Society's Sins
@laughingsour: You mentioned before how Mammon is the only one of the sins who doesn't sing a song to introduce himself and his character during his own first apperance, rather his introduction is by him stealing songs from more talented performers. You noticed how Satan stands in between as he does steal Stolas and Blitzø's song but unlike Mammon he's actually singing himself?
Thank you so much for this ask! It gives me the chance to share some thoughts I have about the episode (which I loved) and the series, as a whole. So, the focus will be the Sins and their thematic role in the story.
First of all, some considerations about the Sins in general.
So far, Ozzie, Bee, Mammon and Satan are the Sins, who have been properly introduced.
Lucifer is a Hazbin Hotel character, so he will most likely not appear in Helluva. However, he is referenced multiple times and his character is very important, even if he is absent (precisely because he is absent tbh).
Leviathan and Belphegor have appeared, but they have yet to speak, so we know very little of them. They will probably get a proper introduction later on in the series.
So, let's focus on the 4 Sins that got at least one episode dedicated to them:
Season 1 has Ozzie and Bee appear - They are positive characters and helpers, as Ozzie gives Blitz the crystal and Bee is kind with Loona at her party. Even in Mastermind, they are the only Sins, who speak in I.M.P.'s favor.
Season 2 has Mammon and Satan appear - They are negative characters and antagonists, as Mammon mistreats Fizz and Satan punishes Blitz and Stolas. Mastermind has them being the most vocal against imps, in general.
At the same time (and here we come to your ask), each Sin gets an introductory song about their vice. Let's go deeper.
SINGING SINS
Asmodeus, King of Lust, has House of Asmodeus:
Asmodeus: You singing love songs in my lustful lounge? Fizzarolli: Ozzie's ain't the place for sentimental sounds! Asmodeus: What'd you expect from a proprietor like us? Fizzarolli: Your demon host, Asmodeus, the embodiment of lust! Asmodeus: Give me a thrust! Fizzarolli: Bwabwabwabwa bwaaaah- Asmodeus: Show me some lust From the groin to the bust In desire, we trust In the house of Asmodeus
The song is an exploration of lust (FizzXOzzie) vs love (MoxxiexMillie) and it's solved by Moxxie and Millie winning and kissing. The final message is that romantic love doesn't weaken lust, but makes it stronger. Later on in the series Ozzie himself embraces this idea and sings the song "Crooked", which empowers his "lust" with "love".
Beelzebub, Queen of Gluttony, has Cotton Candy:
Hey! I'm whatchu need, I'm watchu want I got it all, a carnival I'll bring you up, I'll take you down I'm sticky sweet, stuck in your teeth Like cotton candy Cotton candy (Ah-ah, ah-ah) Cotton candy (Ah-ah, ah-oh) Cotton candy (Ah-ah, ah-ah) I'm whatchu want Not watchu need (Ah-ah, ah-oh)
The song is Bee introducing herself as "cotton-candy". She is an "eye-candy", who loves partying and sharing food with her guests. In exchange, she enjoys others' emotions of happiness and fun, in a virtuous cycle. She basically likes eating healthy, at least emotionally speaking :P
Mammon, King of Greed, sings no song, but has his debut episode called: "Mammon's magnificent musical mid-season special (ft Fizzarolli)".
In other words, all the songs featured in the mid-season special are Mammon's songs. They do not directly say anything about greed, but they comment on this sin in a meta-narrative way. The Sin of Greed is a talentless performer, but he steals others' talents, so his songs are stolen songs. Loo Loo Land is the perfect example of this:
I have a dream (He has a dream) I'm here to tell (He's here to tell) About a magical fantastic place Called Loo Loo Land
After all, the song itself is about Mammon profiting of Lucifer's Lu Lu World theme park. It's sung by RoboFizz, which is Mammon's way to exploit Fizz's voice and body. As a cherry on top, it is a rip off of Charlie's Inside of Every Demon is a Rainbow. It is the perfect embodiment of greed.
What about Satan, King of Wrath?
Satan is just as special a case as Mammon is, but in a different way. As you said, he sings, but not his own song. Rather, he steals Stolas’s. Why? I think that he sings someone else's song to convey he is trying to pass up as someone he isn't:
Satan: I am the mastermind, and here I am the law I've ruled the endless dark Since long before the golden angel's fall
He claims he was the First King of Hell, before Lucifer's fall. However, Word of God clarified this is a lie. So, Satan isn't the Master of Hell, but he acts like him. Similarly, Mastermind is not his song, but he takes it over to affirm his authority. Not only this, but his stanza is pretty ironic:
So you see Next to me, your master plans all look so small Little mice When you break my rules You pay the price!
Satan says he is able to see through others' plans, but throughout the episode he is tricked by everyone.
