The graphic novel turned detective TV show,Luciferfollows Lucifer Morningstar, aka the Devil, taking a vacation from his eternal position of judging souls in Hell. On this vacation, he opens a popular nightclub in Los Angeles, California, where he makes deals with people who reveal their deepest desires to him. A fateful evening introduces him to Detective Chloe Decker, who is solving the murder of someone and is somehow impervious to Lucifer’s ability to reveal the truth. When Chloe reveals how the justice system works, Lucifer is intrigued and begins working with her and the detectives in the LAPD. He quickly becomes a staple at the precinct and neglects his position as nightclub owner.
Throughout history, the notions of “evil” and“the devil” often playagainst the good in the world and become the scapegoats for when things go awry. One wayLuciferchallenges this idea is by sending the titular Devil to therapy. Yes, the devil goes to therapy! He has trouble understanding not only himself, but primarily how unjust the earth is when Heaven and Hell are pretty cut and dry. Another way the show dismantles the villain trope is through Lucifer’s romantic relationships being a way for him to develop empathy. Thirdly, he faces God and, over a family dinner, reveals his true feelings about being sent to Hell. Finally, Lucifer’s sacrifice of happiness is the final piece of rebranding the devil.
The Devil is on the Therapist’s Couch
Lucifer may have fallen from grace, but his best fall was into the LAPD as a consulting detective with Detective Chloe Decker, played by Lauren German. On their first case together, Lucifer (Tom Ellis) and Chloe attempt to track down suspects and come across a therapist, Doctor Linda Martin. As fascinated as Lucifer is by her work, he is defensive when Doctor Linda (Rachel Harris) challenges his thinking. In fact, he walks out of many sessions because she tries to dig too deep for Lucifer to want to engage. Aside from their short but unethical affair, Dr. Linda is one of the best portrayals of a therapist or counselor on TV. Not only does she encourage Lucifer to dig deeper, he becomes so comfortable with her that she is the first person that he is comfortable showing his Devil face to out of vulnerability rather than intimidation. If it weren’t for Dr. Linda Martin, the Devil would’ve been running around Los Angeles unfulfilled.
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Romancing the Fire and Brimstone
According toPsychCentral, there are three types of empathy: emotional, cognitive, and compassionate. Emotional empathy is the common definition of empathy, whereas cognitive empathy requires us to “walk in someone else’s shoes,” and compassionate empathy is considered a balance of emotional and cognitive empathy. In any type of relationship, it is vital to have one if not all three forms of empathy to have a successful relationship. This is certainly the case with Lucifer, who is not tied down to anyone, consistently having orgies and one-night stands. But through his sessions with Dr. Linda and time spent with Chloe, he begins to settle down. While he and Chloe are literally made for each other, the one relationship he devotes much of his time to is the one with Eve (Inbar Lavi). From this relationship, Lucifer discovers that Eve was a distraction rather than a fulfilling romance; he admits to Chloe that she is his first love, not Eve.
Confronting and Forgiving God
One of the great elements ofLuciferis that the show takes these biblical characters and turns them into three-dimensional characters that experience fear, fall in love, and even grapple with their own version of “what does it all mean?” In addition to Eve being a catalyst in Lucifer’s storyline, the ultimate catalyst comes to intervene in an angelic fight that could level the city. God is introduced to the audience in Season 3, Episode 26 with a British accent, narrating Lucifer’s life if he had changed one minor detail to Chloe’s life. But the audience actually meets God in Season 5, Episode 8. Over the span of five episodes, God (Dennis Haysbert) and Lucifer have a family dinner, therapy sessions, and a tearful farewell. Lucifer, upon God’s reentry into his life, is able to confront his father about how betrayed he felt. This level of vulnerability is all due to Lucifer confronting his own guilt and being vulnerable with the people in his life, specifically Chloe. Not only is Lucifer able to confront his father about the betrayal he felt, but he is able to forgive his father, even seeing his father’s perspective. It’s one of the most magnificent moments in television.
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Sacrificing Your Happiness Isn’t Always Hell
Happiness is one of the most sought after emotions. People buy books, attend concerts, and visit theme parks to feel a spark of joy, trying to make it last. Indeed,Psychology Todayreports that happiness comes from the contentment of leading a fulfilling and purposeful life. On many occasions, Lucifer points out that Hell is actually what people bring upon themselves as a result of their guilt. In several episodes throughout the series, Lucifer and the gang end up in Hell, where people’s guilt loops are on replay. Lucifer vocalizes that in order to get out of Hell, you have to confront your guilt and make peace with it. Many spiritual leaders will advise their followers not to hold onto guilt and forgive themselves without so much as a clue as to how to go about that. But, asLucifershows us, confronting your guilt begins with taking a hard look at ourselves.The final seasonintroduces audiences to Chloe and Lucifer’s daughter, Aurora Morningstar (Brianna Hildebrand) who travels from her time to theirs, where Chloe is actually pregnant with Aurora. According to Aurora, she was so angry with Lucifer she was transported back in time and is determined to prevent Lucifer from abandoning Chloe. Except that the only way to save Aurora is for Lucifer to sacrifice his happiness on Earth and return to Hell. Despite the pain of this compromise to save his family, eventually Lucifer is reunited with his family once they die.
