In Literature and Popular Culture
Three of the most notable literary references to the Lofoten Maelstrom date from the nineteenth century. The first is the Edgar Allan Poe story "A Descent into the Maelström" (1841). The second is 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1869), the famous novel by Jules Verne. At the end of this novel, Captain Nemo seems to commit suicide, sending his Nautilus submarine into the Maelstrom (although in Verne's sequel Nemo and Nautilus survived). The "Norway maelstrom" is also mentioned in Herman Melville's Moby-Dick.
In Spanish and other languages, Maelstrom is used as a synonym for whirlpool. Hence, the word "Maelstrom" appears in diverse contexts metaphorically to make reference to different subjects or objects that suggest great chaotic or sinister forces. The word maelstrom is used to denote powerful, inescapable destructive forces.
Greek Poet Homer describes a maelstrom in his "Odyssey" as Odysseus must choose to sail near the six-headed monster Scylla, or near the whirlpool Charybdis in order to reach Ithaca.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End features a extremely large maelstrom during the epic battle near the movie's end.
World of Warcraft's Azeroth features a maelstrom which connects two worlds and around which navigation between the two major continents is based.
Lego Universe's enemies are called Maelstrom. They are a huge variety of different creatures created from the corrupted Imagination Nexus.
In the Act 5 of Gears of War 3, the main objective is to deactivate a Maelstrom device, which had been generating a large hurricane over the island it is located on.
In Warhammer 40,000 'the Maelstrom' refers to an unstable region of the Milky-Way galaxy, known as a 'Warp Storm', where real-space and the Warp bleed into one another.
In Dungeons & Dragons by Wizards of the Coast 'Maelstroms' are powerful vortexes. Dragonborn are commonly found in their location and are immune to their powerful suction.
For other popular culture uses of maelstrom, see Maelstrom (disambiguation).
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