Warning: Spoilers for Helluva Boss season 3, part 1 lie ahead.
Vivienne Medrano, Helluva Boss's creator, has never been one to toe the line; the bombastic Hellaverse she’s spawned is proof of that.
Teeming with sophomoric humour, both Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel are profanity-laden shows, where the limits of acceptability are constantly tested and then subsequently broken in a matter of seconds. Yet, when it comes to both shows acknowledging one another, suddenly the Hellaverse is a tentative, timid place.
One of the most common questions about Medrano’s Prime Video animations is whether they’re connected beyond their shared universe. Considering the similar art style, their Hell setting, and the juvenile jokes, many would argue the connection between the two is unambiguous. However, what isn’t so clear-cut is that both shows are happening in tandem, albeit in separate rings of Hell.
Although no official map of Hell has appeared in the lore of either series, fans learned early on that Hell consists of seven distinct rings, each of which references one of the deadly sins. Ergo, Hell is vast, with each ring consisting of unique territories and insular communities. For example, the Wrath Ring, where Helluva Boss's Millie (Vivian Nixon) was born, thrives on violence, to the point that pacifism is shunned; we saw as much in episode two of season 3 when Millie spared Cassity's (Maria Bamford) life.
Such complex ecosystems can exist without directly impacting one another… if the drama and misadventures depicted were homegrown, small affairs. Which, in both Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel, they’re not.
I.M.P. may have started as a small-scale assassination business, but due to many, many bungled kills, combined with Blitzo’s (Brandon Rogers) public affair with Stolas (Bryce Pinkham), I.M.P. is now a household name in Hell. Moreover, I.M.P. is located in the Pride Ring, which is home to Pentagram City, the primary location of Hazbin Hotel, both the series and the establishment itself. A rehabilitation hub that is run by the princess of Hell, Charlie Morningstar (Erika Henningsen), the hotel has been at the centre of not one but two battles with Heaven, the most recent of which nearly obliterated Pentagram City.
None of these incidents are insignificant; they’re huge, defining moments within the Hellaverse. Still, beyond subtle, visual cameos – Lucifer’s (Jeremy Jordan) home featuring pictures of Asmodeus (James Monroe Iglehart) and Satan (Patrick Page), Loona (Erica Lindbeck) watching a broadcast about Charlie’s new hotel – the shows remain largely estranged from one another.
Despite both series offering markedly different looks at the inner machinations of Hell, fans can only be expected to suspend disbelief for so long. And while Medrano has promised her loyal fandom a crossover, starting in part two of season 3, it begs the question why it hasn’t happened sooner. Especially when it comes to Helluva Boss, which is further along in its narrative than Hazbin Hotel.
View Green Video on the source websiteLicensing has undoubtedly played a role in this. Hazbin Hotel is produced by Amazon, while Helluva Boss was independently made, with its first seasons airing on YouTube before later transitioning to Prime to keep the Hellaverse in one, fixed place. A wise financial move, especially for Prime, but it’s caused an awkward disconnect between both series that’s difficult to overlook.
For Vox (Christian Borle) to have knocked the golden gates off Heaven without a single reference to it in the first three episodes of Helluva Boss season 3 isn’t logical or realistic. While neither series prioritises realism – these shows are about horny, neurotic demons and sinners – this oversight hampers the fluidity of the Hellaverse’s lore.
Waiting this long may have made sense when Medrano’s creations were indie darlings with a cult following, but now they’ve become more mainstream – Hazbin Hotel is reportedly coming to Fortnite, in case you’re in doubt about its popularity – fans need a proper, substantial crossover. Emphasis on the substantial. Part two of Helluva Boss season 3 is set to address this issue; however, Medrano herself has stated that the crossover will only be "a little bit more than a cameo", as revealed to Polygon.
Keeping the shows' unique identities is important, and while no fan wants to see the two bleed together to form one messy, incoherent soup of lewdness, a one-off crossover won’t placate audiences, no matter which Hazbin Hotel character graces the latter half of Helluva Boss season 3.
Helluva Boss is only slated for four seasons and Hazbin Hotel five, so if a substantial crossover is headed our way, the foundations need to be firmly placed now, lest the opportunity slip away.
Helluva Boss season 3 is available to stream on Prime Video. You can sign up to Amazon Prime Video for a 30-day free trial.
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