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Post-Breakup Goth Prince🦉✨

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I want to talk about a kind of troubling reaction I've been seeing to both Apology Tour and Ghostfuckers among parts of the fandom. The person is usually a reaction youtuber but sometimes someone writing on tumblr or twitter. They say something along the lines of "oh, I'm glad Blitz is being forced to confront his crimes/traumas/pain. This is the only way he will finally heal."

That's not how healing works.

I know that reaction youtubers don't always have the most developed takes because they're . . . you know . . . reacting in the moment. But I think it's still worth talking about.

I'm going set aside the people who seem to believe that Blitz needs to be punished for his crimes, and address those who genuinely think that getting a tidal wave of his own trauma in his face is what he needs to heal.

There's an attitude in contemporary culture that traumas are something people need to confront. As in, put on a brave face and dive in like a big boy. I blame capitalism, rugged individualism, and all the pieces of media that tie up a character's arc neatly by having them confront their darkest fears and insecurities. It can put a nice bow on things, but it isn't really how healing from trauma works.

Apology Tour:

Blitz gets confronted by a shit ton of people who hate him, at least some of whom are his exes, who he feels he's personally damaged. The decor and party games are all about killing and torturing him. Verosika confronts him about how much he hurt her. Oh, and then he sees the love of his life, who he's just recently pushed away, making out with another guy- proof, in his eyes, that Stolas is happier without him. And this all reflects the underlying fears he already has about who he is as a person (shown to us by Truth Seekers).

So what was the takeaway? Blitz came to the conclusion that he doesn't always want to be like this (good, but like . . . worth this much pain?). He flops on his steering wheel (relatable). He stops trying to reach out to Stolas (uh oh . . . ). He spends A MONTH spiraling in his own misery and making a mess of all aspects of his life until he's dragged out of it by a caring friend.

The party doesn't empower Blitz to change. It knocks him down and fucking traumatizes him (seriously, images of Stolas from the party show up later in his trauma reel) too much for him to be able to do actually work toward said change. I suspect that if left to his own devices, he would have kept spiraling for quite a while longer. It's one thing to want to change, and another to try to do so alone in the aftermath of a pile-on.

Ghostfuckers

After Blitz drags himself out of his hole of cheesy ice cream and despair to "play sex ghosts" (escapism, again, still knocked down by Apology Tour), infester demon Rolando picks him out as an easy target and assaults him, yes, assaults, with horrific images of his worst traumas and fears.

Not to state the obvious, but Rolando isn't interested in helping Blitz heal. He's trying to kill the guy. He wants to engulf Blitz in his trauma to the extent where he's consumed by it and loses the will to fight back. And as some excellent posts by others have pointed out already, he very likely would have succumbed if not for Millie's support.

Millie helps Blitz get through the onslaught by telling him about what makes him great and how he's improved her life and showing him love and care. And by literally beating the fucking infester out of him. Because there's someone in him who's hurting him, who's re-traumatizing him against his will. She takes him away from the reel of horrible memories.

So . . . do I think that confronting traumas can play a role in healing? Sure. But only if it's consensually (which neither of these situations are) and when the person trying to heal is ready. And most likely in small doses. No one's going and successfully confronting every horrible thing that's ever happened to them in one go.

And in my humble opinion, it's not going to work (for anyone, but especially not for Blitz) alone and without a healthy dose of kindness and compassion (both external and internal).

Blitz has a long road ahead of him toward healing, and it's going to be hard work on his part but also require love and support from the people in his life.

In a wonderful moment near the end of Ghosfuckers, Blitz and Millie work together to get Blitz's wrecked van unstuck and push it back through the portal into Hell. I love it because it's so simple and it kind of tells us everything we need to know. This sweet and salty gremlin has a lot of work ahead of him, but he doesn't have to do it alone.

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Brandon Rogers crashing the Hazbin Hotel panel at Animate! Columbus- June 14, 2025

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Building a new hotel must be tiring, rest here my dear.

