#Deadly Sins

[mask131]

As someone who is REALLY into the seven deadly sins, I originally had my doubts with the Hellaverse making the Princes of Hell positive versions of their respective sins (except for Mammon, who is the vice of Greed in its most awful glory). I mean, while the positive message and denunciation of religious madness is appreciated and needed (such as Asmodeus representing the modern, positive and non-religious meaning of lust while posing as the religious meaning of "lust"), it kind of removed something from the fact Hell is supposed to be... well Hell, a fucked up, horrible shit-hole where everything keeps going wrong for people.

But now that Hazbin Hotel is out I am at peace with this, because it was all to better make a parallel between the Princes of Hells and the Overlords. The Overlords truly depict the seven deadly sins in what they have of most horrible and evil, and thus make perfect "evil twins" to the Seven Deadly Sins demons. Valentino is the evil lust to Asmodeus positive lust ; Rosie and the cannibals are a dark reflection of Queen Bee's positive vibes ; Vox, Velvet and Alastor are all much more prideful in a negative way than Lucifer himself. In fact, the battle between Alastor and Lucifer in episode 5 truly highlights the "regular" pride of Lucifer, just misguided self-centeredness and deep confidence issues/self-loathing leading to a massive "I'm the best showman" persona ; to the arrogance of Alastor, the manipulative, ambitious demon who is obsessed with being respected and feared, and who keeps trying to take down seen "rivals" even when they are way above him. (There's a whole thing to say about Alastor being just as much of an "attention-whore" than Vox, but in a different - more intelligent and reserved way, like how he was clearly annoyed by Carmilla shooting down any talk about his mysterious disappearance)

This truly drives well the point that the real evil in the world of the Hellaverse comes from humans and humanity, by showing how the "fallen angel" demons are roughly positive, just not conforming Heaven's strict rules ; but the Overlords are truly depraved and vicious. Thus, in a twist, these over-powered Sinners are better at depicting the cardinal vices than the Seven Princes of Hell themselves.

Except for Mammon of course, 'cause nobody can top him as the greediest bastard.

#this is not formulated very well and I think I can make a clearer post another day #but that's my thoughts #hazbin hotel #helluva boss #seven deadly sins #deadly sins #overlords #hellaverse #alastor #vox #lucifer #mammon #asmodeus #valentino

[obsessedwithceleste]

The Slytherin Boys

As Deadly Sins

Ft. Draco Malfoy, Lorenzo Berkshire, Theodore Nott, and Mattheo Riddle

©️ obsessedwithceleste. all works posted here belong to me and should not be reposted or copied in any way or form.

Draco

Pride (noun) often a quality of extreme arrogance or dangerous overconfidence.

Pride was something that had been drilled into Draco from a young age

Take pride in your blood status

Take pride in your wealth

Take pride in the name Malfoy

And as an only child, Draco was treated as though he were a god among man

When Draco arrived at Hogwarts, his pride was perceived as arrogance by many, and as confidence by others

Not that he cared

He was above it all

In fact, Draco thrived on the attention, the whispers about him only feeding his ego

He had a constant need for validation, to prove that his pride was not misplaced, and to defend the things he was most proud of

Hogwarts was the first place Draco felt as though he was at risk of blending in

While he felt at home in Slytherin

(As if his parents hadn’t groomed him specifically to end up there)

He couldn’t help but begin to see clones of himself among the sea of green robes

While he enjoyed being part of a group for the first time in his life, he realized it also came with the threat of not being the best

Not being the center of attention

His legacy being lost within a sea of other students

Friends came with the risk of being overshadowed

And if there was one thing Draco knew, it’s that the Malfoy name would not be overshadowed

Because he was the best, and he’d be make sure everyone knew it

They were below him

Lorenzo

Envy (noun) a feeling of desire to possess what others have, often leading to resentment.

Envy was not a term most would associate with Lorenzo Berkshire

Many people were envious of him, sure

But what could someone who has it all

The looks, the Gringotts account, the status

What could they possibly be envious of?

