Big thanks to Squircle for helping me develop these ideas! If you're a Fallout fan, go watch her video about the parallels between Lucy and the Ghoul! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eOCbqJBqzai9Xac.html

"Just because its an act doesnt mean its fake" absolutely powerful

I LOVE this deep dive. Too many times have I heard people get "Loser, baby" COMPLETELY WRONG. Edit: thank you 930 people who agree with me 😂 Edit Again: Correction, 1,000 people

as a hypersexual sa survivor … this was free therapy to me. I’ve loved your videos since arcane and this was really good, I really want to analyze media as meticulously as you do someday.

I read "it's not an act!" as "it's the only defence I have and it's not voluntary". Like, he doesn't choose to fall back on flirting and sex, it's something that he's conditioned to do and it's what keeps him safe (emotionally, except obviously it's not actually working).

To me, the most poignant part of Angel Dust's arc was that he, as a victim of abuse, consistently makes people uncomfortable by coming onto them so aggressively, even when they tell him no. His concept of boundaries has been destroyed, and as such he in turn violates the boundaries of others. This 'cycle' of abuse is incredible writing, and completely flipped my opinion of angel dust's character and the writers'.

'"You're not a bad actor, you just have a bad script."

Ep 4 was definitely the strongest in the series so far. Not to mention Blake Roman's STELLAR performance as Angel, I can't wait till he blows up and becomes a huge super duper mega star

Not gonna lie, I seriously think this is your best analysis that I’ve seen from you The way it dives into every nook and cranny of not only Angel dusts life, but also his coping mechanisms and how they both influence eachother, and then perfectly identify what exactly husk is doing with “loser baby” is not only perfectly comprehensive, but also handled in an amazing way! Well done, Schnee!

I remember seeing something Vivzie or one of her writers saying that they were going to have the most care with Angel's arc because he deals with the most traumatic things that are sadly rooted in reality. It's impossible to handle something like this with only grace and nothing else but I do feel like Vivzie and her team did a great job handling this arc. I'd argue that's why this arc is so well written compared to the rest of the show

19:20 I think there's also one more element towards why "I've been there too. It sucks." makes someone in a potentially hopeless situation feel better. Because it actually shows that the situation isn't hopeless. The "BEEN there" is key here. The other person was in the same situation you are currently in, but they managed to escape it. Which means that you have a chance at escaping too. The other person, consciously or subconsciously has an idea as to how escape the circumstances you are in. So by sticking with them maybe you will figure out how to do that too and that brings something that people in those kinds of situations need most. Hope. They have a rope with which they can climb out of the hole they are currently in and what's better the rope is actively reaching out towards them (i.e. the person who knows how to help you also wants to help you).

I actually really appreciate Husk offering Angel a drink. It seems crazy and counterproductive, but it's actually genius. Husk knows Angel needs something and that he's been seeking that something in people who are going to hurt him. By Husk offering that drink, it means Angel can get wasted where he's _safe_. It's something I think is really important in helping someone out of self-destructive habits. Getting them to stop it completely is near impossible, but if you show them they can be safe somewhere, you can slowly help them to wean away from it.

As someone who has depression and feels so hopeless sometimes, loser baby really helps make me feel less alone and gives me hope. Idk why so many people are hell bent on misinterpreting it as Husk saying "get over it lul" when its clearly not that case

I'm impressed that despite being thrown off by the "how about that drink?" line, you were able to grasp it by analyzation! I just intuitively got the difference of "drinking out of misery" vs drinking bc the mood is alr better, and idk if I would be able to make it click so well on a purely analytical perspective. Great video! Most of this was intuitively in my perception but it's really cool getting that out into words and analysis! Episode 4 was so peak, it's truly fascinating. I think it might be exactly because its such a touchy subject that a lot of care was put into doing it right, and that's why other parts of the story feel lackluster compared to it. (i am a fan of the show but as mentiond ep4 is definitely a standout) I think another really cool, but personal, thing about loser baby is that Husk doesn't... soften it. Its not the typical "aww its ok ive been there, itll get better, just believe!!" angle, but the focus is on the companionship and VALIDATION of the feeling. its the "yeah it SUCKS but I'll keep you company (at rock-bottom) if you want" that spoke to me personally. And probably also to Angel because his role used to be the opposite of that, as you analyized.

I honestly believe Episode 4 is so well done. Angel Dust / Anthony is one of my favorite characters and was long anticipating how they would portray just how messed up his life is while being under Valentino's thumb. It does such a good job of getting into the persona and act of Anthony and really fleshing out his personality while acting upon a red hot stage that is surviving the worst kinds of abuse.

