The VERY Messed Up Origins™ of Werewolves

[@JonSolo]

Was there anything about the werewolf's origins that surprised you? Were there stones we left unturned in our research? Let me know in a comment! Hope you all enjoyed this VERY messed up episode! 😉 Owoooo! 🐺 ▼ Podcast Links! ▼ » Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jon-solos-messed-up-origins-podcast/id1631064271 » Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/0zC1NxCX576HHQUoYCuGDo » Google Podcasts: www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vbWVzc2VkdXBvcmlnaW5z » Amazon Music: music.amazon.com/podcasts/e2ab5016-5166-4670-b0a3-7c6ade06947d/jon-solos-messed-up-origins-podcast » Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/jon-solos-messed-up-origins-podcast » iHeartRadio: iheart.com/podcast/99117988/

[@WolfmanArt]

I'm guessing you've seen Velma...

[@Jellygirl313]

You forgot to mention the plant known appropriately as Wolfsbane. Frightened folks turned to growing wolfsbane for their protection, as superstitions said that werewolves could be repelled or even tamed by it. Others, however, believed that having contact with wolfsbane on a full moon could actually cause shape-shifting. So with that kind of logic, victims don't need to just encounter a werewolf to become the beast themselves. Honestly, I had no idea something as innocent as a PLANT could be so terrifying!

[@xanv8051]

maybe the silver significance comes from trying to promote the product like love and diamonds or nft and insecurity

[@hpeor300]

i love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@hpeor300]

i wonder if werewolfs and wendigos go hand in hand with the shepherd gods, like pan, and the ones that make sex with animals :(

[@mohammadbashammakh]

Jon did you know that Africa has its own version of the werewolf legend, but instead of a man turning into a wolf , they turn into hyenas, look it up , and I heard other cultures got their own animal variants of the legend, like turning into a cat in Japan or into a lizard man in Greece, this makes an interesting topic to research don’t you agree?

[@RiseeRee]

That’s awesome! Which country has that legend?

[@davidbriggs6086]

That only scratched the surface. There were were wolves wherever there were wolves, were bears in Russia, were boar's in Greece, were tigers in India, were leopards in East Africa, were hyenas in Central Africa, were constricting snakes in South East Asia, (usually women by the way,) were Buffalo in North America, were Jaguars in South America and the list goes on and on. The word Were in Saxon means Man.

[@mohammadbashammakh]

@@RiseeRee Sudan , Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, chad , and Djibouti

[@mohammadbashammakh]

@@davidbriggs6086 I didn’t know about the bear one , good to know , and as I said it’s a topic worth of research, it’s really interesting how different cultures have the same legends but with different varieties, not just werewolves, but vampires & other creatures as well

[@smb-c3po]

But they're all Mormons over there now 'cause of Judeo-Christian missionaries trying to force Abrahamic religion onto everyone.

[@rolandswift4311]

Something worth mentioning about the "wulf" in "werwulf" while it does literally mean wolf; it's also commonly used to mean "hunter" IE; Beowulf meaning "bee hunter" which is another way of saying "bear". This means "werwulf" could potentially be translated to "man hunter".

[@inuyashy6663]

W🔥🐐🧠

[@theBrian14]

🌻🌻🌻🌻👈🏿

[@tenkomari2391]

🤯

[@Chernochegger]

And considering the entirety of the word derives from Old English, the fact that the French word inculcates Loup does may be a translation from English to French, as opposed to the opposite, which is the case for many words.

[@ginnyjollykidd]

One thing I appreciate about _Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_ was when Remus Lupin turned into a werewolf,his friend Sirius Black,trying to stem his transformation placed his hand on Lupin's chest declaring, "Your true heart is here!" How heartbreaking it must be to see a friend or loved one sink into a terrible condition! Don't we all wish the loved ones in our lives so afflicted get better?Don't we all wish we could do something about it?

[@skyden24195]

Interesting further, in the Harry Potter series, is that Lupin would end up marrying Nymphadora Tonks who was a shape shifter. I presume this would be one of the few ways a person could marry a werewolf as her shape shifting abilities would enable her to defend (or hide) from Lupin in wolf-mode.

[@ghostdragon4164]

Another fun fact. In the PoA movie Snape actually gave a brief explanation of where the term came from during his DADA lesson which is pretty much the same explanation that Jon gives here

[@Topdoggie7]

Except that was all an allegory for AIDS and spreading the STD lifted from another big name werewolf book thing. That's why the werewolf prank in the books was basically a prank joke with the real consequences of giving the guy AIDS, thus unnaturally cruel and mean. It also reflects Rowling's views on homosexuality. Oof.

[@AliceMcDonagh]

@@Topdoggie7how tf does aids have anything to do with werewolves? They’re SO different. You’re really taking giant leaps and to make what point exactly?

