Vaggie has always been Peak, Season 2 just highlighted that fact.
I have noticed that reception for Vaggie in Season 2 is far better than for her in season 1. While this is a good thing, I will not tolerate any claims that Season 2 "fixed" her.
Nope
Vaggie was always a great character capable of growth and change, but she had to go through the challenges of season 1 first.
When we first see Vaggie in the pilot, She is Charlie's emotionally guarded partner. She is closed off to basically anyone that isn't Charlie until someone makes her angry. Then, she understandably explodes on the instigator with either threats or acts of violence.
Too often Vaggie's anger is treated as a character flaw or just part of a stereotype. But Think about it from her perspective, the woman she loves is constantly insulted and mocked despite doing everything in her power to save her people. Of course, a caregiver like Vaggie would be so angry and frustrated. Her anger is a product of love and concern.
She may have mellowed out during the move to the series, but the crux of her character is the same. Her anger comes from her love and concern and her wields an emotional shield around herself. The element of her character that is touched on most in season 1 is her guardedness. From the first episodes of Season 1, Vaggie has clearly put several walls to avoid future pain from other people. Despite loving Charlie, Vaggie occasionally pushes her away when she is feeling overwhelmed.
These walls were ultimately revealed to be caused by her trauma as a former exorcist.
Despite her desperately wanting to avoid the truth, Charlie learns her secret, forcing Vaggie to put down her walls and confront her past. Vaggie and Charlie come back together and make each other stronger. Like a Phoenix, She comes back freer and more whole.
On to Season 2 Episode 1, we see a more balanced Vaggie. She's still protective of Charlie and more than willing to push back against B.S, but the weight of her secret is off of her shoulders. Importantly her connection to the rest of the Hazbin crew has been greatly strengthened. She feels more to talk to about her journey of self discovery and she is clearly proud of the progress of Angel with therapy.
I am so excited for what happens next for Vaggie and the rest of Season 2
Stephanie Beatriz was at a con recently, and she gave a very insightful answer to a question about Vaggie's character that I thought I'd share. (Cleaned up a bit for readability but otherwise her exact words)
"I think Vaggie is really deeply insecure. I think the badassery is really quite a facade for the insecurities of whether or not she belongs, whether or not she is allowed to be in love and whether or not she's deserving of that love.
I think you see little elements of it in season one, of how hard, desperately hard she is trying to make everything in Charlie's life good and better. At the expense of really like who she, who is she? Like we don't really get to know her very much. And I don't think that's by mistake, there is a long game there, meaning that I don't think she knows who she is and she is very very very very afraid to lose the one thing that feels like a guiding light to her, which is her girlfriend.
Which you know, that's lovely and beautiful, but is it particularly healthy? I am not sure. And I think that starts to play out more in the seasons that are coming"
( source , around 21:18)
ASDJHSKJL
I am not joking or exaggerating when I say this answer talks about literally all the main things I wanted to be explored about Vaggie in future seasons, it's amazing to hear they actually will be addressed😭
There's something that I've been dying to say
More than anything, more than anything
Need you to know I love you more than anything
More than anything
Charlie and Vaggie have intertwined and complementary arcs, which are beautifully explored through the jungian archetypes of anima and animus.
WHAT ARE ANIMA AND ANIMUS?
According to Carl Jung, the anima and animus are parts of the human mind. In particular, the anima is the feminine and the animus is the masculine. Everyone has naturally both, but society promotes specific gender values and drives people to repress traits culturally associated with the opposite gender. So, to fully be complete, a person should integrate the negated part. In stories, this usually happens through a meaningful romantic relationship.
Charlie and Vaggie are two women, but they still exhibit opposite gender traits:
Charlie is a princess, who sings her heart out at every chance. She is focused on words, ideals, feelings and she strongly believes in love. All traditionally feminine traits.
Vaggie is a soldier, who shows pride in her fighting abilities. She is focused on actions, pragmatism, battles and she strongly believes in strength. All traditionally masculine traits.
And yet, things are not so simple. Let's consider Charlie and Vaggie's designs for example:
Charlie usually wears masculine clothes, as she prefers androgynus suits. Not only that, but her name means "free man" and she goes with the gender neutral "Charlie", rather than her given name "Charlotte":
Valentino: YEAH! That BITCH Chuckie or Chandler, or I dunno- Something mannish like that.
Vaggie usually wears feminine clothes, as she sports a short skirt and loose long hair. Even her name is linked to femininity, as it literally means "vagina":
Angel Dust: You're doing great, Vagina.
Even when it comes to Chaggie's The Nightmare Before Christmas's allusion...
