Tzitzimitl (치치미틀)

DemonMexico · North AmericaLegendFear 8/10

Description

Fearsome Aztec star demons — skeletal female deities who threaten to devour the world during solar eclipses. Led by goddess Itzpapalotl (Obsidian Butterfly). They wear skirts of severed hands and necklaces of human hearts. If the sun fails to rise, they descend to consume humanity

The Legend

Tzitzimītl (plural: Tzitzimīmeh) is a celestial deity associated with stars in Aztec mythology, depicted as a female figure with a skull-like appearance, often wearing a skirt with skull and crossbones designs. In post-conquest descriptions, they are often portrayed as 'demons' or 'evil spirits,' but this does not necessarily reflect their role within the Aztec Semanahuacan belief system. Tzitzimimeh are female deities associated with fertility and are connected to other female deities such as Cihuateteo, Tlaltecuhtli, Cōātlīcue, Citlālicue, and Cihuacōātl. They were worshipped by midwives and women in labor. The leader of the Tzitzimimeh is the goddess Itzpapalotl, who is the ruler of Tamoanchan, the paradise where the Tzitzimimeh reside. Tzitzimimeh are also associated with stars, particularly those visible around the sun. This has been interpreted as Tzitzimimeh attacking the sun, and thus it was believed that during solar eclipses, Tzitzimimeh would descend to Earth and possess people. The Aztecs believed that if a fire was not lit in the empty chest of a sacrificed human at the end of the 52-year cycle, the fifth sun would end, and they would devour the last human. Tzitzimimeh were also objects of fear during the ominous times of the Aztec world, specifically during the five days known as Nemontemi and during the New Fire ceremony that marks the beginning of a new calendar. Tzitzimimeh had a dual role in Aztec religion, being seen as protectors of women and ancestors of humanity. They were also powerful and dangerous beings, particularly feared during times of cosmic instability.

In Popular Culture

Tzitzimitl appears as one of the eight monsters from around the world in the 'Mysteries On The Disorient Express' episode of 'Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!'. Tzitzimitl is depicted as a high-level demon in the roguelike game Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup. Tzitzimitl is also a name referring to the war queen Skyy Appletini in the popular webtoon Erfworld. In the tabletop RPG Pathfinder, Tzitzimitl appears as a powerful undead creature related to the cosmos. Tzitzimitl appears as a recurring antagonist in the Cartoon Network series Victor and Valentino, depicted as a tall black figure with multiple heads in the 'A New Don' episode, possessing a starry texture and the ability to enter and control a person's body, whose weakness is sunlight. In the 'Starry Night' episode, they attempt to possess the bodies of Vic and Val's friends to gain information about their grandmother. In the 'Carmelita' episode, it is revealed that they can also possess inanimate objects, with one possessing a car. They are also associated with Tez, the main antagonist of the series. In the 'Another Don' episode of Season 3, it is revealed that the main character Isabella has been disguised as Tzitzimitl since the beginning of the series. Tzitzimimeh appears as an antagonist in Onyx Equinox, associated with Mictecacihuatl. They are generally depicted as very aggressive and murderous, but there are hints of their role in childbirth, showing a calming presence towards goddesses who cannot give birth. Tzitzimilitl appears as a summonable demon in several video games of the Megami Tensei franchise, including Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse, Persona 4 and its upgraded version Persona 4 Golden, and the PSP version of Persona 2: Innocent Sin. They are depicted as a female figure in a red robe with numerous arms in the works of Kazuma Kaneko, illustrated catching stars from the sky. In the first area of Shin Megami Tensei 5, Tzitzimitl appears, with a side quest where she asks the protagonist to catch the stars scattered throughout the area.

This article is based on the Wikipedia article "Tzitzimitl" (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikipedia