#duke of hell crowley

[clakearts]

on the other side of the war

~~

please don’t repost!

(shop prints here!)

[enabuns]

Archangel Aziraphale and Duke of Hell Crowley converge on the dismal plane to discuss the second coming.. and why Crowley won’t respond to Aziraphale’s texts 🥺👉🏼👈🏼

[eluetime]

Crowley Duke of Hell "It's always too late"

[ineffablehubbys]

Fan artists unite, cannot wait for all of the Crowley Duke of hell pieces inspired by this outfit because honestly it’s too perfect to not!!

[waitingtobebroken]

Duke of Hell Crowley constantly kidnapping Supreme Archangel Aziraphale but like... So they could go on dates

"Took him to a Shakespeare's play. A gloomy one," Crowley brags and every demon shudders in delight at how evil their Duke is to his former lover

"Oh, absolutely dreadful! I barely escaped intact, I can assure you," Aziraphale frets, while shaking off cake crumbs from his suit

(They have already scheduled another "kidnapping" for next week because Crowley has tickets to Cirque Du Soleil and Aziraphale can't wait)

[nightgoodomens]

We need BOTH OF THEM TO GO FERAL

Aziraphale protecting Crowley?

Crowley protecting Aziraphale?

How about they protect each other?! At the same time!

On their own side

Imagine them, standing back to back, in their true forms.

Aziraphale in white, bright gold halo on top of his head, flaming sword in his hands, eyes purple, wings white.

Crowley in black, claws and fangs, tool of creation in his hands, eyes black, wings black.

The sound of Heaven, the hiss of Hell.

Angels and demons surrounding them.

[doodlejoops]

Absolutely living my best fecking life tonight

[midnights-dragon]

i see the duke of hell crowley theories and i raise to you: supreme archangel aziraphale distractedly signing papers and pausing when he reaches one that's a contract with hell, his breath catching in his throat as he recognizes the serpentine signature at the bottom.

[gingiekittycat]

New Good Omens fanfic...

Prelude to an Epic

Rating: T (mild violence/gore)

Word count: 13,267 (complete)

Summary: Crowley pretty much loathes everything about being Grand Duke of Hell. He’d known he would. It wasn’t supposed to be about being Duke, him going back there. Doing Duke things. Not at all.

It was supposed to be about Aziraphale.

Read on AO3

****

IT'S HERE. The "Duke of Hell Crowley" fic that nearly killed me. I don't know why this one was so hard to get through, but it was (if you follow me here you may have seen me griping about it a time or two).

I owe my life to my betas: @devils-sacrament-catering for tackling this thing when I just couldn't look at it any more (and subsequently making me look at it A LOT more) and @inahc3 for not only fixing spelling and grammar, but for giving me encouragement that what I had was good enough to share with all of you.

Hope you enjoy!

[fellthemarvelous]

*cue James Bond music*

This is what happens when I watch GO while I'm high.

I actually have more to say about this too, but I'll hold off for now because I already talk too much. 😂

[drconstellation]

Aziraphale-Beelzebub Parallels

Aziraphale's Edinburgh Journey: Part 2

I've already written a series on how Crowley and Gabriel act as parallels and foils to each other in S2. Their other halves - their partners - also act as each other's parallels. I mentioned this briefly in the second post in that series, but here we need to expand on this.

We also need to talk about Maggie.

I think most people identify that there is good case for a many parallels between Aziraphale and Maggie as well. But when you consider Aziraphale-Beelzebub-Maggie together in a character triangle, Maggie suddenly starts to make a lot more sense. And I believe there is one more peculiar element thrown in that she is reflecting back to us as well about Aziraphale that has made her particularly hard to understand on top of all that.

But let's look at the Aziraphale-Beelzebub related parallels first.

They hold the highest ranking position

Beezlebub holds the highest ranking position in Hell under Satan, as the Grand Duke. They leave a vacancy at the end of the series, that we are yet to see filled.

For most of S2 the Supreme Archangel is missing - and it is only right at the end that we see Aziraphale step up and accept the offered role.

Two things to mention here:

One might argue that the Metatron is higher in ranking than the Supreme Archangel, but for purposes of this discussion he doesn't seem to have much to do with the day-to-day running of things like the Supreme Archangel would. Gabriel was also the one who appeared on the tarmac at Tadfield Airbase opposite Beelzebub when things weren't going to plan in S1.

Secondly, this is where I would like to start introducing the concept that we are being shown Aziraphale's future story in S2. Such as Aziraphale's future role as Supreme Archangel, however long he holds on to it.

