You'll Never Unsee This Lucifer Comparison To An Iconic Horror Villain

DC's Lucifer has many faces. Fans of the version of the character played by Tom Ellis that starred in his own eponymous TV show recognize Lucifer for his British accent, dark hair, exceptional wit and job as a consultant for the Los Angeles Police Department. While this blueprint is a bit of a departure from how the Lord of Hell usually appears in DC media (most iterations, such as the one played by Gwendoline Christie in Netflix's "The Sandman," depict the demonic entity as a blonde, for example), Ellis' version still nails the trademark identity of Lucifer as a charming and suave man with dark secrets bubbling underneath his disarming exterior.

However, it's important to remember that the image of the tall, dark, and handsome police consultant that Lucifer rocks across most of the show is only one side of himself. His other appearance, commonly referred to as his "Devil" form, is that of a horrifically scarred, bat-winged, red-tinged creature of the night — certainly not the sort of thing one would want to see gallivanting across Los Angeles. But while the archangel's demonic visage might be tough for some to look at, some fans have noticed that this appearance bears a striking resemblance to another famous king of live-action horror.

On the r/lucifer subreddit, u/Gussygus28 posted a side-by-side comparison of Lucifer and terrifying horror movie villain Freddy Krueger from "A Nightmare on Elm Street," writing: "Lowkey, why does Lucifer look like Freddy Krueger in his Devil form?" The post garnered over 700 upvotes and it's easy to see why. The Devil bears more than a passing resemblance to the Springwood Slasher — in fact, they possess an uncanny similarity to one another.

Some fans speculated on why the two characters have similar designs. U/Moaoziz theorized that they may have drawn inspiration from a common idea. "They are both supposed to look like burn victims, I think," the user commented.

The theory holds water, as the character of Lucifer is based on the mythological figure of the Devil, who is often depicted residing in flames. Similarly, Freddy's design was inspired by images of burn victims. "David [Miller] whipped open this medical textbook, the first day I sat down, and he said 'This is what we're going to do to you.' And it was real burn victims," Freddy actor Robert Englund explained in an interview clip from "Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy" (via USA Today).

Regardless of whether the similarities between the two pop culture icons are purposeful or pure coincidence, there's no denying that the two have a lot in common visually. Of course, Lucifer can change himself back into looking like Tom Ellis. Freddy has to look that way all the time.