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There will always be ship-haters. Watching TV shows and interpreting fictional relationships is entirely objective, and you're allowed to have your own opinions. However, what's silly is to state a claim with the weakest evidence to support it. I've watched the show possibly 20+ times over, so I know these characters by heart. Yet, even a newer fan could refute these claims, just by thoroughly watching the show once. Each piece of so-called evidence the author provided has been officially disproved in the show. Or you can use the clues provided in the show's writing to come to the implied conclusions yourself. Writing an article about why Lucifer and Chloe shouldn't be together is ridiculous, mainly because I have much more evidence to prove the opposite.
In the fourth paragraph, the author calls Lucifer the "worst friend." Calling Lucifer the "worst friend" is a stretch. He only really started making emotional connections with humans after he met Chloe and Linda. He did not even care about the concept before them. So it's not like he has had much practice.
"Do you truly consider any of these people, your friend?" "My friend?" (1x08, "A Priest Walks into a Bar")
But after he decides to stay as Chloe's partner, and even after he first realizes she makes him vulnerable in Season 1, his perspective changes. If Lucifer is such a lousy friend, why was he so kind to Delilah, the first murder victim in the show, in the Pilot episode? The weight of the favor she owed him scared her, but what did he say to her? All he asked of her was to "pull herself together" and take care of herself! To not let her talents and life go to waste! He wanted what was best for her, and it was apparent he cared for her because he was desperate to get justice for her murder. The last thing she did was hug him. In season 2, we start to see him connect with people other than Chloe, so he is not as obsessed with her as the author claims. Ella Lopez instantly hugged him and made herself part of his life. Even Dan, whom he initially disliked in S1, changed his tune towards Lucifer. They bonded over their love of ridiculous action movies, pudding, and affection for Chloe. In S3, Lucifer took care of Charlotte Richards, traveled to Vegas with Ella, and had multiple game nights with Trixie. Lucifer had tremendous emotional growth throughout the seasons. These people are more than just friends; they are now his found family . So calling him a bad friend is ridiculous. Another relationship that significantly changed was the one between Lucifer and his brother Amenadiel. Back in the Pilot, Amenadiel said, "My hatred for you [Lucifer] grows stronger with every visit." Lucifer replied, "I look forward to eating your heart one day." Compare that with Seasons 4 and 5: Amenadiel naming Lucifer Charlie's godfather and even asking Lucifer to use his devil-face to calm the baby down. That is a massive development in their relationship. At the end of "Lucifer! Lucifer! Lucifer!" Amenadiel makes the active choice to go to Hell and warn Lucifer about Michael's actions on Earth. In the article, the author states: "Lucifer leaves his brother, Amenadiel, in Hell, while he tries to repair his relationship with Chloe..."
What were you expecting to happen? That Lucifer stays in Hell and ignores Michael, or for the both of them to leave Hell ruler-less? Amenadiel couldn't solve the Michael problem alone; he knew that only the twins could deal with each other. Besides, we know for a fact that Amenadiel had dealt with demons and unruly souls in Lucifer's absence before. He can more than easily handle himself. He wouldn't have gone down there if he didn't think he would ever see Linda or Charlie again. Amenadiel deliberately wanted Lucifer to get rid of Michael and fix his relationship with Chloe. Because Amenadiel cares about his brother and knows how much Chloe and friends mean to Lucifer.
"Even when Linda... demands that Lucifer bring back the father of her child, he refuses because he needs more time to get Chloe to stop being upset with him. And sure, Lucifer has always been selfish, but he reaches new heights of narrow-mindedness after falling for Chloe." (Paragraph 4)
Lucifer gave Linda his word that Amenadiel would come back before Charlie even notices. In case you haven't been paying attention for the entirety of the show, Lucifer's word is his bond. Leaving Charlie fatherless is the last thing Lucifer wants. He likes stay-at-home dads because at least they're better than his own. And Lucifer knows Amenadiel can handle himself. In Lucifer's mind, this is his one-time-only chance to return to Earth, get rid of a nuisance, and say goodbye to Chloe again before duty calls. Lucifer isn't a bad friend, least of all a bad brother.
