History YMMV / ArsGoetia

** The demons [[AscendedDemon hope to be redeemed]], yet can't be for unspecified reasons, even being "deceived in that hope". While some definitely could use the permanent timeout, quite a few are expressedly harmless and even "good" (though see below), which usually comes across as unfair to most modern readers, including Christians with a more redemptive form of Christianity.

** After his portrayal in ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss'' as a foppish, amorous aristocrat, Stolas is significantly harder to take seriously nowadays.

* RetroactiveRecognition: It's safe to say that a lot of people who know about Stolas first learned about him from WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss's take on the character.
** Unless however one already knew him from Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei.

* ValuesDissonance: The various conjuration litanies in the Ars Goetia basically deem a spirit "good" or "evil" not on what they specifically do, but merely whether or not they're obedient ("good" if they obey the summons with all due haste, "wicked" if not and there's reason to believe it's not because they're busy helping other conjurors). This extends to the aerial spirits from the Ars Theurgia Goetia, as well. If they're typically "loving and obedient", they're Good. If they're typically disobedient and/or deceitful, they're Evil.

* ValuesDissonance:
** The reason Solomon trapped these characters in the brass vessel in the first place? No, not inflicting torments on other creatures or the like (as was the case in the earlier "Testament of Solomon"), at least not as noted. No, according to the Lesser Key's entry on Belial, "Solomon did this because of their pride, for he never declared other reason why he thus bound them." To many of us, that's kind of excessive (especially when psychos like Andras and Glasya could easily have been doing ''much'' worse than strutting, but they only get booked for pride?). However, given the [[AnachronismStew Hellenic references]] (the zodiac signs are a dead giveaway), the intent was likely that the Goetics were guilty of hubris. Combine that with YHWH's insistence that no honor or glory be rendered unto ''any'' supernatural entity besides himself and... well...
** Some of the demons have AscendedDemon aspirations, deliberately being benevolent as a means of redemption (even if Focalor's idea of "benevolent" could use some alteration). Apparently, they're deluded in their wishes, because [[GodIsEvil God doesn't want to redeem them...]]
** It's also worth noting that the various conjuration litanies in the Ars Goetia basically deem a spirit "good" or "evil" not on what they specifically do, but merely whether or not they're obedient ("good" if they obey the summons with all due haste, "wicked" if not and there's reason to believe it's not because they're busy helping other conjurors). This extends to the aerial spirits from the Ars Theurgia Goetia, as well. If they're typically "loving and obedient", they're Good. If they're typically disobedient and/or deceitful, they're Evil.

%%** Thanks to WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss, it's even harder to take Stolas seriously.

* ValuesDissonance: The reason Solomon trapped these characters in the brass vessel in the first place? No, not inflicting torments on other creatures or the like (as was the case in the earlier "Testament of Solomon"), at least not as noted. No, according to the Lesser Key's entry on Belial, "Solomon did this because of their pride, for he never declared other reason why he thus bound them." To many of us, that's kind of excessive (especially when psychos like Andras and Glasya could easily have been doing ''much'' worse than strutting, but they only get booked for pride?). However, given the [[AnachronismStew Hellenic references]] (the zodiac signs are a dead giveaway), the intent was likely that the Goetics were guilty of hubris. Combine that with YHWH's insistence that no honor or glory be rendered unto ''any'' supernatural entity besides himself and... well...

** It's also worth noting that the various conjuration litanies in the Ars Goetia basically deem a spirit "good" or "evil" not on what they specifically do, but merely whether or not they're obedient ("good" if they obey the summons with all due haste, "wicked" if not and there's reason to believe it's not because they're busy helping other conjurors). This extends to the aerial spirits from the Ars Theurgia Goetia, as well. If they're typically "loving and obedient", they're Good. If they're typically disobedient and/or deceitful, they're Evil.

* ValuesDissonance: The reason Solomon trapped these characters in the brass vessel in the first place? No, not inflicting torments on other creatures or the like (as was the case in the earlier "Testament of Solomon"), at least not as noted. No, according to the Lesser Key's entry on Belial, "Solomon did this because of their pride, for he never declared other reason why he thus bound them." To many of us, that's kind of excessive (especially when psychos like Andras and Glasya could easily have been doing ''much'' worse than strutting, but they only get booked for pride?). However, given the [[AnachronismStew Hellenic references]] (the zodiac signs are a dead giveaway), the intent was likely that the Goetics were guilty of hubris. Combine that with YHWH's insistence that no honor or glory be rendered unto ''any'' supernatural entity besides himself and well... Though this can perhaps be excused by the fact the last time a spirit thought himself above YHWH [[{{Satan}} it didn’t go well.]]
** Some of the demons have AscendedDemon aspirations, deliberately being benevolent as a means of redemption (even if Focalor's idea of "benevolent" could use some alteration). Apparently, they're deluded in their wishes, because [[GoodIsNotNice God doesn't want to redeem them.]]

