new galaxy brain meme just dropped

So you're telling me it took *several* takes for the apology dance scene. Like. They had David dancing for like, an hour maybe. More? Who even knows. Cause it had to be *just perfect*. And. Like. They nailed the break up scene in one take. All the tears that never fell, all the words never said, the raw emotion, the gasps, the pauses of despair, all was delivered *perfectly* in one. Single. Take.

David Tennant and Michael Sheen, the men that you are.

Pronouns and Gender in the Good Omens Universe

Who are we? 

@Princess-Spock: I'm non-binary, specifically genderfluid. My pronouns are they/them for simplicity. My primary gender is agender, and is aroace; I have a wide range of other genders and sexualities. 

@Twilightcitysky: I’m an allosexual, queer, cis woman with a background in healthcare, specifically sexual/reproductive health and mental health.

Since Season 2 came out, there’s been a lot of interesting discourse about pronouns and gender for the supernatural beings of Good Omens. This led to us having what started out as a casual discussion about gender and pronouns; we eventually thought it might be fun to jump on the meta bandwagon and share our ideas with the fandom. 

This is not the only possible analysis, and we have ZERO intention of invalidating anyone else’s analysis. Also, we firmly believe that all headcanons are completely valid; we're not trying to take that away from anyone! This is just our 2¢. 

Many of the terms used here have a variety of possible definitions; because giving every possible definition would be prohibitive, we're using the ones that make the most sense to us, while still respecting all other definitions. 

Proving a point to my boyfriend.

PLEASE REBLOG if you (male or female) believe it is perfectly okay and natural for a guy of any age to cry

I’ve never hit reblog faster or harder.

gender is beneath me but yes

To some people you’re an NPC

To other people, you’re the special, unlockable character that they worked and worked to finally get- and when they do they’re so happy because they got the game just so they could find you.

The fact y'all are still passing around this post, eight years after I made it. Exquisite. I hope it’s still resonating with people outside of mid-2010’s tumblr.

with the way when crowley saw discorporated aziraphale while in the pub, he asked something along the lines of “are you real”/“are you here” which makes me think of all the other times he was drunk and hallucinated/imagined aziraphale standing before him.

i love the book of life theory™️ because of the storyline and the opportunity for such a good plot but i hate it because of how gut wrenching it is and how heartbroken it would make me but THINK ABOUT THIS.

crowley isn’t wiped from the book of life, he’s wiped from aziraphale’s memory. but weirdly, aziraphale can’t seem to forget. crowley is a haze in his memory, barely tangible, but somehow if he reaches out, tries hard enough, he gets those glimpses of what once was. and he’s determined to get it back with no knowledge of what it cost him before.

aziraphale is just a little country girl. she’s tending her sheep.

When you stand in front of me and look at me, what do you know of the griefs that are in me and what do I know of yours?

Redraw of the Death of Marat by Jaques-Louis David but as good omens

Aziraphale already told Crowley he loved him.

And I'm not talking about the soft touches or the romantic gestures or the married couple banter they have.

I'm talking about the dancing.

Yes, yes, it's really heartwarming. They held hands. It was really romantic.

BUT

No one is talking about how this was Aziraphale's love declaration.

When he propositioned the idea to make Maggie and Nina fall in love, the FIRST place his mind went to was dancing. To him, dancing is the ultimate act of falling in love.

"You read too many books"

Yes, he does. Where else would he get the idea? He actually sees dancing as something intimate you do with the person you love.

And... he grabs Crowley and pulls him to the dance floor.

"You don't dance." we don't dance that way, not the human way. We don't love like humans do. And yet this is something Aziraphale does. He loves him, and just as he wants Maggie and Nina to fall in love by dancing, he tries to tell him he is in love with him BY DANCING. It's no coincidence that both couples, who clearly mirror one another, both simultaneously take up the dance floor.

Dancing is the human gesture Aziraphale uses to tell someone he loves them.

Just like Crowley does with kissing...

"One fabulous kiss and were good"

How? How are we good? Muriel has no idea that that is an act of love for humans. They don't know human traditions and desires. These idiots could have easily fooled the angel. And yet... Crowley is insistent on the kiss.

As if THAT is the ultimate act of love.

And yes, neither of them are human and have human desires. Crowley went for a kiss in a last, desperate attempt to tell Aziraphale to stay, to show him in the human way that he loves him because he already tried everything else.

But the point still stands. Crowley's first instinct for human love is a kiss.

