I love that Vox brings out Alastor's humanity. I love that Vox allows the audience to see who Alastor really is behind his perfectly poised charade - the man behind the mask Alastor wears. The unhinged, witty, psychotic freak.
Just compare Alastor in season 1 to Alastor in season 2. The way he interacts with almost all of the other hotel members. Always maintaining a show of poise and power, posture erect, chest out, projecting an indifferent or unreadable expression. He is vague, indirect, polite but impersonal.
The only major exceptions to this are either when he is around Mimzy or Niffty, or, if he is using the appearance of affection for the benefit of manipulation. Even then though his posture and appearance is rigid and clearly insincere.
Now compare that to season 2 as soon as Vox shows up. Almost immediately pretense falls, he doesn’t need to play the role of the perfect hotel host or the scary Radio Demon. It’s just Vox.
It’s the first time that he can just say what he wants and do what he wants because Vox already has seen all these facets of Alastor. He knows who the guy is and Alastor already knows he has Vox’s respect and admiration. What’s the point of overselling his persona bullshit?
It literally gives the feeling of Alastor, the professional out in public vs. Alastor who is coming home at the end of the day and can finally let loose.
He shows his anger, his annoyance, his fear, his displeasure, his obvious discomfort around Vox. Even in Season 2 during his confrontation with Lucifer, despite how angry and uncomfortable he was he HAD to maintain the perception of control.
Where with Vox, he doesn't care if he shows any level of vulnerability. In part because he doesn't need Vox's respect or to pretend he's superior to him (he already knows he is). But also because it's Vox. The two have 70 years worth of history. There's a familiarity there that breeds easeful rapport whether either would care to admit it.
The fact that Alastor feels comfortable enough around Vox to even lose his shit. In Season 1 during the infamous "Fuck you" scene between Alastor and Lucifer, Alastor despite his rage is still trying to maintain a semblance of control over the situation. His posture his straight, his ears are pointed forward, he isn't allowing himself to physically show his unhappiness in his face or form.
But in season 2 we see a moment where Alastor genuinely is telling someone, "I hate when you do that! That thing you do actually upsets me and pushes my buttons!" Yeah, it's funny and it makes Vox look like a creep, but it is also one of the few instances of Alastor showing vulnerability and admitting to someone else that their behavior actually got under his skin.
I can't think of a single other instance in which Alastor has willing admitted out loud that someone actually got to him. Especially not in public in front of an entire audience.
It's just so delightful to see Alastor actually show emotion and express what he's thinking for once out loud!
jacobvanloon
blakekathryn
theartofmadeline
