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[antares-8]

So, about Ed's almost-dying hallucination. Right before dream!Stede shows up, we see a beam of light. A lighthouse, possibly, as viewed from underwater? I haven't noticed any other possible lighthouse references, but then again I am not very observant.

[antares-8]

hello! i recently finished rereading the pilgrim's progress and honestly, it's some of (if not the) best beast!wirt fic i've ever read! there's a lot of stuff that i've realized makes it so good, especially after giving it more than one read through.

first of all, beatrice's characterization throughout the whole series is AMAZING and feels really accurate to the show. she's angry and almost always ready and willing to punch a man, but that's only part of her character. like, i've seen a decent bit of otgw fic where she just gets reduced down to "the angry one" but in tpp, her other emotions get the spotlight too sometimes and it makes her feels so real and human. she's determined and stubborn and willing to go to the ends of the earth for the people she cares about and you can really feel it!! she's her own person with her own stuff to deal with and it makes her so interesting in this series. i think she's possibly my favorite character.

(also, in writing that paragraph about beatrice i realized that tpp, or at least the arc with the witches, has a lot to do with grief and anger. this is more of a half-formed thought, but the way they're fairly consistent elements throughout and fit in perfectly with its other themes. i'm not exactly sure what else to say about this since i haven't put much thought into it until just now, but it's definitely something i like about it, although it's more of a personal preference.)

characters in general are one of tpp's strong suits, i think! the ocs created for this series are amazing without detracting from the main cast. felicity sticks out to me in particular, likely because we get to see things from her perspective. her motives manage to be understandable without detracting from the sense that she's in the wrong. also, shoutout to peg-leg polly, whose character description is amazingly evocative, as well as literally everything else about her. 10/10, no notes.

i think something else tpp does amazingly is all the "side" stuff. not "side" as in, like, subplots (this is all pretty much main plot, which is part of why it's so great), but as in "not the first thing you think of when you think of a beast!wirt au." "weren't you someone's son" is possibly the best example of this. we get to see how wirt's family is affected personally, something that's so often ignored. and it's a *whole main plot thing*--they never get fully shoved off to the side. the same goes with the unknown's reactions to wirt as the "new beast"--it's not glossed over. in fact, it's one the things the story is based around. tpp is BUILT around the stuff that's not immediately obvious, and it really makes it stand out in the best way possible.

and somewhat relatedly, wirt's character arc, about CHOOSING to stay in the unknown, is so good! it takes 30 works and tens of thousands of words until he fully admits it to himself but the payoff is so, so worth it. the line at the end of "to wind thy soul" where wirt says he *wants* to stay is built up so beautifully. it's another one of those things that makes tpp so unique and amazing.

and last, but definitely not least, is the WORLDBUILDING. there's a lot to say about it, but i love your version of the unknown!! it feels so real and alive, and the people in it do too. it really manages to capture the feeling of the original show--there's darkness, but it's not ALL sad times and eldritch horror, and some things are even a bit silly. and the way the unknown keeps on feeling mysterious even as we learn more and more about it is impressive. the fact that some things are mentioned but never expanded upon (like the beast-cult or the wars against nature) is far from a flaw here--they make the unknown feel like a real place, and help keep up the sense of mystery, magic, and a long history by sounding so interesting while being left mostly up-in-the-air. and the idea of using edelwood to cleanse corruption is also so good. like, if i force myself to look at it from a doylist perspective, i can say that it might exist to avoid a moral quandary which would seriously hurt everything that tpp is trying to say (although honestly, i don't think that it's a bad thing if that's the case; i love worldbuilding but making sure it plays nice with story and message is important, often moreso than making it feel "good"), but i have to force myself to think like that. while reading, it's foreshadowed well and feels so natural that i sometimes forget it was created for this series. and that's just one part of the worldbuilding! so much of this version of the unknown feels so in line with everything the show gives us, and there's so much attention to detail. it's so fantastic and i love it!!

