The ending we got was devastating as hell but can you imagine if it had been the other way?
Crowley agreeing to go to Heaven with Aziraphale? Either of his own free will or, maybe, The Metatron subtly threatened them both to come along quietly or else? Making it clear he wasn’t offering Crowley the choice to be re-angelfied but that it *would* be happening whether he liked it or not?
That the final scene is not the elevator ride for Az & the Bentley with Crowley. There’s no kiss but it shows our Ineffable Husbands riding the elevator up. It shows the anxiety and fear for both of them. Instead of the desperate kiss the camera pans down to either Aziraphale or Crowley taking the others hand firmly in a small act of defiance (and comfort) not caring that The Metatron is right there next to them and can see it. The elevators open to other angels standing there and they immediately separate Crowley and Aziraphale. Both fighting to get back to the other while The Metatron tuts and says there’s no need for all the dramatics. That he just doesn’t want to delay having Crowley Rise again. While that’s happening he’ll introduce Aziraphale to his new position. Crowley is taken away before they can get back to each other and it’s shown their hands being wrenched apart. Neither one of them can stop it.
Now the final scene is Aziraphale demanding to know where Crowley is. The Metatron says Az’s behavior is unfit for The Supreme Archangel and he must control his emotions better. Just to have doors open behind Az. He turns around to find Crowley in a pristine white suit. Yellow eyes gone. His slicked back red hair gone. It’s in some new angel style (not the one we saw in the S2 opening scene because I hated that, lol). The Metatron smiles and greets Crowley by his angel name. “Crowley” approaches Az and shows him the proper deference as he is now the leader of all Heaven. The final shot is a horrified look on Aziraphale’s face. All color is drained from it. A hint of the crushing grief as he realizes right away that this angel doesn’t know him. Doesn’t remember him, their 6,000 year history and, most importantly, their love.
I think that woulda been a great alternative to them being separated physically. They’re still together but not as this man shaped being is no longer Aziraphale’s Crowley.
Eloise already pissing me off and the season hasn’t even started yet. Making friends with your (former) best friends bully as a stab at her? Really? That’s low.