#helluva boss character analysis

[anthurak]

Here’s the thing: If your takeaway from the ending of The Full Moon is that ‘Blitzo fucked up’, then you are correct. And if your takeaway is that ‘Stolas fucked up’, then you are equally correct.

The key takeaway from the Stolitz breakup and what makes it such a PERFECTLY executed dramatic moment is that Blitzo and Stolas BOTH royally fucked it up.

Blitzo refused to recognize that Stolas could possibly genuinely love him while Stolas shut Blitzo out. Stolas hit Blitzo’s trauma buttons just as hard as Blitzo hit Stolas’s PTSD triggers.

In this scene, they are both ‘aggressor’ AND ‘victim’ in EQUAL measure.

And it is what makes this scene so god-damn PERFECT.

Because it illustrates WHY this relationship between Blitzo and Stolas simply CANNOT work as it is now. Why ANY relationship between these two cannot work as they are now.

There was no miscommunication. No external factors or complications that nudged either of them one way or another. Just their respective issues, baggage and trauma invariably destroying their relationship. This scene was simply the logical, inevitable endpoint of this relationship.

As Blitzo and Stolas currently are as people, this was ALWAYS going to happen sooner or later. This isn’t a breakup that ‘needed’ to happen. It was a breakup that was GOING to happen one way or another.

I do think that a Stolitz relationship will probably still happen by the end of the show. But this scene illustrated that it can ONLY happen after Blitzo and Stolas have BOTH done some serious work on themselves individually and worked and grown through their respective issues as people.

[theadhddimsenion]

Placing my predictions for millies arc in season three.

Now we have all seen the lastest expo and heard millies voice actress say she believes millie has imposter syndrome which yeah really tracks.

As others have pointed out millies main charater flaw is that she feels like she has to take care of everyone even at the expense of herself but the question is. How do we get her to stop that?

That's where my little theory comes in. Maybe the best way to get millie to see she shouldn't use others problems as a way to ignore her own problems is for the others in question to simply run out of problems for her to solve!

Think about it? If both blitz and moxxie finish up their arcs this season then millie will have no choice but to look at her own well being because now she's one of maybe two people who hasn't fully addressed their struggles!!

I think the best way to show millie that she doesn't need to care for everyone is simply for everyone to just not really need her care anymore.

Like for example she insists upon following blitz to his new date with stolas at ozzies believing something would go wrong but ends up being the very thing that ruins the date! Blitz gives her a mild scolding for being a hypocrite and poking her nose in his life after he promised to stay out of her and her husband's life and tells her he that he isn't a child and sends her home.

Or maybe she gets so tried of her involuntary pregnancy leave that she gets tricked into going into a fake mission call as a trap!

But whatever happens I think it would be great if blitz and the rest of the team reassured her that they all to some degree understand what it's like to believe that your self worth is decided by what you can provide for others rather than what you decide it is and show her that it's OK to just let yourself be vulnerable and admit that you need help. Perhaps the others could show her what they have learned from both life and her. blitz knows what it's like to feel like you are only worthy of giving support and never receiving, moxxie knows what it's like to feel helpless, loona gets what it's like to be beholden to others (born a slave after all) and stolas relates to her patenting fears.

[jubileemon]

When Millie reveals that she's pregnant, she's unsure of what to do and hasn't even told Moxxie. While it could be pre-birth jitters many women have when they first learn they're pregnant, she might have more to fear.

Her and Moxxie's line of work is a very dangerous one. There's no guarantee that they can survive every mission they get, leaving their kid a potential orphan should Millie choose to give birth. But I.M.P has many enemies in Hell who're out for their blood, be it Striker, Crimson and of course Andrealphus, whose ass they kicked literally just hours prior. Millie has more to be worried about outside the typical pregnancy fears.

[caldella]

I think one of my favorite things about Blitzø is how feral cat-coded he is.

He was dumped on his own at too young an age without resources. He's an outcast with a rough past, used to relying on his own wit and tenacity to survive. He's energetic and determined. He bends/breaks rules as he deems necessary. His circus past gives him good balance/coordination (except for his goofy faceplants).

His tail swishes. He bites. He purrs.

Like a feral cat, he perceives most of the world as ready to hurt him and lashes out, often afraid of introspection. And he refuses to acknowledge when he's dangerously out of his level in a conflict.

