Lucifer - S1E9 - A Priest Walks into a Bar

Previously on Lucifer, ‘Et Tu, Doctor?’

Alone with the Devil

When we first met Lucifer he was stuck in a rut. The entire reason why Chloe and her work appealed to him was because along with his mortality came a host of new experiences. Well the downside of feeling new emotions is that not all of them feel good. Luci is lonely. Maze has betrayed him and he and Chloe are … still undefined. And now that Dr. Linda has stopped sleeping with him and their relationship is purely professional, he has no friends.

Lucky for him, a priest just walked into his bar. Father Frank, played by the enigmatic Colman Domingo from Fear the Walking Dead, is looking for Lucifer’s help to save a young boy who’s fallen in with a drug ring being run through a youth center. When the suspected leader of the drug ring turns up dead, Lucifer is eager to prove the priest is the culprit to stick it to dear old Dad, but along the way he becomes friends with the frustratingly faithful father.

Essentially, it all boils down to The Fall. Lucifer is offended by the idea of faith because the one person who was supposed to have faith in him (God), didn’t believe he was worthy of redemption. But every time Lucifer tries to undermine Father Frank’s faith, he only sees how strong that faith is in the face of everything.

Knocking on Heaven’s Door

Over in the B plot, Dan is Malcolm’s new partner and he’s blackmailing him. Turns out Malcolm was on the take and Dan shot him because he was going to hurt Chloe since she was on to him. It makes Dan seem a teensy bit more sympathetic, but he’s still a dirty cop and Malcolm is blackmailing him to get a gun so he can kill Lucifer. That’s Amenadiel’s big plan to get Lucifer back to hell. I’ve asked this question before, if we’re in unchartered territory with Lucifer and his mortality, how is everyone so sure that killing Lucifer will take him to hell?

And this brings me to the end of Father Frank’s story. Father Frank is shot when he jumps in front of a bullet for the boy he was trying to save. As he’s dying he tells Lucifer “Remember that your father has a plan”. Now I’m starting to wonder if Lucifer’s mortality might be his ticket back to heaven. Humans are always getting second (and sometimes third and fourth) chances to be worthy. I think Amenadiel’s plan may lead Lucifer back to heaven.

The Devil is Laughing

“And you wonder why I don’t go to church” – Lucifer after the shooting in front of the church