If S1 ended with the bandstand argument, I bet we'd have the same situation we have with S2, people blaming Aziraphale and calling him cruel and unreasonable for not wanting to do as Crowley asked.
Oh who am I kidding, many fans STILL think Crowley was right back then.
Was it unreasonable of him to try and speak to God and stop Armageddon? Instead of just - trying to kill the Antichrist child and see what happens? Or run? (Run where?)
Aziraphale was heartbroken but he just had to try. That's the kind of person he is. He hoped someone will see how Earth doesn't need to be destroyed. They could go and speak to the child perhaps. There doesn't need to be a War.
But God didn't pick up his call.
So we never get to know what She thinks and whether She'd do anything to help as Az hoped - and of course one could argue that everything that happened was exactly what She wanted (and wait for it, that's exactly what Crowley says on the bench as they wait for a bus).
Because the 'spokesperson' who did answer Azi's call, didn't understand Az at all and fobbed him off.
After Aziraphale got discorporated in an accident (which looked like agony btw, Crowley wasn't the only one to suffer) he knew he was running out of time and resolved to speak to the kid himself. Kill him even, if there's no time for anything else. But save the world. If at all possible.
He assumed he's on his own now, Crowley having left.
He was not.
After losing his body (and abandoning Heaven doing a demonic thing), he learns his home and everything in it burned down.
And yet, he's determined to save the world even if he seems to be losing everything.
I see a lot of metas about - did Aziraphale know Crowley was talking about him when he said he lost his best friend...
I believe he did. But what if Aziraphale understood that after the argument, Crowley is saying he lost his best friend... because it is their friendship what is lost.
Is that why Aziraphale is so careful with words at first, but when he learns Crowley saved a book, his book, THE book, he knows Crowley is the one thing he did not lose.
Because how would Az know Crowley thought he lost Az in the fire?
He didn't know Crowley went looking for him. He only knew he disappointed Crowley for not wanting to run and Crowley calling him an idiot and leaving.
When Az reached out later from the bookshop, Crowley hung up on him. That's the last Az knew of Crowley before being forced away.
Just because things didn't work out how Aziraphale hoped or was trying to achieve, doesn't mean he was wrong to try.
If anything, he was right. And Crowley would stand right by him and say so too.
Would killing the boy (which I don't think they would have attempted at all when push came to shove without the stress that came from being on that tarmac with forces of Heaven and Hell converging) change anything?
No.
Because they misunderstood (yes, both of them) how the Plan works (or doesn't work).
It wasn't about trying to kick one step out from the Plan to topple it. It wasn't about killing the kid or persuading him to not destroy the faulty humanity.
It was about shifting the whole mindset. About humanity but also about Plans.
It was about freedom to choose. Az told Adam to make up HIS mind. (Which incidentally, I think Crowley told Eve in Eden too.)
Crowley gave Az the space to do so. To be kind. To be his usual self. To be an angel who is strong and brave and open.
Yet, it still wasn't enough. Their superiors wanted a War. They believed the Plan. But Aziraphale didn't anymore. He changed something. Suddenly it was just a question of finding a loophole to do the right thing.
SOMETHING HE IS A VERITABLE EXPERT ON HAVING HAD THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF PRACTICE IN DOING
And when it came to their punishment?
What would the guesses be I wonder on how would they escape?
Run?
Az deciding to Fall?
They tricked them. Not with words this time but with appearances.
S2 is different. It's not Bandstand part 2. They changed.
Yes, Crowley poured his heart out, wanting to finally acknowledge how much he wants, how he wants things to be simple. Open. Just to be together. But the timing was so wrong you'd think Metatron tempted him into it, to confuse him.
Because Crowley has just been to Heaven and learned why Gabe was being pursued, what the new plans were and knowing Heaven, he must have known Gabe's 'nah' wasn't gonna stop anybody. Gabe just needed to be put away. Which Aziraphale put a stop to with his stubborn protectiveness.
So why wasn't he more on board in helping Az in F15?
gif by @capinejghafa
"Tell me you said no."
But he did! Aziraphale who said flatly no so many times. To the 'chin-wag' and how he all but laughed at the proposal of him being the new Supreme Archangel.
Aziraphale who only blanched when Crowley was brought into the discussion.
(Same as some 80 years before... his biggest fear is always Crowley getting hurt and them being forced apart)
(He found a loophole nobody expected, to escape)
"IF YOU WANTED TO WORK WITH HIM AGAIN" (this is the only way Aziraphale*)
So what does Aziraphale do?
He gives Crowley a choice. He doesn't say - they are taking me back to Heaven, making me go (because Crowley would follow immediately no questions asked).
He doesn't even say he said yes, he just says he got the offer and asks, will you come with me. After all, Az thinks this is forever, that he must leave forever (he looks so stressed and so scared in F15) and he knows they both hate Heaven and would never choose to leave Earth voluntarily - but he wants Crowley to be able to choose - he doesn't want to force him the way he was forced, over his loved one's safety. And his heart breaks when Crowley says no.
BUT
Crowley could not follow to Heaven, he made his choice. But he also didn't walk away. He didn't storm off. He didn't drive away.
He stayed.
I do not think he waited for Aziraphale to change his mind. He knows Aziraphale. He knew the angel made up his mind.
He waited so Aziraphale will see that he's there. That he will wait until he's needed. But from Earth.
*I'm sorry but if you think that should Aziraphale insist on staying that he would be left in peace to be with Crowley, than you are not paying attention to what Heaven can do.
To sum up:
Their 'arguments' are never about them, they don't need to learn to communicate better (they need to be free to communicate better) they are already doing so much better than expected in the circumstances. They know each other.
Their arguments come up because they are not free and there is no way they can be safely together.
Yes, they love one another and want to be together (and no, Az does not need to wake up and admit what he's feeling or some such nonsense), but in their world as it is, it's impossible (or the possibility is only very brief) and that's not what Aziraphale can agree to, so he must fight on. He was given that sword for a reason. He will fight.
Just not... the usual way and not for what was perhaps intended.
