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Helluva Boss Criticism - Blog Posts
Yes exactly! It's good that she's getting a backstory, i'm not denying that! But on some level it feels pointless that they spent the entirety of season 2 gutting any semblance of character stella could have had beyond "Stolas's mean wife" unless HB starts treating stella like an actual complex character then it might end up feeling like a bandaid fix, like viv trying to go "S-see guys, she's more than just a scapegoat for stolas, I swear" Obviously we'll have to wait and see, but that's just how i look at it.
Viv saying that they’ll have Stella get some backstory for upcoming season three is just there because she’s being called out for the major flaw of not being able to write woman with there being a lot more damage done given she rendered Stella into a cartoonish gimmick who really isn’t a villain at all with her brother fully taking over the mantel of what Stella could have been (love or hate what they did with her in Circus either way). Look I think she could have worked in some way in theory but the point is there are damage already done given she’s just a plot device for Stolas than a character with it also applying to her daughter. She deserves better whether as an equal grey to Stolas or as a better written villain.
No really, it's like. First they try to go "Oh she-she's been evil from the start, and her behavior isn't cause of stolas's cheating" Nevermind does it raise questions like "Why does stolas let via around her" and that they (As of season 2) completely ignore her also being in an arranged marriage and having to give birth almost as soon as she became an adult (Note, I am not saying stellas ever been a "Good" person, frankly no one is in helluva besides octavia, it's just that I find her treatment by the show and the fandom at large as some mega evil is annoying.) And then, rather than make her a semi-threatening villian that drives the plot foward, they instead introduce Andrelphus literally out of no where and go "See he's the actual mastermind, stella is just so dumb!"
What actually is the point of stella anymore? Like, what would actually change about helluvas current plot line if stella just vanished from it? It sucks cause the pitch of her character can still work, hell, with enough dedication her current character could sort of be salvaged. But at this point I doubt the writers will suddenly start making her an actual character at this point.
Hear me out with this controversial opinion, Stella never had a chance to be an actual character whether love or hate what direction they decide to do with her after cough, Circus and later on.
I am a HUGE Dog-Man fan, mainly because of my brother BUT YES! Absolutely yes, Petey the Cat is a WAY better representation of a neglectful father with a bad past trying his best to be a good father. Petey gets called out a lot unlike Stolas.
Petey is actively trying to change and trying to get better, his past actions haunt him but he's actively taking responsibility to move on and be better. He's currently impatient and easily irritable, his anger issues are still there but he's learning to be better overall.
I saw some anon mention Petey the cat being better parental figure than Stolas on here, and I fully agree on that... That and the fact that Petey the Cat is a well-written character in Stolas in every step of the way.
The one thing that Petey and Stolas have in common is that they both have had terrible abusive fathers and didn't have a childhood of their own, and both have been shown to be pretty neglectful towards their own kids (Petey with Lil' Petey in the beginning of Dogman & Stolas with Octavia). But here's the difference:
One gets called out from this and actually regrets his behaviour and his actions. He regrets how he abandoned his son because he didn't come out the way he wanted, and for his own villainy, and selfish needs. He fully owns up to his own mistakes and is actively trying to become a better person and a better father for Lil' Petey.... And the other is Helluva Boss Stolas Goetia.
The fact that a children's book can handle any serious subjects better than an ACTUAL adult animated series should make you consider the fact that you're doing something wrong in your story Viv, lol.
That’s even more embarrassing, a Children’s book does a better job at depicting a serious topic than Helluva Boss.
A recent article came out about the mistreatment and pay of Spindlehorse employees, please spread this around.
Woah bro it's like the red dragon from Bible dude. It's like that thing from the Bible. You know, the bible. Ignore that the red dragon is supposed to have seven heads, seven crowns and ten horns and also that it's supposed to be a sign of the apocalypse in Revelation. It's some kid's dragon OC in a Yu-Gi-Oh outfit now.
It's a Bible thing. We're so smart and good at character design mhm.
The Show and Fandom’s reaction to:
Stella: She’s a horrible, awful person! Who cares if she was brought up in the same environment and circumstances as Stolas. Some people are just born evil. If you try to give her any depth, you’re an abuser apologist! You don’t care about male domestic violence.
Loona: HAHA FUNNY! It’s slapstick. She came from a harsh environment. Blitz shouldn’t have criticized her. Can’t you take a joke?!
Gang.... this might be controversial but
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Spoilers for the newest helluva boss episode
TW! mentions of sex, abusive relationships, helluva boss in general
I really like stolas and this random succubus (ima name him eric) as a couple for a few reasons.
1. LOOK AT HOW FUCKING CUTE THEY ARE!!!!
Eric genuinely looks like he likes stolas, not his status, not his money or power. Just. Him. And stolas looks like he's enjoying himself for the first time since he's been at the party
2. This would be stolas' first real relationship. Not an arranged marriage and not a crazy sex fueled, power imbalanced "relationship." Just a real relationship that could improve stolas's outlook on romance and himself as a whole.
This leads me to point 3.
This relationship would change him for the better. After all, it wasn't blitz who started this whole sex for the book transaction. It was stolas. Granded, it was because of a miscomunication between the two when they met up again (stolas making a joke about blitz being there to fuck him only for blitz to take it seriously and stolas going along with it, thinking blitz would like that) but it doesn't change the fact that, since that miscommunication, stolas was the one who let it go too far. Stolas was the one who called blitz back in the first episode when they were getting their asses handed to them just to be like "yo we should fuck again so you can keep the book", stolas was the one to say over and over that blitz was "his little imp" and shit like that, stolas was the one who failed to communicate that "hey, this sex for book stuff isn't working and it never has" and yes, blitz failed to communicate his discomfort at points and pushed him away without explaining BUT stolas was the one to ignore his discomfort when he did express it and just think it was all just a cute quirk about him. They are both in the wrong. But stolas is the one that's the most in the wrong. This is why this relationship could change him for the better. Because Eric could help him learn and understand that while he may have been doing what he thought blitz wanted, he was wrong, and what he did and said was unexceptable, and he needs to better himself because his actions and his position of power made what he did a lot worse than what he initially thought.
