Continuing our Lucifer season 5 episode-by-episode review, it’s time to move on to the final part of this half’s storyline.
This post contains spoilers. Each episode contains spoilers to that episode and any episode before it. In order to avoid spoiling the season, the episode reviews are separated by episode – do not read reviews for episodes you haven’t watched yet unless you don’t mind spoilers.
To read the reviews of episodes 1-2 click here; to read the reviews of episodes 3-5 click here.
Episode 6 – “BlueBallz”
Incredible.
Even days after I’d finished watching that episode, I still can’t stop smiling just thinking about it. But this episode’s wonderfulness wasn’t just in that final scene (although it was definitely my favourite). It was in so much more than that. And I honestly can’t decide which part of it I loved more.
For starters, I’m so glad to see Maze’s growth. I was a bit worried about how she’d take her mother’s death; from what we’ve seen this season, it could’ve gone either in a self-destructive or in a growth direction. I’ve mentioned I’m not comfortable with the former at this point, and I’m glad it went the other way. Sure, Maze didn’t go about it the right way exactly… but it’s all about baby steps, right?
It was obvious it wouldn’t work (not unlike Lucifer’s “being mysterious” act), but I enjoyed it nonetheless. What’s not to enjoy, really? Maze copying Ella (to the extent of stealing her clothes) and trying to pretend she cares about people was hilarious. And I absolutely loved their bonding time, particularly in the end of the episode. There was something absolutely genuine and emotionally open about that scene, from both of them. Which I suppose comes to show that Ella’s advice was a good one: Maze just needs to show her usually-hidden sides to anyone she loves. Sure, she’s got a scary side, but that’s not all she is. And even when she doesn’t quite see it, I think Linda, Chloe and Ella still do, just like any potential partner would. She just needs to let them.
Now, obviously Ella’s “soulmates” remark was a wrong choice of words (hardly her fault though; she doesn’t know), but it does bring up a few questions. Over the past four and (nearly) a half seasons we’ve come to know Maze. We’ve seen her love and get hurt and feel just about anything any human feels. Which makes me wonder, what is the point of a soul, exactly? Just to take you to Heaven or Hell after you die? Because so far it seems that Maze can pretty much do everything humans can. And what she felt towards Eve – what could’ve been with Eve – was definitely real. The connection she had with Rivers (her bounty) on Mr and Mrs Mazikeen Smith (3×03) was real. So she doesn’t actually need a soul to find her so-called soulmate (assuming that something like that even exists), does she?
And while we’re on the subject, why don’t Demons have souls? It was mentioned in season 2 and in season 3, but it was never really explained to us. Who decided they don’t have a soul, and is it really the truth? And even if it is, what difference does it make whether Maze has a soul or not? She’d hate hearing that, but the truth is, she’s just as human as any other human (or Angel) on the planet. Probably more than some of them. So what difference does it make, anyway?
It was wonderful to see Ella some more in this episode. I feel like she’s been in the background so far this season, which just… wasn’t the same. I’m a bit confused about her “bad boy” attraction, though. I know we’ve seen it briefly in Really Sad Devil Guy, but that’s not something we’ve heard before this season, and it seems to come a bit out of the blue. Not to mention, last season she hooked up with Dan, and he’s hardly a “bad boy”. Even when he did the wrong thing, it was either out of pain (in season 4) or out of love (in season 1). So this whole thing… definitely feels like a very sudden change.
That said, I’m glad Maze – in her tactless way – could knock some sense into her. It’s another thing I loved about their scenes in this episode; they helped both of them see a different side of themselves, so to speak. Because Maze is right, of course; Ella deserves so much better than these “bad boys”. I think Ella really needed to hear that. And I’m glad she saw it, too, and asked that reporter out. Like Lucifer said, they seem like a perfect match. And he certainly seems like the sort of good guy she deserves.
And speaking of Lucifer… for an episode we’ve been waiting for forever, this was certainly a frustrating one. Not that I think it was wrong; I think it was Joe Henderson who said that both Chloe and Lucifer tend to get in the way of their own happiness, and it’s absolutely true. Knowing Lucifer and Chloe, I think the way this went is the only way it could’ve gone; they’re both so insecure about so many things and it’s impossible not to bring it into a relationship. Particularly a new, somewhat fragile romantic relationship. But then, knowing that’s the right way to take it doesn’t mean it’s not frustrating as hell (pun intended) to watch it actually happening.
What I loved about it, though, was how well it was written. It was very true to the characters – and it was very true to real life, I think. And it was beautiful (although frustrating) to see it from both sides. It was beautiful to see how insecure and afraid both of them are; it showed just how vulnerable they were and how much it really matters to them. Because when you’re that insecure and you’re trying to sabotage something, it shows how deeply you want it, and how deeply you’re afraid of losing it. And it was barely even the beginning.
I’ll admit I’m not entirely sure why exactly Chloe was so insecure (I would love to learn more about that, though). But clearly, she is, and it’s not entirely about Lucifer and her. We’ve heard her “people talk” excuse back in season 3; it seems to be her way of taking things slowly, of protecting herself. And it seems reasonable that it was worse with Lucifer than it was with Pierce, too, given how deep her feelings for him are and how much they’ve gone through. Imagine the pain of admitting just how much you love someone only to have them leaving. And this wouldn’t even be the first time it’s happening. So while it felt right to have her acting the way she did, I’m still wondering whether there’s something more to it than the events of Who’s da New King of Hell?. It certainly seems there is.
As for Lucifer… well, it was hardly a surprise to see him spiralling (I love that you can actually see it on his face in a few scenes). We know how insecure he is about himself and how little he sees in himself; we’ve seen it a lot over the past four seasons. We also know how deeply he cares for Chloe and how much he wants to be worthy of her. There’s something so sad about the fact he still doesn’t see all the good in him, and if I hadn’t spent the entire episode yelling ‘JUST TALK TO HER’ at my screen, I would’ve loved to be able to hug him. Because ultimately, all the absolutely idiotic things he’s done in this episode come from the same desire to be good enough for Chloe. And when it comes from there… well, it’s hard to stay mad at him.
