Mythology of Carnivàle
"Before the Beginning, after the great war between Heaven and Hell, God created the Earth and gave dominion over it to the crafty ape he called Man. And to each generation was born a Creature of Light and a Creature of Darkness... and great armies clashed by night in the ancient war between good and evil. There was magic then. Nobility. And unimaginable cruelty. And so it was until the day that a false sun exploded over Trinity, and man forever traded away wonder for reason."
– Samson in "Milfay"
Most mythological elements in Carnivàle relate to so-called Avatars (or Creatures of Light and Darkness), fictional human-like beings with supernatural powers who embody good and evil. In its first season Carnivàle does not reveal its characters as Avatars beyond insinuation, and makes the nature of suggested Avatars a central question. By the second season it is established that Ben is a Creature of Light and Brother Justin a Creature of Darkness. Other than through the characters, the show's good-and-evil theme manifests in the series' contemporary
Avatars
The term
Characteristics
The characters Ben Hawkins and Brother Justin Crowe are revealed to be Avatars through the usage of their supernatural powers; however, viewers did not find it immediately apparent whether a suspected Avatar served as good or evil.
The Pitch Document described Avatars as sharing the ability to envision the past, present and future, both literally and symbolically. Accessing this plane of pure truth is given as an Avatar's birthright and can be improved through study and practice. Avatars can manipulate and transmit the resulting visions through dreams to others. As far as established, only Creatures of Darkness suffer physical weakness or pain when their opposite makes use of his powers. Avatars can sense the existence of their moral opponent, but are unable to detect or identify them outside of close physical proximity. They can, however, easily detect and locate an Avatar of like kind over great distances with great accuracy.[11][18] These abilities contribute to the convergence of the two storylines in Carnivàle.
Terms and order of succession
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Daniel Knauf overlaid the Avatars of the fictional universe with an elaborate order of succession by blood, similar to the ascent of
The first Prophet in the mythology of Carnivàle is the Alpha. This creature is never mentioned in the series, but Knauf described her as a female who lived before the
The Avataric Blood travels within families forming a dynasty. The first-born son of an Avatar receives a so-called mantle at birth that manifests him as an Avatar of a new generation; whether the new Avatar is Light or Dark is chance.[11][12][16] Therefore, there is one Avatar to each House per generation.[21] Giving birth to a new Avatar leaves the mother barren and insane. Before that time, she can give birth to an unlimited number of females from an Avatar. These children as well as their respective offspring are called Vectori, beings with Avataric Blood who are not themselves Avatara, and who thus become generationally further removed from an Avatar in the bloodline. While Vectori cannot become Avatara, as that mantle is only conveyed upon birth, they can still exhibit some minor powers and often show signs of insanity.[16][22]
The eldest generational Avatar within a House is dominant and called the Prophet. He possesses blue blood, also called Vitae Divina.[12][23][24] The next in line is the Ascendant Prince. Any additional Avatara within the House are Princes ranked by generation. Although Avatara form blood dynasties from father to son, House affiliations can be mixed within a dynasty. If the youngest Prince in a dynasty dies, the dynasty is ended. Most dynasties only last on average three generations, since typical Avatara can be killed by any means. When a dynasty ends, the first male child born elsewhere in the world with the most Avataric blood will be a new Prince starting a new dynasty.[12][15]
When a Prophet dies while an Ascendant Prince also lives, one of two things happens. If the Prophet is killed by his Ascendant Prince, the Prince will gain the mantle of the Prophet with a boon (full measure of power). For the boon to be passed, the Prophet must be of sound mind, and either willingly pass on the boon, or be taken by surprise so that he cannot put up a psychic defense. If however the Prophet is impaired, the Ascendant Prince may be driven insane. If a Prophet dies in any other way, the Ascendant Prince will be automatically raised to Prophet in his stead, without chance of a boon.[12][16][23][25]
Two unique Avatars join the Alpha as an exception to the Avataric rule. Carnivàle's Avataric mythology prophesied the Usher of Destruction throughout the ages as a harbinger of the
Manifestation in the series
Certain characters have seemingly supernatural abilities from the beginning of the series. Ben Hawkins and Brother Justin Crowe not only have common visions of two soldiers (one of them also appearing in a
The context for some of these events is provided by the (fictionally used)
What is an Avatar?