Charlie references Jack Skellington, as she is the Princess of Hell and a passionate dreamer
Vaggie references Sally, as she is a run-away and Charlie's level-headed helper
So, Charlie seems superficially more feminine and Vaggie appears more masculine, but their looks and inspirations suggest otherwise. Why?
In truth, even if Charlie is a singing disney-like princess and Vaggie is a badass super-soldier, they don't perfectly fit the typical anima and animus characterization. This is true for their appearances and on a deeper level. Specifically:
Charlie is linked to the anima (feminine), but she is active (masculine) and stronger than Vaggie. Finally, even if she is passionate about feelings, she is often insensitive. For example, she doesn't notice her loved ones' struggles, like Angel's pain and Vaggie's insecurities.
Vaggie is linked to the animus (masculine), but she is reactive (feminine) and very sensitive deep down. Moreover, she is weaker than Charlie in terms of raw power, so her obsession with protecting the princess is misplaced.
Charlie is an anima character with a strong repressed animus and Vaggie is an animus character with a strong repressed anima. They have to integrate with each other to become whole. Still, what should they learn from their partner?
LOVE AND HATE
Charlie and Vaggie have the same problem declined in opposite ways:
Husk: Princess, is a bleeding heart who wants to solve everybody else's problems 'cept her own.
Husk about Vaggie: This one judges everyone and everything because she hates herself.
Charlie wants to fix everyone in an unconscious attempt to fix herself. She loves everyone because she herself wants to be loved.
Vaggie is cold and closed off out of guilt and self-hate. She is suspicious of everyone because she can't really forgive herself.
Both girls have low self-esteem, but Charlie tries to compensate with love, whereas Vaggie tries to defend with hate. These different coping mechanisms stem from their upbringings.
Charlie is the daughter of Lucifer and Lilith, who love her deeply, but are also distant and neglectful. As a result, she admires them, but feels unworthy of their attentions and legacy:
Lute: The only reason you're still here is because daddy gave you and your hellborn kind a pardon from an exorcist blade. How does that feel, to know how little you matter?
She is stuck being the lovable, but useless princess.
Vaggie is brought up in Adam's army, which is an abusive environment, where hate is seen as strength. Vaggie has a place in the world because she kills and is good at it:
Adam: You were on the front lines, I wouldn't forget a bad bitch like you. It's why I named you after the best thing ever. Vaggie. Anyway, you sure fucked up, didn't you?
She is stuck being the ruthless and remorseless soldier.
The path ahead for both girls lies in discovering they are more than just the princess and the soldier. In particular:
Charlie must accept she herself is capable of feeling negative emotions, like pain and anger. She can be aggressive and this doesn't make her mean. It makes her healthy.
Vaggie: Well, I mean… You're the princess of Hell. You don't really use the power that comes with that, which I love about you, but maybe you can… I don't know, command a little more… Authority?
Charlie: But that's so mean.
Vaggie: It's not mean, exactly. It's… uh, aggressive kindness.
Vaggie must learn to open up to others. She must show vulnerability and express her positive feelings more. She has a merciful and sensitive side, which doesn't make her weak. It makes her strong.
Chaggie have the potential to help each other bloom. Vaggie is the first person to tell Charlie she should be more self-assured in her role of Princess of Hell. Charlie is the first person, who takes care of Vaggie as she is hurt and unable to defend herself. Charlie can teach Vaggie to embrace her inner maiden (love, mercy). Vaggie can show Charlie how to be a real warrior (aggressivity, strength). At the same time, their opposite mentalities lead to some problems in their relationship.
TRUST FALLS (APART)
Charlie: I trust everyone, so maybe you know better on how to build it properly!
Angel Dust to Vaggie: To be fair, do you trust any man? Any men? Men?
Charlie trusts everyone, whereas Vaggie trusts no-one. So, none of them really knows how to trust properly. This becomes obvious in the episode Scramble Eggs, where:
Charlie trusts Vaggie so much she doesn't realize she is putting a lot of pressure on her partner:
Charlie: Oh, come on. It'll be easy! I'm sure you can handle this.
Vaggie: Yeah, um, Sure, I can handle this. No problem.
Vaggie trusts Charlie so little she isn't able to confide nor lean on her partner:
Charlie: It's no big deal, Vaggie. You know, maybe I can just help, uh-
Vaggie: No. I told you you could trust me, and I'm not going to let you down.