I think what makes “Poison” so impactful is that it’s a song validating the feelings of being in an abusive relationship. And if they live in hell, where could Anthony even go for help? There doesn’t seem to be any system in place, (I’m honestly surprised there’s a rehab in Hellavaboss) so the only place he can go is to be with his friends.

yO this was so compassionate/caring and thoughtful~! angel's my fave, I wish I could've done more for him, but so happy I and many others got to contribute.

I definitely noticed that episode 4 is really the only strong episode Hazbin has in terms of storytelling and relating to its central messaging, so I’m super glad someone did a deep dive as to why that is! Thank you!

The part where you opened up how Angel feels control = death/pain really hit me. He honestly thinks being controlled or someone trying to take control in a simple conversation or situation means he’d end up being hurt made me cry. It’s so sad he thinks that and I almost personally relate to it.

Why offer a drink at the end? It is simple: drinking is a symptom, not the disease. Treating symptoms doesnt fix the underlying problem, and case enough of them and you remove the person's ability to adapt and cope with the issue. Heck, just the mere fact that an episode later, Angel is questioning the need for alchohol proves that it isnt substance abuse that he has an issue with, he just indulged to escape the pain. As that pain starts to fade, so does his need for his escape.

You’re also forgetting the other part of what Husk says to Angel: “Baby, that’s fine by me”. Husk sees Angel Dust’s self destructive behavior and says “I like you anyway” and doesn’t expect him to change. Charlie at first expects Angel Dust to change in a specific way ( as seen by the play she writes in an earlier episode). That’s a big part of why Husk gets through to him in a way that Charlie doesn’t.

It's really nice to finally have words to put to my own life experiences.. and my own coping mechanisms. Angel dust was the first character I've ever seen reflect that side of my self. And to see a video that accurately puts what I've been struggling to define for others into words is relieving. Cause when people try to boil the character down into fetishization they're not only missing the point but hurting the audience that needed this kind of character. You put it perfectly in the section about the trauma of control.

I love Loser Baby. At the beginning Angel is so depressed and hopeless, by the end he is singing and dancing and holding Husk's hand. It is a miracle.

Firstly, brilliant analysis, agree with everything you said. I also think that it is important to see something that happens over both “poison” and “loser baby”, which is accepting and acknowledging the abuse. I see the “I’m a famous porn star and I like that” as internalised gaslighting. The thing about that kind of gaslighting is that *during* the abuse, it can be vitally important because it offers a framework that a) compartmentalises and hides a lot of pain and b) allows the victim to operate in the abusive environment; it’s a survival adaptation. This is why many abused children will say - and be completely convinced - that their parents “aren’t controlling” or “love them”. They have to believe that to survive dodge and survive the abuse. However, while it makes survival easier, it also makes it far far more difficult to get out of the abuse. Abused children will only be able to meaningfully heal when they acknowledge what has been done to them. But doing so is fucking painful, as you now have to face years and years of abuse, who’s pain has been carefully repressed. I see all the same patterns in Angel: he is convinced that the abuse and horrible coping is actually good, that it gives him value, that Only The Porn Makes Him Worth While. He Needs that belief to survive Valentino, but it traps him in abusive relationships and bad coping mechanisms. It is “Who he NEEDS to be”. When Charlie and Husk confront that internalised gaslighting, he lashes out because they are attacking the worldview that is keeping the pain at bay. “Poison” is rife with this: Angel sees that what is being done to him isn’t good, but refuses to really confront it. That is, until the very last stanza, where he finally acknowledges that he doesn’t like it. In light of this, “Loser Baby” gains a new dimension: Husk shows Angel that it’s Entirely Possible and Safe To Be A Loser. In other words, Husk offers a new, safe identity, that Angel can take on, which allows him to face his gaslighting. Simultaneously, he gets a safe and understanding person he can talk to, which undoubtedly helps him face all the shit he’s been through.

I'm at a point in my life where "sorry" and "that's rough buddy" have become trigger words. I am no longer comforted by displays of empathy. I need action, rescue, time, love, a place to stay, but no one's offering those things. They'll listen to me retraumatize myself as I explain the exact same story over and over again, but nothing more than that and I'm left drifting, even more alone than when I started. What I need is help. No the kind of "help" you get in asylums but the stuff people used to do no less than 25 years ago; hell 15 years ago! I need support against my abusers, I need a barn raising, I need a barn to move into but current gen adults don't seem to want to do that anymore. They're all overwhelmed, avoiding their problems and see stranger danger even in those they consider friends. There's no community anymore, no one willing to put in the work/time, even if I do everything humanly possible to make sure I am not a burden.