Andrealphus sets up the whole rigged trial by foreseeing how Satan will react to the whole situation
Striker lies to Satan about who the instigator of Stolas's murder is
Blitz convinces Satan to let the rest of I.M.P. go
Stolas tells Satan he is the one behind everything, when it makes no sense
So, Satan insists that he is a mastermind, but he isn't. That's the point of the song. He presents himself in a way, which is false, hence why the song isn't really his own. Maybe, just like it happened with Ozzie, Satan too will get another song, where he will sing his true heart out (I sure hope so because Patrick Page's voice is wonderful). This would work also because Mastermind is different from the other Sins' songs, in the sense it isn't really about the Sin of Wrath. Why is that so?
SATAN, SIN OF WRATH
Satan: I am the mastermind, and here I am the law (Deadly Sins: He is the law) I've ruled the endless dark Since long before the golden angel's fall So you see Next to me, your master plans all look so small Little mice When you break my rules You pay the price!
Satan's section of mastermind introduces the Sin as the law, so he embodies the wrath against trespassers and rule-breakers. In this sense, he is the physical personification of a draconian law system, which is why he is... well, a dragon :P
Still, this is a very specific interpretation of the Sin of Wrath, which gets weakened by Satan being the only Sin, who doesn't thrive into his vice:
Ozzie owns a sex club, mass produces sex toys and enjoys a healthy sexual life with Fizz. He joyfully sings how he embodies lust and is proud of it.
Bee organizes parties, gives everyone alcohol and food and even shares her own Bee-Juice with others (Verosika), so that they can have fun at their own gatherings. She is the best Queen of Gluttony ever.
Mammon is obsessed with money and is able to market and profit of everything and everyone. He steals from imps, other Sins and even the King of Hell himself. He is a douche bag, but he lives up to the expectation of what Greed is.
Satan is instead shown to try and keep his Sin in check:
Yogirt: Um, Satan? Sorry. W- wh- what did we say about negative energies in our mind temple? Yeah, remember to take deeeep breaths.
He even needs to, if he wants to be functional as the Judge of Hell. This ties with Satan's contradiction: his name means "accuser", not "judge". In a fair trial, the person, who makes a judgement shouldn't be the same, who accuses. However, Satan is uninterested in listening to the different parties:
Satan: Why don't we take a vote. Who wants to listen to hours of testimony? Who wants to kill this imp bastard and get home for lunch?
And he focuses on finding someone to punish:
Satan: You dare try to tell me how to PUNISH!?
He is an "accuser" forced into the role of a "judge". This is why he doesn't sing much about wrath. He is trying to step into the role of another Sin.
I wouldn't be surprised if it were revealed Satan himself is a little bit frustrated by this. Who knows? Maybe the Sin of Wrath is so prone to bursting into rage because deep down he is angry at a certain someone :P:
This is a headcanon of course - During the episode, we see a door with all the Sins' seals on it. However, Lucifer's seal is broken. This could be just a symbol of Lucifer's absence and loss of influence. However, wouldn't it be interesting if in canon someone broke it? And who could be both big enough and so prone to anger that he would lash out against an absent king? Maybe the Sin of Wrath himself.
Whatever the case, it is obvious Lucifer's absence has progressively messed up the balance among the Sins. This is why the episode draws a lot of attention to the missing Sin of Pride.
LUCIFER'S ABSENCE
Mastermind offers us a pretty clear idea of the Sins' political standing:
Ozzie and Bee are sympathetic towards the lower classes. They date respectively an imp and a hellound and would like to hear Blitz defend himself.
Satan and Mammon are classist and racist. They look down on the lower classes and are the most eager to kill Blitz.
Leviathan and Bellephagor are more difficult to pint-point, but I think there are two possibilities: 1) They are both neutral, as Levy's two heads can't agree on a political stance (she can't make up her mind :P) and Belle would just sleep throughout most of the discussions 2) Levy is more on Mammon and Satan's side, as she sits closer to them, whereas Belle leans more towards Bee and Ozzie, as her sit is closer to theirs.
In any case, it is probable most of the Sins' disputes would end up in a tie (either 3 vs 3 or 2 vs 2 vs 2), which means a 7th vote is key for deciding. As a result, Lucifer (and Lilith)'s presence was probable pretty important to make the group work. Now that Lucifer is inactive, Satan is using his power and influence to impose himself in every discussion, hence why Ozzie and Bee are annoyed:
Still, there is more to Lucifer's absence. For example, isn't it interesting that so far he has been mostly referenced in two episodes? The first is Loo Loo Land and the second is Mastermind.
In Loo Loo Land, Lucifer is mentioned directly:
Octavia: Is it true this park is just a really shameless spin-off of Lucifer's far more popular Lu Lu World?
And both his face and symbols appear here and there:
This checks, as Mammon's Loo Loo Land is a rip off of Lucifer's own park. Mammon is so unimaginative that he keeps the apple as a mascotte and Lucifer's head, as one of the attractions. You can also read a sign, where Mammon claims he did not copy Lucifer's ideas.
In Mastermind, Lucifer's name comes up twice:
Stolas: Oh, my Lucifer! What are they doing?
