If you weren’t aware, the second season of Good Omens (based on the Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman book) dropped on Thursday night/Friday. Today being Monday, and with how much I LOVED this season, I have already watched it twice through. I’m not ashamed of this.

BUT there’s just SO MUCH to go over that Michelle and I couldn’t get fully out in one phone call (and yes, it was almost a 2 hour call) that I needed somewhere else to vent about it. My sister hasn’t yet seen the season, so I have to wait to dish with her.

So, as stated in the title of this entry, BEWARE: SPOILERS AHEAD!! And this is a LONG rant from me. Way longer than normal. Like… college term paper long.

How amazing was it to see Crowley as his angelic self before the fall? He and Aziraphale already indirectly flirting and having a great moment at the birth of the universe, and they had literal stars reflecting in their eyes. The joy on Crowley’s face was just so heartwarming and beautiful!

Before I get into the nitty gritty, let me first say that Gaiman has already stated that when he and Pratchett were discussing how the story would progress past where they left their standalone book, they did agree that the show’s second season would be a bridge between the ending of the book and the next step on the journey. Hence why this season felt more intimate, cozy, and had much less dramatic stakes than the first season did. It wasn’t a world-ending situation; it only took place within their little pocket of Earth. He has also confirmed that most of season three has been written, and he won’t finish until the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes have come to an agreement. Most likely, we’re looking at 2026 for season 3.

Now, for the meat.

This entire season was about falling in love despite overwhelming odds stacked against you, and how to foster love even when surrounded with toxic environments. We see it in Maggie and Nina, we see it in Gabriel and Beelzebub, and of course we see it in Aziraphale and Crowley. But they’re all portrayed in different ways.

Nina is already in a relationship with the offscreen Lindsay, and it is NOT a good relationship. It’s clear from the texts and how Nina speaks about her that this is a toxic and emotionally abusive relationship that has gone on far longer than it should have. And Nina is doing her best to remain faithful to her partner even when Lindsay is actively pushing her away. Maggie is much softer, and it’s implied that she’s rarely (if ever) had her affections reciprocated. (My heart goes out to her character, as that happened to me for a long time, so I feel it deeply.)

In the end with them, Lindsay dumps Nina via text (shocker), and Maggie is patiently waiting for Nina to recover before they finally start up something real together. And it’s a very healthy way to start something new for both of them. Great representation of how to address your feelings while also balancing your expectations.

Now, let’s look at the Gabriel and Beelzebub relationship. As far as we know, the two had never met before arriving at the airbase in Tadfield at the end of season 1. They already had a bit of chemistry just in the sense that they both were experiencing the tremendous let down of not getting to fight in this war they’d been preparing for since the Beginning. We see in the final episode of season 2 through Gabriel’s memories (as they’re being re-installed to his brain via a fly) that he and Beelzebub were having secret meetings to try to plan the world-ending war they’d both been waiting for. Over time, they decide to scrap the whole idea of “Arma-bloody-geddon” and just let things continue indefinitely, and simultaneously start to feel an affinity towards each other.

After regaining his memories, Gabriel says to Beelzebub, “I was coming to you, but I forgot.” During his trial in Heaven, he assumed that his punishment was that he’d be sent to Hell, and he was totally prepared to go willingly! Because he knew, once there, Beelzebub would take care of him. They could remain in Hell together and no one would question it. Only he didn’t expect the Metatron to tell him no.

And this brings up a bigger point: the Metatron says, “For one prince of Heaven to be cast into the outer darkness makes a good story. For it to happen twice, makes it look like there is some kind of institutional problem.” He continues by saying that Gabriel will remain an angel, but will have the memory of his time as Gabriel erased. OF COURSE he’s gonna stash his memory somewhere they can’t find it so he can run to someone for help! When he’s finally reunited with Beelzebub, it’s clear that their love is in full bloom, head over heels.

[NOTE: On a rewatch of this season, I watched Beelzebub much more carefully and saw some interesting things. First, they start to question things like, just once, wouldn’t it be nice to be told you were doing a good job? And later, they even tell Shax they’re doing good work. Already, Gabriel’s heavenly influence is working to make them less evil and mean. In the same sense, Beelzebub’s influence on Gabriel has made him less rigid when it comes to Heaven’s rules and its rule over him. Lovely little touches, I must say.]