Loser, Baby is SO thematically consistent. What are the souls in Heaven called? Winners. If Sinners are the opposite, that intrinsically implies that Sinners lost. They are all losers from the fact that they ended up in hell. But losing and winning aren’t permanent statuses. You can play again. And when you play again you may win or lose.

Holy Fuck i need that kind of therapy in my life

Absolutely BRILLIANT. I literally just took 5 pages of notes on this, relating it back to attachment theory, specifically avoidant attachment, and how my approach of helping my avoidant friend develop more secure attachment behaviors has ultimately been detrimental (Charlie approach). This deep dive helped me not only gain a different perspective on how my approach comes across through his eyes. The approach of re framing his behaviors to be used productively instead of as coping mechanisms or saying he's gotta abandon them completely - - 🤯 brilliant!! 👏👏👏

out of all of the characters, angel dust had the most interesting and tragic story (as well as the most complex character development) to me and ugh a schnee breakdown is exactly what i need

all schnee content is good content

I think an analysis of Lucifer's character would be interesting, especially with his relationships with other characters(Lilith, Charlie, Alastor, etc.).

Angel seems to be building some strong themes of identity and self acceptance. In Masquerade, we discover the first piece of information from Angel’s human life in the story: His name being Anthony. Some people think that Angel Dust is just the fake persona and Anthony is his true real self… but I think it is more complicated than that. There’s not some ideal version of ourselves that we need to cling to, for better or worse you can’t go back to being that person you were in the past, what you reminisce about being isn’t who you are now. That being said, from the information we have from Vivienne (but it’s also hinted in season 1), I also suspect that most of his issues originate from back in his life, and dealing with them firsthand is going to leave Angel to confront some hurtful stuff. It’s been confirmed that for next season we’ll get to explore some human lives, and also Angel’s twin sister is 100% appearing (and there’s a cameo of his older brother in episode 8). Anthony was born obligated to participate in his father’s mafia business during a period of time when being queer was particularly dangerous, living with a total lack of freedom as a highly repressed, neglected and abused man who died from an overdose to deal with the pain. Once he ended up in hell, he had the opportunity to find some liberation and embrace it to the fullest, perhaps not in the healthiest or safest way... a strong need for validation from others while also struggling to deal with genuine intimacy. At the same time, as a closeted queer person, Angel Dust is inspiring because, from what I can tell, he is a manifestation of a queer man finally getting to have the opportunity to be utterly, totally, unapologetically himself: He’s camp! He’s fem! He crossdresses! He’s gay! He’s sexual! Angel reads to me as someone who truly LOVES the chance to embrace these things about himself, and unfortunately, such love has been abused and exploited along the way. As you said in your beautiful analysis, good acting doesn’t really equal being fake; “in every lie, there is a truth” I recently started to join a theater club because of Hazbin Hotel, and it’s helping me a lot :) Sorry for my english.

Hazbin Hotel is not as shallow as you probably think it is, it's just shallow on the points it's not currently exploring because... Well it's not the focus. The whole point of the show is to break shallowness, superficiality, and you can't do that if there's no surface to break. Plus with the few episodes it was given by Amazon on its first season well... It can't dive into everything. Not every show manages to be Arcane. So that's the "some reason" why Angel's story isn't shallow at all, it was one of the focal points of this season. The other focal point being world building, basically. Creating surfaces to break. I expect them to dive deeper into the surfaces it established in season 1 as it goes on, and as comms from Viv are suggesting, that looks to be where we're headed.

Didn't expect a Hazbin Hotel video, but glad to see it! ❤

Just out of Therapist school lol. How i saw Husk trying to help- he wasn’t trying to stop Angel using his (honestly really maladaptive) coping but getting him to recognize go is not alone and that radical acceptance of himself and situation that he too can “let hope in” even in a really shit place he’s at. Husk isn’t stoping his current addiction but using harm reduction with this because his drinking is a coping skill- not a good one but still a coping skill. He’s giving him an outlet to slowly improve internally and build his resilience rather than take away a coping skill and thing that has helped him up until this point. This last invitation to get a drink is not a drink to cope but a way to have community and companionship and share time together.

