it surprises me when people call the ending “not homophobic” simply because it leaves two men in a romantic relationship. the problem is not that anthony and asa fell in love with each other. the problem is that aziraphale and crowley, characters with one of the most unusual and deeply developed queer stories in modern fantasy, were sacrificed for it
a romance between two men does not automatically make a story good representation. especially when those characters are reduced to a set of generic traits: they are kind, they love each other, and that is basically it. we have already seen countless stories like that, and this is not just about gay relationships. people loved aziraphale and crowley not because they were a couple. they loved them as individuals: complex, contradictory characters with their own dynamic, history, and personalities that developed over many years. that is why it feels so strange to watch them be replaced with a flatter version of the same idea
to me, bad representation is not the absence of a kiss. it is when unique queer characters are erased in favor of a safer and more conventional romantic story. that is a disservice to the fandom