As confirmed by Daniel Knauf and the Pitch Document, the Avatars of the current generation (at the end of Season 2) are Ben as the Creature of Light and Brother Justin as the Creature of Darkness.[17] Justin is also the Usher, spiritually represented by the Tattooed Man.[17] Their respective fathers were Avatars of the previous generation: Henry Scudder was the Creature of Darkness, and Lucius Belyakov (Management) was the Creature of Light.[9][11][44] At each time, an Avatar's blood color mirrored his status. Ben's and Brother Justin's blood were red when they were Princes,[36][45] and upon becoming Prophets, their blood turned into Vitae Divina (blue blood).[46][47] Scudder's father Hilton was an Avatar of undisclosed nature.[48] The mentalist of the carnival, Lodz, was merely a mortal who had once received Avataric skills from Scudder in exchange for his sense of sight.[11]
Several women in Carnivàle are tied to Avatars, but only two have Avataric blood: Belyakov's daughter Iris is a Vectorus by definition, As far as known, none of these mothers became pregnant after giving birth to an Avatar.
Knauf hinted at more Avatars in a February 2005 chat: "What do Jesus,
The Tattooed Man and the tree
A man with a tattooed tree on his chest and back is introduced in the opening minutes of Carnivàle's pilot episode, and appears in many other Avataric visions and dreams: in Ben's and Brother Justin's common recurring dreams chasing Henry Scudder in a cornfield, in Ben's microsleep-like visions, in Sofie's visions of the rape of her mother, and in an extended vision of Brother Justin foreshadowing his dark future. Ben encounters a little boy with a similar tree painted to his chest and back late in Season 1.[52] Brother Justin finds this tree grown on a hill early in Season 2,[45] which prompts him to get his chest and back tattooed accordingly.[42] The tree is also depicted in the show's Gospel of Matthias book, in a painting at the Templar Hall in Loving, New Mexico, and on many images in the room of Templar chaplain Kerrigan.[42] Management and Wilfred Talbot Smith imply the tree's significance for the resolution of Carnivàle.[29][30]
Show creator Daniel Knauf stated that the tree in Carnivàle is the iconic
Historical and cultural allusions
Dust Bowl
"Drought and pestilence fester in the very heart of this great land. Titanic sandstorms, the likes of which man has not seen since the day of the prophets. I ask myself, what are these things?"
—
The story of Carnivàle takes place in the mid-1930s during the worst of the
Carnivàle is a retrospective interpretation of these times. Okie Ben loses his mother and his farm to the dust when a carnival picks him up. While the carnival travels throughout the Southwestern United States, California preacher Brother Justin tends to the needs of Dust Bowl refugees, who slowly become his biggest supporters. Although Carnivàle replaces the real sociological-scientific reasons for the drought conditions with fantasy elements and the presence of the Devil, it still addresses the Dust Bowl situation repeatedly. Samson's catch phrases are variations of "Let's shake some dust!" The episode "Black Blizzard" focuses on Ben and the carnival coping with a major dust storm. Rain only occurs twice in the show. The first occurrence is when Ben and Sofie copulate; the writers wanted to highlight that Avataric sex "affects the heavens". The second is when Brother Justin forcibly takes the Boon from Henry Scudder in the episode "Cheyenne, WY".[53][54][55]
Religion
A major part of Carnivàle's story is religion.[56] Samson's prologue in the pilot episode is based on a few introduction paragraphs on the Pitch Document's cover sheet that were initially not planned to be performed .[57] But whereas Samson's prologue only shortly mentions the Genesis creation narrative before introducing the fictional mythology, the original segment put more emphasis on the battle between God and Satan:
"Before the Beginning, after the great celestial war that rocked the very foundation of Heaven and Hell, God and Satan established an uneasy truce. Never again would they face each other in direct confrontation. So God created the Earth, inhabiting it with the crafty ape he called Man. And henceforth, to each generation was born a creature of Light and a creature of Darkness, and they would gather to them men of ilk nature and thus, by proxy, carry on the war between Good and Evil."[11]
