiss? Refusing his offer?But it's not the right question. The right question is why does he say it at all? And it's just a shield, the armor he puts on when he feels vulnerable and confused and hurt. At least, that's my interpretation. Argh, the writing for this show is so good!
@@Sendarya. That is exactly how I see that “I forgive you” at the end. It’s what he knows how to do. When he says “I forgive you “ he says it because he is hurt and doesn’t know what else to do which is very different than when he says, “may god to forgive you”.
This video is so true. I truly think Aziraphale is about to get literally slapped in the face by the people he's always defended and believed in, and it's gonna be devastating to watch.
This video and what you mentioned about syllogism can also be used to explain why Aziraphale would say something like "of course you said no to Hell, you're the bad guys." That line makes so much more sense when you understand that Aziraphale doesn't personally believe Crowley is evil himself but more so believes that if Heaven is good and there's goodness in Crowley then Hell is bad and Crowley should come with him to Heaven (and be restored as an angel). Thank you for this analysis video! great work as always!!
I appreciate how thoughtful and compassionate this video is regarding Aziraphale's actions and worldview. He's a complicated angel and has growing to do. But so, I think, does Crowley. Just in a different way. And there's a much broader issue the two of them have with communication that makes it impossible for me to simply pin blame on one of them. They are just in such conflicting places emotionally and as much as they love each other, neither has taken the time or effort to be open about how they really feel, which makes them both come across as incredibly insensitive to the other's internal struggles. I've said in other conversations that I think this moment was always coming. While I can understand why some people thought the last few minutes were jarring and came out of nowhere, I think that when you really stop and look at the events of both seasons and everything that led up to this, it makes perfect sense. Aziraphale and Crowley didn't reconcile at the end of season 1 because they solved their differences. Circumstances simply forced them to meet in the middle because they had a world to save and their "sides" more or less turned against them. In season 2, they're closer than ever in some ways, but so fundamentally at odds in others, and they don't bother to address this. Imo their breakup was inevitable. But I'm hoping that the events to come will help them grow as characters so they can come back together in a way that allows them to be their true selves and express their feelings without hesitation or guilt or fear.
After episode 6, I've been going through the five stages of grief. When the kiss first happened, I was in complete shock. It wasn't meant to happen THAT way. This quickly turned into anger. I was angry with Aziraphale. I was angry with the Metatron, and I was angry with Neil for ending it there. Since working through my anger, I have been able to see Aziraphale's side. And I am so sad I didn't see his side earlier. Michael Sheen is such an amazing actor; you can see every micro expression. It's heartbreaking. I think I'm now working through acceptance, the final stage. I can see why Neil did it this way. We, as fans, needed to work through our emotions as this was a lot for us. He also created the most incredible cliffhanger, as we all can't stop talking about it! And I don't want to stop. This is an amazing show, with amazing actors and amazing writers. I've seen everyone being praised, from the costume designers to the set dressers. And rightfully so! Thanks, 'Good Omens' team. I haven't been moved this much by a show since...ever.
Yes, _yes, YES!_ You're always several steps ahead of me, defining, formalising and explaining things I'm only beginning to see the shape of. The difference between Aziraphale's genuine forgiveness offers in the Job minisode and the bandstand, compared to the hurt/angry later two is really stark. I love the idea that the crows influenced Crowley's name change. I hadn't made the scapegoat-sacrificial goat connection. I have been more focused on what Aziraphale will do to Heaven (and the inner journey I'm expecting him to make), than on what _Heaven_ will do to _him._ You make a good point there. And one that fills me with apprehension. On a very tangential note, I wonder what you think about the possibility that Crowley will take up the role as a Duke of Hell? Narratively, it would reestablish him as Aziraphale's equal and opposite, similar to what their ostensible roles were in S1. And one might see Crowley sitting on the twin to Beelzebub's throne in S2 as foreshadowing (also, Michael Sheen's 'thin dark duke' comment).
I hadn't actually considered that possibility. What an interesting idea! Crowley has completely rejected hell, so I'm not sure what would drag him back there except some serious self destructive tendencies. I think the "thin dark duke" comment Michael made was confirmed to be a David Bowie reference? But we know they say things outside the show that are easter eggs for things in the show, so who knows!
@@Sendarya Yes, I agree that Crowley is very Done with Hell, and I don't know what it would take to make him change his mind. It would have to be something very compelling, I think, something that's important to him. But I keep thinking about Beelzebub's _personal_ promise to him: "Well, wherever he is, you find Gabriel for me, and you can have whatever your nasty little heart desires. You could be a Duke of Hell." While Beelzebub is probably no longer in a position to make good on the Duke of Hell thing, I nevertheless think there must be a reason why S2 removes both Gabriel _and_ Beelzebub from their posts. Much as I like Shax, I doubt the position is really intend for them.
Yes I'm wondering if Crowley would go to be Duke of hell because after azi's rejection his anger probably knows no bounds. I'm not sure he trusts Azi at all - or in contrast he feels he could be his analog by reforming hell. Tough call.
Aziraphale let’s Crowley rescue him, because, as he says, it makes Crowley so happy. It also makes Aziraphale happy too, he clearly loves Crowley and being rescued makes him feel loved too.
I would like to point out that in the scene where Crowley looks Aziraphale in the eyes and tells him he longs to destroy Job and his children, he is not technically lying, if you take into account the last part of the sentence. He adds "... just as I long to destroy these goats" (quote from memory). As we find out just a moment later, he swapped the goats for crows, so he obviously did not long to destroy Job's goats, which in turn means he _just as much_ did not long to destroy Job and his children. At least that's what I make of it, bc I think he really does not want to lie to Aziraphale, so he slithers his way around the lie edit: just got to the end of the video, where the rest of the sentence is included 😅 he says "just as I destroyed his goats", so slightly different connotation, but my point still stands. Dolphins.
This is rlly good! I definitely felt like people didnt give Aziraphale enough grace until a month after the finale. Its also why I'm not a big fan of coffee theory, and others that involve Aziraphale being brainwashed. It takes away from his agency, and him--whos still loyal to heaven but just not a fan of the people running the show--willingly taking an opportunity to go inside and fix everything, made much more sense to me. And i get it, I still sometimes feel like grabbing Aziraphale by the shoulders and shaking him awake, but getting Aziraphale to understand what heaven is really like isn't as simple as that--we've seen Crowley try and fail at that, using the same grabbing and shaking (and kissing) methods already. At this point, we have to let him go even if we dont understand why he would want to, and hope that witnessing heavens system firsthand helps him break free in the end. Crowley never told him about his fall, or exactly what they did to Gabriel. We have to remember Aziraphale is still oblivious to many things heaven has done. And if Crowleys not going to tell him, then perhaps the next best thing is for Aziraphale to witness it instead. Sure, maybe walking into the belly of the beast is a bit extreme, but narratively, i feel like this'll help Aziraphale break away, even if it'll hurt him. Like Crowley, after waiting so patiently until Aziraphale made that final step into the elevator, we need to let him go. It's devastating, and like Crowley we dont want him to get hurt, but i believe in Aziraphale. I think we dont give him enough credit for how strong he truly is.
The way I see it, Crowley is more like the “scapegoat child” of an abusive family, while Aziraphale is more like the “golden child”. Neither are “more abused” than the other, their trauma just manifests differently. The scapegoat is sometimes described as seeing the family’s dysfunction more clearly and being more likely to separate from the family, which fits Crowley to a T. On the inside, the scapegoat child struggles with feelings of rejection, abandonment, anger, and jealousy. I expect this side of Crowley will be explored more deeply in Season 3. The golden child, on the other hand, tends to follow rules and seek approval from authority figures, and has a deep sense of guilt and inadequacy. We all saw how Aziraphale acted when he thought he was going to Fall after saving Job’s children. Hell, even before the Beginning, when there weren’t any fallen angels yet, Aziraphale was still worried about getting into trouble with God.
I appreciate this take on analyzing him and the notion of the “I forgive you” and how those words under certain context can be neither healing or hurtful. I relate to aziraphale character in that way as someone who has struggled with cognitive dissonance when it comes to religion and the world around me. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking to see this on screen in such a way.
this is such a nice analysis for him! i've seen so many people say he left because he doesn't care about crowley or was being selfish, so this was a very empathetic perspective!
Brilliant analysis. This has helped me turn toward compassion for Azi's struggle. My random thought: it can't have been an accident that the Metatron is sometimes depicted as a giant floating head, just like the Wizard in the original Wizard of Oz film. What's behind the curtain? (Of course, that might have actually been a misdirect...)
This is SO good! I love your defense of Aziraphale! I've had some similar thoughts but have struggled to express it as eloquently as you. And it honestly never occurred to me that Crawley intentionally let Aziraphale discover the crow-goats. I always thought that was accidental, but your read makes so much sense!
Great video, I really like how much thought you put into this. Two random thoughts: 1. The "May you be forgiven." scene - I've always seen it more like Aziraphale feeling scared for Crowley, as if he was afraid that he might be punished for such blatant blasphemy, hence the immediate wishing that he will be forgiven. It might not make much sense, because what worse could happen to Crowley than what he's already been through, but it seems to me like a sort of automatic reaction on Aziraphale's part. 2. I don't think we have ever seen Crowley making a genuine apology to Aziraphale. (Please correct me, anyone, if I missed anything). In season 1, ep. 4 he apologizes, but he doesn't seem to get what he's supposed to be sorry for, he says "Whatever I said, I didn't mean it. Work with me, I'm apologizing here.", like he just thinks he needs to say it, but only says it to get back together with Aziraphale and have another chance to convince him to run away together. In season 2, ep. 1, he does the dance, but only after he knows how much danger Aziraphale is in now. He doesn't seem to think he did anything wrong, just that he needs to do this to get the argument behind them.
Great points! One thing I should make clearer in my analysis, all opinions I share are just that, my opinions. I do not think they are more correct nor more valid than anyone else's. As a matter of fact, I change my mind all the time! I think how we view all the different "I Forgive You"s are going to be influenced by our own experiences, as it's such a personal thing. Excellent point, Crowley does have a very hard time accepting fault or blame. Understandably! It's one of the things he needs to learn, but I don't know that he can do that while he still feels wronged for his fall. Hopefully, this will be resolved in season 3! Thanks for the insightful comment!
@@Sendarya Thank you 💖. It's great that we have this place to brainstorm all these ideas. And sure, we all project a bit of our own experiences to our understanding of the story. One of the things I love about this show is how it's so applicable to some of our own experiences, even though the characters are not even human. There is already so much that I am hoping to be included in season 3 (which we will get, surely, because there is no other alternative 😰) that I am wondering if all of that will even fit into 6 episodes 😅.
I honestly feel like Aziraphale says things like; ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about!’ ‘I don’t even like you!’ ‘We’re not friends! I’ve never seen him before in my life!’ is because he’s so terrified of the wrong entity hearing the wrong thing. If heaven knew how he felt about Crowley (especially the scene with Gabriel in S2 E1 referring to ‘…being near that one person, and you know everything would be fine…’) he thinks he’d be damned. Literally. If hell knew how he felt about Crowley, Crowley might be erased.
Also, the ‘I forgive you’ after the kiss…he had to physically stop himself from saying ‘I love you’ and nearly failed. That actually kind of reminded me of the first time he tried food. As though he’d never known how starved he was and ended up eating half the cow?😂 To me, he had the same type of reaction towards the kiss.❤️🩹 He knows he loves Crowley, but didn’t think they could be *together* together…until he FINALLY felt Crowley’s lips against his own. I love your video/take on this, and especially your take on Crowley’s protection of Aziraphaale/his innocence.
Thank you for this video! I couldn’t agree more with you. I always felt sympathetic to Aziraphale, so I was a little disheartened when I saw people misunderstanding him. I love both Crowley and Aziraphale equally and I just want them to be happy!
Something that wasn’t mentioned is Crowley’s confrontation of Gabriel In season 1 yknow Crowley is at least given a mock trial while Aziraphale is just sentenced an execution In season 2 when Crowley tells Gabriel about this he mentions that ‘Mr.Fell doesn’t remember either’ implying that he didn’t tell Aziraphale while the second they reunite in season one Azi immediately tells Crowley ‘I made Michael miracle me a towel’ and given his tendency to tell Crowley everything he’s done that he’s proud of I don’t think its a stretch of the imagination to assume that he immediately told Crowley everything while Crowley probably said very litter if anything at all Very little being “I breathed hell fire at the archangels and scared the Bollocks outta them” So if Crowley kept the straight up execution that was planned it makes sense why Azi is still thinks heaven is a good place with some bad angels and wanting to help change things and protect Jim while Crowley had his knee jerk “AHHHH GABRIEL”
"He has a god-shaped wound in him." I started crying when you said that. The statement very much outlines what religious trauma feels like. Good Omens narrates these struggles of grief and loss and the loneliness felt deeply by both Aziraphale and Crowley. This show and your informative, thoughtful reviews help with the (life-long) healing process, so thank you for sharing!
I'm so glad you found it healing. Religious trauma is often overlooked or downplayed. This show does something very few other pieces of media do when addressing those of us who have that history.
I love your views on these two. I relate to both Aziraphale and Crowley with their respective trauma, Crowley who is so scared of emotions and letting him self be vulnerable that he is constantly masking and avoiding emotional intimacy and is unable to vocalize his true feelings. And Aziraphale who is so scared of rejection, whether than be by falling or being abandoned by God and the cult of heaven, that it has really made him a people pleaser to protect himself from the pain that comes with rejection and emotional conflict. He is so scared of doing any "wrong" that he has almost lost the ability to think for himself and take actions based on his own feelings leading to the cognitive dissonance. He knows what he wants to do, but he is acting from the mindset of "what does heaven/God want me to do", but he doesn't what they are both up to which makes him feel more insecure.
Your analysis of Aziraphale's character is excellent, and I couldn't agree more. There's just one thing I'd like to add, and it's the fact that Crowley constantly calls him "angel". It probably began as a little dig at their differences in nature, then became something of a term of enderment. But I think that an unseen consequence is that it reinforces Aziraphale belief that his core self is deeply linked with his angelic nature. And it's also a symptom of Crowley's habit of idealising (is that even a word ?) Aziraphale. It's counter productive in his goal to encourage Aziraphale's individuality in opposition to Heaven.
