#good omens s2 meta

[ineffablyruined]

Look at this:

Nina walks by and he doesn't even notice.

Then Crowley gets close and his eyes immediately snap to him.

His attention was so focused on the love scene playing out between Gabriel & Beelzebub that he didn't notice a whole other person walking in front of his face, but Crowley goes to leave and he's immediately like, "Babe, you good? Where you going?"

He loves him so much and I can't wait for S3.

Credit to @ohsoldier for the original gif.

#they're not talking because their lips are too busy #that's the only explanation #good omens #good omens s2 #good omens s2 spoilers #good omens s2 meta #crowley #aziraphale #ineffable husbands #ineffable idiots #aziraphale x crowley #crowley x aziraphale #aziracrow #good omens spoilers #ineffablyruined

[schattenhonig]

Something has been rummaging around in my brain, maybe it'll go away when I put it into words... I have no idea if this all has been pointed out before.

Good Omens S2 felt wrong from the first minute on. Not wrong as in bad, badly written or wrong wrong, just. Off. People who died in S1 are alive again, completely unaware of what happened to them and who they were before Armageddon't, like Maggie and Nina. Yes, it could be a coincidence that they were recast, and it could be because they are brilliant actresses, I completely agree. But I get a feeling that even if this was done without any specific intention, it must have felt right to Mr. Gaiman and the great people working on the show.

Plus, Gabriel-as-Jim says a line that stuck with me:

Gabriel: I’m me. I just don’t know who ‘me’ is. Aziraphale: I see. Gabriel: But you know me. You recognize me. Aziraphale: Well, I know someone who looks like you. Gabriel: That’s probably me then. I think that’s one of the main ways you can tell.

I don't think this is a coincidence. And the fact that neither Crowley nor Aziraphale recognize Nina and Maggie as people they have met before Armageddon't, makes it all the more eerie.

I think this whole memory wipe business is more important than we think; and this is going to be more meta now, but bear with me; because who needs a book of life when all the memories of a person and their own memory are gone? If there's not a trace of a memory left about you, did you ever exist in the first place? The answer is yes! Because you made an impact on life itself around you that is too complicated to be erased. Maggie and Nina brought about Armageddon't the way it happened because of the baby swap gone wrong. They might not remember it, nobody else was there and able to remember it, but it happened. And it changed the course of history.

But (here it is, you knew it was coming) if no one remembers it, you could tell them anything had happened. If you are the only one who remembers, you can tell your own version of the story, and the others will believe you. They have no other choice, they don't even know that there has been a choice, another version of this.

S2 boils down to this for me: erasing somebody with the book of life, as if they had never existed is way too complicated and dangerous because you couldn't possibly foresee what other parts of the story you want to tell would be changed. I don't think that is a risk Heaven or the Metatron would take. It wouldn't fit with Heaven being control freaks.

But erasing memories until only your desired version of the story is left... That's power. That's foreseeable, and it's controllable. And Heaven would totally abuse this power.

#good omens #good omens meta #s2 meta #good omens s2 meta #knowledge is power #book of life #is just a story we told the cherubs to frighten them #but it doesn't matter because it's not the real threat here #heaven is terrible #at least in the good omens universe

[otsanda]

I was reading this great meta by @fuckyeahisawthat about Aziraphale and Crowley metaphorically switching places— from Crowley being the giver of Knowledge and the freedom of choice to humanity and Aziraphale being the protector, by giving humans the flaming sword to Crowley being the protector of humanity and Aziraphale granting knowledge and freedom of choice.

But this made something click into place for me that I’d been turning over in my mind for a while: what if it’s not just freedom and knowledge and choice for humanity… what if Aziraphale functionally brings freedom and choice and knowledge to everyone!

I mean, one thing I haven’t really seen anyone talking about is the contrast between the portrayal of angels and demons (generally) in S1 and specific angels and demons in S2. The first season really set Heaven and Hell up as full of a lot of characters who had their own quirks and unique aspects, but still functioned very well as cogs in the same type of machine.

Gabriel and Beelzebub are the most obvious examples, since they had the biggest pivot in S2: suddenly it’s not just Aziraphale and Crowley who are the special ones.

We get to see these two other characters have thoughts and desires and aspirations beyond that of following their angelic/demonic natures or furthering the cause of their respective sides. S2 really humanizes both of these characters who were (in S1) the best real example that we saw of an official representative of the corporate goings-on from each side. God and Satan were there in S1, but in a much less visible way (and even LESS visible in S2).

