My name is Rin, and this is a fun little window into my headspace. While I'm normally a Light Novelist and Loremaster, here is where you'll find my many jokes, discussions, and analysis of the various media that inspires my writing.
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It’ll be okay, better than! We have each other.
*leans uncomfortably close*
FOREVERRRRRRRR
I don’t know why I never thought of this before, but I did now.
In the Hebrew translation of Good Omens, Aziraphale is spelled as אזירפאל, and Crowley as קראולי. Someone who didn’t know about Good Omens or how to pronounce Crowley’s name would probably pronounce it as קראו לי, (Kar-ooh-lee). I know I instinctively did as a native Hebrew speaker, and I know how it’s supposed to be pronounced! But that’s not important. What’s important is what it means.
The phrase קראו לי means “they called me.” This is often used when referring to what one’s name was, for example, when introducing oneself, one uses the present tense קוראים לי. But קראו לי is past tense. In context, it can also mean “they called for me,” as in being summoned. Both of these meanings apply to Crowley. One of Crowley’s main characteristic is his shifting of names. He was called by many names, Crawly, Anthony, whatever name he had before the fall…. Crowley was also called for. Crowley was always being given orders, always being summoned.
What’s even more interesting is the way Crawly is spelled in Hebrew. It’s spelled קראלי, and, such as before, can be pronounced as קרא לי (Kra-Lee). This change in spelling and pronunciation transforms the phrase into a command: “Call (male) me.” Who could Crowley be asking to call him? After his Fall, he would be bitter, begging for anyone to call his name, perhaps his angelic name. Time passed, and he gave up, changing his name to past tense.
Another interesting point is that in changing his name in Hebrew, Crowley is only adding on letter, a ‘ו’ (Vav). Adding a letter to one’s name is significant in Biblical sense, but especially adding a letter that is a part of God’s Holy Name, י-ה-ו-ה (Yud, Hey, Vav, Hey). This is symbolic of a person’s intrinsic connection to God. The best example is Abraham and Sarah, whose names were changed from Abram and Sarai.
Now we’re going to get even more spiritual.
It is said that each letter in the Holy Name of God represents a different approaches to God. The ‘י’ in it’s shape is not grounded. It is consumed entirely by the the Heavenly world, without any connection to Earth. The ‘ה’ in its shape shrouds a grounded marking. The grounded being is unable to reach up, and its purpose is entrenched solely on Earth. What’s special about the 'ו’ is that it is a connector. It is a literal line connecting the top and the bottom. It channels the spirituality of the Heavens to the Earth, and the ingenuity of the Earth to the Heavens.
Crowley is a 'ו.’ In being a Fallen Angel, he brought a piece of Heaven down to Earth. This was his purpose. He would ultimately channel the two worlds, which he and Aziraphale did in adverting the Apocalypse.
Whether he knew it or not, in adding the one tiny 'ו’ to his name, Crowley was accepting his role as the connector, the bridge. He never knew what they called him, or what they called him for, but he was destined to connect two realms. That’s how Crowley is special. He’s not quite an Angel, not quite a Demon, and has the imagination of a human.
I’m surprised about אזירפאל! Based on the most common speculative etymology (”help” + “heal” + “God”), I would have expected it to start with ע. With an א… “then” + “heal” + “God”?
Hmm, that is a very interesting observation! I think the root אזר can also be translated to “gird.” (Which in turn literally means “encircle.” You know, as in “gird up thy loins.” A phrase that I now have an all-too vivid image of Aziraphale using while Crowley facepalms in the background. But that’s beside the point.)
So anyway, if I’m correct about the meaning, that could perhaps be another etymological possibility for Aziraphale’s name beginning with א.
…G-d Has Girded And Healed? Or, maybe: Gird Up And Heal, G-d!
If you're worried about writing characters that are too stereotypical for their Race, Gender, or Sexuality the best thing you can do is not focus on those aspects
Instead of thinking "How do I avoid offending readers with my portrayal of this character?"
Try thinking "What makes this character their own person?"
While I understand the desire to avoid stereotypes altogether, doing so feels just as unrealistic as giving in to those stereotypes entirely. What makes a stereotype so harmful is the way that it takes a defining feature of a culture and turns it into something negative and misunderstood
Not to mention, if you spend all your time building a character around "what is and isn't okay to portray" then you'll never actually get to explore the character as an individual person
So stop chasing your own tail! Focus on making the character a person, regardless of their Race, Gender, Sexuality, etc.
