History Main / TheDevilIsALoser

* In ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'', Satan is the victim of cyber attacks by Riff, ends up doing the nasty with a cat while drunk, gets chewed out on a daytime talk show for not taking care of the resulting demonic kitten children, and is terrified of scorpions.

** Neron struck out in a way similar to the way Mephisto succeeded in ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'' below. After many of Franchise/TheFlash's old villains CameBackWrong (Neron himself was responsible) Wally and his wife Linda made separate deals with Neron to set them right (since they were mindless killing machines far more evil and dangerous than they used to be). Except instead of their souls, Neron asked each to give up their love for the other. Both agreed, and they split. (Un)fortunately, holding their love 'polluted' Neron, and he ''became nice'', something which was Hell ''to him''. He asked them to take back the bargain, and both refused (since neither one cared about the other, neither had any desire to get their love back). Ultimately the Neron begged them to take a new deal, taking back their love in return for him releasing any and all remaining hold on the villains.

** He was enslaved to Thanos during ComicBook/TheInfinityGauntlet saga. He was once humiliated by the ComicBook/BlackPanther by being cut off from his power and the crap beat out of him. He was OutGambitted by Doctor Doom, and even bested by his own son, [[AntiAntiChrist Damien Hellstorm]]. Then in ''ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}}'' he gets completely played and humiliated by the Leader SelfDemonstrating/{{Deadpool}} of all people. The Leader even taunts him when Mephisto threatens him, claiming that while Mephisto ''might'' be more evil than him, he's definitely smarter.

** Pictured above is the Devil. While he IS a pretty badass dude, more than a few strips feature him collecting mockery of God, taunts of Ezekiel and Ariel "[[ScrewySquirrel the Wascally Angels]]", [[http://www.sinfest.net/view.php?date=2009-12-19 pity of Buddha]] and made aware that he's LonelyAtTheTop. The closest thing he had to a friend was his [[spoiler: son]] LoonyFan L'il Evil, a HarmlessVillain whose faith might as well have been HoYay. CharacterizationMarchesOn however, and later story arcs have made him into a much more serious villain.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'': Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm's [[TastesLikeDiabetes song "Let The Sun Shine In"]] (from the episode "No Biz Like Show Biz") is pretty much this.

In the Caulfields' "Devil's Diary," the narrating Prince of Darkness is a lovelorn slacker who hates heavy metal (even though their groupies are the only ones interested in him), and wishes he could confide in God ... but He's just so judgmental.

* More a case of "The Devil is an idiot", but, in Matthew 4:8 there is a famous scene where he offers Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if he will submit to him. The problem? If Jesus is God (or even the Son Of God) The ''entire universe'', of which Earth is only a minuscule part, already belongs to him. It's like if a con artist promised to give someone a penny they already owned as a bribe.

** A sequel balled: "The Devil Comes Back To Georgia" also made by the Charlie Daniels band [[HereWeGoAgain tells of how ten years after the Fiddle Duel, the Devil challenges Fiddle Player Johnny, now a family man and father, to a rematch.]] Seething from his defeat years before, the devil tells Johnny that his pride will be his downfall and takes the Golden Fiddle away as Johnny is tuning it, though the Fiddle player still has his old fiddle in his woodshed. After getting warmed up on his old fiddle due to having not been playing since the birth of his son, Johnny and the Devil duel once again. Its' not clear at the end, but from the sounds of things, Johnny kicked the Devil's ass... again.

For other non-threatening spirits that personify death, see DontFearTheReaper.

In Music/HisStoryTheMusical Satan is portrayed as more of an annoying little brother making a bet than the lord of all darkness tempting the savior to sin, with the only thing causing Jesus to raise his voice a little after all his pestering being an accusation of [[WellDoneSonGuy being a daddy's boy.]]

In ''Music/HisStoryAMusical Satan is portrayed as more of an annoying little brother making a bet than the lord of all darkness tempting the savior to sin, with the only thing causing Jesus to raise his voice a little after all his pestering being an accusation of [[WellDoneSonGuy being a daddy's boy.]]

* In ''UsefulNotes/{{Zoroastrianism}}'', [[TheAntiGod Ahriman]] is usually portrayed as a self-destructive moron, who frequently suffers indignities like being anally raped (Vendidad). This is because evil in Zoroastrianism is held [[StupidEvil to be inherently self-defeating]], so while in theory he is as powerful as [[GodIsGood Ahura Mazda]], he won't truly accomplish anything in practise. Interestingly, Ahriman is the predecessor of Satan, as Zoroastrianism indirectly influenced Second Temple Judaism, but the idea of Satan as a loser evolved independently.

* In ''UsefulNotes/{{Zoroastrianism}}'', TheAntiGod Ahriman is usually portrayed as a self-destructive moron, who frequently suffers indignities like being anally raped (Vendidad). This is because evil in Zoroastrianism is held [[StupidEvil to be inherently self-defeating]], so while in practise he is as powerful as Ahura Mazda he won't truly accomplish anything. Interestingly, Ahriman is the predecessor of Satan, as Zoroastrianism indirectly influenced Second Temple Judaism, but the idea of Satan as a loser evolved independently.

