In The Conjuring 2, the demon Valak is portrayed as a monstrous version of Sister Mary Elephant from the comedy duo Cheech and Chong. In the demonic pecking order, however, this Grand Chancellor of Hades is more angelic than the dragon.
When it comes to the 1212 Children’s Crusades to a Holy Land that culminated in the slave trade of thousands of German and French teens, Valak, who is the 62nd demon on the roster, is everything but. Furthermore, Valak has been implicated retrospectively in the disappearance of 1284 children in the German town of Hamelin as a result of the Pied Piper.
Almost all of what we understand about Valak comes from a grimoire published in the mid-17th century called The Lesser Key of Solomon, which gathered together manuscripts dating back many centuries. Golden Dawn’s Hermetic Organization of the Golden Dawn used Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers’ translation of the literature of the 18th-century magical order. The Book of the Goetia of Solomon the King was published by the famed English occultist Aleister Crowley in the 20th century.
Crowley used invocations and writings in which he described the rites as a study of the mind. King Solomon is said to have summoned demons depicted in the grimoire, according to mythology.
Read The Lesser Key of Solomon for Valak:
“Volac or Valak or Valu is the sixty-second spirit,” it says. President Mighty & Great, rides a Two-headed Dragon, looking like a child with angelic wings. True answers to questions about hidden treasures and the whereabouts of serpents are the duties of his office. Which he shall deliver to the Exorcist without any exertion of his own might or force. In all, he has 38 Massed ranks of Spirits under his command.”
In Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, Valak first appears in writing form. Johann Weyer, a Dutch physician, and famous occultist and demonologist included the piece as an appendix to his grimoire, De prestigious daemonum (“On Demons’ Tricks”), published in 1577. In that time, 69 demons were described, together with the prescribed methods for summoning each of them. Anneliese Michael was also apparently possessed by demons. The 72 Shemhamphorasch heavenly names and seals provided by Blaise de Vigenère and a now-lost book by Johannes Trithemius provided the 72 Shemhamphorasch heavenly names and seals.
There are several different ways of referring to Valak, depending on which manuscripts and translations are being used. In the Munich Handbook of Demonic Magic, there are several different ways to spell the demon’s name, from Ualac to Valu and Doolas to Volach. The Book of Oberon, a 1577 grimoire, includes a demon called Coloor, which is considered to be some other title for Valak. The Discovery of Witchcraft, Reginald Scott’s popular grimoire from 1584, drew inspiration from this.
As a “president,” Valak is often referred to, while other texts refer to him as “Prince.” Regardless of their titles, all demons are referred to as dukes, kings, or princes. With 38 legions of spirits, Valak is a lesser-key demon. The number varies from 30 to 27 depending on the book.
Classical Valak imagery is based on the Greek divinity Hermes, whose Roman equivalent Mercury was. Hermes is commonly represented as carrying a staff known as the caduceus, which consists of two serpents twisted together. The two-headed dragon that appears in grimoires is based on this. As a sign of the awakening of Kundalini, the flaming serpent, the two-headed dragon has Hindu implications. As a result of this, Valak’s relationship with snakes is often thought to have begun.
Weyer’s pseudomonarchia demonum is divided into six types: Empyreal, Arial, Subterranean (underground), Aqueous (watery), Terrene (land-dwelling), and Lucifugi (night-dwellers). Apokomistai, who are older and more powerful, and Nekudaimones, who are younger and less powerful, are said to be the only two classifications recognized by angels. A Nekudaimone may only assume human form after possessing another person or animal.
An Apokomistai might be in any shape at any time. In the Apokomistai, Valak is. Those called to his side are said to see him as a kid who utilizes his innocent demeanor to deceive and trap them. Since then, it has been associated with the Children’s Crusades, with Hamlin’s disappearance of 130 children on June 26, 1248, and that there were no accounts of demons at that time.
The Conjuring 2’s events were similarly judged to be free of demonic activity, according to the team. According to Guy Lyon Playfair’s novel This House is Haunted (for more haunting articles click), they instead put the incident down to the Enfield Poltergeist.
The well-known paranormal investigators’ Ed & Lorraine Warren turned up unexpectedly in the countryside of the United Kingdom and were promptly evicted. They just stayed for a few seconds. Those weren’t the only discrepancies.
Female demons do not exist in the form of Valak demons. He anecdotally emerges as a pale dude with black hair and black eyes in full evocation. In any legend, Valak has never been depicted as a conjuring nun.
The Nun persona was inspired by a sight Lorraine Warren, portrayed by Vera Farmiga inside The Conjuring movie, had of a hooded creature spinning about in a whirlwind. However, he eventually settled on sacred iconography after originally being excited by the CGI potential.
Wan told Gizmodo that the Nun was only introduced to The Conjuring 2 during reshoots. To reprise her role as the demon nun, Bonnie Aarons, who previously appeared in Annabelle: Creation, takes on the role?
The demon nun appears to be pursuing Lorraine Warren (also featured in Annabelle) in The Conjuring 2. Besides the Amityville house and England, the devil also arrived in Warren’s house before the investigations. Others think it is foreshadowing; yet, the protagonist was also looking for an opportunity to shine.
The Nun (2018), in contrast to The Conjuring films, was inspired by the 1986 film The Name of the Rose, which was based on Italian author Umberto Eco’s novel of the same name. Sean Connery played Friar William of Baskerville in the movie.
Christian Slater portrayed the role of his assistant. Their focus is on a prominent Benedictine monk who died in a tragic accident at a northern Italian convent. The locals believe the Devil is responsible for the monk’s death, which they discovered in a pool of pig blood. The Nun follows in the footsteps of Van Halen and lets loose.
Valak is seen as more than just a tyrant’s ward. The exchange of property is a common negotiating tactic. The “fine print” may be referred to as such by believers.