Then, once you have a solid foundation for who they are, research their demographics and cross-reference harmful portrayals with your character.
Only then can you decide whether you want to change something about them.
There are all kinds of people in the world!
It's okay to have stereotypical traits sometimes! So long as you make sure that the character is obviously more than those traits.
This advice can also apply to characters you've made that were based on characters from other media.
Lastly, don't be afraid of criticism. No matter how much research you do or how well you portray something, there's always going to be someone who complains or insults it.
But that's okay! People are entitled to their opinions, even if they're jerks who just want something to complain about.
Consider criticism like this a badge of honor. You're a real writer.
Thank you to everyone who got me to 500 likes!
Wow! I'm shocked! Thank you so much!!
What makes you think Klaus drowned? 👀
Ooo, thanks for asking!
Well , first, it's canon that Klaus is immortal and has died 50+ times, never noticing this because he's so dissociated that he just genuinely believes they were all close calls.
As seen with various infants and addicts, most famously in Matthew Perry and Jim Morrison (may they rest in peace), it's insanely easy to fall unconscious and drown in a bathtub if exhausted or inebriated. Klaus is almost constantly high because he can't deal with his trauma and he's trying to drown out the voices of the dead.
Considering the staging of the scene and Klaus' background, I suspect that he was high and sank down into the tub out of relaxation, not that he slipped under the water on purpose. His face wasn't that of someone holding their breath, either. In fact, you don't really see any air bubbles coming out of his nose (which is a staple of someone holding their breath to swim underwater). He looks still and serene, almost...dead...
Then the spirits start shouting at him. Urgently! Violently! Do they want help or are they trying to help him? Why did they suddenly start shouting at him, unless he slipped past the boundary between life and death.
Then, when he wakes up he bursts out of the water gasping for air. He was down there a while, and noticeably shaken as if his body just experienced trauma. And of course, the first thing he did was get high and dissociate again because he couldn't cope with whatever happened.
The only thing that really doesn't line up with drowning in the scene is that he didn't cough up any water. But since his immortality isn't known until later and they wanted to give the impression that he of course didn't die, I understand why they would choose to leave that part out of it. It would have made it too obvious.
• Leonard was always kinda creepy. The reason most people didn't notice it at first is because the narrative makes you hope for good things for Vanya, especially when he acts kind and supportive towards her. It's a wonderful portrayal of manipulative relationship dynamics because it makes you experience the manipulation first hand with Vanya. Incredible.
• Hazel really came into the "Kill Number 5" job with one foot out the door. He was already planning to leave his job and find a normal life. And considering he actually took the time to realize that he was miserable and then manage to just barely keep his job while looking for a way out, I think Hazel just might be the most mentally stable person in that entire organization.
• Vanya's whole statement about wondering if what Mom says is from her own thoughts or from Dad isn't a nihilistic thought about Mom not being her own person. She was trying to express that Dad might have actually loved them, deep down, because if he didn't then he wouldn't have been able to program Mom to be so loving and caring to them. Not only is this foreshadowing for later seasons, it also means that Reginald specifically programmed Mom to show the children all the love and care that he never could in his role.
• Holy shit, Klaus ACTUALLY DROWNED in that bathtub in episode 3—
• Klaus always had a 70s vibe going on before he ever went to Vietnam. It begs the question, did the briefcase take him to Vietnam because that era was in his heart all along? Is that what happens when you don't program it?
• The series treats Vanya's book like it was some horrible mistake. A bad decision that made everyone's lives worse. At least, that's what most of her siblings think, so it makes the viewer feel that way too. But if you take a step back and look at it, there was nothing wrong with Vanya's book. It was therapeutic for her, and it helped everyone go on to become their own people. They should have been happy that Vanya had the courage to speak out about the abuse that they endured, but instead they hate her for it because it forced them to face negative feelings that they'd been trying to ignore.
• When Five ran back to the academy and found it destroyed, the very first name he called was Vanya's. She was the person he was concerned about the most.
Finding the right words with David Tennant and Michael Sheen
from Staged seasons 2 and 3
Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine
Under the shelter of each other, people survive
- Irish saying
So beautiful and true. Everyone should take this to heart, would make everything a little bit better.
Happy Late Pride from the Husbuns!
It was July, and a rather warm one at that. Warm, but not too hot; just enough to be pleasant.