[@KiraBKADestroyerOfWorlds]

​@@Topdoggie7wait, what?

[@kimyoonmisurnamefirst7061]

My Anthropology class pointed out that the Werewolf hunts coincided very much with the witch hunts and often were for similar reasons: The people were often isolated. This is most likely why there are no "female werewolves" because the inverse was seen to be witches, so in society the people chosen and hunted were often outcasts. (Also why there were no male "witches" and the lore around wizards is different.) Oh and BTW, the whole Alpha thing came from a researcher who got corrected by a female grad student. The original researcher is trying to overturn the whole wolves have an alpha pecking order thing, but it's still attached to werewolves, regardless.

[@ruzi.the.spider]

I agree though there were Warlocks, seen as male witches leading the females.

[@YourQueerGreatAuntie]

I think the gendered aspect of the lore is very important. I mean, Solo even speculated that transforming into a werewolf might be more painful than childbirth... Lunar cycles? Hormonal changes? I think so! 😆

[@kimyoonmisurnamefirst7061]

@@YourQueerGreatAuntie IIRC my Anthro pprof suggested that some of the problem with being a werewolf was the "emasculation" part of it. Because if you remember a woman is "catty" and therefore, hyper feminine, and therefore problematic. But a woman is also problematic if they are a female dog. So if a man acts more like a woman, and is an outcast from society, has lunar cycles, etc, that also might a "cause for concern."

[@hpeor300]

yas girl

[@martletkay]

There were male 'witches' accused, tried and killed. Even in Salem Massachusetts.

[@cmauro7912]

I love Gunther's little face! My grandmother, born 1908 in southern Italy told me of a man who was a werewolf in her town. He told his wife that she must never open the door at night if she heard scratching at her door. For he was a wolf at that hour and that she must stay safe from him. Knowing the Calabrian men of the era, I'd take a gander that he was out drinking and frolicking with loose women once a month, so that she'd let him stay out all night, he made the whole thing up. Wink wink. However, my grandmother did say that there was a sheep killed when he was out.

[@ruzi.the.spider]

So they also had BBQ lol

[@debbralehrman5957]

@@ruzi.the.spider Yep!👍🏻

[@Littlepuppymoonlight]

Werewolf legend is also based on the fact that humans are at their most moody, aggressive and erratic at the full moon as it effects our blood pressure and chemistry. My friend is a paramedic and says the full moon is always the worst time of his work as people are by far at their most anxious or aggressive. It is believed this fueled the myth of the werewolf being associated with the full moon. Still my favourite mythological creature though :) thanks Jon you're a peach!

[@medo5417]

I have no idea why, but Werewolves are my favourite mythological creatures. I think its something about the fact that people can't control themselves and they normally don't mean to hurt people

[@ariaxrose1]

They’re the scariest for me. I mean think about the fear of when a decently sized dog is growling at you at a distance…..now imagine it 6ft tall and on hind legs and crazy muscles 😱

[@Loser_dude]

Same man, they're cool

[@jwalt8019]

I love Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula because of the integration of lycanthropy into vampirism. But I too really like werewolf lore and characters.

[@nmoney6655]

I think I know why because you were Team Jacob and flipped out

[@ruzi.the.spider]

I'm team werewolf too. No surprise being the leader of two Nordic dogs and having cared for more than half a dozen.. love their nature bring more wolf than dog. I'm also a nature bound soul, so.. yeah I'm more into them than into "civilized" mythical creatures.

[@benthomason3307]

The reason evil monsters were thought to be vulnerable to silver is because that metal is known for it's purity. Gold is too, but it's also associated with greed.

[@memoriesofheaven5192]

The Beast of Bray Road in Wisconsin and the Dogman of Michigan were REAL. Bears with mange, especially Black Bears, appear visually like large wolves without all that fur, so when they're seen walking upright on their back two legs like humans while making intimidating growls at anyone in their immediate vicinity with all their large sharp teeth... Well, you now get the picture!

[@alexandriacollins7119]

Silver was probably thought to have the power to fell a werewolf because of it's association with the Moon. Also, both silver and UV radiation have anti-bacterial properties, which is likely where the idea that they were Anathema against vampires and werewolves came from.

[@KiraBKADestroyerOfWorlds]

Except...the creation of the lore far predates the understanding of bacteria

[@alexandriacollins7119]

@@KiraBKADestroyerOfWorldsExactly! They observed this reaction and thought that it was magical!

[@traceurs619]

@@alexandriacollins7119How do you observe something you can’t see?

[@alexandriacollins7119]

@@traceurs619 Well, they knew that water kept in *Silver* cups took longer to get scummy...

[@traceurs619]

@@alexandriacollins7119 But that’s on an object, not the human body.