I have a feeling in S3, if we ever see the backstory about Crowley's fall. It may be when Aziraphale will see a document in heaven documenting the occurrences before it happened. Like what Crowley saw with Gabriel when he went to heaven to investigate. Maybe Aziraphale will see a document about Crowley's last talk with God or other Angels before he fell. And this will just be enough of an awakening to make him realize, heaven is not as pure or as good as he thought it to be. Although no matter what will happen in S3, it will definitely heartbreaking to see both of them handling the separation. Especially Aziraphale, not only he is heartbroken but he has a great responsibility upstairs to try and "fix" everything. Can't even imagine how the other Angels will treat him ｡:ﾟ(;´∩`;)ﾟ:｡
Perfect, this video is just perfect, thank you for showing me what I couldn't see, because Crowley's pain was expressed in all its depth, and it blinded us from Azi's pain, plus they are both totally in suffering on the same level, and both deserve their happy ending. I totally agree now that Azi's path is going to be harder, because he got "used" to the fact that Crowley will always rescue him and now Crowley can't help him, heaven won't be with him. I also think that Azi is intelligent, and skilled, and it is seen in the last scene when he goes up in the elevator, that he is aware of Metatron's deception, and was already planning, in my opinion, how to communicate with Crowley, that remains to be seen. Because as Crowley has told Azi many times, they are a team of two, and that is what causes Metatron's fear. At times I wonder if Azi will go to the archives and look up Crowley's trial... that would be interesting and very enlightening. It also comes to mind regarding Crowley and Gabriel, what was said at the latter's trial, "when a prince from heaven falls it is a good story, when another falls it is an institutional problem" And I think Crowley was an institutional problem, for Metatron, as well as Gabriel was this season and that is something Azi can find out now if he chooses to watch that trial. Now I wonder where God is, she hasn't appeared this entire season, is this part of the True Plan "God's ineffable plan" Sorry, I think I went off the rails, it's just that your videos make me think about the "inconsistencies" that are not. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for all your work and patience.
My pleasure! I don't know most of these answers, of course, but as to God not being in this season (aside from Job), he has said she simply didn't have a reason to be. Not sure how that will be handled next season, but I look forward to finding out!
Another excellent video!!! Aziraphale goes to "May God forgive you" to " I forgive you". Another note, Crowley changes his name from Crawley after he shows Jesus "the kingdoms of the world.
Aziraphale says, "Of course you told hell no, YOU'RE the bad guys." Even in the end he still lumps Crowley in with the evils of hell and it's heartbreaking.
I really appreciate this video! That end scene was so complicated and I feel like Aziraphales character and emotions gets overlooked online sometimes. This video was so thoughtful amd fascinating, as usual! 💖
Hi Sendarya - late bloomer here. I see most comments are from several months ago but I just came across this now. I thought you did a great job, and I really enjoyed it. I agree with 99.9% of your analysis, and it was tugging at my heartstrings, as well, seeing all these scenes again. I was introduced to these characters via the show, not the book, and honestly I think I have fallen in love with them more than I would have reading them. (Due in great part, of course, to the actors, but that's a whole other conversation.) This comment is threatening to become really wordy so I'll stop here, but know the more words (for me) means the more enthusiasm. LOL! Thanks so much. I thought it was wonderful.
Thank you so much! Never worry about wordy comments. That's what comments are for :) Agreed, seeing them brought to life so perfectly, it's hard not to fall in love with the characters!
rly appreciate this. i think a lot of fandom tries to put aziraphale in a headspace he will reach *after* the series, when he's still got a long way to go. in some ways, i think the fandom sees aziraphale how crowley often sees him, temporarily kidding ourselves that he's more disconnected from heaven's ideology than he truly is
Aziraphale is still deconstructing and needs to separate his goodness, because he is good, from his identity as an angel and from heaven. Crowley was forced to realize the world wasn't black and white, good and evil, when he fell. Aziraphale just needs that push and I'm sure Crowley is worried it will take Aziraphale falling which is the last thing Crowley would want.
Crowley doesn't lie, when they say that they want to destroy Job's children, like they destroyed Job's goats, because goats are still there - disguised! So they don't like, they just use the deceiving language
This is a lovely video. Really surprised to hear that fans wouldn't love Azaphale. I love him very much, he's a delight. I think the thing with Maggie is so very sweet, and I do wonder if he owns all those shops, because let's face it a magic shop isn't going to make much money in Soho these days. He's also very kind to Shadwell in the original story, bankrolling him despite him being an old bigot. I love your prediction, I keep trying to work out how Aziraphale will manage to get away... I do worry for him. Also kudos to Michael Sheen for just inhabiting this character, and the way his emotions are so on the surface, brilliant. Love your incidental music BTW, very soothing.
What I find fascinating in this scene @3:09: "𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖙𝖊𝖑𝖑 𝖒𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖙 𝖙𝖔 𝖉𝖔 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘. 𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖑𝖔𝖔𝖐 𝖒𝖊 𝖎𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖊𝖞𝖊 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖙𝖊𝖑𝖑 𝖒𝖊..." is that Azi fully ignores the dutiful agent before him (who must do Hell's bidding) from the individual before him, the individual he is getting to know (and like) and from whom Azi is attempting to wring a personal, moral confession. Despite being dutiful himself, it appears that Azi seeks an 𝙖𝙙𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙪𝙣𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 from Crowley here... e.g.: 𝕻𝖊𝖗𝖘𝖔𝖓𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖞, 𝕴 𝖍𝖆𝖙𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝕴 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖉𝖔 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘, 𝖇𝖚𝖙 𝕴 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖉𝖔 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘. Had Crowley confessed disgust/distress, the two of them would have been aligned... which is what Azi wanted (camaraderie in their mutual, moral distress). This would partially assuage Azi, who himself is unsettled and upset that God would kill Job's kids-- so much so, that Azi confirmed the contract with Heaven's scribe. He wanted Crowley to be similarly upset, so they could commiserate. And bond. Of course, Crowley does one better... Crowley plans to subvert the plot. To play the Big Con. Crowley doesn't trust Azi enough to bring him in on it. So Crowley plays it like he will kill in cold blood. And yet... that last simile entirely negates all destruction: "𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘑𝘰𝘣, 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙄 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙮𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙖𝙩𝙨."
Wow. This has been one of the best analyses I have heard about Aziraphale and the final scene! And - in preparation for writing a song about him exploring his feelings and trauma - I basically spent the last two months doing little else but trying to get into his head and reading metas about him. There were still a few details I hadn’t noticed, so thanks for that! Your analyses are fantastic! I sincerely hope you won’t stop any time soon!
I'd love to hear your song when you finish! Please do share when you get a chance. And I won't be stopping anytime soon. This is just my life now, lol.
@@Sendarya I’m glad to hear you don’t have any plans on stopping for now! I have finished writing most of the song, including the lyrics. Making a recording will take a LONG time though, since it’s very musically complex and will feature a full on orchestra and choir in its final version (it’s inspired by many of the greatest composers from Händel, Bach and Mozart to Shostakovich and Sondheim and beyond; basically all of Aziraphale’s favorites) and I’ve started another job myself so a recording sadly has to wait. I plan on sharing the lyrics on Tumblr in the coming days though. I’ll leave a link for you!
I agree with you completely. I had a hard time understanding this “I forgive you” and this feels spot on. I literally screamed the first time I watched because it felt so cruel, but this helped me understand where he’s coming from. Crowley has trauma but he knows himself and he works to make a place in the world that he’s comfortable occupying. Aziraphale does not know himself in the same way, he lies to himself all the time about his place in the world and heaven. He has Crowley to protect him, like you say. Also, I think you’re the only person I’ve seen say Crowley let Aziraphale know about the goats on purpose, I keep seeing people refer to it as a mistake. It always seemed very deliberate to me too. Anyway, great video!
I wonder if Aziraphale will discover some dirty secrets in heaven's records, such as memory wipes and demotions for free thinking angels. Maybe there are thousands of lonely scrivners living in celestial purgatories up there.
Crow-ley…interesting take…😮 I think we already went into Aziraphale and God extensively in the comments of another video but ahhh I love your Azi analysis! And giddily apprehensively excited for the moment that Heaven does not equal good error 404 cannot compute actually leads to a full system breakdown. Very very fascinating thing about the goats! Aziraphale experiencing that ‘death of self’ in having to recreate his own self image minus the goodness of Heaven, that does rather kill the angel he once was to let the individual shine. Or perhaps Aziraphale has already become Heaven’s sacrifice by assuming another identity…only to of course return to the stubborn, kind, enthusiastic, but maybe not quite so naive angel we love. Funny thing if both the scapegoat and the sacrificial goat served their purposes, or so it seemed, but then came back with a vengeance. Suffer for Heaven, bear their sins, ‘die’ in their name, and then take down the institution.
that is sort of how I always assumed it would go with two halves fused tightly together required to create a finished end to the ineffable plan but missed the depth of the crow & sacrificial goat symbolism, now wondering if we get some more phoenix fire rebirth in s3
@@emerraldx can we even get into these two and their relationship to fire? how it ebbs and flows? crowley flung into burning sulfur, aziraphale wielder of the flaming sword, burning job's home, the burning of the bookshop, the blitz, the very fact that aziraphale was given a weapon of the very first fire man ever held that would turn into the weapon of War, that even then he can still be destroyed by fire, yet it's crowley who survives it? i was going to go 'oh that's dumb i'm being silly' but then water too, with them. holy water. i hate them i can find some way to relate every single part of my life to the husbands OTL
I've always related strongly to Aziraphale, and I agree with all of this! I've been saying for months that he's never stepped seeing Crowley as an angel that just needs forgiving.. and when he is given the chance to "save" him, he is really hurt.. I also think that he sees the kiss as a temptation... Although Crowley has definitely used food and other things to tempt Aziraphale into staying with him, the kiss was not meant as a temptation or a manipulation.. but because Azirapjale doesn't understand Crowley's trauma, he doesn't see the true depth of feeling.. we know it's a plea, not a temptation... but from aziraphale's perspective, it seems like a rejection. He is offering his love a chance to be forgiven and to be a he once was.. I'm rambling.. but I feel very strongly about this!
I thought like you. Crowley is very hurt, but he accepts his feelings, knows what he wants and adapts well to change. Aziraphele on the other hand... he has a very, very tough path ahead, my poor angel. I feel such pain for both. This again has been a very hard video to watch, and I'm crying again... I though I would be done by now, but guess not! Thank you so much, as always Sendarya. You are wonderful
i thought i was done crying over the ending of season 2- you have proved me wrong 😭😭😭 (i say this in the best way possible, of course!!) i have so many thoughts on that scene and youve added more realizations to build on my already existing thoughts and even added new realizations and understanding. i had never taken into account all the other times when aziraphale had offered crowley forgiveness in one form or another. and the effect it had on crowley deep down beneath the mask he hides behind. one of the many things i loved about david's and michael's acting in that scene was how much they added between the lines. especially michael. like. omg. i especially think about the bit where he touches his lips after the kiss. its literally just a simple movement but theres so much hidden in how he does it and the expression on his face and ugh 👌 its just so perfect. im gonna stop there, because otherwise id write 20 page essay on how michael's facial expressions and body language convey how aziraphale struggles with his feelings toward crowley. and i could write another 10 pages on my interpretation of the last few scenes of season 2 😭 basically, you just need to know that im absolutely enjoying your channel and will do everything in my power to binge the current vault of videos you have created in as short a time period as i can 😂💜✨ additional note. i hadnt thought about the sacrificial goat thing before the moment you began talking about it and now omg im so excited for what that could look like in season 3- i have so many ideas and, as a fanfiction writer, i might need to express them with haste 😅
really well done, especially the bits about aziraphale's jumbled identity/identity confusion/etc. I tend to think that something very traumatic is going to happen to aziraphale and he will be forced into a choice between US (c and a) and THEM (heaven). maybe crawley willl be intstrumentlal to the success of that operation... now we're gonna know! wooohooo
Your videos and analyses are so great, they give me so much to think about! I’m so glad you’ve kept with it!! I wanted to share that I actually think Crowley is WRONG that he understood Azirphale’s offer better than him..he only understands his own perspective on it better. But sadly, it really is that Crowley doesn’t understand the big picture, which is what is so completely upsetting to Aziraphale with regards to Crowley’s unexpected refusal. Aziraphale is right about going to Heaven. Yes, Crowley’s right that Heaven probably can’t be changed, but Aziraphale has an opportunity to do it and he’s the only angel with his heart, he KNOWS he’s the only one who has a chance to actually make it better, to make it kind, to save the world he and Crowley love. AND that it’s the only POSSIBLE CHANCE he has to protect Crowley long-term. Himself AND Crowley, though I don’t think he’s as worried about himself. But he knows that with the current Arch Angels still in control, they can be written out of the Book of Life in a moment, or Hell can choose to exact its revenge on Crowley at any moment, and Crowley doesn’t realize how much it traumatized Aziraphale seeing Crowley dragged down to Hell to be punished or destroyed, not knowing which or hearing from him for 35 years, after performing his good deed in Edinburgh! I don’t think Aziraphale ever forgot the lesson of how powerless he is to protect Crowley and how tenuous their peace for the last couple years has been. Crowley is being selfish. He wants his life with Aziraphale and that’s all. Ideally he’d like to save the world, but he’d give it all up to be with just Aziraphale and let Heaven and Hell destroy themselves and let the world perish. It’s romantic af but too compulsive and immature. But Aziraphale sees - you and I have the same heart and goals, together we could be unstoppable. We could have a chance to make this all better, save the world, fix the things we both agree are terrible. AND be together. How could Aziraphale turn any of that down? Crowley thinks he is being naive, and he certainly is leaning into optimism, bc he wants to entice Crowley to join him and besides - he is EXCITED, to finally have this unprecedented opportunity. And at the end of the day, for him it’s not a choice. It’s a calling and an imperative, and he thought bc they feel the same about it all and rely on each other that Crowley would be as excited as him to get to work. So yes, Aziraphale doesn’t understand that Crowley’s trauma and disgust with Heaven make it impossible for him to be optimistic about such an offer or even accept it. He feels that Heaven is so shit that working with them in any way is being complicit, and he’s disappointed that he and Aziraphale don’t share that belief, after everything. And he does feel he’s just been naively judged again, in this black and white way of the old Aziraphale, when Aziraphale says “well of course you said no to HELL..” Anyway, it’s another instance of emotions and miscommunication and Crowley storming off shutting down the conversation getting to the real heart of it. And so Crowley thinks Aziraphale is being naive and also choosing Heaven over him, instead of seeing that very obviously Aziraphale had no choice, and was showing very much how highly he values Crowley as the one person who could fix that whole mess with him. 😢
😭 Everyone is making me cry in the comments today! Beautifully put. Neither of them understand the other in this moment. It was all inevitable, with their lack of communication (and outright lies) to each other for so long. How will they fix so much broken communication?? S3 is going to be a roller coaster.