I really appreciate how well you laid this out bc kts so easy for people to misunderstand this as a shallow "we bonded over how much we suck," self-depricating moment. For me it wasn't just about reframing how yoj thought about yojrself, but about others too. Super cocky, big ego personas already know that "losers" exist, and usually they're used to looking down on them, as undeserving of any grace, empathy or compassion. Its a competitive mindset of percieved rank. By identifying yourself as a loser, when you used to be so insistant that you're a winner, you bring everything you know abojt yojrself and your own experiance into your u understanding of who a "loser" is. You recognize their humanity and complexity, and that they're just like you, and it makes it so much easier to accept the parts of yourself that conflict with your "Winner" persona or self-image, as well as connect and empathise with other "losers" and regonize the reality of it instead of the shallow narratives that only allow one part of who someone is to exist.

Sharing this information just in case someone might need it at some point, but hopefully not. An "Angel Shot" is one of the most popular secret codes used in bars to inform a bartender that they are in an unsafe situation and need assistance. But I also recently learned that the club where Angel gets almost roofied is called "the black dot" which it is another code, but it also represents other things like gang affiliation or time spent in prison.

Schnee.. I’ve seen all of your past arcane videos, enjoyed them thoroughly. You are very articulate, happy to be able listen to your voice 💜 Thank you!

Thank you for this video! I have lived through abuse. It was emotional and sometimes physical and never sexual but I relate to Angel so much. I know what it's like to be controlled by someone so much and to endure so much crap from your family that your resilience is worn away and you believe that you are completely malformed. The ADHD and autism gave me other struggles that my family looked down on me for and still look down on me for. It made me believe I was malformed for a long time. I'm starting to truly understand I'm not now.

The second to last line really sums it up for me: “It’s time to lose your self-loathing, excuse yourself, let hope in, baby” this is something we all need to hear sometimes, he’s encouraging Angel to take back control of how he sees himself, how he feels on the inside despite what’s happening to him on the outside (which is out of his control).

I haven’t watched the show, but your analysis makes me think “so how about that drink” is trying to do what a supervised consumption site does

And other HUGE THANK YOU for outwrighting your thoughts on screen. So for you to know - I've screenshoted nearly every frame, so I can ran thrugh it again. To understand all of it better.

As someone from a abusive household this hurt to watch and I think I might regret watching it. I'd seen the show, I'd identified with Angel dust but hadn't really processed the whole of why. This was a beautifully written essay my friend. I think another big part of the reason why "your a loser baby baby just like me" is such a caring song is because husk KNOWS angel dust BELIEVES in his heart of hearts he is a loser, nothing, abuse and abusers especially of the sexual variety creates objectification, he is NOTHING but what he can provide. This creates a entirely different classicification for people, people with value, meaningful amazing people who you love and people like you. Nothing people. What are you useful for? Just sex, but sex is MEANINGLESS, that has no value either so you are a worthless shade of a human. When people try to reach in to this all consuming thought process, interrupt it, LIE to you, it's inherently creating a rift, they're lying to me, how can I have value. I have no value, they're trying to manipulate me THROUGH they're lies, something we've SEEN Valentino do, " I love you baby" love bombing as a form of control, so ofc your being affectionate this is a method of CONTROL how dare you, your a threat. You are part of the NOT me, the valued but also the THREATS. You can't attempt to break this easily. Your father was right, this isn't necessarily great for ADDICTION recovery but addiction is the SYMPTOM not the disease. He needs companionship who accepts him first and foremost, a human being who is NOT a threat who is NOT controlling. We see husk in the scene before try to advise against the drinking, saying no. But I think this is him realising him being a friend is more important than saying no. Angel has, CORRECTLY identified drinking as a coping mechanism he NEEDS this in a way independent entirely of addiction. Husk is engaging with AD in a way he knows he will understand, drinking with people, partying, you know this right? This is YOUR safe space, or more accurately, this is the closest thing you have to a YOU space at all. I'm not going to "lie" to you, your a loser. But your with FRIENDS. I am ACTIVELY not controlling you or trying to ( in the way attempting to change his self image would come across as) I am the same, and I am here for you regardless. You don't NEED to change because I ACCEPT you can't ( because to clarify, to change is death as plain as stopping to Angel dust, everything else is a gamble, a risk, a unproven unknown scary thing. He in his own head CANNOT, ALLOW himself to change, not just CANT, he can't ALLOW himself to change) and this line of encouraging a drink is husk inviting AD to LET husk in. Addiction is not Angel dusts issue. It's trauma and ptsd and the associated crippling isolation and suffering made by this. Thank you for this Ted talk. Said as someone with complex ptsd from a abusive drunk mother. They got Angel dust correct in ways I can't IDENTIFY, I can see him doing things I do and I can't identify why but dear lord does he hurt me to watch. Excellent video as per usual schnee

