One of the many reasons we love Netflix fantasy drama Lucifer is its unconventional romance between the eponymous Lord of Hell and an LAPD detective named Chloe Decker.

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Fans simply can't get enough of seeing Tom Ellis and Lauren German share the screen but it's taken a long time for their characters to embrace their true feelings – and there are further challenges to overcome in the episodes ahead.

As we wait (im)patiently for the second half of season five to be released, now seems as good a time as any to look back on the rollercoaster ride that Lucifer and "the detective" have been on.

Read on for our full recap of Lucifer and Chloe's relationship.

Lucifer and Chloe's relationship Timeline

S1 E1: 'Pilot' - First meeting

Lucifer and Chloe first cross paths when the LAPD drops by his nightclub, Lux, after a pop star is murdered just outside the premises. Lucifer had been friends with the victim and so takes a personal interest in seeing her killer brought to justice, despite Chloe demanding he stay out of police business. Lucifer finds himself infatuated with Chloe as his God-given powers of seduction are ineffective on her.

S1 E4: Manly Whatnots - Lucifer discovers that Chloe weakens him

Despite his consistent assertions that he is indeed the Lord of Hell, Chloe still refuses to believe Lucifer is the devil. Frustrated by this, he encourages her to shoot him in the leg and assures her he will not feel a thing. As he piles on pressure, eventually she obliges, but Lucifer is shocked to find that the shot is actually very painful and causes a serious bleeding wound. Prior to this moment, he had thought himself invulnerable. Lucifer concludes that Chloe weakens him but is unsure why.

S1 E5: Sweet Kicks - Lucifer becomes Chloe's official LAPD partner

Lucifer, Amazon, SL

Realising that he wouldn't be able to worm his way into Chloe's criminal investigations indefinitely, Lucifer pulls some strings at the LAPD to become her official civilian consultant – giving him legitimate access to crime scenes and more time to uncover the secret behind her enigmatic ways.

S1 E13: Take Me Back to Hell - Lucifer sacrifices his life for Chloe

When Chloe gets on the wrong side of corrupt cop Malcolm Graham, he kidnaps her daughter, Trixie, and tells her to meet him at an abandoned air hangar with a sizeable pay-off. Lucifer gets wind of this and follows her to the drop-off spot but is shot in the chest upon confronting Malcolm. Due to Chloe's close proximity, the injury is fatal and he bleeds out on the floor. With his dying breath, he begs his father, God, to give him a second chance of life. The wish is granted and after being resurrected, Lucifer kills Malcolm, rescuing Chloe and Trixie from his evil plot.

S2 E11: Stewardess Interruptus - Lucifer and Chloe's first kiss

Lucifer – Tom Ellis and Lauren German
Netflix

Working on a murder investigation involving two of his former lovers, Lucifer's self-esteem takes a knock and he concludes that he isn't good enough for Chloe. After closing the case, Lucifer and Chloe have a heartfelt chat where he tells her the realisation he's had but she finds the gesture so moving that she ends up kissing him for the first time.

S2 E14: Candy Morningstar - Lucifer 'marries' Candy

After their romantic kiss, the relationship between Lucifer and Chloe seems poised to finally go further than platonic friendship – but then, things take a turn for the worse. Our crime-solving devil discovers that Chloe was only born because God sent Amenadiel to Earth decades earlier to bless her parents, who were having difficulty conceiving a child. Lucifer is outraged about his father's meddling in the only loving relationship he has ever had, feeling manipulated by his grand plan.

As a result, he acts out in a very elaborate manner, disappearing for two weeks and returning with a stripper he claims to be his wife: Candy Morningstar. Needless to say, Chloe is hurt by this shock move, which stops their budding romance in its tracks. However, it's revealed at the end of the episode that this was a deliberate move by Lucifer to put distance between them, as he feels the need to protect her from his father's machinations. Candy is revealed to be an actress who owed the devil a favour, but the two never actually married – it was all an act.

S3 E22: All Hands on Decker - Pierce and Chloe almost get married

Season three sees the introduction of LAPD Lieutenant Marcus Pierce (Tom Welling) – later revealed to be Biblical figure Cain – who gradually becomes a new love interest for Chloe in a subplot some fans aren't too fond of. It's a rollercoaster relationship which sees plenty of ups and downs but very nearly ends in matrimony for the police colleagues.

That is, until a fateful bachelorette party, in which friend and fan-favourite character Charlotte Richards slyly plants doubts in Chloe's mind as part of a plan hatched with Amenadiel to bring her closer to Lucifer. They achieve their goal as, after sobering up, the Detective calls off the wedding and returns Pierce's ring.

It's a good thing too, because Pierce has been up to no good as we later discover – with tragic consequences.

