Apple (Password)

The Apple (Password) is the five-letter word "APPLE" that unlocks the second cryptex, the keystone of the Priory of Sion, discovered by Robert Langdon at the climax of the novel. It is the final solution to Jacques Saunière's encoded poem, representing the orb that ought to be on Sir Isaac Newton's tomb—the apple of Eve's fall, a symbol of original sin and the suppression of the sacred feminine.

Discovery and Context

After Leigh Teabing's betrayal in the Chapter House of Westminster Abbey, Langdon, holding the second cryptex, faces a gunpoint ultimatum. Teabing demands the password, but Langdon, realizing he cannot let the Grail fall into the hands of a murderer, hurls the cryptex toward the stone floor. Teabing dives to catch it, but the cylinder strikes the ground, shattering the inner glass vial of vinegar. In the moment of despair, Teabing pulls the cryptex apart and finds it empty—except for the shards of glass. The dials, however, are no longer at random; they spell a five-letter word: APPLE.

Symbolic Meaning

The password is not a random choice. Langdon explains its meaning: "The orb from which Eve partook, incurring the Holy wrath of God. Original sin. The symbol of the fall of the sacred feminine." The apple is the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden, the act that, in Christian doctrine, brought sin into the world and led to the subjugation of women. For the Priory of Sion, this story is a metaphor for the Church's demonization of the sacred feminine and the suppression of goddess worship. The apple, therefore, is the "orb that ought be on his tomb"—the missing element on Newton's monument, which instead features a celestial orb. Newton's labor's fruit—his theory of gravity inspired by a falling apple—incurred the Holy wrath of the Church, and the apple itself speaks of "Rosy flesh and seeded womb," a direct reference to Mary Magdalene, the Rose who bore the seed of Jesus.

Connection to the Poem

The password is the culmination of the four-line poem inscribed on the vellum inside the first cryptex: "An ancient word of wisdom frees this scroll... and helps us keep her scatter'd family whole... a headstone praised by templars is the key... and atbash will reveal the truth to thee." The "ancient word of wisdom" is "Sophia" (Greek for wisdom), which unlocked the first cryptex. The second poem, found inside, reads: "In London lies a knight a Pope interred. / His labor's fruit a Holy wrath incurred. / You seek the orb that ought be on his tomb. / It speaks of Rosy flesh and seeded womb." The "knight a Pope interred" is Sir Isaac Newton, buried by Alexander Pope. The "orb" is the apple, and the "Rosy flesh and seeded womb" is Mary Magdalene. The password "APPLE" thus ties together Newton's scientific discovery, the biblical story of the Fall, and the Grail's secret of the sacred feminine.

Narrative Significance

The discovery of the password marks the turning point of the novel's climax. It is the moment when Langdon, having refused to collaborate with Teabing, proves himself worthy of the Grail. The password is not merely a code; it is a test of character. Teabing, who sought the Grail for power and glory, is unable to see the answer, while Langdon, who acts to protect Sophie and the secret, is granted the insight. The password also completes the thematic arc of the novel: the restoration of the sacred feminine. The apple, a symbol of female knowledge and the original sin that justified the Church's patriarchal control, is reclaimed as a symbol of wisdom and the true nature of the Holy Grail—Mary Magdalene and her bloodline.

Aftermath

With the cryptex open, Langdon retrieves the papyrus scroll inside, which contains the final verse revealing the location of the Holy Grail. He does not share it with Teabing, who is arrested moments later by Bezu Fache and the British police. The password "APPLE" thus becomes the key that unlocks the novel's ultimate secret, leading Langdon and Sophie to Rosslyn Chapel and, finally, to the realization that the Grail lies beneath the inverted pyramid of the Louvre, guarded by the blade and chalice of the Star of David.