Now, before I get into the analysis of our main couple, Aziraphale and Crowley, let me go into some details that I think are very important to what I will get to with them.

FIRST: The very first scene of this season is Crowley starting up the universe and asking Aziraphale for help. The sheer joy in Crowley’s face, in his eyes, and how energetic he is right from the start is so beautiful. He’s young and new and innocent and just so very proud of starting the universe. And it’s clear he enjoyed having the company as it began. Note, though, that Aziraphale introduces himself and gives his name, but Crowley never says his own. He replies with, “Nice meeting you.” Some might overlook that, and believe me, I did at first, too.

SECOND: There are several moments this season where angels and demons approach Crowley by saying that they’ve met before, but Crowley just shrugs it off. With Furfur, who said that they fought side by side just before the Fall, Crowley responds that he remembers the fight and the Fall, just not Furfur. Even when Furfur says, “We did loads together!” There is no recognition from Crowley at all. Originally, I thought this had something to do with how Crowley doesn’t really care to recall anything about anyone other than those who might threaten him, or Aziraphale. He’s just generally aloof to most.

THIRD: Going back to the first season, the very first episode when we see Crawley (as he’s known at that time) and Aziraphale, Crawley is the one to introduce himself. Aziraphale doesn’t mention his own name at all in that scene. Now, Crawley did mention that he’d seen him with a flaming sword, but it can be assumed that they hadn’t really met at this point. However, the next earliest we see them is in 3004 BC when Noah is loading up his ark. When Crowley (who has now changed his name) [EDIT: Crowley doesn’t change his name until around the time of Christ, and it is mentioned during the crucifixion scene, dated 33 AD. Sorry for the error!] approaches, he calls Aziraphale by name. This means that some time between the Beginning and Noah’s ark the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Aziraphale would have introduced himself to the demon. Other than the two first episodes, we don’t see any other introductions (at this time). [The earliest moments after the Beginning we see in season 2 occur in 2500 BC with Job, which is after Noah if we’re going by how historians would calculate years and not by Biblical year.]

FOURTH: It’s pretty clear from what we’ve seen that the agents of Heaven and the agents of Hell don’t fraternize often, if at all. Michael has a contact with Ligur, who was a Duke of Hell before Crowley melted him with Holy Water, and so far, there’s no telling if their relationship was anything more than professional. But everyone else seems to keep their distance, which makes our main ineffable husbands quite the anomaly. Seeing that Gabriel and Beelzebub fell to the same attractions in a much shorter time (we can assume that the start of season 2 is a few years after the end of the first season, as well as Neil Gaiman confirming this) begs a few questions:

1- Are all angels and demons capable of love?
2- Have other angels fallen in love with each other before? Have other demons? And if not…
3- Why are we now presented with two sets of angel/demon pairs? Is this a trend that if other angels and demons spent a few significant moments with each other, that they would find themselves also romantically entangled?

FIFTH: In spite of being presented with a few moments where Aziraphale and Crowley gaze at the other very lovingly when the other is not looking, it appears that both of them are completely oblivious to what their feelings for each other are and what they mean until an outside party points it out. Gabriel and Beelzebub didn’t seem to need this outside assistance in their few short meetings. Crowley is told explicitly by Maggie and Nina towards the end of the final season 2 episode and has the time between then and when Aziraphale finishes speaking with the Metatron to come to terms with it. (In fact, this is the second time this season that it’s been said directly to him by Nina that he is in love with Aziraphale.) And as we know, Crowley can work a lot faster than Aziraphale prefers, so his confession can’t even be fully comprehended in the time they have.

And I know, there are SO MANY DAMN TIMES where they have those little moments where it seems obvious how much they love each other. When Crowley rescues Aziraphale from getting beheaded. When he rescues not only Aziraphale, but also his treasured books from the Nazis in 1941 (HE WENT INTO A CHURCH! A DEMON IN A CHURCH!). When Aziraphale gets the Holy Water Crowley wanted as ‘insurance.’ When Aziraphale cheerfully dragged him out to dance. How hard Crowley wept for Aziraphale when he couldn’t find him as his bookshop burned. (Breaks me every time.) I mean, with 6,000 years on the planet surrounded by humans falling in and out of love, the sheer number of books Aziraphale has no doubt read, and I’m also assuming a ton of films that Crowley has seen (he was at a theater at one point in season 1), how can they grasp what love is in other people and not know it’s how they feel about each other?

