what a shame she went mad

now imagine that that best friend who you love with every part of yourself looks you in the face and waxes poetic about how much he loves that older version of you (about how you were such an artist, you were so special, you were so perfect), but says not a single word about you. despite everything you and this friend have been through in the six thousand years that you've known him and that he's known you, and it turns out that it was not you that he cherished, but someone else entirely.

HE WOULD'VE.....

They wrote their own story.

✨️some thoughts under the cut, feel free to ignore it and just enjoy the picture✨️

[or: why I'm mad about how the writers characterized him]

I love Aziraphale to pieces okay. Precious, soft, doing his best, and must be protected. But I think his behavior sometimes shows a pattern of expecting things from his relationship with Crowley that he doesn't return and everyone has their own take on fandom and I think it's healthy to talk about it.

First point obviously: abandoning Crowley

It's not just Aziraphale thought he was making a sacrifice to do what's right. Crowley clearly needed him and was not subtle about telling him that. Absolute rock bottom depression for years. He is trying to communicate that need and Aziraphale point blank ignores every attempt to address it. Crowley is so clearly suffering this whole episode and there are things Aziraphale could have done to show some compassion even with his decision to choose heaven and he just kinda pretends he doesn't see any of it

Aziraphale's return to Earth. Practically the whole street is gone. Maggie and Nina, ostensibly members of the community he was invested in last season, have disappeared.

Queen Mrs Sandwich here to deliver some FRESH FACTS. She says a lot of direct stuff here and tells no lies. She can smell someone who only shows up when they want something on THEIR terms and THEIR terms only (precedent: she spotted Nina’s toxic relationship and her own toxic relationship with her sister)

He pointedly doesn't mention Crowley at all here. And Mrs Sandwich sees right through him. He was there when the community served him. Eccles cakes and records and the like. But when THEY needed HIM, he wasn't there. You don't abandon something you love

This feels like the most manipulative we've ever seen Aziraphale and I really don't like it (besides the whole arranging-a-ball-for-Maggie-and-Nina-thing lol but his intentions there were a lot less self-serving). He doesn't actually care about Jesus at all but he knows Crowley does. Crowley was kind to him. All the kingdoms of the world and such. So when Crowley doesn't want to do it for Aziraphale, he tries to leverage Jesus' wellbeing to convince him instead. And then picks up the "we both own the Bentley" thing again. But it's only ownership on Aziraphale's terms, when it suits him. When the Bentley was lost, Aziraphale wouldn't give half a thought until he needed Crowley to drive him again. It's giving 'divorced parent who doesn't pay child support then shows up and tries to claim shared custody.'

And then there was this forgiveness thing. I couldn't believe after all that business Aziraphale was now asking Crowley to forgive him. Why did he need to hear it so badly?? So he would feel better about the whole thing??? because he just gave forgiveness to Michael for doing irredeemable things and needs to know he isn't irredeemable either????????? Has Aziraphale done anything to address the way that Crowley, Whickber street, etc feel abandoned by him?? And Crowley doesn't want to do it. He literally spits out the words. Did Aziraphale ask because he knows Crowley can't say no to him, even if what Aziraphale is asking for will hurt Crowley (so then was he wrong to ask???) And they've never at all really talked about why it's so hard for Crowley to forgive him. Why he feels hurt by Aziraphale. They never once in the entire show talked properly about literally anything and I'm losing my mind

This scene was of course affectionate but I found it so tragic in how surprised Crowley was at everything Aziraphale said. Crowley acted like Aziraphale has never talked like this to him before, how would he know Aziraphale feels this way. For thousands of years, Crowley's gotten tacit disapproval, blatant rejections, and a single conditional acceptance of Crowley provided he became an angel again and pretended to be something he isn't and doesn't want to be. I do think Aziraphale sees no difference between Angel Crowley and Demon Crowley but I think Crowley does and Aziraphale has always just ignored it. Aziraphale wants to put Crowley back up in heaven because he thinks he belongs there but not wanting to be in/do things like heaven is the reason Crowley fell. Idk I think I just wanted a universe where Aziraphale could say this kind of stuff to Crowley as a demon, not Crowley as the once-shining-angel-Aziraphale-pretends-he-still-is. Myabe it's the whole 'unlinking goodness from heaven' thing that Aziraphale never really learned.

