turnips

I was late to watching it because of work commitments, but I sat down on discord with some friends, some who had seen it, some who had not. I had not gotten spoiled, but I had seen mixed reviews.

I knew the following things: that Terry always said it would end in the South Downs, that MSheen said that the ending would be controversial, and that fandom was deeply divided on the end of season 2. I also knew that the pacing was likely to be horrible since we went from six episodes to 90 minutes, but on that front I was actually impressed.

I am someone who loves imperfect stories with imperfect endings. I think messy stories are so very human, and despite our main characters being immortal, I have never forgotten that Good Omens is about humanity.

You see, in the book, Crowley and Aziraphale were bystanders. The story itself was about humanity. Their love was less for each other and more for all the funny little inventions humans created over time. In fact, I remember diehard fans being upset that Season 1 of Good Omens focused so much more on Crowley and Aziraphale than the actual ongoings of Armageddon like in the source material.

That is not to say that I didn't love Crowley and Aziraphale in the show. I would not have dedicated years of writing about my blorbos if I didn't. I just think the decision they make at the end is entirely on brand for them and really brings it back to what the story is about -- humanity and free will. I honestly could not think of a more Pratchett ending.

I want to talk about Aziraphale first and the things I both loved and hated: Aziraphale never apologizing. Aziraphale in general. God, his behavior pissed me off but was so entirely on brand. "I'm willing to overlook that," and "I need you to forgive me." Never acknowledging the hurt Crowley felt head on. Aziraphale has always been constipated about his feelings, and the way he approached it all was hamfisted and exactly as I would expect. I think we would have seen more groveling and even a proper conversation if we were given 6 episodes, but none of this felt out of character for him. And then he did show his love for Crowley when it mattered most by letting Crowley choose.

I loved God telling him he was messy, that he was lazy and gluttonous and prideful, and I loved that Aziraphale said it was true, but it did not negate that he wanted what was best for humanity. And I don't think God ever meant this in a scolding way. They were more amused than anything, I think, but it highlights Aziraphale as an imperfect being with good intentions. If an angel can be these things and also still be good, doesn't that bode well for the rest of us?

I also love that Aziraphale does not get his wish in the end. How many times have we seen Crowley give in to Aziraphale? Removing the stain from his jacket, the West End magic show, saving his books, helping Aziraphale stop the Second Coming even though he was heartbroken. Aziraphale bullies and cajoles Crowley into a lot of things, but when Crowley says he wants to free humanity and actually grant people free will, Aziraphale doesn't argue at all. He let Crowley lead when it mattered.

I also love that what Aziraphale wants is not the selfless thing. Aziraphale is inherently a selfish being. He wants Crowley. But he's willing to overlook that (sorry, will not let that one go).

And Crowley wants him back, but he also wants something so much bigger.

Hooo, where do I begin with Crowley? Crowley has always been a rebel and a loner, neither part of Hell or Heaven. We see him questioning God when he finds out about the plans to destroy humanity all the way back at the beginning of the unvierse. We see him fighting for Satan's side after the last battle, still in Heaven, still with his regular eyes, still not fallen. Even then, he was against the angels but not with the demons.

We see him enacting out God and Satan's bet with Job while manipulating the situation (the goats, the children). I think he would have done all those things regardless of if Aziraphale showed up. Had Aziraphale said no to raising Warlock and stopping Armageddon the first time, I still think Crowley would have gone off and tried it anyway alone. The book describes him as an eternal optimist. Aziraphale provided him company and made his life less lonely, but Crowley has always marched to his own beat.

It is entirely believable to me then that when Aziraphale says, "There's only one thing I want (you)," Crowley says he wants to dismantle the system. He's an anarchist, and I am all for it. Crowley is the most fair of all the characters in Good Omens. He has the strongest moral code that never waivers throughout the series. He loves Aziraphale so much, but he's seen the end of the universe and realizes it will never be enough until humans are given a fair go of it. I would have been massively disappointed if Crowley had not put humanity first.

And then there's Asa and Anthony. I do believe there could have been an ending that allowed humanity and Crowley and Aziraphale to exist. That said, I still loved what we were given. I could not fucking stop grinning the entire time I watched the ending. Then I read some discourse and thought maybe I would change my mind on a second watch, but by the time I got to the ending once more, I was mush all over again.

Was it cheesy? Yeah. Was a bookshop AU a bit fanservicey? Absolutely. Did I still love it? 100% despite those things. It was wonderful to see Crowley without all the baggage. It was wonderful seeing them dressed like Book!Omens sitting under Terry Pratchett's portrait. It was wonderful hearing Asa talk about his mother without the trauma and fear.

And then removing Good Omens from it entirely, it was just nice to see a meet-cute between two mdidle-aged men in an absolutely normal way. They were just two people having a flirt in the middle of the road without any fear or shame. I watched it and felt relief. It was so healing for me.

I love stories about people growing old together, living a mundane life. I've imagined it in my head. Maybe Asa was socially awkward, had a few boyfriends but nothing ever lasted. He had just settled into the idea of being a bachelor for the rest of his life. And Anthony, who was charming and a bit suave (even with his terrible hair), was perhaps divorced. Maybe he had a couple of grown kids. Maybe he and his partner split because he was a workaholic dedicated to his career as a tenured professor, but now he was coming to the end of his career and realized there could be more out there.

In the South Downs, they felt so worn-in, like a favorite t-shirt, comfortable. The sassiness, the honesty, the peace. It didn't feel at all like a cop-out to me. It felt like the thing Crowley, the demon, wanted for humanity from the very beginning.

Also, I have this theory that even Crowley and Aziraphale's universe was not the first. I think God has been watching their favorite soap opera on repeat, changing the variables. Crowley and Aziraphale are God's favorites, and Satan realized that too in the end. Does that mean God stacked this deck too despite promising they wouldn't? It's very possible, but we will never know, and I enjoy that ambiguity.

And regardless of how you feel about it, I may be reductive when I say it's just a story, but it's just a story. This has been the most amazing fandom. I've made such good friends for life, found a place for myself that I haven't found in the real world, been able express myself in ways that I never thought I would, and have played in a sandbox with infinite possibilities. I have read and will read a 100 stories more that are better written than Good Omens, that steer these two in unfathomable directions.