Such an episode aired two weeks ago; one that brough back memories of 'The Lottery', "Harvest Home", "Dark Night Of The Scarecrow" and even 'Cheers'!
The sibling heroes of 'Supernatural', Sam and Dean, investigated a yearly sacrifice ritual of a couple in Burketsville, Indiana, meant to insure a bountiful harvest of the town's apple crop. The brothers traced the ritual to the appeasement of a Norse god of fertility, one of the wild nature spirits known as the Vanir (pronounced "Bonner" according to the show). Eventually they tracked down the specific tree with which the spirit was bonded.
It's always been my contention that the TV Universe has its own mythology, established in the crossovers and the ritualized cliches and the TV interpretation of established creatures of Faerie and the supernatural. Getting to mix in the established mythos of the classics is just icing on the cake.
The Norse gods of the Elder Eddas are best represented in Toobworld by several episodes of 'Hercules: The Legendary Journeys' (and Thor encountered 'The Incredible Hulk'). 'Stargate SG-1' takes place in an alternate dimension, (Sorry, but they have a different President.), so this influence for such myths in their dimension have no bearing on the truthiness of the mythos in Earth Prime-Time.
The Vanir was appeased by the people of Burketsville, Indiana, and it probably was one of the lesser demi-gods among the Vanir; certainly not Njord or Freyr. Any nature spirit of greater power would never have allowed Sam and Dean to set fire to the host-tree.
One of the Vanir was named Mimir, but as he was beheaded during the Age of Legends, it's doubtful that he would be the same Mimir who served as one of Santa's elves as seen in "Mr. St. Nick". However, the Vanir are often confused with the elves (the Alfir) in accounts of their legends.
Finally, I think there must be someone out there wondering about that reference to 'Cheers'....
I'm thinking Burketsville can't be too far from Hanover, Indiana, on the Toobworld map; this is the hometown of Woodrow Tiberius Boyd. And maybe Hanover was under the influence of the Vanir as well.....
After hearing yet another of Woody's strange tales about his hometown, Dr. Frasier Crane was asked if he would ever consider visiting Hanover himself.
Frasier was aghast. "What? And get sacrificed to the Corn God?"
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Tele-Toby
"I'm not saying there is a 'supernatural',
But things have happened
That cannot be explained."
That cannot be explained."
Deputy Barney Fife
'The Andy Griffith Show'
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