پژوهشگاه فرهنگ، هنر و ارتباطات فصلنامه علمی مطالعات فرهنگ - ارتباطات 2008-8760 27 74 2026 06 22 Satanism in the TV series "Supernatural شیطان‌گرایی در مجموعه تلویزیونی «مافوق طبیعی» 163 188 230767 10.22083/jccs.2025.522015.4037 FA محمدحسین دلیری راد گروه الهیات و معارف اسلامی، واحد گرگان، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، گرگان، ایران. h.deliri@iau.ac.ir 0009-0006-5309-2342 ابوالفضل ابراهیمی اوزینه گروه الهیات و معارف اسلامی، واحد آزادشهر، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، آزادشهر، ایران. (نویسنده مسئول) Ab.Ebrahimi39@iau.ac.ir 0000-0002-0909-4360 کبرا نودهی گروه زبان و ادبیات فارسی، واحد گرگان، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، گرگان، ایران. Kobra.Nodehi@iau.ac.ir 0000-0001-8388-9228 Journal Article 2025 05 11 Introduction: This study explores how the long-running American television series Supernatural (2005-2020) incorporates and represents the themes and symbols of Satanism. Through its narrative structure, character development, and symbolic imagery, the series reconfigures traditional religious concepts such as good, evil, God, and Satan. Western media, particularly television series, have increasingly engaged in the secularization or even subversion of sacred narratives, often reshaping them into dramatized and accessible forms. The present research investigates the ways in which Supernatural contributes to this cultural discourse by portraying demonic figures, satanic rituals, and mythological elements in ways that subtly or explicitly promote a satanic worldview. Methods: The research is qualitative in nature and adopts the method of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), focusing on selected episodes in which the presence of satanic symbols, themes, and characters is most evident. Sampling was purposive, targeting scenes that include direct or indirect references to satanic elements. The analysis was conducted at three levels: • Textual level: visual and linguistic symbols (e.g., obelisks, pentagrams, heavy metal music), • Semantic level: recurring motifs such as the death of God, glorification of demons, and the inversion of moral binaries, • Discursive level: broader cultural and ideological narratives, including the normalization of Satanism and the critique of traditional religious authority. Analytical tools included semiotic analysis, narrative structure review, and intertextual comparison with religious and mythological sources. Results: Findings indicate that Supernatural systematically employs satanic symbols and mythological references to construct a narrative in which traditional binaries-such as good/evil and God/Satan-are blurred or reversed. Demonic figures are frequently humanized or portrayed sympathetically, while divine figures are often absent, passive, or discredited. Specific symbols like the obelisk (derived from Egyptian and Mesopotamian mythology), the pentagram (used in both protective and inverted satanic contexts), and heavy metal music (associated with rebellion, nihilism, and anti-religious sentiment) are recurrent throughout the series and serve as ideological cues. Additionally, many of the demons depicted in the series are rooted in historical, biblical, or folkloric traditions (e.g., Lilith, Azazel, Leviathan), but are reinterpreted to serve new narrative functions. Discussion: The analysis reveals that Supernatural functions not merely as entertainment but as a cultural product embedded in contemporary Western discourse that challenges traditional religious worldviews. By integrating satanic elements into a popular format, the series facilitates a gradual redefinition of spiritual and moral values, aligning with broader patterns of secularization and postmodern ambiguity. The series exemplifies how media can become a vehicle for ideological transformation, subtly reshaping public perceptions of the sacred, the demonic, and the moral. In doing so, Supernatural reflects and reinforces a growing skepticism toward institutional religion and presents a narrative framework in which demonic forces are not only relatable but sometimes more rational or just than divine authority. مقاله پیش‌رو با هدف بررسی و واکاوی جلوه‌های شیطان‌گرایی در مجموعه تلویزیونی مفصل و معروف «مافوق طبیعی» به تحلیل گفتمان انتقادی بخش‌هایی از این مجموعه تلویزیونی می‌پردازد که در آن‌ها مفاهیم، مضامین، نمادها و شخصیت‌های مرتبط با جریان شیطان‌گرایی حضور برجسته‌ای دارند. با بهره‌گیری از روش کیفی و تحلیل در سه سطح متنی، معنایی و گفتمانی، تلاش شده است تا نحوۀ بازنمایی مفاهیم دینی، به‌خصوص نسبت میان خدا، شیطان و انسان، در این مجموعه تلویزیونی مورد بررسی و مداقه قرار گیرد. یافته‌های پژوهش حاکی از آن است که مجموعه تلویزیونی مذکور، از طریق وارونه‌سازی معنایی مفاهیمی چون خیر و شر، تصویرسازی انسانی و گاه همدلانه از شیاطین و استفاده از نمادهای شاخص شیطان‌گرایی همچون ابلیسک، پنتاگرام و موسیقی متال، به بازتعریفی از معنویت در قالب سرگرمی دست زده است. این بازتعریف، در نسبت با گفتمان‌های کلان فرهنگی و رسانه‌ای، دارای پیامدهایی در حوزه هویت دینی و خصوصاً ادراک عمومی از دین است.

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