And you could feel just how deeply he wanted to be good enough, to do the right thing for her. I love how clear it is, particularly when he’s talking to Dan and Amenadiel. The way he says, ‘We haven’t even had a proper chance yet. I can’t mess this up.‘ shows just how deeply he’s afraid of ruining this and how desperately he wants to do things right. And the saddest thing is, he has so little faith in his ability to do things right that he’d just spent half the episode taking advice from the wrong person. Sure, he covers it up with snarky remarks and anger, but I think we’ve all known Lucifer long enough to know how terrified he is and how deeply he doesn’t believe in himself underneath the surface. How did Linda say? Essentially, he’s the oldest and most immature person in the world.
But accurate as Linda’s description of Lucifer was (and it was), it left out a very important detail. Lucifer’s self-sabotage comes from insecurity. Much like his seemingly-jealous behaviour in this episode. And that’s one of the things I appreciate the most about this episode: it managed to show the way insecurity manifests in close relationships accurately and without falling into cliche. It’s so easy to confuse that level of insecurity with jealousy, but looking at Lucifer throughout most of the episode, you can tell that it’s not quite jealousy that drives him, but a fear he’s not enough for Chloe. A certainty that the instant he does the wrong thing – and he’s sure he will at some point – he’ll lose her. You can see his fear that Chloe’s ex would take her from him, even when on the surface it seems like he’s driven by jealousy.
So for once I feel like Lucifer actually got his emotions right. He really wasn’t jealous (although I’m not sure he himself understands what it was; still, it’s some sort of progress). He was afraid. That DJ was a threat, someone who could take Chloe away, but more than that, he was living proof that things don’t always work out. Proof that Lucifer would do the wrong thing and Chloe would throw him out the same way his father did. And because it’s so easy to play on the fears of someone that deeply insecure, he managed to use that to manipulate Lucifer. Which, again, was absolutely frustrating to watch, but also felt accurate to the character.
At least it was just this episode, too. I’ve said it before but it’s worth saying again: I absolutely love Dan and Lucifer’s new relationship. I love that Dan manages to reach Lucifer, and I love how Lucifer’s learned to actually listen to him. Which was particularly significant in this episode; it was Dan’s advice that got Lucifer to finally do the right thing and talk to Chloe. Not to mention, it got us some lovely friendship moments, as well as the boys’ night in, which might’ve been one of my favourite things this season. I mean, Amenadiel and Dan’s bromance (that scene at LUX was beautiful) plus Lucifer plus Charlie? Yes, please. Somehow it was both deep emotionally and utterly hilarious (which really describes the show in a nutshell, doesn’t it); I would love to see more of that.
Once Dan gets over the shock he must be feeling, that is. That reveal was a bit unexpected, I have to say, but I suppose it’s about time. I wonder how he’ll react to it, though. We’ve seen all sorts of reactions to Lucifer’s Devil face and the knowledge it was all real; will Dan be able to see past the fear from Lucifer to the Lucifer he knows? I hope he’ll talk to Chloe or Linda; we’ve seen how difficult it is to deal with on your own. And I do hope it doesn’t get in the way of what’s building between him and Lucifer or the bromance with Amenadiel. I really like this new Dan; it would be such a disappointment if Detective Douche comes back as a result of this. I suppose there’s nothing to do but wait and see how this season unfolds.
But Dan’s discovery aside, as said, that boys’ night in was absolutely lovely to see. As was the girls’ night out. We haven’t really seen anything like it since season 3 (in All Hands on Decker, of course), and it’s been long overdue. There’s just something about how close Linda, Chloe, Ella and Maze are; one can definitely it as “friendship goals”. Not to mention, we got some hilarious Maze-trying-to-be-Ella and drunk-Linda moments (also, the way she just spit everything when Chloe asked her about sex with Lucifer was brilliant). And that scene where Chloe was talking to the murderer but actually talking about Lucifer? Exactly what Chloe needed and exactly the sort of Deckerstar moments I live for. So in a way, this case led both Chloe and Lucifer to the answers they needed about their relationship. Pretty neat, right?
Bonus #1: The final scene. I don’t use this word much, but it really was perfect. The writing (even teasing us with that ringing phone), the acting, the cinematography – absolutely everything was done just right. That shot of Lucifer offering his hand to Chloe was just gorgeous. And you can feel his love and admiration when he breathes out, ‘Incredible‘. That scene was absolutely worth waiting four and (nearly) a half seasons for.
Bonus #2: Lucifer calming Charlie down by showing him his Devil face. Absolute comedy gold.
Questions: What’s going to happen with Deckerstar? How is Dan going to act now that he’s seen Lucifer’s real face? Does it even matter that Maze doesn’t have a soul? And will she find what she’s looking for? What’s going to happen between Ella and Pete (please let it work out, they look like such a perfect fit)?
Final Score: 9.5/10.
Episode 7 – “Our Mojo”
This was certainly an… interesting one.
To quickly recap, because a lot has happened in this episode: Lucifer lost his mojo and freaked out about his relationship with Chloe; Ella and Pete were utterly adorable and Pete may have taught Lucifer a lesson; Dan’s been struggling with the discovery of Lucifer’s identity; Amenadiel learned something about himself; and Maze became slightly obsessed about not having a soul. Even for Lucifer, this is quite a lot of worrying content in a single episode.
First thing’s first: Deckerstar. The episode’s opening scene was absolutely adorable; I love how good they are together, and that season 1 reference was a really nice touch for Deckerstar fans. Basically, that scene was exactly what we wanted for them. But with Lucifer as with Lucifer, things are never that simple and happy, are they?