But even beyond Beez and Gabe, S2 took careful steps to humanize a lot of other ethereal/occult characters as well. We see Michael both confident and shaken, sarcastic and unsure. Strong, but with aspirations to go Higher. Uriel pushes back, questions authority, and asks for reassurance that they’ve not done something wrong. Side note: I really hope we get to see more Uriel development bc Uriel has so much interesting potential to me.

Muriel wasn’t in S1, but is an obvious parallel for early Aziraphale and we see a lot of similarities between them (their enthusiasm and delight at experiencing Earth, being believed when attempting a particular human job, enjoying books, etc).

Even the demons we see aren’t a monolith. Shax feels quite different from the classic evil demons we’ve met before. Furfur and Eric too. Although they’re doing demon stuff, none of these demons act all that demonic. We see even more hints at them struggling and learning and growing. Being… more human.

Heck, even the demon with the scary mouth in E4, Astoreth, was just doing his job.

So then what if the end of S2 is establishing Crowley as the defender of Humanity while positioning Aziraphale to share knowledge and the freedom of choice in heaven. If the ‘big battle’ that Crowley mentioned at the end of S1 is between Humanity and whoever is representing Heaven or Hell, maybe it’s time to give more ethereal and occult beings the opportunity to choose their own place in that fight.

Because I think that Crowley is right that Heaven and Hell are toxic. And Aziraphale is right that they both can do good. And separating the two of them, as painful as it is to watch, could give Aziraphale the space to see glimpses of humanity in the other angels (and even demons?) while positioned in Heaven. And it could give Crowley... probably trust issues, actually. I guess let's put a pin in that part.

But come Season 3, I would love to see Crowley and Aziraphale positioned on opposite sides of the war to end all wars, Aziraphale representing Heaven (and Hell?) and Crowley alongside Humanity. But before anything truly awful happens, they do what they always do.

They’ll come up with a plan. And they'll rescue one another and themselves.

And everything else and everyone else will fall into place around them.

#good omens #good omens season 2 #good omens meta #good omens s2 meta #good omens analysis #I've been writing this on and off for over 2 months now #please let these two fools do something right #also haven't been as active in the gomens fandom so forgive me if someone else has already said this #I've been busy helping run a renewal campaign #RIP

[proficientatfreakness]

The credits: Meta

Spoilers below the cut!

They went from being on the same side to being on opposite sides.

Aziraphale on the right, the side of the angels, of being RIGHT.

Crowley on the left, the side of the demons... being LEFT behind.

And between them: The cast, humanity, earth itself. What used to be their same side is now what separates them.

Aziraphale thinks he can be the change from the inside, but his orders will still be to destroy Humanity and Hell so that Heaven reigns. He will try to fight his orders but he's alone, he has no back-up.

Crowley has the back-up of earth, his home turf. He will fight to protect the space he carved for himself (the space he tought they'd carved for themselves, together). He will be once again in opposition to heaven, but surrounded by humanity.

Aziraphale is up against a blank background; Out of place, away from home. An Angel, who goes along with Heaven as far as he can.

And he's going to be so Lonely.

#good omens spoilers #good omens s2 spoilers #good omens s2 #good omens #good omens s2 meta #good omens meta #idk why I tag these never work #I HAVE MANY THOUGHTS #help`` #I will add to this as I find more points #literally i have so many things i need to SCREAM

[mostlyjustgoose]

a very small Jim theory

so why did Jim pick Aziraphale as the one person who could probably make everything all right?

Im thinking it’s because Gabriel knew about Crowley and assumed they had already successfully completed an escape/opt out plan. because when you need out of certain bad situations, who do you consult? the person who got out before you did.

literally even Gabriel knew they were in love. that’s how obvious it was to everyone but the two of them.

#good omens season 2 #gos2 spoiler #good omens s2 meta

[snek-eyes]

The fact that Aziraphale emerges from this flashback

Makes this face

and then with a ginormous gap on the right side of the screen, proceeds to be like "I must call Crowley right now immediately."

