The Sad Story of Satan

This semester I have had my second opportunity to take a class on the Adam and Eve narrative, this time from a uniquely Mormon perspective.  For my final paper in this class, I have been looking at the portrayal of Eve in Mormon Art and how that affects Mormon women. This led me to reading different stories, plays, and poems about Eve.  One play stuck out to me, not simply for the portrayal of Eve, but for the portrayal of Satan. This play is The Plan by Eric Samuelsen.  The opening scene is a conversation between Lucifer, the pre-mortal Satan, and Gaia, the pre-mortal Eve. Lucifer is expressing his doubts of God's Plan, but there is the underlying sorrow and pain, knowing he is wrong.  And a pain in the separation of Lucifer from Gaia, that she gets to go to The Garden with Michael and not with him. The exact relationship of Lucifer and Gaia is unknown, but the love is certain. And it breaks my heart, as I am sure it broke Gaia's (and even God's) to see the loneliness of Lucifer, his sorrow at his lack of understanding, and his yearning that it could just be easy for him, as it appears to be easy for Gaia. (Sidenote: Gaia knows life will not be easy. She even alludes that she is aware of The Fall and The Curse). 

It really is just sad, when  you break it down -- in the play, regardless of The Truth, or what you believe -- that Lucifer was not inherently evil, he had the potential to be in the garden with Gaia, but because of his doubts and his fears, his role in the Adam and Eve narrative is completely changed. He posits himself to be the seeker of truth, but he is merely afraid, afraid of pain, loss, sorrow. He lost his chance, and we often overlook the fact that Satan was not a necessary part of this life, of God's Plan, but that he chose his role. Because he was afraid? Because he was afraid of change? Because he was afraid to choose wrong? Because he was afraid he couldn't do it? Ultimately, Lucifer was afraid of The Plan, afraid to trust God, and became Satan.