[@jaywolford3898]

The silver seems to be a Christian thing for both werewolves and vampires. I have heard it tied to the silver Judas was said to have been paid in the bible. I was even a part of the story in Dracula 2000. Not sure how deeply it's tied, but I think it's an interesting hypothesis as to why silver

[@georgelove980]

I was waitin to see if anybody else noticed he didnt mention this

[@hippo1701]

I heard it was silver because silver is the metal of the moon. The Greeks had a metal for the sun, gold, and the moon, silver. Then, the Jewish Christians in the story of Judas used the 30 pieces of silver because silver was used in coins. Then later Christians used the Judas story for their idea of killing werewolves (and vampires).

[@matthewhood7844]

I believe silver didn't enter the mythology until the screenplay for The Wolfman in 1941.

[@memyselfandi7782]

Hmm! Yeah good theory

[@scottlette]

It was originally quicksilver that hurt and killed werewolves according to occult lore and legend. The silver allergy is a more modern invention from the 20th century. The quicksilver allergy is from a Western alchemical tradition. Read Montague Summer’s ‘The Werewolf in Lore & Legend’ (1933) for further detail. A 2003 reprint is cheap and is a commonly available e-book.

[@lils6407]

"loo-yahoo" had me dead, but thanks for mentioning all names (I had to check I didn't mishear at first, because my brain is already partially wired in French). Also why are the gods always so petty QwQ what the heck. Didn't miss that myth. Love these! And Gunther's little face ^^ I really enjoyed that last transition, they somehow keep getting better, I'd enjoy more!

[@jason3114]

At first I heard loup-yaroo but after reading your comment, I heard loup-yahoo too. I've been learning French since I was a toddler; his pronunciation caught me so off guard lmao.

[@st.anselmsfire3547]

I always thought the origin of the werewolf myth was people trying to make sense out of rabies, a terrifying disease, and one of the few that's still nearly 100% fatal if they don't catch it before the symptoms start showing up.

[@kathybrem880]

Possible but rabies is a neurological disease and really didn’t give strength or even ability to murder large number of people. I think it’s more likely that serial killers leaving their victims maimed and destroyed terrified people thinking that some magical monster was responsible

[@eTWrek]

Rabies wouldn’t technically make a person aggressive.. it’s a bacteria of some sort that infects the muscles in your throat which allow you to swallow causing the muscles to spasm when you try to use them.. which is actually where the thought of someone having a “fear of water” came from because when they would try to swallow they couldn’t and they would freak out and push the water away.. this loss in control of the muscles allowing you to swallow is what makes it so deadly

[@KiraBKADestroyerOfWorlds]

​@@eTWrek it does make infected *animals* aggressive, though.

[@nmoney6655]

Once I read a book about a man that was dying from rabies because he got bit by dog 🐶 and he basically went insane he actually tried to kill his wife but she killed him instead and (presumably) dies herself because she got bit as well

[@anitatereszczuk3967]

I'm always surprised by that "only silver can kill it" thing, and that's because most of those legends developed in small villages where people often never even seen it. That's why in many of the folk stories you actually see people being able to harm a werewolf with a normal weapon and next morning realising who is this beast because the injury passed on. Similarly, in Slavic folklore you don't need a full moon to become a werewolf. Depending on a legend you can became it whenever you want (sometimes having to first perform a ritual that asks you to circle 7 trees), only on specific dates (usually 6th of December because it's Saint Nicholas Day - he was associated with wolves) or on every night. Also, you hear about people turning into a wolf willingly, due to the curse that can be lifted (this is when you pissed off a witch or someone with a similar power) or as a punishment after death (turning into a creature/demon after death is very common in Slavic myths)

[@youtubecommentergal4346]

Oh that's so cool! That's so interesting.

[@justinaysien1204]

Very interesting and informative Anita I was always curious about the different creatures of Slavic mythology what other creatures do you know about also witch Slavic country has the most monster myths

[@primraydreamer9049]

I’d love to hear about legends of lycanthropy with animals other than wolves. Bears, lizards, big cats, etc. Egypt had Sekhmet as a lioness so I’d love to know others.

[@KiraBKADestroyerOfWorlds]

Is it lycanthropy if it's a different animal, or is there a different term?

[@AkaiAzul]

​@@KiraBKADestroyerOfWorldsThere are other terms, like ailuranthropy for werecats.

[@isaacman112]

There are were tigers.

[@greyworld6242]

Did not know werewolf’s or the idea of being transformed into an animal was around as far back as the epic of Gilgamesh, that is both insane and awesome!

[@LordRain1031]

I personally liked the movie Wolf with Jack Nickelson. It followed the more "conventional" mythos of the "werewolf." Once bitten, your senses become more and more enhanced as the full moon draws near. As well as your strength, agility etc etc. During the full moon, you become the standard "werewolf" but at the conclusion of the full moon, you morph into a wolf. And after the full moon cycle, you STAY as a wolf. But truth be told, my favorite is the Underworld version. You become massively stronger, faster etc etc but you retain your full mental consciousness.

