Millennial ⭐ || She/Her 💃🏻 Scorpio ♏ || Slytherin 🐍 || ISTP 🔨 I only joined tumblr because of Hazbin Hotel.
Currently navigating my way around this crazy fandom.
When Alastor's mother told him that he could bring home friends for dinner, this was not exactly what she envisioned.
This is a snake. Her name is Kevin.
(Happy belated birthday @hismercytomyjustice :) )
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
This fanfiction answers the question of, "If Lucifer suddenly knew Alastor to the very core of his being, how would they move forward from there?"
And it does so in one of the most poignant love stories I've ever read!
The imagery, characterization, humor, and emotional flow is exquisite, and the author's take on Lucifer's punishment from Heaven is so creative! (Notably, written pre-Season 2.)
And...okay, I have GOT to share my love of Hollis Fisher. If you typically click away from fics when they feature OCs early on, I *implore* you to give this one a chance, because you are guaranteed to fall in love with this fellow before the fic is through. I feel a pang whenever I finish rereading this story because he isn't an established character in the show, and I can't satisfy my need for More Hollis Fisher in my life with a thousand fanfiction interpretations the way I can with the show's actual characters.
And oddly enough, that peculiar feeling of appreciative melancholy is shared by the overall vibe of the story itself! There's a deeply poetic sense of yearning that lingers throughout this fic, and it's difficult to describe. But it is an absolute whirlwind of emotions, and every one of them feels thoroughly earned!
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Why hello, Hazbin Hotel fan! Do you like chaos? Why of course you do, that's why you watch this show!
What if I told you there was a fic where...okay, the joke falls apart at this point, because this fic is chock-full of chaos. XD The plot: all of the fur-having hotel residents get fleas, and need to take flea baths. Featuring Looney Tunes style hijinks and some genuinely cute moments throughout; it's such a treat!
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
This fanfiction answers the question of, "If Lucifer suddenly knew Alastor to the very core of his being, how would they move forward from there?"
And it does so in one of the most poignant love stories I've ever read!
The imagery, characterization, humor, and emotional flow is exquisite, and the author's take on Lucifer's punishment from Heaven is so creative! (Notably, written pre-Season 2.)
And...okay, I have GOT to share my love of Hollis Fisher. If you typically click away from fics when they feature OCs early on, I *implore* you to give this one a chance, because you are guaranteed to fall in love with this fellow before the fic is through. I feel a pang whenever I finish rereading this story because he isn't an established character in the show, and I can't satisfy my need for More Hollis Fisher in my life with a thousand fanfiction interpretations the way I can with the show's actual characters.
And oddly enough, that peculiar feeling of appreciative melancholy is shared by the overall vibe of the story itself! There's a deeply poetic sense of yearning that lingers throughout this fic, and it's difficult to describe. But it is an absolute whirlwind of emotions, and every one of them feels thoroughly earned!
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
My first self-promo post, but far from my last! :)
This fic is exactly what it says on the tin! A short, silly romp, featuring RadioApple, AppleDust, Lucifer/Niffty (AppleMaid?), Lucifer/Husk (is that Royal Flush?), Lucifer/Sir Pentious (idk but as a pair of inventors they're actually kind of cute), and Lucifer/Cherri (...AppleBomb? CherriApple? idk)!
Also, it features this artwork by the lovely Isoh!
Fanart para un oneshot de Coulombia en Ao3! : "Lucifer is Marrying EVERYONE Here!". Es muy divertido! c:
el fic tiene #radioapple #applehus
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
This RadioApple fanfiction is a genuine masterpiece of writing. The character work, the plot intrigue, the pacing, EVERYTHING comes together beautifully in a true epic!
The plot is simple in premise and exquisite in execution. It covers the story of Alastor gradually learning to trust those around him, which sounds...far too bland for what it is. Every relationship is given weight in this story, every interaction feels real, and you can feel the bonds forged between the characters with every paragraph you read. Additionally, the mysteries this story offers are perfectly balanced against the answers the reader receives along the way, making it a marvelous reading (and rereading) experience!
At this point, the first story is complete, and the sequel is consistently updating, with much fanfare and sobbing each time, because holy SHIT this fic gets dark. But it earns its darkness each time, and the softness it is capable of means the scale never tips entirely into bleakness, there's always just that little bit of hope present. And it is a beautiful thing to witness!
I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ABOUT ALASTOR AND VOX RN.
I just...need to put them all in one place. And who knows. I might be delulu af, but by god I have an English degree and reading too much into shit is literally what I majored in, lmaooo.
FOR THE RECORD, some of the below is the result of discussions with @alternatemarvel, @hazbinhotelier, and @number1trashenthusiast! Just want to make sure I’m giving credit where credit is due! And thank y'all for going completely feral with me!!!
Spoilers for Hazbin Hotel S2E4 Below the Cut!
TIL that even tho the formatting on the edit portion of my tumblr post shows indented bullet points, the actual post doesn't... -internal and external screaming- HOPE THIS STILL MAKES SENSE.
First and foremost, Alastor is SO FUCKING DONE in so many ways...
His rivalry/relationship with Lucifer reaches a boiling point
IMHO, Lucifer is only involved in Charlie’s hotel and all now BECAUSE OF ALASTOR - he doesn’t want him alone with Charlie
Lucifer is only able to be truly and fully present when Alastor is in the same room as him, though I don’t know if either of them have realized that or not.
I also wonder if he subconsciously gravitates toward Alastor because of that.
I wonder if a part of why Alastor enjoys fucking with Lucifer so much is because there’s no risk of him becoming an actual friend and he seems to prefer people standing on their own two feet and for their own personal convictions
Also, if he hadn’t stepped back in general, I have a feeling Lucifer wouldn’t have had the same opening to bond with Charlie earlier on in the season because I feel she’s more likely to go to Alastor than to Lucifer for stuff like this
Lucifer is the final straw with all that, but bruh has just been getting kicked while he's been down for a hot minute.
They said it had been a month since the extermination in the first episode, right? He has had a GAPING ANGELIC CHEST WOUND for A MONTH.
He has his DEAL hanging over him
In the S1 finale, he had a full blown panic attack over almost FUCKING DYING
Though to be fair it seemed a bit more rooted in the fact he realized he may have caught friendship feelings for the folks at the hotel...(at least a little bit)...
He seems like he’s purposely kept a distance from people since then in order to prevent that kind of thing from happening. This could also be part of why he’s being such a dick to everyone now. I think there’s also an element of him being in a fuckton of pain, but maybe he’s trying to distance himself at the same time by holding everyone at arm’s length
His staff is fucked, limiting his power.
I’m thinking it mostly controls his green glowy magic, seeing as his staff kept fritzing out with green sparks and he primarily used his shadows when fighting Vox
IN CONCLUSION, Alastor is up a tree, the tree is on fire, and rocks are being thrown at him
Alastor’s Backstory
We don’t have confirmation Alastor was white-passing, though he’s arguably lighter skinned than some of the other folks we see
I think it’s particularly telling that any time we see him making headway or in positions that give him more power, ALL of the surrounding characters are white
A lot of his interactions with them come across as performative too
In the scene where the wine is spilled on him, he’s wearing his close-lipped smile, which seems to be what he defaults to when pissed. Bro is fucking SEETHING. And, again, he’s with a white guy and that white guy is dressed significantly nicer than him and doesn’t care he’s spilling his drink all over him. I ALSO think it’s interesting Alastor doesn’t have his own drink here.
And then when he kills the guy? The level of overkill there… I mean, it’s a cartoon at the end of the day, but he stabs TF out of him.
I think it’s also telling that we never see Alastor spending time with anyone he seems to deem a true friend. Sure, there’s the scene with Mimzy on the piano, but we all know how the two of them actually are.
