#aziraphale my beloved

[dalliancekay]

Aziraphale hesitates. Then asks Crowley to trust him.

[dee-morris]

[give-soup-please]

i think about this picture a lot, where aziraphale is keeping his eyes on job's children while they've been transformed into lizards. and yeah i caught it so that the lightning is framing him because- i-

a lot of folks get caught up in his and crowley's romance, which is totally fair! but i adore shots like this because they show his continued guardianship of humanity. the careful posing, the way the light hits him making him look angelic and slightly ethereal, and the way his body is posed feels so.... gentle????? i think it's in the curve of his back which i'd describe as graceful. like- AUGH!!! it'd be so easy for someone to photoshop wings in, and i'd do it myself if i had the ability.

the lizards/kiddos are settled in the pot, they probably aren't going anywhere and likely can't move very fast but HE'S! Still! PROTECTING THEM!!!

keeping a watchful eye to make sure humans stay safe! and i lose my mind every time!!!

they could have made it so that the first shot after the cut was his and crowley's conversation but they didn't! they didn't! and the lighting is framed so that they are in his protective shadow!!!!

stooping over slightly, making sure they're okay.

i'm going to lose my mind, i will *never* be the same again i swear.

[bwlkins]

"Azi-fans idealize Aziraphale. He's not that good."

Meanwhile, Neil:

(Neil, you're an Azi-fan, you know? And Crowley is a fan of his too.)

[azfell-ajcrowley]

I think S3 will be rather a character reveal for Aziraphale than a character development. The main arc of his development was in S1. And in the S2 flashbacks.

I think he knows and understands more than the fandom thinks of him.

He's just very secretive. He successfully lied to both Heaven and Crowley about the Antichrist. They both didn't share important information with each other in S2.

He has a driving licence and a gun licence. He took French and magic lessons. He can draw portraits. He keeps a diary. He's full of surprises.

[ineffable-rohese]

I've said it before, but I'm feeling it strongly today and it bears repeating...

All of you artists and authors who lovingly depict Aziraphale's body, with its rolls and curves and softness and strength? When you show Crowley not just accepting it but loving it with passion and reverence and care and worship? Like, it's not just Aziraphale's soul that's worthy of that kind of love, but his actual flesh, the part of him that interacts with the physical, sensual world around him? When you make your audience see that body as beautiful?

It makes me feel so many things. So, so many. Like, maybe my body is worthy of that, too. Like, maybe I deserve a lover who is as enraptured with my flesh as I am with theirs. Like, maybe I shouldn't accept less than that. And like, maybe if no one else can love me that way, I can and I should.

Tagging those of you who have made me cry (in a good way) about this today alone (though there are so many more out there)... @voluptatiscausa @ineffabildaddy @chernozemm @lilpy @omens-for-ophelia

[the-ineffable-dance]

So, I made a silly little post a while ago about how cute it was that Aziraphale suddenly wanted to take the Bentley after waiting 90 years to drive here. But since I wrote it, I watched the episode again, and suddenly a few things started to fall into place.

Aziraphale being so desperate to take the Bentley always struck me as kind of strange. Like, he's spent 90 years of Crowley driving around and has never asked to drive before. Why right now? Crowley seems as surprised by the request... he's not taking the train? He loves trains!

And then... it hit me. He's going to Edinburgh.

The last time he went to Edinburgh, his worst nightmare came true. Crowley got pulled down to Hell to face punishment for his acts of kindness.

And now, Aziraphale is going back there. The circumstances are completely different, of course, but I'm certain that he remembers vividly losing Crowley. He would want to make sure that Crowley is safe and out of Hell's reach while he's gone.

But with him out of London, how can he make sure that his demon is safe? The Bentley is now not only Crowley's car, but also where he's living now that he got kicked out of his apartment, so most of his time is spent there. Aziraphale is probably aware of this, but he also knows that the demons can get to Crowley in the car. Beelzebub entered the Bentley without permission, as did Hastur in season 1.

But the bookshop is safe. Only Aziraphale can give permission to enter the shop (Crowley seems to have permanent permission because he can now come at will). So, he takes the Bentley, and asks Crowley to watch over Jimbriel in the bookshop, in the one place that he will be completely safe.

