My students were testing me today
Nov. 25th, 2025 11:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cornerofmadnessIt was an easy open study lab today and they were playing music when one of them pipes up, do you like music Doctor Evans?
Yes, I love music. Feel free to play it.
Girl from the back. Did you listen to Jacob Sartorius? (her table had suggested it last week when they were using him to remember the sartorius thigh muscle)
Yes, I liked it.
What did you listen to?
Ladies it's been a week, I don't remember.
Guy from the front - Do you like rap?
Me - it's not my favorite genre but I listen to some of it.
WHO?!?
Me - Oh, they're all old now. Run DMC, Will Smith when he was the Fresh Prince, Sir Mix-a-lot, Tone Loc
Guy from the front - do you like Nas?
Me - I've not really heard his stuff but I like Little Nas X
Them- holding up phone, what's this one? (obviously thinking Doc Dana is trying to be the cool prof who knows music)
two notes
me - Old Town Road, Little Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus
they start giggling. loudly.
The phone goes up. More music.
Me -three seconds in, Get Jiggy with it, Will Smith
More giggling.
Them - Dance
Me - Just play your music.
They weren't sure if it was a dare or not so the phone went away.
We had some of the other testing too. It's week 15 of 16 after all. Can't I have extra extra credit. No.
I NEED to pass this class to graduate. Can't I have a D? I'm desperate. 1. that's not passing 2. You have a 38%. No. I mean you'd have to sacrifice to the elder gods to pass at this point.
Let's hit the fannish fun for fannish 50 For one, sharing this again because Blake and this song hit the Billboard top 100 (at 98 but my god it's less than 3 minutes) Also move over Jessica Rabbit, another animated lounge singer is after your crown
So, it took me so long to sit down and give my opinions on the last two episodes I no longer remember what went in which episode. Yay Dorrie the fish brain. Oh, my Huskerdust heart, this ended right where I expected it to once we learned Vox was using Angel. I mean, how could it not?
It’s harder (with one big exception) to pinpoint things I didn’t like as there wasn’t that much of it and some of it is part of the fact Viv didn’t get the thirteen episode season she wanted. Eight episodes is hard to keep the pacing right. That said, episode seven had a blah feel to it while I was in it (might be why I’m struggling to remember with crystal clarity)
What surprised me and I wasn’t that fond of was, Vox’s plan of using Angel Dust to ‘make Charlie kill herself’ was a complete failure. Yes he badmouthed the hotel but everyone at the hotel immediately jumped to ‘Vox is mind-controlling Angel.’ How do they know this? Yes it’s because we don’t have time to explore self-doubt (which would have been a GOOD Charlie moment or Husk for that matter) not in this eight episode season. Now I can see Husk and Cherri instantly disbelieving this. Husk was an overlord. Did he know Vox? They didn’t seem to recognize each other and if Vox had any idea Alastor owned Husk he would have fucked him up, surely. So, the question becomes, how widely known is Vox’s powers? Is this just blind belief by Angel’s friends? I wish we had at least ten episodes so we could explore this.