If Aziraphale has just realized/is deciding to embrace this conclusion, it is literally too little too late. (Cue "it's always too late" from 2x3) The actual end of themselves and reality is the absolute worst time for Aziraphale to finally choose him. This has always been the tragedy of their relationship. They can never choose each other at the right time, together. There were probably a dozen times in the past that Crowley needed Aziraphale to choose him and he didn't.

it was all about crowley’s forgiveness of aziraphale, but never crowley’s admission that aziraphale made valid choices, too. throughout the show, aziraphale may have been flawed for acting like angels were superior to demons in efforts to keep him and crowley safe, but crowley is also flawed for always belittling aziraphale and calling him stupid/idiotic/etc any time he made a choice independent of their relationship out of some kind of protective instinct. i’m just so tired of the narrative that aziraphale’s flaws are flaws, and crowley’s flaws are quirks.

like what do you mean aziraphale is a “taker”????? he went back to Heaven to save all of humanity, yet he was characterized as selfish for it and no one ever stood up for him or acknowledged his attempts to stand up for himself. and in the end it was crowley who god gave the choice of what to do about the universe to, and whose idea it was to start a new universe for the sake of humans’ freedom. aziraphale sacrificed himself and his happiness FIRST with the s2 finale, but that choice was dubbed selfish whereas crowley was given the big moment to be self-sacrificing in s3 yet his choice is heroic. never mind the fact that aziraphale fought for the humans even harder than crowley did when he refused to run away in both seasons 1 and 2. no no no— aziraphale is lazy. crowley is a hero.

besides, to imply that aziraphale only “took” and demanded things from crowley is to entirely misunderstand their dynamic. crowley takes on a doting role in that relationship because he has been told that he has to be the symbol of evil— not even just a demon, but THE snake itself— and as much as he tried to convince himself otherwise throughout history, that’s NOT who he really is. caring for aziraphale gave him the chance to be vulnerable and loving; aziraphale loved him BECAUSE he was different from other demons, not in spite of it. we’re expected to believe that while crowley is a good person BECAUSE he’s not like other demons, aziraphale is a good person DEPSITE the fact that he enjoys food and is “lazy” or “prideful” or “gluttonous.”

furthermore, while i understand that throughout history aziraphale could have reciprocated crowley’s care more openly, let’s not forget that over and over again, crowley implies things like “they never check up” and “they love me down there.” while the risk of punishment and death is equally huge for both of them, the risk was always more likely to be a problem for aziraphale, who had heaven breathing down his neck 24/7 if he so much as used one frivolous miracle to save his own life. aziraphale kept them both alive for 6000 years by keeping crowley at a distance, yet he STILL showed up and gave him holy water— something that easily could have gotten him killed— and showed up for crowley however he could. their situations were different, and in season 1, crowley understood that difference. they had to go at aziraphale’s pace. but all of that went out the window when aziraphale was characterized as a selfish “taker” who abandoned his city and his soulmate rather than someone who tried to fucking save them.

don’t even get me STARTED on the scene between the two of them and God; the entire show has clearly indicated that, in different ways, aziraphale and crowley each have equal degrees of trauma surrounding God and her lack of communication with them. that’s what made their moments throughout the Job minisode so moving— they understood what the other was going through because they were experiencing the same thing. so why on Earth was the moment of God’s arrival given to Crowley and crowley alone?? aziraphale literally stepped aside to encourage crowley to ask his brilliant question, yet crowley didn’t offer aziraphale the same stage, and when god took it upon herself to address aziraphale, his question was exclusively romantic and had nothing to do with his own trauma surrounding heaven and humanity. aziraphale was reduced to crowley’s love interest, from the interaction with god to the fact that (nearly) every step along the way, it was crowley who figured out the next phase of the mystery first.

aziraphale has ALWAYS had ambitions outside of crowley— they both adore humanity, but it was crowley who always suggested that they say fuck it and run away whereas aziraphale stood by earth time and time again. so it makes NO sense that aziraphale wouldn’t ask god a question about anything besides his love story. that’s never been who he is. his love for crowley is an important part of his identity, but it’s not the only part. you wouldn’t get that if you watched that scene out of context.

and unlike the crowley we know and love from seasons 1 and 2, finale-crowley NEVER intervened to say something like, “no, angel. you are not good DESPITE the fact that you eat and dance and act hedonistically. you are good BECAUSE of those things.” aziraphale’s goodwill has always rippled out of small kindnesses— he stops crowley from abandoning a stranger in the street whom he just ran over with a car. his love of music caused him to forgive a tenant’s rent for free. his love of food gave him a connection with the owner of a local coffee shop and sushi restaurant. fucking BULLSHIT that he’s lazy or hedonistic “but” still a good angel. he’s a good angel BECAUSE of the things God criticized him for, not in spite of them. and even if she said those things with respect /teasingness, Mr. “I did not care for it” was SILENT during all the moments that implied that aziraphale’s interests and joys were flaws.

aziraphale is selfish for loving food and comfort, but crowley’s obsession with his car or plants just makes him funny and iconic. i kept waiting for crowley to intervene and say something beautiful about aziraphale the way that azi did for him in that scene, but nope.

