| Crocotta | |
|---|---|
| Type | Monsters |
| Lore Origin | Greek & Roman Mythology |
| Seasons | S3 |
| Kill Method | Spinal Destruction |
The crocotta is a predatory creature that exploits human grief. It possesses the ability to mimic voices — specifically, it can perfectly replicate the voices of deceased individuals to lure their still-living loved ones into dangerous situations. In the modern era, the crocotta has adapted its hunting method to use technology, placing phone calls in the voices of the dead.
In Supernatural
The crocotta appeared in Season 3, Episode 14, "Long-Distance Call." The creature had set up in a phone company's offices, using the telecommunications infrastructure to call people in the voices of their dead relatives. Victims were lured to isolated locations or driven to suicide by the false promise of reunion with their lost loved ones. Sam and Dean tracked the crocotta to the phone company and killed it by driving a sharp object through the back of its neck and into its spine.
Real-World Folklore
The crocotta (also corocotta or leucrocotta) appears in the writings of Pliny the Elder and other ancient Roman natural historians. In these accounts, the crocotta is described as a hybrid animal from Ethiopia or India — part dog, part wolf, with a single continuous ridge of bone in place of teeth. Pliny described it as being able to imitate the human voice to lure shepherds from their flocks.
The creature likely originated from distorted accounts of hyenas, which do produce vocalizations that can sound eerily human-like. Ancient travelers encountering hyenas may have interpreted their calls as mimicry. Supernatural takes this voice-mimicry concept and updates it for the modern era, replacing shepherds in fields with grieving people receiving phone calls.
Weaknesses
The crocotta can be killed by severing or destroying its spinal cord — specifically a sharp blow or penetrating wound to the back of the neck. It does not appear to have any special resistance to conventional weapons otherwise, making it relatively straightforward to kill once identified and located.