Now all Crowley has to deal with is an amnesiac archangel! What could possibly go wrong?

[takeme-totheworld]

Something about Aziraphale's little round reading glasses that he doesn't actually need makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. He's so committed to his aesthetic and I adore it.

[bil-daddy]

[cassandralie]

I love Aziraphale.

That's it. That's the post.

[adverbian]

I just

I need someone to tell Aziraphale that he isn’t heartless or cruel or hateful

He’s just trying as hard as he can to protect the being he loves more than anything else

He’s scared and he’s hurting and he’s trying so hard and it’s still all going wrong

He isn’t the only one who ever fucked up in their relationship, or even in the Final Fifteen, and he isn’t the only one who needs to learn and grow and change

I just need someone to recognize all the good and the love and the kindness in him

I need someone to understand how hard he tries and how hard he works to keep them safe

I need someone to make him understand that he is worthy of love and acceptance, just as he is, even when he is scared and confused and imperfect

[dalliancekay]

We've been talking for millions of years

Aziraphale was clearly taken by Angel!Crowley from the moment he met him. I think the 6000 years could be read as when the whole human breeding thing starts. Even God says there's been many nice days in the Garden. How many? The count didn't start until the day they left Eden I think. When we meet Aziraphale and Angel!Crowley in Before the Beginning, Earth was still an idea in the works. And the War didn't happen. Or Crowley surely would have been more cautious. So I hope they have met and talked and Crowley grumbled about how unfair it all was.

And Aziraphale tried to placate him that it will all work out somehow, there’s a Plan. And they kept meeting, Crowley showing Aziraphale the prettiest corners of the universe, Aziraphale telling Crowley exciting developments re: Earth.

I wouldn’t try to guess at how far their relationship has gone… maybe relationships of the kind we know now weren’t invented yet and still, these two loved each other without knowing anything about it. After all, no other angels seem to have ANY relationships of any kind. Apart from higher or lower levels of condescension towards each other.

Then the Great War came and tore them apart. After knowing each other for millions of years and their close more-than-friendship, their world falls apart. After all, Crowley tried to do the right thing. And Aziraphale did too but it wasn’t to be. Yet. But. Their story wasn’t finished yet.

Aziraphale is relieved when he’s sent down to Earth to guard the brand new humans from the demons he has heard that the damned angels have been turned into. He’s a bit fearful about the whole thing but glad to be away and keen, if a bit anxious to see the project he’s discussed/worked on for so long.

Crowley hates Hell. He hates it cos it’s not what he wanted or what he thought he was joining. He has been lied to. He’s not regretting his decision to turn his back on Heaven, no. He still thinks they’ve made too many crappy decisions. But he despises what the Rebellion became.

When Beelzebub asks for a volunteer to go up to the new planet and tempt the fresh innocent human couple into joining them, he volunteers, even if only to escape the claustrophobic walls and the mess nobody ever clears up.

Tempting comes easy to him. He imagines talking to his lost friend. ‘But why wouldn’t you try fruit from this one tree. What’s the problem with knowing things anyway? Wouldn’t you want to decide by yourself Eve? And Eve does make a decision.

Crowley’s worried now. Not for himself. He’s without hope but did he hurt humans by doing this. He didn’t mean to. He doesn’t really want them to go to Hell. Or Heaven for that matter. He only thinks they should be free to make their own choices. If only he had someone to talk to.

He spotted a distant angel earlier. Reminded him of, of… the light hair...anyway. They held a flaming sword but surely he can dodge that if needs be. He could just try for a simple chat. He has no idea how demons are talked about in Heaven. But he guesses the angel might just try to smite him. Worth the risk. Everything feels so raw and strange here. Maybe stealing a bit of familiarity will help him settle his nerves.

He decides to slither over and ask how the angel feels about what’s been done. Will they be furious. Hurt? Guilty? Oh. It’s him. It’s too late now. Always too late. It’s him. Aziraphale. Aziraphale. It is HIS angel. What is he going to do. FUCK! Well. No better way to find out. He could just tease him like the old times. What's the worst that can happen.

