Over the course of its four and a half seasons, Grimm has gone from a fairly straightforward concept–fairy tales brought to life in the form of creatures hiding in plain sight–to a complex, multifaceted world in which Wesen are the stuff of daily life while stranger things lurk in the shadows.
The show has pointed several times to creatures and phenomena that cannot be explained by the existence of Wesen. Here are just a few of the most tantalizing mysteries the show has presented to us over the years (and thus far, never fully explained):
Non-Wesen Creatures
Beginning with La Llorona, the writers introduced the idea that there were hidden creatures in the world beyond just Wesen. La Llorona was believed to be a ghost in the traditional sense, a once-living woman whose disembodied spirit remained on Earth after her body passed. This in itself raises intriguing questions about the possibility of an afterlife in the Grimm world, but that’s really for the second section of this post.
Other non-Wesen creatures have included Volcanalis, Mishipeshu, Jack the Ripper, and the Golem. Volcanalis seemed almost demonic in origin, which again begs its own questions about the possibility of any kind of hell existing in this ‘verse…whether as a literal place within this reality, or as another dimension (a la the Buffyverse).
In the case of the last three, they were all spirits that were drawn inadvertently into the world (but from where?). Once summoned, they were able to take corporeal form or even possess other living creatures in order to accomplish their goals.
Sean’s possession by Jack the Ripper in particular seems to make a strong case for there being some kind of afterlife, otherworld, or Death Dimension where the souls of the deceased are sent. He clearly went somewhere, and was latched onto by a something that was already there.
We can only hope the writers will continue to explore this question as the story continues.
Interestingly, there are also several “creatures” in the Grimm world that are neither Wesen nor spirit in origin, but the result of a disease or disorder. These include:
- Wældreór – a Wesen suffering from a rare blood disease that induces rage and bloodlust. Quite possibly the origin of the “Chupacabra” myth.
- Kallikantzaroi – Indole Gentile children with a genetic disorder that causes them to transform into mischievous (and smelly) goblins at night…but only during the twelve days of Christmas.
- Fluvus Pestilentia – a blood-borne disease that affects only Wesen. Its symptoms include increased libido, lowered inhibitions, unconsciousness, and eventually extreme rage. If left untreated, the disease is fatal.
- Grausen – a parasite that infects human children and causes mood-swings, violent outbursts, increased strength and speed, and a horrifying facial transformation resembling a woge.
The biggest question here, of course, is what else might be out there that’s beyond the Wesen world? If diseases and disorders can create symptoms that mimic or alter a Wesen’s woge, could the existence of Wesen (or hey, the Grimms for that matter) be the result of a genetic mutation?
And the greatest mystery of all: will we ever encounter something so strange and unheard-of that nobody on Team Grimm knows what to do? Not even Rosalee?
A Higher Power?
Since we’ve already established that Grimm is hinting heavily at the existence of some kind of afterlife via La Llorona and Sean’s possession, it shouldn’t be a big surprise to find that they’ve also hinted at the possibility of a Higher Power.
The most blatant references to this occur in seasons four and five. In the season four episode “Dyin’ On A Prayer,” a Golem was raised through a man’s prayers and sent to protect his nephew, in response to which Juliette asked: “It’s kind of a big deal, don’t you think? Maybe somebody should be proclaiming this from a mountaintop.”
And I mean…maybe someone should. Because unless you write off prayers as a kind of word-based magic, you have to wonder who or what exactly is listening and answering prayers.
Then just a few weeks ago, an ancient ritual was performed in the season five episode “Star-Crossed” which appeared to literally make it rain…though Nick cautioned Hank–and perhaps us by extension–not to go there. Again, you could put this down to just ritual magic. But even then there are questions to ask, which I’ll get to in the third section.
Slightly more oblique, but still relevant, is the way Diana Schade’s “destiny” was spoken of in season three. It’s never outright stated that there was a prophecy of any kind, but the authority with which Kelly spoke about Diana’s future and what would happen if she were raised by either the Royals or the Resistance had that kind of ring to it all the same.
So is there some higher power lurking above the Grimm world? If so, is it benevolent? Could there be more than one, a god/devil dichotomy? Or even a whole pantheon?
Then again, perhaps the answers lie a little closer to home…
Magic and Mysticism
The most ubiquitous mystery in Grimm is one you may not have poked at too hard before, simply because it’s there in almost every single episode, moving the plot. I’m talking, of course, about all the Magic.
There’s been magic in the show since its beginning, from Adalind’s various spells to Rosalee’s spice shop concoctions. There’s been blood-magic (the lock on Adalind’s mother’s spell book, and the way she lost her powers after biting Nick), herbal magic (everything in the spice shop, basically), and ritual magic (everything surrounding the restoration and suppression of both Grimm and Hexenbiest powers, involving a lot of step-by-step instructions, dead bodies, and sex).
With all this hocus pocus going on, I have to wonder: what are the rules, exactly?
Grimm is one of the few shows that features magic this prominently without laying out at least a rudimentary set of rules. The way the magic works, the costs and consequences, the limitations of it…it’s all very mysterious. Clearly there are “side effects” to certain spells (such as Nick and Adalind being linked, Juliette becoming a Hexenbiest, Renard being possessed by Jack the Ripper, Renard and Juliette ending up obsessed with each other, etc), but even an experienced Hexenbiest like Elizabeth Lascelles seems uncertain as to the exact nature of those side effects in most cases.
So…what are the rules? Are there things magic absolutely cannot do in this ‘verse? Are there things that are possible, but forbidden? Does all magic have a price, a la OUAT? Is all magic the product of connecting to a higher (or lower) power, like in Supernatural and Charmed? Is magic a primal force linked to gods and goddesses that can be utilized for good or evil, with rules about defying the natural order, like in the Buffyverse or The Vampire Diaries?
There are so many ways a show can go when it comes to magic, and so few details to go on. It makes the finer points of what’s happening on screen hard to pin down sometimes. And it leaves a pretty large hole in the fabric of the Grimm universe, not to know at least the basics of how it all works.
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