#I believe that Aziraphale in s2 is just as worried as Crowley is #he's just shoving it as far as possible under his little hat #good omens 2 #v watches good omens #Aziraphale #I Know Where I'm Going #The Resurrectionists #i am this close to analyzing the screen composition during their phonecall because it's. interesting. #started thinking about this scene when they mentioned changing the weather based on Aziraphale's mood #good omens meta #more in the notes

[inhonoredglory]

Aziraphale’s Choice, the Job Connection, and Michael Sheen’s Morality

Update: Michael Sheen liked this post on Twitter, so I'm fairly certain there is a lot of validity to it.

I’ve had time to process Aziraphale’s choice at the end of Season 2. And I think only blaming the religious trauma misses something important in Aziraphale’s character. I think what happened was also Aziraphale’s own conscious choice––as a growth from his trauma, in fact. Hear me out.

Since November 2022 I’ve been haunted by something Michael Sheen said at the MCM London Comic Con. At the Q&A, someone asked him about which fantasy creature he enjoyed playing most and Michael (bless him, truly) veered on a tangent about angels and goodness and how, specifically,

We as a society tend to sort of undervalue goodness. It’s sort of seen as sort of somehow weak and a bit nimby and “oh it’s nice.” And I think to be good takes enormous reserves of courage and stamina. I mean, you have to look the dark in the face to be truly good and to be truly of the light…. The idea that goodness is somehow lesser and less interesting and not as kind of muscular and as passionate and as fierce as evil somehow and darkness, I think is nonsense. The idea of being able to portray an angel, a being of love. I love seeing the things people have put online about angels being ferocious creatures, and I love that. I think that’s a really good representation of what goodness can be, what it should be, I suppose.

I was looking forward to BAMF!Aziraphale all season long, and I think that’s what we got in the end. Remember Neil said that the Job minisode was important for Aziraphale’s story. Remember how Aziraphale sat on that rock and reconciled to himself that he MUST go to Hell, because he lied and thwarted the will of God. He believed that––truly, honestly, with the faith of a child, but the bravery of a soldier.

Aziraphale, a being of love with more goodness than all of Heaven combined, believed he needed to walk through the Gates of Hell because it was the Right Thing to do. (Like Job, he didn’t understand his sin but believed he needed to sacrifice his happiness to do the Right Thing.)

That’s why we saw Aziraphale as a soldier this season: the bookshop battle, the halo. But yes, the ending as well.

Because Aziraphale never wanted to go to Heaven, and he never wanted to go there without Crowley.

But it was Crowley who taught him that he could, even SHOULD, act when his moral heart told him something was wrong. While Crowley was willing to run away and let the world burn, it was Aziraphale (in that bandstand at the end of the world) who stood his ground and said No. We can make a difference. We can save everyone.

And Aziraphale knew he could not give up the ace up his sleeve (his position as an angel) to talk to God and make them see the truth in his heart.

I was messed up by Ineffable Bureaucracy (Boxfly) getting their happy ending when our Ineffable Husbands didn’t, but I see now that them running away served to prove something to Aziraphale. (And I am fully convinced that Gabriel and Beelzebub saw the example of the Ineffables at the Not-pocalypse and took inspiration from them for choosing to ditch their respective sides)

But my point is that Aziraphale saw them, and in some ways, they looked like him and Crowley. And he saw how Gabriel, the biggest bully in Heaven, was also like him in a way (a being capable of love) and also just a child when he wasn’t influenced by the poison of Heaven. Muriel, too, wasn’t a bad person. The Metatron also seemed to have grown more flexible with his morality (from Aziraphale's perspective). Like Earth, Heaven was shades of (light?) gray.

Aziraphale is too good an angel not to believe in hope. Or forgiveness (something he’s very good at it).

Aziraphale has been scarred by Heaven all his life. But with the cracks in Heaven’s armor (cracks he and Crowley helped create), Aziraphale is seeing something else. A chance to change them. They did terrible things to him, but he is better than them, and because of Crowley, he feels ready to face them.

(Will it work? Can Heaven change, institutionally? Probably not, but I can't blame Aziraphale for trying.)

At the cafe, the Metatron said something big was coming in the Great Plan. Aziraphale knows how trapped he had felt when he didn’t have God’s ear the first time something huge happened in the Big Plan. He can’t take a chance again to risk the world by not having a foot in the door of Heaven. That’s why we saw individual human deaths (or the threat of death) so much more this season: Elspeth, Wee Morag, Job’s children, the 1940s magician. Aziraphale almost killed a child when he couldn’t get through to God, and he’s not going through that again.

