THE GNOSTIC GODDESS SOPHIA (OR MARY MAGDALENE) IN MODERN MOVIES

There has been an underground stream of worship of Mary Magdalene for millennia, supported by secret orders. These occult traditions see her as wisdom keeper. Magdalene is assumed by some to be interchangable with goddesses like Sophia, Isis, and Inanna. In his book ‘Mary Magdalene The Illuminator’, popular author William Henry tells us: “Plutarch states that Isis was called Sophia. She’s also called Astarte, the goddess worshipped by Solomon. Each of these goddesses, in turn is the Babylonian goddess Inanna. Schonfield concludes that there is no doubt that the beautiful woman’s head of the Templars represents Sophia in her female and Isis aspect — and she was linked with Mary Magdalene in the Christian interpretation”. The most famous occultist of the 20th-century, Manly Hall, explains in his book ‘The Secret Teachings of All Ages’ that Isis “metamorphized” into the Virgin Mary. Some scholars have tied the Virgin Mary to Magdalene. Theologian Cyril of Jerusalem held that the Virgin Mary was one and the same as Magdalene. In their book ‘Jesus and the Lost Goddess’, Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy assert that the Virgin Mary and Magdalene in the Gospel accounts represent — respectively, the higher Sophia and the fallen Sophia — aspects of the same character in the Sophia myth. Magdalene also shares several similarities with Inanna, who was one of the most important deities in Mesopotamia. Inanna crossed the “Seven Gates” of the underworld similar to the “Seven Gates” of demons in Mary’s initiatory journey. Inanna was described as the “First Serpent Dragon” by Enheduanna. Mary was also closely associated with serpents. The serpent goddess Shahmaran was known as the “Queen of the Serpents”, where ‘mar’ meant “serpent”, but also “Mary” (see the book ‘Magdalene Mysteries’, by Seren Bertrand). The point here is, all these female deities are possibly all the same. To quote the book ‘Magdalene Mysteries’, by Seren Bertrand: “Gnostics call her “higher Sophia”. She’s the celestial feminine divinity, known as the Virgin Mary in the Christian tradition and Inanna, Isis, Ishtar, and thousands of names across every culture of the world, dating back to the dawn of humanity”.

❝Magdalene was hailed by many heterodox groups as Isis on Earth❞

‘The Secret Teachings of Mary Magdalene’, by Clare Nahmad

In this article, we explore various movies that appear to have characters possibly representing Sophia or Magdalene. We start with possibly one of the most obvious representations of Sophia or Magdalene in the 2014 movie ‘Lucy’. In this movie, the titular character inadvertently gets a ton load of experimental drugs put into her system which causes her to progressively unlock more of her brain power as time goes on. The most obvious reference to Sophia and Magdalene is the name of the movie itself, which is Lucy — short for Lucifer. Luciferianism is said to be the worshipping of the entity representing the Morning Star as understood by ancient cultures such as the Greeks. The Morning Star has most traditionally been associated with Venus. In his book ‘The Gnostics and Their Remains’, Charles King equates the Gnostic Sophia with Venus Anadyomene (Venus Rising from the Sea) which appears on ancient magical gem stones as a naked damsel. Manly Hall explains that Venus and Isis were names for Lucifer, telling us: “Being visible in the sky at sunset it was called Vesper, and as it rose before the Sun, it was called the Star of the Morning or Lucifer, meaning Light Bearer. Because of this relation to the Sun, the planet was also called Venus, Astarte, Aphrodite, Isis, and The Mother of the Gods” (see his book ‘The Secret Teachings of All Ages’). Magdalene was also associated with Venus. Rachel Geschwind (a professor in the Art History department at Youngstown State University) observes that in the 16th-century, paintings like Rossiglio’s ‘Conversion of the Magdalene’ began to give Venus-like characteristics to Magdalene. The explicit links between Magdalene and Venus perhaps point to Mary’s true identity. When observed from Earth, Venus traces a perfect pentagram across the sky every eight years making a pattern of a rose. This is known as the “Rose of Venus” or the “Pentagram of Venus”. Magdalene is sometimes referred to as “The Rose” and those who diligently followed the Magdalene Mysteries were known as the “Initiates of the Rose Line”.

