#Pazuzu was considered the king of the demons

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

[has-gilgamesh-doneanythingwrong]

WHOA COOL

i remember apparently there's a quote where gilgamesh says he acts as a northern wind? in which he topples over and challenges his citizens in order to make them grow sometimes.

i find it funny though how this lines share so much in common with the demon king of the southwestern wind, Pazuzu. Guess that may be a reference to said demon.

Maybe this ancient being is also a force of chaos and change that can both destroy and defend others? They're both Mesepotamian figureheads, so this may be more than coincidence.

"In ancient Mesopotamian religion, Pazuzu is a personification of the southwestern wind, and held kingship over the lilu wind demons." "he is considered as both a destructive and dangerous wind, but also as a repellant to other demons, one who safeguards the home from their influence."

Source: Wikipedia

Gilgamesh Quote: "At times, you need something like the northern wind."

FGO Demonic Front Babylonia, Episode 21

[archivalofsins]

So, this is a snippet from another post but I think it should be in it's own here. Sooo, time for more Futa and Muu contrasts.

As we all know Futa and Muu were paired not only because of their similarities but how their differences work to highlight more understated facts about the other. Appearing at first to be the difference between the bullier and the bullied.

In the previous post, I took this logic a step further.

We've come to discover Mu was the leader of her group. If their situations are meant to contrast each other's then that's reason enough to interrogate the idea that Futa was working beneath someone.

Futa is quick to assert that Kotoko is just being used by Es in his second voice drama. It's been stated that his father is a civil servant, his sister a beautician. These are very service-oriented occupations. Sidenote it would be really fun some fun if Futa's sister was Mahiru's beautician. Then there's Futa being dressed as a knight along with being the first to charge or storm in (ha ha get it Storm Pazuzu like storm a castle or siege it) at the end of Bring It On while Mu was the very last person to get her hands dirty in the situation she was in.

It's common for those of less importance to be on the front lines as those deemed as not expendable hold back. Plus, knights tend to work beneath monarchy or for the people of the kingdom. They aren't free agents and there's usually someone above them giving down orders.

Taking it a step further Pazuzu in Mesopotamian religion is the king of Wind Demons believed to have helped humans ward off other demons.

"Written sources which appear starting around 670 BCE describe Pazuzu climbing a great mountain and undergoing mythological combat against wind demons, a battle from which he emerged victorious and proved himself a threat to other dangerous demons. He is portrayed as a potential ally to humans who call on him for protection or display his icon, believing incantations and appeasement could instrumentalize his malevolent power against other demons."

Even the demon in his moniker is used to serve and aid people. Jewelry having their likeness on it to ward off other demons.

Furthermore, the earliest archaeological evidence of Pazuzu was found in the grave of royalty. Even the lyrics of Backdraft pay homage to Pazuzu.

"Burn, burn! Open this door and check if you want to I’ll deign to hear your last words if you want, a vanishing FIRE."

"Pazuzu's iconography has puzzled archaeologists because of it's sudden and fully realized appearance in the archaeological record, displaying no apparent evolutionary stages. The lack of any earlier identifiable representation renders it impossible to pinpoint the exact geographical origins of the imagery, though it most likely developed in either Egypt or Mesopotamia."

"Bless me, please, with one more chance."

"He is portrayed as a potential ally to humans who call on him for protection or display his icon, believing incantations and appeasement could instrumentalize his malevolent power against other demons."

"Just like O2, burn yourselves into oblivion."/ "It’s so hot, so hard to breath, there’s no solace for my heart."

This one is sort of self-explanatory for someone associated with fire, the demon is specifically associated with wind. O2 is literally just two oxygen molecules. This also goes into the point of the next line.

"Flames closing in, are both sides losers? Flames closing in, can’t douse this FIRE."

"Pazuzu's head is sometimes depicted alone, it is often paired with the faces of other Mesopotamian Demons or Gods. Some Pazuzu amulets have images inscribed on their backs of deities who were considered permanent allies to humans, such as Ugallu and Lulal. Archaeologists conjecture that these pairings were meant to ensure Pazuzu's power remained directed away from human targets and protect the wearer from danger."

One could even make the argument that some of the physical traits Futa has were inspired by Pazuzu as well. Though that sort of argument may only work for his teeth. What I'm getting at is at this point there's a reason they'd have Futa present as a knight and then Muu refer to herself as a Queen during her second trial. Even going ass far to call her second voice drama Queen Bee to really run the point home.

Also given all of this information Futa may be a bit more spiritual than I previously believed. Meaning Amane indoctrination chances have risen again. Hope those two have fun.

[santoschristos]

Pazuzu IV - King of the Demons of the Wind

Pazuzu is a fearsome demon who was introduced first through Sumerian mythology. While Pazuzu is considered to be a fearsome demon, he also seen as a protector against certain evils.

Demons were a part of this divine plan and were sent to punish the wicked, test the righteous, and could even be given leave to torment someone because a certain god felt it was justified even though another disagreed.

Pazuzu the Protector: One of the best ways to protect one's self against such attacks was to find a protector in an equally powerful demon who would stand between an individual and the wrath of the gods as a shield. Pazuzu was the most popular of these protective deities. art: Mahaboka, M/J

[sag-dab-sar]

Hi, I’m Nik. I was wondering what’s ur opinion on worshiping/working with demigods? Thx💛

Hi Nik! I'm sorry this is all the way from October I simply haven't had the energy.

🍁 Definition 🍁

Well people view "demigods," in different ways. The word in English comes from Latin "semideus" (semi meaning half, deus meaning god) for lesser divine beings.

🔹This could include what a lot of literature labels "lesser gods" or "minor gods." For example: nymphs such as a Dryads (trees, forests, groves) or Naiads (fresh waters).

🔹This could include what Homer & Hesoid both referred to people of "good character, family, strength, and power" as hemitheoi (hemi meaning half, theoi meaning gods) after death. This individual didn't need to be part immortal to make it into this category. They tended to be people with hero worship cultus. They could be real people or legendary ancestors whose historicity is dubious.

🔹Related to the above, sometimes great rulers were considered Gods, such as Alexander the Great or various Roman emperors. Sometimes while alive sometimes posthumously.

🔹Some consider an individual with one mortal parent and one immortal parent to be demigods, Herakles would be a good example; his father being the immortal Zeus & his mother being the mortal Alcmene. However, in some cases Dionysos was considered the son of the immortal Zeus and the mortal Semele.... and he was one of the 12 Olympians in some locations and even more important in various other cults so this categorization doesn't hold up well.

🍁 Other Pantheons? 🍁

The word comes from Latin and is most properly used in regards to the Roman and by extension of history Greek pantheons (The semideus and hemitheoi); and possibly closely related ones. But of course people are going to plaster the term across any other pantheon as they see fit so lets talk about that for a second.

I find it difficult to use this term in regards to other pantheons because other pantheons have there own terms.

I'm a Sumerian polytheist so if I was to attempt to use these characteristics to pick out Mesopotamian demigods I might bring up these examples:

🔹It could be say, Lama/Lamassu goddesses & Alad/Šedu Gods, who were unnamed protective deities who might be regarded by modern eyes as "lesser divine" compared to the named city gods.

🔹Pazuzu a demon, not god, who was used in exorcism rituals, as protective talisman, and was considered to hold the much more evil Lamaštu and Lilû demons at bay. Is he a demigod? As a protective powerful being.

🔹Mortals who became immortals— Ziusudra, Ūt-napišti, (possibly) Atrahasis—but there is no term I know of for "half god" that could apply to them. They simply did a thing (build an ark) and were granted immortality.