[ANOTHER NOTE: It has been confirmed that all angels can sense love around them. We saw it with Aziraphale in the first season, and apparently they can all sense it. It has also been confirmed that Crowley can sense where Aziraphale is on Earth, so after his discorporation, imagine Crowley in that bookshop, unable to sense his best friend (coughone-true-lovecough) screaming out for him! Agh! Absolutely shattered!]

So yes, watching Crowley pour his heart out and seeing Aziraphale kind of dance around it, was HEARTBREAKING.

I see their relationship in the first season as angel and demon knowing they are on opposite sides of this upcoming war. Angels are on the side of truth, light, and all that is good. Demons are on the side of lies, darkness, and all things evil. And yet, they enjoy each other’s company so much that they frequently go out of their way to help each other with just about anything. This is the start of a friendship, but it also definitely leads to something more than that. And Crowley has said repeatedly in season 1 that he didn’t mean to fall, he just got in with the wrong people, or wandered vaguely downwards.

With this first scene of season 2, though, we see that he was already asking questions at the Beginning. He was sad to hear that his precious universe was only going to be around for about 6,000 years and then be destroyed, all because of one tiny planet. He wanted to know what the point of it was, which if you ask me, is a fair question. And with what the Metatron said at the end of the season, “He always did want to go his own way,” it can be inferred that the angels that were cast out were ones that questioned authority, even if the questions were innocent and meaningful. (There’s loads of angel/demon lore from modern film and TV that backs this idea up as well.)

Now, I want to cover the bit that everyone’s been talking about on social media: Crowley’s confession of love, Aziraphale’s promotion, their kiss, and their heart wrenching breakup.

CROWLEY: He has always been curious, inquisitive, and a pusher of boundaries. He asks why they’re making something only to destroy it soon after, how their workings on Earth would cancel each other out, and what difference it would make if things went fine when no one was checking up on them. Even regarding Nina’s coffee shop called Give Me Coffee or Give Me Death, he says it’s a funny name for a coffee shop. Because he never takes anything at face value – there’s always something more to it.

We never know his angel name. He has only ever been Crawley/Crowley in the book and television series. It’s incredibly unlikely that his angel name was Crawley. And to those thinking he’s Raphael, that also doesn’t seem likely. Raphael and Gabriel are on the same angel level in the hierarchy, and if they wouldn’t cast Gabriel to Hell as he would be the second prince to go, then Raphael being cast out before would have 1- made Gabriel #3, not #2, and 2- would have been bad PR for Heaven. So, we have yet to learn his real name.

I also want to point out that his reaction to seeing Gabriel is pure terror, then seething fiery anger and hatred. The way he treats him all the way up to the fifth episode is a direct response to Gabriel’s desire to destroy Aziraphale at the end of the first season. “And I do remember, oh, very clearly, the look on your face, Archangel Gabriel, when you told my only friend to shut his stupid mouth and die. And I did not care for it.” He was furious in a way only a protective one can be over their loved one, but once the feeling was out, and seeing Gabriel’s (“Jim’s”) sincere desire to do anything to make up for it, he softens. Perhaps because he sees something in Gabriel that he recognizes in himself?

We learn from the Metatron in the final episode that they have the ability to erase an angel’s memory. They can erase all the things that make them that specific person, while still retaining their generic angel-ness. There’s NO WAY of knowing how many times they’ve done this in the past, and if just saying, “No, I don’t want to destroy the Earth,” is enough to warrant a brain wipe, IMAGINE how many other higher angels have been demoted! And if they weren’t higher level angels?

