I put off watching this video because i anticipated hurt, but oh this actually healed so much of my heartbreak since watching the finale! Thank you for the time put into analysis, love the longer video, love the organized format, and love how you present evidence to back each theory. Thank you and looking forward to more!
someone has probably already said this but aziraphale might be saying what he wants the metatron to lip read to confirm his story when he comes to check in on aziraphale afterwards
Crowley told Aziraphale about the hellfire. When Gabriel shows up, Crowley reminds Aziraphale that Gabriel tried to burn him in hellfire. He must have told him something if he's reminding him.
22:20 great now I am filled with such fear. Genuinely though I think it will be so important for Aziraphale to have some realization of what Crowley has put himself through over the centuries he has spent following Aziraphale into danger and pulling him back out. I do believe that Crowley likes rescuing the angel on occasion, when the stakes are low, but I am really hoping for a moment where Aziraphale realizes how stressful being the savior is, and how much Crowley must love him to have never shown any strain.
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You can actually always see that if Crowley and Aziraphale have disagreement or Aziraphale trys to convince Crowley to something, Aziraphale always follows Crowley’s eyes
Aziraphale loves Crowley's eyes. (And who can blame him?) Did you notice the walls in the back room are painted the EXACT SAME color as Crowley's eyes?
@@susanmiller9317so the weird thing is they picked the color in season 1 but had to recreate the entire bookshop for season 2 so now we see more back rooms of the bookshop and see that they are all yellow. But the name of the color from season 1 is vavoom .
I think maybe, based on what you said about the kiss, there's a chance that the misdirection was actually the kiss itself. The "look at my right hand" while doing the trick with the left. I saw someone on Tumblr point out that, based on Aziraphale's shoulder, it looks like he puts his hand on Crowley's waist for a moment. What if he was putting something in his pocket? In season 1, they were saved by Aziraphale catching the slip of paper with Agnes Nutter's prophesy about "choosing their faces wisely." What if it's a similar thing? The same trick with a twist, as you said before, and he's giving Crowley the answer. The "aim for my mouth but shoot past my ear" moment. And, if I go full conspiracy mode, maybe that's why Aziraphale looks so hopeful when the door opens again. Crowley always has his hands in his pockets. In fact, in that last look, where he's standing by the Bentley, his hand is in his pocket. Maybe he's hoping Crowley found whatever it was and put it together and came back ready to follow Aziraphale into danger, the same way he always is. Maybe that's what all of the hesitation and looking out the window was about during that last conversation with the Metatron in the bookshop. "Has he checked his pockets? Has he noticed yet? Does he understand?" Maybe that's what that last look between them was. Crowley, hand in pocket, still waiting for Aziraphale when it would have been so in character for him to run, silently telling him, "I'm with you." Maybe that's what their expressions during the credits are about. Aziraphale is thinking, "we're going to do it again. We're going to figure it out. It's us against them and we can win," while Crowley is trying to come to terms with the reality of what is happening. Aziraphale is walking into the lion's den and trusting Crowley to do his part of the trick even with so little experience - telling him what to do on stage, trusting him even when he's never fired a gun before - when the stakes are so high and there's a million eyes on them. But, just like any good magician, Aziraphale knows that if everyone's watching him, they're not watching Crowley. And Crowley's always been the wily one who loves rescuing his angel.
What would it be? We don't see him pick anything up or take anything from his own pocket. I'd rather believe Aziraphale put his hand on Crowley's waist a moment during the kiss because he wants to pull him in closer, and It's hard to believe he'd have the presence of mind to act during the kiss - though he did have presence of mind during the theater scene where Crowley's life is threatened so it's not impossible. I've also heard a theory that the kiss was to give information to Aziraphale and Crowley slips something to him through his mouth and when he touches his lips and turns to hide his tears from the Metatron he palms whatever Crowley slipped him - but I don't buy it. I do think it's important everything that takes place in the Final 15 is emotionally genuine.
If Neil is having Penn and Teller give him advice on magic and deception, we will never know the answers until years after Season 3 comes out. They are insanely clever .....
Apropo of nothing TWO times in my life I've had friends just go to Vegas and randomly meet Penn. One was my brother who I didn't even know was in Vegas and I'm like WTF does he just hang out at the airport meeting people who go to Vegas? What is going on!
I wonder if there is a clue there, because they LOVE telling you they’re showing you the same trick twice, when they’re not. They will explain to you how the trick is done… show it being done, and THAT’S the misdirection for the actual trick. And even if you know they’re doing it, it’s hard to look away from the misdirection.
The other thing about the whole theme of magic that hit me (especially as Aziraphale describes his act as a ‘prestigation’) is The Prestige - and namely the three acts of a magic trick: The Pledge - the magician shows you something ordinary, The Turn - turns it into something extraordinary (like making it disappear) and the hardest of all - The Prestige - you have to bring it back. The minisodes are the Pledge - showing us what is ordinary for our Ineffable Eejits. The final 15 is definitely The Turn - turning everything on its head and making something disappear. We can’t clap yet, we’re waiting on The Prestige- they have to bring it back.
I love this theory and my mind is BLOWN with the hand holding in season one! Also, you pointing out that Aziraphale doesn't know the circumstances under which Gabriel actually left Heaven is such a hugely important thing. I think one of the reasons the husbands miscommunicate so badly in the final 15 is because Crowley "understands [the offer] a whole lot better than Aziraphale does" but he doesn't explain WHY or HOW. If he wouldn't have already been upset/angry, he could've taken the time to tell Aziraphale that stopping Armageddon part 2 was the reason Gabriel was in so much trouble in the first place, not because he was in love with Beelzebub. And here Aziraphale is, going to Heaven to "try to make a difference" in how Armageddon part 2 is going to play out. And we all know that Aziraphale doesn't want the world to end because he loves humanity, so he's unknowingly walking into Gabriel's position to inadvertently meet the same "end" as Gabriel. The difference is that this time Aziraphale won't be there to say "Let's ask Gabriel and Beezlebub what they want" because he'll be the one in trouble and no one else is going to do that for him. I feel sick lol
I was surprised to realize that yeah from Aziraphale's perspective, he might think Gabriel was in trouble because of Beelzebub. I knew very well that he didn't know about Gabriel's "nah" vote and "trial", didn't think about how he might've interpreted it. Though to be honest, did he even have time to think about it? G & B disappear, Aziraphale is turning to Crowley with heart eyes through the entire thing, then there's the big argument/discussion with angels and demons, then Metatron interrupting and taking him... everything just happens in rapid succession, masterfully orchestrated by Manipulate-atron.
I loved your analysis. The conversation that bothers me is the Metatron telling Aziraphale to take all the time he needs to think about the offer and then rushing him immediately to Heaven. Metatron also lies about the amount of additives he added to the coffee as well. I’m not really sure if that’s actually the Metatron. Could it be someone else and does Aziraphale realize it as well? Metatron has on dark clothing when celestial beings all wear some form of white. I’m probably reaching here. I’m hoping that Azi did mouth “trust me” to Crowley at the end. I love your analysis of my favorite show and I can’t wait to see the next video!
What got me was that none of the other angels in the bookshop seemed to recognize Metatron and subsequently talked down to him. Metatron asked Crowley if he recognized him and he did. But I never see anyone talk about that. I think it's a possibly meaningful detail that gets overlooked.