For the first time ever, we’ve seen someone else using an Angel’s given power. Sure, Chloe only had that power over Lucifer himself, but this is new nonetheless. And it’s interesting to know it’s possible in the first place; so far we’ve only ever seen powers fading (Amenadiel’s, in season 1), but nothing more than that. So this whole Chloe-using-Lucifer’s-mojo incident was certainly new, and it certainly brings up some more questions about Angels’ powers.
Obviously Linda was spot on when it comes to the reason Lucifer is so bothered by the loss of his mojo; we’ve known Lucifer long enough to know just what a massive part of his identity his mojo is. Particularly when it comes to his partnership with Chloe (he told Linda himself that if Chloe has his mojo, she doesn’t need him anymore; that’s how little he thinks of himself). But I think the more interesting question is why it’s all happening in the first place. And I think that at least on that front, Chloe’s explanation does make sense.
It sort of continues Linda’s explanation, too. Lucifer had to give up some control in order to connect to Chloe emotionally; he couldn’t keep his walls up and really be with her. And with Lucifer, it’s usually “all or nothing” – either he’s invulnerable or he’s completely vulnerable (or so he thought); either he’s powerful and in control or he’s completely powerless. There’s no middle ground in the way he sees things, at least when it comes to himself; this certainly isn’t the first time we’ve seen it. And while his insight didn’t exactly come from emotional maturity (Linda’s ‘yeah… scratch emotional maturity‘ was hilarious), in his simplistic, immature, Lucifer-y way, Lucifer actually grasped the situation pretty accurately. So putting it all together, it suddenly seems obvious why everything’s changed.
And it really does seem to be that simple. Chloe can use his mojo on him because he’s opening up to her, because he’s letting her have certain power over him (I suspect it works in exactly the same way as Amenadiel’s still-missing-powers). The loss of his mojo is the result of having to give up that certain level of control; to Lucifer that’s such an a difficult thing that in his view it’s as bad as giving up all of his power. And the worst thing is, he didn’t even seem to realise his spiralling is what’s causing it in the first place until Chloe pointed out the cause for her ability to mojo him. I’m still not sure he understands just how much it’s all affected by his own spiralling. But it all certainly makes sense, given all we know about Lucifer.
Interestingly, it’s not quite the same thing we’ve seen with his vulnerability. While he assumed that he was mortal once Chloe shot him, he later discovered he was only vulnerable around her. Given the things we’ve learned this season (and knowing what we know about Lucifer’s emotional understanding), it means that subconsciously Lucifer chose to only be vulnerable around Chloe. Which seems different to his current (and usual) all-or-nothing view of himself, and it makes me wonder how long it would take Lucifer to learn to balance being powerless around Chloe (which, in a way, is what he already was) with having his powers around other people.
But enough about Lucifer’s powers. What I’m trying to say is, it all fits in with Lucifer‘s mythology as we know it, and more importantly, it fits the characters as we know them. And that’s (again) one of the things I’ve loved the most about this episode: how real it is. This isn’t a magic “we finally got them together and they’ll live happily ever after” episode. It’s a “Lucifer and Chloe are both so insecure that they both try to sabotage this one thing they’ve wanted all along” sort of episode. Which, given what we know about the two of them, feels right. Sure, it was frustrating (again), but it’s true to Chloe and Lucifer, and I’d take that over perfect-but-unbelievable-happy-ending any day.
I will admit, though: Chloe’s behaviour was frustrating in the beginning of the episode. She explained it later on, so I can understand why she dismissed it at first, but… it was a pretty big deal, and seeing her dismissing it was irritating. Particularly since, as Linda suggested, she’d have reacted the same way if things were the other way around. That said, I was happy to see that once she finally understood why it affects Lucifer the way it did, she did whatever she could to help. Be it through letting him carry a gun and a badge, talking him up (adorable but unneeded) or just by being there with him. How did she put it? ‘We are gonna figure this out. Together. As a team.’ (Beautiful. Just… beautiful.)
And I’m glad they’re sorting this out together. I’m glad that Chloe managed to reach Lucifer, even when it seemed almost impossible. He was so caught up on his own fears and insecurities that for a moment it seemed like he might throw away all the progress they’d made, but I’m glad it didn’t come to that. It’s wonderful to see that even though he’s terrified of being powerless, Chloe can still reach him and calm him down. He’s still letting her in. And I think that final scene on the balcony shows it. It shows how strong their connection is, and in a way, it shows how Lucifer’s grown, too; in the past, being powerless might’ve freaked him enough to run away. But he didn’t. Neither of them did. Instead, they started working through things together. And that just felt right.
But as said, this is Lucifer, and with this show, we never really get to have simple, happy Deckerstar moments, do we? At this point it almost feels like a game of torturing Deckerstar fans; every time we think things might actually turn out alright, something happens. A beloved character’s death, a celestial revelation, a return to Hell… and now Lucifer being shot when he’s vulnerable. Again.
I think I’ve said it in the previous season, but I can’t imagine the horror of seeing Lucifer’s face for the first time and realising it’s all true. We’ve seen quite a few reactions to it; undoubtedly, it’s a very difficult thing to handle. But the way Dan went still feels like a bit of an exaggeration. I mean, shooting Lucifer? Really? (Not to mention, it really feels like a season 1 rewind. Doesn’t Michael have any original plans whatsoever?)
And the saddest thing is, it seemed that he was handling it in a healthier way before Michael showed up. The scene in the graveyard? Beautiful. So emotional and raw; you could feel Dan’s pain and confusion and fear. All of which are perfectly normal, given what he’d just found out. And admitting all of those was exactly the right way to handle this discovery. Talking about those was exactly the right way to handle that. And it’s perfectly fine not to be able to talk to another living human being about it at first. Baby steps are normal.
