sonkitty

[sonkitty]

The Three Singles that become a Triple.

The One Triple that becomes a Single.

...

I made the above images while working on my visual edits for Trickery Episode 5 (still in progress).

For those not already familiar with what these are about, you can read more details here: The Sunglasses Trick.

[sonkitty]

I updated the above post to more accurately match my transcript of the series.

Did Crowley create the universe?

Did Crowley create the universe?

Yes, of course he did.

See. No universe yet.

Crowley says, "Let there be light."

Now we have a universe!

Ta-da!

See, easy.

...

What's that you say?

You don't believe me.

Well, okay.

Hold on, another call is coming in.

Oh, this caller wants the more complicated form of the answer.

Hmm. Okay, Imaginary Caller, for you, I will do that, but I will also give the skeptics a moment to leave if they so wish.

And the people who find this stuff boring, also if they so wish.

...

Okay, moment over.

So, what's the more complicated way to get to Yes?

When Crowley opens the book in Before the Beginning, it is labeled as a Nebula 213,080. During the line in which he recites the words, those words before, "Let there be light," you can find the letter set to "Book of Lie."

This letter set happens before the first instance of the letter set for "Book of Life." Throughout the dialogue in the show, a curious reader can find both in a format that looks like whoever put it there wants it to be found.

After all, the last instance of "Book of Life" happens before the last instance of "Book of Lie."

And the last instance of "Book of Lie" is the last time the letter set for "matchbox" can be found.

All of that is to say, that the Good Omens 2 universe takes place in the Book of Lie, a universe Crowley created in Before the Beginning.

Am I sure?

Well, I am quite sure those letter sets are where they are to give me that type of idea, which is in line with what's happening in Before the Beginning.

Before the Beginning tells us a lot of things, but a really basic idea is to show us a type of nothing surrounding a character before our idea of what the universe is appears.

The character showing the most substantial work on screen into making that happen is Crowley, but we are assured he didn't do it alone. He calls out to Aziraphale for help and even when Aziraphale asks if Crowley made it all himself, referring more specifically to the nebula, Crowley hesitantly credits himself while also admitting he wasn't the original concept designer. He worked very closely with Upstairs on it.

From there, new questions form. Is the Book of Lie a pocket reality, a backup copy of reality, a development copy of reality, a strong extension of Crowley's imagination, or what? Like...after Adam rebooted reality, with all its exertions on the fallout, does reality need time to repair itself? Crowley's incantation starts from page 11 after all. Adam was 11 when he rebooted reality.

The nebula in question is named the Pillars of Creation, so while that doesn't specify "universe" by word, it does lend itself to the "create" part of our worded question.

Speaking of which, perhaps you are wondering if the letter sets in Before the Beginning give us the answer to this question, and surprisingly, yes.

You wouldn't think so because "no" is so much easier to find than "yes," due to "n" being a more frequently used letter than "y."

In Before the Beginning, Crowley has 4 lines where you can find the letter set for the question, "Did Crowley create the universe?"

They are:

Example 1:

Oh, right. Well, what doesn't this beauty do? Basically, it's a star factory. All the, all the dust and gas you can see, is actually building about… about 5,000 young stars and protoplanets. Most of the universe's stars will come pre-aged, but these ones are only starting out. A few million years to bake, and then voom! Stars everywhere!

Example 2:

But that's idiocy! It's, it's the universe, it's not just some fancy wallpaper! Millions of galaxies, trillions of stars, oodles of... everything! It's not just put here to twinkle! Most of it won't even be visible from Earth. Why don't you put Earth in the middle of the universe so the view's better?

Example 3:

Well, you know, if I was the one running it all, I'd like it if someone asked questions. Fresh point of view. You can't just create a universe, run it for a few thousand years, and then stop.

Example 4:

Mm, thanks for your help. And thanks for your advice. I wouldn't worry though. How much trouble can I get into just for asking a few questions?

Notice that 3 of these 4 instances have one question mark and even the one that doesn't has the word "questions" in the dialogue.

So, how do those examples give us Yes?

In Example 1, you can find the "y" for "yes" 9 times. On its own, that number mainly stands out at the moment due to a related puzzle about Crowley's rank and the number of orders in angelic hierarchy. I am reasonably sure of myself that he's a Throne in this scene, in case you were wondering.

For our current search, the 9 is more of an alert that we can consider numbers in this question/puzzle.

In Example 2, the "y" hits 5, which doesn't help much at the moment.

But Examples 3 and 4 are where we get the answer.

In both examples, the "y" for "yes" can be found 3 times. If you don't already know by now, this story is heavy on the Rule of Three.

Interestingly, for Example 3, the letter "s" is findable 11 times to match our page 11 of the book.

But Example 4 is where it's really at.

