Crowley, a demon, standing in the Garden of Eden next to Aziraphale, an angel, who he will spend the next 6000 years pining for: it’s just funny to me that God would put the one thing you’re not allowed to have right in front of you, like what’s that about
Ok and consider: Crowley is also the one thing Aziraphale is not allowed to have. Everything else on earth isn’t forbidden, even if it’s a little odd for an angel to want sushi, or Sondheim tickets, or satin shoes.
But Crowley is off-limits. He’s the enemy. He’s constantly trying to get Aziraphale to question Heaven’s orders and their explanations, to ask himself what is really the right thing to do.
Why was the apple forbidden food? It gave the knowledge of good and evil. It enabled them to choose for themselves instead of blindly obeying orders. Why is Crowley forbidden company? He does the same.
Plot twist: They were never forbidden to each other. Unlike the Tree, God never said that. She even spelled it out quite explicitly in Her Big Book of Important Stuff: “Love one another.” “Blessed are the peacemakers.” “Be ye therefore merciful.” “Love your enemies.” Aziraphale and Crowley weren’t rebels breaking all the rules, they were the only ones who actually followed them.
And another point; from a different perspective, the tree was very much like Pandora’s Box. We can say that they weren’t allowed it, but we need to consider why.
Why would something be given to humanity if they weren’t allowed to take it, and then analyze the events that came after.
Humanity began.
After they ate the apple humanity began.
One forbidden event, according to theology, is what kick-started the occupation of Earth. And yes, it’s not always good or wonderful, but humans have the potential (and oftentimes can be) beautiful and hopeful creatures with a capacity for love and kindness.
Why make that forbidden if you’re going to put it right fucking there.
Consider- it’s not forbidden. It’s teaching Free Will.
The humans need to learn how to have free will in order to create something wonderful.
Pandora’s Box is another great example. She’s given a box and told not to open it. She does, and out comes all the horror the world would experience. Pestilence, greed, vanity, hate, etc etc etc. But what also came out that humanity was incapable of feeling before?
Hope.
And it is this free will that introduces humanity to what will essentially be its savior.
Aziraphale is not one to completely bow when presented with temptation. Set to guard the garden, he does his best to follow the rules until those rules are broken. Only after they eat the apple does he give up his sword. But he constantly stays so very close to being in the lane of what an Angel should be.
He eats. He drinks. He enjoys humanity. But he doesn’t want to do terrible things. He wants to continue doing his job. He never questions why things are done. He believes that one side is better because that’s what he’s been told.
And like what was said above: he doesn’t touch Crowley.
I think it’s the same as the apple.
Crowley is not forbidden in the absolute sense. He’s forbidden in the sense that there’s a lesson to be had. Put the one thing you want in front of you and say, don’t touch it. Because you’ll suffer. Why? Just… because. Don’t question it.
And if he did question it, he’d have learned this; You might suffer bad things, but ultimately you’ll create something beautiful and hopeful if you embrace the free will enough to make this choice on your own.
And it’s only after embracing Their Side does Aziraphale actually help save the world.
And it’s only after embracing Their Side does Aziraphale avoid execution.
And it’s only after embracing Their Side does Aziraphale look truly happy.
He’s been kicked out of the garden. He knows they may be in danger. He knows certain people don’t like him and could be coming after them both.
But he’s happy.
He reached for the apple.
They are literally Adam and Eve.
Select additional comments below:
shego1142: And I think this ties in quite nicely with the finishing statement from God Herself, when Adam was stealing R.P. Tyler’s Apple
“There was never an apple that wasn’t worth someone getting mad at you for eating.”
Which was, imo, the point all along.
- aziraphuckyou: this also ties in perfectly with the story beginning and ending in a garden. what does aziraphale say in the end? “temptation accomplished!” he’s finally eaten of the knowledge of good and evil and is now leaving the garden to make his own path. they both are.
- #aziraphale has finally seen heaven and hell for what they are #and while crowley has known it intellectually #i think he had still internalized heavens message that he was ultimately damned and unloveable #up until he faced heaven again #now they can both leave the garden. #together.
whentheypassthehat: This is huge in terms of what the ineffable plan might be like - the humans weren’t supposed to eat the apple, it was forbidden, but it was part of the Plan SO Az & Crowley weren’t supposed to be friends/lovers but that doesn’t mean it isn’t part of the plan than they are. And that through that forbidden thing they learn to understand good and evil like the humans did in a way neither Heaven or Hell can understand. The true morality of hey let’s maybe not have an apocalyptic fight destroying everything just cause we wanna see who wins. It’s not more important that good or evil triumph than it is for human life to continue.
- msfcatlover: Huh. And Good Omens goes out of its way to show us Heaven especially being manipulative. There’s so many great meta posts already about how the other angels are emotionally abusive towards Aziraphale, but in particular Gabriel acts like Aziraphale must be incompetent (”It’s a miracle he hasn’t spotted you yet,” he says when Aziraphale points out how long he’s been working on Earth, undercutting Aziraphale’s expertise), insults his interests (”gross matter,” “material objects,” and the deleted scene with the opening of the bookshop where he acts like Zira should drop everything and return to Heaven,) and what immediately jumped to my mind reading your addition: shames his physical appearance (”Lose the gut.”)