S3 E24: A Devil of My Word - Chloe sees Lucifer's real face

After Pierce's relationship with Chloe goes down the toilet, he attempts to restore the immortality he lost when she fell in love with him by planning to murder Amenadiel. However, things don't go as planned, as Charlotte dives in front of the bullet aimed at Lucifer's angelic brother and dies from her injury.

With no witnesses to the murder other than Amenadiel, who temporarily left Earth to take Charlotte's soul to heaven, Pierce attempts to cover up the incident by taking charge of the police investigation. But when Dan finds incriminating notes that Charlotte made before her death, it becomes clear to the group that Pierce is the culprit.

Chloe and Lucifer close in on Pierce's location but it turns out to be an ambush. The Detective gets shot and briefly loses consciousness, allowing Lucifer to protect her with his wings and fly her to safety at the top of the building. He heads back down to let loose, killing Pierce and sending him to eternity in hell.

The act makes him so angry that it brings his monstrous "devil face" to the surface, which Chloe sees when she runs downstairs to check that he's alright. What could have been the beginning of a sweeping romance becomes the biggest obstacle in their relationship to date, as Chloe flees the scene before Lucifer can explain.

S4 E1: Everything's Okay - Chloe meets Father Kinley in Vatican City

One month passes, during which Lucifer and Chloe haven't spoken. The Detective claims to have gone on a trip around Europe with daughter Trixie in order to clear her head but in reality she stopped off at Vatican City to consult a senior priest named Father Kinley on what to do about Lucifer. Terrified by the revelation that he is the actual devil, she is convinced that she needs to send him back to hell for the good of humanity.

S4 E3: O, Ye of Little Faith, Father - Lucifer discovers Chloe's plan

After Chloe and Lucifer finally get some time to talk, she decides she doesn't want to send him back to hell and that Father Kinley is wrong about the reformed Lord of Hell. This prompts the unhinged priest to drop in on Lucifer and tell him that his beloved detective had planned to banish him from this realm. Unsurprisingly, Lucifer is shaken by this revelation and decides to take some time apart from his partner.

S4 E4: All About Eve - Lucifer reunites with Eve

Tom Ellis in Lucifer season 4 first look (Netflix)

An old friend returns to Lucifer's life unexpectedly: Eve, the first woman from the Garden of Eden. She tells him she has come to be with him, with her unquestioning acceptance of his devil face and flaws a far cry from Chloe's recent rejection. Their romance only lasts a few episodes, as Lucifer is made aware of a prophecy that he and his first love will "unleash evil" on the world. He breaks up with her in the eighth episode of season four.

S4 E10: Who's da New King of Hell? - Lucifer returns to hell

Eve struggles to get over being dumped by Lucifer and ends up in an unholy alliance with Father Kinley. When he turns on her, she kills him in self-defence and summons a demon to possess his corpse, in the hope it will compel Lucifer to return to hell with her. However, the demons have turned on Lucifer during his time roaming Earth and attempt to replace him by kidnapping Amenadiel's infant son, with the intention of raising him as the next Lord of Hell.

In order to thwart their plan, Lucifer is forced to transform fully into the devil to frighten his minions into line. He then returns to hell to restore order in his kingdom, unsure whether he will ever be able to return to Earth to be with Chloe. Needless to say, she's heartbroken (again).

S5 E1: Really Sad Devil Guy - Chloe meets Michael

Two months pass and Chloe glumly accepts that her time with Lucifer has come to an end before the cheeky devil nonchalantly returns to Los Angeles almost as if nothing happened. But something isn't quite right and Chloe soon finds herself suspicious that this Lucifer isn't exactly who he says he is. That turns out to be right on the money as it is in fact Lucifer's twin brother Michael, who has taken his place on Earth with the intention of causing trouble.

S5 E6: BluBallz - Lucifer and Chloe take things to the next level

Tom Ellis and Lauren German in Lucifer
Netflix

The real Lucifer returns to Earth in episode three, after Amenadiel informs him of Michael's misdeeds. Following a brutal confrontation between the two brothers, Lucifer sets to work piecing his life back together. He and Chloe become close once again, as the Detective has recovered from her initial shock about his true identity. In episode six, the two make love for the first time, which results in Lucifer being more emotionally vulnerable with Chloe than ever before.

S5 E8: Spoiler Alert - Lucifer almost tells Chloe he loves her

In episode eight, Lucifans almost got what they had been waiting years for: an admission of love from Lucifer to Chloe. However, just as the devil was about to utter those three fateful words, Amenadiel inadvertently stopped time for mortals as he became panicked by the thought that his son is mortal and will one day die. Lucifer left a frozen-in-time Chloe to investigate, ultimately getting in a fight with his brothers Michael and Amenadiel that prompts God to descend from the heavens and intervene. What ramifications will this have for Deckerstar? Find out in season 5B!

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Lucifer seasons four-five are available to stream on Netflix. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best TV series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide.

Authors

David Craig
David CraigSenior Drama Writer

David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.

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