What’s to come: Ghost’s Copia death seems imminent

Way back in the pre-plague days of 2018, I posed a question to Ghost and their fans such as myself: Is Cardinal Copia the antichrist? Not the literal antichrist (although they DID predict a plague) but in the band’s lore, Cardinal Copia could be one of the Four Horseman to bring in the apocalypse. After Papa Nihil’s untimely death and Copia’s promotion to Papa Emeritus IV, there has been some strange goings on during the Imperatour, happening right now. Based on some clues and the band’s track record, the death of Papa Copia may be coming and the end may be nigh.

In my previous article, which you can reference HERE to fully catch up, I offered the theory that Copia (Cardinal at the time) could represent Pestilence, one of the Four Horsemen of the apocalypse. It was an easy connection with the song “Rats!” as well as imagery of Copia riding around on a white horse. Since Death rode around on a pale horse, which really meant a sickly green horse, Pestilence on the white steed lined everything up. After Copia was promoted to Papa Emeritus IV and the previous Papas were dispatched, it could mean that Papas I-III could represent the other three Horsemen.

Now, this brings us to what has been going on during the rituals on the current tour. In one of the last shows, Copia was singing “Rats!” when he came to the line, “never to return,” when he immediately yelled, “No!” and ran off a suddenly darkened stage. There are no coincidences in a Ghost ritual and that definitely means something, but it remains to be seen its reason.

Imagery of Copia with horns and wings have been circulating as well as an image of the money that gets tossed out during the song “Mummy Dust” which shows the lovely Sister Imperator wearing a mourning veil. Again, there are hints of something to come but no puzzle pieces connecting until @fearful_ghulette on TikTok (since Ghost has become TikTok viral) showed a comparison video of Papa Emeritus III’s coffin from four years ago and this most recent tour. Scratches have begun to appear on Papa III’s coffin. No other coffin sports these gouges. Maybe these happened along the tour but given the band’s attention to detail and tendencies to hide clues for fans, I’m not so sure this is just a coincidence.

Also, images of Copia modeled to look like Caligula have appeared with a ghoul being torn apart. If the images are meant to convey Copia’s possible future, we could be looking at a mutiny from the ghouls and find them stabbing Copia in the back, maybe even literally. Will Papa III return? Who is to say? With Papa Nihil lighting it up on the saxophone every ritual, full on necromancy isn’t out of the question.

Imperatour will wrap up North America at the end of this year and then will head worldwide in 2023. Ghost isn’t one to let a frontman hang out for more than two album cycles, and one of those was usually a cover album. If someone is going to happen like the band is hinting towards, it will either happen in the next few months or at the end of next year. It’s all a waiting game right now.

What do you think Ghost is planning? Sound off in the comments!