Leviathan in popular culture

The Hebrew monster Leviathan found in the Book of Job has given rise to many popular incarnations. This article treats subjects with no direct connection to the Ancient Middle East or Jewish origins.

Literature

Leviathan is the title of Thomas Hobbes' 1651 work on the social contract and the origins of creation of an ideal state, and his proper name for the Commonwealth.

In Paradise Lost, Milton uses the term Leviathan to describe the size and power of Satan, the ruler of many kingdoms.

The German poet Heinrich Heine mentions Leviathan in his Romanzaro. A Rabbi tells his Catholic opponent in a debate (the "Disputation") that every day of the year, but one, the God of the Jews plays for an hour with the fish at the bottom of the sea. God will one day serve the flesh of Leviathan to his chosen people. The poem gives the recipe that God will use to cook the giant fish. It will be served with garlic, raisins and rettich.^[1]

George Oppen's seminal 1962 poem "Leviathan" addresses the leviathan of the all-consuming force of mankind's own actions, which Oppen felt posed a very real threat to human survival.

The Leviathan appears in the last book of the 1975 The Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson as a colossal, intelligent sea creature in the shape of a tentacled pyramid.

In his book, In Search of Prehistoric Survivors, cryptozoologist Dr. Karl Shuker considers the Leviathan to be a myth inspired, at least in part, by sightings of a Mosasaur-type sea monster.

In the Dungeons and Dragons novel Darkwalker on Moonshae, set in the Forgotten Realms world, the author, Douglas Niles, presents the Leviathan as a giant sea creature that fights the forces of evil on behalf of the Earthmother, an aspect of Chauntea.

In Steven Brust's novel To Reign in Hell, Leviathan (female in this case) is one of seven elder inhabitants of Heaven who conspire to prevent Yahweh from creating the Earth as a sanctuary for himself and those loyal to him.

Leviathan is the name of a novel by Scott Westerfeld about an alternate history in World War I.

Leviathan is the title of a 1992 novel by Paul Auster.

Leviathan Wakes is the title a 2011 science fiction novel by James S. A. Corey which was a Hugo Awards Best Novel nominee and Locus Awards Best Science Fiction Novel nominee in 2012.

The narrative history book Against His-Story, Against Leviathan by Fredy Perlman critically explores the progress of Hobbes's Leviathan, as western civilization, inspiring and defining Anti-civilization theory.

Jim Butcher's series, Codex Alera, mentions leviathans as part of the Alera realm, a species of giant creatures swimming in the river and seas. In the 4th book of the series, Captain's Fury the main characters attempt to trick their enemy by swimming past their ship when leviathans are nearby. The leviathans also make their appearance in the 5th book, the Princeps' Fury, when Aleran and Canim armies cross the sea on ships.

Mike Carey's ongoing comic The Unwritten features Leviathan as a central character/force of nature that lies at the heart of the plot.

In the book - Prisoner, Jailor, Prime Minister, the author - Tabrik C has used Leviathan as a chapter name, essentially comparing the antagonist to the biblical sea monster.

Escape from Leviathan is a book on libertarian philosophy by J C Lester.

Music

In 1994, the American rapper Nas released his first solo album, Illmatic. The first official single released from the album was "It Ain't Hard to Tell" in which Nas rapped "Begin like a violin / End like Leviathan", suggesting his music can have a soothing effect to the ear of its listeners but a rough ending for his competition.

American metalcore band Leathermøuth wrote a song named "Leviathan" for their debut album "xø".

The American progressive metal band Mastodon named their second album Leviathan in reference to the Herman Melville novel Moby-Dick, on which the concept of the album is based.

Neal Morse, progressive rock composer, wrote a song called Leviathan for his 2008 album Lifeline. The song is based on all biblical references to the creature.

The power metal band Alestorm mention Leviathan multiple times in their albums, specifically "Leviathan" and "Death Throes of the Terrorsquid".

English-born American rapper MF DOOM references Leviathan on a track entitled "Strange Ways" on the 2004 collaboration album Madvillainy.

Australian metalcore band Parkway Drive included a track entitled 'Leviathan I' on their 2010 release, Deep Blue.

The United States Navy is referred to as "Leviathan" in the music video produced by the Warrior Project and titled "The Warrior Song - Leviathan."

London based dubstep/drum and bass artists KillSonik named a 2013 free download release "Leviathan", it's a drum and bass song with dubstep, drumstep and electro house elements with a dark theme.

Swedish metal band Dissection mentions the leviathan in the chorus of the song "Black Dragon" from their last album "Reinkaos".

Swedish metal band Raubtier have a track named Leviatan at their album Pansargryning (2014).

Norwegian electro-rock band Ultra Sheriff have a track named "Leviathan"

Australian deathcore band Signal The Firing Squad have a track named "Into The Mouth Of The Leviathan"

American musician Josh Ritter references Leviathan in the second verse of his song "Change of Time".

American black metal band Order of Leviathan was formed in 2012.

Rock band Icarus The Owl have an album named Love Always, Leviathan with a track on the album of the same name.