@@Sendarya omg I know, I won’t be able to bear it if we don’t get a season 3! Bc for Gaiman to write such complicated and nuanced interpersonal conflict, it shows so much empathy and insight into human behavior and relationships, and I really do trust him to find a realistic way to show these two finally learning how to speak to each other and be together. And I’ve been really going down the rabbit hole of both Tennant and Sheen’s careers and just really want to see this material in their hands. Btw, just saw Tennant in Jessica Jones for the first time and holy freakin cow is he maybe the most chilling villain I’ve ever seen - and YET, bc David Tennant is so charming and arresting, the character is as well (which I guess tracks for the type of person he is playing, a sociopath and abuser with overwhelming power at his disposal)
I'll have to check it out, I've never seen Jessica Jones! I have started going through both of their past works as well. Both brilliantly talented actors with a massive range! I don't know what I'll do either, if we don't get season 3. This needs a conclusion! And I 100% trust Neil and the other writers and everyone involved to give us something spectacular and memorable and stick the landing.
Well, I kept a dry eye. XD But there's one thing that I realised about Aziraphale's post kiss 'I forgive you' while writing what I mentioned, that as condemnations go, those three words do have another repercussion for Crowley,. And one that could kick in once he realises /he left without asking what exactly he's been forgiven for?/ Meaning was it for forcing that kiss upon Aziraphale? (And I really hate that we have to tread the murky waters of what in a far darker reading of the scene could be seen as Crowley um, assaulting Aziraphale without asking as it also brings in the question, what if now Aziraphale actually doesn't feel safe to be around him?) Or was the kiss not the reason, but just the fact he was refusing to return to heaven? Or was it the worst reason? It was for both /transgressions./? If he even meant it that is. Cos last option that I think in canon was the prompt for Crowley saying 'Don't Bother' in the episode itself, is that in his eyes and to his ears, Aziraphale's apology isn't even being delivered with sincerity anyway. Not because, as you said, he wants any forgiveness. But because he's heard that as his best friend's default retreat phrase used against him enough times now, it's lost all impact and so now sounds more like a parrot repeating what he's been taught.
I love, love, love this. You do such an amazing job with these, and I could never do half so well. I do wonder, however, if we're missing just a small thing. It's not wholly visible, yet, so it's understandable. Okay. So Aziraphale's "forgiveness" happens on a continuum. He moves from 1. May GOD forgive you (higher external authority) -> 2. May you BE forgiven (Neutral-ish) -> 3. *I* forgive you (more personal). But I think there's a fourth, and I think it's what we're headed towards. Aziraphale's next plead will be "Forgive ME". I think that Aziraphale is going to find out "what really happened" to Crowley in Heaven. And, I believe that "what really happened" - in good scapegoat fashion - is that not only was Crowley in trouble for ~whatever he did/said to God, but also, *Aziraphale* was in trouble - for telling Crowley about "the plan" (when Crowley clearly didn't know), or maybe there's something else we don't yet know about - and I believe that in order to "save" Aziraphale from punishment, Crowley *took on his "sins"*. Crowley was cast out, so that Aziraphale would not experience the "deserved" punishment that was coming for him (as the scapegoat is intended to do). I think both their memories have been fiddled with, so Aziraphale has no idea what Crowley's done for him - but he will. And when he does, he will realize that he needs and is desperate to beg for Crowley's forgiveness. (And if I'm right and this happens....it's going to break my freaking heart.) So - that's the fourth. And I think that it being a "hidden fourth" (as the first three types of forgiveness on the continuum are plainly open) is important. I've recently been diving down the rabbit hole of the Shakespeare authorship question. I'm certainly no expert, but it's fascinating. And how it relates here is through Freemasonry. I'll try to stumble through a poor, short explanation below. The Oxfordians (those who believe that Edward DeVere, 17th Earl of Oxford, was the author of the works attributed to Shakespeare) point out all kinds of hidden clues related to aspects of Freemasonry, kabbalah, gematria, roscrucianism, etc. There are some fascinating YT videos out there (many by Alexander Waugh) explaining how these hidden codes worked, and explaining how John Dee, the Queen's occultist, alchemist advisor, devised these codes (as they relate to Shakespeare and Oxford). One of the most important concepts in all of this is that four is a very significant number, and it's more significant when it's hidden in three. The "triple tau" is a symbol of Freemasonry that illustrates this - There are three "T's", joined at their tails, and created by that join, there exists a "hidden" upside-down T - concealed in plain sight. The concept is called "the quaternary concealed within the ternary" - the four concealed within the three, the material world wrapped up within the divine. The triple tau is also called the "clavis ad thesaurum" - the "key to the treasures", meaning, the key to the knowledge of god, man, and the universe. (I'm not even sure where to start you on the vids, but here's one of them: ua-cam.com/video/fCJ4wkaWljo/v-deo.html) Because of your deep-dive into Maggie's character, and the fact that she seems to wear a necklace charm related to Freemasonry, and that a lodge was mentioned next to the Resurrectionist pub - I don't think it's the craziest of stretches to at least entertain the idea of the hidden-fourth-within-the-three. In fact, I wonder if the obviously-tarot-card-related swords in the magic shop aren't *also* related to the quaternary concealed within the ternary, since they are that overlapping combination of three, and four. If this is actually a 'thing' that's been overlooked in GO until now, then I'm sure there are many more, though I haven't studied it enough or been clever enough to pull anything more out.
Thank you everyone for the compassionate responses to this lovely, ineffable Angel. It was brought to my attention that the subtitles were not in good order, so I've fixed that in this video, and will fix all previous videos immediately. I hope the improvement helps!
You are super duper awesome! Thank you for your great content! 💚Slainte🍀
I must say I agree with your analysis entirely. I'm surprised people aren't more sympathetic to Aziraphale. He is not the sophisticated thinker that Crowley is, with the clarity that only pain can give you. I find it incredibly touching that Crowley has tried to shield him from such pain. Azi's enthusiasm for life has given Crowley his own life back to some extent. Meanwhile seeing them as the Two Goats blew me away - I didn't see that coming but I think you're right. I'm very worried for Azi because clearly the Metatron is up to no good. This would mean he is the innocent goat heading for slaughter! Heaven wants to change him or extinguish him I'm quite sure. I've said this in another post but I doubt they see him as a leader. Thank you for your wonderful analysis and your edit and video production qualities are tremendous.
@@janicechiaretto7082 I think he's highly intelligent and sophisticated but tries to stop himself acknowledging those thoughts.It's why Crowley said to him how can someone so clever be such an idiot.
Yes perhaps you're right there. Perhaps he doesn't want to acknowledge those thoughts and that's the cognitive dissonance that Senarya refers to.
ty for prioritizing that
Can we appreciate the work Michael Sheen put into Aziraphale and all his subtle changes in reaction? I cannot adore this man even more, yet he succeeds in stunning me again and again
The man is an underappreciated actor of our time. He's so nuanced.
he is fantastic but without the good writhing it would not work as well. Neil is an incredible writher and VERY clever.
@@Temptation666 Both goods become a Great.
@@purpleirken1529 very true. And Neil did his job well by asking Michael and David to play the parts. He could not have picked anyone better
I love Michael Sheen to bits. What he did for Aziraphale is incredible. For me, they are different people. Michael Sheen disappears completely into his character. Did you notice? They don't have the same voice!😮
Aziraphale is in many ways more complex than Crowley. He's still dealing with religious indoctrination and brainwashing, while Crowley is already over that and dealing with abandonment issues and trauma. Leaving a cult is much more difficult than being thrown out of it. I think Aziraphale is being played for a stooge by Metatron and I think it's going very, very much downhill for him.
@FrolleinFroschbein "Leaving a cult is much more difficult than being thrown out of it", yes exactly! So well put, very succinct. Thank you for this great comment!
@@Sendarya
Aziraphale will have a complete breakdown, as his identity is so tightly woven into the cult (lets face it, heaven is a cult) he was born into. Crowley always questioned, when Aziraphale told him about the plan to shut creation down a few millennia later, his immediate reaction was to question and criticize that decision, while Aziraphale repressed any doubt he might have had.
Following the rules of heaven gives Aziraphale not only a sense of meaning, even though it limits him in dooing what he wants, in following his own wishes and needs, doing what heaven wants gives him a sense of safety and security. As soon as that goes out the window, our bird boy will become unhinged.
I think it may be uphill, as that is the hard climb. (It gets confusing because down seems like a negative, but downhill is easier in this sense.)
Given how the partnership of Aziraphale and Crowley foiled the plan for armageddon, it's quite likely that the promotion was Metatron's solution to split them up. He knew there was no way Crowley would accept the insult of being forgiven when he was the one wronged. Hell, Crowley probably wants god to beseech forgiveness from him. Plus, don't forget that 25 Lazeri "little miracle" Aziraphale and Crowley performed together. The unexpected and exceptional power of their teamwork is a major threat to Metatron and the angels. Who knows what they could do if they weren't being so modest...
Crowley has protected Aziraphale from falling, but he can't protect him anymore. In Aziraphale's new position he will eventually be pushed to either "get with the plan" and do something that violates his moral compass, or go against the plan and risk becoming a fallen angel. He won't be able to rely on Crowley to do his dirty work any more. For example, heaven might kick off the rapture and give Aziraphale the honor of summoning the first pure spirited human back to heaven. It'll inevitably be a pilot or some other person whose disappearance will cause many innocent deaths. The dominoes will fall and I expect Aziraphale will lose everything. The planet earth experiment will conclude, the universe will be wrapped up, and it will all end...
Then Crowley will come sauntering "And so ends the ineffable plan... I forgive you." "Of course," Crowley will tell him, "This doesn't have to be the end. I still have the plans and the crank." After all, Crowley did engineer the universe, they could wind it up again, a big beautiful empty universe. "What would be the point of an empty universe?" Aziraphale would ask. At this point, Aziraphale is going to remember that tiny little 25 Lazeri miracle, you know, the one that had the equivalent power to bring back 25 people back to life? With a big whopping miracle, they would bring back, say 7.951 billion?
"It doesn't have to be empty..." Aziraphale ponders aloud as he grasps Crowley's hand.
I just cannot comprehend how brilliant writing and execution THAT SCENE has. So many layers and emotions to untangle. So much misunderstanding and miscommunication. I was heartbroken for weeks, but OH MY GOD how I learned to appreciate it.
The more I think of it, the more I realise, that Aziraphale was actually _proposing_ to Crowley.
Aziraphale's offer is all about getting out of the closet, being together in the open, with more or less acceptance of both Heaven (for whom that will be maybe unusual, as Metatron says, but will need to tolerate that out of respect for Supreme Archangel) and Hell (they will be out of reach). He does not mean to "change" Crowley, as he deeply believes inside that he is still an Angel, maybe just a bit lost, but definitely with a simple act of forgiveness (which is way more a ritual for him, I dare to say just like wedding would have been for humans) they will live happily ever after (he still believes in magic, as Nina says). Once his de facto proposal is rejected, Aziraphale is just deeply hurt (rightfully so, everyone would have been in that situation), and the accusation that Crowley does not understand is completely valid. What Crowley understands, is that he is not enough as a demon. What Aziraphale understands, is that this is their only chance to be together without fear and constant fleeing from both Heaven and Hell. What they both completely not understand is the amount and kind of trauma and internal conflicts the other has been going through. We the viewers understand Crowley's point of view way more, simply because Crowley is already way more "human". Aziraphale's emotions are more complex for us mere mortals.
I absolutely love that Aziraphale's final "I forgive you" is actually an equivalent of Crowley's kiss. They both expressed pain, hurt, hopelessness, broken heart, in the most brilliant, in-character way possible. Their barest, most primal instincts kicked in - Crowley's last desperate temptation, Aziraphale's final act of forgiveness. What they do best for centuries. What is the worst choice in this very moment.
I cannot wait for the next season. In my opinion it will be a season of therapy. Aziraphale would need to somehow work out his internal conflict. Crowley would need to face his traumatic past. So much character development for both is ahead of us. Chef's kiss.
@devetakhii 😭" that Aziraphale was actually proposing to Crowley". What a beautifully worded comment, from beginning to end. Thank you for sharing this.
@@Sendarya Thank you for creating a space for sharing it. Your videos about them ineffable idiots are spot on.
Thank you sm for this well-thought-out and sensitive comment, which has given me a lot of food for thought
This is wonderful 😭😭
Oh god. Holy shit. When Aziraphale said 'I need you' I heard 'I love you, don't leave me'. These two need counselling and to learn how to communicate clearly, goddammit.
Aziraphale is a much more complex and complicated character than many people give him credit for. And he still has a long and dark road to walk before he can finally find freedom and happiness.
I kinda read Aziraphale's I forgive you as also being an "I forgive you for doing that at the absolute worst time and ruining our first kiss because that'll haunt me now"
This made me both laugh and tear up a little, because no matter what ELSE the I forgive you means, it definitely means that, lol. They better have the kiss to end all kisses in s3 to make up for it! Awesome comment.
@@Sendarya Thank you, manifesting the most tender and loving kiss ever in s3
I may be dense, but I didn't catch Crawley becoming Crowley AFTER changing the goats into crows. It clearly indicates a change in self perception. A redefining of who he is. He is not the squirming at your feet being any longer. Crows symbolically represent death, danger, misfortune, and illness but also rebirth, self-reflection, intelligence, and loyalty. A good or bad omen. Then he eventually adds "Anthony". Anthony means "priceless one". Another indication of an increasing self worth. Again an evolution, and growth. Crowley has had a long time dealing with his trauma, and coming to terms with his actual value and values.
