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Main Characters
Lucifer Morningstar
Look into our eyes and see who we are.
Lucifer Morningstar, originally Samael, is a rebel archangel who was once given Hell as his own domain. After several thousand years he decided he no longer wanted to do what he believed was expected of him and so he abandoned Hell and "retired" to Earth.- The Aloner: While Lucifer truly cares for a small group of people and even loves Mazikeen, it would cause the bile to rise up in his throat to admit strong attachment to anyone. Part of this is due to his overwhelming pride and his desire to never show weakness, never be controlled by anything or dependent on anyone. The other reason is that he's one of a set of equally powerful twin brothers that are second only to God and beyond pretty much everything else. While Lucifer is prideful, he not wrong in his belief that almost no one and nothing can relate to his experiences.
- Anti-Villain: Type II. Although he's a sadistic fallen angel, he's sympathetic compared to the rest of the demons of Hell, and his true motivation is to gain his freedom and happiness. Plus, he has a strong sense of honor, he will never lie or break his word, and those on the short list of people he cares for he cares for absolutely.
- Debt Detester: He hates being in anyone's debt and the first thing he'll do should he owe someone — whether its saving his life or helping his goals along willingly without provocation — is to come up with some clever gift as a way of saying "thanks", even if they are left worse off from their viewpoint. This is even implied to be the root behind his infamous hatred for his father; God created him and there is nothing Lucifer could possibly do in return that could match up.
- Divine–Infernal Family: The central drama of his opposition to God is fueled by being as much His son as His creation.
- Do Not Taunt Cthulhu: While Lucifer is stoic and indifferent to others for the most part, make no mistake: he is pride and ego personified. Unlike most examples, he doesn't have a Inferiority Superiority Complex nor does he have thin skin. It's just that he's so powerful that crushing anyone who disrespects him is so little effort he doesn't mind exerting himself to do so. Keep in mind that Lucifer helped shape reality at the dawn of time. While inflicting some horrible curse on someone may take a lot of magic, time, and effort for a sorcerer, for Lucifer it's about as demanding as swatting a fly.
- Faux Affably Evil: Lucifer is a very polite, charming, charismatic and nonchalant individual. His politeness towards people like Michael, Mazikeen and Elaine Belloc is sincere. The same can't be said of his politeness towards beings he doesn't care about, which is to say almost all of them.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Constantly. It's part of what makes him so effective; as infuriating as he often acts, he's right about the things he says much of the time and everyone knows it.
- Keeping the Handicap: He gives Mazikeen his Reality Warper "Morningstar" powers as a parting gift. Both pissed that he's leaving after everything they have gone through and forcing this power on her without her consent, she swipes at him with her sword, leaving a gash on his face. While he could heal the wound, she tells him that if he did then it would prove himself a coward. Being known for his Pride, Lucifer keeps the scar to the very end of the series, the scar still present when he returns in the 2016 series.
- Logical Weakness: Lucifer can control, shape, warp, and transmute any aspect of reality, even abstract concepts like time and space. But he cannot make something from nothing. He needs a medium to work with like a potter needs clay or a painter needs a canvas and paint. If he were banished or trapped in a void (which has happened to him willingly and unwillingly) he is basically powerless — he can generate fire from within himself, but that's it.
- Nay-Theist: Being the son and self-proclaimed arch-nemesis of The Presence, he has no respect for gods, sacred things, being compared to gods or worship of any kind. Having no respect for all that is sacred, he will either desecrate it to get it out of his way or For the Lulz.
- In The Sandman (1989), he is the only person who has harmed Cain (carrying him by the hair on his scalp across Hell) despite the Mark of Cain promising God's wrath, seeing such a thing as a challenge.
- In the original run of Lucifer, when he created his own version of Adam and Eve for his new universe, the only rule he gave them was to not worship him. Later, when he invites others from the main universe to populate his new one, he agreed to let them do whatever they want there on the condition that no one worships anybody, including himself.
