Does Kanima's mythology match any historical stories/works or is it only written for Teen Wolf?
In Teen Wolf Season 2, a new creature called a Kanima appears, which is a part of the major plot line. My question is, is this Kanima creature all made up for the Teen wolf series, or is it inspired by any existing fictional work or historical story?
Best Answer
According to this interview with Teen Wolf creator Jeff Davis, the Kanima is, at least loosely, based on South American mythology. He says the original Kanima was a "were-jaguar" (that is, half-man, half-jaguar; named in analogy with "werewolf"). The Wikipedia article on the were-jaguar suggests that it may have been inspired by a venomous toad thought to resemble a jaguar. However, the Teen Wolf version is more like a reptile. Davis says
I ... saw CONAN THE BARBARIAN. And one indelible image that was left in my mind was the scene where James Earl Jones starts to transform into a gigantic snake. That look stuck with me and that’s what we went for
So the name may come from South American mythology, but the appearance has a more modern origin.
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What mythology does a Kanima come from?
The kanima, sometimes known as canaima, is a South American myth that involves a shapeshifter in the form of a were-jaguar. A kanima can possess the body of another person or animal and their stare is fabled to make the recipient go insane.How do you become a Kanima?
The kanima is the result of a mutation of a werecreature's transformation. In the Teen Wolf universe, an idiom comes into play: "Sometimes the shape you take reflects the person you are." A werecreature will transform into a kanima due to a rooted insecurity that they lack a sense of self-worth, an personal identity.What are the rules of Kanima Teen Wolf?
The rules concerning the Kanima creature is specifically that the Master is to use the Kanima to kill murderers, ones who have taken lives. If the Master uses the shapeshifter to kill innocents, or if the Master takes lives himself, that breaks the rules of the curse.What is a Kanima werewolf?
Bestiary Entry "The Kanima is a mutation of the Werewolf gene that cannot fully transform until it resolves that in its past which manifests it." "Like the wolf, the Kanima is a social creature, but where the wolf seeks a pack, the Kanima seeks a master."Support? DPS? or Hybrid? Kanima's Thoughts on Aeromancer
More answers regarding does Kanima's mythology match any historical stories/works or is it only written for Teen Wolf?
Answer 2
I grew up hearing the stories of the Canaima as told by my Native American grandmother and other people when I visited the village in Guyana South America.
Answer 3
In the belief system of the Carib tribes, Kanaima is an evil spirit that possesses people and causes them to turn into deadly animals and/or go into a murderous rage. Assassins, or Carib people seeking revenge for a slain relative, sometimes invited the Kanaima spirit into themselves by taking certain drugs or conducting certain magic rituals
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