🔹Deified rulers (while alive and posthumously) especially the kings of Ur III. Such as Narām-Suen or Samsuditāna, they claimed to be sons or brothers of various Gods, but I don't know if they would be seen on the exact same level as the Gods or a lesser level that could be labeled "demigod."

🔹Gilgameš (In Sumerian: Bilgames) is a mess when it comes to this idea. He was likely a historical king during the earliest part of Early Dynastic Period, if he was deified during his life is unknown. By the later part of the Early Dynastic period there was a deity being worshipped named Bilgames/Gilgameš that probably derived from this early king. He was a patron deity of King Utu-heĝal of Uruk, as a full divine being. Yet, the Gilgameš known in the most well known tales, is not a God, he is not even immortal. He is more akin to a hero going on adventures and destroying monsters. Some accounts say he is the son of the Goddess Ninsun and a mortal man which would also make him half mortal half immortal [edit: I think hes actually described as 2/3rds divine 1/3 human]. The very few depictions we are certain show Gilgameš do not have him with a horned cap the sign of divinity. So is he a demigod? a deified king? a half mortal half immortal? a hero? a great ancestor? Most academics use the term hero for him based on the myths even though a much more ancient Bilgames/Gilgameš was possibly worshipped as a full fledged deity.

It really does not make sense to try and parse out Mesopotamian religious figures using this word's conception (though I'm sure it appears in academia at some point) thus it doesn't make sense to use it elsewhere either. The term, like most, does not work well for pantheons that it does not derive from. I'm sure you'll see it used for pantheons and religions across the entire globe but I can't speak to any of them.

🍁 My Category Summary 🍁

For the Roman & Greek traditions (and any surrounding similar ones that I'm not going to attempt to pretend I know such as Etruscan)

Category 1: "lesser divine beings"

Category 2: People of good character after death who eventually received honor and worship. Historicity aside. (Homer & Hesoids' "hemitheoi")

Category 3: Rulers, Emperors

Category 4: Half mortal half immortal individuals

In these contexts worship of demigods in Greece & Rome has deeply entrenched historical precedent. I would see their worship as no different than worshipping other Gods or spirits from a revivalist standpoint. I love me some Dryads and have considered Herakles worship. I do find worshipping Roman emperors odd but they were deemed Gods and had cultus so I can't state that it's ahistorical or inherently bad. Basically: go right ahead! Honoring and worshiping these demigods.

🍁 Modern People 🍁

However, what about these categories in the modern world.

Category 1: Well that hasn't changed much "lesser divine beings" are still the same

Category 2: This could be construed as worshipping modern individuals who fall into this "good character, good family, strong, and powerful" idea described above. For example, idunno lets pretend Albert Einstein falls into that characterization in someone's opinion. I'd be deeply uncomfortable with someone declaring and worshipping him as a demigod. However, including him in ancestor worship seems to be a valid way to honor him, or so thats the consensus among most modern pagan and polytheists that I take no issue with.

Category 3: This might lead someone to the idea of worshipping "recent" powerful rulers. I mean Alexander the Great was a bloody conqueror who made a vast empire. ...So was Queen Victoria (albeit without going into battle) she ruled over the largest human empire in history. I'd be deeply uncomfortable and essentially offended to see her worshipped as a demigod considering the sheer brutality the colonies suffered under her reign. This idea also plays a role in white supremacist groups unfortunately, in some "Esoteric Hitlerism" where Hitler is essentially a divine figure, savior of humankind, deified as a demigod. Unlike the heros and ancestors of category 2 deified rulers tend to get their god status from their conquests and policies which should be looked at very critically. Its one reason I take pause when I see pagans whose primary Gods are Roman emperors.

Category 2/3 offshoot: Category 2 was defined by the person after death. While category 3 could include prior to their death. This could lead to worshipping [insert currently living person] as a demigod. Which makes me deeply uncomfortable, especially because that person probably hasn't consented.

Category 4: This is kind of up to the individual. Most mythical characters who are half/half have their own ancient cultus that will tell you whether they were worshipped as heros (demigods) or Gods

Modern communities: Godkin; Godshard; Demigod (as an identity); Offspring of God X (claiming to be literally part immortal); etc etc etc. No.

🍁 TL;DR🍁

The word has varying meanings. There is plenty of historical examples and definitions for demigod honor and worship in the Greek and Roman traditions (and probably extremely close or syncretic ones). The word should be avoided for beings outside those pantheons & traditions in my opinion. We should be very very careful when using it to talk about modern (or relatively modern) humans both living and dead.

-definitely not audio proof read sorry for whatever my dyslexia did with this post-

[thecreaturecodex]

Using Abraxas in the Age of Monsters

Of the demon lords who favor Mormo in the Great Game, Abraxas and Pazuzu are the two most powerful. Pazuzu's motivations are due to his hatred of Lamashtu and desire to ascend to the King of Demons, but Abraxas' motivations are both simpler and stranger.

Abraxas saw the battle between Mormo and Lamashtu the first time. Because Mormo is his mother. And he has not forgiven Lamashtu for the mutilation she inflicted on his Mother Marilith.

Abraxas keeps that information close to the chest, of course. Lamashtu knows, but doesn't care, thinking that fear will keep Abraxas in line the way it has done for eons. But Abraxas has grown tired of being afraid, and he wants to see the chaos that would result in the fabric of reality should Lamashtu be dethroned. He has even been in talks across the board, as it were, communicating with powerful daemons and devils about the possibility of collaborating in some way to make sure Lamashtu loses the Great Game. It's risky, but Abraxas considers it a calculated risk.

Demon Lord, Abraxas

Image © Paizo Publishing, from Book of the Damned. Artist unknown.

[Commissioned by @tar-baphon. The last of the demon lords I have in queue, thank god. Don’t get me wrong, I like Abraxas specifically quite a bit. But these quasi deities are a lot of work, and I’ve gotten somewhat burned out on them. I have no plans to return to this vein for a while.

Now, Abraxas himself… this is an entity with a lot of history, although it is somewhat mysterious. Its role may have been as a Gnostic angel, an apotropaic symbol, or even the true name of God. Or maybe all of these to different people. It has since been demonized, as seen in the Dictionnaire Infernal, which PFRPG borrows heavily from. It may even be linked to that most magical of words, abracadabra.]

Demon Lord, Abraxas CR 30 CE Outsider This green-skinned horror has a head like a fanged bird skull, with a membranous crest growing from the back of its head like a crown. From the waist up it is roughly humanoid, but in place of legs it has two thick serpents, each with draconic crests of their own. It clutches a metal shield in one hand and in the other, a whip that appears to be made from a living snake.

Abraxas Master of the Final Incantation CE male demon lord of forbidden lore, magic and snakes Domains Chaos, Evil, Knowledge, Magic Subdomains Arcane, Demon, Memory, Thought Favored Weapon whip Unholy Symbol demonic face encircled by a serpent, two snake tails emerging from its mouth Worshipers drow, arcane spellcasters, spirit nagas Minions mariliths, fiendish and monstrous snakes, xacabras For information of Abraxas’ obedience and boons, see Book of the Damned

Abraxas is among the most powerful of the demon lords, and he is the keeper of untold magical secrets. He favors magic that results in destruction and pain, and claims to be the author of a wide number of spells. Despite his focus on devastating magic, he is often calm and self-possessed in demeanor, and has a reputation (carefully cultivated) of being easy to deal with. He takes an interest in the mortal world, and often answers contact other plane spells—although he always has ulterior motives behind how he answers questions. His cult is relatively widespread among amoral researchers and magic-users, and most major cities have at least a small shrine to the Master tucked away in the corner of a library or archive.