It also takes a lot for him to realize when someone is, in fact, genuine. The world wants to hurt people, and he's constantly waiting for it to try again.

But when he does understand someone, or when he sees enough of himself in them, he doesn't need the claws anymore. He is all about nuzzles and cuddles and purrs and an absurd level of undying faith and protectiveness. Like a cat, his loyalty and affection are things he has to decide on himself. But once they're there, they're as upfront and outright as his self-defenses.

IDK I don't have anywhere special to go with this. As someone who's had a lot of experience with feral/found stray cats, I really came to appreciate his character so much the further I got into the show. Perhaps this is just a response to those people who feel his supportive nature with Stolas at the end of S2 'came out of nowhere.' Maybe they haven't had the same experience I have? Blitzø is that beaten up street cat who hisses and claws when you try to help or be kind to him, even though he badly needs help and kindness. But underneath all that is the Blitzø that wants to follow you home, swat at the other cats to protect you, and be your biggest cheerleader. Just, very stray cat coded. And I love it.

EDIT: OH you know what barn animals tend to befriend horses (Blitzø's animal obsession), to the extent of sleeping on their backs sometimes?

Yeah, cats.

[hellaversity]

Even back when Stella had her original design from the pilot, she was still, as seen in these old Instagram posts and the storyboard for Loo Loo Land, written as a domestic abuser. In the Instagram posts, she is grabbing Stolas' wrist and twisting it or squeezing it too tightly, and both times, he looks uncomfortable being around her. For the Loo Loo Land storyboard, Stella is even worse than in final version of the episode, where she's man-handling that poor imp butler by the wrist (which is STILL fucked up) and has some ridiculous facial expressions. In the storyboard, though? She holding the butler by the waist, like she's leaving no room for him to breathe, and there's no over the top faces to be found. Just a sinister, 100% serious glare. Octavia's reaction is also much more saddening in the storyboard version, where she's glaring at Stella and looks dead inside, like she's already given up hope on seeing any good in her mother. In the finished version of the episode, she's merely ignoring the screaming and fighting. Just more proof that Stella being abusive was always an intentional writing choice and was never a "retcon" to make Stolas look better.

[thecrazygamingzombie]

OH MY GOD THIS IS AMAZING CHARACTER ANALYSIS

[birdy-babe]

I’m 100% sure this is already general knowledge but it’s my first time thinking about it and I’m kinda obsessed-

Bc of S2 Ep3 Exs and Ohs we get a small glimpse into Moxxie and Blitzø’s backstory, where we find out that they meet RIGHT after Moxxie’s impromptu “break up” with Chaz

And then based on the trailer we got a glimpse of what is supposedly (and in my opinion, most likely) Blitzo and Millie’s first meeting, based on how young they look and the fact that Millie has long hair.

So…

Does that mean Blitzø introduced Moxxie and Millie?

I don’t know why but I’m obsessed with the idea that Blitzo introduced them. I think it’s such an adorable plot line <3 I love the idea of them both being friends individually with Blitzø before they became a couple.

It would also describe why he’s so obsessed with the two of them. Maybe because he’s so happy to see their love bloom, knowing he helped get it there <3

(But maybe it’s also because he had to sit back and watch them get the thing he’s always wanted most in life: unconditional love. He looks at them sometimes and just thinks “why not me? When will it be my turn?”)

[sopphic27]

Been thinking about the parallels between Lucifer and Stolas. Like. Lucifer was an odd one out among the angels, Stolas was an odd one out among the Goetia.

Lucifer fell in love with a human and was cast out of Heaven for giving the humans the gift of free will, and Stolas fell in love with an imp, and was cast down from his status as a Prince by basically implying that Blitz was not acting of his own free will.

They're both dreamers. They're both depressed. They've both split up with their wives (granted for very different reasons). They both have complicated relationships with their daughters. They would still kill or die for their daughters.

I think that if Lucifer found out about Stolas's situation (what really happened, not the fake version that was presented during the trial), he would probably see himself in Stolas. Can you imagine if Lucifer learned about the Goetic Prince who was banished for protecting his imp lover? Deja vu. Sucks that he wasn't at the trial. Idk how differently it would have gone since Andrealphus had the whole court wrapped around his finger with the exception of Vassago, Asmodeus, and Beelzebub. But still.