❝When the human race learns to read the language of symbolism, a great veil will fall from the eyes of man❞

Manly Palmer Hall

In Southern France, Magdalene was known as Mary-Lucifera, connecting her to Lucifer. Isis and Diana were also known as Lucifera (see the book ‘Magdalene Mysteries’, by Seren Bertrand). Sophia’s associated with wisdom and knowledge, representing the pursuit of higher understanding and enlightenment. In the movie ‘Lucy’, Lucy gains extraordinary cognitive abilities. Lucy remarks: “All this knowledge about everything, quantum physics, applied mathematics, the infinite capacity of a cell’s nucleus. It’s all exploding inside my brain, all this knowledge”. This newfound knowledge and understanding allow her to transcend human limitations, which can be seen as a quest for a higher form of wisdom and knowledge, similar to the themes associated with Sophia. One of characters in the movie makes a reference to the original ape-like hominid known as “Lucy” which are fossilized remains of a hominid species. Lucy replies: “The first woman was named Lucy. Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Why is this important? Because in some Gnostic cosmologies, Sophia is seen as the earliest emanation from the divine realm. The Russian Orthodox theologian Pavel Alexandrovich Florensky says of Sophia: “Sophia was the first created and the first redeemed”. During one scene, an image of the Kaaba cube is shown. This is curious because the goddess Cybele is etymologically connected to the word “cube” and Cybele was a variation of Sophia. At the end of the movie, Lucy unlocks 100% of her brain and transcends the material world, saying: “I am everywhere”, alluding to her God-like omnipresence. In certain interpretations, particularly within some Gnostic and esoteric traditions, Sophia as the Holy Spirit is considered to be the indwelling divine wisdom that permeates all reality (existing everywhere). The movie draws a connection to the narrative of the fallen Sophia who ascends into a higher realm (the Pleroma) once she has fallen into the material world. Lucy undergoes a symbolic “fall” while held captive, ultimately culminating in her ascension by the movie’s conclusion, literally transcending the material world. Furthermore, in one particular scene where Lucy is meting out death, a person is spotted with a tattoo of the Virgin Mary as Death (the Virgin Mary is Sophia, remember).

The Disney character Mary Poppins also shares similarities with Sophia and Magdalene. Jonathan Cott suggests that Mary Poppins embodies the essence of a celestial messenger, taking on the role of Sophia and her divine wisdom. She seizes each moment as a teaching opportunity, imparting lessons on observation, patience, awakening, and the realization of our true selves. Much like the Gnostic depiction of Magdalene, Mary Poppins possesses knowledge of the encompassing universe. Her wisdom conveys the interconnectedness of creation and the capacity to perceive the world as a cohesive whole through genuine self-awareness. In a sense, each individual’s self holds a fragment of this totality, containing it in its entirety. This is akin to the folkloric archetype of Frau Holle in German tradition, usually characterized as the primeval Great Mother responsible for birth, life, and death. Mary Poppins’ magical realm provides a bridge to a profound reality beneath the surface of daily existence. Within the enchanting context of a fairy tale, life’s essence lies in the quest to unearth hidden worlds, uncover treasures, and fulfill extraordinary missions; Pamela Travers conveys that this expedition is fundamentally an inner voyage of self-discovery, encapsulating Mary Poppins’ wisdom, when she states: “Don’t you know” said Mary Poppins compassionately, “that everybody’s got a Fairyland of their own?” Peel back all the layers and Poppins is revealed as a crone imparting the wisdom of the ages, a witch, or wise woman. All her feminine qualities are found in Sophia. The DVD cover for Mary Poppins shows her beside a lamp-post — a metaphor for wisdom and spiritual enlightenment. In his book ‘The Templar Revelation’, popular author Clive Prince tells us: “As Nancy Qualls-Corbett and other recent commentators have pointed out, the depiction of Mary Magdalene in the Gnostic Gospels is that of illuminatrix and illuminator or Mary Lucifer, the Light-bringer — the bestower of wisdom and enlightenment”. The costume that Mary Poppins wears is also red and blue, colours traditionally associated with Magdalene in old art.