Even Enzo himself didn’t really consider himself an envious person

Growing up he knew he had it better than most, not the perfect childhood by any means, but he knew it could’ve been much worse

It isn’t until reaching Hogwarts that the green tendrils of jealousy first began to seep in

It starts out slowly as he meets his first real group of friends

It doesn’t take long for him to be slotted into the role of the sweet one of the group

Though, given the group of boys he hangs around, it can be debated how much there is to be said about the title

Nevertheless, Enzo often hears the comments made by his classmates

Enzo is the nicest of the group, the most innocent, he wouldn’t hurt a fly, just a pretty boy

The weak link of the group

And compared to boys like Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, Mattheo- ever stoic, unfeeling

He realizes his kindness had been perceived as weakness

And that’s where his jealousy stems from

His desire to be seen like his friends

Tough, intimidating, powerful

His friends are the textbook definitions of a Slytherin, allowed to be mean, to be apathetic, because that’s what people expect from a Slytherin

But not him

No, he’s the nice one

That’s it

He wants to be taken seriously

And while he would never say it to his friend’s faces, Enzo is constantly watching, listening, as the bitterness slowly grows

Theodore

Sloth (noun) a lack of any feeling towards yourself or others, often giving rise to apathy.

Theo learned from a very young age that the best defense mechanism one could have, was to simply not care

Don’t care that your father ignores you

Don’t care that your mother is too weak to get out of bed

Don’t care that you’re alone

Block it out

No one could disappoint you if you didn’t care, and more importantly you couldn’t hurt yourself

Expectations only set one up to fail

Feelings would get you hurt

Theo brought this mantra with him to Hogwarts

Stone cold, emotionless

It was something his friends came to expect from him

And something that Theo learned to embrace

Because when you removed emotions, consequences didn’t seem to matter all that much

Sure he cared about his friends

At least he thought he did

But when it came down to it he couldn’t quite find it in himself to care

To really form connections

Why would he?

Alliances were fine, some could call it friendship

But truly caring about people? That made you weak

That was asking to get hurt

Why put in the effort to open yourself up to disappointment?

Simply existing was fine in Theo’s book

Don’t care about others, don’t let others care too much about you

Simply exist

Mattheo

Wrath (noun) extreme anger.

Anger was all Mattheo had ever really known

Anger, rage, fury

Didn’t matter what you called it

All Mattheo knew was that it boiled inside of him

He’d never been the best at expressing himself

Bottling up his emotions until it felt as though he would suffocate under the weight of them all

But he knew how to express anger

Anger was fast, violent, easy

And he let it consume him

There wasn’t a week that went by where Mattheo’s knuckles weren’t bruised, bloodied, or both

His anger was his release

He used to let the rage simmer, slowly waiting until it all exploded out of him in a flurry

But now it seemed he was a ticking time bomb

Just waiting for something to set him off

He didn’t think of himself as a bad person

Maybe he was

But it was as if he couldn’t control it

The fury simply taking over until suddenly he was calm again

He knew it scared a lot of people

His anger instilled fear

And for some reason, he liked it

His rage gave him power

Maybe not the kind he would’ve once liked

But power nonetheless

I tried to be serious and angsty with varying degrees of success

#meant to write fluff #forced to write angst #slytherin boys #harry potter universe #slytherin #theodore nott #lorenzo berkshire #matteo riddle #draco malfoy #mattheo riddle #Enzo Berkshire #Theo Nott #harry potter #deadly sins #i dont know #what this is

[cuties-in-codices]

cool mounts & helmets

as allegories for specific virtues and vices, in an "etymachietraktat" (treatise on deadly sins), swabia, mid-15th century

source: Munich, BSB, Cgm 8824, p. 38 and p. 48

#yes they're both women thus the side saddle #15th century #medieval art #etymachietraktat #deadly sins #elephants #deer #medieval miniatures #side saddle

[one-time-i-dreamt]

Love was one of the Deadly Sins.

#dream #love #deadly sins #death mention #deadly sin

[trump666traitor]

#wicked man #psalms 10:2-5 #psalms 7 #deadly sins

[rosemarycrowley]

Here's what I think,

Yes, the idea that Regulus changed his ways and decided to defect from voldemort's ranks because of love, because of James is heart achingly beautiful. I love that from the bottom of my heart. Jegulus is very precious to me BUT, hear me out, if we think about him as his own person, without linking him to James, without getting into the details of his parents' twisted ideals, Regulus was a fanatic, he was obsessed with the dark lord, with his hogwarts house and with his bloodline, Regulus loved being a Black. And when he saw what he did to his house elf, his only friend, but more than that, a Black household elf, how could he sit still and let the name of the most noble and ancient wizarding house be trampled by someone. No matter their status. The pride of a Black knows no bounds. And when he discovered that Voldemort is not who he claims to be, we can imagine how that fueled Regulus' rage and that's why he did what he did. It's the same for why he went to the cave on his own. He was sixteen and full of rage and pride. How could he ask for help? Why would he think that a lowly fraud, a half blood, could beat him? And I believe that his pride, the pride of a Black, was his undoing in the end.

