Origin
Before DC was created, in the void outside all creations that is the Primal Monitor, Yahweh created two brothers infused with literal unlimited might, one is Michael Demiurgos, and the other is Samael, later called the Lucifer Morningstar. After both were formed, Yahweh guided them, instructed them as to how to use their powers, and then they formed the creation known as the DC Multiverse.
Creation
The actual first appearance of “Lucifer” can be argued even though it is established that it was in The Sandman #4 that this Lucifer made his first appearance. However, in DC Comics there were other Lucifer’s before this one, some looked more like The Devil in Vertigo’s Preacher series while some resembled this “devil”, and all of them were referred to as Lucifer. So it is that DC Comics handbooks would record Lucifer’s first appearance as being different than Sandman #4, for they refer to Lucifer…but in all actuality, not this Lucifer. This Lucifer was created by three men in particular, Neil Gaiman, the writer of the Sandman series as well as Sam Kieth and Mike Dringenberg, fellow creators credited for work on the issue.
Character Evolution
From that point on Lucifer did not appear for some time again but eventually he made a couple more appearances in the series Sandman, his stepping stool to fame. After the conclusion of the Sandman series Lucifer was given his own three-issue series, Sandman Presents: Lucifer. From there the story further continued into his eponymous series, Lucifer. This seventy-five issue series focused on Lucifer and the individuals he effected. Apart from these two series Lucifer has appeared in a variety of issues for other titles such as The Demon or Hellblazer but he met his end in Lucifer #75, with an ending that left Lucifer outside of the DC universe.
Key Story Arcs
Master of Dreams
When the Great Evil Beast awoke, Lucifer shared his rule of Hell with Beelzebub and Azazel. Dream came to Hell to engage in a duel of the mind with a powerful demon and reclaim his stolen helm, and a passing remark he made about the power of dreams slighted Lucifer in front of all the demons of hell. For that, Lucifer vowed to one day destroy Dream.
Season of Mists
Dream comes to Hell only to find Hell empty and to learn that Lucifer has quit being the Lord of Hell. He has locked all the entrances, had Dream cut off his wings and given Morpheus the Key to Hell and left for Perth, Australia.
The Kindly Ones
Now no longer lounging around on a beach in Perth, Lucifer now lived in the City of Angels, Los Angeles. Lucifer became the owner of and exquisite pianist at The Lux. The angel Remiel asked Lucifer to relieve him of the ruler ship of Hell. Lucifer laughed and spits at his face. After that, Delirium came to ask Lucifer to save Dream from the Furies. Lucifer told her that her brother was beyond help. So after all that, Lucifer felt compelled to move on from his current role of pianist and nightclub owner.
The Morningstar Option
After a few years, the life of the young teenage Rachel Begai becomes intertwined with Lucifer when Yahweh sends Amenadiel of the Seraphim to make a bargain with the Morningstar. The deal is that Lucifer must slay some Old Gods, from eons past, as they are wreaking havoc and in return he will be granted a gift. So, Lucifer goes on a journey, interacting with different individuals from Briadach and the Lilim, to Pharamond, and of course Rachel. It is learned that he needs Rachel’s help to go down to the place where the Old Gods can be found and so he lures her along under the impression she can save her brother. Unfortunately, as it turns out, she cannot save her brother because that is not what she really wants most deep down, though Lucifer’s goal is completed, and so from it all he gains a Letter of Passage from Yahweh and a grudge from Rachel that lasts until they next meet many years later.
Lucifer
Now in Hamburg, Germany, Lucifer wanted to use the Letter of Passage to build a new Creation outside of God’s Creation. He ordered the angel Meleos to give him a reading from the Basanos to determine the validity of the Letter by asking for a “six card spread”. Meleos stalled, and rather than give in to Lucifer’s demands he tried to destroy the Basanos, but underestimated their power. He was defeated, and thus the Basanos were set free. Lucifer tracked down the Basanos at a night club and forced them to give him a reading. Then, he used the Letter to open a doorway to new Creation inside Lux, and then wrote one of God’s names on the door, ensuring that if the door was ever closed, God’s own Creation would be destroyed.
Lucifer then goes to London, and arrives just in time to save Elaine Belloc. Lucifer told Elaine that because he saved her, she is now in his debt, and left.
Needing his wings back, Lucifer visited Izanami’s Hell. Powerless, he entered the house of windowless rooms, outsmarted the various Gods and Goddesses, and got his wings back.