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For the purposes of this poll, "model nuclear household" means one family living together that consists of a mother, a father, and their biological child(ren), and no one else. No half siblings, adopted or foster kids, no other adults living in the same home. The biological parents are the only adults who directly parent the children, and the parents are together, and both alive and present (not in jail, etc).

We ask your questions anonymously so you don’t have to! Submissions are open on the 1st and 15th of the month.

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Stella has personality, you just don't like it. Octavia has personality, you just don't like it. Millie has personality, you just don't like it.

Viv can write female characters with personality, you just don't like seeing female characters with flaws.

Stella is selfish, stupid, privileged, and enjoys others' suffering. You know, like a villain. Because she's a villain.

Octavia is sheltered, has narrow view, little experience, and doesn't care about things outside her little world. You know, like a teenager. Because she's a teenager.

Millie is passive, patient, and focuses on supporting those she cares about. You know, like an repressed eldest sibling. Because she's a repressed older sibling.

Loona is aggressive, selfish, and distrustful. You know, like a foster kid that spent a LOT of time in the system. Because she was a foster kid who spent a lot of time in the system.

I think this is a collection of diverse and interesting characters. Just because Stella isn't seen being a good or loving mother doesn't mean she's one dimensional or poorly written, it means she isn't a good mom and doesn't want to be.

Why does "giving Stella personality" have to mean "good money who loves her daughter"? You guys just can't handle a character who is explicitly a bad mom who doesn't like her kid. Unfortunately, there are bad moms in the world.

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It is once again crying hours over the fact that Stolas spent his whole adult life assuming he would have to live a dark and joyless existence, and just stay as quiet and compliant as possible until he was no longer needed by his daughter, and then he could silently disappear forever so he'd never be in the way again.

... And then Blitz just burst right into his life and plunged him into light and hope and joy and fun and sex and love and youth. And though their path was messy and rocky, to this day Blitz is still doing that, still not letting Stolas fade away into nothingness, still showing Stolas that his story isn't over, that it is only just beginning, and that he is loved, and needed, and cherished, and worth fighting for.

Yup. Here come the tears.

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Hey stolitz fans I have a question for y’all.

So we all know that part of why Blitzø loves Stolas is because Stolas laughs at his jokes and supports him. Which is great. You should have a partner that fills certain emotional needs for you. At the same time, I want to know what parts of Stolas Blitzø likes beyond the traits that directly benefits Blitzø. Like, does he like anything about Stolas beyond the validation Stolas offers him? Obviously, I think the answer is yes, but Blitzø is so closed off about his feelings towards Stolas, that we don’t get to see it.

So my question is: what about Stolas do you think Blitzø liked beyond “Stolas laughs at his jokes” or “Stolas sacrificed himself for Blitzø.”

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one week earlier... (part 1)

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Backgrounds I did for Helluva Boss.

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New Pfp! I had to make a pride merch pin with Lilac

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I love the thought of snarking becoming a bit of a love language between Blitz and Via. Via feeling secure enough to know nothing she says can really push Blitz away or come between either of them and Stolas while Blitz finds familiarity in affectionate razzing as bonding. I tried a lot of different stuff with this one artistically, and I'm pretty happy with all of it! I'm not sure if I'll ever settle into a consistent comic style, but I'm having lots of fun 😌 Bonus doodle comic of a slightly rough start below the cut! 😂

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Blitzø & Eye Trauma:

I think it's a very deliberate setup

Fan theory time for me again! Apologies in advance because looking up the screenshots/writing the text for this one was a massive shot of angst. A couple of these scenes are ones I still find hard to rewatch.

Some of you very observant folks here have pointed out that Blitzø seems to have trauma revolving around eyes. Specifically, that Martha's death seemed to trigger it, and not having someone to comfort him afterward (like M&M had) probably exacerbated how poorly he internalized it...