The letter "e" is very, very common in the dialogue. For Crowley's "spend" speech in the Final Fifteen, I can find the letter "e" 70 times. Why 70? I don't know, but it definitely stuck out when I was running other searches.

How many instances of the letter "e" can be found in the question, "Did Crowley create the universe?" The answer is 6.

How many instances of the letter "e" can be found in Example 4? The answer is also 6.

Example 4 is the last finding for the Book of Life in the letter sets for this scene, all found in that last question of, "How much trouble can I get into just for asking a few questions?"

Not only are there 6 instances of the letter "e," there are 6 instances of the letter "s" to be found in that last line, and 6 instances of the letter "i."

What's so important about the "i," given that the letter is not in "yes," "no," or even "maybe"? If Crowley's telling us the answer, he is giving us the "i" to represent him ("I did" or more specifically, "I did but not on my own").

Do you remember the 5 instances of "y" for Example 2?

How many words is the question, "Did Crowley create the universe?" It is 5 words.

Returning to the letter "e" idea, that is a precise effort to get that many of that extremely common letter. It matches the number of Crowley's 6 Threshold Tricks performed during Good Omens 2. We get the "s" and the "i" to reach 3 letters that hit the 6.

And the number 6 is a perfect number.

So, that's a way of the writing communicating to a curious reader that yes, this exact question wording was intentionally hidden in the dialogue, especially for the last line of the scene. From there, you can play with the numbers for the "yes." We can be further helped along by recognizing that "yes" is a 3-letter word.

A key idea in answering this question is to recognize that Crowley had help. He was part of a team. Even in Earthly Objects where his play is top tier and well beyond other characters, his advanced moves, his Threshold Tricks, always require assistance from somebody somehow to do the Trick.

[sonkitty]

For shorter updates like "I recorded some more," I will now be posting in a thread on BlueSky:

By the way, I'm also on BlueSky. I'm more active here than there, but I am starting to use it a little more lately.

Basic Trickery Update Info:

Episode 4: Looking (based on Trickery Post #4 - Looking) is in progress, but that progress is slow. I do not have as many chances to record audio lately at home due to personal life circumstances. Still, it is going, even if slowly. The audio recording is about halfway done. I generally record the audio first, then spend a few days putting the visuals to go with the audio.

[sonkitty]

Links of interest, to me, on this particular topic:

The Crowley meta no one asked for (Raphael)

hey, I may be stupid, but when... (Neil Gaiman: Not Lucifer)

I know much of the Good Omens fandom has... (Jophiel)

Crowley is Baraqiel or Barachiel

I know at some point, somebody wrote a meta about Crowley being one that started with a "B" (like Baraqiel or Barachiel) above. They cited the Book of Enoch and certain characteristics. The post had a part focused on the Book of Job, so I am reasonably sure it's not the one I linked above. I couldn't find it in my searches.

There is an archangel crowley tag here on Tumblr to explore people talking about the subject further as well and where I found some of the above links.

...

My own conclusion is, basically, Raphael, due to season 2's focus on the word Archangel and Raphael being the more well-known Archangel name that is missing among Gabriel, Michael, and Uriel.

There are definitely clues that Aziraphale is also, or instead, Raphael, especially with his link to healing and being on the path to becoming Supreme Archangel at the end of S2.

So, my take fits more with thinking that both Crowley and Aziraphale are Raphael in conceptual form. When it comes to the angel name I think Crowley had before his fall, that would be Raphael.

I have further notes on thinking through Raphael, Samael, and Lucifer, if anyone is ever curious (just ask).

Who do you think Crowley was as an angel?

As in, what do you think his name was?

Feel free to link your already-written meta posts on the subject or write a whole new one in response to this post. You can even share compiled lists of other people's meta posts!

I will freely admit to you my own mindset is currently focused on the names Raphael and Lucifer. The name Samael has occurred to me as well, but that has to do with avidly playing Persona 4 Golden in the past and recently hearing the name dropped in The Sandman TV series.

...

I did not ask about his rank since I am extremely confident in my own theorizing that he was a Throne for most of his angel existence, which would include Before the Beginning in S2E1. I think he was probably a Seraph before or after that.

You can still share what you think on the rank, I'm just saying, you're not going to convince me otherwise. I'm not really interested in any take that resembles, "I think/hope he was a nobody" though.

...

And if you're wondering how I can even think the name Lucifer is possible given other factors, well, just ask. I'll write a separate thing about it.

[sonkitty]

Oh, if it's a solvable puzzle, it should already be in the canon that we have. I'm asking what people think it is, really and truly, if you have to guess, what do you think it is?

I have found answers to other puzzles/questions I consider already confirmed and solved through Earthly Objects. I know a lot or most of the answers will not show up in the finale, that the only confirmation is through playing the game well enough.