Amenadiel took the armies of heaven under his command and attacked Lucifer, intent on closing down the gate to the void- but Lucifer rescued his brother Michael from Sandalphon. No angel dared to attack Lucifer while he carried Michael’s body. Lucifer had promised Michael that he would kill him, as it was the only way to heal Michael, because it would allow him to resurrect himself without all the scars Sandalphon gave him. Amenadiel had two choices, let Lucifer kill Michael in creation and destroy everything, or let Lucifer keep the gate and kill Michael in the void.
Lucifer took Michael into the void and killed him and used the power released to create a new Multiverse. He then invited anyone who wanted from God’s cosmos to live in his cosmos.
Michael comes to speak with his brother Lucifer, concerning his Void. This angers Lucifer greatly and instead he does quite the opposite of what he is asked and as a great show of power seemingly bonds with the very energy of the Void and then splits it infinitely so that an infinite amount of doorways in an infinite amount of dimensions all lead to his creation, allowing all who wish to enter, to do so. Michael leaves, angered with his brother once again, and Lucifer welcomes all into his Paradise, making just a simple rule for them: not to worship anyone, not even himself.
At this time, Lucifer’s realm is infiltrated by the Basanos, and as he argues with Mazikeen in Yahweh’s creation they soon take over his realm, and although he can sense their doings, he arrives too late to save his creation, solely because of the time difference he placed between the two worlds. But because of a plot, Luicfers own power was used against him and he fell.
Lucifer’s spirit existed in a limbo of sorts where he encountered Death of the Endless who had to come and see just how close he’d gotten to being on her doorstep.
The two talk for a while, then help comes in the form of the one Basanos brought to his attention back in Hamburg, Elaine Belloc.
Elaine exclaims to Lucifer that she can save him. Lucifer doesn’t understand all of the technicalities of the process but gives it a shot and the two join hands. A flurry of energy emanates from the touch and Lucifer’s withered body is fully restored to life. He awakes to see Meleos standing over him. Lucifer infers he may not survive as the hunting dogs of Kagutsuchi – that had been given to the Basanos by Susano – run down the mountainside toward the cave mouth. As the scouting hounds of the hunting party approach, Lucifer dispatches one with merely his brute strength. However, he has other things to attend to and knows Meleos’ real reason for involving himself is that he wants redemption for creating The Basanos. So Lucifer departs, telling the fallen seraph to hold them off until he falls.
Entering through the window of an upper chamber, he awakens Jill Presto from her fertilization. The Basanos realize the war they fought with Meleos (and the Lilim) was merely a distraction and they storm off to their tower to find Lucifer already waiting with his hand around Jill’s throat.
He gives them an offer, an ultimatum, destroy themselves and he will not harm their offspring lest it threatens him first. After a pause and with a bitter resentment in her face, Innocence stands alone as her fellows all return to their cards which she is then holding in the form of a deck, she sets the cards (and herself) ablaze and the threat of The Basanos is eliminated.
Lucifer appoints the Lilim his army and dispatches them with Mazikeen at their head to track down Susano who has taken his two unmarred feathers. But he does not go with them for he has other promises to keep, a promise made one year ago with Amenadiel, a duel in the Inferno.
When Lucifer arrives he is interrupted when a demon drops before him, with praises on his tongue, and a knife in his fist. While Lucifer kills the first with the demon’s own blade, he is stabbed in the side from behind. He swiftly turns and rips the face off of his would-be murderer.
Later, two assassins enter the power on which Lucifer resides, but upon entering the chamber Sisyphus is bound with mystical chains. The second assassin strikes, it takes root inside Lucifer’s heart and he collapses onto the floor. Within that instant the entire tower vanishes and Sisyphus plummets to his death while Lucifer descends.
The next day Lucifer appears in the doorway of the Coliseum with three bloody splotches on his garments, ready to begin a long-awaited battle between Heaven and Hell.
The two contestants are searched by the officials, and the duel begins. Amenadiel rips out Lucifer’s heart he spins a tale of Lucifer’s legacy lacking both loyalty and love and that he never truly lived, his final vengeance to a dying foe. Amenadiel finishes saying he should thank Lucifer, for returning his own life to him, and with that said he devours the heart with gusto but suddenly he freezes and falls to the ground flat on his back. Lucifer rises back to his feet then and announces that indeed the heart was that of Sisyphus, instilled with the disturbed cherub. Unsheathing a sword Lucifer begins cutting open the seraph’s chest, ignoring Amenadiel’s warning that Lucifer’s antics will die as well with his breaking of the code duello. Tearing out Amenadiel’s heart and life, the last words Amenadiel hears are, “Rules are rules.” And it is finished.
