#oh wait that looks like a tma thing

[two-entire-bits]

guys. the Lonely. it's getting my ass.

[anotheraccountonthisapp]

CW: vent in tags (I'm sorry idk Tumblr etiquette yet-)

unfortunately a lot of the corny self help advice turns out to be true but the thing is you have to come to those conclusions yourself otherwise it just sounds dismissive and dumb

[gipple]

ough

[the-voldsoy]

Alrighty it is almost the end of the year so, in no particular order, here are podcasts I recommend of the ones I've listened to this year! (let me tell you picking favourites for this was So hard) (Unfortunately I can't just do all of them because there are almost 50)

Hello From The Hallowoods: The world ended, but we're still here, and shit's weird. (Has made me cry; even the trees are queer; my comfort show<3)

Camp Here And There: Good morning campers! The time is 7:63AM and Cabin Magpie Moth has spontaneously combusted! Whichever one of you little woodworms can put it out first can come get a puffy sticker from me in the Nurses Cabin! (Is it a horror? Is it a comedy? I don't know, you'd have to check to be sure)

Wooden Overcoats: Funn Funerals used to be the only funeral parlor on the island. It isn't anymore. (Sitcom, the main characters are the most miserable wet cats you ever did see)

Re: Dracula: Maybe this year, they'll be okay. Maybe this year they'll all live. Maybe this year he won't go, and she'll be alright.

Magnus Protocol: TMA's louder, bolder, less serious younger sibling.

The Silt Verses: Oh boy. Let me tell you, you will look at crabs differently after this. (WET horror, genuinely the best pod I've ever heard)

Archive 81: Dan, a newly hired archivist, has to listen to and catalogue a set of old audio tapes. The tapes contain interviews conducted by someone Dan has never heard of. Dan is in an isolated bunker in the middle of the woods. Surely nothing will happen to our dear friend Dan. (What is it with archivists and getting snatched by The Horrors? Ignore the tv show it doesn't exist)

Red Valley: Just a couple of guys with an interest in research station Red Valley, whose focus was cryonics. It's completely defunct now. I wonder what happened. (Ethics? What's that?)

Woe.Begone: Some say it's about time-travel, some say it's about keeping yourself and those close to you alive, some say it's about online safety. All can agree on one point: What the fuck why are there cowboys now

Midnight Burger: Midnight Burger is a time-travelling, dimension-spanning diner. Dunno how it works or where it's going next. We open at six! (The episodes are an hour long minimum but it's worth it. Comedy sci-fi, lighthearted fun :)

Old Gods of Appalachia: The Appalachians are spooky y'all. (The narrator's voice is so comforting in this, it feels like campfire stories)

Dreamboy: Went into this pod being told it was made by the people who made WTNV and absolutely no other information. Let me tell you I did not expect the main character to tell us that he got a hard-on in the first episode. (The most sexually explicit pod I've listened to)

The White Vault: Nice little trip to Svalbard to check on the remote research station, surely nothing will go wrong :) (Holy Fucking Shit What Is That) (Recommend 1st season especially to The Thing (1982) enjoyers)

Camlann: Ever wished that you were apart of Welsh folklore or Arthurian legends? Or perhaps some of the last people left on Earth? No? Ah well, you'll pick it up soon enough. (Three idiots and a dog in Wales, fighting for their lives)

Breaker Whiskey: Imagine. Being the only person on earth. Just you. Just you, and someone on the radio. Just you, the radio, and a woman you absolutely do NOT have sexual tension with. (This one looks really long because it has 260+ episodes, but they're like 4 minutes long each so it's not really)

Ethics Town: Don't worry about it. (Cannot recommend enough, it is a mindfuck)

Tell No Tales: What if ghosts were a thing that could infest a place, like rats or roaches or mold? What if it was your job to exterminate them? And the million-pound question, do ghosts deserve rights? (I am waiting so so patiently for the rest of s2)

Remnants: You wake up in a place you recognise. You have always been there. You have no idea where you are. You see a stranger's life. You recognise them. You knew them once, you think. Discard or reshelve? You don't know what that means. It does not matter. Discard or reshelve, that is the question. (I am going insane over this pod)

Not Quite Dead: Vampires! Alfie is an overworked A&E nurse who does not have time for this shit. Unfortunately, he does not have a choice in this matter. (A really interesting take on vampirism, going into the biology. It is fascinating, and an exciting story)

Travelling Light: Space Quaker! Listen to the Traveller tell you about every new planet and civilisation they visit. Whattttt noooo they don't have a crush on one of their crew members what are you taaaalking abouttttt (Very comforting pod, beauty in the mundane in a way? But not mundane because yk. Aliens)

Someone Just Like You: Brilliant horror, just really well written. I don't even have words for it. So far there are only 6 episodes and the concepts/plots of each seem cheesy, but my GOD the execution.

The Bright Sessions: People with powers get therapy! Thank God, they need it so bad. (I love one particular antagonist so much, I need to put him in a microwave)

Poe: Evermore: It wasn't until I started this that I realised that Edgar Allen Poe would have had a Boston-ish accent. Reallyyy interesting story of his life, and I keep getting jumpscared by VAs I recognise. Faulkner Silt Verses what are you doing here.

Witherburn After School News: Your school radio host getting WAY more involved in the news than they should. Really hope they're still breathing. Love the folklore section though!

Before The Tone: Voicemails from someone who just got a job they probably shouldn't have. (Brilliant idea for the format, and great execution)

I Am In Eskew: What if you were trapped? What if you had a home, a wife and a child? What if they aren't real? Are you sure? Go and check. What if your city tried to kill you? What if it loved you very much, more than anyone else? (Horror but the narrator is the saddest wettest man you've ever heard)

Sherlock & Co: Modern day Sherlock Holmes, and John Watson is a true crime podcaster. Dear God I did not think it would be as compelling as it is.

[microwavesaferat]

Okay, I never post on Tumblr but I just got hit with such a violent hyperfixation that I forcibly had to put into words so, this is long one.

Life Series SMP as the Magnus Archives

So I had an idea for a Life Series AU where all the players are an avatar of one of the fears from tma. Warning that I haven't seen all Cc's povs so I'm mainly going off of vibes and moments I remember. I also tried to have at least 1 member in each fear.

Bdubs - The Dark

This is for obvious reasons with his association with sleeping and clocks. My hc is that, cause he can't sleep the night away, he kind of became an avatar of the dark. I like the idea of him just kind of hiding in shadowy corners, the only way to know he's there is by the sound of the clock letting you know that it's night now and you should not be out at this time.

BigB - The Spiral

This is mainly based on the whole thing with secret life and the weird corridors he had. I like the idea of that every time you look at him, you're not sure what emotion he is feeling. Is he happy? Annoyed? Angry? Who's to say. And where does that corridor lead anyway? Oh, wait, he says there are no corridors, but you just saw one didn't you? Oh, it's gone now, where did it go? Where did it's contents go?

Cleo - The Flesh

This was an obvious one. As much as I think she could also fit into other categories like the desolation, it's too hard to ignore the obvious aesthetical choice of making them a Flesh avatar. I mean, come on. I think as a fully realised avatar, she would have too many limbs. There are at least 7 leg warmers and sweatbands, not all on legs or arms. She had to work hard at jazzercise to get legs like that. And I mean it, the original owner was still using them.

Etho - The Stranger

This was a tough one, but I kind of like where I ended up. In almost every season, he has had more than one alliance, usually a main team and a back up one. Especially in Wild Life, where he was teamed with pretty much everyone. I think he, as a full stranger avatar, is always your friend, but also always your enemy but he's also the enemy of your enemy so he's your friend? At this point you're not sure how loyal he is to you or anyone for that matter. I also think that everyone has seen under the mask, but it's all different things. "I saw Etho's face, he had a huge mustache" "What? No, he doesn't have a mouth" "I saw that he had 2 mouths under there" "I saw every possible outcome of every universe happening simultaneously and in all of them, humanity perishes" "this is why we don't talk to you."

Gem - The Corruption

So this is mainly to do with the whole zombie thing in Secret Life. I was toying with the idea of Bdubs being the Corruption as well due to the Boogieman kills. I'm still not entirely sure of my decision. I want the Corruption ideas to lean into how people draw Gem as some form of woodland creature or druid. I like the idea of the Corruption being like plant life/small bugs. As a full avatar, she would look like how she is commonly drawn, but it's not entirely clear if that's skin, fur or bark. There's bugs in it regardless. Are her eyes glowing? Is it the fireflies around her or is it actually coming from her eyes? I think she'd appear almost like the Creaking, where you turn away and suddenly greenery and bugs start swarming from the ground, consuming you.

