The king of the locusts is identified in three ways:
as the angel from the bottomless pit, likely different from the fallen star in Revelation 9:1, who unlocked the abyss instead of coming from it;
as Abaddon (meaning "destruction"), often associated with death (see Job 28:22; Psalm 88:11); and
as Apollyon, the Destroyer (see 1 Corinthians 10:10).
Although John does not directly link the devil with this king of the locusts, the prince of demons is associated with Satan in the Gospels (Mark 3:22–26; see Matthew 12:24–27; Luke 11:15–18). The New Testament also identifies the devil as the prince of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) and the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), suggesting he likely represents Satan. There is also a link to the Roman emperor Domitian, whose patron god Apollo was symbolized by the locust.