I don't know if this particular puzzle is solvable, but the best way to find out is to try and solve it.

Who do you think Crowley was as an angel?

As in, what do you think his name was?

Feel free to link your already-written meta posts on the subject or write a whole new one in response to this post. You can even share compiled lists of other people's meta posts!

I will freely admit to you my own mindset is currently focused on the names Raphael and Lucifer. The name Samael has occurred to me as well, but that has to do with avidly playing Persona 4 Golden in the past and recently hearing the name dropped in The Sandman TV series.

...

I did not ask about his rank since I am extremely confident in my own theorizing that he was a Throne for most of his angel existence, which would include Before the Beginning in S2E1. I think he was probably a Seraph before or after that.

You can still share what you think on the rank, I'm just saying, you're not going to convince me otherwise. I'm not really interested in any take that resembles, "I think/hope he was a nobody" though.

...

And if you're wondering how I can even think the name Lucifer is possible given other factors, well, just ask. I'll write a separate thing about it.

[sonkitty]

Who do you think Crowley was as an angel?

As in, what do you think his name was?

Feel free to link your already-written meta posts on the subject or write a whole new one in response to this post. You can even share compiled lists of other people's meta posts!

I will freely admit to you my own mindset is currently focused on the names Raphael and Lucifer. The name Samael has occurred to me as well, but that has to do with avidly playing Persona 4 Golden in the past and recently hearing the name dropped in The Sandman TV series.

...

I did not ask about his rank since I am extremely confident in my own theorizing that he was a Throne for most of his angel existence, which would include Before the Beginning in S2E1. I think he was probably a Seraph before or after that.

You can still share what you think on the rank, I'm just saying, you're not going to convince me otherwise. I'm not really interested in any take that resembles, "I think/hope he was a nobody" though.

...

And if you're wondering how I can even think the name Lucifer is possible given other factors, well, just ask. I'll write a separate thing about it.

[sonkitty]

Actual quote for the record:

Uh, probably... seven. You know how God likes sevens.

-Michael, S2E2: The Clue (2500 BC)

being a fan of good omens is a prison sentence cos what do you MEAN aziraphale looks back for crowley SEVEN TIMES before he leaves???

as in “God does love working in sevens”????

i hate it here

[sonkitty]

Who do you think Crowley was as an angel?

As in, what do you think his name was?

Feel free to link your already-written meta posts on the subject or write a whole new one in response to this post. You can even share compiled lists of other people's meta posts!

I will freely admit to you my own mindset is currently focused on the names Raphael and Lucifer. The name Samael has occurred to me as well, but that has to do with avidly playing Persona 4 Golden in the past and recently hearing the name dropped in The Sandman TV series.

...

I did not ask about his rank since I am extremely confident in my own theorizing that he was a Throne for most of his angel existence, which would include Before the Beginning in S2E1. I think he was probably a Seraph before or after that.

You can still share what you think on the rank, I'm just saying, you're not going to convince me otherwise. I'm not really interested in any take that resembles, "I think/hope he was a nobody" though.

...

And if you're wondering how I can even think the name Lucifer is possible given other factors, well, just ask. I'll write a separate thing about it.

[sonkitty]

Someone very clever—certainly someone much cleverer than whoever had trained that imp—must have made the clock for the Patrician’s waiting room. It went tick-tock like any other clock. But somehow, and against all usual horological practice, the tick and the tock were irregular. Tick tock tick . . . and then the merest fraction of a second longer before . . . tock tick tock . . . and then a tick a fraction of a second earlier than the mind’s ear was now prepared for. The effect was enough, after ten minutes, to reduce the thinking processes of even the best-prepared to a sort of porridge. The Patrician must have paid the clockmaker quite highly.

...

-Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett

The above is a quote about the Patrician's clock in the Discworld novel, Feet of Clay.

Well, I did not find the Patrician's clock over here in our world, but I did find a clock with maddening behavior. Some months ago I came across this clock in a hospital:

...

To @dunkthebiscuit, you're the main person I know of in my follow list who talks about Discworld, so I thought of you when I came across it. I know that you like the character Vetinari (the Patrician), so I hope you appreciate this clock finding.

[sonkitty]

This intention has disaster written all over it. Is there any kind of existing campaign or organization to complain or challenge this thing?

well this fucking sucks

[sonkitty]

Oh, well...Hello.

Mr. Crowley 🐍

[sonkitty]

Oh my fucking god. You are so correct. I love this and if my laptop wasn't broken I would write this. I'm saving this idea. This is amazing. Tell me every detail.

Thank you very much.

Well, I have two posts where I discuss many details of the curse, first as a potential head canon, then an admitted full-scale theory:

The Food Curse

The Food Curse Part 2

Those posts focus on the food and eating part of the curse, not the cattle part or Crowley's name.

