#The Magic Trick You Didn't See

[this-cult-of-dionysus]

I’ve just read The Magic Trick You Didn’t See (Good Omens theory—highly suggest a read, it’s incredible)

Holy hell. A million thanks to @ariaste for that gorgeous discourse. It made me emotional! An *essay* made me *emotional* — I’m still in awe.

Anyway, it inspired me to do a (slightly conspiratorial) rewatch. I’ve hit pause so many times already, and I’m not even past the episode one intro 💀

However I happened to notice something in the intro that made me even more sure that The Magic Trick really is onto something. The whole idea is that Neil’s been 1) pulling a “disappearing trick” throughout season two—leading us away from the truth and ultimate “payoff” via distraction and 2) hiding things in plain sight. You know what that sounds like? A red herring. And what do I find in the intro? A whole bucket of ‘em. Quite literally.

I truly believe that everything in this show—especially the intro, as beautiful as it is—is done for a reason. The attention to detail thus far has been insane (much like myself, at present), and I don’t see why that wouldn’t continue into season two. If the Magic Trick—or a similar theory—turns out to be true, you’d best believe the crew’s left clues all over the place. And I’d call this a Clue with a capital C.

[grey-and-green]

Magic Trick a la @ariaste

Since OP is overwhelmed with feedback and asks about the theory, I'm going to just continue theorising about it right here:

"Continuity Errors" that stink of....Meddling:

1: When Aziraphale returns from Edinburgh, they put the plants in the car...then next scene Crowley is driving back from somewhere, but we know it's the same day. Where did he go? Was it important? Was it deleted?

2: Equally where/what the f was Crowley after the battle? Post-battle in E6, when Michael is threatening Aziraphale with erasure, Crowley is just lounging in the background looking calm as anything. Excuse me? Dearest Angel is being threatened and Crowley just...does not care? Nonsense. I expect he was either not really there, or was doing something else, and this cardboard cutout version of him was placed back in the scene by Meddling.

3: Changes to the car. This might be more "the car has accepted them both as owners" or it could just be bad attention to detail by someone Meddling. The leather seats changed to black when the car turned yellow, and then the seat colour remained black for the rest of the season. But Aziraphale did NOT remove the bullet decals from the window when he was using the car. BUT they're gone in the credit scene. Like, conspicuously gone. For why?????

4: OP touched on the demon attack being Edited, so I'll just add to this that these are supposed to be 'bottom of the barrel' demons...and yet two of the three members of the Dark Council that FurFur went to in E4 are there (not Dagon, obv, but the other two apparently high-ranking demons are now also part of this attack?). THATS ODD?!?

5: 1650. We all spotted it. BUT in light of some Meddling, I would have to ask, is 1650 a Pledge? or a Clue? Is it just Neil being silly and just going to bring up 1650 later, or were we, the audience, 'shown' the 1650 scene, but then it was deleted from our memories? I DO NOT KNOW.

6: Lots of time lapses. It's been pointed out that the time of the bookshop battle could NOT have taken all night, and that the 1941 flashback SHOULD HAVE taken all night. But also: after Crowley (iconically) orders 6-shots-of-espresso, Maggie immediately walks in and Nina is already late for closing the cafe. Hmmmm. Also, Mr Brown carries the same newspaper all week. Again, very conspicuously. Is he real? Does time not pass for him? What's going on with the prop department here?

Exhibit B: (slightly different but in the realm of 'i see what you're doing)....overarching theme of resurrection. All three flashbacks heavily involve that idea. Job's children are "brought back" from the dead, Mr Dalrymple is literally a Resurrectionist and we try to bring Morag back, then literal zombies? And Mr Brown clearly dies, and Crowley brings him back almost as a second thought.

[heretherebegaydragons]

One of the best parts of Bildad the Shuhite in the Magic Trick You Didn't See theory is that Metatron just had to make Crowley less hot. Like, Aziraphale is not gonna stop thirsting if all his memories of his husband look Like That, so let's just give him a silly beard

[obligur]

MY THEORY ADDITION :D

This is paired with the MTYDS theory so read/skim that first

In Season 1, the word ‘ineffable’ comes up a lot. In Season 2, I kept listening and watching the subtitles for the word. It only came up ONCE in the Elspeth and Wee Morag memory. Isn’t that a bit odd, I thought, it’s a main plot point that Azi knows something that Heaven doesn’t about the Ineffable Plan instead of the Great Plan, and Heaven doesn’t like that…wait what

Good Omens trains us to look for recurring words, phrases, playlists, songs and all that jazz. The colors with VAVOOM and the secret clues about nightingales and the Crow Road book and such can vouch for that—the crew and Neil Gaiman know what they’re doing, and what that is is training us and our brains to look for little recurring features of the show. 