#marauders #regulus black #marauders era #regulus headcanon #harry potter #voldemort #death eaters #regulus deserved better #jegulus #james potter #sirius black #walburga's a+ parenting #walburga black #house of black #deadly sins #seven deadly sins

[drama-glob]

I was cackling so hard at this part. XD XD XD That's what he gets for resorting to blackmail so quickly and thinking Ozzie cared more about his reputation than freeing Fizz from him. ;) ^_^ <3<3<3

*I think this GIF would really come in handy for when someone reblogs a post with something funnier or cleverer than the original and then the original poster reblogs THAT post. ;) XD

#helluva boss mammon #mammon #gif #mammon's magnificent musical #funny #XD #yes! #this is hilarious #fizzmodeus #fizzarozzie #fizzozzie #ozzarolli #helluva boss #vivziepop #put the Fizz/Ozzie relationship in the tags since it pertains to what Mammon is complaining about ;) #karma #blackmail #lol #mammonster #deadly sins

[littlecowmoo]

haven't post anything lately

Uhhh.. obey me?!?!

The original picture up top of course

Not great with anime art

#obey me #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor #anime #deadly sins

[bottlepiecemuses]

Vivziepop Wishes She Could Pull Off What Oda Can Do In His Sleep

One thing that really that continually disappoints me with Vivziepop is that she takes archetypes either plays them in some annoying cliche matter or subverts expectations while plundering it. In the case of the demon lord archetypes, she butchered it so much. The biggest cases being Stolas, Asmodeus, and Beezlebub. First with Stolas, at first he was supposed to be the morally dubious benefactor who scared Blitzo a bit, but is later demoted into a whipped sad boy who only wants love enough he destroyed his marriage, alienated his daughter, and coerced the guy into getting the book. Also with Asmodeus he was looking promising until it was revealed he promotes consent to lust, which contradicts the fact he's one of the deadly sins which is supposed to promote unrestrained self-destructive behavior. The same thing with Beezlebub by trying to subvert the girlfriend love rival she ends up also contradicting her sin by trying to say that overindulging to forget your problems isn't gluttony when it freaking is, because it's still indulging yourself. The point is that Vivziepop neuters these guys into seemingly, harmless and approachable. Her episode of "Oops" even tries to say that Asmodeus is the least intimidating sin even though he's still a fucking sin. None of these guys feel like they truly live up to their reputations of powerful demons and just as a result feel so weak in execution.

Even though One Piece is a manga about pirates, I say it diverses itself with other kinds of common archetypes from scientists to even devils/demons. In this case, we see with one of the Five Elder Stars, Saint Saturn, he twists the motif of a demonic lord so well with his devil fruit. He and his ilk are the uppermost members of a group called the Celestial Dragons who practically run the world and are considered above the law due to being labeled "gods". In chapter 1095 of One Piece, one of the things that was found out about these guys is that they oversee regular genocides every three years like it was a sport. He and his fellow stars practically take orders from a being called Im who is implied to be eons years old and is the true ruler of the world who will obey his every command. He and his fellow stars see the rest of humanity and others like insects and as a result treats their lives as irrelevant. He caused a guy's head to explode for daring to look at him and not be of a high enough rank to do so. The guy pretty much is someone who values no human life and treats them all like they are pawns, so it's fitting his devil fruit would be demonic and his entrance even had him appear out of a pentagram like shape.

#one piece #oda is a chad #one piece spoilers #one piece 1094 spoilers #one piece 1094 #saint saturn #beezlebub #stolas #asmodeus #vivziepop critical #vivziepop criticism #vivziepop critique #helluva boss #helluva boss critical #helluva boss criticism #celestial dragons #deadly sins #ars goetia

[greencharisard]

The new episode made me go trough the 5 stages of grief in rapid succession, gave me anxiety, and made me rabid from cuteness overload.

Anyway this fatass spider is such a goober and a fucking disastrous piece of shit and I love him. I mean in universe I absolutely despise him, but he's too stupid and well written for me not to enjoy him as a character.

Like this mf really didn't realize the final song was about him until Fizz mentioned him by name.