* Conor [=McPherson=]'s play ''The Seafarer,'' has a character named Mr. Lockhart who is cle. He wastes an entire evening playing cards with a bunch of guys, some of whom are alcoholic and one of whom is blind, just to get one soul while tormenting him about his impending fate as much as possible, something typical for him, but this NOT what makes him come across like a loser. No, what proves it is the exact WHY of his predatory behaviour which becomes clear during a slowly-building VillainousBreakdown where he all but openly says how much suffering his own choices have caused him and how sharing this suffering with the men that he manages to get his hands on is the only thing that is left to him.

Some stories portray the devil as a weak and ineffectual (if unrelentingly evil) guy. He may be more worried about getting his Wood Elf character to level 70 or catching the latest episode of ''JustForFun/AvatarAndTheAirbendingFellowshipOfVampireSlayers'' than punishing the damned or tempting mortals, or perhaps he's unattractive and unpopular and [[BasementDweller lives in God's basement]]. Perhaps he gets outsmarted every time he tries to [[DealWithTheDevil make a deal with a mortal]]. Maybe he's plagued by DaddyIssues (being the original rebel and all).

* Conor [=McPherson=]'s play ''The Seafarer,'' the Devil is a character named Mr. Lockhart. He wastes an entire evening playing cards with a bunch of guys, some of whom are alcoholic and one of whom is blind, just to get one soul.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* In an episode of ''Series/NorthernExposure'', the town is visited by Satan, who is a dumpy and unimpressive man more interested in small acts of betrayal than diabolical evil. He ultimately fails to corrupt the citizens of Cicely even slightly.

* In the Quebec surreal comedy sketch show ''Phylactere Cola'', one skit shows Satan living in a basement apartment, having to deal repeatedly with annoyingly persistent Jehovah's witnesses. [[spoiler:They manage to convert him in the end!!]]
* In the ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' episode "[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S05E21SantaClaus Santa Claus]]" Mike Nelson sings "The Devil is a Wiener" to the tune of the soundtrack.
* In ''Series/{{Brimstone}}'' Satan is shown to be not only an incompetent jailer (letting over a hundred damned souls escape Hell), but he's also incredibly petty and juvenile, unable to pass up an opportunity to tie someone's shoelaces together or loosen the cap on a salt shaker.
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': Lucifer is a suave, sophisticated, and exceptionally dangerous being. He created the demons personally, can destroy the planet when at full power, and is one of five creatures that the Colt can't kill. But ultimately, none of that changes the fact that he's just a spoiled brat throwing a tantrum because his daddy wasn't paying enough attention to him.
* ''Series/{{Millennium}}'' has the four demons at the coffee shop in "Somehow, Satan Got Behind Me", revealing that for all their fearsome rep in the show, demons are... kind of pathetic. Even Frank ends up [[SympathyForTheDevil feeling sorry for one of them]].
* On ''Series/GoodEats'' this happens sometimes. Sometimes a BigRedDevil will appear and get his ass kicked by Alton (who at the time was a Christian in RealLife[[note]]A few years after the end of the series, Alton reevaluated his religious beliefs; although not giving up on Christianity entirely, he no longer identifies as a Christian.[[/note]]). Or, as in the Devil's Food Cake episode, he simply will not get to taste the cake.

--> '''Satan:''' "For all eternity, you will never escape my clutch!"
--> '''Trevor:''' [[ShutUpHannibal "Okay, uh, first of all, I think that seems like a little much.]] A joint and a couple caps and stems, is that all that a soul is worth? And God made everything I've done tonight, all of it's from the Earth! The mushrooms and the pot, yo, He made it ALL! The nitrous! And the adderall! My soul relaxers, [[BreadEggsMilkSquick maybe a little coke]], but if that damns me for eternity then if you ask me the system's broke!"
* "The Devil & Me" by Music/{{Clutch}} describes a down and out devil from alternating perspectives. Opening with
-->The devil and me had a falling out.
-->Violation of contract beyond a shadow of a doubt.
-->Wherever he go, whomever he meet.
-->He got to cross my house on the other side of the street.

Some stories portray the devil as a weak and ineffectual (if unrelentingly evil) guy. He may be more worried about getting his Wood Elf character to level 70 or catching the latest episode of ''JustForFun/AvatarAndTheAirbendingFellowshipOfVampireSlayers'' than punishing the damned or tempting mortals, or perhaps he's unattractive and unpopular and [[BasementDweller lives in his mother's basement]]. Perhaps he gets outsmarted every time he tries to [[DealWithTheDevil make a deal with a mortal]]. Maybe he's plagued by DaddyIssues (being the original rebel and all).

** Pictured above is the Devil. While he IS a pretty badass dude, more than a few strips feature him collecting mockery of God, taunts of Ezekiel and Ariel "[[ScrewySquirrel the Wascally Angels]]", [[http://www.sinfest.net/view.php?date=2009-12-19 pity of Buddha]] and made aware that he's LonelyAtTheTop. The closest thing he had to a friend was his [[spoiler: son]] LoonyFan L'il Evil, a HarmlessVillain whose faith might as well have been HoYay.

'''[[Franchise/DevilMayCry Dante]]:''' I'm not really interested in mending fences with my brother, so here's my counteroffer: You give me a job that can pay my electric bill for the year, and I'll leave you here with your head attached to your body.\\

For other non-threatening spirits that personify death, see DontFearTheReaper. For demonic creatures who do the will (intentionally or not) of the divine, see HeavensDevil.