Show creator Daniel Knauf believed Carnivàle's religious aspects stemmed from the epic of good and evil as a major fabric of the 1930s,[5][58] while executive producer Ronald D. Moore regarded religion as a way to express the struggle of good versus evil, faith, and the nature of humanity.[58] Neither the audience nor the actors were given advice on how to interpret the show's biblical imagery. Clancy Brown, the actor who portrayed Brother Justin, did not know whether his character was the Creature of Light or Darkness during the first season. He however thought that the visions made Brother Justin believe to be on a righteous mission of God until late in the first season. Compared to Brother Justin, Brown stated he practiced religion in moderate ways.[5][6]
Daniel Knauf felt that Brother Justin shares patterns with certain religious leaders who were often persecuted for their delusional visions. Historical figures like
Carnivàle relies on other religious symbols and parallels for its mythology. The
Knights Templar
Carnivàle introduces the
Despite being of only tangential importance to the series' two seasons, the Knights Templar have an elaborate backstory that was left untold due to the cancellation. The Pitch Document described the fictional Order, then simply called the "Order Templar", as a fraternity of fellow travelers that was once charged by the
Trinity
The Season 2 episode "Los Moscos" has Management urge Ben to seek Scudder; Ben needs to learn the name of the preacher of his dreams (Brother Justin) to prevent a future catastrophe. An induced vision transports Ben into a desert where he suddenly hears an alarm-like noise. A massive explosion occurs, followed by a rising mushroom cloud. When Ben opens his eyes from the blast of dust, Justin kneels in front of him and asks "Ye offspring of serpents, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?"[45] Ben drives past this location one episode later in "Alamogordo, NM".[42] In a shared vision in the episode "Creed, OK", Ben and Sofie kiss in a desert, surrounded by bright light and swirling dust.[63] Season 2 takes place in 1935.
Reviews interpreted these visions as Ben's challenge to find and defeat Brother Justin; Ben has to ultimately stop the creation of the atomic bomb as "the world's march towards doomsday."
Tarot divination
The
When incorporating tarot symbolism into the show, show creator Daniel Knauf started with the
- "The World" — Completion. Perfection. Eternal life. – The Last Judgment by Michelangelo.
- "Ace of Swords" — Ardent love. Ardent hate. A vanquisher is born. – Destruction of Leviathan by Gustave Doré.
- "Karl Brullov.
- "King of Swords" — A powerful commander. A wise counselor. A judge. – St. Michael Victorious by Raphael.
- "Temperance" — Moderation. Balance. Harmony. – The Peasant Dance by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
- "The Magician" — Originality. Confidence. Skill. – Crucifixion by Josse Lieferinxe.
- "The Tower" — Sudden change. Disruption. Downfall. – The Battle between the Romans and the Carthaginians by Jean Fouquet.
- "Judgement" — Renewal. Rebirth.
- "The Moon" — Deception. Disillusionment.
- "The Sun" — Success. Joy. – Creation of the Sun and Moon by Michelangelo.
Reception, interpretation and legacy
Executive producer Ronald D. Moore was confident that Carnivàle was one of the most complicated shows on television,[74] while show creator Daniel Knauf admitted that "you may not understand everything that goes on but it does make a certain sense."[54] In stating that Carnivàle was meant to be a demanding show with a lot of subtext, Knauf refrained from giving explicit clues. He did not wish his intent as an author to supersede the viewer's interpretation.[8][28]
Interpretations during the run of Carnivàle
"If Carnivàle asks a central question, it's this: What is the link between Hawkins and Crowe, and what do their dreams have to do with reality? Are these visions of the future, residue of the past, or an allegory for the present? [...] I found myself desperately wishing that [
speaking backwardsagain], partly because then at least something in Carnivàle would make a little sense."
