Earl Johnson, also known as God Johnson, is a wealthy oil magnate and patient at Westridge Canyon Psychiatric Hospital. While under the influence of the Medallion Of Life, he believed himself to be God, and gave away all his money, leading his wife to have him institutionalized. When a hospital intern is murdered, Johnson finds himself assisting Chloe Decker and Lucifer Morningstar in their investigation.
History[]
Johnson is from Odessa, Texas, and made his wealth in oil. While in New Mexico for work, he "saw a cool belt buckle" at an airport shop and picked it up. Unbeknownst to him, the buckle was part of a celestial blade and was infused with God's power. As such, the buckle gave Earl Johnson access to some of the memories and abilities of God, while supressing his own.
Believing himself to be God, Earl Johnson began to give way his money and calling himself "God." On February 3, 2017, his wife committed him to Westridge Canyon Psychiatric Hospital.
Westridge Psychiatric[]
When a Westridge orderly, Toby Mulligan, is murdered at the hospital, Johnson discovers the body. Once he arrives at the crime scene, Lucifer declares that he loves the mentally ill, he is entertained by those who think they are someone else, and is intrigued that Johnson thinks he is God. He goes out of his way to speak to Johnson, "I can reveal the truth about the Supreme Being you've chosen to impersonate. I bet you wanted to be God because He's benevolent, all-powerful, yada yada. But in actual fact, He's a dick." Johnson then proves immune to Lucifer's mojo, which throws Lucifer for a moment, until he decides to attribute the fact to "really amazing drugs." But when he declares he is finished with the "fraud," Johnson tells him, "It was real good seeing you, Samael." Startled, Lucifer then begins to wonder if Johnson really is his Father.
Lucifer then has himself committed for a 72 hour hold in order to investigate both the case and Johnson, "there may also be some personal issues I'd like to explore with Mr. Johnson." He then witnesses Johnson actually heal a woman, and is nearly convinced Johnson may be his father - enough to punch him in the face and call him a son of a bitch.
When Lucifer later confronts Johnson and demands an apology, Johnson replies, "Apologize? You punched me. Tell you what I can do: I can forgive you." When Lucifer then calls him Dad, he says, "So you believe me? Good. Tell me, just what is it you think I've done?" Lucifer lists his offenses and then brings up mum, surprising Johnson who didn't know she was on Earth, nor was Lucifer the Samael he remembers. Not something expected of an omniscient.
Lucifer Morningstar and God Johnson
Lucifer then decides to take Johnson and escape the hospital, with Linda's collusion, and Lucifer sets him up with Charlotte. Linda cannot believe the devil is trying to "parent trap" his parents. Johnson and Charlotte dance and a kiss together at Lux before the police arrive and return Lucifer and Johnson to the hospital.
As Chloe confronts him back in Lucifer’s hospital room, he happily consumes the drugs provided by a nurse. After she leaves to speak to the doctor, the drugs kick in, and a person in the Santa hat and beard approaches from behind. Lucifer sees Santa but Santa easily knocks him out since Chloe is still nearby making him susceptible to the drugs. Lucifer wakens on a gurney being wheeled down the hall, and he tells the person in the Santa mask pushing him he is the Devil. Santa replies Lucifer is just a man with delusions. Lucifer is happy to run with that for the moment.
He is placed next to Johnson who asks Nurse Kipsey (Laura Coover) why she wants to know whet they told the police. She takes off her disguise and says she has to kill them both since they know her identity. She then explains she hates her mother, and Lucifer tells her she is preaching to the choir. He says evil parents need to be destroyed. God is a bit taken aback that Lucifer wants to destroy him, "I had no idea you were so angry with me.... But to want to destroy me? That's pretty serious. You mind telling me why?" Lucifer tells him, "Because... Because I'm your son. And you rejected me." Johnson then says that if that is the case, he could not blame Lucifer. Nurse Kipsey decides that God will kill the devil then hang himself. She heads off to get a ladder to stage their deaths, and Johnson tells Lucifer, “For what it's worth, I am sorry. I truly am. And I am proud of you, Samael. I am proud of the man you've become.”
When Nurse Kipsey returns and removes Johnson's belt despite his protests, the buckle falls to the floor, he passes out. After Chloe arrives and Kipsey is subdued, Johnson revives with no memory of the last few months, and wonders why he is strapped to a gurney.
When he is later released and heads back home, Lucifer appears to send him on his way, and ask him what it was he did remember. He said nothing, not since he picked up the belt buckle months previously. He then apologizes to Lucifer for anything he might have said that caused them to argue, but Lucifer told him he had been lovely, when he briefly thought Johnson was his father, "you said some things that I think I wish he'd always said to me, so for that I thank you."[1]
Powers and Abilities[]
- Divine Empowerment: During the time he wore the Medallion of Life on his belt, he gained a set of miraculous divinely supernatural abilities.
- Healing: While empowered by the Medallion of Life, he is capable of channeling divine power to heal the wounds of mortals.
- Resurrection: While empowered by the Medallion of Life, he is capable of channeling divine power to resurrect the dead.
- Divine Wisdom: While empowered by the Medallion of Life, he gained divine and arcane knowledge. He was able to recognize Lucifer and calls him "Samael", something which surprised and shocked Lucifer.
- God's Memories: While empowered by the Medallion of Life, he possessed memories of God, though apparently only prior to the Heavenly rebellion and banishment of Lucifer and the goddess.
- Supernatural Immunity: While empowered by the Medallion of Life, he was impervious to supernatural powers such as Lucifer's persuasion and desire mojo. He took a punch to the face from Lucifer without any visible injury or lingering effects. He was also immune to human drugs.
- Photokinesis: When God Johnson revealed himself to Lucifer divine light appeared behind him.
- Electromagnetic Interference: When God Johnson was healing a woman the lights in the hallway started flickering.
Appearances[]
| Season Two | ||
|---|---|---|
| #16 | "God Johnson" | Appears |
| #17 | "Sympathy for the Goddess" | Mentioned |
| Season Five | ||
|---|---|---|
| #9 | "Family Dinner" | Mentioned |
Trivia[]
- Johnson was at Westridge Canyon Psychiatric Hospital for three months. He was admitted February 3, 2017 and released May 10, 2017.
- His condition was described as "delusional" and he was given thorazine and diazepam. While thorazine is an anti-psychotic, diazepam is used primarily to treat anxiety, muscle spasms, and seizures.