[@KiraBKADestroyerOfWorlds]

Referencing the Underworld werewolves: true. Mainly because, it's not a curse, merely genetic traits, just like those of the vampires.

[@AdamIshak01]

YES! Finally some Assyrian, Sumerian, Babylonian, Mesopotamian mention and respect! We’re literally the oldest and first empire/civilization even dating back pass 11,000 years so there’s plenty of rich culture and stories like the Epic Tale of Gilgamesh. I hope we get our own playlist or series in messed up origins since there’s plenty of material for it :)💕

[@scottdoesntmatter4409]

Too bad all of that was lost with the coming of Islam.

[@beastephenson7970]

Oh my gosh that’s such a good idea for a series!!

[@KiraBKADestroyerOfWorlds]

​@@scottdoesntmatter4409I mean, clearly not, or else nobody would know about them at all.

[@scottdoesntmatter4409]

all we have are bits and pieces left of culture, history, religion. Islam is pure evil.@@KiraBKADestroyerOfWorlds

[@susannairisastarte5192]

Indeed. It's how I chose my last name ❤

[@TNHawke]

You missed the various ways of recognizing a werwolf , and there were historical cures. My favorite being simply recognizing the cursed man and calling them by name.

[@KiraBKADestroyerOfWorlds]

That sounds more like countering some type of psychological episode.

[@maieen2665]

Shoutout to the editing in this vid. I had no idea werewolf trials were a thing until this week. You really do learn something new everyday! ... Are we just going to ignore the fact that he changed shirts? We are? Okay

[@xPinheadLarryx]

Thank you, I had to scroll too far to find a comment mentioning his shirt change 😂

[@samblock2961]

Thank you Jesus, I noticed and I haven't seen a single comment besides this one acknowledging it

[@heatherturner2366]

If I remember correctly, the Inuits created werewolves by mixing direwolves with a ritual of some sort. Might have been one of the other northern natives

[@moonprincesst.s.h.4ever115]

"... limited to one curse once a month." 😂 And some people think that once a month is too much! 🤣 BTW, Penny and Gunther are way too cute to be werewolves! 🥰

[@Kyra-qn3nh]

1:57 starting the video off strong with some peak comedy. Sexist period humor 😎

[@meghanrobertson8565]

I don't think it's that big a deal but yeah pretty tasteless.

[@skyden24195]

There is an obscure song called "Full Moon" by Maniacal Styles that is written/performed from a first-person perspective of what life is like being a werewolf. The song is on KZbin if anyone is curious about this bizarre werewolf song.

[@Captaincory1]

One theory as to why silver specifically had the power to kill evil creatures was because of its purity

[@doogiemcdaniel130]

"God loves a rat!" Best quote ever😊

[@justincarawan-carawanco.pu1639]

18:05 It's not just silver; it's silver from melted-down crucifixes that were made of silver at the time. Crucifixes were holy, but not physically damaging, so they were melted down into bullets and blades so that the holy silver could be used as a lethal weapon.

[@EnchantressOfAvalon]

Great video! I’m surprised that you didn’t mention la bête du gévaudan (the beast of gevaudan) which terrorized a small French town in the 1760s before it was felled by a silver bullet.

[@TheCommenterDragon]

And to think they say that as long as it's made of sliver just about any kind of weapon can be used to kill a werewolf. Hell they even say shoe polish can ward off werwolves because it contains silver residue.

[@75wildman]

Who is they?

[@davidbriggs6086]

According to Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson novels, ketamine mixed with silver nitrate tranquilizes were wolves.

[@HoneyBeeFlanzman]

I heard the use of silver to kill werewolves was related to Judas because he turned in Jesus for silver and werewolves are connected to the devil… or something

[@davidbriggs6086]

​@@HoneyBeeFlanzmanSilver is the metal linked to the Moon, which controls a werewolf's transformations. I guess vulnerability in one area translates to vulnerability in others.

[@christianjohnson5379]

I'm surprised you didn't once bring up Twilight. It actually depicts Werewolves closer to how they were originally depicted (becoming actual wolves rather than man-wolf hybrids), with the exception of silver being a weakness and they having the ability to transform at will.

[@EmelyPhan]

or Shadowhunters, Wednesday (the Netflix show) and the Vampire Dairies and its spinoffs. All of them are examples of having at least 1 female character (who is either a main or a minor character) turning into wolves. Shadowhunters and some of the characters from the Vampire Dairies and its spinoffs seemed to be the only ones I listed where the characters can turn at will but silver weakness is still an issue.

[@nmoney6655]

@@EmelyPhan yeah me too and I’m team Edward so I was excited for this episode

[@ruzi.the.spider]

Throwing in Wolfblood, a great teen and older tv show where they also do not speak / telepathe in wolf form but can fall into primitive behavior. Closest thing to the myth in digital media imho.

