#crowley + shadwell

[rareomens]

Is there a rare pairing that you'd like to see most during Rare Omens month? 👀

Oh yes!

This event was built initially bc I not-so-secretly wanted more '60s Crowley + Young Shadwell! (Or 70s, 80s, etc lol) I thought it was lovely, this idea Crowley might enjoy time with this young man. Enough time that he left an impression where, in 2019, the Sergeant is sitting there telling modern Crowley, "How's your father? You resemble him very much." He asks after the presumed Elder Crowley, and remembers what he looks like enough to see the clear similarities (🤣) of the Younger Crowley. How long did they work together before Crowley had to cut ties!? How did that go? When he and Aziraphale are talking about reaching out to their own "agents", he mentions the Witchfinder group as though he is in regular enough contact to have them get on finding the boy with ease, and indeed Shadwell is there the next day for him. So were there phone calls and letters for other assignments?!?

*brain runs away with all the questions and possibilities*

And that's just canon curiosity. Long before the fanon shipping possibilities haha

Anyway.

I love them.

But, the event is absolutely here for any possible combo of characters who don't get nearly as much as they deserve.

One pairing I was sad I couldn't fit in the final list but I hope we'll see in "Pairing Not Listed" day is Shax + Muriel. I think in a less Second Coming plotline, those two as the new Earthly Representatives of Hell and Heaven would enjoy similar chats together like A and C did, about how their progress is going. Comparing notes! Finding what they each like about Earth and don't want to see destroyed! 😊

Thanks for the question. I really love rare pairs and will happily talk and talk and talk. ���� I hope others get inspired this month! There's so many fun characters across both series!

[brainwormcity]

Shadwell really said:

[tartanthermos]

good omens as random posts i dug up from my camera roll (2/?)

[myfairstarlight]

hc that when aziraphale and crowley finally get their cottage in the south downs, their nearest neighbours will turn out to be madame tracy and shadwell

[inezrable]

If I had a nipple for every time david tennant played a queer immortal in love with a blonde that he's separated from, I would have just the usual two and Shadwell would have no reason to suspect me of being a witch

[worrynoodle]

This may have been obvious but I just put this together

"I work in soho, I hear things."

No, that's not it, Aziraphale. You got shadwell to spy on your boyfriend, didn't you?

Have we established how long Shadwell and Aziraphale have known each other because I find it convenient that just as Shadwell shows up to Crowley's meeting in the Dirty Donkey, Aziraphale turns up there too.

That's the face of a man who just got caught

[mischieviem]

More of my labyrinth au

DO NOT REPOST

[angel-and-the-serpent]

GUYS. GUYS.

[phantomstatistician]

Fandom: Good Omens

Sample Size: 56,282 stories

Source: AO3

[drconstellation]

The Ineffable Ducks

What's with all the ducks in Good Omens that Crowley seems to be inordinately fond of? Turns out, they do have a narrative purpose, they're not just in there as a running joke about Crowley's fondness for the animals of Earth.

They appear in both S1 and S2, and get mentioned in several seemingly random places. Like, really random. There are quite a few in St James Park, where the ducks live, where the international spies also clandestinely meet, where Aziraphale and Crowley meet on several occasions, and where Crowley and Shax have a meeting, exchanging information in S2E1.

Ducks also get referred to here, when Aziraphale suggests they use humans to search and spy out the missing Antichrist, but Crowley insists it will be near impossible because suspicion slides off the boy like water off, what ever water slides off, because he has an automatic defense system.

The he remembers the ducks(!) later in the Bentley when they discuss using their respective networks of highly trained human operatives (Shadwell and the Witchfinder army), and Aziraphale asks if Crowley has a better idea than his. "Ducks!" Crowley suddenly utters.

The ducks that are always there, that you see but don't see, gathering bread crumbs, when any kind of surveillance or secret spy work is being discussed.

Nah, I thought, it couldn't be a sly ref to this famous cartoon by Larson, could it?

Aziraphale and Crowley are always afraid that someone is watching, or listening to everything they do, from both sides. I mean isn't that partly why we got the ending we did in S2, because they have had to be so covert with their communication to each over the centuries they've forgotten how to speak plainly to each other?

Heaven has definitely been watching...

And Hell certainly noticed Crowley's act of kindness in the Edinburgh cemetery, swiftly summoning him to Hell for punishment after his kind deed on behalf of Elspeth.

