Marvel directors: Even when actors like Chris Evans do their own stunts, we make sure they’re VERY wired in and rehearse a lot before filming. We also add dangerous weapons in in post so there’s no chance of danger, even with a prop. :)
Good Omens directors: We’re making David Tennant DRIVE A FLAMING CAR and IF HE DIES, HE DIES
hey neil, i have been wondering how Crowley’s past life (? angel life?) was like, like what was his relationship with the Archangels. Also, i think someone brought this theory up, sorry if I am repeating, but what do you think about the theory saying that crowley might have been the Archangel Raphael?
Do you want this to sound passive aggressive to ward people off or is this miscommunication (on my part)? I think most people are asking for your personal headcanon while still accepting others’ at this point. Maybe your experiences have taught you differently and you are cautious now but to me every time this seems more and more as a “don’t bother me, doesn’t matter so why are you asking” and that you could just leave don’t you? I’m not trying to be mean, just not sure how to interpret these answers anymore
If it sounds passive-aggressive then I’m not doing it right. It’s meant to sound helpful, but firm. It’s also meant to indicate that I’ve been saying the same thing about Good Omens here for years, and on my blog at Neilgaiman.com for much much much longer than that, and also to be helpful to people who can’t easily find things, or even know they’ve already been answered, because Tumblr’s not the best website when it comes to finding things people have previously posted.
And I’m sure you weren’t trying to be mean.
So…
I’m the author. My personal headcanon is Canon if I write it. It’s also irrelevant if I don’t write it in a book or put it on the TV. I’m not going to endorse fan theories, partly because I don’t like the idea of cutting off other, equally valid, fan theories. I’m also not going to endorse, or even read, fan theories (except possibly for ones with pictures about how Crowley got into the bathtub) because it’s just like reading fan-fiction with my own characters in it, which I don’t do: I’d hate to not feel comfortable writing about something in the future because someone else wrote that idea in the past.
If I had a huge and well-developed headcanon about Crowley’s background as an angel I’d hate to either talk about it in public, because I don’t, I write the things instead, or spend time with anyone else’s versions, because if I ever was going to write that story, that might put me off.
Hello Mr. Gaiman, I've been wondering when aziraphael calls crowley nice amd crowley gets all amgry and says something like "i'm not nice, nice is a four letter word" what does he mean by four letter word? What's bad (or good) about words with four letters? Am i missing something here?
Knowing that shooting on the Arri Alexa SXT and adding old film effects in post production wouldn’t look right, DP Gavin Finney got creative. He used the Arriflex D-21, one of Arri’s first digital cameras, and attached a hand crank handle from a film camera digitally to the D-21, making it the world’s only hand-cranked digital camera. This allowed him to have control over how fast the camera recorded, giving it that old irregular speed feel. With the addition of a Lensbaby creative effect lens and holding it loose in front of the lens mount while cranking the camera, the old film look and feel just needed to be finished in post with some grain and a black and white conversion.
All of this creative innovation and dedication to vision for a 30 seconds scene. That’s why every part of Good Omens is special, friends.
“A solarium!” Aziraphale exclaimed delightedly, moving past Crowley into what had casually and unabashedly just called The Plant Room up until then. He disappeared among the dense foliage before Crowley could stop him, and he’d certainly meant to stop him. He’d meant it the moment he saw it walking in: a spot on one of the plants. When he had a guest over. *Aziraphale* no less.
There would be divi…-devilish retribution for this indeed.
“Oh goodness,” Aziraphale said, stooping over and gently cradling the leaf of one plant. “Is that a spot?”
Crowley almost blacked out.
Two?!
He grabbed the pot of the first plant, and sped forward to pick up the other. Aziraphale looked up at him curiously when he did.
“I am so sorry,” he blurted, then - because blurting was not something a demon should do - cleared his throat and said with all the dark undertone expected, “They’ll be dealt with.”
The plants around them shivered, the ones in the crooks of Crowley’s elbows most of all. Crowley turned to go, when he noticed the plants in his arms were gone. Miracled out.
“Nonsense!” Aziraphale crooned, placing both of the pots down beneath one of their bigger brethren. The nervous shaking was replaced by confused. “A few spots is nothing to scare them over, Crowley.” He gently prodded around one of the damaged leaves. If a plant could purr, that one would have. “There, there.” He looked over his shoulder, more than a touch judgementally. “You don’t give them enough air circulation in here.”
If plants could laugh, the shaking they did at that would have been it. Crowley blanched.
“I know what I’m doing,” he said, weakly.
Aziraphale glanced skyward in that infernal way he sometimes did, like he was sharing a Look with God herself at Crowley’s expense. “Which one of us was the Antichrist’s gardner again?” he asked and gave him a wry smile.