[@Nylak-Otter]

Probably because every discussion becomes nonsense the second Twilight is mentioned.

[@zakosist]

And not completely losing their mind and going on a rampage in their beast form. And probably no forced transformation at fullmoon. They seem to have normal human intelligence and mindset (obviously cant talk) while in wolf form, but I never read the books so cant be sure. I saw earlier someone pointed out they aren't actual werewolves but just shapeshifters who choose the form of wolves. They kind of have too much control of their ability to be considered werewolves, actual werewolves would be transformed forcefully at fullmoon and become beast in their mind as well

[@ContagiousSponge]

If Werewolves exist, does that mean there exists a Werebear?

[@MonkeyDJaden75]

if I were a werewolf I would transform in the most populated area and kill as much people as I can

[@Jessidafennecfox]

Any wereanimal is possible

[@chriscarlisle5676]

Following origins...berserker

[@runningthemeta5570]

@@chriscarlisle5676 I was gonna say that.

[@acorir3316]

Skyrim 😂

[@crimsonvoid1595]

Werewolves are often called creatures of the air and of the earth. And as such they have telekinesis after 1,000 years as well as the ability to transform at will and after 2,000 years they gain Aerokinesis (Wind manipulation.) I was also expecting this video to be released in October for the Halloween season. On another note there was a girl who saw twilight and had never seen any other werewolf type movie and then saw the Wolfman and then wrote an angry letter to the producers saying “They Stole werewolves from Twilight” and the Producers sent her a copy of the original Wolfman movie on DVD and a note saying Shut Up.

[@ruzi.the.spider]

I swear some twilight fans are not always the smartest.. claiming it made vampires hip when there was so many media before. Same with extreme HP fans. No, there's almost no new creature in the Potterverse, the author used mythical creatures from all over the world and media and now SOME fans think it's soooo original 😃

[@crimsonvoid1595]

@@ruzi.the.spider Agreed. Twilight completely Fucked up perception of Vampire. Vampires do not sparkle. Elder Vampires can hunt during the day but they DO NOT SPARKLE! Twilight made Vampires way too romanticized.

[@edorasmarauder5761]

Telekinesis and Aerokinesis sounds like some fanfic bs and really lame.

[@myafield4039]

@@crimsonvoid1595 you make it sound like they are real and you are one 🤨

[@crimsonvoid1595]

@@myafield4039 I have tons of free time since I can’t work so I research random stuff like werewolves and vampires. I’m not saying they’re real I’m just saying that’s just something my research uncovered.

[@WillowMaid95]

Really enjoyed this one just like the vampire video :D. My dad would tell me how The Wolf Man was his favorite movie as a kid. After the doing vampire and werewolf, do you think you could do Mermaids next or at least have it on your list?

[@notmyown113]

Loved the vid! In regards to the bishop writing about the wolves - there is a metaphor used in the bible that refers to the church as a flock watched over by their shepherd, and about watching out for savage wolves who come to steal members of the flock in the night - this metaphor referred to 'false teachers' but is often misinterpreted as meaning the devil. And the metaphor makes sense as in the time that the bible was written many would find that relatable and understandable as many families/communities had flocks of sheep. Sounds like the bishop got abit carried away with embellishing that metaphor :)

[@PatriotWatchman1776]

Anyone else notice Jons wardrobe change? Digging those shirts, Jon! Great episode, werewolves are fascinating. Thanks!

[@KKO_FLUM]

I love your videos Jon! Keep up the great work ❤

[@chloeelizabeth2174]

I laughed at the first woman joke - as my first though was periods being once a month and how our behaviour changes 🤣

[@oskarrmason9617]

In Irish and Celtic folklore, there is a creature called the Puca. The Puca is often depicted in pop culture as a werewolf like creature with goat or deer horns.

[@autumnmccullough8187]

Thank you for doing the research and hard work in the interesting stories and Myths. 😄

[@kaine2770]

Love your stuff Jon! But I will say the french pronounce Loup-Garou as Loo- Gah-roo. Thank you for another great bit of content ^_^

[@clarimm6675]

Yes, as a woman I can attest that once a month we all turn into werewolves and it's not just satan's niagara falls

[@asmaabushneba2263]

🤣, so true

[@ardenalexa94]

Yep. And growl at anyone who comes near us. 😂

[@silverbullet1620]

I am really enjoying Jon's jokes today. 😂😂

[@asmaabushneba2263]

same!

[@ardenalexa94]

Same. I wonder if his wife was laughing behind the camera or struggled not to. 😂

[@taekwongurl]

I was waiting for this episode! Specifically so I could hear more about the werewolf trials.

