Notes

Character List FAQ: Angels: First Edited Edition
Who is Hope, exactly?
-Hope is the protagonist in Angels, and is a bit difficult to understand. She has a past that indicates abuse by the Dark Sides for a prolonged period of time, a large portion of her life on the run, and the occasional hint that she works for someone who hires angels (unbeknowst to the other Sides). She seems to know a lot about the Dark Sides and their Boss, but puts up an innocent front for whatever reason. She represents not only Thomas' hope, but also his afeminate nature (think personality, not sexuality) and his connection to Hope's boss.
Who are the bosses in this story? I'm confused.
-The Boss with a capital B is never a sympathetic character, and there's a good reason. He represents the devil himself, having doubt cast on him in regards to being a Side as well as being the main source of Deceit's darkness. Hope's boss, however, is far less definite in regards to characterization. We do know that her boss employs angels, has at least one more Side working for him (Faith), and his angels have the ability to remove shadowvapor with no consequence to themselves at the price of redistributing the Side's essence. Hope's boss is meant to represent God.
You mentioned that both bosses are symbolic. Is shadowvapor the same way?
-Yes! Unsurprisingly, shadowvapor represents the power sin has on a human soul. The idea that sin can transform someone, that attempting to remove it from yourself without God has consequences, and that remving sin from the world can be a lifelong project are all shown through shadowvapor's role in the story.
What about the pendant? Please explain its importance/significance.
-The pendant is the way the angels keep an eye on Hope as she attempt to help her fellow Sides (and Thomas). It also has two emergency features, calling backup and causing a memory wipe. This is important, since Hope knows that she cannot stay with these Sides forever without causing dissonance. Thomas will have to grow up first before Hope can truly stay corporeal to remember. The pendant is also a comfort mechanism to Hope (she is still pretty young, after all), since having it to hold makes her feel less alone.
You mentioned that Virgil was never truly a Dark Side. Does that mean other Sides are born Dark?
-Sort of. Think of Deceit and other Dark Sides as some sort of fallen angels. Angels can only choose sides once, since they are not human. Once some of the angels chose to side with Lucifer and leave Heaven, they could never go back. However, we don't know if any of those fallen angels ever felt remorse for leaving Heaven, hence Deceit's disgust with the Boss. After all, even demons bow at the name of Jesus. Who's to say Deceit's power can't be thwarted by using a force for good?
Why all the biblical symbolism?
-I'm devoutly Catholic, and I love to explore how my faith can be applied to unconventional situations. How could I not include biblical symbolism?
Aren't you worried that people who aren't Christian/Catholic will be offended by this?
-I live in America, which guarantees freedom of religion, not freedom from it. The only thing that is obviously biblical is the presence of angels, and I don't think this story shoves the symbolism in anyone's face. If someone were to have a genuine concern about the content of this story, I'd gladly listen, but I'm certain this is relatively safe. Food for thought, is it not?
(Certain Character) isn't characterized the same way as they are in Thomas' videos. Why?
-I tried my best to stay true to character while still including necessary elements to move the plot along. If you have suggestions to edit this aspect (character lines/actions), I'll gladly take them, but keep in mind that my consideration does not guarantee an edit. For suggestions/critiques, email me at [email protected]
There are grammar/spelling errors (here).
-Please email me and I'll gladly fix them! I try my best to proofread, but I'm not perfect, and I'm sure I've missed a few tense errors and the like. Contact me at [email protected], and I'll do my best to respond with the repaired paragraph.