The same way Aziraphale grabbed him and dragged him onto the dance floor, Crowley grabbed him and dragged him into a kiss.

And... neither of them understood what the other is telling them. "BECAUSE YOU AND MR FELL NEVER TALK TO EACH OTHER"

They had no idea what the other did, that they each told the other they loved them.

"Your exactly and my exactly are different exactlys"

Yes, yes, the "i forgive you," the "no nightingales," and the "nothing lasts forever" are all great lines. But to me, the most heartbreaking was this one

And not enough people are talking about it.

This is the moment where Aziraphale breaks. This is the moment he realises the severity of their conversation. The horrible consequences that could follow.

This is the moment where Aziraphale, for the first time in probably all 2 seasons, spoke from his feelings instead of his logic.

Accompanied by Michael's breathtaking acting, where in just 2 seconds, he managed to convey all the excruciating and tragic feelings that Aziraphale has been going through all this time. His eyes, relaying the utter pain Aziraphale is, and has been, feeling for a long time, that he's finally unable to control anymore.

This is the moment where we and Crowley understand that Aziraphale has been lying this whole time.

"He's not my friend. We've never met before we dont know each other." Yes, he is. Yes, we have. Yes, we do.

"Were not friends." Yes, we are.

"We have nothing whatsoever in common, I don't even like you." Yes, we do. Yes, I do.

This is the moment he admits that every time he's called Crowley a fiend, an enemy, evil, not his friend, he has been lying through and through in an attempt to hide what he really feels, what he really thinks, should by chance Heaven or Hell get a word of it. He has been lying every single time.

This is the moment where he lets his true feelings out. Prompted by sheer desperation and panic, he finally said what he's been denying for millennia.

"I need you"

they’ve had six thousand years of practice of cancelling each other out, of course their love confessions did exactly the same thing.

there are two kinds of people in the world: the kind of person who thinks this post is painful, and the kind of person who thinks it’s funny.

i love them both.

I keep seeing Crowley fell in love in THIS moment, and Aziraphale fell in love in THAT moment type of discussions, and I honestly think we're forgetting something.

Aziraphale and Crowley have probably been falling in love GRADUALLY. There probably is no real moment where either of them officially fell in love. These two are supernatural beings who have a very different concept of time than humans.

Just look at Crowleys reaction to being told the universe will end in 6000 years. "But that's nothing." 6000 years is nothing to these beings, and I'll bet this type of existing is ingrained in their very biologies. Their physiologies are different. They. Are. Not. Human. The church scene and the "Oh..." Nina scene are probably where they both realised, but not where they actually fell in love. They have been falling in love this entire goddamn time.

Aziraphale's vest

I'd like to take a second and talk about his vest because I think it's a really good metaphor for Aziraphale's internal feelings.

At first glance it's obvious the vest is quite old. Really old in fact if you note the way it's practically disintegrating.

And it got me thinking a bit. The way the white practically bleeds from the edges of the neck, shoulders and buttons, going further and further, one day if he's persistent enough to wear it, it might even take over the entire vest. You could say that that, somehow, mirrors Heavens influence over Aziraphale. Slowly, slowly, biding their time, until it has completely ridden him of any colour. Until it has completely washed him of his identity, of his originality, of his character.

Take a look at his clothing when he's up in Heaven.

Completely and utterly white. Every piece of clothing he's wearing is pure and untarnished white. Upon entering Heaven, against his own accord, it has stripped him of his uniqueness, of anything that might distinguish him from any other angel who blindly follows orders and who's sole purpose is to do Heavens bidding.

Now, he could miracle the white patches on the vest away easily. But he doesn't want to.

The thing is. He likes the imperfect. He likes partaking in human activities and pleasures, like food, music, etc. Likes to indulge himself in earthly things Heaven would label as sinful or "sullying." And as someone who bas been on the receiving end of Heavens ridicule and passive aggression for millenia, as someone who for centuries has been told that he's underperforming and needs to do better, as someone who is all too aware of his own impurity by the standards an angel should hold and of the quite frankly unholy behaviour in performing immoral temptations and directly going against Heavens orders no more than a few times throughout the eras, it's no wonder he finds comfort in the imperfect.