Moving on, the author writes: "She [Chloe] repeatedly notes that Lucifer's indulgent lifestyle doesn't fit hers as a working mother, and she's absolutely right. We've seen Lucifer pull off a couple of game nights and family dinners — five seasons in, he's nowhere near stepfather material." (Paragraph 6)
Lucifer is "nowhere near stepfather material." Yes, that is the ENTIRE POINT. He hasn't actively wanted to be Trixie's step-devil, because as of Season 5a, Lucifer still has mega unresolved daddy-issues. Even when Amenadiel wanted Lucifer to be Charlie's godfather, Lucifer did not want to accept that position! How could he? He never had a dad-figure in his life that made him feel loved or wanted! Dad kicked him out of the house and dumped him into HELL. Every time Lucifer asked Dad for help or a simple answer, He never responded! Of course, Lucifer would not consider himself a father-figure! I'm guessing that he will be like a "little boy who misses his dad" during the family dinner scene (besides the furious anger and heartbreak). Lucifer never got beyond that stage. He does not even want to be a dad. He says he "never understood the human need to procreate." If Dad and Lucifer ever forgive each other, then maybe Lucifer will let himself be Trixie's stepdad. Solving their past problems and forgiving each other is a long and painful process. One family dinner probably won't make everything better at once. So who knows how Lucifer will feel about fatherhood in Season 5b. I'm sure Lucifer is more than willing to let Dan take over in that department.
While initially, Lucifer's "indulgent lifestyle doesn't fit [Chloe's]," that definitely changed throughout the seasons. As early as 1x06, Lucifer skips a threesome with the Brittanys to go to work with Chloe. Candy mentions that all he does is talk about work; the Detective this, the Detective that. And in season 4, he chose to work with Chloe over spending time with Eve. Again and again, Lucifer has proven how much "work" means to him. In Season 2, there's an entire episode dedicated to Lucifer realizing that his indulgent lifestyle with meaningless sex wasn't what he wanted. He got upset that none of his ex-sexual partners cared about him past the night they shared. Lucifer decided that he wasn't worthy of Chloe's love and gave her a whole speech about how she deserves someone better. His speech about how she's special and selfless just proved to Chloe how much she meant to him, so she kissed him. They may have come from different worlds, but Chloe was willing to be with him in Season 2, and outright loves him now.
"But that doesn't stop Chloe from falling for his charms and taking a leap of faith. Until she sees his Devil face, of course...She doesn't take it well at all..." (Paragraph 6)
Let's talk about season 4. The third season ends with Lucifer killing Pierce, aka Cain, the world's first murderer. Cain's thing was that he weaseled his way into Chloe's life to emotionally manipulate her to fall in love with him to help himself. Imagine you're Chloe for a moment. The man you were about to marry turned out to be a notorious crime boss, killed your close friend, and oops, was also an immortal murderer. Then you discover your partner, Lucifer, whom you're also in love with, standing over Cain's dead body. But Lucifer doesn't look like himself. No, he has a horribly scarred and burned, DEVIL face. The same devil face that makes humans go catatonic with just one peek. This new reality punched Chloe directly in the face. It made sense for her to be shocked. Besides that, Lucifer's standing over a dead body. "Taking it well" was the least of her problems.
"Chloe meets up with a zealot priest and plots to kill Lucifer!" (Paragraph 7)
Yes, Chloe does run away to Rome to get some help with this new revelation. But remember, it turned out that Pierce was an evil immortal murderer who was lying to her the entire time she knew him. Lucifer, the Devil, is infamously known to be the "King of All Lies." The zealot priest Kinley purposely took advantage of Chloe's confusion and vulnerability. He deliberately suggested to her that Lucifer's "no lying rule" could be the biggest lie of them all. At that moment, Chloe wasn't thinking about the moments she and Lucifer had shared in the past. Chloe had to deal with the fact that another man she loved had been keeping secrets from her. Also, Chloe never plotted to kill Lucifer. That's the worst claim from the article. What Father Kinley convinced Chloe to do was drug Lucifer to send him back to Hell. Killing him would go against every moral code Chloe has and discounts her entire character. Kinley definitely didn't give her enough information regarding the vial, so perhaps he did plan on killing the Devil, but that was never what Chloe agreed to.
"If she was so easily led down that path after knowing him for so long, she doesn't deserve easy forgiveness." (Paragraph 7)
She wasn't "easily led down that path." Chloe had doubts the entire time she was with Kinley. She disputed the evidence Kinley had as circumstantial. She knew what kind of a man Lucifer was, and she ultimately still had some amount of faith in him. Why wouldn't Chloe deserve easy forgiveness? She had a perfectly valid reason to have a lapse in judgment. This realization was terrifying for her! The ending argument of "O, Ye of Little Faith, Father " explained her perspective at the time.