[zombie-bait]

Full Moon

Ok so I don’t normally post about Helluva Boss but the newest episode touched on an interesting concept I haven’t necessarily seen represented in media. Back when I was on Twitter (derogatory) a few years ago there was this now deleted viral thread where someone discussed how their struggles with mental health affected their relationship with their partner and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. 

This is such a good, short example of how anxiety and depression can play tricks on you. It becomes so easy to envision yourself as a nuisance, a constant burden to those closest to you because they cannot possibly genuinely enjoy your company, right? But in doing so you create this arbitrarily cruel version of the people you love, people who would otherwise never behave like this outside of your own mind.

It's mean. Because your mind wants to be mean to you under these circumstances. It wants to put everyone else's emotions and desires above yours, both in worthiness and validity. And that starts bleeding into your understanding of other people, especially those you care about.

Now. Helluva Boss.

"Can I get a fucking MINUTE to think after everything you put me through you pompous rich ASSHOLE? Treat me like one of your little butler imps, you can’t just dismiss me like that! I mean, you royal fucks think you can do this every time, like you can just play with our feelings because we’re smaller and not as important. Well I’m not letting you, BITCH! Let’s go!" - Blitz

I find it really interesting how Helluva Boss decided to approach this conflict between Stolas and Blitz. Obviously, the difference in power matters. It's the underlying tension of their entire relationship and their lives. Stolas is burdened by the mountain of expectations thrust upon him from a very young age while Blitz is constantly reminded that he can NEVER be part of that world, that he is "smaller and not as important" not just in Hell's hierarchy but in his own life and family. Stolas very literally has power over Blitz (through the grimoire, the arrangement, his position in society) and Blitz uses their relationship as an excuse to reverse those roles. But that power dynamic, in one form or another, never truly goes away. And for Blitz, it's a lot easier to paint Stolas as this manipulative symbol of power and himself as nothing more than Stolas' plaything. It's easier to be angry than to be vulnerable and accept that someone might care about him.

"Dismiss" is the keyword in that quote. All that Blitz has been able to process is that Stolas has decided to end the relationship that they have. He feels ls like a choice has been taken away from him so he lashes out because he's not ready to emotionally tackle what the rest of Stolas' offer might entail. If Stolas hates him, just wants to play with him, then he is justified in his anger, his self-destruction, his isolation. If the world is mean, you're "allowed" to be mean back.

But

In that moment he forgets that Stolas is someone he actually cares about. Someone he's known for way too long and clearly wants to keep in his life, no matter how reluctant he can be to admit it. Someone who is not innately cruel or manipulative but sad and desperate for connections in a lot of the same ways that Blitz is. And Blitz immediately sees that he's miscalculated something.

Somewhere along the way the fictional version of Stolas that he's allowed himself to be mad at and the real one that he's not ready to admit he cares about have merged into something real that he has actual power over. Stolas can get hurt and Blitz can be the one who does it. He has once again allowed his greatest fears (which Stolas so frequently symbolizes) to co-opt his loved ones, to give him an "out" even though he didn't actually want one in the first place.

I'm definitely not the first person to say this but I think this is an example of the miscommunication trope done right. Their individual struggles are what cause them to be unable to connect during this conversation or to even have a proper conversation in the first place. There is no convenient misunderstanding or third party fabricating this rift. Both of them have preconceived ideas of what the other one is thinking but those ideas are flawed and rooted in self-hatred. They also both shutdown in their unique ways when the conversation starts heading in the direction they'd feared it would.

Blitz and Stolas work because they're both fucked up in similar ways, because they want similar things. That's the same reason why they're uniquely designed to hurt one another. A fear of rejection and a yearning for happiness. To borrow a quote that has been used by literally everyone from Spiderman to Evangelical preachers, "hurt people hurt people."

anyway, I really liked this episode.

(twitter thread screenshots sourced from this reddit post)

[criticalcrusherbot]

What’s gross is that I bet you’re smarter than this, you just have a bizarre antagonistic parasocial relationship with Vivienne Medrano.

