Satan In The Exorcist

As American culture began to change, folktales passed down from generation to generation began to fade from popular memory. Instead of gathering around fireplaces to hear stories of the Devil and his ilk, Americans turned on their televisions or went to the theater to get their entertainment. Despite the decline in popularity of folktales, the Devil did not disappear from the consciousness of the American public, but rather found a new home in the modern age. As pop culture became the modern version of folklore, stories of the Devil became commonplace on both the big and small screens. From horror classics to cult-favorite television shows, the Devil has become a pop culture steadfast; and not only is Satan a prolific character, but a popular

In the film, a demonic entity (never specified to be specifically Satan, but implied) possesses Reagan, a young and lonely girl, tormenting her and her mother until stopped by the titular exorcist. Throughout the film, it is clear that the supernatural force possessing Reagan is deeply malevolent, and its hatred for all symbols of Jesus and God makes it a Christian demon, most likely Satan himself. The Exorcist spawned an entire subgenre of possession films, all with the same antagonist- the Devil himself. This image of Satan is distinctly dangerous, and in the film the power of whatever is possessing Reagan is violent, vile, and merciless. However, this depiction of Satan is purposeful; Satan is dangerous because he needs to be scary, not because the filmmakers want to warn their audience about the Devil. As seen in the film itself, the scenes of Reagan’s exorcism are played for the maximum amount of fear, and it is a fear that audiences want. Satan no longer strikes fear in the hearts men because he is a spiritual threat, but because Hollywood directors know how to elicit fear in their audience. Even the scariest and most evil form of Satan in American pop culture has become an easy way for movies to draw audiences in and give them a good

Although powerful and evil, the character of Lucifer has a sense of humor; often pranking and taunting his victims, not unlike the Mephistophilis of Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus. As in the clip from an episode in a recent season, Lucifer absolutely has the power for destruction seen in the Satan of The Exorcist, but he wields it with a sense of comical malice. Another important point to Lucifer’s character is that he is a fallen angel, and thus he must follow the show’s rules for angels, including asking for permission to use a human body as a vessel. This layer limits Lucifer’s abilities, as he cannot just possess anyone, a major point in the show’s storyline centering around the Apocalypse; when Lucifer seeks to possess Sam in order to fight the archangel Michael who seeks to possess Dean, his brother. Ultimately this angelic quality leads to Lucifer’s downfall. Interestingly, Lucifer is also a fan-favorite, as his wise-cracking and witty nature downplay the threat he poses to the characters, particularly in later seasons. It is also important to note that Lucifer is defeatable. Although he might often come back (most likely to due to fan demand and rating numbers), the Winchester brothers have locked Lucifer away, banished him to Purgatory, and stopped his plans to conquer the world more than once over thirteen seasons. Supernatural’s Lucifer is more of