The windmill from the season three opening sequence was revealed to be Miguel de Cervantes' Windmill.[1] The Windmill has the power to produce gale-force winds, the strength of which increase over time.
Background[]
Miguel de Cervantes is the author of Don Quixote, considered to be the most influential work of literature from the Spanish Golden Age and the entire Spanish literary canon. As a founding work of modern Western literature, and one of the earliest canonical novels, it regularly appears high on lists of the greatest works of fiction ever published. In one such list, Don Quixote was cited as the "best literary work ever written". In the novel, Don Quixote leads an attack on windmills that he believes to be ferocious giants.
Miguel de Cervantes
The phrase "tilting at windmills" to describe an act of attacking imaginary enemies derives from the iconic scene in the book.
The windmill owned by Miguel de Cervantes gained the ability to produce gale-force winds when activated by rapidly spinning its sails. In order to deactivate it, one must "gum up the works" by somehow stopping its gears from turning. The windmill's connection to Miguel de Cervantes explains why another artifact, Don Quixote's Lance, is found inside of it.[1]
Usage[]
Miguel de Cervantes' Windmill in "Grand Designs"
This artifact was one of three artifacts that powered the original Warehouse 13, but was taken offline due to it being too unstable.[1]
When the Warehouse 13 Diorama turned the warehouse into a diorama version of the original Warehouse 13, the Windmill was reactivated. Agents Pete Lattimer and Myka Bering were sent to deactivate it. Using Angelo Siciliano's Workout Trunks to get to the windmill, Pete managed to throw Myka into it. It was there that she found Don Quixote's Lance, and stuck it into the windmill's gears, deactivating it.
Real World Connections[]
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important non-milling use is to pump water, either for land drainage or to extract groundwater with windpumps. Windmills used for generating electricity are commonly known as wind turbines.
Trivia[]
- This artifact was acquired during the 10th iteration of the Warehouse (1566-1725).
- It can be seen in the season three opening sequence. As the windmill was constructed sometime during the 16th or 17th century, it would be unlikely for it to have been constructed with so much metal as it appears in Grand Designs; as such, it can be inferred that its appearance was merely changed by the Warehouse Diorama.
- The same windmill was destroyed in "Stand" when the House of Commons Masonry detonated; this was undone in "A New Hope" after Artie used Ferdinand Magellan's Astrolabe.
The windmill about to be destroyed