Culture Corner: Lucifer — A Moral Devil?

When we think of the Lord of Hell, adjectives such as moral and truthful don’t really apply. He is Satan, the beautiful angel cast down from heaven, who spends his time punishing sinners and enticing humans to relinquish their souls. However, Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis) has some strong objections to the way he is perceived and makes no bones about it.

Lucifer is a television series created by Tom Kapinos and based on the DC Comics character in the comic book series The Sandman. Miserable and bored with policing hell, the devil decides to take a vacation. His chosen location? Why, Los Angeles, of course. To keep up human appearances without drawing unwanted attention to his celestial being, Lucifer opens LUX, a nightclub full of devilish delights. Here he establishes himself as a granter of wishes – for a price. He has a special talent, you see: He can look into anyone’s eyes and ask, “What is it you truly desire?” -- and the hapless soul has no choice but to answer truthfully. As you might imagine, this can lead to some hilarious outcomes.

Everything was going fine for the Prince of Darkness until he became caught up in a murder -- no, Lucifer has never taken a human life -- and joins forces with the LAPD to discover who killed his friend. This is where he meets homicide detective Chloe Decker, played by Lauren German, and things really get interesting. Chloe is immune to Lucifer’s powers, but that is only one problem. As an immortal, the devil cannot be killed, and any injury heals almost immediately. But not around the detective. For some reason (explained in later seasons and will not be divulged here), whenever he is near Chloe he becomes vulnerable. Which means not only can he bleed but can die as well.

Intrigued by this turn of invents, Lucifer compels the police captain to hire him as a consultant for the LAPD and essentially Chloe’s partner in solving homicides. This is the meat and potatoes of the story, following the dynamic duo as they solve murders and Lucifer learns humanity, compassion, and morals.

Lucifer’s Moral Compass Grows Exponentially

Several characters in the show challenge and grow with the devil, most not even realizing who he really is.

The main players:

Chloe Decker

Lucifer is drawn to the blonde detective, not just because she’s different from other humans in that he cannot persuade her and she makes him vulnerable, but there is another pull that keeps drawing him toward her. Going through a divorce with a fellow detective, Chloe is all about work and raising her young daughter. Through them, the devil learns about love – while fighting to keep some of his devilish nature intact, of course. He also has to struggle to understand the “little human” and what is appropriate for young children. In later episodes, we get to see the devil sit down to play the board game Monopoly with mother and daughter. and he even allows the youngster to paint his face.

Mazikeen

Lucifer’s number one torturer in hell, Mazikeen (Lesley-Ann Brandt), is his biggest fan and protector. She follows him from hell to become his bodyguard and bartender. As a demon without a soul, she has profound struggles. Her loyalty to the devil, however, knows no bounds, and she will do whatever is necessary to protect him.

Throughout the series, Mazikeen learns about companionship and friendship – two things she’s never had – with Chloe and Dr. Linda Martin (Rachael Harris). She also becomes the babysitter for Chloe’s daughter, Trixie, and develops a real love for the little human. As the show progresses, so does Mazikeen, who grows tired of being taken for granted by Lucifer and goes out on her own to become a bounty hunter while searching for a way to gain a soul.

Lucifer and Mazikeen’s relationship goes through many changes as he struggles against losing her undivided attention and devotion and tries to figure out how to put her needs ahead of his own – sometimes.

Amenadiel

Lucifer’s oldest brother, the angel Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside), comes to Earth to get “Lucy” (as he calls the younger sibling) to return to his hell duties, by force if necessary. He is the righteous brother who follows God without question. As Lucifer continues to resist returning to hell, the brothers slowly become closer and develop a bond.

Amenadiel’s battle stems from learning about humankind. On his previous visits to Earth, he never gave humans a second thought. They were more like pets in his mind. Now, forced to stay until “Lucy” gives up and goes back to the Underworld, Amenadiel is learning that people are much more complicated and worthy. He then questions his own actions and even some of his beliefs.

Dr. Linda Martin

With all of these sudden feelings of morality and love, why wouldn’t the devil need a little help from a psychiatrist? That’s where Dr. Linda Martin comes into play. While the doctor tries valiantly to help Lucifer along his road to moral discovery, the Prince of Darkness is a bit too self-obsessed to catch most of the messages in hilarious therapy sessions that bleed over into whatever case he and Chloe are working that episode.

Linda is the first human to find out who Lucifer really is (it’s quite a while before Chloe discovers the truth). The poor doctor becomes caught up in so many family dramas, including meeting Lucifer and Amenadiel’s mother, it’s a wonder she doesn’t have a mental breakdown. Aside from the challenges of treating the devil, she also becomes best friends with the demon Mazikeen.

The many twists and turns of Lucifer draw fans in week after week or for a several-hour binge session. From the biblical brothers Cain and Abel to the celestial mother of the angels and wife of God, to even the Father himself, there is never a dull moment with this show. It is a delight to watch the devil of all people learn to love, care for others, and even have compassion while still clinging to some of his badness.

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Read more from Kelli Ballard.