“We could make a difference.” We could save everyone.

Remember what Michael Sheen said about courage and doing good––and having to “look the dark in the face to be truly good.” That’s what happened when Aziraphale was willing to go to Hell for his actions. That’s what happened when he decided he had to go to Heaven, where he had been abused and belittled and made to feel small. He decided to willingly go into the Lion’s Den, to face his abusers and his anxiety, to make them better so that they would not try to destroy the world again.

Him, just one angel. He needed Crowley to be there with him, to help him be brave, to ask the questions that Heaven needed to hear, to tell them God was wrong. Crowley is the inspiration that drives Aziraphale’s change, Crowley is the engine that fuels Aziraphale’s courage.

But then Crowley tells him that going to Heaven is stupid. That they don’t need Heaven. And he’s right. Aziraphale knows he’s right.

Aziraphale doesn’t need Heaven; Heaven needs him. They just don’t know how much they need him, or how much humanity needs him there, too. (If everyone who ran for office was corrupt, how can the system change?)

Terry Pratchett (in the Discworld book, Small Gods) is scathing of God, organized religion, and the corrupt people religion empowers, but he is sympathetic to the individual who has real, pure faith and a good heart. In fact, the everyman protagonist of Small Gods is a better person than the god he serves, and in the end, he ends up changing the church to be better, more open-minded, and more humanist than god could ever do alone.

Aziraphale is willing to go to the darkest places to do the Right Thing, and Heaven is no exception. When Crowley says that Heaven is toxic, that’s exactly why Aziraphale knows he needs to go there. “You’re exactly is different from my exactly.”

____

In the aftermath of Trump's election in the US, Brexit happened in 2018. Michael Sheen felt compelled to figure out what was going on in his country after this shock. But he was living in Los Angeles with Sarah Silverman at the time, and she also wanted to become more politically active in the US.

Sheen: “I felt a responsibility to do something, but it [meant] coming back [to Britain] – which was difficult for us, because we were very important to each other. But we both acknowledge that each of us had to do what we needed to do.” In the end, they split up and Michael moved back to the UK.

Sometimes doing the Right Thing means sacrificing your own happiness. Sometimes it means going to Hell. Sometimes it means going to Heaven. Sometimes it means losing a relationship.

And that’s why what happened in the end was so difficult for Aziraphale. Because he loves Crowley desperately. He wants to be together. He wanted that kiss for thousands of years. He knows that taking command of Heaven means they would never again have to bow to the demands of a God they couldn’t understand, or run from a Hell who still came after them. They could change the rules of the game.

And he’s still going to do that. But it hurts him that he has to do that alone.

#good omens #good omens 2 #ineffable husbands #it's kinda like capt america: civil war #with Azi as Tony Stark: traumatized and trying to do the right thing #and Crowley being Steve Rogers: fuck the establishment let's go rogue #gos2spoilers #good omens meta #good omens 2 meta #go s2 #michael sheen #go s2 meta #go meta #*mine #*mymeta #ineffables husbands #ineffable soulmates #*mybest

[crowleys-hips]

ok i know everyone's analyzed the shit out of the Job minisode. but i think everyone has overlooked this Very Important detail, and it's this:

do you see it?

golden kermit collar

thank you for listening

#good omens #good omens s2 #good omens 2 #good omens meta #good omens analysis #aziraphale #aziraphale good omens #good omens aziraphale #good omens theory #ineffable husbands #ineffable idiots #ineffable lovers #ineffable partners #aziracrow #crowley #aziraphale x crowley #crowley x arizaphale #air conditioning #good omens shitpost #good omemes #good omens memes #xanshitposts

[aduckwithears]

I don't think we're talking enough about how the premise for the 1827 meetup in the cemetery was a date, pure and simple. There was no "uh oh, Aziraphale is in trouble again", no big point in history that both sides needed them to attend, no Arrangement at all... nope, it was an invitation and an accepted invitation. It was literally Crowley saying "hey angel, I saw a thing that you'll find funny (I was thinking about you), come and hang out with me about it" and Aziraphale does.

And I wonder what would have happened next if they hadn't stumbled across grave-robbing Elspeth and her moral dilemma.

