Archetype:False Deity

False Deity
Light Yagami/Kira (Death Note) was regarded as a deity by many for his ability to kill criminals remotely and a full on cult was created in his honor. Light even referred to himself as the "the God of the New World".
Archetype of:	False deity.

"And they mingled with the nations and learned their deeds. They worshipped their idols, which became a snare for them. They slaughtered their sons and daughters to the demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters whom they slaughtered to the idols of Canaan, and the land became polluted with the blood. And they became unclean through their deeds, and they went astray with their acts. "

― Psalms 106:35-39

"No matter what the world, the god of that world creates the rules. In truth, you've already been defeated by the rules I created. And as punishment for defying the god of the new world... YOU WILL DIE!"

― Light Yagami (Death Note)

"I am many things, Kal-El. But here, I am God."

― Darkseid (DC Animated Universe)

"Tulio. Tulio. They actually think we're gods!"
"It's an entire city of suckers! We just have to keep this up long enough to load up on the gold and the get the hell out of here!"

― Miguel and Tulio (The Road to El Dorado)

"Beg that I succeed, for I have seen the throne of the gods, and it was empty."

― Corypheus (Dragon Age Inquisition)

"We were no longer like Agori or anyone else. We became nature itself, as benevolent, giving, ruthless and indifferent as that can mean."

― Element Lord of Jungle (Bionicle)

"I'm nearly a god at this point. Feudal lords, Five Kage, the Relics of the Past... Every last thing, all of it is beneath me now."

― Merz (Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections)

"Any religion without love and compassion is false! It's a lie!"

― Burt Stanton (Children of the Corn)

"It is the sacred duty of the Iscariot Organization to punish the demon, the heretic... and the false god. Also, you're a daft c**t!"

― Alexander Anderson to Enrico Maxwell (Hellsing Ultimate Abridged)

The archetype for the characters that are a false deity. False version of Deity.

Also Called

• Pseudo/False/Fake/Illusive/Virtual Deity/God/Goddess

Properties

As an archetype, the character is able to use the powers and characteristics of a false god. How this is depicted varies: The user is not an actual god, but their abilities manage to convince others that they are, or they can gain semi-godlike powers from an external source. The character may have a Transcendent Physiology, but they are not a divine source.

Associated Powers

• False Divinity
  • Belief/Fraud/Illusion/Placebo/Prayer/Rumor/Taboo/Worship Empowerment
  • Contingent Omnipotence
    • Illusory Omnipotence (Varies between deities)
    • Illusory Omniscience (Varies between deities)
  • Divine Aura/Influential/Expanded Presence
  • Divine Conduit
  • Other/Deity Soul
  • Personal Domain
  • Supernatural Condition
• Illusionary Perfection
• New/Old/Patron Deity
• Premature Evolution

Variations

• Demiurge
• Fallen Nephilim
• God-Emperor

Relationships

• Antichrist: An antichrist can be regarded as a false god.
• Ascended
• Divine Conduit
• False Divinity
• Fraud Embodiment
• Illusory Omnipotence
• Illusory Omniscience
• Transcendent Physiology

Flaws/Weaknesses

• Inherently inferior to true gods.
• May be dependent on an external source of power.
• May be overcome even by mortals.
• May still be killable.

Example Characters

See Also: A God Am I.

Anime/Manga/Manhwa

• Creed Diskenth (Black Cat)
• Baraggan Louisenbairn (Bleach)
• Yhwach (Bleach)
• Embryo (Cross Ange)
• Light Yagami/Kira (Death Note)
• Arc Company (The-Gamer)
• Dio Brando (Jojo’s Bizzare Adventure series)
• Nagato/Pain (Naruto)
• Momoshiki Ōtsutsuki (Naruto)
• Enel (One Piece)
• World Nobles/Celestial Dragons (One Piece)
• Gild Tesoro (One Piece)
• Christian Rosencruetz/CRC (Toaru Majutsu no Index)

Comics/Cartoons

• Death (Castlevania TV series)
• Lucrezia Mongfish (Girl Genius)
• Thanos (Marvel Comics)

Folklore/Mythology/Religion

• Morgan Le Fay (Arthurian Legends)
• Multiple Entities (Christianity)
  • The Antichrist
  • The Beast of the Sea
  • Satan
  • The Shedim/Daemons/Demons
• Yaldabaoth/The Demiurge (Gnosticism)
• Glycon (Roman Mythology)

Literature

• He Who Walks Behind the Rows (Children of the Corn)
• Lucifer (Paradise Lost)

Live Television/Movies

• Xerxes (300)
• Savitar (Arrowverse)
• Godspeed (Arrowverse)
• Khalar Zym (Conan The Barbarian 2011)
• Earl Johnson (Lucifer); via Medallion of Life
• Julia (The Magicians)
• Goa'uld (Stargate)
• Castiel (Supernatural); via absorbing millions of souls from Purgatory.