@@elimgarak7090 That’s actually a good point. Usually Crowley doesn’t recognize anyone but he did the Metatron. I think Crowley was an archangel before and they wiped his memory like they wanted to do with Gabriel. Plus that glare the Metatron gave Crowley. There’s something wrong there for sure.
@@kellifranklin9872 Ah, you make a good point also. It's shown several times that Crowley usually says he doesn't recognize people, but he knows Metatron? How odd. Another thing is that Metatron asked Crowley specifically if he recognized him. What even is up with that? ...I just rewatched that bit just to be sure I was remembering correctly, and it's so weird. Lol. He made a big deal out of the other angels not knowing him, is how he put it. Then turned to Crowley and said, "How about you, demon? Do you know me?" I am sus!
@@elimgarak7090I agree. I think the Metatron was part of Crowley's fall and he has history with the Metatron the angels don't. Others have said Crowley recognized him from Gabriel's trial but it's ambiguous. When we saw The Metatron in season 1 he was also a giant floating head, so could he have been in heaven while expelling Crowley? He also seems to know Crowley rather well, "he always did want to go his own way." He knows he won't want to go back to heaven or be an angel again, even for Aziraphale.
@@elimgarak7090 I didn't even think of how weird it is that he asks Crowley directly. Holy shit. Because to the viewer, it makes a lot of sense that Crowley would recognise the Metatron; he was just up there watching him be a dick on Heavenly videotape. But the Metatron wasn't shown to be present or watching in any other way when that happened, so either he was spying surreptitiously on Crowley, Muriel and Saraquiel and knows about it that way (in which case, why didn't he stop them?), or Crowley has met him at some other point recently-ish or in circumstances that he Would Not Forget About. Not even Aziraphale recognises the Metatron immediately and he summoned the floaty face version of him in S1 which was VERY RECENTLY for someone who's 6k+ years old.
Oh I absolutely love the 'trust me' idea for the final 15. And I think it's important that Crowley didn't respond, give anything away. Even just the turning around was going to be an important gesture, but if words were whispered
@AlmightyRawks I always took Crowley's I understand a lot better than you do to mean You don't know what you're asking me when you ask me to return to heaven. I don't think Crowley would say it as I know something about Gabriel that you don't and not tell Aziraphale. Especially if it had any chance of changing his mind.
The whole second season is a mirror for this one minisode. I have always seen this minisode as a great bonding moment for the two characters, but I also see it as the catalyst for what eventually breaks them apart. The lack of communication, the deception, the way Aziraphale tends to run head-first into danger, and both of their tendencies to manipulate each other into doing things that they aren't really comfortable with really are blatant red flags for an unhealthy and toxic relationship. This episode showcases this better than any other IMO. I think that, by the time we get to the final 15, their relationship has evolved into something more stable and healthy. We do see them really try to stand together and for each other without the added expectations or manipulation by this point, but the fundamental problems that date back to 1941 (really all the way back to Job, but more obviously by 1941) are still present in their modern day interactions. Aziraphale dives head-first into danger by taking in Gabriel without thinking in episode 1 (the desire to perform the bullet trick). He guilts Crowley into helping him (giving him the gun), and Crowley guilts Aziraphale right back by name calling and making material offers to things that he knows Aziraphale won't refuse (telling him he's terrible at magic). In the end, we see them avert Shax and her demons by working together and promising not to leave the other alone (performing the bullet catch "successfully"), but much like Fufur isn't fooled, neither is the Metatron; and while Aziraphale may have pulled off a "magic trick" in the final 15, much like he does with Fufur, I don't think that Aziraphale is fully aware of the fact that, much like the bullet catch, he's already doing the trick completely wrong. The trick requires trusted confident (which he has in Crowley), but the only reason the trick worked was pure luck. Crowley didn't have the information and resources he needed to REALLY be a trusted confident. He just pulled the trigger and hoped for the best, which is not what a trusted confident should be tasked with doing, much like Crowley helping Aziraphale with Gabriel in the first place. This is where you see their relationship start to crack apart for real (not deception). Once again, neither character has the information or resources that they need to be a trusted confident for the other, and not only that, but I do believe that the fight between them was real. Their relationship is broken. You can only rely on dumb luck and manipulation to a point before that just doesn't work anymore. Eventually, the metaphorical bullet is going to inadvertently hit someone. If Aziraphale is going to pull off a magic trick, he's either going to have to rely on pure luck (which we've already established is a terrible idea, and it does not fool anyone), or he's going to have to do a different trick entirely; one that will require Crowley's help on a level that neither character has trusted the other with before.
I like your analysis but I think Crowley will be there for Aziraphale in the end and that trusting each other (or sacrificing for each other) on a level they haven't before will bring them back together in the end. I'm glad this video, and your comment touched on neither of them having the information or resources they need - and that Aziraphale never found out the intel that Crowley went all the way to heaven to obtain - why Gabriel/ Jim was out of heaven and in trouble. Crowley made a calculated risk to get that information but he didn't tell Aziraphale. At first I didn't think he had time with everything that happened but he could have said it after "when heaven ends life on this planet it will be just as dead as if hell ended it." He had an opportunity, but ultimately I don't fault him for getting so sidetracked in his feelings and thrown off course by Aziraphale's plan to return to heaven.
One of my fave bits of the 1941 episode is when Crowley and Aziraphale realise their miracles don't work, and Crowley frantically starts reading the instructions. I think to be fair, he's probably got good reflexes, instincts, and they're both very clever, I think he just had good instincts in the moment. Also the freedom of knowing that the reality is the worst that could happen is a lot of paperwork.
@@ericamacs3875 Furfur does say that if he shoots Aziraphale with the miracle blocker on they may not be able to put them back together. So he might not get the same body back. And they don't know about FurFur heaven's side. I just love that had no intention of doing the trick without a miracle, which is why he has to pull down his glasses and let the dancing girls see his eyes. That little moment of vulnerability. He was going to do the miracle and agrees to do the trick for the sake of Aziraphale in some ways protecting him from heaven heaven. Aziraphale does a sleight of hand magic trick in front of ferfer and does save Crowley from hell.
@@theonlylunchbox I think they'll get back together too. I don't think their relationship is unfixable; just that it will need to be fixed before they can pull of whatever it is they are going to pull off. Unlike the bullet catch, that worked by pure luck, they will need to be very deliberate in how they get themselves out of this one, and they will need to be on the same page with ALL of the information.
@@fairywingsonroses I was just thinking about how if he does say trust me, I believe Crowley will trust him, and be willing to hear what's going on the next time they see each other and aziraphale informs him on what's going on in heaven. They will have a little shorthand based on the fact that Crowley already knows why Gabriel was kicked out of heaven. But what I was thinking, is if Aziraphale said trust me, the only way he's able to get him that message is because Crowley was willing to stand by the Bentley and wait. If Crowley had been so upset he just driven off not wanting to watch his angel leave him, probably nothing else will work in the rest of the story. But Crowley stood by the Bentley waiting for Aziraphale to go , as if to say you can still turn around and choose me. I'm still here. And seeing that through the window, is probably what inspires Aziraphale to say trust me if he does.
Three swords are visible in the magic shop when Aziraphale happily grabs Crowley's hands ...so I just looked up what the three sword card means in tarot. It means separation, sadness. heartbreak and breakup of a relationship. Oh my goodness.
