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themortuatorium · 2 years ago

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The Nice and Presumptive Observations of Me (Fan)

Hi there, we’ve never met. I’m definitely not new to me, but I’m new to you. I first read Good Omens ~2007. When the first season of the show came out, I wasn’t really floating around in its fandom space; now, on the approaching dawn of season two prompting a fourth rewatch (and third reread) out of me, I’ve decided to show up fashionably late and turn in an essay nobody asked for discussing probably nothing new to you, but new to me.

All of what I have to say deals with the first half of episode 3, sorry. It just does so much, laying the groundwork for Aziraphale and Crowley’s relationship. I’m dying to talk about it.

If you’re interested, or are just looking for anything to procrastinate with, then I hope I’ve at least made a discourse[1] that’s compelling to look at. It certainly is long.

[1] The philosophical essay kind.

ST JAMES PARK (1862) -

What gets to me most about this scene, in particular, is the layers of implication surrounding the word “insurance” coming from Crowley. I think it’s an incredible use of subtly (if intentional). Because insurance against demons, sure, we as the audience are informed of this knowledge based on context clues elsewhere or from having read the book. They both understand what they’re doing is incredibly frowned upon. It is more than that. He’s looking for proof that Aziraphale would stick his neck out for him.

Up to that point, it’s always been Crowley going through the trouble for Aziraphale. Even when making suggestions to benefit the both of them, it’s considerate of Aziraphale. Including cut scenes from the script book, Crowley goes blatantly out of his way to protect Aziraphale twice (Paris, and the 1800’s bookshop scene). Intentionally, I would hope, we don’t see any instances outright of Aziraphale doing the same thing for Crowley because it’s meant to make a point about what sort of dance the two are fighting with. While it would be ridiculous to assume Aziraphale has never done anything to help Crowley in all that time; during a waltz, someone has to lead.

So, it’s centuries already of Crowley treating it like a mutual relationship, certainly in some way aware of the imbalance, and it culminates with the request for holy water. He wants insurance from Aziraphale that he views their relationship the same way. Something mutual, unique to them, “their side”.

If you even wanted to view it as something poetic, gentle, even romantic, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to assume Crowley might be looking for proof their time together meant something human. They both clearly believe that to be human carries a greater value to being ethereal. The idea that time is so precious to humans, because a human lifespan is so limited, turns the concept of time into a metaphorical effigy of one’s love and dedication for having given it.

It’s what makes the boiling of their relationship down to the word “fraternizing” so genuinely painful; not because it’s a rude and blatant disregard for the dance they’ve been engaged in all these years, because it says to Crowley even after all this time (to 1862) Aziraphale doesn’t understand him as well as he understands Aziraphale.

As well as he believes he understands Aziraphale.

[MOSTLY] PARIS (1793) -

Science has proven at least one angel can dance, because he’s been taught.

“They said I’d performed too many frivolous miracles” addresses what the audience would also be wondering in that moment. On its own, it can even serve as a funny joke about the bureaucratic structure of a capitalistic Heaven, where the motto is “miracles are what we do”[2]. It also prompts one to ask “why”, what does a frivolous amount of miracles mean to represent?

Interpreting it as an expression of guilt has larger implications about Aziraphale as a whole. One establishing his character as being surreptitious, especially when contextualizing the guilt next to his and Crowley’s Arrangement.

Because it doesn’t take 1250 years[3] to convince an angel the signature on the paperwork is all that separates a miracle from a temptation. That’s a ridiculous amount of time to spend on what would basically be asking to carpool, and would be strange to feel guilty about on its own.

They both know – the show knows – it’s more intimate than that. In an unspoken language they began creating in 33AD, Aziraphale understands the Arrangement is Crowley’s offer of insight into a perspective he himself cannot have without falling. Aziraphale is, continuously, one of the most compelling angels Crowley has met – on Earth, of yet – and he doesn’t want that aspect of him to change. He actively seeks out Aziraphale’s company for it. Being given the opportunity of the Arrangement, and yet still occupying a seat among the spheres, must be something Aziraphale recognizes as unfair. To humanity; to Crowley.

When Aziraphale used his wing to shield Crowley from the oncoming rain, there was enough room to cover Adam and Eve in the distance. All four of them aligned equally against the horizon.

[2] Perhaps not in any official capacity, but in a Mean Girl’s “fetch” kind of way.