Then when the duo meet in again 1867 Crowley wonders if "ducks have ears" before declaring they must do - that's how they hear other ducks. So its no surprise that when Crowley asks Aziraphale for holy water that he writes the request on a piece of paper to hide it from those invisible ever-present watchers they know are never far away.

When we come to the start of S2, where Crowley is slouched in St James Park once more, reading the Tadfield Advertiser, and yelling at the Azerbaijani secret agents for feeding the ducks bread. Crumbs, it was alright to do this in the book, and S1, why is wrong now? Has Crowley suddenly become woke and caring for the ducks? Nah.

There's a lot more to it than that. I realized this is the missing Grain offering from my post about altar offerings (see The Altar of Eccles Cakes) in S2. A Grain offering represents a voluntary expression of devotion to God - or the other side you're supposed to be aligned with, in this case.

Shax is part of this scene, discussing the latest news from below, and she mentions some special intel that Hell has received, from their own secret squirrel network. Of course they would meet in St James Park to discuss this, along with all the other spies. While Shax tries to get some intel out of Crowley about what might be going on in Heaven, because she knows he has contact with a certain angel who owns a book shop, Crowley responds by refusing to show any devotion to his former side at this point, and isn't going to give any information away that could be useful. He also doesn't have any intel at this point, anyway, but he's not going to give that away either! Heaven and Hell are toxic, and no one should be going anywhere near them, in his opinion. So stop feeding them that devotional bread!

After Shax asks what they should be feeding the ducks, he eventually says "Frozen Peas. It's good for them, they like it."

The short period of "peas" since they stopped the impending Apocalypse has been enjoyable, and good for Crowley and Aziraphale, but the forced meeting with Beelzebub later that day soon jolts Crowley out of any complacency when they indicate that the "generalized understanding" Crowley thought they had with Heaven and Hell after the body swap to leave them alone, the one Aziraphale-as-Crowley negotiated, while asking for a rubber duck, no less, was looking very shaky and fragile indeed.

And one more random duck ref to discuss.

I was inspired to write this section by lalalunamoth's post calling Muriel a duckling imprinted on Crowley, and of course I did not save it, did I, and a search does not bring it back up again (found it!), so if you're reading this, or know that post, please let me know! I read it, and thought, cute, but nah, then realized that Muriel was sent on a surveillance mission to Whickber St to ascertain the truth of Aziraphale's 25 lazurii miracle. And she did act as the eyes of Heaven, writing up some reports, called Crowley "grice," then followed him around during his escapade in Heaven just like a duckling following a grumpy gander drake while he did his own surveillance measures in a Tactical Turtle neck, channeling his best imitation Sean Connery voice (have you noticed that as well, people?)

No, no, the op wasn't wrong - those big cross ducks, er grice geese, they make good guard dogs, no?

With special mention to Crowley acting as a surveillance duck just prior to this, and Mr Brown doing his own "spying out" of Aziraphale.

To finish this meta, there is one other figure who notably offered the ducks bread, in the book. This passage, which is surely relevant to S3, but didn't appear in S1, shows another character still devoted to God in a way. Lets give Death the final word:

Crowley: "Maybe it's it's all part of a great ineffable plan. All of it. You, me, him, everything. Some great big test to see if what you've built all works properly, eh? You start thinking: it can't be a great cosmic game of chess, it has to be just very complicated Solitaire. And don't bother to answer. if we could understand, we wouldn't be us. Because it's all - all - "

INEFFABLE, said the figure feeding the ducks.

"Yeah. Right. Thanks."

[theineffableauthor]

Shadwell is bisexual and I will die on that hill.

You can not look me dead in the eye and tell me that man was not eye-fucking Crowley in the 60s.

[portraitofalonelydyke]

actually I don’t think we as a fandom acknowledge how fuckable younger shadwell is

[p4nishers]

bc i am in fact insane, i rewatched the 1967 scene and took notes only to prove my theory that one of them (crowley) tried to confess in 1941 and got rejected before they could even say a word.

now to the stuff i noticed or perhaps deluded myself into:

crowley actively goes out of his way to gain aziraphale's attention, i mean come on, robbing a CHURCH in SOHO for HOLY WATER?? he clearly wanted aziraphale to notice he was doing dumb shit and stop him

the only time aziraphale actually seeks out crowley, which obviously everyone noticed, but i'm thinking maybe crowley was afraid to seek him out bc he feared an another rejection and they obviously parted on shit terms given by the tension between them

