‘Lucifer’ Season 3 Episode 12 Recap: “All About Her”

Lucifer Season 3 Episode 12 Recap
Lauren German and Tom Ellis in ‘Lucifer’ season 3 episode 12 (Photo Credit: Fox)

Fox’s Lucifer season three episode 12 begins with Lucifer (Tom Ellis) and Marcus Pierce/Cain (Tom Welling) bonding over alcohol, with Cain confessing he was behind Lucifer’s kidnapping that resulted in the sexy Devil waking up in the desert and discovering his wings had returned. However, he didn’t have anything to do with the return of the wings and the loss of Lucifer’s devil face. Cain also confesses to being sad he had to take out his right-hand man, and doesn’t care if Lucifer doesn’t believe him.

Lucifer threatens to tell everyone who Marcus really is, but Cain reminds him no one even believes he’s the Devil so good luck with that.

Over at Chloe and Maze’s place, Maze (Lesley-Ann Brandt) is in trouble for testing her knife-throwing skills by using Trixie’s door as a target. Chloe (Lauren German) can’t believe Maze has been using Trixie’s artwork to cover up knife holes all over the walls, but it turns out that’s not really what has Chloe all upset. She’s pissed Lucifer betrayed her and kidnapped a prisoner, but Maze sets her straight. “You have to understand, Chloe. You are never going to change Lucifer. He is who he is,” explains Maze.

And, the crime scene setting for this episode is the beach. The wealthy residents of the neighborhood are upset transients are trespassing on their beach and can’t believe one must have committed murder. Dan (Kevin Alejandro) fills Chloe in on the victim who happens to be Manny ‘The Moondog’ Taylor, a pro surfer. Dan admits he’s surfing again and is really impressed with the dead guy’s talent.

Ella (Aimee Garcia) determines a surf leash was used to choke their victim. But, it wasn’t Manny’s leash. Just then Lucifer shows up, and he can’t believe Chloe didn’t call him about their new case. Of course, the conversation quickly turns to his needs and he reveals he needs her help figuring out why someone he describes as clever and cunning is lying to him.

Chloe’s flabbergasted that Lucifer came to the murder scene to get her help and, after getting herself under control, she shoos Lucifer away. She’s going to take on this case without him. She advises him to go be with the person he loves most…himself.

Lucifer pays a visit to Dr. Linda (Rachael Harris) and reveals the scoop on Cain. He’s upset Chloe won’t help him figure out what’s up with Pierce, and Linda tells him to for once look at things from Chloe’s side. He just betrayed her trust, and Linda suggests he think about the relationship from Chloe’s perspective. “So, what your saying is I need to make it all about her for a change?” asks Lucifer. He thinks he’s nailed it because if he makes it all about her, she’ll in turn make it about him.

Over at the station, Chloe shows Charlotte (Tricia Helfer) and Ella a video of ‘Dangerous’ Doug Libby threatening Manny one week before Manny’s murder. Charlotte says it’s not enough to prove a murder, and Chloe wants to know if Ella could match Manny’s wound to Doug’s leash. Ella, who’s acting extremely uncharacteristically subdued, says she can.

After Chloe leaves, Ella finally breaks down. Choking back tears, she confesses to Charlotte that Pierce yelled at her for talking too much. It really affected her, and now she’s trying to talk less. Charlotte tells Ella to push through and not do what men tell her to do. (Excellent advice, Charlotte!) Ella needs to grow a thicker skin and stand up for herself.

Chloe’s surprised to find Pierce packing up his office. He explains he put in for a transfer and Chloe wonders if it has to do with the Sinnerman. She suggests he think about it more before leaving, but he says it’s done and tells her not to make a big deal about it.

Meanwhile, Amenadiel (DB Woodside) visits a doctor because he has itchy eyes, a sore throat, and a fever, and it turns out he has chlamydia. Amenadiel doesn’t believe that’s possible, but the doctor assures him he just needs to take antibiotics to clear it up. The doctor also suggests Amenadiel not sleep with any more prostitutes and he needs to call everyone he slept with so they can be tested. (Oh no, Dr. Linda’s on that list!)

Lucifer surprises Chloe while she’s at a surf competition where she hopes to get a hold of Doug’s leash. Attempting to be helpful, Lucifer informs her he’s decided he needs to prioritize her in their friendship. He’s also decided this particular day will be all about her, calling it Detective Day. He even figured out how to get her close to ‘Dangerous’ Doug Libby. He’s signed her up to compete and whips out a tiny bikini she can wear while talking to Doug. She says no to the bikini but yes to the competitor’s pass.

Chloe acts like she’s super impressed and tells Doug she’s a huge fan. She claims Lucifer, who’s lurking over her shoulder, is just a sponsor and makes him leave, then she invites Doug to a rad little beach in Malibu. Chloe checks out Doug’s board and then she spots a ding and asks if he hit something. Of course, that’s when her name’s announced and her picture’s put up on the screen, blowing her cover since it says Detective Decker and the photo shows her in uniform.