Totally didn't get the crow thing either, so we shall just be dense together, right? 😅 Actually, there is just SO much packed into the GO universe, I think the only ones who could pick out every single speck of symbolism are the authors! RIP Sir Pratchett
@@Jen_S_Hassler1258 Every time I think that I have sieved through all of the details someone points out something new, or I rewatch and see a symbol, or an expression that gives a new understanding of the meaning and emotions. It's made me realize that I'm not a very good consumer of media. My ADD means I usually "watch" things (often means I'm just listening and ignoring the visual) while multitasking. This show has made me stop, and pay attention to everything going on, on the screen. So much communication that occurs between Crowley and Aziraphale is unsaid. It's all in the expressions, or an implication, even a gesture that happens while some other action is occurring. There is so much symbolic and emotional depth to it all. It's unique and special and stunning.
@Jen_S_Hassler1258 Do not feel dense, I watch this show (over and over) and make notes on every detail I can, and every single video, people still point out half a dozen things I missed. It's just that deeply layered!
And I love how Crowley is constantly redefining himself. And how Aziraphale loves every version of him.
I think you make some great points about Crowley's name changes to define himself and I think the interesting thing is that he chose to make his name Anthony Crowley to blend in with the human world where Aziraphale is just A.Z. Fell to stay close to his angel name and stay close to heaven... AND YET if he were to be more accurate and close to his heavenly name he would be Mr. Fail..
@@theonlylunchbox Maybe I'm making to much of it, but Fell, feels like a reference to the Fallen, i.e. Crowley. As in Mr. Fallen. As in Mr. Crowley.😁.
Like I said, I'm reading to much into it. Lol
I love your perspective on Aziraphale’s character, it makes sense he reacted to Crowley “forgiveness”. He still has to learn to be an individual and separate himself from the angel who “goes along with heaven as much as he can.”
I still believe that finally learning about Crowley's fall will trigger Azirphale into letting Heaven go. He will either be shown Crowley's trial much like Gabriel's was uncovered or Crowley will be at risk to erasure from the Book of Life. Until Aziraphale can really SEE Crowley's trauma he will be hard pressed to fully understand what's at stake. I love the God-shaped hole....brilliant and heartbreaking. I know Neil has made it clear he doesn't respond to fan ideas on what he should or should not write for the 3rd season and is very cryptic in some of his responses to questions, but I hope he finds your analyses and comments on them.
That might be the thing that cracks that foundation! Crowley has hidden it from Aziraphale forever.
I would be flattered beyond words if anyone involved in the production ever even noticed me. But I appreciate that Neil must stay away form fan sites until after he's done filming s3. He's amazing to his fans, and I appreciate the sacrifices he makes to be an honest writer. (and a great one!)
Oh I love that, he might find the records of Crowley's fall and see it for himself? I can't imagine them showing him voluntarily. Unless Crowley did something terrible. Neil Gaiman has said that Crowley's version of his fall is unreliable..
@@Sendarya I wonder if Crowley has really hidden it from Aziraphale or if he just can't remember. He seems to have partial amnesia, he doesn't remember Furfur or Saraquael, even though he could've just said that to fuck with them. I wonder if falling as such erases a demons memory and replaces it with a new identity. I mean, what are we without our memories? Who do we become if we can't remember who we were? Gabriel without his memories was actually quite nice and even mirrors Aziraphale's naivety and enthusiasm for earthly delights. My theory is that Crowley's mind was partially wiped or the fall caused partial amnesia.
I hope Gaiman doesn't find them. He can't be influenced by anything we come up with, and a lot of what we come up with is just in response to what he has put there, so I think he knows where he wants to go.
I immediately noticed how both times Aziraphale says "I forgive you," it's in response to Crowley calling him either an idiot or stupid. It's an instinctive pushback to being put down: to elevate. He doesn't know how to respond to the kiss, but he knows how to respond to being insulted, so I think he defaults to the response he knows. The response that he feels confident in, when he doesn't feel confident in anything else.
I loved the connection of Crowley's name change to the crows/goats during the Job story: brilliant!
Honest, profound, and empathetic analysis of this complicated character. This answers all the shallow "fans'" childish and cruel hatred and criticism of Aziraphale just because he did not do what they wanted him to. If he had, he would have betrayed his own ideals and character arc.
It is an easy mistake to make. I think we should have empathy for the fans as well. It was a very gutting ending, and people do all sorts of things to cope with pain. I think they'll come around, if we just show them the way. :)
I'm pretty mad at both of them tbh. But Aziraphale is getting too much hate
I'm super late to the Good Omens party and these videos are keeping me sane lol. I find it so fascinating that at their core, Crowley and Aziraphale want the same thing, to be together, but in radically different ways. And because they are immortal dorks, they can't just say that plainly.
Immortal dorks, I love that! Thank you, I needed a smile 😄
Bruh you think you're late, I just binged the second season for the first time yesterday and I am NOT OKAY LOL
I think he says "I forgive you" because he litterally pleaded with Crowley, he said "I NEED you" and Crowley is still effectively abandoning him(from Aziraphale's perspective). We saw this earlier in the season when Crowley abandoned him to deal with Gabriel alone, only now the stakes are so much higher, the hurt is much deeper, and there may be no chance for an apology dance. They both know how badly they're hurting eachother here, and they both wish they weren't. He doesn't want Crowley to live with that guilt, the guilt of knowing youve hurt the person who matters most to you, the same guilt Aziraphale himself is going to be carrying, and I think forgiveness here is meant to absolve Crowley of that guilt when it inevitably arrives.
Yes! I love this perspective. Most people only see Az abandon Crowley, and don't realize that Az feels the same way.
I think I relate most to Aziraphale since the beginning cuz of my religious upbringing (my dad is a pastor) but I'm a queer person (so, you can imagine what is like). My life is a mix of apparently contradictory worldviews. I nearly cried when you mentioned about the cognitive dissonance, that's so frikin' true! I loved this video so much, thanks for all ur work.
🫂 I am so sorry you've had that difficult path. I also had a religious upbringing, and have been through what I think Aziraphale is about to go through, so making this video was, and I don't say this lightly, devastatingly hard for me. I cried. A lot. Getting into Azi's head was hard to do, but I think...healing in the end?? I hope you find his character the same. :) We're all on his side, and we know he'll pull through this struggle.
@@Sendarya Thanks for sharing that, I hug u psicologically ❤️ I think this process is kinda healing for me too. 🥺
yes yes yes, Aziraphale embodies a particular kind of queer religious trauma so brilliantly. the inner turmoil and cognitive dissonance are SO REAL.
@Sendarya Sending you a big hug on your healing journey! ❤️🩹 Thank you for pulling through a devastating healing crisis to put together a great video. Religious Trauma Syndrome is absolutely real. You are not alone. There are a lot of us and I think a lot of us are drawn to Good Omens because it speaks to us on a deeper level. We see you and appreciate you. I was raised in a cult led by a charismatic leader (that was my Mom's choice, not mine) and it's really hard to write about it. I'm happy to say that I'm much better (mentally, financially etc) since I walked away and I get to make my own choices now. Hang in there. It gets better. @paolanicollalzurucastillo4627 a big hug to you too!
And good catch on the ring fiddling that he obviously does, which I totally missed. I believe that the Metatron doesn't really comprehend the depth of Crowley and Aziraphale's love, which is frankly quite human. I am going to cling to that smile and Crowley's lack of emotion in the final scene as a "cloo" that each knows what's at stake and trusts in the other to make the right decision. Crowley was ripped apart thinking Aziraphale had died in the fire, but not as such driving away.
Have you seen the S3 poster? I saw it yesterday. I wasn't sure it was real, but now it all makes sense.
@@susanmiller9317 I doubt it would be real as Amazon has not committed to it and there's still a strike on so no publicity is being done.
Although the Metatron once was human, at least in some mythologies.
@@susanmiller9317 I don't think they'd have an official poster when the writing isn't even done yet.
@@BytheBentley The strike was recently settled (unless I'm missing one), but much too early for an official poster, yeah.
I like how you pointed out that Aziraphale always accepted Crowley's changes in identity without question. Like, despite always insisting on good and evil and Crowley being a demon, he never actually treats him as such. I like to believe (even though we don't know) that Aziraphale was the only one who just accepted Crowley's name change. In the book it's said that he still has to sign the hellish contract with his "real name", and I can just imagine all of Hell calling him Crawly for centuries until at some point they basically just forgot that he used to be called something else. Heaven mostly probably doesn't know his name.
Sorry for the ramble, just had to share my brainrot.
Aziraphale is a very conflicted character, and no one other than Michael Sheen could pull it off. He has excellent micro expressions that always add an extra layer to whatever it is that he's doing. I also feel like Aziraphale is an anxious person, and I sometimes wonder if perhaps if he's not masking that anxiety by using forgiveness as a sort of shield. I always felt a special kind of pull in my heart for Aziraphale, and because I'm an anxious person, I wonder if it's that kindred spirit feeling. ❤
You might have hit on something there! I am also an anxious person, and I also relate to Azi in that way. Very good observation!
@@Sendarya Oh, thanks! I appreciate that. Again, as said anxious person, I always worry that I’m not observing things correctly, and then thusly getting things wrong. Do you Think Aziraphale has that same mindset too? I’m Really enjoying your videos, by the way.💕
@marzettik I'm glad you are enjoying them. ❤️ I think Aziraphale has specific anxieties, about doing the right thing. He doesn't seem to have any social anxiety to speak of. It's funny, here I am making videos that thousands of people are watching, and EVERY TIME, all I'm thinking is "This was the stupidest observation, I'm an idiot". What I'm learning is, that with art, there are no wrong observations. It's all interpretation, and guesswork, and feeling. So go out there and share your thoughts! As long as you are honest and sincere, I think people are very generous and kind, mostly.
🫂
@@Sendarya Well said. 🥰
Excellent analysis, as usual. And thank you for bringing up the crows (goats) and the name change. I noticed that a while back and figured that the Job experience Crowley had with Aziraphale had a profound impact on him, thus the name change. You're the first person I've seen also make this connection. 🙂
YES! Exactly! Love this, thank you ❣️😍. My heart goes out to Aziraphale too, very much 💗. Michael Sheen said that something he likes about playing Aziraphale is his courage in choosing the right thing to do, no matter how difficult it is or what he loses in the process. So you could be right in your prediction.
I agree that this trait is totally ripe for exploiting by Metatron. Or by Neil Gaiman... I am also sure it is why Crowley loves Aziraphale too - although he'd be loathed to admit it. And just as Crowley was showing imagination right from the beginning, Aziraphale (by giving away the flaming sword) was also showing a commitment to not just follow the rules if doing the "right" thing seemed to differ.
I also find it strange that when Aziraphale gives away the flaming sword - God herself chooses to question Azirphale, not Gabriel or Metatron. Is God surprised in this moment? And perhaps is God formulating a new plan when she sees one of her children doing something unexpected, a plan that will play out by the end of season 3? I feel Metatron and God are not really on the same page - but I could be wrong!
@@schubertukoh, I completely agree that the Metatron (and all the other figures of authority in heaven) are NOT on the same page of the "great plan" as god. They all seem to be stuck in the "before the apocalypse" chapters and are refusing to see that earth had evolved and matured SO much more than they can comprehend. Gabriel's book shop scene in S1 was proof of that: claiming how gullible humans are, secure in his belief that he fooled all the other (clearly NOT tricked) patrons of the shop when claiming he was buying "questionable" materials. Personally, I think Supreme Archangel Aziraphale needs to ship the other Archangels down for a turn on earth with humans to learn some things! (Maybe he will?) 🤔
@@schubertukI think we haven't seen the Almighty interact with anyone after the Job minisode. In S1 She was the narrator, but She didn't take active part in the actual story other than when asking Aziraphale about the sword.
It feels like the Almighty is in the back seat in Good Omens, unlike Satan who took active part several times in S1.
@@kalessinsdaughter5460 Agreed - but that is why I am speculating whether that back seat now has a strategic purpurse, after all, all Crowley wanted was a chance to ask God directly some questions... I doubt Neil & the team are going to leave that sitting. However most of my speculations have been incorrect, it is just a guess.
So Crawley rescued himself and transformed himself from a victim to a survivor, changing his name to Crowley to centralize/cement this shift of self. He could never go back to heaven as an angel, where he could be victimized again. Once burned, twice shy. As a survivor, he can grow in ways he never could if the trauma had never happened. Maybe healing for him will come from understanding that and learning that was God's plan all along. She had given him something none of the other demons had -- imagination. Perhaps he will come to understand she ineffably loved him all along.
We all want to know more about Crowley's fall and see Aziraphale's realizations about heaven, Crowley, and himself as he discovers records of the fall, but the script writing is so brilliant it may not be that simple.
Excellent points....what I also noticed is Crowley's reactions being back in Heaven. He's quite confident and somewhat defiant at being there. I have no idea on what that costume was though LOL....and that hair. He certainly didn't wander around as a traumatized person going back to the scene of the crime as it were. And going down afterwards alone in the lift he seemed quite pleased with himself.
@@BytheBentley I think that costume was Crowley's idea of "lame angel". It was a bit of a dig at the lame aesthetics of heaven (Michael's fabulousness not withstanding) Crowley hates heaven's style, evident from the way he says "celestial harmonies" and making fun of the sound of music in season one to the Scoobydoo type sneaking behind Muriel in season two and the pure glee he can wear his own clothes again in the elevator, knowing the angels standing there with him would find it offensive. If you've ever had a goth/punk/metalhead/etc. friend from a conservative family you'd recognize the very real joy that comes with being a thorn in their sides, even if they do struggle with the trauma of being othered. I have seen people who feel they have been unfairly cast into the role of the villain, take on that role with zeal because "that's what they want".
I don't think the idea that God deliberately traumatized Crowley to make him grow in different ways is exactly something that would endear God to Crowley--quite the opposite, I'd say. Although there's certainly a possibility that God is testing the angels and demons as She tests the humans.
After I finished the second season, I was a little confused on why Aziraphale did what he did. But after a day or so, it didn't take me that long to realize that our angel has got a LOT of things to unpack. His suffering/trauma is less noticeable, more vague.
But I, and some others, understood it far more quickly because we have always paid more attention to Aziraphale than any other character.
