Abaddon Is a Place and a Figure, Both Chaotic and Destructive

Abaddon has a dark reputation as an angel of the bottomless pit of destruction and despair. But where does the reputation come from? Nicole Antonio/DALL-E

If you've ever heard of Abaddon, you might know him as a mysterious figure of destruction and judgment. In religious texts, Abaddon is the angel of the bottomless pit, a powerful being connected to the underworld and the end of days.

But what exactly does he represent, and why does he show up in so many different places, from ancient scriptures to modern culture? Adding to the confusion, Abaddon is both a place and a figure. As a place, it is described as a realm of the dead, a shadowy underworld often linked to Sheol in Hebrew tradition.

As a figure, Abaddon was first introduced in the Bible as the leader of destructive forces unleashed during the apocalypse, and he remains one of the most enigmatic entities in religious and literary history.

Origins and Etymology

In Hebrew the word Abaddon means "destruction," "doom" or "place of destruction," appearing in the Old Testament to describe the realm of the dead. With the writing of the New Testament, it became a name for a specific figure, where he is identified as the angel of the bottomless pit.

The name Abaddon was later translated into Greek as "Apollyon," meaning "destroyer," further emphasizing his role as a force of chaos.

The first mention of Abaddon as a figure occurs in the Book of Revelation, written during the early Christian era. In this apocalyptic text, he appears to be a powerful being tasked with unleashing divine wrath on the world.

His connection to destruction gave him an enduring presence across cultures, inspiring fear and fascination alike.

Different Interpretations of Abaddon

As is probably clear by now, there isn't much consensus around a specific character or thing called Abaddon. Like so much in religious literature, there's a range of different interpretations of a figure like Abaddon.

When Abbadon shows up in Revelation, the description sounds like something encountered in a nightmare: He's the king of a horde of locusts, but the "locusts" actually resemble horses, except they have human faces with long hair, lion's teeth, scorpion's tails and iron breast plates.

To a casual reader, this might be mystifying, but scholars have worked for centuries with a close eye on these kinds of details. Some consider this to be indicative of the Antichrist, while others think it is more likely to be Satan (the other major baddie in Christian bible).

Others, such as the authors of the Methodist "Interpreter's Bible," saw later passages of Revelation (specifically Revelation 20) as providing important context, where the angel comes down from Heaven with a key, locks up the destructive dragon and tosses him into the Abyss, securing the world for faithful.

In this interpretation of Abaddon, he was actually an agent of God, not of Satan (and certainly not Satan himself), and his appearance at the end of the world is actually a good thing.

Symbolism

Abaddon is the ultimate symbol of destruction and judgment. In religious texts, he is seen as a servant of divine will, carrying out acts of chaos as a means of cleansing the world. This duality — both an agent of God and a force of devastation — makes Abaddon one of the most complex figures in theology.

He is often described as a guardian of the underworld, a place of destruction where the souls of the dead reside.

To the ancient Hebrews, Abaddon was not necessarily evil but rather a necessary force in the balance of life and death. By the time of early Christianity, his role expanded to include leading an army of locust-like creatures during the end times, a further indication of his status as a harbinger of doom.

5 Literary References to Abaddon

In literature, Abaddon is a recurring figure in works that explore themes of destruction and divine judgment, especially at the end of the world.

In "The Pilgrim's Progress," an early work of Christian allegory by John Bunyan, Abaddon appears under the name Apollyon and attacks the protagonist.
Another early mention outside of religious texts is in John Milton's "Paradise Lost," where he is depicted as one of Satan's warriors during the battle for the heavens. Milton's use of Abaddon reflects his role as a symbol of rebellion and ruin.
In Robert Browning's narrative poem "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came," Apollyon is once again the name for Abaddon, who appears as a bad guy.
In J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, Abaddon provides part of the name for Azkaban prison (the other word being the real-life Alcatraz).
"Abaddon's Gate" is the title of the third novel in "The Expanse," a series of sci-fi books by James S. A. Corey. It's also been adapted as a TV Show.

6 Pop Culture References

In pop culture, Abaddon is a common name for villains and creatures that embody destruction. From the world of video games to the sludgy guitars of doom metal, this imposing and dark figure keeps popping up.

In the miniature war game Warhammer 40,000, he is invoked as a figure of chaos and fear.
In video games like "Darksiders" and "Diablo," Abaddon appears as a boss character wielding immense power.
Abaddon makes an appearance on the TV show "Supernatural," where he is portrayed as a demonic antagonist.
Saviours, an American metal act, named their 2008 album "Into Abaddon."
Abaddon Incarnate is the name of an Irish death metal band.
In the indie game "The Binding of Isaac," Abaddon is a powerful item that increases the playable character's speed and damage output.

We created this article with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.