6:42 the way angel words 'you know how much i'm worth?' i think is interesting cuz earlier val says to him 'you're lucky you make me money' as if the only way angel dignifies himself is by reminding himself he's still needed by val, but only in this way

"Looser, Baby" has convinced me that, despite the language, visuals and surface level plot, Hazbin Hotel is more wholesome and family friendly than anything Disney has produced in the last decade or two.

lmao had very much not expected to use my sociology class like, ever again, but here we stand! the whole ‘angel is playing a role and it’s a theater and it’s both real and an act’ is actually something that was studied by Goffman, a canadian sociologist. He published the books (63) and (61). While there are always criticisms that can be made about this or that work, there are excellent analysis (i mean it’s being taught in year 3 of uni in France 63 years later, it does hold some weight) (all that to say it’s not just bs someone said after a bad observation). What he said basically is life is theater and everyone is in constant representation. We play a character for others, but to make this character convincing, we also have to be that character. So we’re both the role, the act and the actual person behind the mask. We are aware it’s an act but also we are the act. which i think ties pretty well into what you were saying about Angel Dust and the whole it’s an act but it’s not fake narrative. For his book , Goffman did a study inside an asylum because he believed it to be a total institution, an institution with full control over one’s life and activities at all time (that was 1961, idk how it is today). he observed that, basically, people would take a role to survive there. either by embracing the role of the good patient (take ur meds, be kind and respectful and hope to get out of there) or by embracing the stigma (which i believe is developed in the essay ) (altho i haven’t studied that one) and playing the insane patient. It’s also been seen with gay people embracing the stigma of hyper sexualized, feminine men with high pitched voice and yk what i’m talking about. This maneuver of embracing a stigma is a powerful one because you make it into a power. that’s what angel does, he embraces that stigma and makes it into a power, a controlling force for agency, both in the song Poison and Loser Baby. Goffman also says that, even in that total institution, there are forms of separation between the person and the role as stated earlier. it’s as was said in the video, angel is the act but the act isn’t angel. Two points worth noting of my own cheap analysis rn, is that 1. i haven’t read goffman’s work lmao, my teacher spoke about it for about an hour and i thought it was cool af. 2. angel isn’t in an asylum. i however think that having someone literally own your soul and be stuck without any agency whatsoever (even if it’s only a belief, it does a lot) does compare, to a certain extent, if you squint and look from far away, to a total institution as in it takes your entire life. Of course the solution is different, literally walking out of a facility doesn’t work for angel because of everything else around the character but i still think it’s interesting. And then again, goffman did think this whole theater metaphor applied to each and everyone of us, everyday. extra disclaimer ; i’m not a sociologist, haven’t read or and i’m a total of nobody at all lmao so take this with a grain of salt, as a side analysis to a fictional show. anyway, thanks, i love my classes even if i’ll never have a job, cheers

Husk asking for that drink isn't an issue, because the addiction isn't alcohol. Drinking in a safe space around friends is what Angel needs. The problem is when he goes overboard and becomes drunk and drugged out in dangerous situation, and allows people to abuse him to make himself desirable is what the addiction is.

True Acting is "Living truthfully under imaginary circumstances" ~My acting teacher.

29:41 And if you look real close he makes sure to wait for Angel to grab his hand before dancing in the entire Loser Baby scene to make sure Angel is ok with it!

Angel's journey starts with "I'm not sorry."