However, I think it's ALSO telling that this is the only time we see him looking less performative and actively spending time with people of multiple racial backgrounds. It's also the closest we see him to being genuinely happy/content prior to his deal with Rosie.
Alastor’s Deal with Rosie
I feel like a big part of Alastor seeking out a deal with Rosie is because he worked his ass off to get where he was in life (she even acknowledges this) and I have a feeling he may be convinced segregation and whatnot is still alive and well in Hell (I mean, why wouldn’t it be? It’s hell!), so he wants some reassurance he won’t be right back at the bottom there, clawing his way up
I also feel like when Rosie was making the deal with him, she was almost trying to seduce him/come on to him through her magic, just talking sensually and touching his face and winding around him. I imagine that kind of thing has probably been very effective for her in the past. The only reaction it pulls out of Alastor, however, is that he watches her magic hand like a hawk.
It seems like Alastor dying immediately after making his deal with Rosie was not an accident. When they make the deal, there’s imagery of him with the antlers behind hiis head and then a flash of a green X like the mark on his forehead. I’m putting money on her having somehow arranged to have him die before he could complete whatever task she asked of him. Hell, I’m half convinced she somehow sought him out rather than him just stumbling upon her.
I believe Alastor also went into this deal fully planning on having everything sorted before he died. I don’t think any part of him was planning to actually be at Rosie’s beck and call.
When Rosie mentions him giving his soul in exchange for power, she wraps her powers around his shadow. This makes me wonder if the reason his shadow is so expressive (sometimes moreso than him), is because it's his actual soul
I wonder about the wording of the deal too. Did we see the whole thing? It certainly seems like we did. Does Alastor even know what he’s looking for or what she wants him to accomplish, or has he been running around on a wild goose chase this whole time, hoping to stumble onto it? Is Rosie the one keeping him at the hotel? Again, it seems like it. But if so, why?
I also can’t help but wonder if Alastor took Charlie to see Rosie in Cannibal Town in S1 of his own volition or if all of that was orchestrated by Rosie too.
NGL, I was surprised when Rosie didn’t show for the fight. In fact, it seems like she tends to keep a pretty low profile, at least around the Exorcists.
With her magic being gold in color, her power level, and Zestial mentioning something about Alastor being in “heavenly arms,” it seems like there could be implications Rosie has angelic connections. Also it wouldn’t surprise me if she was Roo, though it sounds like we’ll have to wait until S3 for confirmation.
The Fight with Vox/The Vees
I feel like there are a few possibilities as to why Alastor picked a fight with Vox and that he had several reasons/several things he hoped to get out of it
Regardless, I think Alastor rolled up to the Entertainment District with the explicit purpose of making a deal of some kind with him, for whatever reason. I don’t know if it was to straight up offer to be his prisoner, or if that was plan B or Plan Z, but I think he definitely considered the possibility beforehand.
The thing I DON’T think Alastor planned on, was Niffty and Husk joining the fight
If he goes to the Entertainment District to fight Vox on his own, the only thing he has to worry about is himself. He’s weighed the pros and cons and the sacrifices and whatnot he’s willing to make.
But then Niffty immediately rolling up and ready to fight to the death for him??? That’s a wildcard he didn’t account for. Admittedly, we have no idea if the bullets in Valentino’s gun are angelic steel or not (or if Alastor knows either). If they were, he ran the risk of Niffty actually dying. If they weren’t, she’d come back eventually. Which begs the question, was he genuinely concerned she’d double die OR did he not want to see her hurt at all?
I saw someone (maybe on Bluesky?) say that seeing Niffty pinned to the ground with a gun on her might have also brought up a traumatic memory for Alastor (potentially of his mother), which I thought was super interesting and could also see.
In the off chance Alastor wasn’t planning to make a deal at all and this was a split second decision to protect Niffty, this is EXACTLY the kind of thing he was so freaked out about in the S1 Finale. His mental breakdown then was entirely due to him almost dying BECAUSE HE MAYBE CAUGHT FRIENDSHIP.
Because friends are a weakness in many ways. You find yourself doing irrational things for them, making changes to accommodate them, and they can be used against you. Not to mention having to rely on someone other than yourself, especially if you already have trust issues.
Regardless of if he has any other motives, I believe Alastor saw Niffty with Valentino’s gun to her head and had a moment of “absolutely not.” Whether the decision to make a deal was ALSO the result of him waiting for something “bad enough” to happen to justify his capitulating to Vox, or some secret third, fourth, or fifth thing, though… Only time will tell.
SIDE NOTE, all these eyes seem AWFULLY interested in this fight and I'm curious if these are tied to Rosie somehow
I think there are a variety of reasons for Alastor offered Vox that deal too. Imma bullet them all out:
He wants a break from his deal/the hotel
"So sorry, Rosie, can't make it in to work! I'm being held against my will!" The fuck you are...
He needs time for his wound to heal while little is expected of him
He wants to protect Niffty
I think he genuinely cares about her and was at least partially motivated to offer the deal because he didn't want her hurt. But I also think that he knows Rosie won't let him take a "deal vacation" if he doesn't have a real reason. What's she going to say to him agreeing to "sacrifice" himself to save Niffty though? Seems like she’d be less likely to call foul on that.
He’s trying to bait Charlie (and potentially Lucifer) into helping him
He HAS to know when word gets back to Charlie (via Husk and Niffty) that a big part of why he offered to be Vox’s prisoner was to protect her, that she’s going to move heaven and earth to save him. Hell, maybe he’s also just trying to speed up something else on his end by pulling her to V Tower
He’s trying to bait Rosie into healing him/fixing his staff by showing he’s not as effective of a tool while at a disadvantage like this
He’s genuinely trying to protect Charlie from Vox and this is the best bargaining chip he has
Of course this could either be the result of him genuinely caring about Charlie (unlikely, but maybe a teensy tiny part), his deal with Rosie, or otherwise
I want to believe Alastor genuinely cares for Charlie on some level, for the record. I'm not sure what that level is, but I also don't think he made leaving her alone one of his stipulations solely out of the goodness of his heart.
He’s trying to gain intel on what Vox and the Vees are doing
Bro literally just has to sit there and let the guy monologue at him
There’s something in V Tower he’s trying to get ahold of and this is the easiest way to get inside
He’s trying to distract Vox/delay his plans
He ABSOLUTELY managed to do that at least for a day or so already
The Flashback with Vox at the Bar
The flashback literally starts with Alastor saying “And then you went and ruined it” about their relationship
Indications of a positive relationship
Vox mentions they’ve been close for a few years now
Alastor doesn’t shy away from his casual touches
The Complicated
Alastor is the only one drinking - Mimzy’s said before that he’s a kitten when drunk. Is this intentional on Vox’s part? An attempt to put him in a better mood or to butter him up?
Alastor feels almost more like a mentor in this scene and his mentor style seems to be tough love.
Like with Charlie. Bro literally rolled up like “awww what’s the matter, are you sad because you just doomed everyone you loved???” and that was to CINNAMON ROLL CHARLIE (aka NOT a cult leader who earned his place in Hell)
Vox comes off as having a crush
He’s literally over there trying to tuck his nonexistent hair behind his nonexistent ear
Vox displays HARDCORE sycophantic behavior
He literally says “am I boring you with all my compliments”
That might come across as super friendly and whatnot, but can you imagine having to put up with this for years already? If Alastor so much as breathes, Vox is just like “omg, you crushed it with inhaling that oxygen, bestie!” That’s not a relationship/partnership, that’s a “Alastor is on a pedestal”-ship
I’m also a firm believer in that Vox looks at Alastor and sees what he WANTS to see rather than who Alastor actually is, which is a big part of the problem and their miscommunications
Alastor’s Rejection of Vox and his Partnership
I think there are a couple of potential reasons for this too, and there’s likely more than one at play here
Vox’s opening line is “with your incredible power and my massive influence”
This feels very much like what Alastor had to put up with his entire life. In the flashback to his living days, he always comes across as incredibly performative/masking.