What was excellent was “Brighter”! Holy crap. It’s a good song/story but we now have the most complete backstory of anyone. Yes we got Pentious and Alastor too but Vox feels the most fulfilled. What a psychopath. My only question is did he mean to kill his followers (I mean why is the studio floor flooded?) or was that a weird accident? And if it was purposeful who the hell plots their own suicide by letting a tv on a fraying wire give way onto their own head. But oh, the fan theory fans were no doubt screaming ‘we were right!’ (I know I was.) I also liked the blue-green heterochromia they gave him (even though that’s become a bit of an overused thing lately) And oh but Vox dances like a Disney princess and that made me laugh. (Also, you can tell Christian Boyle was chewing the scenery with this one, he was into it)
Other things that were well done: Val and Velvette slowly but surely having enough of Vox’s shit. The way the Vees had begun to break was fun to watch. How Alastor manipulated the shit out of Vox was fun too. At this point it’s obvious Al has a plan (well it was obvious all along because Al has to be letting Vox control him because he should be strong enough to escape. He mostly gave up to save Husk/Niffty and that’s our first clue something is up. I doubt he has any fond feelings for Husk. Niffty, yes (he did keep his roach crown that she gave him after all)
Episode eight pulled out all the stops to destroy everyone’s feelings. Let’s talk about the villains for a second. Velvette remains an unrepentant bitch (good for her). There was an attempt to give Valentino more nuance. It’s obvious he does have real feelings for Vox and is feeling sad and left behind which transposes to anger (especially when Velvette sees the moment of weakness). You almost feel sorry for him. Almost. Because he’s abusive psycho you can’t really feel for his tender feelings getting hurt. What was interesting back a couple episode when Vox wants to use Angel more and Val is visibly upset with this. This isn’t in context of pissing with Alastor. Is it because Val really isn’t behind Vox’s ‘rule heaven’ plan fully or does he just not like other people playing with his toys? I don’t for a second believe he has much in the way of love for Angel. Possessive feelings? You betcha but not so much love. But he definitely doesn’t like Angel being used (you can see it in his body language outside on the balcony in the behind the scenes for Poison and again when the car pulls up to where Vox was waiting. In this episode, we see Val has redressed Angel from when he was onstage and Angel is on Val’s couch, utterly out of it, high and drunk. Put a pin in that.
Then we have Vox as he fucking loses his shit. After Alastor tricks him, he no longer cares about anything else, heaven or hell. He has lost his obsession. He’s in tears even as he’s actively trying to kill everyone. Vox has such an amazing arc this year from sort of a joke villain last season to this. He nearly succeeded but he tripped over his own dick. He is a shattered shell at the end trying to joke his way back into Val and Velvette’s good graces.
How hard did I laugh at Val yeeting Vox into a spare room? Also did they turn him out? It sounds like they might. (Viv has confirmed Vox’s story isn’t over). But also, wow, I did NOT expect it to be Valentino who tears off Vox’s head, stopping him. I loved that but at the same time felt a little cheated that Charlie wasn’t forced into more violence than she wants to use.
Let’s talk Baxter. Okay he definitely felt slightly deus ex machina in this. Yes they established he is a mad scientist and that he works for VoxTek but to this level? But once I moved past that Baxter and Niffty’s stuff was hilarious. Baxter muting Vox’s head? Gold. Baxter and Pentious in a science battle to establish communication, priceless. Baxter and Niffty loving each other in action, ditto. At least they found a reason for Baxter to do something.
Let’s talk Penny. I loved that Pentious was the one to reach out to Sera and make an actual impact. His mirroring Charlie’s ‘It Starts With Sorry’ was really wonderful and made for a great arc for him as well and it gave Sera a way forward that we didn’t want to kick her in the halo. Also, Cherri and Pen’s conversation at the end was great and I love that she was able to send him something in heaven. (and sad that Angel isn’t there to see this and know he could do the same with Molly).
Charlie and Vaggie, finally Charlie was not annoying. She and Vaggie were hot in their party gowns and finally Charlie made smart choices. FINALLY. Yes she started celebrating before she even knew Baxter & Pentious had worked out the communication issues but she had fire and conviction that we hadn’t seen in her all damn season. Alastor’s calling in the favor was great too.
As for Alastor, holy shit. Who knew you could break a soul contract like that? He broke his deal with Vox over a technicality (which was laughable, poor Vox. But to be fair Al’s a hypocrite for calling Vox out for touching Charlie’s shoulders because he’s done the same damn thing) But to shatter his deal with Rosie, did not see that coming. So…she made him the strongest demon in hell but once he wasn’t that anymore, their deal was broken. Interesting. Does Husk’s deal have a similar caveat? How about Angel’s? We know Husk’s deal allowed him to keep his overlord powers and Angel’s limits Valentino’s control over him to the studio but is there an out for either of them? Hmmm.
