Set

God of Storms and Disorder

Set was the Egyptian god of deserts, storms, disorder, foreign lands and fierce strength. He was usually shown as a man with the head of a mysterious creature now called the 'Set animal'. It has a curved snout, tall square-topped ears and a forked tail, but nobody knows exactly what animal it represents. Suggestions include a donkey, jackal or aardvark, although it may simply be imaginary. Set was the son of Nut and Geb and brother of Osiris, Isis and Nephthys. He was closely connected with Egypt's dry desert lands.

Set is most famous for killing his brother Osiris. Isis restored Osiris, and their son Horus eventually challenged Set for the throne. The two gods fought and competed for years. One surviving Egyptian story turns their argument into a mixture of battles, court cases and bizarre competitions. Eventually Horus receives the kingship. This makes Set sound like the obvious villain, but Egyptian mythology was not quite that simple. Set also had an extremely important job protecting Ra during the Sun god's dangerous journey through the night.

Every night, the enormous serpent Apep tried to destroy Ra's solar boat and return the world to chaos. Set was sometimes shown standing at the front of the boat and attacking the serpent with a spear. His frightening strength became exactly what the gods needed. Some pharaohs respected Set so much that they included his name in their own. Pharaoh Seti I's name means 'Man of Set', and Ramesses II showed Set alongside Horus. Set's reputation became darker during later periods, especially when foreign enemies were associated with the lands he represented. Even then, his history remained complicated. I think the best way to understand Set is not as Egypt's version of a devil. He represents dangerous power. Used selfishly, that power tears Osiris's family apart. Used to protect Ra's boat, the same power helps save the universe. That makes him much more interesting than a character who is simply bad all the time.

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