But I still wish he’d talk to someone else about it; talking to other people might actually help him. Especially if it’s Linda or Chloe, who’ve been through the same thing. And even if he doesn’t suspect they know, he could at least talk to Amenadiel before listening to Michael. He clearly remembers that Amenadiel told him Charlotte was in Heaven, and the way Amenadiel said it made it clear he wasn’t guessing; he knows where Charlotte is. And Amenadiel is Lucifer’s brother and thus an Angel, too. So if Amenadiel is an Angel coming from Heaven, why didn’t he just talk to him? Why would he instantly trust Michael, even though he’d never met him (that he knows of)? Sure, Michael’s lies are always convincing, but this is someone he doesn’t know at all, whereas Amenadiel has been his friend for a couple of years now.
And Michael’s insane (and extremely unoriginal) plans aside, I just don’t want to see Dan falling back into the Detective Douche behaviour. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I didn’t miss it in season 4, and I certainly don’t miss it now. I love that weird sort of friendship Dan and Lucifer have. And I love the progress that Dan made between season 4 and season 5. I understand it’s probably terrifying to see Lucifer’s real face, and as said, I can’t pretend I know what it feels like. But I really hope this doesn’t become an excuse to move Dan backwards. Because that doesn’t feel right.
Even with that devastating ending, there were still plenty of adorable moments in this episode. Quite a few of which where around Ella and Pete. And I think those might’ve been my second-favourite thing about this episode (following Deckerstar adorableness, of course).
I think I’ve mentioned it before, but I’m really happy they met. Ella absolutely deserves someone good; seeing her find it in Pete is absolutely lovely. I love the way he helps her up (what she said in her lab about him empowering her was beautiful), and the way they seem to be in sync (even at the crime scene). Not to mention, as a fellow sci-fi nerd and a fangirl, I love the way they geeked over Star Trek. We’ve known Ella was a geek for quite a while, but seeing so much of it along with how happy Pete is making Ella? I never realised how much I needed it until it happened.
And Ella really deserves that happiness. She deserves someone who’ll help her up, who’ll be good to her. Even the things Pete said to Lucifer in the end somehow showed exactly how good he is for her. You could tell he genuinely cares about her. I loved how he’d even sensed Lucifer’s reservations and tried to smooth things over. It shows he cares about her, and like Lucifer said, it seems that he’s doing things right for Ella. Which is exactly what she deserves. And of course, they’re just so adorable together, it’s really hard not to fall in love with them. I hope we’ll see more of that.
That conversation between Pete and Lucifer wasn’t just significant for Pete (though I wish I could reassure him that he didn’t do anything wrong and Lucifer is just protective of Ella). Lucifer would never admit it, of course, but he knows exactly what Pete was talking about. He doesn’t believe he’s good enough for Chloe. He’s certain he’s not good enough for her. And what Pete said, ‘All I can do is open up and let her in, and she can judge for herself‘, seemed to reflect exactly what Lucifer was going through with Chloe. It was somehow exactly what Lucifer needed to hear, too; I think Pete’s words helped him see the truth in Chloe’s explanation later on. And it’s exactly this vulnerability, along with the risk of loss, that terrifies him.
This episode seemed significant to Maze and Amenadiel, too. I think I’ve said it before, but fatherhood really suits Amenadiel; I’m not surprised he’s so focused on Charlie right now. And while it was funny seeing Maze dragging Amenadiel to a fight at LUX (oh, so many season 1 memories), I’m glad he saw that’s not quite who he is anymore. He’s grown quite a bit, and it’s lovely to see.
And it was wonderful to see his friendship with Maze, too. The way he understood what bothered her and her pain; the way she talked to him openly about how she felt; and the way he gave her the compassion and hope she needed… they were just beautiful to see. Especially when you can feel just how deep Maze’s pain is and how abandoned and unloved (and unloveable) she feels.
Like Amenadiel said, I don’t know if a soul is what Maze needs (I think not, but I guess we’ll see), but if there’s anyone who can get what she needs, it’s Maze. And I really hope that with Linda and Amenadiel’s support, she can find it in the right place. The fact that she already knows what she wants – love – says a lot about the progress she’s made. Because of course, Amenadiel was right – she needed to figure out who she was, and she did. And knowing what she’s looking for is an important step forward. Even the way she was trying to check if she needed Amenadiel seemed to make sense (despite being slightly misguided). So taking all that into account… I really hope she finds what she’s looking for. She doesn’t deserve to be in so much pain. And it’s heartbreaking to see her suffering like that.
Bonus #1: Adorable Deckerstar in the opening scene and the final scene. How are they so perfect together?
Bonus #2: Ella and Pete geeking over Star Trek. Absolutely priceless.
Questions: Is Lucifer okay?! What’s going to happen with Deckerstar? How can things be fixed after that ending? Will we get normal Dan back? Is Maze going to find what she’s looking for? Or at least go about looking for it in the right way? What’s going to happen with Lucifer’s powers (assuming he’s somehow coming back, looking at you dear old Dad)?
Final Score: 9/10.
Episode 8 – Mid-Season Finale – “Spoiler Alert”
As far as season (or mid-season) finales go, this has got to be one of the most explosive ones we’ve seen on Lucifer. Like, ever.
This isn’t the first time it’s happening this season, but I’m struggling to believe everything we’ve seen happening actually happened in just an hour. Which says a lot about how well the episode was built and performed. And this was certainly a busy one. Lucifer acted like an idiot, Chloe was kidnapped, a serial killer was found (I’m still in tears over Ella), Michael started the next phase of whatever insane plan he’s concocting and turned Maze back to his side (again?), Charlie was sick, and, oh, right, Amenadiel froze time after Michael got into his head. That’s all. No big deal.