** Thanks to WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss, it's even harder to take Stolas seriously.

* NightmareRetardant: The descriptions (and for some, images) of the Goetic demons sound ''much'' less scarier than what we'd normally expect for demons. [[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ip%C3%A8s.png Ipos]] for example is a mishmash of... a goose, lion, and hare? Likewise, [[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stolas.jpg Stolas]] looks more like a cute creature design due to just being a crowned owl with long legs.

* ValuesDissonance: The reason Solomon trapped these characters in the brass vessel in the first place? No, not inflicting torments on other creatures or the like (as was the case in the earlier "Testament of Solomon"), at least not as noted. No, according to the Lesser Key's entry on Belial, "Solomon did this because of their pride, for he never declared other reason why he thus bound them." To many of us, that's kind of excessive (especially when psychos like Andras and Glasya could easily have been doing ''much'' worse than strutting, but they only get booked for pride?). However, given the [[AnachronismStew Hellenic references]] (the zodiac signs are a dead giveaway), the intent was likely that the Goetics were guilty of hubris. Combine that with YHWH's insistence that no honor or glory be rendered unto ''any'' supernatural entity besides himself and well... Though this can perhaps be executed by the fact the last time a spirit though himself above YHWH [[{{Satan}} it didn’t go well.]]

* ValuesDissonance: The reason Solomon trapped these characters in the brass vessel in the first place? No, not inflicting torments on other creatures or the like (as was the case in the earlier "Testament of Solomon"), at least not as noted. No, according to the Lesser Key's entry on Belial, "Solomon did this because of their pride, for he never declared other reason why he thus bound them." To many of us, that's kind of excessive (especially when psychos like Andras and Glasya could easily have been doing ''much'' worse than strutting, but they only get booked for pride?). However, given the [[AnachronismStew Hellenic references]] (the zodiac signs are a dead giveaway), the intent was likely that the Goetics were guilty of hubris. Combine that with YHWH's insistence that no honor or glory be rendered unto ''any'' supernatural entity besides himself and... well...
** Some of the demons have AscendedDemon aspirations, deliberately being benevolent as a means of redemption (even if Focalor's idea of "benevolent" could use some alteration). Apparently, they're deluded in their wishes, because [[GodIsEvil God doesn't want to redeem them...]]

* ValuesDissonance: The reason Solomon trapped these characters in the brass vessel in the first place? No, not inflicting torments on other creatures or the like (as was the case in the earlier "Testament of Solomon"), at least not as noted. No, according to the Lesser Key's entry on Belial, "Solomon did this because of their pride, for he never declared other reason why he thus bound them." To many of us, that's kind of excessive (especially when psychos like Andras and Glasya could easily have been doing ''much'' worse than strutting, but they only get booked for pride?). However, given the [[AnachronismStew Hellenic references]] (the zodiac signs are a dead giveaway), the intent was likely that the Goetics were guilty of hubris. Combine that with Yhwh's insistence that no honor or glory be rendered unto ''any'' supernatural entity besides himself and... well...

** It's also worth noting that the various conjuration litanies in the Ars Goetia basically deem a spirit "good" or "evil" not on what they specifically do, but merely whether or not they're obedient ("good" if they obey the summons with all due haste, "wicked" if not and there's reason to believe it's not because they're busy helping other conjurors). This extends to the aerial spirits from the Ars Theurgia Goetia, as well. If they're typically "loving and obedient", they're Good. If they're typically disobedient and/or deceitful, they're Evil. Effectively, the ''Key of Solomon'' and other grimoires operate on a LawfulNeutral view of the world taken to its ultimate conclusion--"Good" is just another word for "Lawful", "Evil" just another word for "Chaotic".

** Some of the demons have AscendedDemon aspirations, deliberately being benevolent as a means of redemption (even if Focalor's idea of "benevolent" could use some alteration). Apparently, they're deluded in their wishes, because [[GodIsEvil God doesn't want to redeem them...]] or, depending on the theologian, ''can't'' redeem them because there's no way to ''create'' someone who could properly offer blood atonement for each demon like Jesus could for humanity. This point crops up in St. Anselm of Canterbury's ''Cur Deus Homo?''--justice is integral to God's being, so he can't commit injustice even against himself, which is what would happen if he let anyone who'd committed a sin in ''without'' having been cleared with proper blood atonement.[[note]]Which ignores several Old Testament instances[[/note]]
*** But God's omnipotent, therefore if he doesn't want to do something, it's because he doesn't ''want'' to do something.
** It's also worth noting that the various conjuration litanies in the Ars Goetia basically deem a spirit "good" or "evil" not on what they specifically do, but merely whether or not they're obedient ("good" if they obey the summons with all due haste, "wicked" if not and there's reason to believe it's not because they're busy helping other conjurors). This extends to the aerial spirits from the Ars Theurgia Goetia, as well. If they're typically "loving and obedient", they're Good. If they're typically disobedient and/or deceitful, they're Evil. Effectively, the ''Key of Solomon'' and other grimoires operate on a LawfulNeutral view of the world taken to its ultimate conclusion--"Good" is just another word for "Lawful", "Evil" just another word for "Chaotic".