also, a couple small details i noticed (and are appreciated):

in "all that was lost," enoch says that he can tell beatrice + greg where wirt is if they stay the night, and in "wish i was a shadow" it's mentioned that enoch vists the queen of the clouds a lot. did. did enoch ask the queen of the clouds where wirt was for beatrice and greg?

in "only one thing" greg mentions that he's sure that the cloak wirt gave him is enchanted, and in "gone to the tree" wirt mentions that he'd only tried to imbue something with his protection once before. did wirt enchant greg's cloak?? if so that's ADORABLE. wirt really loves greg huh?

anyway, yeah, the pilgrim's progress is amazing!! i didn't realize that i had this much to say about it, but it honestly deserves all the praise i can throw at it. there are some other small things that i love, but this is getting pretty long as it is. i can't wait for the next update, and i hope that you're doing well!! <3

First off, thank you for making my day! (And hopefully inspiring me finally finish the next installment. One can hope, right?) I always love to hear from readers, especially readers who enjoy my work.

Beatrice is a lot of fun to write. She accepts no nonsense (except when she doles it out to get something), her first impulse is violence, and she's fiercely loyal to all those she loves. Plus, some of her reactions to Wirt are just hilarious. She knows enough to realize how weird--or perhaps extraordinary--he really is.

I wanted to say something about how family was important in the show (the bluebirds, the brothers), but the truth is that I really like outsider POV and the parents gave me a good opportunity to play with that. That can remain our secret.

Sometimes, I feel like this entire series is just one big exercise in worldbuilding. Because the Beast is so well-known (and feared), I have to think about how the new Beast interacts with the world in general and how the world's reactions reflect back onto the character. That being said, I've still got a few headcanons that I'd like to explore.

Both of your theories regarding small details are correct. Enoch asked the Queen of the Clouds where to find Wirt waaaay back in the beginning, and Wirt added a few enchantments to the cloak before giving it to Greg. The enchantments... well, let's just say that no one will ever try to bully Greg while he's wearing it.

Unfortunately, I can't say for certain when the next update will be out. The next one is a new arc (or maybe it will be the one after that, because I've got another WIP that could become part 31 instead), so I've been obsessively tweaking it to get everything set up correctly.

As Wirt says to the people who try to drive him out of their town with torches and pitchforks, have a nice day!

[antares-8]

So I’m rewatching Season 1 of Good Omens, and in episode 2, Shadwell says that his thunder gun originally belonged to Witchfinder Colonel Dalrymple. Is this Dalrymple related to the one from the Edinburgh minisode? Is it important somehow? Or am I just losing my mind?

[antares-8]

Here’s some evidence that The Book of Life can’t change the past, just memories. Basically, if Heaven had the power to erase people from existence, the series wouldn’t have happened. Erase Lucifer and the Fall is undone, everything is hunky-dory again. Apocalypse gets thwarted? There’s tons of people you could erase to fix that: Adam’s friends who snapped him out of Antichrist mode, the parents who raised him, the third baby whose existence screwed up the baby swap, even some poor scapegoat like Sister Mary Loquacious. Kill off Aziraphale and Crowley even before the hellfire and holy water don’t work. Remove the monkey wrench and everything is back on track.

If Heaven could get the Apocalypse that way, it would. You can’t convince me otherwise.

So the BoL can’t change the past, it can only change memory. This means that the documentary evidence will remain intact and unaltered, which means that Muriel can show Crowley some very interesting things from the bookshop (probably unintentionally). That’ll hopefully be revealed in the first couple episodes of Season 3 so that the pain does not continue too long.

The Magic Trick You Didn’t See: Being An Analysis of Good Omens Season 2

(or: Neil Gaiman, Your Brain is Gorgeous But I Have Cracked Your Sneaky Little Code And Have You Dead To Rights*) (*Maybe)

***

Soooooo I just spent the last 48 hours having a BREATHTAKING GALAXY BRAIN EPIPHANY about Good Omens Season 2 and feverishly writing a fuckin16,000 word essay about the incredible magic trick that @neil-gaiman pulled off. 