At least, that was the weather in Canada.
“I still don't quite get why you wanted to visit Canada, angel,”
Crowley inquired with his hands in his pockets. They were standing on the sidewalk, watching a festive but quaint parade march its way down the street.
At least, that's what Aziraphale was watching happily. Crowley, however, was thankful that his dark glasses hid the little glances he kept stealing.
“Well, what's not to get, dear boy?”
Aziraphale responded, smiling at the floats of cheerful folks followed by a spirited marching band.
“It's fun! Look at all the culture we get to enjoy!— You know, I heard that there's no real standard celebration in Canada for their independence day. Isn't that charming? Why, it's a whole country of people just…happy to celebrate and be themselves, even just for a single day.”
“Well, when you put it like that …”
Crowley made a sort of mocking expression, caught somewhere between wanting to look cool and indifferent but also being completely moved by his angel's words. After all, it was hard to remain unswayed when Aziraphale spoke like that.
His smile was like the gentle sunshine of a spring day.
“Alright, guess we might as well enjoy this Canada Day business. Where to next, angel?”
Aziraphale turned away from the parade to think for a moment, scanning the different stands which had taken over the sidewalks and street a bit farther down.
“Hm, let's see… Do you think they have anywhere that sells books?”
“Mmm, dunno,”
Crowley replied, looking around for himself.
“Looks like it's mostly carnival games, kiddy rides, ‘n confections.”
“Confections, you say?”
The demon immediately knew he'd said the wrong thing when Aziraphale turned to look at him with excitement and eyes as bright as stars.
Crowley's biggest weakness.
Before long, the two had acquired a handful of Canadian sweets to keep them company as they perused the various attractions.
“Oh, these are simply wonderful!”
Aziraphale exclaimed as he bit into a small butter tart. He had an order of about five of the sugary treats in a small bag, with a moderately sized Nanaimo Bar at the bottom saved for later.
“But terribly sweet. So, so sweet.”
“Well, s’long as you like it, angel,”
Crowley replied, taking a lick of his strawberry cheesecake lolly. He never entirely understood how Aziraphale could love nearly every food he came into contact with, but it still always made the demon happy to watch. After all, it was thanks to Crowley that Aziraphale came to love food in the first place, and that was something he was always quite proud of.
“So what do you want to do from here? Anything catch your fancy?”
“Hm? Mm…”
Aziraphale was admittedly half distracted by the sticky-sweet treat, attempting to draw his attention back to the various attractions.
“Oh! Crowley, dear, are you any good at ring toss?”
“Hm, I reckon pretty decent at it,”
That was a lie.
“Want me to win ya something, angel~?”
Crowley smirked, which made Aziraphale start to stumble over his words. That wily serpent…whenever he acted so cool and confident like that, it made the angel feel things he couldn't even attempt to describe.
“Oh! Uhm.. Well, ah… I, I don't suppose you have to. If you… don't want…”
The stammering only made Crowley more confident. He was already sashaying to the ring toss stand with that ridiculously smug smirk, causing Aziraphale to hurriedly trot after him.
However, the game they were met with was … much more challenging than originally planned.
“This isn't bloody ring toss!”
Crowley griped, holding up a plastic “ring” that was actually shaped like a maple leaf.
“You can't just put a hole in anything and call it a ring!”
“My dear boy, calm down!”
Aziraphale attempted to calm Crowley. Though, as he knew that wouldn't go anywhere, he instead turned to the young woman attending the attraction.
“I'm terribly sorry, miss.”
“Oh, don't worry! It's fine, rea—”
“Don't apologize for a shitty game, angel!”
Crowley interjected, even more furious as his twelfth toss had kissed the rim of the pole and skipped away. Under any other circumstances, the demon couldn't have cared less about playing the game, let alone how good he was at it or how much miracled money he wasted on it.
But this was different.
This was for his angel.
And he'd be blessed if he didn't win that silly life-sized plush rabbit for Aziraphale to pull out of a silly magician’s hat, just for Crowley to see the silly smile on his silly angelic face.
Seeing as Crowley was clearly losing his mind over this, Aziraphale couldn't bear it any longer. He sighed, watching his demon begin to smoke (quite literally!) and performed a sly miracle of his own.
Suddenly, all of Crowley’s shots were perfect. Even the ones that seemed impossible.
“Congratulations, sir! Guess the 20th time's the charm, ey?”
