Demons are supernatural entities whose primary purpose is the temptation, subjugation and the ultimate destruction of everything that is deemed good. Demons appear in the folklore, mythology or religious dogma of nearly every culture on the planet Earth. Their origins are vast and varied and they can present themselves in any number of forms, each one with their own distinctive identity, purpose and abilities. Demons are always born from some ethereal nether-realm or dark location and almost always possess a monstrous visage. Though many can manifest themselves physically on Earth, many more can only operate as a disembodied spirit, taking possession of a human host to serve a variety of needs. Those who study the lore of demons are known as Demonologists.
Demons figure prominently in many forms of film fiction; usually appearing in programs relating to the horror or supernatural fantasy subgenres. They are almost always presented in an antagonistic role and are often used as plot devices to help form the story structure of an individual episode or story-arc. The classifications, motivations and physical appearance of demons vary depending upon the material they are presented in and there are dozens of different types of demon, many of which are inspired by actual demonology, but are also developed exclusively by the imagination of the creator.
Cenobites[]
Cenobites are a fictional classification of demon featured in the Hellraiser multimedia franchise. They are characterized by pale skin, bald heads with various physical deformities, ritualistic mutilations scars and/or piercings. They also have a keen fondness for leather. Cenobites play a major role in all of the Hellraiser films, but the one that stands out the most is the Lead Cenobite, whom fans have affectionately given the moniker, "Pinhead" (played by Doug Bradley). Multiple Cenobites are seen in all four of the theatrically released films, but when the franchise hit the direct-to-video market, their presence in the franchise dwindled until only Pinhead remained.
Characters[]
| Character | Film/Series |
|---|---|
| Freddy Krueger | A Nightmare on Elm Street |
| Butterball Cenobite | Hellraiser |
| Chatterer Cenobite | Hellraiser |
| Female Cenobite | Hellraiser |
| Lead Cenobite | Hellraiser |
| Mephistopheles | Le Manoir du diable |
| Toy demon | Demonic Toys |
| Wishmaster Djinn | Wishmaster |
Appearances[]
- Amityville 3-D
- Annabelle
- Annabelle: Creation
- Conjuring, The
- Conjuring II, The
- Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest
- Devil Inside, The
- Evil Dead
- Exorcism of Molly Hartley, The
- Exorcist: The Beginning
- Haunting of Morella, The
- Insidious: The Red Door
- Night of the Demons
- Night of the Demons 2
- Night of the Demons 3
- Noroi: The Curse
- Nun, The
- Sometimes They Come Back... Again