Remiel descends from above and orders Lucifer’s execution due to the fact that he broke the code duello as his heart was not in the arena but before he can say anymore, a massive shock wave of energy bursts forth from Lucifer, demolishing the wooden platform upon which they stood. Now once again winged, Lucifer leaves this affair, his powers restored.
After Lucifer gathers a crew for the journey to the Mansions of the Silence, he sets his sights on another mission and heads off to speak with his brother Michael. The two begin discussing things until it gets to the point where Lucifer begins questioning Yahweh and tries to get his brother to question him as well. In time he gains the curiosity of his brother by saying he knows of a way in which they can know their father’s thoughts and so they journey into Lucifer’s realm where they enter the fortress of Scoria and submerge themselves in the mind of The Presence. Their father speaks unto them, proclaiming Lucifer’s will to escape predestination an admirable trait and telling them his further plans, that he is leaving creation. The two than escape the mind of Yahweh, and just before The Presence leaves the universe he shares a final conversation with Lucifer, than goes. Lucifer at that moment is going into the Mansions of the Silence himself, the entire domain being destroyed by the sheer power he contains, and he rescues his entire fallen crew, dispatches Tsuki-Yomi and rescues Elaine Belloc and Mona Doyle, whom he later transforms into goddesses of his realm, as long as they don’t ask for worship.
In his cosmos Lucifer sits at a table with Mazikeen, surrounded by the hordes of the Lilim when two angels of The Host cut through the demons. One is Uriel, the silent and obviously superior of the two, and the other is Zonaquel, who plainly makes it known he has nothing but disgust for the Lilith’s children and no training in humility. Lucifer decides to spare him from Mazikeen’s blade despite his insults but ignores him for the rest of his stay and instead talks with Uriel who has come seeking knowledge of why The Creator abandoned them and when he shall return.
Lucifer informs him that Yahweh had this planned from the beginning and closed the Circle of Eternity…from the outside…he wouldn’t be coming back. What he had planned was to be succeeded by his sons, since neither of them were interested it was only safe to assume every other being of creation would be seeking to take the throne and would do so unless The Host should begin efforts to prevent it. Lucifer finds his prediction to be true sooner then he expected when he and Mazikeen return to The Lux and find the Titans Garamas and Gyges trying to use his gateway to get to Heaven.
Confident and unshaken Lucifer makes a demeaning joke and then proceeds to expel his power upon the brothers, presumably incinerating them. However, when the fires die down the two are un-singed and Lucifer is left looking the fool. They inform him that his flames were to be feared when his father was in power but now that they are the lords of creation he is nothing to them and swatting him aside like an insect they proceed into the portal.
Lucifer follows them after instructing Mazikeen to guard the gate and if he does not return to take the Lilim to the Silver City and hold it for as long as they can, if he does not join her, she can mourn him at her leisure. Emerging from the gate he steps into the desolate red wastelands of Hell, the territory of Effrul to be exact. The Titans are unamused and know not how Lucifer tricked them and he says his will is still his own. He then walks over to the skull of Effrul and while explaining some of its history informs them that he can bring back those he killed as that is a matter of will also.
So as the colossal demon rises from the ground, temporarily restored to life, Lucifer flies into the skies, leaving Garamas and Gyges with a distraction to keep them busy for a time so that he can prepare to make his final stand. Upon arriving in the Silver City he is met with the spears of The Host who are adamant that he cannot set foot there by the will of the father. He is unimpressed and bored with the mindless seraphs and almost comes to blows with them until Uriel cuts through and grants him unhindered entry to go talk with his sulking brother Michael.
The brother’s conversation does not go over well as the emotionally disturbed Michael finds himself despising his brother more and more and has become apathetic towards the fate of the universe. Lucifer doesn’t find his brother to be worth his time anymore and hands him a strip of cloth, telling him to wear it as a blindfold when the Titans do away with Elaine. Then he returns to Uriel, asking to see the armory so that at least he may stand and fight whatever is coming.