When attempting to open Gabriel’s file in Heaven, Muriel can’t access it, saying, “You’d have to be a throne or a dominion, or above,” in order to open it. Yet Crowley opens it without blinking. So right there, we know he wasn’t some low-level angel. Mid-range, possibly, but not a worker bee and not a prince. (Can we assume he’s a higher level than Aziraphale?) So, it’s possible — and I’m saying this is my working theory — that Crowley’s former self was erased when he was cast out. (See why I leaned so heavily on his introduction and how he couldn’t remember other angels and demons?) He doesn’t remember who he once was.

Then what does he remember? I think he remembers the goodness, the warmth and trust that he felt as an unquestioning angel [much like one would in a cult or at the start of a toxic relationship, romantic or familial]. I think he remembers how nice it was, but that he did something wrong and was punished so severely, that he internalized it for millennia. I also think he has come to realize over this time that he is missing who he once was.

Now, imagine you were him. Years and years since you were in that tenuous relationship, cast into a different kind of toxicity that you’re just trying to survive, and seeing someone who kinda gets it in a small way. Of course they’d be friends. Then, they both fall in love with the planet, with people (in their own ways), and find out it’s coming to an end because of the groups they’re a part of. They both know it’s wrong, so they fight against it, and in return are BOTH cast out to remain on Earth without the support of their “families.”

Sounds a lot like being shunned from a cult, or deconstructing your fundamentalist religious teachings, or standing up to and freeing yourself from an abusive parent/partner, doesn’t it?

Crowley doesn’t want to go back to Hell, surely. But he also doesn’t want to go back to Heaven either. As he said, “When Heaven ends life here on Earth, it’ll be just as dead as if Hell ended it.” They’re both two sides of the very same toxic coin. For him, home is anywhere in the universe with Aziraphale.

AZIRAPHALE: From moment one, Aziraphale is the embodiment of goodness. He’s easy with a smile, with a conversation, and always looks to the best in everyone, even a demon with snake eyes. But at the same time, he’s scared of doing something wrong, something that goes against God. We can even see this when Michael, Saraqael, and Uriel are confronted with the Metatron near the end of the final episode. Uriel straight up asks, “Have we done anything wrong?” All three of them look quietly terrified that they have while waiting for an answer. Even still, the Metatron only replies with, “Well, that remains to be seen.”

Their behavior prior to knowing who he was is shown as superior, arrogant, and perhaps even righteous. But as soon as he’s revealed? They’re like frightened children. The angels are governed not with love or respect, but with fear. Their siblings who spoke out were either destroyed or punished in Hell, and they had to watch it happen. Threats of having their memories erased, being sent to Hell, or being removed from the Book of Life (ceasing to ever have existed) is not something that a loving guardian would do!

And Aziraphale is no different than the other angels in that scene. He fears retribution, but unlike Crowley, still craves acceptance and praise that is rarely given. He is still deep in the clutches of this toxic environment, even after being banished from Heaven at the end of the last season. To him, Heaven is a home he desperately wants to be worthy of, even if it’s not worthy of him.

Crowley recognizes this, but Aziraphale doesn’t. Aziraphale sees the Metatron’s invitation to return to Heaven as the Supreme Archangel in charge of it all as the acceptance he’s wanted for EVER. And while he knows it’s not perfect, because only God can be, he sees this opportunity as a way to change things for the better, to leave behind the ideas of celestial war, and move toward the purest idea of goodness.

It’s why, when Aziraphale is given the chance to restore Crowley to angel status, he sees nothing wrong with it. For him, home is Heaven, whether Crowley is there or not. Heaven is the side of good, so why wouldn’t you want to go back to that?

THE METATRON: The Metatron has been very rarely seen in either season, but his influence is widely felt. As the voice of God (while not actually God), he is literally the judge and decision maker for Heaven. Aziraphale requests to speak directly to God in the first season, but the Metatron blocks him from doing so, saying, “What is said to me is said to the Almighty.” It is quite possible that God isn’t even aware of any of the goings on of the series. The last we hear Her speak to any human or angel is with Job in season 2.

While one could assume based solely on the first season that the Metatron is truly working directly with God and has no ulterior motives, it sure as hell doesn’t feel that way NOW. He chooses to have Gabriel’s memory erased rather than imply that there is something institutionally wrong in Heaven. He’d rather sweep the problems under the rug than address the real underlying causes of them.