I know it's probably unlikely, and stoliz is definitely endgame, I just want some real character development for stolas by getting into this relationship instead of just babying him at every corner. He's a grown ass man and needs to start taking accountability for his actions. I just need more instead of just "stolas being big sad over the imp boy not wanting him after being a creep" and "blitz needs to stop being a meanie to the baby bird boy!" I want actual development for these characters from a show I've been a fan of since day one.
But I know it's probably unlikely that Eric and stolas will ever be more than a hookup or a plot device for Blitz like verasika is in all her episodes.
I just wanted to express how i felt, and at the end of the day, it's just my opinion, and it's ok if you don't agree :3
Super late to the party. But Hot Take, Beelzebub Should've been a Wolf.
Okay before you ignore this post, please read all of this. It has been bugging me since S1ep8 came out and the whole "controversy". This post is more like me just speaking my thoughts and hearing other peoples opinions. Also, this is not me fixing her design saying that they should change it.
Think of it me just babbling on about stuff.
I'm not gonna lie I never liked Bee's design. I find it under whelming and never really fit with the shows vibe. Honestly I think they could've done more with her design than what they went with in the show.
I think they really missed making her a wolf or a wolf/bee hybrid.
Wolves are a way better symbol of gluttony than foxes. Wolves have historically been seen as gluttonous animals due to their always eating livestock. There's a good article explaining this in greater detail. They also symbolize wrath, and we have seen Bees get angry, so I think it would be a perfect fit.
Also, if you ever watch a nature documentary about them hunting and eating praying animals, it's pretty gruesome. I'm not saying we need to see that happening; I'm just saying how that behavior would fit well with the whole gluttony symbolism.
Also, another thing about wolves is that they are social animals! They hunt in packs and they love to play with each other! Just look up Wolves playing, trust me its really adorable! Like it just fits for the whole party girl vibe and it also fits with here character. As she does care about people. Wolves do take there pack's livelihood very seriously. Also, it would fit well with bees because there also social animals. Like it would make more sense
Another reasons Bee should of been a wolf is that wolves can be really cute.
And can be really scary.
I know people like Bees full demon form. But it never felt intimadting for me. Like imagine wolf Bee full demon form snarling and growling. On top of that with all the bug features, Bee would look fucking scary. Thats just me tho.
Not to mention, dogs are descendent from wolves. So it be a cool detail that Bee made hellhounds and who happens to be part wolf. I know that sounds a bit to realistic but I think it would a neat detail.
Oh and would also really go full circle with Vivs Die Young music video, with Jay Jay. Idk I just find it more sweet.
So yeah, that it.
Thanks for listening to my ted talk.
wpuld love to hear your gripes about striker's design!
aah it’s mainly the fact that he looks so cool and yet way too busy. i’m used to viv’s maximalist style and for the most part i like it and don’t think character designs should be simplified because this is the show’s style—but striker has too much stuff going on with his clothes in particular.
i really liked how he looks vaguely coyote-ish, so it’s mostly his clothes for me—there are at least 3 different shades of grey in his outfit and it made it difficult for me to picture him when he wasn’t onscreen other than coyote with cowboy hat and big teeth. there’s also a lot going on with his tail—if it were a solid color without the stripes and spikes, i’d be able to follow its movement better and distinguish it from his accessories.
he also doesn’t really pop out from the wrath environment in general, having such muted colors, which i think could be intentional to show him as being much more ‘native’ to there than moxxie, but the same thing happens in other places, too—grey just really doesn’t stand out.
so yeah i think it’s just the dissonance between the fact that i think he’s really cool/yay snake cowboy so i really like some of his design, but also that his clothing is too busy without much contrast and there are so many stripes and layers which make it difficult to follow the minutiae of his movements!
okay so i just finished helluva boss (but not the shorts which i don’t think i’ll watch)…
and i enjoyed it for the most part. it’s a fun little show and i think that’s how people ought to treat it. i’ve a few thoughts below the cut. i’ve read a lot of glazing and a lot of hate and tbh i think i’m somewhere in the middle which seems like a rare thing in this fandom lmao
my favorite characters were fizz and moxxie & millie (tho the camp episode was so boring oh my goddd) and also ozzie however his design drives me up a wall why does he look like that. however his VA is sooo good
why do they say fuck so much
it feels like a show made for edgy high schoolers idk like it’s fun but it’s 90% sex jokes, ‘witty’ one-liners, and ship content
they interact with issues shallowly—like classism in hell and possibly racism (? if imps are a separate race ? idk)—and tbh i think they should stick to shallow examinations. social commentary is not their strong suit. things won’t hold together if they try to go deeper with this; it’s not a serious show and it should not be taking itself seriously. it works best when it’s interpersonal
i have a big issue w how viv/the writers/character designers portray fat ppl. i rly didn’t get the fat jokes about moxxie in that one ep like was it supposed to be a running gag? the character designs make everyone thin as a toothpick except for mammon who also happens to be the one sin they portray as being the worst and most disgusting. even bee who literally *is* gluttony is disgusted by mammon in that one scene where he’s chowing down in the courtroom. like what sense does that make.
which gets me to my real question that consistently bugged me throughout the whole series: what is the standard of morals in hell? the sins are personifications of their domains, so why are most of them decent folks? does this imply that people are sent to hell based on very conservative christian views—like is that the moral standard in this universe (i haven’t seen hh if this is explained)? like there genuinely weren’t a lot of indications for me for why a sin was a sin. ozzie emphasized lust being consensual; bee was concerned for blitz overindulging; but then verosika and her friends sexually assault moxxie and it’s implicitly brushed off as funny and not a big deal because oh well it is hell after all. idk it just felt inconsistent to me and i’m not sure why everyone and everything was so sanitized if this is supposed to be a terrible place
i liked the backstory episodes those were fun
i feel like they babygirlified stolas by making stella so unlikeable. it feels like the show runners were begging for us to sympathize with him when i thought he was a plenty decent character on his own and they could have made him much more morally complex by letting stella be an actual character. i was hoping there would be a little more ambiguity to it (rather than ‘yay stolas is finally divorcing that bitch’) because i genuinely was a little confused by why octavia was so mad at him at the end of s2 when the show covers his bases—she saw that stella wasn’t letting him call? idk i feel like the conflict should’ve come around the stars episode not the end one it just didn’t make sense to me. her struggle with the divorce made sense in s1 but by s2 they’d made stella such the clear-cut villain that it seemed like she never had a happy family to mourn the loss of. it felt forced that they transferred the conflict she seemed to be set up for having with her mother to stolas just to give him something to be upset about.
