Episode 4 of Hazbin Hotel splits focus between our protagonist, Charlie, and a subplot featuring Alastor, the most powerful sinner in Hell. As Charlie attempts to correct the misinformation spread from Voxtek’s live reporting, Alastor grows tired of his tenure at the hotel.
Distraught that viewers received the wrong impression about her establishment, Charlie doubles down on controlling the narrative. Against better judgment, she joins Channel 666 News for an interview with none other than Katie Killjoy, Voxtek’s primetime news anchor and personality. Thinking she can address the misrepresentations from the previous interview, Charlie is blindsided by Katie, who twists her words with half-truths and whole lies. Instead of clearing up confusion, audiences are told that Charlie hates sinners and seeks to punish them.
It’s hard to watch Charlie be duped again by Voxtek, which is probably a play on a real-life news network that rhymes with Vox and specializes in mistruths. Even for Hell, she’s too good-hearted and naive for these kinds of commonplace schemes.
Meanwhile, the other half of the episode follows Alastor. The official greeter of the Hazbin Hotel has suddenly grown tired of the role, discarding Charlie and the gang for darker pastures. We learn a lot about his backstory and what motivates him: pure evil. With loyalty only to himself, Alastor is a wild card in the grander scheme of the series. He doesn’t care who he betrays or hurts in the process, as long as he gets what he’s always wanted. Absolute power.
Once he leaves the hotel, he baits longtime foe, Vox, into a battle. The fight scene is creative, as we see the Vees and Alastor use their powers. The duo also shares a duet, exposing their similarities and differences. They’re almost two sides of the same coin.
While a solid episode, there isn’t a shift forward in the main story. Charlie remains bound in the same predicament as in the previous episode. Hopefully, she opens her heart and ears to her friend’s advice. And as interesting as they were, the Alastor developments remain unclear in how they connect to the larger story. Only time will tell.
Rating: 7.5/10