I want to pick him up and squeeze him like a stress toy. Just firmly grasp him and shake him violently.

Helluva Boss by to Vivziepop

art by me, do not copy, trace, repost, reuse ecc without my permission please.

#helluva boss #helluva fanart #helluva mammon #deadly sins #greed #fan art #my art #you guys get this first cuz I'll probably do a doodle dump when I have more stuff for dA

[mrspinkloveheart]

Here are my designs for my deadly sin Au! I only have Bonnie and Freddy so far, I’ll probably make character sheets later or when I have all of the cast done.

#ask goldie anything #fnaf #ask goldie anything au #deadly sins #deadly sins Au

[yoiporet]

Q: Персонаж в образе одного из 7 смертных грехов.

Я считаю, что ему очень подходит гордыня. Да с этой аллегорией на О'ни и кровь всех персонажей мк1, мол, их судьбы вновь повторяются, а ответсвенность за что лежит лишь на Лю Кенге вполне оправдывает это.

I think pride suits him. At least it is his fault that the fates of the mk1 characters are repeated again, and the blood on the hands of the Fire God is literally on his conscience.

#fanart #mortal kombat #mk 2023 #mk1 #mk1 2023 #mk1 fanart #mortal kombat 1 #mortal kombat 2023 #liu #liu kang #deadly sins

[celestiall0tus]

Heavenly Light, Hellish Shadow - The Pandora Box

Here we go everyone. The closest to a miracle box you'll see in my works. Now, let's reintroduce the kwamis:

Humilitas and Superbia, Humility and Pride.

Humilitas, Kwami of Humility:

Favorite food: Anything

Weapon: Sword

Miraculous: Earrings

Superbia, Kwami of Pride:

Favorite food: Prime Rib

Weapon: Broadsword

Miraculous: Earrings

Castitas and Libidine, Kwamis of Chastity and Lust

Castitas, Kwami of Chastity:

Favorite Food: Cake

Weapon: Lasso

Miraculous: Belt Chain

Libidine, Kwami of Lust:

Favorite Food: Strawberry

Weapon: Whip

Miraculous: Belt Chain

Patientia and Ira, Kwamis of Patience and Wrath

Patientia, Kwami of Patience:

Favorite Food: Anything made from scratch and homemade

Weapon: Scythe

Miraculous: Pocket Watch

Ira, Kwami of Wrath:

Favorite Food: Jerky

Weapon: Pitchfork

Miraculous: Pocket Watch

Diligentia and Desidia, Kwamis of Diligence and Sloth.

Diligentia, Kwami of Diligence:

Favorite Food: Croissants

Weapon: Glaive

Miraculous: Ring

Desidia, Kwami of Sloth:

Favorite Food: Anything quick and easy, requires no effort

Weapon: Staff

Miraculous: Ring

Caritas and Invidia, Kwamis of Charity and Envy

Caritas, Kwami of Charity:

Favorite Food: Anything

Weapon: Bow

Miraculous: Necklace

Invidia, Kwami of Envy:

Favorite Food: Whatever someone else is eating

Weapon: Bow

Miraculous: Necklace

Temperantia and Gula, Kwamis of Temperance and Gluttony

Temperantia, Kwami of Temperance:

Favorite Food:

Weapon: Dagger

Miraculous: Anklet

Gula, Kwami of Gluttony:

Favorite Food: Anything and everything

Weapon: Sword

Miraculous: Anklet

Liberalitas and Avaritia, Kwamis of Generosity and Greed.

Liberalitas, Kwami of Generosity:

Favorite Food: Bread

Weapon: Staff

Miraculous: Bracelet

Avaritia, Kwami of Greed:

Favorite Food: Anything very pricey

Weapon: Spear

Miraculous: Bracelet

Some quick things to get out of the way with my kwamis and this newest batch.

Animosity and Wrath: While these two seem fundamentally close, which they are, Animosity is ultimately hate, not just rage. Hate is often a byproduct of anger, hence why they are so closely related, but Animosity doesn't always need to come from a place of anger, but 9 times out of 10, it usually is. So, Ira is the pure essence of anger and a short fuse, while Orikko is hatred personified.