#good omens meta #good omens #good omens s2 #good omens 2 #the resurrectionists #gos2 #1827 #if anyone wants to write this fic #or already has #i'd love to read it!! #good omens thoughts #ineffable husbands #aziracrow #ineffable spouses #it's also funny to me that this very well could have been Halloween #a duck talks

[noneorother]

Neil Gaiman, you madman. I found your psychotic code.

Do you want a preview of a gigantic *thing* I found hidden inside of Good Omens Season 2? Of course you do. Please believe me when I tell you that when you remove every Minisode, Flashback, and Heaven/Hell scene from this season and put all the episodes back to back in one big timeline, the entire running time of season 2 is actually :

2 hours, 22 minutes and 22 seconds long, exactly.

And I can't wait to tell you what else I found in this version. This is just the beginning.

#good omens meta #art director talks good omens #go season 2 #go2 #good omens season two #good omens prime #good omens season 2 #go meta #222222 #2s all the way down #good omens #good omens s2 #good omens spoilers

[ineffablyruined]

Okay, this post has me thinking.

What if those totally Aziracrow-coded suits are a Clue for not only what's coming at the end of S2E6, but I'm hopeful that it's about their future, too. Because look at them. LOOK AT THEM.

They are even separated by the window pane! The art department is so crazy for this.

We've got a beautiful black suit, perfectly tailored, absolutely stunning, and ready to go. Then we have Crowley. Beautiful, knows who he is outside of Heaven and Hell. Knows what he wants (Aziraphale, obviously). He's ready for the garden, ready for their cottage in the South Downs.

And we've got a light colored suit, that still seems to be in-process of getting ready. Hard to tell from this image, but it looks like it still has an unfinished collar, and is waiting for a sleeve to be sown on? It's not finished yet, but it's getting there. If that's not Aziraphale, I don't know what is. He knows he wants Crowley, but he can't quite separate himself from Heaven. He needs to go back and learn more about himself, to realize he doesn't fit there, that Heaven isn't the place for him any longer. And then maybe he'll be ready, too.

The suits are a METAPHOR.

This show kills me with every single detail.

#good omens meta #gomens meta #go meta #gos2 meta #good omens s2 meta #good omens s2 spoilers #gos2 #crowley #aziraphale #ineffable husbands #aziracrow #ineffable idiots #crowley x aziraphale #aziraphale x crowley #foreshadowing #good omens art dept #az fell #anthony j crowley #aj crowley #good omens 2 #good omens

[ineffable-suffering]

The Bentley Handle Easter Egg

[Author‘s note: This humble mini-meta was liked by Mr. Gaiman himself which makes me not only feel very honoured but also believe that my guess at the end could just be true, heh. Thanks, Neil!]

I‘m probably not the first one to notice this but I still feel compelled to post it because it puts a smile on my face every time I see it:

We all know that the Bentley Handle is somehow Crowley‘s instrument to stop and start time in S1E6 when the world‘s about to end. It‘s one of only two of the remains from the burning Bentley.

So, you can imagine my surprised frown when I watched the first scene of S2E1, In The Beginning, and:

… there she is again! Starting time for, well, the very first time.

It‘s definitely the exact same handle, which means that Crowley got to keep it (or secretly took it with him) post-Fall. And then probably kept it hidden/stored away in different places over the millennia, including in the Bentley.

What a neat little piece of easter egg shell! Thank you Neil!

#good omens #crowley #good omens season 2 #gos2 #go2 #good omens 2 #good omens meta #good omens s2 #bentley handle #angel crowley #my own meta

[demigod-of-berk]

I can’t stop thinking about the way we sit with these shots for an uncomfortably long time. And how in a way it kind of makes you feel helpless. Which is honestly perfect.

Aziraphale is desperately trying to convince himself he's made the right decision, that he can change Heaven, that he can do some good. Now he just has to prove it

But I want to focus more on Crowley. I don't believe this shot of Crowley is heartbroken. Maybe a little bit, but mostly he's angry.

It's the kind of anger you get when you love someone and you spend so much time with them, knowing the place they come from isn't good for them even if they themselves refuse to see it. It's the kind of anger you feel when you see them progress and stick up for themself instead of just following along, and then suddenly its just gone.

It's exactly the kind of anger you feel when you try so hard and you still can't save someone from going back to a place that just tears them down.

You know you can't stop them. You can't make their decisions for them. But it still fucking hurts.

Crowley's favorite thing is saving Aziraphale. And he couldn't do it this time.

