Helluva Boss Criticism - Tumblr Posts

I was rewatching some of Madeline Maye’s HB videos and I caught this comment which made me sad

I’m glad that more and more people recognize how abusive it is but the amount of fans that either view sexual coercion as a “both sides are wrong” issue or that it didn’t happen at ALL is genuinely concerning.

This is why I never buy into the “Viv cares about survivors stories” narrative. In her world, sexual coercion isn’t real, using sex for survival makes you a bad person, being submissive and scared of your abuser is a character flaw, all survivors HAVE to be snappy and snippy with their abusers, having trauma means it’s okay to sexually harass and abuse others, sexual harassment is funny, rape is funny (when it happens to a character she doesn’t care for), not wanting to be with someone who abuses you simply because they love you makes you a bad person, you are obligated to get into a relationship with someone even if you’re not ready for it, clients are entitled to body autonomy of sex workers, no means “yes probably, they just won’t say it because they’re hiding their feelings”, etc

Like holy shit, I’ve never seen a show or its spin off feel like it’s HATED survivors more than this one.

It’s the way the newest short is just Vivz venting about being a proshipper. She’s still salty she got called out for fetishising SA so now she’s making Blitzo act out of character, as if he would give a fuck about shipping discourse? Proshippers are so chronically online

It's deffiently very ironic. Funny that Viv says one of her characters lacks self-awarness when she herself has none of it...

helluva boss getting people to say actual shit rape and abuse apologists say is insane

I'm wondering what the game plan is for sympathy when the leaks become canon.

I mean Octavia point-blank says she's estrangling herself from Stolas because of his actions with Blitz.

So if Stolas stays with him after this it's going to make him look like a monster.

This act will make it look like he's saying why yes she actually didn't matter.

If Viv thought the dragging Stolas got from the Full Moon and Apology Tour was surprising just wait until she makes Stolas still put his obsession over his daughter, and this is when it has gotten so bad Octavia goes no contact with him over it.

I mean does she even want sympathy for him by this point?

Or is she truly just writing for fujoshi who don't care as long as they get their Domesticated Stolitz?

A domestication mind you that will always have the taint of his broken, estranged daughter hanging over it.

"I really hate how Helluva Boss became the Stolitz-focused show. I came here for the concept of wacky and zany funny demon shenanigans who are hired to murder people and have some Earth adventures here and there, not watch some prince cry and be babied by Viv while throwing a Blitzo KYS party. Save that for fanfics. I loved the new short because that was what Helluva Boss should be."

Octavia Appreciation Post! 💫💜🌙

(because she's basically the only completely likeable character in the whole Hellaverse)

Love her so much :3

I wish Vivzie wasn't such a POS/the merch wasn't so expensive because some of it is actually cute 👀

Honestly, I'm so glad somebody made this video, because I feel the exact same

TW: S/A, Misogyny

I too, wanted to like Verosika; even a ton of people in the critical community seem to like her too!

But after what she did to Moxie all the way back in Spring Broken, the questionable ethics of her Succubus powers, and her transformation into a mouth-piece for Stolitz in the new episodes, I just couldn't get on board with her to any capacity.

Does she have potential? Yes! In the same way characters like Stella, Blitz, and many others had potential. But potential can only carry a character so far, and Veroskia's ran out rather quick for me.

While I do still think Veroskia is a good basis upon which to develop complex and revealing conversations about the misogyny and surprisingly conservative values of HB, her character itself is...lacking in many ways.

If you like her, that's wonderful! I personally just can't watch her without rolling my eyes or sighing with annoyance.

PS: Please go check out the guy who made this video! He's really talented and is one of the only shining beacons of hope for the critical community on Youtube.

Helluva Boss stans: omg, if you don't like the show, just DON'T WATCH. Why are you so obsessively hate-watching it and ruining the fun. Get a real hobby.

Some of HB critics, antis and simply people disappointed with how the S2 turned out: lol okay.