I made a post about this recently on Reddit where I went into Angel. We have a lot of the same takes I would say, nice video. “The coping mechanisms in sex and drugs, mechanisms exploited by Val, very probably immoraly charming Angel with his pheromones added to the creation of his contract. Now being as much a slave to his addictions and his coping mechanisms as he is to Val’s contract and literal poison. Getting a dissociative disorder by experiencing a living hell even for hells standards but are forced to act like you love it while being drugged. He doesn’t even feel like he can better himself as his coping mechanisms are quite literally a job he isn’t allowed to escape from. His trauma and past are quite literally his master. His “poison” literally forced down his throat in more ways than 1, every single night. So he does the most dumb shit, making stupid choices, just because he wants to see how low he can fall. Out of self hate, out of exhaustion in actually trying, out of fear that if he cared it would break him. He does them because there is comfort in the pain and feeling like you hit the bottom, at least you can’t fall lower, right? There is an addiction in the suffering, a high only reached when you feel that low. He has an inability to differentiate between his identity and his problems. He does these things because it gives him an illusion of freedom. He flirts and puts out this persona as a way to hide who he is and how he feels. He changes how he talks, how he acts, what he says and what he does, his attitude etc. Only made easier by and harder to get out of because his dissociative disorder. Both for others and himself. For himself he pushes people away with a facade so they can’t leave for who he is. One of his biggest fears is that others see him how he sees himself. He is pushing in front of him this boundary that is literally ment to push people away, like a filter for who is allowed to talk to the real him, because if you can bare with his boundary persona the chance they push the real him away is smaller right? It’s also a symptom of SA victims to tie their sexuality to their self worth, to double down for the illusion of control, to establish some form of control over their life in the only way he know how. And for others because he tries to protect others from his hell. He tries to protect Charlie from his work, from Val, from the truth and reality of his situation. The last thing Angel would want is for Charlie to hurt herself trying to help him. So he pushes her away and he would rather be hated knowing his friends are safe than be loved while risk their safety. When it came to Val abusing him he just accepts it but when it comes to Charlie he can’t. This ties heavily into the complexity of abusive relationships too. Angel and Val is a perfect representation of an abusive relationship. The push and pull that makes you come back or simulates a feeling of addiction. Val’s narcissism, the controlling, the fear of losing control. “If you just would have listened I wouldn’t have to do this. Why would you make me do this. I give you everything, I made you, you need me.” We can see Angel trying to fight these thoughts live on screen, as somewhere he has learned to believe them at least to some degree. He talks about how he is stunning and sexy, but when he himself looks in the mirror all he sees is his black eye as a permanent reminder of how he died. He sees his golden tooth as a sign of how he is owned by Val. He sees his trauma of how he was used for this body, abused for this body, assaulted for it, and how in many ways his whole personality was reduced to his body. Even though he hates this somewhere he kinda believes it and he owns it, he leans into it, yes this is who I am and I’m good at this. Again to give that sense of control and self worth.“

Trying to help with the algorithm, this video deserves to be reached by more people

I absolutely LOVE Angel Dust. Not because I relate to him on a super personal level, but because he seems so real. When I first watched the pilot back in 2019, I actually didn't like him. He seemed 1 note. The joke character, but sex jokes instead, because it's edgy. Not really my thing. It wasn't until I saw the Addict music video, that I realized there was more to him. So I started looking into his backstory. And it's so incredibly sad. But I'm really happy they not only started to explore it in the first first season, but also were allowed to do it in this way. Masquerade is a very hard watch. I still find myself clenching my jaw and getting upset when rewatching it. But that's the point. It's so raw. Or, at least as raw as it needs to be to get the point across without overdoing it. And I'm so glad you were able to do this deep dive to explain it. This deep dive was very well done. I know Vivienne already confirmed that in season 2, we'll learn more about some of the characters to find out what they did to go to Hell. And I hope one of those characters is Angel Dust. And I really hope that if Angel is one of those characters, you do another deep dive like this on him. I'm sure it''ll be just as good, if not better than this one.

this entire video made me shed tears several times, as someone who is in a similar situation as Angel it felt too real. This is such a great analysis, i cant even think of the words to say right now, but i felt like i needed to write something in this moment. For anyone going through something like or someone you know it CAN get better. I believe in all of you, companionship is very important. Thank you for this video really.

I sold my soul To psychopathic freak And you think that’s makes you uniiiiiiique

I love how u explained it but this also made me cry like 20 times throughout 😭

Pride works frequently under a dense mask, and will often assume the garb of humility.

bro ....20:00 .....I kinda start crying....gosh when you're concerned with that type of mindset it hits hard to hear it like that. Even so i know it can't be (by logic) I trully believe that I have no worth and that I am the problem (no matter the situation or the nature of the issue). It is rootted in my mind that it might be my fault if I deserve nothing in live dispite every thing happening.

YES! I have been saying this since I heard the song and knew of the context of it! Thank you for this video, thank you so much!

Someone just said "No Husk, gambling and addictions are not comparable to SA" about this song. Are people fucking stupid 😭

One of the things that’s truely amazing about Loser Baby, is that it’s an illustration of a real technique used in therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; accepting what is happening and being mindful of yourself, ei “I’m a loser, I’m shmoozer, I’m a fucked up whiney bitch” it’s accepting instead of denying, I myself have gone through this for sa anxiety depression and my self loathing tendencies in order to stop denying things and actually get help without feeling like I’m in danger

Man this deep dive was fantastic. I feel like I was able to either conciously or unconciously cach up on some of these themes but here they are and you've perfectly explained every single one of them. It's definitely a video I'll have to rewatch. I also really agreed on the point that Hazbin does have a buch of floppy writing on most episodes, but oh boy not this one. I hope this writing style can be atributed to time and money restraints that will be toned down for season two and we get some satisfactory continuations to the stories at play

Everytime when I tell people that angel is relatable they are just saying ARE YA GAY?? (yes. and it is a big thing apperently) this video left me crying dude! Ilove your contents

Thank you for covering this, I love your deep dives on media. Its always hard to find videos that will tackle this topic with tact and grace while still analyzing the show.