I would like to think that it’s because it’s just Season 2, but Neil knows what he’s doing. As seen in TMTYDS theory, he isn’t going to casually not put a commonly used Season 1 word into Season 2. The word ineffable comes up in Season 1 so much that I genuinely was surprised when it only came up once. 

Evidence that something definitely sketchy is happening

Azi doesn’t really recall what the Great Plan is, and he didn’t ask Metatron if he was talking about the Ineffable or Great Plan. It’s almost as if it was erased from his memory or edited out somehow.. hmm.

anyways that my contribution this took me well over 3 months to conjure up so that’s it bye

[starlight-bread-blog]

Just finished reading The Magic Trick You Didn't See... I'm about to faint.

[musingsofmaisie]

The Magic Trick You Didn't See

@ariaste I just finished reading your analysis. Interesting. Not sure I'm completely on board with your primary hypothesis, but you raise some very interesting points. Kudos for doing it.

Link to @ariaste piece here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/193IXS11XN46lziHRb6eUpM17yK0BQkRqke1Wh64A_e0/edit

I do have a few places where my thinking diverges from yours though.

First, on Aziraphale and Angel now-Crowley's meeting in Before the Beginning: I think the primary purpose of this scene was to establish that Crowley still possesses a Tool of Creation (that in S1 we assumed was merely a part of his exploded Bentley) and that this will be important in the denouement. He KISSES it, for goodness' sake. That, and of course that Angel now-Crowley was a joyful and precious innocent who didn't deserve his fate.

Go back to S1E5 when he mentions Alpha Centauri and "I worked on that." We are also given the distinct impression that Crowley was an angel of considerable rank and power. Seeing Crowley in Heaven with Muriel and the way he was treated by the leadership-can I get a "deferentially" here?-is a setup for the reveal of his identity. There are files! Aziraphale can request them! Aziraphale finding out the truth is to me the macguffin that will 1) make him realize that heaven is not the place of "truth, light and good" and 2) catalyze whatever action that brings the tale to its conclusion.

When Crowley interrogates Jim-the "It hurts!" "I KNOW! Do it anyway!" and "Yeah, like the places where the furniture used to be" both strongly indicated to me that Crowley was speaking from experience-that he had had his memory wiped when he Fell-and has recovered some, but not all of it. Hence the offer of a hot chocolate. Empathy. (I think this what he meant by "Ask him properly.")

Later, when he tries to explain Gravity to Jim, I got the feeling that that was one of the places where the furniture used to be. (And also not remembering Saraquiel and Furfur).

Second, in the story of Job, it's being told directly from Aziraphale's point of view, that's why I assumed, in his recollection, that Crowley Bildad the Shuhite was wearing cool shades. And this is also where Aziraphale makes reference that he knew the angel Crowley used to be. Before the Garden of Eden. And Crowley says "the angel you knew is not me". Rather harshly, I thought.

Currently rereading "the Crow Road" and annotating it. There do seem to be some compelling parallels so far. Makes me wonder when Muriel will get to Aziraphale's journals. Like you, I suspect that's where we're going next. I can't figure out the timeline, though. It seems like the next scene has to take place many years from now.

This is getting too long so I'll wrap up by saying that I'm convinced that NG would not foist on us a plot device that wraps up S3 like Bobby "It was all a dream" Ewing from the last season of Dallas. It would be a violation of his own writing ethos and his commitment to doing something that would make Terry proud. The Metatron is literally a Deus ex Machina, but I don't think that NG would rely solely on him-or that technique-to conclude the story.

We all want our heroes to get their happy ending. But knowing Neil's knack for the twist in the storyline, I' don't think I'm not sure that it will look like what we think it will.

Cheers,

Maisie

[hobgoblinns]

reading “the magic trick you didn’t see” is a process of going from ‘this seems like a stretch’ to ‘if this is anything less than entirely true i’m going to be so disappointed’

[shutupthepunx111]

Sorry to ask you this out of nowhere, but I saw you post a link to that Magic Trick Good Omens google doc! It's a well-written essay! I was just curious how you first were introduced to it and whether you've heard of the Sherlock fandom's TJLC before? The Magic Trick theory reminded me heavily of TJLC, and I was just curious if anybody else felt the same way or if I just have too niche of interests!