Views: *drop by like 70%*

Stans:

Who would have thought that completely derailing your premise for generic and abusive relationship drama would eventually result in a massive view drop? /s

Even the so-called "bad faith" critics have grown so tired of the shitstorm that is St*litz that even when the show finally remembered its roots and had the shorts revolve around assassinations, they did (comparatively) attrociously in the view department.

Stolas is a rapist who plays the victim when called out on his bullshit. There, I said it.

I'm so sick of this fandom acting like Stolas is better than the other Goetias when it's just not true.

Stolas may love Octavia, but he's a neglectful dad and doesn't keep his promises to her.

Stolas may have been raised by his Imp butler, but that doesn't stop him from abusing and fetishizing other imps.

At the end of the day, Stolas isn't much different from other Goetias.

My opinion on New Helluva boss short "Mission:Weeaboo-boo"

Attention: There will be a lot of spoilers and my subjective opinion, so you can agree or disagree with me.

TW: S*xual harassment

So my first thing I didn't understood is...Why Emeberlynn still lives with her parents even she is canonically 20?

Okay, let's think that's she is a lazy one and still didn't went through a separation process.

But there's another thing:

HOW AN ANGELIC-MADE ACCESSORY( mean of protection?) CAME ON EARTH?

More though, Ember said that is official merch so it's supposed to be more of these, so how??

And then my most hated part started...

EMEBERLYNN THOUGHT THAT BLITZØ CAME HERE TO FUCK HER.

Seriously.

AND BLITZ IS VISIBILITY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS.

And Emberlynn's behaviour shown and supposed to be "funny",Oh yeah! S*xual h*rassment and cognitive distortion of said/done things is DEFINITELY THINGS THAT YOU CAN JOKE ABOUT!

It reminds me of something...

Damn it,I hate this bird prick so much.

Also, Emberlynn calls Blitz "Blitzy-kun" just like Stolas calls Blitz "Blitzy"

But more is...That Ember hits Blitz for doing LITERALLY NOTHING!

It's very weird, especially for 20 year old person to do so. By the way, At first watch I skipped scene with files, I looked at her behaviour and thought that she is 16 or 17. Kinda reminds me of Vivzipop, who can't take criticism and acts like child even when she is grown ass adult.

Maybe it's another little thing but Blitzø talks here about someone didn't liked Lynn's 1ncest art and didn't liked it so that's why they hired Blitz, but isn't that IMP corp help already KILLED or DEAD person to kill their hatred ones?

I KNOW, Pilot is not canon anymore but still, how someone, who is probably still alive, get an IMP's phone number? And I don't think that's hell's media can be used in humans's world like "Sinstagram" or "Envee".

Conclusion: This episode(like any of HB other episodes) was pretty mid for me. I even cringed a bit an Ember's child-like behaviour. I think that writers and mostly Vivzipop tried to make an episode that mocks Vivzie's haters (In sneak peak Emeberlynn have the same setup and similar looking hair) but made it very poorly.

And the most problem is in the short it self! Most of missions and assassinations mostly moved to shorts and main show is slowly becoming a cheesy,bad written, rom com with not funny jokes, mostly about themes that supposed to be spoken about respectively but taken as another joke(Moxxie getting SA by succubi in episode "Spring break" and whole Stolitz drama)

But,what I Liked in new shorts ?

Maybe Emberlynn's sinner design, but she still says that she's found his billboard and screams, swears that she will be on his side. That's kinda stalkerish, don't you think?

I'll repeat that: It's only my opinion, you can disagree with it!!

EDIT: I read some comments, and you're right, maybe Emberlynn still living with parents because rent is expensive. My mistake, I apologise. I think it's me being with imposes thoughts that personally I must live on my own when I'll become an adult

And also comment about cringe comedy: I understand that it's a thin,but not for everyone, honestly I didn't liked it.