Abraxas is never caught unprepared in combat, and he typically does ample research on creatures he feels could threaten him in order to tailor his tactics. He has access to every arcane spell in existence, although he must prepare them ahead of time. He typically looses his shield to fight on his behalf while using barrages of spells. If magic is insufficient to power through a combat, he uses his intelligent whip, Sophia, and his bites to inflict grievous damage to enemy ability scores, leaving them broken and drained. Abraxas possesses knowledge of the Final Incantation, which utterly unmakes magic, but using it suppresses his own magical abilities. The Final Incantation, unsurprisingly, is a weapon of last resort for Abraxas.

Abraxas’ Abyssal realm is Pleroma, a land of mists and veils. At first glance, it appears a paradise of knowledge and peace, but its custodians extract grueling labor and unfathomable prices from those who come to seek enlightenment. Abraxas often maintains the guise of a distant but kind overseer here, who cultivates worship in himself even as he directs his underlings to torment. One of his favorite lies is to claim to be an avatar of the Monad—aeons are commonly kept as prisoner in Pleroma and forced to serve Abraxas through compulsions.

Shield of Abraxas—Minor Artifact The Shield of Abraxas is a +3 bashing heavy steel shield. Its enhancement bonus applies to both its shield bonus and to its attack and damage bonus when used as a weapon. It may be released to fight as a dancing weapon, during which time it still provides its shield bonus to the wielder’s AC, as if it were an animated shield.

Sophia—Minor Artifact Sophia is Abraxas’ whip, which serves the Master as much as a majordomo and advisor as she does a weapon. She is a +3 deadly unholy whip with an Intelligence 10, Wisdom 20 and Charisma 20. Sophia speaks Abyssal and can communicate telepathically at a range of 100 ft., has 60 ft. darkvision, and can move under her own power. She has 10 ranks each in Bluff, Diplomacy and Sense Motive. Her special purpose is to defend Abraxas and his cult—in pursuit of this purpose, she may cast divine power at will. Abraxas may use his mind siphon ability through Sophia, but this is not an inherent property of the weapon.

Keep reading

[chorusfm]

Albums in Stores – Mar. 10th, 2023

If you hit read more you can see all the releases we have in our calendar for the week. Hit the comments to access our forums and talk about what came out today, what albums you picked up, and to make mention of anything we may have missed. Altin Gün – AşkAne Brun – PortrayalsAsphagor – PyrogenesisAstriferous – Pulsations From The Black OrbBackgrounds – Royal GradientBooze Radly – Lose, BadlyCandlemass – Nightfall (Deluxe Edition)Chase Tremaine – Accidental DaysCommon Wounds – Common WoundsCoridian – HavaDeath Cab For Cutie – Asphalt Meadows (Acoustic)Demon King – VesaniaDepraved Murder – Unethical Terrestrial CollapseDirge – DirgeDissentient – LabyrinthDream Awake – EnigmaDutch Uncles – True EntertainmentEmployed To Serve – Conquering (Deluxe Edition)Fever Ray – Radical RomanticsFlogging Molly – Til The Anarchy’s RestoredFor The Fallen Dreams – For The Fallen DreamsFrankie Rose – Love As ProjectionGiant Brain – Grade A Gray DayGorgonchrist – Fish In A MountainGorod – The OrbH. Hawkline – Milk For FlowersHumble Abode – Manic MansionIce Age – Waves Of Loss And PowerIgnominy – Imminent CollapseIllicit Thoughts – My CoffinIlliterates – No ExpertsIn The Act Of Violence – Parasitic PopulaceIngraves – Human AbyssJudiciary – Flesh + BloodKate NV – WOWLana Del Rey – Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean BlvdLevellers – Together All The WayLonnie Holley – Oh Me, Oh MyMSPAINT – Post-AmericanManchester Orchestra – The Valley Of VisionMeet Me @ The Altar – Past // Present // FuturediscussMidnight Nightmare – NullMiley Cyrus – Endless Summer VacationdiscussNanowar Of Steel – Dislike To False MetalOtherwise – GawdzillionairePeaceful Faces – Sifting Through The Goo, Reaching For The CandlelightPeriphery – Periphery V: Djent Is Not A GenrePhilip Selway – Strange DancePlain Speak – CalamityRival Sons – DarkfighterRon Gallo – Foreground MusicRyan Hamilton – Haunted By The Holy GhostScree – Jasmine On A Night In JulyShame – Food For WormsShana Cleveland – MannzanitaSlain Thought – AcadiaSleaford Mods – UK GrimSmote – GenogSnayx – Weaponized Youth: Part 1Starcrazy – Another Day, Another SqualorStory Of The Year – Tear Me To PiecesSuicide Silence – Remember… You Must DieThe Blaze – JUNGLEThe Convalescence – Harvesters Of Flesh And BoneThe Luka State – More Than ThisThe Nude Party – Rides OnTribe Of Pazuzu – Blasphemous PropheciesTwice – Ready To BeTwo Times Shy – It Looks Better Than It SoundsUlrika Spacek – Compact TraumaUnfelled – Pall Of Endless PerditionVan Morrison – Moving On SkiffleVarious Artists – Roadrunner United (Reissue)Wild Tales – I II IIIXiu Xiu – Ignore Grief --- Please consider becoming a member so we can keep bringing you stories like this one. ◎ https://chorus.fm/albums-in-stores-today/albums-in-stores-mar-10th-2023/

[catulhu333]

Why Pazuzu was chosen as originally the source of Dracula's powers?

(a continuation of my previous post)

Well, we can theorize.

It's very probable Konami wanted to go with a more exotic demonic entity than Satan, Lucifer or other Abrahamic demons. Pazuzu was also fairly well known thanks to the 1973 Exorcist movie, though as I mentioned Dungeons and Dragons was also an influence with Pazuzu's depiction in Dracula's Curse being inspired by his depiction in the 1983 Monster Manual II.

And it's not the only or first one in Castlevania - seeing the cover of Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, was heavily inspired by the cover of the original Ravenloft module, as were some other elements of the series:

Pazuzu's lore from the very 80s Monster Manual could be an influence:

While Dracula was the one who unearthed Pazuzu's idol in the Japanese version of Dracula's Curse, it's possible he wasn't evil then, and Pazuzu's influence was what corrupted him over time. (I mean here in the conception of the story by the Dracula's Curse development team, not in context of latter games.)

Monster Manual II also presented Pazuzu as unique among archfiends - having power over skies of all of the layers of the Abyss, instead of a single or few layers of it (making him quite powerful and influential by this alone), and is in good relations with the devil Dukes of Hell (despite normally being some to major conflicts between these - demons (to which Pazuzu belongs), and devils).

All this facts from Monster Manual II could contribute to choosing him.

But Pazuzu's role in Mesopotamian mythology and religion, probably was also an influence. As Pazuzu is one of the first, possibly even the first character in history to be named the "King of Demons" (or King of Wind Demons).

Pazuzu being a king of and counted as a member of these Wind Demons - Lilu/Lilitu, could also be an influence, as Lilyu and Lilitu were described as vampiric, draining vitality or even blood sucking, and even considered as one of first recollections of vampiric entities (though Lilu was also something of a generic term for a demon, and Mesopotamian demons fairly often had vampiric traits). This could further influence the decision to connect Pazuzu to Dracula.

And tomorrow the last part, describing some other curious things about Pazuzu, not connected to, and I think not influencing the choice to utilize him in Castlevania.

[theparanormalperiodical]

French Nuns And Newspaper Clippings: The Real Stories That Inspired The Exorcist (1973)

The year is 1632.

We are in a remote commune in Northern France. The situation is bleak: an outbreak of plague has started snatching lives again, and King Louis XIII is ordering the walls around Loudon to be torn down. The locals are more divided than ever.