The attendant giggled as she presented Crowley with a white rabbit plush, bearing a red maple leaf on each side.
“Yeah, yeah. Come off it. Thanks,”
Crowley took his prize, hiding his giddy bashfulness under layers of swank and swaying hips as he left the attraction. Aziraphale followed him, incapable of keeping his own smug grin to himself.
“See? If you just keep trying—”
“Here, angel,”
The demon interrupted Aziraphale, nonchalantly handing him the rabbit.
“You can...use it for your magic act or something. ‘s real soft.”
Aziraphale looked at Crowley with surprise as he took the plush, as if his heart was touched in the softest way imaginable. Crowley could never tell if the angel was genuinely that dense or if it was all an act, but it still never ceased to give him flutters in his stomach.
“Oh, Crowley… You were doing all that for me? Is that why you were getting so ruffled?”
“Don't think too hard about it, angel. Let's just move on.”
The pair eventually came upon another carnival game during their walk, which made Aziraphale stop and stare for a moment. After walking past him a few paces, Crowley spun around and matched back to his angel's side.
“I say…. What exactly is this game? Whack-a-Beaver?”
“Mm? Looks like…humans are bludgeoning fake beavers… Seems fun enough.”
“Fun? What ever do you think is fun about hurting animals??”
“Ahh, c'mon, angel. They're not real! If you can't understand what's fun about it, then why don't you,” he made a flouncy sort of movement with his hands. “Ehhhhhh, you know. Try it out for yourself.”
“What? Try it out?”
Aziraphale made an expression that was somewhere between indignation, anxiety, and consideration.
“Ohhh, I don't know…”
“C'mon, Aziraphale! It's your turn to play a carny game!”
Unfortunately, Crowley was already shoving him to the stand.
Before he knew it, the angel was standing before a medium box with six holes where squishy, mechanical beavers would pop out and taunt him.
“So, if I'm not mistaken… Whenever a beaver pops out of one of the holes, I'm to give it a whack with this…comical mallet?”
Aziraphale honestly wasn't sure whether to be delighted or disturbed by this game.
“You got it!”
The gentleman manning the game smiled brightly, turning the machine on.
“It's as simple as that. Get ready, here they come!”
Crowley stood to the side and smirked as Aziraphale nearly panicked before the game even started. However, despite the incredibly campy Pop-Goes-The-Weasle tune playing from the game, the angel was able to compose himself. He was even able to whack a couple beavers!
Until it got faster.
“Uh… C-Crowley…? Crowley dear Lord, they're so fast!”
As Aziraphale struggled with his poor celestial brain being in panic-lock, Crowley couldn't help but chuckle.
“Maybe you should channel some of that pent up frustration with Heaven and whatnot? Hitting things is a great way to release anger.”
“Pent up frustration? I don't have any pent up frustration, I—”
Still attempting to whack all the beavers, and failing miserably at it, the angel’s protests were cut short.
“What about when the Gavotte went out of style?”
“Oh, that's just humans. I can't possibly be angry about that—”
“What about when Jack died in Titanic?”
“Well, that's really more sad than mad—”
“How about when Beelzebub tried to melt me in a bath of bloody Holy Water?!”
There it was, the chord which struck Aziraphale’s sore spot. As soon as Crowley mentioned that awful day, he was able to hit the much faster beavers in the head. Suddenly, the concept made sense.
“Oh… Oh! I think I've got it now!”
The particularly unhinged look on Aziraphale's face was beyond unnerving for the nice man running the game, but even more attractive to the proud demon watching him.
He was starting to have a rather fun day.
By the time night had descended upon the Canada Day festival, Crowley was lying on his back upon a picnic blanket, admiring the stars above. It was such a clear and beautiful night, but all Crowley could think about was the lovely day he'd had with his angel.
His angel, who was currently reading a book beside him as they waited for the festival’s fireworks show.
“Hey… Aziraphale?”
“Hm? Yes, dear?”
Aziraphale responded without looking up from his novel, instead carefully turning a page before taking a bit of the poutine between them.
“I uh…. I wanted to say, thanks for convincing me to come here. It's been fun.”
“Well, I'm glad you think so! I knew it would be fun. But, you realize it isn't over yet, right? I've heard their little fireworks show is simply magnificent.”
“Yeah, yeah. I'll see for myself in a bit. Couldn't possibly compete with the birth of a nebula.”
