#ineffable experience

[czitara]

Slowly but surely coming back to reality now after a weekend which I feel the words amazing and wonderful are falling terribly short in describing. It shall suffice to say that my mind. Was. Blown.

As a virgin Con-goer, I think I could not have wished for a better first-time experience and I'm shouting my thanks to the universe that our most loveliest and greatest organizers Bethany and Rachael reached out to me while being on the waiting list to offer me a ticket to TIC5!! I am. So. Grateful. 🙏🏻 🙏🏻 🙏🏻

Everyone, I met at this year's Ineffable Con: I love you! You're amazing! And you made this experience extra special to me!!! I feel so much more connected to the fandom now. And to have the privilege to witness the kindness, love and generosity from all you people...I'm repeating myself but I'm mind-blown and I will forever cherish all the lovely memories I made!!

Sending out a huge thank you and lots of love to everyone!! I sincerely hope this fandom will never stop to exist ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

[plumbum-art]

"We did it!" "Well done, Mr. Fell"

1941, West End London. Back in the dressing room after their bullet catch trick

[vivenecii]

I combined two good omens study club themes, tartan and a movie still. I decided to choose one from Little Women, which I have yet to watch

[sygneth]

I just need them to hug, ok?

late night sketch

[dingledraw]

Try and shame Aziraphale about their body or their enjoyment of food and Crowley will eat you (◡‿◡✿)

[sayuri-of-the-valley]

On how Crowley and Aziraphale felt during the kiss (but mainly Crowley here):

Ok so first, the main idea for this huge meta is that a LOT of us noticed how the music from the kiss scene is similar to the nebula one, right?

Second, a lot of us also correctly noticed the parallels between the kiss and how it was to taste food for the first time for Aziraphale: bc of his reactions, the hand on lips, the similar way MS acted both scenes, the little inhale etc. So how was it for Crowley?

Aziraphale's reaction to the kiss is practically a puzzle to solve on its own, so it's fun to analyse it, but basically, in a few words, Aziraphale kissed Crowley and he discovered he was physically starving for him, longing for him, yearning for him, for his kiss, and he had no idea. Just like with the ox. And now he needs to gorge himself in him but he can't. Great amazing heartbreaking chef's kiss someone give MS an Emmy.

But there's already so much amazing meta out there about Aziraphale x Ox ribs x The Kiss that I want to focus on Crowley here, and on the music.

So back to the music. The song in "Before the Beginning" and the song that plays during The Kiss (I Forgive You + Don't Bother) are so similar. They're not *exactly* the same, but they're totally reminiscent of each other. The viewer is immediately reminded of those chords that played in the opening scene. It's no coincidence that the fandom was talking about this fact only minutes after first watching those final fifteen minutes. This is an obvious intentional choice for storytelling reasons (David Arnold is a genius).

I have no expertise whatsoever when it comes to music, so I asked our friend @otsanda to see if that made sense and not only it does and she explained it, but she also uncovered so much more hidden meaning in all of it (musicians are amazing), so check out her meta about the music that not only serves as evidence to what I'm proposing here but it also has so much more juicy information in it 💖.

Back to the point: WHY thought? Why choose a similar song? Why intentionally COMPOSE a similar song for that moment?

Hear me out. WHAT IF, by reminding the audience of the creation of the nebula, they meant to convey to us that, for Crowley, kissing Aziraphale gave him the same feeling that creating his stars did?

THAT'S what the music is telling us. THAT'S why it makes us remember "Before the Beginning". It may sound cheesy, but Crowley may have literally seen stars when he kissed Aziraphale. He couldn't react accordingly (just like Aziraphale couldn't), bc it was an overwhelming and extremely sad moment (the music is also telling us that) for both of them. They knew it was ending . They were both having a moment of huge revelation that was fated to not come to completion. Crowley was right, it was too late.

It makes sense to show Crowley's feelings through the music, bc he was the one who started the kiss, and also he was wearing sunglasses in that scene, it's different from a character like Aziraphale that has all his million expressions for everyone to see at all times. And they've been doing this ever since s1 with the Queen songs that play in his car or in the background.

So my point is: the same song being used there makes me wonder if kissing Aziraphale finally gave him what he lost. His purpose. What Aziraphale was trying to give back to him by taking him back to heaven. There's no need for Heaven. Just kiss him, Aziraphale, and there he'll find the stars you want to give back to him. There you will one day see that smile on his face you saw Before The Beginning. Neil Gaiman and David Arnold I am in your walls 😭

This is what may lead us to see this happiness in Crowley again (not the action of kissing itself, of course, but what it represents to their relationship, them being together, them being an Us).

As @otsanda said: from the music we can interpret that that moment was a Revelation for them. Almost a religious experience. Crowley found his purpose again. What he'd been missing the whole season (or even his whole life since the Fall, but we've seen him especially depressed this season).