But sarcasm, pain and panic aside, this mid-season finale had quite a few important details. For starters, apparently Lucifer is no longer vulnerable around Chloe, and I, for one, completely understand her fears. We’ve known Lucifer long enough to know that this is probably a panic response to the fact he’s powerless around Chloe; instead of learning to handle letting his guard down, he’s putting even more walls up, trying to protect himself. Which is understandable. Being vulnerable and feeling powerless around someone else is terrifying as it is, even without Lucifer’s insecurities. And when you’re that insecure and that certain you’re going to be rejected… well, being powerless becomes almost impossible to bear. So this is his way of regaining some control over a situation that’s completely out of his control. Not quite emotionally mature, but… well, very Lucifer-y.
But even knowing and understanding all of this, I understand why Chloe was afraid. I think it’s a natural reaction when someone you love is pulling away. And it’s especially scary to Chloe, I’d imagine; after all, Lucifer has so many walls up, and he never really told her how he feels about her. We know how deeply he loves her, but we have the advantage of spending the past four and a half seasons in Lucifer’s head (sort of). From Chloe’s perspective, that’s what it looks like: she let him in and let herself be vulnerable around him, only for him to pull away again. No wonder she’s scared.
And if she was scared when he became invulnerable again (you can see it on her face), I can’t imagine how much more scared she was once Michael got her. After all, this whole thing is complicated enough even without a twin brother whose power is tapping into your worst fears and using them against you. And Michael seemed to actually enjoy torturing Chloe through her fears. He may have told Maze he wouldn’t hurt her, but that’s exactly what he was doing, and I could be wrong, but it certainly seemed like he was in his element doing that.
But I’m getting ahead of things.
Admittedly, I’m not sure what I expected to see after Dan shot Lucifer, but I definitely didn’t expect him to be invulnerable again. Not that I’m upset he didn’t die; much like Chloe, I’m glad he’s still around. But as said, I understand her fears over his newfound invulnerability, and it certainly worries me a bit. Especially when I think about the ways this can mess up their already-fragile relationship (with Michael’s generous “help”, that is).
It was good to see Chloe’s reaction to Dan’s actions, though. Her anger over Dan shooting Lucifer was lovely to see; it showed how terrified she was of losing him, how much she loves him. But it’s her understanding and compassion that I thought were truly beautiful. Even through her anger, even through her fear, even through his fear, she still tried to reach out to him. It takes so much strength to act on compassion and love rather than fear. And it’s one of the things I love about Chloe, and I’m glad we got to see it even in such a difficult moment.
I don’t want to waste time talking about Lucifer’s extremely childish revenge obsession, but there’s one thing I do want to say. It could be the result of his panic and vulnerability, in which case I can maybe even accept it, but honestly? It felt a little backwards to me. Sure, we’ve seen Lucifer do it before. Sure, it’s not the first time he’s chosen his own issues over Chloe and the case. But this far into the story? Feels a bit off. Even with how childish and idiotic (yes, I said it) Lucifer’s behaviour can be. And honestly, I was thrilled it ended as quickly as it did.
Not to say that I liked that Chloe was kidnapped, because I didn’t, but I’m glad at least it got Lucifer out of his head. I absolutely agreed with Ella when she turned on him; if I was there, I would’ve probably done the exact same thing. It’s not Lucifer’s fault Chloe was kidnapped, but I, too, felt like he should’ve been there. And he would’ve been, if he wasn’t so busy with plotting a pointless, childish revenge. (Sorry, that’s the last I’ll say about it. For real this time.)
On the bright side, though, we got quite a bit of Lucifer and Ella working together, which is always a joy. I love their brother-sister dynamic; I love how comfortable they are with one another and how well they seem to know each other by now. They have a certain faith in each other that is absolutely inspiring (even while Ella still doesn’t believe he’s really the Devil). That scene in Chloe’s house was particularly lovely; the way Lucifer managed to help Ella focus even through the panic both of them were feeling showed a lot about their relationship and about how close they are.
I’ll admit I was barely breathing when they walked into that office (Ella’s ‘what was that about “not walking into a killer’s lair”?‘ was hilarious though). It felt so real and I was so scared something could happen to Chloe, I doubt I would’ve managed to stop myself reacting the way Lucifer did if I was there. It almost seemed unbelievable that it could all be just props for inspiration (undoubtedly thanks to the setup and lighting). And yet, seeing the ‘nerd squad’ felt like somewhat of a reprieve; a reassurance that Chloe’s not going to die, at least not in that moment. It was an “okay, so everything’s fine and normal here” sort of moment, and with how high the stakes were in this episode, it was very much needed.
And Lucifer and Ella’s very next scene just proved it. Again, I was barely breathing when they came into that house. It didn’t seem likely that something could happen to Chloe, but then again, this was written back when season 5 was the last, the few final episodes have ominous names, and, oh, yeah, nobody’s ever safe on Lucifer. Which is both good and bad, really; it makes everything much more realistic, but you never know what heartbreak is coming. And in that moment, with the setup that made it look like it was Chloe in that chair… those were terrifying 30 seconds. (I may or may not have breathed out ‘thank Dad’ when I saw it wasn’t Chloe.)
On a slightly different storyline, it was lovely to see Maze had turned to Amenadiel for help in her search for a soul. It felt like a continuation of their conversation in Our Mojo. I loved seeing just how well Amenadiel knows her by now; enough to know that she didn’t even tell Lucifer why she’s mad at him, and to convince her to at least say something to him. And I also loved how Maze told him why she’s mad at Lucifer in the first place. We’ve seen how difficult it is to get to Maze, and I just loved seeing it happen with Amenadiel (even as he was worried about Charlie).
It says a lot about Maze and how much she cares for Chloe that she put her anger towards Lucifer aside the moment he told her what’s happening. Furious as she was with Lucifer, she still worked with him in order to find Chloe. I wish she could see that caring, protective side of her, too, and not just her scarier Demon side; it’s like she’s so certain she needs a soul that she’s not looking at how much of it she already has. To (sort of) quote Ella in BlueBallz, Maze is scary, but it’s good scary, and she’s so much more amazing than that. I wish she could see that.