Sorry for making myself looking stupid

You know, there's something very ironic and at the same time wrong in every way about the way Viv and her team insist on making Stella an incorrigible antagonist with no redeeming qualities, don't even make her interestingly evil, just super-caricatured and stupid, and the way fans absolutely hate and despise her... And then they all have absolutely no problem sexualizing her as much as possible and selling sexy merch with her. Just because it sells well. I don't care how you feel about Stella, it's hypocritical anyway.

Why the eff, this bitch thinks it is funny and necessary to put a freaking Penguin swearing, as if it weren't enough that she demonizes sharks, wolves, bears, squirrels, rabbits, rats, pigs and angels, but romanticizes demons.

Lmaoooo

Edit:

Samantha is a Story Artist, Animator, and Animation BFA who works for Viv on both HH and HB.

2nd Edit: Some of y'all need to chill in the comments with certain things you say. It ain't finna make any point come across decently with how you spread some info. I get being mad at some of the reactions, don't get me wrong, but bring it back down slow plz.

I also hate Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss too, after discovering as they both are terribly poorly too.

What do you think?

I decided to make Ozzie a Ars Goetia demon, not Asmodeus, because he being Asmodeus disturbes me now af. Also i gave him a sexy outfit that is it comfortable for him, or not.

I don't like HB!Ozzie and even less how he is meant to be Asmodeus (and I HATE how Viv uses dumb nicknames for the "real" demons it makes them sound even less credible than they already are), so having him be different both in looks and in character is a good idea !

In my rewrite i made Glitz and Glam more look like Envy and Greed Imp-Succubus hybrid.

did you know glitz and glams storyboard designs were this

vivzie. im gonna riot .

Oh wow! Definitely fits in with the clown theme more than the official designs.

Props to the artist who did theses designs, they look fantastic!

Why Stolas is a Terrible Person/Character

Oh this will be long. In this post I will cover why Stolas is a character that fundamentally fails at everything it tries to accomplish. I probably have to say that you can love Stolas. That's just why I hate him.

Trigger warnings for: Racism, casteism, power dynamics, sexual assault, sa apologism, abuse, and neglectful parenting. A lot, I know, but that's Stolas.

His Actions in S1

Despite the title, there will be two examples from season 2.

Racism/Casteist

Stolas is from the upper caste, a royal. He seem to often fetishize imps, or the fact that he's sleeping with someone who's less than him. I even saw fans pointing this out. He have empathized Blitzø being an imp in a sexual context.

(Notice the use of words: "little", "plaything", to me this is blatant racism and fetishism).

He also showed a certain lack of empathy for his imp butler.

Stolas isn't particularly violent, he doesn't choke people left and right. He's just angry, at Stella, so he decides to.. choke the imp.

Stolas has been dehumanizimg imps. Fetishizing an imp for being an imp, calling him an "impish little plaything", and he has been willing to choke an imp just because he was angry at something unrelated. He's racist and casteist.

Treatment of Blitzø

"Treatment" is putting it lightly. In the first episode, Stolas does something inexcusable that will taint their dynamic for all of season 1. First, he sees Blitzø in a vulnerable position, where he cannot think or negotiate. Thus, stripping him of what little choice he has on what he's about to offer.

What Stolas is saying is, "Fuck me or I'll shut down your business". This deal he makes is just a threat with extra steps. Which, is a real life abuse tactic called Quid Pro Quo:

"Quid pro quo harassment occurs when someone in a position of authority over another directly or indirectly demands sexual favors in exchange for some benefit, or to avoid some detriment in the workplace".

One element I haven't brought up yet, is the political power imbalance. Stolas is royalty, one with a lot of power, influence, credibility, etc. Blitzø has non of that. Other characters have commented on that the fact that Blitzø even has a business is a miracle.

There are so many layers of imbalance and how Blitzø has no choice or agency. A royal is """offering""" the powerless a Quid Pro Quo while he's in a life threatening situation.

