Nick, otherwise known as The Devil, is the main antagonist of "Dealer's choice", the third segment of the 8th episode of the first season of the 1985 iteration of The Twilight Zone, with the episode airing in 1985. Externally, Nick takes the appearance of a human man, and displayed an oddly amiable, honorable attitude.
Nick was portrayed by Dan Hedaya, who also portrayed Brian Torelli in Law and Order, Arius in Commando and Tully Alford in The Addams Family.
Biography[]
In the 1980s, the Devil took human form to approach a group of humans in New Jersey whose souls he planned to claim, pretending to be the cousin of one of their friends, named Norman, claiming that Norman was sick. He was accepted at the table of the other men, named Tony, Jake, Marty, and Peter, and played several rounds of poker with them, winning several times after repeatedly drawing sixes. When Peter began to question it, Nick asked if Pete's wife had a job, only for Tony to clarify that Peter and his wife had a very strained relationship. Marty promptly left to use the bathroom, and Nick promptly drew two sixes, before leaving to get water. While he was gone, the guys realized he must be the Devil, as they realized he drew three sixes every hand, finding that his last card was also a six, and found that Norman wasn't home when they attempted to call them.
Nick then returned, and when confronted by the men, Nick revealed that Norman was out visiting a sick uncle, who then died, Nick pointing out the exact second he died. Nick then apologized for the deception, telling the men that they could keep the money, which he didn't need, and admitted that he had a good time. When the men tried to figure out who Nick was there to take, Nick asked them to guess, and when they refused, Nick offered a small game to reveal who he was there to take, telling them to draw a card, and that whoever draws the highest card "wins." When Nick laid out the cards, Tony tried to protest that Marty wasn't present, but Nick clarified that Marty, a rather simple-minded and innocent man, was impossible to corrupt, and thus could not be claimed by him. The men then drew the cards, and Peter drew the highest card, meaning that he would be taken to Hell by Nick.
Despite Peter's protests, Nick reiterated that he enjoyed himself during their poker game, but as he prepared to leave, Tony and Jake objected, demanding that Nick give Peter a fighting chance, and Peter then challenged Nick to a one-hand, one-on-one game of cards, winner take all. Nick, intrigued and figuring that he could take it easy, as it was Friday and he could sleep in the next day, accepted, putting up $18 for Peter's soul, as the number was made of three sixes, although Peter ordered him to raise it to $19. Peter then claimed right of dealer's choice, and declared a game of lowball, anticipating that Nick's tendency to draw nothing but sixes would secure his victory. Nick, agitated, still accepted, as Marty rejoined the table. Peter then began drawing cards, and possibly due to Nick's manipulation, Peter drew four fives in a row, with pairs being a bad sign in lowball. However, Nick then drew three sixes, leaving a fourth unknown card. Tony tried to encourage Peter that Nick would draw a fourth six, but Nick then turned the last card over, revealing it to be a Death Tarot card.
Nick then ominously told Peter that there would be no more games, and told him to leave with him, also ordering the other humans to stay put, but Marty, confused by the Death Tarot card, reached to inspect it. Nick yelled at him not to touch it, but Marty's contact broke Nick's illusion over it in a bright flash of light, revealing that it was a fourth six, sealing Peter as the victor. The humans then confronted Nick over his cheating, and Nick could only respond that he was the Devil, so it was only in his nature. Despite that, to make amends, Nick clapped his hands, summoning a grand feast and a refrigerator filled with beer, claiming to be a generous man and thanking Peter for his hospitality. However, before leaving, Nick told the humans that he planned to host more games with them to take them to Hell, prompting the humans to resolve to be better husbands to their wives and regularly go to church.