i’m not a big fan of stolitz im gonna be honest. idk why they like each other. they went from stolas essentially being a funny thirsty character to making their relationship the main plot line. it felt forced on blitz’s end especially like he went from not caring about him to ‘no actually he’s just too insecure to admit his feelings’ to madly in love?? within the space of a few episodes? there was also the problematic classist overtones as well but i think giving them an overtly toxic situationship would’ve been better and more fitting to the fact that they’re in hell than airbrushing things away so they can be an uwu yaoi pairing.
i enjoyed some of the songs especiallyyy the asmodeus one is s1 that was groovy as hell
i love fizz and ozzie they’re really cute :)
some of the designs got on my nerves (like ozzie and striker etc) but some of them were pretty cool (like fizz and stolas!)
in closing, i think the show is fine and a pretty fun watch it just shouldn’t take itself too seriously because then it breaks down.
I think “Mastermind” could have been a stronger episode if the trial focused on the fact that Stolas’ incompetence has led to humans discovering the existence of Heaven and Hell.
In the past, there have been alluded to consequences about I.M.P creating a commotion up top and not being careful, so why not have that finally come back to bite everyone in “Mastermind”? But, what do I mean by saying it’s the fault of Stolas, you may ask? After all, it was I.M.P who did their business without being properly careful, right?
That’s still technically on Stolas.
Alright, consider the other two times we see Hell-born doing a job up top, that being Barbie-Wire and the succubi. Both parties not only had a way to get there, but a human disguise as well. Presumably, Barbie-Wire and the succubi were given both Asmodean crystals and human disguised by their employers, because you know they’re supposed to be discreet and all. We could also assume they all got some form of training on how to act, too. Why am I bringing this up though?
It’s because Stolas irresponsibly let I.M.P have access to the living world without training or human disguises!
A high-ranking Goetia prince gave access to his grimoire, and that was all he did, presumably with an assumption they would be careful. And then in the D.H.O.R.K.S episode, he just leaves the two head agents alive! Two humans who have knowledge about Hell being a thing are just hand-waved away by him, simply stating that nobody would believe them. No wiping their minds or anything, they’re just left there!
Which comes back to bite everyone because those two had actual evidence that was believed, and now they’re working to open a portal to Hell. Even after that episode and “Seeing Stars”, Stolas doesn’t give them human disguises, even after Blitzø had asked about getting some earlier.
Tl;Dr of it all is that Stolas is responsible for I.M.P’s actions up top and them not being properly careful. Mostly because he didn’t give them the resources needed other than the book.
Ok, but how would Andrealphus know all about this?
That…actually comes with a bit of a rewrite. So imagine if Andrealphus, after Stella won’t get anything from the divorce, sends out an imp to spy and regularly report back to him about Stolas (and eventually I.M.P’s) actions through one of his tail feathers. In this rewrite, Andrealphus has the ability to see things through his tail feathers, making the fact that he’s a peacock matter in the narrative.
So through his spy (sent after the events of “Western Energy”) Andrealphus learns that Stolas gave the grimoire away to be used. But not only that, the spy sees the fight with the cherubs, as well as them leaving via portal that doesn’t look like a standard one used often in Hell, and it doesn’t look like something Heaven would use either. So the spy brings back their findings, which Andrealphus brings to the Sins. An investigation is then launched (presumably during the time period between “Apology Tour” and “Ghostf**kers”), and a lot of damning evidence is found by the agents that were sent (presumably by Satan).
So, that’s when the trial is set up, and both I.M.P and Stolas are brought in. Several things are properly brought to light, Stolas is found guilty (but I.M.P got off scott-free, a rarity in Hell), and he’s striped of his title, legions, everything. Satan states that it’s a fitting punishment, since he can’t be trusted with his former position and the responsibility that vmcomes with it. And Octavia’s still 17, so Andrealphus temporarily serves as a regent until the day of her 18th birthday. Meanwhile, the Sins go to talk about just how bad the damage is, and what they can do to fix it.
Maybe one of them suggests bringing Lucifer in, but that’s shot down by Satan, alluding to how Lucifer hasn’t gotten involved in the state of affairs in Hell for a while now.
…So that’s my vague idea for a rewrite that I think makes a better episode. What do y’all think?
…You know what could’ve been cool? If Vassago had ACTUALLY looked like a pirate, and if he were Octavia’s mentor.
Like, for a character who supposedly should look like one, Vassago does NOT look like a pirate. Which is disappointing, Viv really could have gone all in and made that guy a pirate stereotype. Like, where’s the peg leg, the eyepatch? Where’s the frilly cravat? Where’s the pirate hook? Where’s the oversized captain’s coat and pirate hat with long, elaborate feathers? Heck, you could have made one of those feathers be from Andrealphus, and Vassago put it in his hat because he LOATHES Andrealphus, and beat his a** once. And he makes sure to wear it because Andrealphus HATES it.
Actually, why is Vassago a red macaw? Why not a green parrot, I feel like when you think ‘pirate’ you picture a parrot, especially a green one. I don’t know, sounds like a missed opportunity. And hey, you still could have put stars on his outfit.
As for being Octavia’s mentor, maybe Vassago could have taken pity on the fact that until recently, she’s never had formal lessons in her potential duties regarding astrology. And yeah, Vassago might not occupy the exact same space, but it is said that he can divine and tell summoners of past and future events apparently. And you can use the stars to do the latter, so he could at least reach her something in that.
