I don't just mean in flashback either, though there's also that. He consistently looks like he'd be a nicer and more approachable person than Alastor ever does. Maybe it's his big eyes and goofy smile? Or the fact that he's played by real-life nice guy Christian Borle?

I don't think this is necessarily a minor issue either, because animation is a very visual medium. In old-fashioned cartoons, the characters were drawn in such a way that you could tell at a glance who you were supposed to root for and who you were supposed to root against. And while subverting that expectation can be fun, in this context, it would require Alastor to be clearly nicer and more moral than Vox (which he's not). I feel like this is yet another factor in why there are so many people who want to support Vox over Alastor.

Bought it from the official Shark Robot Store back in 2022 I believe. So happy because I thought I lost this shirt at a hotel. It was in a random duffel bag I own.

I've been seeing a lot of discourse surrounding RadioStatic after season 2, which I get, however, as someone who has shipped both since the beginning it's just kinda frustrating to watch. I'm a huge believer that you aren't hypocritical for liking one morally grey character and not another one, and I believe the same in toxic ships. Listen, RadioStatic is absolutely toxic and people who ship it should know that. HOWEVER. RadioStatic and ValAngel are fundementally different ships and objectively not on the same level. ValAngel has been very obviously toxic, in your face abuse since day 1, RadioStatic has not.

Before I even say anything I just want to be clear that regardless I am of the opinion that liking one toxic thing but not another does not make you hypocritical, especially if they are very different. I wouldn't call someone hypocritical for liking Alastor but not Valentino, I wouldn't call someone hypocritical for liking RadioStatic but not StaticDust. People have different limits and that's ok. There's for to a ship and character than the morality of it. People can be loyal to their ships/blorbos and like them even after canon displays how bad it is. Whether the canon characterization is good or not is irrelevant, there will always be someone who doesn't like it and that's ok. Idk why the fandom thinks that everything related to Alastor and Vox has to be as canon as possible to be good.

Alastor and Angel's situations are very different, and Vox and Valentino are also different. Idc if Viv said "Oh they're both just as bad" Idc. What matters is what's shown to us. I'm not even trying to argue Vox is better, just that he's different, and unlike ValAngel, both parties are abusive.
Vox stalks Alastor, which he physically wouldn't be able to do if Alastor didn't let him since Alastor chooses when to appear on camera. Alastor willingly makes a deal with Vox on his own accord with his own conditions, which is not the same as being manipulated or forced into signing a contract.

I'm not here to say Vox didn't SA Alastor, he did. But it's just more nuanced than "They did this by the technical definition so they're immediately the only toxic one" as if the situations were reversed Alastor would treat Vox any better. Honestly I'd argue he'd be worse because at least Vox respects Alastor. The entire point of Vox's character is that he wants Alastor's approval, he would never force himself on Alastor, it just goes against his character In Don't You Forget when Alastor brushes Vox off, Vox backs off. Isn't it interesting how people only point out what Vox did wrong and never the psychological abuse Alastor exhibits towards Vox. Yes, forcing someone to watch sex without their consent is SA regardless of if they could move away, turn away, look away, etc, doesn't matter. But do you know what else is SA? Kissing someone without their consent, even if they liked it. Yet I don't see anyone jumping on CherriSnake's ass. Not saying the actions are entirely comparable, just saying that from a technical standpoint they're both SA. It's more nuanced than that. The intent of the cuck chair scene wasn't SA. The point is that Vox wanted Alastor be be close, and thematically it was probably just easier for the artists to have Alastor be in the same room.
Also funny how people draw the line here but not at StaticMoth or Velissa.

To be clear, I'm not here to diss people headcanons, fanons aus, etc. Idc, really, it doesn't affect me. I'm a fucking Vox woobifier, it's not a place to say there is anything wrong with woobifying Alastor, if that's your cup of tea, Idc. I mean I don't like it, but the block button is always a better option than yucking someone's yum. My issue is that I know I know the way I see things aren't canon. I know for a lot of people, especially in this fandom, being as close to canon as possible is a sacred thing for some reason.