"By revealing the goats' true nature to Aziraphale, Crowley is also revealing his own." Oh that got me good! Really enjoyed this one, it was indeed enlightening. Poor Aziraphale 😭❤
What a beautifully articulated video! Every sentence you said felt like consecutive gunshots because of how devastatingly true they all rang out 😭. I remember being so taken aback when I first watched Aziraphale saying “I forgive you”, because I thought it was like… one of the worst ways you could ever respond to one of the most desperate love confessions I have ever seen. But after this season sat in my mind for the past couple of months, I realize now that it was SO in-character for Aziraphale to express forgiveness whenever he feels the most hurt. I was just blinded by my want for them to finally be happy together that I completely missed the traumas that Aziraphale and Crowley both need to resolve before they even get to that point. And as you said, Crowley’s wounds seem so much more apparent and ripe for empathy, but it’s easy to forget that Aziraphale is struggling with the same exact wounds. Good god, I will never get over how brilliantly these characters are written. I’ve never felt so warm and content one moment, only to feel like I’ve been gutted with a cleaver the next. It truly is drama at its finest!!!
Thank you for sharing that. I think a lot of fans are going through a similar process. There are steps and stages and layers. And yes, the writing is brilliant to be able to do that to us all!
I thought that sometimes when Aziraphale said "may god forgive you" it seemed like he was afraid for Crowley and trying to protect him from god's wrath - like how Crowley reacted when Job's wife cursed god.
i can never understand all the hate that Aziraphale got at the end by some fans. like how could you blame him for just being who he is?? seriously, S3 can't come soon enough!!! 😭😭😭😭 thank you again for your thorough and eye opening videos!!
This is my thought. I think Crowley changed his name is because he did spend time with the son of God and got to know him. Which brought a different prospective view to him.
Can I just say ?? Michael sheen said himself that in his portrayal of aziraphale his objective is often “to not let you know how much I love you.” I feel like as obvious as these two idiots are to the audience, there’s a good chance that not only does aziraphale think he’s been successful in hiding his feelings all this time, but he also has convinced himself that Crowley, being a demon, doesn’t feel the same way, is in fact incapable of it. Even if he believes deep down Crowley is good,
he’s terrified enough of the possibility of him being apathetic and manipulative to hide his feelings all this time.
This interpretation would mean a couple things. First, it would underscore the importance of Crowley joining aziraphale in heaven. If Crowley was an angel again and they expressed their feelings for each other, aziraphale would know he was telling the truth, something he would never be sure of if that happened while Crowley was a demon (just look at all the times azi has said something along the lines of “you’re a demon, lying is what you do.”)
Additionally, this means that when Crowley kisses aziraphale, there’s a chance aziraphale is afraid that Crowley is not doing it because he wants to, but is doing it because he knows how aziraphale feels, sees it as a weakness, and is preying on it in order to manipulate him into staying. I always thought that after the kiss aziraphale looked mortified, humiliated. I interpret that as him being like “oh god, I’ve been so obvious this whole time that he thinks this will make me stay.” Especially because it ALMOST WORKED. aziraphale reciprocated that kiss, despite being upset and caught off guard.
Honestly if I thought someone I loved used my intense feelings for them as a way of getting what they wanted, I’d find it hard to forgive. And that’s the sentiment I see in Michael sheens performance in that moment
It's often thought of that each of them believes they're the only one that feels that way about the other. Crowley thinking well aziraphale, being an angel, can sense love he knows how I feel and he hasn't said anything or responded to the love he must sense in my presence. He must not a knowledge love from a demon. And then there's the notion that Aziraphale does feel it but considers it background noise, all while knowing how he feels about Crowley and thinking a demon wouldn't reciprocate or wouldn't want to be loved by an Angel.
Congratulations, you’ve killed me with how much I agree with your thesis.
@adv4287 This is such an interesting idea, I've added it to my list, if you don't mind? I'd love to explore this idea more!
@@Sendarya oh hell yeah I would so watch a full length video on that
That's interesting about the scape goat ritual. It makes me think of family dynamics with the scapegoat and golden child. The scapegoat is blamed for everything while the golden child forced into a mold and stripped of anything that doesn't fit.
Both Aziraphale and Crowley are relatable to me. Crowley is more relatable to me now that I'm out of my family's religion. I was deeply hurt and traumatized by religion and I've spent years picking up the pieces (and really still am). But Aziraphale is experiencing something very close to what I experienced for years before I finally left. Those tiny thoughts of "that can't be right" or "God would never do that" or "that's not what that passage means." It's easier to replace old bricks with new ones. But in my experience, there was a single moment when the wall came crashing down. I tried desperately to replace the broken bricks, it had become impossible. That didn't stop me from trying tho. I think it would be interesting if Aziraphale went through something similar in season 3
Thank you for this deep-dive! Aziraphale deserves the grace of understanding, and you've captured it beautifully. The fandom has turned against him, but it's a knee-jerk reaction when each side deserves deserves a more compassionate exploration of their perspectives and motivations.
Your insights are very well thought out AND articulated! A story that provokes so much introspection and high-quality, ongoing discussions is a gift to all.
Thank you. ❤️ Truly, Good Omens is a gift! I couldn't agree more.
Yes yes YES!! It's so refreshing to see someone in the fandom that has so many thoughts that align with what I've seen and analyzed about these characters myself and with my friend! The Good Omens fandom sometimes frustrates me, but seeing your videos always breathes some fresh air into my chest, so thank you and I'm now subscribed!
There is nothing better after a long day than listening to a Good Omens analysis video.
As someone who values charity but know many charities are flawed I like to remember “a flawed organisation is more likely to change you than you are to change it” doesn’t mean you can’t change things but more often than not your taken down by the effort.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for this video. I'm someone who grew up in a high-control Christian church/denomination, who was extremely devout and obedient to the church and had a huge part of my identity invested in it, and who ultimately went through the deconstruction Aziraphale is going to have to go through and made the choice to leave as a young adult. So I have identified VERY deeply with Aziraphale right from the beginning of the show. His behavior may be confusing to the average viewer, but it's the most honest portrayal I've ever seen of the effects intense religious indoctrination can have on a person. The fan anger at Aziraphale has been really hard for me to watch and this video is so wonderfully kind and understanding.
Your analysis of Aziraphale as the sacrificial goat to Crowley's scapegoat honestly brought me to tears. Crowley's trauma is much more apparent to viewers, like you said, but being part of a high-control religious group is very much its own trauma, *especially* if you don't really fit in (as Aziraphale obviously doesn't, as someone who consistently has his own ideas about things even if he is afraid to trust or express them). And the process of deconstructing one's religious beliefs and leaving the group is ALSO extremely traumatic, because it's an upheaval of your entire worldview and identity combined with the loss of a community that has been central to your life. Aziraphale already hasn't had an easy time of it, and he most likely still has a lot of suffering ahead of him before he can break free from Heaven.
🫂 I'm sorry you had to go through that. One of the amazing things about Good Omens is how it uses comedy and fantasy as vehicles to address some very serious real world situations. Aziraphale is so well written and acted, that those of us who've been through something similar, can really relate. I hope his journey is, ultimately, one that other people can relate to and find healing in the end (because at this stage it's part of why the whole thing is so emotionally painful!)
Thank you for sharing your personal experience.
@@Sendarya I’ve already found a lot of catharsis and healing just from seeing this much of Aziraphale’s experience portrayed in such an honest and compassionate way, in all its messiness and complexity. The narrative doesn’t excuse the poor decisions he sometimes makes, but it also doesn’t make him a villain-just a flawed person in an extremely painful situation struggling to figure things out. (Just like Crowley!) Obviously I am VERY invested in seeing these two get their happy ending, but the part of the story we’ve gotten so far already means so much to me.
Thank you again for your videos, this has quickly become one of my favorite channels because of your thoughtful and compassionate takes on every aspect of this story.
I don’t know if I can watch Aziraphale be hurt… feel very much like Crowley here, want desperately to protect him and knowing that he will be alone in Heaven is agonizing. And for what it’s worth, seeing Michael cry makes me want to hurt someone … the man’s eyes are a powerful weapon. Dang him. 😊 your views/ideas are very impressive.
2:46 whether he wants to do it or not, he HAS to do it, or else he's punished severely!!!!!! He also gets penalized if he "does good" or "is nice," which is why he pushes back so firmly against being called good or nice.
I think Aziraphale is stepping into a trap with Metatron/Heaven. I was just saying in a fb group last week, they were recently trying to destroy him with fire and now promotion? That's like the definition of sus. But they knew Aziraphale wouldn't be able to refuse their (sus) offer, and it's because of all the ways his personality and logic are which you pointed out in this video. I think pauvre Aziraphale is playing right into their (sus) hands. Hopefully, Crowley will still be watching (like he always does).
Aziraphale and Crowley are from one specific viewpoint, so similiar in their way of being, well, themselves. Crowley always questions the system, doing good whenever he can (while actively denying it) , and Aziraphale has a deep urge to be the main protagonist of changing the same system.
It's just that Crowley needs to understand that he can't be free while running away from it all, and Aziraphale needs to understand he cannot be free until he lets go of what he can't control, and focuses on smaller scale good deeds that make a difference. Then they can be together and be free to create their own version of heaven.
Just my thoughts
God that final scene will never not absolutely break and destroy me every time it is the most jagged painful devastatingly tragic thing I have ever seen. Aziraphale keeps saying "I forgive you" and Crowley keeps saying "why can't you understand that I don't need to be."
No you are so right because Aziraphale thinks Crowley is good because he comes from Heaven and Crowley sees himself as being who he is DESPITE whatever Heaven tried to make him into. !!! Aziraphale cannot separate goodness from Heaven !!! and that's the one thing Crowley has been trying to show him for the last 6,000 years. "Emotional and ideological turmoil" is, I think, the most accurate summary of Aziraphale's entire character XD
Thank you for your emotional labor this scene is hard enough to watch so I can't imagine how difficult an in-depth analysis was. Thanks again for your service 🫡
I don't know that we can heal from that scene until they do. Honestly, I've never been so devastated by a work of fiction in my life.
I appreciate your acknowledgment of the emotional labor involved in making these. ❤️
@@Sendarya “devastated” is a great word to describe us, sending you heaps of emotional support. You’re helping us get through this for sure 😅❤️
Loved this video, so well articulated, and I agree. Aziraphale feels like the one to 'blame' because he's the one who left. But the situation is just far more complicated than that. Both of them did hurtful things right at the very end.
Just one thing I wanted to suggest. Crowley is not one who sticks around. It's not cowardice, it's a combination of understanding how incredibly large the forces at work are, some really gritty realistic view in fact, a sensible amount of self-preservation from someone who already fell once, and the instinctive reaction to immediately get Aziraphale to come with him. I think that Aziraphale has heard this conclusion from Crowley a number of times, and was expecting it during the talk. It's the typical time where Aziraphale gets to hold the fort, hold them together in place, to do the right thing. It seems kind of brave, but sometimes can be a little naive as well.
And then Crowley suggested they run off together.... the head-shake is (as I see it) a sort of disbelief. Not this again. Here's something big once more, something to hold oneself together and do the right thing, again, and not go away. By this time, they danced the dance a bunch of times and it is practically impossible for Aziraphale to accept that particular suggestion. The big thing of course is, he DOESN'T want to be separated. And that's where he loses sight of what could be Crowley's terms of such an agreement. It's all built on so many layers of conversations and I find it excellent writing (even if it hurts, ouch!).
It is indeed excellent writing. Every time I think I've got it, I find another layer! Great points, btw. There's so much going on in each of these characters, they are so very very 3 dimensional, there's a lot we can easily overlook, and also how many different and completely legitimate ways there are to interpret it all. Thank you for this well thought out comment!
Agreed, Aziraphale cannot run away. It's never been in has nature, and he's not going to start now. I have no idea how they are going to end up on the same page in that regard by the end.
@@Sendarya We all are missing things, to no fault of anyone, because of who the authors are. Remember Pratchett's books have a fictional country with a lot of philosophers/scientists and there's a brief mention that the word "Eureka" means "get me a towel", with no other explanation. So either you're familiar with the legend of Archimedes discovering a way to measure density of matter and you get it, or you just think it's some silliness. And there's a LOT of silliness. I'm always paranoid that I am seeing silliness when there's story to it I just don't know.
@@aurawilming6047still catching up.. I have to smile at your comment about perhaps missing a deeper story behind all the silliness. I try and try to view these series with a critical eye, every time I get caught up in my emotional response to pretty much every scene.
I agree the Job minisode is the most important one. The scotland one is also very important, but this is the one that plants the seeds.
And you did not put AS much emphasis, but when Crowley is refuting Aziraphale, he repeats the word blameless for each new entity. I found that so incredibly potent. Of course Aziraphale did not realise (cause tbh in my personal opinion I don't think they were properly friends there yet, so they didn't know each other all that much), but yeah, he was showing him there how against all that he was.
The point about Crowley's fear and hope of his reaction tho, yeah, I did not really pay much attention to that, and you are so right. I am not 100% sure he made the goat sounds, I think it was just a convenient coincidence, and I interpreted his face more like an 'oh shit, my cover blew', but there is hope there. A LOT of it. And it does tie with my view that they didn't know each other that much, so it was a little bit of openness to... something
I love this minisode cause it show us the anger of Crowley at injustice, and a whole effing lot of Aziraphale's moral conflict. With the always present and enjoyable comedy
I also like your explanation of Azi's continuous believe that heaven is good. It is the part I struggle with the most tbh. He'd had thousands of years, beings and situations to know that is not true (and deep down I am pretty sure he knows) but he still clings to that believe that Heaven=Good as if his life depends on it. Because in a way it does. It makes so much sense, and it also explains why he was so exited about the Metatron's offer. I know he didn't like Gabriel, but he could have rationalized it like 'Gabriel, as a being, was an asshole, therefore if a better being (aka himself) is there, things will be different'.
We lack some more info about the Metatron tho, I've always thought that. We know he is hierarchically above the angels we know, but the fact no angel recognized him (with the maybe exception of Seraqiel) made me think he might be way more detached from them. Like, I don't know how much about his plans the rest of the angels know. And it does bother me a bit, with his conversation with Azi. Again, it is something we all know is the biggest mistake ever, but Aziraphale doesn't, and I agree with you he NEEDS to live it to understand it. For as tragic and painful this whole break up was, I think it is so necessary for Aziraphale's growth. If only it didn't hurt so much...
Also... holy cow the explanation about how he still sees Crowley as the angel he once was, thousands of years ago. 10000% non-toxic behaviour right there. It made me see the 'I am good, you, I am afraid, are evil....' from the Scotland minisode (I'm sorry, the spelling of that capital is a nightmare, I can't hahaha) in a whole new light. It is his black and white mentality shining, but also put the conflict into the forefront, as Crowley has never EVER hurt somebody, and he knows that, yet refuses to acknowledge it.
