Not gonna lie, at first I was cringing a bit at Lucifer. Physically, actually cringing. I was expecting him the have, like, grace and baddie energy. but he's talking to himself pretending to show off rubber ducks to a crowd.
And of all the potential dynamics he and Al could have had, competing father figures was NOT on my mind at all dude. Al? Dad?
But, I watched these last two episodes a couple (okay maybe several) times over and, it's really growing on me. It was definitely the predeveloped impressions getting in the way of really enjoying these characters. Even the irks I had about Alastor aren't really irks anymore, especially with "Dad beat Dad" having much better animation and a banger number for Al (seriously wtf he's horrific in this episode)--
"Could you butt out of my song?"
"Your song? I started this!"
"I'm singing it, I'll finish it!"
My brows flew up that they'd blantantly compare their number to their relationship with Charlie like that.
Before, I was judging Hazbin by how well they pull off my (and arguably the long simmering fandom's) idea of these characters instead of how well the characters as they actually are are told. So many people thought this show would be a super serious deep dive on Christianity and commentary on religion itself. But at this point, it really feels like Heaven and Hell are metaphors at best; quirky settings/props at worst. They focus a lot more on personal issues like relationships, coping mechanisms, flaws like naivety, displaced senses of self worth, etc.
Charlie's idea of what "gets people into heaven" is naive and brochure-like. Adam gave a literal list of three items that seemed overly simplistic (and turned out to be wrong).
But at least they had some idea about it. The higher angels themselves had no clue whatsoever, their only concern was preserving the status quo. And even when things are called to question they fall back to old ways just bc they're scared to change anything. Sera didn't have any malice toward Hell, she just doesn't want to make things worse, having Angels fall, have Hell attack Earth or Heaven, have more evil spread, by changing things.
And all of this can be found in real life too, the way people think and react.
Getting a better idea of what all of this is about makes it so much easier to appreciate things I initially was put off by. It just has a context that it fits into now.
Lucifer being this disillusioned depressed dork with "yeaaaah, No." mannerisms fits into what we've seen of heavenly culture in HH (uncanny innocence, annoying teen pop-culture energy, being perfectionist yet blind to their own flaws)
And The "Hell's Great Dad" song really broke the ice, especially when Mimzy busted in singing ITS MEEEEEEE-- like
Love her. I wasn't expecting to see Mimzy AT ALL since she was removed from the main cast. And after seeing people talk about her and how they were wondering about her, it definitely felt like popping in the way she did was a response to that. Even I was wondering bc you don't just drop a former love interest for a character like Alastor, but still have them show up in the pilot-- I wanted to see Mimzy lol.
I know you were all waiting for MEEEE!
Took a while but I'm here at LAAST"
Like, im sorry but I felt like she was pointing at me personally, not the other characters, and that was hilarious.
It's so random but doesn't feel out of place at all somehow. The tensions were already super high, what with these two grown-men's passive aggression turning into overt insults and shouting, so a random screaming woman busting in with even higher energy is like-- wtf?? :'D??
She was a blast the entire time tho, and actually tied into the reoccurring theme of only reaching out to someone so they can do something for you.
It also definitely pinched a side of Alastor, irritating that he does apparently NEED to be there, there's some obligation he actually has to the hotel, or at the very least some stakes to not holding things together, not bc he defended the hotel but bc he specifically says "I can't have that here", as if he'd gladly have it anywhere else.
(And really to me this just implies that canonically Alastor would be more like he was in the pilot: chaotic and destructive, but bc of the plot he's being forced not to)
He also doesn't refute the claims Mimzy makes about him. Al clearly adores her and isn't surprised by her antics at all yet still tells her to leave in the end. Some took it as him caring about her using him, but I think that was just a cover story. With the mention of Alastor's "leash" in the same episode because of Mimzy was just such a great way to use her character. A fun entrance, thematic relevance, and a great plot device to reveal more about Alastor's situation and motives.
Like I said, at first the food tasted cold and off. I was thinking to myself "Eh, nothing really that crazy ig" but the more I watch the episodes and get over whatever my expectations were, the more I enjoy what's there.
Like, at first I was thinking, "Oh no Lucy's another akward dork, a normie, a loooooserr" (not that being an akward dork or a normie is bad but those were the vibes I was giving off, I'm sorry)
But I keep watching "Hell's Greatest Dad" and NOW it's like
LOOK AT HIM v v v LOOK AT HIM GO
Like, he's fugghing adorable with the "WAP BAP BOOM" ; the puppets and the circus imagery, and just the innocent, unmalicious enthusiasm. He's stumbling around over barely knowing his daughter and is now sprinting to make up for being so absent-- and even that absence is implied to be due to chronic depression and pining; missing heaven and having to live in hell forever, not only being the one who supposedly created it by accident, but tried and failed to fix it, even having his own theme park ripped off by a deadly Sin. The show calls it out bluntly, but despite his cheery tone and, polite intolerance attitude, they did a great job showing that his depression manifested in detachment and disinterest. It sucks for the people it effects but it also sucks to be the one who dropped the ropes in your relationships.
So seeing him brjghtenup and glow over just helping his Charlie put her hotel together was great. He feels useful and wanted again. And imo it's a double edge sword as well if Lucy feels like he has to be useful to be a decent dad.
So, idk. I guess I do want to see how he handles trying to be in Charlie's life again, especially since, at this point Alastor knows and has supported her more than he ever has-- despite the rough beginning and the mockery. (Also Lilith's face being faded out was sus af)
I'm convinced that in Al's case it's definitely not from a genuine place, at least, we still have no reason to believe it is. He was glaring at Lucy as soon as he walked in, and the nearly every comment on how great his relationship with Charlie is came with a glare at Lucy, hinting that it was more a jab to piss off Lucy instead of a genuine expression.
Still, realizing that someone who's only showed up recently has a better relationship with his kid than he does has got to suck.
The scene at the club-- I was pretty mixed about it, like, doing drugs, itself isn't bad-- it can be unhealthy and it can put others at risk if you're resigning your cognizance and self control for the sake of coping with stress-- so it can very easily enable bad things, especially if you become addicted, so, imo is pretty reckless and definitely a vice. But it doesn't make you a bad person.
But then again angels also seem to think premarital sex and promiscuity is bad too. (Promiscuity puts you at risk for disease, and like drugs can be driven by vices, but, again, the thing itself isn't bad and can still be a healthy practice when it comes from a healthy place)
I'm genuinely proud of Angel for actually growing though, seeing him take care of Nifty and protect her from Val got me on the "Fuck em up" crowd. It's always great to see a group of friends watching out for eachother when they know there's a danger to what they're doing-- ESPECIALLY when one of them is new to it all. That's why if you ARE going to do drugs or drink or whatever, definitely don't do it alone or without someone you trust with your safety.
BUT never feel like you have to do those things to maintain relationships (which I felt was the situation they presented with Cherry Bomb), some people feel like it would be an insult to imply they don't trust someone or just for being disinterested in their offer. And, frankly there are people who will prey on that
That was just a great scene. It had some flaws, but was still great.
BROTHERMAN MADE ALL THE MISTAKES.
"Bc I'M HAVING SEX WITH EVERY--"
THATS NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY YOU FUCK
Also, not gonna lie but Sera's got me like
Its been a while since I've been down bad for a femenine character.
She is beauty, she is grace~
