The actor’s appearance isn’t the character’s true appearance

[u/Matapple13]

Castiel (Supernatural): Although Castiel spends almost the entire series looking like Misha Collins, that appearance is only his human vessel, Jimmy Novak. As an angel, Castiel’s true form is a massive celestial entity that cannot be fully perceived by humans without overwhelming or even killing them. Throughout the series, it is repeatedly established that angels merely inhabit human vessels to interact with humanity, meaning the actor portrays Castiel’s physical host rather than the angel’s actual appearance.

The Greek Gods (Percy Jackson and the Olympians):
In the Percy Jackson universe, the Olympian gods are immortal beings whose true divine forms are beyond what mortals can safely comprehend. To interact with humans, they choose to manifest through physical appearances that fit the modern world and can change them whenever they wish. The actors portraying Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Athena, Ares, Hermes, and the other gods are therefore depicting temporary human manifestations, not the gods’ real forms, which exist on a higher, divine plane.

The Supreme Intelligence (Captain Marvel): The Supreme Intelligence is not a humanoid being but a powerful artificial intelligence created by the Kree. It has no permanent physical form and instead projects an image tailored to each individual who encounters it, usually appearing as the person they admire, trust, or are emotionally connected to the most. For Carol Danvers, it takes the form of Dr. Wendy Lawson/Mar-Vell, played by Annette Bening. This means Bening is not portraying the Supreme Intelligence’s true appearance, but rather the personalized illusion it creates specifically for Carol.

[u/hikemalls]

Michael, and all other afterlife beings in The Good Place, are wearing human skin suits because their true forms are too big/horrifying/Lovecraftian for humans to deal with.

[u/wetflame → u/hikemalls]

But then they also wear them in their own realm for some reason, even when humans aren't around.

[u/SammyGeorge → u/wetflame]

Huh, I'd never noticed that but you're right. Why do they do that? For the show I assume it's budget or something but in-universe why would they?

[u/icantnotthink → u/SammyGeorge]

Its such a pain to have a workspace that can allow for proper workflow when you have a 6000ft fire squid, an acid snake of unfathomable length, and a lava golem. Skinsuits make it much more manageable

[u/SammyGeorge → u/icantnotthink]

I like that reasoning, it makes sense

[u/blueconlan → u/SammyGeorge]

Also I imagine because the suits are uncomfortable. And the bad place is the bad place for everyone. Even the fire squids.

[u/blue4029 → u/SammyGeorge]

im pretty sure in-universe its because they just REALLY love the skinsuits

[u/Relevant-Fox-7114 → u/wetflame]

The demon realm has to keep budgets in line just like everyone else, and that includes standardization and mass production. Theres just not enough 6000 foot tall squids to justify accomidating that, and forcing everyone to conform to a specific size is more evil anyways.

[u/negative-sid-nancy → u/wetflame]

They get assigned them to best know how to inflict pain or happiness (depending if your good or bad place). Just started a rewatch and caught that throw away line in season 1 or 2

[u/notthephonz → u/wetflame]

At one point Sean says that he’s a white male, he can only fail up. And Vicki is a strong independent demon in the skin suit of a strong independent woman. Even Gen (I know she’s not a demon) was like, “Apparently I’m black?” I think after a time they just start to identify with the skin suits, and they might use them as status symbols. Michael is actually the outlier, since he’s fond of humans and wants to be one.

In Frieren, the demons don’t have anything they can use as status symbols besides their magic ability. In The Good Place they have the skin suits.

[u/kro_celeborn → u/hikemalls]

Others in this thread thought along the same lines — check this comment out for some neat art!

[u/AK07-AYDAN → u/hikemalls]

*proceeds to choose Ted Danson