NOTE HER UMBRELLA SHE CARRIES EVERWHERE IS AN OCTAGON (THE TREE OF LIFE GATEWAY)

Sophia and Magdalene could also be the inspiration behind other Disney characters, like The Little Mermaid and Snow White. Popular author Margaret Starbird posits that Disney’s character Ariel is a fusion of Magdalene, Demeter, and Sophia, with the sacred dimension of Ariel being evident through various elements: Her red hair, reminiscent of Magdalene; the inclusion of the painting ‘Magdalene with the Smoking Flame’ in Ariel’s collection of human artifacts (as shown below) and the intriguing notion that Magdalene’s name and lineage can be traced back to mermaids. Ariel lives in the sea under the human world. In some Gnostic traditions, Sophia’s associated with the underworld (or the lower realms) and wanting to break free to a higher realm (the Pleroma). This nicely parallels the story of The Little Mermaid, where Ariel dreams about being part of the human world. Ariel also shares some characteristics that draw parallels to Sophia in the ‘Apocryphon of John’. In the ‘Apocryphon of John’, Sophia’s described as the last Aeon brought into existence by the invisible spirit. In Ariel’s story, she mirrors this position by being the youngest daughter of King Triton. Meanwhile, when we explore the construction of Snow White’s character, it becomes apparent that Disney frames her as Eve. Both Snow White and Eve face temptation. Eve’s tempted by the serpent to eat the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, which leads to her expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Snow White’s tempted by the Wicked Queen to eat a poisoned apple, which leads to her falling into a death-like sleep. Both Snow White and Eve are depicted as innocent and pure characters. Snow White’s described as “the fairest of them all”, emphasizing her beauty and innocence, while Eve is initially depicted as innocent in the Garden of Eden before the fall. Relgious scholar Guy Stroumsa argues that the fall of Sophia is very closely tied to the tradition of Eve. He posits that in Gnostic texts, these two characters are intertwined and a comprehensive understanding of the Sophia narrative can be achieved by examining it in relation to the fall of Eve. In this view, Sophia can be interpreted as representing a Pleromatic version of Eve.

The fall and recovery of Sophia is thematically tied to various Disney movies, such as Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeing Beauty. Cinderella has a narrative that certainly aligns with the essence of Sophia. Cinderella narrates a theme that can be traced through the realms of Gnosticism and mystical Christianity, leaving imprints in alchemy, the Grail legends, and cherished fairy tales. Cinderella is the story of the soul’s emergence into the tangible world, her gradual loss of memory regarding her divine origins, and her unceasing quest to comprehend her essence and her connection to the divine source or the world from which she originates. In full awareness of her spiritual identity, she seeks to return to her divine origins. In times of distress, Cinderella, much like Sophia and Persephone, calls out to her mother in the unseen and ‘transcendent’ realm. In her article ‘Sophia or Divine Wisdom’, author Anne Baring posits how ancient mythologies of the sacred alchemical marriage between Sophia and Christ or Isis and Osiris have found a contemporary foothold in stories like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Matrix, and Tron Legacy. In the Disney movie, Tron Legacy, the character that plays Christ is represented by the protagonist Sam (gematrically — the name Sam represents 33, the number of Christ) and Sophia represents the female character Quorra. In the great Valentinian Gnostic text ‘Pistis Sophia’, Christ is sent from a higher realm to bring Sophia back to the Pleroma. Christ enables her to see the light again, bringing her knowledge of the spirit. This is very similar to what happens in Tron Legacy, where Sam descends into the digital world of the Grid from a higher realm to help Quorra escape to a higher world. Meanwhile, in the Disney movie Sleeping Beauty, the sleeping princess, Aurora, is awakened from a deep slumber by the kiss of true love, symbolizing her awakening to a new life. Similarly, in some Gnostic traditions, the concept of Christ saving Sophia represents the awakening and redemption of the soul through divine knowledge and love.

