The Mythology of Supernatural Page 2

  The one real-world voodoo use of goofer dust that most closely matches its portrayal in Supernatural is a basic spell of protection. In this case, the dust must include dirt from the grave of someone who loved the person to be protected. Another recipe for this protective dust offers broader protection, requiring the dust to be blessed by a voodoo priest and sprinkled with holy water. However, goofer dust is not normally used in voodoo to bar demons or spirits. This is probably because most voodoo spells involve contractual agreements with various spirit entities. A priest might tick off a spirit by barring it one day, and then be unable to invoke that same spirit later on when it is needed for a different type of spell. Voodoo is all about playing the politics of the spirit realm.

  HEAVY METAL: IRON

  About three thousand years ago, iron forever changed the face of human civilization. It replaced bronze as the primary metal used for making tools and weapons. Unlike the much softer bronze, iron was hard enough to easily chip most types of stone without taking any severe damage. Aside from being used for making tools and weapons, the element of iron has a long history of supernatural lore.

  In European folklore, iron offers protection against fairies and other mythical creatures. Such lore claims that iron is especially dangerous to these creatures and that they can be harmed or even killed by merely touching the element. The powers of witches, for example, can be dispelled by tapping them on the forehead with an iron rod, while certain elements of werewolf lore (which, of course, did not make their way into the Supernatural mythos) claim that one can force a werewolf back into its human form by throwing an iron rod over its head. These sorts of stories may have resulted in the practice of enclosing cemeteries in wrought iron fences in order to keep evil or troublesome spirits from disturbing the restful dead.

  SAM: What should we do?

  DEAN: Fight the fairies! You fight those fairies! . . . FIGHT

  THE FAIRIES!

  —SAM AND DEAN WINCHESTER, “CLAP YOUR HANDS IF YOU BELIEVE” (6-9)

  In the episode “Clap Your Hands If You Believe” (6-9), the use of iron as a weapon against fairies is integrated into the mythos of the show. However, the writers took it a step further and integrated other forms of “sacred metals,” such as silver. When the fairy folk came into contact with a number of different types of metal, it would burn their skin.

  Some remnants of these beliefs about iron can still be found today. Ever heard the term lucky horseshoe? Believe it or not, the idea of lucky horseshoes gets its origins from a particular story from European Judeo-Christian folklore. This story, which dates from around 959 CE, tells of an encounter Saint Dunstan once had with the devil. Saint Dunstan, long before he became the archbishop of Canterbury, made his living as a blacksmith. One day, the devil came into Dunstan’s shop and demanded that his horse be shoed. Seeing the devil for what he was, Dunstan grabbed an iron horseshoe and his tools, pinned the devil down, and nailed the horseshoe to the devil’s cloven-hoofed foot. The devil cried out in pain, begging Dunstan to remove the shoe. Saint Dunstan refused to remove it unless the devil agreed that he would never enter any home or structure that had a horseshoe hung over its door. The devil begrudgingly agreed, and Dunstan removed the shoe and put the Prince of Evil out on his butt. This story is the reason why, to this day, you see a horseshoe hanging over the door of many houses in Europe.

  Based on its universal portrayals in lore, it would seem that most spirits and demons have a natural aversion to iron. The use of iron on Supernatural is no different. By striking a spirit or ghost with an iron object, a hunter can temporarily dispel its form. While this is rarely a permanent measure, it’s a good way to buy some time while the hunters try to find the spirit’s physical remains to “fry up extra crispy.”

  The use of iron has even been incorporated in modern theories about the paranormal. The premise of how it works, however, has been updated. As will be discussed in further detail later in this chapter, spirit entities are believed to use electromagnetic energy in order to assume their forms (causing spikes on an EMF reader). Iron is said to act as a conductor, “grounding” the spirit’s electromagnetic energy. When touched by iron, the spirit’s electromagnetic energy would be drained or dispersed. The spirit is then forced to manifest its form all over again.

  HOLY WATER

  DEAN: What is this, holy water?

  BOBBY: That one is . . . this is whiskey.

  —DEAN WINCHESTER AND BOBBY SINGER, “DEVIL’S TRAP” (1-22)

  Water is important. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who would disagree with this statement. Sixty percent of the human body is made up of water. Our brains are 70 percent water. If you were to remove water from the Earth for just three days, nearly the entire human race would be wiped out, along with much of the planet’s wildlife. The general rule of human survival states that only an already well-hydrated person can survive beyond three days without water. Even those previously well-hydrated few who managed to survive the three days would then suffer from extreme dehydration and need immediate medical attention. As important as it may be, for the hunters of Supernatural sometimes water alone isn’t enough to get the job done.