Shitfuck but he smells good. These new senses will take a while to get used to: “Well that went down like a lead balloon.” A lead balloon? Whatthefuck even is that. Oh for Someone's sake.

Aziraphale’s standing on top of the Garden wall, squeezing his fingers with worry - what exactly has happened. What has possessed him to give away his sword. Did he disappoint God? Heaven? It doesn’t FEEL wrong to help them. If only he had someone to talk to.

Another angel? What. A snake? Oh. Oh. They are changing. Could it be? His heart will surely explode into million pieces…!!!! A lead balloon?!? “Sorry what was that?” Does he remember me? I think he does. I think he does. He’s here. As lovely as always.

I’ll keep him safe. Safe. I will keep him safe this time.

[dee-morris]

Happy Hands

I love watching Aziraphale's hands. How they flex and dance when he's happy, they wiggle excitedly when he's about to do something amazing, how they twist and wrap around each other when he's stressed. I think he knows how expressive they are, bc when we see him reporting to heaven in episode one he's got them tucked behind his back. I'm not actively lying, he says, but I'm keeping some of my thoughts to myself for right now.

Imagine going from a blank white boring space to a world alive with color and noise and people. It's got to be so overwhelming. But you've got this neat body that you can use to comfort yourself and seek sensory pleasures like food and soft clothing, and these cool little digits are great for working off stress.

[bwlkins]

Fanon: Aziraphale wants to go back to Heaven.

Canon: Aziraphale has a picture of the South Downs cottage on his desk.

[meatballlady]

I have a lot of feelings about Aziraphale (most of them are just an abundance of love)

[bellisima-writes]

More on Aziraphale and Suffering in Season 3

I recently read this post by @dalliancekay about how Aziraphale doesn't need to suffer in Season 3 to warrant his happy ending and I could not agree more. He does not need, nor does he deserve to suffer anymore than he already has. And if you need more evidence of that, definitely go give that original post a read.

But, unfortunately, Aziraphale will suffer. And it's an important part of the story I think Neil is telling.

Good Omens is a lot of things, but when you boil it down it's really a story about oppressive systems and how they hurt everyone, both the oppressed and the privileged that "benefit" from those systems. Heaven is the oppressive system in our story, with Crowley, the fallen angel, representing the oppressed and Aziraphale representing the "privileged." And we know, Aziraphale has suffered, endlessly, at the hands of Heaven for his entire existence. So the word privileged is audacious to use here. But he is, and he knows it.

He's not had to fear for his life every time he's spent time with Crowley, while Crowley most definitely has. Easy examples we all know are here:

"my lot don't send mean notes." or

Or here Crowley's taken down to Hell. You get the idea.

Before thwarting Armageddon, Aziraphale knows the worst that would come to him is a firm reprimand, and maybe losing his post on Earth. And mind you, those things are devastating to him, but not life threatening the way Hell can be for Crowley.

And that's at least one of the reasons why he wanted Crowley with him in Heaven at the end of Season 2, to bring him into that privileged class, to change his threat level to something manageable that Aziraphale could help him with. But i digress.

So we have our oppressive system, our oppressed and our privileged. And we all follow Neil on Tumblr, we know where his political leanings are, and he knows the power of his and Terry's story.

In real life, we all live within oppressive systems, and there are many narratives on how to overthrow them. A well known, albeit relatively unpopular, one is that the privileged need to use their position to change the system they benefit from; that they need to do the hard work in order to do so. It will not be easy, it requires immense sacrifice of the comforts that they have become accustomed to and will result in, yes, suffering. But it is their responsibility and duty to do so.

And that's the story I believe Neil is telling. It’s a story of strength and courage in spite of the risks to himself. And it’s not because he deserves it or even needs to do it to earn his happy ending at all. It just is how systems are broken and rebuilt for everyone’s benefit.

So when we look at this face at the end of Season 2, we can see a lot of things. What I see is an Angel who may not yet have a plan, but he sure as hell has a mission. And I can't wait to watch him achieve it.