[@abdullahirfan9991]

Gunther's got you on the list jon, sleep with one eye open. Also I gotta say I was half expecting you to mention the beast of gavauden, one of my favorite "werewolf" stories

[@theexplorer1350]

I have heard stories about silver being a "Holy" metal, and I assumed why silver has been mention a lot when dealing with unholy creatures like werewolf's. Not sure if it's true or not.

[@YaniTol]

Maybe silver being antibacterial had something do with its use against the undead?

[@lizzypeer8709]

Love werewolf and anything supernatural, etc. My very first werewolf I saw was Oz and that lady werewolf in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And then the lady wolf in the spin-off Angel. I have a nostalgia love for the lycanthropes and old wolves like that, but my favorite are the four-legged wolves as I call them. I like the idea that being a wolf, you're on all fours instead of needing to walk like a human. I agree. It does look very painful. I don't watch much classic wolf movies, so the closest thing I can imagine would be Klaus or Tyler in Vampire Diaries. But Klaus became a hybrid as of Vampire Diaries S2. After that ritual and then turning, he was finally able to be what he was meant to be. With Tyler, Vampire Diaries really showed what it's like for wolves. Chained up in a cellar so that he doesn't hurt anyone while in his wolf form and the fact that as a wolf, he tried to attack the closest people to him, which would've been a death sentence to vampire Caroline. It took hours for him to actually fully turn. It was the same with his Uncle Mason as well. They had mostly male wolves, but there are two wolves. Jules I never cared for and Hayley grew on me when she went to Originals along with the Originals. Wolves and vampires are my two most favorite creatures next to hybrids. But I got drawn in in high school with Vampire Diaries because vampires plus forbidden romance. Lol.

[@clarimm6675]

"Involving the delusion of being an animal, usually a wolf" Am I the only one thinking of that meme: "On all levels, except physical, I am a wolf" lol

[@theartscanut7355]

In terms of being true or not, if i saw a monster that looked like the wolf in van Helsing (the big one) coming at me. I wouldn't be recording for tik tok 😂

[@jonnym9949]

This is easily my favorite episode that Jon Solo has made.

[@oceanberserker]

Little disappointed that the berserkers were barely touched upon here. I feel as though they added much to the modern day perception of werewolves and the like from their famous, or I should say infamous, reputation during the early middle ages. All in all, great video, Jon. Looking forward to the next one. Take care, stay safe, good luck, and God bless.

[@saintnicotine5585]

Wasn't there a case around the Middle Ages where a guy who tried to use "I'm a werewolf" as a defense for the murders he committed and when the court asked where his fur was he said "It's on the inside" so they skinned him alive?

[@charlesedwards-y5x]

I have one theory about werewolves that might help. the reason that werewolves can only be hurt with silver is because the price of Judas the man that sold Jesus out to be crucified was bought with silver thus making it the only way to kill a werewolf and that included vampires. its just a theory but you can look it up and see if im right.

[@yaeldragwyla8170]

In the Middle Ages and on into the 16th and 17th centuries, in Germany rapists were called "werewolves." Also, humans who contracted rabies manifested either as seductive, trying to get as many others into bed with them as possible (thus infecting their partners with rabies, as well) or as extremely violent and, often, as violent rapists, also spreading the diseases. The former gave rise to legends of vampires, the latter to legends of werewolves.

[@danwizzle91]

Love your content man would be interested if you did more messed up origins from media like the elderscrolls would be cool

[@femke6313]

I need someone in my life like you, someone who is just like me, who is a curious person who looks up stuff from different myths. 🤔 but then again, i am very greatful to have you, a content creator with a nice voice and great style in story telling. Your content is amazing, and this community is amazing. We are all history buffs with a taste for fantasy and macabre.

[@baskawilki1975]

The wolfskin wearing warrior bands is a very ancient tradition that goes back to the late stone age (at least). It's thought that they would have believed that by participating in the ritual and wearing the skin of dogs, or wolves (both were used, but (if I remember correctly) dog bones are more commonly found in Eurasian steppe sites) they literally transformed into dogs or wolves. They would take on aspects of the animal, and be cast out from their tribe/clan in a sort of ritual exile. The reconstructed Proto-Indo-European word for these bands of roving warriors was koryos. It's actually really fascinating and I suspect it had a lot to do with influencing werewolf stories in Europe. Dan Davis History has a video about it (the title is something like "this ritual changed the world" but I can't remember the exact title) and how this practice did a lot to shape how European cultures developed going into the bronze age, and how the idea of the traveling knight *could be* connected to it. For me, I think it also goes towards explaining why Mordor is in the east in Middle Earth, literally since there have been humans in central and western Europe there have been other humans coming out of the east to raid and pillage.