#good omens #good omens s2 #ineffable husbands #crowley #aziraphale #good omens meta #good omens 2 #good omens spoilers

[couldhavebeenus]

crowley is braver than any us marine for being interrupted during a love confession, taking aziraphale’s devastating news about heaven, and STILL following through with it anyways

#for legal reasons this is a joke but by god #I’m right tho #he’s so repressed but he does it ANYWAY because by god/satan/somebody he CAN’T lose his angel #even when what aziraphale says devastates him. he has to try anyway. he has to because /what if/ /maybe./ #good omens #good omens s2 #good omens spoilers #aziraphale #good omens 2 #ineffable husbands #antony j crowley #crowley good omens #aziracrow #mine #meta #good omens humor #humor #popular posts #1k #2k

[alargehunkofdebris]

Why There’ll Never Be Another Good Omens 2 Experience

The strangest thing happened after a few days post my watching of S2. I got a wave of real, bittersweet sadness.

Not due to the obvious – I was dealing with that too, but with more excitement than anything – but because I realized something, as a writer and consumer of media. I realized that it’s unlikely I’ll ever get a media experience close to what I experienced at the end of Good Omens 2. Because really, its setup was absolutely unparalleled – in general, and for myself personally.

I am currently writing my third romance, and what I’ve learned primarily about the genre, the way for it to really work, is that there needs to be something keeping the couple apart initially. The more things keeping the couple apart, the stronger the romance hits. The more the couple clashes with each other, the better it is. Societal norms, class issues, initial dislike, literal danger—all these aspects are what make a romance a story. It’s that conflict that creates the compelling narrative. No romance was ever popular because things worked out well from the beginning – it’s that “look at what we were, and look at us now” aspect that gives readers/watchers that satisfaction. It’s the “I can’t believe this happened” effect. The “I would never have foreseen this” effect. The “they’ll never be together” effect. It’s why forbidden romances are so incredibly popular.

Another aspect that makes a romance story really work well is the amount of time it takes for the romance to develop. A couple that gets together after a few days? Eh, it’s tricky. You better make it really dramatic somehow. A great example is Titanic – class differences, betrothal, and a huge amount of danger threatens this couple, so them being in love after only a few days works. But what really sells this one is because we can see how this romance has survived beyond those few days. We see it 80 years in the future, still there, in the memory of Rose. That is why it hits so hard. Romances that span over long periods of time (especially ones that are bittersweet/tragic) hit so much more than ones spanning a short period.

But wait! There’s more!

You can up this effect by not only having the romance take time in story…but having it take time in real life, for the viewer/reader.

This is why romances in TV shows that take years to finally work out are so compelling. It’s that “Pam and Jim” effect, that will-they-won’t-they deal. We are waiting right along with them, and we’re feeling that same relief when all those things keeping them apart finally fall away. This is harder to pull off, because there’s never that guarantee that the story will make it that far. TV shows get cancelled, creators lose interest or die, etc. So it’s not just “Will They, Won’t They,” it’s “Will They, Won’t They, Can They Even Try?”

This is also compounded by that fear that it won’t happen in-story after all, and while in romances you’re pretty positive that things work out (they kinda have to, for it to be labeled a “romance”) in other media, there’s always that possibility. Look at Community – there’s a forbidden/conflict-ridden romance that didn’t end up working out, even though it was “Will They, Won’t They”d for six entire seasons. You also then have shows and ships where fans are almost sure it won’t happen, but still hold out hope. (See: Supernatural, Sherlock, etc.)

Now. Now look at Good Omens. Look at that absolutely unparalleled, unbelievable set up. It’s unbelievable because it takes almost every single thing that makes a romance compelling, and not only uses all of them, but dials them up to 11.

Why are they at odds? Why are they forbidden from being together?

Because they are literally the most opposing forces you can imagine in Western Canon. They are the Angel Guarding The Gate and The Serpent of Eden. The literal only way you could’ve made this a bigger deal would’ve been to make it God and Satan, and even that would’ve not hit as hard, because it’d be like two CEOs getting together – there’s no fear of a higher power adding that delicious conflict. And to add to all this, in real life, the couple is portrayed as two men, which adds that second meta level of conflict.

And what fear/danger is keeping this couple apart?

