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Charlie, The Apple

Apples are a recurring motif in Hazbin Hotel. What's their meaning for the story and Charlie's arc? An analysis on this topic!

APPLE = FREEDOM AND SIN

Apples are associated with the forbidden fruit in pop culture. As a result, they usually represent either:

Free will

Sin

Or both, like in Hazbin Hotel, where:

Lucifer and Lilith use an apple to share free will with humanity

Eve takes the apple and is corrupted by sin

So, this fruit is linked to both ideas, as shown by two characters.

Lucifer wears an apple on his hat, as a symbol of his past dream of freedom for humanity.

Roo (who will probably be a villain later on) wears a broken apple on her hat, as a symbol of the original sin of humanity.

Why are both freedom and sin linked to the biblical apple? Because it is the fruit of knowledge of good and evil.

Some believe that by discovering what's good and what's evil, humans can be truly free

Others think that by getting to know evil, humans get corrupted and become sinful

What is Hazbin Hotel's stance on this? The answer lies in "The Story of Hell".

THE STORY OF HELL

"The Story of Hell" has "Good" and "Evil" appear briefly:

Angels that worshiped good and shielded all from evil.

Good is made of light and has blue eyes:

Good appears as a golden woman with blue eyes in Welcome to Heaven.

Evil is made of shadow and has red eyes.

So, Heaven and angels are associated with gold (light) and blue, while Hell and demons with black (shadow) and red. This opposite color coding between Good and Evil is important throughout the Eden myth, as it illustrates the characters' development.

As the story begins, Heaven and Angels are described as a "glowing city" and "beings of pure light". Fittingly, they are white figures:

Lucifer himself is white, here, since he is one of the angels made of light:

Adam and Lilith are instead black, as they are humans made of dust. They are not beings of pure light, but there are some shadows within them:

When Lilith runs away and meets Lucifer, he becomes black, since he is straying from the path of other angels. He is choosing humanity and his love for Lilith over Heaven. As a result, the two lovers offer Eve the apple and Eve goes from simply black to black with a sinister red smile:

From this frame on, red appears more and more throughout the story. Hell is a black and red kingdom, which is described as a "realm of darkness and sin" and a "dark pit". Moreover, red becomes intertwined with Lucifer and Lilith:

As they fall, their eyes and mouths go from white to red. Moreover, Lucifer later loses his white light (heaven) and gains his red fire (hell):

Lilith too appears black and red, but differently from her husband she is thriving in Hell, so her red undertones are more visible:

Finally, there is Charlie, who is introduced as black and red:

Only to become white and red in the final panel of the story:

As if she is going to bring light and good in the darkest parts of Hell.

So, Hazbin Hotel associates Good with light and Evil with shadow. Still, even in "The Story of Hell", it is clear things are more complex than just this. For example, Lucifer and Lilith are shown as sympathetic, while the Elders of Heaven as cold and controlling. Sera is gold and white, but she makes a "heartless decision". Adam is instead black despite his alliance with Heaven. So, things are not "black and white", despite the color coding. Why is that so? It is because Hazbin Hotel links light and shadow not only to good and evil, but also to two Jungian archetypes.

GOOD AND EVIL = LIGHT AND SHADOW

According to Jung, light and shadow are two complementary parts of the self:

The light is what people show to themselves and others. It is what is in plain sight, out in the open. It is usually the way people want to be.

The shadow is what people hide from themselves and others. It is what lies in the darkness, hidden within. It is usually what people don't want to be.

So, light and shadow do often overlap with good and evil, as one usually shows their most positive qualities (light) and does not accept their most negative ones (shadow). However, this is not always the case. For example, one might wear an insufferable mask (light) and be unaware of their potential (shadow). So, sometimes the light can be bad and the shadow can be good.

Hazbin Hotel plays with the dichotomies of good/evil and light/shadow. In this way good and evil become loosely associated with the Jungian light and shadow. Good overlaps with Light, so Heaven is beautiful and it appears perfect, but it is full of secrets and contradictions. Evil overlaps with Shadow, so Hell is chaotic and violent, but it deep down has the potential to be more.

This juxtaposition between moral ideas and Jungian archetypes impacts also the knowledge of good and evil, which becomes that of light and shadow. This means that to understand good and evil one has to accept there is light and shadow within everyone, no matter how wonderful or horrible they are.