Charlie acts like the damsel and lets Vaggie handle the whole situation. Vaggie plays the knight and refuses to share the burden with Charlie:
So I, I'll be your armor
Do whatever it takes, I'll make the mistakes
I'll spend my life being your partner
The song Whatever It Takes plays the princess/knight motif straight. Vaggie sees herself as worthy of Charlie only if she can be her knight in shining armor. This may seem sweet, but there is something to be said about Vaggie echoing Carmilla, a mother who is singing to her daughters:
So I, I'll be your keeper
Do whatever it takes, I'll make the mistakes
I'll keep you safe and keep this secret
It makes sense for a parent to shoulder the burden for their kids' sake. However, a person wanting to do the same for their lover is unhealthy. Especially, when the secret of a balanced relationship is established early on:
Charlie: From the dust of Earth, they created Adam and Lilith, equals as the first of Mankind.
The two partners must be equals, but Vaggie sees herself as inferior to Charlie and tries to over-compensate. In this way, though, she takes away Charlie's agency. Charlie instead knows something is off deep down. However, she does not address the matter because she would need to go deeper into herself, her feelings and her relationships. And Charlie wants to avoid it at all costs.
Chaggie's communication issues are conveyed meta-narratively in Charlie and Vaggie's individual songs:
-Charlie's Happy Day in Hell has our princess sing so loud that she almost covers Vaggie's warning:
Charlie: If I can show them the dream I've dreamed
That any soul can change!
Vaggie: Those angels' minds are hard to change
Charlie: Then they will know everyone can be redeemed
From the evil to the strange!
Vaggie: They're bloodthirsty and deranged!
She doesn't listen to Vaggie.
-Vaggie's Whatever It Takes is sung by our knight to her princess, but Vaggie has Charlie leave before the beginning:
Charlie: Vaggie, don't say that! You do so much! It's-
Vaggie: I'm sorry. I'd… I'd like to be alone for a minute.
She doesn't talk to Charlie.
Eventually the couple's trust exercise is solved positively:
Charlie: No, no, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I put pressure on you. We work as a team. I guess I just thought all this would be easier, but, we'll figure it out, together. I mean, look what your exercise did for them.
Charlie goes out of her way to talk with Vaggie and Vaggie's team-building works. Charlie puts both her and Vaggie's feelings into words, whereas Vaggie builds trust through her actions.
Despite this, Chaggie don't really address their problems, which come back stronger:
Adam: Don't you act all high and mighty
Did you ever think your little girlfriend might be a liar?
Vaggie: Don't, Adam, please!
Adam: What's the fuss?
Why hide the fact that you're an angel just like us?
Charlie has been ignoring Vaggie's dark side, so she is devastated when it comes out. Vaggie instead has been hiding the truth from Charlie, so it is revealed in the worst way possible. After this, there is an inversion in Charlie and Vaggie's dynamic:
Vaggie: Charlie, can we talk about this--
Charlie: We can talk later. Right now, we have a job to do. You with us?
Vaggie is the one looking for a conversation, whereas Charlie pushes her girlfriend away. Before they can reconcile, the two girls need to go through individual trips and to find the guidance of two mentors.
A singer
A dancer
SINGING AND DANCING
Rosie and Carmilla are mature versions of Charlie and Vaggie:
Rosie is the Ruler of Cannibal Town, one of the nicest place in Hell. She is good-natured, but respected by her people. Moreover, she runs an Emporium, where she helps her clients with their personal problems. This is pretty much what Charlie would like to do with the Hazbin Hotel. Rosie is also a singer and is inspired by Dolly, from the musical "Hello, Dolly!"
Carmilla is Hell's top weapon dealer, so she specializes in war and is herself an exceptional fighter. However, she is not ruthless and mostly fights to protect her loved ones. She is the kind of person a more balanced and self-assured Vaggie might become. Carmilla is also designed as a ballerina and her two daughters are called after protagonists of famous ballets.
Why do Charlie and Vaggie's adult selves have a singing and dancing motif? That's because Charlie and Vaggie are respectively a singer and a dancer.
Charlie is a singer:
Charlie: My name is Charlie, I like to sing! And when we get to know each other it's the greatest thing!
She always conveys her feelings through songs, like her many attempts to pitch her hotel (to the Sinners, to Adam, to the Cannibals). What is more:
Charlie: But Lilith thrived, empowering demonkind with her voice and songs.
Charlie wants to become like Lilith and to empower people with her voice. Her objective is to grow into an inspiring leader, who changes minds and touches hearts with words.
Vaggie is a dancer:
The problem is that she has yet to realize it. Vaggie struggles with self-expression, which is why she has very few songs in the first season. That said, she shows her devotion through actions, like her determination to fight for Charlie. What she needs to learn is a new fighting style rooted in love. That is dancing, a way to express one-self through the body. This is made clear by the two cut episodes Challenge Day and The Baphomet Ball:
This cut plotline had Vaggie fight proto-Carmilla and lose. Charlie would later cheer her up by inviting her to a Ball. There proto-Carmilla would be impressed by Vaggie's dancing skills. The basic idea is obvious. Vaggie is a fighter, who must evolve into a dancer.
