Can Angel Dust (Blake Roman) get his shit together, or will Husk (Keith David) have to pick up the pieces? Hazbin Hotel‘s “Masquerade” was written by Adam Neylan & series creator Vivienne Medrano and directed by Medrano.
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A light in a dirty room illuminates over Angel. Four of his arms are tied to a chair. He’s menaced by a big, bad wolf. The wolf demands to know where Angel’s boss keeps the safe. Angel won’t talk. The wolf resolves to fuck the information out of Angel. Angel tells him to do his worst.
The perspective pulls back to reveal Angel is showing the other Hazin Hotel residents one of his pornos in the hotel parlor. Sir Pentious (Alex Brightman) is horrified. Charlie Morningstar (Erika Henningsen) looks nauseated. Vaggie (Stephanie Beatriz) squints at the screen. Niffty (Kimiko Glenn) seems to be into it. Angel brags that the performance earned him a Sex-X-X Award. Vaggie asks him what the fuck. Angel defensively states she said it was a show-and-tell day.
From the bar, Husk declares it isn’t a very convincing interrogation scene. Angel defends the movie. But Husk counters that, as the bartender, he knows Angel hates his boss. He knows this because everyone gets drunk and complains to him. To prove this knowledge, he delivers unflattering summations of Pentious, Charlie and Vaggie. He declines to reveal Niffty’s deal, though. Angel responds by coming on to Husk. But Husk claims he sees through Angel’s bullshit to how fake he is. Angel is further defending himself. However, he’s interrupted by a call from his boss, Valentino (Joel Perez). Val calls him to set. Charlie protests. However, Angel leaves. Vaggie suggests Charlie use her Princess of Hell authority to get her way.
“Masquerade”
On the porno set, Angel questions the script. Val tells him to improvise, as no one watches for the plot anyway. That’s when Charlie arrives on set. She immediately distracts Angel. Meanwhile, she’s bewildered by some of the other porno actors and crew. Angel asks what Charlie is doing. Charlie explains she’s there to get Angel some time off for the hotel. She asks where his boss is. Angel insists she get off the set. But Val has already spotted her.
Val approaches and welcomes Charlie to his “humble sex dungeon.” He asks what he can do for Charlie, immediately offering her a role. Charlie says she’s there to speak to Val about Angel. Val tells Charlie to make herself comfortable and enjoy the show. Angel gets to work alongside the other porno actors. Meanwhile, Charlie distracts a demon holding a boom mic with a description of the Hazbin. This interrupts the shoot. Val says it isn’t a problem, but it obviously is. Charlie knocks over some equipment and further interrupts the shoot with a set fire.
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Val uses his moth wings to put the fire out. However, he’s obviously enraged. Val tells Charlie not to worry about it. Then he tells Angel he wants to see him in his dressing room. Val immediately begins beating Angel. He asks why Angel thinks Charlie can fight his battles.
Val uses his red smoke to bind Angel’s hands and neck. He reminds Angel that he signed a contract (“Anthony”), so Charlie can’t help him. Val makes Angel say that Val owns him. Furthermore, he makes Angel agree to make Charlie leave. Val tells Angel he’s killed for less, and Angel is lucky he makes money.
Hazbin Hotel’s Poison
Back on set, Val throws Angel at the bed. Charlie grows enraged, her power beginning to show on her face. But as she advances on Val, Angel tells her to stop. Further, Angel tells her to get off the set and let him work. Charlie leaves in tears. Val calls Angel a good boy. Then the shoot begins.
Angel sings “Poison.” The lyrics recount that Angel’s story will end with him drowning in Val’s poison. Furthermore, he sings that he has no one to blame for his situation but himself. Meanwhile, the accompanying sexual imagery grows increasingly violent.
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Later, Angel arrives back at the Hazbin. He collapses at the bar and declares he needs a drink. Husk states he looks like shit. Angel says that’s not possible. Then he says Husk’s drink wasn’t strong enough. Husk says he didn’t realize it was a “drink to forget” kind of a night. Furthermore, he tells Angel that if he has a problem, the solution isn’t at the bottom of a bottle. Husk states he’s been looking there for solutions long enough to realize that. Angel asks where he should look, suggesting Husk’s bedroom. Husk rebukes his come-ons. He tells Angel to cut the act, because he’s just making an ass out of himself with the fake bullshit. Angel tells him to call him fake one more time. Husk does so.
Angel grows enraged at Husk and leaves. Vaggie asks what’s wrong. Charlie says he looked really upset. She shares what happened at the studio out of concern for Angel. Vaggie sends Husk after him. Charlie says not to force him back, but just to make sure he’s safe. Husk angrily concedes. Charlie says she’s off to write apology letters.
You’re a Loser, Baby
Husk follows Angel to a bar. As Angel flirts with some dangerous looking loan sharks, Husk drinks alone at the bar. Angel demands another drink and one of the sharks approaches the bar. Husk sees him drug Angel’s drink. As the shark hands Angel the drink, Husk attacks him. In the ensuing chaos, he drags Angel out of the bar.
In the gutter just outside, Husk asserts that someone drugged Angel’s drink. Angel said he knew. He further says he didn’t ask to be this way. Further, Angel says he can handle himself. Husk says he sees Angel self-destructing. Angel tells him not to act like he cares. Husk once again tells him to stop being fake. Angel says it’s not an act, it’s who he needs to be. By getting wasted, he can forget the reality of his situation. And if he breaks himself so badly in the process that Val doesn’t view him as his favorite toy anymore, well, good.
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Angel collapses in the gutter. Husk approaches and shares his backstory. He was an Overlord of Hell who loved gambling. When he got in too deep, he made a deal with Alastor to keep himself afloat. Husk says he knows what it’s like to regret one’s choices. Then he begins singing. The lyrics call Angel a loser. However, they concede that Husk is a loser, too. Maybe together, they can make things better. Eventually, Angel is won over.
However, that’s when the loan sharks locate them. Together, Husk and Angel easily (and bloodily) defeat them. Angel says he’s better at things other than sex. Husk suggests he might be down for the sex, though.
Back at the Hazbin Hotel
Husk and Angel arrive back at the Hazbin, laughing together about Val. Charlie throws herself on Angel and begs for forgiveness. Angel tells her it’s fine. This causes her to sob. Angel hands Charlie off to Vaggie, who says it’s time to get her to bed. Husk offers Angel a drink. Angel readily accepts.
RELATED: Catch up with all of our Hazbin Hotel recaps here!
The first four episodes of Hazbin Hotel are currently available for streaming on Prime Video. Plus, two new episodes will debut on each of the next two Fridays.
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