Saw this post and just wanted to talk about my view on Simon calling Grace 'angel', because I actually didn't know that people didn't like it!
Just wanted to start off by saying that I don't want this to come off as a 'you're wrong and here's why' but more of a 'I don't think people really thought of racism when coming up with the idea'. And also I did search up White Saviorism like the person asked and did very LIGHT research, so if I get anything wrong let me know! I want to learn more and correct my mistakes! Also this is not me excusing White Saviorism, as a person of color myself, fuck that in every which way possible. But I just don't think it fits in this particular situation.
So from what I researched is that there are about 3 core characteristics of White Saviorism are its historical roots, performative generosity, and parentalism. As we get into that, I want to examine a little of Grace's character, not too deeply as I don't really see the need to. Also I will be using both the book and the movie to examine Grace's character.
Lets start off with the easiest, historical roots. Grace is a Caucasian Male born in America, tall and muscular, with blonde hair and blue eyes (book description given in Chapter 1). Historically, men like Ryland have never been the minority, they've been the oppressors throughout time. There's no denying that and there is no evidence or reasoning I can give that is historically factual saying that white people have historically been the minority. Because that's crazy and insanely untrue. So I agree that Grace has the historical roots of White Saviourism, and there's nothing to change that. So with that, lets move on to the next characteristic.
The next characteristic is performative generosity/altruism (I think the latter fits better). So performative altruism is helping others to feel better about themselves or to put it on a resume of good things they've done, not to actually be genuine or enact any systematic change. (Specifically white people to a group of minorities for this topic) Grace, from what I've read and seen of Project Hail Mary, is the COMPLETE opposite of performative altruism! Grace gets into the whole mess of Project Hail Mary because one day in class his students ask about the Petrova Line and he has to explain to a bunch of middle schoolers that the Astrophage are eating the sun's energy. He rushes back to the lab because he has to convince Stratt to let him on the project. After some arguing Stratt makes a comment about how she can't save some Astrophage for him because of his bruised ego, which leads to a conversation between Stratt and Grace.
"Ego?! This isn't about my ego! It's about my children!"
"You don't have children."
"Yes, I do! Dozens of them. They come to my class every day. And they're all going to end up in a Mad Max nightmare world if we don't solve this problem... I care about those kids." (Chapter 5)
This proves that Ryland doesn't want to join a project that will LITERALLY save the world for himself entirely. He does it for his students! The kids he sees for at MOST and hour a day! The very least 45 minutes! He KNOWS these kids, CARES for them. They're not even his own! That just proves he cares for more people than just himself. And on top of that he went BACK for Rocky when he knew that Taumeba would eat through his ship, when he had a chance to go back home! One of the things he desperately wanted! And Grace threw that all away to save his friend AND Erid! And there are many more instances in the book, and if I included it all it would be deemed it's own essay. So with this evidence, we can safely say that Ryland Grace does not act performative altruism.
The final core characteristic of White Saviorism is parentalism, which I think out of the 3 will be the hardest for me but also important. Parentalism is the belief that the white outsider knows best, and ignores the actual needs, input, or leadership of the local community. This one is harder because there isn't much evidence to go for or against this characteristic. But there are times in PHM where Grace does acknowledge the minority as self-sufficient and actual does listen to their input. Ever since chapter 10, Grace has done almost nothing but praise and become awestruck at Rocky's intelligence. Which, yes could be used as evidence that Grace did not think alien life could be smart, but people who reason that also don't see that this stems from the fact that Grace is the FIRST human to make contact with INTELLEGENT alien life, unlike the Astrophage. Grace's intentions were not negative in the slightest. His first thought was to have an informational trade with Rocky, even if it was barely anything Grace wanted Rocky's input. Ryland helps Rocky build a little biodome in his spacecraft so that Rocky can, you know, not DIE while working together. The bare minimum I admit, but still proof that Grace meets the actual NEEDS of Rocky. Grace doesn't meet the requirements to be put under this label.
In conclusion, Ryland Grace is not a 'White Saviour' kind of character. He doesn't fit 2/3 of the criteria, which I believe makes him an even better character. He has the background just ready to make him that kind of character, but he isn't. This is what helps him not become a 'white savior' character, but far from it.
Now if you read this entire thing and finished it thinking, "okay, he isn't a white savior character. But the poster's problem wasn't with the fact he was a white savior character but the fact that Grace being called an angel makes him a white savior character."
First of all, thank you for reading this I know it probably wasn't easy reading someone prove what most people already know. Second, I had to first prove that Ryland isn't that kind of character to make my point. So, sorry! Still gotta make my point so stay right where you are! I promise it won't be much longer!
The head canon that Simon would call Grace an 'Angel' is nothing harmful or racist per say. The way I view it is that Simon with all his religious trauma and growing up in a death cult, even though he states he's no longer religious, those beliefs still stay with someone even after they no longer believe. For a real life example, many people after leaving Christianity, have trouble with tasks such as saving money because they still fear that the Rapture could happen at any moment, even if they don't believe in Christianity. Many more instances of people coming up and sharing their story after the "Rapture" was supposed to happen in September and October of last year. This is just an extreme case of what I was talking about, apologies if it's not the most thorough explanation. I can explain it more if anyone wants in the comments.
Back to Simon, Simon could very well believe that Grace is an angel because he was supposed to die in the SM-13. He reasonably thinks that Grace is what he's seeing after dying. There's nothing else to say that Simon knows he's not dead unless the fic/comic says so. And even if he does, Simon grew up in a place where religion was above all. To Simon 'angel' is likely a compliment meant for high ranking people.
And there's so many other reasons that Simon might or might not call Grace 'angel'. My point is that it's not inherently racist. Nothing about a person of color calling their partner who is white 'angel' is problematic. I often refer to my girlfriend, who is white, as an 'angel' or out-right call her 'angel'. Yes, the fact that Grace recuses Simon and Simon calling him 'angel' can be viewed that way, especially if the fic/comic writers make it creepy like that, which is never okay. The nickname is not meant to give Grace this God complex, actually in most fics/comics Ryland immediately corrects Simon, because KNOWING the character of Grace, he would never take that because he doesn't view himself that way.
Anyways, this is why I believe that the 'angel' nickname isn't giving Grace a White Savior complex. Of course this poster and anyone who agree with the poster are allowed to have their own view on it, because they've had different experiences than I. I'm not trying to down play that at all. I just wanted to explain my point of view on this topic since I saw it twice already. And yes this is a tag on ao3 which can be blocked.
Happy scrolling Nerds, and remember if you see something you don't like, just scroll past it.