Grian - The Eye

I'm really in-between fears for this. As much as the Watcher symbolism works well for the Eye, I wasn't sure if I wanted both him and Martyn to be avatars of the Eye. I eventually decided, given he sets up the games and runs them, Knowing slightly more info than other participants, it does really tend towards the Beholding. I like the idea of an unwilling avatar like Jon is, but his abilities grow more and more over the seasons before it gets to Wild Life where someone is like "I wonder what the wildcard is today" and Grian is just suddenly flashbanged with the image of:

🐌

Impulse - The End

I haven't really watched Impulse POVs so I wasn't really sure what to do. I have a vague memory of him always doing quite well and getting in the last few a lot. I also know that previous teams have banked on Impulse being the member that could actually win. Regardless, he always dies just before he can win. I think he's a new, unwilling avatar, not fully coming to terms with his new identity, he always gets so close, only for death to sweep him away and he is forced to try again. I think that he, as an avatar, would be themed around wasting time, the concept that everything ends in death so the time spent before is pointless and wasted, this especially applies after his death in limited life.

Jimmy - The End

I mean, come on. The Canary Curse? Need I say more? I will add though that I think he's slowly becoming a fully realised avatar, hence why, in recent seasons he's not been out first, able to harness and manipulate his curse. Jimmy's always the first out, so we're all safe until he goes.... Right?

Joel - The Desolation

So this is about the whole "the ship burns, everything burns". I feel like, near the end of every series, he slowly gets more and more angry and violent. He usually starts acting almost desperate, think of his desperation in Last Life with his faulty traps. He is angry, volatile, and will do anything to burn everything you cherish to the ground. If the ship burns, everything burns.

Lizzie - The Buried

I've never really watched Lizzie's POV and I also didn't have anyone for the Buried. I couldn't think of anyone else that would work, so this is based on how, whenever she dies, someone seems to try and sell her bones to Joel. It's a weirdly common thing. I was gonna do the vast cause of her ending in Secret Life, but she did go down, not up, so I prefer the idea that she got stuck underground. It may look like the night sky, but it's the lack of air slowly choking her, unable to claw her way out, suffocating in silence deep under the ground.

Martyn - The Hunt

So I was also gonna put Martyn with the Eye because of the whole Watcher/Listener thing, but I think the Hunt fits better. I like the arc of his transformation over the course of the Life Series. In 3rd Life, he's essentially a soldier for the Red Army. Then, after realising the bloodlust and red haze, he becomes a relatively peaceful Southlander. But eventually, he kills his soulmate, unable to contain the need to kill and hunt. It reaches its peak in limited life where he just snaps, kind of like Daisy at the end of season 4. He then spent Secret Life as a dog before going back to his Red King as his hand in Wild Life. Ren may be an actual dog, but Martyn is his bloodhound.

Mumbo - The Web

Okay, hear me out: Mumbo as a very new avatar of the web who, due to the machinations of mother spider, is not aware of his avatar status, the avatar status of his pears, nor the existence of the fears at all. Think about it, every time Mumbo has gone out of the series, it has been his own fault. He attacks Grian unprepared, completely forgetting the ramifications of his actions. Gets stuck on a fence he placed then killed by a Warden. Gets stuck in his own spider's web of tnt minecart tracks. He also never goes for kills with basic PvP, it's always some elaborate scheme; making end crystals from a ghast farm, making a complex system of tracks for launching tnt, digging out a pit under a base and waiting for sooooooo long for someone to conveniently walk over the hole (also the web fucked that up for him with the fireworks in the background). I also really like the idea of the webs being like lines of redstone. I cannot draw, but can fully imagine the fanart in my head.

Pearl - The Hunt/Lonely

So Pearl is a double avatar. I couldn't decide between them. I hc her as the concept of looking out on the moors to see the silhouette of a lone hunter, on a horse with only the company of her hunting dogs. I think she embodies the solitude and the quiet of hunting by yourself. The only company she has is snarling hunting dogs, there to help stalk and tear at her prey. The only issue is, this hunter isn't looking for game.

Ren - The Slaughter

Ren does also fit with the hunt, but given his whole King persona, he lends more to the idea of a war waged by leaders in distant lands with a large toll amounting of nameless soldiers fighting for ideals their King tells them to believe in. I think his whole Red King character is pretty much a Slaughter avatar as is, so not much needs to change. I'm not entirely sure how I mix this with other seasons, but I do believe that Ren's most iconic character is the Red King, so fight me I guess. Red Winter is coming.

Scar - The Lonely

So Scar always focused on his connection (or lack there of) with Grian. He died, leaving his partner alone. Then he lived in recluse on a mountain, unable to bring back what he had. Even when forced to partner up, he is still alone. It takes him till Secret Life to finally embrace his avatar identity of being alone. Rumour has it that, on the Secret Life world, you can hear faint humming. No idea where the source is though, it's hard to find anything in the vast sunflower field.

Scott - The Vast

Scott was also hard to place, but I can't fight his whole spacey vibe. I also like the idea that, by refusing to succumb to the Boogieman curse, he defied the Watchers, these enormous, all powerful deities. I like the imagery of Scott, an ant in the face of these gods, being the bigger man.

Skizz - The Lonely

So Skizz is normally one of the first out in his team. He's also prone to sacrificing himself for the sake of the team. I think that is a lonely existence. I believe that Skizz, after giving his life to allow his team to move on, is forced to sit and watch. Unable to talk to his former teammates and stuck in isolation watching them go on without him.

Tango - The Desolation

Tbf, I think the way people draw Tango as a blaze has skewed my perception a bit. But I do believe the volatile anger he has works well with the idea of the desolation. As well as that, he has also had everything he loves destroyed. His ranch, his trust, etc. he's experienced so much desolation, he has simply become the burning fire of grief that laps at his feet.

Anyway, thanks for reading this far. Please let me know if you have any suggestions or changes I should make.

[aro-geo-turtle]

MALEVOLENT PART 48 LETS GOOOO

Oh boy coughing up blood! That’s funnnnn

New characters: Barnabus and Gerard…and the absent Lord Everard. And now Friar Halbrook and Langward.

I’m worried about that “lesser house of god” comment. Alter to the great old ones hidden away somewhere maybe??

This feels like the start of a murder mystery, is this about to turn into a modern mystery?

I vibe with this Barnabus guy, I like him.

Lol cartoon villain beard

Alia Showl—don’t like that comment about her “maintaining decorum,” just what is she capable of?

Has…has Arthur just accidently joined the proto-Order of the Fallen Star??? That’s what this sounds like

Halbrook’s first name is Dorian, oooh he’s a polymath and scientist? That’s rad

Oh no now we find out what kind of person Arthur’s impersonating, what’s it going to be? “Aristocratic, captivating, and clever, your ability to fit into most any situation and do whatever you see is necessary…debate, beguile, manipulate.”—well that’s not too bad. Arthur certainly is clever and the people constantly becoming obsessed with him would probably call him captivating. He’s also very adaptable. The one thing I’m not sure about is the manipulation part, Arthur doesn’t usually think things through enough to really manipulate, lol.

The French guy, Gerard, is an architect. Reminds me of TMA’s version of Robert Smirke. Langward is a doctor, maybe he can help out Arthur! Barnabus is an astronomer and an alchemist??? RAD. And he apparently has…visions?

This is definitely the start of the Order of the Fallen Star

BLACK STONE! Well our quest just got a hell lot easier.

Wait no ok, I was wrong. The Order already exists, Langward is involved with it.

…but we’re not going to see the stone until tomorrow. Somebody’s about to get murdered and/or steal the stone for themselves and this is going to turn into a mystery. 100% certain on this.

Hmm yeah the ring thing is an interesting dilemma. That’s going to come into play later

I love how comfortable John is when giving confident advice and instructions to Arthur about what to do and say

Ahahahha what god do you follow Arthur? which one? One’s certainly been giving you instructions that you’ve been automatically following this entire time! I’m so curious about what John would have wanted him to say. …I’m not so sure saying that you’re an atheist is going to go over very well in this time/place/with this person.

…yeah, about what I expected.

Hah, maybe John can make up for Arthur’s lack of manipulative instincts

This is a murder mystery, this is a murder mystery!!! It’s been too long since Arthur got to be a proper detective, this is going to be funnnnn. Arthur’s picking up my vibes. Love this analysis

Aaaaand there it is! Here we go folks!

The friar was probably in bed at the time of the crime, but Arthur and john can’t confirm it! John you should have let Arthur confirm his location. …though waiting longer before going to the scream for help might cast suspicion on Arthur himself.

Oh yeah the death vision power! Honestly its been so long since that came up that I forgot it was something that they had. But they’ll still have to prove to the group that whatever they see is true

Langward is the victim, that’s interesting. And the friar is deeply suspicious. I look forward to whatever excuse Arthur is going to give for why a prince is also an excellent detective and why he should run this investigation

So Gerard is with the Order as well, and by Everard’s smile, he knew this, but didn’t out it to everyone earlier. Why? Seems almost as if he wanted Gerard to admit it himself. Now there’s two rings in play! Check the corpse for the order ring.