[@Scalesthelizardwizard]

When I think of werewolves I immediately think of the transformation from American Werewolf in London because in high school I went through a phase I was researching werewolf lore and watching werewolf transformations on KZbin learned a lot about practical effects from it

[@Danny__Noble]

“A succulent Chinese Meal!?” 😂😂

[@VladTepesVladTepes]

My favorite versions of werewolves are Harry Potter and Underworld. Those are the best depictions of werewolves in my opinion.

[@hackman669]

😆😁🤗

[@nmoney6655]

The thing I like about Twilight’s portrayal of werewolves is that they actually stay true to their origin stories for example Jacob transformed into a werewolf at 16 -the height of puberty as well as everyone else

[@dykor3531]

2:38 we don’t actually pronounce the G in loup garou like a Y, it’s pronounced as you would normally pronounce it. No need for fancy pronunciation. 🤓🤓

[@darkstrifequeen1458]

Why am I even watching these videos in the spookiest month of the year? I mean, it’s the perfect month to learn about this kind of stuff.

[@Dragonangel426]

The Mara of Norse mythology was a group of female werewolves, a coven of witches trying to cure the pain of childbirth were cursed to transform into werewolves or to that effect. The lore is a bit funny though, apparently cats can become Mara werewolves too. Weird myths

[@psychedelicpayroll5412]

I could barely find anything on them. On google it only talks about a demon who gives people nightmares. But from the small paragraph I could see it says that it’s Scandinavian.

[@amterasutenma2547]

Great video Solo. I love werewolves and I didn't know there were so many stories of werewolves.

[@TheAdeybob]

there are reports of very strong ancient traditions that involve able male children leaving the tribe and living off the land and joining a band of other juveniles until they were old enough to claim inheritance, and/or go earn fame and fortune. The romans were prob hearkening back to such traditions when they referred to an outlaw as a _wolfs head_ Personally, I also reckon there was a prehistoric tradition of killing a wolf and taking its hide as a coming of age ritual. At the end of the day, I'm also pretty certain that wolf behaviour was studied and appreciated by man since _homo sapiens_ hit europe. It's likely we learned how to hunt big game from observing their hunting behaviour.

[@jakeferreira1211]

A more modern depiction of werewolves I really like is J.R.R. Tolkien's werewolves. They aren't exactly traditional werewolves. They are more like giant magic murder machines in the shape of wolves with corrupted souls trapped inside them, where they serve Sauron on The Isle of Werewolves, which is maybe the greatest name for an evil island tower ever written. Sauron even turns into a werewolf and fights Huan, the Hound of Valinor, a giant immortal wolfhound who was a hunting dog of one of the gods.

[@Pandaemoni]

I believe the word "Lycan" comes from the movie Underworld. If you look at Google ngram viewer you can see the word doesn't pop up until the lead up to that film in the early 2000s. The term lycanthropy has two roots, one is "lykos" (Greek for wolf) and "anthropos" (Greek for man). There never was Greek word "lycan" for a wolf/man and it would have been linguistically unusual for them to shorten "anthropos" down to just "an". Also, platinum wasn't discovered to exist (by Europeans, that is) until the 18th-century when it was found in the New World (in South America). So, it was a little late for that to be the werewolf's folkloric weakness.

[@jason3114]

He literally explained how the word came from the Greek mythical figure. The reason why it doesn't appear before the movie is because the word became popular through it and people didn't have to use the word prior to it.

[@Pandaemoni]

@@jason3114 No, Lycaon _was_ the name of a mythological figure who was turned into a wolf (not a werewolf, just a wolf), and the term "lycanthrope" comes from it. But "lycan" was not an English word in and of itself prior to some point around the year the movie was released, as far as the sources I see show. It is possible it comes from a source other than film (like some novel or comic), but I have not seen that source and it would have to have either remained obscure or been nearly contemporaneous with the film. Nor does it seem the film took it from mythology, it seems they shortened the word "lycanthrope" in a move more akin to foreshortening "family" to "fam." There is a chance I am wrong, but the Google ngram if the term is about what you would expect for a neologism.

[@05bastille]

"You should be limited to one curse that comes once a month" And i couldn't agree more.

[@bookaddict9591]

Been waiting for this since your vampire one 😁 hope your well

[@diswhoiaml3470]

Silver and Iron both have deep rooted lore associated with both the fay and the undead/creatures of the night. I think the silver has something to do with an association with mysticism and iron in various forms other than its natural one because it has been altered by human hands making it anti-magic essentially.

[@DryBones271]

There was a werewolf in Buffy The Vampire Slyer who was female, and one in Angel. Both were pretty minor characters though.

[@ardenalexa94]

There was also Leah in breaking dawn and I think eclipse too. (Twilight series if you’ve never read them).

[@Fleetingpizza]

@@ardenalexa94ginger snaps was about the main character basically becoming a werewolf monster thing

[@jakeryker546]

The Philippine Aswang is essentially a Skinwalker. They can turn into Birbs, Doggos, and Bacon.