Given that Aziraphales reaction to the metatron knowing about his partnership with Crowley, means that he realises that the Metatron is threatening him and the offer is not really sweat, but bitter, you could interpret the last 15 like this: Aziraphale looking out of the window and shaking his head permanently while Crowly says "we're a team..." then to me means: "don't say it, the metatron is listening, we're in danger." "You don't understand what I'm offering you" is: "I'm trying to save us, trust me". He would love to give in to the kiss but knows the metatron is watching. For a moment he is afraid that Crowley might be too hurt and lost faith in him and starts saying: "I think I..." but then he trusts Crowley, that he will understand him and, that he will come to him as he always does. But he has to make it look like a break up to protect him. So the secret "trust me" in the end would perfectly make sense. The Nightingale-song being a message to us, that there still is love, as well as it could be a message from Aziraphale to Crowley would also fit into this. So as you say, it is about trust. A. and C. trusting each other and us trusting them. And also us trusting the writers not wanting us to end up in therapy. :) I like that version. And I like that there are so many possible versions. Storytelling at its best! Thank you for your amazing videos!
I love your thought that the Nightingale song on the Bentley’s radio was a message from Aziraphale! We know the car responds to Crowley - I had thought perhaps it was either the car reassuring C, or the car reflecting C’s own inner thoughts. He switches it off as too painful in that moment. Thanks for sharing!
I don’t think he said “trust me.” I think 1941 is our misdirection hand… i think he said “look after our bookshop” With Crowley stating “you can’t leave this bookshop” and azi replying with “nothing lasts forever” as well as Crowley watching the bookshop as aziraphale drove the Bentley, “our car” “our bookshop” the group of the two of them. It would be a line telling Crowley that he was right. And that aziraphale trusts him. Loves him. It would be a line that would hurt but also be clear enough to understand. And with the destruction picture with the bookshop standing alone, it’s telling us that aziraphale plans on returning, to their bookshop, Crowley won’t let it be destroyed, he won’t let his angel down. He won’t let the books be sold. As aziraphale goes off to war. Crowley will be waiting for him. Protecting what ties his angel to home. Mirroring the car scene “you haven’t actually sold any books have you?” “Not a one” the season has shown us Crowley sitting back… while they softly switch places. Azi has to make the plan, save the world, while Crowley has to hold his angel in place. Crowley is the one holding angel to earth. Keeping him from abandoning us. The first season Crowley begged and pleaded for azi to leave. And now it’s aziraphales turn. As Crowley said “the real war will be us and humanity, vs Heaven and hell” it’s Crowley who has to fight to keep us safe… while his aziraphale desperately try’s to fight against the angels. And prevent the second coming. The roles have reversed… and I think “look after our bookshop” would reflect that.
Every time I start pondering about Aziraphale and whether he did some tricks or not, my mind always goes back to a season one scene, the one where Crowley says, "You are so clever." And that's what we all know for sure. And Crowley knows for sure, too. Aziraphale may be a bad liar, he may be naive, but he is smart and that's a fact. Adding Michael Sheen being a lord of micro expression, and I am more than sure that something was going on in the last fifteen. The desire to discover in this fandom is everlasting 🔥
We don't just have Crowley's word for it either - God Herself says it outright in an early voice-over (directly quoting the book): "but he WAS intelligent."
Yes completely. I never really bought the 'bumbling idiot' routine, I think it was completely intentional in the entire portrayal to prepare us all for that final 15 (I have gone into more detail above)
As for being a bad liar, Aziraphale does rather better on misleading statements (misdirection, again) than lies: in his first(?) attempt at lying, he says "You have my word as an angel," because he thinks he is not an angel anymore due to trying to thwart Heaven/God. I suggest that when he says "the Metatron... I think I might have misjudged him," he isn't saying that because he thinks well of tM - I believe he now thinks of tM as dangerous, and their primary adversary.
@@danawhicker2512 Unfortunately, he does clarify after "i think I might have misjudged him" by saying "I think he's as bad" something along those lines I'm pretty sure
Love this! Some other parallels/ ideas I notice comparing to the Final Fifteen, way overanalyzed I'm sure: The nightingale box is an octagon - the most specific & well-known use being: STOP signs. 🛑 [15- Crowley tries desperately to get him to stop, think, accept Crowley (nightingale) instead.] Also, Crowley is right there trying to talk him out of the more dangerous and unsure trick - not just "are you sure" but also "are you sure you're sure?" [15 - Multiple verbal tactics like discrediting Heaven, confession, even insults, then the kiss.] And at the shop Aziraphale is not paying attention to him, he's hyper focused on the dangerous magic trick he hopes will amaze, bringing him praise. The one that is actually more difficult for Crowley than Aziraphale. [15- He's very hyper-focused on going to Heaven rather than considering any alternatives. Crowley will have it harder- he's all alone.] The "magic trick" in the Final Fifteen, if there's one on screen might have actually happened at 2 moments bookending the kiss. Like you said, looking away from the most attention grabbing part, and that by the time a trick is noticed, it's 90% done. (If there's a trick I think it's to trick Metatron, not a lie to Crowley.) 1- Aziraphale's worried look as he crosses the street after leaving Metatron there 13:05, changes to one that looks free of worry and in fact GIDDY there with Crowley. 13:25 and moreso as that scene goes on. 2- that frame you stopped on- 17:31 the very final facial expression the last time Aziraphale looks out the window to Crowley. He's been looking sad/worried/longingly out the windows to Crowley 3 times, but that last face for a fraction of a second looks like one of resolve (bravery?) to me. Then he squares himself up before smiling and going. (Similar to how he does before the magic trick.) Another possible portion of lip reading- RIGHT before saying "I forgive you" (and RIGHT after the frustrated sigh when his face seems to change to almost contempt), his mouth opens and almost has a lopsided twitch but I SWEAR that looks very clearly to me like "Please". 9:46 Also, Crowley knows Aziraphale so well he can tell his tone of voice as established at the beginning. We could follow the chiastic structure with this too: At the beginning, first time A&C are on screen together for the season is a split screen of them on the phone (Crowley in car) with them on the incorrect sides of the screen [Ending parallel- same incorrect sides/ split screen thing in the credits], being able to tell his tones of voice comes shortly after the phone call. So in chiastic, recognizing tone of voice would be before the credits. Does his voice while telling Crowley to meet him "over the road" sound similar to "hold that thought, I have some incredibly good news to tell you." (Using those words could also help to get Crowley to hone in on the fact that this is NOT his "something good happened" voice.) (Edited to add timestamps.)
Excellent point about his "something's wrong" voice and Chiastic structure. Maybe Crowley didn't recognize it in the moment because of emotions, but it's something he figured(s) out later. An yes, Aziraphale makes a very interesting "resolve" face the last time he looks out the window.
Actually this is a really good point he's very worried as he walks from the Metatron to go talk to Crowley, and yet acts as if this is a great opportunity for both of them. I wonder if it is that he has decided to try and sell the idea as he's so worried about protecting him, still thinking Gabriel was in trouble purely for fraternising.
I always thought the resolve face the last time he looks out the window was just him deciding, right there or a fraction of a moment beforehand, that it was time to start acting unaffected for the Metatron. But I like this analysis.
