My most recent theory about S3 is that both Aziraphale and Crowley will have their own genius, virtually flawless plans how to prevent Armageddon 2. And they will be very good in implementing their respective plans. Better than any of us are expecting from them.

Except, of course.

They aren't talking.

And definitely don't discuss their plans with each other, and have no idea about other's actions.

And it just so happens that their brilliant plans of saving the world are cancelling each other out. Because that is something that they both mastered over the centuries, it's basically their second nature - to cancel each other out!

Maybe their involuntary confrontation will lead the world closer to the destruction, and aziracrow will need to communicate to fix it. Or maybe it won't exactly do things worse...but it will make everything chaotic. All the plans - Aziraphale's, Crowley's, God's, The Metatron's, Jesus' - will go backwards, upwards, and who knows what other way.

Is the world even ending anymore? Is it saved once and for all? Who knows?

Picturing a moment in S3 in my head where Crowley will find out (through second hand, like Muriel or Shax) about some very Aziraphale-like (i.e unhinged, simultaneously brilliant and stupid, heroic yet leading-to-who-knows-what-consequences) thing that The Supreme Archangel has done - and then Crowley will feel proud, mixed with irritation.

"Aziraphale did WHA--- oh wait, this is Aziraphale we are talking about, of course he did it. Of course."

The place in the South Downs where Aziraphale and Crowley might settle down after season three (or during S3?) is Devil's Dyke:

And Devil's Dyke is known to be a nice place for a picnic:

And....welll, you know it. Aziraphale's dream.

Is this how their story will end - with a picnic at Devil's Dyke?

Telling Crowley "If you kill him [Adam], then the world gets a reprieve and Heaven does not have blood on its hands" in the bandstand argument was objectively shitty from Aziraphale's side*, I'm not going to pretend it wasn't mean and sanctimoniously.

However, I think, it's should be noticed more that after saying that Aziraphale:

Was anything of it good ideas? Of course, no (but it's not like there were any really good choices of what to do at all; even killing Adam wasn't actually that great of an idea). But I think this is a very interesting example of "what Aziraphale says VS what does he really do".

There must be a moment in S3 where Aziraphale, who just got out from Heaven. gets to eat something for the first time since stepping into that elevator. and I'm not even talking about Crowley's lips here

The poor angel did not eat anything during the entire second season in the present (except, perhaps, those eccles cakes and the ill-fated coffee), and then he had to go to Heaven for who knows for how long (maybe even for a few years). Imagine how hungry he must be by S3!

Bonus point if the food is brought by Crowley.

...They might not even fully make up at that point yet. But they are working together again and Aziraphale is distressed about something Second Coming-related and can't think straight; and Crowley just can't find a better way to make angel's mind work again than just silently stop at some supermarket and find something to nibble. And Aziraphale, who didn't thought about food for 3 years, because there were too many other things to worry about, looks at it, looks at Crowley (who is silent, or grumpy, or somehow tsundere-ish with "I'm only doing it so we can continue our job to say the world"), and just. Gets overwhelmed.

It might be an unpopular opinion...

...But I think we might not see Aziraphale and Crowley actively interacting in present in the first few episodes of S3 (i.e first two or even three episodes). There might be some flashbacks, some ways for them to check on each other (probably without the other knowing), and them both visibly reflecting on what was done and said in the Final Fifteen, so it won't be a complete absence of aziracrow content - but there won't be an actual interaction.

Iirc, Neil Gaiman said that the third season wouldn't be that aziracrow-focused as the second season was. So it wouldn't be just a story about their little divorce.

And I don't think they were separated just for the sake of the drama of the Final Fifteen. They both have plot-related things to do on their own - Aziraphale in Heaven and probably in America (as we know from a little information we have about the sequel), and Crowley...probably in London (because the bookshop is still there and we still have Whickber Street decorations intact) and in Devil's Dyke (I just have a feeling that South Downs thing won't be just a last-episode "oh, let's move in a cottage" and will actually have some plot significance)?

It was like that in the original book too - we had them mostly separated and acting on their own from the moment of Aziraphale finding Agnes' book and until the airbase reunion. TV show changed it, including a 30-minute flashback, all the bandstand/"I forgive you-1" drama, and the pub talk - this was necessary to flesh out TV versions of the characters and their conflict. But would it be necessary in S3, with us knowing these characters and what their problem is? Especially if aziracrow would be in a very different places due to the plot (unlike book/S1, where, prior to Aziraphale's discorporation, they both still were in London)? I'm not sure.

Crowley loves Aziraphale so much that in a dangerous situation he's going to risk his entire existence just for the chance of them being together.

(it doesn't mean Aziraphale is ever going to accept Crowley going through this risk for him; in fact it might be his biggest fear that he's not ready to face)

Aziraphale loves Crowley so much that he can't stand the idea of him getting hurt. So, in a dangerous situation he will try every option he consider safe - even if he's the only one who will consider this option safe and/or even possible, and even if this option will hurt their relationship. Then, if there's no other 'safe' option left, he might do all kind of reckless things to save Crowley (or both of them) - but only after trying everything 'safe'.