Hey, no problem! I actually came across the essay through a meme on Pinterest, lmao – very much by accident. I'm not really a part of the Sherlock fandom, although I've watched the show, and reading the essay you're right, the two are very similar! I love fan essays like this because typically there's just so much hard work put into stuff like that. Thanks for introducing me to TJLC! (Plus, I don't think your interests are too niche at all – though I certainly haven't heard of TJLC, I'm sure plenty of other GO fans on tumblr have.) Thanks for the ask :D

[plutevm]

OKAY

Correct me if anyone has pointed it out already, but on my millionth rewatch of season 2 episode 6 of Good Omens (needed a good cry), I noticed a detail that, I feel, heavily supports, The Magic Trick You Didn’t See theory and it is this:

I mean do I even need to explain?

It’s at the very end and shows up only for like a second but:

If life begins after coffee, then what came before wasn’t real life, but just what Metatron meddled with??

Only now, after Aziraphale has accepted his offer (& the coffee), does he stop editing the Book of Life? Letting the proper life begin??

[abastardworthknowing]

Hey guys

What if whoever is editing the book of life (the metatron or not) had convinced everyone it was Aziraphale and Crowley's magic that did it...

When they were actually pooling from Gabriel's power as an archangel..? This is probably not a new discovery, but I personally just put two and two together

Although I'd love for it to be because of the Power Of Love but to add to the drama it would be funny/interesting

[tswwwit]

Will Dipper always have almost no magic of his own, even after being reincarnated? He obviously has a talent for life magic but he can’t really train to get better at it, because he’s using Bill’s magic for it (and we know the latter hates it lol). I just don’t want my guy to be sad and miserable forever🥺 He deserves to become a cool and independent magician! And prove his bullies wrong once and for all!

A reincarnation of Dipper could definitely have more magic of his own! And as clever as he is, there's a bright future ahead of him. Perhaps even one where he's excellent at life magic and healing, and getting a little cocky about his own talents.

Bill, of course, upsets all the plans he had for his life. Again.

The good news is that it's a life where Dipper could use more life magic. Theoretically. The problem there is going to be hashing out how he can use it once they're bonded again.

[grey-and-green]

I am really, really enjoying connecting different posts/comments I've been seeing.

So I present to you:

From @twilightcitysky post Everything Is Meant

“[Gabriel] was fired and his memories were stolen and the only reason he recovered was because Beelzebub happened to give him the one thing that could save him��.

+

Intro to @queerfables post here about GO2

"There's a story of questionable veracity about Harry Houdini performing an escape in which his wife passes him a key with a kiss."

But I'm sure these thoughts are totally unrelated and neither has anything to do with anything that really happened and what we saw was the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me....God?

[shaniacsboogara]

think i fucked up my shot with shadowheart 1929484 dead 183847392992 injured

[moderncha0s]

The events that had happened that day had left Crowley and Aziraphale heartbroken. (And a good majority of us as well.) But as things begin to shift, threatening to end the Universe again. Now, Aziraphale has to fight for change, while Crowley has to fight his past and himself, in hopes that they can stop the bad things from happening. But they are without each other, and must fight separated, a change they hadn't seen for many millennia.

This is my Fanfiction based off what I believe could happen in S3 of GO. It would be extremely appreciated if some read it. 

[zoophagist]

The guest presses a fingernail to the vein on his throat, but does nothing to open it. He simply taps against it, a clear rhythm of two-one-two-three. His lips move, as if casting a spell, but he doesn't actually voice what he thinks: Water, may it be just water, may it do nothing to quench his thirst, nothing at all. "Sure, sure. Take your fill. Your teeth and nails are strong enough, right?" he says and smiles slyly.

He does not even answer; instantly Renfield's mouth is at the guest's neck. The savagery of teeth biting down into skin is thrilling, uncomplicated by any scruples as he twists and tears to make up for their bluntness. In the release of this beastly hunger there is even a quieting of his guilt, his embarrassment. To bite down and make the flesh part feels so very good.

Lips and tongue work over the broken skin eagerly to suck up the thick, red stream of LIFE coursing through the veins of such a powerful being — life that can be his, can be Renfield's. How wonderful it is to be rewarded, how excellent to take—

Water? The first pull slides over his tongue and down his throat and it tastes of nothing but clear, bland water. He falters, and the instant of stillness cannot but make his confusion obvious to the body under his mouth and hands. But surely this can't be... So he drinks and drinks, more and more heavily, waiting for the spark, the metallic tang of blood to slake his thirst, and he clutches more forcefully at the man, and he bites again, and again, and again, desperate, dizzy, starving. It is a frenzy, far beyond what the guest's offer could be understood to justify, but still his jaw works and his teeth sink and all there is in this gore is water!

