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Hi! Can you analyse "More Than Anything" from HH?

Hi!

Sure! More Than Anything is actually my favourite song of season 1! It is so sweet and very loaded thematically and character-wise!

I have briefly talked about it in this meta, but here it comes a deeper analysis!

LUCIFER AND CHARLIE: DREAMING OF LOVE

More Than Anything has two main themes that come together in Lucifer and Charlie's relationship:

Love

Dreams

The father-daughter bond is rooted in both. Specifically, they express love through dreams. Or if you prefer, they dream of love.

This is explored in the first two stanzas.

Firstly, Lucifer explains that his dreams were broken:

You didn't know that when I tried this all before My dreams were too hard to defend And in the end, I won't lose it all again

And that Charlie is now the only dream left, which is why he will protect her:

Now you're the only thing worth fighting for More than anything, more than anything I'll shelter and adore you more than anything

Charlie replies that it was Lucifer who inspired her dreams:

So in the end, it's the view I had of you That showed me dreams can be worth fighting for

And adds that her dream is for her people to be safe:

More than anything, more than anything I need to save my people more than anything

So, father and daughter are the opposite and the same.

On the one hand Lucifer believes fighting for dreams isn't worth it (my dreams were too hard to defend). On the other hand Charlie insists that it is (dreams can be worth fighting for). At the same time, Lucifer dreams of protecting (loving) Charlie, whereas Charlie dreams of protecting (loving) all her people. Desperation and microchosm vs hope and macrochosm. This is the root of Lucifer and Charlie's foiling at the beginning of the song. How does this juxtaposition develop? Let's go deeper by exploring some imagery present in the song.

LIGHT AND SHADOW

More Than Anything uses a light/shadow motif to express the two main themes:

Love (1): lights and shadows comment Lucifer and Charlie's bond. They both have been hiding parts of themselves (shadow), but throughout the song they show their true selves (light)

Dreams (2): light is a metaphor of dreams and of how the characters relate to them

1- More than Anything starts with Lucifer and Charlie distant and in the shadows.

They are repressing a lot and have no idea who the other is. Still, as the song goes on, they get to understand each other:

All that I'm hopin',now that my eyes are open Is that we can start again, not be pulled apart again 'Cause in the end, you are part of who I am

And in the end they embrace in the light.

What is initially in the shadow comes to light. So, Lucifer and Charlie see each other for who they are.

2- Lucifer mentions his past dreams and summons light. However, he throws it away because he has given up on his ideals:

Charlie hurries to pick the light up, just like she is pursuing Lucifer's discarded beliefs with her Hazbin Hotel project. Still, Lucifer stops her and holds her hands. His daughter is his new dream and he is ready to throw everything away, if he can protect her.

This resolution is highlighted in the next sequence:

Lucifer remembers the Elders of Heaven attacking him, then he imagines their weapons pointed at Charlie. Out of fear he drags her away. What's interesting is that Charlie is targeted when she stands in the light, while the moment Lucifer pulls her to safety, she steps into the shadows. The meaning is clear. Lucifer fears that if Charlie takes the spotlight, she will attract Heaven's anger. So, he wants her hidden and sheltered in the shadows. Just like a child. This is why his hug is sweet, but also suffocating:

Charlie wants a different kind of love. She needs the father who inspired her with dreams and stories. Specifically, Charlie remembers a light show Lucifer put up for her on the spot:

This scene is key and it combines the light/shadow symbolism with another motif.

THE UGLY DUCKLING

In their flashback, Lucifer tells Charlie a fairy tale by using light as a medium. The story itself is pretty obvious:

I never dreamed of so much happiness when I was the Ugly Duckling!

A little duck swims in a pool of water, but suddenly grows into a beautiful swan. Lucifer's Ugly Duckling is a metaphor of his situation, as the swan has six seraphim wings and shines at the centre of the universe. Specifically, Lucifer's fairy tale is the inversion of his own story.

Lucifer used to be a beautiful seraphim, but fell from Heaven and lost his family (the angels). He is now stuck in Hell, as a little duck:

Lucifer: Now presenting… the magic-tastical back flipping rubber duck! Haha! That spits fire!

Oh look! Lucifer himself is a magic-tastical duck, who spits fire :P

So, his fairy tale gives a happy ending to his own tragedy. It is a wish. A dream. It indirectly shows how Lucifer has been handling pain and misery by creating. It also suggests that Lucifer puts himself at the centre of his dreams. He is the ugly duckling.

At the same time, Charlie's narration tells us about herself and how she sees her father.

First of all, Charlie states she never knew who her father was. It is implied Lucifer kept his distance because of depression:

Charlie: We just have never been close. After he and mom split, he never really wanted to see me. He calls, sometimes, but only if he's bored or like needs me to do something.