Really, if we’re going with the Goetias being nobility, Octavia SHOULD have a couple private tutors to guide her in potential duties and proper etiquette. Since she’s the spare and all, honestly now that I think about it did either Stolas or Stella get her something like an etiquette teacher? She’s going to need one since she’s slated to take over Stolas’ position in (assumedly) less than a year. I think Stolas started recently teaching her through the book (she probably should have started a couple years ago), but he can’t do that anymore, so…
Anyway, like I said, could be cool if Vassago took pity on the girl (since Vassago is apparently good-natured) and started overviewing her lessons on her duties in astrology. Or maybe, she’s having trouble navigating through the Goetia social expectations and stuff and he decides to not leave her to the sharks. Idk, might have been better than just having him be a Stolas hype man, despite the fact that Stolas not having any friends other than Blitzø that one time is supposed to be important. And yet here’s a guy who definitely seems to like him somewhat, could Stolas not have been friends with him?
Agent 1 and 2 was done so dirty and wrong.Including the cherubs.
They were competent antagonists to now dumb and annoying waste of characters in the show.
I know the Cherubs were annoying even in their first appearance but man.The concept of angels being fallen by an accident,self defense and stuck in a moral dilemma(damn if you do,damn if you don't situation where the IMP keeps pestering them when they only want to help)is so intriguing (them killing the old man in accident out of self defense from the IMP).Their potential is wasted to make heaven appear bad or dumb in hell(full moon).
The DHORKS could be interesting.I am excited for characters especially humans that can beef up with the supernatural.but instead it was a "secret" organization funded by something? Then when they show proof of demons, the government and church?(With the priests soldiers arming the gun in that scene).the way they show their operations seems like another lesser evil.As the Agents react nothing to the girls being killed in the hell's portal as a joke.
They became annoying instead of actual antagonists to the IMP .The way they are so defeated easily and their loss as a joke for slapstick humor is making their plot in their episodes useless.If anything they are not really an obstacle as IMP even mocks their easy defeat.just another plot device.
Don't forget how their team up sounds cool but disappointing.It could be their revenge or rather avenging themselves as the IMP did them wrong multiple times.But instead we get Cletus and Keenie acting blood thirsty angels while there is one genuine guy known as Collin being too innocent.Cletus and Kleenie reaction is justified tbh but the episode made them seems like another character being racist to hellborns litterally fighting them to death.Blitz insult them on his apology tour makes blitz apology a bit insincere.because again they are easily defeated.not even a temporary win like with striker so what is the point of them taking up screen time?what is the point of the agents being dramatic about demon hunting and the existence of DHORKS when humans are so dumb and let demons roam.What is the point of the CHERUBS existing to sabotage IMP when many times,IMP sabotage itself?.I feel like they are just here so we can laugh at them like how blitz makes fun of them in apology tour.
Cool detail I found.Both CHERUBS and DHORKS kill the IMP's client in accident.sounds like a doomed narrative.as if god is intervening their closeness to success into failure.tbf they are doomed as an antagonist already.even IMPs beefing themselves has more thematic conflict than these two.
You know at this point I would petition for Moxxie, Ozzy or even fuckin' Striker to be Via's father figure because Stolas sucks and Blitzø is his simp
HH & HB Worldbuilding Part #01
Worldbuilding, a beautiful and vital thing for all stories to have, is, for some reason, absent in the Hellaverse. Let’s change that.
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“When was Hell created?” ‣ I’ve decided to base Hell’s creation on how long the Earth has been around for which would mean that Hell was made around 4.5 billion years ago. I went this route because it makes the most sense from a logical and theological standpoint as God only made the Earth after he found out that Adam & Eve had disobeyed him by eating The Forbidden Fruit of Knowledge.
“How many Rings of Hell are there?” ‣ Usually there are only Seven Rings of Hell but I’m taking a page out of Dante’s Inferno for this and having there be Nine Rings instead. However, the order of these Nine Rings is rather different. First and foremost, one of the only things staying from the canon Hellaverse is that the Pride Ring is the very first Ring of Hell as I see it as the only Ring meant to house Sinners on account of the majority of humanities crimes stemming from the sin of Pride by believing that they are better than something else whether it be their fellow man, machine, or beast. As far as the other big Six Rings of Hell go after Pride it would be Lust in 2nd, Gluttony in 3rd, Sloth in 4th, Greed in 5th, Wrath in 6th, and Envy in 7th.
‣ That just leaves me with the 8th & 9th Rings which cannot be accessed via regular means (for instance, Hell’s Metro system for Hellborn citizens) or standard irregular means (like The Marked Alleyways in Pride that’s used by normal Hellborn citizens and Sinners alike.) The 8th Ring is known as The Ring of Treachery and very few know of its existence and even fewer are aware of the evil it holds. On the other hand, the Final Ring is one that every demon knows and fears as that’s where those found guilty in The Serpent’s Courtroom are forced to serve capital punishment (yes, there are things far worse than the death penalty in Hell) and go to suffer for the rest of eternity, in the Ring fittingly named, The Abyss. “What are the laws of Hell?” ‣ Obviously, if Hell has some kind of courtroom then there are some type of rules set in place. How said rules work differ depending on four major factors: which Ring you’re in, your place in Hell’s hierarchy, your race, and whether you’re a Hellborn citizen or not. Which doesn’t sound as bad as it could be until you take into consideration that Hellborn groups like Imps have to constantly be updated on and follow the laws in ALL Seven Rings, be "reminded" about their place in Hell by basically everyone around them, and overall be treated less than a Sinner would be because, “at least Sinners EARNED their right to be here.” The only Hellborn groups to have it worse than Imps are Half-Breeds (like Blitzø, Barbie, and Striker) as they’re expected to memorize DOUBLE the set of rules compared to everybody else and Hellhounds who have the most amount of rules while also having the least amount of freedoms thanks to them being often seen as pets or servants and nothing more. “Will the entirety of Hell be some various shades of red?” ‣ Short answer, no. Long answer, each of the Rings will be various shades of their specific Sin’s corresponding color. For example, the entire Pride Ring is going to be some tint or shade of purple. The only Rings I can’t really do this for are Lust, Treachery, and The Abyss. For the latter two it’s because they don’t exist in the traditional sense and as far as the Lust Ring goes, I’ll have to change the color to pink as Lust’s true signature color is blue however Sloth is light blue which means one of them has to change and I don't know about you but a blue Lust Ring just doesn't sound or look right to me.