I’m with john, having the ring is way too dangerous. Still, having dallied that long is also dangerous, especially if anybody finds it. Arthur’s best bet might actually be claiming to be an order member himself or coming up with another excuse for having it

Of course there’s no ring, that’s what makes this mystery so interesting! The best way forward for Arthur is to be as honest and open as possible.

Arthur’s trying to piss off Barnabus for some reason, see if he slips up and reveals something in his rage? Arthur definitely can be manipulative sometimes actually, he just doesn’t get much opportunity to show it in this show

Oh that’s despicable Arthur. poor Barnabus. Still, it’ll buy Arthur time to figure out what really happened and they aren’t going to do anything to Barnabus on that much evidence.

Yeahhhhh Arthur! rally everybody, organize them! you’re the expert here, even if they don’t know that

I’m worried about Everard stepping out for a moment, even if he has the excuse of going to get Alia.

“Do you believe you are a decent man?” UH THAT’S OMINOUS.

Ok Everard exposition time I guess. OH is the black stone gone? Is this why he’s acting weird? …ewwww.

WAT. Okay she’s telekinetic I GUESS?

Okay maybe the stone isn’t gone, but that doesn’t explain why he’s acting like this. …it sounds like he gets something about of showing the stone to others and that makes me anxious that he’s planning to sacrifice them to it

DAMN EVERARD JUST DUMP THAT ON EVERYONE. …why is Barnabus smiling?

NOW I HAVE TO WAIT A MONTH TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY! I’M NOT GOOD ENOUGH AT MYSTERIES TO FIGURE IT OUT NOW! Ahhhhhhh noooooooo. I love this episode. Glad to see Arthur doing some detecting again.

[cool-person-yey]

tmagp notes 28 we're so back gamers

• since I ahem. disappeared for like 3 days I didn't see any vagueposts abt this ep soooo I'm in total darkness

• the incident elements and the vas are looking juicy though

• * ominous music *

• will our beloved Archivist appear in the OIAR?

• * office noises *

• also I am having lunch

• trevor herbert how have I missed you buddy. btw how's your brother.

• " such a diverse team too" I can literally SEE their uncomfortable faces. that's like, objectively the worst thing to be said to your face.

• THAT'S IT?

• same alice, same.

• the goddamn externals

• DANNY????? LIKE DANNY STOKER?????

• they're bonding <33

• hell yeah Celia's pan!!

• " you have no idea " oh don't we celia. don't we.

• Teddy!! he's... alive I hope?

• finally some good fucking communication

• so we do know the name of Gwen's grandfather ( and possibly Elia's dad? though idk if they've mentioned it in TMA before )

• gwen you snitch

• " a third party"

• wait what was that sudden voice change SHIT HES BEING COMPELLED

• more??? fuck fuck fuck

• fuck fuck fuck

• guess we getting our first proper statement

• austere is such a cool word actually

• is one of the older women named gertrude perhaps.

• when is it okay to lie... not feeling good about that specific one gang

• great thing to listen to after taking an exam and feeling very stupid after it

• and he ran.

• and he's lost.

• fuckkkk

• FUCKKK

• run boy run!!

• do not enter it of course he entered the goddamn door

• couldn't have known what!?? what???

• just a moment

• oh shit shit shit

• oh no the bone. oh no

• the body is horroing

• maybe I shouldn't be listening to it while eating

• well! that was fucked up.

• to find what??? to find what????

• goddamnit

See y'all next Thursday. I'll stare at the wall for a while.

[mysteriouspersonrambles]

Ok I’m back I’m walking in a rainstorm but it’s fine

Damn this guy was cleaning up some crazy stuff how do you melt a tooth???

No dude lighters are bad news

Damn avatars in this universe got it together they made an effective food source

That’s not a mannequin my friend

Yeah dude don’t be curious that’s the motto here

Oh the dreams looks like the people here can’t escape those either

I wonder if a web or web variant runs the hilltop center

But at the same time this guy is going o. About stones and it sounds like he’s speaking in rocks so it might be a buried equivalent. (Also damn this is some good voice acting)

She can wait- SAM you fucking idiot you will not get another chance to call her back.

Also Celia is freaking me out especially that “there it is “ the tone of voice sounds so off

And you might relsease another one

Celia why do you sound so unbothered by the gasps(I know why I bet she heard a lot of that in the apocalypse)

WHAT IS IT damn I wish I had eyes

Is it that weird tree thing wtf is it

Almost that is not an answer

Sam this is not the time for a breakdown

Is Sam’s headache related to the object somehow

Also Sam you’re in a rusty quill product you don’t get to know what’s going on

OH WHAT THE FUCK it’s a tear in the universe

Celia you sound like a mad scientist I bet she was a chemistry major all this sounds of balancing makes me think of chemistry.

Also Sam’s totally a sacrifice isn’t he, Celia is going to shove him in the rift to try and take her place

Celia avatar of the web I was not expecting that

What is stopping her 

Oh shit oh shit oh shit that’s the stranger

What The FUCK WHAT IS GOING ON?????!!!! Her voice is tape recorder. Oh shit this is the TMA Celia the fearless one that’s fucking Georgy

Did the archivist say it is time??? What happened to them What is going on?????

oh Alice good luck what ever you are going to find isn’t going to be pretty. What the fuck oh shit it’s the stone statement guy from earlier. We are the Hilltop what??????

Oh Gwen you are so unbelievably fucked but good for you day drinking.

GWEN!!! You don’t even know what the job does!!!! And you still fucking blackmailed your way into it. You are so screwed girl

Oh the glitched phone sounds that is so cool, looks like the connections breaking

What the fuck is that noise

Sam’s fucking gone

Yeah gone in the multiverse man

Dude what a fucking season 1

Honestly what a fucking episode it really did a good job of wrapping up the season. I’m honestly excited for what comes next. (Still no Annabelle cameo so :( but a girl can dream)

[sleeping-archivist]

haven’t done one of these in a while, BUT!!

my live reactions to tmagp ep 30 (w/ spoilers, obviously):

oh i am so deeply afraid for them!!! pick up your phone sam!!!

i’m american but this british transportation nonsense seems like a pain

NO COLIN STAY SAFE PLEASE COLIN

WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH FREDDY OMFG

noooooo colin :(

oh dear lord this is already stressing me out

uh oh gwen…

girl that’s not a threat that’s a fuckin promise

nooooo lena come back i miss u already

oh look who FINALLY checked his phone

celia i don’t like that you know things. when is your “complicated immigration status” getting exposed???

a dentist?? oh i would NOT go to that dentist

y’all went at NIGHT??? respectfully you deserve whatever is abt to happen to you, this is horror movie 101

DO NOT GO INTO THE OLD APPLIANCE STORE

a suspicious door, you say??

CHRIST trevor that scared the shit out of me

oh wait that’s not trevor lmao

does this place have a “store” or a unit or whatever for each of the fears or however they manifest in this universe??

honestly this custodian guy is so real for this

noooo alice are you alone rn?? babygirl 😭

TAPE RECORDER

one normal night, one normal night, one normal night, custodian guy wants…

who the fuck IS this guy tho??

WAIT IS THIS A STATEMENT

omggggg hi archivist 💋

“a wound that never fully heals” well maybe… a wound between worlds????

WHO’S THE OWNER WHO IS IT

dude your job sucks lmao

WINTER OF 97

A LIGHTER I AM SCREAMING

IS IT UNIT 17 THAT’S OPEN????

AN OLD WOMAN??? MARY KEAY????

the way i am going bonkers in the middle of

the whimpering… if this is jon i will lose it

you NEVER go have a look!! you little fool!!

oh that’s not— fix ur mannequins pls and thank u

oh EW put your blood vessels back in!!!!

“it is rough and cold and silent inside” oh i do not like this actually

“cold gray pours down my throat and fills my stomach with stone” like that one statement with the cement???? am i reaching????

WE ARE HILLTOP???? WHAT

oh bye tape recorder 👋 that was truly horrid thanks so much!!

CALL HER BACK DUDE

DO. NOT. GO. TO. THE. HILLTOP. BASEMENT. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

WHAT ARE WE SEEING PLS SHARE W THE CLASS

wdym ALMOST girl???

this is an entirely valid outburst from sam, go off king <3

YES YES YES CELIA LORE

which means you should probably go back celia!!

