Lucifer Wingman

So what’s an angel to do when his most prized possession—his wings—are still out on the streets and his way of searching have produced zero results? Why, call in a professional, of course. For Lucifer that means tapping Chloe for some generic advice—he’s still a bit reticent to tell her the whole truth. The sharing of ideas works out well, considering Chloe has her own little conundrum as the Palmetto case rears its ugly head when the wife of Malcolm, the detective that was shot, decides to pull the plug on her comatose hubby. Dan tries directing Chloe to “do the right thing” and drop her investigation but she still believes something foul was afoot and can’t do it.

Enter Lucifer.

Lucifer taps his brother Amenadiel to help with his search for the wings
Lucifer taps his brother Amenadiel to help with his search for the wings

After he encourages her to keep going, Chloe’s advice to “grab a pair of fresh eyes” points Lucifer towards Amenadiel. The former King of Hell tells his brother about the missing wings and, despite Amenadiel’s anger and stressing the importance of regaining them, he refuses to help Lucifer. “Fix your own damn mess for once,” he says before walking away. Lucifer heads back to Chloe’s, admitting that his angel wings are in the wind and find she’s included Dan in on the Palmetto deep-dive.

It’s simple enough. The trio heads back to the scene of the shooting and Chloe goes over her account once again and can’t help but think she’s still missing something. Believing Chloe needs a better picture of what’s at stake, Dan takes her to see the comatose Malcolm.

Thanks to Chloe’s APB, Lucifer discovers that a religious auction is being held, one where his wings will be at the center of the dealing. He heads over to the auction, sans Chloe, but runs into unexpected company in Amenadiel. The current perimeter guard of Hell argues that it’s imperative the divine wings not remain in human hands. He gets them into the auction and they speak to Carmen, the auction head. The conversation to retain the wings doesn’t go as planned. When Amenadiel’s “angelic ego” rears its head, Lucifer is not only forced to partake in the bidding war but comes clean with Amenadiel about the questions involving his own mortality. The information is music to Amenadiel’s ears because, as he tells Lucifer, all he has to do is wait for Lucifer to be on the wrong end of a bullet “and right back to Hell you go.”

Chloe meets Amenadiel for the first time.
Chloe meets Amenadiel for the first time.

The thought hadn’t been something Lucifer considered but first, the wings. Chloe shows up to Lucifer’s surprise. Even more surprising is her reaction to Amenadiel. Where Lucifer doesn’t have an effect on the good detective, Amenadiel certainly does. But then the wings are on display and Lucifer only has eyes for them. It’s then that the FBI raids the auction and, with Amenadiel’s slowing of time, Lucifer goes to collect his wings, only to discover they’re fake. Lucifer can’t hide his distress and it causes a rift between he and Chloe. Amenadiel offers to help but Lucifer doesn’t take it, citing “What I’m about to do is the Devil’s work.” He ends up tracking down Carmen, who has the real deal. The divinity in the wings has made the life-long atheist a true believer, one who can’t bear to part from the wings. Before he does God knows what to the man, Lucifer gets the name of the individual that tipped Carmen off about the true nature of the wings…

While Lucifer exacts his own brand of justice, Chloe discovers a hidden entrance to Palmetto Street, one where the true shooter of Detective Malcolm came from. On top of that, the 999 key she and Dan find point to the fact that Malcolm was shot by another cop. In order to find the culprit, Chloe shows up at the wake at the precinct and tells all in attendance that she’s dropping the case. It’s the only way, she assures Dan, to investigate the real shooter under the radar.

Lucifer sits with his wings, perhaps for the final time.
Lucifer sits with his wings, perhaps for the final time.

Back to Lucifer, he meets Amenadiel at the beach, his wings returned. The angel tries to touch on Luc’s sentimentality to his wings and is shocked when the latter burns them. Lucifer tells his brother that he knows—the entire theft was Amenadiel’s idea and the burning is a firm assertion of Lucifer’s mind to never return to Hell. The two fight but Amenadiel eventually gives up, leaving his brother with a singular message: “I’ll do whatever it takes to get you back to Hell.”

In the aftermath, Lucifer, now permanently stranded on Earth, offers Maze an out to return to Hell but she refuses. “I am with you, Lucifer,” she says, “from now and to the end.” Chloe eventually shows up at the club and the two repair the strained way they left things earlier. Lucifer admits that he’s moved on from the wings and Chloe does the same regarding Palmetto Street. “To our equally enigmatic futures,” Lucifer toasts. And up in the balcony, Maze studies the single feather she saved and Amenadiel?…He brings Detective Malcolm back from the abyss of death…

Angel with Burning Wings

  • It’s difficult to categorize “Wingman”. On the one hand, it’s probably the least ‘fun’ I’ve had with an episode of the show so far…with that said, one could argue it’s the most important episode so far. Not only does Amenadiel discover Luc’s mortality issues but Lucifer eliminates any hope (for now) of returning to his former glory. The burning of his wings was symbolic in several ways. Fire is the ultimate purifier and apropos considering Luc is the King of fire and brimstone. But fire also signals rebirth and if he’s ascent to Earth is any indication, Luc wants nothing more than to be Reborn apart from his nature as King of Hell.
  • Another interesting development was Chloe’s reaction to Amenadiel. It begs the question of why Lucifer’s charms don’t work on her and could something develop between Amenadiel and Chloe? Probably not in the strictest sense but Amenadiel did say he would do whatever it takes to get Lucifer back to Hell. If he knows Chloe is Lucifer’s weak spot, there’s no doubt he will use it to his advantage.
  • The Palmetto Street case has taken an interesting turn. Once an afterthought it is about to take center stage as far as Chloe’s life goes. Malcolm may not have been a bad cop, but someone on the force is.  UT with that comes danger and I have the feeling that there will be a casualty before all is said and done.
  • Finally, Maze retained a divine feather from Lucifer’s wings. What power does it hold and what are her plans for it?