Not only that, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence we see him so often surrounded by white people (especially white men) when he’s in this mode.
It feels like he spent his whole life being the talent, the star power, the draw, but having little to no power of his own and ultimately having to play his role in order to get where he was. And here Vox is, a newer Sinner who wants to hitch his cart to Alastor’s wagon.
Alastor seems very much like someone who is used to being used as a stepping stone for others
There’s a distinct rise in Alastor’s static when Vox gets more up in his space, putting his hands on both of his shoulders, indicating he’s crossing a boundary. We have no idea if this is the first time or if this has been going on for years.
I think there’s an element of privilege on Vox’s part too. I know it was hinted before that Vox was a white dude (though it hasn’t explicitly been stated in the show, so that’s not guaranteed) but he comes across as someone who lived a relatively easy life all things considered. Bare minimum, he didn’t have to worry about racism if he was a white dude, and the world was basically tailor made for him while he was alive.
I think part of the strength of Alastor’s negative reaction here is because he no longer has to play nice with people (especially white people) to get by and to excel. I don’t necessarily think the show is going to hardcore play into racial discrimination and segregation and all that (I think they’ve already hit on that theme with the Winners vs Sinners situation), but I feel the flashback we got to Alastor’s living days was very telling, especially in a show where so much has to happen in a very short amount of time. Especially since that happened before the flashback with Vox.
I wonder if Vox even knows about Alastor’s heritage and what life was like for him
To be fair, I’ve also wondered if part of why Vox was so star struck was because he might’ve been a fan of his in life too, but that’s just a theory (A GAME THEORY)
Vox has more value to Alastor as a potential ally than as a fanboy
Alastor is absolutely also a dick (and proud of it), lol
Also, the look on Vox’s face when Alastor told him he used to respect him… OOF. I think that’s a big part of why he rejected him so harshly too, because he lost all respect for him in that moment. If Vox had just toned it down a tad and tried to approach him as an actual partner/equal, he might have actually gotten a yes, or at least he wouldn’t have been laughed at.
This scene also gives me the same vibes I’ve heard aro/ace folks mention about how they’ll think they’re good friends with someone only to realize that the person is actually interested in something sexual or romantic with them and then there’s a level of hurt/betrayal there because the ensuing rejection is usually the end of the friendship anyway. They’re just acting like themselves, like they would around anyone else they enjoyed spending time with, and it’s misconstrued as flirting/being interested in becoming more than friends, which results in hurt feelings on both parts. This seems to happen SO OFTEN to aro/ace people.
I think part of the strength of Alastor’s reaction here is because Vox clearly has a crush on him and he knows it, so there’s an extra element of him being like, “I have to put a firm stop to this or he’s never going to take the hint,” which I’ve also seen happen to folks I know. You have to shut that shit down as firmly as you can so the other person doesn’t think you’re playing hard to get or that they can change your mind if they try harder
Alastor also indicates he didn’t think Vox was serious at first. He could be saying that to twist the knife, but being ace (and/or aroace), he may just not have an overall understanding or empathy for Vox’s feelings. Not in the “uwu, I don’t understand sex and romance” sense, but moreso in the “I’ve literally never experienced that, I’ve given you no indication I’m into either of those things, and yet here you are projecting your feelings onto me” sense.
Alastor definitely knows how much he hurts Vox by saying all this, but I think there’s an element of hurt (or at least discomfort) on both sides. We also haven’t seen their interactions over the years. It’s possible Vox has tried softballing all this stuff before and has been gently (or more gently, anyway) let down up to this point.
It never would’ve been a partnership anyway. Vox is too obsessed with Alastor and determined to put him on a pedestal to ever be his equal. It’s possible Alastor is aware of that too and is either reacting like this because he genuinely feels Vox is limiting himself and his capabilities with his ridiculous emotions and obsession and he needs a harsh reality check, or because Vox just confirmed he will never get over his obsession and will never be at Alastor’s level OR partner material, so he may as well burn that bridge now rather than have to deal with Vox’s kicked puppy reaction
I’d also like to point out Vox isn’t a #babygirl. That man is a former cult leader who earned his place in hell. Just because he gets flustered and shy around Alastor doesn’t mean that all isn’t still true.
Why it’s a GOOD thing (for Vox) that Alastor rejected him
Vox wouldn’t be where he is today if Alastor hadn’t rejected him. He never would’ve been motivated to SORT OF move past his obsession with him because he was too busy being a sycophantic fanboy. I think Alastor was maybe hoping he would grow out of that phase.
Vox would’ve turned into his lost puppy sidekick
Alastor has to know Vox becoming his partner will stunt his growth, in which case he could potentially be using tough love or trying to give him one final push into being his own person and proving his worth
Alastor has shown before that he pushes people, like he did with Charlie. I think that’s a big part of why he’s drawn to Charlie in the first place. He finds her entertaining, but he also likes that she’s willing to stand on her own two feet and stand up for her convictions.
She could’ve easily crumbled under his whole speech about how she doomed everyone she loved but instead she rose to the challenge.
I wonder if that’s possibly what’s happening here too. He’s pushing against Vox to test his mettle and make him rise to the challenge, or perhaps he’s finally just hit the point where he’s like “Oh, this guy is hopeless, he’s never going to stop being obsessed with me and he’s never going to reach his full potential because of it”
Alastor and Vox’s relationship
I feel like Alastor and Vox are very much foils in that Vox keeps limiting himself because of his overeliance on others and what they think of him, whereas Alastor keeps limiting himself because he refuses to let anyone in and insists on handling everything on his own
Vox limits himself because he’s so concerned about Alastor and what he wants. He’s never going to achieve his full potential when that’s all he can think about
Tbh, he proves it again when he shows up to fight Alastor both times. The time in the past we don’t see (where the implication is that he had the Vees with him) and he fucking lost, and this time where, despite all his claims and posturing, he STILL brings his buddies to a fight with Alastor and makes it a 3 on 1 situation
I think Alastor has a certain amount of ego and superiority here and is proud of himself for doing as much as he has on his own and for “being a strong, independent woman who don’t need no man,” whereas his biggest insult to Vox is that he would never have gotten as far as he had without the support of the Vees
I think that’s where Alastor and Vox also differ. Yes, they both have insane egos, but attention/admiration from others is icing to Alastor whereas Vox literally cannot function if senpai is in the same room as him. I’m convinced that if Vox ends up being the true big bad this season and a genuine threat, it will be because he FINALLY learns the lesson Alastor has either purposefully and/or accidentally been trying to teach him about how he’ll never be on his level because he DOESN’T BELIEVE he’s on his level. I’m not saying Vox doesn’t need the Vees or that he doesn’t benefit from his relationship with hem, but Vox has subconsciously been limiting himself all the years because he seems to lack the idk if it’s confidence, or if it’s just that can’t break himself of seeing Alastor as stronger and more powerful than him, or what.
