Whenever Hazbin-critical peeps try rewriting or "fixing" Angel Dust, the result never sits right with me.
For example, there's a YouTuber who's rewriting the entire show and all the characters, and while I think some of their ideas are good (I like their version of Charlie, for example), I'm not a fan of what they've done to Angel.
Instead of being an ex-mafia guy in his thirties who died in 1947, he's now a hippie in his twenties who died in the 1970s. The author is using him (and his seeming lack of desire to change himself) to explore the theme of the sin of sloth, because in their opinion, canon Angel doesn't have dreams or goals because we don't know exactly why he's at the Hazbin Hotel.
Firstly - we do know why! It's free room and board! It's an escape from Val! It's not spelled out for us, but we can infer it!
Secondly, and more importantly, I fear they've changed too much of Angel's character. Canon Angel is a ex-mafia man, and also gay, and also a sex worker, and also a drug addict, and also trapped in an abusive relationship, and also best friends with a pyromaniac punk chick, and also a devoted mama to a pet pig. It's all those intersections that make him unique and make him interesting. The rewritten man is just a generic hippie.
I'm fine with people making hippie Hazbin OCs and calling them Weed or Dope or Mary Jane or something. Just don't pretend they're Angel Dust. They are not the same.
I also saw a rewrite idea on Tumblr, and it went a bit like this: "Angel Dust being a former burlesque performer (maybe even a trans woman) who initially sells their soul to someone where they go on to perform burlesque at a club in hell, only for Valentino to sweep in, kill the person in question, and claim control of Angel. Leading to Angel being forced into an industry they didn't want."
Firstly, I don't mind Angel being a trans woman (because woo, trans rep!), but I already quite like him as a cis gay man who looks amazing in dresses and also recognises it doesn't make him any less of a man. That's still a story worth telling.
Secondly, I don't like the change that makes him drawn into the adult film industry against his will. I prefer the interpretation that he wanted that career and that kind of stardom and he was excited to do it at first, only to realise how terrible his boss is. Have him wrestle with self-blame and false guilt! Have him learn to unpick which parts of his situation he should take responsibility for and which parts are entirely Val's fault! That, to me, is so much more interesting than making him purely a helpless damsel. Give my man some agency!
(Plus, how would this rewrite work if Angel was changed to be a trans woman? Would trans women want to see their Hazbin trans rep being sex-trafficked?)
Sorry for the long submission! Turns out I had a lot of thoughts to think.
No apologies necessary! That's exactly what this blog is for! Getting it all out of your system!
And I very much agree with you on basically everything. If you're going to change that much about an existing character, why not just create an OC that you insert into the story? If Angel has a completely different backstory, altered personality and some very drastic design changes, what's the point of even calling him Angel!
I also agree that it seems these people are missing some key points in why Angel acts the way he does and why aspects of his story connects with the journey he is taking. It also falls into that typical category of the Hatedom where if they dislike it, it must be bad. No room for differing opinions here. Never mind those of us who actually enjoy the story being told and actually do want to see it play out the way it is.