Pazuzu (The Exorcist)

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Evil-doer

• Face
• Statue
• Possessing Regan
• Possessing Karras

Pazuzu is the main antagonist ofThe Exorcist franchise. He is a powerful demon who was based loosely ona mythological figure native to the Mesopotamian culture where he was considered the king of wind demons and son of the Babylonian god Hanbi.

In the original book and film, Pazuzu was the demon that possessed Regan. This is his most famous outing, but he has also appeared in all fiveExorcist films as well as Fox's 2016-2017 TV series.

Pazuzu's face was portrayed byEileen Dietz.

Voice Portrayals[]

• Mercedes McCambridge (March 16, 1916 – March 2, 2004) -The Exorcist
• Karen Knapp -Exorcist: The Heretic
• Colleen Dewhurst (June 3, 1924 – August 22, 1991) -Exorcist: Legion
• Rupert Degas -Exorcist: The Beginning
• Mary Beth Hurt -Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist
• David Hewlett -The Exorcist: TV series

Biography[]

Exorcist: The Beginning[]

In this prequel toThe Exorcist, Pazuzu lords over a pagan temple, systematically murdering anyone that came to the temple. The sole survivor that would remain is often a priest. Towards the end of the film, the only survivors of Pazuzu's massacre are Father Merrin and a young boy.

Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist[]

Pazuzu possesses a young and handicapped boy named Cheche at Derati. Father Merrin exorcizes the young kid and Pazuzu possesses a hyena. The hyena leaves Derati.

The Exorcist[]

In the novel and film adaption, Pazuzu manages to possess Regan after she plays with an Ouija board (appearing to her in form of the now-infamous demon called "Captain Howdy"), turning her into a hideous vessel for him to mercilessly taunt and abuse those around them while also displaying major supernatural powers that increase as the story progresses. He presumably grows in strength as the demon takes more and more control over Regan's hapless form - which twists her into a demonic parody of her former self which includes behaviors like vigorous masturbation with a crucifix, demanding people have sex with her, and yelling sexual insults at people.

Regan's mother becomes desperate and turns to two priests to exorcise the demon from her daughter after several failed attempts to solve the problem by more scientific methods (with Regan violently attacking doctors and therapists). That proves trickier than expected as even the priests are reluctant to perform an exorcism due to the belief that such things were confined to the Dark Ages.

However, Father Karras and Father Merrin eventually arrive to perform the exorcism regardless. The battle with Pazuzu proves to be a terrifying rollercoaster for the two priests, who struggle to contain the vast powers of the creature. Sadly, the battle proves too much for Merrin, who dies of a heart attack during the exorcism. Karras becomes enraged when Pazuzu mockingly laughs at his futile attempts to revive Merrin while demanding him to give up, and is possessed by the demon after forcing him out of Regan through physical force, upon which the priest leaps out of the window to his death. Presumably, without a human host, Pazuzu was dispersed when the two priests died, but he returns in the future sequels of the novel and film.

Exorcist III/Legion[]

Pazuzu plays a crucial role and is also instrumental in revenge against Karras for being exorcised from Regan's soul. Pazuzu discovers the soul of an executed serial killer known as theGemini Killer, and he transfers it into Karras' broken body thus contributing to the Gemini Killer's chaotic killing spree.

The novel makes no mention of Pazuzu soon after he succeeds in transferring the Gemini's consciousness within Karras but plays an active role in the film adaptation ofLegion titledThe Exorcist III, where he again possesses Damien Karras after the Gemini Killer loses control in possessing the old woman dressed as a nurse, and fails to murder Kinderman and his family by the arrival of Father Morning in an attempt to perform an exorcism on the patient.

Pazuzu severely wounds and mutilates Morning in response to interrupting the Gemini's killing spree, and Kinderman arrives in time to euthanize Karras after finding the body of the priest, only to be hurled into the wall and later in the ceiling by the possessed Karras. Pazuzu along with the Gemini is dispersed once more after Morning manages to bring Karras back to his senses and briefly regains control of his free will to receive mercy kill from Kinderman to free him from the demons.

The Exorcist (TV series)[]

Pazuzu returns in the television series being revealed to have taken on the persona of the Salesman. In the series, he takes possession of Regan's daughter Casey Rance, giving her horrific nightmares. He also murders Katherine's girlfriend by placing her in a car accident among other misdeeds. When he repossesses Regan, Regan receives some willpower to physically beat Pazuzu to a bloody pulp before leaving him to presumably die.