Renfield makes an animal noise of frustration, and he thinks to himself, 'This is a trick. I have been lied to again and it is a damned trick!' Are they all so cruel, he had wondered only moments ago, and now the answer is clear as flowing water: yes. All cruel, all selfish, all temptations and takings and never justice. This useless, inert water may do nothing to warm his weakened, blood-starved body, but his fury does.

And that is when he begins to CHEW. "Liar!" He growls as he makes his teeth meet in the guest's neck and he starts to pull.

[ckret2]

So a while ago some friends were talking about fans who claim the Same Coin theory is canon. And I made the mistake of saying:

Do you know who also has tons in common with Bill? Mabel. Yet nobody claims Bill reincarnated as Mabel. …wait now I want a "same coin but it's Mabel" AU. Funniest Bill reincarnation option. The all-seeing arsonist is making macaroni glitter art. The omnipotent tyrant is crying because a unicorn called her a bad person.

And then I overthought it for two months.

So—AU where after death, Bill's soul shoots 13 years into the past and reincarnates as Mabel. I'll call it ✨ Sparkly Coin AU ✨

Don't leave yet. Lemme show you why it works. Behold the eerie amount of parallels in their personalities, dialogue, behavior, mannerisms, tastes...

I could have kept going but my attention span ran out. All right, we all on board now? Convinced we could segue from one personality into the other? Great. Now here's why you should be interested: the juicy post-Weirdmageddon angst potential.

As long as a small fringe of the fandom still thinks Weirdmageddon is Mabel's fault, why not amp that up x100 and have some fun with it?

Is everyone sold now? Great. Let's get into the details. I've got 8 more pieces of art under the read more.

So the AU starts the instant Bill dies. Thanks to invoking his deal with the Axolotl—one way to absolve his crime, a different form, a different time—the Axolotl gives him a new shape and shoots him thirteen years into the past. Apparently, the Axolotl thought it would be very funny to stick Bill in the family that defeated him.

Which probably made for a jarring transition.

(It's fine, she's like 10 minutes old, she probably can't even tell who she's looking at. Not being able to tell who she was looking at is what got her into this situation ayyyy)

When Dipper & Mabel come back from Gravity Falls complaining about this triangular jerk Bill, their parents mention that Dipper's name was nearly Bill. See, after they knew they were going to have a boy, one night their mom dreamed about a visitor—some kind of magic pink salamander??—calling her child "BILL." Then at the next sonogram they found out they were having twins, the girl must've been hidden at a weird angle the first time, and they wanted matching names, so they thought, Bill and Bell. But they didn't really like Bell; but eventually they stumbled on Mabel, so to keep the names matching they switched from Bill to Mason. Isn't that the darnedest thing?

(Of course, Mabel and Dipper assume Bill harassed their parents to try to trick them into naming a kid after him. To be a jerk.)

When Bill meets Mabel, he's unaware that she's his future self—Bill's notably bad at doing things like, say, double-checking to see whether he's going to die anytime soon—but like... he can tell something's up.

Naturally, before visiting Gravity Falls, there were echoes of who Mabel used to be—but nothing anyone would be able to identify without context. All her Bill-ish quirks either smoothed out with time (see: how between second grade and fourth grade Mabel went from being the "freak" to the popular girl in class), or else they were accepted by her family as Mabel-ish quirks.

After they meet (and kill) Bill, they have the context to understand some of Mabel's behaviors... and unfortunately, some of Mabel's latent Bill-ness starts surfacing after she's been directly exposed to her prior incarnation.

The part of the Pines family familiar with Bill thinks the worst case scenario is that maybe Bill's survived and is slowly possessing Mabel; but far more likely, they think this is just some weird way of trying to subconsciously process last summer. Mabel doesn't think she's being weird, you guys are being weird, stop giving her weird looks. They get attacked by one triangle and now she can't wear yellow or pick up macrame as a hobby??

(It's not all red flags and uncomfortable triangle imagery, though. When Stan asks her what she'd like as a gift for some important event, she shyly admits that she thinks she's starting to outgrow her plastic gem jewelry and maybe she's old enough to get her first piece of real gold jewelry, if that's not too expensive? And Stan's never been so proud of her. Thirteen years old and already thinking about buying gold!)

But of course, the real fun starts when Mabel finds out.

That's the face of a girl who's just discovered that she tortured her great uncle. Now imagine running into the brother she possessed.

But I've already spent a million words and thirteen images on this post. If enough folks are interested in the AU maybe I'll expand on it later. Let me know what y'all think.