*violently shaking lucifer from the shoulders* WHY CANT YOU BE MORE EVIL??? AAAAAAA
Seriously though, THIS is our take on the DEVIL???
Okay, i know hazbin is meant to subvert what we accept as common knowledge from christian faith but still. I wouldve loved for Lucifer to be a more accurate representation of pride. My man is the king of hell - that title HAS to carry some weight.
Imagine if Lucifer and the other sins used to be angels, with the former often being singled out and praised. This would eventually get to Lucifer's head and he'd develop a superiority complex or something. Maybe the other sins have their reasons to be upset with God and/or the other Angels (like how Lilith had conflict with Adam), so they rally around Lucifer and stage a coup. They fail (unsurprisingly) and get exiled to Hell. And only then, in an act of spite, does Lucifer sneak inside the garden of Eden to offer the apple to Eve and corrupt humanity, effectively taking God's greatest creation down with him.
And just to fuck with him even further, Heaven condemns sinful humans to Hell because they want to force Lucifer to coexist with the creations of his imprisoner. Not to mention that he cant hurt them either.
Lucifer: Those filthy angels... forcing me to live with humans... the most pathetic creatures ever made...
Lucifer: No, not you babe. Im talking about those other humans
Maybe the reason every sin has their own ring is because they blame Lucifer for the failed coup and want to distance themselves from him. Maybe the reason why sinners cannot leave the pride ring is because the other sins also hate humans and dont want them running around their own rings. Maybe Lucifer invented soul contracts because he couldnt care enough to govern the pride ring and did the bare minimum of work to ensure sinners would form a somewhat organized hierarchy.
Maybe he closes in on himself because deep down, he knows hes in the wrong, but he'll never admit that. He isolates himself because hes constantly grappling with his egomania that keeps him coming up with excuses for his actions. The opening narration in s1 is told from a storybook Lucifer made for Charlie in a pathetic attempt to preserve his pride, to hail himself as the hero in the eyes of his daughter. But the angel in him knows hes full of shit. That Lilith, the other sins and pretty much everyone knows the truth. And that Charlie will eventually come to realize that too.
Maybe Charlie has such a sanitized image of sinners because she grew up sheltered and her idea of the "worst crime ever committed" is her father simply wanting to give humanity free will and accidentally unleashing evil upon earth. She wholeheartedly believes that sinners either:
a) sinned out of necessity
b) sinned with good intentions
Which would explain the fact that she initially treats her guests like her class of kindergarteners. She hasnt been exposed to what humanity is truly capable of and she regards her parents as positive role models. Thus, she insists that "everyone can be redeemed" rather than the more realistic alternative of "only those who truly want to change can be redeemed". Because redemption requires willpower, first and foremost.
Back to Lucifer. Maybe he's not on board with the concept of the happy hotel because he doesnt want to negotiate with Heaven in the slightest. Maybe he only allows Charlie to go through with it because hes bitter and wants her to realize that humans suck through trial and error. Maybe the selfish asshole in him wants to see her to become more like him and less like the innocent cherubs in Heaven.
And what if Charlie finds out the truth? What if she realizes that her father committed the ultimate act of hubris and rightfully got his ass served to him? If he committed the sin of pride as an angel, does that mean the other angels are just as capable of evil? Does that mean Heaven is not the utopia she envisioned for her guests? What then? Does she abandon the pursuit of redemption altogether? Does she shift her focus into making Hell a better place instead? Does she break down completely and end up like her father?
Sorry for going a bit off-topic. I have so many thoughts on hazbin and i have to get them out there somehow. Lucifer's portrayal has been bugging me for a while now, along with Charlie ngl.
Id love to hear your thoughts on Luci, as well as your personal headcanons/fantheories too ^^ feel free to spam the comments section