Another movie with Sophia and Magdalene undertones is the 2017 movie ‘Infinity Chamber’ (directed by Travis Milroy). In this movie, the protagonist unites with his romantic interest following his escape from a prison-room, and their romantic interest is named “Madeline” who has red hair (a common featue of Magdalene in Renaissance art). The name Madeline is derived from Magdalene. The movie alludes to the Tree of Life in its symbolism that the protagonist sees as he ascends (important since the Tree of Life is connected to Magdalene). The name Magdalene means (at its origin) “doorway of the Great Mother, the Tree of Life and Source of Life” (see the book ‘Magdalene Mysteries’, by Seren Bertrand). Direct comparisons can also be drawn between the most famous female DC and Marvel superheroes and Sophia. Wonder Woman, for example, shares several characteristics with Inanna (as quoted above from Seren Bertrand, Inanna is another name for Sophia). The association between Wonder Woman and Inanna is seen by their iconographical similarities. Both wear armour and both are associated with the 8-pointed star. Wonder Woman has an 8-pointed star on her tiara which is the prime symbol of Inanna and Venus. Furthermore, Wonder Woman’s name is Diana (another name for Inanna). As author DeAnna Emerson tells us: “Inanna’s name was altered to suit new languages. She was called Ishtar, Isis, Astarte, Diana, Venus, Magdalene — one goddess with many names”. Both characters frequently rescue their beloved ones. Wonder Woman must usually save Steve Trevor, her main love interest in the comics. Similarly, Inanna’s compelled to rescue her husband, Tammuz. Wonder Woman also wears a red and blue costume. In his book ‘Gods and Religion of Mesopotamia’, Sebastian Berg tells us: “Inanna was associated with the colours red and blue”. Another comic character that shares the colours red and blue is Captain Marvel. In the 2019 movie ‘Captain Marvel’, there’s a memorable scene where the titular character crash-lands into a Blockbuster store on Earth as she falls from the skies. This somewhat loosely draws a parallel with the fall of Sophia who fell from the Pleroma. Like Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel also has an 8-pointed star that appears on her costume.

Another movie with an association to Sophia and Magdalene is the 2015 movie ‘Jupiter Ascending’ (directed by the Wachowski’s). This movie revolves around Jupiter Jones, a young woman unaware of her cosmic heritage, who discovers she’s the genetic reincarnation of the Queen of the Universe (which kind of reminded me of the Queen of Heaven). The protagonist Jupiter shares some paralells with Sophia. Both Jupiter and Sophia have aspects of their identities hidden from them. Jupiter, a seemingly ordinary human, discovers her true heritage and celestial importance. Similarly, Sophia, in certain Gnostic traditions, forgets her divine origins when she descends into the material world and embarks on a journey of self-discovery. In traditional astrology, the planet Jupiter is associated with masculine qualities, but this was not always the case. In his book ‘Questioning the Unquestionable’, James Hogan tells us: “The same thing happened in the Babylonian version, where Ishtar [another name for Inanna or Sophia] was originally Jupiter and became Venus, with Jupiter renamed to Marduk”. In the movie, there’s a moment where Jupiter commands a swarm of bees, hinting at her role as a Queen Bee. It’s worth noting that Inanna, Venus, and Cybele (all variations of Sophia) from mythology have historical associations with bees (see the book ‘Acorns Windows High-Tide Foghat’, by Joshua Morris) and Magdalene was also associated with the Queen Bee in some early sources (see the book ‘Revelations of the Aquarian Age’, by Barbara Hand Clow). Another character that could possibly be representing Sophia or Magdalene is from the 2019 movie ‘Lucy in the Sky’ (directed by Noah Hawley). In the movie’s opening moments, Lucy gazes at Earth from a celestial perspective, evoking a sense of looking down from a higher realm, akin to the way Sophia’s gaze emanated from the Pleroma before her descent into the material world; a subtle reference to this occurs when one character cautions Lucy with the words “don’t fall”, hinting at a parallel to Lucifer’s fall. At the end, Lucy dons a beekeeper suit and tends to bees. In the promotional art, Lucy’s also shown with the Moon at her feet which is an image traditionally tied to the Virgin Mary (and by extension Sophia).