What Chloe felt in Rome with Kinley by her side didn't matter. What truly mattered was how she felt when she came back home and saw Lucifer again. When faced with the question, "do you want him in your life?" Chloe immediately knew the answer. She wasn't ready to say it to Lucifer when he asked her, but in "All About Eve," Chloe made up her mind and prepared herself to tell Lucifer she accepted him. Though there was the whole setback when she discovered who he was with at the time.
It is also not Lucifer's job to forgive Chloe, just as it is not Chloe's job to ask for forgiveness. Many fans were upset with Chloe after Season 4 came out, and I wish to point out the blatant sexism here. Chloe and Lucifer are not perfect! Chloe is human, and she had a normal human reaction to seeing Lucifer's devil face! Lucifer is, of course, not perfect, no matter how much he or the fans claim, because the entire show is about him coming to terms with his dysfunctional emotions, and he is the literal Devil. Besides that, Lucifer and Chloe's relationship is contingent upon them being equals. Now that the truth is out in the open, they're finally on the same page, or at least the same book. Forcing Chloe to "beg for forgiveness" would put her metaphorically and literally lower than Lucifer, which is the complete opposite of what he wants. He wouldn't want her to be scared of him or crawl on her hands and knees to beg him to forgive her. Lucifer also separated himself from his angelic side, so it's not like he'll start bestowing holy forgiveness upon her.
Chloe begging Lucifer would undermine her entire role in their relationship. What he wanted was for her to trust him again, and to trust her again. In "Expire Erect," Chloe covered Lucifer when a bomb went off. Saving him from flying bomb shrapnel proved to him that she still cared. At the same time, Lucifer avoided the fact that he "ended" the partnership at work. First, he needed to help Eve on a case, and then he wanted "closure." Solving the case meant he would never see Chloe again, but he knew he still wanted her in his life. So when she shielded him from the bomb, he knew where she stood with him. He decided that he wanted to stay at the precinct because "work" was important to him.
As we continue reading the article, the author downplays the reveal to Chloe; "learning the guy you like is the Devil can be a bit unnerving... A bit of an overreaction within the circumstances!" is ridiculous." (Paragraph 7)
P ut yourself into Chloe's shoes! Seeing the Devil is not "a bit unnerving." Remember Jimmy Barnes, Professor Carlisle, Carmen (who stole the wings), and Julian? They were all victims of Lucifer's terrifying devil-face, the same face meant to torture souls in Hell. These humans were left bumbling, hysterical, and paranoid shells of themselves. Lucifer is lucky that Chloe didn't go insane from seeing him, considering the fallout every other time it's shown. As much as we wanted Chloe's "you're not the devil, not to me" quote to stand when Season 4 came out, what could we have expected? She had the rug yanked out from underneath her. Even Linda, who asked to see "the real Lucifer," was in a safe space , with no angry devil before her eyes, still reacted poorly. She was left frozen in fear for about a week and refused to take his or Maze's calls. Chloe had the absolute worst of circumstances to see Lucifer's devil face. He was standing over a dead human body, for God's sake! I say she had a pretty expected reaction, considering.
As the audience, we can go back to the previous episodes, and find, scene-by-scene, how Lucifer is a good person. We're able to remember all the times he's saved her life, risked his own, and pushed her away for her own good. Chloe, on the other hand, lives in-universe. She has experienced moments with Lucifer for four-five years. How easily do you think she could remember one conversation she had with him, where he explained himself? Human memory isn't flawless, that's for sure. She's bound to forget some vital moments that we, the audience, experienced yesterday in our binge-watch. It is not a "bit unnerving" to have a trusted friend turn out to be the source of all humanity's evil. "A bit unnerving," is your friend secretly being into weird hobbies. Discovering a man you know, trust, and love is a potential mass murderer, liar, and evil entity who hates humanity is more than a step up from "a bit unnerving."
"She doesn't stop trying to "fix" Lucifer... Now, Lucifer needs to be made into a "good guy," because otherwise, he's not good enough for her to be with…" (Paragraph 8). Chloe didn't try to "fix" Lucifer. By the end of season 4, she had already accepted him, angel and Devil. In season 5, to remind "Lucifer" who he really was (and to out Michael as an imposter), she tried to tempt him into being fun during the interrogations. "It can be boring, but you'll make it fun. You always do. That's who you are." Chloe knows that partying, drinking, and mojo-ing suspects make Lucifer who he is. She fell in love with this ridiculously egotistical playboy because she always knew the real him. He can be a generous, thoughtful, loyal, loving, and all-around incredible man. Lucifer being himself makes Chloe a better detective because she knows he's got her back, as shown in "Saint Lucifer." Chloe doesn't expect Lucifer to change his entire life for her, just like he doesn't want her to change for him. They accept each other as they are and bring out the very best each other has to offer.