Also, when we see him in Nina’s coffee shop, he asks if anyone ever asks for death. Seemingly innocuous, right? Except it mirrors what Crowley was saying in the previous episode, and shows that the Metatron is just as curious as Crowley is! So, does that mean that curiosity is punished in the lower levels with extreme prejudice, OR (and I think this is more likely) does he never ask those questions burning within him while in Heaven? It’s not like a human is going to report him to God for asking about a shop name.

Going deeper, so many are speculating that the Metatron pulled some kind of trick or magic on Aziraphale when he gave him the coffee. They believe this because in their minds, Aziraphale is devoted to Crowley and has been for thousands of years. But this is NOT the case. This mindset completely ignores the fact that Aziraphale is the tormented and abused child still hoping for a glimmer of praise from his parent. Aziraphale cares for Crowley deeply, of course, but he is ONLY ever devoted to God and Heaven, as seen over and over again throughout the series. The Metatron is not stupid, he knows how both of them view Heaven, Hell, and the world, and how they would react in almost any situation. (He’s probably been keeping an eye on them since Armageddon didn’t happen.)

So when the Metatron separates the two of them to speak with Aziraphale privately (NOTICE HOW HE LOOKS AT CROWLEY ON HIS WAY OUT! TELL ME THOSE WEREN’T DAGGERS COMING OUT OF THE METATRON’S EYES!) he’s ensuring that Aziraphale is isolated from the person who not only has the most influence over him, but also the person who would be the first to question everything being offered.

The Metatron tells Aziraphale that he’s a leader, honest, doesn’t just tell people what they want to hear, and to be fair, that is true. But it’s only true because Crowley’s influence has made Aziraphale into that type of angel. And at first, Aziraphale says that he doesn’t want to go back, but as soon as the Metatron says that he would have the ability to restore someone to angel status (as in Crowley), you can tell that Aziraphale is ready to decide. Because a friendship between an angel and a demon (let alone a romantic relationship) is still seen as taboo by both Heaven and Hell. If Crowley were an angel again, their relationship would be immediately accepted without question.

The Metatron KNOWS that Crowley hates Heaven even more than Hell, but when it comes to Aziraphale, things get a little less certain. I believe he gave this option for 4 possible reasons:

1- To confirm in Aziraphale’s mind that Heaven is only ever doing good, and of course Crowley would be welcomed back. Aziraphale would be halfway out the door back to the celestial plane then and there.
2- To split the pair of them up and do irrevocable damage to their bond. He knows how powerful they are together, has seen just what they’re capable of. With both of them in Heaven, it’s possible they could do exactly as Aziraphale said and change things for the better, and dismantle everything that the Metatron has built. If they’re apart, Aziraphale would be far easier to manipulate back into their way of thinking.
3- To bring Crowley back and actually restore him to who he was before the Fall – WITHOUT HIS MEMORIES OF HIS TIME ON EARTH OR IN HELL. Just as there’s no way to know how many angels have been wiped and demoted or cast out, there’s also no way to know if Crowley will be the same person that Aziraphale fell in love with, or if he’d even love Aziraphale the same way (if at all). This would, again, split them and make Aziraphale easy to control.
4- (This was based on a theory I saw on social in passing, I’m sorry I don’t know who came up with it.) To reclaim Crowley instead. Crowley is (as previously proven) a “dominion or a throne, or above” level angel. That’s no slouch when it comes to angelic status! It’s quite possible that the Metatron wants to bring him back into the fold for his power. And he clearly can’t bring either of them back without their consent. They have to be willing to go back. If the Metatron had asked Crowley directly, he would have laughed in his spokesman face. By asking Aziraphale instead, he could be either assuming that Crowley would go wherever Aziraphale went, or that he would stay back for a time, only to eventually come back to him later.

So I 100% believe that the Metatron has some very unsavory plans up his sleeves, but that we can’t quite know the true span of them until next season.

Sidenote: I also want to point out that he’s always only ever called “THE Metatron” – not Metatron, but they always include “THE” in his name. Makes me think it’s more of a title rather than a name, and that perhaps he has an angel name that we don’t know, just like Crowley.