This is highlighted in Charlie's memory too, as Lucifer appears in a dark study room. Not only that, but he is in the spotlight, while Charlie is in the shadow, which is a metaphor of how she felt distant from him:

Still, Lucifer embraces little Charlie and shows her some light. He reveals a caring and idealistic self that Charlie is initially unaware of. And this version of Lucifer inspires his daughter.

This affirms that Lucifer's dreams aren't useless. Sure, they are left unfulfilled, but they still motivate Charlie. They are why Charlie is who she is. Moreover, Charlie is enchanted by a simple story, not a big manifestation of power. It isn't a theme park or a circus or human free will. It is a short fairy tale Lucifer comes up with in a matter of seconds. No matter how small, a dream always touches dreamers.

Secondly, Charlie sees herself as the protagonist of the story. She wants to be at the centre of her father's universe and to make him proud. Well, Charlie is going to do exactly this. She is Lucifer's dream. She will fulfill his ambitions. She is turning into a beautiful swan.

Lucifer's arc starts when he understands this:

I've been dyin' to find out who you are I've been waiting, wanting the same thing Looks like the apple doesn't fall far Took you a while I've missed that smile

The King of Hell has been stuck in his own head, consumed by his depression. This is why he is initially alone and surrounded by mediocre rubber ducks. He can't create anything new because he is too focused on himself. The moment he opens his eyes and looks at Charlie, he finds hope again:

I'll support your dream, whatever lies in store And who could ask for more?

Charlie is his new dream, so he should do his best to help her become who she has the potential to be.

When Charlie is a child, Lucifer tells her a story, where he himself is the protagonist. Now that Charlie is an adult, Lucifer must accept Charlie is the protagonist of her own story. And he must help turning this story into reality. This will be his greatest creation. A duckling becoming a swan. A daughter growing-up.

PASSING THE TORCH

This frame has Lucifer:

Use his light again

Spread his wings

He starts the song by throwing his light away, but ends it by summoning a bigger and brighter torch. Similarly, he starts the episode making rubber ducks out of depression, but ends it with beautiful swan wings.

This metamorphosis happens because Lucifer isn't putting himself at the centre of the universe anymore. Rather, Charlie is his universe.

Lucifer creates a pocket-dimension, which is a bigger version of the fairy-tale of the flashback and has Charlie be its protagonist. He has her play with water, like the little duckling:

And has her fly at the centre of the scene like the swan:

In this scene, he gives her the spotlight, both in how he exits the frame and in how he has the light follow her. Charlie is the swan shining brightly at the centre of Lucifer's world (the circus).

More Than Anything starts with Lucifer desperate and focused on the microchosm. It ends with him finding hope in Charlie, who becomes the key to a bigger and more beautiful reality.

Lucifer's biggest success is that he gave birth to Charlie and showed her the light (dreams), even when he himself felt engulfed by the darkness (hell).

aspoonofsugar

I have two additional thoughts about the song. Specifically about Lucifer and Charlie's initial stanzas:

You didn't know that when I tried this all before My dreams were too hard to defend And in the end, I won't lose it all again Now you're the only thing worth fighting for More than anything, more than anything I'll shelter and adore you more than anything

When I was young, I didn't really know you at all I always felt so small But I hеard your stories and I was enthralled Thе tales about your lofty dreams, I listened breathlessly Imagining it could be me So in the end, it's the view I had of you That showed me dreams can be worth fighting for More than anything, more than anything I need to save my people more than anything

A- These two stanzas comment on Charlie's main flaw, which is ignorance.

Charlie is ignorant about the world (macrocosm). She has no idea of the struggles she will have to face to realize her dream:

You didn't know that when I tried this all before My dreams were too hard to defend

Charlie is ignorant about her loved ones (microcosm). She has no idea of who her father is:

When I was young, I didn't really know you at all I always felt so small

These lyrics also foreshadow "You Didn't Know", where the pattern is repeated.

Charlie is called out over her ignorance about the macrocosm:

Sera: I'm sure you wish it could be so But, there's a lot that you don't know

And the microcosm:

Adam: Don't you act all high and mighty Did you ever think your little girlfriend might be a liar? Vaggie: Don't, Adam, please! Adam: What's the fuss? Why hide the fact that you're an angel just like us?

This is an interesting flaw for the Princess of Hell, which ties with the theme of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

This theme is probably the main one of the series, as it complements and supports that of redemption. After all, how can you talk about redemption, if you do not even know what "good" and "evil" are?

So, Charlie as the protagonist embodies the theme:

She is the Fruit of Knowledge, who challenges ideas as old as time. "Maybe leaving Hell isn't impossible", "Maybe it is never too late to change!"