The symbolism of Sophia and Magdalene is not limited to movies, but is also prevalent in music videos, esoterically and exoterically. In Katy Perry’s music video ‘Dark Horse’, the singer Katy Perry embodies thematic similarities to Isis. The video features very elaborate Egyptian-inspired visuals, and Katy’s reminiscent of the divine goddess. Her winged costume and regal demeanor draw parallels to the way Isis was traditionally depicted as a symbol of magic and healing. Furthermore, the video’s storyline depicts Katy as a deity who holds the power to transform individuals and objects, akin to Isis’ role as a goddess of transformation and resurrection. While that video is obvious, other videos need more deciphering. In the music video ‘I Bet You Think About Me’, there’s various scenes that one could relate to Sophia. In one scene, the singer (Taylor) is shown in a red dress with 12 lights above her head. The imagery of a woman with 12 lights or stars above her head is found in the Book of Revelation, which describes a woman with a “crown of 12 stars on her head”. This woman is interpreted symbolically and has been associated with the Virgin Mary and other archetypal or allegorical representations. In the video, Taylor sings about a man who dumped her and is now marrying another woman — and so Taylor crashes their wedding. This narrative loosely echoes the story of Cybele and her son Attis (the goddess Cybele is another name for Sophia, Isis, and the Virgin Mary). The story goes as follows: Cybele gave birth to a boy and fell in love with her son, but her son loved another woman. In some stories, as Attis is at the wedding altar, Cybele crashes the wedding and supernatually induces maddess upon Attis, causing him to castrate himself. But she felt bad and so resurrected him 3 days later. Attis shares various parallels with Christ (and some scholars suggest that they’re one and the same). This is supported in the video, as the man’s wedding who she crashes is depicted with a halo around his head, symbolic of Christ. In the video, Taylor displaces the man as she topples him from a Tower of Babel-shaped cake. Some medieval drawings show the heavenly spheres as concentric circles, through which men ascend — as if on Jacob’s ladder — to the highest sphere, the Empyrean, on which Christ sits enthroned. The curious thing about these drawings is that they resemble a Tower of Babel-like cake.

In Bebe Rexha’s music video ‘I Got You’, the singer Bebe exhibits thematic similarities with Sophia. The lyrics put Bebe in the position of a redeemer, saving the soul, like Christ. In some Gnostic traditions, Sophia is viewed as an entity with Christ-like attributes and a redeemer. At one point in the video, Bebe makes a T-pose with Venus in the background. In his book ‘The Saturn Myth’, David Talbott describes a celestial phenomeon eons ago that included Venus as a central illuminating star that he connects to the Tower of Babel and the Tree of Life. This celestial phenomeon created the appearance of an 8-pointed star which is apparently where the symbol of Venus as an 8-pointed star comes from. The curious thing about this celestial phenomeon is that it resembled a T-shape and was symbolized by the T-shaped Tanit goddess symbol. Bebe’s also dressed all in red which is associated with Venus. Ninsianna (meaning “Red Lady of Heaven” in Sumerian) was the Mesopotamian representation of the planet Venus. An inscription in the temple known as the Birthplace of Isis (who as mentioned by Hall above was another name for Venus) at Dendera tells us that the goddess ‘loves the colour red’ (see the book ‘The Egypt Code’, by Robert Bauval). In another music videos called ‘Look What You Made Me Do’, the singer (Taylor) is shown in such a way that one could connect to Sophia. The video starts with Taylor crossing her arms over her chest as she’s resurrected from the dead, reminiscent of certain artistic depictions of Isis. In the subsequent scene, she adorns herself with jewelry, including an 8-pointed star ring. She’s then shown seated between two pillars, symbolically resembling the Freemasonry pillars of Jachin and Boaz, associated with the entrance to Heaven. This alludes to her as the Queen of Heaven, a title historically ascribed to Sophia, the Virgin Mary, Inanna, and Isis. Furthermore, her attire in red and the presence of snakes in the imagery draw parallels with Inanna, Isis, and Magdalene, all of whom have a connection to serpents (as said above) and the colour red.