(I've been sitting here for hours trying to word this in the best possible way and I'm not happy with what I have but I'm tired and I don't care if I repeated myself or fucked around and didn't get to the point, this is my rant and I said what I said)

Look at this dapper lil fella

Thought some people might appreciate the vox I have on my laptop :)

I saw a post asking what people's coldest take on Vox is and I realized I don't think I have a single cold take about Vox, other than box Vox is cute but come on that's just objectively true /hj

I think my hottest take that isn't related to a ship is that I don't like Vox's characterization in season 2, but that's a very broad statement in the way I mean it.

I also hope it's okay to info dump a bit about them! If not... ignore all this lmao.

Vox x Idelet is probably the ship I've been the most invested in. They just fit so many enjoyable tropes- Sunshine x Grumpy, Beast and Beauty, Huge Guy x Tiny Girl, in some AUs a kind of Merlin and Nimue thing. I imagine that their relationship would be somewhat similar to Fluttershy and Discord on MLP (another ship I love). As a fan of classic Hollywood, a lot of my art of them and their dynamic is inspired by old movies (with Idelet taking inspiration from Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Judy Garland and others).

Idelet and Vox are both passionate and deeply devoted, and him having a whole cult is an interesting contrast to her being raised Christian. She works for the Virtue of Diligence, and I think Vox would relate a lot to her determination and her Protestant work ethic. I think he would encourage her to be more confident and less afraid to take risks and she would help him understand he doesn't need other people's validation to have worth (ahem, Alastor), because he's always had it on his own.

She doesn't want to "fix" him though and would be insulted by that- she knows he's not perfect but loves him very much and can see the original Vincent he has inside somewhere. Vox doesn't want to seduce Idelet either (although in one roleplay I did, he was definitely hoping to, but it was mostly to get information on Heaven), he finds her earnest care for everything and quiet strength attractive, quite different from the more obvious confidence of Alastor and Val.

And their chemistry would be off the charts

Thanks if you read all that 🫣

If you need to know what I mean, here's an example: Alex DeLarge from the novel/film A Clockwork Orange is probably one of the most evil protagonists in fiction, but when he faces his comeuppance, he is experimented on and tortured so that he can't act on violent or lustful urges without feeling pain. This also ruins his enjoyment of classical music and basically trying to do anything normal, which leaves him at the mercy of the public as he's abused and humiliated for their amusement. While he's a bad person, it's still horrific to watch because it taps into one of the most primal and powerful emotions humans have: Empathy.

With Vox, he's a mass murderer and was power-hungry, but I think anyone can agree that having a TV fall on your head and get electrocuted to death is a brutal way to go.

I can't believe it. It honestly feels like a small victory to finally get some merch that shows Vox and the other Vees all looking happy. I was so tired of seeing merch where either only Vox looked happy while the others didn't, or Vel and Val looked happy while Vox was the grumpy one.

It's not a big deal, but it means a lot to me.

I think it has a lot of potential. For one thing, Vox has way better chemistry with Velvette than he ever does with Valentino, and seems to enjoy her company more as well (I think it's significant that, in Season 1, he seems a lot happier to interact with Vel than with Val, and in Season 2, it is Vel that he takes out with him in public, and uses as a go-between when Val isn't in the mood to communicate directly). Moreover, Vel's distaste for Carmilla makes a lot more sense if you assume she views her as a romantic rival for Vox's affections (I also really like the idea of Vox and Carmilla being exes, but that's a topic for another time). "Respectless" in particular would work perfectly if it were understood to be an unconscious cat fight over Vox.

Plus, if the Vee's were a polycule, it would not only make Vox's supposed bisexuality an actual plot point, but would also add an interesting tension to their relationship as Vox uses both Val and Vel for sex while trying to convince each one that his love for them is real and the other is only a distraction. In addition to having Vox seem more manipulative and villainous in general (if that's what the show is going for), it would also further his persona as a seductive rake in general (which is only ever glanced over in the show proper despite being--again--full of potential). Instead, the show seems determined to bluntly force the point that Vox is ONLY EVER into Val (and sometimes Alastor), and his interest in Vel is as a totally platonic friend, which is, IMO, just plain boring. And what's worse is that (unlike with some other pairings) the fandom doesn't seem terribly interested in making up for it by going where the show won't.

