Pestilence, also referred to as Lola Keens or Conquest by some, is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse who will ride in on a white horse during the End of Days. Her job is to spread disease on Earth, a job that she neither loves nor hates.
She, like Famine, is rooting for Heaven during the Apocalypse.
Pestilence, also known as Conquest by some, is the rider of the white horse of the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. She is very clinical about her job, neither detesting it or enjoying it. Despite being the bringer of plagues and sickness, she suffers from mysophobia (a germaphobe). Because of this, she is often seen compulsively wiping her hands with soap. Pestilence, like Famine, is rooting for Heaven’s side.[1]
Appearance[]
Pestilence is on the shorter side, standing in at 5'4". She is overweight, but has a curvy figure. She has plump lips, a small nose, and thin, arched brows that suit her round face. She has dark skin and upturned hazel eyes. Her curly hair goes a little beyond her shoulders, and her straight bangs reach past her eyes. Her hair is a very light brown, almost orange, with green highlights.
Pestilence has multiple piercings: two piercings in each earlobe, a piercing on the left side of her nose, and four piercings going up her stomach. She has "REV. 6:2" tattooed on the right side of her hip: a reference to the Biblical verse in which she makes her appearance in the Apocalypse. She also has a mark going down her spine, which Orangeplum says is more of an "orifice" than anything else.[2]
Being the rider of the white horse during the Apocalypse, Pestilence's outfits usually have variations of white and green. She also has long fingernails that she paints a lime green.
Personality[]
Pestilence is one of the more pragmatic Horsemen of the Apocalypse. She considers her job just that, a job, presenting a stark contrast to War and Death, who seem to live for the chaos of their jobs. Despite being one of the more practical Horsemen, it is not uncommon for her to leave things up to chance in a bet or wager.
Pestilence is calm and collected. However, she can be overconfident and assume she knows how people will act or what others want, a quality that comes to light whenever Lucifer's wings are concerned. She will go leaps and bounds to acquire the wings under the impression that she can win Heaven's favor with them, only for Heaven, particularly Archangel Michael, to be appalled by them.
Although Pestilence's actions towards Satan can be interpreted as merciless or unsympathetic, she is highly considerate, at least for a Horseman who was created to hurt and regulate humanity. She is incapable of emotionally bonding with anyone as a Horseman, but she genuinely cares about how she treats most people. This can be seen with Natalie, whom Pestilence is never directly hostile towards in spite of her dislike for Satan.
Plot[]
Shortly after Natalie McAllister arrives at the coast, she and Pestilence bump into each other on the boardwalk. Natalie apologizes and Pestilence tells her to have a good day before the two part ways. Natalie starts coughing immediately after their interaction, but thinks nothing of it until her illness worsens later on.[3] As Natalie's disease grows worse, Satan begins to suspect that this is not an everyday illness. Having a gut feeling that Natalie's disease is actually Pestilence's doing, he brings Natalie back to the coast to seek out Pestilence.
Knowing that Pestilence loves to gamble, Natalie and Satan head to the biggest casino in the city. After the two make a scene in the middle of the casino, Pestilence, completely unfazed, invites them over to her table.[4] Satan explains that he is interested in making a wager with her, but Pestilence declines, saying that the stakes are too low and he never bets anything worthwhile. However, Satan replies that he is willing to bet something that she has wanted for a very long time, which is enough to catch her attention.[5]
Pestilence and Satan begin to play a game of Evens and Odds: If Satan rolls an even number, he has to give her Ipos Kabakoff's valuable book. If he rolls an odd number, Pestilence has to cure Natalie's disease. Pestilence feels as though Satan cheated her; he knows that what she really wants is his wings, not Ipos' book. Even so, she is still somewhat interested in the book and agrees to play.[6] Satan rolls an even number ten times, losing the bet, and Pestilence goes on her way without healing Natalie.[7]
The next day, Natalie dies and Satan makes a bet with Death to bring her back to life.[8] Satan wins the bet, but Death cannot bring her back to life yet; if Death revived her, she would only die again because her body is still infected.[9] They approach Pestilence with a deal in mind to work out their predicament.
In exchange for Satan's four remaining wings, Pestilence cleanses Natalie's body of the illness she infected her with and leaves shortly after.[10] Eager to supposedly please Heaven, she proceeds to send off Lucifer's wings to Heaven as a gift. However, this actually proves to have the opposite effect when Michael becomes horrified upon receiving them.[11]
Relationships[]
Satan - Because Pestilence is siding with Heaven for the End of Days, she and Satan do not particularly like each other, and like doing business with each other even less. Satan considers her "biased"[12] and "smug,"[7] while Pestilence is only interested in interacting with him if his wings are involved. Even so, she still tries to be respectful around Satan, and does not call him nearly as many names as he calls her.
Pestilence comforting Natalie in a scrapped update
Natalie McAllister - Despite Pestilence's feelings about Satan, she is kind to Natalie, almost as if she understands that being contracted to Satan does not make her guilty by association. She offers to go check on her when she hears her yelling in the bathroom,[6] tells her that she can call her by her human name, Lola Keens, if it makes her more comfortable,[5] and even tries to make her feel better when she is sick in a scrapped update.[13]
Quotes[]
Spoken about Pestilence
Natalie McAllister: "Ok, so tell me how you know where to look for this "Pestilence" person. If they're even involved at all."
Satan: "I guarantee you this is their work. Plus, she's slow. She takes her time. She's here."
Natalie McAllister: "But where?"
Satan: "A casino is my bet. She's obsessed with gambling, girl. Find the biggest casino in the city and that's where we'll find Pestilence."
Pestilence makes a brief cameo in "Well, Now What?" when Ipos Kabakoff is telling Satan the locations of the Horsemen. The top of her head can be seen behind a picture of War.
Despite bringing disease to those on Earth, Pestilence is a germaphobe.[14]
Originally, Pestilence and Satan were not going to play "Evens and Odds" for Natalie's health. Instead, Pestilence was going to make a bet, saying that she would remove Natalie's sickness if her and Satan could survive being alone in a church for a night. Since they were still contracted at the time, Satan could feel Natalie's sickness, and Natalie can feel Satan's nausea from being in a church. The night is long and difficult, and in the end, they lose the bet.[15]