But things are about to get worse.

Way worse.

The local nuns are beginning to act strange.

It started when one young nun claimed she had a vision of a dead priest. Suddenly, all 17 clergywomen are reporting similar visions. They then begin cussing, shouting, and displaying more and more aggressive behaviour.

17th century nuns do not act like this.

Oh no, this was something unholy. This was demonic possession.

331 years later, this little-known historic tale would feature as one of the main inspirations behind horror’s most iconic movie.

Yep, the film that still gives you nightmares of young girls walking down stairs crustacean-style is based on a true story. But it’s worse than that. It’s based on two tales of alleged possession, several real-life people, and a demon many still worship today.

*nopes the f*ck out*

Let’s Talk About The Exorcist

Let me just clarify something: the exorcist is not the creepy, possessed ‘lil girl. An exorcist is a person that performs exorcisms - so here, it’s the priests.

The Exorcist was originally a book written by William Peter Blatty. Adapted to a film series (and a TV show) starting 2 years later, they both shared a close plotline. Well, to begin with, anyway.

A statue of a demon is found in an archaeological dig of northern Iraq. The discovery unleashes a mysterious spirit/demon/god called Pazuzu. On the other side of the world, a young girl begins exhibiting strange behaviour. Regan, a typical 12-year-old American girl, refuses to eat or sleep and becomes aggressive. All the while, strange things happen around the house.

The doctors provide no answers to her behaviour, so the mother of the supposedly-ill child turns to religion instead. She finds help in the form of a priest who is experiencing a crisis of faith and consequently doesn’t believe this is demonic possession. But a couple chats with the girl convinces him that yep, she’s bunged up with a demon. So, he asks the bishop if he can perform an exorcism. A priest fresh off that dig in Iraq is shipped over and they get to work. During the final exorcism, one of the priests opts to save the possessed girl by asking the demon to possess them instead. The possessed priest chucks himself out of the window and as he falls to his death, regains his faith in God.

The Exorcist is one of the most famous horror films - if not, the most iconic - of all time, from the traumatic FX makeup of a possessed Regan to sequences ‘80s America wasn’t ready for.

But The Exorcist was not a stand alone film. Contrary to popular belief, what followed was 4 (soon to be 5) sequels ‘n’ prequels that unravelled a deep, dramatic plotline. There’s a reason we don’t hear about them.

In the following films we see the aftermath of Regan’s exorcism and emerging doubts about whether she was in fact really possessed. Political and theological themes rise to the surface, looking deeper at the priests that conducted the exorcism rather than the victim. At the same time we take part in an archeological dig, meet a serial killer, and get a front row seat to a battle during WW2.

It’s a wild ride. But this ride is brimming with reality.

Blatty directly cited inspiration from a number of sources, most famously the 1949 demonic possession of Roland Doe that he first heard when studying at Georgetown University. But he has also claimed that many of the characters who navigated the possession of Regan were based on real people.

Take Father Merrin, the exorcist leading the exorcism: he was based on a British archaeologist that excavated the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls (ancient manuscripts written in Hebrew) had been found.

But the nature of the exorcism that filled out a majority of the film were informed by the work for Father William S Bowdern, a Jesuit priest who exorcised Roland Doe himself.

However, it wasn’t just the mortals that were inspired by real, historic figures.

Pazuzu Is An Actual Worshipped Demon

Without Pazuzu, there would be no possession. Without Pazuzu, there would be no exorcism, nor the need for an exorcist.

We only see the demon in flashes - but these moments inherit a history that takes us back as far as 3500BC. Pazuzu was an ancient Mesopotamian or Assyro-Babylonian god that was the king of the demons of the wind. He brought storms and drought, and although recognised as an evil spirit, he also drove away other evil spirits. He strives to protect us from plagues and misfortunes, and his rival, Lamashtu, causes harm to mother and baby during childbirth.

He is known as both a demon and a god, but in The Exorcist is recognised more as the former.

We do catch a couple glimpses of Pazuzu, but we only see his face clearly when he begins to take over young Regan. The pasty white face and blood red eyes don’t fit ancient lore: Pazuzu is traditionally depicted as having the head of a lion, the body of a human, the talons of an eagle, a pair of wings, a scorpion’s tail, and a ‘serpentine penis’ (I can’t work out if this is the penis of a snake or a penis that looks like a snake and like I don’t wanna know k).

The Exorcism Of Roland Doe

It’s one of the most famous cases of possession - and we don’t even know who the victim actually was.

In 1949, American newspapers began to pick up on the story of an exorcism in Maryland. A teenage boy was at the centre of mysterious poltergeist activity after the death of his spiritualist aunt. She was the one that first introduced him to an ouija board.

After typical paranormal activity took place, priests were summoned to exorcism him. During these exorcisms, furniture began to move by itself, the boy began to attack priests with rogue bedsprings, he began to speak in an unknown voice, the mattress he lay on began to shake, and words like “evil” and “hell” began to appear in scratches upon his body.

It was a very similar state to the one Regan was in during The Exorcist.

Roland Doe (a pseudonym, obviously) to this day has remained anonymous, and - if alive - he would be 86 years old.

Despite this being the most known case of alleged possession - rivalling only that of Anneliese Michel - it has received a large dose of skepticism and debunking. The supposed location of the exorcism and some personal details of Roland Doe have been contested. Plus, many believe Doe was actually a spoiled, attention-seeking bully who simply repeated Latin phrases heard at school in order to create some elaborate prank.

Regardless of whether it was real or not, it is a landmark moment in paranormal history.

And 300 years before a 14 year old lutheran began to growl Latin at his family members, a group of women began to show similar signs of a haunting.

The Possessed Affair Of Loudon And Aix-en-Provence

I’ve already introduced you to the possessed nuns of Loudon. But it turns out The Exorcist also took inspiration in another French convent: Aix-en-Provence.

The nuns of Loudon pinned their possession on the demon Asmodai and gave a number of different answers as to who summoned it. Some claimed it was either a priest named Peter or Zabulon (a biblical figure). But a week after this, a man named Urbain Grandier who had amassed a lot of power and a strained reputation in the community was considered the culprit.

Soon after the nuns first exhibited strange behaviour, they were hidden away and the symptoms stopped.

The accusations levelled against Grandier were clearly inspired by political motives as he had publicly attacked the cardinal’s work and the taking down of the wall. But locals say he would appear at random in the convent with no one sure as to how he got inside. It was even claimed that he had made a pact with the devil - from which a physical contract was supposedly uncovered - and that he had attended witch’s sabbat.

The priest was executed for sorcery and given ‘the boot’ (a method of torture).

Loudon and Aix-en-Provence are considered cases that fit in well with wider witch trials taking place across western Europe in the 17th century. The possession of the Ursuline nuns of Aix-en-Provence were similar to that of Loudon - but were just a tad more mental.

20 years before Grandier was convicted, a young woman, Madeleine de Demandolx, confessed to the superior of the convent that she had been intimate with the local priest. She was sent away to Aix-en-Provence to get some distance but soon began to do some rather out-of-character things.

She would have convulsions and soon the other nuns began to do the same. It appeared to be contagious.

But things got hella weird when the nuns gathered together in a holy cave that Mary Magdalene was meant to have once lived in (Sainte-Baume) to be exorcised. Instead of just shaking, they all tried to outdo each other in symptoms of possession.

Once would cuss fervently; another would speak in a deep, demonic voice.

A political story soon unravelled full of accusations, executions, and even Madeleine being released from jail at 77 for her alleged witchcraft.

So - are you ever going to watch The Exorcist after this?

(Me neither.)