And their dynamic looks exactly like you'd imagen. Stolas is consistently sexualizing him against his consent. (As it's been established, Stolas's racism feeds into this). And refuses to do the surface level courtesy, not even calling him his real name (x).

Stolas treats Blitzø as a lesser being, violates his boundries, forces himself on him, and strips him of all autonomy.

Faliure as a Father

Stolas's role as a father is directly tackled in Loo Loo Land and Seeing Stars. At the beginning, both episodes show Stolas being a good father to Octavia, but does this still hold true in the currect day? Well, no.

In Loo Loo Land, Stolas wants to take Octavia to a theme park. Octavia is 17, and Stolas ignores her when she says she doesn't want to go. (In retrospect, Stolas coud be oblivious because he's projecting onto Via his experience meeting Blitzø).

But that's just the start. Stolas then invites Blitzø to the trip and harasses with him all throughout. Essentially, Stolas is forcing his daughter to watch as he harasses "the homewrecker", all the while he's supposed to be with her, on a trip she didn't even want to go to.

After a whole day of this, as expected, Octavia runs away. Stolas chases her. (And of course, he's still thinking of Blitzø on his way to find Via). There's an apology scene that looks deep, but when you dissect it, it's rather empty.

Stolas never actually provided an explanation as to why he just did what he did, nor of the "drama" with Stella. There is nothing here. Octavia only makes up with him because he said he isn't gonna leave her. Which is bare minimum.

After he realizes that his affair hurts his daughter to the point where she feared he's gonna leave her, what does he do? What practical actions does he take to improve? Divorce Stella? Cut off his deal with Blitzø? Explained the situation?

Nothing. And now we see he's willing to stand up on a stage and let people know.

In Seeing Stars, Stolas bashes Via's mother to her. Which, does she know about their situation? Does she not? She isn't shown to hate or.. anything Stella. Is he hiding the situation (which I'll cover), while also trashing her mother? That's impulsive and negligent.

But that's nothing. She later runs away, Stolas is stressed as he should be, but the second they arravie on earth he's all calm and everything's normal.

When his daughter is missing. When he is shown to be stressed, it's for the sake of plot. But he's willing to just chill, watching Blitzø's show.

Stolas is, dare I say it, neglectful. He might care about his daughter, but he's proven that she's not enough of a priority to focus on her when it matters.

Cheating

Yes, I know what ended up being revealed, I'll cover that. In season 1, the relationship is presented to not be perfect before Stolas cheated.

But there were instances that showed that what Stolas did changed their relationship for the worse. (Some additional rebuttals).

It could have been a loveless marrige, they could hae fallen out of love, they could have been arranged. But their relationship was manageable. Love or no love, it's a committed relationship. and Stella didn't deserve to get cheated on.

Who was Stolas?

Stolas's behavior is common among royals. Stella has no problem throwing said butler at Stolas (S1 E2), and the Goetias are shown to be casteist. They're untouchable privileged assholes.

Stolas was born that wealth, never having to suffer the consequences of his actions. Always putting himself first, hurting others. He doesn't mean to, he wants for everyone to be happy, he does care.

However, when it actually matters, he acts on his worst tendecises with no self control. He never had to learn self control. That is, until Ozzie's.

Before Ozzie, Blitzø and Stolas are at obligation. Stolas's actions had tainted them. There was one redeemable moment: He saved Blitzø's life. Stolas did something for him. But this one act of goodness doesn't magically fix anything.

Stolas's family life have been escalating. Stella hated Stolas for cheating and his daughter just had to take it. In Loo Loo Land, he learns the full weight of the damage he caused. And in the next episode we see him, he proceeds to take no steps to improve the situation. In the end of that same episode, we learn that Stella hired an assasin after him. Because he did nothing.

The season 1 finale, Ozzie's, is aware of all of this and absolutly delivers.