It was already starting! A burst of bright green consumed the sky, catching everyone's attention. Crowley sat up and Aziraphale set aside his book as the rest of the crowd uttered scattered “Oo”s and “Ahh”s. Another burst of color shot into the sky, this time bright orange. More followed, each firework vibrant and beautiful. Some of them erupted into various shapes, while others crackled across the sky.
Crowley was absolutely captivated by the fire in the sky, and when Aziraphale noticed this, he couldn't help but take a moment to admire it. It reminded him of when they'd first met, while Crowley was creating the stars. A lot of things had changed since then, but Crowley…Crowley was still always Crowley.
Aziraphale always loved that about him.
He loved that while everyone else was fooled by those dark glasses, he could still always tell exactly what Crowley was thinking behind them.
He knew what lies behind those glasses.
“Wh— Hey, angel?!”
Crowley was taken aback as Aziraphale suddenly lifted the glasses from his face.
“Dear, you deserve to watch the show with your eyes. Unperturbed.”
Aziraphale’s smile was so bright… Brighter than the fireworks. Brighter than all the stars in the sky.
“Beautiful…”
“S…sorry…?”
Shit. He said that out loud.
So soft and low yet so impactful.
Did Aziraphale's heart stop?
It felt like his heart stopped.
Ironically, it felt like Crowley's had too.
“Crowley… I'm going to kiss you…”
“Wait, what—?”
It was like magic.
So perfect… So magical… The way Aziraphale caressed Crowley's chin and tilted it up so their lips could meet. The way the fireworks seemed to burst in time with their heartbeats.
It left Crowley overflowing with passion. With love. Emotions which overflowed into their warm embrace, ignorant of the world which surrounded them.
First of all, I'd like to start by saying I absolutely LOVE this game by @racheldrawsthis and the amazing people at Studio Investigrave. The story will permanently occupy a part of my brain, which is exactly why I'm taking the time to share my thoughts on it.
In this game, we play as a happy-go-lucky waiter named Rody, who's just started his new job at a famous 1960s French bistro, La Gueule De Saturne.
His boss is a prolific chef named Vincent Charbonneau, who's equally odd as he is talented. He stands in the back of the bistro kitchen and watches his cooks meticulously prepare his day-by-day cuisine, meanwhile Rody is mysteriously the only waiter.
It's worth noting that the "diner style" gameplay is incredibly fun and really impactful to the overall experience of the story. Even though it seems to only be particularly relevant in the first playthrough or so (however long it takes you to buy the Matches), I still absolutely love the feature.
Sadly enough, I've seen a lot of debate going around in the fandom and Rach's ask-box about shipping connected to the game. While I support headcanons and unique interpretations of the source material (and don't hate the ship), just as any creator should, I also cannot stress enough that this is NOT a story about Love!
The story of Dead Plate is incredibly immersive and very well written, meaning that just as in life there is very much a possibility for the events between Rody and Vince to have ended better. But the point of the story is to actually illustrate the tragedy of Obsession and how it can ruin a person.
To preface, if neither Rody nor Vince had indulged in their obsessions, things could have ended a lot better for everyone involved. But sometimes in life, tragedy strikes, and there's nothing you can do but learn to accept it. The best outcome, the happy ending, isn't always the reality.
So if any of you out there still believe that the game of Dead Plate was "shipbaiting" somehow, or if you struggle to see the differences between Love and Obsession portrayed in the story, well...
Allow me to elaborate!
We all know Rody and Vince, whether you've played the game or just got a bit curious about it on the Internet. But, the third major character who holds the stories of these two boys together like glue is our dearly departed Manon.
Although her identity is mostly hidden until after the first ending, Manon is soon revealed to be Rody's ex-girlfriend and Vince's current girlfriend. She serves as both the object of Rody's obsession and the catalyst of Vince's obsessions — although, despite her being the story's primary victim, I can't help but feel she's also a bit guilty of Crime of Inactivity for the events which transpire.
Rody and Manon had been dating for a while, I think since even before Rody dropped out of university. He would spend all of his time and money trying to make sure she was always happy, neglecting himself to the point that Manon finally broke up with him.
And then went after a rich, famous chef almost immediately... Ya know... As normal people do...
Needless to say, Rody believes he's madly in love with Manon. He's constantly talking about how absolutely in love with her he is — about songs he wants to write for her, and things he wants to do to make her happy. And all of this definitely gives the illusion of love, but if you actually pay attention to what he says and how he acts, it's pretty obvious that Rody isn't in love at all.