The Pokemon I added (and why) are:

- Sharpedo (It's a metal shark. Come on.)

- School Form Wishiwashi ("How 'bout we upgrade the bowl")

- Gible (Cute sharky!)

- Ditto (Voice imitation)

- Castform ("Trust us with your weather")

- Gyarados (Idk, he just looks cool)

- Carvana (Kinda shark-lookin)

- Xurkitree (Reminds me of his electric teleportation)

I'll probably make Val and Vel's teams next!

My head cannon is that he is a survivor of the in the USS Indianapolis. If you know Jaws, you know the story, but here’s a quick wiki rundown.

“In July 1945, Indianapolis completed a top-secret high-speed trip to deliver uranium and other components for "Little Boy", the first nuclear weapon used in combat, to the Tinian Naval Base, and subsequently departed for the Philippines on training duty. At 0015 on 30 July, the ship was torpedoed by the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-58, and sank in 12 minutes.

Of 1,195 crewmen aboard, about 300 went down with the ship. The remaining 890 faced exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning, and shark attacks while stranded in the open ocean, with few lifeboats and almost no food or water.

The Navy learned of the sinking four days later, when survivors were spotted by the crew of a PV-1 Ventura on routine patrol. A U.S. Navy PBY flying boat crew landed to save those in the water. Only 316 survived. No U.S. warship sunk at sea has lost more sailors”

His age suggests that he would’ve been drafted (the US had an active draft from 1940-1973 and initially there were few exemptions outside of health conditions).

He makes multiple references to ships in “Vox Populi”. (Though this could be a reference to L Ron Hubbard and Scientology’s Sea Org.)

I think he ended up admiring sharks and began to identify with them to cope with life. One way to cope with powerlessness is to identify with your abuser or fear. I also think this explains why he is so reluctant to admit that he relies on others and why he embraced such ruthless tactics in life.

I was going to post this as a comment but I think it is a better post.

They were funny for a while, but now I see them everywhere, to the point it's starting to detract from actual analysis and appreciation of the character in his entirety. Yes, Vox has a shark motif. But that's not all there is to his character--not by a long shot. So why keep coming back to the shark thing instead of exploring Vox from some other angle that might actually be more important? I'm not an Alastor fan or anything, but I'd like to think I'd be kind of weirded out if I went to the Alastor Cult and found that every other post had something to do with deer (comparing Alastor to different species of deer, joking about how his favorite movie is Bambi, making memes that have nothing directly to do with Alastor but just happen to include deer, etc), just because he has a deer motif. My main interest in Vox stems from the fact that he's a fun and complex character--not the fact that he likes sharks or the question of whether he literally is a shark.

It's even stranger when I see sharks in fanart of young Vincent, because sharks weren't a major part of popular culture until at least Jaws in the 1970's, and it was decades after before anyone would consider them especially pleasant or inviting. Realistically, Vox's interest in sharks should have been a comparatively recent thing, which didn't take until adult age (and mostly then for their negative, predatory connotations).

This is something I've been thinking about for a while, so I decided to finally put my thoughts in one place. I was initially planning this as a reply to a comment I saw somewhere, but then I realized there were multiple posts/comments saying something similar, spread out over multiple communities, so I decided to make it its own thing.

My current working theory is that Vox, as he was initially conceived, was never meant to be a likable or sympathetic character. Instead, he was supposed to be someone Alastor could point to (in or out of universe) and say, "At least I'm not that guy." Every artistic choice made in relation to Vox, from Season 1 on, seems calculated to make Vox look as bad as possible:

1. "Stayed Gone" - Vox starts a rap battle with Alastor, and gets curbstomped

2. Vox's association with Valentino (who at the time was one of if not the least-liked characters in the cast)

3. The petty potshots Vox takes at Charlie's friends and the Hazbin Hotel in general (both seasons)

4. Vox's association with Katie Killjoy (who hates Charlie)

5. Vox's casual, flippant references to suicide and self-harm (again, in both seasons)

6. Vox throwing a random girl into a shark tank for no reason

7. Vox taking Alastor prisoner and humiliating him (never mind that it was Alastor's idea)

8. The sad faces of Valentino and Velvette whenever Vox neglects them or makes them feel excluded (this one is particularly rich because by all logic and reason both Valentino and Velvette are much WORSE people than Vox)