In Gnostic traditions, the character of Sophia is said to be very complex and can be interpreted in various ways, but the concept of duality is usually present in most Gnostic cosmologies. This duality is observed in contemporary media and old art. For example, Italian Renaissance sculptor Giovanni Robbia’s famous depiction of Adam and Eve as depicted here shows that the face of the serpent in Eden is mirrored on Eve. This suggests that Eve (who some scholars have connected to Sophia) is dualistic (not only taking on her own identity but also that of the serpent in Eden). A more contemporary example of Sophia’s duality is seen in the 2016 movie ‘Suicide Squad’ (directed by David Ayer). In this movie, the character representing Sophia is called June Moon. A June Moon (according to NASA) will be “low in the sky which gives the Moon a rose colour, caused by atmospheric effects”. In one interpretation, a June Moon could therefore represent Magdalene who was called “The Rose” while simultaneously being tied to Moon wisdom. In the movie, June opens a jar and a spirit called Enchantress enters her body causing her to have two identities. When she embraces her Enchantress alter-ego, a transformation occurs, turning her into a mystical, dark-haired woman covered in grime and ashes, complete with a crescent Moon symbol on her head appearing reminsicent of Inanna and Isis. It’s revealed that she’s under someone else’s control, as her heart is in their possession. The spirit of the Enchantress is enslaved, serving the one who possesses her heart (akin to the binding of a goetic demon). In this manner, Inanna’s alter-ego is the demon Lilith in the Huluppu Tree. Dallas Jenkins’ hit drama-series ‘The Chosen’ also has a story about possession, as Magdalene becomes possessed by the evil demon Lilith. Another movie where a character named June gets possessed is the 2016 movie ‘June’ (directed by Gustavo Cooper) that follows the story of a 9-year-old child named June who possesses two souls, has supernatural abilities and gets possessed by an evil spirit. There’s hints in the movie that June’s tied to the Moon.

The article was originally much longer, but I thought that people might think I was speculating too much, and so didn’t include many movies. One last example of Inanna or Magdalene in movies is the character Katniss from the Hunger Games series. Perusing the web it seems generally acknowledged that Katniss is representing the goddess. Both characters are known for their remarkable archery skills. Inanna, as a warrior goddess, is sometimes depicted with a bow and arrow, while Katniss’ skill with a bow is a crucial element of her character in The Hunger Games. Both Katniss and Inanna are associated with themes of survival. Inanna’s story includes her descent into the underworld and next her struggle to survive, while Katniss’ narrative revolves around her participation in the Hunger Games and her determination to survive. In the promotional art, Katniss is also shown with wings on her back, similar to Inanna. In conclusion, Sophia, the divine wisdom character of esoteric traditions, has put an indelible mark on the world of cinema through her esoteric representations. Time and again, her character has been interwoven with complex themes and archetypal symbols that transcend conventional storytelling. The concept of the goddess Sophia, with her rich and multifaceted symbolism in Gnostic and esoteric traditions, has indeed found echoes in various forms within the realm of movies. While not always an overt representation, thematic elements and character traits reminiscent of Sophia can be discerned in cinematic narratives and characters. These connections manifest as themes of spiritual awakening, the pursuit of hidden knowledge, the journey from the material to the spiritual, and a potential for redemption and transformation. These subtle allusions to Sophia contribute to the broader tapestry of symbolism and mythological themes that enrich cinematic storytelling, inviting viewers to contemplate the enduring and universal quest for transcendence.