Rody is obsessed with the idea of being in love...
See, when you're in love with someone, you talk about them — who they are, what they enjoy, how they make you feel, etc. But Rody never says anything like this about Manon; if he did, then we would have understood who she was better before Ending 3. Instead, everything he says about her is an "I" statement.
"I bought her gifts!"
"I want to take her to dinner!"
Yet, even when asked questions about Manon, Rody can barely answer them. The best detail we can get out of him is that she might be a little materialistic.
Rody's obsession was never about Manon, it was instead about how having a girlfriend made him feel. That's why he held onto her so hard, why you have the option to try calling her every single night, and why he simply can't even accept the fact that she broke up with him.
This likely has something to do with trauma in Rody's past, although we'll never really know. What we DO know is that Rody's behavior could have possibly been corrected if Manon had simply acted sooner in the relationship.
Why did she wait until he was so far gone to finally take action?
Why did she start dating a richer guy almost immediately?
We don't know enough about Manon to say for sure, but I suspect she may have been passively taking advantage of Rody until the guilt was too much to bear. Which in itself didn't exactly lead to her death and the ruining of three lives, but Manon still had the opportunity to stop this entire debacle before it even had a prayer of happening.
So now we slide over to Vincent's obsession, which is admittedly more detailed and complex than Rody's. After all, he's a trained chef in France, the capital of culinary arts! It's no doubt his job is way more high stress than you could possibly imagine.
But there's so much more to his psyche than that...
Rach has given us a lot of details about Vince, and I'm going to be referencing them quite a bit in order to properly explain the nature of his complex obsession.
Let's start with the fact that, although it isn't directly confirmed, it's been mentioned quite a lot that Vince's parents don't show him any love — this of course would be the reason why he has no idea what love actually is or what it feels like. The only thing he's probably ever loved in his life is food, which makes it all the more devastating that he lost his sense of taste when he was a small child.
Vincent spent his entire life learning how to cook perfect food, yet he despises eating and can't taste ANY of the masterpieces he cooks. That alone would be maddening.
Yet, it gets worse for him. Because Vincent doesn't understand love, that also means he doesn't understand how to put love into his dishes — the one ingredient every chef will tell you is most important in cuisine. (I should note I actually have a little bit of a background in professional food services) It's a huge insecurity for Vince, and rightfully so! Despite all of the people who praise his skill, there's always a handful that will call it "bitter" or "soulless" despite that.
But that's fine, he's fine. He's managing that insecurity. So what if he can't cook with love? Who even knows what love is anyway? He's still famous, and talented, and well renowned. He doesn't need those heartless critics.
The two of them went to the same university, although it's pretty evident they didn't interact much back then. It's possible that Vincent's obsession with Rody started in university, watching him from afar, but that's uncertain.
What is certain is that Vince became obsessed with Rody after the ginger became a waiter at the bistro. Vincent heard Rody talk constantly about how much he loved Manon, that it started to make Vincent think... What if that was his key to cooking with love..?
Remember how Vince doesn't understand love? Well, it's important to consider that although one might not understand what love is or how to show it, that doesn't mean that they don't feel love.
Vincent is canonically gay, and also canonically obsessed with Rody. But why did he become obsessed with Rody in the first place? Usually when you latch into a person like that it isn't for some random, niche reason. So it seems highly possible that Vincent was in love with Rody.
He even did his best to show his love to Rody in the only way he knew how — by cooking.
Each night, Vince sends Rody home with "leftovers" — except, they aren't actually leftovers; they're dishes which Vince specially cooked himself specifically for Rody. He desires more than anything for Rody to enjoy his cooking, because he has no other way to show his love.
The issue with that is Rody is one of the people who expressly believes that Vince's food is soulless. Granted, he's the sort of person who would praise Burger King so honestly his opinion should be taken with a grain of salt, buuuutttt... That's not how this works.
Vince loves Rody, therefore Rody's opinion is important.
Rody "loves" Manon, therefore Vince is jealous of Manon.
I suspect this is why Vince was willing to agree to a relationship with Manon in the hopes of killing her. See, he's so obsessed with cooking "love" for Rody that if you choose to give cheese to the rat in the kitchen on Day 4, Vince cooks the rat as one of the meals for Rody.
Why? Because Rody showed it love.
