It’s a “Monster” Reveal on Lucifer 

There’s always a tipping point in a well-plotted season where each major character has started an inevitable cascade in motion and there’s a sense that something *huge* looms on the horizon. It’s the anticipation at the base of the roller-coaster, the innate fear of the unknown, the thrill of knowing that nothing will remain the same once this action has played out. Some may wring their hands waiting. Others clench their fists to fight the tension. Lucifer fans pour another.

In the aftermath of Uriel’s death by his hand, Lucifer counters his guilt in the most hedonistic manner possible. Wine and women, women and whiskey, whatever can be indulged must be indulged. Dr. Martin comes looking for him when he cancels their appointment and, after she rebuffs his bawdy invitation, he dismisses her and her concern.

Things don’t get any better when he arrives on the scene of the latest murder: a bride shot dead during her wedding. As the entire wedding party and guests were dressed as rather convincing zombies, it actually takes a moment for people to realize that the blood pouring out of Peggy Russo (AnnaMaria Demara, Bomb Girls) is not staged.

Lucifer’s impulse control is at an all-time low and Chloe has her hands full preventing him from eating the wedding cake and raiding the bar at the crime scene. Stepping away to question some people, she returns to find him making out with the maid of honour, Shauna (Nicole LaPlaca, Falling Skies) who, to be fair, does give them their first lead.

On the home front, Chloe and Maze have apparently skipped the honeymoon phase of moving in together. Maze finds Chloe’s Halloween decorations cheesy and Chloe take exception to Maze giving Trixie rides on the sex swing set up in the living room. Of course, this doesn’t prevent the detective from begging Maze to take Trixie trick-or-treating when the babysitter runs screaming from the house after catching a glimpse inside Maze’s room (note to self: knocking is a good idea when living with a masochistic demon).

Chloe can’t help but wonder as Lucifer’s behaviour becomes more and more outrageous. Dan suggests Lucifer be “uninvited” from consulting on the case but she says she can handle this weird twist even as Mr. Morningstar takes it upon himself to interrogate a suspect. The trail eventually leads to a food truck when Lucifer continues to indulge himself, demanding orders of Dutch delicacies while Chloe’s trying to question the proprietor, and then feeling hard done by when said proprietor is gunned down by the sniper they’re tracking.

Realizing the murder victims have been targeted to punish their spouses, Chloe and Dan rush to find someone with motive to hurt a doctor and a lawyer who works in malpractice law. When Lucifer obtains the hospital files they need through fraudulent means (aka stealing Dan’s badge and sidearm and impersonating a cop) and then punches Dan out, Chloe finally has enough and gives the Devil an official time-out, kicking him off the case.

While Lucifer’s walking it off and Maze is extorting Trixie’s neighbours for candy and cash, Amenadiel and looks-like-Charlotte-but-actually-Mom are having a grief session over Uriel’s death. While his mother counsels him to fight his own nature to take the blame and then takes him for a walk to where Lucifer gave Uriel burial, Amenadiel who was the first and strongest of the angels, now powerless and nearly mortal in his vulnerability, sheds tears at everything that has been lost.

Then, in one of those juxtaposed scenes that this show does so well, we watch as both Lucifer and Amenadiel pass their tipping points – Lucifer at the piano in LUX, pouring his pain into an wordless rendition of Metallica’s “Unforgiven” and Amenadiel giving voice to his rage toward his father for allowing all this to happen. As their mother takes Amenadiel’s hand and comforts him, I can’t help recall the wicked little smirk she shot heavenward in Episode 2 this season and wonder if she’s stoking her sons’ rancour for her own benefit.

The sniper case and Lucifer’s self-harm obsession wrap up in a climactic scene in a pharmaceutical company. Identifying the next victim, Lucifer stands directly in the way of the sniper’s shot and repeatedly demands that he shoot him. Chloe takes the time this antic buys her and tracks down the sniper’s perch and takes Wes Williams (Joshua Bitton, The Night Of) into custody.

The perp walk out of the building is interrupted by Lucifer confronting him about not shooting him. Wes tells Lucifer he wouldn’t shoot him because he didn’t deserve it. Lucifer tells Wes that Wes was never looking for vengeance, he was looking for punishment for his own guilt over his wife’s death. Chloe sees a connection between the men’s situations in that moment and doesn’t buy Lucifer’s “suicide-by-sniper” attitude. She insists that there’s good in him even if he denies it, wants to support and understand him even when he won’t share with her. Her last bit of advice is to talk to Dr. Martin before it’s too late.

Because Trixie and Maze’s relationship has become the warm fuzzy centre of this show, the Halloween epic had to give us a shot of the good stuff to balance out what is to come. Chloe comes home to find the two curled up on the couch, zonked out in front of the television playing horror movies. Every part of this side plot, from Maze turning Trixie’s princess costume into one befitting the President of Mars to Trixie’s delighted reaction to Maze revealing her true demon face, is in stark contrast to Lucifer’s path and the rejection he fears most.

Taking Chloe’s advice, Lucifer returns to therapy and tries to open up about Uriel’s death. The doctor cuts him short, frustrated that he continues to speak in what she assumes is metaphor in an effort to distance himself from her and healing. Considering how low his resistance to suggestion has been all episode, it should be no surprise that he finally gives in to her demand for total honesty and reveals his true face to her. And, also no real surprise but still disappointing, seeing the face of the Lord of Hell sends her into catatonic shock. With a look of profound sadness, Lucifer, human face reasserted, leaves the office and shuts the door quietly behind him.

Lucifer airs Monday nights at 9pm ET/PT on FOX.