Sloth and Lethargy: These two were a little harder to explain at first, but ultimately comes down to the definitions of them and their pairs. So, Sloth is the reluctance to work while Lethargy is low energy, but not reluctance. This is further shown in the pairs. Diligence is careful, persistent work while Determination is firmness and unyielding. They are both what leads to Diligence and Sloth, but not them at the same time. So, here's the explanation for them:

Diligentia is the act of the hard work that could take years to accomplish and the keen eye for every detail in the work. Sloth is the refusal to work. Determination is the unyielding force that drives us. Lethargy is that low energy state when we need to relax and take a break.

The Pandora Box:

I wasn't going to call it this, but I like it, so it stays. Now, this is where I say it's the closest you'll get to it being a miracle box because this box contains the jewels of the Sins but is guarded by the Virtues.

Now, the box:

The box itself is very unassuming. The most notable things about it is the bizarre art/markings and that there is no way to open the box. This is because the box is more of a prison, crafted by the Virtues to hold the Sins. And while the design is near flawless, there is but one flaw to it. While no ordinary mortal can open it, a holder would have access to the contents within. Something the Virtues will keep away from the holders and other kwamis.

The Virtues and Sins are the result of Velze's "death" just as is the creation of Gimmi. They were once a core ensemble of the family as the core beliefs, good and bad, that Velze upheld. The kwamis as a whole embraced them, until the Sins started causing trouble that their virtuous pairs deemed them too dangerous to leave to their own devices, containing them against the wills of their siblings.

Now the Virtues have assigned themselves the task of watching over the Sins and keeping them contained until they are all called back on the final day. At least, that's what they hope.

#miraculous #miraculous ladybug #miraculoustalesofladybugandcatnoir #miraculous au #alternate universe #au #fanart #miraculous fanart #design #digital art #miracle box #heavenly virtues #deadly sins #kwamis #oc #ocs #kwami oc #my art #art #celestiall0tus

[george228732]

The Sin of Envy

They are one that loves people, and try to be gentle, but at the end, they can't help but sulk about the fact all of them had better lives than them. It's not anger; they are anything but angry at those people, and yet, that envy is not going away, and they can only sulk with sadness.

(1/7)

#kirby #kirby oc #fylass #my oc #deadly sins

[mask131]

One thing I love with the seven Princes of Hell in Helluva Boss is that, so far, each of their "song" perfectly reflects what their sin is about. (I put "song" like that because I will count Mammon's stage-apparition at the beginning of "Mammon's Magnificent Musical")

Asmodeus' song at Ozzie's is very clear - the demon-lord of Lust is all about sex, depravity, debauchery, carnality, and abhors, disdains, rejects love in its romantic, sentimental, "pure" way. Of course we learn later that this is not true - but the song in itself, outside of the character, perfectly reflects what "lust" is in the logic of the seven deadly sins (while Asmodeus' personal healthy approach to lust is more about what "lust" is in a more general, broader sense, a play on the various meaning of the words). But the song is clearly depicting what lust is, as defined by the Christian religion and ideology/mindset - "Hump 'til your junk turns to dust". Extreme, auto-destructive sexuality. But more importantly - a sexuality devoid of love.

Due to the Christian teachings great exaggeration of "All sex is bad", a lot of people today remember (or perceive, or preach) lust as being just "Enjoying sex" or "Having too much sex". It was true for certain times, certain eras and certain areas of the world ; but when you look at the old theological texts, at the well-informed Christian teachings, and replace things in their wider socio-cultural context (lessons about love, marriages and sexuality in the Middle-Ages enlightens a LOT of Christian religious texts of the time) you very obviously get what lust was supposed to be about. In Christianity, the divide is between love and lust. Long story short: Christian minds (especially in the Middle-Ages, which was when the seven deadly sins got their true "final form") conceived love as a feeling, an emotion belonging to the mind and the soul, and opposed it to the carnal and material love - romance versus sexuality. Lust as a vice was about enjoying purely the materiality of sex and only knowing carnal relationships with others, without knowing, sharing or caring for actual love, as in romantic feelings. While this whole division went REALLY awry throughout the ages and the continents and turned into the massive "SEX IS EVIL" propaganda of the Christian churches, the original idea behind it all resonates extremely well today if you accept that a good relationship is one with a sexuality motivated by love ; while a bad relationship is one where sexuality is devoid of any love in any shape or form. The "core sin" of the vice of lust stays to this day, rape, the absolute apex of lust in the Christian sinful sense: a selfish, uncaring, harming form of sexuality devoid of any kind of love or care. One's desire imposed onto another simply for the sake of personal gratification and without any empathy, bond or attention towards the other. (Originally, the "core sin" around which lust was shaped, was prostitution, because it was also seen in this optic of being an emotionless and harmful relationship only motivated or justified by money)