Yes, it’s long, but I PROMISE your brains will explode. Do you want to know how magic works? Do you want to know what Metatron’s deal is (I’m like 99% sure of this and it’s EXTREMELY FUCKING GOOD)? Do you want to know about the Mystery of the Vanishing Eccles Cakes and the big fat beautiful clue I found in the opening credits? Do you go through the whole inventory of Chekov’s Firearm & Heavy Artillery Discount Warehouse? 

Here is the essay, go read it: https://docs.google.com/document/d/193IXS11XN46lziHRb6eUpM17yK0BQkRqke1Wh64A_e0/ When ur done u can tell me I’m an insane crackpot, and u know what, i won’t even be offended

In case you don’t know whether you want to bother reading the whole enormous thing on google docs, I’ve put the first couple sections of it under the cut. JUST TRUST ME OKAY, HEAR ME OUT, THIS IS VERY EXTREMELY COOL, NEIL IS GOOD AT HIS JOB–

Keep reading

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Post 4: The Metatron shows up

He looks different when he’s not a floating head.

Wow. “The dim one.” Rude.

I’m afraid that the coffee is a trap. Can coffee be a trap?

“Go on. The day can’t get any weirder.” You said it, Crowley.

Crowley is cleaning up, but what are Aziraphale and the Metatron talking about?

Did not expect Nina and Maggie to call out our ineffable idiots for their terrible communication skills.

What did Metatron offer Aziraphale? What is going on?

Now Muriel and Metatron are talking. I’m a bit suspicious. I don’t trust the Metatron.

The sunglasses have come off!

...I don’t trust this promotion offer. I don’t trust it at all.

In some ways, it’s everything Aziraphale ever wanted.

No. No. This is hurting my heart. Aziraphale, what are you doing? You’re better than this! No. No no no no no. 

WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS.

Stop shaking your head Aziraphale. Listen to Crowley. Please. I’m going to start crying. 

Sunglasses on. Oh God. No. I can’t stand it if this is how the season ends. Please no.

You idiots. 

KISS IT’S HAPPENING A KISS IS HAPPENING PLEASE LET THIS SNAP AZIRAPHALE OUT OF HIS STUPIDITY.

Echoes of the bandstand. Oh god. Why.

Go away Metatron. Go away. You’re ruining everything. Stop it.

Go to Crowley. Please, please go to Crowley. Or Crowley, go to him.

Metatron might have overplayed his hand. Please let this snap Aziraphale out of it. Please.

I started screaming out loud now. No. NO. No. No.

IT’S OVER. HOW CAN IT BE OVER NOW. NO. NO NO.

The third season had BETTER start with Aziraphale marching his ass back down to Earth and groveling at Crowley’s feet.

My heart. No. No.

I don’t think I’ve ever been this devastated by a TV show before.

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Post 3: Explanation time

So it was Beelzebub he met in the pub. I suspect Beelzebub helped him with the fly idea as a contingency plan.

I think Gabriel’s suit is a darker gray in the ‘no Armageddon’ scene.

Holy crap the song is THEIR song.

I thought that this was destined to remain a crackship but it’s maybe not?

“Two goblets of your intoxicating liquor, please.”

OMG it’s becoming canon.

So Beelzebub did give him the fly. 

If Beelzebub and Gabriel get their crap together before the ineffables then I will scream.

The ineffables are so confused.

Crowley is so protective of the humans.

And Aziraphale is there seeing love between an angel and a demon. Lovely.

The bell! That’s right, Aziraphale, show them who’s boss.

They’re adorable but sickening together.

THEY ARE SINGING TOGETHER.

Where did they go?

So Crowley has been living in his car? That explains why he’s got his plants in there.

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Post 2: Crowley in Heaven, bookshop fight

I just noticed that Crowley’s tattoo turned shiny gold. So pretty.

A throne or a dominion or above and Crowley just opens it! Heck yes! 