[3] I presume, inferring the gap of 537AD to anytime nearly before 1601 was primarily spent chipping away at Aziraphale’s resolve. The extra 200 years is from 1601 to 1793.

THE BLITZ (1941) -

Reading in the stage directions how Aziraphale and Crowley haven’t spoken since St. James is enough to make a guy[4] write a three page analytic, placing it at the climax. Aziraphale “realizing they’re still friends”, at the same time, has the same guy appreciating the work done setting this moment up. If it wasn’t meant to be symbolic of a marriage between their ideologies after all this time, then I’m fresh out of other rationale for putting it in the church to begin with.

Especially when done how it was: Crowley arriving late to essentially his own wedding, with the opposite of cold feet. Making it the one time, albeit unwittingly, Aziraphale is the first to show up for their relationship. In character, it’s all unintentionally. Artistically, they are two people eager to move their relationship along in this moment. When the bomb drops on the church, it’s a metaphorical leveling of the playing field between them[5]. A separation of themselves from their former identities, a closure of the ceremony. By dressing them nearly identical, in the aftermath of the church, they are equal.

Crowley first reinvented his identity in 33AD, as both he and Aziraphale stand in reverence of the crucifixion’s magnitude. Though the use of the crucifix props as church rubble was a practical decision made for budget reasons, it’s a beautiful coincidence that a significant moment of Crowley’s growth, so inextricably tied to Aziraphale, made itself relevant to Aziraphale during the Blitz.

It reinforces – by coincidence – the interpretation of their conversation in 33AD being what alters their dichotomy in 41AD, where Aziraphale is first to pursue Crowley’s companionship. It rationalizes his ongoing commitment in learning how to dance.

He doesn’t fall in love[6] with Crowley over saving the books; he falls in love with the idea of them.

Or just falling in love with how metal it is to kill nazi’s as part of your metaphorical wedding symbology, why complicate it.

[4] Me, I’m the guy.

[5] In addition to being historically accurate.

[6] According to Michael Sheen; hard for me to disagree, either. I kept trying, and by the time I got to this point in the essay it was fucking impossible.

SOHO (1967) – THE LAST POINT TO THE REST OF THIS POST

“After everything you said” is only an odd comment to make at someone, who never said much to begin with, until you give “fraternizing” the weight of a 6000 year old mountain.

“You go too fast for me” is only a double entendre when taking the time to consider that Crowley approached their conversation in 1862 as someone who’s been in both their shoes before, unaware of how inconsiderate to Aziraphale’s unique position he’d been with his proposal.

A 70 year long silent treatment shows how little someone still understands you, how little you understand yourself, when neither can’t tell you’re obsessed at the idea of losing them, despite saying it so clearly in your unspoken language. A worry that won’t change for as long as Crowley remains a demon.

Holy water is still a threat on the most important thing in the world to Aziraphale when he finally decides to hand it over. The difference now, to then, is he gets it after everything during the Blitz. That is kind of the whole point episode three built up to. The holy water is their relationship: a potential threat, against everything they’re trying to maintain. If neither of them is perfectly careful, their relationship could eternally wipe away the chance to share each other’s time, and bring themselves closer to being human.

It’s an agreement that their relationship can’t, and won’t, destroy what’s important to them by nature of just existing.

They literally just need to learn how to dance.

AFTERWORD -

Did you know this was needlessly long? Three whole pages. It’s a soliloquy on how my love for what the series adds to Aziraphale and Crowley by deviating from the book, I had no other reason for writing it. Nothing prompted this deluge of personal sentiment. I just wanted to see the conversation get had in 2023 and I’m better at analytical essays than I am at fanfic.

Isn’t that remarkable? We live in a world where anyone can go on a three page, unprompted college dissertation about whatever kind of love it is two eternal beings express in the dumbest ways possible towards each other, and it’s time well spent. Season 2 could happen any day now and invalidate half my points made, who cares, nobody wants that to happen more than me, actually.

Thanks for reading! No clue who would, but I like to think sometimes words get read on the internet. The place is full of them, after all.

#good omens #ineffable husbands #me drafting: i will not imply they are romantically in love #me halfway into writing: they literally cant not be in love i'll fucking die on this hill #i have a SICKNESS #for DECADES ive loved what aziraphale and crowley have i could write a whole book #the philosophy of good omens by me a guy THE guy

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