Also, what is Rosie and Alastor’s new deal? I can’t see her being his servant or vice versa. I suspect or at least hope it’s much more in line with how Alastor made a deal with Charlie. I’ll be looking forward to seeing it shake out.
Now let’s roll back time a little and talk about Husk and Cherri Bomb a) bonding b) rescuing Angel, C) fucking up Valentino. Husk and Cherri are doubtless going to be better friends by the time S3 rolls around and I’m here for it. Cherri needs fleshing out more. That she’s bagged Angel to haul his ass out of somewhere before is sad and kinda funny at the same time. Angel’s fear and aggression because he’s too high to know where he is and who they are worked well but then here comes Valentino. Holy hell what a boss fight.
Husk’s powers are amazing. I know in S1 they didn’t have the money for this level of animation or know if they would get more seasons so we never see Husk do more than flap around a little and throw his charged dice/cards. Now that they have Amazon money and know they have two more years at the very least, they went all out for Husk. He is strong, easily Valentino’s match. Using magician’s rings and disappearing up his own top hat were peak. I wasn’t that fond of Valentino easily matching them strength wise since really he did not get that big of a glow up. He’s strong, yes and his guns are his power but it seems lopsided when compared to Husk’s cards, dice, magic rings, saw people in half boxes and top hat not to mention Cherri’s bombs. I have to put the clip of the fight in here because damn. But also, Keith David’s deliver of goodbye was so fucking smug. Everyone probably cheered watching Val getting blasted straight out of his penthouse by Husk (and omg Val’s comment later as he’s hanging with cords around his limbs/neck caught up in one of Vox’s cable nets about he’s never edged that long was hysterical).
And then the ending. The one we knew was coming. Angel’s shame at being used hits like a fucking freight train. I knew he’d leave. He had to. How can he trust himself? The only relationship he knows is real is with Cherri because she predates the hotel. Is he friends with Husk or Charlie and Vaggie or does he think that because of Vox? Does he love Husk or was he told to get close to Husk? How is Angel to know? And he even loses Cherri because we saw how at Valentino’s command he is as he nearly strangles Cherri out. She’s already moved past that injury. She gets that he had no choice but Angel can’t move past the fact he had no choice but to hurt her. He is sacrificing himself so his friends can be safe.
But if that goodbye scene didn’t rip out a heart or two…Angel dissolving into uncontrollable sobs as he pulls away. Husk actually grabbing Angel’s hand instead of waiting for him to take it. Husk’s entire body language. Just look at him, he’s more crushed by this than he looked when he lost his own damn soul. Every part of him breaks (and Keith, that crack in your voice) He deflates. He might have fallen if not for Cherri grabbing him. And later with him cradling Fat Nuggets was so sad (and Angel abandoning Nuggsy speaks to how broken he is as he goes back to his abuser)
And that also makes you wonder for S3. Valentino knows Husk is Angel’s friend. He saw them at Consent. He fought Husk for Angel and he lost. He is not going to forgive that. Is he going to attack Husk? (oh, in my fic he will) Is he going to torment Angel with this (of course he is). And there is foreshadowing in Husk’s “Love In a Bottle” when he sings about gin won’t lie or fuck you over. How big of a bender is he going to go on? Or is he going to get soberish to help find a way to bring Angel home. (Angel I’m assuming is going to be so high he can barely fuck on screen and Val loses his shit) Can’t wait.
So, the finale with the power of love saving the day…yes it was corny. Yes we’ve seen it before. But I still think it works and more than that it gives us something we didn’t know but theorized about: Niffty is a fucking overlord! And Cherri isn’t ?!? I also assumed Cherri and Pen were at least minor overlords but if they are they didn’t have enough juju to help out. And what gives overlords these powers? The souls they’ve contracted? Interesting really. We watch as Angel, Cherri and Baxter join in the love fest but they don’t do more than sing. They’re not overlords. Niffty is….I wouldn’t have thought her smart enough if I’m honest. I would have thought being overlord meant you had at least a little intelligence. I mean Val isn’t Einstein but he’s cunning enough. Niffty has never evidenced that, not once. She’s a fighter and a good one apparently.