and while i understand the argument i’ve seen some fans make that it’s religiously liberating for aziraphale to acknowledge that he is technically a sinner by biblical standards but is still good, my issue stems from the word “still.” he argued to god that she was right about him “BUT” he still always tried to do good. no one— not aziraphale OR crowley— pointed out that those things aren’t sins in the first place— they make him who he is. crowley is redeemed, in god’s eyes, for his creativity and curiosity, but his temper/selfishness was never addressed. alternatively, aziraphale’s so-deemed “flaws” were criticized, but his love for crowley is what made god appreciate him. and as sweet as that idea is, it’s also a version of synecdoche; it reduces aziraphale to his love story and nothing else.

and SPEAKING of aziraphale’s speech to crowley, while it WAS so sweet, i call bullshit on the idea that crowley was the “only” one willing to question, or that he “taught” aziraphale bravery. aziraphale has been THE bravest character on that show since Day One; the very first thing we learned about him was that he gave away his god-given sword because adam and eve were alone and scared, and aziraphale made that choice entirely without crowley’s influence. we also watched him look out for his fellow angel and warn him not to get into trouble BEFORE the Fall even happened— proving that deep down, aziraphale suspected heaven for what it really was before crowley even did. and then in the finale, we watched an angel who JUST saw what happens to deserters take off his own wrappings to help an injured demon who’d threatened him with his own blade.

aziraphale has NEVER needed crowley to teach him bravery; crowley taught him that the bravery he already possessed was nothing to be ashamed of. but to rob aziraphale of the same qualities that crowley possesses, to give him no ambitions outside of romance (ie “i only want one thing”), is to demote his character to crowley’s love interest, and not once in this finale did crowley speak up about it.

i think a lot of times when we have a queer relationship— even one like this in which neither being is gendered— fans subconsciously try to find a Man and Woman in the dynamic based on systemic heteronormativity and misogyny. so when we condemn aziraphale for his flaws but treat crowley’s as silly aspects of his personality, when we refuse to acknowledge that aziraphale might have ambitions outside of his love story (ie the Nate and Andy From Devil Wears Prada Effect), or when we claim that wanting SOME creature comforts for himself makes him lazy and prideful, we end up treating aziraphale exactly the way that female love interests are treated. and while i personally think that’s been a huge issue in the fanbase for years, this finale is the first time in which crowley acted that way, too. crowley actively mistreated aziraphale throughout this entire finale.

even down to the human versions of themselves: anthony is a published author, a teller of his own story (albeit not a particularly successful one), whereas that scene implied that asa didn’t even own that bookshop, he was a subordinate employee in it, connoting an inherent difference in power. and while i understand that “crowley” might be an easier name to adapt than “aziraphale,” something in me twinges sadly at the fact that he doesn’t even keep his own name in their supposed, reincarnated happy ending. and our very last scene of them involved crowley looking at the stars-aka HIS passion— and aziraphale bringing him a drink like some kind of housewife. whatever happened to all the fanon representations of the south downs cottage that was overrun with plants AND books? aziraphale’s personality was bled from his happy ending, and only crowley’s remained.

I keep thinking about how Aziraphale, when Crowley did not immediately leap to his feet to help him, just turned around and walked away.

He didn’t try to help him up. He didn’t crouch down to his level. He didn’t even look remotely pressed, and he left Crowley lying there, depressed and dirty and drunk and barely conscious, like he was a piece of trash. Like he meant nothing. (I also haaaaate what they did with Crowley here, but that’s another post entirely)

To think they made Aziraphale into the villain so many people thought he was post s2, and for what? To what end? For what reason? It feels so unnecessarily cruel. So callous. So very much not Aziraphale.

“But Crowley told him to go away! Aziraphale was just respecting his boundaries!”

Nah. No. I mean maybe if Crowley was just chilling having a drink somewhere all upright and not covered in shit and mired in despair, then fine. But he’s lying on the fucking street in the alley muttering that nothing matters anymore. I would argue that when someone you care about is THAT depressed and THAT deep in a dark, dark place, that is precisely the time to ignore their attempt to shove you away. At the very least you reach out to them, anyway.

Was that angel the same as this one? This soft but fiercely tenderhearted sweetheart?

Are we supposed to believe this was that same angel we watched walk away from the same demon he guided through that Edinburgh cemetery with firm but careful hands before he was snatched down to Hell?

Out of all the possible things that could’ve happened in the finale— of all the possible endings and scenarios I thought about for months and months— one thing I never even considered to be remotely possible about this angel who always looked at Crowley like he was everything?

I never thought that Aziraphale wouldn’t help Crowley up off the ground.

And apparently, neither did Peter Anderson Studio.