Doug takes off running but Lucifer stops him, proclaiming he did it because he’s helping out on Detective Day.

Back at the station, Lucifer reminds Chloe he’s there just for her. Chloe’s too smart to fall for Lucifer’s game and tells him she knows he’s only helping her so she’ll help him with his problem. She also lets him know his Detective Day plan is not working.

Doug’s taken to the interrogation room where he admits right off the bat that he did it, but he didn’t realize he was dead. He then explains he was on a wave, a seal came out of nowhere, and he hit it. It wouldn’t stop barking and blood was everywhere. Chloe and Dan can’t believe Doug thinks he was brought in for killing a seal and when they show him Manny’s photo, Doug is surprised to learn Manny’s dead, too.

Elsewhere in the station, Charlotte gives Pierce a hard time, asking if he takes his coffee dark and bitter like his soul. She wants to know if he always treats his subordinates so horribly and then tells him Ella did not deserve to have her spirit crushed by his harsh treatment.

Leaving the seal-killing Doug in the interrogation room, Chloe doesn’t even stop and passes right by Lucifer. Chloe’s swift departure means Dan is left to answer Lucifer’s questions about how to not annoy Chloe. Dan suggests he should be thoughtful, but not get in her face.

Maze and Linda do a little bonding, with Maze showing off one of her knives. Linda’s a little freaked out until Maze explains she’s giving it to her as a gift. Maze thinks Linda deserves it for how she handled the Amenadiel thing. However, before Linda can explain she and Amenadiel are seeing each other, Amenadiel calls Maze. After she quickly hangs up, Maze tells Linda Amenadiel’s whining about having chlamydia. Linda spits out her wine.

Back at the station, Chloe tells Dan the blood on Doug’s board was indeed seal blood. Dan’s learned a Huntington surf gang called the Orcas have been using surf leashes to choke people to scare them off their beaches. They haven’t killed anyone yet, but that could have changed.

Chloe comes up with the idea to have Dan surf on the Orcas’ beach. She and Pierce watch from a surveillance van as Dan sees members of the surf gang, but not their leader, Wild Child. Finally, Chloe and Pierce spot Wild Child who turns out to be a woman. Chloe warns Dan the Orcas don’t do anything without Wild Child’s instructions, and Dan assures her he knows how to piss off a woman.

Lucifer’s hanging out at Chloe’s desk and has a chat on the phone with Maze trying to figure out how he can make things up to Chloe. He needs to be thoughtful, but Maze isn’t helpful. When a stack of paperwork arrives on Chloe’s desk, Lucifer figures out how to help his partner. He decides to clean up her desk, water her plant with alcohol, and organize all the files that arrived with helpful labels like “Boring Crimes” and “Obvious Killers.” Labels complete, he doesn’t know what to do next.

Lucifer bothers Ella and she tests out Charlotte’s advice. She yells at him to scrub her test tubes and to smile while he’s doing it. Just as quickly she apologizes because this isn’t her. She reveals Pierce is leaving and Lucifer is stunned by that bit of news.

Dan is busy catching waves and cutting off Orcas, including Wild Child. Back in the van, Pierce says he’s going to miss making fun of Dan. Chloe stumbles through a rough explanation that they’re all going to miss their new boss, suggesting again that he doesn’t have to go.

Lucifer arrives and he’s not about to let Pierce leave until they finish their talk. Chloe’s forced out of the van but not before she reminds them to keep an eye on Dan.

Lucifer demands answers and Cain has his own demand: he wants Lucifer to do his Jedi mind trick. Cain reveals his biggest desire is to die. He came to LA not because of Lucifer, but because of Chloe. Cain explains he’s lived on Earth for thousands of years and it’s been like being in Hell. (Remember, it was his file cabinet with folders on celestial beings that we saw in an earlier episode.) He was shocked when he learned Chloe could make the Devil bleed. He thought maybe she could kill him, but he had to kidnap Lucifer first to get him out of the way. Sprouting wings and returning early screwed up Cain’s plan.

Cain changed things up and told the shooter at the ranch he was coming, hoping he’d get shot while in Chloe’s presence. Lucifer’s pissed the detective was in danger, and Cain goes on to explain that his plan didn’t work and being close to Chloe isn’t enough to help him die. Cain convinces Lucifer he doesn’t know why everything – the wings, the devil face, and Chloe – happened to him.

Wild Child and the Orcas approach Dan and Wild Child punches him in the face. He says, “surf’s up” which is supposed to bring Chloe and Pierce running, but nothing happens. Wild Child grabs a leash and Dan asks if that’s what she did to Moondog.