If we move on to Beelzebub, sorry, Queen Bee's song, we have again a pure definition of what gluttony is. It is in the catchphrase of the song, a sentence that I personally firest understood while reading Terry Pratchett's books where he makes a clear divide about this: "I'm what you want, not what you need". Again, a lot of people don't get that the seven deadly sins (or seven cardinal vices, or seven evil thoughts, call it as you like) are not evil in their subject - but evil in the way they are done, in their intensity and intentions. The religion's fanaticism and extremes did turn a lot of these into crimes (from "Sex should only be with love and care" we went to "All sex is evil" ; from the sin of gluttony we went to "Enjoying any piece of food is evil"), but again, one needs to look at history, social evolution, and the original texts (plus modern ones) to get it all. What is gluttony about? Gluttony is about excess, not about the food. Gluttony is about eating when not hungry just like lust is about having sex when not loving ; gluttony is about waste the same way lust is about debauchery and depravity. Remember the traditional divides of gluttony (can't recall right now who made this division first): eating too much, eating too early, eating a food that is too costly, demanding a food that has too much sauces or spices, eating too ravenously... "Too much", "too costly", "too eagerly" - gluttony lies in excess. And this was most exemplified (to the point people forgot about the other ways of gluttony) by the idea of "eating too much". Aka eating when you are not hungry, eating when you do not need it, eating not to nourish your body... But because you want it or feel like it. "What you want, not what you need". What Beelzebub proudly claims she embodies.

There are subtle nods here and there about the sin throughout the song number - such as Beelzebub using her magic to make food too big for one's mouth or changing one glass into a giant drink that gets people instantly drunk. But remember what this song is about? "Cotton candy sky ; sweet as apple pie", all in a debauchery of sugar and rain of candy. The choice of these sweet, sugary food and other desserts couldn't be more perfect to embody the sin of gluttony - because this is what all these things are about. They are supposed to be little treats and enjoyments at the end or the side of the meal ; and yet here they form the feast. They are not nourishing in themselves, they just taste good and are comforting and pleasant to look at, yes, but a whole diet of them would be unhealthy and dangerous, as they are not what the body needs... But sugar, like alcohol, being a very addictive product, it is what people "want". And thus we enter the realm of gluttony. Whole feasts of un-nourishing food. Sweet and pretty addictions. (Though I personally do not like much the idea of treating addiction as being "gluttony", because an addiction is a disease while a vice is supposed to be a trait of character, a willful decision, a conscious choice to do something bad - but gluttony definitively leads to the disease of addiction when you go down this path of thought - in fact one of the main things theologian repeated is that gluttony always leads to the most physical diseases and illnesses out of the various deadly sins)

And what about Mammon? Well we do not have any actual song for Mammon - even in his introduction episode, despite being on stage for a very long time, he does not sing, it is just the others that sing. Already we see both an attack on how greed uses others to gain wealth and profit (making others sing for him), and how greed is ultimately a sterile place from which no true art can come out (Vivziepop's criticism of greed and the artistic process is more than clear in Mammon's character). But more fascinatingly is the "non-song" of Mammon when he appears on stage during the flashback to Blitz and Fizzi's teenage years. He is on stage, he has a musical instrument, he is here to perform a concert... But all he does is hype up the audience for a show we ultimately never see or hear ; a lot of decorum for nothing ; a long and complex advertisement and promotion for a very different project (the clown contest) and ultimately just Mammon "bitchin' about taxes" and angrily denying exploitation. Again all of greed is here - selling things that do not exist, using your stage to promote other, more exploitative projects instead of giving what the audience paid for, literaly being distracted out of your own show by monetary topics completely out-of-context like taxes or exploitation accusations.

So yeah, while two of the princes subvert what their sins is about (Asmodeus and Beelzebub seemingly not being as overtly destructive as their sins are supposed to be ; though Beelzebub's benevolence can be put at doubt by the fact she seems to feed off the emotion of her parties, and worries about Blitz because he gives "bad vibes" to the whole thing), so far each introduction song (or non-song for Mammon) clearly perfectly depicts what their sin is about, in a fun and clever way.