And if you want lots and lots of details on the show and imagined things, I document them and analyze them frequently, so my Good Omens 2 Compendium post is probably the best place to start for more.

Ok but I love the idea that the reason Crowley doesn't eat is because in the Bible god curses the serpent to only eat dust for all its days.

Like imagine him trying food for the first time and as soon as it touches his tongue it turns to dust in his mouth. A curse similar to Tantalus' but for one small thing;

Crowley finding the smallest loophole that is drinks not being food and him indulging in every drink he can as one more way to spite his creator.

[sonkitty]

The Threshold Trick Touches

Happy Anniversary to Good Omens 2!

Now I have a motivating excuse to make this post.

This post will be similar to the walk-through with the shoes and Threshold Tricks, but I want to focus on the touches themselves. I'll try not to get too distracted by everything else, except that we'll account for the score at the end as well.

We will count upward to 24 instead of downward this time.

As a general intro and/or refresher, depending on how familiar you are with this blog:

The Threshold Tricks are six special findable puzzles in Good Omens 2 for its massive puzzle game, Earthly Objects.

The miracle that set off alarms in Heaven is described as "nearly 25 Lazarii".

Every Threshold Trick has a primary Single, a primary Double, and a primary Triple. That's 1 + 2 + 3 to give us the perfect number of 6.

However, due to multipliers, they are not worth only 6 points each. They are segmented in different ways to make sure they are all in a different format. A basic principle in action is, "Never do the same trick twice."

The Perfect Entrance Trick is the most basic form, and we have 3 touches total.

The Bigger Thresholds Trick has multipliers involved in the last visit, but we are still basically dealing with 3 broad touches of visiting a given space. That puts our running total at 6.

The Pocket Trick has 5 touches. That puts our running total total at 11.

The Sunglasses Trick has 8 touches. That puts our running total at 19.

The Door Trick has a special case of a simultaneous touch. It has a Single, a Double with a Double multiplier, and a Triple with a Triple multiplier. Even so, all of these things are credited at the same time for one special touch. That puts our running total at 20.

The Window Trick has 4 touches total. That puts our running total at 24.

...

S2E1: The Arrival

Overall Touches #1-3

The Perfect Entrance Trick

These touches take place as Crowley enters the coffee shop in S2E1.

Touch #1 is Crowley's shoe on the edge of the sidewalk. That is the Single of this Threshold Trick.

Touch #2 is Crowley's right hand touching both the door frame and window frame of the car. His thumb avoids the window pane. He touched two thresholds, so that is the Double of this Threshold Trick.

Touch #3 is Crowley placing three digits of his left hand on the door panel of the coffee shop. I will not get into the special extra technicalities Crowley does, such as this time involving the left thumb tip on the window pane, but I am going to tell you he does such things. He does those things on purpose because he is the game's GOAT (Greatest of All Time). Three digits on the panel is the Triple of this Threshold Trick.

To show us the "perfect" aspect of these Tricks, we have a basic score of 1 + 2 + 3 = 6.

...

Overall Touch #4

The Sunglasses Trick Touch #1 (Double #1)

Touch #4 takes place as the opening to the scene of Crowley being in the bookshop for the first time in the story. It is during S2E1. Soon, but not yet, he will find out Gabriel is there.

Crowley's sunglasses are his door to himself. That's a threshold. This threshold has thresholds, and those thresholds are the end pieces.

Crowley removes his sunglasses with only his right hand, touching both end pieces, so two thresholds, at the same time.

This touch is the first of two Doubles to later create a layered Double.

...

Overall Touch #5

The Sunglasses Trick Touch #2 (Triple Part 1)

Touch #5 takes place after Crowley enters his car at night and before Beelzebub appears in S2E1.

Crowley removes his sunglasses with his right hand. This time, he touches only one end piece instead of both.

This touch is the first of three. These touches involve Crowley not hissing during the touch, not holding an earthly object with his hands or his supernatural power during the touch, and taking place during the present day.

It is Triple Part 1 that will eventually combine into a Single of One Triple.

...

Overall Touch #6

The Sunglasses Trick Touch #3 (Triple Part 2)

Touch #6 takes place shortly after Crowley returns to the bookshop and before Aziraphale actually looks at him in S2E1. It is also before the big miracle that sets off alarms in Heaven.

Crowley removes his sunglasses with his left hand. Again, he touches only one end piece instead of both. This touch is the second of three, similar to the one just before it. He did not hiss. He did not hold an earthly object with his hands or supernatural power. The touch took place during the present day.

It is Triple Part 2 that will eventually combine into a Single of One Triple.

...