THEIR CONFESSIONS: With Aziraphale believing that them both returning to Heaven would be the answer to his prayers, they could finally be together without any worry, he misses things that are directly in front of him. First, that Gabriel and Beelzebub are now together, off somewhere in the universe, without a care. PLUS, when Beelzebub stated, “I just found something that mattered more to me than choosing sides.” (aaaaaaaaggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh) They are LITERALLY standing in front of them showing them that it’s possible, and Aziraphale is more concerned about the fact that it’s still not accepted by either group.

Crowley, hearing that Aziraphale wants to go back and bring him with him, does feel a little betrayed. For millennia, he’s been showing Aziraphale that neither camp can be trusted, and that they should only worry about themselves. For the past few years, having both been ousted by their respective homes, it’s been just how Crowley wanted it to be: just the two of them, doing mundane things, and just existing near each other. For Crowley, that’s happiness. That’s his Heaven. But this proposition is like a slap in the face. Crowley is hearing that, as a demon, he’s not good enough for Aziraphale, and that all this time spent together has just been a holding pattern, waiting for something better to happen.

It’s gut wrenching.

PLUS, there’s the added potential that Crowley is aware that his memory was wiped, and that he won’t be the same once restored. When Aziraphale says, “I don’t think you understand what I’m offering you,” Crowley does not hesitate to reply, “I understand. I think I understand a whole lot better than you do.” Crowley knows what it’s like to be rejected and abandoned by the people that were supposed to love him unconditionally, but Aziraphale’s proposal sounds very much like an offer of love with yet more conditions.

Crowley is saying that they don’t have to choose sides other than their own, and Aziraphale’s response is basically that’s not good enough.

THE KISS: ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod!

[I may have only been pining for their relationship to finally have some PDA since the premiere of the Amazon show in 2019, but I can’t imagine how it must feel for those who’ve been waiting since 1990 when the book was first published! Oh, you poor things.]

I’m going to start by analyzing the physical kiss itself, then dive into what fueled it.

Crowley grabs Aziraphale by the lapels roughly and pulls him into a kiss. It’s very forceful, and Aziraphale is (understandably) caught by surprise. (To be honest, it looked like it could have hurt the lips.) But Crowley holds him there for nearly 15 seconds as Aziraphale kind of flounders. He’s not trying to push him away, but he seems to be completely unsure of how to react, so his hands just kind of tap at Crowley’s back. There is a miniscule moment of contact where Aziraphale does put both hands flat on Crowley’s back as if to hold him close, but it’s broken almost immediately. And finally, Crowley releases him. (I saw one woman say that Crowley kind of threw him back, but I’ve looked at that moment a few times, and there’s no throwing. He just lets go and steps away.)

Here’s where the interpretation comes in. Crowley has just called Aziraphale an idiot, saying that they could have been “us.” That tiny word holds a universe of meaning. It means friends, partners, husbands, but mostly it means they could be themselves. No good, no evil, just neutral. And even though Aziraphale doesn’t say anything, he turns away. To me, Crowley knows this is it, the end of their friendship, their romance, of whatever they’ve had for 6,000 years. His heart is breaking, and he’s thinking that there’s one chance left for him to do what humans do, to kiss the one he loves, and maybe it’s also his last ditch effort to convince Aziraphale what he’s losing.

But there’s very little romance in that kiss. The two of them are angry with each other, infuriated at being rejected by the other, thinking they don’t understand what they’re saying no to. So that kiss on Crowley’s end is him screaming from the bottom of his soul, “I love you, please choose me! I can love you better than all of them combined!” He was trying to convey everything he’d felt for Aziraphale for 6,000 years in a single 15 second kiss, so obviously, it wasn’t going to come out perfect.

Aziraphale’s perspective is similar, but also somehow worse. When he turns away from Crowley, it’s because he doesn’t want him to see that he’s crying. So, when Crowley grabs him, he is very much blindsided and has no idea what to expect. Sure, we can assume he’s been in love with Crowley since he first saw him before the Beginning, or maybe it wasn’t truly solidified in his heart and mind until Crowley rescued him (and his books) in 1941. But it’s not like he really knows what to do with that feeling.