- In the 2018 The Sandman Universe run of Lucifer, it was revealed that he became a participant of The Wild Hunt as part of a bargain he made with Odin. When Odin chews him out for desecrating it by hunting the Hunted God before it even manifests, potentially causing universe-wide chaos and bloodshed, Lucifer scoffs at the idea.Odin: Without the hunt, the world will get ever worse over millenia. It will no longer finds its release. Brother will kill brother. Blood will soak the Earth.
Lucifer: Oh doesn't that sound terrible. I'm not sure anyone will notice, Allfather. You're being so very dramatic.
- Never My Fault: It goes without saying but as one of the most prideful beings in existence, Lucifer almost never accepts responsibility or blame for anything because that would require caring about others or having empathy. Often he likes to play it off as other people believing things to be one way while Lucifer pulls Metaphorically True on them. He's also very careful with Exact Words because he knows how to manipulate people and when others accuse him of wrong doing he can go Rules Lawyer on them and (technically) be off the hook for the horrible stuff he's a part of.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: Neil Gaiman is said to have based the character's design off of David Bowie, a design choice that would wax and wane Depending on the Artist throughout the character's history.
- Not Quite the Almighty: He is one of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe, being one of the few beings (the few that can be counted on one hand) immune to Death's domain and can terrify Dream (who in-turn can intimidate other gods) at the thought of encountering him. That said, Lucifer isn't necessarily invincible, the Presence being his creator and Michael his equal.
- Pet the Dog: Despite his status as The Sociopath, he is capable of small acts of kindness. It would be a fatally bad idea to rely on it.
- Reality Warper: A literal example. Lucifer is second only to the creator of existence Yahweh with limitless will and absolute command over existence (time, space, reality, etc.) which he can use to almost any affect up to and including perfectly resurrecting the dead. What stops him from being The Omnipotent is that his father's authority over the universe supersedes his own and Yahweh can restrict Lucifer's abilities as much as he chooses. Lucifer also cannot create anything from nothing. He can shape anything that exists but he needs something to be there in order to make or manipulate anything. Lucifer is specifically the shaper of the cosmos. In a void of nothing, he's be basically powerless.
- The Sociopath: While he is capable of some empathy, it's only for special cases like his own brother (who he views as an equal), Elaine Bolloc (his niece, who also saved his life), Mazikeen (whom he genuinely loves, as much a someone like him can love), and a few others. The rest of the universe's population he sees as either tools or insects to be swatted if they get in his way.
- Soft-Spoken Sadist: More prominent in his recent series but even in his earlier incarnations, he had shades of this. Lucifer isn't one to gloat or ham it up, but he will make you suffer if you cross him. Depending on the circumstances, he might then watch you writhe in misery for the satisfaction of it.
- Strong and Skilled: Is one of the most powerful beings in existence, and he has billions of years of experience using his powers perfectly. He's also a very good swordsman, being able to keep up with his brother Michael himself.
- The Unfettered: Lucifer is the personification of free will and choice. His defining nature is to be unfettered by any constraint. There is no action, no matter how terrible or nightmarish, he won't perform if needed to further his goals.
- Will Not Tell a Lie: Lucifer never lies. Sure he'll omit some details or use clever wordplay, but he doesn't really care enough to spare people's feelings on a topic and is so smart and powerful that he doesn't have much to fear from anyone if they react poorly to the truth. Elaine has even claimed that this quality is one of the things that makes the Devil so horrifying; he hides nothing.
- Willfully Weak: A rare Villain Protagonist version is in play with Lucifer. Lucifer at full strength is equalled only by his bother and surpassed only by God. Yet often he doesn't bring this raw unimaginable power to bear in his dealings or affairs while going about his goals. Justified somewhat by the fact that Lucifer is prideful and an extremely intelligent manipulator who prefers using his wit rather than force. From his point of view, any thug can use force and doing so shows little creativity or imagination. He ego demands that he never stoop to the level of those he sees as beneath him and he loves to prove that he's the smartest guy in the room who doesn't even need his virtually limitless powers to beat his opponents. Crushing enemies with a handicap is definitely the hallmark of somebody as prideful as Lucifer.
