Five Suns

right|thumb|250x250px|The [[Aztec sun stone.]]

In creation myths, the term "Five Suns" refers to the belief of certain Nahua cultures and Aztec peoples that the world has gone through five distinct cycles of creation and destruction, with the current era being the fifth. It is primarily derived from a combination of myths, cosmologies, and eschatological beliefs that were originally held by pre-Columbian peoples in the Mesoamerican region, including central Mexico, and it is part of a larger mythology of Fifth World or Fifth Sun beliefs.

The late Postclassic Aztecs created and developed their own version of the "Five Suns" myth, which incorporated and transformed elements from previous Mesoamerican creation myths, while also introducing new ideas that were specific to their culture.

In the Aztec and other Nahua creation myths, it was believed that the universe had gone through four iterations before the current one, and each of these prior worlds had been destroyed by Gods due to the behavior of its inhabitants.

The current world is a product of the Aztecs' self-imposed mission to provide Tlazcaltiliztli to the sun, giving it the nourishment it needs to stay in existence and ensuring that the entire universe remains in balance. Thus, the Aztecs’ sacrificial rituals were essential to the functioning of the world, and ultimately to its continued survival.

Legend

thumb|[[Teotihuacan, the "birthplace of the gods".]]

According to the legend, from the void that was the rest of the universe, the first god, Ōmeteōtl, created itself. Ōmeteōtl created the four Tezcatlipocas, who each preside over one of the four cardinal directions: Quetzalcoatl in the west, Huitzilopochtli in the south, Xipe Totec in the east, and Tezcatlipoca in the north.

The Aztecs believed that the gods created the universe at Teotihuacan. The name was given by the Nahuatl-speaking Aztecs centuries after the fall of the city around 550 CE. The term has been glossed as "birthplace of the gods", or "place where gods were born", reflecting Nahua creation myths that were said to occur in Teotihuacan.

First sun: Tezcatlipoca

The four Tezcatlipocas sought to create the world, but each time they created something, it fell into the waters below and was devoured by Cipactli, a monstrous caiman covered in mouths. Determined to end the cycle, Tezcatlipoca, the Black Tezcatlipoca, sacrificed his leg, using it as bait to lure Cipactli from the depths. As she consumed it, the other gods seized the opportunity to slay her. From her body, they shaped the earth, and later created other gods and humans, the latter giants in size.

To provide light, they chose Tezcatlipoca to be the sun. However, whether due to the loss of his leg in battle or his role as the god of night, he could only shine as half a sun. The world existed under this dim light for a time, until a confrontation with Quetzalcōātl saw him knock Tezcatlipoca out the sky, with a stone club, and leaving the world in darkness. Angered by his defeat, Tezcatlipoca sent his jaguars to consume humanity.

Second sun: Quetzalcōātl

The gods shaped a new race of humans in normal stature, with Quetzalcōātl serving as the sun for this new civilization. Their intention was to bring order to the world, but their efforts failed, as humans strayed from divine teachings and instead succumbed to greed and corruption. In response, Tezcatlipoca turned them into monkeys. Quetzalcōātl, who had still held them in great regard, was deeply distressed and, in his sorrow, unleashed a hurricane to cast them away.

With the monkeys banished, Quetzalcōātl relinquished his place as the sun and turned his focus to crafting a new race of humans, ones more perfect and aligned with the gods’ vision.

Third sun: Tláloc

Tláloc, the rain god, was crowned the new sun, but Tezcatlipoca snatched his wife, Xōchiquetzal. Consumed by grief and despair, Tláloc could no longer fulfill his divine duty, and as a result, the world was plunged into a devastating drought. Annoyed by the cries of humanity, Tláloc unleashed a rain of fire upon the earth, reducing it to ash and leaving behind only desolation.

Fourth sun: Chalchiuhtlicue

After the creation of a new earth and humans, Tlaloc passed the role of the sun god to his second wife, Chalchiuhtlicue, the water goddess. Chalchiuhtlicue doted on humanity, much to the ire of Tezcatlipoca. He accused her of feigning compassion as a ploy to win the people's admiration. A grief-stricken Chalchiuhtlicue wept blood for fifty-two years, flooding the earth and turning the humans into fish.

Fifth sun: Huītzilōpōchtli

thumb|[[Codex Borgia page 71 depicts Tonatiuh "The Fifth Sun", and Metzli.]]

Unwilling to accept the destruction of his people, Quetzalcōātl descended into the underworld and stole their bones from Mictlāntēcutli, ruler of the dead. As he carried them back to the earth, he tripped and fell into a hole, shattering the bones. When the remains were dipped in Quetzalcoatl’s blood, they were restored, but their broken state resulted in humans being born in different sizes. Huītzilōpōchtli was then chosen as the new sun.

{| class="wikitable"

! Nahuatl day-name !! Common English title !! Catastrophe

| Nāhui-Ocēlōtl || Age of Four-Jaguar (“Jaguar Sun”) || Giant humans were devoured by jaguars.

| Nāhui-Ehecatl || Age of Four-Wind (“Wind Sun”) || Humans became monkeys and the age ended in destructive winds.

| Nāhui-Quiyahuitl || Age of Four-Rain (“Rain Sun”) || A rain of fire destroyed the world; a few survivors turned into birds.

| Nāhui-Ātl || Age of Four-Water (“Water Sun”) || A great flood ended the age; inhabitants were transformed into fish, with one couple becoming dogs.

| Nāhui-Olīn || Age of Four-Movement (“Earthquake Sun” – current age) || Foretold to end in a massive earthquake and the return of the Tzitzimimeh.

In popular culture

The version of the myth with Nanahuatzin serves as a framing device for the 1991 Mexican film, In Necuepaliztli in Aztlan (Return a Aztlán), by Juan Mora Catlett.
The version of the myth with Nanahuatzin is in the 1996 film, The Five Suns: A Sacred History of Mexico, by Patricia Amlin.
Rage Against the Machine refers to intercultural violence as "the fifth sunset" in their song "People of the Sun", on the album Evil Empire.
Thomas Harlan's science fiction series "In the Time of the Sixth Sun" uses this myth as a central plot point, where an ancient star-faring civilization ("people of the First Sun") had disappeared and left the galaxy with many dangerous artifacts.
The Shadowrun role-playing game takes place in the "Sixth World."
The concept of the five suns is alluded to in Onyx Equinox, where Quetzalcoatl claims that the gods made humanity four times before. Tezcatlipoca seeks to end the current human era, since he believes humans are too greedy and waste their blood in battle rather than as sacrifices.
The final episode of Victor and Valentino is called "The Fall of the Fifth Sun", and also features Tezcatlipoca in a central role.