"This leads to Lucifer having an existential crisis and spiraling into a case of self-hatred so intense that he can't even keep his human appearance up!" (Paragraph 8) Lucifer had an existential crisis and spiraled out of control because he hated himself. He hated himself for eons before he met Chloe. Chloe didn't cause his spiral, and Lucifer would never claim that. Literally, in the episode "Save Lucifer ," Chloe says, "she won't let herself be used as an excuse" for him to avoid his self-hate. Chloe was the one to convince him that everything would be all right. He calmed down because she said he didn't deserve to hate or punish himself. Lucifer didn't know how to forgive himself, but with Chloe's help, he knew he could, and wanted to!
"It also doesn't help the "Deckerstar" situation when it's revealed that Chloe was supposedly "made" for Lucifer. No one knows exactly how that works since the Big Man never reveals his plans, but it's assumed that because Amenadiel was sent to bless Chloe's parents with a baby and is the only human who's ever been able to resist Lucifer's mojo, she's a gift for him. Of course, this makes absolutely no sense since no one has tested if Chloe can resist other angels' mojos. But the very idea that she's a gift to Lucifer is abhorrent and should have never been a plot device. Not only does it make it seem as if Chloe has never been able to have a choice in her love life, it literally renders her an object given to Lucifer! There's no upside to that, no matter how the show tries to paint it!"
The reveal that Chloe was a miracle left us with questions. All we were told was that she was unique, and she was immune to Lucifer's desire power. We only just now got the answer to the question; was Chloe made for Lucifer? No. Chloe was not made for Lucifer. Episode 3x26 "Once Upon a Time," which Dad narrates outwardly, shows that even if Chloe wasn't put into Lucifer's path, they would find each other. God changed one variable, John Decker lived, but Chloe still proved her detective skills. She still teamed up with Lucifer, and they solved a case to get justice for a victim. God didn't put Chloe in Lucifer's path; God didn't make Chloe for him. All God did was make a human that was unique from all the others. It was their choice to want to stick around each other. They chose to continue working together, as implied by the episode, because they were inexplicably drawn towards each other. As Dad confirms, "And some, no matter how you shake things up, end up making the same choices, are drawn to the same people, the same passions."
Then, in Season 5a, we get a more straightforward answer. After Chloe found out about the miracle-gift problem, she spiraled. Amenadiel was the one who ultimately figured out the meaning behind her existence. Chloe always had free will, in fact, probably more than all humans. Other humans are compelled , let's say, to spill their desires when they see Lucifer, and Lucifer "mirrors" their desires back to them. But Lucifer doesn't affect her that way, so he can't reflect any desires back to her. He can be himself around her; he doesn't have to put up a front or mirror. She is the only one who sees him as he really is. So it is entirely up to her to determine whether or not she becomes friends with him or even falls in love with him. Not God. And the "Gift" goes both ways. If Chloe can see Lucifer as he truly is, then he can see her too. Ever since Season 1, Chloe knew she could be herself around him; he makes her vulnerable. In Season 5, in one of the best moments of the show (and believe me, there are many), Chloe tells Lucifer the truth about her miracle status. "If you choose to be vulnerable around me...then I choose to be vulnerable around you."
The author wrapped up her article with "neither Chloe nor Lucifer have made the other's life better in a way one should in a relationship. Romantically, their relationship has only led to hardships and grief; they're better just being coworkers who are friends and letting each other find partners who add value to their lives, not strife." Well, for one, no story works without conflict. Apparently, this author would rather there be no drama in this mystery-fantasy- drama tv show. Most problems around them could have been solved with some simple communication. Lucifer knew he needed to tell Chloe the truth about his identity, but then he couldn't summon his devil face. He realized the cause of the loss of his face until it was too late. Then there was the whole Pierce thing. Again, Lucifer told Chloe the truth, but she didn't believe him. When their relationship was whole by the end of Season 4, Lucifer had to make the painful decision to leave his home on Earth to protect his friends and family there. It was probably the most challenging choice he ever had to make, but it was the right one, and they both knew it. Don't even get me started on Uriel or Lucifer having to kill himself for Chloe's life. Yes, there were conflicts in their relationship, but that doesn't mean they don't make each other's lives better.