Mazikeen
Explain to me why I should not kill you.
Mazikeen is a daughter of Lilith and Lucifer's lover. Her preferred appearance has her face half mutilated and half whole, until Jill Presto has her restored to life with "incomplete information". Mazikeen hates it, but can no longer change her appearance at will. She eventually becomes the leader of her family's army, The Lilim in Exile.- Blade Enthusiast: Always carries a blade, and will tend to it anywhere, even a crowded park.
- Immortality Bisexuality: Takes the human woman named Beatrice as a lover.
- The Unintelligible: Averted when Jill Presto restores both sides of her face. Earlier dialogue plays this straight.
Supporting Characters
Michael Demiurgos
Justice is my father's prerogative. The rest of us ... the rest of us can only do what we think is right.
Before humans, before gods, before life, and before the DC Multiverse even existed, Yahweh, the Almighty, created two brothers, Samael and Michael. Yahweh then gave them each a gift: to Samael, the gift of fire and will and to Michael, he gave the gift of creation, the demiurgic power.- Archangel Michael: He's The Archangel Michael, the most famous and powerful of the Archangels.
- The Dutiful Son: He always does what he thought his father wanted of him. Throughout the series, he grows less certain that it was really obedience his father wanted.
- Meaningful Name: His last name, Demiurgos, is derived from "Demiurge", a being who is the maker of the physical universe, but underneath the true Supreme Being.
- The Omnipotent: He's the second most powerful being in the universe, equaled only by his brother, Lucifer, and surpassed only by their creator, the Presence.
Elaine Belloc
An English schoolgirl who is later revealed to be Michael's half-human daughter (and Lucifer's niece). She's able to see and speak with ghosts, and she's the closest thing Lucifer has to a morality pet.
- God: The Presence, her grandfather, decides to retire and hands her all of His abilities.
Other Characters
Heaven
Amenadiel
An angel who holds an exceptional grudge against Lucifer, antagonizing him repeatedly.
- And Show It to You: Lucifer rips out his heart and devours it in front of him in Effrul.
- Batman Gambit: Dies due to one planned by Christopher Rudd and Lucifer, who anticipate that he will be willing to cheat in the duel and too bloodthirsty to ask questions.
- Bullying a Dragon: Of all the siblings he could attempt to bully, he picks the most dangerous. It works out exactly the way you'd expect.
- Holier Than Thou: Since he's an angel, he naturally assumes that every action he takes is justified, and takes advantage of his status to declare war on Lux (which gets a number of his siblings killed).
- Tautological Templar: Amenadiel considers any action acceptable to defeat Lucifer, and he freely kills innocents, uses underhanded tactics, and even acts as the serpent in Lucifer's own Garden of Eden.
- Pet the Dog: The one moment of kindness he has is when he expresses regret over what Lucifer did to Rachel Begai.
Meleos
An angel who runs a bookstore in Germany. He created the Basanos, the Living Tarot, and gave it life.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: If he had never created the Basanos, or had kept them better leashed, most of the comics events wouldn't have happened.
Perdissa
A fundamentalist angel who attempts to destroy Lucifer in China.
- Brother–Sister Incest: It's implied this is the real reason she hates Lucifer so much.Lucifer: ... And I don't want to lay a hand on you. Which was always the problem, wasn't it?
- Holier Than Thou: Much like Amenadiel, she assumes that any action she takes is sanctioned. And much like Amenadiel, it comes back to bite her.
- Light Is Not Good: Perdissa is a beautiful angel who once ruled over mercy. She now wants nothing to do with it.
- Knight Templar: She left Heaven because she felt they were too soft on evil.
- Sex for Services: She offers her body to the Silk Man in exchange for Lucifer's death.
- Woman Scorned: She wants Lucifer dead because he wasn't interested in her.
