Trauma-Informed Coach Reacts to "Gravity" from "Hazbin Hotel" season 2

Samantha von Delvaux
Oct 11
4 min read

I just watched the video for Lute's song, Gravity, and holy shit. Doing a trauma informed psychological analysis of a character who, quite frankly, pissed me off a lot in season 1, was not on my to do list, but here we are. My hand actually covered my mouth and I kept thinking "Oh my, oh no" as I watched the animation, expressions, and digested lyrics.

"Hazbin Hotel's" Themes & The Manipulation of Lute

This is why I LOVE Hazbin Hotel. The characters are so strategically written in a trauma-informed lens that you WILL relate to SEVERAL, especially if your trauma includes religious indoctrination. (Angel Dust and Charlie are mine, but I am definitely seeing a lot of Vaggie in myself, too!)

Lute is in a psychologically dangerous spot. It honestly goes beyond respecting Adam and his ideology. There are subtle hints that she loved him. This was NOT a healthy leader/commander relationship.

It makes a person wonder how many of his army were brainwashed into his ideology (first red flag: they're all women and we KNOW Adam was VERY sexually deviant). Surely Emily can't be the only angel who doesn't hate sinners or Hell. Adam was a master manipulator even if he was otherwise dim.

It is clear that Lute is NOT an idiot. He needed someone with intelligence.

Lute is in deep.

Feelings Toward Vaggie = Projection

It is very clear Lute still holds jealousy against Vaggie even after Vaggie was left in Hell. She describes Charlie and Vaggie as a "disgusting relationship". Projection, much? Because as a whole Charlie x Vaggie is a SUPER healthy relationship. Lute and Adam? Not at all in terms of professional and any potential romantic relations they could have (and probably) had.

And how Vaggie treated Lute at the end of season 1? That would sting the ego. Vaggie isn't the person Lute is trying to convince herself she is. Vaggie wasn't in deep enough to lose her own morals, which we saw in season 1. Lute took that moment she saw as weakness and acted, which we can safely assume was done in jealousy more than duty.

And you know what? Those ideas were probably indirectly implanted by Adam.

Vaggie saw the light and deep down Lute probably hates her for it, because Lute is still trapped in the cycle of abuse while Vaggie has a healthy relationship.

Image Description:Adam and Lute from Hazbin Hotel. Adam grins menacingly while Lute stands determined and angry. ***Image from the Gravity music video shared on creator VivziePop’s and Prime Video’s YouTube channels. I do not own nor am I affiliated with Hazbin Hotel or any of its characters. Hazbin Hotel and its characters are owned by Vivian Medrano and Amazon Prime. Please support the official release. — *Image Description:*Adam and Lute from *Hazbin Hotel.* Adam grins menacingly while Lute stands determined and angry. ****Image from the* Gravity *music video shared on creator VivziePop’s and Prime Video’s YouTube channels. I do not own nor am I affiliated with* Hazbin Hotel *or any of its characters. Hazbin Hotel and its characters are owned by Vivian Medrano and Amazon Prime. Please support the official release.*

Manipulative Abuse, Adam, and Grief

This is a woman lost.

It isn't as simple as a crush or respect for him. Her whole identity is wrapped in his ideology. She has no idea who she is outside of Adam. Manipulative abusers do this!!! Abused individuals are trained to wrap their entire self to their abuser, losing themselves in the process. It is very common for those who leave their abusers to have to reshape their identities. Many, myself included, realize how much they don't know who they are anymore once no one is shaping them.

It will be interesting to watch Lute's character unfold. We saw the slip in the beginning of Gravity that Lute thinks independently for a second, but the second she thinks of Adam (which she will because of grief) she reverts and spirals. That small slip is a HUGE giveaway.

We will likely learn how much of her character is a result of trauma (knowing the track record for Hazbin Hotel, this is likely a lot), how much was indoctrination from Adam, and how much of it is her own authenticity.

Her song SLAPS, and anyone who has been manipulated, especially with religion or politics, will understand Gravity instantly.

Hypotheses About Heaven: Season 2 and Beyond

From the trailer we know that even Sera is for peace. Adam is dead. In the season 1 song You Didn't Know Sera is quick to try to defend her choice to approve Adam's genocide in Hell. Sera has much more lived wisdom than Lute. What did Adam have over Sera or Heaven itself? When Sera sang the line "to do what was required" shows that Adam probably had some influence on Sera.

The annual genocides of Hell? It was all Adam. And I am willing to bet it was his own anger and jealousy of Lucifer due to Lilith and Eve. See the pattern here? Jealousy over relationships? First Adam. Then his top in command, Lute. Classic abuser pattern.

We already know Lute confronted Lilith directly about Charlie and how Adam is dead. Especially as someone who works with Lilith spirituality I am nervous but curious as to what Lilith's role in all of this is.