Crowley, devastated and angry, would have had to walk right past Metatron on his way out of the bookshop. This amazing video really sheds a different light on Aziraphale’s reactions knowing he and Crowley were being watched the whole time. His face and hand gestures now scream “warning”. Metatron was watching the bookshop while he waited in line for the coffee, and maybe long before that and saw the whole Gabriel and B event. He was still watching Crowley when he brought Nina and Maggie out. After the chinwag with Azi he watches from across the street with Muriel. Muriel is reading and at the next table are the ever present mystery couple (blue turban and bearded partner). The Bentley is parked in front of them. He watches for Crowley to emerge and immediately goes to get Azi. Muriel is now right in front of the window waving. Crowley must have passed them to get to the Bentley and wait. Was there any interaction? A look? Words? Smoking in the street? Sigh……..
Im gonna need another two weeks to emotionally recover from "aziraphale may need to aim at crowleys mouth and shoot past his ear" omg I can't wait for season 3
Ah Sendarya, as someone who is too old for all the social media sites, I just don’t know what I would do without you. Love the analysis and OMG the knowledge of the hand holding. The last comment about the over night and the fan reactions had me laughing. Looking forward to your next edition. But I will be watching this one again with my child when they have a few minutes of time. Cheers!
Oh my goodness, yes! I'm on board with the "Trust me," at the end of the final fifteen. On another note, I can't help but think that Aziraphale takes advantage of the fact that he's usually underestimated. I'm thinking about how he seems to be able to perform his sleight of hand when it actually matters. Go with me here....I'm sure you're very familiar with the Trojan War cycle, so I'll cut right to the chase. The part in which Odysseus gets roped into recapturing Helen involves clever Odysseus trying to trick (I believe it's) Agamemon into believing that he's gone mad. To demonstrate his insanity, he starts plowing fallow fields. To prove that Odysseus is NOT mad, Agamemnon(?) places Odysseus' own son (the infant Telemachus) in the path of the plow. Of course, Odysseus stops, unwilling to play the charade so far as to kill his only child. Many people read this as Agamemnon getting the better of Odysseus--out witting the master. But I've also heard the argument (and I happen to agree with the argument) that Odyseues WANTS to be caught in his deception. It's to his benefit that he's seen as somewhat less brilliant than he is capable of being. He wants the other Greek kings to view him as less clever than he actually is to keep the Ace up his own sleeve. Now, I don't think Aziraphale's character arc follows any sort of Nostoi plot or Hero's Journey BUT I do think that like Odysseus, Aziraphale knows that he's perceived as less clever than he really is and uses that fact to his advantage.
Crowley is breathing hard, giving all of his attention to Aziraphale when Azi says "Hold that thought." I had thought it was because Crowley was all psyched up to speak, but now...if Azi mouthed something before telling him of the Metatron's offer...well, remember in S2x01 when Crowley is out in the street, he says "Just breathe. That's what humans do, and count to 10 so you don't do anything stupid."
@@susanmiller9317 I meant to say, as non-human beings they have no physical need to breathe (or eat or drink or anything). That's why Crowley says "that's what humans do" - they do breathe, eat, drink only when they make a concisous desicion to do so. My point is: he does not have to breathe so Azi mouthing something to Crowley rather than breathing makes a lot of sense to me.
@@susanmiller9317 Yes. My thought when people say that angels don't have to breathe is, that may be so, sure they don't need to breathe, but they obvs still do it.
I definitely think Aziraphale finally pulled off his first convincing lie (convincing even Crowley) in the end (getting it right when it counts). Hopefully Crowley saw the “trust me” from across the street and won’t be totally heartbroken for the entire howevermany years we have to wait.
Even at the end they weren’t really communicating. Aziraphale wasn’t telling Crowley that he wanted him to come back so he could be happy among the stars, that he could make more stars. That’s how aziraphale associates Crowley and heaven, as happy and giddy and full of gorgeous stars in the night sky. Aziraphale doesn’t understand why Crowley doesn’t want that. However Crowley associates heaven with falling and injustice. He remembers all the times heaven killed people, children. Crowley can’t understand how Aziraphale wants to be a part of that, much less how he could want Crowley to be apart of it too. Aziraphale says they can do good, and he thinks they can right those wrongs but Crowley can see how even the supreme arcangel will be overthrown if they don’t say the right the thing, that is exactly what happened to Gabriel after all…
I think Azi has always been good at holding two mutually conflicting thoughts in his head. Him being unnerved and feeling vaguely threatened by the Metatron AND him being genuinely hopeful about going up and changing heaven seems very in character to me. Especially since that's basically the exact same cognitive dissonance as usual, Heaven is GOOD, people IN Heaven are treating me badly. Etc.
Another terrific take, Sendarya! In one of your previous videos, the one about Aziraphale's expression in the elevator, I made the argument that what we are seeing is classic Trickster energy, so I think you are right on the money. The "trust me" in the final scene, though, is such a revelation. I so appreciate the work you put into these analyses, Sendarya. Thank you!
22:07 during the scene where metatron orders coffee, you can here string quartet cover of Queen's "The Show Must Go On" When they use this song, I took it as Aziraphale's POV because it really sounds like much like him. Pretty much sure that I think Aziraphale has been cooking up more from his wits as soon as he hears the second coming bomb
Omg. I LOVED LOVED LOVED this analysis. How you were able to see SO MUCH stuff going on here ... well, I can only conclude that I need some new glasses. Pronto.🤓 I'm ashamed to say that most of this zipped right over my head. 😵💫 And the primary source research you did for this video! I never in a million years thought either of the books mentioned were real, actual books.😮 And the Neil-Penn & Teller connection was astounding too. I agree that, given all the "magic" references you've presented, there MUST be something up Aziraphale's sleeve now. And once you pointed it out, I too believe that Aziraphale mouthed something like "Trust me" to Crowley. It just fits in so perfectly with all of the writing we've seen so far, so, logically-speaking, he must have! And as far as the hand-holding on the bus ...!😱 I noticed something, but I couldn't say what I thought it might be, but I never dreamed that Neil (and David) would cop to actual "hand-holding" and thus, make it official.🥰 Ugh, I'll be watching this several more times tonight, fam. Too freaking good. So thank you, @sendarya. ❤
I maybe spend a little too much time researching Good Omens? Nah. (Plus, it was fun to read the 150 year old magic book!) I'm really glad you enjoyed the video, and thank you for the lovely compliment. This one did take a ton of research time, with no guarantee of results. It's amazing how every time I look, there's something to find!
oh this feels so right. TRUST ME. of course. At the end of S2 after my initial devastation, searching for some comfort, I made a video called Unconditional, that took the view that The Ineffable Idiots have faced long separations before, and unlike us mortals, they have time to wait, to plan, and to reconfigure. And what keeps them together is their love, their unconditional trust in each other. "no matter what you do..." is a line in the song. "its unconditional." I keep coming back to this difference between them and us mortals. We rightly panick when relationships go sideways. The clock is ticking for us. That is much more pressure to get it right. The GO story creates that finite pressure for them with first, armageddidn't, and now the second coming. But they still have that bedrock of their many years together.
I hadn't realize what Aziraphale constantly watching to the streets might mean. It is likely that the Metatron may have been watching them from across the streets. And I think this might cast Aziraphale's I forgive you in a new light. Perhaps his reaction after the kiss wasn't necessarily about them but he was putting on a show for the Metatron? Although now that I've written it, I don't know if it still makes sense as it did in my head a couple of minutes ago. What type of relationship does the Metatron suspect they have. Because if he thinks it's more intimate than a friendship would he buy the show Aziraphale was putting on? I will have to think on it a bit more. Not sure.