I think a major turning point for Vox is going to be removing those self-imposed limitations, whether it involves no longer giving a shit about what Alastor thinks about him or does, or if he’s finally able to come into his own power and fully wield it, which will not be great for Team Hotel lol
Even when Vox proposes his deal with Alastor in the flashback, he’s more fixated on what he brings to the table being influence rather than power, meanwhile he actually has a TON of power. I feel like there’s a lot of untapped potential there that he might finally be able to bring to the surface
Alastor and Vox have VERY different motivations and goals
At the end of the day, Alastor is self-contained when it comes to his ego and power. Is fear and respect from the masses important to him? Absolutely! But he doesn’t NEED external validation. He has no interest in becoming a god, unlike Vox. He doesn’t want to rule over others and have them bow to them, he just wants to have the equivalent of a “fuck you” fund, but with power
I think a big part of this is probably due to him growing up as a mixed-race man in the south in the 20s/30s. I think ultimate power to him is being able to do whatever the fuck he wants without having to mask his intentions or play nice. I think when he got to hell, he finally achieved true power. Like, yeah, he’s still on Rosie’s leash, but he no longer has to bow to Jim Crow or any of that, or hamstring himself, or present himself in a more friendly and less threatening light
Like when he killed that guy in his flashback as a human. Dude spilled his drink all over him and he had to sit there, grin, and bear it. Then he had to kill the guy in secret. In Hell, however, he can just do that shit out in the open. I think having that much freedom is all he’s ever fucking wanted. He gets to make his own rules (to an extent) and doesn’t have to “play nice”
Vox, meanwhile, was a cult leader in life and wants to be a god in death. Power isn’t enough for him, unlike Alastor. He needs everyone to know JUST HOW POWERFUL he is and to idolize him because of it. He also DESPERATELY wants senpai to notice him. Tbh, that’s a HUGE fucking weakness and limitation for him and also why he struggles to understand Alastor’s motivations and viewpoint
I very much think Vox is someone who’s accustomed to having his way and having Alastor not fall in line as a yes man is appealing to him as a result, but at the same time WHY WON’T SENPAI NOTICE AND ACKNOWLEDGE HIIIIIIIIM?!
Ngl, Vox was also giving me “daddy issues” vibes
I really do think that end game is some kind of reconciliation between the two or, at least, Alastor realizing he needs to accept help from others and bonding further with Charlie and the hotel crew as a result
I could also absolutely be wrong, but so much about the show is geared to the theme of redemption
We see a major difference between Vox an Alastor’s living spaces and living styles too
Everything Vox has is BIG and SHINY and MODERN and NEW and CHROME. He has a giant ass tower in the middle Pentagram City with a ginormous shark tank. He rides around in a limo. His suit looks brand new.
Alastor, meanwhile, shows that despite his thirst for power, he continues to seek the creature comforts he had in life. His shack in the bayou had literal holes in between the boards. He had the fireplace and the chair beside it. He also had bookshelves covered in books and knicknacks and bones and hunting trophies on display.
His space at the hotel looks SO SIMILAR to his space while living. He’s the most powerful Overlord in Hell (according to Rosie), yet his biggest indulgence seems to be having his own radio tower. The furniture in his room at the hotel in S1 is scuffed and scratched and well-worn yet still in good shape. Moreover, his space feels like the coziest/most homey we’ve seen in the show. It just really stands out to me that with all his power and influence, all he really seems to want at the end of the day is a reminder of his old home.
Insert, "bitch, you live like this?" meme. I don't even wanna know what that place smells like with all the literal corpses lying around...
Not only that, but his coat is frayed at the edges and he goes to the tailor to get it repaired after Pentious damaged it, rather than just buying a new one. Alastor comes across as someone who values the things he has and takes good care of them.
Something @number1trashenthusiast said in particular really stuck with me, regarding the Day in the Afterlife comic too (granted, Viv has said not to assume anything not in the show proper is not guaranteed canon). Alastor’s presumably at the height of his power in that comic and he spends his entire day just…having a nice, normal time. He goes out to eat, waves to some cannibals, goes on a stroll… But the whole time, he’s alone. And at the end, he saves that one Sinner without seeming to ask or expect anything in return.
At the end of the day, it feels like all Alastor wants is enough power and influence to be able to live his life on his own terms and that’s his primary motivation for becoming an Overlord and instilling fear in so many. At the same time, in order to achieve that, he is very, very alone.
Alastor’s Deal with Vox (and the consequences)
I def think there's more than one thing going on there.
I feel like there’s also a weird level of trust of Vox indicated by Alastor offering the deal the way he did too. He offered a pretty fucking open-ended deal, imho. In fact, it seems a little too open-ended for him, which leads me to wonder if he did it in a panic (I don’t think so), or if he knew he didn’t have to add other stipulations because he wasn’t afraid of Vox taking advantage of him/actually hurting him.
NOT GONNA LIE. I think the only person who doesn’t realize Vox has a MASSIVE FUCKING CRUSH on Alastor is Vox.
The man took his (supposedly) most hated enemy and rival to a 50s style milkshake parlor. There were TWO straws in that cup. WAS IT PROVIDED LIKE THAT OR DID HE ASK FOR TWO?
Even though he’s humiliating Alastor left and right, the main thing Vox seems to want is for everyone to see that ALASTOR IS HANGING OUT WITH HIM, OKAY???
He doesn’t have to be running around in public with him on dates. He could just put up a live feed of him torturing him or something, but no, he’s gotta show EVERYONE that senpai NOTICED him.
Fellas, is it gay to take your rival out on a date to a juke joint to (metaphorically) split a shake with him?
Not only that, but the bit at the end of the episode when Valentino says “just fuck already...” Alastor looks annoyed and unsurprised, but Vox looks startled and blushes.
I think it’s another indication of just why Alastor doesn’t really have any respect for Vox. Tbh he probably could’ve just offered the dude a deal to be his friend or hang out in public and I think Vox would’ve at least been tempted. It is PAINFULLY obvious how over the moon Vox is at the offer. Like, bro is just standing there like “omg pinch me, I’m dreaming”
One of the biggest difference between Alastor and Vox, in my opinion, is if Vox had offered him this same deal, Alastor would’ve laughed in his face. He doesn’t need to throw a parade or get a milkshake with Vox at the juke joint because he doesn’t need that kind of validation.
I am WILDLY curious how Alastor is going to get out of this open-ended deal though
Is someone going to actually free him from it? Is him getting rescued enough? Is Vox going to break the terms on his end first? Is his whole plan that Lucifer will get involved on Charlie’s behalf and maybe break his deal with Vox AND Rosie somehow? He definitely has some kind of ulterior motive.
Also, the deal being open-ended goes both ways. All Alastor agreed was to be Vox’s prisoner. What does that even mean? He just has to stay in V Tower? He didn’t say he agreed to be straight up imprisoned or tied up or any of that. To me it seems like all he agreed to was staying with him. I’m very curious to see if he continues to just remain tied up in the chair or if he immediately starts exploiting loopholes in some way shape or form
I would also settle for:
Alastor constantly heckling Vox during work meetings
Alastor awkwardly pushing himself around in the chair in the background of various scenes with his little feet
Alastor only being tied up in the chair when Vox is looking and just doing whatever the fuck he wants otherwise.
The Aftermath of the Deal
As for Vox humiliating Alastor, I don’t think Alastor actually feels humiliated by all of this. HEAR ME OUT. Vox didn’t win. Alastor handed him the win. I think if Alastor had actually been captured and forced into a deal, he would be reacting to all of this very differently.
Sure, all of Hell might be eating up what Vox is laying down, but I don’t get that vibe from Alastor. If anything, he just looks incredibly bored and annoyed, but unsurprised. I think when he offered himself up like this to Vox, he knew exactly what was going to happen and what to expect. I think that’s part of why he made the deal so open-ended. Because he wasn’t really worried about Vox actually hurting him.
TBH, Alastor is giving “reluctant Disney princess for a children’s birthday party” vibes the whole time, meanwhile Vox is over the moon having a 5 star experience while he is hardcore phoning it in.
This also feels very much like Vox has been the dog chasing the proverbial car (Alastor) and now that he has him, he doesn’t know what to do with him
Like, you have your biggest rival under your control and he was willing to make a deal with you and you…take him for a milkshake date…
He is hardcore squandering the opportunity that was laid in his lap and I have a feeling Alastor fully anticipated that too.
Vox is so incredibly blinded by getting senpai to notice him that he hasn’t even stopped to consider how he could actually use Alastor to his advantage in his crusade to become god.
Alastor offered him something he knew Vox was so desperate for that he wouldn’t read the fine print or add his own stipulations, and I think that was intentional on his part
I feel like Alastor knows this is temporary (one way or another) and expects to be able to step away somehow when he’s tired of being his prisoner. Just “Welp, it’s been fun old pal, see ya around!”