  In biblical writings, holy water is mentioned in Numbers 5:17, as God instructs Moses in how to perform a ritual meant to cure a “curse of jealousy,” which roughly means that the ritual was supposed to prove the fidelity of any woman who had been charged with adultery by her husband. “And he shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and he shall cast into it some of the earth from the pavement [or floor] of the Tabernacle.” After the ritual, the woman would drink the holy water and earth mixture. If she was wrongly accused, then nothing bad would happen to her. If she was guilty, however, the holy water would turn to a curse that “will cause her belly to swell, her thighs [meaning her genitalia] to rot.” You have to admit, this portrayal of holy water as a “bitter curse” is a far cry from how the substance is viewed in modern Christianity.

  In the ancient Judaic tradition, a precursory ritual can be found that was similar to the later practice of baptism in Christianity. The ancient Israelites underwent a ceremonial purification, called mikvah, before entering the temple. The adherent would be immersed in “holy water” in a special ceremonial vessel. In modern Judaism, there is still a very similar practice of ritual bathing, called mikvaʹot, the performance of which is usually reserved for special occasions such as weddings, during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, or, especially among Israeli Jews, prior to entering the temple.

  The Christian practice of baptism has its origins in the biblical New Testament, when Jesus went to see John the Baptist to receive this symbolic purification rite. Accounts of this event, which is believed to have occurred somewhere on the banks of the Jordan River, can be found in three of the four Gospels, those of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

  While the water that is commonly used in Christian baptismal rites or ritual bathing is certainly seen as “pure,” it is not actually “holy water” in the traditional sense. So, how does one get holy water? To prepare water for sanctification, perform the following three steps:

  Step 1: Get some water. Easy so far, right?

  Step 2: Find a clean vessel in which to store the water while it is being blessed. A well-washed glass or metal bowl will do just fine.

  Step 3: This step is sort of optional. If one wishes, a few pinches of salt may be added to the water. However, the salt must be “exorcised” before it is added (for more on the rite of exorcism, see chapter 7). Again, exorcised salt is not (according to most traditions) a requirement for making holy water.

  Now it is time to actually bless the water, which may be done by reciting the following Latin blessing:

  Deus, qui ad salute humani generis maxima quæque sacramenta in aquarum substantia condidisti: adesto propitus invocaionibus nostris, et element huic, multimodis purificationibus preparato, virtutem tuæ benedictionis infunde; ut creatura tua, mysteriis tuis serviens, ad abigendos dæmones morbosque pellendos
divinæ gratiæ sumat effectum; ut quidquid in domibus vel in locis fidelium hæc unda resperserit careat omni immunditia, liberetur a noxa. Non illic resideat spiritus pestilens, non aura corrumpens: discedant omnes insidiæ latentis inimici; et si quid est quod aut incolumitati habitantium invidet aut quieti, aspersione hujus aquæ effugiat: ut salubritas, per invocationem sancti tui nominis expetita, ab omnibus sit impugnationibus defensa. In Nomine Domini Nostri Jesu Christi filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

  Roughly translated into English, the blessing goes as follows:

  God, for Whom the salvation of the human race has built your greatest mysteries upon this established substance, in your kindness hear our prayers and pour down into this element the power of your blessing, prepared by many purifications. May this, your creation, become a vessel for Your divine grace to dispel demons and sicknesses, so that everything on which it is sprinkled, in the homes and buildings of the faithful, will be removed of all unclean and harmful things. Let no pestilent spirit, no corrupting atmosphere, remain in those places: may all the schemes of the hidden enemy be dispelled. Let whatever might trouble the safety and peace of those who live in these places be put to flight by this water, so that health, gotten by calling Your Holy Name, may be made secure against all attacks. Through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, and forever, world without end. Amen.

  While most Catholic priests tend to stick to the traditional Latin, there are no rules that specifically state that the blessing of holy water cannot be recited in English. Besides, there’s more than one way to make water holy:

  • Saint or Nonliturgical Holy Water: Often considered just as potent as traditional holy water (in some cases, more so), this form of holy water is found in “holy wells” or other water sources associated with Catholic saints. For example, there is one such place at a spring in Lourdes, France, from which Saint Bernadette Soubirous was told to drink during her eighteen visions of the Virgin Mary from January to July in 1858. Some make pilgrimages to this place in order to find healing.

  • Gregorian Holy Water: This is traditional holy water that has been mixed with wine, salt, and ashes. It is commonly used for the consecration of religious sites, such as altars or churches.

  • Relic or Sanctified Holy Water: This is water that has been “sanctified” by immersing a holy relic or religious object into it (or, depending on the relic or object, just touching the surface of the water can be enough). For example, an object such as a blessed rosary, Saint Benedict coin, or one of the many True Cross relic pieces would probably be enough to do the trick. Taking into account how often holy water has been used in Supernatural, one would assume that this is the Winchesters’ preferred method for making it “on the fly.”

  Holy water, of course, is only useful against demons. When angelic forces descend upon the Winchesters, they need something with a little more kick. In the Supernatural mythos, there is only one way to contain the awesome power of an angel (aside from killing it with an angel sword or sending it back to Heaven with a banishing sigil, of course): holy oil.