Thank you for you thoughts … bless Neil for his devious mind. This is such an emotional ending that it is hard to think straight. Just makes me want to hug them both all the more… and make me crazier. I am hoping that Aziraphale did mouth the words trust me. I do so hope so.
Thank you again got your insights, it’s helped me be less upset with Aziraphales desicions, more understanding. Still upset about the “of course you said no to hell. You’re the bad guys” comment that Aziraphale said to Crowley. That made me very sad and hurt for Crowley.
This videos are always so lovingly made, the amount of research and thoughts that go into them, thank you for your work! I'll be thinking about this for ages. 😂
I always love how well thought your videos are, and the fact that you base yourself in logic! This show still was so much that we as fans haven't seen yet, the layers and layers of meaning that so much has while still being just what they are at face vallue is amazing. You also made a great point that the kiss is a misdirection, for us the viewers. I would love if you were right and Aziraphale did indeed mounth "Trust me" when he looked at Crowley, maybe that would be why Crowley looks deep in thought when he is driving away. I mean if after Aziraphale left for heaven, and Crowley's prespective was that it was over, their relashionship, maybe we would have seen a range of emotions, probably even rage from Crowley. However, and to me, he looked deep in thought, maybe puzzeled, coud it be because Crowley was trying to understand why Aziraphale was asking him that, and could he, Crowley be trying to understand why, or if their is a special meaning to the song that played in the Bently being played?
If it is misdirection, it's the best misdirection ever!! lol. It's true, Crowley isn't angry, or as sad as he should be, considering. Instead, he's just....waiting. And that chin lift at the end, timed to the smile, also makes more sense if he has a little hope and trust to go on. :)
@@Sendarya Their reactions were alway kinda weird to me sure the fisrt thing I noticed was the smile Aziraphale gave, but later on I noticed that Crowley wasn't reaction in a way I would expect. But I couldn't say why, to be fair is all just theories, but since you pointed it out I just thought that maybe this might explain partially why. And yes, if it is misdirection, it is the best kind !!
I wondered if it was significant that we saw Aziraphale’s conversation with the Metatron through Aziraphale’s narration to Crowley. Thanks for the video! I know it would be too dark for a comedy show but I can imagine the Metatron secretly finding and destroying Gabriel & Beelzebub, that he’d only pretended to allow them to leave to manipulate Aziraphale and Crowley. Will you make a video about Aziraphale & Crowley sheltering “Jim” at the bookshop as a retelling of the story of Lot sheltering the two angels?
Interesting, hadn't thought of that. Do you think that's the parallel? Lots' pretty dark, too. I mean, he throws his daughters to the mob, right? So, I'd have to think about how they subvert that idea.
@@SendaryaThanks! I’d say they subvert it by not only having Lot refuse to hand over either the angels or his daughters, but by having Lot’s daughters throw fire extinguishers at the mob :)
I've been trying to stay away from theorizing about the end of S2/what it might be setting up for S3 because I find most of it frustrating, but I like this one! it adds some hope and intrigue for the next season without undermining the truth of any of the events of the bookshop scene.
Also, re: angel lying-rewatching season 1, I found it rather striking how long Aziraphale actively hides having found Agnes Nutter’s book from Crowley, even though they’ve made a decision to stop Armageddon together. Still, A pretends the book isn’t important after getting out of the car (ticketyboo!) and then again on the phone. He doesn’t do it well, Crowley can clearly tell something’s weird but lets it go, but yeah, there’s lots of precedent for the two of them not sharing vital information because they’re supposed to work for different sides. Must be a hard habit to break. However, when they talk in the bar after A has been discorporated and the bookshop has burned down, and they discuss the book, Crowley isn’t upset about not having been told any of this sooner, even though Aziraphale clearly had time to annotate the book nine ways to Sunday, and Aziraphale isn’t apologetic about it. It seems to be just how they have always had to work, being barred from fully open collaboration.
Brilliant but I was already pretty sure Aziraphale had a plan after Crowley denied the offer and will perform a trick. He is determined. After all he is way more manipulative than Crowley. It is always very important to watch Aziraphales eye movements. Your guess with “trust me” is very good. I also believe Aziraphale tried to tell Crowley something over the distance.
Angel needs Crowley on earth and knew he wouldn't accompany him to the heavens - up there AZ can set his own ineffable plan into action and knows Crowley will back him up at just the right time because he always did and always will well, that's what I hope and need to cope...
I love your videos and look forward to them each week, they make me look at the show with different eyes. I have watched it so many times and still find new things each watch. I confess that I watch at least one episode every day. I would like to add something that I'm not sure has been addressed. God herself is narrating the show and so she knows exactly what is going on and in my opinion has been and will continue to protect both Azi and Crowley and there must be a reason why. I also think now that Crowley was a Throne and there just maybe something between him and God, as Thrones are the angels who carry God. something else to think about while I watch. The depth of writing from Neil is amazing.
It is so strange i only get Notified about 50% of the uploads from you. What is going on with YT? Of cause the Angel stayed the night. They had to figure out what the prophesy meant. They had to do the body swap and most likely get used to the strange new movements. Did they also do other types of movements that night? Well that is for anyone to speculate. Personal i feel that season 2 shows us their relationship has not yet gone there.
I honestly haven't the faintest idea! YT seems to have developed more and more little glitches like this. Try Unsubbing, and resubbing and ringing the bell anew, I think I heard someone say that might help.
Hi, this video, for me, is reassuring, because it points out several things I didn’t see: that in some way, despite the horrible, terrible rejection, trust between the two may not have completely broken down as it appears. Having just lived through the Night of the Demons invading the bookshop and threatening Crowley, Aziraphale recognizes the Metatron’s threat alright as you noted and tries to get Crowley to return to Heaven. Some of his words even sound reassuring: “we can be together,” “only so much nicer,” and my personal favorite “…and everything!” But his “ugrency” and the cognitive dissonance you pointed out he has about angels vs demons get in the way and the message gets lost (if only he had some Eccles cakes 😉 to offer). 🙏🏻 for confirming what I thought I saw on the bus, what I didn’t see in the bullet catch scene, what I didn’t see before he stepped into the elevator and what I didn’t understand about Crowley’s reaction to Nina’s comments about him and Azi. BTW, we don’t know how the bullet wound up in Azi’s teeth since there was a miracle blocker in effect. Is it possible gorilla, etc were powerful enough words to overcome the blocker? If not, Who is powerful enough to overcome a blocker and where has She been keeping herself?