It's the exact same reason that he decided to murder and cook Manon into the Grilled Hanger Steak.
I know you're going to say "But, wait! He wanted to eat Rody too!" and yeah, he does eat Rody in Ending 4. But let me impart some wisdom onto you all as to why his meticulous plan took these tragic events.
I know it's tempting to buy into the idea that Vincent intended to eat Rody all along, but consider his dialogue in Day 7 for a moment.
As he's talking to Rody, Vincent reveals his true nature — all he wanted was for Rody to eat the steak he made and taste the love he felt for Manon. He never once mentions a desire to eat people himself. Not until Rody tries to escape and Vince snaps, declaring:
"But... Maybe you ..."
It's only then that Vincent actually starts attempting to kill Rody. After all, if he really wanted to kill Rody, he wouldn't be so willing to have a conversation with him (or get mad when he couldn't escape the freezer in Ending 2)
The issue in Vincent snapped when Rody found Manon's locket in the freezer. His plan was completely ruined, and with no plan B, he lashed out. It's also worth noting that Rach confirmed Vincent is a lightweight when it comes to alcohol.
Funny how he attacks Rody with a corkscrew and you find a broken wine bottle in his office, huh?
It isn't confirmed, but I consider it highly likely that Vince was drunk on the night of Day 7.
If Vince was inebriated when Rody made him snap, it would explain his impulsive and irrational behavior. Drunken minds lead one to do all sorts of things, and it's likely that it played a role in Vince's plan shifting from making Rody taste love...
...to eating Rody in the hopes of tasting anything love for himself.
Because it isn't Rody's love of Manon that Vince thinks he'll taste. That was never how the theory worked.
It would be Vince tasting his love of Rody.
Vincent might be the antagonist of our story, but that doesn't necessarily make him the villain. After all, his actions were entirely circumstantial to Rody's behavior. Which means that—
You guessed it
Our true villain is Rody.
This is something I really love that I've noticed in the 3/5 Studio Investigrave games I've played so far — the protagonist tends to be an unconventional villain.
In Rody's case, I'm sure it comes as a shock considering his himbo-puppy demeanor, but if you take a step back and look at him it's pretty obvious. Everything in the story happened because of Rody's self-sacrificing behavior.
Rody's obsession with Manon fueled Vince's obsession with him. His unwillingness to see the consequences of how he treated himself allowed it to hurt everyone around him.
If Rody could have accepted his break-up with Manon, she might not have ended up dead. If he could have reigned in his obsessions then neither of them may have ended up dead.
In a better timeline, Rody and Vince may have even been able to find love in each other.
But this isn't that story.
This is a tragedy.
A timeline where everything goes to the worst possible outcome. Where obsession devoured three lives...
Thank you all for taking the time to read all of this!
If you'd like to discuss the theories or have any questions, feel free to ask or send me a message ~
Today, like every other day, is a good day to be thinking about how much you love Bildad the Shuhite
graves grow no green that you can use.
gwendolyn brooks
Hello there!
🏵🏵🌸🌸
Heres some flowers I picked! For u!
Oo anddd
🍹
A nice drinky drink to enjoy!! :D
Have a grand weekend :D
Awww!! Thank you so much!
🍹🐇
I hope you have a great weekend as well!!💜
Well, it's @lickthecowhappy 's birthday and they requested to be sent some nice, lovey pictures of our dear Crowley and Aziraphale sharing some lovely kisses~
And, well since I paint my pictures with words, I present to you...
“Crowley, dear,”
Aziraphale asked inquisitively, watching the trees pass by the Bentley’s window with a pleasant grin.
“Are you ever going to tell me where exactly we're going?”
“Hm?”
Crowley responded listlessly, quirking his head lightly towards Aziraphale. It appeared as if he was barely listening, instead focusing on the road and the low melody of “Killer Queen” in the background; but then again, he was a demon. He lies.
“Ah, don't you trust me, angel?”
“You should know very well by now that I trust you, Crowley, I just—”
“Then come off it, angel. Give it a rest already!”
The demon was as coy as ever, craning his head around and grimacing as if he was somehow simultaneously annoyed and unperturbed by the question.
“C’mon, we're almost there. Just wait and see, yeah? Good.”
With the note of finality in Crowley's voice, Aziraphale felt that he clearly had no room to argue. Not that he was particularly bothered by this — after all, unlike most angels, he'd come to rather like surprises — but what did bother him was Crowley hiding things. They were finally on their own side! What secrets could they possibly keep from each other?