(it doesn't mean that any of these 'safe' options would be acceptable for Crowley; in fact many of them might be offensive and hurtful for him)

It's not comparable, and it's definitely not a subject of "who loves who more". It's just...different ways in which people (or angels, or demons) can be simultaneously selfless and selfish in their love.

(but then again, isn't love by nature a fine, almost indistinguishable line between selfishness and selflessness?)

So, in the first season, Archangel Michael had a phone number of Ligur and communicated with him. Then he got destroyed by holy water thanks to Crowley (and Aziraphale giving him said water before).

Michael, it seems, was not discouraged, and got Beelzebub's number instead for season 2 (it was confirmed by Neil recently that it was Beelzebub voice in S2E1 on Michael's phone). Then Beelzebub and Gabriel eloped, not without Aziraphale and Crowley help.

Idk what will be funnier - if in S3 it turns out that Michael got another demon's phone number (probably Dagon's) and then they lose it again. Or if they are just going to be bitchy about loss of their two previous "back channels" thanks to The Traitors' antics (on top of other reasons for them to be annoyed by Aziraphale). Although it might be both.

.....Or maybe they just have Hell's phone number as a phone of an organization, and it just so happens that whoever is nearby when they call, picks up the phone. Yeah.

In this case, I want to see some very annoying low-ranked demon (like Eric) pick up the phone in S3 and give Michael a very hard time. Preferably with it somehow also being Aziraphale's and/or Crowley's fault, so it would make Michael even more pissed.

Please. I want to see both "Michael collaborating with Hell" and "Michael being cartoonishly annoyed by Aziraphale" and "Aziraphale intentionally pissing off Michael" subplots in S3 so bad.

About The Metatron's motivation to promote Aziraphale...

...why people usually dismiss this part?

Unlike other The Metatron’s ‘compliments’ made as an ‘argument’ to why Aziraphale should be a new Supreme Archangel, this one is made in later part of the conversation (not in the French restaurant, but right before the elevator, and right before ‘we call it the Second Coming’ bombshell). Unlike those ‘compliments’ this one isn’t a blatant lie – Aziraphale is familiar with ‘Earth ways’, not perfectly, but better than most angels.

And, unlike The Metatron’s earlier reasoning, this one can be true (or at least part of the truth).

Heaven are preparing a new Armageddon. The last one attempt was prevented mostly by humans, with aziracrow acting as a support at best. If The Metatron researched it properly to avoid mistakes of Hell, he should know about that. So humans of Earth might be considered as a significant threat to a Great Plan* - probably more significant than two defectors, even if these two are somehow powerful (if The Metatron is even aware about their 25 Lazarii miracle).

 (*also, remember: The Big One would be All of Us against all of Them, with Them meaning Humanity)

There might be a reason for The Metatron to start to go on Earth and “blend in”, to the point of understanding how to order coffee and have a small talk with a barista: to understand the enemy in general.

And tell me, isn’t Aziraphale an angel who spent more time on Earth than any other angel - literally all of its 6000 years? Doesn't he have the most experience with humans and their antics? Wasn’t he there when humans ruined Hell’s plans of Armageddon, meaning he should (at least in theory) understand how they did it and for what would a half-human Messiah reject their purpose?

And he is smart. Wouldn’t it be a waste to not use this source of knowledge for the benefit of Heaven? Of course, this one angel won’t just agree to work with Heaven again (we heard him refusing a few times in S2E6), so there must be something that will convince him – this part, how he was convinced, was discussed a lot of times and isn’t the point of this post, though.

I think, it also can lead to Aziraphale’s memories not being wiped in S3 and him having some (if very limited) capacity to act on his own. If The Metatron’s main purpose is just divide aziracrow or something like that, then wiping angel’s memories looks like the most logical action of his part. But if his main purpose is using Aziraphale's knowledge and experience, if angel’s memories are the main reason of why he is needed on Heaven – then memory wiping doesn’t look like a very good idea anymore.  

“Crowley suggesting to Shax that he might be the one to cast ‘a miracle only the mightiest of archangels could've performed' is a hint he was an archangel before” is a very popular idea, and I can see why. However, I think, a few things should be noted:

So, I don’t think this particular moment proves anything - aside from the fact that at the beginning of S2 both Aziraphale and Crowley assumed that their little body switch trick would convince both Heaven and Hell they have a lot more to offer.

My favorite headcanon...

...even if it is really unserious...

...is "Before the Beginning Aziraphale was among the angels working on the concept of human reproduction".

He mentions "breeding" twice while talking about humans, almost as if it is something he knows most about:

(also, there is "humans we're currently designing" line...though it might be "we" as "angels as whole", but still)

Then, in Eden, he does know what a pregnancy looks like, despite childbirth never existing before; and he's apparently aware that pregnancy weakens the body:

And during Job flashback he talks about the process of human birth as if he's a specialist in it (which is, of course, might be because he already spent some time on Earth, but also...)