If you liked this post, go on and let me know with a like ‘n’ a reblog. And if you want to hear somethin’ spooky every Saturday, go on and hit follow!

[catulhu333]

I understand your issues, though I think the decision to use Sekhmet, was because she is considered one of the earliest accounts of a vampiric, blood-drinking being, something Apophis was not described as, despite other similarities to vampires.

Sekhmet's punishment is stated to be summoned by humanity's sins against gods, though it's noted to sometimes be at least times "disproportionate", similarly how human malice, flaws and sins allowed in games Dracula to return again, and again until 1999.

Another myth, described that Sekhmet after being deceived and inebriated by alcohol disguised as blood, held a grudge and left Egypt, and weakening the power of the Sun/Ra, and threatened the universe's balance, until she returned - something similar to what Erzsebet did in Nocturne, if intentionally.

There is also an interesting parallel to older lore, though of which some details, might be coincidental. In older lore Dracula made a pact with, and seemingly channeled/merged with the Evil God, who is seemingly Pazuzu.

Though this actually even was referenced in the (IGA approved, seemingly canon) Curse of the Darkness manga, with other references to the Evil God/Pazuzu in modern games, suggesting a connection to Chaos. Why is this important? Pazuzu archenemy and rival, is Lamashtu, and there are academic theories Pazuzu started out as a masculine version/aspect of Lamashtu, derived from one of her names "Pasittu", though alternately or also is derived fro the earlier Anzu. (Note: in real life depictions, Pazuzu is also lion-headed, if often with horns).

But what has this to do with Erzsebet and Sekhmet? Well, the Mesopotamian Lamashtu and Egyptian Sekhmet appear to be equivalents of each other, possibly having the same origin in unrecorded past.

reliefs of Sekhmet and Lamashtu

Both are lion-headed "vampiric" goddesses (and indeed, among, if not the the earliest mentions of vampiric beings). Both were connected to sending diseases. Both were tasked by the King of Gods (for Lamashtu, Enlil, sometimes being also described as her father) to cull humanity, and both went out-of control in that task. Both also were connected, and considered to be on some level the same as/to be the destructive form of a goddess of love and lust (Sekhmet and Hathor; Lamashtu and Inanna/Ishtar, though more often they are sisters).

Sekhmet and Hathor were even syncretized with Astarte (though Hathor more so), the West Semitic form of Inanna/Ishtar.

Both Lamashtu and Sekhmet are connected to wind demons, though the Egyptian ones lack the sexual aspect the Mesopotamian lilu and lilitu have.

There are of course differences between the two - as mentioned above, Lamashtu is more connected to succubi/incubi type demons (lilu and lilitu - the individual Lilitu even being one of Lamashtu's names/aspects), and as opposed to Sekhmet, was never worshiped, just appeased, and if anything, worshiped against (ie praying to gods or even other demons like Pazuzu to protect from her). And was considered universally malicious, as opposed to Sekhmet was not considered such. Lamashtu also lacks the solar aspects Sekhmet has.

Though the issue is, why not have Erzsebet channel and/or believe herself to be Lamashtu, instead of Sekhmet, especially seeing Erzsebet has the succubi-like Drolta serving her, and like Lamashtu, prefers female victims?

Well, as I mentioned, despite my long writing on this, this might a coincidence, aside from choosing a destructive ancient Middle Eastern deity, similar to the Evil God/Pazuzu.

It might be due to Lamashtu never having a real cult (which Apophis similarly lacked) (though to be fair, that never stopped fiction from giving such gods one), and Sekhmet will possibly be revealed as also being known as Lamashtu is a later season.

It's possible we will never know. But I think even if it's coincidence, I think it's a very interesting one.

Still, one could argue Sekhmet (or even Lamashtu) would fit better with Carmilla, seeing Carmilla was indeed, was actually connected to cats in Sheridan Le Fanu's novel (and indeed transformed into a giant cat). Erzsebet even arguably took some of Carmilla's role in Rondo of Blood's remakes (Dracula X on SNES and Dracula X: Chronicles on PSP), by being the one to turn Tera (who has aspects of game Annette's, her Nocturne counterpart lacks) into a vampire, like Carmilla was implied to be the one to turn Annette in the mentioned remakes. But well, Carmilla is dead, and I don't think the people at Powerhouse Animation Studios wanted to revive her, and undermine her death. But it does end up a situation were Animated/Nocturne Erzsebet has elements of Carmilla (from Castlevania games, novel, and as you mentioned Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust).

It's notable though Carmilla and Erzsebet/Elizabeth Bathory have some tendency though to be conflated (despite some visible differences), and given each-others aspects, including Castlevania games (even if normally, they are separate characters). Castlevania: Judgement gave Carmilla parts of Erzsebet's MO and characterization (ie bathing in blood). Carmilla from Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust movie you mentioned, herself was mentioned to be also Elizabeth Bathory. In Fate series/Nasuverse they are similarly conflated.

Vampire Hunter D is though interesting, as it has a visible influence on the Castlevania series, especially D on Alucard, though I think you most certainly know that.

As I mentioned at the start, I understand your issues with narrative, as well as wanting a more faithful to games (at least from design and retaining her serpent and Medusa connection) version of Erzsebet Bathory/Elizabeth Bartley. Even if as you stated, you quite like Nocturne. These are just my observations I wanted to share.

Erzsebet should've become Apophis

I've been enjoying Castlevania Nocturne, but ngl I feel like the show in general suffers from a case of wasted opportunity when it comes to adapting many, many elements of the games. At times it feels like the writers tend to ignore perfectly sufficient aspects of the source material to replace with their own thing, which is fine sometimes...

But with Erzsebet, there really was missed potential in making her more like her game counterpart. In Bloodlines, where she's known as Elizabeth Bartley, she turns into Medusa as the first phase of her boss fight, before fighting Jonathan/Eric as her regular self afterwards.

There is SOME room to interpret this as Bartley merely summoning Medusa rather than turning into her. However, in Easy mode, Bartley just dies once Medusa is defeated, suggesting they're the same person; Bartley isn't mentioned in the end credits while Medusa is, suggesting they're interchangeable with one another (because otherwise, why would this one-off boss have more precedent than the main villain who appears in the prologue???); And at the start of Bartley's level, the player is attacked by a floating Medusa head that shoots out red flames, just like the Medusa you actually fight, and just like Bartley herself.

So as far as I'm concerned, Bartley is Medusa. And that's kind of a big deal to me because Medusa is one of the most recurring and iconic bosses in the series, so to see her, or at least one incarnation of Medusa, receive deeper characterization and story relevance is pretty cool. Medusa is one of Dracula's OG generals, which is why it's a shame she's been completely absent from the show.

Here's the thing; If they wanted to give Bathory a second form, Medusa is right there. It'd even parallel how Olrox turns into a green reptile himself, too! And if the writers still want to make Bathory appropriate an Egyptian deity, as part of her colonizer symbolism that informs Olrox's hatred and rebellion, we've got a perfect fit for Medusa; Apophis!

Apophis is a serpent and a much more explicit enemy of the sun than Sekhmet is in myth; He's the sworn arch-nemesis of Ra and attempts to devour the sun every night, only to be defeated, time and time again. He's said to lurk in the Underworld, too! So this has parallels to Vampires' association with Hell, Apophis fulfills the function of Bathory's hatred of the sun and her plan to block it out... Hell, we even have the theme of an enemy of darkness that must be defeated in a neverending cycle, like Dracula, whom Bathory is taking the role of in Nocturne!

