I don’t know if I have anything too novel to say, but I am happy to type up some of my thoughts!
If we met the Starmaker without already knowing Crowley, I think he would seem kind, exuberant, and clever. But, of course, we meet the Starmaker when we already know who Crowley will be, and so the way he comes across, really, is naïve. Even while we are positioned to contrast the Starmaker with Crowley, we are also given ample opportunity to contrast him with Aziraphale. That’s what I find the most interesting, really: how the Starmaker differs from Aziraphale.
There are two interconnected questions that I am struck with, when I think about how the Starmaker compares to Aziraphale:
- Why is the Starmaker so much more naïve than Aziraphale?
- Why does the Starmaker fall, when Aziraphale didn’t?
Given the little we know, I believe there are personal, interpersonal, and social factors related to the answers to both questions.
Let’s start with the social factors. We don’t know where exactly the Starmaker is within Heaven’s hierarchy, but he’s at least reasonably high up. We also don’t know where he is, relative to Aziraphale, but it is reasonable to interpret Aziraphale’s introduction (and Starmaker’s lack thereof) as evidence that Aziraphale is lower in the hierarchy than him: he seems to anticipate that Aziraphale already knows who he is, whereas Aziraphale has no similar assumption. This is important, given how social position affects epistemological position.
Within a system of oppression, those who are in a position of privilege are less capable of recognizing and understanding the system surrounding them. This is how privilege functions: it obscures the reality of the oppression that makes it possible. In other words, social privilege implies epistemological disprivilege. The fact that Aziraphale is lower rank indicates that he likely is in a better position to recognize the oppressive elements to the Heavenly hierarchy. The Starmaker, on the other hand, is less capable of picking up on the problems inherent within the system, because he (generally, so far as we know, and up until this point) has benefited from that system. Aziraphale knows to be cautious about presenting criticisms, whereas the Starmaker does not.
Interpersonal factors. We know extremely little about this. If we take seriously Crowley’s comments about “Lucifer and the guys” in S1, then it seems plausible that the Starmaker had a reasonably sized social group. He had friends, perhaps. And we all know what they say: if all your friends decided to get pushed off a cliff, you’re probably going to get pushed off, along with them.
It is very hard to read Aziraphale, on the other hand, as anything but very lonely. There are other angels working on the same projects, and maybe we just don’t see his meaningful connections to others. However, it seems likely to me at least that Aziraphale just didn’t have friends the way that the Starmaker did. This means that, to some extent or another, the Starmaker was better positioned to feel safe, loved, and protected, compared to Aziraphale.
(On a side note, I am also very curious about what sort of relationship, if any, the Starmaker had with Gabriel. Did they know each other? Did they work together? Could they possibly have been like brothers? Crowley knows Michael well enough to know that they're a "wanker"--when did he come to make that judgment?)
Personal factors. The one thing we know about the Starmaker is that he makes stars. He’s an engineer, in other words. Now, there are certain styles of thought and engagement with the world that tend to be common among those who go into engineering. It’s a problem-solving profession: you see a problem, you solve it. Engineering usually also prioritizes simplicity-as-elegance in solutions. The idea of there being a problem that can’t be solved is intolerable. The idea of a problem that is allowed to continue even when a simple solution is available is even more intolerable. Engineers are also susceptible to what is sometimes called “Engineer’s Disease,” or an overextended confidence in the correctness and universality of one’s own perspective. Consider the idea of a suggestion box. The Starmaker would appreciate it, and so he is certain that everyone else would appreciate it as well. He dismisses Aziraphale’s warning because he isn’t used to the idea that what is apparent to him might actually be false.
It also seems pretty clear that the Starmaker really enjoys the work that he does. He’s been working on a project (for how long? With whom?), and he absolutely adores this project. He gets real meaning and joy out of tinkering with the universe in order to bring his star factory into existence. He's happy, and that matters.
Additionally, let’s think about how Aziraphale and the Starmaker (might) process information differently. I think Aziraphale is introverted while the Starmaker is extroverted. I don’t mean in terms of how “energized” they feel about being alone or with others, but instead about how internal or external their thinking and feeling processes are. The Starmaker tends to process things through external faculties. He talks out his thoughts, he gesticulates, and his emotions are immediately apparent in his expression and mood. (Crowley is far less externally apparent with his thoughts and feelings. I take this to be a learned behavior. But still, this snake slithers when he needs to think.) Aziraphale, on the other hand, can keep his thoughts and feelings a lot closer to the chest. It is easier for him to notice something, solve a problem, experience a reaction, form a belief, etc., without showing it to the whole world.
So, let’s put these pieces together.
Why is the Starmaker more naïve than Aziraphale? The Starmaker is in a more privileged position, which means that it is harder for him to identify the oppressive system surrounding him. He additionally has friends and meaningful work that leave him fulfilled and satisfied. He is predisposed to expect those around him to see things the same way he does, and that means that he expects that problems will be solved and questions will be answered.
Why does the Starmaker fall while Aziraphale doesn’t? Recognizing the flaws in the system is not as sudden or dramatic for Aziraphale. He’s in a better position to recognize the flaws in the system. He also, it seems, is far better able to tolerate apparent problems. He doesn’t encounter the world with a clear certainty that solutions can be found and will be accepted. He also can think his thoughts and feel his feelings without making them apparent to others. He doesn’t have friendships the way the Starmaker does, and so he is less likely to be caught up in others’ drama. He has less experience feeling safe and trusted, and so it is easier for him to recognize how he isn't safe and what/who can’t be trusted.
In other words, it’s what we’ve all known all along: the Starmaker fell because he couldn’t imagine it would be dangerous to ask questions. Aziraphale didn’t because he wouldn’t have tried asking them in the first place.
That’s where my thoughts are, right now, at least.