It’s also possible he has a plan to make Vox forfeit the deal, whether by goading him into doing something to Charlie that would break it, or by having Charlie show up to rescue him and Vox having to break the deal to defend himself or something.
Lol, that or he’s literally just there like “I guess I get to have a (reluctant) playdate with Vox until Rosie finds out and then drags me away by the ear”
There is absolutely something else going on
Meanwhile, the cuck chair…
I get why some folks are saying this is sexual assault in that Alastor didn’t consent to watch, but at the same time, I also feel like Alastor is not remotely surprised by this and, again, looks bored and annoyed af.
He very much has a “got it out of your system yet” look on his face, imho. Even Valentino seems to think it’s embarrassing and this kind of thing SHOULD be right up his alley. Instead, he looks kinda checked out/bored too. And for him to be as big of a simp and as obsessed with Angel Dust as he is yet look at Vox and be like “damn, bro, can you maybe dial down the desperation to at least a 9.8 instead of a full 10” is just…OOF.
Again, not saying that this was OKAY in any way, shape, or form. I’m just saying that Alastor seems to take it in stride the same way he has everything else.
TBH, personally I was more uncomfortable with how much Rosie and Vox kept touching Alastor throughout this episode, when we know he has an aversion to touch. I feel like the main times we saw him look genuinely uncomfortable/angry were when they had their hands on him, ESPECIALLY his hair and ears. They touch him like they have the right to and goddamn as someone who is also VERY touch averse, that bothered me so much.
In addition, it’s not uncommon for a non-white person to have their physical boundaries/bodily autonomy ignored in that way, especially in regard to hair
OKAY. I think that was all I wanted to say, lol. I’ll add anything I may have forgotten. And again, maybe I am completely off my rocker, but I was gnawing at the bars of my enclosure and had to get my hyperfixation zoomies out somehow.
If you made it all the way to the end of this, god bless you lmao, because lord knows I have a terminal case of the Yaps.
AND IF YOU SOMEHOW MADE IT THIS FAR, please let me know what you think and your thoughts and theories too!!!
I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ABOUT ALASTOR AND VOX RN.
I just...need to put them all in one place. And who knows. I might be delulu af, but by god I have an English degree and reading too much into shit is literally what I majored in, lmaooo.
FOR THE RECORD, some of the below is the result of discussions with @alternatemarvel, @hazbinhotelier, and @number1trashenthusiast! Just want to make sure I’m giving credit where credit is due! And thank y'all for going completely feral with me!!!
Spoilers for Hazbin Hotel S2E4 Below the Cut!
TIL that even tho the formatting on the edit portion of my tumblr post shows indented bullet points, the actual post doesn't... -internal and external screaming- HOPE THIS STILL MAKES SENSE.
First and foremost, Alastor is SO FUCKING DONE in so many ways...
His rivalry/relationship with Lucifer reaches a boiling point
IMHO, Lucifer is only involved in Charlie’s hotel and all now BECAUSE OF ALASTOR - he doesn’t want him alone with Charlie
Lucifer is only able to be truly and fully present when Alastor is in the same room as him, though I don’t know if either of them have realized that or not.
I also wonder if he subconsciously gravitates toward Alastor because of that.
I wonder if a part of why Alastor enjoys fucking with Lucifer so much is because there’s no risk of him becoming an actual friend and he seems to prefer people standing on their own two feet and for their own personal convictions
Also, if he hadn’t stepped back in general, I have a feeling Lucifer wouldn’t have had the same opening to bond with Charlie earlier on in the season because I feel she’s more likely to go to Alastor than to Lucifer for stuff like this
Lucifer is the final straw with all that, but bruh has just been getting kicked while he's been down for a hot minute.
They said it had been a month since the extermination in the first episode, right? He has had a GAPING ANGELIC CHEST WOUND for A MONTH.
He has his DEAL hanging over him
In the S1 finale, he had a full blown panic attack over almost FUCKING DYING
Though to be fair it seemed a bit more rooted in the fact he realized he may have caught friendship feelings for the folks at the hotel...(at least a little bit)...
He seems like he’s purposely kept a distance from people since then in order to prevent that kind of thing from happening. This could also be part of why he’s being such a dick to everyone now. I think there’s also an element of him being in a fuckton of pain, but maybe he’s trying to distance himself at the same time by holding everyone at arm’s length
His staff is fucked, limiting his power.
I’m thinking it mostly controls his green glowy magic, seeing as his staff kept fritzing out with green sparks and he primarily used his shadows when fighting Vox
IN CONCLUSION, Alastor is up a tree, the tree is on fire, and rocks are being thrown at him
Alastor’s Backstory
We don’t have confirmation Alastor was white-passing, though he’s arguably lighter skinned than some of the other folks we see
I think it’s particularly telling that any time we see him making headway or in positions that give him more power, ALL of the surrounding characters are white
A lot of his interactions with them come across as performative too
In the scene where the wine is spilled on him, he’s wearing his close-lipped smile, which seems to be what he defaults to when pissed. Bro is fucking SEETHING. And, again, he’s with a white guy and that white guy is dressed significantly nicer than him and doesn’t care he’s spilling his drink all over him. I ALSO think it’s interesting Alastor doesn’t have his own drink here.
And then when he kills the guy? The level of overkill there… I mean, it’s a cartoon at the end of the day, but he stabs TF out of him.
I think it’s also telling that we never see Alastor spending time with anyone he seems to deem a true friend. Sure, there’s the scene with Mimzy on the piano, but we all know how the two of them actually are.
However, I think it's ALSO telling that this is the only time we see him looking less performative and actively spending time with people of multiple racial backgrounds. It's also the closest we see him to being genuinely happy/content prior to his deal with Rosie.
Alastor’s Deal with Rosie
I feel like a big part of Alastor seeking out a deal with Rosie is because he worked his ass off to get where he was in life (she even acknowledges this) and I have a feeling he may be convinced segregation and whatnot is still alive and well in Hell (I mean, why wouldn’t it be? It’s hell!), so he wants some reassurance he won’t be right back at the bottom there, clawing his way up
I also feel like when Rosie was making the deal with him, she was almost trying to seduce him/come on to him through her magic, just talking sensually and touching his face and winding around him. I imagine that kind of thing has probably been very effective for her in the past. The only reaction it pulls out of Alastor, however, is that he watches her magic hand like a hawk.
It seems like Alastor dying immediately after making his deal with Rosie was not an accident. When they make the deal, there’s imagery of him with the antlers behind hiis head and then a flash of a green X like the mark on his forehead. I’m putting money on her having somehow arranged to have him die before he could complete whatever task she asked of him. Hell, I’m half convinced she somehow sought him out rather than him just stumbling upon her.
I believe Alastor also went into this deal fully planning on having everything sorted before he died. I don’t think any part of him was planning to actually be at Rosie’s beck and call.
When Rosie mentions him giving his soul in exchange for power, she wraps her powers around his shadow. This makes me wonder if the reason his shadow is so expressive (sometimes moreso than him), is because it's his actual soul
I wonder about the wording of the deal too. Did we see the whole thing? It certainly seems like we did. Does Alastor even know what he’s looking for or what she wants him to accomplish, or has he been running around on a wild goose chase this whole time, hoping to stumble onto it? Is Rosie the one keeping him at the hotel? Again, it seems like it. But if so, why?
I also can’t help but wonder if Alastor took Charlie to see Rosie in Cannibal Town in S1 of his own volition or if all of that was orchestrated by Rosie too.
NGL, I was surprised when Rosie didn’t show for the fight. In fact, it seems like she tends to keep a pretty low profile, at least around the Exorcists.
