YMMV / Helluva Boss S1E4 "C.H.E.R.U.B"

• Alternative Character Interpretation:
  • Did Loopty lie to I.M.P about wanting revenge on Lyle? Or did he genuinely want revenge but change his mind on seeing his old friend again?
  • Just how aware of Lyle's crimes was C.H.E.R.U.B? Were they completely in the dark like I.M.P was or were they at least somewhat aware, as shown by Cletus calling him shitty? If the latter, why did they bother trying to protect him? Just doing their job or because they were trying to redeem him?
    • Harsher in Hindsight: Hazbin Hotel episode "Overtured" revealed that only Sinner Demons are targeted by Exorcists, Not hell-born, suggesting they WERE trying to redeem him and prevent him from potentially dying from an Excorcist. Which in turn meant their fate in this episode is even more tragic.
  • When Deerie "fires" Cletus and the lambs, was she genuinely sympathetic and trying to sugarcoat an unbearable situation by making light of it? Or was she letting an Alpha Bitch personality shine through and actually enjoying breaking the bad news, while putting on a façade of concern and sympathy? Or maybe she is more prejudiced than she lets on and actually set the CHERUBS up to fail in the first place?
  • Did Heaven really fire C.H.E.R.U.B simply for accidentally killing Lyle? Or was it because that particular outcome only came about due to the trio losing their tempers? Wrath is very much one of the cardinal sins and they weren't able to prevent Lyle's death because they were more focused on fighting I.M.P than actually performing the task they were hired to do. It is entirely possible that Heaven decided the three were on a bad track for giving into anger instead of strictly focusing on their jobs and decided to take a hard line response. They would hardly be the first angels to fall because of being consumed by sin, after all.
  • Why didn't I.M.P just a put a bullet in Lyle's skull when or after the cherubs arrived and be done with the whole thing? Did they think that, much like how the noose was destroyed when they showed up, that the cherubs' heavenly magic would prevent it from killing Lyle? Did they just never consider it? Or did they think it would be more funny to break Lyle and the cherubs by showing them the dark side of humanity?
• Bizarro Episode: This episode exaggerates the show's trademark Black Comedy and completely lacks continuity and drama, making the episode even wackier than the pilot episode.
• Broken Base:
  • So far, this is perhaps the most polarizing episode in the series. Some think it was a fun, shamelessly line-crossing change of pace from the more emotionally weighty previous three episodes. Others, however, think it dialed the wackiness obnoxiously high and was a bit too mean-spirited for a show that usually balances dark comedy with genuine heart. There's also a third faction who overall appreciate the episode for what it is but think C.H.E.R.U.B being kicked out of Heaven should've been saved for later.
  • Another point of contention was that some felt that C.H.E.R.U.B were punished too harshly for a crime that was mostly the I.M.P's fault for their constant interference, but others point out that it only escalated so badly because the C.H.E.R.U.B decided to resort to violence.
  • Next, there are the implications that Heaven might be a less than savory place behind all the apparent sweetness. Some people think it works with the series' Black Comedy and themes of moral ambiguity and is consistent with them purging Hell once a year, while others find it lazy, cliched and lacking in nuance, not to mention the implications it has for the show's "sister series". Meanwhile, a third camp thinks it's too early to take a stance and wants to wait for more info about Heaven before they pass judgment.
  • The last point of contention is that some like C.H.E.R.U.B for their neat designs, more glimpses into Heaven’s hierarchy, and want the team dynamic explored in later episodes. However, there are probably just as many who dislike them along with the filler-heavy episode they debuted in, and simply consider them too ineffectual compared to the more memorable antagonists like Verosika, Fizzaroli, and Striker.
• Crosses the Line Twice:
  • This episode is pretty much the epitome of the show's Black Comedy, being a slapstick-heavy story about two different factions trying to prevent/trigger a suicide.
  • The C.H.E.R.U.B getting perpetually banned from heaven is pretty sad. C.H.E.R.U.B getting banned from a heaven by a passive-aggressive Bill Lumbergh Expy deer meanwhile? Hilarious.
• Harsher in Hindsight: C.H.E.R.U.B getting banned from Heaven for what's implied to be their first time sinning becomes harder to watch once Hazbin Hotel showed that Adam, in spite of being an utter Jerkass who commits some type of sin pretty much every second he's on screen, was allowed to stay in Heaven with no problem and never seemed to be remotely at risk of being kicked out.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: Cleetus' comment "Guess you must've done something good to get here." takes on new meaning with the reveal that not even angels know what's gets a soul into Heaven.
• One-Scene Wonder: The scene where C.H.E.R.U.B gets barred from Heaven lasted only a minute, but Deerie's delivery of the news made one hell of an impression on the viewers. Not only that, her presence gives the first glimpse of what Heaven might be like behind the pearly gates, and implies things are — at minimum — not as perfect as they may seem. Not to mention the implications this has for Charlie's goal.
• Squick: A near-universal response to that one kid at the mall eating his booger is one of utter disgust, both because it's Cringe Comedy, and because it's very realistic to what young boys often do.
• Strawman Has a Point: C.H.E.R.U.B was meant to be seen as hypocrites for accusing the I.M.P of interfering with the human world since they do the same thing. However, that doesn't erase the fact that I.M.P are hitmen who willing to kill even children regardless of their innocence if the pay is good enough (of course this was only in the pilot episode, which is considered non-canon so how much that trope still applies is ambiguous), whereas C.H.E.R.U.B's meddling wasn't harming anybody until I.M.P interfered.

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