Pazuzu: The REAL Story Behind The Exorcist’s Demon Will SHOCK You!
In the movie “The Exorcist,” the protagonists confronted a potent demon named Pazuzu. Many films have left an indelible mark on cinema, affecting not only the horror genre but also filmmaking as a whole. However, few can rival the influence and excellence of William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist.” Originating from the 1971 novel with the same title by William Peter Blatty, “The Exorcist” was unveiled in 1973 and remains one of the most renowned horror films ever produced. Despite not all sequels being successful, it has given birth to a franchise.
In the movie titled “The Exorcist,” we follow Father Lankester Merrin and Father Damien Karras as they are called upon to perform an exorcism on 12-year-old Regan MacNeil, whose behavior has become violent, speaks in strange languages, and even murders one of her mother’s acquaintances. The exorcism proves to be more intricate and perilous than anticipated, as the demon starts to mentally torment Karras. This demon is known as Pazuzu, and it appeared not only in “The Exorcist” but also persisted in later films within the franchise.
The Exorcist’s Pazuzu Explained: What The Demon Wants & Why He Possessed Regan
Father Merrin Possibly Unleashed The Demon In Iraq
As a passionate movie enthusiast, let me share how I’d rephrase that:
From the very beginning, The Exorcist swiftly plunges us into the chilling world of Pazuzu. The film starts by following Father Merrin in his archaeological expedition in northern Iraq, where they uncover a medallion of Saint Joseph and an artifact symbolizing Pazuzu during their dig. Then, The Exorcist transports us to Georgetown, where we join Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) and her daughter Regan on their everyday life.
In “The Exorcist,” Regan was portrayed as a kind and affectionate girl who shared a close bond with her mother. Their relationship was characterized by openness, to the point that Regan confided in her mother about discovering a Ouija board in the attic and using it. She also introduced a new acquaintance, whom she called “Captain Howdy,” not realizing that she had been conversing with Pazuzu and unwittingly allowing him entry.
In the book, Pazuzu played a role in Regan’s possession. Although it’s not directly mentioned that the statue found at the beginning by Merrin in Iraq was Pazuzu himself, there are hints suggesting their link. Later in the sequel novel, Legion, Pazuzu reappeared seeking revenge for being expelled from Regan’s body. Consequently, it influenced the Gemini Killer’s spirit to possess Father Karras’ corpse.
In the “Exorcist” film series, the character’s possession by Pazuzu is demonstrated via noticeable physical transformations. These changes include their skin becoming pale, their eyes adopting an eerie yellow hue, the emergence of scratches and bruises across their bodies, especially on their faces, and a drastic alteration in their voices to a deep and disturbing pitch. Pazuzu is portrayed as having both animal and human features, with brief glimpses of its face shown. Its visage is characterized by white skin with dark circles around bloodshot red eyes, and brown, decayed, irregular teeth.
How Pazuzu Is Released In The Exorcist Movies
Pazuzu Was Entrapped In The Church Eons Before
In “The Exorcist” films, it’s Father Merrin who is associated with the unleashing of the demon Pazuzu. The prequels, titled “Exorcist: The Beginning” and “Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist,” delve into Father Merrin’s past. During an excavation, they stumbled upon a Byzantine-era church that was quickly buried after its construction. The purpose behind this hasty burial was to entomb Pazuzu within it. Upon further exploration, Merrin and his team discovered a hidden passageway beneath the church, leading to a cave where an ancient pagan temple, containing the statue of Pazuzu, was concealed.
In the closing scenes of Dominion, Merrin was forewarned that the demon they inadvertently released from the church during excavation would relentlessly chase him. True to this prediction, many years later, Merrin and Pazuzu encountered each other once more. To clarify, The Exorcist opens with Merrin engaged in an archaeological expedition, and as he was about to depart, he noticed a massive statue of the demon and two dogs engaged in a struggle nearby, signifying the arrival of Pazuzu since he had now been freed.
Merrin brought along the amulet of Pazuzu on his journey, potentially inviting a demonic presence with him. However, it’s crucial to recall that Regan was possessed not directly by the amulet, but indirectly through her interactions with the Ouija board. Merrin didn’t encounter Regan until he was summoned to conduct the exorcism. To free Regan from Pazuzu’s influence, Karras volunteered as a potential host, yet before taking possession, Pazuzu snatched Karras’ medallion of Saint Joseph off his person.
In the struggle, Karras managed to hurl himself out of the window, effectively banishing Pazuzu – temporarily, at least. The film Exorcist II: The Heretic disclosed that Pazuzu targeted individuals with psychic healing powers. Interestingly, many years prior to the movie’s events, it had previously possessed a young African boy named Kokumo, who attempted to exorcise the demon appearing as a swarm of locusts using a bullroarer ritual. However, he ultimately became possessed himself.
| The Exorcist Franchise | |
|---|---|
| Movie | Date Of Release |
| The Exorcist | December 26, 1973 |
| Exorcist II: The Heretic | June 17, 1977 |
| The Exorcist III | August 17, 1990 |
| Exorcist: The Beginning | August 20, 2004 |
| Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist | May 20, 2005 |
| The Exorcist: Believer | October 6, 2023 |
In the movie The Exorcist III, Pazuzu, as a form of retribution for being exorcised from Karras, took control of Karras’ body, acting as the vessel for the Gemini Killer. This enabled the killer to continue his violent rampage. For a brief instant, Karras managed to reclaim his personal freedom and requested Lt. William F. Kinderman to shoot him. Unfortunately, Karras was killed, which in turn released both the Gemini Killer and the demon from their bond.
