Episode “For He Can Creep”, within season four of Love, Death & Robots, takes place in 18th-century London, following a poet confined to St. Luke’s Asylum. This poet, Christopher Smart, is centered on a cat, Jeoffry, who is forced by Satan himself to make a poem to end the world. 

This tale, created by Siobhan Carroll, was inspired by the historical figure Christopher Smart and his cat. This character writes on the walls with his own blood while his cat prowls the asylum. Satan attempts to make the mentally ill man write a verse that would give him dominion over Earth and ultimately end the world. However, Jeoffrey is no ordinary cat; he is depicted as a mythical creature, or even a mystical guardian, seeing he has some respect from the devil. The cat refuses Satan’s offer for the human, seeing that the task will surely kill him.

Even so, as Jeoffery battles with Satan, Christopher Smart offers his talents in order to save the cat. As the ill man works on creating Satan’s poem, Jeoffrey gathers other cats as an army to retaliate. The other cats explain that they are descendants of spirits that serve gods, therefore they cannot kill Satan. Although they can prevent him from obtaining this poem.

As the other cats distract the Devil, Jeofery sneaks through the spirit realm to capture the poem and eat it before midnight. This simple, cat-like response ultimately defeats Satan, saving Christopher Smart and the world from a grueling fate.

This conclusion, and even the name of this episode, “For He Can Creep”, is an ode to the nature of cats, revealing their fierce instincts. Not only are they curious creatures, but this tale also reveals the nurturing and codependent nature of cats and humans, almost as if cats save us from ourselves and ultimately from the worst evils. In addition, the unique etched style, combined with classical music, adds to the Gothic atmosphere of this tale, making it another exceptional addition to Love, Death & Robots. 

Rating: 8/10