Pierce is too busy talking to Lucifer to pay attention to what’s going on with Dan on the beach. Lucifer can’t figure out what caused his wings to reappear, and Chloe interrupts to say she lost Dan’s audio. They check out the video feed and there’s blood on the beach, but no Dan. They race out to the cliff and see Dan, Wild Child, and the Orcas participating in a paddle-out ceremony in Moondog’s memory.

Dan admits he thought they killed him because of the surf leash strangulation and the Orcas’ tags on the walls. Wild Child claims they don’t go near the private beaches and didn’t kill Moondog.

Lucifer Season 3 Episode 12
Lauren German and Tom Ellis in ‘Lucifer’ season 3 episode 12 (Photo Credit: Fox)

Once more to the station we go and Dan is sure the Orcas didn’t kill Moondog. They arrive at Chloe’s desk and Lucifer proudly shows off his neatly labeled and color-coded crime files. Dan backs away quickly as Chloe appears as though she’s about to explode. Maybe the shirtless in bed computer background photo of himself he’s installed on Chloe’s desktop was a step too far…

Chloe reminds him he hurt her and says she’s never going to help him with his investigation, but he tells her he doesn’t need help with that anymore. When she asks why he’s still there, Lucifer replies, “Because this case matters to you, therefore it matters to me. We’re partners, Detective.”

Chloe lets him off the hook, but can’t believe he’s got folders for “Hot Suspects” and one that’s just “Graffiti.” However, it appears Lucifer once again unwittingly broke a case. The graffiti folder contains photos of the private beach signs put up where Moondog’s body was found. California doesn’t have private beaches, and Chloe narrows down their suspect to the resident who spoke to Dan earlier and had been cited for putting up the private beach signs.

To test her theory, Chloe and Lucifer set up beach chairs outside the resident’s house. The suspect, Justine (Kate Beahan), immediately confronts them, asking if they saw the private property signs. Chloe’s using one to fan herself and Justine threatens to call the police. Too late as they’re already looking through her house as she talks to Chloe and Lucifer on the beach.

The police find the leash used to strangle Manny. She finally admits it and says Manny was just a means to an end. She wanted everyone to stay away from her beach. Lucifer appears to have had an epiphany and leaves Chloe alone on the beach without any warning or explanation.

Dr. Linda and Amenadiel meet for dinner and Linda admits she doesn’t want to sneak around. Neither does Amenadiel apparently as he wants to go public with their relationship. Linda thinks they shouldn’t be together at all, and then they get into a discussion about chlamydia. His doctor calls during the discussion and admits he was wrong, Amenadiel doesn’t have chlamydia.

Linda thinks if she dates Amenadiel it means she’s a bad friend to Maze. She does really like him, and Amenadiel really likes her. They kiss, not realizing Maze is watching from another table.

Marcus Pierce is about to leave the station but stops in at Ella’s office before exiting. She gives him a piece of her mind, calling him rude and unprofessional. She asks for an apology and he agrees, saying he was in a bad place and took it out on her. She offers a hug and he accepts. Ella smiles and says, “You’re going to miss me.”

Lucifer pulls up just as Pierce is about to start his motorcycle. He’s finally figured out why his dad returned his wings. The wings aren’t about Lucifer, they’re about Cain. Lucifer believes God wanted to stop Cain from defying him and used him to do it. The return of the wings ruined Cain’s kidnapping plan, and Lucifer’s figured out this all means he was actually just a means to an end – like the dead surfer was for the rich resident.

“My dad screwed us both, but perhaps there’s a way for us to screw him back,” says Lucifer. Lucifer thinks if he kills Cain, it will screw God. Lucifer swears he’ll figure out a way to kill Cain if he stays in LA. He offers Cain a deal with the Devil. They shake on it, and Cain smiles.

More on Lucifer Season 3:
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 1 “They’re Back, Aren’t They” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 2 “The One with the Baby Carrot” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 3 “Mr. and Mrs. Mazikeen Smith” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 4 “What Would Lucifer Do?” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 5 “Welcome Back, Charlotte Richards” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 6 “Vegas With Some Radish” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 7 “Off the Record” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 8 “Chloe Does Lucifer” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 9 “The Sinnerman” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 10 “The Sin Bin” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 11 “City of Angels?” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 13 “Til Death Do Us Part” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 14 “My Brother’s Keeper” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 15 “High School Poppycock” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 16 “Infernal Guinea Pig” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 17 “Let Pinhead Sing!” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 18 “The Last Heartbreak” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 19 “Orange is the New Maze” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 20 “Angel of San Bernardino” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 21 “Anything Pierce Can Do I Can Do Better” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 23 “Quintessential Deckerstar” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Episode 24 “A Devil of My Word” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Bonus Episode “Boo Normal” Recap
Lucifer Season 3 Bonus Episode “Once Upon a Time” Recap