The Demons' First Rise
Fan theory, not canon — no Artemis Fowl book or official lore mentions demons or their rise.
Run through Colfer's species list — Leprechauns, Centaurs, Goblins, dwarves, elves, other mythological beings — and demons simply aren't on it. No distinct species, no historical faction, no event called 'The Demons' First Rise.' The conflicts that actually drive the Artemis Fowl universe come from the friction between humans and fairy folk, with the LEP (Lower Elements Police) and the Opal Kingdom sitting at the center of most of it. Fans have floated plenty of speculations about darker entities hiding in the margins, and you can see why the idea is tempting. But the source material doesn't back it up. There are no demons in Eoin Colfer's books, and there is no uprising to talk about. This page just puts that on record so a late-night search doesn't lead you down a rabbit hole.
- Status
- Non-canon / Fan speculation
- Source Material
- Not present in official books or authorized media
- Related Factions
- None (Demons do not exist in canon)
- First Mentioned
- Never in canonical text
- Nature of Entity
- Misinterpretation of fairy folklore
Lore & Background
In the rich tapestry of Eoin Colfer's world, the distinction between myth and reality is carefully drawn. The underground society is populated by creatures from Celtic mythology, such as the Leprechauns who hoard gold, but these beings are strictly defined as 'fairies' or 'the People.' There is no textual evidence in any of the twelve novels to suggest a race of demons ever existed, let alone a historical uprising. The conflicts in the series stem from human greed, fairy politics, and the machinations of characters like Opal Koboi or Mulch Diggums, not demonic forces.
The confusion likely arises from the dark tone of certain story arcs, such as the 'Demons' of the Lower Elements Police (LEP) being a metaphorical description of their ruthless tactics, or the terrifying nature of creatures like the Banshees and the Goblins. However, these are all variations of traditional fairy folk. The idea of a 'First Rise' is a fabrication that contradicts the established cosmology where the only major historical cataclysms involve the separation of the human and fairy worlds or the specific wars between different fairy clans.
In Their Own Story
The archives of the LEP were silent on the matter, as was the ancient library of the Opal Kingdom. Artemis Fowl II, ever the skeptic, had pored over every digitized scroll from the Bronze Age to the present day looking for a mention of 'demons,' but found only references to dark fairies and shadow-walkers. He realized that the legend of the Demons' First Rise was merely a human fable, a story told by terrified ancestors who couldn't distinguish between a vengeful Banshee and a creature from hell. The true horror of his world was not demons rising, but humans trying to steal the gold of the fairies.
Reader's Guide
This entry addresses a common misconception among new fans who conflate the dark fairy factions with demonic entities. The 'origin' of this myth lies in human folklore misinterpretation rather than any event within the Artemis Fowl timeline.
No human or fairy has ever discovered evidence of demons because they do not exist in this universe. The effect on current events is negligible, as the LEP and other factions focus entirely on managing the human-fairy interface and internal fairy politics.
The primary contradiction is that the entire premise clashes with the core definition of the 'People' as mythological creatures rooted in Celtic tradition. Any story claiming a demonic uprising is an unauthorized expansion or fan fiction not supported by the author's work.
Did You Know?
- The Artemis Fowl universe strictly adheres to Celtic mythology, excluding Christian concepts like demons or hell.
- All antagonistic supernatural beings in the series are classified as fairies, dwarves, or elves, regardless of their appearance.
- Eoin Colfer has never written about a 'First Rise' of any demonic nature in his twelve-book saga.
- The term 'demon' is sometimes used metaphorically by characters to describe particularly ruthless fairy warriors.