Uriel fits Lucifer with a suit of armor and sword that were crafted for him by Ibriel before his fall from Heaven but due to the fall, it was never used. The two are interrupted when a commotion is heard outside the tower and going out into the open courtyard they find Zonaquel with Mazikeen’s sword to his throat. She came with Beatrice to warn Lucifer of the weapon the Titans had constructed to defeat him, a Duinum created from Beatrice’s memories that would negate him if they should touch, destroying them both.
He sees a plan formulating in this news and speaks with Mazikeen about the fate of Beatrice as she watches on solemnly. When at last Lucifer’s Duinum reaches the Silver City he immediately kills two of the Host and wastes no time in attacking his target. Lucifer is at the ready but merely uses a blast of his power to distract the creature and then vanish. Garamas and Gyges then make their entrance, catching up with their weapon and beginning to lay waste to Heaven.
Lucifer toys with them at first, playing off of Gyges’ stupidity and causing him to strike his own brother but Garamas is not so easily defeated and with but a wave of his hand immobilizes Lucifer, sending him crashing to the ground and leaving the Duinum to finish him off. As the creature wraps its hands around Lucifer’s neck he grows weak but no one comes to his aid, not even the enraged Michael who rose from his seat at the foot of his father’s throne to fight the Titans.
But Lucifer’s not finished as Mazikeen finishes the ritual she had been performing with Beatrice by plunging a sword through the back of Beatrice’s midriff…obliterating Garamas and Gyges into non-existence and causing the Duinum to lose all its power over Lucifer. Destroying it now with ease, Lucifer explains to Michael that Beatrice had been their conduit to touch him and he had used her to touch them back and killed them before they ever became Yahweh. So, with his mission completed Lucifer leaves Heaven again, still at odds with his brother.
It’s not long before others heard word of this attack on the Silver City and a meeting is called by demons, hosted by the soul of a man named John Baxter Sewell, the gathering includes both those who sided with Lucifer and those who did not. They seem unaware of all that’s going on in Heaven but draw some accurate conclusions, however they believe they need the Morningstar to clear things up to which one responds that he was invited and may still show up…
And indeed he does eventually show, but what the demons mistakenly took for a leader to fall behind is instead their bane. He informs them that he expects they wish to take advantage of the current chaos and for his plans to go ahead, reality must remain intact…so he closes the door behind him and leaves, claiming he’s sorry for at least a few of them, as John plummets several stories out of a window to his death and the death of all those sealed inside him.
Finally it seems that in these ending times that Lucifer has decided to put his foot down when he issues a law within his creation, all immortals leave his realm…or be slain. He appoints Elaine Belloc to perform this feat for him, for if it was up to him he would simply kill them all but he knows she would show them mercy, or at least that’s why he says he’s allowing her to do it. So she does these things for him and he doesn’t even have to lift a finger, though he does make sure Mazikeen will be loyal to Elaine.
Some undetermined amount of time later, Yahweh’s creation still in peril, Lucifer Morningstar is invited to the House of Destiny of the Endless, promised that should he come that he will learn something to his own advantage. That is why, despite his better judgment on the matter, he decided to come along with Elaine, who was told someone in the House of Destiny would need her help. So they come to his abode in the Garden of the Forking Ways and sit at his table, enjoying his hospitality. This is how Michael finds his brother and daughter, and he doesn’t seem to pleased.
Lucifer has a desire to make a wager with Destiny. So he asks from across the table if Destiny would be willing to bet that before the meal is over, Lucifer will do something not written in Destiny’s book. Destiny argues that all things are written in his book. The conversation ends with Lucifer saying, “Then gamble that they’re not, and you can’t lose.” The attitude of Lucifer is remarked about soon after by Elaine’s mutter, “A glass of testosterone, anyone?”
Elaine accidentally brings up a touchy subject when she asks her father if Heaven has returned back to normal since the invasion by the Titan brothers. Michael goes off on a huge rant at that point about how the entire multiverse is in peril because Yahweh has abandoned creation. Elaine seems shocked at this news at which point Lucifer clears things up for her, making it known that only Yahweh’s cosmos will be affected, his are completely safe. Michael bitterly points out then at the table that since the problem does not touch Lucifer, he does not care about it, nor shall he help.