I loved seeing all the different powers showing up. Charlie’s musical notes, Husk’s card suits, Niffty’s stitches, that was fun. I’m not sure how it actually worked but I’m fine with it working but how did it free Lucifer? One last thing I liked, Emily actually getting hurt and it sticking (she has a gold artificial wing in the final bit)
What didn’t work for me? LUCIFER. Holy shit, not only did they nerf him, but they also turned him into an absolute idiot. How did he fall for any of that? Yes he’s desperate to do what his daughter wants but it never crosses his mind Charlie isn’t going to lure him into a warehouse and into a trap?!? There were other ways this could have been done. Knowing Lucifer can’t fight back (which I’m still annoyed about and can’t really believe) you’re telling me Vox couldn’t have hit him with something? Anything? To take him out? Not Vox’s electricity? Not slipping him one of Velvette’s rape drugs to knock him out? Not Val shooting his ass? No, we had to Wiley E. Coyote his ass into an ACME trap? Daffy Duck (who Lucifer must love) is smarter than this. They turned Lucifer into a joke and I hated every second of it.
In fact, he’s supposed to be the center of S3, well family is, specifically the Morningstar family (as per Viv in a recent con) and Angel’s family (because we know Arackniss is recording lines) If we don’t do something different with Lucifer I’m going to be upset. Charlie needs to be like she was in the finale and not what she was in the beginning and now we have Lilith back or so we’re to assume. Charlie has said Mom into the phone before and been wrong. Did yet another deal get broken? Was Lilith literally silenced because she was fomenting rebellion? That’s my bet. She had her voice stolen until heaven and hell could work together and now it’s back.
Other things that didn’t work for me. LUTE. Let me talk to you about Chekov’s Gun there Viv. You gave us Gravity. You gave us Lute’s fury and she does…almost nothing. Yes she attacks Vaggie at the end but that battle wasn’t much of one and she slinks off the moment Abel (of all people) yells at her. Is it because she hallucinated Adam? That was disappointing.
Also disappointing is having Patrick Stump of Fallout Boy as Abel’s voice actor and only give him like 90 seconds of song? Really?
Okay maybe he gets more in S3. I did like that Abel is finally more than a bit of a coward, that he finally finds a bit of backbone. Hope that continues. I do wonder if we’ll see Cain via the Helluva Boss crew because if we’re going for Biblically semi-accurate then Cain isn’t dead. He’s still wandering endlessly.
Overall, I still loved the show but I stand by my Prodigal Son comparison. I preferred S1, loved parts of S2 and wished other parts never happened because of what it does to character arcs. I am looking forward to Husk and Angel recovering from this, Arackniss showing up, Lucifer being less stupid, Vox being no longer the top of the food chain, Rosie, and Alastor and what comes next there. It’s going to be a long 2 years of waiting.
ETA because I forgot stuff like HOW did Carmilla know how to make that weapon harnessing Lucifer's power? That could not be every day knowledge. It does strength my thought that she's another fallen angel. There should be no reason anyone at all, weapons master or not, would think they could turn Lucifer's power into a ray gun against heaven and also Lucifer's power blasted the entirety of the seraphim's force field into smithereens without trying. How strong IS Lucifer?
And honestly while i knew Vaggie would keep her name (even if she dropped the E) I wish she would have changed her name and screw the fandom backlash. For one it's a terrible name, reducing her to a vagina which Adam makes clear. She's keeping a name given to her by her abuser and also a lesbian named vagina? that is not a funny joke.
Yes, I love music. Feel free to play it.