- Would Hurt a Child: She sends the enchanted souls of dreamers against Lucifer, all of whom are Christian children. She told them they would be martyrs.
Hell
Duma
The Angel of Silence, who descended to Hell with Remiel after Lucifer retired as its king.
- Big Damn Heroes: He saves Elaine from the sadistic demons of Hell, and stops Remiel from tearing apart Christopher Rudd's soul.
- Cute Mute: An adult example; he's a kind-hearted angel who never speaks, unless the Godzilla Threshold has been crossed.
- Innocent Flower Girl: A gender-flipped example; he's a sweet-natured and reserved angel who spends much of his time in Hell gardening. He is especially fond of flowers, offering a marigold to Remiel in an attempt to comfort him.
- Nice Guy: He's an absolute sweetheart who comforts a crying Elaine after her experience in Hell, and is one of the few angels to not act Holier Than Thou around his brother (who is literally the Devil).
- The Silent Bob: He briefly speaks when stopping Remiel from causing further harm.
- Token Good Teammate: Of Hell's legions, offering Lucifer advice and stepping in to save Elaine from being tortured by Lady Lys, among other things.
Other Supernatural Creatures
The Basanos
- The Corrupter: While they were out looking for a host, they practiced exerting their will by compelling the various humans in the area to give in to their worst instincts. They tempted a woman into stealing, imbued a man with rage against his wife, made Karl, a local young German, attack his immigrant friend Jayesh to prove himself to his neo-Nazi friends, and fed Hugo Poulenc's ego about his magic act.
- The Dividual: While the Basanos manifest in the form of multiple entities and are referred to in plural, they all act as a single entity.
- Evil Knockoff: Wanting to design tarot cards, Meleos asks Destiny of the Endless for a peek at his book for inspiration. This was something Destiny would normally never do, and even then it was with reluctance when he allowed it. Considering Destiny is a
True Neutral being who knows the fate of everything in the universe and the Basanos are all power-hungry monsters, Destiny likely saw the Basanos as a Necessary Evil and allowed its creation. - Face Full of Alien Wing-Wong: They impregnate Jill with their offspring because they want a son who has all of their power, but none of the limitations.
- A God Am I: When they find themselves in Lucifer's universe, the first thing they do is establish themselves as its new lord and master, responding to the mortal's reluctance to worship them (this being the only rule Lucifer put in-place) with an Old Testament-style reminder.
- Take Me Instead: When Lucifer recovers from their attack, Lucifer threatens to kill Jill and her unborn children if they don't die first. The Basanos accepts his terms and destroys themselves.
Lilith
Adam's intended, who rejected God's plan for her and decided to live for herself. She's adamant that her claim to the Garden of Before the Fall is still valid, because she left on her own accord rather than being cast off.
- Entitled Bitch: Not only does she think she still has a claim to Eden, she abandons her offspring — then expects complete loyalty and obedience from her cast-off children when she comes back.
- It's All About Me: She cares nothing for what her numerous children have suffered, only her own agenda.
- Really Gets Around: Her children are numerous enough to call themselves a nation.
Humans
Jill Presto
A cabaret artist who makes a bargain with the Basanos she lives to regret. She becomes their avatar to the world, and eventually the vessel of the Basanos' spawn.
- Badass Boast: Gives one to Cestis in The House Of Windowless Rooms:Jill: That mind control crap may go over real big with the sad little fuckers you normally feed on but the truth is, sweetheart, the odds are shit. I'm carrying passengers and they wrote the book on that mind control shit. So here's my best offer: you get up on your feet now — or else you're going to die lying down.
- Overshadowed by Awesome: On the giving end. She overshadows her boss' magic show by using the powers of the Basanos. Note that at the time she hadn't willingly accepted the Basanos, and so the powers she had were practically a drop in the ocean compared to what she could do after she formally accepted it.
- Talking the Monster to Death: She beats Cestis by reminding her of her rusty memory, which causes Cestis to completely lose her shape and dissolve.
