What does Cthulhu want?

[TheBryceKrispy]

What does Cthulhu want? World domination? World destruction? Worship?

I don't know. I was hoping a person on Tapastic would.

Edit: Do/would we know what high powers want?

[Jenny-Toons]

Well, that's the best part -- we don't really know.

Just like with most of the OLD ONES in H.P. Lovecrafts stories -- we kinda don't know what they want or why they're there.

Generally yeah -- in his stories, these Eldritch Abominations are shown being worshiped by different beings (often enough human or human-like), and we're all hearing about them and their purpose from the worshipers' perspective. They're world destroyers, they need a sacrifice, all of that jazz. But we don't get a clear "why". Even if we're told it, it's from another perspective, and it's often hinted that things get misinterpreted from the OLD ONES messages (if they even give a message at all).

I think it's just part of the fantastic narrative when it comes to cosmic horror.

The fear of the unknown, the unexplored, and not having a clear idea why these monsters appear. We can make up ideas and find some kind of conclusion, but it's always hinted that we won't know the real truth...and that if we did, in these stories, it'd be a truth no human should hear.

[HGohwell]

Cthulhu is actually sorta fascinating in its way, how it's become the most well know of Lovecraft's beings despite not really being one of the big ones. Probably because it exists on Earth and hits close to home. I haven't read all Lovecraftian stuff but I've read some, and from what I remember Cthulhu and the Old Ones were on this world before us, then slept. And it's Cthulhu that sorta watches over them. I've heard him described as like a priest. One from what I remember the basic theory is that one day Humans will descend into madness and immorality (partially with its guidance) and the world will be ready for Cthulhu to waken and for the Old Ones to waken and rule once more. So, the answer is sorta chaos and world domination, I guess, but it's sorta also like, we're just people squatting on their world while they sleep.

It's important to not Cthulhu and these Old Ones are separate to a lot of the other horrors out there. Many of the creatures that feature aren't after anything. They're more like personifications. It's like asking what water wants. The horror, say from opening a gate and summoning the personification of knowledge, is in being unable to handle knowledge.

And this is of course ignoring the question of are you going by Lovecraft's original works, or the expanded work that came after his death?

(Disclaimer: I've not read any Lovecraft stuff in a while so idk how accurate this actually is but this is how I remember it)

[skicoak]

What does Cthulhu want? World domination? World destruction? Worship?

I went to a cool lecture once that compared the narrative around Cthulhuian religions to the earliest religions of Sun worship. The worshipers needing to attempt to prescribe motivation to primal forces so they could define themselves around that faulty concept. Rituals designed to elevate the practitioners in status such as prayers/sacrifices that had absolutely no bearing on the Sun's actual cycles.

Neat stuff.

[TAMAnnoying]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.reddit.com/r/callofcthulhu/comments/95oib8/best_explanation_of_higher_powers_you_will_find/

This is the best explanation I’ve received

[indigodrawing]

Cthulhu is beyond such things. It simply... is. It's like an ant asking what a human wants when one stamps on its nest

[rmdooley]

He just wants folks to pronounce his name correctly

That's all

[Zaboem]

Shout out to Horror Babble on YouTube! For a couple of years, this small channel has been putting out fantastic readings of old stories as they enter the public domain. This features a cyclopean ton of Lovecraft stories including very obscure stuff. I recommend beginning with either of the novellas The Shadow Over Innsmouth (which starts a little slow but finishes very strongly) or At The Mountains of Madness. For mentions of C'thulhu specifically, I recommend The Mound or of course The Call of C'thulhu.