Aeon

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The concept of **Aeon** (時代（アイオーン）, *Jidai (Aiōn)*?) stems from Thelema, a physical, mystical, and religious system created by the occultist Aleister Crowley in the 20th century. In the Thelemite religion, it is believed that the history of humanity can be divided into a series of those Aeons, each named after an Egyptian deity, and each was accompanied by its own forms of "magical and religious expression".

In the *Toaru Majutsu no Index* universe, the Aeons are a mysterious concept introduced by Aiwass when it meets Accelerator during the DRAGON Arc, when it states that Accelerator can't defeat it due to his attack being from the Aeon of Osiris. Aiwass itself is a being from the Aeon of Horus.

## Principles

The Aeons are a concept devised by Aleister Crowley as part of Thelema, which has the history of humanity divided into several ages or Aeons, named after Egyptian deities.

### Aeons

The first of these was the **Aeon of Isis** (イシスの時代（アイオーン）, *Ishisu no Aiōn*?), which Thelemites believed occurred during prehistory and which saw mankind worshiping a Great Goddess, symbolized by the ancient Egyptian deity Isis. It was characterized by pagan worship of the Mother and Nature. It was a time of primitive religions, before the establishment of Christianity.

In Thelemite beliefs, the Aeon of Isis was followed by the **Aeon of Osiris** (オシリスの時代（アイオーン）, *Oshirisu no Aiōn*?), a period that took place in the classical and medieval centuries, when humanity worshiped a singular male god, symbolised by the Egyptian god Osiris, and was therefore dominated by patriarchal values. Christianity and other Abrahamic religions are considered by the Thelemites as being the representation of this Aeon, thought of as a time of stagnation during its spread.

Finally, the third aeon is the **Aeon of Horus** (ホルスの時代（アイオーン）, *Horusu no Aiōn*?), which is controlled by the child god, symbolized by Horus. In this new aeon, Thelemites believe that humanity will enter a time of self-realization and self-actualization, achieving a true awakening after the downfall of Christianity. Aleister later came to believe himself to be the prophet of this new age.

### Other

The Aeons are also associated with several other aspects of Thelema, such as the **Thoth Tarot** based around the concept and featuring **The Aeon** as its twentieth Major Arcana instead of **Judgement**.

## Background

Like many other European magicians who had reached a dead-end in their research and sought new material elsewhere to make a breakthrough, Aleister Crowley traveled to Egypt, conveniently located just across the Mediterranean, and while he was there incorporated the names of Isis, Osiris and Horus into his concept of Aeons, eliciting a laugh from the Magic God Nephthys. During his time with the Golden Dawn, there are a number of people who didn't support the concept, an extreme view even within that cabal.

In the series, several characters are referenced as being from or possessing the Aeon of Osiris, which is defined (in a simplified manner) as having their worldview defined by the God of Christianity. However, even this definition is too narrow, Accelerator, a non-Christian character, was also described as being in the Aeon of Osiris. Therefore, characters in the Aeon of Osiris have their worldview limited not specifically by the God of Christianity, but rather by an existential belief in outside objective systems of good and evil or right and wrong that are imposed on the character from without. Accelerator may not be a Christian, but up to a certain point, he is controlled by his belief in the notions of "heroism" and "villainy" as they are defined from an outside standpoint.

## Chronology

### Toaru Majutsu no Index

#### DRAGON Arc

*Main article: DRAGON Arc*
When Aiwass' self defense program activated in order to counter Accelerator's attack, it referred to his Awakened form as being from the Aeon of Osiris and thus could not match against something like it from the Aeon of Horus.