This is something Charlie especially needs to do:

She has to accept the light and shadow within herself (microcosm) by coming to terms with her negative emotions, like her repressed anger and sadness. Only in this way, she can show all her potential:

Vaggie: Well, I mean… You're the princess of Hell. Charlie: So? Vaggie: So, you don't really use the power that comes with that, which I love about you, but maybe you can… I don't know, command a little more… Authority? Charlie: But that's so mean…! Vaggie: It's not mean, exactly. It's… uh, aggressive kindness.

She has to accept the light and shadow in others and in the world (macrocosm) by realizing people are not always showing their whole selves. Only in this way, she can truly understand humanity and inspire it:

I can hear all their stories The lost and displaced And I know that they're more of an acquired taste But if I open the door and I give them a place At my Hazbin Hotel It'll be a happy day in Hell!

Charlie's arc is one where she starts ignorant and slowly becomes more knowledgeable about good (light) and evil (shadow). At the same time, she is also bound to bring this newfound knowledge to those around her. As a matter of fact Charlie herself is the second coming of the forbidden fruit.

LUCIFER'S APPLE

Lucifer: I've been dyin' to find out who you are Charlie: I've been waiting, wanting the same thing Lucifer: Looks like the apple doesn't fall far Charlie: Took you a while Lucifer: I've missed that smile

In More Than Anything, Lucifer refers to Charlie as the "apple, which doesn't fall far". In the context of the song, he means Charlie is taking after him, as both father and daughter are dreamers. Still, within the series, this detail gains a deeper meaning. Charlie isn't Lucifer's apple only because she is his daughter, but also because she will realize Lucifer's past dreams:

Charlie: So in the end, it's the view I had of you That showed me dreams can be worth fighting for More than anything, more than anything I need to save my people more than anything

In a sense, Charlie herself is Lucifer's dream, just like the apple of free will used to be:

Lucifer: You didn't know that when I tried this all before My dreams were too hard to defend And in the end, I won't lose it all again Now you're the only thing worth fighting for More than anything, more than anything I'll shelter and adore you more than anything

She is a new dream, which ties with his original one. This is why Charlie's name means "free man": she is a free child, who is gonna free humanity.

All of this ties into Charlie's obvious allusion to Jesus:

Adam: Risking your immortal life for sinners? That's some crazy shit, even for Lucifer's brat! Charlie: These sinners are my family!

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

Jesus is God's son, who is sent to Earth to redeem humanity

Charlie is the Devil's daughter, who is trying to redeem humanity in Hell

Both are saviors, who are meant to fix the original sin. Both face off against rigid systems and juxtapose to many complicated laws one simple rule:

You're gonna fight without gloves And when that push comes to shove Yeah, you just might rise above Long as you're out for love

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (John 4:7)

Both offer love and acceptance even to the most wretched people, as they strongly believe these people are more than their mistakes:

Sir Pentious: Who could forgive a dirtbag like me? I don't deserve your amnesty Angel Dust and Vaggie: Can't we just kill him? Shoot him and spill his blood? Charlie: That's an… option you could choose Angel Dust and Vaggie: Works for us! Charlie: But, who hasn't been in his shoes? It starts with sorry!

So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. (John 8:7-11)

So, Charlie is a messianic archetype and a new version of the Eden Apple. This is why apples are strongly associated with her:

The Hazbin Hotel logo has several symbols linked to the main characters:

A spider-web for Angel

Playing Cards for Husk

Gears for Sir Pentious

A needle and a thread for Niffty

Antlers for Alastor

An X for Vaggie

A key for Kee-Kee

What about Charlie herself? She is represented by the apple on top, just like her symbol in the rebuilt Hazbin Hotel is the giant apple on the front door:

So, the series makes it very clear: Charlie herself is the apple, which will save humanity. This means two things thematically:

Charlie is the apple, who will bring an understanding of what is really good and what is really evil (The Fruit of Knowledge)

Charlie is the apple, who will redeem the original sin (The Fruit of Redemption)

So, let's discover what this means for the themes of knowledge and redemption.

IGNORANT APPLE (KNOWLEDGE)

Charlie is the second coming of the Fruit of Knowledge, but she herself is inexperienced and naive.