You did highlight something here I also didn't see. Ignoring the kiss, the 'I forgive you' in S2 also comes after Crowley insults him. And with how overwhelmed he was, I can see him blatantly ignoring the kiss and following the conversation, pretending the thing did not affect him as much as it has affected us all (':
Of course the wrong effing answer cause Nina and Maggie were so right when they said these two do not talk about the important things
By the way the emotional incompetence of these milenary beings is part of the charm of it all.
They've been around for so long they're literally ancient, and hey both know with 100000% certainty they are partners/friends/soulmates/whatever-word-to-designate-very-close-people but they are /just/ starting to realise that also includes romantic feelings for eachother, six thousand years after their relationship started. And it does make sense, cause as celestial beings, love/romance might not be as intrinsic as it is for humans, so their sheer naivety is just natural and endearing.
Bureocracy gave them a thousand kick in the face tho, with how effing fast their relationship evolved compared with the husbands.
I didn't know there was a kinda negative view about Aziraphale in the fandom?
I mean, I am somewhat angry at him for the finale, but there are a thousand factors why he reacted the way he did, none of them being malice. The fandom is making him a scapegoat at this point, and maybe it was even intentional to cast him in a somewhat negative light to kickstart S3 with some wariness towards him.
For some reason Azi makes me think a lot about Icarus. He is in his way to the top to get burned, after all, but probably the fall will not kill him, cause Crowley will be there to catch him.
and following your random thought
Yeah, can be.
His explanation of not liking Crawley was the slither around your feet-ish (i don't recall the exact phrase, but it's brilliant xD).
He literally changed a moving touching the ground reference, for a flying one, so I do see it as a metaphor for the freedom he longs. But #darks cause he spooky fan, of course.
As always, thank you
You destroy me a bit with these, but I might be a bit of a masochist after all hahaha
Didn't Crowley recognize Metatron when none of the angels did? Sus...
@@elimgarak7090 yes he did. Which was super duper weird. I was focusing on the angels in the comment, that's why I didn't mention him, but yeah. The only one who 100% recognised him was the only non-angel in that room
Saraqael looked like she had realized and was keeping quiet: I wonder about her, she seems to be in charge of the mind-wiping, but she didn't try to mind-wipe Crowley when he was in Heaven (although maybe as a non-angel he was out of her purview?). Saraqael scolded Muriel for bringing Crowley, but didn't seem to sound an alarm or want to stop Crowley, and she wanted him and Muriel to see the full story of Gabriel's trial. Saraqael also seemed to be the one to choose to send Muriel to Earth.
every single aziraphale character analysis kills me, hes so me it HURTS.
I don't remember if you've mentioned it in another video but what you said about the way Crowley uses food (and more generally things Aziraphale likes on Earth) to get Aziraphale back on their side made me think of the last episode of season 2 because it can be paralleled with the Metatron offering coffee to Aziraphale: is the Metatron offering a human drink to Aziraphale because he has been watching them for the past few years and kinda understood food can help to get a point across when talking to Aziraphale? But at the same time he is giving him a drink (Aziraphale enjoys solid food more) and on top of that a coffee (which is something I think we never see him drink in any episode) which is really weird... By doing that is it a way of saying: Heaven is ready to take you back even with your uncanny liking of human things (and everything that symbolism implies) but we will not fully embrace it and you'll have to accomodate with what we offer? And also Aziraphale would have been very happy with any drinks really so why offer coffee? It's like wanting to say: we have been watching you, we are very aware of what you like and how you work but we are precisely gonna give you something you don't like, which is pretty threatening actually
Ok well while writing this I realized there is a loooooot to say about the parallel between Crowley offering food to Aziraphale and the Metatron handing him coffee but I don't have the strength to write everything down hahaha but I think it is an interesting perspective to consider
It is an interesting perspective for sure. I think it was just one of the many manipulations the metatron used, and very well spotted by you!
Our ineffable Angel is just an angel who goes along with Heaven as much as he can.
I love your analysis videos. I noticed a difference in their angel robes from the star garden scene. Crowley’s has a gold stripe around the sleeve cuff, whereas Aziraphale’s sleeve is plain. Stripes usually denote a higher status, at least in the military. I wonder if that shows that Crowley was a higher status and why he was able to open that restricted file up in heaven.
Crowley sees Zira for exactly who he is, Zira sees the 'deep down' base personality of Crowley before the fall, ironically he's the blinded one. Blinded to the pain and torture and hate Crowley has and is still going through helped along by Crowley's protection of him. Even though he witnesses the bad actions of heaven and his black and white morality which Crowley helps to unpick he still remains mostly steadfast to his view of good and evil. I think Zira will end up seeing the evils of heaven and the inherent goodness of Crowley in order to truly break from heaven and come back to Crowley loving ALL the parts of him.
I think we will find in season 3 that Aziraphale's ability to forgive does in fact have limits. Even if Aziraphale is able to enact changes in heaven that make things better (and that's a big IF), one thing that cannot ever be fixed no matter how much good he does is the fact that Crowley is not and will not ever be welcome in heaven (even if he wanted to be there). The Metatron offered Aziraphale everything he's ever wanted, but what he got in reality was a distant second choice that didn't even remotely resemble what he wanted at all. When heaven used Crowley as bait to get to Aziraphale, it planted the seeds of it's own demise (as you like to say). Aziraphale will never recover from the heartbreak of not being able to share heaven with the person he loves, and as such, he will never give 100% of his loyalty to heaven. A part of him will always be loyal to Crowley. I predict that this will be a deal-breaker for him at some point. I think we will see a moment where Aziraphale is unable to easily forgive and forget because the cost of doing so will be too high, and there are some things that simply just cannot be forgiven no matter how much you value the act of forgiving.
oh that's so good, interpreting the "I forgive you" as a mechanism of old patterns rather than something Aziraphale actively puts some kind of message in.
AND listen
as you mentioned how Aziraphale connects his own goodness with the goodness of heaven, and how he knew the angel Crowley were
(I mean it's so right on the nose now, it hurts???!?? He is certain he knows Crowley, because he knew him as an angel. He said it word for word. He oversees how much Crowley was forced to not be an angel any longer, as he constantly searces for the goodness in Crowley (I'm in tears, it's so sweet and hurtfull at once))
yeah. so. when Crowley offers to run away TOGETHER. It makes zero sense for Aziraphale. Because they could be TOGETHER in heaven. And Crowley must want to be an Angel again and be that good person (he can't openly be, cuz demon). Beeing in Heaven together as angels ís from Aziraphales pov everytheng they BOTH ever wanted.
Aziraphale didn't take the offer for himself.
Thank you. I wasn't sure I explained it all that well, lol. A lot of people want to know what that last "I forgive you" means in a very literal way. What's he forgiving Crowley for? The Kiss? Refusing his offer?But it's not the right question. The right question is why does he say it at all? And it's just a shield, the armor he puts on when he feels vulnerable and confused and hurt. At least, that's my interpretation. Argh, the writing for this show is so good!
@@Sendarya. That is exactly how I see that “I forgive you” at the end. It’s what he knows how to do. When he says “I forgive you “ he says it because he is hurt and doesn’t know what else to do which is very different than when he says, “may god to forgive you”.
This video is so true. I truly think Aziraphale is about to get literally slapped in the face by the people he's always defended and believed in, and it's gonna be devastating to watch.
This video and what you mentioned about syllogism can also be used to explain why Aziraphale would say something like "of course you said no to Hell, you're the bad guys." That line makes so much more sense when you understand that Aziraphale doesn't personally believe Crowley is evil himself but more so believes that if Heaven is good and there's goodness in Crowley then Hell is bad and Crowley should come with him to Heaven (and be restored as an angel). Thank you for this analysis video! great work as always!!
I appreciate how thoughtful and compassionate this video is regarding Aziraphale's actions and worldview. He's a complicated angel and has growing to do. But so, I think, does Crowley. Just in a different way. And there's a much broader issue the two of them have with communication that makes it impossible for me to simply pin blame on one of them. They are just in such conflicting places emotionally and as much as they love each other, neither has taken the time or effort to be open about how they really feel, which makes them both come across as incredibly insensitive to the other's internal struggles.
I've said in other conversations that I think this moment was always coming. While I can understand why some people thought the last few minutes were jarring and came out of nowhere, I think that when you really stop and look at the events of both seasons and everything that led up to this, it makes perfect sense. Aziraphale and Crowley didn't reconcile at the end of season 1 because they solved their differences. Circumstances simply forced them to meet in the middle because they had a world to save and their "sides" more or less turned against them. In season 2, they're closer than ever in some ways, but so fundamentally at odds in others, and they don't bother to address this. Imo their breakup was inevitable. But I'm hoping that the events to come will help them grow as characters so they can come back together in a way that allows them to be their true selves and express their feelings without hesitation or guilt or fear.
After episode 6, I've been going through the five stages of grief.
When the kiss first happened, I was in complete shock. It wasn't meant to happen THAT way.
This quickly turned into anger. I was angry with Aziraphale. I was angry with the Metatron, and I was angry with Neil for ending it there.
Since working through my anger, I have been able to see Aziraphale's side. And I am so sad I didn't see his side earlier. Michael Sheen is such an amazing actor; you can see every micro expression. It's heartbreaking.
I think I'm now working through acceptance, the final stage. I can see why Neil did it this way. We, as fans, needed to work through our emotions as this was a lot for us. He also created the most incredible cliffhanger, as we all can't stop talking about it! And I don't want to stop.
This is an amazing show, with amazing actors and amazing writers. I've seen everyone being praised, from the costume designers to the set dressers. And rightfully so!
Thanks, 'Good Omens' team. I haven't been moved this much by a show since...ever.
Yes, _yes, YES!_ You're always several steps ahead of me, defining, formalising and explaining things I'm only beginning to see the shape of.
The difference between Aziraphale's genuine forgiveness offers in the Job minisode and the bandstand, compared to the hurt/angry later two is really stark.
I love the idea that the crows influenced Crowley's name change.
I hadn't made the scapegoat-sacrificial goat connection. I have been more focused on what Aziraphale will do to Heaven (and the inner journey I'm expecting him to make), than on what _Heaven_ will do to _him._
You make a good point there. And one that fills me with apprehension.
On a very tangential note, I wonder what you think about the possibility that Crowley will take up the role as a Duke of Hell?
Narratively, it would reestablish him as Aziraphale's equal and opposite, similar to what their ostensible roles were in S1. And one might see Crowley sitting on the twin to Beelzebub's throne in S2 as foreshadowing (also, Michael Sheen's 'thin dark duke' comment).
I hadn't actually considered that possibility. What an interesting idea! Crowley has completely rejected hell, so I'm not sure what would drag him back there except some serious self destructive tendencies. I think the "thin dark duke" comment Michael made was confirmed to be a David Bowie reference? But we know they say things outside the show that are easter eggs for things in the show, so who knows!
@@Sendarya Yes, I agree that Crowley is very Done with Hell, and I don't know what it would take to make him change his mind. It would have to be something very compelling, I think, something that's important to him.
But I keep thinking about Beelzebub's _personal_ promise to him:
"Well, wherever he is, you find Gabriel for me,
and you can have whatever your nasty little heart desires.
You could be a Duke of Hell."
While Beelzebub is probably no longer in a position to make good on the Duke of Hell thing, I nevertheless think there must be a reason why S2 removes both Gabriel _and_ Beelzebub from their posts. Much as I like Shax, I doubt the position is really intend for them.
Yes I'm wondering if Crowley would go to be Duke of hell because after azi's rejection his anger probably knows no bounds. I'm not sure he trusts Azi at all - or in contrast he feels he could be his analog by reforming hell. Tough call.
Aziraphale let’s Crowley rescue him, because, as he says, it makes Crowley so happy. It also makes Aziraphale happy too, he clearly loves Crowley and being rescued makes him feel loved too.
I would like to point out that in the scene where Crowley looks Aziraphale in the eyes and tells him he longs to destroy Job and his children, he is not technically lying, if you take into account the last part of the sentence. He adds "... just as I long to destroy these goats" (quote from memory). As we find out just a moment later, he swapped the goats for crows, so he obviously did not long to destroy Job's goats, which in turn means he _just as much_ did not long to destroy Job and his children. At least that's what I make of it, bc I think he really does not want to lie to Aziraphale, so he slithers his way around the lie
edit: just got to the end of the video, where the rest of the sentence is included 😅 he says "just as I destroyed his goats", so slightly different connotation, but my point still stands. Dolphins.
This is rlly good! I definitely felt like people didnt give Aziraphale enough grace until a month after the finale. Its also why I'm not a big fan of coffee theory, and others that involve Aziraphale being brainwashed. It takes away from his agency, and him--whos still loyal to heaven but just not a fan of the people running the show--willingly taking an opportunity to go inside and fix everything, made much more sense to me. And i get it, I still sometimes feel like grabbing Aziraphale by the shoulders and shaking him awake, but getting Aziraphale to understand what heaven is really like isn't as simple as that--we've seen Crowley try and fail at that, using the same grabbing and shaking (and kissing) methods already. At this point, we have to let him go even if we dont understand why he would want to, and hope that witnessing heavens system firsthand helps him break free in the end. Crowley never told him about his fall, or exactly what they did to Gabriel. We have to remember Aziraphale is still oblivious to many things heaven has done. And if Crowleys not going to tell him, then perhaps the next best thing is for Aziraphale to witness it instead. Sure, maybe walking into the belly of the beast is a bit extreme, but narratively, i feel like this'll help Aziraphale break away, even if it'll hurt him. Like Crowley, after waiting so patiently until Aziraphale made that final step into the elevator, we need to let him go. It's devastating, and like Crowley we dont want him to get hurt, but i believe in Aziraphale. I think we dont give him enough credit for how strong he truly is.
Well said!!! ❤️
The way I see it, Crowley is more like the “scapegoat child” of an abusive family, while Aziraphale is more like the “golden child”. Neither are “more abused” than the other, their trauma just manifests differently.
The scapegoat is sometimes described as seeing the family’s dysfunction more clearly and being more likely to separate from the family, which fits Crowley to a T. On the inside, the scapegoat child struggles with feelings of rejection, abandonment, anger, and jealousy. I expect this side of Crowley will be explored more deeply in Season 3.
