Karma and lust

Asmodeus interrupts Moxxie’s on-stage performance midsong. Vivziepop | YouTube

A spoiler-filled review of the first part of the ‘Helluva Boss’ finale and an analysis of Stolitz

Things are getting real in Vivienne Medrano’s, aka Vivziepop, seventh episode of “Helluva Boss.” Despite its start as a side series on YouTube, “Helluva” has currently taken up the majority of Vivzie’s focus and though many continue to wait for the continuation of “Hazbin Hotel,” the spin-off series does not disappoint with its clever use of dark comedy and vulgar humor. With the first part of the finale of the first season, viewers are given a juicy treat of an episode full of drama, angst and emotion.

After finishing up another assassination assignment, Blitzo (Brandon Rogers) is up to his usual shenanigans, causing mischief and bothering his co-worker Moxxie (Richard Horvitz). Moxxie and his wife Millie (Erica Lindbeck) are celebrating their first anniversary with Blitzo tagging along as the unwanted third wheel. His behavior comes off as queer and stirs curiosity over why he obsesses over the couple so much to the point of fetishing it, possibly reflecting his desire for a relationship like theirs.

He comes across a roadblock in the form of a bouncer in front of a club located in the Ring of Lust and invites his lover Stolas (Bryce Pinkham), one of the Goetic princes of Hell, on a date with the purpose of using him to follow the couple inside. Drama ensues over the course of the night, testing the lovers’ relationship and by the end of it all, hope seems lost except for the cutest couple (Moxxie and Millie) known to the franchise.

With the show’s cartoony style and exaggerated, silly movements, it’s easy to forget the more serious problems hiding in the shadows, waiting to pop out and screw the characters over. At the start, “Helluva” appeared as nothing more than a typical animated sitcom and though it remains that way, nobody can deny that the dramatic slow-burn plot mixed with an increasingly complicated map of hell, slowly revealed through small clues and details, captures the attention and keeps viewers wanting more. 

Popular adult cartoons, like “Family Guy” or “Rick & Morty,” don’t tend to have a strict storyline and “Helluva Boss” follows that same structure. Unlike those other shows previously mentioned, “Helluva” utilizes the short stories within each episode to escalate its eventual climax, underlying drama and societal pressures build up and have now burst causing rifts between partners and breaking through carefully constructed walls.

Episode seven sends viewers another reminder that there is no escaping the hell of Hell.

The tension between Fizzarolli and Blitzo has always been present, but Asmodeus (James Iglehart), the embodiment of Lust, crossed the line with his huge mouth spill. As the embodiment of lust, he has the ability to see everyone’s deepest desire, but proves his villainy by using it against people to stir up trouble. He doesn’t phase Moxxie and Millie, who embody the perfect healthy relationship, showing that he possesses some weaknesses. However, this demon has only just made an appearance this season and his character still exudes a somewhat bland personality which will hopefully develop more later on.

Blitzo does not have the best romantic history, but relationships are a two-way street. Exposed by Asmodeus, Stolas reveals his true feelings towards Blitzo, expressing embarrassment for involving himself with a lowly imp and trading his previously perfect home life for desire. This revelation breaks Blitzo’s cold heart, forcing him to close himself off despite Stolas’ genuine expression of affection. It’s heartbreaking to see the two split but such a conflict was inevitable, considering that they are not realistically compatible.

The first part of the finale leaves many questions unanswered but hints towards more promising storyline development. Vivziepop dropped a lot of bombs at the end scene, revealing some interesting photos across Blitzo’s room walls. Though the episode focused mainly on romantic troubles, his stirred feelings seem to go much deeper than that, possibly stemming from whatever happened with the imp’s mother. Stakes are high for the characters and fans ought to look forward to the next installment of the series.

Comments

comments