I should have explained that, I'm sorry. The bullet in the bullet catch trick is placed in the mouth before the magician goes on stage. Under the tongue or tucked in a cute chubby cheek. That's one of those examples of the timing misdirection. The trick part happens before the audience even sees it. Hope that helped. And thank you. 😊
Thank you fo doing this analysis. It's much better than what I was thinking when I considered the topic Everything that Happened in 1941. I love the direction you took it and I hope you're right about Aziraphale mouthing Trust Me to Crowely. I did notice he opens his mouth, but I hadn't thought of the way the other lip reading scene is cut. I also noticed that before the bullet catch I noticed that Crowley starts mouthing something to himself in the audience around the time Aziraphale appears on stage saying "what is that man doing here?" I can't make out what he is saying or even if it's words. It reminded me in the previous episode, when they're at the Pub, and Aziraphale says that Maggie likes Nina and that's a problem, he throws his head back and starts to mouth something, before saying "we've got a real problem and it's in your bookshop right now." The pub scene I don't think it's actual words, more just an expression of exasperation with what's going on, but it's interesting. I wonder what you all make of it. People on Facebook have made it out to Crowley and nervous energy, movement, and also the fact that in the book and sometimes he communicates with just noises that aren't actual words, particularly in the bandstand seen when Aziraphale tells him it's over and he says Ngnnh... I love all the intimacy of the BulletCatch minisode. I love the RU-vid videos where people have written Supportive Husband and I love her on the screen and Literally about to throw up when Crowley is about to pull the trigger. I think the intimacy is hightened by the fact that Crowley never intended to do the bullet catch as prescribed and was always going to miracle it, even though the told Aziraphale differently and that's why he never mentioned never having fired a gun before. When miracles fail them both he pulls down his glasses to actually read the directions and the dancing girls see his eyes and I love that little bit of vulnerability. I wonder what you make of the scene when they first arrive at the bookshop when Aziraphale says "that's what Friends are for '' and pauses before friends. I've seen a lot of people read it as he's afraid/unwilling to admit their friends. But at the theater moments earlier he just called Crowley his very good friend to the Madame at the theater. I think - he's newly realized he loves Crowley and pausing to think - would we ever be more than friends. Crowley starts to smile, but then hears the pause before friends and looks away, and I'm afraid he's hearing something Aziraphale didn't intend in that pause, like I don't want to admit we're friends. I also love the contrast between energic Aziraphale in the dressing room and breathy quiet Aziraphale at their romantic candlelit scene in the bookshop. He's high on having performed on stage in the first one and in the second one he's high on the fact that he rescued Crowley and they won't be separated now. Do you think the photograph FurFur took will come back in season 3? Many have speculated that one of the other took the picture and will have it with them as a momento in season 3. As far as I can track it ended up on the table in the bookshop. Thank you for touching on the fact that Aziraphale didn't know the Earth was in danger of a second apocalypse and thought Heaven was only looking for Gabriel because he was in love with a demon. That does definitely color his reaction to the Metaron's offer/ and heaven's acknowledgement of his partnership with Crowley. And the breakdown of the end of episode six helped me to see all the times Aziraphale checks out the window and indicates a fear that heaven might be listening. Perhaps why he doesn't say more than he does to Crowley about the danger he thinks they're in, but I do believe he does think the best thing for Crowley is to accompany him to heaven. So is the deception that Aziraphale tried to get Crowley to believe he's fully onboard with heaven being good while trying to save Crowley? I think Aziraphale still believes he can make a difference. Was he pretending to believe The Metatron was honest about them working together - because he never said that. He said he could restore crowley to angelic state, but not that they could work together? Yes, I'd heard about the hand holding and may have already written a fanfic about that night at Crowley's flat back in 2019 but I didn't know the hand holding was confirmed because I was looking everywhere for something we actually see better. Anyway, I love them holding hands. It's one of my favorite things. I hope we get more hand holding in the future. Looking forward so much to a Crowley costume analysis. Hopefully I can figure out discord soon!
I would love to see that photograph in s3, kept by one of them. I agree with you, Aziraphale is thinking of something a little more than friends in that moment. It's one of the more adorably awkward scenes because of that. That's a lot of great thoughts, forgive me for not responding to all of them. I hope you di figure out discord soon! You can email me sendarya.public@gmail.com and I can try and help out, or mssg me on patreon
I love all your thinky thoughts here. I think Aziraphale pauses on the word "friends" because he wants to say something more, but doesn't know what to say.
@@Sendarya I appreciate that you have time to read and respond to any comments. What gets me the most about that whole that's what friends are for exchange is it starts with Crowley saying thanks for getting me off the hook. Which is really sweet of him, but it just baffles me that he says it because he's a demon. What does he care if he's in trouble with this lady? But he does and his Aziraphale cares that he does.
"I think - he's newly realized he loves Crowley and pausing to think - would we ever be more than friends." - There's a fairly popular clip of Michael Sheen saying that in his opinion, when Crowley handed Aziraphale his books (saved by demonic miracle), that was the moment when Aziraphale falls in love with him. (The swelling romantic strings over Aziraphale's overwhelmed and happy little face on the ruins of the church support that, tbh.) And the bullet catch episode takes off RIGHT after that scene. Personally, I think he's loved Crowley for a good couple hundred years at least by that point (case in point: the Bastille), but the little demonic miracle might have been when he *realised* he was.
@@narnigrin I agree. He's loved Crowley for a long time, but in that moment he got the books back he thought Oh, Crowley I love you! and then he paused before speaking his thoughts out loud, and realized it was true.
Love your analysis as always. One thing I did notice in one of your stills at 16:27 and 16:34 there is a large statue of a lady possibly holding a bow and pointing it at Aziraphale just as he is leaving the book shop. This reminds me of a Cupid. Foreshadowing perhaps for season 3, or am I just imagining things?
Or maybe it could also mean that Aziraphale is being made aware just how much Crowley loves him and just how much he loves Crowley? If memory serves me right when someone was shot by Cupid they would fall in love, but Aziraphale already loves Crowley, maybe he just isn't aware of how deep is own feelings are. Either way great catch, the whole final 15 are just so emotional that I can hardly look at the details.
I've seen several people pointing out this statuette and identifying it as Cupid. Cupid, or Eros in Greek, always appears in the form of a winged little boy, sometimes blindfolded. The figure in question is female and half-clad, with no wings. To me (as a Historian) it's clearly Artemis, the Greek virgin goddess of the Moon and Hunting
@@agirlfromthemoon9357 Thanks, I like your thinking. I guess in some way I like to think of it symbolising a prompt or a reminder to Aziraphale that he does love Crowley and that there is still hope for these two in the end. I know it could be a bit far fetched but I do tend to over think things.
That last shot of Crowley has got to be one of the most romantic shots in TV history. Is Aziraphael smiling because he saw Crowley hoping he'd change his mind about going to heaven?
Oh my God, dear Sendarya you are so amazing! It is crazy how resourceful you are, and how much info you're able to reach, you always blow my mind with every new video! There's so many info I'm trying to process after rewatching a few past videos and this one several times already that I'm having one of those things, you know, a headache with pictures. 😂 I have the feeling there's another piece of 1941 we're missing (Aziraphale said he did the apology dance in 1941). As usually I don't feel like I can provide any significant contributions since you are miles ahead with details and comprehension of them. All I can say is that Crowley's reaction when he's standing by the Bentley at the end had me thinking again in the scene when Aziraphale touched him, as Gabriel and Beelzebub revealed their relationship, Crowley didn't react at all, we've seen before he's very good at keeping appearances, which makes me think you're right about everything you've exposed. Despite the messy kiss and parting ways they have this ineffable bond, their own way of working things through, they trust each other and they will be there for each other as they always have. And if 'A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square' is placed in the last scene as you said before, it makes perfect sense, they know something is coming, yet they have hope that after next Heaven and Hell's war attempt they will be together again. I can say that despite the last 15 were confusing and truly painful, I actually never really felt it was the end of their relationship, and now after all this analysis we've been through, I feel that Aziraphale knows he has work to do, away from Crowley, he can't think about running away, but that doesn't mean they can't solve their feelings later, and I trust they will. So I guess there's only 'wait and see' left, and despite everything I trust Neil. Excellent video! You are brilliant. 💜 Thanks for keeping me hopeful... and adicted.