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While I was doing this I hadn't realized just how much Vivziepop & Spindlehorse managed to accomplish NOT making Hell feel like Hell. Both Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss are solely set in Hell for the sake of being edgy and so that one show can do the done to death trope of, "angels are the real bad guys," while the other show devolved into a convoluted melodrama.
With a story setting like Hell you, as the writer/director, have to understand that you can't just visually show the readers/viewers that this story could only be set in Hell but you also have to make them FEEL like it could ONLY be set in Hell. Viv somewhat grasps the visual aesthetic of Hell but she's completely lost on how to appeal to an even wider audience due to her shows failing to convince people that FEEL like either show truly takes place in Hell. There's no real ongoing suffering happening to the Sinners in Hazbin Hotel (I'm not counting Angel Dust and his problems because they've opted for him to have rushed and off screen character development) as the Extermination only happens once a year and with Helluva Boss, it REFUSES to go all in on depicting high class Hellborn citizens taking advantage of those beneath them in Hell's society (gee, I wonder why/s.) That aside, I hope that you liked the worldbuilding that I've come up with so far and before the day is over I'll probably make a post dissecting Chaggie and why they should've stayed as best friends like they were originally planned to be in HH before Viv changed her mind last minute. Happy Valentine's Day everybody!
One Hell of an Unpopular Opinion #07
I think how the Seven Deadly Sins are respected should vary depending on how sinful they are. _________
I'm going to be completely honest here. I think the Hellaverse's version of the Seven Deadly Sins are jokes due to how far off they are from their Demonolgy & Theology counterparts. With that being said, something the Hellaverse did get right is how Lust and Gluttony are often considered to be the two weakest sins out of the seven.
Lust is depicted as the weakest of the Sins because it's TYPICALLY the least malicious. As when people hear about a crime related to lust the majority will think of an infidelity having been committed. Does infidelity suck? Absolutely, you were cheated on by your partner with someone who either knew of the situation or with someone who’s in the same boat as you and didn’t know until it was too late. However, I would hope that most of us would rather hear/learn about one of our friends or family members having a partner who cheated on them over other lust filled crimes.
As for why Gluttony is seen as the second weakest out of the Sins would probably be how common it is to commit it and, again, it’s less malicious especially compared to sins like Wrath, Envy, and Pride. Think about it, you probably know at least one person in your family with a really bad habit related to overindulgence whether it be a raging alcoholic, a chainsmoker, a drug addict, or someone with Binge Eating Disorder aka BED (yes, Binge Eating Disorder is an actual diagnosis that many people have and struggle with in their day to day lives as it can cause them to eat excessive amounts of food even when they’re not hungry.) The point is, you likely know someone who has some kind of bad habit that they need to break and should get help so that they don’t end up digging themselves an early grave.
Now, back to my original point, having the Seven Deadly Sins be respected by least sinful to most sinful would make it to where we can not only get a good idea of what the Sins are like before we meet them but more importantly it establishes order and coherent world building which is what the Hellaverse’s hierarchy lacks the most. If I were to order and rewrite the Hellaverse’s Seven Deadly Sins it would be Asmodeus, Beelzebub, Belphegor, Mammon, Satan, Leviathan, and Lucifer.
That way lower class demons could be shown being less tense around Ozzie and Bee as they’re more approachable and sociable compared to other Sins like Satan and Leviathan. From the one image we’ve seen from the Hellaverse’s Satan, I can only assume he’s a tough bastard who would rather settle things in a good old fashioned brawl compared to negotiation.
As for why I think a lot of demons would fear Leviathan more so than Satan is because of most how religious texts describe him as being some kind of giant sea monster (depending on the religion some say he’s a hydra, water dragon, or a water serpent) that could only be slain by God as there used to be several Leviathans but when God realized how destructive they were, he killed all of them except one. If God hadn’t interfered, the many Leviathans would’ve destroyed all of creation.
So why did I place Leviathan lower than Lucifer when he sounds more evil than he does? Well, the answer lies within their intended purpose. Leviathan’s intended purpose was to destroy all who cross his path whereas SAMAEL’S intended purpose was to HELP not to HINDER. Leviathan was released into the ocean and was told, “Annihilate anything and everything.” Meanwhile, Samael was created and lived in Heaven as an Archangel who was instructed to assist God’s creations by watching over them, teaching them, disciplining them, and protecting them. That’s all he had to do but he threw away his title, his dignity, and LITERAL HEAVEN by letting his own hubris get the better of him. Truly, pride goeth before a fall (and apparently before a future name change.) _________
I thought that it'd only be fitting for my 7th opinion to be about the Hellaverse's Seven Deadly Sins. Also I don't hate the Hellaverse's canon Lucifer but I do think his character is a massive disappointment. There are ways to make a dastardly character likable without infantilizing or woobifiying them.
Stolas being an ass truly unites us all.
Pov HH/HB community:
One Hell of an Unpopular Opinion #05
Apology Tour completely dismantles the very thought of Stolitz ever being a remotely healthy relationship once they actually become canon on account of AT proving that Stolas doesn't truly love Blitzø for who he is but rather the idealized version of him that Stolas created within his own head and could be replaced by anyone who's willing to take/play Stolas' idealized role of a partner. __________
As much as I hate Full Moon for wasting so much of the audiences time, it did give us that scene where Blitzø was finally sick of Stolas' shit and told him off for it. However, since it's HB the show immediately tries to run damage control in it's next episode, Apology Tour. This is not only another episode that I despise but it's also the one that solidified my hatred for Stolas and his character. In the beginning of Apology Tour, Stolas bitches and moans over how Blitzø is still making their "relationship" about sex when, news flash, it's ALWAYS been about sex because you, Stolas, have kept it that way to the point where your victim feels like he has to sleep with you in order to DESERVE to keep his OWN BUSINESS RUNNING!