In “The Exorcist: The Beginning,” Merrin’s mission involved retrieving an antiquated artifact tied to a demon from the underground church. However, he failed to acquire the item, yet he did observe a case of possession and the devastating impact of Pazuzu when the church was uncovered, allowing the demon to be freed. Similarly, in “Dominion,” Pazuzu was set free following Merrin’s discovery of the underground church along with his companions.
Pazuzu’s Real Mythological Inspirations & Movie Changes Explained
Pazuzu Is Based On An Ancient Mesopotamian Entity
The demonic figure in “The Exorcist,” known as Pazuzu, is derived from an ancient Mesopotamian entity bearing the same name. However, it can also be referred to as Fazuzu or Pazuza. Pazuzu was symbolically depicted as a southwestern wind and regarded as destructive and dangerous, yet he was also seen as a deterrent for other demons, shielding homes from their influence. Particularly, he was known to protect women and mothers.
Similar to its portrayal in “The Exorcist,” Pazuzu is described with a blend of human and animal characteristics, having a canine-like body (hairless), bird’s claws for feet, two pairs of wings, a tail resembling a scorpion, and a serpentine phallus. Unlike the entity in “The Exorcist,” Pazuzu from Mesopotamian mythology was typically used to safeguard homes instead.
Over time, numerous protective items linked to him have been uncovered, yet despite being viewed as a sinister spirit and having connections to the plague, it’s generally thought that he isn’t intentionally harmful and there are no tales recounting instances of demonic control associated with him.
Every Character Possessed By Pazuzu In The Exorcist Movies
At Least Seven People Were Possessed In The Exorcist Films
In the “The Exorcist” film series, the first character possessed by Pazuzu is introduced as Regan MacNeil in the original movie. She communicates with the demon using a Ouija board. In “Exorcist II: The Heretic,” it’s disclosed that Pazuzu took control of Kokumo many years prior, appearing as a succubus and an imposter of Regan. In “The Exorcist III,” Pazuzu manipulates the Gemini Killer, who had been executed 15 years earlier, to possess Karras’ body. Both the Gemini Killer and Karras are released when Karras is shot at the end.
| Characters Possessed By Pazuzu | |
|---|---|
| Character | Movie |
| Regan | The Exorcist |
| Kokumo | Exorcist II: The Heretic |
| Karras | The Exorcist III |
| Monsieur Bession | Exorcist: The Beginning |
| Director Sarah Novak | Exorcist: The Beginning |
| Cheche | Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist |
In “Exorcist: The Beginning,” archaeologist Monsieur Bession fell under the influence of the demon Pazuzu, while Doctor Sarah Novak was possessed by this same demon towards the end of the film. Moreover, in “Dominion,” a young man named Cheche became possessed by Pazuzu, and this powerful demonic presence affected the behaviors of other townsfolk as well.
Who Voices Pazuzu In The Exorcist Movies
Six Different Voice Actors Voiced Pazuzu
In my film enthusiast perspective, when this demon, Pazuzu, seizes control of its hosts, there’s a chilling transformation in their vocal tones – something I noticed quite clearly while watching. Consequently, to convincingly portray these possessed characters, the actors needed an additional layer of skill, which came from the expertise of voice actors.
In “The Exorcist,” Mercedes McCambridge and Ron Faber supplied the dialogues for the demon Pazuzu, while Karen Knapp was responsible for his voice in “Exorcist II: The Heretic.” Colleen Dewhurst provided a few lines of dialogue as Pazuzu in “The Exorcist III,” and Rupert Degas voiced him in “Exorcist: The Beginning.” In “Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist,” Mary Beth Hurt portrayed the character.
Do Other Demons Appear In The Exorcist Franchise?
Pazuzu Is Not The Demon In The Exorcist: Believer
In many parts of “The Exorcist: Believer”, the audience was made to think that the demon tormenting the two girls was once again Pazuzu. This notion was reinforced when Chris, Regan’s mother, arrived to offer her personal insight to those trying to rescue the children. However, it was later revealed that this wasn’t Pazuzu but a different demon. When the movie was launched, director David Gordon Green confirmed this, stating it was a new entity, although he didn’t elaborate much at the time (as reported by IGN).
Originally, I had expressed quite a bit across three movies and was pondering what lay ahead for me – however, the prospect of The Exorcist was too enticing to ignore… It offered us a chance to stretch our creative abilities, explore uncharted territories, and employ our dramatic skills in horror settings.
We’re not disregarding other sequels; they simply don’t share a strong connection with us. For this new project, we’ll introduce a different demon, one that isn’t Pazuzu. This demon will be familiar to demonologists who have studied extensively.
In the realm of mythology, the demon you see is actually Lamashtu, a Mesopotamian deity, specifically a goddess. Known for her malevolence, she often preys upon young women and children, as portrayed in the story The Exorcist: Believer, where she afflicts Angela and Katherine. Despite this, there’s a link to Pazuzu, another demon from the same mythos; they are typically adversaries in ancient lore. While Lamashtu is characterized by her wrath and desire to inflict harm, Pazuzu is depicted as a protector.
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2025-04-29 23:10