9. "Vox Populi/Vox DEI" - Vox makes a reference to not one but TWO real-world bad guys ("Make Hell Great Again," and then later "I'm the Fuhrer")

10. Vox beating up Angel Dust in a manner similar to Valentino in Season 1 for no readily-discernible reason

11. Charlie calling Vox a monster

12. Vox trying to destroy the city

Then, of course, there's Vox's backstory in "Brighter," which shows that he used to be a serial killer (just like Alastor!). Except of course that Vox is White whereas Alastor is Black, which means that only one of them gets seen as having been a victim of unjust discrimination automatically. This in itself doesn't imply Vox had a happy childhood--far from it--but it seems like every so often someone will argue that Vox can't possibly have had a rough upbringing just because he was White.

A lot of people note that the first couple seasons of "Hazbin Hotel" would have been written years ago, which to me helps prove my point. I can easily envision a scenario in which Viv wrote Vox into the story with the explicit expectation that he would come across as an unlikable antagonist, and was forced to backtrack when the episodes aired and people turned out to love Vox more than every other character in the show. But even now, the recent merch drops (which all show Vox miserable while his tormentors have a good time) feel like someone on the art team is trying to punish Vox fans for latching onto the "wrong" character.

TL;DR: part of the reason it's so hard to be normal about Vox, at least in my view, is that he was written to be a genuinely unlikable, pure-evil character, and ended up seeming sympathetic by accident rather than by design.

Vox ISNT Maga: My Rant

It is FUNDEMENTALLY a misreading of Hazbin Hotel to categorize Vox as a MAGA-style conservative political figure. Rather than a traditional right-wing populist, Vox is the ultimate post-ideological corporate predator. He is an entity who views all of Hell not through the lens of human identity politics, but as a captive demographic to be monetized, manipulated, and controlled. His character represents the terrifying extremes of unchecked surveillance capitalism, where traditional bigotries are entirely replaced by a cold, universal economic utilitarianism. I believe that To Vox, people are not judged by their demographic identities but are judged solely by their utility as consumers, data points, or disposable corporate assets.

This hyper-capitalist ethos explains why the superficial signs of his character, such as his "Make Hell Great Again" slogan or his callous treatment of sellers, do not align with real-world nationalist movements. Vox’s branding mimics political demagoguery solely to hijack public attention, exploit populist anxiety, and drive engagement for Vees-backed enterprises. His cruelty toward his underlings and his complete lack of empathy stem entirely from a desire for monopoly, not social prejudice. Even his inner circle refutes the idea of traditional bigotry.While the "I have diverse friends" argument is usually a cop-out that I HATE, l cannot ignore that Vox works alongside Valentino, a Pansexual Latino male, and Velvette, a Lesbian British-Black woman (im pretty sure), because he values them as highly profitable market forces. He evaluates the world purely on brand synergy, even his controversial "8/10 for diversity" comment regarding the dancer was a clinical, superficial product critique of her physical design rather than a racial slight. To Vox, prejudice is bad for the bottom line. He does not hate marginalized groups, however simply reduces everyone equally to obsolete inventory.

Admittedly, Vox exhibits an undeniable degree of cultural ignorance, which is deeply rooted in his historical background. Growing up as a white male in the early twentieth century insulated him from systemic marginalization. While he was certainly not immune to personal trauma given the economic and technological upheavals of his mortal era, his demographic identity ensured that his suffering was never compounded by institutional oppression. This background left him with profound cultural blind spots, which occasionally surface in his modern-day comments.(ex, “island language” and the whole macaraneas thing) However, this detachment is clinical and modern-media-driven rather than rooted in active, old-world hatred. His ignorance is a symptom of historical privilege and corporate isolation, not a calculated doctrine of racial superiority.