With her magic being gold in color, her power level, and Zestial mentioning something about Alastor being in “heavenly arms,” it seems like there could be implications Rosie has angelic connections. Also it wouldn’t surprise me if she was Roo, though it sounds like we’ll have to wait until S3 for confirmation.
The Fight with Vox/The Vees
I feel like there are a few possibilities as to why Alastor picked a fight with Vox and that he had several reasons/several things he hoped to get out of it
Regardless, I think Alastor rolled up to the Entertainment District with the explicit purpose of making a deal of some kind with him, for whatever reason. I don’t know if it was to straight up offer to be his prisoner, or if that was plan B or Plan Z, but I think he definitely considered the possibility beforehand.
The thing I DON’T think Alastor planned on, was Niffty and Husk joining the fight
If he goes to the Entertainment District to fight Vox on his own, the only thing he has to worry about is himself. He’s weighed the pros and cons and the sacrifices and whatnot he’s willing to make.
But then Niffty immediately rolling up and ready to fight to the death for him??? That’s a wildcard he didn’t account for. Admittedly, we have no idea if the bullets in Valentino’s gun are angelic steel or not (or if Alastor knows either). If they were, he ran the risk of Niffty actually dying. If they weren’t, she’d come back eventually. Which begs the question, was he genuinely concerned she’d double die OR did he not want to see her hurt at all?
I saw someone (maybe on Bluesky?) say that seeing Niffty pinned to the ground with a gun on her might have also brought up a traumatic memory for Alastor (potentially of his mother), which I thought was super interesting and could also see.
In the off chance Alastor wasn’t planning to make a deal at all and this was a split second decision to protect Niffty, this is EXACTLY the kind of thing he was so freaked out about in the S1 Finale. His mental breakdown then was entirely due to him almost dying BECAUSE HE MAYBE CAUGHT FRIENDSHIP.
Because friends are a weakness in many ways. You find yourself doing irrational things for them, making changes to accommodate them, and they can be used against you. Not to mention having to rely on someone other than yourself, especially if you already have trust issues.
Regardless of if he has any other motives, I believe Alastor saw Niffty with Valentino’s gun to her head and had a moment of “absolutely not.” Whether the decision to make a deal was ALSO the result of him waiting for something “bad enough” to happen to justify his capitulating to Vox, or some secret third, fourth, or fifth thing, though… Only time will tell.
SIDE NOTE, all these eyes seem AWFULLY interested in this fight and I'm curious if these are tied to Rosie somehow
I think there are a variety of reasons for Alastor offered Vox that deal too. Imma bullet them all out:
He wants a break from his deal/the hotel
"So sorry, Rosie, can't make it in to work! I'm being held against my will!" The fuck you are...
He needs time for his wound to heal while little is expected of him
He wants to protect Niffty
I think he genuinely cares about her and was at least partially motivated to offer the deal because he didn't want her hurt. But I also think that he knows Rosie won't let him take a "deal vacation" if he doesn't have a real reason. What's she going to say to him agreeing to "sacrifice" himself to save Niffty though? Seems like she’d be less likely to call foul on that.
He’s trying to bait Charlie (and potentially Lucifer) into helping him
He HAS to know when word gets back to Charlie (via Husk and Niffty) that a big part of why he offered to be Vox’s prisoner was to protect her, that she’s going to move heaven and earth to save him. Hell, maybe he’s also just trying to speed up something else on his end by pulling her to V Tower
He’s trying to bait Rosie into healing him/fixing his staff by showing he’s not as effective of a tool while at a disadvantage like this
He’s genuinely trying to protect Charlie from Vox and this is the best bargaining chip he has
Of course this could either be the result of him genuinely caring about Charlie (unlikely, but maybe a teensy tiny part), his deal with Rosie, or otherwise
I want to believe Alastor genuinely cares for Charlie on some level, for the record. I'm not sure what that level is, but I also don't think he made leaving her alone one of his stipulations solely out of the goodness of his heart.
He’s trying to gain intel on what Vox and the Vees are doing
Bro literally just has to sit there and let the guy monologue at him
There’s something in V Tower he’s trying to get ahold of and this is the easiest way to get inside
He’s trying to distract Vox/delay his plans
He ABSOLUTELY managed to do that at least for a day or so already
The Flashback with Vox at the Bar
The flashback literally starts with Alastor saying “And then you went and ruined it” about their relationship
Indications of a positive relationship
Vox mentions they’ve been close for a few years now
Alastor doesn’t shy away from his casual touches
The Complicated
Alastor is the only one drinking - Mimzy’s said before that he’s a kitten when drunk. Is this intentional on Vox’s part? An attempt to put him in a better mood or to butter him up?
Alastor feels almost more like a mentor in this scene and his mentor style seems to be tough love.
Like with Charlie. Bro literally rolled up like “awww what’s the matter, are you sad because you just doomed everyone you loved???” and that was to CINNAMON ROLL CHARLIE (aka NOT a cult leader who earned his place in Hell)
Vox comes off as having a crush
He’s literally over there trying to tuck his nonexistent hair behind his nonexistent ear
Vox displays HARDCORE sycophantic behavior
He literally says “am I boring you with all my compliments”
That might come across as super friendly and whatnot, but can you imagine having to put up with this for years already? If Alastor so much as breathes, Vox is just like “omg, you crushed it with inhaling that oxygen, bestie!” That’s not a relationship/partnership, that’s a “Alastor is on a pedestal”-ship
I’m also a firm believer in that Vox looks at Alastor and sees what he WANTS to see rather than who Alastor actually is, which is a big part of the problem and their miscommunications
Alastor’s Rejection of Vox and his Partnership
I think there are a couple of potential reasons for this too, and there’s likely more than one at play here
Vox’s opening line is “with your incredible power and my massive influence”
This feels very much like what Alastor had to put up with his entire life. In the flashback to his living days, he always comes across as incredibly performative/masking.
Not only that, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence we see him so often surrounded by white people (especially white men) when he’s in this mode.
It feels like he spent his whole life being the talent, the star power, the draw, but having little to no power of his own and ultimately having to play his role in order to get where he was. And here Vox is, a newer Sinner who wants to hitch his cart to Alastor’s wagon.
Alastor seems very much like someone who is used to being used as a stepping stone for others
There’s a distinct rise in Alastor’s static when Vox gets more up in his space, putting his hands on both of his shoulders, indicating he’s crossing a boundary. We have no idea if this is the first time or if this has been going on for years.
I think there’s an element of privilege on Vox’s part too. I know it was hinted before that Vox was a white dude (though it hasn’t explicitly been stated in the show, so that’s not guaranteed) but he comes across as someone who lived a relatively easy life all things considered. Bare minimum, he didn’t have to worry about racism if he was a white dude, and the world was basically tailor made for him while he was alive.
I think part of the strength of Alastor’s negative reaction here is because he no longer has to play nice with people (especially white people) to get by and to excel. I don’t necessarily think the show is going to hardcore play into racial discrimination and segregation and all that (I think they’ve already hit on that theme with the Winners vs Sinners situation), but I feel the flashback we got to Alastor’s living days was very telling, especially in a show where so much has to happen in a very short amount of time. Especially since that happened before the flashback with Vox.
I wonder if Vox even knows about Alastor’s heritage and what life was like for him
To be fair, I’ve also wondered if part of why Vox was so star struck was because he might’ve been a fan of his in life too, but that’s just a theory (A GAME THEORY)
Vox has more value to Alastor as a potential ally than as a fanboy
Alastor is absolutely also a dick (and proud of it), lol
Also, the look on Vox’s face when Alastor told him he used to respect him… OOF. I think that’s a big part of why he rejected him so harshly too, because he lost all respect for him in that moment. If Vox had just toned it down a tad and tried to approach him as an actual partner/equal, he might have actually gotten a yes, or at least he wouldn’t have been laughed at.
