Demian: The backdrop of BTS’ Wings | Part III
Welcome back for the conclusion of my series on Demian and its influence on BTS’ WINGS. In part II, we last saw Emil Sinclair in the book trying to escape a wild lifestyle. Inspired by his love for Beatrice, he picks up a paintbrush to change his ways. He aims to paint her portrait, but instead creates a picture that strangely mixes his own features with Demian's. This is similar to what Jung Kook does in his WINGS Short Film #1: BEGIN. He draws a portrait that looks like him, but also has hints of Yoongi.
Birds Everywhere
Among other drawings, we see Jung Kook picking up one with a sparrow hawk. Remember how we talked about this bird in Part I? It shows up in different ways in Jung Kook's video: in a nightmare, a picture on his shirt, and even a whole flock of birds flying overhead.
In the book, Sinclair has a nightmare about the bird. He sees its symbol above his family's door, but then Demian forces him to swallow it. The bird starts eating him from the inside, and he wakes up terrified. Sinclair then tries to paint it and ends up with a picture of a grown sparrow hawk breaking free from an egg. He sends this painting to Demian, even though he doesn't know where he is. He just sends the picture, with no message
Just like in the book, Jung Kook picks up a drawing in his video that shows a bird escaping. He puts it in an envelope. We see this same envelope with the picture inside again, later in Namjoon’s video, WINGS Short Film #5: REFLECTION. He then tattoos the bird on his arm, burning the picture right after.
Namjoon's sparrow hawk tattoo in WINGS Short film #5: REFLECTION.
The sparrow hawk shows up again in a framed picture in Jin's short film, WINGS Short Film #7: AWAKE. The video starts with a passage from the book—in the form of a note that Sinclair receives from Demian. The note appears tucked almost magically between the pages of Sinclair’s book in the middle of a lesson, along with a picture of the bird. It reads:
The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world. The bird flies to God. That God's name is Abraxas.
Abraxas is the name of a Gnostic god that rules over good and evil. In Sinclair and Demian's confirmation class, Demian argues that separating good and evil with God and Satan feels arbitrary and that one cannot exist without the other. Abraxas clearly represents Demian’s idea, because it combines light and dark as well as good and evil—showing that they're both important.
Every time Abraxas appears in the WINGS Short Films, it’s connected with BU characters who aren’t exactly good or bad. In WINGS Short Film #3: STIGMA, Taehyung, before getting arrested, scratches out the God’s name from some graffiti on a wall. Meanwhile, in WINGS Short Film #7: AWAKE, Seokjin is surrounded by Abraxas wallpaper.
Scene from Jin's WINGS short film #7: AWAKE.
An interesting god
Abraxas is a mysterious figure with roots in Gnosticism, an ancient belief system. Gnostics saw the material world as flawed and the spirit world as good. Some Gnostics considered him the supreme deity, the source of everything.
Depictions of Abraxas can be bizarre: a mix of human, lion, serpent, and scorpion. The name itself became a source of fascination, its letters used in magic spells. Interestingly, the magic word "abracadabra" might actually come from Abraxas, with the letters rearranged and repeated for emphasis.
Despite its obscure origins, Abraxas has popped up in surprising places. Some of the most ancient representations are on gemstones believed to hold magical power. More modern references are in the writings of magician Aleister Crowley, who invoked him in his think piece The Gnostic Mass. Salman Rushdie also mentions Abraxas in his book, Midnight Children. This god is also central in the works of psychologist Carl Jung, another inspiration of BTS, representing the driving force of ‘individuation’, or the process in which a person develops into a well-functioning individual.
The Organist
One day, while walking, Emil gets curious about organ music he hears coming from a church. He follows the sound and discovers another connection with Abraxas. The music is being played by a mysterious organist named Pistorius. Pistorius is drawn to Emil when he talks about music mixing heaven and hell, which reminds him of Abraxas. Their shared interest in Abraxas sparks a connection, and Pistorius becomes Emil's new mentor.