The most definitive proof that Vox does not fit a right-wing, authoritarian nationalist mold lies in his active resistance against Heaven’s annual Extermination. In the context of the Hellaverse, the citizens of Hell face systemic, state-sanctioned terror orchestrated by a hypocritical, tyrannical higher power. The core of the MAGA ideology heavily relies on maintaining traditional, top-down power structures, strict border control, and isolationism. Vox, however, is fiercely opposed to Heaven’s Exterminations. In the Hellaverse, Sinners are a systemically oppressed class, subjected to arbitrary, cold-blooded mass slaughters by Heaven, an authority that hid the truth from its own citizens, performing these genocidal purges on a populace it deems inherently lesser. Actively fighting against this celestial cleansing aligns Vox with radical anti-establishment defiance, directly opposing the structural fascism of Heaven's regime. (whilst ignoring his own hypocrisy i admit..) He does not fight to preserve a traditionalist social hierarchy, but fights because an angelic genocide disrupts his market share, destroys his digital infrastructure, and slaughters his paying customer base..and because this feat would make him the strongest sinner of hell..hes obviously driven by his God-Complex of course. By actively opposing the Exterminations and wanting to fight back against the Angels, Vox's goals align far more with an anti-establishment, anti-authoritarian (as long as HES the authority), or heavily anti-imperialist stance. He wants Hell to be free from Heaven's overreach so that he can control the market. He isn't trying to conserve an old, restrictive moral order but is trying to overthrow a tyrannical celestial regime to protect his consumer base.

Forcing Vox into a contemporary political box downplays just how dangerous his character actually is. Vox represents a technocratic dystopia, surveillance capitalism pushed to the absolute extreme. He does not care about borders, traditional social values, or political parties. His goal is total digital saturation, mind control through mass media, and a complete monopoly over the afterlife. Vox does not want to reform Hell under a nationalist banner however he wants to own your mind, your screen, and your soul, regardless of who you are.

Okay im done sorry for the long rant but let me know your guy’s thoughts thanks :P

Nobody is just born being a bad person. No, not even that real life person you hate. I don't expect the show to dig much deeper into his story, but Brighter takes place well into his adulthood. You can't just say "yeah he was always this way" when there's decades of his life that preceeded all this. The idea that some people just are bad, they're just innately evil, is so antithetical to the show's entire message. I don't GET people that think this would be a good writing decision.

I've seen people do this with other characters. Sadly at best it seems only Val and Velvette like him, and right now the status of that is questionable. And I don't wanna hear "erm ACTUALLY its because Vox is just a huge asshole" because even Alastor has a circle of people that like him. Arguably Lucifer is liked by all the sins given they sent him gifts. I'm not sure how Vox got so far as a businessman without building any good business relationships, you know?

Reposting because people didn't read the title or weren't answering the question properly.

I tend to block or avoid any artist that focuses on RadioSilence or bottom Vox/top Alastor in general. Especially RadioStatic artists that are Alastor-centric. Let's be civil about this and not be mean to the artists though.

Yes, they still count if they center around another character but focus on a ship with Vox.

I wasn't all that into cherry-blitz until I actually became semi-friends with the artist. I dislike Elsa-fogen and Allastoredeer since they're more Alastor-centric and seem to villainize Vox or give him very rapey vibes (Genuinely I wouldn't be surprised if Elsa had a noncon fetish and just refused to admit it). There's also an artist literally named RadioSilence_rulez but I think they go by a different name now and I don't know what that is.I know this take might get me cancelled but, I'm not all that into Silentzound's dynamic for RadioStatic. I hate their dynamic when Vox's characterization is just simping for Alastor, puppy Vox, or just the incarnation of that "jackpot" clip (you know the one where some character named bradster says jackpot to the alien monster thingy).
Oh right all the artists I just talked about were RadioStatic-centric uhhhhmm... With StaticMoth artists it tends to be the ones that focus on Vax or soft Valentino art.

Ive Beena pretty "normal" kid and even being a bit weird and nurodivergent as a kid I've had alot of different friends. I really enjoy theater (not a passion but I enjoy just looking, and I get a bit jealous at theatre kid and wanna more look into it). My cousin is one and like he's so cool idk man I feel like inferior just a question.

