The Good Place: Micheal's Character Arc

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Michael’s character arc in The Good Place is one of the most compelling transformations in television history. At the beginning of the series, Michael is portrayed as a malevolent demon who revels in torturing humans. He is responsible for creating the afterlife experiment, a twisted version of the "Good Place," where he manipulates and deceives the human characters—Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani, and Jason—into thinking they’ve arrived in paradise. His entire existence is centred around tormenting souls in creative ways, and he is driven by his belief that his role is to be an agent of suffering.

However, Michael's development begins in earnest in season two. After his experiment fails repeatedly due to the humans’ kindness and their ability to help one another, Michael is forced into an alliance with them. It’s through this alliance that his understanding of humanity starts to evolve. His initial curiosity about human beings—something that sets him apart from other demons—becomes the foundation for his eventual redemption. Michael's growing fascination with human ethics and behaviour is pivotal in his shift from a torturer to someone capable of compassion and self-sacrifice.

A key moment in Michael's development is his exposure to Chidi’s moral philosophy lessons. Chidi, a moral philosopher who is constantly plagued by indecision and guilt over ethical dilemmas, becomes an important figure in Michael’s journey. While Michael initially struggles to understand human concepts of right and wrong, his interactions with Chidi’s lessons open a door to deeper understanding.

The pivotal moment comes with the Trolley Problem episode, one of the most famous philosophical thought experiments introduced by British philosopher Philippa Foot. In this scenario, a person driving a trolley must decide whether to pull a lever to divert the trolley onto a track where it will kill one person instead of five. The problem forces a choice between saving the majority by sacrificing one person, which poses a moral dilemma with no clear "right" answer. Chidi, as a moral philosopher, is consumed by the ethics of this situation, while Michael, ever the manipulative demon, uses this as a way to torture Chidi by putting him in scenarios where he must make impossible decisions.

Initially, Michael uses his powers to simulate different versions of the trolley problem, forcing Chidi to decide between horrifying choices. The experiment is cruel, as Chidi’s indecision and inability to reconcile these moral questions only increase his anxiety. However, Michael begins to learn something important through this process—he starts to see that morality is more than just a game or a tool for torture. Through his repeated engagement with Chidi’s dilemmas, Michael starts to understand the weight of human suffering and the difficulty of making ethical decisions.

As Michael helps Chidi navigate the complexities of the trolley problem, he himself begins to undergo a transformation. In the episode where Michael tries to help the humans escape the Bad Place, he realizes that the answer to the trolley problem isn’t about finding a solution that minimizes harm. Instead, it’s about embracing self-sacrifice—choosing to give up your own safety or even your life for the greater good. Michael’s moment of self-realization is a turning point for his character, as he decides to help the humans escape even though it would likely lead to his own retirement (death for a demon). This decision reflects the culmination of everything Chidi had been teaching him: that sometimes the right thing to do isn’t about avoiding suffering but about choosing to help others, even at great personal cost.

This moral evolution is significant not just for Michael but also for Chidi. Chidi, who has spent much of the series in paralyzing indecision, comes to realize that moral philosophy isn’t just about theoretical debates—it’s about applying ethical thinking to real-life situations, even when the answers are unclear. In a sense, Chidi’s lessons on ethics, which were initially meant to guide Michael, are also a form of self-discovery for Chidi. He learns that morality isn’t always black and white, and it can sometimes involve difficult choices that require courage and action, not just endless deliberation.

At the end of the series, Michael’s understanding of the trolley problem—coupled with his ability to act on moral principles—has transformed him into someone who is no longer just a villain. He becomes a figure of empathy, willing to sacrifice himself for others. This is highlighted in the finale, when, in order to prevent his friends from being trapped in the Bad Place, Michael chooses to help them at the cost of his own survival. He doesn’t just want to protect himself anymore; he cares about the well-being of others.

The final moments of the series bring Michael’s arc full circle. After the humans succeed in creating a perfect afterlife, Michael, who had once feared being alone, is given the opportunity to live as a human. He chooses to live and die as a regular person, experiencing mortality for the first time—a fitting conclusion to his journey from a demon obsessed with causing harm to a redeemed soul who has learned the value of life, sacrifice, and love.

The significance of Michael helping Chidi with the trolley problem is profound. It’s not just about teaching an immortal demon about human ethics; it’s about the growth of both characters. Michael helps Chidi by showing him that moral philosophy needs to be lived, not just studied. In turn, Chidi helps Michael understand that ethics are not just abstract concepts—they have practical consequences, and the right choice often involves personal sacrifice. The show cleverly uses the trolley problem as a metaphor for Michael’s own journey: the dilemma that has no right answer forces him to make a choice that ultimately defines who he becomes.

By the end of The Good Place, Michael is no longer a fire squid in a human suit; he is a fully realized character who understands the importance of kindness, love, and moral responsibility. His development, influenced by his interactions with Chidi, is a powerful example of redemption and growth, showing that anyone—even a demon—can change if they are willing to learn and make difficult, selfless choices.