This critique is fundamentally flawed in its analysis, misinterpreting the narrative structure and character dynamics of Helluva Boss. Here’s a breakdown of why it doesn’t hold up:

1. The Claim About Blitz and Octavia:

The statement that Blitz “pretends Octavia’s mother never existed” grossly oversimplifies his behavior and motivations. Blitz’s struggles are rooted in his unresolved trauma and inability to form healthy relationships, not a deliberate erasure of Stella. Additionally, the idea that Stella is treated as a “nameless surrogate egg donor” is false. The show repeatedly acknowledges her presence, but she’s portrayed negatively because her actions (abusing Stolas, prioritizing status over family) make her an antagonist. This isn’t about erasing her but about exploring Stolas’s toxic marriage and its impact on Octavia.

2. The Misreading of Stella’s Character:

The critique argues that Vivienne “has to make the woman purely evil and unfeeling,” but Stella’s characterization is consistent with her role as an abusive partner and a foil to Stolas. Her lack of maternal care is a reflection of her values and personality, not an inherent “hatred of women.” Plenty of female characters in Helluva Boss are nuanced, compassionate, and strong (e.g., Millie, Loona, Octavia), disproving the claim of misogyny.

3. The Strawman Argument of “Gay Erotica”:

The scene where Blitz throws Stella out the window isn’t about her disliking “gay erotica.” It’s a comedic exaggeration that underscores the absurdity of the situation, fitting the show’s satirical tone. The focus isn’t on her gender but on the humor of the clash between her and Stolas.

4. The Daughters’ Reactions:

The daughters’ lack of mourning in the Christmas episode is a misinterpretation of the narrative focus. The scene is meant to emphasize Blitz’s moral growth, not delve into the daughters’ feelings. It’s also possible that the mom died quite some time ago and they have moved past actively mourning, but to assume they “don’t care” is reading into something the episode doesn’t explicitly address.

5. Accusation of Misandrist Themes:

Claiming that Vivienne portrays “gay men’s love as more pure” ignores the complexity of Stolas and Blitz’s relationship, which is far from idealized. Their love is messy, imperfect, and rooted in deep emotional baggage—hardly the pedestal the critique implies.

In summary, this critique misrepresents Helluva Boss by cherry-picking elements and ignoring context. The show’s nuanced exploration of flawed relationships, trauma, and humor-driven storytelling doesn’t align with the reductive and bad-faith interpretation presented here.

[knightinink]

Fizz letting his walls down with Ozzie & knowing that Ozzie will always put him back together makes my heart melt

[anthurak]

Something I was always a little concerned about in the lead-up to Hazbin Hotel was that Charlie was going to be a bit too passive of a character, ie; leaning only into the ‘kind, optimistic Disney-Princess-in-Hell who just wants to help everyone’ vibe and not really have much else going on as a character. Which in turn would make her feel kind of bland next to the big, over-the-top or dramatic personalities like Angel Dust and Alastor.

But thankfully, that is not what happened and there’s actually a lot that I like about what the writers are doing with Charlie, particularly in the potential future development and reveals they seem to be setting up.

First off, I like how Charlie generally comes off more like an over-the-top caricature of that ‘Disney-Princess-in-Hell’ vibe, ie; SUPER energized, enthusiastic, affectionate and emotional, often to overbearing degrees that get on everyone’s nerves. It’s generally funny, or at least amusing, and lets Charlie stand out alongside the other big personalities in the cast. Funny enough, she’s actually a lot like Blitzo in this regard, minus the seesawing into extreme abrasiveness.

And more importantly, we’ve already gotten major hints all but confirming that this over-the-top personality is largely a façade, and that Charlie actually has some very clear issues and baggage that she’s working VERY hard to keep buried beneath the surface. Again, much like Blitzo.

Like how in the trust-fall exercise in episode three, despite asking everyone to reveal something personal, Charlie actually bullshits just as hard as Angel Dust and Sir Pentious with her whole ‘I love you all!’ bit. Sure, it’s not like she was lying or being insincere, but it’s clear that was NOT something truly personal for Charlie. And in episode 4 we have Husk straight-up calls out Charlie as ‘wanting to solve everyone’s problems but her own’.

Then of course we have the brief glimpses we’ve seen of Charlie getting angry. Both the times we’ve seen Charlie dealing with some truly despicable and horrendous characters, we’ve seen that rather than lacking the ability to get angry, Charlie is often working to hold herself back. In both her encounters with Adam and Valentino we see points where Charlie is clearly NOT intimidated or afraid of them at all and seems fully prepared to throw down, only being stopped by reigning herself in or by someone else (in this case Angel) stopping her.