It’s a good thing that these demons are very stupid or they’d stop walking into the circle and getting themselves discorporated.

Why did the camera show Crowley’s face when Gabriel said that he was the only first-order Archangel in the universe? Does this mean what I think it means? I might just explode with excitement.

It doesn’t sound like Gabriel at all. 

Saraqael knew who Crowley was?

I really just want Aziraphale to snap. The fire extinguishers are funny, though.

So what happened to change Gabriel’s mind about Armageddon? Does it have something to do with his mysterious meeting in the pub? It’s got to, right?

Good thing those demons are stupid.

So Gabriel took his own memories so that Heaven couldn’t. 

Yay, Aziraphale just eradicated all those demons! I knew he could do it, though I expected more swordplay.

Declared war? That’s not good.

The fly? Didn’t expect that. It was a lot smarter than anything I’d expect from Gabriel. Who helped him?

It crawled into his eye. Gross.

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Episode 6 Post 1: Cold open

Nina is asking the real questions here.

“Angels are like bees.”

This is not a good time to stop being afraid of everything.

Shax is a jerk.

NOT GOOD.

I want to see Aziraphale kick ass. Is that really too much to ask?

The theme song did not always have that little bit of guitar. What is happening.

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Post 3: The Hordes of Hell approach!

Wait, there’s a demon named Skittles?

Crowley is stunned by the inside of the bookstore. No surprise there.

Just spit it out, Crowley.

How does everyone know these dances? Is it a Britain thing? Probably Aziraphale’s influence.

Nina is the only sane person in the entire bookshop.

Poor Crowley is just so stressed.

The ineffables are dancing?!? They’re dancing! Together!

Aziraphale is not stressed enough.

None of the humans know what’s going on.

Aziraphale is a protector at heart. I love him.

What the hell is Gabriel wearing?

It’s nice to know that Crowley knows the rules. Or not. Good thing the demons are too stupid to check.

Well, Maggie is a sweetheart and Nina is curious.

“Rescuing me makes him so happy.”

What is that demon up to?

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Post 2: Earth and Heaven

Hey, the dancing girls are part of the parade that follows the ineffables in the opening.

Well, this conversation will be a disaster.

Oh sweet, Nina’s godawful partner dumped her. Good.

So Crowley feels the need to get drunk for this conversation. I get it.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING CROWLEY WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING WHY ARE YOU TELLING HIM

I really love this scene with “Jim” and Crowley talking.

So the box had Gabriel’s memories (or the matchbox/not cigarette box did) and he had to bring them to Aziraphale or something bad would happen? And there’s an institutional problem somewhere that Gabriel wanted to cover up? Curiouser and curiouser.

Muriel is adorable. We need more of them.

All the angels agree that Crowley is nice.

At least Aziraphale is having fun with this. He might not know how these things are supposed to work, but he’s enjoying himself.

Wait, is that Nina’s ex? That’s. Not good.

What the hell is Gabriel wearing? Answer: passive-aggressive revenge from Aziraphale.

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Episode 5 Post 1: Cold open

Hey, it’s the admissions demon who almost caught the ineffables! I guess his name is Furfur.

10,000 demons? Isn’t that sort of overkill? Then again, I suppose they think that Gabriel is at full power.

I really hope that there ends up being a fight scene where we get to see why sweet, gentle Aziraphale was chosen to guard the Garden of Eden. 

Aziraphale is really desperate. Crowley can’t believe his ears.

70 demons.

Shax’s outfit sure is something.

Eric! Eric is here! And he’s just as great as ever.

Aziraphale still does not speak French well. Good callback.

Eric is definitely having flashbacks to “Aziraphale” hanging out in a column of hellfire. 

I’m now curious about Nina’s opinions on the Christmas lights.

Nina ships the ineffables! And perhaps she’s given Crowley some valuable advice.

Eric is a gift and did not deserve that treatment.

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Post 4: Present-day Hell

Shax is not messing around.

She’s ambitious. 

Beelzebub is just very done. 