So instead of drinking Sekhmet's blood, have Erzsebet drink the blood of Apophis. This causes her to turn into a green, serpentine monster that also resembles Medusa, making her the show equivalent of Medusa, and a more faithful adaptation of Bartley than discount Lion-O. And since Medusa is consistently green throughout most of the games and in general media depictions, this could also cause Erzsebet's hair to turn green, the same color it was in the games! I think that'd make more sense than discarding what little we got of Bartley in the actual games to instead emulate Carmilla from Vampire Hunter D.

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

[psyentifically-minded]

In Sumerian mythology there are a number of spirits or spiritual beings as described below:

Alu: An Alu is a demonic ghost and vengeful spirit that has no mouth, lips or ears, it is described as androdgynous and causes nightmares, it covers men while they sleep like a blanket and causes the man to become possesed resulting in unconsciousness and coma.

Apkallu: Apkallu are a race of hybrid beings (shown left) that serve the sea God Enki and his brother the sky God Enlil, those resembling fish or Dagon belonged to Enki while those resembling eagles belonged to Enlil. The Apkallu were seven sages sent by Enki to teach culture to mankind, the seven sages were Adapa or Uanna who “finished the plans for heaven and earth”, Uannedugga who “Was endowed with comprehensive intelligence”, Enmedugga who “Was alloted a good fate”, Enmegalamma who “Was born in a house”, Enmebulgga who “Who grew up on pasture land”, An-Enlilda the “Conjurer of the city of Eridu” and Utuabzu who “Ascended to heaven”. The Apkallu were said to be advisors to the Sumerian kings up until Gilgamesh who had the first purely human advisors. Four Apkallu appeared after the great flood including Nungalpirriggaldim, Pirriggalnungal, Pirriggalabsu and Lu-Nana (who was only two-thirds Apkallu) it is unclear if the Apkallu are Igigi, Human, Nephilim or other however these four Apkallu commited transgressions which angered the Gods.

Edimmu: The Edimmu were envisioned as the ghosts of those who were not buried properly. Edimmu were considered vengeful towards the living and were capable of possessing people who did not respect certain taboos such as the Sumerian prohibition against eating ox meat. Edimmu were thought to cause disease and inspire criminal behaviour but could sometimes be appeased by funeral repasts or libations. The Edimmu were also thought to be completely or nearly incorporeal wind spirits that could suck the life out of the susceptible, ill or sleeping.

Gallu: Also known as “Galla/Gallas” demons, the Gallu (depicted right) were ferocious guardians of the underworld who wanted for nothing and are associated with the deities of death. Gallu were known to drag people off to the land of no return however they could be appeased by sacrificial lambs. The leader of the Gallu was “Pazuzu” the brother of Humbaba and son of the God Hanbi, Pazuzu was the southern wind that bought storms, famine, locusts and drought, he was seen as a protective wind demon in a belief of “evil against evil” and had the head of a lion, the body of a man, the talons and wings of eagles, a scorpions tail and a serpent penis. In some myths the Gallu are said to have freed Ishtar from the underworld at the order of Enki while in others they stripped her naked at each of the seven gates so that she could not return and accompany her out of the underworld seeking a soul to take her place. The word “Gallu” may also refer to a human adversary one that is dangerous and implacable while in other sources it is believed to have the first connotation of a guard or priest and the secondary connotation of an evil demon. Due to their connection with the temple prostitutes of Ishtar they may be linked to the later Scythian and Greek cults of Kybele, the Sibyl oracles who had eunuch, androdgynous, transgender or cortasan male guardians called Galla priests.

Ki-Sikil-Lil-La-Ke: This creature is a mystery to scholars who find its name difficult to translate. It is believed to translate to “Sacred place water spirit/owl” and was the spirit taking up residence in the centre of Ishtar’s sacred Huluppu tree, it may represent a Kabbalistic mystery and is often equated with the later Semitic demoness Lilith.

Kulilu: A Kulilu is a destructive half man half fish creature possibly related to the Apkallu. This creature is often also used as a generic term for sea monsters.

Lilu (Lilin): The Lilin were air spirits who haunted men at night and were known to attack people, Lilin were seen as disease bringing sprits that inspired wet dreams and fed on seminal emmisions, they were described as female and are the earliest form of succubus in recorded history, these creatures would form the basis of the later Semitic demoness Lilith.

Rabisu: Rabisu are vampiric spirits that lay in wait in dark corners and by the entrances to houses they are said to attack humans and can be banished with sea salt. In the underworld they live in the desert of anguish attacking newly arrived souls as they travel down the road of bone to the city of the dead.

Shade: In the Mesopotamian epics shades seem to imply the darkened spirits of the dead in a concept similar to ghosts.

Sulak: Known as the “demons of the privy” the Sulak is a lurker that lays in wait for humans to be alone and then strikes them with disease, they were often said to stalk bathrooms.

Urshanabi: Sometimes described as a man and other times described as a terrible monster Urshanabi was the ferryman who took people across the Hubur (river of the underworld) he is also the one who took Gilgamesh to see Atrahasis, when they arrived Atrahasis banished Urshanabi for no discernible reason except either for being a demon or bringing a living being across the river. This figure would likely influence later concepts of the ferryman of souls.

[santoschristos]

Pazuzu V - King of the Demons of the WindPazuzu is a fearsome demon who was introduced first through Sumerian mythology. While Pazuzu is considered to be a fearsome demon, he also seen as a protector against certain evils.Mahaboka, M/J

[hpoelzig]

LONG LIVE THE KING! 

Today, the first trailer was released for Michael Dougherty’s GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS, due May 31st of 2019—sequel to Gareth Edward’s powerful 2014 GODZILLA. Every Godzilla fan I know was eagerly awaiting this event, and the reaction has been extraordinarily affirmative. Dougherty is delivering an apocalyptic vision wherein the daikaiju (now called Titans) are returning to dominate the globe and expunge humanity. 

Being a hyper-obsessed aficionado (or more colloquially, Godzilla nerd), I did a frame-by-frame look through the trailer and noted a sequence in a Sumerian sort of city in a cavern into which magma is dripping. It looks like one of Bob Eggleton’s riffs on past great fantasist artists, and the astute will note a statue of Pazuzu, that ancient demon, atop one of the structures of the necropolis. 

The screen capture of Godzilla rising from the sea I use to head this article also seems Eggleton-esque (I would suspect Dougherty is a fan of his exquisite work). Earlier, we see Serizawa moving through the sunken part of this city in a submersible, observing bas reliefs of people worshipping Godzilla which seem inspired by imagery from Lovecraft’s CALL OF CTHULHU—R’lyeh seems the intended evocation.

We are gifted glimpses of the major Toho monsters. Mothra is seen as an endearing larvae and eerily numinous imago. Rodan appears as a form of Firebird (Thunderbird/Quetzalcoatl/Phoenix). Like Toho’s ‘90s Fire Rodan, he’s energized and extraordinarily destructive. King Ghidorah is glimpsed frozen in ice and as a vast shadow, spreading his wings like a vampiric cloak in Satanic splendor like Chernabog in FANTASIA. Godzilla himself has some tweaks, primary clear is that his tail seems thickened at the tip and his dorsal plates are larger than in 2014, referencing the jagged shapes of the original GOJIRA. I wonder if the sauropod-styled feet have been slightly modded as well?

As you’ll see when you click on the link below and watch the trailer, Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga) is addressing what I assume to be her former colleagues in a speech explaining her reasons for her extreme actions, indicating that she considers humanity a plague to the Earth, which has conjured forth once again its giant monsters to eliminate. She’s worked for Monarch, the agency that had for decades been monitoring the dormant (and not so dormant) ancient species. It seems here she’s betrayed them. There’s a glimpse of a photo on the mantle of Russell’s family, she, her husband and two children, but I surmise one of the children perishes in a way caused by humanity’s harmful activities to the ecology of the planet. Her surviving daughter, Madison (Millie Bobby Brown), is shown displaying a psychic connection to the Mothra larvae, accompanied by her mother. 