The golden child, on the other hand, tends to follow rules and seek approval from authority figures, and has a deep sense of guilt and inadequacy. We all saw how Aziraphale acted when he thought he was going to Fall after saving Job’s children. Hell, even before the Beginning, when there weren’t any fallen angels yet, Aziraphale was still worried about getting into trouble with God.
I appreciate this take on analyzing him and the notion of the “I forgive you” and how those words under certain context can be neither healing or hurtful. I relate to aziraphale character in that way as someone who has struggled with cognitive dissonance when it comes to religion and the world around me. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking to see this on screen in such a way.
THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING!!!! Then again, I relate really strongly to Aziraphale, so it was easier for me personally to see his side.
this is such a nice analysis for him! i've seen so many people say he left because he doesn't care about crowley or was being selfish, so this was a very empathetic perspective!
Brilliant analysis. This has helped me turn toward compassion for Azi's struggle. My random thought: it can't have been an accident that the Metatron is sometimes depicted as a giant floating head, just like the Wizard in the original Wizard of Oz film. What's behind the curtain? (Of course, that might have actually been a misdirect...)
This is SO good! I love your defense of Aziraphale! I've had some similar thoughts but have struggled to express it as eloquently as you. And it honestly never occurred to me that Crawley intentionally let Aziraphale discover the crow-goats. I always thought that was accidental, but your read makes so much sense!
There is literally so much to unpack with these characters. I don’t even think Neil could unravel it all.
Great video, I really like how much thought you put into this.
Two random thoughts:
1. The "May you be forgiven." scene - I've always seen it more like Aziraphale feeling scared for Crowley, as if he was afraid that he might be punished for such blatant blasphemy, hence the immediate wishing that he will be forgiven. It might not make much sense, because what worse could happen to Crowley than what he's already been through, but it seems to me like a sort of automatic reaction on Aziraphale's part.
2. I don't think we have ever seen Crowley making a genuine apology to Aziraphale. (Please correct me, anyone, if I missed anything). In season 1, ep. 4 he apologizes, but he doesn't seem to get what he's supposed to be sorry for, he says "Whatever I said, I didn't mean it. Work with me, I'm apologizing here.", like he just thinks he needs to say it, but only says it to get back together with Aziraphale and have another chance to convince him to run away together. In season 2, ep. 1, he does the dance, but only after he knows how much danger Aziraphale is in now. He doesn't seem to think he did anything wrong, just that he needs to do this to get the argument behind them.
Great points! One thing I should make clearer in my analysis, all opinions I share are just that, my opinions. I do not think they are more correct nor more valid than anyone else's. As a matter of fact, I change my mind all the time!
I think how we view all the different "I Forgive You"s are going to be influenced by our own experiences, as it's such a personal thing.
Excellent point, Crowley does have a very hard time accepting fault or blame. Understandably! It's one of the things he needs to learn, but I don't know that he can do that while he still feels wronged for his fall. Hopefully, this will be resolved in season 3!
Thanks for the insightful comment!
@@Sendarya Thank you 💖. It's great that we have this place to brainstorm all these ideas. And sure, we all project a bit of our own experiences to our understanding of the story. One of the things I love about this show is how it's so applicable to some of our own experiences, even though the characters are not even human.
There is already so much that I am hoping to be included in season 3 (which we will get, surely, because there is no other alternative
😰) that I am wondering if all of that will even fit into 6 episodes 😅.
The more of these videos I watch, the more painful it is to think about... You are adding a lot to this show for me. Thank you for your input!
I am always happy to add anything to the fandom. That is my main goal :)
I honestly feel like Aziraphale says things like; ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about!’ ‘I don’t even like you!’ ‘We’re not friends! I’ve never seen him before in my life!’ is because he’s so terrified of the wrong entity hearing the wrong thing. If heaven knew how he felt about Crowley (especially the scene with Gabriel in S2 E1 referring to ‘…being near that one person, and you know everything would be fine…’) he thinks he’d be damned. Literally. If hell knew how he felt about Crowley, Crowley might be erased.
Also, the ‘I forgive you’ after the kiss…he had to physically stop himself from saying ‘I love you’ and nearly failed.
That actually kind of reminded me of the first time he tried food. As though he’d never known how starved he was and ended up eating half the cow?😂 To me, he had the same type of reaction towards the kiss.❤️🩹 He knows he loves Crowley, but didn’t think they could be *together* together…until he FINALLY felt Crowley’s lips against his own.
I love your video/take on this, and especially your take on Crowley’s protection of Aziraphaale/his innocence.
Thank you for this video! I couldn’t agree more with you. I always felt sympathetic to Aziraphale, so I was a little disheartened when I saw people misunderstanding him. I love both Crowley and Aziraphale equally and I just want them to be happy!
Something that wasn’t mentioned is Crowley’s confrontation of Gabriel
In season 1 yknow Crowley is at least given a mock trial while Aziraphale is just sentenced an execution
In season 2 when Crowley tells Gabriel about this he mentions that ‘Mr.Fell doesn’t remember either’ implying that he didn’t tell Aziraphale while the second they reunite in season one Azi immediately tells Crowley ‘I made Michael miracle me a towel’ and given his tendency to tell Crowley everything he’s done that he’s proud of I don’t think its a stretch of the imagination to assume that he immediately told Crowley everything while Crowley probably said very litter if anything at all
Very little being “I breathed hell fire at the archangels and scared the Bollocks outta them”
So if Crowley kept the straight up execution that was planned it makes sense why Azi is still thinks heaven is a good place with some bad angels and wanting to help change things and protect Jim while Crowley had his knee jerk “AHHHH GABRIEL”
Yes, I think the lies they tell each other, including lies by omission, deserve their own video for sure!
"He has a god-shaped wound in him." I started crying when you said that. The statement very much outlines what religious trauma feels like. Good Omens narrates these struggles of grief and loss and the loneliness felt deeply by both Aziraphale and Crowley. This show and your informative, thoughtful reviews help with the (life-long) healing process, so thank you for sharing!
I'm so glad you found it healing. Religious trauma is often overlooked or downplayed. This show does something very few other pieces of media do when addressing those of us who have that history.
I think both Azeriphale AND Crowley have been shafted by Heaven! I hope they survive this and get to go off together to just be an "Us".
I love your views on these two. I relate to both Aziraphale and Crowley with their respective trauma, Crowley who is so scared of emotions and letting him self be vulnerable that he is constantly masking and avoiding emotional intimacy and is unable to vocalize his true feelings. And Aziraphale who is so scared of rejection, whether than be by falling or being abandoned by God and the cult of heaven, that it has really made him a people pleaser to protect himself from the pain that comes with rejection and emotional conflict. He is so scared of doing any "wrong" that he has almost lost the ability to think for himself and take actions based on his own feelings leading to the cognitive dissonance. He knows what he wants to do, but he is acting from the mindset of "what does heaven/God want me to do", but he doesn't what they are both up to which makes him feel more insecure.
Your analysis of Aziraphale's character is excellent, and I couldn't agree more. There's just one thing I'd like to add, and it's the fact that Crowley constantly calls him "angel". It probably began as a little dig at their differences in nature, then became something of a term of enderment. But I think that an unseen consequence is that it reinforces Aziraphale belief that his core self is deeply linked with his angelic nature. And it's also a symptom of Crowley's habit of idealising (is that even a word ?) Aziraphale. It's counter productive in his goal to encourage Aziraphale's individuality in opposition to Heaven.
I have a feeling that Aziraphale breaking through that dissonance will have something to do with heaven hurting Crowley 😞😢
Maybe he’ll find out details about his fall. It wouldn’t surprise me if Metatron ensured Crowley would fall.
I have a feeling in S3, if we ever see the backstory about Crowley's fall. It may be when Aziraphale will see a document in heaven documenting the occurrences before it happened. Like what Crowley saw with Gabriel when he went to heaven to investigate. Maybe Aziraphale will see a document about Crowley's last talk with God or other Angels before he fell. And this will just be enough of an awakening to make him realize, heaven is not as pure or as good as he thought it to be.
Although no matter what will happen in S3, it will definitely heartbreaking to see both of them handling the separation. Especially Aziraphale, not only he is heartbroken but he has a great responsibility upstairs to try and "fix" everything. Can't even imagine how the other Angels will treat him ｡:ﾟ(;´∩`;)ﾟ:｡
I agree. You know he’s going to read every record on Crowley he can find. I suspect Metatron ensured Crowley would fall.
Perfect, this video is just perfect, thank you for showing me what I couldn't see, because Crowley's pain was expressed in all its depth, and it blinded us from Azi's pain, plus they are both totally in suffering on the same level, and both deserve their happy ending.
I totally agree now that Azi's path is going to be harder, because he got "used" to the fact that Crowley will always rescue him and now Crowley can't help him, heaven won't be with him.
I also think that Azi is intelligent, and skilled, and it is seen in the last scene when he goes up in the elevator, that he is aware of Metatron's deception, and was already planning, in my opinion, how to communicate with Crowley, that remains to be seen.
Because as Crowley has told Azi many times, they are a team of two, and that is what causes Metatron's fear.
At times I wonder if Azi will go to the archives and look up Crowley's trial... that would be interesting and very enlightening. It also comes to mind regarding Crowley and Gabriel, what was said at the latter's trial, "when a prince from heaven falls it is a good story, when another falls it is an institutional problem" And I think Crowley was an institutional problem, for Metatron, as well as Gabriel was this season and that is something Azi can find out now if he chooses to watch that trial.
Now I wonder where God is, she hasn't appeared this entire season, is this part of the True Plan "God's ineffable plan"
Sorry, I think I went off the rails, it's just that your videos make me think about the "inconsistencies" that are not.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for all your work and patience.
My pleasure! I don't know most of these answers, of course, but as to God not being in this season (aside from Job), he has said she simply didn't have a reason to be. Not sure how that will be handled next season, but I look forward to finding out!
Yes!!!
"Get thee behind me, foul fiend!! ...After you ^-^" Has to be my favorite line in this entire series, I swear
Really love this. I appreciate when people can take a nuanced view of Aziraphale.
Another excellent video!!! Aziraphale goes to "May God forgive you" to " I forgive you". Another note, Crowley changes his name from Crawley after he shows Jesus "the kingdoms of the world.
Aziraphale says, "Of course you told hell no, YOU'RE the bad guys." Even in the end he still lumps Crowley in with the evils of hell and it's heartbreaking.
I really appreciate this video! That end scene was so complicated and I feel like Aziraphales character and emotions gets overlooked online sometimes. This video was so thoughtful amd fascinating, as usual! 💖
Hi Sendarya - late bloomer here. I see most comments are from several months ago but I just came across this now. I thought you did a great job, and I really enjoyed it. I agree with 99.9% of your analysis, and it was tugging at my heartstrings, as well, seeing all these scenes again. I was introduced to these characters via the show, not the book, and honestly I think I have fallen in love with them more than I would have reading them. (Due in great part, of course, to the actors, but that's a whole other conversation.) This comment is threatening to become really wordy so I'll stop here, but know the more words (for me) means the more enthusiasm. LOL! Thanks so much. I thought it was wonderful.
Thank you so much! Never worry about wordy comments. That's what comments are for :)
Agreed, seeing them brought to life so perfectly, it's hard not to fall in love with the characters!
rly appreciate this. i think a lot of fandom tries to put aziraphale in a headspace he will reach *after* the series, when he's still got a long way to go. in some ways, i think the fandom sees aziraphale how crowley often sees him, temporarily kidding ourselves that he's more disconnected from heaven's ideology than he truly is
Aziraphale is still deconstructing and needs to separate his goodness, because he is good, from his identity as an angel and from heaven. Crowley was forced to realize the world wasn't black and white, good and evil, when he fell. Aziraphale just needs that push and I'm sure Crowley is worried it will take Aziraphale falling which is the last thing Crowley would want.
Crowley doesn't lie, when they say that they want to destroy Job's children, like they destroyed Job's goats, because goats are still there - disguised! So they don't like, they just use the deceiving language
I loved this....I need to watch a few more times but really just excellent. You get a big wahoo ;)
Thank you so much! I am happy you got the name changed, and really glad to see you in the chat at the premiere!
This is a lovely video. Really surprised to hear that fans wouldn't love Azaphale. I love him very much, he's a delight. I think the thing with Maggie is so very sweet, and I do wonder if he owns all those shops, because let's face it a magic shop isn't going to make much money in Soho these days. He's also very kind to Shadwell in the original story, bankrolling him despite him being an old bigot.
I love your prediction, I keep trying to work out how Aziraphale will manage to get away... I do worry for him.
Also kudos to Michael Sheen for just inhabiting this character, and the way his emotions are so on the surface, brilliant.
Love your incidental music BTW, very soothing.
What I find fascinating in this scene @3:09: "𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖙𝖊𝖑𝖑 𝖒𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖙 𝖙𝖔 𝖉𝖔 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘. 𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖑𝖔𝖔𝖐 𝖒𝖊 𝖎𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖊𝖞𝖊 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖙𝖊𝖑𝖑 𝖒𝖊..." is that Azi fully ignores the dutiful agent before him (who must do Hell's bidding) from the individual before him, the individual he is getting to know (and like) and from whom Azi is attempting to wring a personal, moral confession. Despite being dutiful himself, it appears that Azi seeks an 𝙖𝙙𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙪𝙣𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 from Crowley here... e.g.: 𝕻𝖊𝖗𝖘𝖔𝖓𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖞, 𝕴 𝖍𝖆𝖙𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝕴 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖉𝖔 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘, 𝖇𝖚𝖙 𝕴 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖉𝖔 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘. Had Crowley confessed disgust/distress, the two of them would have been aligned... which is what Azi wanted (camaraderie in their mutual, moral distress). This would partially assuage Azi, who himself is unsettled and upset that God would kill Job's kids-- so much so, that Azi confirmed the contract with Heaven's scribe. He wanted Crowley to be similarly upset, so they could commiserate. And bond.
Of course, Crowley does one better... Crowley plans to subvert the plot. To play the Big Con. Crowley doesn't trust Azi enough to bring him in on it. So Crowley plays it like he will kill in cold blood. And yet... that last simile entirely negates all destruction: "𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘑𝘰𝘣, 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙄 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙮𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙖𝙩𝙨."
Wow. This has been one of the best analyses I have heard about Aziraphale and the final scene! And - in preparation for writing a song about him exploring his feelings and trauma - I basically spent the last two months doing little else but trying to get into his head and reading metas about him. There were still a few details I hadn’t noticed, so thanks for that!