I don't know how difficult it will be to demonstrate this as we go along from here, but I'm going to try and point out places where I think we are being shown glimpses of the future - foreshadowing - and a lot of them come through Maggie. Not all, though, there are exceptions, but we'll discuss them in due course. Such as in the next parallel.

They need words of affirmation

Crowley isn't the most loquacious character but he's not shy of boosting his angel's ego when it's needed. Whether it's encouraging Aziraphale to go big on stage in 1941 or supporting his detective efforts in Edinburgh Crowley is still going to put in a good word or two for Aziraphale's sake.

AZIRAPHALE: [over phone]: I think I've found some clues. And do you remember the statue of Gabriel in the graveyard in Edinburgh? I'm looking at it now. CROWLEY: Mmm, good job. AZIRAPHALE: Oh, do you really think so?

We know Beelzebub needs words of affirmation as well because they ask Demon Josh this:

BEELZEBUB: Do you ever think, wouldn't it just be nice if someone told you what a good job you're doing? DEMON JOSH: In hell? BEELZEBUB: Yeah.

Hang on, just a minute...Demon Josh...?

The demon who appears to be acting as the Personal Assistant/Secretary to the Grand Duke of Hell?

There is an old thread that points out that Greasy Johnson's name is basically another form of Jesus Christ. The TL:DR version is that Joshua aka Oily Josh is another form of Jesus.

So Beelzebub has Demon Jesus as her assistant.

Remember I was trying to tell you we are seeing future echoes of Aziraphale's story in S3 here? Jesus as the right hand of the Supreme Archangel, perhaps?

They give gifts

A S1 crossover, Beelzebub gives Gabriel the Tardis-like fly storage container, and Aziraphale gives Crowley the thermos of holy water in 1967 to stop the crazy caper he was planning to steal some. Both acts were done unprompted at the time.

They enjoy music

We've seen Aziraphale with his phonograph in action several times, and in S2E1 we see him in the midst of listening to the Shostakovitch records he got from Maggie when the arrival of Gabriel interrupts him.

We learn Beelzebub also has an ear for a good tune when they mention they like the song they hear in the American bar during the recap scenes of their meetings with Gabriel in S2E6.

They make an offer of "betterment" to Crowley

Beelzebub's offer to Crowley that he could be a Duke of Hell if he finds Gabriel for them, all while he is lounging across the two horned thrones in S2E1, is widely seen as a prominent piece of foreshadowing for S3.

Really, the only question should be is will that be just a plain Duke or will he somehow end up in the Grand Duke of Hell position opposite of Aziraphale?

Aziraphale also made an offer to Crowley - to restore him to angelic status.

At the time, neither offer was accepted with any enthusiasm - especially the latter.

They have a date at Gabriel's statue

I have pointed out elsewhere that this is a triple-parallel with a shot from Before the Beginning, but then I remembered that the parallel with Aziraphale looking jealously at angel!Crowley was written after this date pair with Gabriel's statue.

I intend to talk about the significance of the statue in Part 4: Judgement Day, as it makes a bridge between all three seasons and it needs some thorough and lengthy discussion around it.

They go to the pub

This is another triple-parallel between the two pairs. (I think @kayleefansposts first brought this up but I can't find the post it comes from now, even though it wasn't that long ago.)

First, they both meet in a cafe:

Then they meet in a pub:

And lastly, they meet - well, lets say with alcohol on the table and an option of food?

Their partners make a reference to the absurd creativity of humanity

For some time I wondered why when Crowley came back from the pub with Aziraphale, he plucked the Jane Austen off the shelf and shouted that inane line at humanity: "You people, I will never get the hang of you lot."

Eventually I realized it was a parallel moment to when just before Gabriel miracles the jukebox in the Resurrectionist to play Every Day the first time.

GABRIEL: What's that? BARTENDER: A classic 1960s jukebox. You don't see many of them these days. You just put your money in and tell it what you want to hear. GABRIEL: Oh… You people. Amazing. [hands over money] [miracles] Ha!

Both incidences are inspired by their partners - Aziraphale inspires Crowley to look for Austen's novels and Gabriel miracles the jukebox to play the music that Beelzebub likes.

Their partners accidentally leave them on their own

Crowley was only going to take the human shopkeepers to safety, then return - but he got sidetracked with Muriel all the way up to Heaven. Thinking he would be back soon, Aziraphale didn't plan very far ahead, and that eventually led to a problem - and a long, anxious wait for the demon's return.

On his way out of Heaven, Gabriel was on his way to Hell and Beelzebub - we presume. But as soon as he put himself in the fly, he forgot, and headed to the next most memorable location in his remaining working neurons, which happened to be on Earth. Beelzebub was left wondering where he was - and very alone down there in Hell while their minions were out searching for him. @noneorother shows what happens to the thrones while they wait.