It seems that Russell contrives to release both Rodan and Ghidorah so that they can lay waste to human civilization and her estranged husband Mark (Kyle Chandler) protests her freeing the toxic Titans. Godzilla it seems might be deeply hurt (perhaps from his battles in the previous film or from a conflict with either Rodan or King Ghidorah in the earlier parts of this film) and has retreated to that ancient submerged semi-Sumerian city where he was worshipped. Dr. Serizawa apparently leads a suicide mission to deliver a nuke to resurrect Godzilla, so that he can combat King Ghidorah and Rodan, aided and abetted by Mothra, now emerged from her cocoon and bonded with Madison. We see glimpses of Serizawa climbing up a step pyramid which earlier in the trailer is shown exploding as magma oozes into the cavern in which it lies. Madison seems to triumphantly summon Mothra, who in turn has brought Godzilla to the fray, as squadrons of jets support him. 

I’m speculating above, based on the fragments of the trailer and so I cannot say how this will end, and I might have misread some of the imagery, but I expect that we’ll get a post credit sequence with some reference to Kong, since he’ll be mixing it up with Godzilla in the film to follow in 2020. The use of Debussy’s “Claire de Lune” in an arrangement that surges to volume levels matching the imagery was an inspired choice as underscore. That Bear McCreary has been announced to be the composer is quite pleasing to me, as I first came to enjoy his work in the revived BATTLESTAR GALACTICA and particularly like his Hermann-esque score for 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE. And Dougherty has said that some of Ifukube’s iconic themes will be incorporated into McCreary’s score, and also that we might expect cameos of other classic daikaiju. All great news!

My 61st birthday will be a week before this film’s release, so it will be a truly delightful belated gift for my celebration. I trust you’ll enjoy the trailer as much as I do and look forward to Legendary’s presenting of the ongoing reign of the King of the Monsters!

—Peter H. Gilmore

[kvlt-ov-romance-blog]

Devilman Crybaby and the Occult: A Brief Examination

Akira as Lucifer

Akira in Japanese typically means “bright” or “clear,” primarily in the context of intellect. But if these concepts are applied to the matter of literal brightness, as in lightness, then Akira can be thought of as a representation of Lucifer. Specifically, in the sense that he is the “light bringer.” Lucifer typically is thought of as meaning “devil” but in actuality, the word translates in Latin Vulgate as “morning star,” or “the planet Venus” (the brightest planet) or of course, “light bringing.”

In many Gnostic, Luciferian and other esoteric schools of thought and occult ideology, Lucifer is not a figure of evil but instead he represents the principle of inner enlightenment, a guiding cosmic force of lightness. Another interesting fact is that phosphorus happens to mean “light bringer” in Greek,” and is a substance naturally occurring within all of our DNA – Luciferians argue that the power for spiritual growth and enlightenment comes not so much from external sources such as "God" in the orthodox way, but primarily from within us, recognizing our own abilities and powers.

This information does not come close to the rich history of Lucifer’s true identity but it offers us some fascinating insight into the realm of Devilman Crybaby. As mentioned, Akira can be thought of as “bright” (the connotation with the planet Venus implies he is found of things of beauty, peace, love) and as a light bringer in the sense that he is trying to bring forth change and illumination for a world in desperate need of a savior figure. Luciferianism emphasizes rebellion at cruelty and the intolerance of injustice as well, something which Akira understands and embodies perfectly.

His constant crying, his empathy, his emotionalism, this all grants him a sense of connectivity to humanity, even though once the truth of his identity is revealed the majority of the world still despises him. This is similar to the literal story of Lucifer, in that his identity has been proven to be based largely on fallacies and misconceptions, mistranslated scripture, and superstition, and yet nevertheless Lucifer seems doomed to forever bear humankind’s fear and loathing, much like Akira. There are a number of ways that Lucifer and Christ can be compared in these regards as well and by the time the series ends, Akira himself is forced into a state of what could be qualified as martyrdom.

Additionally, one of the most perplexing things to think about is that Ryo – who is truly Satan – finds Akira to be such a powerful and important figure in his life. In a sense, Akira is the light and brightness of his life: His role in Ryo’s life grants him purpose, it enlightens him into his true form, and so forth. Akira is Ryo’s Lucifer, essentially. This may sound confusing at first but bear in mind these points: 1). Lucifer and Satan are not necessarily the same person, 2). Much like many are familiar with the concepts of beings having the capacity for both good and evil or “God and Satan,” beings have the potential for Lucifer to enter their essence as well. And furthermore, another matter of interest is that some sources have speculated Lucifer and Satan to actually be two sides of the same being: Lucifer represents the spiritual, and Satan represents the earthly – this is similar to say, the holy trinity wherein multiple beings are actually one in the same. This would mean that Akira and Ryo are essentially the same entity.

To really make sense of these theories, one must dive deep into biblical lore, etymology, anthropological history,  and occultism, and must be willing to keep an open mind. In actuality, the story of Lucifer is fundamentally simple but has been made incredibly convoluted over the years thanks to fear mongering, religious bigotry, and a myriad of other errors in human judgment. If you would like to know more on the nature of Lucifer, or further elaboration on the connection I perceive between Akira and Ryo, feel free to comment! In the meantime, I suggest “Lucifer: Princeps” by Peter Grey.

The Demons

The demons throughout the entire series are primarily based off of real spirits associated with demonology. Some date back all the way to the early ages of the clash between Abrahamic religions and ancient Paganism, some pertain to middle ages, etc. In particular, we have The Keys of Solomon to examine. The Key of Solomon itself is known as Clavicula Salomonis in Hebrew, and it is one of the most important examples of Renaissance era magick – from here, the more infamous Lesser Key of Solomon, or the Clavicula Salomonis Regis, was believed to have been written in the 17th century.

Both books deal with magical operations influenced from Jewish Kabbalah, pertaining to workings with various different spirits, but The Lesser Key in particular is known for one of its five different segments: The Ars Goetia. The Goetia bases itself on pre-existing sources of information on demons such as the PseudodomonarchaDaemonum (1577) and it offers rankings, information, and general descriptions of the 72 major demons. Each demon has their own ability, and they are divided into categories such as King, Duke, Prince, Marquis, President, Count, etc.

Demons are not limited to these sources, and many demons or demon-like spirits exist separate from the Goetia (e.g. the Djinns of Arabic spirituality). Further, the issue of whether or not demons are inherently evil is widely debated and much of it goes back to the matter of linguistics. In another article I wrote about demonology (linked below) you’ll see what I mean more clearly, but the key thing to remember is that a “daemon” simply means a wise, intelligent spirit. The evil spirits we are familiar with as demons were either developed as early Christianity’s opposition to “Pagan” idols (e.g. Baal became an honorific title of Lord into one of the most well known demons, Beelzebub became “lord of all that flies” into “lord of the flies”).

In Devilman Crybaby, there are a whole lot of demons. I will not be addressing all of them, but chief among them is Amon, the demon which merges with Akira. Amon is considered in magical lore to be a Marquis of Hell, governing 40 legions of spirits and as described in the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum:" [He] is a great and mighty marques, and commeth abroad in the likeness of a Wolf, having a serpents tail, [vomiting] flames of fire; when he putteth on the shape of a man, he sheweth out dogs teeth, and a great head like to a mighty [nighthawk]; he is the strongest prince of all other, and understandeth of all things past and to come, he procureth favor, and reconcileth both friends and foes, and ruleth forthy legions of devil.”