I'm not even getting into the poetry of how one can interpret the parallel to the angel's reaction to the kiss as carnal, and the demon's as religious; that would be another whole essay but let's just agree that it's incredibly beautiful. (Let me be clear that I mean here Aziraphale's reaction is carnal specifically for Crowley, and Crowley's is religious specifically for Aziraphale, not religious as in "worshipping god")

"Do you ever wonder what's the point?" Crowley asked in s2e1. The point, for him, is Aziraphale (if you've seen The Good Place you know what I mean). I hope he figured this out with that kiss, even as heartbreaking as it was. Even if it was a (temporary) separation kiss. (I hope Aziraphale figures this out with time too, that he's more than enough to make Crowley happy, that Crowley doesn't need Heaven, or stars, that Crowley needs him.)

Maybe that's why Crowley didn't leave and kept waiting outside until the very last moment.

Aziraphale and Crowley both bit the apple at the end of s2. There's no turning back from that Knowledge now.

Edit: I just have to add here this brilliant colour analysis of the nebula scene by @halemerry. And it's pointed out that during the nebula formation there's a moment when it looks like two people embracing. And the fact that a similar song is used in the actual Kiss scene I just... I have no words

[p4nishers]

i need a whole episode, a book and a podcast on EXACTLY what crowley was thinking during this moment

[biceratops7]

hold- wait a fucking minute...

Beelzebub is acting really freaking weird in this scene.

Ok so I encourage you to rewatch it cause I can't really properly illustrate it in gifs, but they don't sound irritated, or even particularly intimidating. We know Beezlebub to be a very dry person, even in moments they want something and need to manipulate/ convince someone for it. So this abnormally animated and even somewhat friendly demeanor doesn't strike me as part of buttering Crowley up to get him to help them.

This is a weird line. We know Beelzebub isn't like Shax, they've been around a bit more and have a better grasp on things like tone and figurative language. There's almost no way they're unaware that saying this would immediately clue Crowley in to the fact that Heaven and Hell do in fact have communication, so they must want him to know. For whatever reason, it's important to them that Crowley knows they're a reputable source.

And then I remembered where I've heard that tone before.

It's nearly the exact same one Crowley uses to tell Aziraphale that he needs to protect them. It's the kind of tone you use when you need someone to read between the lines and understand more than you can safely tell them. Beelzebub is fully ready to believe Shax when they say Gabriel's in the bookshop, and acknowledge later that Aziraphale was a very fitting and likely candidate to harbor him. They know full well Crowley doesn't want jack shit to do with Hell, and would probably be offended if anything by anyone referring to his "nasty little heart". That is merely a performance to mask what they're really trying to tell him, which is that Aziraphale is in danger.

Without this detail Crowley very well could've turned Gabriel in to Heaven instead of Hell, he certainly doesn't see much difference between the two. Beelzebub is the reason he decisively doesn't, and races home in a panic.

And I think it's genuinely so sweet, this moment of understanding and comradery between them that goes unnoticed, even to Crowley. They drop the shtick and make sure that he knows the book of life is a real threat, and you only need to be merely involved in hiding him to be erased from it. Because to them, there's also the very real possibility that Crowley knows about Gabriel while Aziraphale doesn't, so they're double checking Crowley will not to tell him and instead go straight to them. There’s just something so protective in it.

[isbergillustration]

Ineffable Shapes

[crowlixcx]

I don't think we talk enough about when Crowley says 'When Aziraphale does come back, I think we need a little us time' to Muriel. Like??? Is that not the most tender thing you've heard in your life?!! Talking to someone you've only just met about how you and your darling angel boyfriend are in desperate need of a date!! How you're practically foaming at the mouth for a glass of wine with your favourite person at the Ritz!! Like a long day of thwarting good and evil is just flirty foreplay for these two smitten morons

[ineffableteeth]

They give off guilty uncle vibes here I’m sobbing

[good-soupmens]

We don't know what's canon for sure, but based on what we see:

Aziraphale and Crowley had never been kissed before

They've never been hugged before

(Until Jim) neither had heard "I love you" before

Neither have said "I love you" before

No one's said "I forgive you" to Aziraphale

Crowley's never made friends

Aziraphale and Crowley sleep through every night alone

They've held hands twice, only to swap places

They've always lived alone

And they haven't yet been together without fear

[papillon-de-porcelaine]

I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies.

[vroomvroomwee]

People always talk about how Crowley witnessed the injustice and cruelty of Heaven in season 1 when they tried to execute Aziraphale. "Shut your stupid mouth" and the fact that he wasn't even given a trial and why he understands Heaven can't be fixed much better than Aziraphale can who wasn't there.

But what about Aziraphale. After going down to Hell himself to see how Crowley was treated, the environment he had to work in, the people he was surrounded by, he most likely swore to himself Crowley was never going down there again. Not if he can help it.

And now he can.

It's not about changing Crowley or not liking him as he is. But about saving him and keeping him safe.

[mx-anthony-janthony-crowley]

listens to queen and hozier and recognises every other lyric from good omens fic titles

[fearandhatred]

haha have you thought about the fact that decades or centuries from now when we're all dead and gone people could still possibly be thinking about good omens and writing about crowley and aziraphale living their lives in that time. doing exactly what we're doing now. and maybe they'll write about crowley and aziraphale living through the historical events we've lived through. have you thought about the fact that crowley and aziraphale will live on long after we're all gone