—Dennis Cass of Slate in reviewing the first two episodes[75]
Reviewers of the first three episodes interpreted Carnivàle's story as being full of myth and allegory. The show was seen as more than just a human-scaled metaphor of good and evil, with the power of spirits as one of the show's strongest elements.[1][2][76] Some reviewers were deeply confused and described almost everything as "mysterious" – the characters and their powers and abilities, characters and scenarios within visions, the whole carnival – wondering how it all fit together.[32] The visions of the two main characters were shortly addressed,[32] distinguishing between violent and benign visions,[76] but parallels between the visions and the beings of good and evil were not necessarily drawn. The characters' stories were described as unfolding in "zig-zagging starts, moving back and forth in time and space, dropping oblique clues along the way."[2]
Carnivàle's central premise was considered "cloudy", "unconventional", and filled with "convoluted symbolic interpretations of historical events" after Daniel Knauf had told TV critics that he regarded the 1930s as "the last great age of magic" being ended by an atomic bomb to herald the Age of Reason.[32] Many reviews quoted and commented on Samson's prologue to explain both the apocalyptic premise and the mythology of the show.[1][2][3] Some reviews asserted that the good and evil creatures described in the prologue were Ben and Justin, preparing for a final battle.[1][3] Still, many reviews were reluctant to state who of the main characters was good and who was evil,[1][3] aware that it might take some time until this question was answered for sure.[3] Ben and his healing powers led most reviewers to believe that he was the good creature,[2] and that Justin was a demon or at least a dangerous zealot who received instructions from either God or Satan.[1][32] Some reviews described the question of Ben's parentage as one of the big puzzles and the show's driving mystery,[1][32] but refrained from defining further details of the series. The lack of revelation of the characters' roles was apparent by the end of the first season, although critics expected Sofie to gain significance later in the story.[77]
DVD reviews for Season 1 and previews for the Season 2 premiere had the advantage of retrospective on the first season, and some reviewers continued to consider the show's mythology convoluted, circuitous, "peek-a-boo" and silly.[64][65] The significance of the prologue was emphasized again,[66][78] while previous reviewers' character descriptions, the good-versus-evil theme and the assumed story merge were generally repeated. The good nature of Ben and evil nature of Brother Justin seemed clearer to most reviewers,[78][79] with "many bizarre coincidences that seem to imply a deeper and more sinister connection" between the two main characters.[80] Visions were summarized as disturbing and grotesque,[60][81] dreams as cryptic and mysterious, and abilities as unexplainable.[66][82] Henry Scudder was noted to be "connected to everything and everyone",[66] and it was considered Ben's job to piece together the mystery of his own past.[81] The events of early Season 2 were said to mark a shift in the story from mystery to journey, with Ben accepting and exploring his powers, while Brother Justin was seen completely embracing his evil nature.[83][84] Reviewers regarded Sofie's turn in the final episode as an unexpected new threat in the story.[65]
Reception and analysis of themes
Carnivàle was often compared to David Lynch's 1990s mystery TV series Twin Peaks and John Steinbeck's 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath.[58][85][86] Matt Roush of TV Guide called Carnivàle "the perfect show for those who thought Twin Peaks was too accessible",[87] whereas the show reminded Salon.com's Heather Havrilesky of the "disappointment you feel as a kid when you come to the last few pages of The Grapes of Wrath."[85] She argued that a "surreal Twin Peaks-style shockfest [...] hardly bears repeating," especially if it "avoid[s] the 'hugging and learning' of mainstream television [by serving up] such a steady diet of anguish and dashed hopes that viewers refuse to take the risk of making an emotional connection."[85] Carnivàle, as The Australian stated, "seems to have been conceived in essentially literary terms" which "can sometimes work on the page but is deadly on the large screen, let alone a small one. It's almost like a biblical injunction against pretension on television."[88] A reviewer admitted his temptation to dismiss the first season of Carnivàle as "too artsy and esoteric" because his lack of involvement prevented him from understanding "what the heck was going on, [which] can be a problem for a dramatic television series."[89] TV Zone however considered Carnivàle "a series like no other and [...] the fact that it is so open to interpretation surprisingly proves to be one of its greatest strengths."[77] Carnivàle was lauded for bringing "the hopelessness of the Great Depression to life"[85] and for being among the first TV shows to show "unmitigated pain and disappointment",[85] but reviewers were not confident that viewers would find the "slowly unfolding sadness"[85] appealing over long or would have the patience or endurance to find out the meaning of the show.[79][85]
Fate and legacy of the mythological storytelling of Carnivàle
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Gilbert, Matthew (September 12, 2003). "'Carnivale' atmosphere gets lost in pretentious new HBO series". boston.com. Retrieved 2007-08-29.