This scene also gives me the same vibes I’ve heard aro/ace folks mention about how they’ll think they’re good friends with someone only to realize that the person is actually interested in something sexual or romantic with them and then there’s a level of hurt/betrayal there because the ensuing rejection is usually the end of the friendship anyway. They’re just acting like themselves, like they would around anyone else they enjoyed spending time with, and it’s misconstrued as flirting/being interested in becoming more than friends, which results in hurt feelings on both parts. This seems to happen SO OFTEN to aro/ace people.
I think part of the strength of Alastor’s reaction here is because Vox clearly has a crush on him and he knows it, so there’s an extra element of him being like, “I have to put a firm stop to this or he’s never going to take the hint,” which I’ve also seen happen to folks I know. You have to shut that shit down as firmly as you can so the other person doesn’t think you’re playing hard to get or that they can change your mind if they try harder
Alastor also indicates he didn’t think Vox was serious at first. He could be saying that to twist the knife, but being ace (and/or aroace), he may just not have an overall understanding or empathy for Vox’s feelings. Not in the “uwu, I don’t understand sex and romance” sense, but moreso in the “I’ve literally never experienced that, I’ve given you no indication I’m into either of those things, and yet here you are projecting your feelings onto me” sense.
Alastor definitely knows how much he hurts Vox by saying all this, but I think there’s an element of hurt (or at least discomfort) on both sides. We also haven’t seen their interactions over the years. It’s possible Vox has tried softballing all this stuff before and has been gently (or more gently, anyway) let down up to this point.
It never would’ve been a partnership anyway. Vox is too obsessed with Alastor and determined to put him on a pedestal to ever be his equal. It’s possible Alastor is aware of that too and is either reacting like this because he genuinely feels Vox is limiting himself and his capabilities with his ridiculous emotions and obsession and he needs a harsh reality check, or because Vox just confirmed he will never get over his obsession and will never be at Alastor’s level OR partner material, so he may as well burn that bridge now rather than have to deal with Vox’s kicked puppy reaction
I’d also like to point out Vox isn’t a #babygirl. That man is a former cult leader who earned his place in hell. Just because he gets flustered and shy around Alastor doesn’t mean that all isn’t still true.
Why it’s a GOOD thing (for Vox) that Alastor rejected him
Vox wouldn’t be where he is today if Alastor hadn’t rejected him. He never would’ve been motivated to SORT OF move past his obsession with him because he was too busy being a sycophantic fanboy. I think Alastor was maybe hoping he would grow out of that phase.
Vox would’ve turned into his lost puppy sidekick
Alastor has to know Vox becoming his partner will stunt his growth, in which case he could potentially be using tough love or trying to give him one final push into being his own person and proving his worth
Alastor has shown before that he pushes people, like he did with Charlie. I think that’s a big part of why he’s drawn to Charlie in the first place. He finds her entertaining, but he also likes that she’s willing to stand on her own two feet and stand up for her convictions.
She could’ve easily crumbled under his whole speech about how she doomed everyone she loved but instead she rose to the challenge.
I wonder if that’s possibly what’s happening here too. He’s pushing against Vox to test his mettle and make him rise to the challenge, or perhaps he’s finally just hit the point where he’s like “Oh, this guy is hopeless, he’s never going to stop being obsessed with me and he’s never going to reach his full potential because of it”
Alastor and Vox’s relationship
I feel like Alastor and Vox are very much foils in that Vox keeps limiting himself because of his overeliance on others and what they think of him, whereas Alastor keeps limiting himself because he refuses to let anyone in and insists on handling everything on his own
Vox limits himself because he’s so concerned about Alastor and what he wants. He’s never going to achieve his full potential when that’s all he can think about
Tbh, he proves it again when he shows up to fight Alastor both times. The time in the past we don’t see (where the implication is that he had the Vees with him) and he fucking lost, and this time where, despite all his claims and posturing, he STILL brings his buddies to a fight with Alastor and makes it a 3 on 1 situation
I think Alastor has a certain amount of ego and superiority here and is proud of himself for doing as much as he has on his own and for “being a strong, independent woman who don’t need no man,” whereas his biggest insult to Vox is that he would never have gotten as far as he had without the support of the Vees
I think that’s where Alastor and Vox also differ. Yes, they both have insane egos, but attention/admiration from others is icing to Alastor whereas Vox literally cannot function if senpai is in the same room as him. I’m convinced that if Vox ends up being the true big bad this season and a genuine threat, it will be because he FINALLY learns the lesson Alastor has either purposefully and/or accidentally been trying to teach him about how he’ll never be on his level because he DOESN’T BELIEVE he’s on his level. I’m not saying Vox doesn’t need the Vees or that he doesn’t benefit from his relationship with hem, but Vox has subconsciously been limiting himself all the years because he seems to lack the idk if it’s confidence, or if it’s just that can’t break himself of seeing Alastor as stronger and more powerful than him, or what.
I think a major turning point for Vox is going to be removing those self-imposed limitations, whether it involves no longer giving a shit about what Alastor thinks about him or does, or if he’s finally able to come into his own power and fully wield it, which will not be great for Team Hotel lol
Even when Vox proposes his deal with Alastor in the flashback, he’s more fixated on what he brings to the table being influence rather than power, meanwhile he actually has a TON of power. I feel like there’s a lot of untapped potential there that he might finally be able to bring to the surface
Alastor and Vox have VERY different motivations and goals
At the end of the day, Alastor is self-contained when it comes to his ego and power. Is fear and respect from the masses important to him? Absolutely! But he doesn’t NEED external validation. He has no interest in becoming a god, unlike Vox. He doesn’t want to rule over others and have them bow to them, he just wants to have the equivalent of a “fuck you” fund, but with power
I think a big part of this is probably due to him growing up as a mixed-race man in the south in the 20s/30s. I think ultimate power to him is being able to do whatever the fuck he wants without having to mask his intentions or play nice. I think when he got to hell, he finally achieved true power. Like, yeah, he’s still on Rosie’s leash, but he no longer has to bow to Jim Crow or any of that, or hamstring himself, or present himself in a more friendly and less threatening light
Like when he killed that guy in his flashback as a human. Dude spilled his drink all over him and he had to sit there, grin, and bear it. Then he had to kill the guy in secret. In Hell, however, he can just do that shit out in the open. I think having that much freedom is all he’s ever fucking wanted. He gets to make his own rules (to an extent) and doesn’t have to “play nice”
Vox, meanwhile, was a cult leader in life and wants to be a god in death. Power isn’t enough for him, unlike Alastor. He needs everyone to know JUST HOW POWERFUL he is and to idolize him because of it. He also DESPERATELY wants senpai to notice him. Tbh, that’s a HUGE fucking weakness and limitation for him and also why he struggles to understand Alastor’s motivations and viewpoint
I very much think Vox is someone who’s accustomed to having his way and having Alastor not fall in line as a yes man is appealing to him as a result, but at the same time WHY WON’T SENPAI NOTICE AND ACKNOWLEDGE HIIIIIIIIM?!
Ngl, Vox was also giving me “daddy issues” vibes
I really do think that end game is some kind of reconciliation between the two or, at least, Alastor realizing he needs to accept help from others and bonding further with Charlie and the hotel crew as a result
I could also absolutely be wrong, but so much about the show is geared to the theme of redemption
We see a major difference between Vox an Alastor’s living spaces and living styles too
Everything Vox has is BIG and SHINY and MODERN and NEW and CHROME. He has a giant ass tower in the middle Pentagram City with a ginormous shark tank. He rides around in a limo. His suit looks brand new.
Alastor, meanwhile, shows that despite his thirst for power, he continues to seek the creature comforts he had in life. His shack in the bayou had literal holes in between the boards. He had the fireplace and the chair beside it. He also had bookshelves covered in books and knicknacks and bones and hunting trophies on display.
