Anubis (2024)

Anubis is an underworld god and the adoptive son of Seth and biological son of Nephthys and Osiris, and half-brother to Horus.

Appearance

Demigod

While a demigod, Anubis changes his age depending on the circ*mstance and his mental state, varying from a child to a teenager to possibly a young adult. He has pale skin, short dark hair, and grey eyes. He wears a white ribbon as a collar,^[1] a white sheath skirt or shendyt, and golden armlets and bracelets on both arms, as well as golden anklets on both legs. He is lithe, and even at his tallest, shorter than Seth.

God

As a god, Anubis is much taller than Seth, and has long, curly black hair like his grandmother, Nut. He is very muscular, as well. He has black and white marks around his eyes, and wears a black jackal mask. He wears a black ribbon as a collar^[1] and a black sheath skirt or shendyt, long black armbands on both arms, and golden anklets on both legs. He also wears golden earrings, with a round part at the top, a red gem or bead in the middle bottom, and an attached long golden strip beneath it. He sometimes carries a large crook or heka scepter.

Personality

Demigod

In his youth, Anubis adores his father and family, and appears to be a sweet child. Sometime after Seth kills Osiris, Seth begins physically abusing Anubis, which combines with Anubis' inability to ascend to make Anubis suicidal. Anubis returns to life, and decides that it's best to go against his father. Anubis is sometimes callous towards his father.

God

After his ascension to godhood, Anubis loses much or all of his memories of his life, and is loyal only to Osiris. He looks down on Seth and Horus. He seems to be somewhat careful and cautious, and is curious about his life as a demigod, but obeys Osiris' commands.

Life

Anubis is the demigod child of Nephthys and Osiris, but is raised as the son of Nephthys and Seth. He is beloved by most of his family, and sometimes spends time with his father on hunts.

He is nearly killed when Osiris takes his soul to use for a child between Osiris and Seth, but Seth and Isis save him.

During Seth's reign as Pharaoh, Seth repeatedly abuses Anubis. He also potentially curses Anubis to remain a child, in the hopes that Anubis will always be Seth's son.

At some point, out of anger at his inability to become a god and pain over Seth's actions and Nephthys' torment, Anubis commits suicide,^[2] and is brought back to life by Osiris, with a flower of life to sustain him.^[3] Osiris' comfort showed Anubis that Seth could not be the ruler of Egypt, and it was Anubis' duty to help Osiris become king again.^[3]

Anubis helps the Ennead re-enter Heliopolis and combat Seth. During the trial, Osiris uses Anubis' body to appear before the Ennead and later assault Seth in private.

Anubis helps Horus during the second match, in exchange for Horus telling Anubis how to become a god.^[4]

Osiris takes over Anubis body to assault Seth again, and Seth cuts off Anubis' arm while combating Osiris, placing an/another curse on Anubis that slowly worsens. Anubis confronts Horus, demanding help to learn how to ascend to godhood and break the curse.^[5] Horus explains the parameters. He further explains that to lift the two curses on Anubis, Anubis "must fully reject and ignore Seth", turn his back on Seth's desire for Anubis to remain his son, let go of what he currently desires most, throw away his family, happy memories, and hopes for the future, forget about the trial, and go far away from Heliopolis.^[6]

During the third match, Anubis obtains a cursed weapon made by Nephthys and gives it to Seth, weakening Seth enough to help make him lose the match and ultimately the trial. While Seth is imprisoned afterward, Anubis speaks to him, asking Seth to end the curse, save him, and free them all, perhaps to be together.

When Khnum takes Anubis away during Seth's sentencing, Anubis' curse appears to infect him and eventually knock him into a coma.^[7][8] Osiris appears to force Anubis to ascend to godhood.

Anubis stalks Seth with jackals. Horus sends a bird to watch over Seth, which fights the jackals off, protecting Seth. When Foreign God ("FG") kills the bird, the jackals and Anubis attack Seth and FG. Seth is shocked by Anubis' appearance and doesn't know who he is, and wonders if he is Anubis, distracting him into becoming heavily injured and knocked unconscious. FG appears to confront Anubis. Anubis and the jackals are gone when Seth wakes.

Osiris orders Anubis to go to the land of the living to show his face to Seth, which should make Seth come down to Duat of his own volition. Anubis travels to Seth in the desert, and allows Seth to pull his headdress off. Seth is shocked and glad to see Anubis, particularly as a god. Anubis is confused, and during their conversation, Anubis wonders if they were lovers in Anubis' forgotten past, so Anubis kisses Seth. Seth rebuffs him, explaining that Anubis is Seth's adoptive son. Anubis rejects this, calls Seth an evil god, and says that Osiris is his father. As he prepares to drag Seth down to Duat, Horus appears and fights Anubis off. When the sun begins to rise, Anubis departs for Duat.

As Seth later escapes Isis' temple, he has a vision or nightmare of Anubis trapped in the mouth of a jackal with his lips sewn shut.

Anubis visits Seth in Hanekate's temple.

Powers

Demigod

Anubis is physically strong and agile as a demigod. He can also turn his fingertips into claws, like Seth.^[9] He is well-trained in combat, particularly with spears. After committing suicide, he "was void of a soul and therefore his heart", and is kept alive by a flower of Osiris.^[10] He has the ability to change his age and size.^[3]

God

Anubis is seemingly able to control demonic jackals that are seemingly made from corpses, and appears to have some control over shadows. He is fast and incredibly strong. He can dissolve in black smoke/shadows and travel between Duat and the land of the living. He is possibly weak to sunlight, or simply wary of Ra, and seems to only operate at night, and will flee sunrise.

Relationships

Horus

Horus deeply dislikes Anubis, out of jealousy for the life Horus would have had if he hadn't lived on the run, and the closeness Anubis has with Seth. Horus is callous of Anubis' life, notes that Anubis got off easy in his punishments because he was Seth's son, considers Anubis to be too weak in his decision-making, and only accepts Anubis' help when Anubis agrees to help Horus in exchange for Horus telling Anubis how to ascend to godhood.^[4] Horus also refuses to allow Anubis to harm Seth.^[6] Anubis as a demigod was jealous of Horus' apparent ascension.^[4] Anubis as a god seems ambivalent to Horus' existence.

Isis

Isis cares for Anubis, to the point of healing his wound when Osiris stole his soul. She repeatedly heals him in the story.

Khnum

Khnum looks after Anubis, at least for a brief time.

Nephthys

Anubis loves his mother, and wants her to escape Seth while she can.

Osiris

When Anubis kills himself, Osiris comforts him, and weeps over his story, and restores him to life, which makes Anubis determined to return Osiris to his role as king.^[3] Anubis works as a servant for Osiris throughout the story. Osiris is quick to use Anubis for his own ends, first to blackmail Seth, and then using Anubis as a host body to act in the land of the living, despite Anubis' growing terror. Osiris seems to forcibly make Anubis ascend, and uses Anubis as a servant in the land of the living. As a god, Anubis is even more loyal to Osiris, and obeys his commands.

Seth

Anubis and Seth have a complicated relationship. As a young child, Anubis loves and respects his father, and wants to grow up to be like him. After Seth becomes Pharaoh, Seth begins to abuse Anubis, which eventually turns Anubis against Seth. As a god, Anubis has no idea who Seth is, other than a target of Osiris'. Anubis believes Seth is evil.

References