And what "other partners" is the author referring to? Dan or Pierce for Chloe? Or Eve and Lucifer? Dan and Chloe's marriage failed because Dan was a lying asshole in season 1 if that wasn't abundantly clear. He gaslighted her and kept her ostracized at work by not telling her the truth about the Palmetto case. Again, Pierce was Cain , the world's first murderer, a crime boss, and a lying asshole who manipulated and hurt Chloe for his own gain. Pierce treated her terribly from the start and toyed with her emotions. To remind you, Lucifer was kind to Chloe since the moment he met her. Yes, Lucifer tried to convince her to sleep with him, but Lucifer did that while respecting her boundaries and abilities. He never wanted to hurt her or toy with her emotions. In fact, he did everything in his power to ensure that she wasn't a pawn intended to fall in love with him. From the moment he met her, Lucifer recognized Chloe's abilities as a detective and always had her back.
Now let's talk about Eve and Lucifer together. Lucifer wasn't in a good place when Eve walked back into his life if that wasn't evident enough. They got together because Lucifer was desperate for acceptance, and he thought Chloe wasn't ready for that. (Though she was.) While Eve looks all innocent on the outside, we know that she really brings out the devilish side in Lucifer. And not the fun mischievous side, but the one that he was back in the Garden. All while she was slowly changing him, Lucifer was trying to keep his life familiar with work. But Doctor Linda knew that this was going to make him snap. With the news of the evil prophecy, Lucifer decided he needed to break up with Eve. Lucifer deliberately ignored Eve and pushed her away to hint that he wanted out of the relationship, even though he just needed to talk to her.
Lucifer had to tell Eve right to her face that he used her and didn't like how she made him feel because he didn't like that side of himself when he was with her. Eve just wasn't healthy for him, just like he wasn't right for her. This is obvious in the episode "Superbad Boyfriend." And Chloe isn't the "cure" to all Lucifer problems. Too many shows portray the woman in the relationship to fix the dark and angsty male character's issues. No, Chloe is just the one to remind him that he is good and that he didn't go too far. She was there every step of his character growth. He knows she makes him a better man, and he would do anything to always do right by her.
Finally, let us compare season 1 Chloe and Lucifer to Season 5a Chloe and Lucifer. Previously, Chloe was the outcast of the LAPD. She was the stern loner, a detective with a chip on her shoulder. She had no partner at work and no support at home from Dan. Compare that to the recent season; Chloe has an entire Tribe of friends, Maze, Linda, and Ella. She continues to trust her gut and abilities as a detective because she has loved ones to support her. She's allowing herself to make jokes and have fun while she's in a relationship with Lucifer. In 5x08, Chloe thanks the entire precinct for helping her. In Season 1, she was rightfully suspicious of her coworkers and never would've expected them to back her up.
And here's the main character himself: Lucifer. In Season One, he was arrogant, irresponsible, paranoid, and violent. He did what he wanted, not giving a literal damn about the rules. There had been no long-term friendships or healthy relationships in his life since the beginning of time. After four and a half seasons, Lucifer has grown exponentially as a character. He started therapy, he began making friends, and he reunited with Amenadiel. Now he has emotional relationships that he would do anything to keep because they're his found family. He started taking responsibility! He left Earth behind to rule Hell even though he would never see Chloe again. He matures; in a Season 5b cast interview, we learn that Lucifer actually wants to reconcile with dad, forgive him, and be forgiven in turn. Lucifer also proved he can commit to a long term relationship, first with Eve, and then with Chloe herself. He actively wants to grow! He listens to Linda, in his weird way, and he considers Chloe's wishes ("No more going backward," and "There are no shortcuts, take all the time you need.") As of 5a, Lucifer has proven himself a competent detective. Again, that demonstrates that he pays attention during the cases. He cares about justice just as much as he loves Chloe.
Lucifer isn't just a show about redemption and forgiveness; it's also a story about love, whether it be family, romantic, or even self-love. Time after time, Chloe and Lucifer have proven that they don't just need each other, but they actively choose to want each other. They acknowledge each other's shortcomings while also building each other up. They're partners in every sense of the word. Chloe and Lucifer grew from work colleagues to friends to partners, to lovers. Along the way, they discovered that they're soul mates. They had to go through so much to get to the point they're at now. Their relationship is the heart and soul of the show, and the writer's delivered one of the best couples I've ever seen. Chloe and Lucifer are meant for each other in every single way.