Still, she is also challenged by the theme because her main flaw is "ignorance":

She is ignorant because people keep her in the dark (like Vaggie and Lucifer)

She is ignorant because she decides not to look too deeply into things (like Vaggie clearly hiding something from her, or Angel's struggles)

She is ignorant because she is naive and has no understanding of good and evil

Finally, she is ignorant about herself because she refuses to face her own feelings and contradictions

Charlie's many shades of ignorance come together beautifully in her deal with Alastor:

Alastor: Your soul? Heavens, no. All I need from you is one itty-bitty favor. What's a favor between friends? Charlie: I won't hurt anyone for you. Alastor: Who's asking! One favor, at a time of my choosing, where you harm no one. In return, I tell you what I know. Do we have a deal? Charlie: Deal.

Alastor is keeping Charlie in the dark about his ulterior motives

Alastor is one of Charlie's loved ones, but she decides to ignore his darkest side

Alastor's deal takes advantage of Charlie's childish understanding of "good" and "evil". After all, "hurting others" is bad, so if Charlie puts a condition where she hurts nobody, it will be good, right?

Through Alastor, Charlie might come to discover something new about herself; like her own weakness, fragility and hurt.

B- Lucifer and Charlie's two initial and opposite stanzas are interesting in relation to their arcs and to the relationship father and daughter share.

On the one hand Lucifer affirms his love for Charlie (the microcosm):

Now you're the only thing worth fighting for More than anything, more than anything I'll shelter and adore you more than anything

He has given up his ideals in exchange of one single precious relationship. He is an idealist, which has been let down too many times and has given up hope.

On the other hand Charlie sings of her love for her people (the macrocosm):

That showed me dreams can be worth fighting for More than anything, more than anything I need to save my people more than anything

She has no relationship with her dad, but is connected to him through her dream. She is an idealist so enamored with her dreams, she forgets she needs to accept people as they are, rather than their idealized versions.

Well, thankfully they are able to grow through each other:

Thanks to his love for Charlie, Lucifer finds a way back to his dreams. Not only this, but his bond with his daughter (microcosm) works as a bridge towards the Sinners (macrocosm). So, he ends the season not only saving Charlie, but also his people. The Finale has him singing to Charlie together with her new found family of Sinners:

Thanks to her dream and her love for the people (macrocosm), Charlie finds a way back to her dad (microcosm). After all, if she were not so determined to fulfill her dream, Charlie would not have called Lucifer and the two would not have reconciled:

Vaggie: Maybe it's time- Charlie: NO. Vaggie: to ask- Charlie: DON'T SAY IT. Vaggie: your dad. Vaggie: Charlie, I know you don't want to, but we need every advantage we can get. Charlie: He let the extermination happen to begin with. They just had a meeting and said, "Go ahead and kill everyone!"- Wait. That's it! Vaggie: Kill everyone? Charlie: No! He could get me a meeting with Heaven!

In short, both Lucifer and Charlie are dreamers, who need to better communicate with people and they do so also thanks to each other. I will add both need to connect with the macrocosm (Hell's society/the universe), the microcosm (their loved ones) and the self (who they are). Still, they seem to be going at it in opposite ways:

Charlie starts with her strong love for ideals and people (macrocosm) to slowly learn more about loved ones (microcosm) and discover something about herself through them (the self)

Lucifer starts with his strong love for Charlie (microcosm), who helps him reconnect with his dream and people (macrocosm), so that he can save himself by helping them (the self)

In short, they are two dreamers who need to learn in different ways that dreams are empty without people. Really an excellent and exciting foiling for me!

aspoonofsugar

I have some new thoughts on More Than Anything aka the gift that keeps on giving :P

Let's focus on the final part of the song:

Both: All that I'm hopin', now that my eyes are open Is that we can start again- not be pulled apart again 'Cause in the end, you are part of who I am Lucifer: I'll support your dream, whatever lies in store Charlie: And who could ask for more? Lucifer: More than anything (Charlie: More than anything) More than anything (Charlie: More than anything) Both: I'm grateful you're (Lucifer: my daughter/Charlie: my father) more than anything More than anything

First of all, I think this finale is why so many people are deeply touched by this musical piece.

In particular, there are two phrases that hit very hard:

Both: 'Cause in the end, you are part of who I am

This expression sums up familial relationships very well. In the end, we don't choose our parents or our family. Still, they end up becoming parts of who we are, for better or worse.

Both: I'm grateful you're (Lucifer: my daughter/Charlie: my father) more than anything

The fact Charlie and Lucifer don't say out loud they love each other is why their affection comes out stronger imo. The idea of being grateful for someone is deeply touching and resonates more than a generic "I love you".

Secondly, these two phrases are very important for both Charlie and Lucifer's stories.