Girl from the back. Did you listen to Jacob Sartorius? (her table had suggested it last week when they were using him to remember the sartorius thigh muscle)
Yes, I liked it.
What did you listen to?
Ladies it's been a week, I don't remember.
Guy from the front - Do you like rap?
Me - it's not my favorite genre but I listen to some of it.
WHO?!?
Me - Oh, they're all old now. Run DMC, Will Smith when he was the Fresh Prince, Sir Mix-a-lot, Tone Loc
Guy from the front - do you like Nas?
Me - I've not really heard his stuff but I like Little Nas X
Them- holding up phone, what's this one? (obviously thinking Doc Dana is trying to be the cool prof who knows music)
two notes
me - Old Town Road, Little Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus
they start giggling. loudly.
The phone goes up. More music.
Me -three seconds in, Get Jiggy with it, Will Smith
More giggling.
Them - Dance
Me - Just play your music.
They weren't sure if it was a dare or not so the phone went away.
We had some of the other testing too. It's week 15 of 16 after all. Can't I have extra extra credit. No.
I NEED to pass this class to graduate. Can't I have a D? I'm desperate. 1. that's not passing 2. You have a 38%. No. I mean you'd have to sacrifice to the elder gods to pass at this point.
Let's hit the fannish fun for fannish 50 For one, sharing this again because Blake and this song hit the Billboard top 100 (at 98 but my god it's less than 3 minutes) Also move over Jessica Rabbit, another animated lounge singer is after your crown
So, it took me so long to sit down and give my opinions on the last two episodes I no longer remember what went in which episode. Yay Dorrie the fish brain. Oh, my Huskerdust heart, this ended right where I expected it to once we learned Vox was using Angel. I mean, how could it not?
It’s harder (with one big exception) to pinpoint things I didn’t like as there wasn’t that much of it and some of it is part of the fact Viv didn’t get the thirteen episode season she wanted. Eight episodes is hard to keep the pacing right. That said, episode seven had a blah feel to it while I was in it (might be why I’m struggling to remember with crystal clarity)
What surprised me and I wasn’t that fond of was, Vox’s plan of using Angel Dust to ‘make Charlie kill herself’ was a complete failure. Yes he badmouthed the hotel but everyone at the hotel immediately jumped to ‘Vox is mind-controlling Angel.’ How do they know this? Yes it’s because we don’t have time to explore self-doubt (which would have been a GOOD Charlie moment or Husk for that matter) not in this eight episode season. Now I can see Husk and Cherri instantly disbelieving this. Husk was an overlord. Did he know Vox? They didn’t seem to recognize each other and if Vox had any idea Alastor owned Husk he would have fucked him up, surely. So, the question becomes, how widely known is Vox’s powers? Is this just blind belief by Angel’s friends? I wish we had at least ten episodes so we could explore this.
What was excellent was “Brighter”! Holy crap. It’s a good song/story but we now have the most complete backstory of anyone. Yes we got Pentious and Alastor too but Vox feels the most fulfilled. What a psychopath. My only question is did he mean to kill his followers (I mean why is the studio floor flooded?) or was that a weird accident? And if it was purposeful who the hell plots their own suicide by letting a tv on a fraying wire give way onto their own head. But oh, the fan theory fans were no doubt screaming ‘we were right!’ (I know I was.) I also liked the blue-green heterochromia they gave him (even though that’s become a bit of an overused thing lately) And oh but Vox dances like a Disney princess and that made me laugh. (Also, you can tell Christian Boyle was chewing the scenery with this one, he was into it)
Other things that were well done: Val and Velvette slowly but surely having enough of Vox’s shit. The way the Vees had begun to break was fun to watch. How Alastor manipulated the shit out of Vox was fun too. At this point it’s obvious Al has a plan (well it was obvious all along because Al has to be letting Vox control him because he should be strong enough to escape. He mostly gave up to save Husk/Niffty and that’s our first clue something is up. I doubt he has any fond feelings for Husk. Niffty, yes (he did keep his roach crown that she gave him after all)
Episode eight pulled out all the stops to destroy everyone’s feelings. Let’s talk about the villains for a second. Velvette remains an unrepentant bitch (good for her). There was an attempt to give Valentino more nuance. It’s obvious he does have real feelings for Vox and is feeling sad and left behind which transposes to anger (especially when Velvette sees the moment of weakness). You almost feel sorry for him. Almost. Because he’s abusive psycho you can’t really feel for his tender feelings getting hurt. What was interesting back a couple episode when Vox wants to use Angel more and Val is visibly upset with this. This isn’t in context of pissing with Alastor. Is it because Val really isn’t behind Vox’s ‘rule heaven’ plan fully or does he just not like other people playing with his toys? I don’t for a second believe he has much in the way of love for Angel. Possessive feelings? You betcha but not so much love. But he definitely doesn’t like Angel being used (you can see it in his body language outside on the balcony in the behind the scenes for Poison and again when the car pulls up to where Vox was waiting. In this episode, we see Val has redressed Angel from when he was onstage and Angel is on Val’s couch, utterly out of it, high and drunk. Put a pin in that.