And Blitzø isn't wrong! Their "relationship" has always been, as Blitzø worded it back in Season #01 of HB, "a transactional fucking." Why would he see it as anything different when that's how its always been? Now, how does Stolas reply to this?
Honestly, this IS very shocking Stolas as I believe this might be the first time where you and Blitzø have interacted with one another where you're not blatantly sexualizing or romanticizing him on screen! After this he says that Blitzø should respect the fact that he isn't in the mood to sleep with or even speak to him right now. Mind you, whenever Blitzø has told Stolas in the past that he isn't in the mood to sleep with him or be flirted with, Stolas has respected that notion ONE TIME which was after the fiasco at Ozzie's back from Season #01. Otherwise, Stolas hasn't respected his boundaries for shit. Boundaries are important but you two aren't in a real relationship and even if you were respect is still a two way street. If you command respect from someone you choose to CONTINUE to disrespect on a CONSTANT/CONSISTENT basis then why the hell should they respect you? If it wasn't for his book, Blitzø wouldn't have any incentive to cross paths with Stolas at all.
Anyway, literal seconds later, Stolas tells Blitzo how he got invited to an annual anti-Blitzø party and comments on how he's above such silly nonsense only for him to quickly change his tune upon seeing Blitzø's annoyed and enraged reaction to seeing that Verosika is behind this petty pity party.
This starts a back and forth with Stolas demanding that Blitzø leaves. This results in Blitzø, yet again, reinstating on what their relationship truly is and how Stolas fetishizes him which discomforts Stolas because deep down he knows what Blitzø is saying is true.
Now, I won't get into the conversation that takes place after this comment as the critical side of the Helluva Boss fandom on Tumblr has already (rightfully) torn it to shreds. So instead, I'll save us all some time by simply skipping ahead to when Stolas is at the party after that Incubus guy (that rabbid Stolitz shippers hate) asks him if he wants to dance and why I despise that entire scene.
We see that Blitzø is uncomfortable with this and Stolas KNOWS that he's uncomfortable with this random guy asking Stolas to dance with him as Stolas made DIRECT EYE CONTACT with Blitzø! Now, Blitzø does effectively advise that Stolas take up the Incubus' offer with a hand gesture HOWEVER for Stolas to claim that he's always been in love with Blitzø and that he has eyes for him and him alone only to later MAKE OUT WITH A STRANGER just proves and validates Blitzø's feelings that you don't actually love or care about him! And moments before this scene Stolas says this.
THEN GO AND FIND THAT PERSON AS LITERALLY ANYBODY CAN DO THAT! YOU DO NOT LOVE BLITZØ, YOU MERELY LOVE THE CONCEPT OF BEING IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM BECAUSE TO YOU, YOU SEE HIM AS A "CHILDHOOD FRIEND" WHEN IN REALITY YOU KNEW HIM AND HUNG AROUND HIM FOR ONE DAY SINCE YOUR FATHER BOUGHT HIM TO BE YOUR PLAYMATE FOR A SINGLE DAY! ... *Ahem.* In conclusion, there's no amount of future retconning that Viv and Spindlehorse can do to successfully make Stolitz appear as a genuinely healthy ship without trashing the entirety of Apology Tour but even that would create/introduce an entire new set of problems. __________
Man, I've been wanting to get this one off my chest for a while as I haven't seen many people bring up these scenes from AT when discussing how and why Stolas doesn't love Blitzø. I hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts this time around and I'll see you later!
Hazbin Hotel & Helluva Boss Rewrite Ideas #02
Hello! Hello! I've come to bring rewrite ideas for both shows once again! People seemed to like the first one and I like coming up with story ideas with and for practically everyone so here are seven more rewrite ideas for Hazbin Hotel & Helluva Boss! ______
#01.) Have Alastor's magic sigils be radio symbols over Vodou symbols as it not only makes way more sense with Alastor being the Radio Demon but to not play into a harmful stereotype about a real life religion.
#02.) On the topic of religion, don't be afraid to add a few more religious figures from the Bible or the Torah! As long as you're being mindful about the material you're pulling from, I really don't see this as much of an issue. People make their own spin on angels, demons, Jesus, and God all the time! But for once, this is where Viv gets cold feet even though she already has Adam & Eve there but not their two main children? Or the reason behind why their parents and everything else exists?? Seriously Viv??? #03.) In any case, if you do add the first two siblings then I suggest having Cain possibly work at the Hotel as some kind of repentance considering he's both the first real Sinner and for the fact that he feels guilt over killing his little brother. #04.) Alright, now for some ideas for Helluva Boss! I feel like we've all grown tired of seeing the, "Two people arranged in a loveless marriage," trope with how often it's been appearing and HB is no stranger to this trope and tries to use it as a way to rectify Stolas' affair with Blitzo.
