An angel, Aziraphale has spent the past six thousand years living among the human race, and he sees the immense potential for goodness in them. From the very beginning, he has felt compelled to lend a helping hand to humanity; When Adam and Eve are expelled from the Garden of Eden, Aziraphale gives his flaming sword to them as protection against the cold, the storm, and predatory animals.

In true archetypal fashion, he wears white and maintains an air of fastidious order in everything he does, fretting over Crowley’s haphazard driving or obsessing over a stain on his pristine coat. He also owns a musty old bookshop as a side gig, where he collects, but rarely sells, rare manuscripts.

Aziraphale acts as the voice of humanity’s virtuous side. As such, readers are presented with the limitations of virtuosity. When Aziraphale is confronted by humans’ darker natures, he becomes flustered, left with no response other than anxiety and consternation. These limitations suggest that, without their darker side, humans lack certain survival traits, such as decisiveness and guile.

Coexisting with his demonic counterpart, Crowley, informs Aziraphale’s character in the end. He often asks Crowley for guidance—though he endeavors to put a bit of a virtuous spin on things.