"i needed a word with you" "a word?" the way crowley actually sounds afraid (OF ANOTHER REJECTION?!!!)

they clearly haven't spoken since '41 (again, that is obvious to everyone but it fits with my theory so i had to mention it)

crowley barely meets aziraphale's eyes, is constantly looking away, never fully turns to face him

"a 100 and 5 years ago" needed to emphasize that you remember the exact year, did you babe? he REMEMBERS everything that happened between them and he's not about to let aziraphale forget that

"after everything you said?" clearly he's not just talking about their argument in 1862 cause aziraphale barely said shit to him just stormed away so he could be referring to '41 where aziraphale not only rejects him but forbids him of ever speaking on his feelings

the nervousness/awkwardness that wasn't there before between them

"don't look so disappointed" girl??

–> processed to list romantic date ideas for them in the future, "when all of this is over" girl what are u talking about? perhaps mayhaps when heaven and hell are no longer on ur asses?? aziraphale what the fuck are u saying to this man don't get his hopes up now

"you go too fast for me crowley" = what i said in '41 still stands. i can't be with you in the way you want me to be. i'm too afraid. i don't want to be just something you speed over and throw away when you're bored. wait for me.

anyway add whatever u noticed that i didn't pls i would love if a smart person helped me out here

[inezrable]

Judging Good Omens characters by what I would trust them with (my wallet, my drink at a party, my life, and buying me pads)

Crowley - Drink (he's a girls girl, he wouldn't do anything to it), maybe life, pads. Not my wallet though

Aziraphale - all four. He's literally perfect. He would kindly look after my things, and buy me pads and chocolate

Anathema - wallet (I doubt she'd steal anything) life, definitley pads

Newt - not my drink (he'd spill it), not my wallet (someone would ste it from him) probably my life but I'd be cautious, not pads (he'd get lost at the shops)

Shadwell - none of the above

Madame Tracy- drink (she'd protect it) not my wallet (she'd only steal a few bucks, but still), life, pads

Metatron - NOT MY DRINK IF ITS COFFEE /j, wallet (he has no need for human money)

Gabriel - Wallet only. If I asked him to buy me pads, he'd come back with a bird and say "this has wings, it's the same thing!"

Beezlebub - not my drink (they'd tip it out), not the wallet, not my life, but they would buy me all the pads I need

Muriel - life only. I wouldn't want them near alcohol, they'd lose my wallet, and theyd ask me what a pad is

Nina - all four. She is very capable

Maggie - Again, all four. These lesbians are the only competent people in the show

Any of the horsemen - not my drink (espec. Famine and Pollution), not my wallet, life if I'm in their good books, pads but only with War

The other Archangels - none. They would not understand what to do with material objects, and they couldn't give a shit if I died

Agnes Nutter - not wallet (she's a devious bastard), life (she knows when I'll die), and buying pads (or cloth in that time)

[moldyfruitsalad]

my friend has watched episodes 1-4 so far. initial thoughts she's had (not in order):

crowley's driving is scary

hastur is terrifying

she feels bad for crowley's plants

god being the narrator is really interesting

crowley and aziraphale are really good friends

anathema must have been so scared by the two strange men in a vintage car who kept making weird things happen around them

the archangels are assholes

adam is also terrifying

THE KRAKEN?!?! (her words)

she likes the moral and philosphical questions the show brings up

newton pulsifer and anathema's sex scene came out of nowhere but still managed to be funny

sergeant shadwell is a bit too obsessed with nipples

this show loves whales and their damn big brains

dog is her favorite character

where does the antichrist come from??

she loves it so much, and is looking forward to the rest of it

there were more, but it's a little hard to remember hours later. i'm waiting for her to catch on that aziraphale and crowley are a bit more than friends, but everything in its own time. i knew she would take a while to catch on because it usually does for her in any show (absolutely understandable), but i know she will eventually and it'll be hilarious to see that realization. god i love her, and i cannot wait to finish this show with her

[kristen-rollens]

Good Omens if it included Muppets: A Thread (Part 2)🧵

-Janice and Floyd as Anathema and Newt: Again it just feels so right

-Miss Piggy as Shax/Madame Tracy: I can just picture it😭

-Kermit as Shadwell: just hear me out ok😮‍💨

-Fozzie as the Metatron: IT WOULD BE PERFECT

Last Part coming up next🐍🪽

@neil-gaiman