S2E2: The Clue

Overall Touch #7

The Bigger Thresholds Trick Touch #1 (Double)

For the Bigger Thresholds Trick, each of these "touches" is a visit to a location where Crowley tricks a threshold bigger than him with an assistant. They are complex puzzles where an audience player is supposed to find the simple explanation of how the threshold was tricked.

Touch #7 is Crowley's visit to the pub with Aziraphale in S2E2. The pub's threshold has two lanes, represented by two posts, making it the Double.

How did Crowley trick the pub threshold?

He switched lanes.

...

Overall Touch #8

The Sunglasses Trick Touch #4 (Single #1)

Touch #8 takes place in S2E2 after Crowley has entered the bookshop with Aziraphale. When Gabriel admits to remembering the three people visiting the shop, Crowley tries to get him to remember more.

Crowley removes his sunglasses with his right hand. Even though he still touches only one end piece, this touch is different from the previous two that will eventually be the Single.

This time, Crowley does hiss. This time, he does have an earthly object in his other hand. The object is a Jane Austen book. The next two similar touches will have different sunglasses as the main clue to distinguish this set as the group of Singles.

This touch is the first of three that will eventually be the Triple of Three Singles.

...

Overall Touch #9

The Sunglasses Trick Touch #5 (Single #2)

Touch #9 takes place during the minisode in S2E2. It is when Aziraphale confronts him and tries to convince him not to destroy Job's children.

Crowley removes his sunglasses with his right hand. He touches only one end piece. He hisses. While he does not have an earthly object visibly physically present in his right hand, his supernatural power is on the crows that turn into goats during the scene.

The sunglasses are different from the last touch.

This touch is truly exceptional in the entire batch since it is the only one that takes place in the past.

This touch is the second of three that will eventually be the Triple of Three Singles.

...

Overall Touch #10

The Pocket Trick Touch #1 (Triple Part 1)

Touch #10 takes place near the end of S2E2. Crowley is walking alone with his right hand fingers in his pocket.

This touch is Triple Part 1: Short Sideburns.

It is the first of three with the following characteristics:

-Crowley has four fingers of his right hand inside the pocket, and his right thumb outside the pocket.

-Crowley's left hand is not in a pocket and not visibly, physically touching anything.

-Crowley has short sideburns.

...

Overall Touch #11

The Pocket Trick Touch #2 (Triple Part 2)

Touch #11 takes place near the end of S2E2. Crowley spoke with Nina and is now approaching Aziraphale as he asks, "Do you need a lift somewhere?"

This touch is Triple Part 2: Short Sideburns.

...

The Threshold Tricks take a break during the car loan for the special connection to form between homes. As such, they do not happen during S2E3: I Know Where I'm Going and S2E4: The Hitchhiker.

...

S2E2: The Ball

Overall Touch #12

The Bigger Thresholds Trick Touch #2 (Single)

Touch #12 is Crowley's visit to the music shop with Aziraphale in S2E5. The music shop's threshold has one sign on the window, making it the Single.

This touch takes place at the same time and in the same scene as The Pocket Trick's Double. I am counting this one as Touch #12 since Crowley's left hand fingers touch the door before he touches his pockets.

How did Crowley trick the music shop threshold?

He never let go of the door.

...

Overall Touch #13

The Pocket Trick Touch #3 (Double)

Touch #13 takes place in the music shop, as mentioned above. It is The Pocket Trick Double: Two Pockets. It happens with Crowley placing and then keeping his two thumbs in his two pants pockets during the music shop scene.

...

Overall Touch #14

The Pocket Trick Touch #4 (Triple Part 3)

Touch #14 takes place during Justine's ball invitation in S2E5.

This touch is Triple Part 3: Short Sideburns.

Crowley has his right hand fingers pocketed while he watches Aziraphale invite Justine.

...

Overall Touch #15

The Sunglasses Trick Touch #6 (Single #3)

Touch #15 takes place when Crowley is interrogating Gabriel in S2E2. They are in the upstairs bedroom.

Crowley removes his sunglasses with his left hand. He touches only one end piece. He hisses. He is known to be holding a glass of red wine in his right hand.

The sunglasses are different from the last touch.

This touch is the third of the three Singles. Now that all Singles are done, we can switch them to become the Triple of Three Singles for The Sunglasses Trick.

...

S2E5: The Ball

Overall Touch #16

The Bigger Thresholds Trick Touch #3 (Triple)

Touch #16 is Crowley's visit to the Heaven with Muriel in S2E6. The Heaven elevator has three buttons, making it the Triple of this Threshold Trick.

How did Crowley trick the Heaven threshold?

He pretended to be arrested by an angel.

This touch is the only one that takes place during two episodes. Most of the entrance was in S2E5: The Ball. The concluding part of the entrance and the entire exit are in S2E6: Every Day.