I mentioned this in my third One Hell of an Unpopular Opinion series but if you want to stick loosely to HB's canon then you'd probably be better off with making Stella a surrogate mother as we still haven't seen her interact with Octavia and there was no real point in having Stolas marry Stella if all he needed to do was secure an heir. Besides I'm pretty sure that's what Paimon did in order to get Stolas as we see no signs that he had a mom growing up with how he was raised by a butler. On the contrary, should you wish to keep Stella as Stolas' wife, I'd recommend going the path not taken. By which I mean, have Stella and Stolas marry because, at one point, they did genuinely love each other but over the years that love dwindled and eventually faded out. Even though they'd be better off parting ways they choose to stay together as Great Horned Owls (the owl that the actual Stolas from the actual Ars Goetia seems to be based off of) and Snow Geese (I refuse to believe she's a swan especially since her brother has ice powers and lives in an ice castle) typically mate for life. From here, I'd have Octavia not be born out of the "necessity" of an heir but rather as a last ditch effort to see if their relationship can be rekindled as many couples in real life think that having a child or children will "fix" their relationship. #05.) Sorry for getting somewhat depressing with that last bit. To make up for it, write a fun chapter about I.M.P. having fun by rewriting Episode #05 of Season #01, The Harvest Moon Festival! A lot of people like The Harvest Moon Festival as it is though the majority agrees that it should've been a Millie centric episode. So have her be the reason they go to the Harvest Moon Festival over Stolas, show her competing in the Pain Games, and have her stand up for her husband due to having enough of her family constantly shit talking him. Overall, have Millie excel at being the bad ass girlboss that HB makes her out to be! #06.) Give Octavia some type of found family or friend group. Have her attend a prestigious private school (I doubt Stella will have her daughter attend a regular public high school) and have her become friends with the school's outcasts. The reason this group could be outcasts is because they actually earned their right to be there by getting good grades while most of the students are probably the offspring of Hell's high ranking officials. But seriously, this girl needs (and deserves) a support system STAT! #07.) Properly explain what it takes to get a soul into Heaven. I don't care if you explain this via The Ten Commandments, trusting that Jesus died for humanity's sins, or by using another set of rules from a different religion that isn't Christianity just be certain that your explanation is clear and concise and makes sense for what you have already pre-established for your rewrite. Don't do what the HH series did by saying, "Yeah, we don't know," because that is genuinely how you lose an audience. You can't have the ENTIRE premise of the show being about wanting Sinners to get into Heaven when HEAVEN doesn't even know what gets a soul there in the first place! ______ Well, those are all of the ideas I've got for now! See ya guys!
One Hell of an Unpopular Opinion #03
Characters like Barbie Wire, Chaz, Crimson, Octavia, and Stella only exist as plot devices to garner sympathy for other characters. _______ I knew fully well that Chaz and Crimson were going to merely be plot devices for Moxxie the more I watched Exes & Oohs. And sure enough, Chaz was killed at the end of that very episode and Crimson is yet another wacky cartoon villain that the narrative expects for you to take seriously. Both of these characters existed so that the audience could gain sympathy (or at least pity) for Moxxie being raised in a Mafia family and having been abused as a child along with being betrayed by his ex-boyfriend (who also happened to be Millie's ex-boyfriend for some reason.) Other than Moxxie's Mafia family upbringing making zero sense the more you think about it, Viv has basically done this exact backstory before in the form of Angel Dust (with the whole mobster backstory who was also abused by his father.) However, the Exes & Oohs episode and title actually stems from one of the HH mockup episodes that was originally about Charlie and Vaggie coming across Charlie's ex, Seviathan (yes, that's what Viv named him), and his sister, Helsa, while they were at a dinner party.
Now, do I think Chaz and Crimson could've had the potential to be good characters? In all honesty, no. Especially not Chaz. The guy is a harmful stereotype of pansexual people and how, "They'll sleep with anyone," which no, they won't. I'm not pansexual myself but that thought process is as gross as it is fucking stupid. The only person who I've seen even re-writing Chaz has been Loves Art23 (I mainly know her for YouTube videos being critical on Hazbin Hotel + Helluva Boss along with other shows like the disaster known as High Guardian Spice) and I think she's done a fairly good job so kudos to her for making him work. Personally, though I'm scrapping him as that gives me one less character to worry about when re-writing HB. Crimson would have to be heavily and I mean HEAVILY reworked/re-written in order for him to make any actual sense. That and I'm tired of every character having some variation of the same daddy issues in the Hellaverse. Which means he's also gonna get axed from me. Moving onto the ladies I mentioned, let's start off with Barbie Wire.
Having been foreshadowed since the pilot of I.M.P. (as seen when Tilla was still Barb's and Blitzo's older sister rather than their mother) Barbie Wire was an anticipated character by fans for years! And then her actual appearance finally happened in Unhappy Campers, an episode hated by practically everyone who saw it, and no one really cared about her showing up, other than the fact that the writers thought that having her seduce a BARELY legal adult would make for a good joke, when in reality, it only made everybody uncomfortable and several people dislike Barbie because of it. Sure, near the end of the episode she had that "emotional" scene with Blitzo that wants the viewers to feel bad for him and Barbie before she left but in the long run it didn't matter as fans barely even talk about it because of how uneventful it truly was. So, with that out of the way, would I keep Barbie Wire around for a rewrite of HB? To that I say, yes! There are several paths Barbie Wire's overall character could go in. If you're mainly sticking to canon, then what you have to work with is a former circus performer who lost her mother in a fire caused by her twin brother that left his own best friend to rot and be disabled for the rest of his life. It's very likely that this very fire, caused her to be out of a job and probably even homeless for a bit which could explain why she ended up becoming both a drug attic and a drug dealer. Homelessness is one of the few things that nobody wants to experience. It causes people to be filled with a sense of overwhelming loneliness and desperation as many of them either believe that there's nothing they can do or they do anything and everything that they can to get out of it even if that means resorting to crime. If you wanted to have her be loosely based on canon instead, you could make it to where she never learned about who started the fire and actually stuck with Blitzo well into adulthood. Have her become one of the members of I.M.P. and later down the line have her learn through someone like Fizz or maybe Cash (her and Blitzo's father) what actually went down that day. Have her be rightfully pissed off at Blitzo for screwing over multiple people along with being the one responsible for killing their mom. Anyway, let's proceed onto Stella and her daughter Octavia.
As much as the narrative wants me to hate Stella with a burning passion cause she hurts Stolas, I can't do it for multiple reasons but I'll list my top three. #01.) Stella's just as (if not even more so) stuck in this arranged loveless marriage as Stolas is. #02.) If the man I had no choice in marrying not only cheated on me with a man from one of the lowest classes in all of Hell but IN OUR OWN HOME & SHARED BEDROOM NO LESS? OH, FUCK NO!