** Some of the demons have AscendedDemon aspirations, deliberately being benevolent as a means of redemption (even if Focalor's idea of "benevolent" could use some alteration). Apparently, they're deluded in their wishes, because [[GodIsEvil God doesn't want to redeem them...]] or, depending on the theologian, ''can't'' redeem them because there's no way to ''create'' someone who could properly offer blood atonement for each demon like Jesus could for humanity. This point crops up in St. Anselm of Canterbury's ''Cur Deus Homo?''--justice is integral to God's being, so he can't commit injustice even against himself, which is what would happen if he let anyone who'd committed a sin in ''without'' having been cleared with proper blood atonement.[[note]]Which ignores several Old Testament and Torah instances[[/note]]

** Some of the demons have AscendedDemon aspirations, deliberately being benevolent as a means of redemption (even if Focalor's idea of "benevolent" could use some alteration). Apparently, they're deluded in their wishes, because [[GodIsEvil God doesn't want to redeem them...]] or, depending on the theologian, ''can't'' redeem them because there's no way to ''create'' someone who could properly offer blood atonement for each demon like Jesus could for humanity. This point crops up in St. Anselm of Canterbury's ''Cur Deus Homo?''--justice is integral to God's being, so he can't commit injustice even against himself, which is what would happen if he let anyone who'd committed a sin in ''without'' having been cleared with proper blood atonement.

** Some of the demons have AscendedDemon aspirations, deliberately being benevolent as a means of redemption (even if Focalor's idea of "benevolent" could use some alteration). Apparently, they're deluded in their wishes, because [[GodIsEvil God doesn't want to redeem them...]] or, depending on the theologian, ''can't'' redeem them because there's no way to ''create'' someone who could properly offer blood atonement for each demon like Jesus could for humanity. This point crops up in St. Anselm of Canterbury's ''Cur Deus Homo?''.

* ValuesDissonance: The reason Solomon trapped these characters in the brass vessel in the first place? No, not inflicting torments on other creatures or the like (as was the case in the earlier "Testament of Solomon"), at least not as noted. No, according to the Lesser Key's entry on Belial, "Solomon did this because of their pride, for he never declared other reason why he thus bound them." To many of us, that's kind of excessive (especially when psychos like Andras and Glasya could easily have been doing ''much'' worse than strutting, but they only get booked for pride?). However, given the [[AnachronismStew Hellenic references]] (the zodiac signs are a dead giveaway), the intent was likely that the Goetics were guilty of hubris. Combine that with Yhwh's insistence that no honor or glory be rendered unto ''any'' supernatural entity besides himself and...well...
** Some of the demons have AscendedDemon aspirations, deliberately being benevolent as a means of redemption (even if Focalor's idea of "benevolent" could use some alteration). Apparently, they're deluded in their wishes, because [[GodIsEvil God doesn't want to redeem them...]]or, depending on the theologian, ''can't'' redeem them because there's no way to ''create'' someone who could properly offer blood atonement for each demon like Jesus could for humanity. This point crops up in St. Anselm of Canterbury's ''Cur Deus Homo?''.

* ValuesDissonance: The reason Solomon trapped these characters in the brass vessel in the first place? No, not inflicting torments on other creatures or the like (as was the case in the earlier "Testament of Solomon"), at least not as noted. No, according to the Lesser Key, "Solomon did this because of their pride, for he never declared other reason why he thus bound them." To many of us, that's kind of excessive (especially when psychos like Andras and Glasya could easily have been doing ''much'' worse than strutting, but they only get booked for pride?). However, given the [[AnachronismStew Hellenic references]] (the zodiac signs are a dead giveaway), the intent was likely that the Goetics were guilty of hubris. Combine that with Yhwh's insistence that no honor or glory be rendered unto ''any'' supernatural entity besides himself and...well...
** Some of the demons have AscendedDemon aspirations, deliberately being benevolent as means of redemption. Appearently, they're deluded in their wishes, because [[GodIsEvil God doesn't want to redeem them...]]

* ValuesDissonance: The reason Solomon trapped these characters in the brass vessel in the first place? No, not inflicting torments on other creatures or the like (as was the case in the earlier "Testament of Solomon"), at least not as noted. No, according to the Lesser Key, "Solomon did this because of their pride, for he never declared other reason why he thus bound them." To many of us, that's kind of excessive (especially when psychos like Andras and Glasya could easily have been doing ''much'' worse than strutting, but they only get booked for pride?). However, given the [[AnachronismStew Hellenic references]] (the zodiac signs are a dead giveaway), the intent was likely that the Goetics were guilty of hubris. Combine that with Yhwh's insistence that no honor or glory be rendered unto ''any'' supernatural entity besides himself and...well...