Again, it all paints Charlie’s big, bubbly, hyperactive exuberance as something of a front, a way for her to bury a lot of thoughts, feelings and general baggage she doesn’t want to face. Just like what the show has already explored with Angel and Husk.

It actually raises some interesting questions as to what’s REALLY driving Charlie in running the hotel and trying to help Sinners. For one, Husk has already pegged Charlie as ‘wanting to solve everyone’s problems but her own’. And going back to thematic crossover with Helluva Boss, I can’t help but see some potential parallels between Charlie creating the Hazbin Hotel, and Blitzo creating Immediate Murder Professionals.

I think it’s pretty clear at this point that half the reason for creating I.M.P. was as a coping mechanism for Blitzo, or rather the assassination business in general. Something that we’ve gotten hints to as early as the second episode in Blitzo’s back and forth with the Robo-Fizz (“Does anyone love you, Blitzo?”/“No. But I’m really good with guns now!”). With the other half of the reason Blitzo created I.M.P. clearly seems to be to create a surrogate family, as seen with how much he tries to insert himself in the M&M’s lives. Possibly even a specific attempt to replace the family he unwittingly destroyed fifteen years ago.

So I really have to wonder if we’re going to find out that Charlie creating the hotel and her goal of redeeming sinners is in part likewise a coping mechanism and escape for her own baggage.

It’s actually really interesting how episode two first introduced the idea of people opening up with Sir Pentious, then episode four dived further into the concept of the walls and fake personas people put up to hide from their pain and trauma with Angel Dust and Husk. With those two opening up and starting to let their walls down to each other, and by extension we the audience, I think it makes Charlie’s own façade all the more noticeable. It’ll be pretty interesting if Charlie actually winds up being the toughest nut to crack when it comes to opening up about their real issues and baggage. Yet another interesting trait she shares with Blitzo.

All in all, I’m really liking what the show has been doing with Charlie as a protagonist. And I’m REALLY interested to see where the story is going to take her.

Particularly what’s going to happen when she reaches a breaking point…

[theadhddimsenion]

Some throughs on moxxies relationships going forward.

I have already discussed how i think moxxie and millie will have a spat over the baby that stolitz will help resolve but as for his other relationships I would like to voice some theories of mine.

First off now that blitz is feeling a lot safer about being open he may begin to actually feel safe communicating with the little possum. Second we all know that moxxie and stolas are going to bond and let's face it they both need friends and as bonuses millie no longer has to sit through miserable French hogshit and the owl and the possum can show each other sides to blitz the other hasn't seen.

Further more while the so called critics of this show call moxxies origins a copy and past of blitzs I think this was done intentionally to show that despite what they or some others might think they really are more alike than different. Think about it between the need to be liked, the daddy issues, the dead mothers, the crossdressing, the artistic passion, the not being straight they really do have a lot in common they just have different circumstances and ways of coping, moxxie has a healthy relationship and blitz up until recently did not and where blitz could fake confidence moxxie during season one couldn't even pretend to be confident for the life of him. My point being that now that blitzs fear of getting close to people and being hurt/hurting others is lessened and moxxie grows bolder and subsequently no longer feels the need to pull others down to validate himself like he often did during his earlier appearances such as when he often was overly critical of blitz even when unprovoked and unhappy campers tried and failed to bring this up I can see them trauma bonding because now they can see each other as people rather than simply aannoyances..

Another thing is his relationship with loona which is similar to blitz mainly because loona is a lot like her adoptive father but she is a lot less experienced. Contrary to what some might say I don't think moxxie needs a lot more devoplment but instead what he needs is a big moment to SHOW his development. My boy blitz got his in mastermind by showing exactly what makes him the best leader for i.m.p and that is the fact he gives more though and care about his found family than the law or even himself blitz showed that when all is said and done he is always going to be the one to sacrifice everything for those he cares about and I think moxxie needs something similar that empathizes his strengths as a character.