I also don't see anybody talking about this but Crowley still has the Cranker from Before the Beginning, my view on it is that Crowley put the Bentley with the Cranker he used to make the stars which is why its magical and all and when it blows up in s1 he kisses the Cranker, tells the Bentley its a great car, walks away and uses the Cranker that came out the car when it blew up to stop time. Don't know exactly what this shows but it's a neat little thing I noticed, not sure if it's completely the Cranker haven't gone back to check yet.
Dear Sendarya, your analysis is as always amazing and it actually saved my evening! Thank you so much for all the work and heart you put into these videos!
According to Neil Gaiman, Aziraphale and Crowley don't talk to each other, but I think it won't be last for long. I am sure when Azipharale looked at Crowley, it was a trust signal, and perhaps ask The Metatron for the plan, was for Crowley listens (they have powers, so I suppose also a special earing). Perhaps my theory is unlikely, but I hope they have a secret plan (or Aziraphale only, but it is all a plan). And yes, Aziraphale was nervous in that last moments, that is why I think there is more, and perhaps he wanted Crowley joins him, but it didn't work well. Edit - I jutst realised they are holdings hands! And I imagine Crowley seeing Aziraphale sleeping, and perhaps in that exact moment he realised it was time to they finally be together, even if they needed a little more time.
This is actually my least favorite of the season 2 minisodes, but that is more because the other 2 are so great. I still loved your analysis of it. Please, do you plan to do one for episode 3 as well?
Thank you for the analysis~ Even with how things went down, Crowley didn't leave. He stayed near the Bentley and watched. So I'm going to join you on the "trust me" theory limb. ❤
Thank you so much for these analyses, they are spectacular and you've got my head spinning about the whole dash of almond syrup vs hefty dose of almond syrup and what the Metatron could be up to. Now you've got me way out on a theoretical limb - could Metatron have put almond oil in the coffee in addition to the syrup? On a quick search, almond oil has spiritual properties, and while I'm not sure where they fit here, one of the earthly properties of almond oil is it repels carpenter bees so may be a tie in to the whole heavenly bees reference. And that would make the coffee taste bad, but would Aziraphale drink it to be polite? Or pretend to?
To me, the "I don't think you undestand what I'm offering you" felt like a love confession. Crowley did it by saying they were a team, and he would like to spend.. Ahem. Aziraphel offered "redemption", becoming an angel again so they can be together... As angels. Crowley's "Oh, I understand" is what confuses me. He undestood Azi was trying to confess but didn't have the guts to say it? O maybe... We can see that scene in the literal way of "become an angel! / No, I've been traumaized, tho you don't know that" and the love confessions, but since those two are terrible comunicating, I feel like none of them actually gets the love message but feels rejected as well. Kinda like the "blink scene" in Season 1 Episode 1, with the sisters missing the true message and screwing up the baby-change. Both meant to say "I love you, come with me", knew they weren't clear enough, but thought the other were rejecting them anyway by missing their point and talking just about heaven. At least, that's what I felt. I wanted to get inside the screen and be the translator (?) "He loves you! Now be happy for the rest of eternity by acceping who you are now! Not just a demon and an angel, but free beings, protecing what you love (eachother and earth) even if heaven and hell don't agree because they see humanity as inferior things and are interested in going to war no matter what. P.s. GO TO A PICNIC ALREADY."
Thank you! thank you! I had been trying to see both the hand holding and the trust me and could not see it until this video! I feel whole now. 😊. Also, I had been wondering about that look back too. It meant something. The other pieces that I wonder about being mirrored is Crowley’s “it’s always too late” and season 1’s “loss” of Azi. I wonder if there will be a moment where Crowley appears to be gone or destroyed and Azi feels the weight of it. There is certainly foreshadowing for it.
I just love all this. I hadn't even thought of it, but recently seen other fans say that the final scenes are full of weirdness if you look closely. I did wonder about the final look between them because it does feel full of meaning. Also the fact Aziraphale looks out of the window so often, I wonder if they're being observed and he's worried about either lip reading or them even being overheard. I think it's even possible it's a performance, but then I agree with you, the emotions are too raw and it would undermine it if it's all fake, but I guess not impossible. I do really like your idea of him mouthing something to Crowley at that point. Also, I do wonder if Crowley picked up on him saying "I can't" (convinced that's what he says) before he says "I forgive you". The other possible misdirection, he could have put something into Crowley's pocket. If he was frightened and doing it to protect him, then that's also possible. Although not sure there was a point he could have written a note.
Oh, oh! Full of weirdness! Could it be that the eerie music, when Crowley says, "and you told him just where he could stick it", could that indicate speech that has some 2nd meaning? There's only one other place we hear a smaller version of those eerie notes, but I can't remember where.
@@lindaaikin5902 Good point. I doubt they are telepathic lol, I think we'd know that by now. But yes maybe he could have miracled it, given they were so close together and a bit away from metatron he might not have noticed.
The first time I watched the finale, I too thought of how bad Aziraphale is at lying. Then you reminded us of the line about how he got it right the time it counted and my brain went 🤯 is it time to rethink everything we thought we knew about Aziraphale and how he acted in this scene??? Thanks always for your time and effort in making these videos! Such a delight to hear your ideas and analysis!
GAHHH! Absolutely gorgeous analysis as ALWAYS! Your videos are so wonderfully constructed and capture sooo many details that are nearly impossible to catch, I’m so grateful for each of your uploads you have no idea. I loved this video in particular because it delve into the complexity of the bullet catch and why it is so important for Aziraphale’s character. The finale is tragic and it’s easy to sympathize with Crowley because he’s relatable to a human extent, but it seems to me Aziraphale isn’t usually returned the same amount of sympathy, and I think that’s because we don’t have a clear understanding of his motives/intentions yet, but this helped me understand how much their relationship is based solely on trust. I’m looking forward to in playing a bigger role in s3
I didn't consider the possible significance of Aziraphale's deception and "I got it right the time that mattered," here. Very interesting analysis. Largely, I've been one of the people who kind of took Aziraphale's words at face value at the end and felt a lot of fans looking for more were reading too much into it (I have no issue with theorizing, I just personally didn't think it was that complex). But this is the first analysis I've seen to actually convince me there might be more to it. I've noticed fans tend to focus in a lot on how protective Crowley is of Aziraphale, but while it may manifest itself a bit differently, Aziraphale has proven to be very protective of Crowley as well and has been willing to lie or omit information or break the rules on more than one occasion to do what he thinks will best keep Crowley safe. Az might well be naïve to think he can fix Heaven by himself, but I can totally buy that he believes he's protecting Crowley by trying.
You always give me so much to think about! That last scene, other than giving me All The Feelings, has constantly made me think Aziraphale was trying to protect Crowley from Heaven whether by bringing him along thinking he can protect him as head archangel or by driving him away. His "I forgive you." was FAR too deliberately and cruelly spoken for him.
Yes, I keep thinking that the "I forgive you" is the most -- arguably the only truly -- uncharacteristic line in the scene. (Even given that forgiving is Aziraphale's "favourite thing" and that he's shown to do it a few times earlier on.) It doesn't jive with the emotions he's showing (or shown to be struggling to hide), not on the face of it. It only makes sense to me as a deliberate "ok well I have basically one option left to keep him safe and that is to push him so far away and insult him so badly that he won't try to come save me this time".