The episode starts with seeing Stolas alone, in his big house, miserable. It appears that Stella finally left the house. (Also he later says "Octavia is with her mother this weekend"). He's eating a bowl of cereal, pitying himself, wallowing in his despair. You feel bad for him, he looks so torn down.

And then Blitzø calls. The one he loves, asks him on a serious date. It's hope, it's honest, and it's exactly what he wanted. It's almost as if the universe handed him is fairytale scenario.

Almost. Reality smacks him right in the face on that date. Asmodeus calls him out on losing everything he had. He had a family, a happy daughter, but gave it all up for an affair.

Blitzø calls him out on treating him like a pet, not earning any of that emotional connection he wants or even communicating it, just violating him, they have nothing.

The show held him accountable and called him out. While it's not perfect, Stolas is a morally grey character. Now, a character arc was set up where he learns to treat people better. Stolas is exactly the character I want to see from a show like Helluva Boss. He's a horrible person, but nuanced, who does care.

Season 2

Yeah... all of that is thrown out the window. Because apparently, Stolas is just imperfect. He simply made a lot of mistakes. He misread a lot of situations, really it's all just an accident. He's an oblivious victim. So, let's get into the woobification of Stolas.

Surrounded by Evil

In The Circus we're given Stolas's ✨️backstory✨️. And we find out he had such a terrible life.

Stella is, and always was, an abusive evil bitch. From the day she was born. Pure evil.

So you see, Stolas did nothing wrong. Let me be clear, you are not obligated to stay loyal to your abuser. We can erase "cheater" off the list. But that's the only reason why it's done. So we can erase that off the list, and that we could feel oh-so-sad for him.

Because Stella isn't written to be an abuser. She's a cartoonishly evil. We see a picture of her as a kid where she's the same person. Spongebob villians have more depth than her, you know, the abuser in the adult show.

Helluva Boss reversed an established dynamic where Stella is the victim and Stolas is at fault, except without any of the depth or nuance.

But that's not all. Stolas's dad (Paimon) is also neglectful. By "neglectful" I mean, of course, a Saturday-morning cartoon villain.

He doesn't remember his name. This is such bullshit. I can buy Stolas having a horrible father. It's also not bad to show Stolas's trauma. What is bad is that the subject matter is handled with less seriousness as the fish fight in Spring Broken. And Helluva Boss did write Crimson as a serious abuser, the episode did have comedy, but not Paimon.

The reason why all of this is happening, is so we could feel bad for Stolas. They do zero of the work to earn a good story about abuse, but still go "Do you see how sad he is? Look at how they're treating this poor baby!!"

"Recontextualization"

In said ✨️backstory✨️, we also learn that Stolas and Blitzø are childhood friends. But also not really, they just hung out for one day. Where did this come from? How does that enrich the characters? I would tell you, but I don't know. However, what I'm sure of, is that it's done to make Stolas look less problematic.

DO YOU SEE HOW CUT THIS IS? He isn't just horny for that imp, he is special, it's absoultly pure! Don't worry, totally safe.

Later in the flashback, we see how Blitzø and Stolas reconnected after over 20 years. Apparently... Blitzø was the one who sexually manipulated Stolas, selling him that he wants him.

All Stolas did was just buying into Blitzø's narrative he was imposed on. It's a role he leaned into, because he thought Blitzø liked it. I.. WHAT???

If this horseshit is true, why did he make this weird r*pe deal with Blitzø? If Blitzø was the one who acted like he's interested at first, and he was sexually exploiting him, why did he lash out at Stolas in Ozzie's? Did it just hold no weight for Stolas? It went from "Don't pretend to have something when you've been harassing me this whole time" to "You misunderstood".

The Stolitz backstory makes no sense, it's cheap, and fixes nothing. No matter what the story is trying to sell, in season 1 Stolas knew what's happening enough to try to force it. And maybe Stolas wanted Blitzø because of a connection, he still harassed, dehumanized and violated him.

