Demon summoning lore: How much did Supernatural stick to the real mythology?
Every culture has a lore about summoning demons or the devil, but what did Supernatural stick to for the series?
Lore and mythology about demon summoning rituals are everywhere. Each culture has its own lore, with religions covering both demons, spirits and even the devil. Supernatural Season 2, Episode 8 wasn’t the first time a ritual was used to summon a demon, but was the first time we really got to see it happen in full. It was the first time Sam and Dean explained everything needed for the ritual.
But how much of this ritual fit the lore? What about John’s ritual?
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Well, the exact method of summoning demons differs based on the type of demon you want to get. Here’s a look at the Supernatural lore and the mythology from various cultures.
Supernatural demon summoning: Crossroad demons, other demons and more
In the series, crossroad demons were the first type that were fully shown to be summoned on screen. Sam and Dean mentioned that graveyard dirt, cat’s bones and a photo of yourself were all needed. They would all be put in a box, which would then be placed in the middle of a crossroad. Yarrows would grow in the vicinity, hinting to hunters that it was a popular ritual spot.
There’s no need to say an incantation when summoning a crossroad demon. The demon will appear and have red eyes.
Other demons are a little different. Candles and a Baphomet symbol have been used for summoning other demons, along with a Latin incantation. However, John opted to use the symbol of Azazel, the symbol of Lucifer and Abrameli oil to summon the Yellow-Eyed Demon in the Season 2 premiere. He’d summoned Azazel to get to a crossroad demon to make the deal.
Over time, individuals have also had their own summoning rituals. For example, Crowley had his own, but he showed that he didn’t always have to appear when being summoned. In the Season 9 finale, he chose to attend to Dean, who would return as Deanmon, despite Sam’s insistent calling.
The real demon summoning lore
The summoning of demons in real lore differs between cultures. It also differs depending on the demon. Some are more powerful than others, so require more intricate summoning rituals with incantations. Others require the basics, because they want to be summoned.
Summoning will require something in return. It’s almost like a deal, but you don’t always have to give up your soul. The demons expect you to do their bidding in some way, shape or form.
You will need a magic circle of power in the majority of cases. This is a way to bring the demon to you safely and concentrates the power. Some of the circles will have individual symbols for the specific demon, while others will require a pentagram or similar.
It is hard to pin-point the exact lore and mythology used in Supernatural, because there’s so much. This looks more of something very loosely based on real lore but adapted for the series. It also seems to have used a variety of other fictional lore as inspiration. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with that now and then!
Next: Crossroad Demons: The Supernatural and Real Life Lore
What have you noticed about demon summoning in Supernatural? Did you notice something that is from real mythology? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Supernatural returns Mar. 1 with all new episodes at 8/7c on The CW.