Then we have Vox as he fucking loses his shit. After Alastor tricks him, he no longer cares about anything else, heaven or hell. He has lost his obsession. He’s in tears even as he’s actively trying to kill everyone. Vox has such an amazing arc this year from sort of a joke villain last season to this. He nearly succeeded but he tripped over his own dick. He is a shattered shell at the end trying to joke his way back into Val and Velvette’s good graces.
How hard did I laugh at Val yeeting Vox into a spare room? Also did they turn him out? It sounds like they might. (Viv has confirmed Vox’s story isn’t over). But also, wow, I did NOT expect it to be Valentino who tears off Vox’s head, stopping him. I loved that but at the same time felt a little cheated that Charlie wasn’t forced into more violence than she wants to use.
Let’s talk Baxter. Okay he definitely felt slightly deus ex machina in this. Yes they established he is a mad scientist and that he works for VoxTek but to this level? But once I moved past that Baxter and Niffty’s stuff was hilarious. Baxter muting Vox’s head? Gold. Baxter and Pentious in a science battle to establish communication, priceless. Baxter and Niffty loving each other in action, ditto. At least they found a reason for Baxter to do something.
Let’s talk Penny. I loved that Pentious was the one to reach out to Sera and make an actual impact. His mirroring Charlie’s ‘It Starts With Sorry’ was really wonderful and made for a great arc for him as well and it gave Sera a way forward that we didn’t want to kick her in the halo. Also, Cherri and Pen’s conversation at the end was great and I love that she was able to send him something in heaven. (and sad that Angel isn’t there to see this and know he could do the same with Molly).
Charlie and Vaggie, finally Charlie was not annoying. She and Vaggie were hot in their party gowns and finally Charlie made smart choices. FINALLY. Yes she started celebrating before she even knew Baxter & Pentious had worked out the communication issues but she had fire and conviction that we hadn’t seen in her all damn season. Alastor’s calling in the favor was great too.
As for Alastor, holy shit. Who knew you could break a soul contract like that? He broke his deal with Vox over a technicality (which was laughable, poor Vox. But to be fair Al’s a hypocrite for calling Vox out for touching Charlie’s shoulders because he’s done the same damn thing) But to shatter his deal with Rosie, did not see that coming. So…she made him the strongest demon in hell but once he wasn’t that anymore, their deal was broken. Interesting. Does Husk’s deal have a similar caveat? How about Angel’s? We know Husk’s deal allowed him to keep his overlord powers and Angel’s limits Valentino’s control over him to the studio but is there an out for either of them? Hmmm.
Also, what is Rosie and Alastor’s new deal? I can’t see her being his servant or vice versa. I suspect or at least hope it’s much more in line with how Alastor made a deal with Charlie. I’ll be looking forward to seeing it shake out.