Episode 4 was something special... I had heard all the music before watching the show, and adored Poison from the first moment I heard it, but now... Every time I hear it, I tear up, because of how it was actually shown in the episode it self.

"Good acting isn't fake." Immediately, the scene from Prince of Bel Aire comes to mind.

While Charlie is advertised as the main character, its very clearly centered around Angel. He's gonna have the most character development especially once he is eventually redeemed. The whole story is essentially gonna follow his journey to a better life- man's IS the main character

This was my favorite episode! I'm so happy you did an analysis on it! especially Husk's reasoning for the "You're a Loser" bit. It surprised me and didn't really make sense when I watched the scene. In this way Angel can strengthen himself in uncomfortable situations without completely isolating himself. On my on I thought it the episode was great, but I couldn't put my finger on it as to why. Its so cool to have it broken down why it works so well.

This analysis vocalized my feelings and unworded thoughts about the episode perfectly. Thank you for making it

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS ANALYSIS! Angel dust is probably one of my favorite characters in the show and the way you analyzed him is just SO WELL DONE! Everything down to the abuse and the way he copes and how husk helps angel, I just love all of it and the way you analyzed it made me love it even more! Also, if you want a show with complex (and traumatized) characters and good storytelling, I’d say you should check out She-ra and the Princesses of Power, yes ik the title sounds like a shallow kids show, but it’s rly not, some of the characters are very complex, and it has a lot of mature themes, like trauma, abuse, social isolation, racism, and all that stuff, and even tho it’s not perfect (there’s also war, and I don’t rly think it handles it all that well), it’s probably one of my favorite shows of all time, and the characters are just so relatable bro! I’d rly appreciate it if you checked out the show, and possibly even do an analysis video on it, if I had to say which show to compare it to, I’d say avatar, just to give u an idea, ofc it’s just a suggestion and u don’t have to do it, btw the show’s on Netflix

This had me smiling the whole time... this is a video that doesn't just connect with Angel's perspective, it resonates with everyone putting on an act - I felt this in my core. You have earned a well-deserved subscriber. Looking forward to more of your content

This reminds me of a meme I see that was about how you can take a look at some artist's oc and immediately say Which one is their favorite by the amount of detail they put in that character in comparison with the others ... Angel dust is that one favorite oc in terms of script

Its scary how well he is written. I feel like this whole vid just exposed things about myself I didn’t realize, although i am thankful I have never been put in those circumstances. I’ve been going though a pretty rough patch for the past year and my (sorta)post breakup glow-up has me in a fitness and beauty kick. Its my current shield while living with and still pretending to be married to my former partner. Its living like Taylor Swift’s “Do it with a broken heart” song in a nutshell except I am aggressively independent and acting way more confident and kick-a than I ever have while taking care of my parents. I watched others break under the same situation and and am aggressively trying to do the opposite of them. There is this whole fake confident persona compulsion I cant stop doing. Even if I could, it would destroy everyone around me. Over responsible oldest daughter problems and all that... Everyone else gets to break but me. Not quite sure how this is all gonna end. 😅

19:50 ish hit hard. I've always hated the whole "you're not alone" thing because, in the words of pat the bunny - its sad to know that you are not alone, and its sad to know there's no easy way out. But then you, like, actually explained it and i think for the first time in my life i get it. Because i have felt that whole "im other, and different, and pathetic, and broken." Because there really does feel like there's no light. It feels like you're the problem, like you're the one who will never be able to fix it. And I've always known on some level im not alone, but when you describe it that way it changes my mindset. I know im not alone, but i never think that the people around me might actually be dealing with the same thing. And yet they're still making it through. And i know it doesn't really work like this for angel,,, but it makes me take a step back and realize hey. Im doing pretty okay too. I'm not broken beyond repair. Im not wrong. And i really really thank you, genuinely, for making me understand that.

Dude, I love how much detail and depth you talked about in Angel, I really enjoyed watching this

It's always wonderful to see these kinds of videos where it goes into a deep analysis and why they stick out in terms of storytelling. I adore Episode 4 of Hazbin Hotel for not shying away from dark themes while also doing a great job diving into Angel Dust's character and why he is the way he is. This episode also sticks out from all the others for how much it took a break from the main plot and go into a personal story where we explore more about our characters. And all the dark themes revolving around abuse, drugs, and self-destruction really does add that this episode has a lot of thought and care put into it. Episode 4 is by far my favorite episode of Hazbin Hotel Season 1 for that reason.