It is also revealed that he had raped Regan when she was 12.

The Exorcist: Believer[]

Pazuzu does not appear in this direct sequel to the original, but his influence is still felt throughout the film and is indirectly referred to by Chris MacNeill when talking about the events of the first film to Victor Fielding.

Personality[]

In the original film, Pazuzu is portrayed as a sadistic, foul-mouthed, spiteful and insidious entity that delights itself in the suffering of mortals. According to Father Merrin, Pazuzu’s main goal is to make humans feel as though they’ve been rejected by god. The most disturbing and infamous facet of Pazuzu’s character is his perversity. He forces Regan, a child, to make numerous sexual gestures, spout blasphemous insults and demands, and even causes her to violently masturbate with a crucifix. While an ultimately brutal demon, Pazuzu is also shown to be extremely cunning and manipulative. he tries to play mind games with those around to instill doubt and confusion, and it loves every second of it.

In the third film, Pazuzu becomes a more subtle and hidden menace, though his presence is still clear. In the ending however, Pazuzu begins to unleash his full power and wrath upon an unsuspecting priest.

Quotes[]

Gallery[]

Images[]

Pazuzu possessing Regan MacNeil inThe Exorcist.

Possessing Sarah.

Pazuzu's evil grin.

Videos[]

The Exorcist Evolution

Trivia[]

• In the first film andExorcist: The Beginning, Pazuzu sometimes speaks in a strong blasphemous and profane language (e.g. Calling Lankester Merrin a "**********ing worthless ****sucker"). This was toned down or omitted inExorcist II: The Heretic,The Exorcist III andDominion: Prequel to the Exorcist.
• He was listed as the 2nd greatest villain of all time byWizard Magazine.
• Hugh Kane fromScary Movie 2 is a parody of Pazuzu from the filmThe Exorcist.
• In theCodename: Kids Next Door episode "Operation: H.O.T.S.T.U.F.F.", Numbuh 3 (although not a villain) serves as the main antagonist of the episode and most likely parodies Pazuzu and its actions when he possesses Regan MacNeil, only with pyrokinetic powers similar to that ofFather's andGrandfather's. It was also noted that the latter was as strong as he was and even more powerful than the said K.N.D. villains.
• Pazuzu also appears inScary Movie 2 andRepossessed - both of these appearances had Pazuzu's personality changed into that of a comedic villain compared to his hideously perverted true nature in the films and novels.
• In the comic book "Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror 2," in the story "The Exorsister!",Madonna's Spirit is a parody of Pazuzu from the filmThe Exorcist which the comic story is based on.
• InCelebrity Deathmatch,Captain Doody serves as a minor antagonist when he parodies Pazuzu, Doody possesses Nick Jr. by using him as a host while parodying Pazuzu who possesses Regan McNeil. The Undertaker manages to exorcise Captain Doody from Nick Jr's body by using his signature taunt the Tombstone Piledriver and Captain Doody does possess a helpless popcorn guy named Phil.
• Pazuzu makes an appearance in a 2017 episode ofThe Simpsons, "Treehouse of Horror XXVIII", possessing Homer (briefly) Maggie (until the end) and Bart Simpson (at the end) in a spoof ofThe Exorcist.
• Other than brief glimpses of a humanoid face, Pazuzu's appearance as portrayed by his statues and mythology point to him being an indescribable being of darkness.
• Regan's possessed face was infamously used as an internet screamer back in 2004, in a flash game made by flash gamemaker Jeremy Winterrowd nicknamedThe Scary Maze Game, or simplyThe Maze. In the game, an image of her possessed face will appear on screen accompanied by a loud scream. The face has also been used in other screamers and scary YouTube videos as well, along with Sarah's possessed face.
  • The Pazuzu face itself later appeared as a screamer face in another scary Internet game,Where's Waldo?, which was another game made by Winterrowd.
• In The Exorcist: Believer, it marked the first and so far only Exorcist film that Pazuzu does not make an appearance in, but his influence is still felt throughout. Instead, the demon in this film isLamashtu, another Mesopotamian based demon.

External Links[]

• Pazuzu atWikipedia
• Pazuzu on thePure Evil Wiki
• Pazuzu on theThe Exorcist Wiki

Navigation[]

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Demons Pazuzu |Lamashtu Other Gemini Killer