The organist character is intimately related to Yoongi’s arc in WINGS. There’s a piano in Pistorius home and during Emil’s visit, the musician lights a fire they both contemplate. In Yoongi’s WINGS Short Film #4: FIRST LOVE, there’s also a piano, although the fire has more destructive intentions and consequences. In the novel, Pistorius promises to play a specific piece for Emil during one of their meetings:
And for our next meeting he had promised to play an exquisite piece of old music, an organ passacaglia by Buxtehude.
Remember SUGA playing the organ in the Blood Sweat & Tears M/V? That’s exactly the piece he is playing, which Pistorius also uses to cheer up Emil. You can listen to the original piece in this video.
Their mentor-student relationship is based on deep talks about religion, human potential, and people's fear of using their own power. They even discuss morality—including whether murder can ever be justifiable. Pistorius believes it can be in some rare cases, but depending on the reason. One of Pistorius’ arguments for why a person might have the desire to kill someone, is actually tattooed on Namjoon's arm in his short film:
If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn’t part of ourselves doesn’t disturb us.
SUGA, the organist in the Blood Sweat & Tears M/V.
New Friend, New Trouble
Around his last year of school, Emil meets a younger boy named Knauer who wants to be friends. They chat, but don't always see eye to eye. Then, Emil paints a picture, maybe in a dream, and it disappears when he wakes up. Sinclair thinks he might have destroyed it, in the same way that RM gets rid of the picture of the bird in WINGS Short Film #5: REFLECTION: he burned it and drank the ashes.
Namjoon burning the bird drawing in WINGS Short Film #5: REFLECTION.
In the middle of the night, Emil is restless and feels a strange pull that incites him to wander the town. He stumbles upon a building under construction and finds Knauer about to end his own life. Emil stops him, (becoming a savior like Demian was to him), and the young boy becomes Emil’s loyal follower. Namjoon also tries to save Taehyung by running to the ringing payphone (and trying not to destroy the set in the behind the scenes video), but unlike Emil, Namjoon seems stuck in a dream and can't help his friend.
Soon after, Emil outgrows his friendship with Pistorius, realizing everyone needs to find their own path. He graduates from school and sets off to find Demian's old house.
The Woman in the Dream
At the house, a new resident greets Emil. The old woman shows him a picture of Demian's mom, Frau Eva. She looks familiar… because she’s the woman that has been haunting his dreams. Frau Eva has an androgynous appearance, very much like her son, Demian. At that exact moment, Emil knows he has to find her.
At this time, almost a decade has passed since we met Emil and the world has changed since his childhood. Europe is on the brink of World War I and the historical circumstances in which the characters live start to seep into the plot. The book weaves in multiple references to the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who was a major influence on Hermann Hesse. Nietzsche famously explored the continent's fracturing identity, and as Demian's story unfolds, its characters grapple with the looming conflict—echoing some of the philosopher's ideas.
The influence of German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche extends to the Blood Sweat & Tears M/V. A quote about embracing internal conflict appears in German above the mysterious mirror where Jin stares at himself:
Man muss noch Chaos in sich haben, um einen tanzenden Stern gebären zu können.
(One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star)
This sentiment resonates throughout Demian and the WINGS album, as both Emil Sinclair in the book and the characters in the music videos grapple with their inner turmoil. They strive to become "dancing stars", growing into themselves—finding their own path and freedom.
The mirror in the Blood Sweat & Tears M/V.
Nietzsche’s Übermensch
The Nietzsche quote above Jin's mirror isn't random. It comes from the foreword of his influential work, Thus Spoke Zarathustra. A key concept in the book is the Übermensch, a being that transcends humanity through self-mastery. To achieve this state, one must embrace their chosen path, even if it means repeating past actions.
Jin echoes this idea in his solo “Awake”. According to Nietzsche, reaching enlightenment requires persistence, letting go of regret, resentment, and fear. Continuing on your own path takes courage. Establishing your own rules, even if they clash with societal norms and lead to conflict, can create internal chaos. But this chaos is the crucible from which something new is born.
Jin's character in WINGS and in the Bangtan Universe (BU) seems to be grappling with this very chaos. He may be the one who needs the most courage to defy fate and alter the stories of his friends.
Mother and baby portrait in WINGS Short Film #6: MAMA.