So it is that Lucifer continues to remain silent in the background, as Elaine and Michael talk of the troubles for the cosmos, and turn to Destiny whom they believe has the answer. The answer he gives them when they request he read from the book is this: “To read aloud from the book makes the book an element in the story it tells. The danger inherent in that is as great as the threat you seek to address. That this is a turning point in the history of creation is self-evident. The very script in which the book is written changes after this point. At such a juncture, the slightest word or gesture could tip the balance.” These words, heard by Michael, cause him to fly off into the heavens almost immediately, and even Elaine feels it her duty to follow him.
As they sit in Destiny’s house, Lucifer and the eldest of The Endless are having a conversation, one about why Lucifer has a distaste for Destiny. Destiny represents the idea of predestination, the very concept that could be considered Lucifer’s greatest enemy throughout his entire existence. Lucifer than rises from his seat at the end of the table and as he walks towards Destiny, and goes on to say, that while cause and effect are tools, they are only the foundation if it is a prison you are creating.
At this point Destiny claims he does not understand the metaphor but says that as for himself, he would prefer a prison over an asylum, a comment which manages to rile up the normally cool and collected Lucifer as he realizes that comment was directed at his own creation. So, in a predetermined outburst he reaches forward, grabs several pages of Destiny’s book with his hand, tears them out and incinerates them in his “light-bringing” fires. “And now we’re both in the dark.” Lucifer says, believing himself to be triumphant but Destiny replies, “No. Now you look at the ashes…” In surprise Lucifer looks down to see the blackened remnants of the page have fallen into a pattern that forms two words, “Fenris” and “Yggdrasil”…”And now you change your mind…”
Flying swiftly to the Silver City within Heaven, Lucifer for once seems to actually be troubled about something, the very thing that has Uriel interrogating Elaine Belloc in some tower within the Silver City. It seems she witnessed her father expelling his power to save the universe but she doesn’t know how, Uriel tells her that Michael is using the Dunamis Demiurgos to remake every atom of creation, to make it anew, bleeding his power to save everyone else. Just as he finishes his explanation however, Lucifer appears in the window of the tower room, his wings spread wide and he joins the conversation in such a way that it can be assumed he had been listening all along as he says, “Call it what you will, Uriel. The wolf is at the door. And it’s not going to work.”
These words seem to bring about some response from Uriel but not full understanding as not long after, Lucifer is walking down the streets of the Silver City, with the Host at his back, and Uriel at his side, who is doing his best to discourage Lucifer from doing what he is about to. Why would it make any sense to stop Michael from saving creation? Such an idea would be ludicrous. Lucifer seems to understand more of the current situation than Uriel as he says that under normal circumstances what Michael is attempting may have even succeeded. The problem arises in the fact that these are not normal circumstances, with Fenris seeking Yggdrasil, all bets are off.
Saying nothing more he takes to the air, flying up to The Logos, the room a top a mighty tower where the Word of God resides, echoing off the walls for all eternity. Standing on the platform just outside the construct’s only window he demands his brother awake but there is no reaction seen from Michael. Thus, Lucifer mutters, “Then we’ll do this another way.” Once again he stands on the platform of the tower, this time with Elaine and Uriel at his sides. Uriel still seems confused why Lucifer is concerning himself with Heaven’s business, such a thing would normally be unheard of. Yet Lucifer says that Yggdrasil is one of the “beginning places” and so his plans to sit out the destruction of Yahweh’s universe has crumbled – at this point Elaine attempts to interject with disapproval as she than learns Lucifer plan’s to sit out but this confrontation doesn’t take place as he continues speaking without acknowledging her question – because what The Wolf does may shake even his own creation, which he will not allow.
With that said, he placed his opened palms on the outside wall of the tower, tells Uriel and Elaine to fly away for their own safety and than the entire tower is consumed in a holy fire and within seconds the formerly massive construct is reduced to crumbled shards of stone. Emerging from this wreckage is Michael and he does not seem to take long to figure out what’s going long and to direct his rage as he says, “Speak quickly, Lucifer. Or I call this Host to witness — you will not speak again.”
It is left to the reader’s imagination how this conflict is resolved for when we next see the brothers they are in Svartalfheim, alongside Elaine, standing upon the edge of a cliff. Flying above them is a massive host of angels, but Lucifer only speaks with Uriel, telling him to establish a guard that will prevent any disturbance of what the three are about to do. After this has been said, it is clear that Michael still refuses to trust his brother and that once again Lucifer seems to know more than his fellow member of the celestial host. Michael asks, “If the journey isn’t a physical one, than why come here?” Lucifer answers the question as cryptically as usual, saying that tree expects to be approached from ‘this direction’ which he believes will make the journey easier, but that is just in perspective, for they is no easy way to make the trip as far as he is aware.