Solo artist black metal band Leviathan (band) from San Francisco - founded and fronted by Jef Whitehead.

Swedish electronic band Covenant (band) has a track named Leviathan on their album Europa (Covenant album) (1998).

Film and TV

In the television series, Farscape (1999-2003), Leviathans are sentient spaceships. More details can be seen on the wiki page List of races in Farscape.

In the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, the Leviathans are an ancient race of beings who ruled the Earth before mankind came into existence. Their forms were hideous and inhuman, although many Leviathans took human shape after they lost control of the planet. They longed to return to the Earth and reclaim it as their own.

Leviathan is a 1989 science-fiction horror film about a hideous creature that stalks and kills a group of people in a sealed environment, in a similar way to such films as Alien (1979) and The Thing (1982).

In the Disney film Atlantis: The Lost Empire, the Leviathan is a gigantic and terrifying Atlantean war machine which looks like a mechanical lobster a hundred times the size of even the largest man-made sea vessel. It serves as the guardian of the entrance to Atlantis, which lies at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. In the opening scene it is revealed to be an aerial warship, but after Atlantis sank it became aquatic. In Atlantis: Milo's Return, it's revealed that it's still guarding the entrance to Atlantis, but didn't attack Milo's friends upon their return since, thanks to their crystals, it knew they were friends.

In the Hellraiser series by Clive Barker, the deity that rules Hell is named Leviathan. However, this being takes the form of a gigantic lozenge, rotating in the air above its realm, and pertains in no other way to a sea monster.

A season one episode of Martin Mystery had Martin and his friends dealing with a Leviathan that was guarding undersea treasure.

In the television series Supernatural, the Leviathans are an ancient race of monsters that were freed from Purgatory when the angel Castiel absorbed its entire population. Described by Death as God's original creations (created before angels and humanity but locked away because they proved too dangerous), Leviathans are capable of shape-shifting into human form after contact with their DNA, able to eat virtually anything and almost indestructible. They are only vulnerable to the household chemical Borax and being stabbed with the bone of a righteous mortal (Sister Mary Constant) soaked in blood from the three fallen: a fallen Angel (Castiel), Ruler of fallen humanity (Crowley) and the father of fallen beasts (Alpha Vampire).

In the Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu episode "The Last Voyage", Zane's father is revealed to be still alive and trapped on a prison surrounded by water and guarded by a squid like creature known as a Leviathon.

Dave Bautista wrestled under the name Leviathan in the early 2000s for Ohio Valley Wrestling, WWE's developmental territory at the time before he got called up to the main roster.

In the television series, Once Upon a Time, "the Leviathan" is the nom de guerre of Lancelot.

In the television series, Elementary, the episode "The Leviathan" features an impossible to crack bank vault named The Leviathan, hence the title of the episode.

In the HBO series Veep, "The Leviathan" is the nickname that Gary, the Vice President's personal aide, gives to the 60-pocket bag that he carries containing everything the VP might need while out of the office.

In the television Series Red Dwarf, the Season Seven Episode Epideme features a ship called "The Leviathan" which the Red Dwarf crew discover buried in the middle of an ice planetoid.

In the television series Marvel's Agent Carter, Leviathan is referenced as the possible head of the enemy operation. The identity of Leviathan is yet to be revealed on the show, but in the Marvel Universe, Leviathan is known to be an evil organization.

Leviathan is a 2014 film by the Russian director Andrei Zvyagintsev

Video games

In the 1995 game X-COM: Terror from the Deep, the final class of submarines is called Leviathan.

In the Disgaea games, Leviathan is one of six levels of the Sea Serpent class, which is one of many creatable monster character classes.

Leviathan is a recurring creature in the Final Fantasy RPG series, often encountered as an obstacle or boss, as well as a water-based Summon spell.

In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the Leviathan is an amphibious helicopter.

In Grand Theft Auto V, there is a rollercoaster called the Leviathan at the Del Perro pier.

In the game Dishonored, it is hinted that the original form of the Outsider, a mystical figure who grants the protagonist Corvo magical powers, is a leviathan.^[2] What this means about his relationship to the other whales in the game is left ambiguous.

In the game Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, based on the tabletop wargame, there is a massive mobile fortress-tank called a Leviathan.

In Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Leviathan is the name of a Sith Interdictor-class cruiser and the flagship of the Sith fleet.

In Halo the Fall of Reach, a UNSC cruiser is named the Leviathan.

In the MMORPG EVE Online, the Leviathan is the name of the Caldari titan, the largest class of ships in the game.

Lair of the Leviathan is the name of the third Telltale Tales of Monkey Island game.

In the Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos custom map Defense of the Ancients and its sequel Dota 2, an ocean-themed hero known as Tidehunter goes under the name Leviathan.

In the StarCraft universe, leviathans are massive space-born organisms that serve as carriers for the zerg swarm.

In the Mass Effect 3 DLC, Mass Effect: Leviathan, the protagonists investigate a derelict Reaper codenamed "Leviathan", and wind up encountering the ancient aquatic species responsible for the creation of the Reapers, who are unofficially dubbed Leviathans.

In Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse. Leviathan, the name of a boss

In the real time strategy game Age of Mythology, the Leviathan is a giant snake able to transport allies in its mouth. It is available to Egyptian players who worship Nephthys.

In the MMORPG Realm of the Mad God there are multiple leviathans who are powerful gods that you can fight.

In The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, there is a boss entitled Abyssal Leviathan Tentalus. Tentalus could be a reference to the Greek mythological character Tantalus, who was banished to live in a pool of water for his crimes.

In the first Borderlands 2 DLC Captain Scarlett, the Leviathan is mentioned several times, large skeletons of what could be the creature decorate the land, and a Leviathan is fought as a boss battle.

The Pokémon Kyogre is based on the Leviathan. Kyogre is depicted as a whale-like creature who would fight Groudon (who is based on the Behemoth), and their fighting can only be stopped by Rayquaza (who is based on Ziz)

In Devil May Cry 3, the Leviathan (a gigantic flying Whale-like creature) was released into the human world after Vergil and Arkham summoned the Temen-ni-gru tower into the human world to obtain Sparda's power for themselves. The demon is eventually killed by Dante after he destroys it from the inside.

A giant fish monster named Leviathan appears as one of the bosses in Bomberman 64.

Leviathan is the name of one of the Seven Sisters of Purgatory in the murder mystery visual novel Umineko no Naku Koro Ni.

In Mega Man Zero, one of the main characters is a Reploid named Fairy Leviathan, who is a member of the Maverick Hunter organization of Neo Arcadia. Similarly, in Rosenkreuzstilette, a character resembling her, Trauare Wrede, who is the fourth member of RKS, wields a spear just like her, and her spear is called the Chaos Spear Leviathan.

In the game series Gears of War the Leviathan was a species of aquatic animals that lived in bodies of deep water and later on the surface. In the game they were feared by another enemy, the Locust, who wouldn't go near their territory.

In Forsaken a giant hovering tank named Leviathan is one of the early bosses in the game.

In the game Dead Space an enormous creature known as The Leviathan is one of the bosses.

In Entropia Universe the Leviathan is a popular creature to kill.

In The Ocean Hunter, Leviathan is the second boss in-game and is depicted as a giant megalodon followed and protected by numerous other sharks.

In Angels Online, Leviathan appears as a boss in Leviathan's Bedroom

In Skullgirls, Leviathan is a bony serpent parasite who assists the undead character Squigly, having more of a mutual bond than a parasitic one. He often uses fire and other dragon-related attacks to help her in her battles.

In Darksiders Leviathan's Drift in Darksiders and The Leviathan is a massive Dragon-like creature that appears in the Darksiders II: Death's Door Comic

In Subnautica, a roaming enemy that you may see in the ocean is the Leviathan, which has a very large amount of Health and Damage, alongside it being very fast and terrifying.

In the art/exploration game The Old City: Leviathan, the Leviathan refers to the deserted post-apocalyptic facility that surrounds the main character and unreliable narrator, Jonah, who in his isolated madness attributed it sentience. He refers to it occasionally as his only friend. The one-sided dialogue that entails, Jonah speaking to Leviathan, is the player's chief look into the lonely world as they explore.

In "The Binding of Issac: Afterbirth", Leviathan is the name of a possible transformation that bears a Cthullu-like appearance.

Anime

In both the manga and anime versions of Fullmetal Alchemist, Leviathan is the demon representation of Envy, one of the seven deadly sins.

In the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series, the "Great Leviathan" is an antagonistic force and a gigantic serpent responsible for the destruction of Atlantis.

The Digimon known as Leviamon is based upon the Leviathan. He is depicted as a giant red alligator, and is one of the Seven Great Demon Lords, amongst them representing the sin of envy.

In the light novel and anime Gosick, Leviathan is the name of a famous alchemist whose true life and fate is one of the main mysteries on the story.

In Katekyo Hitman Reborn there is a character named Leviathan who represents the sin Envy.

In Namiuchigiwa no Muromi-san the character Levia-san was once Leviathan but hasn't transformed in centuries.

In the Sword Art Online: Extra Edition special, Leviathan The Sea Lord appears at then end of an underwater quest to force Kraken The Abyss Lord to retreat. His appearance has more in common with the Greek god Poseidon.

In Zettai Bouei Leviathan, Leviathan, pronounced Leviatan, is the name of one of the main protagonists. She is a Water-affiliated mage that can transform into a human/dragon hybrid. Her two companions, Bahamut and Jörmungandr, also share the names of other mythical aquatic monsters. They can also transform into human/dragon hybrids and are affiliated with Fire and Earth, respectively.

In High School DxD, Leviathan is one of the Four Devil Kings. She is in charge of foreign affairs for the Devils.

Other

One of the newest Roller Coasters (also the tallest in Canada) at the Canada's Wonderland amusement park is called the Leviathan.

Leviathan is an organization of immortals that live at the bottom of the Marianas Trench in the podcast audio drama Leviathan Chronicles.

Leviathan is a creature type in trading card game Magic: the Gathering.

References