S2E6: Every Day

Now we start involving the multipliers. We will get the overall score at the end, but this place is the best time to show and explain what the multipliers are for why I use the numbers I will use.

Before we do that, here is a basic disclaimer and/or reminder.

I am playing a puzzle game where the game is to figure out how the game works. I have to guess based on the clues.

I am extremely confident that the Earthly Objects game exists and these Threshold Tricks exist. I have not solved all puzzles, such as how the layering and awareness of the game and the characters work, but I know the game is there. I know these puzzles exist. I know the tie strands are connected to the hands because they are Crowley's Tied Hands. I know the answers I gave for how these bigger thresholds were tricked.

I do not know this score. I am very much guessing and fully embracing my bias toward Crowley being this game's GOAT, that he made the moves he did to reach this score. That has been helpful in solving past puzzles, so there is that at least. I do have some degree of confidence in my guess, but it's not as high as many of the items mentioned above.

Alright, here we go. Take my word for it or don't, but the multipliers go like this:

There is a multiplier of 3 due to Crowley briefly having 3 heads when the light goes up over him in the elevator. His belt is his Belt Head. That's one head. His headband is his Belt Head for his angel disguise. That's two heads. Then there is his actual head. That's three heads.

There is a multiplier of 2 due to Crowley having two different appearances: his angel disguise and his standard demon appearance.

There is a multiplier of 2 due to Crowley touching two doors at the same time with his back.

So, that's 3 * 2 * 2. That gives us 12.

Now we take the Triple we are on, that's a 3, and multiply that by 12: 3 * 12 = 36.

Add the Double from the pub: 36 + 2 = 38.

Add the Single from the music shop: 38 + 1 = 39.

Our final score for The Bigger Thresholds Trick is 39.

...

Overall Touch #17

The Pocket Trick Touch #5 (Single)

Touch #17 takes place in S2E6 when Crowley returns to the bookshop. He is returning after he escorted Maggie and Nina out. This touch is shortly before Gabriel and Beelzebub leave.

This touch is touch The Pocket Trick Single: Astragal.

Crowley has his right hand fingers in his pocket and his thumb outside the pocket. That is a similarity to the Triple. However, then it differs. He is visibly, physically touching a door. That touch includes the left hand touching a door panel and the astragal, the part where the doors meet each other. Additionally, he has longer sideburns.

Due to how he maneuvers his left hand during this touch, I credit him with two Triple multipliers. There are two different instances of three fingertips on the door panel. The first instance includes the middle, ring, and pinky fingers. The second instance includes the index, middle, and ring fingers.

That's 3 * 3 = 9.

Since we are on the Single, we get 1 * 9 = 9.

Add the Double: 9 + 2 = 11.

Add the Triple: 11 + 3 = 14.

Our final score for The Pocket Trick is 14.

...

Overall Touch #18

The Sunglasses Trick Touch #7 (Triple Part 3)

Touch #18 takes place in S2E6 as the start of the argument scene between Crowley and Aziraphale.

Crowley removes his sunglasses with his right hand. He touches only one end piece. He did not hiss. He did not hold an earthly object with his hands or supernatural power. The touch took place during the present day.

It is Triple Part 3.

However, the Triple is already in place because of the Three Singles now being the Triple.

As such, we now have One Triple to make it the Single of this Threshold Trick.

The Trick is almost done with only one touch left to close it all out.

...

Overall Touch #19

The Sunglasses Trick Touch #8 (Double #2)

Touch #19 takes place in S2E6 during the argument scene between Crowley and Aziraphale. It is after Aziraphale says, "Oh Crowley. Nothing lasts forever," and Crowley replies, "No. No, I don't suppose it does." He puts the sunglasses back on, then says, "Good luck."

This time, Crowley touches the edges of both end pieces with both hands.

Edges are thresholds, so that means he touched the thresholds to the thresholds of his own threshold to himself.

All the same, Crowley now has another Double. That's the second of the two.

The Sunglasses Trick is done.

Every Trick has something that makes it really special compared to the others, and for this one, that's how it is layered.

I only recently came up with this score and have never published it before. I have, however, published the questionable idea for this move's name, usually saying my best guess was "Perfect Reversal", then acknowledging maybe it's "Perfect Layer" or "Perfectly Layered Pocket".

Well, I don't think it's "Perfect Reversal" anymore, even if that's something you're more likely to find in a video game. It's one of those two with the word "Layer". I need to update certain posts, but I am rather sure of that by now. This certainty mainly comes from the "y" then allowing certain words, especially "fly", to be findable in the letter sets involving the Threshold Tricks.

The "Perfect" means one of the multipliers is a 6.

The "Layer" means the other multiplier is an 8. We have 8 touches layered with each other. The Single is One Triple. The Double is two Doubles. The Triple is Three Singles.