IF YOU SHOVE SAM INTO THAT WOUND BETWEEN WORLDS—

HI ARCHIVIST!!!!!!

i’m sitting in this hallway like 👁️ 👁️ right now. this is INSANE

no excuse me i wanted the rest of that statement!!!!

oh hello again custodian guy, really fucked up thing for you to say tbh

omg hi again gwen <3 this is so bouchard of you and i love it

hi trevor!!

omg she got her promotion and yet… at what cost

can we get a status update on colin pls????

oh CELIA YOU DID NOT

THAT’S THE END OF IT????

so anyway i’m going insane now 😎 i didn’t have to wait between seasons when i listened to TMA and i don’t know if i’m gonna be able to do it now, omfg. great season finale but i may just lose my marbles until s2 starts releasing

[jazzically]

the magnus protocol episodes 4 through 7 — my live reactions not clickbait

magp 4

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD IS THIS THE STATEMENT AND/OR ORIGIN OF ALFRED GRIFTER

omg i love how the literal only reason for hearing statements from the 1800s is gwen being behind on her work

ALSO I FRICKING LOVE THE MAGNUS PROTOCOL THEME

Oh my lord you know it's a good sidequel when you can already feel the itch to relisten to everything you just listened to

magp 5

Ok i do not know whether we say "a blast from the past" in America but i have heard that phrase like five times now from Brits all on the RQ magnus feed so im wondering if that's just an alexander j newall thing or !!! what (love it tho. i love it)

faith the unholy trinity referenced???? faith the unholy trinity!!!!!!?

aint no way he won the contest by coincidence LMAO

OOOH THIS IS SUCH A COOL FORMAT!!! ahh ... just how many ideas do they have for digital first-person storytelling mediums?? cuz with every new one i am fascinated

i wonder if jonny just flipped between soft speaker and robot while recording or if "[UNINTELLIGIBLE]" is a digital insert. if it's the latter i am VERY impressed although it's characteristic of jonny at this point lol

OOOooooOOoOoO personal relation is always extra spookyyy

i am also extremely impressed by the similarity in writing style. i can see it (in a good way) now that i'm looking harder, but i would never have guessed jonny didn't write all the episodes

also i just love how alex and jonny swap announcer roles sometimes (jonny as credits, alex as title/episode) for tmp

NOTE TO SELF: check out the cellar letters!!!!! omfg!!! it sounds fire!!!!

magp 6

aw that's such a sweet dedication message

URGH HAVE I MENTIONED I LOVE THE TMAGP THEME

i always wondered what the muffled falling-down-the-stairs noise at the end of the original theme was. it always put me in mind of the aesthetic of the beginning of portal 2 (and, later, the Buried coffin) idk why

I LOOOVE ALL OF THESEEEE none of them have been hard to get through at all?? which is rare for me bc i fail to pay attention to things for long unless they come in more than two forms of stimulus simultaneously (video + music, audio + fidget toy, video + candle)

AWIEE SAM AND CELIA 😭😭😭

Yes alice you do that matchmaking you are SUCH a girlboss

magp 7

OMFG CELIA DEFINITELY KNOWS SOMETHING

lmao jonny says ree instead of err ee now (for "re:"/regarding)

[ThEory time babes woooOoO]

heyyyy is this one of those other worlds that the fears got banished to. actually what happened to the dread powers? am not exactly clear on that (i hope it's on purpose). maybe the place where the dread powers exist alongside "our world" in tma is also adjacent to other worlds in exactly the same way?? like how a hexagon can be adjacent to six other hexagons??? that'd be sick and it would also explain why there wasnt an overwhelming amount of supernatural incidents in "our world" such that everyone was familiar with the dread powers and normalized safety procedures and such ... interesting au idea ... also the idea jonny proposed about a post-apocalypse world in the s5 qna... that one is cool too............ writers get on that (/j/j/j)

is tmp a separate world ??? they only said it was in the same universe as tma iirc

[wild speculation over]

RAAAAAA i LOVE the robotic voices' VAs' abilities to slowly transition into humanlike speech

cLaYtOn!!!!!? do i know that name or am i going crazy

perhaps i am yet again thinking of the worker of clay (see previous post)

LOOOLL "better than norris, whiny little toad"

OHMYGFUCKING GOD WAIT I RESCIND MY EARLIER STATEMENT!!!!!! THAT'S CANONICALLY JONATHAN SIMS' FRICKING VOICE!!!!!!!!!!!!

hehehe ooooh you're evil writermen. how dare you use our constant uncertainty as to which characters you're referring to induced by your earlier repetition when naming characters (really there should be a limit as to how many michaels can be in one story) so that we are still unsure, even with prior knowledge, whether sam's mysterious "john" is actually the archivist or just some other john. good lord (im obsessed)

HOLY CRAP COLIN KNOOOWSSSSSSSS THINGSSS i just adore his role as the town crazy old man

omg alex's writing is incredible

[ethan-elliott]

I was gonna sleep last night but instead I binged the last 7 episodes of TMA S2 and oh my god

reactions for the last 3 eps are under the cut to avoid spoilers for anyone who hasn’t got there yet!

Ep 78

the table and the Not!Them and that delivery company and another link to all the spiders??? such an insane episode!!

I really hope Sasha isn’t dead but it’s not looking good

omg Jon do not try and do this on your own istg

��It is remarkably easy to buy an axe in central London” IM TRYING NOT TO LAUGH WHILE MY FAMILY ARE ASLEEP.

WAIT IS THAT MICHAEL?? AND BREAKING THE TABLE WAS A BAD THING??

Ep 79

OH I KNEW TIM WAS UP TO SMTH YES MY DUDE

“We can’t just leave him””yeah, we can” CAN YALL STOP ARGUING SO LOUDLY ITS GONNA ATTRACT NOTSASHA. OH SHIT MICHAEL

“Will I become the Archivist and rob(?) the eye of its pupil?” I can’t really tell what it’s saying but hmm ik The Eye is something and the Archivist is its student, assuming a word play on ‘pupil’ there??

Ep 80

NO SASHA CANT BE DEAD 😭

JURGEN LEITNER WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE??

“Hardly a book, barely 12 pages” Leitner is such a book snob lmao

the attack on Leitner’s library is interesting in how it correlates with a bunch of the other statements — is this several of The Fears joining up to attack together??

oh no - Gertrude had 3 assistants that all met unpleasant ends? And then ‘somehow’ Jon ends up with 3 even tho Martin wasn’t supposed to be an assistant and now one of them might be dead? So it’s like history repeating itself??

the lore drop is so interesting - Leitner and Gertrude we’re gonna destroy the Archives??

WAIT WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK AM I LISTENING TO??? IS ELIAS BEATING HIM TO DEATH?? THE SOUND EFFECTS OMFG — the eeriness of just the dripping. Jon’s “oh” like yeah

10/10 season, totally worth sacrificing my sleep for

[disappointingcabbage]

TMAGP 20 thoughts, spoilers under the cut!!

The original title of the episode was Skin Deep, but they changed it to Social Stigma. Inch Resting… giving Ink5oul vibes…

Sam wants to talk to Alice and Celia Away From The Computers about the Magnus Institute. Smart but ineffective, though to be fair he doesn’t know they can listen on, like, every piece of technology imaginable lmao

poor Alice is Done With This Shit, understandable after her chat with Colin tbh

Oh shit Sam figured out the Protocol equals arson shenanigans…

The OIAR had the institute destroyed by Starkwall? I hate that that makes sense, I very much wanted Gertrude to have done it. Gobsmackingly uncommon L for arson grandma I guess.

Wait, not only did Starkwall burn the institute down, they also killed all the employees? Damn, seems like overkill but makes sense if that just means Elias wasn’t bluffing in TMA about how killing him kills everyone at the Institute.

I guess that means Jonah Magnus is super dead in this universe. Nice.

Also Gertrude either never worked for the Magnus Institute in this universe or she was able to quit before the Protocol was enacted and the institute was destroyed.

Alice makes a good point about not wanting to piss off the government by exposing real conspiracies, judging by the extreme nature of Arson Protocols, if Sam keeps digging deeper he could put himself and perhaps also Alice and Celia in serious danger

I love that Celia is advocating for Sam

THE LADS IN THE COMPUTER SENT SAM AN EMAIL WITH DOCUMENTS CONFIRMING THAT STARKWALL BURNED DOWN THE INSTITUTE???

But this time the email address that sent it was gibberish… I don’t think that was the case for the one that sent him Gerry’s address… inch resting…

The fact that they know they’re working for the bad guys this early on in comparison to TMA is really cool tbh

Celia is definitely not beating the universe hopping allegations with her “are we sure destroying the institute was a bad thing? They wanted to end the world” take

Alice is pulling a Georgie and noping out. Fair enough.

Celia’s still down to investigate, hell yeah

HOLY FUCKING SHIT INK5OUL MY BELOVED

Why are they tattooing in a warehouse? Odd choice of venue lmao

Oh, they’re tattooing a corpse. Sounds about right for them tbh.

The fact that they’re commenting on how Gwen has “nice skin” is giving me Nikola Orsinov vibes

The OIAR wants Ink5oul to be an external? Neat. Why weren’t they one already?

Oh shit Ink5oul seems to be in the middle of becoming an avatar and they don’t understand what the fuck is happening

They didn’t originally want to be Spooky, just wanted social media fame. Oof. Also doesn’t help that the first time they went viral it was a complete accident.