Now let’s roll back time a little and talk about Husk and Cherri Bomb a) bonding b) rescuing Angel, C) fucking up Valentino. Husk and Cherri are doubtless going to be better friends by the time S3 rolls around and I’m here for it. Cherri needs fleshing out more. That she’s bagged Angel to haul his ass out of somewhere before is sad and kinda funny at the same time. Angel’s fear and aggression because he’s too high to know where he is and who they are worked well but then here comes Valentino. Holy hell what a boss fight.
Husk’s powers are amazing. I know in S1 they didn’t have the money for this level of animation or know if they would get more seasons so we never see Husk do more than flap around a little and throw his charged dice/cards. Now that they have Amazon money and know they have two more years at the very least, they went all out for Husk. He is strong, easily Valentino’s match. Using magician’s rings and disappearing up his own top hat were peak. I wasn’t that fond of Valentino easily matching them strength wise since really he did not get that big of a glow up. He’s strong, yes and his guns are his power but it seems lopsided when compared to Husk’s cards, dice, magic rings, saw people in half boxes and top hat not to mention Cherri’s bombs. I have to put the clip of the fight in here because damn. But also, Keith David’s deliver of goodbye was so fucking smug. Everyone probably cheered watching Val getting blasted straight out of his penthouse by Husk (and omg Val’s comment later as he’s hanging with cords around his limbs/neck caught up in one of Vox’s cable nets about he’s never edged that long was hysterical).
And then the ending. The one we knew was coming. Angel’s shame at being used hits like a fucking freight train. I knew he’d leave. He had to. How can he trust himself? The only relationship he knows is real is with Cherri because she predates the hotel. Is he friends with Husk or Charlie and Vaggie or does he think that because of Vox? Does he love Husk or was he told to get close to Husk? How is Angel to know? And he even loses Cherri because we saw how at Valentino’s command he is as he nearly strangles Cherri out. She’s already moved past that injury. She gets that he had no choice but Angel can’t move past the fact he had no choice but to hurt her. He is sacrificing himself so his friends can be safe.
But if that goodbye scene didn’t rip out a heart or two…Angel dissolving into uncontrollable sobs as he pulls away. Husk actually grabbing Angel’s hand instead of waiting for him to take it. Husk’s entire body language. Just look at him, he’s more crushed by this than he looked when he lost his own damn soul. Every part of him breaks (and Keith, that crack in your voice) He deflates. He might have fallen if not for Cherri grabbing him. And later with him cradling Fat Nuggets was so sad (and Angel abandoning Nuggsy speaks to how broken he is as he goes back to his abuser)
And that also makes you wonder for S3. Valentino knows Husk is Angel’s friend. He saw them at Consent. He fought Husk for Angel and he lost. He is not going to forgive that. Is he going to attack Husk? (oh, in my fic he will) Is he going to torment Angel with this (of course he is). And there is foreshadowing in Husk’s “Love In a Bottle” when he sings about gin won’t lie or fuck you over. How big of a bender is he going to go on? Or is he going to get soberish to help find a way to bring Angel home. (Angel I’m assuming is going to be so high he can barely fuck on screen and Val loses his shit) Can’t wait.
So, the finale with the power of love saving the day…yes it was corny. Yes we’ve seen it before. But I still think it works and more than that it gives us something we didn’t know but theorized about: Niffty is a fucking overlord! And Cherri isn’t ?!? I also assumed Cherri and Pen were at least minor overlords but if they are they didn’t have enough juju to help out. And what gives overlords these powers? The souls they’ve contracted? Interesting really. We watch as Angel, Cherri and Baxter join in the love fest but they don’t do more than sing. They’re not overlords. Niffty is….I wouldn’t have thought her smart enough if I’m honest. I would have thought being overlord meant you had at least a little intelligence. I mean Val isn’t Einstein but he’s cunning enough. Niffty has never evidenced that, not once. She’s a fighter and a good one apparently.