#03.) This woman had to spend 9 months having to nourish and care for a baby inside her stomach that she had with a man that didn't even want to sleep with her. On top of that, she had to have become pregnant with Octavia when she was a young adult since current day Stolas and Stella are only in their mid 30s. I need you to let that information sink in.
In short, I can't hate Stella for loathing Viv's pathetic self insert bird twink with every fiber of her being.
Having said that, would I have Stella in my HB rewrite? Well, considering that I plan on keeping the war that happened in the bible that caused Lucifer and several angels to fall from grace, one of which being Stolas. Kind of. Allow me to elaborate, I would keep Stella as Octavia's mother but I wouldn't have her marry Stolas. I'd have her be a surrogate mother that way Stolas still gets an heir and Octavia could still exist. Speaking of Octavia...
We all know that she exists to make Stolas look like a better person as several stans of this show love to say how much of a good dad Stolas is when he isn't. He neglects Octavia frequently in favor of Blitzo and only pays attention to her when she's gone although EVEN THAT doesn't last long as shown in Seeing Stars where HE KNEW Octavia was missing on Earth but rather than ACTIVELY look for his daughter, what does he do? HE SITS THROUGH A STUPID LIVE COMEDY SHOW CAUSE BLITZO IS PERFORMING! HE COMPLETELY SIDELINES HIS OWN DAUGHTER IN FAVOR OF A LIVE COMEDY SHOW!
God, Octavia deserves so much better than to have a dad like him. I'm keeping Octavia for my HB rewrite so that this poor girl not only realizes how much of a bastard her dad is but eventually gets the found family she deserves. I don't plan for it to be through I.M.P. though. In closing, the characters of this show deserve to be better developed but especially the women in them.
_______
That was a long one to get through cause it's been on my mind for a while. Thank you all for reading through it and bye for now everybody!
I wish I could make this up but I literally didn't notice that Vassago (parrot dude) was there until you pointed it out because he blends into the background so much.
Back to that HB pride parade art, I just realized something….
Where the fuck is Vortex? You know Bee’s boyfriend. If Millie is there as an ally, why is Vortex doing the same for his girlfriend?
Why am I surprised that Viv’s only Black character (who is not whitewashed) gets the sidelined but Chaz’s naked ass, Stella’s creepy bootleg Elsa brother, and a character that has not even appeared yet (that red bird I do not care to remember his name) are there.
For a long time, I was confused by the fact that Stolas, knowing how abusive his wife is, quite calmly lets Octavia see her.
And then, when he found out that Stella had hired a hitman to kill him, he didn't discuss it with his daughter (and didn't make this fact public at all, although it was very necessary. Like, seriously, who stopped him from saying at the trial that Stella tried to kill him?).
Like, you stupid owl, don't you realize that by not telling your daughter about how dangerous her mother is, you're putting her (Octavia) in danger? After all, if Octavia doesn't know that Stella can harm her, that makes her (Octavia) a very easy target.
And again, an example of what a «good» father Stolass is.
🐝Redesign of Beelzebub!!!🐝
(A year after the release of her debut episode, I know).
It was... It was a challenge, I tell you. At first, I wanted to make her just a queen bee, but I decided to take the courage into my fist and leave her a hybrid. But now a hybrid of a eristalis and a dog (or to be precise, a borzoi/doberman). Because it's strange to me that hounds (which mostly look like dogs) descended from the fox-bee.
Fun fact: There is literally lava inside her, which helps her to eat so much and not gain weight. Although, due to the fact that the food burns very quickly, as soon as it touches the tongue, Bee does not have time to enjoy it. So it's never enough for her. And yes, it's better not to kiss her, otherwise there is a risk of burning from the inside.
And that's how high she is.
Belphegors redesign! Yeeaah...
Honestly, I didn't really like what I did. Maybe next time I'll try to redesign her.
That's how big she is btw.
Loona's human form redesign?... Kinda.
I've never really liked Loona's human form since Spring Broken came out, and for a long time I couldn't figure out why she looked so weird to me. Until the realization hit me like a train.
She has a different bodytype. In her usual form, she has an ordinary hourglass body, rather wide hips. But in human form, she is much thinner. And, like, why was it necessary to change her bodytype??? So in the «redesign», I tried to bring her closer to her actual bodytype.
And here's the makeup version, idk.
I'm trying to redesign Leviathan. It feels like my design is missing something.
The inspirations were Life from AT and Ursula.
And by the way, that's how big she is.
A tiny redesign of Octavia.
I don't mind her original design, except that she dresses too loosely for, well, a princess whose mother is concerned about what others might think, and, probably, that she looks like an almost identical copy of Stolass. I didn't work too hard on her redesign, I just put Via in a simple dress and tried to make her a mix of both her parents, not just her father.
Maybe in the future I'll try to do a more complete redesign.
What are you talking about, Blitzø?! Cheating is a big deal!!!
I just HATE how they try to justify Stolas's cheating in this episode, that they've even made new characters to tell the audience head-on: "Uh, aCtUAlly, it's okay for this man and Stolas to cheat on their wives, with whom they have daughters, because they're gay and cuz a woman and Stella — b#tches! Duh 🙄".
And by the way, I'm wondering why this woman is dead after all? Did she kill herself out of grief that her husband cheated on her? Did he kill her?
And how convenient it is that right now our main characters (who, just a little bit, are notorious murderers who kill anyone for money) have a conscience. Look, they don't want to kill this nice guy and ruin his family 🥺.
Where was that conscience when all of them, except Moxie, were ready to ruin this family? And all the other people?
Double standards, that's all!
I'm wondering how Vivien would deal with the topic of cheating in the series if the cheaters were female characters?
Edit: some people have rightly pointed out that a man just probably may have cheated on his wife. We don't know for sure if he cheated on her or not. I'm a dumbass, somehow, missed it. Sorry for that.
I decided to repaint and simplify two of the most overdetailed designs in HB for fun.
When I have the opportunity and desire to make full-fledged redesigns for these two, I will definitely do it.