  HOLY OIL

  DEAN: Where have you been?

  CASTIEL: Jerusalem.

  DEAN: Oh? How was it?

  CASTIEL: Arid.

  —CASTIEL, “FREE TO BE YOU AND ME” (5-3)

  Needless to say, trapping an angel is not easily accomplished. Castiel has to travel all the way to Jerusalem (of course, for him it’s a pretty short trip) to acquire a special oil that, when burned, will kill any angel who steps across it.

  Where exactly did Castiel get the oil that was used to trap Raphael? There are two possibilities. In the ancient holy temple of Jerusalem, fires were constantly burned in the seven interconnected lamps of a holy menorah. These days, a menorah is usually just a seven-branched candlestick. As it is written in Exodus 27:20, God told Moses to “command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning.”

  Then again, the oil used in Supernatural to make “holy fire” may not be lamp oil. It could be another type of oil, called oil of anointing. Anointing refers to the smearing of oil, usually on a person’s forehead, as a symbol of divine right and/or influence. In a later passage God gives instructions for the creation of this special holy oil:

  Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant cane, 500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin [1.5 gallons] of olive oil. Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil.

  —EXODUS 30:23–25

  Holy oil remains in use in many of today’s Judeo-Christian traditions. For example, many evangelical and Protestant Christians use holy oil in exorcisms and blessings meant to ward off evil spiritual forces.

  We’ve talked about holy water and holy oil. However, these aren’t the only holy substances used as weapons against beings of the spiritual realm. There is one more: the holy wood known as Palo Santo.

  PALO SANTO

  ISAAC: Honey? Where’s the Palo Santo?

  TAMARA: Well, where did you leave it?

  ISAAC: I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking.

  —ISAAC AND TAMARA, “THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN” (3-1)

  Palo Santo can refer to a number of different species of tree, such as lignum vitae (also known as iron wood or wood of life), Bulnesia sarmientoi, or Bursera graveolens. Though its use requires no actual form of blessing or sanctification, the term Palo Santo is Spanish for “holy wood” or, as it is sometimes translated, “sacred wood,” “saint wood,” or “sanctified wood.” It has long been revered in regions of South America for medicinal and healing purposes, as well as for incense making and even as a repellant for rodents.

  It’s holy wood, from Peru. It’s toxic to demons, like holy water. Keeps the bastards nailed down while you’re exorcising them.

  —TAMARA, “THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN” (3-1)

  When essence from this wood is externally applied to the body, it can be used to treat a number of rashes and other skin conditions. Its bark and leaves can also be mixed with tea leaves to make a medicinal infusion that can treat certain stomach ailments.

  In the folklore of certain regions in Ecuador, it is said that Palo Santo can be used to ward off various forms of mala energia (bad or evil energy).

  Oddly enough, there is absolutely nothing in the lore surrounding Palo Santo that claims it can be used to “stake down” demons. The Palo Santo stake used by the husband-wife hunter team of Isaac and Tamara is likely no more than a creative reinvention of the writers for use in the mythos of the Supernatural universe.

  A Palo Santo stake would have been almost as handy for fighting demons as Ruby’s knife, and not nearly as hard to come by, so it’s surprising that Sam and Dean haven’t tried to get their hands on more of the stuff. Of course, sometimes a hunter has to stake down something that’s a little more dangerous than demons, such as gods. When a rogue god just has to be ganked, forget the Palo Santo and reach for the “piney-fresh goodness” of an evergreen stake.

  “GOT WOOD?”: EVERGREEN STAKES

  SAM: So what about Bobby? He’s sure evergreen stakes will kill this thing, right?

  DEAN: Yeah, he’s sure.

  —SAM AND DEAN, “A VERY SUPERNATURAL CHRISTMAS” (3-8)

  As far as the mythology of evergreen stakes goes, there is a general belief that they should never be used to stake vampires. This stems from the belief in folklore that evergreen wood possesses properties of immortality. The idea is that an immortal being staked with an immortal wood would not be harmed and might actually be made stronger by it. When it comes to using evergreen stakes as weapons to kill rogue gods (even if they are disguised as a suburbanite elderly couple), as Sam and Dean have done on several occasions, there is litt
le to no info available. However, it does reverse the above-mentioned idea and would seem to suggest that evergreen wood’s immortal properties make it effective in slaying such immortal beings as the “old gods” of Supernatural.

  THE COLT: A HISTORY OF ENCHANTED WEAPONRY

  Back in 1835, when Halley’s Comet was overhead, same night those men died at the Alamo, they say Samuel Colt made a gun . . . a special gun. He made it for a hunter—a man like us, only on horseback. Story goes, he made thirteen bullets. This hunter used the gun a half dozen times before he disappeared, the gun along with him.