I loved seeing all the different powers showing up. Charlie’s musical notes, Husk’s card suits, Niffty’s stitches, that was fun. I’m not sure how it actually worked but I’m fine with it working but how did it free Lucifer? One last thing I liked, Emily actually getting hurt and it sticking (she has a gold artificial wing in the final bit)
What didn’t work for me? LUCIFER. Holy shit, not only did they nerf him, but they also turned him into an absolute idiot. How did he fall for any of that? Yes he’s desperate to do what his daughter wants but it never crosses his mind Charlie isn’t going to lure him into a warehouse and into a trap?!? There were other ways this could have been done. Knowing Lucifer can’t fight back (which I’m still annoyed about and can’t really believe) you’re telling me Vox couldn’t have hit him with something? Anything? To take him out? Not Vox’s electricity? Not slipping him one of Velvette’s rape drugs to knock him out? Not Val shooting his ass? No, we had to Wiley E. Coyote his ass into an ACME trap? Daffy Duck (who Lucifer must love) is smarter than this. They turned Lucifer into a joke and I hated every second of it.
In fact, he’s supposed to be the center of S3, well family is, specifically the Morningstar family (as per Viv in a recent con) and Angel’s family (because we know Arackniss is recording lines) If we don’t do something different with Lucifer I’m going to be upset. Charlie needs to be like she was in the finale and not what she was in the beginning and now we have Lilith back or so we’re to assume. Charlie has said Mom into the phone before and been wrong. Did yet another deal get broken? Was Lilith literally silenced because she was fomenting rebellion? That’s my bet. She had her voice stolen until heaven and hell could work together and now it’s back.
Other things that didn’t work for me. LUTE. Let me talk to you about Chekov’s Gun there Viv. You gave us Gravity. You gave us Lute’s fury and she does…almost nothing. Yes she attacks Vaggie at the end but that battle wasn’t much of one and she slinks off the moment Abel (of all people) yells at her. Is it because she hallucinated Adam? That was disappointing.
Also disappointing is having Patrick Stump of Fallout Boy as Abel’s voice actor and only give him like 90 seconds of song? Really?
Okay maybe he gets more in S3. I did like that Abel is finally more than a bit of a coward, that he finally finds a bit of backbone. Hope that continues. I do wonder if we’ll see Cain via the Helluva Boss crew because if we’re going for Biblically semi-accurate then Cain isn’t dead. He’s still wandering endlessly.
Overall, I still loved the show but I stand by my Prodigal Son comparison. I preferred S1, loved parts of S2 and wished other parts never happened because of what it does to character arcs. I am looking forward to Husk and Angel recovering from this, Arackniss showing up, Lucifer being less stupid, Vox being no longer the top of the food chain, Rosie, and Alastor and what comes next there. It’s going to be a long 2 years of waiting.
ETA because I forgot stuff like HOW did Carmilla know how to make that weapon harnessing Lucifer's power? That could not be every day knowledge. It does strength my thought that she's another fallen angel. There should be no reason anyone at all, weapons master or not, would think they could turn Lucifer's power into a ray gun against heaven and also Lucifer's power blasted the entirety of the seraphim's force field into smithereens without trying. How strong IS Lucifer?
And honestly while i knew Vaggie would keep her name (even if she dropped the E) I wish she would have changed her name and screw the fandom backlash. For one it's a terrible name, reducing her to a vagina which Adam makes clear. She's keeping a name given to her by her abuser and also a lesbian named vagina? that is not a funny joke.
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Date: 2025-11-26 11:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-11-27 05:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-11-27 12:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-11-27 03:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-11-26 12:38 pm (UTC)you'd have to sacrifice to the elder gods to pass at this point.
It's really NOT funny, but it made me chuckle. Now's not the time to worry, that time has passed.
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Date: 2025-11-27 05:13 am (UTC)I'm taking bets on how many people after the final exam will email me for emergency extra credit