So, about Maggie, then...

Understanding Aziraphale and Beelzebub as a parallel pair helps us to understand Maggie a little better, as Maggie is actually a mix of the two characters, reflecting both of them back at the same time. I think that is why she sometimes seems like an angel and a demon at the same time - because she actually is!

I believe this would also explain the "ugrency" spelling mistake, as well as putting an emphasis on the word urgency itself for us. What is becoming urgent?

For example, Maggie always wears a combination of colours from both characters. Here we can Maggie is wearing Beelzebub's signature colours of orange and light blue, but with a white background as the angelic component.

At the ball, she wears a blue blouse - blue is a colour associated with Heaven - but its a dark, demonic shade of blue.

She tries to give a gift to Nina, that doesn't quite work, but the thought and effort is there. She's very forgiving. And she says she says she'll still be there when Nina is ready to start seeing her again; she's reflecting the future Aziraphale to us.

She doesn't want to leave the scene of danger with Crowley when its offered (sounds familiar, doesn't it? Let's go to Alpha Centauri - No! I Can't!)

She's done with being scared, she's ready to stand up and be brave and fight.

She doesn't want to leave Aziraphale on his own (even though Aziraphale still has faith Crowley will turn up any minute now and have a plan - !!) She comes up with ideas on how to fight back. This is someone who steps forward and takes control. These all look like future echoes and set-ups for parallels in S3 to me.

There's another line that no one ever talks about that I've always thought was a foreshadowing line that Crowley says to Nina:

NINA: He's never hosted a meeting, ever. Why the change of heart? CROWLEY: He's unpredictable. He's discovered his civic obligations.

The parallel to this comes from Maggie, when Crowley goes to tell her its time for the meeting/Ball, she says she never misses a meeting. If that's not part of fulfilling your "civic obligations" I don't know what is.

If there was one aspect of Beelzebub I would perhaps just mention here briefly, but not discussing at length because I want to do it elsewhere again as well, is that they twice show restraint of their power and authority - they don't pull Crowley in for punishment as a traitor, even though they could (they pulled him down to Hell for a chat pretty easily) and they don't bother to rip out Demon Josh's tongue and send him to the dung heaps that day for being talkative and annoying, even though we get the impression it happens on a regular basis. In contrast, Aziraphale and Maggie both step up a bit and take some authority on themselves towards the end.

The lists above are not exhaustive of all the parallels between the three characters, but I hope it helps to get you started in thinking about them in a different way to how you might have been.

Next we try to tie the past<-present->future parallels together as we start getting our hands dirty.

The other posts in this series can be found here:

Part 1: Detective Aziraphale Part 3: Stocktaking in the Basement Part 4: Judgement Day Part 5: I Know Where I'm Going

[silverkrakencomics]

Manifesting Queen's "Princes of the Universe" if Crowley does go the Prince of Hell route.

I love this for them because the lyrics imply them working together to save the world.

[enabuns]

So many cuties liked my version of Archangel Aziraphale and Duke of Hell Crowley, I had to draw the full fits!

[eluetime]

Crowley demon sketch

You were right, you were right. I was wrong, you were right.

[drunkenmantis]

Duke of Hell Crowley sketch

[paperclipninja]

I am holding conflicting thoughts about Crowley becoming the Grand Duke or a Duke of Hell simultaneously and somehow they all seem plausible to me.

On one hand, I think Crowley would never take on a position in Hell. He made it abundantly clear that he has no interest in going back there, he clearly states he's a "former demon", he loves Earth and let's be honest, Hell is, well, hell!

But on the other hand, there was some pretty heavy (what felt like) foreshadowing in S2 when Crowley was with Beelzebub - there are many great posts breaking down the framing and the way Crowley is positioned on the chairs - to indicate perhaps he will take up the head position.

And maybe it's tenuous, but Crowley's throne in his flat in s1 could also be considered a bit of a nod to future Dukedom.

And then I start thinking about how him returning to Hell at all, let alone take on the top job, could possibly be justified when his dislike of everything to do with Heaven and Hell as institutions has been made clear over and over.

There are a few ways I could see it happen:

1. Pure spite. With Aziraphale now in the top job in Heaven, perhaps Crowley will think "screw it", and return the Hell to take on Heaven/Aziraphale because he's got nothing to lose. That would be pretty dark but maybe?

2. He realises Aziraphale is in trouble and returning to Hell is a way to help him through official channels OR he realises that Earth is in trouble and taking control of Hell will allow him to try and thwart Heaven's plans.

3. Crowley and Aziraphale, through their working together but not talking, create a plan that requires Crowley to return to Hell and lead.

So those are the thoughts currently swirling around my head!