So, once again Chaggie is complementary:
Charlie is linked to singing, words and "soul", as she herself is the Heart of the Hazbin Hotel.
Vaggie is linked to dancing, actions and "body", as she herself is the Arm of the Hazbin Hotel.
As a result, they are given opposite missions to save the hotel:
Charlie must convince the Cannibals to join her army (singing). She must find people, who will help them fight.
Vaggie must discover from Carmilla how to fight the exorcists. This means both learning her fighting style (dancing) and obtaining the angelic weapons.
And yet, to succeed in their respective areas of expertise both Charlie and Vaggie must step into the other's shoes.
Charlie learns to better understand Vaggie and by doing so she realizes the importance of actions:
Rosie: If there's anything I've learned, it's that words are cheap, but actions, they speak the truth. So, what have her actions said?
Charlie: That she believes in me, and what we're doing.
Not only that, but she is forced to take a look inside and starts unpacking some of her negative emotions:
Charlie: My girlfriend is an Exorcist angel, and she never told me
Rosie: Oh, shit! Quite a secret. How does that make you feel?
Charlie: Just, angry, because we share everything, because she always supported me, and my ideas, and-and- and now, I don't know whether or not that was just more of the lies! Oh no that's a horrible thing to think! Do i think that?! Yes! N-no. Kinda?
As a result, she comes up with a song that combines her natural showmanship and charisma with a new resolution to act:
Charlie: For the first time in my life
I might have to be ready for this
Ready to be the one who's leading from the front
Gotta come into my own
Gotta come into my throne
Gotta take charge and defend my only home
And although I kinda feel unsteady
Now I need to be ready for this
Charlie steps into the role of leader and is ready to take action:
All: For the first time in our lives
We know that we are ready for this
Rosie: We'll show Heaven a fight they won't forget!
All: It's time to take a stand
Charlie: It is time to lend a hand! (Cannibals: Huzzah!)
Against the angels and their deadly threat!
All: We cannot take it anymore
The time has come to go to war
Prepare to fight, we're ready for…
THIS!
Vaggie inspires the residents of the Hotel to stay and convinces Carmilla to help. By doing so, she shows how much she has grown thanks to her time with Charlie:
Vaggie: What's important now is that we're going to have a fight on our hands. Look, this hotel is about to become the most dangerous place in hell, and we….I, can't guarantee your safety anymore. I still believe in Charlie's dream. I know this place can work. But none of you signed up for this. I'm gonna go learn how we can fight back, and when I come home….Well I'll understand if none of you are here.
Moreover, she learns to fight in a new way intertwined with music (Charlie's passion and world):
This fighting style is focused on defense and survival, rather than attack and killing:
Carmilla: Angels attack quickly, viciously, and without mercy. You'll need to defend better than that.
Carmilla: Well, look at that. You might just survive this.
It is based on love:
Carmilla: I see you're driven by your detestation
Your every step is stoked with animus
You need a different type of motivation
Or there's no way that you can handle this
I know you're thirstin' for vengeance, Vaggie
You're out for blood
But you'll only stand a chance if you're out for love
By the end, Charlie and Vaggie meet each other in front of the Hazbin Hotel. Charlie leads the people (soul) and Vaggie has the weapons (body). They have also grown enough to better understand each other. Charlie empathizes with Vaggie and forgives her lie. Vaggie realizes how much Charlie cares for her and is ready to value herself more:
At the same time, Charlie faces some of her repressed "aggressivity" and makes an important step as Princess of Hell:
Rosie and Alastor: She's bound to pass the test as Princess of Hell
Like her Daddy, she is madly power-fell!
Vaggie instead learns some "self-love" and makes progress into becoming a true angel:
Carmilla: You're gonna fight without gloves
And when that push comes to shove
Yeah, you just might rise above
Long as you're out for love
These changes are fully embraced and tested in the final battle.
FINALE: DEVIL AND ANGEL
The fight against the Exorcists is where Charlie and Vaggie's integration is on full display, starting with their designs:
Charlie wears a mini-dress with a heart decoration and wields a shield.
Vaggie fully covers her body with an androgynous and practical attire. She fights with her signature spear.
The usually masculine looking Charlie appears feminine. The usually feminine appearing Vaggie looks masculine. Their outfits also fit their respective fighting styles. Charlie is defensive, whereas Vaggie is aggressive. Wait... isn't something wrong? Shouldn't Charlie grow more aggressive and Vaggie more defensive? Yes and this is precisely what happens as the battle progresses...