The Universal Mother
Emil Sinclair's ultimate dream comes true when he finally meets Demian and his mother, Frau Eva. This encounter feels like a homecoming for Emil, as he first meets her under a drawing of the sparrow hawk. The description of Frau Eva at that moment is echoed at the beginning of j-hope’s WINGS Short Film #6: MAMA:
With a face that resembled her son’s, timeless, ageless, and full of inner strength, the beautiful woman smiled with dignity. Her gaze was fulfillment, her greeting a homecoming. Silently I stretched my hands out to her.
Emil's visit with Demian's mother, Frau Eva, is a significant moment. She embodies the universal mother figure, echoing the biblical Eve. In WINGS, this theme resonates in j-hope’s solo, aptly titled “MAMA”. The song and Hoseok’s story revolve heavily around the concept of motherhood. The name “Eva” appears in the mother-son portrait featured not only in his short film, but also in other member’s solo content.
The statue behind j-hope in the “Blood Sweat & Tears” M/V is a reimagining of Michelangelo's Pietà, depicting Mary cradling Jesus after his crucifixion. However, in the video, Christ's upper body and face are undefined, symbolizing that the BTS members' identities still under construction. This reunion is the culmination of Emil’s long-held dream. However, Frau Eva offers a gentle reminder: achieving a goal simply paves the way for new aspirations. It’s curious how BTS’ career seems to have taken her advice at heart.
As his bond with Demian’s mom deepens, Emil experiences a powerful vision. A colossal bird bursts from the clouds, its wings creating a thunderous storm. The chaos eventually gives way to sunlight and an almost surreal sense of peace. Birds and wings are recurring motifs throughout the short films, but j-hope's WINGS Short Film #6: MAMA has a scene that parallels the bird’s liberation in the book. In the video, Hoseok appears trapped in a hospital room, a metaphor for his internal struggle. Pills and feathers surround him, suggesting turmoil. This scene then transitions to a serene one bathed in sunlight that enters through the cracks in the walls of the room—signifying a newfound peace. Probably the clearest way BTS expresses this liberation, however, is in “Interlude: Wings”. With an uplifting melody and its optimistic lyrics, the last song on the album encourages us to bravely spread our wings, take flight, and succeed.
La Pieta in Blood Sweat & Tears M/V.
As the book approaches it’s end, so does Sinclair’s visit to Demian’s home. Just at that moment, the First World War erupts. Frau Eva offers Emil a parting message, assuring him that she will always be there for him if needed. The following winter, both Demian and Sinclair are fighting on the front lines. One night, when he is having a horrifying vision, Sinclair gets seriously wounded by a piece of shrapnel. He finds himself in a field hospital and notices that right beside him, also wounded, is Demian. His friend calmly explains he must leave, but emphasizes that Emil can always find him by looking inwards. Is this how we finally confirm that Demian is just another part of him—that he is not a real person, but a figment of Emil’s imagination? As a final gesture, Demian gives Sinclair a kiss on the lips:
Frau Eva said that if ever you were in a bad way I was to give you a kiss from her that she sends by me...Close your eyes Sinclair!' I closed my eyes in obedience. I felt a light kiss on my lips where there was always a little fresh blood which would never go away.
Jin’s kiss to the winged statue mirrors this kiss and, in the video, chaos breaks loose. V is revealed as the fallen angel, colorful tears appear to drip from the eyes of the statue and from Jimin’s eyes as well. We then see Jin’s beautiful face crack in the reflection from the mirror. Innocence is gone, it’s the final realization that the duality and chaos Emil confronted with his internal Demian are part of all of us.
Emil realizes this as well. As he awakens again in the hospital bed, a stranger occupies the bed next to him. His transformation is complete, he has internalized Demian’s and Frau Eva’s guidance. He finally understands the world might not be innocent, but he now knows the strength to overcome these challenges lies within him. With newfound confidence, he embarks on his journey as a fully formed adult.
This concludes our series about the relationship between Hermann Hesse’s Demian and BTS’ WINGS album. I hope you enjoyed it—but this is only an appetizer. There are many other connections to explore and discuss. Did you read the book? The book is public domain so you can probably check free copies online or listen to it in audio form on Spotify Premium. Did you find any other interesting symbols in the book or in the WINGS content? Share them in the comments!
