All That Is Gold
Alchemy and its resonance in popular culture, how the ultimate search for immortality has persisted throughout all forms of science and fiction.
For thousands of years, humans have been obsessed with the idea of alchemy. The topic has made its way from philosophy to chemistry, and now there are traces of it in essentially every form of media. But to understand the grip alchemy has on popular culture, we must first try to make sense of what alchemy is.
Alchemy is a vast area of study, and its history is typically debated. It is believed to have originated in China, India, and Greco-Roman Egypt before making its way to the Middle East. It has absorbed aspects from all of those cultures as the name “alchemy” itself has a complex etymology of words, such as the Greek word khēmeía, or the Egyptian kēme, joined together with the Arabic definite article al-. The word roughly means “the process of transmutation.” In its essence, alchemy is a form of chemistry focused on turning ordinary metals into gold, making an elixir of immortality, and curing diseases. It is magic in the form of science and this appeal is one of the reasons alchemy has found itself at the center of many types of content today.
The philosopher’s stone is a physical manifestation of alchemical powers. Beyond the wealth it brings, the stone serves as an ancient Cinderella story: transforming something worthless into a coveted material. This rags-to-riches in stone form serves well as a macguffin for the first book in the Harry Potter series, where Harry himself is put through a magical transformation from a nobody into The Boy Who Lived. The stone mirrors his journey throughout the series, making a fitting title for the first book. Ironically, the book’s title was changed in its American publication since American publishers decided it sounded too old-fashioned. They were concerned audiences wouldn’t recognize the name, despite the book being published just a few years after the successful release of Indiana Jones and the Philosopher’s Stone. The book followed the popular American hero as he hunted down the stolen manuscript that held the answer to immortality. The stone was subject to several heists in the book, and it is only natural that alchemy is associated with thievery and distrust in popular culture. After all, its powers are a temptation that only the most compelling heroes can withstand. The concept of stealing is tied to alchemy in video games as well. Pokémon incorporates the Power of Alchemy as an ability that allows you to steal your opponent’s ability when they faint. In Elder Scrolls, alchemy is a skill classified under the thief playstyle.
Alchemy has even wandered into the world of music. For example, Machina/The Machines of God, an album by the Smashing Pumpkins, was famous for its concept based around alchemy and chemistry. They leaned into the Jungian view of alchemy as an allegory for self-actualization. This is an idea alchemy has always come back to: the need for reaching one’s full potential, of rising above the normal and becoming something rare, special. The science lends itself fully to humanity’s need for improvement. Whether it comes from curing diseases or achieving immortality, the outcome is always turning something barren into gold.
