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Giant evil gods.
~ Marty Mikalski about the Ancient Ones.
The Ancient Ones. The gods that used to rule the Earth. As long as they accept our sacrifice, they remain below.
~ The Director about the Ancient Ones.

The Ancient Ones, also called the "Ancients" are the overarching antagonists of the 2012 horror/comedy film The Cabin in the Woods.

They are an enigmatic and fearsome race of sacrilegious deities that once reigned over Earth long before the existence of humans, spanning countless eons in the past. These formidable entities lie dormant beneath the very surface of our planet, their slumber sustained solely by the infusion of blood obtained through a meticulously orchestrated sequence of ritual sacrifices. This crucial act ensures their prolonged repose, safeguarding humanity from their wrath, at least for another year. However, in the unfortunate event of a failure in executing the intricate ritual, these malevolent gods shall awaken from their deep slumber, unleashing their destructive might upon mankind, leaving no trace of our existence.

History[]

The origins of the Ancient Ones remain a mystery, but they once held dominion over Earth in the distant past. However, they eventually entered a state of dormancy, requiring a specific ritual to be performed in order to appease them. This ritual has been carried out in various ways throughout human history, serving as a primitive form of worship towards these enigmatic beings. Hadley passionately explains that in the past, the ritual was as simple as sacrificing a girl by throwing her into a volcano. However, as time progressed, the Ancient Ones developed a desire for more elaborate forms of entertainment, leading them to modify the rules of the ritual. Failure to adhere to these new rules would result in the Ancient Ones unleashing their wrath upon humanity.

In the era of modern civilization, The Organization was formed as a response to the pressing need for a well-coordinated endeavor that would guarantee the successful execution of a sacred ritual to appease the Ancient Ones. To accomplish this monumental task, numerous facilities were established across the globe, strategically positioned to carry out simultaneous attempts. These facilities were likely overseen by a director who acted as the vital communication link between the Ancient Ones and humanity. The very essence of the Ritual alludes to the fact that it is shrouded in secrecy, known only to a select few within the highest echelons of global governments. Through a clandestine collaboration, these governments provide essential resources and, perhaps, even offer up unsuspecting individuals as sacrifices as part of this global conspiracy.

Every horrifying and savage creature that haunts our nightmares is a physical embodiment of the Ancient One's twisted cravings for retribution against the younger generation of humans, and these abominations are entirely subject to the Ancient Ones' manipulations. When the System Purge occurred, an event that resulted in the Organization's employees becoming prey to numerous monstrous beings, every single one of these terrifying entities was unleashed upon them.

After successfully evading the terrifying Purge, Marty Mikalski and Dana Polk stumble upon an enigmatic pit belonging to the mysterious Ancient One. To their astonishment, they come face to face with the enigmatic Director who proceeds to unravel the perplexing circumstances they find themselves in. In an unexpected turn of events, the Director instructs Dana to aim her weapon at Marty, only to be interrupted by a ferocious attack from a menacing Werewolf. Simultaneously, Patience Buckner, another entity lurking in the shadows, launches a vicious assault on the Director, inadvertently plunging into the depths of the ominous pit. As Marty and Dana watch in both trepidation and curiosity, they brace themselves for the arrival of the Ancient Ones, whose immense power is demonstrated when one of them extends their colossal hand and obliterates both the Facility and the Cabin, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake.

Appearance and Attributes[]

In a fleeting glimpse, these colossal beings are revealed as massive humanoid creatures resembling molten lava, residing in the depths of the Earth. Though generally dormant, they possess a remarkable level of sentience and immense strength. Intriguingly, they serve as the origin of the dominating force that not only governs but conceivably even gives birth to all the monstrous entities housed within numerous facilities scattered across the globe.

It is suggested that although they do not possess unlimited presence or knowledge, they possess the ability to observe a vast array of concurrent events occurring worldwide, and are also capable of effortlessly annihilating humanity at any given moment. The true magnitude of their abilities remains a mystery. According to the original script, the Director discloses to both "The Virgin" (Dana) and "The Fool" (Marty) that numerous dormant Ancient Ones exist, one residing beneath each country, remaining sentient unless the ritual fails.

Inspiration and Metafiction Meaning[]

The main iconic concept is a clear homage/parody on the Cthulhu Mythos, which was created by the late revered author H.P. Lovecraft. In this homage, the true might and immense power of the beings in question are merely hinted at, never fully revealed or described in great detail. Instead, they serve as a representation of abstract concepts such as the fundamental fear of the unknown and the destructive force that can consume our world. These creatures embody a sense of danger and peril towards humans, yet their true nature remains shrouded in mystery, leaving us to ponder their unfathomable existence.

However, it is possible that these creatures could be a contemporary interpretation of the Titans from Greek mythology and other ancient chaos creatures that plagued early humans across various cultural backgrounds. The existence of numerous references to ancient deities in ancient religions, including but not limited to Greek, Roman, Mesopotamian, Babylonian, Sumerian, Minoa, and Vedic religions, is overwhelming. Even within monotheistic religions like ancient Judaism and Christianity, there are ancient adversaries mentioned, such as the Nephilim, Satan, the Behemoth, the Leviathan, and other symbolic creatures described by Biblical authors like Daniel and Jesus's apostle John in the Book of Revelation. Additionally, one could consider the gods of the Aztec and Mayan civilizations, renowned for their gruesome human sacrifices, as another potential source of inspiration for these creatures.

In the metafictional sense, the entire movie serves as a critique of the clichés and conventions found in horror films. It goes so far as to incorporate the American Ritual as a clever twist on the final girl trope. This is where the Ancient Ones come into play, serving as a postmodern statement from the film's creators, Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon. They use the Ancient Ones to express their observations on how horror film fans have become tired of the same old fears depicted in movies. These fans are constantly seeking new and more intricate experiences in horror fiction, which ironically has resulted in an influx of clichéd films and a decline in the genre's quality. Essentially, the Ancient Ones represent the very audience who is watching the film.

Trivia[]

  • The Ancient Ones are kept in perpetual slumber through an annual pars pro toto sacrifice of five young individuals embodying certain archetypes: the whore (Jules), the athlete (Curt), the scholar (Holden), the fool (Marty), and the virgin (Dana). The order in which intended victims perish is flexible, as long as the Whore is first and the Virgin survives or dies last.
  • The Ancient Ones are, most likely unintentionally, remarkably similar to Zoma from Dragon Quest III: both are monsters who have been given a god status, both live at the earth's core and are gigantic enough to have claws that can tear through the earth's mantle. Both are always vigilant on how their pawns are managing the world above; and the eeriest part, though not entirely verified, is that both could have used their minions as means of entertainment as they could easily destroy the world whenever they felt like it: Given the fact that Baramos was not the only one of its species, and Zoma having other minions like King Hydra at his disposal, it is possible that the Hero's world was not the only one he sent his minions to terrorize; similar to how the Ancient Ones held different rituals for each region and even then, the monsters The Organization sends for each ritual are different.
  • As the the Organization resembles SCP Foundation, the Ancient Ones also resemble several of the higher terrors of that universe, especially the Scarlet King. However, as the Ancient Ones are considered Hostile Species, they are ultimately beaten by the Scarlet King.

External links[]

Navigation[]

           The Cabin in the woods logo Villains

The Organization
The Director | Gary Sitterson | Steve Hadley | Wendy Lin | Daniel Truman

Monsters
The Blob | Buckner Family | Dismemberment Goblins | Dolls | Dragonbat | Fornicus | Giant Snake | Mecha Scorpion | Werewolf

Other
Ancient Ones

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