Aziraphale’s thoughts were interrupted by the Bentley's tires slowly coming to a halt as Crowley parked and shut off the engine.
“Alright, we're here.”
Aziraphale had been so lost in his thoughts that he'd completely stopped paying attention to his surroundings, so now the scene that met the angel’s gaze was even more breathtaking…
For whatever reason, Crowley had driven them to a public garden! It was a massive sort of garden, with all manner of shrubbery and flower arrangements, and luscious trees of every kind darted about to provide shade and ambiance. Aziraphale couldn't believe his eyes, and the equally awed and delighted expression he wore was enough to make Crowley smirk.
“Oh. Oh heavens, Crowley! It's… Why, it's all so beautiful! I had no idea a place like this existed so nearby!”
“Yeah, I figured that out after about the fifth time you asked where we were going,”
Crowley chuckled, exiting the car.
“C'mon, then. Don't you want a closer look?”
Pulling himself from his stunned silence, Aziraphale fumbled around for the door handle for a moment before finally removing himself from the Bentley. The two then walked side by side through the garden.
It was a lovely excursion on such a nice day. Not too many people were visiting today, so the angel and demon had large sections of the greenery completely or almost completely to themselves.
The two stayed close, as they always had, admiring the vibrant colors of the flowers and trees. Other patrons would stare and murmur as Aziraphale praised the plants for their tiniest, most unique details, while Crowley meticulously berated them for almost unnoticeable flaws.
It's cute, Aziraphale thought.
He's cute, Crowley thought.
Eventually, the pair reached a part on their tour where they approached a large circular greenhouse, displaying a very large tree in the center.
“Oh! Look, my dear,”
Aziraphale captured Crowley’s attention with a giddy grin and a bounce on his heels.
“It's an apple tree! My, doesn't it look magnificent?”
“Mm. Quite,”
Crowley responded a bit stiffly, holding his slender hands in his tight pockets.
“Brilliant, apples all red as anythin’. Could do without the sign, though. Are humans really that dense to think they can just…pluck a fruit that isn't theirs? I tell ya, this— this is why they beat Hell to doing anything!”
Aziraphale couldn't help but chuckle heartfully.
“Yes, well, I believe they have you to thank for that trait, dear boy.”
Crowley made an embarrassed noise in response, rubbing the back of his neck and rocking about as if unable to stand still.
“C’mon, it wasn't all just me. You give me far too much credit, angel.”
Aziraphale chuckled again, softly, looking rather pleased with himself. He then turned his attention once more to the pristine tree, with its shiny fruit and “Do Not Touch” sign… The beautiful sunshine… The gentle breeze… Just the two of them…
“You know… this does remind me of… That Day…”
“Does it? What day is that?”
Crowley responded with playful curiosity, the sort that left his angel with a rather perplexed look.
“Well… The... you know … the day,”
The more Crowley looked at him inquisitively, bending an ear as if imploring him to spit it out, the more flustered Aziraphale became.
“Why— Come now, Crowley. The day when we first met! Well, since you'd become a demon, at least.”
“Ahh, right, right,”
The demon nodded nonchalantly, as if he'd understood the words but not the meaning.
“You mean the day I'd wished I had the courage to do this?”
Aziraphale turned his gaze back to Crowley with bemuse, but everything happened far too quickly. Before he'd known it, the angel was caressed by the cheek, guided to meet the demon’s lips with his own. It was an immaculately sweet, serene moment; as if the two could melt into each other's touch and become one.
Their first kiss had been intense in its passion and fervor, but this was intense in a different way. In a romantic, unexpected sort of way. A euphoric moment of bliss that felt as if the indulgence of it would obliterate them both should they maintain it much longer.
By the time their lips reluctantly parted, Crowley was smirking and Aziraphale was stammering out half-formed bits of sentences formed under an ever-shifting spectrum of emotions.
“What? I thought you liked surprises, angel!”
Crowley teased him smugly.
When the angel could finally speak properly he was still touching his lips in shock.
“I— Well, yes! I do! But you… I thought you had forgotten!”
“Ahhh, c'mon, angel. You know me. I'm a…wily old serpent, aren't I?”
At first, Aziraphale remained quite chuffed by the response. But it didn't take long for him to give up and grin.
“That you are, dear boy. As wily as they come.”