While Lucifer trying to get Amenadiel to slow down time certainly had funny lines (‘maybe stop wasting time trying to get me to slow it‘ was spot on), there was also something heartbreaking about it. It wasn’t the moment itself, of course; it was the way Lucifer seemed to have zero faith in himself that was heartbreaking. You could feel his panic and helplessness in everything he said and in how desperately he wanted Amenadiel to have a quick solution to the problem. His ‘I’m useless without her!‘ was so emotional that it was easy to feel just how deeply he believes it. Even after all this time, after everything he’s been through, he still believes he can’t do anything without Chloe. And you can feel his pain at that.
Not that it’s surprising given what he’d told Linda in Our Mojo. We’ve seen how little good he sees in himself, and now that his mojo is missing, it’s as if he’s lost whatever little value he had in his eyes. The saddest thing is we know how untrue it is; we’ve seen how much more than just his mojo or his Angelic (or Devil) abilities there is to Lucifer. Not to mention, we’ve seen him solve crimes or take the role of the “mature” partner before: in High School Poppycock (3×15) he had to take the lead when Chloe got invested emotionally, and in Really Sad Devil Guy he even tried to solve a case on his own. So it seems that Lucifer is the only one who has no faith in himself (again). And with how deeply I’ve come to care for Lucifer by now, that hurts.
I’m happy Amenadiel was there to remind him how much he’s learned about crime solving, though. What is it with Amenadiel supporting everyone else this season? Not that I’m complaining; I love seeing the calming, reassuring affect he has on pretty much everyone. And the fact he still has that affect even with his fatherhood fear or his current fears over Charlie is lovely to see. It certainly shows just how much he’s grown over the past couple of seasons. Which is probably the main reason I love this baby storyline.
But back to Lucifer and Chloe’s kidnap. As said, I’m happy Amenadiel was there to remind him how much he’s capable of. It was lovely to see Lucifer working the case like Chloe would’ve. And with Maze’s and Ella’s help, it was even better.
And it was wonderful to see Maze and Lucifer working together again. I know she’s been mad at him for quite some time (season 3 flashbacks anyone?), and I understand why, but I missed seeing them working together. Even if Maze was mad at him the whole time. There’s just something about their relationship; I guess after thousands of years together in Hell, they know each other quite well. They certainly work well as a team.
The only thing that bothered me about it was the way Lucifer reacted to Maze’s questions about a soul. I understand that in that moment, he was busy with worrying about Chloe, I really do. And I can accept his complete lack of concentration on their conversation; he was too worried to really think about what Maze was saying and about the way he responded. But Maze clearly brought it up because she needed him to reassure her that she could find what she’s looking for. And I know he’s somewhat tactless and at times completely disregards the emotions of those around him, but… the hope and longing in Maze’s voice was impossible to miss. Not to mention, we’ve been through this “carelessly saying potentially hurtful things to Maze because she’s just a Demon and she doesn’t care” before. Ages ago. Aren’t we past that stage by now?
That scene taught us something important, though: Lucifer’s powers are back. And I wonder what that means. I mentioned in Our Mojo‘s review that it’s similar to what he’s gone through with his vulnerability; this makes me think I may have had a point. It’s hard to tell because he worked this entire case without Chloe, but now I wonder whether his powers were ever really gone. Could it have been the result of being around Chloe? And if it wasn’t, if his powers were really gone and now they’re back, what does that mean? Is the return of his powers another panicked response to being vulnerable, or is it the result of having to find a way to save Chloe? (Just like with Amenadiel and Linda in The Good, the Bad and the Crispy.)
Now comes what is probably the most heartbreaking part of this episode (to me). Honestly, I started this episode so happy about Pete; that scene in the beginning where he gave Ella the keys to his place was adorable. Sure, Ella freaked out a bit (they did seem to be moving a bit fast, I have to admit), but… it was lovely to see he feels so strongly about her. And then their encounter at the crime scene, when he was nervous about moving too fast or doing something to scare her off? Utterly adorable. Almost too good to be true… and apparently it was.
It was absolutely devastating to realise Pete was the Whisper Killer, but it was even worse to see Ella finding out. That scene even started out in an almost funny way, with Ella being too nervous to come in when he wasn’t home; I never expected it to get as dark as it did. I was really hoping for Ella that this is the good guy she deserves, and it really looked like it might be, like Ella finally found someone who was actually good for her. And with how happy he was making her and how adorable they were together, it was impossible not to like him. And then Ella found his secret creepy room and the pain and horror on her face were just absolutely heart-shattering.
I’ll admit, while it was beautiful to see the faith Lucifer has in Ella (‘Miss Lopez is stronger than you think. Stronger than she thinks‘), I wish the scene of her confronting them in the police station never happened. I wish for Ella, that is; I wish it didn’t have to happen, because it wasn’t him. But it was, and it was terrifying to see the transformation he’s gone through. The guy we’ve seen with Ella in the past couple of episodes was nervous but kind and gentle and caring; the guy we saw in the interrogation room was a straight-up psychopath. His calmness and emotionlessness as he told her about murdering, about the way it made him feel… it was nauseating.
And it was heartbreaking. Especially as Ella, being the kind, gentle, understanding soul she is, tried to understand him. Especially as she tried to show him sympathy. Just the thought of her sitting in front of him, heartbroken, brings tears to my eyes. I keep saying it was heartbreaking, but the truth is, I doubt this description does justice to how devastating it was to watch Ella sitting in the interrogation room talking to him. She deserves so much better, and it really seemed like she found someone as good as she deserves… He certainly fooled me, too. I just wish I could make him pay for doing that to Ella.