Oh shit the statement for this week is just Ink5oul talking to Gwen.

Lmao they accidentally stumbled into the spooky while looking for inspiration (and/or tattoo designs old enough to steal without getting caught)

So Oscar Jarrett was basically the original Ink5oul, and “adapting” his supernaturally flavored designs is the only thing that gets them fame

Ink5oul, bestie, I think your friends were right to be worried about you, not just jealous.

Oh shit Jarrett tattoos don’t decay? Funky!! That explains all the grave robbing.

It’s kind of hilarious that constantly changing venues due to running from the law just kind of helped with Ink5oul’s branding online like no one thought it was suspicious at all, they were just like “ooh spooky blorbo”

Oh damn, emulating Jarrett’s work changed Ink5oul’s own work and made it Spooky? AND it made them want to see people afraid? Yeah this is some avatar shit.

Ink5oul does not in fact want to be an external. That tracks tbh

Gwen do Not talk town to the spooky ink person

“This is the part where you start running” Gwen pissed off the wrong one lmao

[gumy-shark]

"i love thinking about my mp100 tma concept au" wait come back. keep talking 👀👀👀

ok so first off i want to note that im calling it a concept au bc i dont really plan to do anything with it myself, its just fun concepts to think about, and at this stage its pretty much just entity assignments (with help from skye candyskiez in dms) and a fun venue for characterization. like seriously i don’t even know if it’s better for mob to still have psychic powers or not in this au tbh

so anyways the assignments

buried mob/desolation ???%. in world domination arc, he literally says out Loud how afraid he is of losing everything he cares about (and it being by his own hand/not being strong enough to protect them. both very desolation core). but at the same time the level of repression he’s putting himself through to feel like that won’t happen are suffocating him throughout the entire series. therefore the two sides of shigeo get their own entities and represent the other side’s greatest fear. never becomes full avatar of either but gets close to desolation in confession arc

stranger ritsu. this one was skye’s (i originally liked web ritsu for his control issues) and is bc of his Identity Issues (i mean hell big cleanup arc started because ritsu realized he didn’t know who he was underneath what everyone else thought of him!!). my favorite thing to rotate with this one is like. The Incident (or a version of it if i want to go full au) happening and ritsu justifying it how he does in canon, with “that wasn’t my brother. it looked like him but it wasn’t.” and then ritsu gets back from the hospital and mob is Different now and he just goes “that’s Still not my brother”.

reigen is. see it’s hard here bc his entire bit is that he Doesn’t Have Powers. so he’d have to be unaligned/a normal guy. but ALSO i think the lonely and the web are constantly trying to contact him about his cars extended warranty. so there’s that

dimple. he’s dimple! (leaning towards web for the brainwashing or end bc. well bc hes a ghost. but ALSO because hes afraid of being satisfied and reaching that final end! like thats why he does the whole divine tree arc!)

teru is, in my heart, like if adelard dekker was an annoying teenager. actively working to keep himself unaligned with any Fears and to stop rituals/keep avatars from gaining too much power. vulnerable to the lonely and the hunt but mostly manages to stay human

desolation shou. which yeah mobs also desolation but like. he did very much burn that guys house down. so it can be in a different way. in this au he’d be an agnes/gerry type guy, being raised into the desolation and then going “oh this fucking sucks. im going to stop this.” he and teru are vaguely aware of each other but don’t communicate

[arthur-lesters-tylenol]

Looking Back on Episode One of Protocol

so I am in the middle of another relisten of The Magnus Protocol and reviewing it before the second season starts and wow they really immediately started throwing punches. The tree/plant references that seem to have a lot to do with the new supernatural forces here (themes of transformation, bringing back old ghosts, love ones and reincarnation through plants, etc). The point that supernatural forces work differently here, so they need to be categorized differently (where in TMA we could pretty easily separate each fear despite the fact that they were all actually parts of one whole, here it is immediately made clear that it is not so simple, so ofc the computers who have the voices of Jon and Martin cannot properly categorize these new/changed supernatural forces). The second statement having Norris’ first line be that?! The statement with Arthur and the amalgamation (a new archivist/archive of this universe in my current theories, maybe the Archivist/[Error] is what is left of Jon or some other archive/archivist from another universe that was pulled here due to 200, and the amalgamation in that statement is the actual form of archive/archivist originally in this universe?) and having a character say, in Martin’s voice, that they are afraid of what is left of a lost loved one?! Crazy. Oh and don’t let me forget how ominous every single one of Alice’s lines are (love her ❤️❤️❤️) and the literal tonne of explosion allusions (all of the uses of the words blast, etc). All of the allusions to the philosopher’s stone/the stages of transformation in alchemy (1/20 cases being read out loud which is 5%, 5 being a number heavily associated with the Philosopher’s Stone, and this stone is alluded to literally so many times in so many episodes through mentions of colour, the number 5, and the motif of crystals surrounding Celia’s current motives (sacrificing Sam so she can stay in this universe, clinging onto this life, that kind of thing)). Ooo and all of the talk about imitation and how it is similar to and contrasts transformation (Teddy imitating Lena, the OIAR employees imitating a family, Teddy being compared to a plant, the amalgamation as transformation and imitation coming together, Teddy putting words in Colin’s mouth (even if it was just a joke), Gwen telling Alice to “turn it off” like she is a computer, the obvious references to Binary, humanizing Fr3-D1, Colin comparing Sam to a plant, so many references to the Spiral/ more specifically the Distortion, Alice comparing Sam to food (definitely foreshadowed the end of s1)). The fishing motif. Are the supernatural forces completely different or are they simply the same ones as in TMA but they have been split and refracted like light through a crystal. Are they a mixture, some forces from the universe the first season of protocol takes place in along with some new forces that have been pulled here by the events of 200? Oh and in episode 18 when they mention daffodils, alluding to Narcissus and that whole narrative. Anyway, just theorizing for the funzies. Can’t wait to see how wrong all of my current theories are and how they pan out in the coming seasons! Thank you for staying and listening to my rant.

[akaikali]

TMAGP EP 19 REACTION (SPOILERS)

Hold on, alchemy?? I vaguely remember someone saying that they read Secrets of Alchemy and one of the main scholars was Prince Khalid or something? And now Sam learned some Alchemy while looking into the Magnus Institute???

So the Protocol is like...A thing??? Something that can be enacted, like a law, almost? And it was around back in 1684. Not important but...Older than any of our oldest statements in TMA, I think. Which is interesting, I wonder how Chester even got the information. Or FR3-D1, I suppose.

So is the Protocol some sort of...Dastardly alchemy? Like...Frankenstein-esque "creating life" or even bringing people back to life? Because I do think those are the kinds things that were called "Blasphemous" in the 1600s-1700s.

"It was only through the Protocol that we were spared from that Dred emission" Okay, so is Dread a thing we have to keep in mind? I remember for the filing system in the OIAR, one of them is "D" right? It seems like this Protocol is enacted when Things Go Wrong, so is the OIAR basically the people who can enact the Protocol?

"An element of such overwhelming radiance that to look upon it directly was to dazzle the eyes and throw the mind into confusion" I know it's probably not this but it reminds me a bit of both The Spiral but also the sun that Manuela Dominguez made.

I know the name Wilhem from somewhere. He was Gerry's ancestor in TMA ep 23, right? Wilhelm Von Closen?

A small tree??? Wait holy shit this little tree sounds beautiful. Is that concerning to say? IT HAS A FRUIT???? DO NOT EAT IT MF WHAT

Okay so the Latin is translated to, "But you must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, for on whatever day you eat from it will be the day you die" DUDE DID THIS GUY MAKE A TREE FROM THE GARDEN OF EDEN??? IS THIS FRUIT THE FRUIT OF TEMPTATION??? HELLO???

Holy shit. Holy shit did he turn a DOG into a tree AND give it the ability to Know things?? (I don't want to say he made it an Eye avatar because I don't think avatars work the same here)

Okay but why does sound kind of...Beautiful? Like those arts of giant deer creatures in the forest that seem to be made up of just as much of the forest as they are made up of real blood and meat.

He has a cure for it??? Jesus I mean...I don't know what to say I just...Is that dog okay?? I just feel really bad for the dog.

Okay so the Protocol can destroy things that are supernatural, unworldly, etc. And it can be contained or limited to a certain area, depending on the people who enact it.

Also hilariously. It's a Robert writing to a Robert lol.

OUGHHH HE'S ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS YES SAME THE PUTERS ARE LISTENING TO YOU HEHEHEH

"I'm deliberately being given cases that point to The Magnus Institute" I wonder if FR3-D1 wants Sam to keep looking into the institute but Chester (If he is Jon) is trying to keep him away. But he's losing the fight. Additionally, is FR3-D1 possibly the Protocol? Or perhaps, somehow, FR3-D1 has that...Whatever Isaac made...In it and it makes FR3-D1 all knowing?