What he needs is something where be gets to show off his strengths as a charater in a big way so let's list a few of his strengths. I've always seen moxxie as the best strategist out of all of i.m.p but was hindered by the fact that no one would listen to him and his lack of confidence. But now I believe that people might start actually listening to him because when moxxie actually pulls his head out of his frequently pegged ass he is likely the best of the team when it comes to planning and strategy. Another strengths of his is the fact he is probably the most willing to show emotional vulnerability because while blitz and millie can they work better as study foundations to ground yourself on while moxxie seems more like someone who can show you that he's been where you are if you get my drift but in my opinion moxxies greatest strength is actually what some would call his greatest weakness and that is the fact that everyone underestimates him, no matter how hard he tries moxxie just can't get people to take him seriously for better or worse but maybe he can use this to his advantage, because as long as people continue to think of him as a weak little coward he has the element of surprise and with it the ability to pull the rug out from much larger and stronger opponents.

This all brings me to my idea for a final showdown between moxxie and his father. Crimson manages to capture millie and loona and tries to bargain with their lives and the life of millies child and at first everything seems to be going well for crimson but then blitz springs out of nowhere starting the plan he actually let moxxie make and following it showing he trusts him after an epic battle crimson runs like the coward he is because let's face it when's the last time crimson directly fought anyone he knew would fight back? Just like how blitz is a better imp than his father ever was by creating his business by bringing people up rather than tearing them down like cash did moxxie is a far better imp than crimson will ever be because while moxxie may not be the most direct of imps he never tried to make anyone else do his job for him or hid behind others like crimson did and with one finaly badass one liner from moxxie crimson is poured a nice pair of concrete shoes and drowned in the same like moxxies mother died in. Bonus moxxie gets to bury the hatchet with loona by not taking up the opportunity to get her back for everything she said to him because he's matured beyond that and knows it wouldn't solve anything.

[jubileemon]

The way Andrealphus and Stella treat Octavia says everything you need to know about her current living arrangement. When Stella prevents Stolas from talking to Via, she laughs and mocks him by calling his attempts “hilarious”, not caring about how distraught Octavia is as a result. She even refers to her as his daughter, rather than our daughter or even using her name. Later in the episode, Andrealphus taunts Stolas for losing her in the same manner as his plants and stars - in his eyes, Octavia’s just another one of Stolas’ prized possessions that he managed to swindle him out of, and lords it over him.

[caldella]

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 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."

[agender-alien]

Blitzø’s self hatred has literally destroyed/ is in the process of destroying every good thing in his life. It destroyed his friendship with Fizzarolli (more in that later), it likely contributed to his fear of intimacy which is what destroyed his relationship with Verosika, and his fear of intimacy, which is fueled by his self hatred and fears of intimacy often are is drives him to talk to M&M and all his other friends like shit.

Blitzø’s deep and utter hatred of himself is actively preventing him from reciprocating Stolas’s genuine affection and letting him enjoy his relationships in general. And it seems like Blitzø has always been this way.

This man’s hatred runs deep, and it’s so intense he literally scribbles his face out of every photo of himself. He obviously cares about the people around him, he keeps constant reminders of the people close to him. The photo wall at home, the bobble heads of M&M in his office.

I think most people assume that this hatred of himself started with the fire. That his guilt over the accident is what led to his belief that he didn’t deserve to be happy, that ultimately destroyed his relationships. But i don’t think this is the case. I think his guilt over the accident definitely fueled his self hatred for a long time but i don’t think that’s the root cause of it.

In this scene it’s a teenage Fizzarolli’s birthday, and a teenage Blitzø appears to be going to hand him what appears to be a love letter, but upon seeing Fizzarolli surrounded by family and friends celebrating he becomes self conscious and throws the letter in the ground and walked away. I believe his internal thought process was that Fizzarolli already has all these people that care for him, why would he want Blitzø around?

I don’t believe this was cause of jealousy, that was fizzarolli’s interpretation of events from his perspective. I think this is one of the first example of Blitzø wrecking his life over his own self hatred.

And i think the most tragic part of this is that he has people in his life that definitely love him. Millie and Moxxie are his employees but they are obviously his friends and do care about his general well-being, Loona is a shit-heel most of the time but she also cares about how Blitzø’s well-being on some level. He has just re-kindled his friendship with Fizzarolli, and Stolas is so head over heals in love with him it’s insane.

Look at this man, so absolutely fucked. And Blitzø is going to be utterly incapable of reciprocating these feelings or even acknowledging that someone is capable of loving him until he actually starts accepting himself.