- ^ a b c d e f Stanley, Alessandra (September 12, 2003). "TV WEEKEND; Carnies, Dust Bowl, Apocalypse". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
- ^ a b c d e f g Poniewozik, James (September 7, 2003). "HBO's Cirque du So-So". time.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
- ^ "Clancy Brown". hbo.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-13. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
- ^ a b c d e Loh, Sherwin (October 9, 2004). "Circus Of Life". The Straits Times - Singapore. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
- ^ a b Mahadevan, Jeremy (October 10, 2004). "Come Join The Carnivale". Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
- ^ a b c "Carnivàle Opening Credits". hbo.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-05. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
- ^ a b Callaghan, Dylan (2005). "In the Ring with Good and Evil". wga.org. Archived from the original on 2008-01-02. Retrieved 2007-09-17.
- ^ a b c d e f Chat with Daniel Knauf (April 18, 2005). Summarized[dead link] and archived in parts at Yahoo Carnivale HBO (registration required). Retrieved on 2007-08-01.
- ^ Knauf, Daniel (fboffo) (June 14, 2007). "Re: Dark Avatars not being the aggressor". Yahoo Carnivale HBO (registration required). Retrieved 2007-08-02.[dead link]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Pitch Document (CARNIVALE Backstory and Mythology.doc) and character biographies (CHARACTER BIOS TEXT ONLY.doc) at Yahoo Carnivale HBO Files[dead link] (registration required) (July 1, 2007). Character biographies previously auctioned at the Clancy Brown Fan Club Charity Auction Archived 2007-07-17 at the Wayback Machine (May 16–30, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-08-05.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Knauf, Daniel (fboffo) (February 22, 2005). "Re: Prophet, Prince, Usher". Yahoo Carnivale HBO (registration required). Retrieved 2007-07-28.[dead link]
- ^ a b ""One More Look, Behind the Curtain" – Daniel Knauf". hbo.com. Archived from the original on 2009-05-22. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
- ^ Cox, Ana Marie (January 19, 2004). "Dust Bowl Passion Play". In These Times. Retrieved 2007-11-29.
- ^ a b c "Dan Knauf chats live – March 1, 2005". mooncross.net. March 1, 2005. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-30.
- ^ a b c d Knauf, Daniel (fboffo) (March 23, 2005). "Re: Power transfers?". Yahoo Carnivale HBO (registration required). Retrieved 2007-07-28.[dead link]
- ^ a b c d e Blighton, Beth (February 15, 2005). "Dan Knauf Interview". carnycon.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2007.
- ^ Knauf, Daniel (fboffo) (March 15, 2005). "Re: Why no reaction from Ben?". Yahoo Carnivale HBO (registration required). Retrieved 2007-08-18.[dead link]
- ^ Knauf, Daniel (fboffo) (April 19, 2005). "Re: Carnivale season 2". HBO Forums Carnivàle. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 1, 2007.
- ^ a b Rodrigo García (director); Daniel Knauf (writer) (2003-09-14). "Milfay". Carnivàle. Season 1. Episode 1. HBO.
- ^ a b c Chat with Daniel Knauf. carnycon.com (offline) (February 20, 2005). Archived in parts at Yahoo Carnivale HBO[dead link] (registration required). Retrieved on 2007-07-28.
- ^ HBO Home Video. (Based on Daniel Knauf's note on Yahoo Carnivale HBO via Beth Blighton[dead link] from March 10, 2005 (registration required)).
- ^ a b c Jeremy Podeswa (director); Daniel Knauf (writer) (2005-01-09). "Los Moscos". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 1. HBO.
- Wilfred Talbot Smith: "You bleed like a man. He is still alive. [...] By the hand of the Prince, the Prophet dies. Upon his death, the Prince shall rise. [...] The Gospel of Matthias. Chapter 3, verses 26 through 28. [...] You have to kill him with your own hands... Henry Scudder." / Brother Justin: "Then what?" / Smith: "You'll be the prophet. The Usher. [...] Kill him [Scudder], and you will receive the divine blood."
- ^ a b Knauf, Daniel (fboffo) (June 10, 2007). "Re: even more Carnivale Questions". Yahoo Carnivale HBO (registration required). Retrieved 2007-08-01.[dead link]
- ^ Todd Field (director); Tracy Tormé (writer) (2005-03-13). "Cheyenne, WY". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 10. HBO.
