First Sight and Second Thoughts

Aziraphale set his jaw and met Crowley’s gaze defiantly. “I’m getting rid of them,” he said adamantly. “I can just push them aside,” he insisted. “She can’t keep doing this, Crowley–” he cut himself off from saying more, from speaking into the world his fear that she, like the man in the temple, wouldn’t survive the polluted air much longer.

It was only then that Aziraphale realized that Crowley’s face had pulled into a wide, uneven grin. “You don’t have to convince me, angel,” he said warmly.

Together, they clambered down, hands reaching over each other, limbs briefly entwining and parting like the threads of their lives had ever been in the tapestry of history. The pattern ended with them standing side by side, a matched pair.

Words: 27,937

Status: Complete

Rating: Teen And Up

By @olfactoryventriloquism

Author: Dariaanadin

https://www.instagram.com/p/Da-cyhkDHkE/?igsh=MTFtemNwNzRyMnp1eg==

The full article does not directly relate to Good Omens, but Morton asked MMS at one point about writing for/condensing the finale, and this was his response:

It is now abundantly clear that we (the audience/fans) were deliberately misled about Neil's involvement with the finale in terms of what happened following his "removal" from the project after the allegations against him came out.

MMS states above that all of them (he, NG, and Peter Atkins) have known each other for 30 years, and we know they have worked together previously. So despite Neil being "firewalled" (a turn of phrase that frames NG as a victim of the situation and seems entirely dismissive given the circumstances that led to his removal in the first place) from the production, it is more than reasonable to believe that his interests and what he wanted to have happen were being represented by these writers.

I'm particularly galled by the sentence above, "It was seeking--against a strong headwind--closure for beloved characters." Because Aziraphale and Crowley are beloved queer characters, and yet three straight men set to work removing every scrap of visible affection from them, acting as if the chemistry and attraction between them never existed, and denying them any chance at meaningful communication.

I can also think of nothing that embodies stunted emotional development more than deciding that "Better to erase all of history and everyone in it than to talk about our feelings" is an optimal form of closure. The question then becomes, closure for whom, exactly? This is something MMS conveniently left out of the article above, as his comments sharply contradict the sentiments coming from so much of the fandom. So if it wasn't closure for the characters (I'd say not) and if it wasn't closure for the fans (which it sure as hell wasn't), then who was it for?

Because here we are all, two months later, still trying to reckon with what we were given. Still trying to work our way through confusion, disappointment, through an ocean of duplicitous double-talk and seeking--against a strong headwind--some scrap of understanding about both everything that we saw on screen and what we were told by those in the know.

When I moved, I’m certain they understood I was leaving because I had all my stuff and gave them lots of food and compliments.

But, they chased down my friend who lived in the next burrough over. They had recognised that friend with me several times and followed them to their house when they couldn’t find me.

They adopted my friend and it was now my friend’s job to bring them snacks and receive the presents.

This was maybe 6-7 years ago.

I visited London last year. Went to see my friend. The crows all not only recognised me, they tracked me down. We got into my friend’s flat and not twenty minutes later there was chaos on the balcony.

We open the curtains, the entire fucking murder is there shouting because they wanted to see me.