(Who TF here first pointed out him being upset and hugging himself back in the office because I found it from one of you and didn't see it myself omg)

Even though he pretended it didn't affect him, it did. Heavily. To an extent that Martha was the only one of I.M.P.'s hits that Blitzø was seen apologizing to in Apology Tour...

And the references to the eyeball loss and lack of comfort showed up as traumatic hallucinations/memories in Ghostfuckers. At least two of the "potential death" Millies included eye trauma. He tried to find comfort in the hallucination of his mother, only for her to catch fire where he touched her (a representation of his guilt for causing her death, and self-loathing at destroying people he loves). The eyeball imagery was blended in with her skull pendant and the general symbolism of her death, along with his inability to stop it or apologize for it.

Basically, he has a lot of trauma-related emotions that the eye loss seems to symbolize. It might partly reflect on his own face injury in the fire. But ultimately, it's tied to his own mother's death: the one person he most wishes he could apologize to and help but will never be able to.

I think the eye trauma concept isn't just a choice they made just to tie to the pendant and his mom - it's a deliberate choice to link things together in the future.

Because some of you very observant folks ALSO pointed out how the show subtly displayed his mother and Stolas as visually similar from his viewpoint:

And we know Blitzø really only processed that Stolas can get hurt in the last few episodes. It's only the last few episodes that he's come to terms with Stolas being someone he can't fathom losing and will fall apart without. The one person he actually wanted to apologize to in Apology Tour.

That's obviously already been tested/laid bare in Mastermind, when he thought Stolas was going to die. But there's another element here.

Part of the Stolitz Apology Tour argument included accidentally admitting that he knew about Striker's first assassination attempt and didn't say anything. Up until AT and the following episodes, part of his struggle to fully process that Stolas can get hurt was because of how terrifying that concept was for him. He was heavily in his "I hurt anyone who cares about me" mentality, and it was so much easier to convince himself that Stolas' status/immortality was above needing Blitzø or being impacted by anything he did. In his panic/denial, he claimed there was no way Stolas could've needed his help - he should've been fine handling Striker on his own. (Gawd Stolas' face in this forever breaks my heart: "holy shit he really doesn't care")

These situations are tied together because of how specifically the conflict with Striker went in Western Energy.

Because during Striker's attack/torture, after Stolas' death was already called off, he aimed for a very specific form of mutilation that was only prevented by M&M intervening:

He literally planned to cut out Stolas' eyes.

Like HELLO?!!! HOLY SHIT?!!

The attack Blitzø convinced himself Stolas wouldn't need him for almost ended with a repeat of his biggest trauma trigger.

And I think this is going to come back at some point. While I think one of the next incidents with Striker is going to involve Via being in danger, and I still vote that I want Stolas to be the actual one who takes down Striker, I think this IS going to be a full circle situation. I think Striker is going to bring this up. Because if he puts Via and/or Stolas in danger, this isn't going to be a Western Energy situation where Blitzø isn't there. And Striker is going to be his egotistical self; he's possibly going to gloat about how close Stolas came to death and claim he's going to make good on taking the "trophy" he wanted before he was interrupted. Maybe he'll actually attempt it, too.

Blitzø is not going to take it well that someone wants to hurt the guy he calls his heart, in the exact manner he associates with his own mother's death, which he already blames himself for.

There's no way Blitzø is going to be able to be level-headed. I think he's going to take it rather personally that this almost happened, and he tried to act like Stolas didn't need him? I don't think he's going to express it verbally to Stolas or anyone (not how he functions), but if he puts these two puzzle pieces together, he's going to flip his shit. He's over his denial, he's overcoming some of his self-loathing, and he's understanding that he can make his loved ones' lives better by being present and being himself. He is not going to actually have to repeat the fire trauma because he can help this time, and he sure as fuck isn't going to blow the situation off. And at the end of it, Stolas will still be there alive to hold on to.