Take those multipliers to get 6 * 8 = 48.

Now, due to the special layering this Trick has, we add that number as a big bonus, instead of multiplying any further.

Add the 8 touches themselves: 8 + 48 = 56.

Our final score for The Sunglasses Trick is 56.

It fits my own long-existing bias and belief that this Trick should get the highest score, despite how mind-blowing and amazing The Pocket Trick is.

...

Overall Touch #20

The Door Trick

As already said before, The Door Trick is a special case of a simultaneous touch.

The Door Trick is when Crowley is standing at the door to his car at the end of S2E2. The touch is credited just after Aziraphale looks over at Crowley and before entering the elevator.

He has a Single accessory touch to the door with the watch.

He has a Double clothing touch to the door with the jacket and pants thanks to the pocket touch. He earns a Double multiplier for having the legs crossed.

He has a Triple skin contact touch to the door thanks to the watch and deliberate separation of parts of the hand. He earns a Triple multiplier for the collective middle, ring, and pinky fingers together.

There is a Single. That's 1.

There is a Double with a Double multiplier. That's 2 * 2 = 4.

There is a Triple with a Triple multiplier. That's 3 * 3 = 9.

Add them together: 1 + 4 + 9 = 14.

Our final score for The Door Trick is 14.

That's the same score as The Pocket Trick, for the record.

...

Overall Touches #21-24

The Window Trick

These touches take place after Aziraphale leaves. It involves Crowley looking through windows before he drives away from Soho. Window looks count as touches if done the proper way to earn credit. That's because people look through windows on Earth to see things.

Touch #21 is Double Part 1. That touch is Crowley looking at Nina through Nina's coffee shop window.

Touch #22 is the Single. It is Crowley placing his index finger on the edge where the car door meets the roof. There are three partial rainbows during this touch. I suspect each one represents one of the 3 simple window looks Crowley performed in S2E5 and S2E6. But even if they don't, I do think the partial rainbows are a Triple multiplier for this touch.

Touch #23 is Double Part 2. That touch is Crowley looking at Maggie through Maggie's record shop window.

Touch #24 is the Triple. It is Crowley looking through the lenses of his sunglasses to look through the open car window.

The equation for the score is: 2 + (1 * 3) + 3 = 8.

Our final score for The Window Trick is 8.

...

Now, let's figure out our total score for the Threshold Tricks:

Starting from 0...

Add The Perfect Entrance Trick: 0 + 6 = 6.

Add The Bigger Thresholds Trick: 6 + 39 = 45.

Add The Pocket Trick: 45 + 14 = 59.

Add The Sunglasses Trick: 59 + 56 = 115.

Add The Door Trick: 115 + 14 = 129.

Add The Window Trick: 129 + 8 = 137.

I was really surprised to come up with the idea that The Window Trick has a multiplier, but the score comes out to 137, instead of 135, if the multiplier is included.

Typically, I would be more inclined to think the score should be 135 instead, but there is one very important factor that makes me think it is 137. That factor is Muriel.

Muriel's rank is 37th class. We focused on the touches here, so I did not go over how important Muriel is to the Threshold Tricks, but Muriel is incredibly important to them. I think Trickery Post #8: Muriel is the best place to see the scale of impact this character has on the Threshold Tricks.

Another contributing factor why I think the score is 137 is that I thought to try computing the score after making these two posts:

The Acting Supreme Archangel Crowley 100

The Acting First-Order Archangel Crowley 100

So, take the 100 found for both, add in Muriel's rank, you get the 137 to match our guessed score.

...

Here are the scores in ascending order:

The Perfect Entrance Trick: 6.

The Window Trick: 8.

The Pocket Trick: 14.

The Door Trick: 14.

The Bigger Thresholds Trick: 45.

The Sunglasses Trick: 56.

Notice that The Pocket Trick and The Door Trick are tied. That connects them because of the Tied Hands with the pocket trickery. I smiled at the realization.

...

In any case, we now have a post to reference exactly what the 24 touches are and at least a guessed total score for these things.

[sonkitty]

Specifically in reference to the pictured tags for @theriverspath

and the text:

had aziraphale been supreme archangel the moment gabriel resigned is it why the "hide gabriel" miracle worked so well?"

Simply put: No.

The more complicated answer is in reference to the theory @obligateweirdo mentions with Crowley being the Supreme Archangel.

For my own theory, I do add the qualifier that Crowley is not the Supreme Archangel but rather, the Acting Supreme Archangel throughout almost the entirety of season 2 present day. S2E6 goes to great length to convey this idea with Crowley infiltrating Heaven. The overall season takes it a lot further with how Crowley's sideburns and red streak work.

