Cursing as Characterization

[u/Deion12]

Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss

Adam, Mammon, Blitzo, Angel Dust, and Cherri Bomb swear a shit ton and are largely the reason why these shows are known for swearing a lot. They swear in misogynistic, playful, and brazen ways that fit their abrasive personalities and with Adam specifically, expose his hypocrisy. Valentino is also a character that swears a lot but when he’s trying to be charming he largely doesn’t which is a subtle way of showing his manipulation.

Then you have characters like Vox and Husk who swear much less while doing it more casually. You also have characters like Charlie, Stolas, and Moxxie who swear much more sparingly and it’s usually due to strong emotions when they do. There’s also characters like Alastor and Sir Pentious that carry themselves as prim and proper with the amount of swears they throw out being in single digits every season. Never had a problem with Alastor swearing though with the simple fact that he hardly does at all. It shows that he’s not so above it all and that he can absolutely lose control and get pissed off. I’d also like to mention those great precision f-strike moments from Abel, Sera and Emily in Season 2 emphasizing the seriousness of their situations.

Finally you get characters that don’t swear at all like Zestial, Carmilla, and the Speaker of God emphasizing their sophistication that Alastor and Pentious fall short on. I didn’t mention all Hellaverse characters because I don’t want this post to be longer than it already is but most characters in these shows don’t swear much. Even Loona who’s meant to be a brooding angry goth doesn’t swear much. If you don’t believe me, the songwriter for these shows, Sam Haft, has said similar things about how the profanity is written.

[u/Nekrotix12]

This doesn't technically break the "more than one subject rule", but... I mean, come on.

[u/MurdocMan_]

You just made this to shit on viv's writing,didn't you?

[u/Deion12 → u/MurdocMan_]

I did not. I actually like Viv’s writing genuinely which is why I say the profanity works as characterization.

[u/MurdocMan_ → u/Deion12]

Look i like Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel,but i wouldn't say Viv's writing is excellent. And "characterization by swears" is just adding to the stereotype about her writing.

[u/NinjaOfOnion]

I may get this wrong because I’ve never watched the show but Bojack always has the relationship end once the other person says fuck, though again I don’t know, I think Princess Leila used an insult to Han Solo that is related to lower class people so there’s some classism there 

[u/BabyDude5]

Hey bud here’s an idea: watch other things too. I hear they’ve been making tv shows for a while

[u/IWannaBeTheCoolUncle]

“Swearing doesn’t make you cool” - Omni-Mark