Stolas' situation is partly a full reversal of the circus fire trauma. He's a person Blitzø couldn't bear to lose, lost, but actually got back. Blitzø has an opportunity to build something better with him, to make up for any hurt he's caused, and to say/do all the things he couldn't before. He's been doing that since the end of Mastermind. It isn't going to stop, and I think this is potentially going to be one more parallel along the way. One more "nobody around me is getting hurt like this again so long as I'm alive to try and stop it."

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Attempted theft

Ok, so there's a theory going around that Blitz was only at the palace to trying to talk to Stolas. Then only decided to nick the grimoire when he's taken to Stolas room by him.

As much as I like the idea in principle, I don't really buy it.

For one Stolas' says that if he'd have just asked to visit then he would have seen him. And Blitz looks a little confused by that being a thing he could do. (So it's unlikely he really tried that).

So Blitz definitely wouldn't mind talking to Stolas alone here in the morning. (Let that kitty in, Stolas).

Because he remembers him as that nice kid he played with.

But also let's be real; as that very naive kid that he tricked, into helping him steal anything that wasn't nailed down.

And it does look like Blitz tried using the 'he totally knows me, and would be cool with this' gambit when caught. But only after he's caught being suspicious.

Blitz was still trying to get into Stolas' bedroom hours after we first seen him falling into the flowerbed.

Stolas has gotten up, check on Via, had breakfast, and then got dressed for Stella dumb party in that time.

So nope, Blitz isn't trying to talk to Stolas that whole way through, or we'd see him following Stolas around.

He's trying to get into the bedroom because that's where the book is.

Blitz has always been business minded, and sneek in and take the grimoire was plan 1. With the backup plan of 'maybe talk Stolas into lettings me in, and distract him while I steal it' being plan 2.

Something he appears to have given up as not going to work; when Stolas put on his mask of the scary goeitc Prince.

And it taking Stolas making a sexual joke he takes too far*, about being there to seduce him; for Blitz to really consider trying to steal if from in front of him again.

(*These two have the exact same sense of humour).

The Grimoire was never stolen

But ok, it is right to say Blitz never managed to actually steal the grimoire. He tells us so.

(Also please, aunty Timmy says don't talk the the cop kids ok? This stuff is why).

Stolas clocks that Blitz is trying to steal the grimoire very fast.

That's why he's got to distract Stolas, by making him cum lol. (It's super effective).

The closest Blitz ever gets to stealing the book is when he was going to walk out on a tied up Stolas.

Making Blitz's walk of shame* with it later; something Stolas explicitly gave him permission to do, over that night long Real Fast.

(*Blitz remembers the book, his coat, his bracers. But not his trousers, boxers or boots 😆. Stella got a big eyeful all Blitz has lol).

Stolas does remember Blitz's name

ok, this is very minor, by comparison to Blitz always having some permission for IMP to operate in the human world.

But Stolas never forgot Blitz's name after 25 years.

This a bird who loves words and is very precise with them.

'I barely remember your name' means just that. It's Fuzzy but I still remember it.

This is why he trys to correct it.

Blitz is doing the the big sweeping sexy romantic stranger stuff.

And he's completely put off for a second because Stolas does have a good memory; and really does remember who he is.

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I want to talk about this line, because it’s so commonly misunderstood, even by my fellow Stolas defenders/lovers.

Blitzø often talk about Stolas seeing him as just a lower class imp. He accuses Stolas of seeing him as just his position in hells hierarchy. When in reality, it’s actual the other way around.

Blitzø constantly refers to Stolas as “just some rich ass hole” all throughout the show. He says it to others and he says it to Stolas. If anything, the issue with Stolas is that he doesnt take their differences in status seriously enough, at least he didn’t at the beginning of their relationship - but that’s a post for another time.

In this scene alone, Blitzø reduces Stolas to his status multiple times and even uses that status to objectify Stolas.

“You can’t tell me this isn’t a fantasy of yours. You want me to show your rich prince-y ass a real fuckin”

“You get off on being plowed by people you look down on”

And then, right before Stolas say what he say:

“I really didn’t think you could get hurt. You’re immortal and shit. You’re a fucking prince!”