The easy approach to the answers for the miracle is to pay attention to Crowley's left during the "hide Gabriel" miracle scene. The camera, the lighting, and Crowley's own dialogue are drawing attention to it.

The more difficult approach is to play Earthly Objects, a game the story provides to piece together the clues. I could go on about that game at length, and have, but I will stop here for now.

The "hide Gabriel" miracle scene is a metaphorical torch being passed from Gabriel to Crowley.

Crowley then passes another metaphorical torch to Aziraphale at the end of S2E6, when Aziraphale looks over at Crowley before entering the elevator.

...

I'll address this too for @makewayforbigcrossducks

Cuz see, I'd always wondered why Crowley told everyone them working together was what caused the really powerful miracle. Like, why bring that up?

Combined angel and demonic miracles tend to nullify or cancel each other out, if managed properly. Crowley and Aziraphale figured this out in 2500 BC. He brings it up because it helps hide the actual cause of the miracle (he became the Acting Supreme Archangel, he put the Book of Life in the matchbox in Heaven, both, something else entirely, take your pick).

It also helps hide the nullification info to others who have not figured it out and might take issue with things like Crowley and Aziraphale saving Job's kids together as far back as 2500 BC.

...

Since the theories are like playing games and putting pieces together of a puzzle, I will add this extra piece. I don't think it's really important myself, but I have an instinctive urge to mention it, so I will.

Crowley's main, or primary rank, for his angelic existence was Throne. I do think he was a Seraph before or after that, which is why he is considered as qualified for the Acting Supreme Archangel role, but still...Throne was his main rank. That is his rank in Before the Beginning (long sideburns but not longest-length sideburns).

I'm positive about three things

Metatrash did not choose Aziraphale for Supreme Archangel. Because a. "There is always a Supreme Archangel" (so it happened automatically), and b. Aziraphale would be Metatrash's last possible choice lol. He also cannot make Aziraphale leave the position. Aziraphale would have to choose to leave (as Gabriel and Lucifer did before him).

Only the Supreme Archangel can greenlight Armageddon (aka "exercise your celestial authority"). AZIRAPHALE CANNOT JUST RUN OFF WITH CROWLEY. If he did, his replacement would be someone who would greenlight Armageddon.

"It would be in your jurisdiction to restore your friend to full angelic status" was a THREAT. This is how Metatrash plans to coerce Aziraphale into signing off on Armageddon - by saying he will turn Crowley back into an angel (presumably wiping his memory in the process) if Aziraphale doesn't comply.

Somehow, this is what they were discussing in the Final Fifteen. I am absolutely certain.

[sonkitty]

I love the idea of the curse too. If anyone else is interested, you can take the idea beyond "one small thing" with the drinks.

Imagine that Crowley feeds of Aziraphale eating because he successfully tempted the angel into eating food. They've been doing that, knowingly, since 2500 BC.

Imagine that Crowley is cured of this curse at the end of the book and season 1 to give the story an extra layer of enriched enjoyment to any reader/viewer who realizes it was there.

Imagine that the curse returns before or during the course of season 2.

I would love for someone with more poetic or artistic sense than I to connect this curse with Crowley's chosen name, that he willingly lets his name connect to his curse. Well, knowing Crowley, he even did it on purpose. In the book, the misspelling is "Cowlley" and in S1, the misspelling is "COWWLEY". Basically, even though "crow" is the more obvious animal you can find in the letters of his name, the word "cow" is nonetheless there, just take out the "R". Maybe there is a message of, "If you misspell his name, there will be Hell to pay."?

And for those not familiar with the verse with the curse or wanting a refresher, it goes:

So the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life.

...

The show lends itself quite strongly to playing with the ideas of the curse because consideration is even given to the visible background humans and animals around Crowley.

Ok but I love the idea that the reason Crowley doesn't eat is because in the Bible god curses the serpent to only eat dust for all its days.

Like imagine him trying food for the first time and as soon as it touches his tongue it turns to dust in his mouth. A curse similar to Tantalus' but for one small thing;

Crowley finding the smallest loophole that is drinks not being food and him indulging in every drink he can as one more way to spite his creator.

[sonkitty]

I re-subscribed to Netflix this month to watch both KPop Demon Hunters and The Sandman Season 2.

I very much enjoyed KPop Demon Hunters. If I were a more illustratively inclined person, I would be making Crowley fanart based on Saja Boys poses.

Personally speaking, I thought the The Sandman Season 2 was really, really good.

...

Not related to the Netflix stuff, I admit...I really, really miss posting The Sideburns Scheme posts lately. That was so much fun, both before and after discovering Earthly Objects. I want to play it all again. And maybe I will, eventually; other things take priority at the moment.

[sonkitty]

It's beautiful. Good work!

Full artwork reveal yayy!!

What do you think about it?

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