He keeps the deteriorating edges because they are a perfect representation of his own internal feelings and image. After all, there's no rule that says he can't. And a big kudos to the costume department, for the patches perfectly encapsulate his religious trauma. Without it, he would probably be a very different person. He wouldn't be the same Aziraphale we know and love. The same way he likes being old-fashioned with his clothes and how that is a part of who he is, his trauma is a part of him as well, along with Heavens influence that has shaped him into who he is today, whether he likes it or not.

Every part of the vest illustrates Aziraphale's character and internal feelings, which brings me to another point I want to draw attention to, and that is the BACK of the vest.

It's DARK. And I don't think I'm mistaken when I say that most of us didn't expect it to look like that from behind. We all just assumed that it would be the same beige colour as the front, which is in tune with the rest of his attire. After all, seeing him wearing a dozen different outfits all throughout history, all of them some shade of white, it was the logical conclusion.

But no.

It's not white. It's a dark, slightly viridian or a dark blue colour. "Dark blue suggests a more mysterious depth or ominous quality. Power and authority: Dark blue signifies power and responsibility. "

Not what we would have expected that colour at all. Similarly to how one wouldn't expect an angel to perform temptations or be gluttonous, or envious, or slothful, or hedonistic. Not at first glance anyway.

Not unless you look carefully.

Not unless you know him.

The coat almost acts like a cover. The light over the dark. Almost as if it's trying to hide something. The only times we see Aziraphale not wearing the coat is in his bookshop. Which is logical, of course. You wouldn't wear a coat indoors, obviously. Except he DOES. He wears the coat when he and Crowley are drunk, he wears it when he's reading Agnes Nutter, he wears it when Gabriel and Sandalphon pop in, he wears it when he's talking to the Metatron, he wears it when he's listening to Shostakovich, he even wears it at the Ritz where it would be custom to take off your coat while dining. And it's worth noting that during the events happening (at least in the first season), the season is summer. Which would make it quite ridiculous to be wearing so many layers everywhere you go and therefore risk boiling. But he still wears the coat.

The only times he doesn't wear it is in the first episode after the sushi, when he's all ALONE, and in season 2 at the bookshop when Crowley comes back and in 1941.

And there's something oh so personal about that.

I don't think it's a coincidence that the darker part is specifically the back of the vest. There's always been this natural human instinct to protect yourself by never ever turning your back on a foe. And I don't think this is a conscious effort on Aziraphale's part, but rather genius writing, directing and costume design, and anyone who's watched and read Good Omens knows that almost nothing is coincidental.

Note this is probably the first time Aziraphale has called Crowley his friend, seeing how uncertain and doubtful he was to even say the word in this scene and how quick he was to deny their friendship in the Shakespeare scene. And the camera immediately cuts from Crowley to Aziraphale, who is turned away, whose back is turned to Crowley oh so casually without a care in the world. Just before he calls him his friend. His back is turned, and so is the dark part of his vest.

The dark part he only shows in his bookshop, when he's alone and there's no one there. The part that he now only shows to Crowley as well. Crowley who knows him so well and who's been with him through everything. "I won't tell anyone if you won't." And "you said trust me""and you did". Just this small motion of Aziraphale depicts exactly how much trust he has in Crowley not only that he'll keep him safe and protected but to accept him just as he is, to not judge him, to not demean him for his imperfections as an angel. Practically mirroring Crowley's self-protection mechanism that is reflected in his motions to hide his eyes with his sunglasses (there's a wonderful meta on this by @simply-brightly-zee here )

And it might just be clothing, or it might just be genius symbolism, but note how self-aware Aziraphale is of his looks when Gabriel pops up.

The desire to impress is almost unconscious in this scene, and how does he go about doing it? By making sure he looks presentable. Presentable, despite the white patches and the vest that is falling apart, he doesn't even realise it. Therefore, it's clear Aziraphale puts thought into his clothes, whether consciously or unconsciously.

I personally dont think any of this (the coat, the patches, the way he turns his back, when, where and around who he's most comfortable) is a deliberate and intentional act on Aziraphales part but rather creative brilliance from the directors and producers. So him being shown to expose the back of the vest only in scenes with Crowley (and the one in s2 infront of an amnesiac Gabriel with the intelligence and awareness of a squirrel) is a master move on the costume department's part. The symbolusm being so small and imperceptible, but holding so much meaning. This small metaphor shows how much Aziraphale trusts Crowley and how comfortable he is around him. Crowley who knows about Aziraphale's transgressions, sins, unholy behaviours, lack of interest and dedication to his job, and overall "incompetence" as Aziraphale might put it and how he's "just enough of a bastard to be worth knowing". Crowley, who will accept him and love him no matter what. Not despite those things, but because of those things.