[@catalinavaldez6340]

So werewolves are actually men's periods.... Seems legit 😂

[@sebastianoviedo253]

This made me think of the saying “absolute power corrupts absolutely” with these mythical creatures “releasing their full power” with most ending in tragedy or something horrifying.

[@thomaswilson8080]

Could you do some videos on the Shinto gods

[@badassbillyb]

Id see that

[@maureen7492]

The story about le bete du gevaudan has always interested me. This was amazing!

[@pierrebuieii3908]

Vampires and werewolves have a history together they don’t get along but they both draw power from the moon 🌝 and a vampire is about the same way being killed either stab them in the heart or let them rot in the sun their mortal enemy and they do live long cuz nobody kills them and they have no reflection not really surprised 😯 but thanks 🙏🏾 for the info buddy you were super funny today seriously jokes could fly over people head and no offense some people are still stupid in modern time and don’t forget the underworld movies with the lycans and I seen females turn into werewolves too

[@NovemberRose6]

You should take a look at the lai by Marie de France titled "The Werewolf." That one is interesting because the Baron, who is a werewolf, is wronged by his wife and is eventually avenged by the king who loves him dearly. It's really weird and different compared to most werewolf stories where the werewolf is seen as the villain instead of the victim.

[@jessicamadsen7092]

THANK YOU for clarifying that wolves don’t howl at the moon; it drives me crazy when people say that. 😩 Another interesting note is that one of the main reasons the wolves became so bold in attacking people in Europe back then was due to the plagues. There were hundreds upon hundreds of people dying, and the wolves started turning to the human corpses as a food source. Wolves normally have to use a TON of energy to chase down and kill large animals, and will try to conserve that energy as much as they can. So if they see a much easier option for eating, like kills from other predators, or in this case, lots of human corpses, they’re going to go that route. This is what led to them to attack people without fear, because they got so used to people being an easy thing to eat.

[@InvincibleSummer7]

Another great video Jon! would actually love to see a full video on the Ulfhednar. To juxtapose wolf transformation seen as a curse becoming an Ulfhednar was a high honor and blessing from non other then the All-Father himself.

[@mad_ace]

King Cnut just seems like a misspelling for something else. Can't put my finger on it tho

[@HootyFruityOwl]

Wish people would stop complaining about Jon's sponsorships...He still makes spectacular content specifically for his viewers which includes all the whimpering whiners. If you hate the sponsorships that much, either stop watching or skip through the ads. Those sponsorships are the reason Jon can continue to make this level of content this frequently. Grow up.

[@alextalbain9269]

How did I not get notified about this? This is literally the video I have been waiting for

[@crystalnolan2747]

Nice opening, John, I enjoyed the bit of psychology/ biology that put it all into perspective. You are very entertaining, thanks for sharing.

[@sethsnyder901]

Watch thr KZbin when I'm home and listen to the podcast at work. One if the best people that I listen to foe mythology and orgins

[@melissataylor8733]

I just want to suggest that silver has anti microbial properties and is often incorporated in modern dressings for wounds. I'm not sure when this was discovered but maybe there is a connection?

[@youtubecommentergal4346]

*YES* I've been asking for this after the vampire origins story. I would like to request for a messed up origin about sirens/mermaids but mostly sirens.

[@Dookieman1975]

Lycanthropy then: Devolving to the most primal state Lycanthropy now: Furries

[@rubentorre1345]

Fun fact :I don't know about the other parts of the world, but here in spain we founded a few masks from a primitive era, it was ritualistic masks for some sort of primitive chaman, they looked like wolf and deer, and they used it to dance and sing across the fire, so I can guess it sticks to us from ancient times

[@AntoinettexKitten]

The rhyme from The Wolf Man reminds me of the quote 'he who makes a beast of himself, gets rid of the pain of being a man'

[@marcusfridh8489]

My favorites ones are actually the wolfbloods. The silverthing is due to the alchemic connection between silver and the moon. Silver is even called tears of the Moon.

[@elliothennessy8360]

My 2 favorite werewolves are Once Upon a Time’s Ruby and Discworld’s Sargent Angua. So kind of funny to realize how rare female werewolves are

[@desperateambrose5373]

I saw a werewolf drinkin' a Piña Colada at Trader Vic's, And his hair was PERFECT! ~Warren Zevon

[@-nyantic-son156]

“There is no fucking cure” I loved that it made me laugh so hard

[@atroskie5101]

I absolutely love this.. I really appreciate the amount of research and humour mix.

[@firelordbtown8639]

This is one of my favorite videos that you have made!

[@KiraBKADestroyerOfWorlds]

11:33 the European werewolf trials? Can't wait for that novel-turned-feature film

[@taylormademyself89]

A new messed up origin to something thats awesome to me is here again 😎🤟