There's always two of us.

This might be a bit incoherent.

So, I'm a Hindu. Grew up as one, and honestly learnt about Christianity from cultural osmosis by growing up in Texas and doing my own research. I'm pretty sure I learnt more about Greek mythology before I ever understood why a crucifix was ever important. When I'd first heard about Good Omens its satirizing of Christianity is what drew me in. Namely because if you have the awareness that the majority of people around you follow a religion that says you're going to hell for not believing in the same god as them, you're gonna end up side eying that a little. It was the dynamic between Aziraphale and Crowley that kept me in the fandom. They were the reason I got any social media account at all, including this tumblr blog, just because I wanted to see all the things this fandom created. All that to say is that I fundamentally disagree with the ethos of season 3. Reincarnation, from my experience, is a belief around death. When someone dies, believing that they are reincarnated as someone close to us is comforting. I've heard that belief from my own parents. But the person we knew is gone, and in reality we shouldn't treat someone like their past life is who they are - because they are no longer that person! And it would be unfair to treat them that way. Obviously in a TV show, we the viewer have the knowledge that Aziraphale and Crowley have been reincarnated into Asa and Anthony, even if they don't. But that's kind of the mega huge problem. They have no knowledge of this. And in my opinion, they cannot be treated as the same person. I'm gonna briefly discuss two Bollywood movies that have reincarnation as a plot point. One movie is called Magadheera (2009), and the other is called Manam (2014). Both movies revolve around a couple who die tragically, and are later reincarnated in the modern day. And you know what else they have in common. The couples get. Their fucking memories back! If they don't remember what happened in their previous life, portraying it in the movie would be absolutely pointless. The circumstances and time periods they live in are completely different. Being a queen in ancient India is different from being a regular woman in modern India. Being a middle aged mom is different from being a college student. Only reconciling these memories could indicate not just that these people are the same, but that they develop from the person that they once were. Asa and Anthony have no character development. We don't have the time! All the lessons that A and C learnt, all the time they spent learning from humanity as themselves - it no longer exists. None of it ever did. Hinduism is no stranger to apocalypses. We have a flood story too you know! But when the world ends, there are still people around who remember and pass down the memories and mythology of that time period. And it was still our world! Every time in fact! In the Good Omens universe, who is left to remember what happened? Us the viewers? But if the characters themselves don't remember, can't remember, can't apply these lessons to their own circumstances, then what happened before means nothing.

As a segue way, I never saw being an angel as inherently good. Because as someone, who by Christian canon, would never be accepted by heaven (nor would I want to) I don't have a place there regardless. In season 1, the point was that every character, whether human or angel or demon or green space alien or whatever, still had free will and that doing good or bad was independent of heaven or hell. That really appealed to me as someone who didn't believe in a Christian viewpoint. It felt like there was a place for me even in a world where only Christianity was right. And then season 3 acts like being an angel is the most valuable part of who Crowley is. Not any of his 6000 years on Earth. Just that he used to be an angel. And Crowley himself doesn't seem to value who he currently is! If a character doesn't value who they are, a satisfying conclusion is that they come to value who they are at the end of the story. That doesn't seem to happen, like, ever? Except in season 1, where despite having to face the demise of everything he knows, he still seems more secure and happier by the end than any other time in season 2 or 3.

GO Fan Fiction Writers

Thank you to @curiouspupsicle and @copperplatebeech for spearheading the Throwback Thursdays idea!

Sometimes, the writing process starts with one specific mental image. My post-S2 fic feel the earthquake in the room began with a vision of Aziraphale and Crowley hanging out on a pool deck sipping fruity cocktails while Jesus does cannonballs in the background.

That image remained just a kernel of an idea until the lovely @bot-pilot won my Fandom Trumps Hate bid last year. Her prompt was "jealous Aziraphale." Specifically, she wanted to see Aziraphale be a little bitch about it. I was interested in exploring Aziraphale's jealousy without there being any real romantic rivalry or threat. While we were chatting about the prompt, another image came to mind. This is the message I sent:

Aziraphale, Crowley, and Jesus are sitting together at a restaurant. Jesus is trying to get Crowley to eat something (probably doing something goofy like "here comes the airplane"). Crowley rolls his eyes like "fine" and opens his mouth. Aziraphale freaks out and smacks the fork out of Jesus' hand. I am too stupid to live, probably.

So, from two initial scene ideas grew a multi-chapter fic exploring Aziraphale and Crowley's reconciliation. Jesus is also there. The Second Coming is sort of happening in the background (don't worry about it).

Some aspects, like the comedy, came easily to me. I had a ball writing Jason Mantzoukas Yeshua (and I let him keep his hand holes!!). Others, like the emotional beats in the final chapters, were more difficult. I put a lot of pressure on myself; it felt like a monumental responsibility to write the conversations these two bozos needed to have.

In the weeks leading up to May 13, I was feeling a hint of bittersweetness that people might not want to read a post-S2 fic anymore after the happy canon ending. Ha. Hahahahaha. Ha. Real monkey's paw curl situation.

I am grateful to know there are readers who have been moved by this story, whether it was before the finale or more recently in this topsy-turvy post-finale world of ours. I like to think this is a story about hope and healing above all. And boning. So much boning. But that is part of the healing ❤️.

I'll leave you with some wise words from our Lord and Saviour:

A tad discombobulated, Aziraphale sputters, "You never did say why you're helping, going against—" "I made mistakes when I was younger." Yeshua squints and looks up at the sky, watching the sun pass behind a crackling pea-soup cloud. "Offed another kid who destroyed my tide pool. Blinded some of the neighbours. You know, childish impulse stuff. Anyway, I got the chance to grow up. Do better. Save people. Humanity? They're still a work in progress. They deserve more time to get there."

feel the earthquake in the room

24K words | Rated E

The last time Aziraphale was with Christ in the desert, the Son of God was being nailed to the cross. Yeshua's screams are different today. He lets out a jubilant whoop as he catapults himself off the springboard with his knees tucked to his chest. The pool's smooth, crystalline surface erupts when his body hits the water.

--

The Second Coming is imminent. Aziraphale and Crowley, naturally, spend four days and three nights at a motel in Palm Springs dealing with their own issues.