A flaming sword would be very useful right now.

Nina’s partner continues to suck.

Huh. So the meeting thing actually is plot-relevant. Subplot relevant.

I’m going for a run now to cope with my bat-related stress. Will return soon with episode 5.

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Post 3: The magic show

You’d think that someone would notice how the zombies are all covered in blood. I’ll just chock that up to the admissions demon’s magic.

Miracles blocked. Not good.

Ok, so the blocker works on demons and angels.

Huh. Admissions demon has proof. I know it won’t last, but this is bad.

Of course Crowley has never fired a gun before. He wouldn’t even murder Job’s goats.

The tension is mounting.

DON’T wave a gun around like Crowley did.

So Crowley also actually fought in the War? Huh.

The zombies aren’t looking so good.

Crowley is very calm about this.

Did that idiot just hand over the evidence? How dumb do you have to be?

Did Aziraphale just switch the evidence? I bet he switched it.

....Soooooo are the zombies still, like, out there?

He switched it! Good job, Aziraphale.

Aziraphale is so in love.

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Post 2: Blitz time!

The day Aziraphale realized he was in love. I assume we’re flashing back to this now because of how Shax was picking at their relationship.

Or it’s because this is when Shax ‘heard they were an item’ from the dead Nazi lady (or the other demon guy, who heard it from the dead Nazi lady). 

I think that’s Aziraphale’s attempt at flirting.

Creepy tongue.

Aziraphale’s face when the lady mentioned a magician.

Nazi zombies sounds like a problem.

Oh, there’s the spider.

The singing guy is going to die. 

Oh, he didn’t. Yet. But wait, he’s still here! Not that smart, is he. They won’t get much brain out of him.

Aziraphale keeps hesitating before he says ‘friend.’ 

I don’t think that Crowley has ever seen Aziraphale’s magic show yet. 

Great American accent, Crowley.

Those Nazis must be so confused.

Crowley’s Texan accent is even... I don’t know if that’s better or worse. You know what I mean.

Aziraphale is so happy about Crowley supporting his interests.

Dumb Nazis should just summon the admissions demon now. All they need is a witness.

...Is this going to turn into a snake charming thing? Because that was my first thought when I saw the cobra.

Aziraphale has a gun?

Neither of them wants the paperwork. That’s valid.

And now magic shop guy is going to die. Rip.

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Episode 4 Post 1: Cold open

So I’d literally JUST sat down to watch the show when a fucking bat went flying through the TV room. It’s gone now, thank God, but... yeah. Looks like I get to get rabies shots in the near future, and we need to figure out how the heck it got inside in the first place. But now I’ll move onto more pleasant things.

The Bentley is not impressed by Aziraphale’s music choices.

DON’T DO IT! 

Shax is competent. 

Shax is picking at the relationship. Not cool, Shax, but it is nice to see a competent demon/bad guy.

I just noticed the giant spider in the background of part of the theme song.

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Post 4: Modern world again for good this time

I can’t believe Crowley didn’t make Aziraphale get his own cell phone.

Still don’t like Nina’s partner.

Matchmaker Crowley is so cute.

Is this a prophecy or just more Bible verses? It sounds like verses but I can’t tell where they’re from.

Wait, I think that Jesus might have said that? Except for the bit about how every day, it’s getting closer.

“Very Closed.”

So Hell will declare war on Aziraphale if he doesn’t cough up Gabriel? Not good.

It’s over already?

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Post 3: Aziraphale is in modern Scotland and past Scotland

Hello, jukebox. 

Aziraphale is a moron.

So who was sitting with Gabriel?

At least Aziraphale in 1823 is willing to acknowledge his mistakes. He just wants to be helpful.

Turn out the lantern Aziraphale! You too, Crowley.

Was not expecting that. Or that. Why did Morag’s eyes change?

Poor Elspeth.

I don’t get what Crowley is doing? Is he high? Yeah, I think the laudanum is messing with his head.

Ooooh, so is this the immediate precursor to the holy water fight?