Note: Stolas realizing "he imagened the relationship" is completely ignored one episode later in Seeing Stars. This is a huge deal, didn't he learn? Just further evidence that he's willing to violate the guy. (x)

Before this backstory, we had a story of a selfish man hurting the person he loves while explointing the broken system and the power that he has over him for his own selfish desires that he's forcing on him. Now, we have the same thing, but with fanfic tropes – and the story refuses to confront that.

Casteism is Brushed Off

Helluva Boss pretends that Stolas isn't racist, because he didn't want Blitzø for being an imp, but for being his fanfic trope childhood friend. Which fails to adress the disgusting fetishism of Blitzø for being an imp, and he also continued to dehumanize his imp butler in Seeing Stars. He's still racist.

Imperfect Father

In The Circus, Stolas devivers this line: "The only reason I have endured your constant insults and cruelty, was for that girl to have a normal life".

Sounds impressive, he stayed all these years just for his daughter. But that's the thing – it sounds impressive. Every time their relationship is the focus, Stolas is being the scum of the earth. What I see here, is a person. A person who despite being willing to stay passive, acts on his his selfish wants, forgetting to look around him. Mind you, this fact is also being revealed one episode after Ozzie's.

But no, one episode later, in Seeing Stars – that was covered as a prime example of everything I just descriped – Loona says this:

Yeah. He's just a good father "trying" his "best" and makes some.. "mistakes". The Circus did present Stolas as this, but Seeing Stars really solidified how his parenting will be handled moving forward. And I think it's comlete and utter dogshit.

Damsel in Distress

The title is a bit misleading. This section is mainly about Stolas's power being toned down. Both magical and in presentation.

In season 1, he was energetic and enthusiastic, while being able to set his foot down and intimidate when needed. He's still all of those things, but in some instances his characterization made my raise an eyebrow.

In Seeing Stars, he's being weirdly gentle with people kidnapping Blitzø and are later beatting him.

In Oops, he's excited to start negotiating with literal kidnappers. I have no idea why he's so nice.

(He did harass Blitzø again in Seeing Stars and bashed Striker, all of which isn't soft, but it's also the two moments where he should have shut up).

Further more, both of these conflict rely on Stolas not using his powers for some reason or another. Why didn't he just do whatever he did in Truth Seekers to track Fizz/Via?

About Via, I'm gonna have to call bullshit on the "My powers are limited on earth" nonsense because, for starters, kid Stolas is shown to remember the contents of his books and now he's been studying them for years. And two,

There is no excuse for Stolas to not use his powers and whenever the show says otherwise it's bullshitting its way out of it.

Even in Western Energy, before Stolas gets captured he was just aimlessly going in and out of his demon form. Why didn't he turn him into stone like he did in Loo Loo Land?

Stolas has been presented as weaker than he is. He's made to look more vulnerable, less "above it all". He was untouchable, and when he wasn't, it had a harder impact and made sense. Now, I almost forgot he's a powerful demon.

And his characterization is at the core of this issue. At times he's just so kind and gentle with people who should get smacked in their heads.

What about Ozzie's

The big clash, the one that called Stolas out on everything, the one that set him on a genuine path to grow, what about it? How is it adressed while the show tries to pretend he's a good person?

No, not the message Stolas is looking at, the ones in the background he just scrolled through.

I'm not breaking this down. I refuse. The only reason I put it here is to show how fast it goes. I'm not touching that.

Who is Stolas

Stolas is a moral scapegoat – "a character that is bad, but the book/movie/show portrays them as good". It's characterized by the story twisting itself to make one character look good.

Stolas didn't start out as one, but became one over one season premire and it just kept escalating from there.

Helluva Boss takes place in Hell. A horrible place filled with horrible people, the root of all evil. Stolas fits right in there. He was already problematic, awful, fed into Helll's broken system. Why trying to cover up his faults? It's Hell, and it was great. But now, we're supposed to pretend he's just flawed.

