Gnostic & Occult Symbolism in Wish

Film review of Wish, directed by Chris Buck & Fawn Veerasunthorn, 2023

Salwa Bachar & Isabel Camacho

Thus far, we have explained the plot of Wish and its gnostic doctrine (here), as well as its anti-Catholic symbols (here). In this article, we will continue our analysis of the symbolism in the movie.

We believe that the attentive viewer can find many Gnostic/occult, masonic & satanic symbols present in the film:

Pentagrams in the film, above

1. There are numerous instances where explicit or hidden pentagrams are shown. In one scene alone, when Asha arrives at Magnifico’s study and is looking through his books on the bookshelf, one can clearly distinguish four pentagrams on four books. Elsewhere, hidden pentagrams are shown in fireworks, or on the forest floor. The pentagram is a Gnostic/occult and Satanic symbol also used by communists.

2. The forbidden magic book has the symbol of the ouroboros, a serpent in the shape of a circle or oval eating its tail. This is a gnostic symbol meant to represent the aeon (the hidden energy of the universe inside each material being). It also is found in other occult sects such as Theosophy.

The ouroboros appears in the film on the forbidden magic book & in the magical energy at right; at left, the two forms of the ouroboros (one circular & another like the infinity sign)

3. In one of Rosas' murals, Magnifico is painted making the “as above, so below” gesture, which is the Satanic gesture of Baphomet sculptures. Originating from an esoteric hermetic text, it is also used in various occult sects such as Theosophy.

At left; Magnifico makes the ‘as above, so below’ gesture in the Rosas mural; middle, the same by Baphomet; right, the gesture from a 1909 tarot card deck

4. In the bottom trim of Magnifico’s cape and on his laboratory floor, one can see many actual symbols of alchemy. According to the Disney staff, this was an intentional choice, revealed in the after movie featurettes (2:35:30 & 2:36:20 mark).

The intentional placement of alchemy symbols was explained in the after movie featurettes

Magnifico's malediction hand (left hand), above, vs normal blessing (right hand) by Pope St. Pius X

5. In the scene immediately after the “At All Costs” song, Magnifico flashes a malediction hand. The hand gesture appears to be the same as the benediction hand used by priests and by Our Lord in Catholic iconography. The benediction is always made with the right hand and has the intent to bestow a blessing. When used by the left hand, it becomes a malediction (a curse), which is usually accompanied by a malediction prayer.

It is said that even Masons fear the malediction gesture of priests.

This malediction hand moment occurs when Asha protests against Magnifico, and he tells her: “Well, you’re young, you don’t know anything, really.” Thus, it appears Magnifico is cursing the viewers.

6. The DeMolay moon and crescent make an appearance at the beginning of the film. Demolay International is an American-based Masonic sect for youth (see 12 and p. 21 in a DeMolay handbook here, which states the sect was founded on Masonic principles and traditions, and guided by Masonry). Walt Disney was publicly known to have participated in DeMolay as a young man.

The moon and crescent features prominently in DeMolay's crest, being a symbol of secrecy (see p. 6 of their new member handbook here), and it is this same symbol that became famous in Disney’s 1940 film Fantasia, in which Mickey Mouse plays the role of a sorcerer, with a hat featuring the symbol.

Top left, the DeMolay star & crescent in Wish; top middle, the DeMolay Crest & Disney's famous use of the star & crescent in the 1940 film Fantasia; top right, bottom left, masonic sponsorship of Disney; Walt Disney's DeMolay membership card; bottom middle, Walt Disney in DeMolay garb (second from the right); bottom right, an early Mickey Mouse cartoon promoting DeMolay

7. Geometrical figures bearing resemblance to esoteric “sacred” geometry as well Hindu yantras, are present throughout the film. Both Western Esotericism and Hinduism employ geometry seen through the lens of the occult and paganism to invoke and worship deities. This can be particularly noted in the strange shapes on the glass windows in Magnifico’s study.

Above top left, strange shapes resembling sacred geometry in the windows of Wish; top right, the occult tree of life; bottom left, a list of sacred geometry shapes; bottom right, a Hindu diagram of Sri Yantra (a Hindu sacred geometry shape)

8. Although the name Rosas has nothing special, we should not forget that it is also has a symbolic value for the Rosicrucians. The rose symbol of Rosas is flashed explicitly or camouflaged in almost every frame of the movie.

This seems to be Disney reminding viewers of the well-known rumor that Walt Disney was also Rosicrucian, but it could also be a symbolic way for Disney to admit: “Pay attention, because this has been our secret doctrine all along.” Disney was no stranger to secret societies – he even referenced them as well as the pentagram and the logarithmic spiral explicitly in one film featuring Donald Duck and the secret “Pythagorean society.”

Above : Dahlia the Magnifico cookie maker

9. Dahlia, Asha’s disabled best friend, makes cookies in the shape of Magnifico’s face, and it seems these cookies are distributed throughout the Kingdom. Several times throughout the film, Asha’s friends clamor for cookies whenever Dahlia is seen with a fresh batch coming out of the oven.

We wonder whether or not the cookies in the film are a mockery of the Holy Eucharist, which contains the Real Presence of God, symbolized by Magnifico’s (god’s) face on them.

This idea is further supported by the fact that, during his solo rage song, Magnifico himself gives these cookies to armored “knights” representing the people of Rosas, saying “I give, and give, and give, and give, you’d think they’d all be content,” which could be a mockery of the Last Supper in which God gave Himself to the Apostles in the Eucharist.

Throughout the film the viewers are made to sympathize with Asha and her friends in their revolt.

If this is true, then the revolution scene (with the song "What I Know Now") where the friends throw the Magnifico cookie to the ground and stomp on it would be a parody of actual Satanic Masses, in which Satanists desecrate the Holy Eucharist stolen from Catholic parishes.

Top left and right: Convinced by Asha to revolt against Magnifico, Dahlia throws down a cookie. She shouts ‘Get up! Yeah!’ while Dario stomps on the cookie, bottom left and right

10. Asha and her friends are seen carrying Valentino the goat on a wooden plank. This appears to resemble pagan idol worship, such as the cult to the golden calf in the Old Testament. As most viewers know, the goat also is a symbol of Baphomet/Satanic cults.

Asha & her friends carry Valentino the goat in their revolution song, ‘What I Know Now’

These are several - among many other - of the main anti-Catholic and gnostic elements we found in the movie Wish. Although they are not indisputable, their ensemble makes it very difficult not to conclude that these were intentional anti-Catholic and gnostic choices by Disney.

We hope this series of articles will serve as a warning to parents who are considering showing this movie to their children; we aim also to shed light on the baneful intent of the Disney franchise to corrupt children through attractive yet dangerous animated films.

A quote from Walt Disney's memo to Disney animators shown in the Wish featurettes reveals his goal of subliminal influence: ‘There are also things carried out by the subconscious mind - reflexes, actions that have become habit through repetition, instincts. In other words, the subconscious mind is an assistant often times in carrying out things that may or may not have been taught.’

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Posted April 29, 2024

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