I want to watch this analysis so bad but i think it would trigger me tbh, I love this show and your videos so I might come back when I'm more stable❤

finally someone talks abt this, just bc ppl dont like hazbin they make fun of these characters especially angel for his decisions, that is trash, just bc its not the best it does not take away the fact that his situation is VERY real.

concerning "act doesn't have to be fake" thing. among people with chameleon personalities (just like me, heyoooo) there has been discussion about "the masks i wear are many, but every one of them is still ME". as a person with trauma concerning control and loss of agency, i don't know whether my personality has been varped by the experiences, but it's still rings true. when i am faced with an abuser or a person with traits i percieve as a threat, my complacency and fawning behaviour is sincere. i really want you to be happy, i do wish you good things - the fact that out of this i will get to be safe is subconsious. when i am copying you attitude, getting louder and sillier or quieter, or taking a role of a 'leader-friend' - it's not fake, i do really feel good getting to be the 'funny one', the 'safe one i can go to', 'the one with the answers', and i do feel funny/steady/confident. i feel even more so. it's broader than angel's mask, but i think it fits. i think he does drugs&gets drunk while leaning HEAVILY into enjoying it. it's a matter of lying to yourself and yourself knowing you are lying, but letting it go. untill the moment when it's too much or too fucked up when the inner voice comes online to aknowledge how it hurt or how disorienting stuff is.

Speaking as a mental health professional, I would love to see you take more deep dives from the angles you described near the end of this video (Angel and Charlie's relationship, the abuser characteristics of Valentino, even a line-by-line analysis of "Loser Baby"). This video was phenomenal from the perspective of someone who uses popular media therapeutically; so much so that I'm trying to figure out how to break it down into session-sized pieces for my clients who know the show.

this was so well put together. every part of your analysis hit home

Thank you for putting all of this in words. From the moment I saw this episode, i automatically could relate to it more than I liked. And I knew the execution of it was pretty good. To see this analysis and all the points made. It’s great. Admittedly made me cry more than once, due to how much more eye opening it was to hear it laid out. Keep up the good work!

You always have such good insights! Thank you so much for this amazing video!

This is one of the best analyses ive ever seen, keep up the good work your channel is so incredible!

I know this seems out of the blue, but I'd absolutely love to see you do a video or even series on Adventure Time. The show is wacky but so much of its wackiness actually has meaning and it would be so cool to see that explored with the same precision that you explore other shows.

Lol I love how you censored the front of the Wolf

I fricking love this deep dive, good work dude :D

Thank you for this video! I can't put all my thoughts into words right now, I might comment them later, but this analysis was really helpful, both on a writing and on a personal level

omg this answered all of my questions, i wish i could find more content like this that goes into such great detail in scenes. I am constantly missing details or not picking up on them

"ive been there too it sucks" If i were to be in a moment of despair and got to hear it from someone that i knew could take care of themselves and have been able to find balance withing themselves. To hear it from them would be very nice, because i wouldnt have to explain myself, they would just know, and see me. They dont need me to make the picture for them because they already have it. And that means that i can relax, i can truly let my shoulders drop and cry and ask for a hug. But it needs to come from someone i admire, and it needs to not be deep dived into. Like i am under distress i cant be ur mum friend rn or some bullshit like that "hey i know have bad and had bad too, lemme talk about that instead" that would the oposite and i would punch them in the face.

Omg I was so hoping you’d do an analysis on Angel Dust 😍😍 Thank you thank you!!! You nailed it and I’m sobbing 😭🙏🏻

this feels like youre calling me out but also i know why i relate to angel now so cooL!

Great video as always!

Schnee has to be the only creator that could make Hazbin’s writing seem halfway okay lol. Love the content, you’re my #1 inspo for my works

I love your video essays so much

This is an excellent analysis! Absolutely love this breakdown!

Angel Dust is actually a very good representation of toxic relationship or Abuse and thats just a fact. I feel so fucking bad for him, he looks also pretty tired and scared But no one will know because of his "happy face"

Please keep making videos, I live for these

You have opened my eyes! Great video, my opinions of this episode were shallow before but you have changed my mind.

This honestly really helped me better understand myself and some of my past experiences. I honestly really liked episode 4 (not for the content but for the fact that i related so heavily to Angel), and I partially have you to thank for helping me see why Great video as always, keep up the good work ^^