And by S.L. MacGregor Mathers in the his translation of the Goetia: "The Seventh Spirit is Amon He is a Marquis great in power, and most stern. He appeareth like a Wolf with a Serpent's tail, vomiting out of his mouth flames of fire; but at the command of the Magician he putteth on the shape of a Man with Dog's teeth beset in a head like a Raven; or else like a Man with a Raven's head (simply). He telleth all things Past and to Come. He procureth feuds and reconcileth controversies between friends. He governeth 40 Legions of Spirits.” Amon also shares a connection with the Egyptian god, Amun.

Less obvious references are made, sometimes in the form changed spellings. For instance, Kaim instantly reminded me of the demon Caim, a blackbird said to have knowledge of rhetoric, wisdom, and the ability to understand certain animals. Some other demonic figures that appear throughout the series – not so much the new adaptation – include Pazuzu, Lilith and Beelzebub, which shows that the series is not limiting its demonic lore to merely one source (i.e. Pazuzu pertains to Mesopotamian religion whereas Lilith for instance pertains to Hebrew sources of wisdom).

Where is God? And What About the Cycle of Life/Samsara?

This is a tricky one to pinpoint, because the more you attempt to wrap your head around all the different theories, the more you will be left wondering how certain things could have happened, what the nature of God truly is, and so forth. There is a lot of biblical inaccuracy to the show, but in comparison to Gnosticism and other ancient ideologies, God’s role actually makes more sense from these perspectives. For example, some Gnostic sects believe it was the Demiurge who created this world as a sort of “prison,” rather than God representing an all loving and benevolent force. But in the context of Devilman Crybaby, I would say the best explanation we have regarding his absence is the concept of Deus Absconditus which means “[A] god who in his remoteness seems to ignore human suffering,” or similarly, Deus Otiosus which means that God is idle and no longer involved in humanity’s concerns. Theories like these have broad implications with esoteric Christianity and other religions, and so it is hard to gauge how true they may be for Devilman Crybaby. One thing is for sure, the classical concept of Deus Ex Machina never occurs in the show, which does give more credibility to the idea that God may simply not care, be idle, or at the least, His plan is one that we the audience are not made aware of.

Another possible theory is that Satan himself is God. Utilizing a solipsistic framework, similar to what we see Shinji Ikari go through at the End of Evangelion, we see Satan completely and utterly alone in the world. He seems to have complete control over just about everything except for Akira’s death and his feelings. But if he himself were in fact God, could he not choose to end things right then and there. Evidence for this comes in the fact that, ironically, the creators held very true to biblical descriptions of Satan as being the most beautiful, initial, favorite, and most beloved being of God. The fact that he was so much immense power. And the fact that Ryo essentially must awaken to his higher self as Satan is symbolic of the one becoming a God and/or one realizing they are living in a solipsistic world. Solipsism is essentially the idea that you cannot prove anything or anyone outside of you truly exists, that you yourself may be represent the universe and all else is merely an illusion, speculation, or incapable of ever being seen as absolutely certain. If Satan were to have all of these traits, in some aspect, could this not make him a God of sorts? Upon realizing it, he chooses to kill himself and the world and begin the cycle all over again – notice the wheels within wheels that constantly appear during the explosions, these are in my opinion, references to the angelic visions of God’s chariot that the prophet Ezekiel saw.

So basically, Satan is willing himself into another incarnation (I believe that reincarnation applies more to this show due to the fact that Ryo awoke to a past life, as opposed to the idea that by destroying the cycle of life, death, rebirth – samsara – then everything would simply end for all eternity). It seems as though Ryo/Satan enjoys mind games, puzzles, challenges, etc. and so what better challenge than to repeat the process of rediscovering one’s true existence? Or, perhaps Akira represents God and in his final moments on screen, we are witnessing Satan’s ultimate punishment. The idea of Hell is an incredibly complex one, but the main point in Christian scripture is that it is a place in which there is only the absence of God – if Akira represented God and now is lost forever, this serves as Satan’s eternal suffering; God has abandoned him.

Miki the Witch/Color Theory

Miki is frequently referred to as a witch on numerous occasions, and at first we take it primarily as a bad joke based out of ignorance and fear. She certainly possesses some interesting traits such as her speed and agility, but is she really a witch? The answer to that, in my opinion, depends on how you look at things. During the witch trials that took place throughout Europe and of course Salem, women were accused of witchcraft for the slightest of “misbehavior.” Women who were particularly good at something on their own were very much victims of this curse; it was believed often times, a woman simply could not perform abilities of any kind to such excellence without the aid of magic, devils and demons, and so forth.

But in Miki’s case, I think one of the more subtle elements of this matter has to do with her clothing choices. In many scenes, she is wearing green. Green is actually quite an important color in witchcraft, Paganism, alchemy, you name it. It is the color of the heart chakra – Miki representing much of Akira’s love and devotion, his heart. It is associated with the zodiac sign of The Mother Goddess, a figure of Wicca and other Neo-Pagan beliefs who brings forth peace, fertility, prosperity, abundance, luck and deals with matters pertaining to envy, changing attitudes, the environment, and so forth. More “ominously” if such is to be believed, green does carry a more “Satanic” principle of to itself – as explained even in classic anime such as Belladonna of Sadness, it is a symbol for power (green = the color of nature, nature being Satan’s forest in some mythological/religious lore). Other theories – whether as overt as Satanism and witchcraft or more benign such as Hindu, Buddhist, and Taoist conceptions of colors can be applied to Miki

Color theory is important to bear in mind when examining all of the characters and scenes as well. For instance, the variety of colors that appears during the Sabbath could perhaps be reflective of a third eye awakening/demonic transformation/etc. As each color represents the seven chakras. The white and black dichotomy between Akira and Ryo is also one that clearly conjures forth images of duality such as the famous yin and yang symbol.

Conclusion

This is merely a short list meant to open the discussion on the new adaptations of Devilman Crybaby and how different realms of spirituality, the occult, the supernatural, religion, faith, and so much more play a larger role in shaping the development of things than you may realize. There are other examples to work with: Akira attempting to pass Ryo the torch and him neglecting it could be a sign of rejecting Lucifer/Christ/some sort of savior figure, it could even be thought of as something more symbolic of phallic imagery with regards to a sort of “creation” origin or the relationship between Ryo and Akira themselves. Everyone seems to be running, runners usually go at the start of gun’s loud bang; the big bang perhaps? Some things may seem like reaching, but just keep calm and think, do research, and come up with your own conclusions, there is more than meets the eye to Devilman Crybaby. Occultism pertains to that which is hidden, so it is up to the viewer to figure these sorts of things out. Also worth mentioning, the subject of will Aleister Crowley is known for the development of Thelema, which states that the purpose of life essentially to discover and fulfill one’s true will. How might this relate to the characters for instance? Again, there are a lot of starting points to go off of here, these are just springboards and suggestions.

Post this however you would like, if you’d like to make any YouTube videos inspired by these subjects just please credit me, Kvlt ov Romance in the description.

My post on demonology.

[thesigilist]

Personal Sigil of Pazuzu. by: The Sigilist/© Alexei Vella.

Popular culture, specifically the novel and the film adaptation of The Exorcist, has done an immense injustice to the Assyro-Babylonian deity Pazuzu; the demonic King of the wind. Yes, Pazuzu, is considered to be an evil spirit, but he drives and frightens away other evil spirits, much like a gargoyle does; therefore, protecting humans against greater plagues and misfortunes. He is not this great overarching evil that the media portrays. Anyway, I wanted to create my own sigil to represent Pazuzu to use during my personal practice.

If you are interested in the creation of a personal sigil please purchase them from - http://thesigilist.storenvy.com/. ✹ - Tip Jar -