So yeah, why not assume it is all said from the professional point of view?

....Yes, usually this is just a source of "Aziraphale invented sex" and/or "Aziraphale suggested orgasm as a means to make breeding process more desirable" jokes. Why are you even asking.

What if...

"They are not talking", they are very awkward upon their first meeting in S3 in the present - but not because they are angry at each other; but because they both did hurt each other in a Final Fifteen and are aware about it, and feel guilty - not about "going to Heaven/stay on Earth", but about everything else that was said and done that day. And each of them think that the other one won't forgive him (like, actually forgive) and still angry, and that's why the other one is so "cold" - but it's actually only because they both are scared to start an actual conversation and actually find out whether it is really so.

They both already hurt each other so much - what about not continue this mutual torture, but rather feel mutual remorse about it; yet not exactly know what to do with it?

Sometimes I think about how liberating that moment must have been for Aziraphale:

Like yeah, scary too, I'm not trying to paint Aziraphale's experience in Hell as some kind of a fun trip.

But also.

Angel spent most of his existence (since Before the Beggining!) fearing something would happen to Crowley. With a big part of this 'something' coming from the very fact of them being close - can you imagine living with the knowledge that you are one of the reasons why your loved one is perpetually in a mortal danger?

And here? Aziraphale has a chance to change it. Maybe not forever (though I think Aziraphale would want to believe it is possible), but for a while for sure.

Scare all of Hell's demons away from Crowley. Make Michael of Heaven aware that holy water won't work on him. Convince everybody that Crowley has a lot, a lot more to offer, and he's the one to be feared. Make people who might hurt Crowley- Beelzebub, Hastur, Dagon, Michael - agree to left him alone for foreseeable future.

Can you imagine - living with a fear so big that it has become basically a part of your identity, and then get a chance to laugh the sources of that fear in their faces? Break away from that constant feeling of terror and hopelessness, believe that you can finally save your loved one in a way that matters most to you?

Yes, it didn't last long - for 4 years at most. Then all that happened in S2 made it clear they won't be left alone by their higher-ups, and that their de facto partnership is still something that can be used to put a collar of fear on angel.

But that exact moment? I think it was everything for Aziraphale.

Archangel Michael in Season 3  

You know, I really am interested in Archangel Michael future contribution to the story. For some reason I think they have a chance to be a bit more relevant in S3.

The reasons for this assumption…are not that big. But still, listen to me.

 We know that at least some of archangels from S1 were brought to the script from sequel drafts. At the time nobody knew that the show will be successful enough to have S2 and S3, and the unwritten sequel might be created in any form. But the idea of what these characters could have done if the book had been written still was there. Probably not too detailed, but still existent. And now these characters have the ability to do what they were first intended for.

So…this why I was interested in this particular moment from the cut bookshop opening scene:

Isn’t it interesting that with that promotion Aziraphale was going to be replaced not by any other angel, not even by any archangel, but by “fancy” Archangel Michael themself? What position was he even going to be promoted to?  Would Michael like it – go to Earth, manage the bookshop? I suspect, no more than Aziraphale would like to go back upstairs in that cut scene.

And isn’t it interesting that throughout the season 2 we saw Michael not only wanting the position of the Supreme Archangel, but actively acting as if they were already promoted - only to have the position snatched out from under them at the last minute by Aziraphale? Isn’t it interesting how similar these situation are in a way?

I have a theory this one was a plot point from the sequel – Aziraphale got the promotion, and that pissed off Michael (or unnamed angel that later became Michael, not necessary an archangel at that point?). Be it because Michael wanted this position themself, or it caused some troubles for them (could it be that ‘Michael’ was supposed to be sent to the bookshop instead of made-for-S2-Muriel?). And that plot point was important enough to bring it up while writing the script for the first season, and leave it as a sort of mythology gag when there was no hope for the continuation; and then return to it while writing the second season with the lead-in to the third one aka the implementation of the aforementioned sequel.

So…if this is a plot point – what it might lead us to?

-You know what it's like when you don't know anything at all, and yet you're totally certain that everything would be better if you were just near one particular person? -No. Certainly not. I have no idea what that feels like. What makes you say that?

-Yeah, I've been looking back over a number of your… previous exploits, and I see that in quite a few of them you formed a de facto partnership with the demon Crowley.

A little touch of Miles in the night

Do you think about this Michael Sheen post as often as I do?

Cause...you can see what he meant here, right? Comparing Aziraphale (especially this Aziraphale, with this boa) to Miles Maitland. Comparing two Sheens with twenty years between them.

And it's not just a boa. They are so...them. Gayer than a treeful of monkeys on nitrous oxide. Dramatic. Flamboyant. You can see this similarity in their energy in these particular moments.

And yet...is it all? Or there is something else?

Spoilers for "Bright Young Things" under the cut. tw:homophobia, just in case.