Alice you can't keep shutting him down like this. You're going to lose him. I kind of understand why Sam is lashing out because I know what it feels like to have someone you really trust tell you that you're crazy when you KNOW you're not.

Obviously, he should have lashed out at Gwen the way he did last episode but Jesus Christ, he just needs someone to listen. Celia is there, but she has her whole thing going on, and I think Sam knows that subconsciously.

So he turns to Alice but she just keeps shutting him down. And I'm pretty she's only being dismissive because she knows something and she wants to keep him safe but she will lose him if she doesn't hear him out.

Okay to be fair. Gwen did ask for this job lol. She could quit anytime she wants it just that my girl is stubborn as fuck.

Oh boy. Yeah Gwen is about to get traumatized AGAIN.

COLIN???? WHO'S HE???? FR3-D1???? COLIN COME BACK HERE WHO IS HE-

Alice is starting to remind me of s1 Jon in the sense that it seems more absurd that she thinks nothing is going on instead of just accepting that things are 50 shades of fucked up.

Edit: I HAD TO READ THE TRANSCRIPT EARLIER SO I ONLY GOT TO LISTENING NOW AND SOMEHOW I MISSED THE MERCURY AND SULFUR FROM COLIN??? HELLO HAS HE FIGURED SOMETHING OUT?? and he's mentioning balance like hello Robert Smirke is that you????

Additionally, I will mention that Cinnabar (a tranquilizer) has both mercury and sulfure in it (Thanks AP Chemistry, I never ended up pursuing you as a degree lol)

[beauty-and-passion]

TMA - Chapters 41-50: Everyone is Michael

Hello people, welcome back to the beginning of TMA season 2! Ten more chapters are waiting and I am ready to find out if this season is gonna start with a bang or not.

I have high expectations.

<< Main Masterlist < Previous post 

_______________________________

MAG 40.1 - Season 2 Trailer

Oh, a trailer! And it was… absolutely incomprehensible and cryptic af. All I got is that a trapdoor should’ve been locked, which translated from author-to-reader means: “The trapdoor is open and some weird supernatural shit will come out of it during the season”.

Well played, Mr. Sims. Now I really want to know more.

_______________________________

MAG 41 - Too Deep

Ooooh, statement of Jonathan Sims? And it’s about the recently discovered tunnels! I love that we start season 2 directly from where we left in season 1: Jon is recovering, Jane Prentiss is recently dead (I suppose they burned her, considering the ashes) and there are a shit ton of tunnels to explore.

Also, Jon is now paranoid. Great, that’s exactly what he needed.

Jokes aside, this is an amazing choice from a writing perspective, because it’s perfectly justifiable. Jon got assaulted by Jane Prentiss and her worms on July 29th, now it’s September 2nd. It’s been a little more than one month, of course he’s still haunted by the idea that Jane (or other things) might be alive and spying on him.

Even if the feeling of being watched is not just paranoia. I bet everything that it’s Big Brother’s fault for that.

And just to confirm my words, it seems that the Archives have been built on part of this ex Millbank prison, which was built by following the idea of the Panopticon. You know, the prison centered around the idea of making the prisoners feel like they’re always watched, thanks to the central tower.

I love the idea of the Panopticon: it’s extremely cool and I’m very happy to see it here too… but it also proves I am right and Big Brother is some supernatural shit who watches everyone and has something like one million eyes or whatever.

The goddamn weird tunnels. And what about that incorporeal voice telling Jon to leave, right after inviting him to go down? I am extremely curious now, I want to know more! Who was it? Big Brother? Another supernatural shit?

Ah, so Jon will now add supplements to the statements, hide them from his staff just like he hid the existence of the second tape recorder and will put these parts away with precise instructions for his replacement, in case he dies. Great, so he’s this paranoid. Basically one step away from being pathological.

Fine, from one side, I can understand him because he faced some heavy shit not too long ago and he cannot trust anyone. So his sentence “Trust can get you killed” is understandable.

But I also watched Gravity Falls and I’ve learned that “trust no one” doesn’t help, especially if there is a demon watching/haunting you. So please, Jon: please. Be safe. Don’t pull a Dipper Pines on us. Don’t force me to start calling you Jon Dipper. Or Jipper.

And trust someone before some bad shit happens. You’re trying to find Gertrude Robinson’s killer and we all know it was Elias (don’t “first suspect” me and yourself, we both know it was him). So, since Elias already killed one person and he’s in cahoots with the Lukas family, you REALLY need as many allies as possible.

_______________________________

MAG 42 - Grifter’s Bone

Here we are, back with simple, meh statements. This time, it’s “weird supernatural band kills with their weird supernatural music”. It’s a shame we don’t see how they do it, I would’ve loved to see the whole process. But I also understand that leaving this to the reader’s imagination is a good choice to make something scary.

Also, Alfred Grifter looking up after the massacre and asking “Encore?” is probably the most badass move of the series until now. He might be some minor supernatural shit, but that was a real power move. I respect him a little bit after this.

Glad to notice Jon’s skepticism is back too, but after the end of season 1, now I know why he does it and I understand. Also, his skepticism doesn’t seem as “stubborn” as before and that’s another great writing choice because it shows how all these supernatural shits are affecting him.

Also, since Jon is in Paranoia Land now, I suppose that emphasizing skepticism helps him hide his true intentions, which are… sigh, controlling Martin. Seriously, can this poor guy take a vacation? First the worms, then Jane Prentiss, now Jipper. Martin can’t even be competent, that his boss will question it - all while insulting his poetic skills. The paranoia made Jon even more of an asshole than before.

What? Martin is worried about the others finding out he’s been lying? Lying about what? Jane Prentiss? His supposed incompetence? His poetic skills? His need to go on vacation? In any of these cases, don’t worry, Martin: just take your stuff and go as far away from this Institute as possible.

I still dream something like this for Martin.

_______________________________

MAG 43 - Section 31

I feel Basira will be a recurring character from now on. I mean, she is currently working on Gertrude’s case and she is a Section 31 - i.e. she dealt with supernatural shits before. But she’s not the only one: we also have Alice “Daisy” Tonner, who came in contact with “spider husks” and, for me, that means one thing only: “Spider Mom & gang”. So I bet these two women will probably be involved again with any other supernatural shit happening in this Institute.

It was also very cool to find out the name of the guy from MAG 12: Diego Molina. And I remember that, when he and Gerard were brought to the hospital, Gerard asked if Diego had “a small book bound in red leather and a brass pendant with an eye design”. The eye pendant is probably related to Big Brother, while the red book basically confirmed it was one of Leitner’s chaos books. I already suspected this considering Gerard was after that, but glad to see an implicit confirmation.

Speaking of the supplement, Jon gained access to the tapes in Gertrude’s room and I’m glad about that because we will surely find something cool and scary. But I’m also sure that’s the easiest way for Jon to get himself killed, so I’m a bit scared for his life.

Also, how weirdly cute is this part?

“I only ever spoke to Gertrude once or twice during her time as archivist. I-I was very new. I don’t remember what her voice sounded like.”

Jon sounds so young, here. Almost like a child. I mean, I imagined he was in his thirties or something, but I actually have no idea how old is he. Is he younger? How old is he?

Also, it’s just nice to see this little moment of him being so… soft and human, with his predecessor. He barely knew her, he barely spoke to her, he probably looked at her and saw just an older, stern figure. But now, he’s in the same position. They became a lot closer than they ever were. It’s fascinating - and there’s a lot of potential for angst too, so I’ll brace myself for it.

_______________________________

MAG 44 - Tightrope

A statement recorded by Gertrude! it was such a pleasant surprise to finally hear her voice! And she sounds amazing <3

As soon as I heard it was a statement from a guy in Algasovo, I felt it was connected to something I already knew. I remembered there was a circus mentioned in season 1 and, after a little bit of research, I found it: MAG 24, Цирк другого: the Circus of the Other. Ringmaster Gregor Osinov and organist Nikolai Denikin - whose granddaughter recorded the abovementioned statement.

Sure, here it’s called Другой Цирк, which is correctly translated as “Another Circus”. So my question is: which is correct? Did the circus change its name? MAG 44 is from the 70s, while the photo mentioned in MAG 24 was from 1948. Maybe the circus was called Цирк другого, then it changed its name after Denikin left and became Другой Цирк. Anyway, it was very interesting to read and I was so sure it was the smae circus mentioned before (despite the different names). So when Jon mentioned Gregor Osinov, my smile grew bigger than ever :D

Speaking of Jon, he asks some very interesting questions: Gertrude knows a lot more than it seems. And she didn’t finish recording everything in the archive. Why? Was that her way to oppose Big Brother/the Lukas family/the “crimson curse”? Maybe Big Brother can “eat” these statements, so by stopping her recordings, Gertrude was voluntarily leaving it hungry, as a sort of “fuck you, I won’t get eaten by you” kind of thing.