The only good thing that came out of this conversation was the realisation of the person (or Angel) behind Chloe’s kidnap. When Maze said, ‘Lucifer, what if it’s about hurting you?‘, it suddenly became blindingly obvious who it was who kidnapped Chloe. In fact, it seemed odd that I didn’t realise it was Michael beforehand. I mean, who else would mess with Lucifer that way?
I’ve said before that it seems like he was actually enjoying hurting Chloe in that cave, and I think in a way, he may have. Not because he enjoyed hurting Chloe – I think in his twisted way, he possibly even cares for her (I wrote about it in the Lucifer! Lucifer! Lucifer! review) – but because it was a way to hurt Lucifer. By playing on Chloe’s fears and doubts, he could help pushing them apart; and if they broke up for whatever reason, it would be absolutely devastating for Lucifer. So what better way is there to get to his brother than through destroying his relationship with the only woman he’s ever loved? (I could be wrong, of course; it’s entirely possible Michael is still angry about the events of Lucifer! Lucifer! Lucifer! and wants to hurt Chloe, too. It just seems designed specifically to hurt Lucifer.)
Of course, the moment Lucifer and Maze realised who kidnapped Chloe, it made sense they’d bring Dan in for some questions. There was definitely something funny about the way he ran from Lucifer (‘Please don’t hurt me!‘ ‘Says the man who shot me!‘), but I have to admit, it was difficult to focus on that while Chloe was still locked up. I understand Dan’s fear – especially as Lucifer’s own fear got the better of him (as we know, Lucifer’s fear is often turned outwards as anger) – but there was no time for his celestial panic and mistrust. Not while Chloe was in danger. (I can’t believe Michael told Dan to shoot Lucifer, though; what on earth was he trying to achieve with that?)
That said, it was great to see that once Dan realised that Chloe was in danger, he became completely focused on saving her. He even worked with Lucifer, who he was scared of (no doubt thanks to some help from Michael). That’s the Dan we know, and I’m glad this whole “Lucifer is the Devil HELP ME” period didn’t completely get in the way of him. I definitely prefer him over his Detective Douche version. And it was also good to see how Lucifer was trying to control himself; the moment he realised he was hurting Dan, he let go and tried to approach it another way. That’s good to see, particularly with the slightly-backwards-Lucifer we’ve seen so far in this episode. (I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love seeing the two of them working together. I still hope this Isi just the beginning for them.)
And can I just say, that rescue moment was worth every single frustration and terrifying moment we’ve had in this episode. Every single one. Just seeing the way Lucifer and Chloe held each other… absolutely priceless.
But again, this is Lucifer, and in this show things are never that simple. This time complication appeared in the form of Michael. The way he manipulated Amenadiel was disgusting; if that’s his idea of being supportive, I don’t even want to imagine what he’s like when he’s vengeful. But I doubt he was actually trying to be supportive. I just wonder why he went after Amenadiel, too. I understand he hates Lucifer because he’s afraid of Lucifer being better, but what had Amenadiel ever done to him? What could he have possibly done to justify using his son?!
And why on earth does Maze keep teaming up with Michael? I understand that she wants a soul, and I understand that she’s still mad at Lucifer (quite rightfully, too). But joining Michael, after what he’s done to Chloe? And for what, for something your friends promised to help you with? It’s all so frustrating. I know she’s dealing with a lot right now and she’s making some wrong choices out of anger and pain, but… it was so good to see her threatening Michael. So to have her joining him this quickly? ‘Frustrating’ seems like an understatement, really. (On a side note, what could Michael’s plan possibly be and how could it get Maze a soul?)
I was happy that Chloe and Lucifer had a chance to talk, though. And I was particularly happy that Chloe told him how she felt and how scared she was. I wish I could tell her that he is trying to push her away (subconsciously), but not because he doesn’t want them to be together. He’s doing it because he’s afraid. We’ve known him long enough to know that. That’s all it really is: fear and insecurity. And I wish I could tell Chloe all of that, because the fear and misery in her eyes and voice were just heartbreaking. Not for the first time this episode, I’m tearing up just thinking about that moment.
And it was made even worse by the fact we nearly got the “I love you” we’ve been waiting for for the past four and a half seasons only to have it taken away from us. AGAIN.
Pain aside, though, this conversation felt right to me. I mean, sure, it felt like another episode in the long “we’re giving you everything you’ve wanted… HAHAHA NO” series the writers prepared for us, but it felt true to the characters. Knowing how insecure both Chloe and Lucifer are, knowing how deeply they care about each other and how much they need each other and how afraid they are of losing each other… I don’t think it could’ve gone any other way. Even the way Lucifer avoided saying “I love you” feels true to who he is. I’ve said it before, but when there are this much fear and insecurity… this level of vulnerability is terrifying. So the way things went, Chloe’s fears, the way Lucifer pushed her away, in a sense… it all felt right.
And it needs to be said, even while they’re tormenting us with nearly giving us the sweet Deckerstar moments we’ve been desperate for, Lucifer‘s writers sure find a way to lighten things up. A wonderful Deckerstar moment was taken away from us; Amenadiel was spiralling over Charlie’s apparent mortality; and even through the fear and pain of the situation, it was impossible not to laugh at Lucifer’s and Amenadiel’s exchange. Particularly since, as we know, Lucifer isn’t exactly the most… tactful person, least of all when he’s dealing with something. (‘…but this is clearly triggered by your fears, so just… stop being afraid!‘ Yeah, Luci, if only it was that simple.)
