The Gormogon
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The Gormogon is the cannibalistic serial killer featured in a story arc of the third season of the FOX drama "Bones."
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[edit] Background and Development
He was introduced in the season premiere, "The Widow's Son in the Windshield", and has made appearances in the form of teeth marks on bones examined by the Jeffersonian scientists. His first on-screen appearance was in "The Knight on the Grid" (episode 8), although his former master, Arthur Graves, appears earlier in that episode, and his late apprentice, Jason Harkness, appeared in the season premiere. Before the season finale reviewers and fans speculated that the audience has actually already met him, perhaps being professor Dr. Lance Sweets [1].
This belief was partially validated later in the season when the show's executive producer, Hart Hanson, stated in an interview with EW.com suggested that the Gormogon or his apprentice are someone the fans are fond of. In the season finale, this statement is confirmed when Dr. Hodgins finds that Dr. Zack Addy had lied about some of his earlier conclusions, leading Dr. Brennan and Agent Seeley Booth to realize Zack must be the apprentice. The team finally tracked down the Gormogon thanks to information given by Zack, and Booth killed the Gormogon in his home; he has not been given a name, and he has been described as "nobody."
[edit] Modus Operandi
When particles left on a victim's skull led Dr. Brennan and Booth to a vault in an old bank, they discovered tapestries, paintings, books, and other artifacts related to a number of mystical orders and traditions, including Kabbalah, Freemasonry, and Gnosticism. The key feature of the vault was a silver skeleton arranged in a "widow's son" pose, a position known to the ancient Greeks as one of sacrifice. Parts of the silver skeleton had been replaced with actual bone, which bore teeth marks from two different individuals, suggesting ritualistic consumption of flesh. The vault also yielded a tapestry whose pattern corresponds to specific locations in Washington, D.C. and to tarot cards showing different archetypes, such as the Musician. The map provides a schematic for the Gormogon's activities, including the geographic location of the sculpture and of another, older sculpture and the residence of the Gormogon's old master, and the order of archetypes which are being integrated, via their bones, into the sculpture.
[edit] Inspiration
The Gormogons were an anti-Masonic order of the 18th century. They are mentioned in scattered writings of the era, and accusations of association with them may have been used as a political weapon, as the very existence of the order involved a rejection of Masonic ideas. [2] However, only the name has any relevance on the show, as Hodgins borrows it to refer to the killer for his dual reverence for and apparent dislike of secret societies and fraternal orders, including the Knights of Columbus. Hodgins' and Sweets' understanding of typical practices among orders, such as the master-apprentice relationship, ritualistic meals, and sacred geography inform the ongoing investigation of the murders.
[edit] Victims
Two skeleton sculptures have been found, one of which was constructed by Arthur Graves and the current Gormogon, the other by Jason Harkness and the current Gormogon. Not all the victims have yet been identified, but at least one bone in each sculpture was added for its significance to its owner. The three victims named below all lost their fathers at young ages, making them "widows' sons" and thus doubly symbolic as a sacrifice to the Gormogon. They were all involved with a trip to the Anatolian region of Turkey, and associated with the Knights of Columbus.
- Gavin Nichols, a violinist. His little finger, essential for his art, was added to the silver skeleton, and he corresponds to the Musician tarot card on the Gormogon's schematic.
- Father Douglas Cooper, a bishop. His kneecaps, essential in prayer, were added (by Brennan) to the silver skeleton, and he corresponds to the Bishop tarot card on the Gormogon's schematic.
- Mr. Porter, a lobbyist. As would be expected judging by his profession, his mandible, being a component associated with speech, was sent to Dr. Brennan. He corresponds to the Corruptor tarot card on the Gormogon's schematic. When Dr. Zack Addy was revealed as the current apprentice of Gormogon, it was established that he was Porter's killer. All of his victims had lost a parent in their life.
[edit] References
- ^ http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2007/11/bones-mini-tv-1.html Will the real Gormogon please stand up?
- ^ http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/gormogons.html The Gormogons
[edit] External Links
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