People bring up the “when have I ever” line, and get up in arms about Stolas “being a hypocrite” or whatever, but the reason he says this is because Blitzø is literally not treating Stolas like a person. He is reducing Stolas to his title, class, race, basically all the things Blitzø has accused Stolas of doing. And Stolas is throwing that back in his face.

I understand his motivations for doing this, so Blitzø defense squad please put down your torches, but also please Imagine how that feels for Stolas. Stolas has been reduced to his duty and obligations and status his whole life. He’s never gotten to be a person outside of that. Now here’s someone he loves treating him the same way other Goetias have, if for completely different reasons.

This isn’t even debatable, really. It’s canon fact. The entire point of western energy was Blitzø finally understanding that Stolas is a person who can actually feel things and be hurt. Obviously some lessons take a while to really settle in.

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My Commissions are Open!

I've got generic commission options, and fanfic-focused options! I started doing comms in this community with fanfic-based ones, I have an immense love for bringing fic to life!

Everything can be ordered on my ko-fi except for the comic pages. DM me or email me if you want one of those!

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Contexing the dots

Just got asked this elsewhere. And now I'm kinda worried that others might have missed how Verosika knows about the fight between Stolas and Blitz

So have this...

Apology Tour is only a few hours after Full Moon. Which could make it really odd that she thought they were dating, and now broken up.

But Verosika was working at Ozzie's the night of their disastrous first date.

And Stolas' head butler, Pringles, was also out with his polycule to Ozzie's the same night.

They could have been random hookups, except that Ozzie is always booked months in advance, and they have rule about couples only.

There's 6 people at Pringles table. So they're all on a date with him, and bend the rules for even number polycules.

Two of his dates are Kiki and Milky, who are part of the crew that worked with Verosika during spring break.

Kiki is one of the ones who attacks Moxxie, and backs Verosika up when Blitz suggest the demon duel.

And Milkie was working the crowd when Verosika's was singing.

Also Josh and Ace were on a date together at Ozzie's too.

Making it very likely that Pringles, Milkie, Kiki, Josh, Ace and Verosika would have all gossip together about what just happened, when Blitz and Stolas go home sad from their date.

Which gives Verosika a way to have tabs on Blitz and Stolas' relationship.

Pringles knews this is the big now or never moment to Stolas. He says "he'll die alone if things go bad tonight".

So yep he's assuming their on again off again relationship is over if things don't go well.

And things did not go well, with Blitz screaming through the house.

Something the whole staff probably heard. Assumed it meant another crap work day full of picking up bottles, again.

And Stolas is drinking wine first thing in the morning after all. So yer they probably had a very craptastic night already.

Can't tell me there wouldn't be a group chat between Pringles and the people he's seeing.

And another between Verosika and the people she previously worked with.

Yes, I do consider Verosika actions to be a type of stalking, because she's using this to keep tabs on her exe's relationship.

She only worked with these people as a freelancer for one week.

But she gotta making sure Stolas has it in mind that they are well and truly over.

Stolas just said he wanted some space from Blitz to get his head together, and that the invite made him feel awful.

So it's pretty unlikely he'd have went without Blitz turning up.

Stolas calls the whole thing immature, silly, and petty.

Only considering going because it annoys Blitz. Very petty😛

Verosika can't even wait for the post to send that invite, because she thinks she's saving people from the horror of dating Blitz.

So she's gotta slip in before even Blitz can scail that garden wall.

Also Blitz hasn't been home all night.

He's been just sat in the van, stressing about how to fix this. (It would have worried Loona if he'd come home early. With how hard she and M&M were trying to make sure it was a good night for him).

Blitz probably has a change of clothes in the van, because he was expecting to stay over.

And then spend the rest of the night and morning listening to love songs, and sending memes to try and get Stolas to text him back.

And then Blitz immediately jumps the wall and ran over when he saw Stolas was up.

Because Stolas always texts him back instantly, so what gives!