He’s surprised, he’s confused, he’s sad and angry. Yes, it’s possible that he wanted to kiss Crowley back, but his indoctrination is firmly rooted – angel=good, demon=bad, and the combination of the two is unspeakable. He’s feeling all these previous emotions, but also his trauma adds shame, guilt, and fear of his own potential for wickedness. He has a chance to run Heaven and do real good! He can’t risk being cast out or worse now, just because his longtime friend wants him to stay. And how can Crowley not want to go back with him? Who would want to remain on Earth when they could be in Heaven together forever?

When they break apart from the kiss, Aziraphale takes an overwhelmed gasp of air. He’s fighting with everything he knows, everything he’s being offered, everything he feels, and everything that could be. His entire self is at odds internally. So when he finally says, “I forgive you,” it’s not like other times he’s said it. There’s an edge to it, a bitterness he’s never shown before. It’s as if he’s saying, “How dare you make me choose.” Because in a battle between his love for Crowley and his addiction to Heaven, Crowley will always lose.

“Don’t bother,” is Crowley’s response, as if he’s not only rejecting the forgiveness, but also saying, “I’ll make the choice for you.” We see Aziraphale after he’s left alone for that brief moment, coming to terms that Crowley is leaving his life most likely forever, and still reeling over the kiss. His fingers touch his lips, which could be indicating several things:

1- He’s never been kissed before. In his entire time on Earth, the only person that he’s ever been remotely close to is Crowley, so it’s very likely he’s never had that experience before. (Let’s be honest, Crowley has probably been propositioned by many a person throughout history. I’m not saying he’s initiated it, but come on! He’s had to have kissed someone before, right?)
2- He’s trying to hold onto the feeling of Crowley’s lips on his, trying to burn it into his memory before saying his goodbyes to Earth.
3- He’s hesitating before wiping his mouth clean of a demon’s lips. His religious trauma runs so deep, perhaps he thinks Heaven could sense it on him? But his hesitation does show a bit of waffling about how he feels.

He does end up wiping his lips, almost in anger, just as the Metatron walks in. The Metatron transfers ownership of Aziraphale’s bookshop to Muriel (and let’s be honest with ourselves: she’s adorable, and I hope she ends up as cuddly as Aziraphale is with people around her), and they set off. We learn that the newest plans in the works are for the Second Coming (Oh. Boy.), and Aziraphale casts one final glance at Crowley, who stands steadfast by his Bentley, watching him go.

[NOTE: The Meatatron’s choice of Muriel to replace Aziraphale at the bookshop is interesting. He doesn’t ask Muriel if she wants to do it, just sees someone who is eager to please and not very learned about things. Plus, he refers to her as “the dim one.” She even rejoices that she might be needed by him, despite him calling her that for all to hear. He also doesn’t ask Aziraphale permission to replace him, he just replaces him with Muriel as a matter of fact. He makes a decision and it is done.]

The credits for this final episode were hard to watch, but compelling all the same. I, of course, watched them through a couple times just to analyze Crowley’s and Aziraphale’s faces as they journeyed farther apart than they’d ever been. We watch Crowley as he’s driving off somewhere with his beloved plants in the back, and for the first time that I’m aware of, he’s driving in absolute silence. His face reflects anger, sadness, heartbreak, so many horrible emotions. He’s trying to hold them back, and we can see him try to relax his face, but it’s not long before his brows are knit together like before. On Aziraphale, though, we start off with a kind of sad hopefulness. There’s a small smile, and his eyes are wide and barely blinking. It looks to me like he’s trying to convince himself that he did the only right thing, but the smile keeps slipping. Just before the image goes blurry, he takes a breath, plasters on a big smile, and his eyes are almost manic.

In the end, the 6 episodes of season 2 were both so much and not enough. This was a fantastic bridge between the first season, and what I hope will be the upcoming third season. I am excited to see how Aziraphale will take to running Heaven, how Crowley will take to being alone on Earth (will he make friends with Muriel every now and then just to keep tabs?), and how the two will hopefully (please please PLEASE) reunite and rekindle their love for each other. I don’t think there is any kind of apology dance that Aziraphale could do to make it up to Crowley.

-K