Charlie is overwhelmed by her anger and grief over Sir Pentious's death and unlocks her full demonic form. She goes from defense (shield) to offense (pitchfork) and injures Adam. Finally, she transforms her arm into a claw and stops the First Man in his tracks.
Vaggie is attacked by Lute, loses her spear and is forced on the defensive. She protects herself from Lute's relentless assault until she reveals her angelic wings and traps her opponent. Eventually, she has pity of Lute and lets her live.
Charlie's climatic moment is a show of strength, whereas Vaggie's is a show of mercy.
In other words:
Charlie appears more feminine, but acts more masculine
Vaggie appears more masculine, but acts more feminine
In comparison to their usual dynamic, Chaggie go through a complete inversion. This development is conveyed also by a small detail: their hair. Charlie lets hers loose, while Vaggie ties hers.
Charlie's hair usually covers her horns and is tied because she represses her demonic side. The moment she gives in to her inner demon, the horns come out and the hair gets loose, just like her feelings are untamed.
Vaggie: I'm not used to fighting with long hair.
Vaggie's hair is an attempt to hide her past and vulnerability. She has it grow after her abandonement to mask her scars (her eye and missing wings). In the finale, she ties it to fight freely. In this way, her brand new angelic wings can come out in all their beauty.
So, Charlie embraces her demon side, while Vaggie has her inner angel emerge. The twist is that Charlie the demon teaches Vaggie how to be a proper angel. Vaggie the angel instead shows Charlie that there is value in demonic traits. They integrate with each other to become the best versions of themselves. This shows also before and after the fight.
In the Finale, Charlie expresses all her self-loathing:
Charlie: He did it for us, the ultimate sacrifice
He gave me his trust, and look how we paid the price
This bloodshed could have been avoided
If I convinced Heaven to work together
I took a hotel and I destroyed it
I know I could have done better
Better, instead of letting you down
Thanks to this, her loved ones come to her side and support her. What is more, she starts to back up her words with actions:
Katie Killjoy: Charlie Morningstar managed to fend off the angelic attack with more than just nice words.
In More Than Anything Reprise, Vaggie conveys her love to Charlie through words and is there for her in a moment of self-doubt and weakness:
Vaggie: You've already done so much
So many lives you've changed
So many souls you've touched
And in the end, if it's only me you've saved
She shows her sweetness and sensitivity.
By the end of season 1, Chaggie are together and stronger than ever. They have made the first steps into integration and tapped into their respective potentials. Both as individuals and as saviors of the universe.
THE MYTH OF EDEN
Charlie: Drawn in by Lilith's fierce independence, Lucifer found her, and the two rebellious dreamers fell deeply in love.
The series starts with a retelling of the myth of Eden, which is set-up as the heart of the series:
Plot-wise all the characters are living with its consequences
Theme-wise it shows the birth of love between the first man and the first woman...
The twist is that the first couple isn't Adam and Eve, but Lucifer and Lilith:
Who are foils to Charlie and Vaggie:
Both couples have a demon and an angel, who fall in love against the odds.
Both Charlie and Vaggie foil Lucifer in different ways. Like her father, Charlie is a wide-eyed idealist, who doesn't fit in her kingdom and wants to change it. Like the devil, Vaggie is a fallen angel, who is let down by heaven and finds love in hell.
Both Charlie and Vaggie are set-up to foil Lilith. Charlie is a demon full of love, who wants to empower others with her voice. Just like her mom. Vaggie is an angel hidden in hell, who keeps secrets out of a misplaced wish to protect others. Lilith is a demon hidden in heaven... wanna bet that she is keeping secrets from her husband and daughter to protect them?
Why is there such a juxtaposition between the two couples? Two reasons:
Charlie is gonna deal with her complicated feelings for her parents through Vaggie. Her partner is gonna challenge her to grow into her own person (microchosm).
Lucifer and Lilith unwillingly broke the world, but Charlie and Vaggie are gonna fix it (macrochosm)
This is why the two couples are immediately juxtaposed:
After Charlie ends her retelling of The Story of Hell, Vaggie arrives to check on her.
Lucifer and Lilith destroyed the status quo:
Charlie: But this gift came with a curse. And with this single act of disobedience, evil finally found its way to Earth. With it, a new realm of darkness and sin. And the order Heaven worked to maintain was shattered.
Charlie and Vaggie will bring a new and better one:
Charlie: We'll make a difference, wait and see
Charlie and Vaggie: We're gonna do this, you and me
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