Satan: What in LUCIFER'S HELL IS THIS?!
He is called the Golden Angel by Satan, several symbols related to him appear in the courtroom and his empty seat is shown:
These details are there to remind everyone that he is the true King of Hell. After all, Hell Nobles and the Sins themselves use his name as a swear word and it is implied he is the one who built the courtroom they are all in.
Why is Lucifer so heavily referenced in these two specific episodes? It's because they show two Sins trying to take over Lucifer's Kingdom in different ways.
Mammon copies Lucifer's most commercially successful ideas and takes advantage of Lucifer's depression to evade his lawsuits. He makes cheap rip offs of the King of Hell's greatest hits and grows richer and richer.
Satan takes Lucifer's spot as the leader of the Deadly Sins and rules Hell in his stead. He presents himself as the legitimate King of Hell and imposes his will on the other Sins, who can do nothing, but accept it.
In short, Mammon is taking over Hell's economy, whereas Satan is taking over Hell's politics. They are spreading their influence by using the power vacuum left by Lucifer. Basically, they are trying to become Lucifer. Hence, why they end up referencing Lucifer so often. At the same time, they are clearly creating a society, which stands in opposition to Lucifer's old dreams.
This is obvious in Mastermind, where Stolas's situation is clearly meant to be compared to Lucifer's own one:
Some villain's grand design To use the book To breach the world of man!
Stolas describes his crime as using a dangerous artifact to mess with the world of man. This is exactly what Lucifer and Lilith did, which is why it is not by accident Lucifer's symbol is in focus, as Stolas sings this part.
Not only that, but Stolas's punishment echoes Lucifer's.
Lucifer is banished from Heaven by the Six Elders:
He is condemned to spend the rest of his life in Hell, with beings considered inferior by angels.
Stolas is stripped by Six Sins of his title and power:
Satan: STOLAS! I hereby strip you of your status, your power, and your title for the next hundred years.
He is condemned to spend 100 years as a normal citizen of Hell, with beings Hell Nobility sees as inferior.
It is basically the same punishment. So, the irony and tragedy of Lucifer is that his own Kingdom ended up becoming a grotesque copy of Heaven. And he actively contributes to it by staying inactive.
At the same time, I don't think it is a chance that the two Sins, who are thriving in this environment are Satan (Wrath) and Mammon (Greed). Rather, I think this ties into Helluva Boss's social commentary.
GREED AND WRATH - SOCIETY'S SINS
Hell is a society where Greed rules the economy and Wrath rules politics. This is why it is a hellish society :P Of course, this doesn't mean every problem society has can be tracked back to Mammon and Satan. Rather, it means these two Sins are so influential because society as a whole lets them. Both the Ars Goetia, who support them to keep their privilege and the lower classes, who adore them. For example, many imps and hell born demons:
Refer to Satan as a deity and idolize him
Love Mammon and buy his merchandise
Moreover, the influence of these two sins comes up in different plot-lines. That's because all the recurring villains so far are motivated by either wrath or greed.
I.M.P. have two recurring villains getting in their ways:
Striker, who is introduced in the Ring of Wrath and is mostly motivated by his resentment for both Hell Royals and Blitz
Crimson, who is introduced in the Ring of Greed and is mostly motivated by money
Stolas has two main villains, who target him:
Stella, who hates him and is mostly motivated by anger
Andrealphus, who wants Stolas's assets and richness
Earth has two recurring groups of antagonists:
The Cherubs, who by this point are bursting with anger against I.M.P.
The Dhorks, who are using their investigation on I.M.P. to get more fundings and technological gadgets
The Cherubs and Dhorks aren't connected to this theme perfectly, but it checks, as they are not part of Hell's society.
That said, Blitz's personal villains and foils (Striker and Crimson) and Stolas's ones (Stella and Andrealphus) all fit the pattern. This was shown also during the trial:
Blitz and Stolas are defeated by their dark foils:
Striker is who Blitz would be, if he gave in to his wrath towards the system and the world, in a destructive way. He is an imp, who hates society, but is so weak and exasperated he can only lash out against those like himself. All to feel some satisfaction and power.
Andrealphus is who Stolas would be, if he only thought about his privilege as a Goetia. A person, who is so sexually repressed everyone can see it and who is motivated mainly by a thirst for power and material gains.
So, Hell Society is broken, but it is broken because both the higher and the lower classes are animated by wrath and greed.
The highest classes are so greedy, they only think about enforcing the status quo. Moreover, they punish violently, who tries to change things.
The lowest classes are so angry, they would lash out against any scapegoat, who is offered to them (see imps hating on Stolas, even if it's obvious he has just saved Blitz). At the same time, they are so blinded by greed, they would do anything for a quick buck, even if it is detrimental for them in the long run.
These are my thoughts on the Deadly Sins so far. Obviously, I may be wrong and things may change as the Sins get explored more. As for now, though, I think this is their thematic meaning and importance for the series as a whole!
Thank you and have a nice day!