Meanwhile, in another place, Fenris the Wolf, a lot more knowledgeable on the subject of The World Tree, is filling in Charlie Gilmour, prepping the madman for the journey to Yggdrasil, for he is to be Fenris’ chariot. So, with his wife and child promised him if he should take Fenris to Yggdrasil, Charlie begins the very rough journey, losing himself as he treks through white oblivion, on the path he at one point sees three angels, one bleeding power (Michael), the other bleeding will (Lucifer), and the other presumably bleeding humors from her eyes (Elaine). Eventually he takes The Wolf, The Trickster and Bet Jo’gie to the roots of Yggdrasil, with them none the worse for wear but Lucifer and his companions did not fare so well. Plummeting from the skies over The World Tree and surrounding areas, he, Michael and Elaine crash to the earth, only Elaine conscious and she cannot see.
Not far from the tree Yggdrasil, the blinded Elaine is now poised over a heavily injured Lucifer, turning him over onto his back, she begs him to wake up for she is no longer able to see and needs him to tell her what to do or for that matter if they have even arrived at Yggdrasil. Fenris and Abonsam approach, needing no disguises for Elaine could not see them anyway, Abonsam calls out to her, “Your friends are hurt. Can we do aught to help?” Abonsam and Fenris come closer until they are looking down on her and Lucifer from where they stand and once again The Trickster speaks describing the appearance of Lucifer to her and then telling her that the fountain just ahead has waters with healing properties. Elaine looks towards his voice and asks “Sceorfan” if he could please bring her some of the water for Lucifer could not die, he must reach the tree and so Abonsam says he’ll go fetch it with his hands and as he and Fenris walk a little ways away from her, Elaine’s begging for him to hurry follow them and Abonsam replies, “Doubt me not.” With that the mighty Fenris slashes Abonsam’s chest, opening several wounds with but a single swipe.
Elaine than speaks up again calling out Sceorfan’s name, questioning him for the identity of the sound she just heard, the sound of Fenris ripping The Trickster’s body open. Abonsam replies, his voice with less power behind it, weakened by the strike, “Nothing. It was — nothing.” Still weak he walks up to Elaine and tells her to cup her hands and receive the water he has. She does so and the blood from his chest pours into them, at first Elaine seems surprised as she notices the water feels warm, like — but before she can identify the substance she is interrupted by “Sceorfan” who tells her to quickly drip into into his mouth, lest he die right then and there. She does so without anymore questions, letting the blood fall as Abonsam collapses and lays face down beside her and Fenris simply watches. The blood spills onto Lucifer’s chin, his throat, his lips, filling his mouth…and then, his eyes snap open, his body jerked to life. He begins to cough as he sits up, his eyes white, his wings outstretched, rage clearly seen upon his face, of course Elaine cannot see his face so she simply talks to him calmly telling him that she believes they are near the tree and that they only have to — but once again she is cut off, but this time not by someone else speaking but by Lucifer’s hand wrapping itself around her throat as pupils appear within his eyes and he stares into her face, blood and bruises all over his own.
At that moment, Michael groggily awakes, eyes opening weakly as he mutters, “L — Lucifer?” Getting to his hands and knees he speaks again as he sees his daughter, choking for breath while Lucifer’s outstretched arm suspends her in the air and Michael speaks again, louder this time, “Brother?” Swiftly he clambers to his feet and rushes to get between the two, trying to push Elaine away from his brother, warning Lucifer to stay away from Elaine. But Lucifer’s only reply is, “Morningstar? I am Fenris. I am The Wolf!” With that, the maddened Lucifer thrusts Elaine’s head into the side of Michael’s face, taking both of them out. Lucifer and Michael now begin their last fight, Michael holding back his brothers fists, apologizing for what is to come for his brother is not himself, and so, lying upon the ground, his wings flattened beneath his back, Michael raises his right hand and from it spews a white energy that begins to envelop Lucifer, taking its toll on him, causing him to cry out.