His space at the hotel looks SO SIMILAR to his space while living. He’s the most powerful Overlord in Hell (according to Rosie), yet his biggest indulgence seems to be having his own radio tower. The furniture in his room at the hotel in S1 is scuffed and scratched and well-worn yet still in good shape. Moreover, his space feels like the coziest/most homey we’ve seen in the show. It just really stands out to me that with all his power and influence, all he really seems to want at the end of the day is a reminder of his old home.
Insert, "bitch, you live like this?" meme. I don't even wanna know what that place smells like with all the literal corpses lying around...
Not only that, but his coat is frayed at the edges and he goes to the tailor to get it repaired after Pentious damaged it, rather than just buying a new one. Alastor comes across as someone who values the things he has and takes good care of them.
Something @number1trashenthusiast said in particular really stuck with me, regarding the Day in the Afterlife comic too (granted, Viv has said not to assume anything not in the show proper is not guaranteed canon). Alastor’s presumably at the height of his power in that comic and he spends his entire day just…having a nice, normal time. He goes out to eat, waves to some cannibals, goes on a stroll… But the whole time, he’s alone. And at the end, he saves that one Sinner without seeming to ask or expect anything in return.
At the end of the day, it feels like all Alastor wants is enough power and influence to be able to live his life on his own terms and that’s his primary motivation for becoming an Overlord and instilling fear in so many. At the same time, in order to achieve that, he is very, very alone.
Alastor’s Deal with Vox (and the consequences)
I def think there's more than one thing going on there.
I feel like there’s also a weird level of trust of Vox indicated by Alastor offering the deal the way he did too. He offered a pretty fucking open-ended deal, imho. In fact, it seems a little too open-ended for him, which leads me to wonder if he did it in a panic (I don’t think so), or if he knew he didn’t have to add other stipulations because he wasn’t afraid of Vox taking advantage of him/actually hurting him.
NOT GONNA LIE. I think the only person who doesn’t realize Vox has a MASSIVE FUCKING CRUSH on Alastor is Vox.
The man took his (supposedly) most hated enemy and rival to a 50s style milkshake parlor. There were TWO straws in that cup. WAS IT PROVIDED LIKE THAT OR DID HE ASK FOR TWO?
Even though he’s humiliating Alastor left and right, the main thing Vox seems to want is for everyone to see that ALASTOR IS HANGING OUT WITH HIM, OKAY???
He doesn’t have to be running around in public with him on dates. He could just put up a live feed of him torturing him or something, but no, he’s gotta show EVERYONE that senpai NOTICED him.
Fellas, is it gay to take your rival out on a date to a juke joint to (metaphorically) split a shake with him?
Not only that, but the bit at the end of the episode when Valentino says “just fuck already...” Alastor looks annoyed and unsurprised, but Vox looks startled and blushes.
I think it’s another indication of just why Alastor doesn’t really have any respect for Vox. Tbh he probably could’ve just offered the dude a deal to be his friend or hang out in public and I think Vox would’ve at least been tempted. It is PAINFULLY obvious how over the moon Vox is at the offer. Like, bro is just standing there like “omg pinch me, I’m dreaming”
One of the biggest difference between Alastor and Vox, in my opinion, is if Vox had offered him this same deal, Alastor would’ve laughed in his face. He doesn’t need to throw a parade or get a milkshake with Vox at the juke joint because he doesn’t need that kind of validation.
I am WILDLY curious how Alastor is going to get out of this open-ended deal though
Is someone going to actually free him from it? Is him getting rescued enough? Is Vox going to break the terms on his end first? Is his whole plan that Lucifer will get involved on Charlie’s behalf and maybe break his deal with Vox AND Rosie somehow? He definitely has some kind of ulterior motive.
Also, the deal being open-ended goes both ways. All Alastor agreed was to be Vox’s prisoner. What does that even mean? He just has to stay in V Tower? He didn’t say he agreed to be straight up imprisoned or tied up or any of that. To me it seems like all he agreed to was staying with him. I’m very curious to see if he continues to just remain tied up in the chair or if he immediately starts exploiting loopholes in some way shape or form
I would also settle for:
Alastor constantly heckling Vox during work meetings
Alastor awkwardly pushing himself around in the chair in the background of various scenes with his little feet
Alastor only being tied up in the chair when Vox is looking and just doing whatever the fuck he wants otherwise.
The Aftermath of the Deal
As for Vox humiliating Alastor, I don’t think Alastor actually feels humiliated by all of this. HEAR ME OUT. Vox didn’t win. Alastor handed him the win. I think if Alastor had actually been captured and forced into a deal, he would be reacting to all of this very differently.
Sure, all of Hell might be eating up what Vox is laying down, but I don’t get that vibe from Alastor. If anything, he just looks incredibly bored and annoyed, but unsurprised. I think when he offered himself up like this to Vox, he knew exactly what was going to happen and what to expect. I think that’s part of why he made the deal so open-ended. Because he wasn’t really worried about Vox actually hurting him.
TBH, Alastor is giving “reluctant Disney princess for a children’s birthday party” vibes the whole time, meanwhile Vox is over the moon having a 5 star experience while he is hardcore phoning it in.
This also feels very much like Vox has been the dog chasing the proverbial car (Alastor) and now that he has him, he doesn’t know what to do with him
Like, you have your biggest rival under your control and he was willing to make a deal with you and you…take him for a milkshake date…
He is hardcore squandering the opportunity that was laid in his lap and I have a feeling Alastor fully anticipated that too.
Vox is so incredibly blinded by getting senpai to notice him that he hasn’t even stopped to consider how he could actually use Alastor to his advantage in his crusade to become god.
Alastor offered him something he knew Vox was so desperate for that he wouldn’t read the fine print or add his own stipulations, and I think that was intentional on his part
I feel like Alastor knows this is temporary (one way or another) and expects to be able to step away somehow when he’s tired of being his prisoner. Just “Welp, it’s been fun old pal, see ya around!”
It’s also possible he has a plan to make Vox forfeit the deal, whether by goading him into doing something to Charlie that would break it, or by having Charlie show up to rescue him and Vox having to break the deal to defend himself or something.
Lol, that or he’s literally just there like “I guess I get to have a (reluctant) playdate with Vox until Rosie finds out and then drags me away by the ear”
There is absolutely something else going on
Meanwhile, the cuck chair…
I get why some folks are saying this is sexual assault in that Alastor didn’t consent to watch, but at the same time, I also feel like Alastor is not remotely surprised by this and, again, looks bored and annoyed af.
He very much has a “got it out of your system yet” look on his face, imho. Even Valentino seems to think it’s embarrassing and this kind of thing SHOULD be right up his alley. Instead, he looks kinda checked out/bored too. And for him to be as big of a simp and as obsessed with Angel Dust as he is yet look at Vox and be like “damn, bro, can you maybe dial down the desperation to at least a 9.8 instead of a full 10” is just…OOF.
Again, not saying that this was OKAY in any way, shape, or form. I’m just saying that Alastor seems to take it in stride the same way he has everything else.
TBH, personally I was more uncomfortable with how much Rosie and Vox kept touching Alastor throughout this episode, when we know he has an aversion to touch. I feel like the main times we saw him look genuinely uncomfortable/angry were when they had their hands on him, ESPECIALLY his hair and ears. They touch him like they have the right to and goddamn as someone who is also VERY touch averse, that bothered me so much.
In addition, it’s not uncommon for a non-white person to have their physical boundaries/bodily autonomy ignored in that way, especially in regard to hair
OKAY. I think that was all I wanted to say, lol. I’ll add anything I may have forgotten. And again, maybe I am completely off my rocker, but I was gnawing at the bars of my enclosure and had to get my hyperfixation zoomies out somehow.
If you made it all the way to the end of this, god bless you lmao, because lord knows I have a terminal case of the Yaps.
AND IF YOU SOMEHOW MADE IT THIS FAR, please let me know what you think and your thoughts and theories too!!!
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