Not just familial disappointment—but disappointment from God and Heaven and Hell. Not just moral guilt, but the guilt of potentially dooming the entire Earth. And finally, on top of that, the very real danger of being killed. Not only that, but making it as though you never even existed.

And in real life, they face all those roadblocks that queer couples in media have been battling for years and years, but I'll talk about that more in a second.

Okay, then Time. How long have they been kept apart?

For…all of it.

All of the time that ever existed.

They, quite literally, could not have been kept apart longer.

And this leads into those final two points, the ones that actually really sell it. Because I can sit down right now and write a story about an angel and a demon falling for each other at the beginning of time against all odds…but what I can’t do is to have already written it thirty-three years ago.

That’s how long this story has existed. Thirty. Three. Years.

I’m not even counting how this is using characters that have existed as opposing forces for thousands of years. I’m not even saying that, even though that’s also a part of it. But besides that, this story, this exact story started thirty-three years ago, and is still being continued by the author to this day.

Do you know how uncommon that is?

Yes, we have canon that has lasted for many, many years. Hundreds. We get new versions of beloved older stories ever year. But it’s so very rare that they are by the same creator. We get new Sherlock Holmes content, but it is not written by Arthur Conan Doyle. This, on the other hand, is actual canon content, written by the author of the original. That is unbelievably rare.

That means we’ve got a fandom where some people have grown up with these characters. People who read it at twenty are fifty-three. People who read it at fifty are eighty-three. Kids who saw their parents reading the book now have children of their own. It is a cult classic that has been in the hearts of so many people for generations. Me, personally, I fell in love with it ten years ago, at age twenty, at the very beginning of my own writing journey. This story means so much to people, because it’s stood that test of time.

And yet, this story was never explicitly romantic. So many saw it that way, but it was never something confirmed. Because this was a book from the 90s, at a time where this kind of romance just wasn’t in popular media if it wasn’t played as a joke. It was, back then, the same kind of “forbidden” as a romance between angel and demon. So people imagined, but they never expected anything more. And they’ve continued not expecting more, because even in the 2019 first season, there was never any true confirmation of anything, and people accepted it. You have a 33-year-old story here – it’s possible that this major change/confirmation could happen, but all things considered, it was unlikely. You would never blame the creator for not making major developments to a story they wrote with their late friend a lifetime ago. And no one in production was saying a word to confirm or deny, but we’ve seen all this before. It was a Will-They-Won’t-They…Probably-Not situation.

And then you have the end of S2.

And that's where that bittersweet sadness comes in for me, personally. Not at a huge level, not to the point where I'd have it any other way, but it's there regardless. Because I realized that this was a unique situation that could never be replicated, for me, and likely for many, especially readers of the book pre-show. In all likelihood, I would never again experience a romantic payoff like this one. Because it was the most forbidden of forbidden romances, the couple of which have been kept apart by the worst of all dangers and highest level of guilt for the longest amount of time literally possible, written over a real-life span of time where this kind of romance went from “completely taboo even in real life” to “finally acceptable in popular media,” written by the same creator, and not confirmed as canon until the story reached the age of Jesus Christ himself.

And the real kicker is, even after everything these two literally star-crossed lovers have gone through…they’re still being kept apart. They’ve still not taken down those final, seemingly insurmountable barriers between them. It wasn’t a “here you go 😊” move to make long-time fans happy – it’s being used as a perfect, painful plot point. After 33 years, we’re still having to wait longer.

Chef's kiss. Couldn’t have been a better set up if it was mathematically calculated. And yet, the best part is that it happened organically.

It just works.

#good omens #good omens 2 spoilers #go2 spoilers #good omens 2 #gos2 spoilers #good omens s2 spoilers #good omens spoilers #good omens season 2 #good omens season 2 spoilers #gos2 #good omens meta #good omens 2 meta #neil gaiman

[vidavalor]

I'm not the only one who thinks that "the famous Mr. Crowley" was secretly a spy for British Intelligence during WWII, right? That he spread the ol' demon drink as a way of seeming evil to Hell during that time period, befriending Glozier and Nazis like him in the process, and then turned around and passed intelligence he learned on to the Allied Forces? That this is how he learned that Aziraphale had been unintentionally recruited by the Nazis?

Did he know Ian Fleming? Is this the root of the James Bond love?

#ineffable husbands #good omens #crowley #aziraphale #good omens 2 #good omens meta #aziracrow #good omens s2 #good omens theory