It was interesting to see Amenadiel spiralling, though. His fears are natural, I think, especially given how different Angels and humans can be in terms of life and weaknesses; I think these differences can make even the most normal fears for your child significantly worse. But I would never have thought Amenadiel could spiral this badly. I would never have guessed. That’s not to say I didn’t like seeing this different, slightly less balanced side of his; it made him more… human, in a way. Which is exactly what Lucifer does with celestials, and one of the reasons I love this show as much as I do. I can’t say I wasn’t frustrated with the moment he picked to stop time, but I know how difficult it is to stop spiralling, and I suppose it was only a question of time once he started panicking. And maybe that’s okay.
Full disclosure: I didn’t remember it while I was binging, but as I wrote the review for Our Mojo, it suddenly occurred to me that we’ve actually seen hints of this panic before. Amenadiel’s final scene with Linda in Our Mojo seems to be somewhat of a foreshadowing. The way he reacted when Linda told him that Charlie is going to need them less every day was… almost a beginning for this episode’s spiral. Maybe it actually was the beginning; Charlie finding his own way without his parents and Charlie growing old and getting sick are both scary thoughts (for all parents, I’m sure), but together they might’ve been too much to handle. Especially with Michael “helping out”. And I wonder what things might’ve been like if it weren’t for both of these events happening in quick succession. I wonder, again, whether it was a foreshadowing or another cause.
Back to Spoiler Alert. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy to see Michael back (though it was obvious he’d come to gloat). But there are a few amazing things about that fight scene. For starters, watching Amenadiel and Lucifer fighting side by side was brilliant. I know it’s not the first time we’ve seen it (I think the last time was in Who’s da New King of Hell?, though, so it’s been a while), but I always love seeing how close they’ve grown over the past four and a half seasons. I love seeing them fight side by side, and I love just how well they work together as a team. Siblings goals for sure.
And then there’s Micheal. I hate him, quite deeply, but it’s impossible not to be amazed by how different he is from Lucifer. So different and yet just as real. I’ve said it earlier this season too, but it’s worth saying again: the way Tom Ellis brings Lucifer to life seems so natural and effortless, it feels like he is the part. So then the fact he can bring Michael to life just as well… wow. Absolutely amazing. And it’s even clearer just how different the twins are when they’re doing a scene together; you can actually see the differences between them right on your screen. Like that bit when they’re each looking over Amenadiel’s shoulder, as if they’re an Angel and the Devil in a cartoon. Undoubtedly orchestrated and undoubtedly brilliant. (Particularly since in this case, the Angel is the bad guy and the Devil is the good guy.)
I’ve said before I’m frustrated by the path Maze is taking, but I’m glad at least she finally told Lucifer why she was angry. Not the right way, but… at least she confronted him. I would love to see them actually talking about it in this season’s second half; there’s a lot that still needs to be said for them to make things better. But on the bright side, these Maze vs Lucifer and Amenadiel vs Michael shots were visually gorgeous (particularly the frozen broken glass and the wings shot in the end). Lucifer‘s fight sequences are always done beautifully (especially when they involve celestials), but this might actually be the first time we’ve seen so many celestials fighting at once, which made it more beautiful than ever. So there’s that, too.
And last but not least, those final 30 seconds? Oh my Dad. What a way to finish a mid-season finale. I suppose it’s about time Dear Old Dad showed up, and we knew it would happen this season, but somehow I didn’t imagine it happening quite like this. This was definitely way more dramatic than I thought it would be. Dramatic, explosive, shocking… whichever way you want to put it, really. And why do I have a feeling things are about to spiral out of control very quickly?
Bonus: Ella and Lucifer following Chloe’s lead downtown. Just… priceless.
Meta-Bonus: This episode was directed by none other than Kevin Alejandro! He’s certainly done a wonderful job with it.
Questions: Where do I even start on the questions? Why is Dad only showing up now? Where was he when Uriel died? Is Charlie really only mortal? What is Michael’s plan, and how the hell (pun intended) does it involve getting Maze a soul? What’s going to happen with Deckerstar when Amenadiel unfreezes time? How’s Ella? What’s going on with Lucifer’s powers? What’s going on with his vulnerability/invulnerability? And most importantly, when are we getting part 2?!
Final Score: 9.5/10. Just… wow.
A Quick Note About This Half…
I feel like it wouldn’t be right to do a review of just this half because there’s still so much we don’t know, but I wanted to say a couple of things nonetheless.
Frustrating as it is to see Lucifer and Chloe doing exactly the wrong things, most of the time, it felt right. We’ve known Chloe and Lucifer for long enough to know that these are their ways of dealing with things; they may not be particularly healthy ways, but they’re the ways Lucifer and Chloe have adopted nonetheless. So the progression of the season so far, as far as the two of them were concerned, felt right to me. Frustrating, infuriating, at times heartbreaking – it was all of that, too. But knowing who they are, I know it couldn’t have gone any other way, and it wouldn’t have been true to the characters had it gone any other way. This half had maintained that beautiful balance between beautiful happy moments and the characters’ insecurities getting in the way of it, which is no easy feat. Kudos to the writers team.
While the first four episodes have had quite a few ups and downs in terms of storyline (yes, I’m looking at you, It Never Ends Well for the Chicken), this half as a whole was good. The last four episodes were excellent. I loved Dan’s growth, I loved Amenadiel’s growth, and I loved learning more about Linda and Maze. I don’t particularly agree with some of Maze’s storyline, but it has certainly been interesting so far. And I feel like we didn’t get to see a lot of Ella in the beginning of this season, I feel like her later storyline was done beautifully (even if it was absolutely heartbreaking). Again, I really missed Trixie, although her scenes with Lucifer in It Never Ends Well for the Chicken were absolutely wonderful.
What’s bothering me now is the fact I feel like I’m still missing an important piece of the puzzle. I know there’s a pattern to this season, but I can’t quite put the whole thing together. That’s the main reason I’ve said it wouldn’t be right to review just this half; this is only half of the story, and it wouldn’t be right to look at it without its other half. On the whole, though, I’m pretty excited about part 2, and I can’t wait to finally watch it.