Before the Beginning

Aziraphale gives Crowley (still an angel at this time) a hand with igniting the beginning of the universe. They are meeting for the first time.

Crowley is disappointed to learn his project is only slated for six thousand years to provide the people of Earth something to admire.

He asks why the plan is what it is, making Aziraphale very uncomfortable. Aziraphale advises him to be careful to not get into trouble, asking questions. Crowley scoffs that he’d get into much trouble for asking a few questions.

London, the Present Day.

Aziraphle receives a note from Maggie in the Record Shop. She can’t pay her rent and expects him to expect her to move out. Aziraphale takes his order of records in lieu of the rent she owes him and considers the issue closed.

A spy tries to make contact with Crowley. He redirects him to the Azerbaijani Chief on the other bench.

Shax appears with Crowley’s mail. She informs him there’s something big going on in Heaven.

Maggie goes for a coffee from Nina. Everyone gets distracted by a naked Gabriel carrying a cardboard box down the street to Mr. Fell’s (Aziraphale’s) bookstore.

Aziraphale is shocked to find a naked and clueless Gabriel on his doorstep. With everyone watching, he eventually decides to let him come inside.

In Heaven, Michael’s on the phone making threats.

Aziraphale gives Gabriel a cup of hot chocolate and asks him what he remembers. Gabriel has no idea who he is. He also doesn’t know Aziraphale but he feels like being with Aziraphale is the safe place to be.

He tells Aziraphale he knew something terrible will happen to him if he didn’t find Aziraphale and give Aziraphale the thing. Aziraphale realizes ‘the thing’ must be in the box he was carrying.

Shax drops in on Crowley again and tells him the thing going on in Heaven concerns Gabriel. Crowley is pleased Gabriel’s in trouble.

Aziraphale opens the box and finds it empty. He lets slip Gabriel’s name to Gabriel but decides it would be better if Gabriel was Jim. He calls Crowley and tells him to meet him at the coffee shop across the road.

In Heaven, a matchbox with the words ‘Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.’ Job 41:19 written on the side lies on the ground. Muriel finds it and picks it up.

Crowley meets with Aziraphale in the coffee shop. Aziraphale introduces Nina to Crowley. Crowley tells Aziraphale something’s happening in Heaven. Aziraphale says his issue may have something to do with it.

Maggie drops in to give Nina a Nina Simone record. Nina comments that she doesn’t have anything to play it on and she really needs to shut the shop since her partner’s expecting her at home soon and doesn’t like it when she’s late.

Gabriel comes out and freaks Crowley out. He’s wearing the blanket Aziraphale gave him like a toga. Crowley wants to take him to Dartmoor and dump him there. Aziraphale wants to help Gabriel. He asks for Crowley’s help. Crowley refuses and storms out of the store.

He has a temper tantrum in the middle of the street where Maggie and Nina notice him. When he stamps his feet the power goes out along the street, locking the women inside the coffee shop with no way out.

In Heaven, Michael and Uriel are discussing who will give the orders while Gabriel is missing.

Saraqael arrives, bringing Muriel. She gives them the matchbox. Uriel surmises that since it’s an earthly object, Gabriel is somewhere on Earth.

Crowley’s car fills with flies. Beelzebub arrives and transports him to her office in Hell.

She offers him a return to Hell and a promotion if he can help her find Gabriel.

She tells him that Heaven has sworn that anyone involved in Gabriel’s disappearance will be erased from the Book of Life. She zaps him back to his car. Frightened for Aziraphale’s well-being, he heads back to the bookstore.

In the coffee shop, Maggie and Nina get to know each other. Nina’s dreading the texts from her partner when her phone comes back on. Maggie explains she’s attached to the record shop because it was opened by her great-grandmother.

Crowley returns and sees the signs the women are holding at the window. He turns the power back on.

Aziraphale requires Crowley apologize with the little dance they’d established as part of their apology tradition.

Crowley informs Aziraphale they need to hide Gabriel with a little miracle. Unfortunately, miracles attract attention from Heaven and Hell. They decide to each perform half a miracle to try to get it done undetected. They do the deed and figure it’s gone well.

In Heaven, the alarms are ringing. Uriel and Michael join Saraqael at the Earth globe and they track the alarm to a miracle performed in Aziraphale’s bookshop.