- Wilfred Talbot Smith (to Brother Justin about Henry Scudder): "His mind must be clear during the passing. If he is impaired or delusional, the result would be disastrous. [...] Madness, or even death. [...] The only way to receive the full measure of the boon is if it's freely granted, in sound mind, by the prophet. [...] He [Scudder] would have no choice if you took him by surprise. [...] You must take the boon by force. [...] But if you hesitate, he may escape, and the boon will forever be lost to you."
- ^ a b c d "Creating the Scene – Justin's Vision". hbo.com. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
- ^ a b Jack Bender (director); William Schmidt (writer) (2005-01-16). "Alamogordo, NM". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 2. HBO.
- Management: "You have seen the Usher. The tattooed man. [...] Samhain, Necrotus, Khaybet, Lord of Shadows. A thousand names in a thousand books, but they all mean the same. The Usher of Destruction."
- ^ a b Knauf, Daniel (fboffo) (March 2, 2005). "Re: the fetus revisited (my take)". Yahoo Carnivale HBO (registration required). Retrieved 2007-08-02.[dead link]
- ^ a b c Tim Hunter (director); Daniel Knauf (writer) (2005-02-27). "Outskirts, Damascus, NE". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 8. HBO.
- Wilfred Talbot Smith: "Your enemy has received his boon. [...] What concerns me more is this business you mentioned with the knife. '[From The Gospel of Matthias:] Anointed dagger, plunge thee deep.'" / Brother Justin: "'Anointed'?" / Smith: "Infused with Avataric blood. If he has it in his possession along with the boon, he not only has the strength, but the means to destroy you."
- ^ a b c d Tim Hunter (director); Daniel Knauf (writer) (2005-02-27). "Outskirts, Damascus, NE". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 8. HBO.
- Belyakov (to Ben in a vision): "Behold the Usher. A dark heart dwells where branches meet. Anointed dagger plunge thee deep."
- ^ Knauf, Daniel (fboffo) (April 18, 2005). "Re: Carnivale season 2". HBO Forums Carnivàle. Archived from the original on December 3, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-01.
- ^ a b c d e f Chocano, Carina (September 12, 2003). "TV Review – Carnivale (2003)". ew.com. Retrieved 2007-09-08.
- ^ Scott Winant (director); Daniel Knauf (writer) (2003-11-02). "Lonnigan, Texas". Carnivàle. Season 1. Episode 8. HBO.
Jack Bender (director); William Schmidt (writer) (2003-11-09). "Insomnia". Carnivàle. Season 1. Episode 9. HBO. - ^ Jeremy Podeswa (director); Daniel Knauf, Ronald D. Moore (writers) (2003-09-21). "After the Ball is Over". Carnivàle. Season 1. Episode 2. HBO.
- Waitress (to Ben and Brother Justin in a shared dream): "Every prophet in his house."
- Templar (to Sofie): "Every prophet in her house."
- Child Sofie (to Sofie in a vision): "Every prophet in her house."
- Black-eyed Sofie (to Sofie in a vision): "This is your house."
- ^ Tim Hunter (director); Dawn Prestwich and Nicole Yorkin (writers) (2003-10-12). "Babylon". Carnivàle. Season 1. Episode 5. HBO.
- ^ a b Rodrigo García (director); Ronald D. Moore (writer) (2003-11-30). "The Day that was the Day". Carnivàle. Season 1. Episode 12. HBO.
- ^ Jeremy Podeswa (director); Daniel Knauf (writer) (2005-01-09). "Los Moscos". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 1. HBO.
- Wilfred Talbot Smith (reading ancient text): "And that you know he is true by his words, the Usher will declare..." / Brother Justin (on the radio): "The greatest Commandment, brothers and sisters, is... " / Smith and Brother Justin (in unison): "Thou shalt be strong."
- Brother Justin (hearing his own voice in a vision when the Tattooed Man cuts his own hand revealing blue blood): "He is the Usher."
- Smith: "I'm here for the Usher." / Brother Justin: "What?" / Smith: "The Usher?"
- ^ a b Tim Hunter (director); Daniel Knauf (writer) (2005-02-27). "Outskirts, Damascus, NE". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 8. HBO.