Within a massive crater, Michael stands over Lucifer whose on his hands and knees, both of their wings are in tatters, what’s left of their clothes torn, blood streaming over their bodies. Smoke rises around their bodies and although Michael is stronger, he makes one fatal error, he tries to reason with his brother, telling Lucifer that it is not he who acts. Michael tells Lucifer to fight it, to be himself, lest all their pain and effort be for naught and creation falls. But Lucifer, still possessed simply turns his head to the side, blood dripping from his mouth as he grins evilly at his brother, “Excellent.” Than in a blur of speed he grabs his brother and Lucifer takes to the air, glowing with energy as he takes his brother higher into the heavens. As they ascend Michael still pleads with his brother, “Morningstar — brother — I don’t want to kill you –” but Lucifer simply scoffs at these words as he points out that with his broken wings, Michael’s strength is failing. His own rant thus begins, “I am the furnace in which you will be unmade. I am your death.” But Michael remains stubborn and responds by telling Lucifer that he will be the death of all, and that it will all be his own doing and his alone. Lucifer heeds not these words in his madness and a massive expulsion of energy erupts from within him, engulfing both sons of Yahweh, leaving them both to plummet to the ground, burning as they fall.
Michael and Lucifer crash through the upper branches of Yggdrasil, snapping them as they continue their descent, and then they are lost to view and for a time they seem to do nothing. Yet then, a broken Lucifer stumbles over to the place where his brother lays in a pool of blood, at the base of the tree, his own leathery wings are naught but spines now, jutting from his back. Cleared of mind he weakly speaks his brother’s name, but it is too late. Michael is dying, the fate of creation sealed, but the latter issue is not the current problem for Michael’s death provides a problem in and of itself. And so he calls out to Elaine, asking her to come to him, the blinded Elaine follows the voice of her father until she is kneeling at his side. She and her father share a heartfelt talk, and Lucifer simply listens as the two share their final words, Lucifer interrupts the two however when Michael tells Elaine she must take his power because Lucifer believes that Elaine is too weak, that she cannot do it but unintentionally Lucifer draws Michael’s attention to himself. Michael asks to exchange apologies with his brother, as he never thought it would have to come to this but Lucifer tells him, that Michael is not at fault, that he himself is to blame.
This being said, Michael than returns his attentions to his daughter, explaining to her that she must not only let his power flow into her, but she must contain it as well but in fear she tells him she knows not how to perform such a feat. Meanwhile not far from the blood-covered father speaking his last words to his daughter, Sarah holds Bobby in her arms and begs Lucifer to take them away from Yggdrasil but he tells her there is no need to do so at the moment, for if she waits a little longer, it may become meaningless anyway. Close by Michael and Elaine are becoming more panicked as Michael tells his daughter that should she survive she will find herself with a great many duties, though he believes in her ability to rise to them. But Elaine simply has last regrets on her mind and begins apologizing to her father, for not trying to talk to him, for not coming to him. Than it is that her father utters his last words, proving that he can acknowledge his own faults “It would have done no good. I was proud, and stubborn. I could have sought you out. I could have –” and so he dies, Elaine hovering him, a scream ripped from his throat as his nigh-uncontainable energy bursts forth from his body, engulfing Yggdrasil and all within its perimeter. Lucifer and Elaine are consumed as the Dunamis Demiurgos is released, but that is not there end, she reforms her body with the power and he is holding her hand, helping her through whatever trials she may face. Elaine begins to create universes to hone her skill with the demiurgic power and Lucifer tells her that she must be tested and to do so must create a perfect world and she does so, but problem after problem arises and she becomes frustrated but all Lucifer does is slide her the occasional bit of advice, he does not support the idea of intervention, or so it seems. So at last he asks to her to return them to his own creation, and she does so, creating a gateway, with her name holding it open, “Elaine Belloc” and so he and her enter it.