Your analyses are fantastic! I sincerely hope you won’t stop any time soon!
I'd love to hear your song when you finish! Please do share when you get a chance. And I won't be stopping anytime soon. This is just my life now, lol.
@@Sendarya I’m glad to hear you don’t have any plans on stopping for now!
I have finished writing most of the song, including the lyrics. Making a recording will take a LONG time though, since it’s very musically complex and will feature a full on orchestra and choir in its final version (it’s inspired by many of the greatest composers from Händel, Bach and Mozart to Shostakovich and Sondheim and beyond; basically all of Aziraphale’s favorites) and I’ve started another job myself so a recording sadly has to wait. I plan on sharing the lyrics on Tumblr in the coming days though. I’ll leave a link for you!
I agree with you completely. I had a hard time understanding this “I forgive you” and this feels spot on. I literally screamed the first time I watched because it felt so cruel, but this helped me understand where he’s coming from.
Crowley has trauma but he knows himself and he works to make a place in the world that he’s comfortable occupying. Aziraphale does not know himself in the same way, he lies to himself all the time about his place in the world and heaven. He has Crowley to protect him, like you say.
Also, I think you’re the only person I’ve seen say Crowley let Aziraphale know about the goats on purpose, I keep seeing people refer to it as a mistake. It always seemed very deliberate to me too.
Anyway, great video!
I wonder if Aziraphale will discover some dirty secrets in heaven's records, such as memory wipes and demotions for free thinking angels. Maybe there are thousands of lonely scrivners living in celestial purgatories up there.
Crow-ley…interesting take…😮
I think we already went into Aziraphale and God extensively in the comments of another video but ahhh I love your Azi analysis! And giddily apprehensively excited for the moment that Heaven does not equal good error 404 cannot compute actually leads to a full system breakdown. Very very fascinating thing about the goats! Aziraphale experiencing that ‘death of self’ in having to recreate his own self image minus the goodness of Heaven, that does rather kill the angel he once was to let the individual shine. Or perhaps Aziraphale has already become Heaven’s sacrifice by assuming another identity…only to of course return to the stubborn, kind, enthusiastic, but maybe not quite so naive angel we love. Funny thing if both the scapegoat and the sacrificial goat served their purposes, or so it seemed, but then came back with a vengeance. Suffer for Heaven, bear their sins, ‘die’ in their name, and then take down the institution.
that is sort of how I always assumed it would go with two halves fused tightly together required to create a finished end to the ineffable plan but missed the depth of the crow & sacrificial goat symbolism, now wondering if we get some more phoenix fire rebirth in s3
@@emerraldx can we even get into these two and their relationship to fire? how it ebbs and flows? crowley flung into burning sulfur, aziraphale wielder of the flaming sword, burning job's home, the burning of the bookshop, the blitz, the very fact that aziraphale was given a weapon of the very first fire man ever held that would turn into the weapon of War, that even then he can still be destroyed by fire, yet it's crowley who survives it? i was going to go 'oh that's dumb i'm being silly' but then water too, with them. holy water. i hate them i can find some way to relate every single part of my life to the husbands OTL
"...the goats that he transformed into crows." I ACTUALLY SCREAMED WHAT
I've always related strongly to Aziraphale, and I agree with all of this! I've been saying for months that he's never stepped seeing Crowley as an angel that just needs forgiving.. and when he is given the chance to "save" him, he is really hurt..
I also think that he sees the kiss as a temptation...
Although Crowley has definitely used food and other things to tempt Aziraphale into staying with him, the kiss was not meant as a temptation or a manipulation.. but because Azirapjale doesn't understand Crowley's trauma, he doesn't see the true depth of feeling.. we know it's a plea, not a temptation... but from aziraphale's perspective, it seems like a rejection. He is offering his love a chance to be forgiven and to be a he once was..
I'm rambling.. but I feel very strongly about this!
I thought like you. Crowley is very hurt, but he accepts his feelings, knows what he wants and adapts well to change. Aziraphele on the other hand... he has a very, very tough path ahead, my poor angel. I feel such pain for both. This again has been a very hard video to watch, and I'm crying again... I though I would be done by now, but guess not! Thank you so much, as always Sendarya. You are wonderful
i thought i was done crying over the ending of season 2- you have proved me wrong 😭😭😭 (i say this in the best way possible, of course!!)
i have so many thoughts on that scene and youve added more realizations to build on my already existing thoughts and even added new realizations and understanding. i had never taken into account all the other times when aziraphale had offered crowley forgiveness in one form or another. and the effect it had on crowley deep down beneath the mask he hides behind. one of the many things i loved about david's and michael's acting in that scene was how much they added between the lines. especially michael. like. omg. i especially think about the bit where he touches his lips after the kiss. its literally just a simple movement but theres so much hidden in how he does it and the expression on his face and ugh 👌 its just so perfect. im gonna stop there, because otherwise id write 20 page essay on how michael's facial expressions and body language convey how aziraphale struggles with his feelings toward crowley. and i could write another 10 pages on my interpretation of the last few scenes of season 2 😭 basically, you just need to know that im absolutely enjoying your channel and will do everything in my power to binge the current vault of videos you have created in as short a time period as i can 😂💜✨
additional note. i hadnt thought about the sacrificial goat thing before the moment you began talking about it and now omg im so excited for what that could look like in season 3- i have so many ideas and, as a fanfiction writer, i might need to express them with haste 😅
really well done, especially the bits about aziraphale's jumbled identity/identity confusion/etc. I tend to think that something very traumatic is going to happen to aziraphale and he will be forced into a choice between US (c and a) and THEM (heaven). maybe crawley willl be intstrumentlal to the success of that operation... now we're gonna know! wooohooo
Ik that this is such a serious topic, but the sentence “Crowley points out the lack of nightingales” made me chuckle 😆 (11:11)
Your videos and analyses are so great, they give me so much to think about! I’m so glad you’ve kept with it!! I wanted to share that I actually think Crowley is WRONG that he understood Azirphale’s offer better than him..he only understands his own perspective on it better. But sadly, it really is that Crowley doesn’t understand the big picture, which is what is so completely upsetting to Aziraphale with regards to Crowley’s unexpected refusal.
Aziraphale is right about going to Heaven. Yes, Crowley’s right that Heaven probably can’t be changed, but Aziraphale has an opportunity to do it and he’s the only angel with his heart, he KNOWS he’s the only one who has a chance to actually make it better, to make it kind, to save the world he and Crowley love. AND that it’s the only POSSIBLE CHANCE he has to protect Crowley long-term. Himself AND Crowley, though I don’t think he’s as worried about himself. But he knows that with the current Arch Angels still in control, they can be written out of the Book of Life in a moment, or Hell can choose to exact its revenge on Crowley at any moment, and Crowley doesn’t realize how much it traumatized Aziraphale seeing Crowley dragged down to Hell to be punished or destroyed, not knowing which or hearing from him for 35 years, after performing his good deed in Edinburgh! I don’t think Aziraphale ever forgot the lesson of how powerless he is to protect Crowley and how tenuous their peace for the last couple years has been.
Crowley is being selfish. He wants his life with Aziraphale and that’s all. Ideally he’d like to save the world, but he’d give it all up to be with just Aziraphale and let Heaven and Hell destroy themselves and let the world perish. It’s romantic af but too compulsive and immature.
But Aziraphale sees - you and I have the same heart and goals, together we could be unstoppable. We could have a chance to make this all better, save the world, fix the things we both agree are terrible. AND be together.
How could Aziraphale turn any of that down? Crowley thinks he is being naive, and he certainly is leaning into optimism, bc he wants to entice Crowley to join him and besides - he is EXCITED, to finally have this unprecedented opportunity.
And at the end of the day, for him it’s not a choice. It’s a calling and an imperative, and he thought bc they feel the same about it all and rely on each other that Crowley would be as excited as him to get to work.
So yes, Aziraphale doesn’t understand that Crowley’s trauma and disgust with Heaven make it impossible for him to be optimistic about such an offer or even accept it. He feels that Heaven is so shit that working with them in any way is being complicit, and he’s disappointed that he and Aziraphale don’t share that belief, after everything. And he does feel he’s just been naively judged again, in this black and white way of the old Aziraphale, when Aziraphale says “well of course you said no to HELL..”
Anyway, it’s another instance of emotions and miscommunication and Crowley storming off shutting down the conversation getting to the real heart of it. And so Crowley thinks Aziraphale is being naive and also choosing Heaven over him, instead of seeing that very obviously Aziraphale had no choice, and was showing very much how highly he values Crowley as the one person who could fix that whole mess with him. 😢
😭 Everyone is making me cry in the comments today! Beautifully put. Neither of them understand the other in this moment. It was all inevitable, with their lack of communication (and outright lies) to each other for so long. How will they fix so much broken communication?? S3 is going to be a roller coaster.
@@Sendarya omg I know, I won’t be able to bear it if we don’t get a season 3! Bc for Gaiman to write such complicated and nuanced interpersonal conflict, it shows so much empathy and insight into human behavior and relationships, and I really do trust him to find a realistic way to show these two finally learning how to speak to each other and be together. And I’ve been really going down the rabbit hole of both Tennant and Sheen’s careers and just really want to see this material in their hands.
Btw, just saw Tennant in Jessica Jones for the first time and holy freakin cow is he maybe the most chilling villain I’ve ever seen - and YET, bc David Tennant is so charming and arresting, the character is as well (which I guess tracks for the type of person he is playing, a sociopath and abuser with overwhelming power at his disposal)
I'll have to check it out, I've never seen Jessica Jones! I have started going through both of their past works as well. Both brilliantly talented actors with a massive range!
I don't know what I'll do either, if we don't get season 3. This needs a conclusion! And I 100% trust Neil and the other writers and everyone involved to give us something spectacular and memorable and stick the landing.
Well, I kept a dry eye. XD But there's one thing that I realised about Aziraphale's post kiss 'I forgive you' while writing what I mentioned, that as condemnations go, those three words do have another repercussion for Crowley,. And one that could kick in once he realises /he left without asking what exactly he's been forgiven for?/ Meaning was it for forcing that kiss upon Aziraphale? (And I really hate that we have to tread the murky waters of what in a far darker reading of the scene could be seen as Crowley um, assaulting Aziraphale without asking as it also brings in the question, what if now Aziraphale actually doesn't feel safe to be around him?) Or was the kiss not the reason, but just the fact he was refusing to return to heaven? Or was it the worst reason? It was for both /transgressions./?
If he even meant it that is.
Cos last option that I think in canon was the prompt for Crowley saying 'Don't Bother' in the episode itself, is that in his eyes and to his ears, Aziraphale's apology isn't even being delivered with sincerity anyway. Not because, as you said, he wants any forgiveness. But because he's heard that as his best friend's default retreat phrase used against him enough times now, it's lost all impact and so now sounds more like a parrot repeating what he's been taught.
Wow, I didn't notice that Aziraphale fidgets with his ring when he is conflicted!You are so observant!
I love, love, love this. You do such an amazing job with these, and I could never do half so well.
I do wonder, however, if we're missing just a small thing. It's not wholly visible, yet, so it's understandable.
Okay. So Aziraphale's "forgiveness" happens on a continuum. He moves from 1. May GOD forgive you (higher external authority) -> 2. May you BE forgiven (Neutral-ish) -> 3. *I* forgive you (more personal).
But I think there's a fourth, and I think it's what we're headed towards.
Aziraphale's next plead will be "Forgive ME".
I think that Aziraphale is going to find out "what really happened" to Crowley in Heaven. And, I believe that "what really happened" - in good scapegoat fashion - is that not only was Crowley in trouble for ~whatever he did/said to God, but also, *Aziraphale* was in trouble - for telling Crowley about "the plan" (when Crowley clearly didn't know), or maybe there's something else we don't yet know about - and I believe that in order to "save" Aziraphale from punishment, Crowley *took on his "sins"*. Crowley was cast out, so that Aziraphale would not experience the "deserved" punishment that was coming for him (as the scapegoat is intended to do).
I think both their memories have been fiddled with, so Aziraphale has no idea what Crowley's done for him - but he will. And when he does, he will realize that he needs and is desperate to beg for Crowley's forgiveness. (And if I'm right and this happens....it's going to break my freaking heart.)
So - that's the fourth.
And I think that it being a "hidden fourth" (as the first three types of forgiveness on the continuum are plainly open) is important.
I've recently been diving down the rabbit hole of the Shakespeare authorship question. I'm certainly no expert, but it's fascinating. And how it relates here is through Freemasonry. I'll try to stumble through a poor, short explanation below.
The Oxfordians (those who believe that Edward DeVere, 17th Earl of Oxford, was the author of the works attributed to Shakespeare) point out all kinds of hidden clues related to aspects of Freemasonry, kabbalah, gematria, roscrucianism, etc. There are some fascinating YT videos out there (many by Alexander Waugh) explaining how these hidden codes worked, and explaining how John Dee, the Queen's occultist, alchemist advisor, devised these codes (as they relate to Shakespeare and Oxford). One of the most important concepts in all of this is that four is a very significant number, and it's more significant when it's hidden in three. The "triple tau" is a symbol of Freemasonry that illustrates this - There are three "T's", joined at their tails, and created by that join, there exists a "hidden" upside-down T - concealed in plain sight. The concept is called "the quaternary concealed within the ternary" - the four concealed within the three, the material world wrapped up within the divine. The triple tau is also called the "clavis ad thesaurum" - the "key to the treasures", meaning, the key to the knowledge of god, man, and the universe. (I'm not even sure where to start you on the vids, but here's one of them: ua-cam.com/video/fCJ4wkaWljo/v-deo.html)
Because of your deep-dive into Maggie's character, and the fact that she seems to wear a necklace charm related to Freemasonry, and that a lodge was mentioned next to the Resurrectionist pub - I don't think it's the craziest of stretches to at least entertain the idea of the hidden-fourth-within-the-three. In fact, I wonder if the obviously-tarot-card-related swords in the magic shop aren't *also* related to the quaternary concealed within the ternary, since they are that overlapping combination of three, and four. If this is actually a 'thing' that's been overlooked in GO until now, then I'm sure there are many more, though I haven't studied it enough or been clever enough to pull anything more out.
Thank you. And an interesting idea about the fourth forgiveness. Also some great observations and ideas about Freemasons. Thank you for sharing those!