Or maybe she just wanted to not do her job anymore, thus provoking the Lukas family to fire her for not doing anything. Or maybe she was just too busy trying to find a way to escape, to record statements like an insane you-know-who who keeps recording stuff because he wants to find out the truth even if the truth can get him killed.

Did someone find Jon’s tapes? Or is he in full Jipper mode and maybe the drawer wasn’t even ajar? In any case, now he’s hiding them too, which reminds me of Gertrude and her secret hidden library and I don’t like the parallel at all. I don’t want to see Jon dead on a chair, in a room, surrounded by his secret library.

_______________________________

MAG 45 - Blood Bag

Another meh statement, even if this time I’m quite perplexed by the weird turn of events.

I mean, once Dr. Thompson sold his syringe, there was a sudden spike in heat, the ‘haemoglobish’ became real blood and the mosquitoes decided to wait for their moment to kill the doctor. They’re a lot of weird consequences and they don’t seem too connected either - especially the heat. Why is there always some heat involved?

While speaking of the mosquitoes planning revenge… yes, this is the most plausible thing. These little bitches always plan revenge on everyone.

So, the doctor’s buyer is “Indonesian, I think, or Samoan”. It’s Salesa, isn’t it? Yep, Jon confirms it. Well, I suppose he will be another recurring character. And if Gerard can smell Leitner’s book, Salesa can smell any supernatural shit and make a profit from it. In this case, I suppose the syringe was a real lucky charm or whatever, considering how everything degenerated once the doctor got rid of it.

“Can’t stand mosquitoes. Horrible things.”

You and me, Jon. You and me. Glad to know that, even if he’s in full Jipper mode, he can still be very relatable.

I know Jon was super paranoid with Martin, but he might have a point about Tim. I mean, a guy with this resume decides to work in a place that isn’t so appreciated by normal people? And he doesn’t seem too interested in the supernatural either. Why is he here, to bribe people to get info and do whatever the fuck he wants? If that’s the reason… honestly, mood. I loved him before, I would just appreciate him even more for the power move.

Jonathan Sims, Master at Hiding Things, gets caught by Martin in 0.2 seconds because he’s so clever to record his paranoid thoughts in the middle of a working day, in a place where everyone can enter. A genius.

But now I’m curious to know where he will go to record these statements. I can almost see him, all crammed up into a closet, while Martin searches for him with a cup of tea in his hand.

_______________________________

MAG 46 - Literary Heights

Oh gosh, I LOVE this chapter.

First of all, as soon as Michael Crew was mentioned, I immediately checked the previous chapters and here he was: MAG 17, the Boneturner’s Tale. Also, if my last theory is correct, Michael Crew and Supernatural Micheal are the same thing. And you know what? I think this statement confirmed it. But one thing at a time.

Second: my man Leitner! Ex Altiora my beloved! We finally know where it was and what it is! It’s a poem and I ADORE the plot. It’s such a perfect mix of weird, suspense and desperation… uuuurgh, I’m so mad I can’t read it, because this plot can be developed into a fantastic story.

And now, let’s put together all the pieces we have:

Michael Crew is interested in the Leitner.

Michael Crew has “a branching pattern of white scar tissue” on himself.

Jon reminds us that, in MAG 4, Mr. Swain said there was a “woodcut of the dark night sky, with the branching, arching design of the Lichtenberg figure” inside Ex Altiora.

This drawing isn’t mentioned by Mr. Knox here.

Lichtenberg figures have a branched shape, similar to the shape of lightning discharges, and appear on the surface/inside insulating materials during dielectric rupture. But they can also appear on lightning victims.

They are also “natural phenomena which exhibit fractal properties”.

In MAG 4, Mr. Swain says Michael Crew got struck by lightning when they were kids.

Michael Crew is surrounded by smells associated with lightning and electric discharges.

Michael Crew has been followed by a tall, thin figure, “its limbs angular and branching”.

Supernatural Michael has angular and branching limbs.

Supernatural Michael Is associated with fractals too.

The figure also “crackled and fizzed, lit by a strobing white light, as though the lightning was within the room itself”.

When Michael Crew reaches the bell tower, the prays something with the words “altiora,” “vertigo,” and “the vast”. then he says “I’m yours”, leaps through the open window and disappears.

Now, here’s my explanation:

Micheal Crew was followed by a supernatural shit. This supernatural shit was the same immense figure mentioned in the poem of Ex Altiora.

Micheal probably came into contact with it when he was a child and got struck by the lightning. Since then, he started to resonate with Vertigo/the Vast just like Jane Prentiss started to resonate with the Hive.

(Also, since Jane Prentiss’ supernatural shit was “the hive”, I think I’ll call this one “the vast” because it was a bit odd that he specifically said “the vast” with a definite article)

So, since Michael Crew came into contact with the Vast and started to resonate with it, he was accompanied by smells associated with lightning/electric discharges and he started to search for all kinds of magic books, trying to find a way to properly connect with it/being consumed by it, just like Jane Prentiss did with the Hive.

In Prentiss’ case, she connected through the wasps’ nest and got “consumed” by the Hive. Michael Crew tried to do the same by using different methods mentioned in the books, but failed. He had to find something stronger to connect to the Vast. And that something turned out to be a tale featuring the Vast itself, told by my man Leitner.

So Michael got it and waited for a storm. And as soon as the storm came, he ran towards it, calling for the Vast. And when the Vast appeared, it looked like that figure similar to an actual lightning.

Michael sang/prayed for it (please notice how Mr. Knows refers to his words like a chant first and a prayer later, just like Jane Prentiss talked about the song of the Hive. These little shits truly talk through songs) and closed his invocation, by saying “I’m yours”, which can be also read as “I give my body to you”.

And so, he jumped. And by doing that, he gave his body to the Vast and the Vast became him. And that turned him into Michael the Supernatural Shit, also known as Best Boyo of this series.

If all of this is true, then:

it’s very cool

his name isn’t Mr. Distortion, but Mr. Vast. Still cool, but Best Boyo is better :P

And if this is true, that also means my previous Leitner theory was completely wrong. His books don’t turn you into the protagonist: his books are about the real, actual supernatural shits living in this world and by getting the right one, it’s easier to connect to the supernatural shit in question. They’re like… facilitators, in a way.

That also puts into question Gerard’s work. What is he actually doing, by searching and destroying all Leitner’s books? Maybe he’s saving the world, because without books it’s more difficult to connect to these supernatural shits. But destroying the books doesn’t mean getting rid of the supernatural shits themselves and these books might actually be useful to recognize all supernatural shits and “catalog” them. I don’t know, I need more info about these two guys and what they’re actually doing.

And yes, there’s also Spider Mom taking possession of the hidden tunnels of the institute and she’s probably the one who opens the door and maybe she even walks around in her human form and that’s very cool too. Just… how fricking cool is this statement?! I think it’s among my top favorites, along with MAG 2, MAG 5, MAG 20, MAG 26 and MAG 39.

(Now that I think about it, I should probably do a top of my favorite statements once I finish the whole series. It would be fun.)

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MAG 47 - The New Door

Holy shit. Just holy shit.

I thought this was just a simple statement. A statement featuring a tall blonde guy. And yes, I was 200% sure it was Michael. But I just though he appeared and did some weird supernatural shit.

For a while, he did it: he made a door in that house, Mrs. Richardson got lost inside it for three days and escaped just because one of the mirrors was “empty” and didn’t reflect Michael. So she did what everyone who met a supernatural shit did: she went to the Institute. My theory about “hiding behind a bigger predator” seems even more convincing.

I loved the little moment when Mrs. Richardson asked Jon if he believed her and Jon admitted that yes, he believes her. It’s a tiny exchange of words, but it’s enough to show the massive change in Jon from season 1. Before, he would’ve been more stern and showed more skepticism (fake or real whatsoever). But now, after all he went through, he’s showing a softer, more empathetic side. Jon is truly evolving as a character.

And speaking of characters, time to talk about the real shit and time to overanalyze everything:

*

Michael’s voice is perfect

First of all, I ADORE Michael. Sorry Tim, you deserve the world, but Michael’s soft laughs and the way he gently mocks Jon because he’s this powerful supernatural shit while Jon is just a mere human it’s just too adorable. His voice is too adorable. And the distortion effect makes him very creepy - but still extremely adorable. I love him so much.

*

Domains?

This part about domains is very fascinating and, in a way, it confirms my theory about the supernatural shits having territories like mafia bosses.

But it seems like they don’t simply take a place and own it. It’s a bit like they are these places. As if these domains are an appendix of them. So I suppose Michael doesn’t simply “make doors pop up”: he is the doors and the corridors. such a cool concept, it makes these supernatural shits look even more eldritch and… well, supernatural. Love it.

But also: if my theory about Big Brother is correct, does that mean Big Brother isn’t just hidden in the Magnus Institute, but is the Institute? Mmmh, I need more details.