With the show actively ignoring everything he did, what's left for him? What does he have to learn? How will he grow as a person? How will he improve? What's his character arc? It's nothing. Because everything that happens to him isn't his fault, and at times could just be solved with one conversation.

It kinda pisses me off that hellhounds, imps etc. are only discriminated against when it’s convenient for the plot

Someone in the animation industry just called out SpindleHorse for not being an indie studio and of course, stans start crawling out of their holes to defend their 'queen' Viv.

These are replies to the person who called SH out.

Here is another person who is sadly currently in a rough patch [probably] calling out SH. They would be calling out A24 because they have A24 in their bio, but they are following two actives SH employees who follows them back.

I mentioned this in a recent post already, but SpindleHorse is not really an indie studio anymore. They have outsourced animation to other studios, and you also cannot call your studio 'indie' if one of your shows is on a streaming service that is owned by a billion-dollar company. There is nothing indie about that, I think.

Hell, Spindlehorse is not even called an 'indie studio' on its very Wikipedia page. It is more like a private studio/company [that for some reason everything is done via Discord and does not have HR department.] The word 'indie' only shows up once.

Blitz deserves better (me)

Stolas’ Abuse Tactics On Blitz

Viv clearly does not want you to see Stolas as an abuser. However, there is a strong disconnect between how a writer may want you to interpret the story vs how it actually comes across, and how Stolitz comes across is disturbingly different from how Viv wants you to see it.

Out of curiosity, I decided to look at some abuse tactics online and see how many lined up with Stolas’ behaviour and. Holy shit. Viv is actually writing an abuser without realizing it. Let’s go through every tactic that Stolas uses, shall we? Sexual Abuse

This one is very obvious and I don’t feel the need to explain it.

Threatening

Again, another obvious one; Stolas is directly threatening Blitz by taking away the thing he needs for his job, so Blitz wouldn’t have a choice but to accept the deal.

Gaslighting

Throughout all of season 1, Stolas repeatedly belittles and dehumanizes (or dedemonizes…? Idk) Blitz by treating him as a toy, his “impish little plaything”, and gives off the impression that he looks down on the imp. Blitz clearly feels uncomfortable by this and tells Stolas to stop, but he doesn’t.

However, once we get to Apology Tour, Stolas actively the denies the idea that he ever looked down on Blitz and claims that he never did. Stolas says that Blitz just has this idea about Stolas in his head that isn’t true despite the evidence saying otherwise, and claims that he always did his best to support Blitz.

This is gaslighting. Gaslighting is a form of manipulation used by abusers to make the victim question themselves and their own sanity, which is what’s happening here.

(I forgot to mention the “I never realized you though to low of me” in Full Moon but that line absolutely comes across as gaslighting as well).

Playing The Victim

In that same episode, Stolas sings a whole song about how hurt he was by Blitz, how he “let Blitz get too close” or how he’s a motherfucker, framing Blitz as a horrible person and him as the person he hurt. Given the context here, this reads as Stolas playing the victim, making Blitz out to be a horrible person and singing about how hurt he felt, which again, given the context, this can be read as that.

Criticizing

Stolas accuses Blitz of being like Striker of all people in the first scene of Apology Tour, and says that he didn’t even bother to come save him when Striker captured him (even though he literally sent Millie and Moxxie to save him cuz he was busy).

He then paints and treats Blitz as someone too up his own ass to realize Stolas has true feelings for him, given the context Blitzo doesn’t come across as in the wrong in this scene like the narrative may want you think.

This is criticizing, which is an emotional abuse tactic that abusers use to assassinate the victim’s character as a way of demonizing them.

Stolas is an abuser

Vivsipop fans say that it's not weird/fetishizing, but they don't seem to be taking the opinions of actual gay men into account... strange.

The way Viv writes male gay relationships is atrocious/abusive; has any gay/pan man felt uncomfortable/troubled by her portrayal of her characters? Please share your insights.