Satan (South Park)

Satan is a recurring villain in South Park and is the main antagonist (later an anti-hero) of the 1999 movie South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. He is based on the Judeo-Christian-Islamic figure of the same name, voiced by Trey Parker. He presides over Hell and is constantly at war with God, but is often depicted as a sensitive and emotionally vulnerable person who has suffered from dependence on relationships.

Many of Satan's appearances on South Park (as well as his role in the film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut) focus on his romantic attachments, all of which so far have been homosexual. In the film, he is the initial main antagonist turned anti-hero alongside Saddam Hussein, though at the end of the film, he undergoes a change of heart, and calls off his attack upon Earth. In the beginning of the story, Satan is romantically involved with Saddam Hussein. As the plot of South Park progresses, Satan exiles Saddam after Saddam becomes too domineering. Satan has since had two other partners, Chris and Kevin (see below). Satan also has a rarely seen son named Damien, who, while never specifically labeled as the Antichrist, is based on the character from The Omen. Satan makes a cameo on the end of the current opening. Satan has tried three times so far in the course of South Park's run to take over Earth: in the episodes "Damien" and "Best Friends Forever", and also in the feature film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. All three attempts failed, with the last also leading to Satan's breakup and out-of-anger murder of his then-boyfriend Saddam Hussein, although his attempt in "Damien" was fake—the real reason he did it was to get rich on the money that the townsfolk had bet on him. Satan has been depicted in three romantic relationships. His most significant relationship was with Saddam Hussein in South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. However, Saddam was emotionally abusive to the meek and emotionally dependent Satan, and was interested in Satan solely for sex and world domination than out of love. With some prompting from Kenny, Satan stands up to Saddam, casts him back down into hell, impaling him on a stalagmite, and calls off his invasion of Earth. Saddam is seen again in "Do the Handicapped Go to Hell?". By this time Satan has a new boyfriend named Chris, a passive milquetoast who avoids conflict and confrontation. Saddam asserts to Satan that Chris is not fit for Satan, who truly prefers rebellious troublemakers like Saddam himself, and after inviting Saddam to his hotel room, the conflicted Satan spends the night with him. Subsequently, Chris and Saddam began to kill each other over and over again—appearing alive in Hell the next day—until Satan seeks God's advice. God points out to Satan that Satan is too dependent on relationships, and needs to learn to develop his own sense of independence and self-worth, rather than choose partners who are bad for him. Satan decides to break up with both Saddam and Chris, and when Saddam refuses to acknowledge Satan's wishes, Satan banishes Saddam to Heaven, which is populated entirely by Mormons.

In the 2005 episode "Best Friends Forever", Satan has another boyfriend named Kevin, who acts as his advisor, and urges Satan along in his attempts to conquer the universe; however, when it is clear the battle is lost for them and the figure continues to press him, Satan breaks up with Kevin and dispatches him.

Quotes

 * "I have such delightful horrors to unleash upon thee!"

Trivia

 * Satan's relationship with Saddam is extremely similar to John Silver's relationship with Scroop from Treasure Planet, and that of Fegan Floop with Alexander Minion from Spy Kids. Satan, Silver, and Floop were at first the initial main antagonists, until they were revealed to have soft spots for the main characters, (Satan: the four boys, Silver: Jim Hawkins, Floop: Carmen & Juni) while their lieutenants, Saddam, Scroop and Minion, turn out to be the true antagonists in the long run.
 * Satan bears a strong bodily resemblance to the Minotaur.