#helluva boss #seven deadly sins #asmodeus #queen bee #mammon #beelzebub #song analysis #deadly sins #seven vices #seven deadly vices #i could list all the alternate names of the seven deadly sins here but it would never end

[sea-salted-wolverine]

The House of Usher and the cardinal virtues

I thought to myself it's no good to whine about slotting characters into boring reductive categories without a good rebutal, so here's a dose of slightly more interesting archetypes.

Prospero reflects the cardinal virtue of Diligence and its mirror the sin of Sloth ("But he has an orgy so it has to be lust," by god you're so boring) He is the only Usher who tries to make anything of value. When Camille goes on her little spiel about how Ushers don't make stuff, she's not wrong. Perry got pretty ruthlessly shot down when he was presenting his ideas for trying to make value and start a night club chain, rather than just taking credit for someone else's work like all of his siblings and his dad. But he was at least trying. His drive to prove himself and gain respect is how he gets himself into the whole mess. However, it is the act of not doing his due diligence that kills him.

Camille has an interesting one because while breaking into a lab facility to expose mistreatment of animals would seem like the cardinal virtue of kindness, she's only there to get one over on her sister. The inverse of Kindness is Envy, and for as important as her role is as the family spin doctor, Camille is valued the least. Everyone suspects Perry when they hear about an informant, but that's because he's an idiot baby. Victurine is useful with her heart mesh implant, Napoleon took the role of the "chill fun sibling", and the other two are original Ushers, so Camille is left as the unfavored child.

Napoleon tried to buy his way out of his problem with Charity. He could have come home with a different cat entirely and told his boyfriend he was looking in shelters for Pluto and accidentally fell in love. Name it Mars, let the boyfriend chalk it up to a weird grief response. Bummer Pluto never came home. Verna would have had him trip over the thing on the stairs in the middle of the night and that would have been that. Instead, everything was transactional as he maximized what he could get out of his relationships for the least amount of effort. The boyfriend can live with him, the boyfriends cat can move in too, but as soon as that becomes even the slightest bit more effort (like when boyfriend wants to meet the family, or curb the drug use, or the cat brings home a dead thing) Napoleon wants it gone from his life.

Victurine likewise could have had a painless clean death had she mustered up the Humility to say that the device didn't work. Her demise, unlike her younger siblings, was a compilation of smaller shitty decisions and white lies. She could even recognize that each choice was morally wrong, but it was little choices that were easier to brush off. A dead monkey, a foraged signature, a rightfully concerned patient reassured with platitudes. Even before she was scrubbing blood off the floor to Bonnie Tyler, her inability to admit her choices were flawed was getting her in trouble.

Tamralane with her perfectly manicured curated life, is the one to take Temperance to its furthest extreme. I think it was Atwood who wrote about women and the internal voyeur to preform for, but I'm not going to Google it for a post about horror characters losing their minds and dying horribly. She lives under a personal panopticon of her own expectations and can never allow herself to experience her own life lest she fall short. Her wealth rather than mitigating this exacerbates the issue, giving her access to any and every distance she could possibly want. Death by mirrors isn't so much her going insane as it is the culmination of the life shes built for herself.

(Plus, I know her lonely evening was meant to be ~spooky~ but babe, that is literally just ADHD. Can't remember where you put the thing? Can't remember doing the thing? CAN'T SLEEP?! DOES EVERYONE HATE YOU AND THINK YOU'RE AN INSANE BITCH FOR PERFECTLY VALID REASONS?! Looks like Adderall for you).

Fraudrick. You dickwad. No Patience to allow your very injured and traumatized wife explain herself. The inverse of Patience is Wrath. Demonstrated that one in spades. I'm on Verna's side on this one. Pliers, really?

(His wife's name is fucking Mori. As in momento mori.)

Which leaves Madeline and Rodrick. What's a Gothic horror story without some really fucking weird and unsettling sibling dynamic? Dull, that's what. Anyway, never letting anything touch them or impede them in their lust for power and wealth offers a strange sort of Chastity. There's no love, not for the kids or Annabelle Lee that could touch them, no moral they wouldn't overturn, no value they wouldn't abandon. Madeline values her freedom above all else but she spent her life bound to her brother. They wouldn't even spare each other in ruthless pursuit of just a little more power.

So yeah, bummer for August Dupain that he wound up against the most supernaturally fucked up family that ever lived.

#the fall of the house of usher #Analysis #gothic horror #Poe adaptations #Cardinal virtues #Deadly sins