- Ben: "'By the hand of the Prince, the Prophet dies. Upon his death, the Prince shall rise.' – The Prince, that's me. Management was the Prophet. It's all in this book. He needed me to kill him. [...] When I killed him, everything he was, everything he knew, everything he believed, he gave it to me. He had to. He knew that was the only chance I had against the Usher." / Samson: "The Usher?" / Ben: "Alexei Belyakov, his son."
- ^ a b Rodrigo García (director); William Schmidt (writer) (2005-03-06). "Lincoln Highway". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 9. HBO.
- Written with lipstick across a mirror by Ruthie (possessed by Lodz): "Sofie is the Omega -L"
- ^ Scott Winant (director); Tracy Tormé (story), Daniel Knauf (teleplay) (2005-03-27). "New Canaan". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 12. HBO.
- ^ Jeremy Podeswa (director); Daniel Knauf (writer) (2005-01-09). "Los Moscos". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 1. HBO.
- Written inside the Gospel of Matthias: "Benevolent Order of Templar • Chapter 106 • Loving, New Mexico •
Robert Morgan; James Parks; Carlton Smith; Eugene Shoben; Gregory Austin;Henry Scudder." - Templar Frank Mooney: "They showed up one day, him [Scudder] and another fella. [...] Ten, twelve years ago. [...] Scudder, he got real cozy with our chaplain, Kerrigan. And he stole some books out of our library. [...] Holy books, Gospels. And then they lit out."
- Written inside the Gospel of Matthias: "Benevolent Order of Templar • Chapter 106 • Loving, New Mexico •
- ^ a b c d Jack Bender (director); William Schmidt (writer) (2005-01-16). "Alamogordo, NM". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 2. HBO.
- ^ Tim Hunter (director); Daniel Knauf (writer) (2005-02-27). "Outskirts, Damascus, NE". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 8. HBO.
- ^ Todd Field (director); Tracy Tormé (writer) (2005-03-13). "Cheyenne, WY". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 10. HBO.
- ^ a b c Jeremy Podeswa (director); Daniel Knauf (writer) (2005-01-09). "Los Moscos". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 1. HBO.
- ^ Rodrigo García (director); William Schmidt (writer) (2005-03-06). "Lincoln Highway". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 9. HBO.
- ^ Dan Lerner (director); John J. McLaughlin (story), Dawn Prestwich and Nicole Yorkin (teleplay) (2005-03-20). "Outside New Canaan". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 11. HBO.
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- . Season 1. Episode 11. HBO.
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- Wilfred Talbot Smith: "Henry, I spoke with Bennington. He says you have the Saunière manuscript. Where is it? Where? [...]" / Henry Scudder: "The priory, behind the sacristy." / Smith: "Where?" / Scudder: "Rennes-le-Château."
- ^ "Highlights from the Dan Knauf Chat". savecarnivale.org. September 11, 2005. Archived from the original on August 7, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
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- ^ a b c d Das Monkey. "Carnivàle: Complete First Season". dvdtalk.com. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
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- ^ a b "Creating the Scene – Trinity". hbo.com. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
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- ^ a b Thomson, Sandra (November 1, 2003). "When Tarot Comes to Television". ata-tarot.com. Retrieved 2007-09-12.
- ^ Alan Taylor (director); William Schmidt (story), John J. McLaughlin (teleplay) (2005-02-20). "Damascus, NE". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 7. HBO.
- ^ "HBO and RealNetworks Launch Downloadable Game Inspired by Critically Acclaimed Series "Carnivàle"". hbo.com. November 21, 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-23."Fate: The Carnivàle Game". hbo.com. Retrieved 2007-09-17."FATE". hbocarnivaletarot.com. Retrieved 2007-09-28.[permanent dead link]
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I think I can say without fear of contradiction this may be the largest and most complicated show on television.
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* Review for "Hot and Bothered": "Sophie [sic] is also becoming a much stronger figure – her visions appear to be growing stronger in parallel with Ben's and she has a part to play in the unfolding drama." * Review for "The Day that was the Day": "The parts that Sophie, [sic] Lodz, Management et al. play in this apocalyptic drama have yet to be revealed, but it's clear that much has been held back for the now confirmed second season." - ^ a b Shallcross, Ken (December 7, 2004). "Carnivale – The Complete First Season". dvdfanatic.com. Retrieved 2007-09-08.
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