New info about Solomon's Cane

I'm back with more to add to Solomon's Cane! A fellow Symphogear enthusiast on twitter provided me with some information after reading the keyword I posted earlier today. This bit of info changed my perspective, so it's definitely worth including here. If you ever find info you think could help explain the founding ideas behind Symphogear's relics - please let me know!








So, this is actually something I came across in my research for today's keyword but I didn't find enough relevant information. However, I missed out on an important detail! There is a grimoire (basically a textbook on magic) known as The Lesser Key of Solomon, an anonymous text that was written in the 17th-century and is one of the most popular books on demonology. The framing story of the text revolves around King Solomon capturing demons with a magic ring and forcing them to explain themselves to him. The book is divided into different sections and the first, called Ars Goetia, details information regarding the summoning of demons - in particular the 72 different demons that King Solomon allegedly confined in a vessel and obliged to work for him. As you'll recall, the keyword of Solomon's Cane mentions the Noise are controlled through 72 different commands - hardly a coincidence I think!

The Ars Goetia gives instructions on how one can construct a vessel and use proper magic to summon the demons. It asserts that all demons have their own signature, collectively called the seal of the demons, that are used when an individual signs a diabolical pact with a demon. These "seals" are actually handwritten, linear drawings that are often very complicated. So basically, The Lesser Key of Solomon is a book that tells you how to summon and control demons! Sounds a lot like Solomon's Cane, doesn't it?

An example of a diabolical pact

Anyway, this changes my impression of Solomon's Cane a bit. The keyword mentions that there are 72 "commands" that are used when controlling the Noise, but it doesn't specify what they are. Based on what we know about The Lesser Key of Solomon, we could surmise that the 72 "commands" are in fact very similar to the "seals" used by the demons - that would mean there are 72 different types of Noise that are capable of being summoned by the cane. Well, this is largely just guess work on my part so don't take it as fact, but it seems to me that Symphogear's version of Solomon's Cane is basically The Lesser Key of Solomon in the form of a relic instead of a book.

Example of the magic symbols used to evoke the demons

However, in the other post on Solomon's Cane I mentioned that King Solomon once held an item regarded as the Scepter of Israel. Well I did a bit of poking around on that and it's mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. After looking at some interpretations I found that the scepter was depicted as a "scepter to rule in righteousness." Basically the idea is that the symbols of royalty are: a crown, a royal robe, a royal ring and a scepter with which a king would hold in his hand as a symbol of power and authority over his people. So, my guess is that Solomon's Cane is actually a combination of various things that were supposedly held by King Solomon: a scepter/staff/cane (to rule the people), a magic ring (to rule the demons) and a grimoire with which he imparted this knowledge to others.

If you think about it this way it kind of fits with Fine as a character. She wanted to use the Noise (demons) to ultimately destroy the moon and subjugate the people of Earth under her rule (as a kingly figure). So Solomon's Cane is perhaps a relic intended to be used by those who wish to control others, by extending their control over the Noise (to either save or enslave the people). At least, this is my interpretation of it.