They have found their "own side".

don’t get me wrong, i’m all for the ‘aziraphale knows crowley loves him and crowley knows aziraphale loves him’ meta posts but. haven’t we known that since “you go too fast for me, crowley”? isn’t that statement a clear indication that they both know what’s happening but it’s new and scary and very real. they’re at different speeds but they know it’s love

I keep seeing people making fun of using growled, hissed, roared, snarled etc in writing and it’s like.

have you never heard someone speak with the gravel in their voice when they get angry? Because that’s what a growl is.

Have you never heard someone sharply whisper something through the thin space of their teeth? Or when your mother sharply told you to stop it in public as a kid when you were acting up/being too loud? Because that’s what a hiss is.

Have you never heard a man get so blackout angry that their voice BOOMS through the house? Because that’s what a roar is.

Have you never seen someone bare their teeth while talking to accentuate their frustration or anger while speaking with a vicious tone? Because that’s what snarling is.

It’s not meant to be a literal animal noise. For the love of god, not every description is literal. I get some people are genuinely confused, but also some of these people are genuinely unimaginative as fuck.

This for real. Alllllllll of this. All of these sounds are the way different people speak based on their emotions. A snarl is not going GRAWR like a dog. It's so furious their teeth are bared, every syllable sharp and cutting and loud. A growl is lower, the words dangerously rough and hot, a warning.

It's the same with softer sounds. A purr is that low, gravelly mmmmm noise of pleasure, or words warm and smooth as melted chocolate. When someone chirps, it's bright and happy and quick, the syllables a little clipped in excitement. Panting is not tongue lolling like a dog; it's a heaving chest and words that are half-breath.

This is what language, what storytelling IS. It's symbolic, it's imagination, it's metaphor and analogy and simile. Strip that away and all you have is textbook descriptions, which are of course useful when reading actual textbooks, but far less entertaining when reading a goddamn fictional story.

Yes! But if I might add? Its also okay if sometimes it IS literal!

Sometimes a growl IS a growl- an angry person rearing around in a furious rage CAN make a loud noise that may not have actual words! They can drag that noise through their throat loud and gravelly and bare their teeth but say no words because the noise is all thats needed! Especially if the rage is so fierce or the grief too present. Sometimes your character is a werewolf. Sometimes your character is a dragon. But other times your anguish, your rage, your despair, your jealousy, your sorrow has no outlet other than a noise- a growl, a whine, a wail.

Sometimes a hiss is a noise too- It's a noise we make when we touch something that's too hot and we suck that air through our teeth as we pull back.

We think ourselves elevated beings bwcause we are humans with smart human brains but we too are still animals. We coo and awe and whimper and grimace, we growl and hiss and snarl and yell. Our instinctive noises did not go away just because we figured out how to use words!

These kinds of descriptors are often times more useful to us when they are flowery and evoking beautiful imagery but they can also be very real and that does not make them any less useful or impactful in storytelling.

Y’ALL I JUST FOUND SOMETHING WILD:

I figured this out by pure accident because musically, I’m not a big fan of Tori Amos’s singing style (I’m sorry 🙁, besides the point though!), so I pulled up the original instead to put on my playlist.

And GUYS. I don’t think “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square” is about them at the Ritz together in the 21st century, or at least not at first…

It’s about this.

“A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square” originally came out in 1940 by Vera Lynn, one year before Crowley pulled the most romantic ass stunt Aziraphale had ever seen and, let’s be honest, the vibes uh… changed. I mean there was a reason the rumor of them being an item spread in hell around this time.

And that’s not all, the song was actually meant to be part of a musical, on the West End. The place where they made a fond memory together for the first time in nearly a hundred years, took care of each other, trusted each other. Hell, where Crowley and Aziraphale, both friends of the theatre in different ways, probably heard this song about causing the impossible and falling in love just a year prior.

Yah so I’ve FULLY drank my own koolaide and completely believe that they already associated this song with each other. Not only saw it as a fond reminder of that night in 1941, but the quite, gentle reality they might have together someday. But they wouldn’t DARE say that out loud, wouldn’t be ridiculous enough to let themselves hope for it.

I think this was Aziraphale breaking the unspoken rules and acknowledging this thing they share. Him saying “I know, I see you. I hope so too.”

OH MY GOD

(from @lidikat in the replies)