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#REDIRECT ] |
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{{Infobox character |
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| colour = #DEDEE2 |
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{{Redirect category shell| |
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{{R from fictional element|Television}} |
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| name = Demon |
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{{R to section}} |
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| series = |
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| image = ] |
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| caption = A demon being exorcised. |
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| first = "Phantom Traveler" |
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| last = |
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| lbl1 = Home |
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| data1 = ] |
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| lbl2 = Leader |
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| data2 = ] |
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==Development== |
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It was originally intended for demons to not use human hosts, but rather exist "halfway between spirits and corporeal creatures", though capable of taking solid form. However, after it was decided to give the demon featured in "Phantom Traveler" the ability to possess people, the writers chose to make it an element of all demons.<ref name="p114">Knight, p.114</ref> Kripke feels that this added an interesting aspect to the storylines, as the viewers "never quite know who the bad guy is".<ref name="p114"/> |
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Inspirations for the types of demons have come from numerous sources, such as the devil-on-your-shoulder concept that is used in the episode "Sin City". The writers often try to base the demons off of actual aspects of history, as is done in "Malleus Maleficarum" by having the demon Tammi ].<ref name="p104">Knight, p.104</ref> An encyclopedia on demons is used for research, with '']'' inspiring "The Magnificent Seven"'s storyline of demons being the physical embodiment of the ].<ref name="p104"/> For the second season finale "All Hell Breaks Loose", writer Sera Gamble needed a creature that matched the episode's setting, and decided to borrow the ] from ], making it into a type of demon. In lore, this creature is a "diseased spirit that kills everybody in the settlements", so it fit in with the abandoned town that the episode takes place in.<ref name="p117">Knight, p.117</ref> |
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For the third season, writer Ben Edlund pitched the revelation that demons were once human, which series creator Eric Kripke feels "opened up the mythology in an interesting and complicated way". It was further expanded upon to both convey the belief of the writing staff that the "worst evil is the evil inside all of us" and to serve as a plot device by showing Dean that being in Hell will "burn away his humanity" and turn him into the "thing he hates most".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.buddytv.com/articles/supernatural/exclusive-interview-with-super-16374.aspx|title=Exclusive Interview: 'Supernatural' Creator Eric Kripke|last=Kubicek|first=John |date=February 5, 2008|publisher=BuddyTV|accessdate=2009-04-11}}</ref> Also introduced was the demon Ruby, who was meant to make the perception of demons into more of a ], rather than the "black and white", "They're evil, we're good" approach previously used. Gamble commented, " brought the idea that you can't just dismiss demons as things that need to be killed right away. They could be useful, and while fundamentally untrustworthy, there might be cause to trust them in a given situation."<ref name="p104"/> |
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==Physical characteristics== |
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] |
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While in possession of a host, a demon is appearance-wise indistinguishable from normal humans. However, when a demon uses its abilities, or for reasons such as intimidation, its eyes change to a color based on the demon's place in the hierarchy. Lower-level demons have completely black eyes, with Crossroads Demons' eyes being shaded red. Unlike demons below him, the yellow-eyed Azazel's ] and ] are the only areas affected. Actor ] wore hard yellow contacts when portraying the Azazel in the second season, forcing him to act blind.<ref name="DVD">{{cite video | people=Eric Kripke, Sera Gamble, and Bob Singer |year=|title=Supernatural season 2 DVD commentary for the episode "All Hell Breaks Loose"| medium=DVD|publisher=}}</ref> During production of the second season, Kripke viewed the horror film '']'', and found one of the creatures having all-white eyes to be "really disturbing".<ref name="p105">Knight, p.105</ref> Thus, the writers considered changing the eye color of regular demons to white, but eventually decided against it. However, Kripke later used the idea when Lilith and other high-level demons were introduced,<ref name="p105"/> though the demon Samhain's eyes feature black pupils. |
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==Fictional history== |
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Demons were all once human, but their souls have been corrupted after spending hundreds of years in Hell, leaving them as large, black clouds that generate electromagnetic interference. The first demon in creation is Lilith, whom Lucifer himself corrupted as revenge against God. |
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==Demon culture== |
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Demons in the series are generally portrayed as cruel and sadistic, often taking pleasure in causing humans pain, Kripke deeming them "snotty and sophisticated". However, at times their culture has been compared to that of normal humans. Introduced in the third season is the concept of some demons being religious, believing in their own higher power—Lucifer. Like humans with their ], demons have faith in his existence, with one demon stating, "Well, no one's actually seen him, but they say that he made us into what we are, and they say that he'll return." ]'s endgame throughout the entire series is to free Lucifer, whom he refers to as his "Father". |
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Within the demon culture exists a hierarchy based on levels of power. All demons have some similar characteristics, such as being able to possess a human body—living or dead—and being invulnerable to natural harm while in the host. They are also unable to cross paths of salt or iron, and are vulnerable to a devil's trap, a mystical symbol from '']'' that temporarily strips a demon of its usual abilities while it is inside the trap and prevents it from leaving until the symbol is disturbed. ] are usually used in conjunction with the trap. However, other aspects of demons depend on their place in the hierarchy. The most common demon featured in the series are low-level black-eyed demons, who generally just gain enhanced strength while in possession of a host. However, stronger black-eyed demons, such as the one possessing Meg Masters, exhibit other abilities such as telekinesis, and are not barred from entering hallowed grounds. Above them are the red-eyed Crossroads Demons. Master manipulators, they love to play on people's emotions, making them feel extreme guilt or fear. Their main purpose is to make bargains with desperate people in exchange for their souls, and are summoned at a crossroads by a person by burying a box with his or her picture, graveyard dirt, and a bone from a black cat, though they also sometimes seek out their victims. The yellow-eyed Azazel is immune to the effects of holy water, and has pyrokinetic and dream-manipulating abilities. Although Kripke stated during the third season that he felt Azazel was "just below" the white-eyed Lilith in the hierarchy, the fourth season introduced other white-eyed demons. The most powerful type, these demons are able to emit from their hands rays of "searing white energy",<ref name="p93">Knight, p.93</ref> and all Crossroads Demons answer to Lilith. |
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However, even below the hierarchy exist those whom Kripke refers to as other demons' "pit bulls".<ref name="p115">Knight, p.115</ref> These demons, such as the "savage" and "primal" Zoroastrian daevas of the first season episode "Shadow", do not possess people, but rather use their true form to kill.<ref>Knight, pp.114-115</ref> Only visible as shadows, daevas can only be controlled through the use of special altars or pendants featuring their Zoroastrian sigil. Another such demon, an ], makes an appearance in the second season finale. |
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Demons in the series have generally appeared to have little dissent, though it does exist. They are held together at first by the "tyrant" Azazel, who releases an army of demons from Hell in order to wage war against humanity with ] as their leader. However, after Azazel is killed and Sam fails to assume the role, the demons' cohesion falls apart, with hundreds of demons attempting to fill the power vacuum. One of these demons is Lilith, whom Azazel releases as part of his master plan. The demonic world reunites once again under her command, and after she gives her life in order to release Lucifer, they appear to now follow their creator. |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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] |
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