As fitting as it is for Lucifer to have a Halloween episode on Halloween, that doesn’t end up meaning that the show’s taking the night off for fun. In fact, this week’s episode is far from the most fun episode of the season, despite the backdrop. And despite the fact that it opens with a “zombie” wedding in a cemetery, which is the type of thing you usually expect to set the tone of an episode. But it’s a lack of fun—which doesn’t mean the episode is without its moments, as Maze taking Trixie trick-or-treating is an instant recipe for success—that makes perfect sense within the proper context. This is the aftermath of Lucifer killing his brother Uriel, after all.
This is the aftermath of Lucifer killing, period.
It’s easy to forget, but as this episode mentions, Lucifer isn’t a killer. He punishes, but in Hell everyone he punished was already dead. As DevilCop, he loves the idea of the wicked being punished—and he has no problem supporting humans taking matters into their own hands—but he himself doesn’t go around killing people. He’s not a soldier like Amenadiel, and he’s clearly not as much of a zealot as Uriel was. So to go from that to straight up killing his own brother, no matter how justified it was, is a big step for Lucifer and one that of course send him into a spiral. It means so much that the typical Lucifer distraction mechanisms, the acting out and the partying, don’t even look fun this time around. He’s drinking non-stop and hooking up with women (even a crime scenes), which he’s done a million times and will do a million times more, but even he doesn’t look as into it anymore. And that’s long before he plays sad piano or “sees” Uriel around.
This is Lucifer in his time of grieving, as he stays removed from his living brother and mother in their own grief. Even with Amenadiel and “Charlotte” together for this episode (which is, so far, always a good thing), it’s very much apparent just how isolated and alone this trio really is when it comes to their family drama. Lucifer obviously blames himself, as he actually killed Uriel with his own hands. But Amenadiel blames himself for his loss of powers and his inability to take Uriel down before things escalated. Their mother blames herself because she didn’t just go with Uriel like she said she would, even though doing that would have led to her own death. Amenadiel can’t talk to Lucifer, because Lucifer’s grieving process of acting out doesn’t exactly mesh with Amenadiel’s own process of internalizing everything. “Charlotte” has to trick Amenadiel into coming to see where Lucifer buried Uriel, because it’s the only way he’d even do it.
And the only “people” they can share any of this with is each other, even though they’d clearly rather not.
As much as Chloe wants to be able to help Lucifer, he won’t talk to her, which only adds to this season’s pile of things Lucifer simply won’t discuss with her regarding his family. Because as much as she wants him to let her in, it all essentially comes with the caveat that she won’t believe him anyway. Now, in an even sadder twist, Dr. Linda—who spends this episode wanting Lucifer to be as open and honest with her as he possibly can, with no more “metaphors”—ends up getting a real, honest look at Lucifer… and can’t even begin to comprehend it, despite that literally being her one job. The stunned silence, the absolute fear—Lucifer reveals his true face to Dr. Linda, and despite being constantly told he can share, this is what happens when he does. It’s another heartbreaking end for an episode of Lucifer, albeit a quieter one than in “Weaponizer.” Lucifer’s entire backstory is one of heartbreak, and now it appears to be the only thing he can even rely on these days.
And with Dr. Linda’s reaction, Lucifer’s declarations that Chloe (who is even more in denial about Lucifer’s backstory) can’t and won’t ever be able to truly understand him appear to be dangerously true, despite how much she actually wants to. With the return of his mother and the death of one of his brothers, Lucifer is going through some life-altering dilemmas right now, and even with the circle of friends and family around him, he’s somehow even more alone than he was before. And sadly, he actually prefers that for himself, as he finds himself just as worthy of punishment as anyone else who does wrong. As a matter of fact, the case-of-the-week (which is mostly an excuse to throw in a bunch of horror movie references and keep the guilt theme rolling) brings Chloe’s admonishment of Lucifer’s “inappropriate” work behavior to an all-time high. Only here, “homeless magician” Lucifer truly deserves the admonishment in a way that doesn’t just seem like Chloe being a stick in the mud. He’s even intentionally seeking it, just to be punished. It’s not the typical, fun-loving Lucifer tampering with evidence.
Although, it is fun to see him attempt to hug it out—only to then punch it out—with Dan.
“Monster” is a very good jumping off point for the show, but it’s certainly not the full ride. The Chloe/Lucifer dynamic is crumbling under this emotional weight, Amenadiel finally blames God for all the chaos in their lives, Dr. Linda is at a metaphorical crossroads, and Maze is somehow the most stable character around. There’s also the lingering fact that Lucifer killed Uriel and guilt can’t be the only consequence for that action. Nothing is truly resolved here, but it doesn’t have to be. That’s not just because the season now has the full 22-episode order; it’s because there’s far too much happening right now for it all to be resolved in just an episode. It’s a hell of a time to be Lucifer.
Stray observations
- Alright, let’s look at some of the horror movie references we have here… Sidney Loomis is especially easy, as that’s 100% Scream, and her husband Freddy is a Nightmare On Elm Street reference. Jason Myers is a combination of Friday The 13th and Halloween. Jack and Sally Peterson are part The Nightmare Before Christmas and, I want to say, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (Cassandra Peterson). Wes Williams is half Wes Craven, and the Williams part is possibly a reference to JoBeth Williams from Poltergeist (since Wes Williams’ nickname is “The Ghost”).
- Oh, Lucifer’s “What are you waiting for?!” can count for an I Know What You Did Last Summer reference. The case-of-the-week essentially works as a horror movie revenge plot.
- Chloe: “A sex swing is not furniture.” Agree to disagree.
- The most unsurprising moment of the episode is Dan suggesting he and Chloe bend the rules (after Lucifer has already done the heavy lifting, impersonating an officer) in order to solve the case. You can take the cop out of the police corruption storyline…
- Lucifer showing his true face to Dr. Linda is a world-shattering moment in the same episode where Maze is able to show hers to Trixie without a single change in their relationship. Of course, Trixie is under the impression that Maze’s face is part of a costume, thanks to Halloween. But it’s still a beautiful moment, especially with the relief Maze clearly feels once she realizes Trixie is excited.
- Halloween honestly isn’t a major factor in this episode, but that doesn’t make the fact that Ella is absent and unable to amusingly ramble on about the holiday any better.