Video Games

• The Evanuris (Dragon Age)
• Corypheus (Dragon Age)
• Igniz (The King of Fighters)
• Ganon/Ganondorf (The Legend of Zelda)
• The Zonai (The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom)
• The Leviathans (Mass Effect)
• Merz (Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections)
• Takuto Maruki (Persona 5 Royal)
• Demiurge (Persona 5 Strikers)
• The Longinus Dreizehn Orden (Shinza Banshou)
• Shirou Yusa (Shinza Banshou)
• The Tumor (Shinza Banshou)
• The Yatsukahagi (Shinza Banshou)
• Angra Mainyu (TYPE-MOON)

Web Series

• "Gabriel"/Satan (Mandela Catalogue)
• The Cosmic Powers (Red vs Blue)

Gallery

Morgan Le Fay (Arthurian Legends)

Creed Diskenth (Black Cat) came to believe himself as a god when he acquired immortality via nanomachines.

Despite Baraggan Louisenbairn (Bleach) considering himself the God-King of Hueco Mundo, he was, in the end, just a long-lived and powerful Vasto Lorde Hollow who was as as fearful of death as anyone.

As the son of the Soul King, Yhwach (Bleach) was born amongst humans with miraculous powers. By the time he could hear, he noticed that the people around him were calling to "YHWH", the name of the god they venerated, so he went on to simply take the name as his own…

…however, he did eventually attain proper godhood upon absorbing his own father the Soul King.

The Antichrist (Christianity) is the end-times false messiah who seeks, and likely achieves, world domination so that he can destroy Israel and all followers of Christ. After 3 and a half years on peace, he will break his peace covenant with Israel and eventually sets and exalts himself above anything and everything that is called God…

… He is also known as "The Beast of the Sea" who rises from the sea or in Rev 11:7, the bottomless pit, who's appearance inspires awe among the nations. He is given power and authority by The Dragon and is professed as a god to be worshiped by the false prophet.

Demons (Christianity) pose themselves as the gods of other nations such as the Canaanite or the Egyptian deities and receiving the worship of humans and child or animal sacrifices in honor of them. These spirits are known as "The Shedim".

The Satan (Christianity) who's title means "The Adversary" is the first spiritual being to rebel against God and is the reason for all sin in the world. He is the ruler and the god of "The Unbelieving World" and The Prince of The Powers of The Air hell-bent on ruining creation and the things of God.

Disillusioned by the absence of the Maker and the disappearance of the Old Gods, Corypheus (Dragon Age) planned to achieve apotheosis to give the world a true god, himself.

Yaldabaoth (Gnosticism) created the physical world and poses as the supreme deity over the world. Having qualities similar to Glycon from the Roman Myth.

After finding the Medallion of Life, Earl Johnson (Lucifer) gained God's memories and some of his powers, convincing himself, and even Lucifer, that he actually was God.

Igniz (The King of Fighters)

Julia (The Magicians) under unique circumstances lost her magic and godhood but still had the immortality and invincibility of a god even though she was just a human making her a ‘pseudo god’.

As the oldest known intelligent race in the Milky Way, the "Leviathans" (Mass Effect) utterly believed themselves to be a godlike "apex race" and forced the "lesser species" to worship and pay tribute to them.

Nagato (Naruto) considers himself as a god due to his godlike powers he attained from the Rinnegan that were (unknown to him) transplanted into him.

Momoshiki Ōtsutsuki (Naruto) considers himself a god, after he absorbed his foster father and subordinate Kinshiki, and used his power to effortlessly defeated four of the five Kage, before being matched by Naruto and Sasuke.

As descendants of the founders of the World Government, The Celestial Dragons (One Piece) are so influential and untouchable that they genuinely believe themselves to be actual deities, and demand to be treated as such.

Gild Tesoro (One Piece) deluded himself into thinking himself as a god due to his complete dominance over gold.

Lucifer (Paradise Lost) rebelled against God and constantly aims to take his place and power.

Glycon (Roman Mythology) was a false, cult god worshipped in Ancient Rome.

The Longinus Dreizehn Orden (Shinza Banshou) are all elevated to pseudo-gods when Reinhard Heydrich achieved godhood. As such they are all reliant on him for their power.

Shirou Yusa (Shinza Banshou) is the apoptosis of Ren Fuji, as such, when Ren becomes a god, Shirou is elevated to that level as well. However, he is not a true god as his power is dependent on Ren.

The Yatsukahagi (Shinza Banshou) are all pseudo-gods resurrected and empowered by Tenma Yato.

Summoned by the Transcendents to be their savior, and a legendary figure, Christian Rosencruetz/CRC (Toaru Majutsu no Index) didn't turn out like the legends they believed in, instead someone who sought destruction and pleasure in killing others as he viewed the world repulsive and the first action he did was kill the Transcendents.

Angra Mainyu (TYPE-MOON) was originally a normal boy, but he was randomly chosen as "the source of all evil in the world” and was in turn tortured, cursed, and tormented until his hatred eventually turned him into something akin to the dark god that he was seen as.