She lacks knowledge of both the macrocosm (the laws of the universe):

Sera: I'm sure you wish it could be so But, there's a lot that you don't know

And the microcosm (her loved ones):

Adam: Don't you act all high and mighty Did you ever think your little girlfriend might be a liar? Vaggie: Don't, Adam, please! Adam: What's the fuss? Why hide the fact that you're an angel just like us?

How can such an ignorant apple bring wisdom to the world? She does so by asking questions:

Charlie: Well, if you know so much, what do you think it takes to get into Heaven?

After all, the court case Charlie attends is called a "questioning". This is because Charlie is questioning the whole system. She is questioning why it must be so that once souls are in hell they can't go to heaven.

Not only that, but even if the trial is supposedly about redemption:

Sera: We are gathered here today to determine whether or not a soul in Hell can be redeemed into the heavenly realm via means of this "Hazbin Hotel".

It turns out it is really about knowledge:

Charlie: Wait… none of you know what gets someone into Heaven?

Or to better say, it is about how people react to ignorance (lack of knowledge). In particular, two opposite behaviors are shown:

Adam: Uhhh… well, uh… Then, then why isn't he here then? Hm? Emily: Yeah, why isn't he here?

Adam and Emily ask the same question, but they give it different spins.

On the one hand Adam's question is rhetorical. He does not really want to know why Angel is not in Heaven. Rather, he is using Angel being in Hell as proof he is evil and irredeemable.

On the other hand Emily's question is genuine. She is earnestly trying to understand if redemption is possible or not. So, when she sees that Angel exhibits positive qualities, she is confused as for why he is condemned to Hell forever.

And then there is Sera:

Sera: This questioning stops now. We know when a soul arrives, we know when they pass divine judgment, it is our job to ensure these souls are safe.

When important questions are finally being asked, Sera decides it is time to stop. Why? Because she is scared. She fears knowledge because she knows knowledge can break the world:

And change the power balance:

The climax of the song You Didn't Know shows exactly this. Charlie and Emily, a demon and an angel, look down on Sera, the highest authority in the room, and tell her the current system is wrong:

Charlie and Emily: If Hell is forever, then Heaven must be a lie If angels can do whatever, and remain in the sky The rules are shades of gray when you don't do as you say When you make the wretched suffer just to kill them again

For a brief moment Charlie manages to disrupt the order and Sera is terrified. This is why throughout the questioning she favors Adam and Lute, who lack critical thinking:

Adam and Lute: There's no question to be posed He's unholy, case closed Did you forget that "Hell is forever"?

Charlie, Emily, Adam and Lute are all ignorant. However, Charlie and Emily struggle with their ignorance and try to understand things and to acquire knowledge. Adam and Lute instead are content with their ignorance, which means they are easily manipulated. This is why, even if Sera clearly feels sympathy for Charlie and is annoyed by Adam, she still declares the First Man winner of the debate:

Sera: I'm sorry… but this court finds that there is no evidence souls in Hell can be redeemed. Adam: Oh, FUCK, YES!! I WIN!!! SUCK IT BITCHES.

Similarly, even if she clearly loves Emily (or precisely because she loves Emily), she insists the younger seraphim should not question things:

Sera: Please…. if you start to question… you could end up like Lucifer: Fallen.

Sera knows knowledge is dangerous both for the world and for the individual. Lucifer's story is a cautionary tale about this.

And yet, knowledge can also be a catalyst for positive change.

Charlie's idea that souls could be redeemed would result in a WIN WIN for both Heaven and Hell.

At the same time, ignorance can lead to dangerous miscalculations.

The exorcists not considering that their own weapons could kill them is what marks their defeat:

Adam: That's how they can kill us? With our own weapons?! Fucking weak, dude.

The angelic weapons' reveal is particularly interesting because it is very simple once you think about it:

Vaggie: Angelic weapons? It's that simple? How has no one else figured this out?

Both Vaggie and Adam comment on how it is even a little bit lame. After all, angelic weapons can kill usually un-killable demons and even Hell Royalty. Why nobody thought they could work on angels too? According to Carmilla, it is because:

Carmilla: Angelic steel isn't common, and those who have it aren't exactly rushing off to test it against exorcists.

In short, everyone is so stuck in cynicism and apathy, that nobody imagines things could be different and even better, if they just tried.

Nobody, but Charlie. She is the only one, who comes up with a different approach and does not simply accept that "this is just how things are". She has an outside the box idea on how to deal with overpopulation and tests it. She does so, despite everyone telling her it is impossible, dangerous or just plain out stupid. What's the result?

Throughout just six months, Charlie proves the rigid white and black vision imposed by Heaven false. She shows exterminations were useless and unnecessary. She also puts under question the whole way angels and demons have been understanding the universe. In Lucifer's words:

Lucifer: Come on little lady, why the frown? In the last 10,000 years You're the first one to change this town

Ten-thousand years of pain and hopelessness are solved in few months, simply because a girl dared questioning what she was told. So, this is why Charlie is the Fruit of Knowledge. It is not because she knows things, but rather because she pursues knowledge by asking questions.

THE GOOD APPLE (REDEMPTION)

Charlie is the fruit of Lucifer and Lilith's forbidden love, which makes her their second Forbidden Fruit. Their first one broke the world, so Charlie wants to fix it. By doing so she is trying to redeem:

The sinners

Her family

Her own existence

After all, both Hell and Charlie only exist because of Lucifer and Lilith's love. So, Charlie probably feels that she must repair their mistake for her life to be meaningful:

Charlie:I can come into my own And I think I've always known My destiny could never be postponed

In a sense, she wants to prove that her parents' love was right because, even if it broke everything (the Forbidden Apple), it can also fix everything (Charlie herself). Maybe even itself (Lucifer and Lilith's separation).

In short, Charlie is trying to turn a bad apple into a good one. Will she manage?

Adam says she can't because redemption is impossible:

Adam: Sorry, sweetie But there's no defyin' their fates! 'Cause Hell is forever Whether you like it or not Had their chance to behave better Now they boil in the pot 'Cause the rules are black and white There's no use in tryin' to fight it They're burnin' for their lives Until we kill 'em again!

Charlie instead insists she can because everyone can redeem themselves:

Charlie: If I can show them the dream I've dreamed That any soul can change! Vaggie: Those angels' minds are hard to change Charlie: Then they will know everyone can be redeemed From the evil to the strange! Vaggie: They're bloodthirsty and deranged!

Both have a very black and white vision:

(Here Adam references the internet meme Bad apple by the way)

This same vision is ironically shared by all fandoms :'''). Every time there is a villain set up for redemption, here come two opposing sides:

One side argues the character's crimes are too many and too awful to earn them a redemption; every redemption arc the writer can come up with will be trite and hypocritical

The other side argues the character suffered, is sympathetic and so they will definitely get redemption and survive

The problem with this "never-ending battle" is that the two sides can't agree on what redemption is. Does it overlap with forgiveness? Is it something earned? Is it sufficient for the character to change? Everyone has a different idea.

Charlie, Adam and all the other Hazbin Hotel characters are the same. Everyone sees redemption as something different. Here are some examples.

Charlie imagines sin as an illness she can cure with the right therapy:

Charlie: Forever again We'll cure your sin We'll make you well, you'll feel so swell Right here in Hell, at the Happy Hotel!

This is why her Hazbin Hotel is a mix between a school and a therapy group, where the guests are both problematic children and patients. This approach is made very obvious with Angel in particular:

Vaggie: And we've almost been able to find all of Angel Dust's drug stashes… Almost. Charlie: So, once that's out of the way it should be much smoother sailing.

Charlie believes Angel's addiction is his main sin, whereas that's not the case. It is a symptom, not the illness. However, Charlie can only see this problem and insists on curing it as part of Angel's path towards redemption (which works because it helps Angel feel better, so he can work on himself and grow).

2. Adam gives three conditions for a soul to redeem itself:

"Act selfless, don't steal, stick it to the man"

3. Sera and the other angels think a soul is "good" only if it automatically materializes itself into Heaven and becomes an angel after death.

4. Sir Pentious's redemption is a subversion (and potentially a deconstruction, but we'll see) of the redemption equals death trope. This trope happens when a character redeems himself by dying, so that everyone can be saved/the villain is defeated. This sacrifice is usually portrayed as epic and it is pivotal in solving the conflict.

However, Pentious's "death" is different. It starts out as epic and sentimental, but it ends in a joke, as Adam easily kills him. Not only that, but Pentious's sacrifice ultimately fails to have any kind of practical impact on the battle. It accomplishes nothing, but it still gains him a redemption. Why? Because he acted out of selfless love. What matters isn't the result, but rather the intention.