He confronts Noema, making it clear he intends the very thing everyone (but Elaine) suspects from him, violence. Noema also appears to have a deep hatred for the Morningstar and things almost come to blows before Elaine intervenes, under the pretense that their fight could harm the others. This seems to cool Noema and Lucifer down, so the two instead end up talking with one another, away from the group and Noema decides to bring Lucifer (and the gang) to the place where his destiny is leading him, the very Gates of Hell. Once there Lucifer is taken in by Hell’s new ruler, Christopher Rudd, as an honored guest. Eventually things come to a surprising twist when it is Lucifer himself that asks Rudd to put aside his wish for vengeance and come to the Silver City’s aid. He patiently waits for Rudd, also a surprise, but after a while he finally becomes fed up with waiting and he, Elaine and Mazikeen head off to the Silver City, to finish their war. Within a very short amount of time, Fenris injures Lucifer, and Elaine takes him to be healed but he refuses to rest and returns to Heaven explaining that Elaine must sit on the Primum Mobile and become all powerful. So they run to it, leading Fenris unintentionally and eventually they enter the chamber, where Elaine seats herself. But Fenris interrupts them, halting the process and drawing Lucifer into a fight, the two fight a long and hard battle, until at last Lucifer reveals he still has some power and destroys Fenris. He than turns on Noema, but not to kill her, but to use her to speak with Yahweh. The speech seems to sway his father into sparing creation, allowing the world to go living. After that Lucifer makes sure Elaine truly understands what her new position has left her as and than goes on his way to do other tasks.
These tasks include seeing Rachel, transforming the Lux back into the bar it had always been, closing all entrances to his creation, by reforming them as the Letter of Passage they originally were, he finds however that a piece is missing and goes to the Windowless Rooms to retrieve it. There he meets with Izanami, now in human form, and regains the last piece to the Letter and goes on his way. He makes a final stop with Elaine, as she’s working hard to restore creation, and he meets with Mazikeen, at last restoring her face and than handing his powers, “the Morningstar” abilities, to her. He than opens a gateway into the new Void and enters it, disappearing from creation forever.
Lucifer has nothing to do but fly through the void outside creation. Due to time not existing in the void, Lucifer is able to meet the Silk Man as he leaves an earlier creation. Eventually Lucifer meets up with Lilith, Berim and the gang who were transported into the Void at a time in Lucifer’s past, their greeting is not a happy one but they are interrupted by Yahweh, who offers his son that they both give each other their selves so they can understand one another, but Lucifer refuses…and disappears into the Overvoid.
Powers
New 52
Lucifer now has the ability of flight, hellfire manipulation and projection powerful enough to instantly turn two guard demons of Hades’s castle into ashes. He can also create portals in which to summon demons to his side, or suck others into hell or send them to earth. He has the ability to heal and regrow severed limbs that were cut off by magical means namely the sword, Excalibur. He has displayed super strength on par or even above Etrigans, resistance to some form of supernatural rain that washes away magic, and because of his long life, he knows many things. Also, he has the power to empower other beings, like give Etrigan his full power back, and more.
Original
Lucifer is the second most powerful being in the DC universe. His 3 signature powers are The Lightbringer flames, his nigh-omniscience, and The Will of God. The flames can destroy almost anything and are unique hence the name Lightbringer. His nigh omniscience allows him to be 10 steps ahead of all others and know almost everything. His will can manipulate reality on any scale he so wishes. He also has various other powers like divine magic, soul creation, etc.
Even without his powers Lucifer’s intellect makes him a formidable adversary. While powerless in The House of Windowless Rooms he was able to manipulate the many gods in the realm who attacked him and drive them to their own deaths, and he is capable of manipulating demons to think against their nature, and even gods against their will. His manipulation skills makes him a walking Anti-Life Equation.
Though extremely powerful and deviously smart, he plays by a set of rules;
- He never will lie, he considers it to be degrading and below him.
- He always keeps his word.
- Experience is everything to him, so he will not turn back time to correct every mistake.
- He prefers to rely on his intellect and manipulations rather than getting his hands dirty.
- Sometimes he likes to see how everything plays out, for example, he surrendered to Etrigan the demon because of this rather than destroy all opposition.
His power seems to have no limit, but he actually does have one real weakness; He can not create something out of nothing on a multiversal scale.
Other Media
Television
Lucifer Morningstar’s most famous appearance on television was in the hit series Lucifer, where he is the owner of a nightclub called Lux along with Mazikeen after they both left Hell behind for Earth. His life experiences a change after an old acquaintance gets murdered and he meets with Detective Chloe Decker of the LAPD. Lacking faith in the system, he inserts himself into the investigation to catch the killer, all the while bonding with the Detective. After the killer was caught, he became a civilian consultant for the police department, and Chloe’s official partner. With time, he managed to create friendships with the Detective’s ex-husband, Dan, and her daughter, Trixie.
Trivia
Lucifer means “Bringer of Light” or “Light Bearer” in Latin.