Cthulhu

Cthulhu is a fictional cosmic entity created by American writer H. P. Lovecraft. It first appeared in the short story The Call of Cthulhu (1928) and has since become a central figure in the Cthulhu Mythos, a shared body of fiction and lore developed by Lovecraft and later writers.

Cthulhu is described as a colossal being combining humanoid and cephalopod features: a vast, scaly body, powerful wings, and a head covered with numerous tentacles. According to Lovecraft’s lore, it lies dead but dreaming in the sunken city of R’lyeh, somewhere in the southern Pacific Ocean, waiting for a time that may bring its return. The figure is associated with a sense of primordial awe and existential fear rather than straightforward malevolence.

In the mythos, Cthulhu is typically categorized as one of the Great Old Ones, ancient cosmic entities who once dominated Earth and are now dormant or largely beyond human understanding. Cults and rumors of awakening contribute to the broader themes of cosmic horror that define Lovecraft’s work, emphasizing humanity’s insignificance in the face of incomprehensible forces.

Cthulhu has exerted a lasting influence on popular culture, becoming a symbol of cosmic horror and a widely referenced element within literature, games, comics, films, and online media. The term “Cthulhu Mythos” is used to describe the interconnected fiction and scholarship surrounding the creature and Lovecraft’s broader universe.