Ryan and Alex explore the idea of a malevolent, parasitic force that has appeared across cultures and religions throughout history. Drawing from Native American concepts like Wetiko and the Wendigo, the Zoroastrian force of Ahriman, and the deceptive Luciferic beings of esoteric traditions, they examine how different myth systems describe an intelligence that feeds on human fear and ignorance. The conversation also dives into the Gnostic Demiurge, the archons, and the notion of a false spiritual “light” that diverts humanity from authentic awakening.