How Fans Think Lucifer Compares To Real Biblical Tales

This article contains spoilers for Netflix's "Lucifer."

Pop culture has conditioned people into believing that The Devil is the bad guy. After all, there are entire horror subgenres dedicated to him tormenting humanity, whether he's possessing people or commanding dastardly cults to do his bidding. He's the Father of Lies, the antithesis of all that is holy, and the root cause of all that is wicked. But, what if the original fallen angel isn't so evil? Is it possible that he's just misunderstood? If the TV series "Lucifer" is anything to go by, the Devil is a complicated character.

Based on Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, and Mike Dringenberg's DC character of the same name, "Lucifer" follows the titular archangel (played by Tom Ellis) as he undergoes a transformation. No longer content with reigning in Hell, he moves to Los Angeles, opens a nightclub, and becomes a police consultant. On top of that, he develops a conscience and starts showing compassion for humanity, proving that he's better than the devil everyone thought they knew.

As the series progresses, it becomes apparent that "Lucifer" shares similarities with real Biblical tales — and that the fallen angel has a lot in common with one of the so-called good guys in the holy text.

The inspiration for "Lucifer" might surprise you. The series isn't a pure adaptation of the comics, as it arguably borrows more ideas from Biblical stories. According to some fans on the "Lucifer" subreddit, the titular character on the show is similar to Jesus Christ in the holy scripture. As u/Umberoc pointed out, "[Lucifer] sacrifices his own life and happiness to save humanity from suffering in hell. It's dumb, but that's where the story lands." 

This sentiment was echoed by another Redditor by the name of u/Fancy_Ad1480, who highlighted more parallels between "Lucifer" and Biblical tales involving Jesus. "He literally "dies" (multiple times) and goes to Hell for the sins of others. His end fate has him pave the way to paradise at the cost of his earthly life."

That said, it's possible that Lucifer followed in Jesus' footsteps as he desperately wanted to get into God's good graces. "I think it's because no matter what he is looking for his father's approval and attention," u/fabian12040 added. This theory also aligns with the show creators' original vision for the character.

The similarities between Jesus and Lucifer are evident on the show, but that was probably inevitable due to the familial aspects of the story. While speaking to Empire, "Lucifer" writer-producer Joe Henderson revealed that they wanted to focus on the relationship between Lucifer and God, comparing it to his own life experiences as a young adult who wanted to forge his own path and identity. Henderson described the lead character as "a wayward son who fought with his dad and lost and was kicked out," but regretted how it all went down and sought to repair the fractured wounds.

Furthermore, the decision to turn Lucifer into an antihero allowed the show's creators to present some interesting ideas about theology, using humor to disarm the audience and make them more open-minded to seeing the Devil portrayed as a good guy. "It's not palatable to people if you just cram it down their throat," Ildy Modrovich, the series' co-showrunner, told Empire. "But how is it not fascinating to take the biggest, baddest villain of all time and find some heart in there and explore who he is?"