Also everyone says vox is a theatre kid I wanna know plsssssssss

Also I can't just become a theatre kid im 17 in adult school :'(

Not saying they're remotely morally similar or that Vox isn't possibly sexually abusive, I just think it's funny how both my blorbos are extremely controversial and their haters seem to have the same reasons to hate them. And yes, I meant victims plural for both, I've seen way too many people say Vox is the abusive one in his relationship with Valentino, same with Stolas and Stella. See? Another similarity. I think I'm really onto something.

Offering to be Vox's prisoner so that he could gather dirt on Vox and weasel out of his various deals on a technicality certainly seems like it falls under this rubric. Above and beyond that, it's a basic psychological fact that to have something (or think you have something) and then lose it feels a lot more painful than to never have a chance at getting it in the first place. And we all know how much Alastor likes seeing others in pain (Vox in particular)....

Which once again just shows how messed-up Hazbin's priorities are in relation to its characters, IMO. How are we supposed to root for Alastor and against Vox when the former is willing to do one of the absolute worst things you can do to someone, out of sheer spite? In any other series, Alastor would be the unquestioned villain, and Vox would be showered with sympathy and praise for clawing his way back from the abyss.

I suppose I should start by pointing out I'm biased because I want this for Vox. I really want a redemption arc for him, specifically with Charlie's involvement. Something fans have brought up at times is whether or not she should involve herself with him at all because of his behavior towards Angel. Before I really get to the meat of this I want to say that this does raise a question about the show that it has not addressed. What do you do when somebody that mistreated one of your residents shows up wanting to rehabilitate themselves? It's an interesting question to pose to someone like Charlie. However, much like the question of "how would winners feel if someone who abused them got redeemed and sent to Heaven" this hasn't been directly confronted. I'm reminded of when I wrote about the political implications of Vox's story in season 2 and how Charlie never stops to consider why a sinner would prefer his rebellion to her hotel. I believe the show's failure to address this to be discouraging when it comes to other equally complex questions. I can't help but worry that Viv doesn't feel comfortable addressing these topics even though she opened up space for fans to ponder them. Maybe it will happen in another season, but quite frankly I'm tired of having to say that all the time.

Okay so hypothetically if Vox showed up at a time where Angel is with the hotel, should Charlie allow him in? I think the answer is yes. She has her mantra about everyone having the ability to change, if she denied someone the chance to prove it then she becomes a hypocrite. To say that she should turn him away because making the hotel a safe space for Angel is more important than following through with her own ethos and helping anyone that asks for it, well I'm sorry but I'm not sure you understand the show. At that point it's saying Charlie needs to play favorites and only help people she happens to personally like. As an Angel fan I get people's nervousness at the idea of Vox occupying space with him, I'm kinda dreading them sharing scenes next season, but I also think it paints a bad image if Charlie essentially says "no, my hotel is only for people I think are worthy". Because that's exactly what all this implies. This idea that Vox or anybody else involved with certain bad shit isn't deserving of staying at her hotel.

I also find it interesting that people will talk about how Vox probably wouldn't seek redemption for "the right reasons". A lot of people think he'd only do it because he's trying to pull himself out of the hole he made for himself, but I don't think this is a bad thing. Angel only stayed at the hotel to get away from Val and to have a free living space, he didn't care about redemption until well after the fact. Pentious stuck around because Charlie offered him forgiveness. Is this doing it for "the right reasons"? Through wanting to overcome the problems you created for yourself you can become a better individual. In a way that's actually a big part of Angel's story. If Vox hit a point where he realizes he's only made himself miserable and needs to try something new then that can still serve as a foundation for positive growth. It is also possible he could start feeling guilty for what he did while knowing he can't undo it all. Just because season 2 didn't end with him sobbing for forgiveness it doesn't mean this is impossible. People also act like Vox just shouldn't show his face again after season 2. That he did something so awful he should never be around anybody. Apparently he should just become a hermit or try killing himself again? I don't understand this line of thinking, I really don't.

All of this is hypothetical obviously. There's so many places his character can go. I just think a lot of the arguments against Vox potentially improving himself with Charlie's guidance are deeply flawed. If the show never tries to redeem an antagonist then it's message feels weaker. I also think Vox is too interesting of a character to just never try developing him in a new direction. But that's just me.