I’ve seen a lot of wonderful analyses on how Aziraphale played up the part of Crowley, but I haven’t seen much on Crowley’s portrayal of Aziraphale. This is the angel he’s been in love with for millennia, the angel he’s watched and guarded and adored since before written history began, and finally in the very last episode we get to see what Aziraphale looks like through his eyes.
Standing before the one thing in the universe that could actually destroy him, Crowley’s Aziraphale is resolute, unflinching, gracious to the very end. He talks about the greater good and how angels are meant to be the champions of that greater good even when it goes against how the Great Plan was written. He stands up and speaks his truth even in the face of total opposition. And when the Archangel Gabriel, the person Aziraphale has always tried to emulate, tried to impress, tells him in no uncertain terms that this is what heaven does to the people who fight for the right thing, Aziraphale straightens his shoulders and lifts his chin and says, “It’s been lovely knowing you all. May we meet on a better occasion.” And then he steps into the flames.
We’ve seen other sides of Aziraphale. We’ve seen him be selfish, gluttonous, desperate, closed minded, we’ve seen him be just enough of a bastard to be worth knowing, but when Crowley is asked to take the part of Aziraphale this is who he chooses. This is who he really believes Aziraphale is deep down: kind, chivalrous, compassionate, brave, the sort of angel that heaven ought to be peopled with. The sort of angel who smiles even though he’s broken. The sort of angel who doesn’t mind dying as long as he did the right thing.
