Ricky Church reviews the second episode of Hazbin Hotel season 2…
The hits keep coming as Hazbin Hotel’s second episode of the season, ‘Storyteller’, features the most addictive and headbanging song of the series so far. That’s nothing to take away from the story and character development either in this Heaven-centric episode as Sir Pentious adjusts to the radically different setting from Hell.
‘Storyteller’ is a nice companion to ‘New Pentious’ as while Charlie struggles with her survivor’s guilt and tries resetting her image from a warmongering angel killer to her focus on redemption, Heaven is going wild with the fact redemption seems possible as well as a potential invasion from the sinners in revenge for the numerous Exterminations Heaven secretly sanctioned. The strong themes presented throughout the episode are quite hefty and intriguing, pushing the season’s overall story into compelling places for what is to come.
Redemption is, of course, at the heart of those themes as Pentious’ arrival is looked upon with suspicion by most of Heaven while Emily and a select few angels are excited at the possibilities. Sir Pentious is the show’s first recipient of a flashback, delving into his life on Earth as a reclusive and awkward scientist who witnessed Jack The Ripper killing his first victim yet did nothing to reveal his identity to the police. The flashback was very interesting, giving viewers new insight into Sir Pentious’ character and motivations in the previous season, and offers the first inkling of why Pentious is the first sinner to be redeemed and sent to Heaven.
It is also tragic how the only thing Pentious can focus on is his friends in Hell and wants nothing more than to see them again. One of the best background events is through the song ‘Like You’ where Pentious can be seen breaking numerous things that eventually get used in his ill-fated machine to send him back to Hell. Alex Brightman and Shoba Narayan are great together as Pentious and Emily with her overly energetic positivity, very much in line with Charlie’s, being enough to break him.
One of the biggest aspects is the greater look at how Heaven operates with its in-your-face brightness and positivity mirrored by the conflicting politics of its council. Between their feelings of being lied to over the Exterminations, their fears of Hell rising up to the introduction of Adam’s song Abel – voiced by Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump – who is now named the new leader of the Exorcists over Lute, there is probably more strife in Heaven than there has been in ages. It is very nice to see Sera go through such an amount of inner turmoil and guilt of her own after allowing the Exterminations to be performed, viewing it as an unfortunate necessity to maintain Heaven’s safety. The fact she now accepts the possibility of redemption and feels the weight of all the souls killed added much to such a stoic and powerful figure and her song, ‘Sera’s Confession’ sung by Patina Miller and Liz Callaway, is a great ballad to her arc.
However, the scene stealer of ‘Storyteller’ is Jessica Vosk in Lute’s anger-infused rock ballad ‘Gravity’. This song is an earworm and quite possibly the show’s best song, both in its lyrics and animation as Lute is choreographed amazingly with gorgeous colours and visuals. Images such as her imaginary Adam floating through her knife or her walking up the wall, let alone the way she flies around Adam’s room is akin to an angry caged bird, make ‘Gravity’ an easily memorable scene. Vosk’s vocals is simply incredible, selling the rage and pain Lute feels incredibly well, enough so that one could actually feel pity if not even sympathy for her. While the episode focuses on redemption, its safe to say Lute will not feel any remorse for her actions and double down on killing every sinner she can.
‘Storyteller’ is a fantastic episode with great character moments, thematic exploration and songs. ‘Gravity’ is excellent enough to listen to outside of Hazbin Hotel with its rock and emo influences. With these two episodes of the show, this season of Hazbin is shaping up to be one you can’t miss.
Rating: 9/10
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