There are a series of powers on this site that describe themselves as either Angelic-Demonic or Devine-Demonic. These powers describe themselves as being the paring of opposite that are normally mutually exclusive. Unfortunately, one of these labels is seen as too restrictive and exluding of many potential higher variations of the power while the other label fails to fully capture the intended two opposites. So what is the right name?
Demonic is not really an opposite of divine. From most perspectives, demonic is a subset of divine. In fact, the terms demon and demonic are derived from the Greek word daimón (δαίμων), which itself translates as divinity. In that sense “divine” gives very good flexibility. Angels, demons, jinns, daemons, and nymphs are an intermediate level of Devine beings, below deities but above various divine creatures/animals (while divine spirits can exist at all levels).
At the same time, “divine” is a problematic word for naming these powers that are supposed to contain a dichotomy. As stated above, it is not an opposite of demon. It is also not a synonym for holy. In pantheistic or polytheistic religions, the divine includes beings that are any of holy, unholy, or neither. Good and evil are all found within the divine. While some interpretations of Christianity see only God and God’s Kingdom as divine, there are other interpretations that identify the Devil and Demons as fallen angels and so also divine.
Going farther, most divine beings are neither holy nor unholy. This is even true of deities. Outside of monotheistic religions, very many deity are not good. Some are evil. Some might be described as neutral or unaligned. Others have complex, ignoble, or even irrational motivations. Consider Ares, Hades, Loki, or Kratos … they are all divine by virtue of being deities, but they don’t conform to the holy/unholy dichotomy (which does not constrain most polytheistic religions nor their representation in fiction). Polytheistic deities, jinns, and nymph are all Devine without necessarily being holy or unholy.
This is the superpowers wiki, so it needs to use terms that accommodate the many movies, shows, games, and comics reach into the polytheistic or occult as a source to conceive characters and powers. The Divine-Demonic distinction does not allow us to do that. If “Angelic-Demonic” is too restrictive deities or other divine beings, then I suggest we need “Holy-Unholy” or “Divine Good-Evil” are the label for such powers. These terms would (I think) encompass the desired divine level dichotomy while also excluding everything else at the divine level that does not fall within this grouping. Meanwhile, “Angelic-Demonic” still exists but it is a lesser form of “Holy-Unholy” or “Divine Good-Evil” and more specifically tied to the convergence of angelic sources with demonic sources.
But what do you think?