4:21 hello I'm a french viewer so "boniment" is a word we no longer use in French, but it meant to tell a story to seduce or convince. And by the way thank you for all your work on this amazing channel :)
Thank you fur that information! I suspect my pronunciationwas garbage, but i tried. That book is almost 150 years old. Even some of the English words were out of date!
18:42 off topic (or maybe not?) but i just noticed there’s dark horse right next to aziraphale and i found that funny because yknow “you’re a dark horse mr. fell”
Just had an idea, feel free to tell me it's ridiculous: Crowley can lip-read. And he's watching Aziraphale as Aziraphale starts to say "I love you." Could it be that Crowley noticed?
Probably? But he still went with "I forgive you". Does that make I love you hurt more or less? I think/hope they both know that, but it is my own headcanon for sure!
Ohhh, delicious analysis! And I remember when everyone ran around as if in a hamster wheel about the hand-holding on the bus, and Aziraphale going to Crowley's. It was its own genre of missing-scene fic for a good while!
So could the biggest misdirection of all be that it is ALWAYS Crowley coming to Aziraphales rescue (like you have said in a previous video) and the very carefully laid idea that Aziraphale is very naive, bumbling and a bit hapless? Volunteering to do the magic show is the only time I can recall him helping Crowley out of a bind, he is supportive, lies occasionally and works with Crowley to achieve their desired outcome, but he is never Crowleys rescuer. In the instance of the bullet catch it required great risk and huge faith in one another, they prepared as best the could, but when the proverbial s!#t hit the fan it all came down to trust. I always felt that there was so much more intent in the way Aziraphale conducted himself in the final scene than we were supposed to initially realise (thank you for mentioning the window, it's bugged me for months), he was relying on the perception others have of him to carry it off giving had no time to prepare in advance. Check his expression when he says "only even nicer", from first watch this was his shining actor moment for me, it was so full of sincere, hapless, unthinking joy, it was so real, but if you really look I think there is a real desperation in it, that expression was so unlike anything we see him use previously and I felt like he was also full of feelings like "I NEED you to believe this, but it's killing me to do this to you, I don't want to hurt you, but I have to, Im about to risk it all, Im going to have to do this alone and Im terrified" because I think he knew very well that Crowley would say no and knew that he had to to keep him safe, he knows Crowley well enough now to know how the conversation would go, even when Crowley threw him the curveball confession of love, so he knew how to respond, never completely rejecting Crowley, but demonstrating his personal conflict between what he wants and his commitment to 'good' that is familiar to Crowley and therefore not a reflection of his feelings toward him (softening the blow he hopes). I really believe that Aziraphales ability to take this 'bullet' for Crowley (and humanity) this time has been prepared for from the beginning, 90% of the trick already done before our very eyes without us ever realising. I know we are supposed to see Aziraphale with a certain level of naivety and innocence, but there are oh so brief moments throughout where his entire demeanour changes and if we're looking, are reminded that he is also an extremely old and powerful supernatural being with the benefit of experience and perception that we couldn't imagine.
OR have they prepared for this day for years, knowing "the big one" was coming, they just couldn't be sure precisely how it would play out and Crowleys declaration was his "if this goes wrong, if I never see you again, you need to know how I feel", because as soon as Aziraphale want for THAT chinwag they both knew events were in motion.
Even better! Had they been discreetly playing matchmaker between Gabriel and Beelzebub without them realising in order to steer events so that they could place Aziraphale in a position to deal with "the big one". I haven't seen much analysis of the Gabriel/Beelzebub scenes, but we all know we should never take things at face value and we also know that both pairs being in Edinburgh must be deeper than just the statue and the pub and that them having to play matchmaker for a greater cause to Maggie and Nina whilst knowing that they could be being watched they whole time could also ring true of attempting to match Gabriel and Beelzebub?
Crowley would also know that his presence in heaven would comprise Aziraphale and the job he has to do, so he simply can't 'save' him from this one 🤔 Whatever happened those that nightingale song in the door bell is looking even more like a covert communication
I'm sorry, you have opened a can of worms in my spinning head! So Aziraphales touch to Crowleys shoulder in the Gabriel/Beelzebub reveal could be a "it worked!" and the "it's always too late" might not just be a reference to the constant state of time in hell as referred to in the book, but that they hadn't foreseen Gabriel being memory wiped and appearing at the book shop (they don't even realise yet that their match making worked and that's why he's in trouble), but that it's clear to him that events are moving towards the risk Aziraphale is going to have to take in returning to heaven and there's nothing they can do about it now?
I really considered the possibility that Aziraphale was intentionally driving Crowley away. It's one possibility that still leaves the emotional impact intact. There are a few things that puzzle me if that's the case, but nothing totally inexplicable. It's a good theory!
First of all let me thank you for that wonderful analysis! It’s great. ❤️ And thank you for sharing that hand holding info from season one that also was new to me. I simply didn’t recognize in 100 times seeing this scene. But I always wonder if Aziraphale joined Crowley this night at his place and when they switch body’s. You mentioned that Aziraphale choose the gun instead of the Nightingale, when the shop keeper offered him the wooden can with the brassy Nightingale (if it’s really one and not another bird). But this happened in 1941 and in my understanding the Nightingale became their special symbol in 2018/19 when they first (?) dine at the Ritz. Remember it tells: “for the first time ever a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.“ For me, it is possible, that Aziraphale sends a secret message to Crowley in the end. Who knows… But he wants definitely protect him and their relationship. The Metatron said to him: “If you wanted to work with him again, that might be considered irregular“. This is clearly a menace.
They didn't know that the nightingale sang in 2019 though...only God knew. The song was playing at the Ritz that night and the song rose to popularity in the early 1940s. So it seems very likely that we just haven't seen where the nightingale becomes a symbol for them yet, but hopefully will in S3.
@@AnthonyJanthonyCrowleyAndAz No-one of us knows exactly, that's true. But I still believe it's their song since they heard it from the piano playing at the Ritz (2019). And it's most likely that it became their symbol in this emotional moment, so Crowley referenced to it in the final 15 of S2.
Hi, here for the expert-french-viewer-review. Actually, I have as a literature lover french born I have never heard about this word before. Wich means a lot. That was my review, bye. (I love this channel)
Love your analyses so much. I have questions about The Metatron, especially his repetition of Crowley’s name “the demon… Crowley”in his offer to A. Is it just Derek Jacobi-old-bloke vocal style? Or is he telling us more? (I’m personally devastated that he might be playing the bad guy as I’ve loved him since I saw him playing Hamlet (!), and Claudius in the 70s, brilliant actor!) Also what’s the motif on his tie?
The motif on his tie is something I really need to get into! Yes, there is a lot to Derek Jacobi's acting in that scene. He's being painted as a bad guy right now. We'll just have to wait and see to be sure!
Azi so skillfully pronounces “trust me” in 41 that even knowing about this scene, knowing when these words are pronounced and watching all this again in this video, I just can’t catch this lip movement.😅
Definitely good theory about Azi mouthing something to Crowley before entering the elevator, the only thing that negates that is the fact that Crowley looks extremely devastated when he gets in his car, if that theory held a drop of water we would definitely see some kind of hope on Crowley's face trusting that Azi has a plan.. As for holding hands, maybe the characters did. but it wasn't meant for the viewers for sure and yes, Azi spent that night at Crowley's but I doubt they did any hanky-panky lol