Crowley put his hands in his trouser pockets and glanced skyward despite himself, and the plants continued to laugh.
aziraphale really is the ballsiest fucker this side of eden like not only does he give away his (literally) god-given sword but then proceeds to LIE to the ALMIGHTY about it almost immediately afterwards. this asshole looked an OMNISCIENT BEING in the vaguely eye-shaped part of Her all-seeing light and decided that the best course of action was to LIE. which is hilarious not only in its sheer gutsiness but also in its futility. like, it’s GOD, aziraphale. she SAW THAT.
Whether or not you subscribe to the Raphael headcanon, can we talk for a second about how goddamn POWERFUL Crowley is.
This bitch MUST have been a seraphim or archangel pre-fall because the shit that guy can DO.
Motherfucker stops time in the French prison to save Aziraphale.
Then later he straight up removes himself and Adam and Aziraphale from a particular point in space and time (the airfield) just to give Adam a lil pep talk.
He miracles every paintball gun to be real but then is also in control of every single lethal shot taken to make sure they have miraculous escapes.
He holds an entire car and himself together while driving through the burning M25. Hastur can’t do that. Hastur, DUKE OF HELL, discorporates almost instantly.
I’m sure there’s more but these are just some of the displays of AWESOME POWER that Crowley gives and honestly you don’t really see that display of power from any of the other occult/ethereal forces of heaven and hell, even Aziraphale, and that says a LOT.
This got stuck in my head, and I'll exorcise it by inflicting it on you instead (you're welcome): Whatever else he is, Crowley is an archetype. He's the Serpent in the Garden. He's THE snake. He's why Western civilization has such a hangup about snakes. But the thing about being THE snake is that you're also ALL snakes. The Indian cobra is majestic, but the hognose just means that when threatened, Crowley has to fight down the terrible urge to flop over and play dead as dramatically as possible.
Listen. Listen. In the book, when he got shot by a paintball that’s exactly what he did. He is terrible at fighting that instinct.
I also want to point out that the primary defense of a hognose is actually to flatten their neck out and hiss and pretend to be a big scary cobra when in fact they’re basically harmless (technically venomous, but their fangs are at the rear of their mouths). Which, you know. Crowley also kind of does in the show at the paintball scene when he shows off his monster snakey head for a second.
aziraphale with super curly bright white hair that kind of reminds one of a halo
aziraphale with bright gold glowing eerie eyes he hides behind a glamour
aziraphale with curves and fat and stretch marks that shine gold
aziraphale with a TRUE FORM of divine terror with eyes and spinning rings and tons of wings
aziraphale who wears a crown because thats what principalities did apparently?? and i love the imagery of it
aziraphale that was MADE to wield a flaming sword and can smite his enemies with brutal efficiency but who chooses not to, chooses to be soft
aziraphale who is in love with food, books, comfort, dancing, laughter, music, maybe sex??, all the things that Feel Good
aziraphale who is occasionally rather oblivious but has been definitely courted by royalty and famous writers at one point but only really every had eyes for one (1) demon even if he did not realize it
I know it’s fun to joke about Aziraphale lying to God, but I bet dollars to doughnuts God was like “okay, so you’re lying for the sake of the humans? The humans I made? The humans I made for all you angels to take care of? The humans I cast out Lucifer for, because he refused to love Them as he loved Me? That’s why you’re lying?” and that was when She decided Aziraphale was her new favorite, and that he wasn’t going to Fall unless he turned against humanity.
Everyone is saying that Crowley never asked Aziraphale for his name so he must have known him before he fell, but I kind of have another headcanon.
I can see Crowley, after the rain is over and they part ways, wondering who that angel was and cursing at himself for not asking him his name. However, our dear Crowley is not about to go embarass himself because the moment to ask is gone and it would just be awkward. So, what do you do when you don’t know someone’s name but don’t want to ask? You ask other people.
I can totally see Crowley go around and begin talking about “That Eastern Gate Angel” nonchalantly and some other demon going “Oh, yes, that Aziraphale” and Crowley just repeating it softly, testing it out because finally, after what seems like too long, he has learned the Angel’s name. So then he goes “Sorry, gotta go” because now that he can call Aziraphale by his name he just has to go find him and that’s why he practically rushes to his side when they meet next in 3004B.C. and goes “Hello, Aziraphale” in that way, because he’s relishing the way he’s found out the Angel’s name without having to embarass himself and ask for it and can now freely talk to him.
I think this is also why he doesn’t know about the Ark, because he’s been so busy trying to get Aziraphale’s name he doesn’t pay attention to anything else.
beelzebub: so now that you’ve fallen, you’re supposed to do bad things. Like tempt people into stuff. murder, lying, stuff like that. just you know, your regular temptations
crowley: i can tempt…anybody?
beelzebub: well…yeah
crowley, busting open the gates to eden, sweating profusely and holding a rose in his mouth: HEY AZIRAPHALE