It’s also very interesting how Michael refers to Mrs. Richardson as “the Wanderer”. Since it doesn’t seem like Mrs. Richardson is a supernatural shit, I suppose that “the Wanderer” is a name to identify the people who enter the domain of a supernatural shit and become food. But since calling them “food” isn’t nice, Michael (and maybe other supernatural shits) opted for a more sophisticated name, like “the Wanderer”.

Also, Michael reconfirms he’s a poet and I love him so much.

*

The concept of identity (and maybe my theory already failed?)

That’s another interesting part. Michael considers itself a “what”, because “it requires a degree of identity I can’t ever retain”. And this connects to its domain: since it’s so huge and can “overlap” reality by creating new spaces inside it (inanimate spaces), it was probably easier for Michael to identify itself as a “what” rather than a “who”.

But this distorted appearance made me think: wait, probably my brand new theory about Michael as Mr. Vast is completely wrong.

If Michael’s power is being distorted and making weirdly long, distorted corridors (that confirms Michael was probably the voice who told Jon to leave, when he explored the tunnels in MAG 41), that doesn’t line up with the previous statement, where the Vast’s power was related to lightning and to being this colossal figure.

At the same time, Michael laughs with a weird, distorted effect as if it’s more people in one figure and this detail seems coherent with my theory.

So I think there are two possible solutions now:

my theory is correct and Michael can both be hugely vast and very distorted

my theory is wrong and Michael Crew just offered himself to another supernatural shit

Or maybe the correct option is:

3. Mr. Sims is the biggest troll of all mankind and he made a series in which every supernatural shit is named Michael and this explains why everyone is named Michael and why Michael is such a familiar name. If this is true I would respect him even more.

Jokes aside, I really need more information now. Especially I need Michael (this one at least) to talk about itself and its powers. And maybe all other Michaels should talk a bit about themselves too. At least enough to confirm if my theory is right or wrong.

*

A war?!

No, wait, you cannot drop this bomb, tease us like this, then leave. Stay here and explain!

Okay, so the Institute is important. It should stay where it is, because losing it would bring imbalance in the hidden war that’s going on - between supernatural shits, I suppose.

In MAG 41, Jon said the Archives stand on an ex-prison, built around the concept of the Panopticon. This could explain why this place is needed: a place from where you can spy on everything and everyone is a great leverage in a war.

My question is: what are the sides of this war? I suppose that one side is Big Brother and maybe the weird supernatural fog of the Lukas family, but the other? The supernatural meat? And the spider gang? On which side was Jane Prentiss with the Hive?

And what are they all fighting for? To take over the world? To eat as many humans as possible? Or maybe the “All Michael theory” is correct and since all these shits are named Michael, they decided that the last one standing will officially take the name Michael and all others will have to choose another name? All while Best Boyo Michael decided “fuck this shit, I’ll keep this name anyway because it’s just a name and my identity is more than this”?

You know what? I love the All Michael Theory. It’s stupid and yet it somehow works. If it’s true, it would immediately turn the whole series from dramatic to comic, but I love it.

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MAG 48 - Lost in the Crowd

Oooh, a statement settled in Italy! Never visited Genoa, but now it deserves a visit. After all, I already think about this goddamn series every time I see a spider and have to kill it, so why not going to Genoa and fearing weird supernatural shits? Apparently, they love to go anywhere. Was this one taking a vacation?

Speaking of vacations: honestly, I never expected to see my man Gerard, rebel punk and goth, chilling in Italy with a bright shirt on. I hope you’re also wearing some nice shorts, Gerard. And no combat boots. Or sandals with socks. The Italian fashion police can be way worse than any supernatural shits.

So, my man went to Mrs. Nunis, told her she was “marked” and told her to think about her mother. To remember her. To, you know, feel less alone. I immediately thought about Naomi and how she too felt alone, when the mysterious fog tried to “eat” her in MAG 13.

But this time there wasn’t really a fog: the sunny day simply became overcast. So maybe the fog isn’t supernatural but… the clouds are? But then, what about the weird fog from MAG 33? Or maybe, the fog simply hides the real supernatural shit, which is this weird faceless crowd. And this time the fog was on vacation too.

Or maybe Italy’s weather is too warm for the thick UK fog, so the fog dispersed and left only the crowd. I’ll admit it, it would be hilariously funny if a supernatural shit is simply an atmospheric element end you can get rid of it by traveling far enough or by using, idk, an electric fan.

So one question remains: what was Gerard doing in Italy? Was he truly searching for a Leitner? Or maybe he was really taking a vacation? I like to think it’s the second one: unlike Jon “Trust No One” Sims and Martin “Self-preservation is overrated” Blackwood, my man Gerard knows when it’s time to get the fuck out and take a vacation. So he left all the supernatural shits and books to chill on a beach, take a cafè and eat some real food.

Great choice, Gerard, Genoa is a beautiful place.

Speaking of the supplement, Jon realized Michael was warning him about Sasha! But unfortunately, thanks to Not!Sasha’s evil powers, Jon cannot understand what the problem with her is. Damn you, evil imposter! Give Sasha back!

Jon “Jipper” Sims, Master of Secrecy, after being caught by Martin in 0.2 seconds, got caught both by Martin and Tim again and they both immediately realized Jon was spying on them. So they reported him to Elias.

See? See where “trust no one” brings you, Jon? Please, stop spying on them like a creep. why don’t you start spying Elias, instead? He’s the most suspicious guy that ever walked on this planet, why the fuck are you wasting time with your team when you have him?

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MAG 49 - The Butcher’s Window

I read the title and I immediately was: “The meat is back, isn’t it?”

But it’s not just the meat, it’s our old friend Jared! And he does incredibly weird creepy things! And I like them, because they’re creepy without being gorey. You know, it’s just too easy to use gore: scaring without gore is harder and I appreciate it.

Also, what the fuck is the weird… underground superleech he’s feeding? Is that the boneturner? Is this the name of this supernatural shit? After all, every supernatural shit seems to have a name that starts with the definite article: the hive, the vast, the boneturner.

And if we add up all the things we discovered until now, that means that Jared became the Boneturner/the body of the Boneturner thanks to the Leitner’s book that “facilitated” the connection and, since he became that thing, that thing also became him. So the underground creepy superleech is still part of him and by feeding it, he’s feeding himself too.

You know, the whole process of feeding it was creepy, fine, but it made me smile too because… come on, it looks like a guy throwing snacks at his dog. That’s funny.

But not as funny as the mental image of this weird superleech I got, that resembles something like this:

This is a sea lamprey. It’s not a leech, but it’s the closest animal to represent what I imagined. And yes, this is a real living creature on this planet. You’re welcome, glad to know this will haunt your dreams too.

A-ah! We finally got more info about Elias! I knew it was weird that he managed to go from filing clerk to head of the Institute, but I had no idea he became head of the Institute just in five goddamn years. What did he do, did he kill everyone else? Did he kill James Wright too? Did this man also “die on the job” as Gertrude?

Also, how absolutely, insanely funny is it to think that Elias was a pothead? I read it and I was like… what? This guy?! I always imagined him like a posh guy and now you tell me he was smoking crack or whatever? That’s too funny, I love that and it would be hilarious if that’s the reason why he killed everyone else: not because of the Lukas family, not because of the supernatural shits: just because he wants to hide his past.

_______________________________

MAG 50 - Foundations

Oooh, another old statement addressed to Jonah Magnus! I suppose that’s how the Institute started: with this guy walking back and forth inside his house, surrounded by creepy stories. A bit like Jon now. And nope, I don’t like this parallel.

The story itself is very meh. It’s not really creepy nor scary, just “mysterious guy appears outside an office” and “fingers on a stone uuuh”.

This statement probably served to remind us about Robert Smirke’s existence. Jon probably forgot, but I remember that in season 1, he said Tim mentioned him an architect he was obsessed with and this architect was Robert Smirke. So I suppose this guy is important.

We also have Sir George Gilbert Scott now. When Mr. Kempthorne said Scott’s projects had odd symmetries and seemed claustrophobic, they reminded me of the underground tunnels of the Institute. Is it possible that one of these guys is responsible for the construction of the ex Millbank prison? I suppose only time will tell.

I died laughing when Tim thought Jon was hitting on Basira. How he went from “That woman is weird” to “Good job boss, get her”. He’s the best, I love him.

_______________________________

In conclusion

Oh my, what a start for season 2! We have more Michaels than ever, too many theories and lots of mysteries I still can’t grasp.

I want more. I want to know more about Michael, I want to find out which theory is correct. Is Michael Crew one of the many identities of Best Boyo Michael? Is Michael vast and distorted or they’re two different Michaels? Is every supernatural shit named Michael? Is Elias just a pothead trying to survive in a world full of supernatural shits? Is Gerard still on holiday?

We’ll meet back soon with ten more chapters.

>> Next post

(How about a coffee? ☕)

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