5. Buxter, an upcoming new character wants to explore redemption from a "scientific point of view", so he can prove it is "logically impossible".

So, every character has a different interpretation of what redemption is. This is why an honest discussion about redemption becomes difficult:

Charlie: Thank you, Seraphim. Webster's dictionary defines redemption as— Adam: Objection, lame and unoriginal. Sera: Sustained. No further dictionary references please.

It's important that Sera sustains Adam's objection. Sure, it is favoritism and also a joke. However, there is also something deeper going on. By stopping Charlie from offering a definition of redemption, Sera can easily refute any following reasoning. After all, how can Charlie prove a soul is "redeemed", when there is no agreement on what redemption even is? This is also why later on Sera neither accepts nor dismisses Adam's three conditions for a soul to reach Heaven:

Adam: Uh, yeah. Sure got me here, didn't it? Right, Sera? Sera: He was the first human soul in Heaven…

In this way, she can easily claim there is no evidence souls can be redeemed. Of course, there is no evidence. There is no common ground on what redemption means.

So, what is redemption?

This is the question the show is exploring and its final answer will decide the story's theme. As for now, there is no real definition and Charlie's mark of growth in season one is to aknowledge this:

Charlie: I want you all to know… that getting to know you has been the biggest honor of my life. Whatever redemption really means, I know you all tried. I have seen the good in all of you. And it's…I-I'm just…I love you all, so much.

Charlie does not know what redemption is, but she believes it to be possible. This makes her the savior of humanity. As Lucifer sings:

Lucifer: You can do this, now I know it! For your story has just begun You can't quit now. Hell, you owe it! There's still damage to be undone You've changed my mind, you've touched their hearts Found the good in souls gone bad The stage is wrecked, the crowd is gone But by God, Charlie! The show, it must go on!

Charlie never loses faith in people, even if she fails to understand them or sees them at their worst. This is why she is the Good Apple, which will save humans and redeem the world.

AN APPLE MENDING HEARTS

Charlie is both the Fruit of Knowledge and the Good Apple. She will pursue knowledge and keep her faith in humanity. Still, to succeed she might have to face the embodiment of the Bad Apple, that is Eve:

Overture sets up a foiling between Charlie and Eve. As a matter of fact, the myth of Eden has:

White (light) Charlie holding a heart

Black (shadow) Eve holding an apple

The two women are meant to be juxtaposed and it is probable they will clash, especially if Eve is eventually confirmed to be Roo. After all:

Eve looks a lot like Evil

The name Eve sounds similar to Evil, which may be used as a pun

Eve is apparently corrupted by sin and lets Evil in

Roo is rumored to be the Root of Evil, hence Evil herself

Roo's symbol is a broken apple, so she might be linked to the Eden's myth

Because of this, the two characters will most likely be connected, if not the same person altogether.

In any case, Roo/Eve and Charlie will be interesting to compare. They already are design-wise:

Roo's hair is made of shadow and contrasts Charlie's blond hair, which links her to light. At the same time, the two women look similar. For example, they both share the ability to turn an arm into a big claw:

In short, Charlie (the light/good) will have to fight Roo (the shadow/evil), in order to save the world. Still, would defeat Roo be sufficient to win? Ater all, Charlie might discover she is more similar to Roo than she thinks (hence them symbolically sharing the same demonic claw).

In general, Roo will most likely be there to challenge Charlie face her own inner shadows. Meanwhile it is possible Charlie will have to eventually help Roo somehow.

After all, Charlie is the free child ("free man"), who frees others. Roo is instead chained (she wears chains) and she probably traps others into deals.

Finally, Roo's symbol being a broken apple is interesting because its shape resembles a broken heart. This isn't unique to her. Apples are often associated with hearts in Hazbin Hotel. Let's consider Charlie's two weapons in the final battle of season 1:

Both Charlie's shield and her pitchfork sport apples, which look very similar to hearts. Moreover, Charlie's picture in the Story of Hell is her with a red heart. Last, but not least the key of the Hazbin Hotel has a heart-motif (both in its key and in its kitty form):

The meaning is pretty clear: Charlie is the apple, who will open hearts and mend broken souls. Let's see if she will do so for Roo's, as well.

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