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Action Yak
Nov 9, 2008

vortmax posted:

With the release of the new video, I finally got off my rear end and started a page for season 3. Feel free to pass it on to your non-SA friends as well.
I like how he sneaks into the antiques shop and then takes pictures of it as evidence. Just because the door is unlocked doesn't mean it isn't breaking and entering, Jay!

And while this season seems like it's going to be mostly Tim-centric, since the tapes are from the filming of Marble Hornets I think it'll also show us more of Alex's descent into madness.

Mystery Machine posted:

The videos Tim has are probably the oldest videos around. They'll probably uncover the origin of Slendy.
God, I hope not. The mystery and the fact that we know nothing about him are a huge part of why he's creepy in the first place, I think. Though if by origin you mean why he was following Alex, I think it just started when he began showing up in the Marble Hornets tapes.
I guess what I'm saying is I hope they don't mess things up by over-explaining them.

JordanKai posted:


e: Actually when Jay turns back to the same shot later the dark figure is gone! Translation: the shadowy tree is now behind the bridge. Looks like the Operator has a pact with the fauna now! :tinfoil:
:goonsay: I believe you mean flora.



Edit: I don't know if this was posted in one of the other threads or not, but someone wrote a Slenderman song (has nothing to do with $20).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMgbfFpXZu0
It's pretty good, but the goofy lisp ruins any creepy atmosphere it might have had for me.

Action Yak fucked around with this message at 15:17 on Mar 12, 2012

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Docjowles
Apr 9, 2009

As they say in the Season 2 commentary, Jay wasn't even going to keep making TTA entries after S1. He eventually got talked into it but they were not meant to be crucial to the story. So I just don't see there being a super complex side-plot there.

However, Jay did drop a big hint that there could be multiple totheark posters. Since then, I've been thinking that any of the truly disturbing, hurtful videos (like the dead dog or the baby) are Alex trying to get Jay to just loving leave him alone, whether he's conscious of posting them or not. The rest are Tim/Masky trying to give Jay clues and goad him into action.

Edit: Re above, they said in the commentary that they probably won't give Slendy an origin story. At least not in the sense of "thousands of years ago, there was an ancient God, who wore a dapper 20th century business suit for some reason...". But I don't know if that covers spelling out why he is stalking/helping/whatever Alex or not.

Captain_Indigo
Jul 29, 2007

"That’s cheating! You know the rules: once you sacrifice something here, you don’t get it back!"

I really hope we never get a Slendy origin story, but I think WHY Slendy is involved and his/her/it's motivations are really important - if they weren't included by the end then I would definitely feel a bit ripped-off. Well not ripped off, hours of entertainment for free and all that, but you know what I mean.

That's an interesting point actually, I think I touched on it in the last thread. What do people want from this series?

Personally
-Explanation of TTA - who they are? Why they did what they did?
-Explanation of why Alex/Tim/Jay/Slendy behaved the way they did at various points, beyond "they were crazy".
-Ski-masky reveal.
-Jessica/Amy reveal.

JordanKai
Aug 19, 2011

Get high and think of me.


Action Yak Police posted:

:goonsay: I believe you mean flora.

I even spent 5 or so seconds thinking of whether it was flora or fauna. My train of thought must have been "BUT A TREE IS NOT A FLOWER SO IT MUST BE THAT OTHER THING!" :downs:

Action Yak Police posted:

Edit: I don't know if this was posted in one of the other threads or not, but someone wrote a Slenderman song (has nothing to do with $20).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMgbfFpXZu0
It's pretty good, but the goofy lisp ruins any creepy atmosphere it might have had for me.

I don't really think that these lyrics can be scary, even without the lisp. They are far too on-the-nose for something like this. :v:

Nails
Oct 29, 2004

MALIGNANTLY USELESS

Docjowles posted:

As they say in the Season 2 commentary, Jay wasn't even going to keep making TTA entries after S1. He eventually got talked into it but they were not meant to be crucial to the story. So I just don't see there being a super complex side-plot there.

However, Jay did drop a big hint that there could be multiple totheark posters. Since then, I've been thinking that any of the truly disturbing, hurtful videos (like the dead dog or the baby) are Alex trying to get Jay to just loving leave him alone, whether he's conscious of posting them or not. The rest are Tim/Masky trying to give Jay clues and goad him into action.

Edit: Re above, they said in the commentary that they probably won't give Slendy an origin story. At least not in the sense of "thousands of years ago, there was an ancient God, who wore a dapper 20th century business suit for some reason...". But I don't know if that covers spelling out why he is stalking/helping/whatever Alex or not.

Oh, right. It's been so long, I almost totally forgot about that tweet. It reminded me of another theory I'd had, that TTA was probably all of the other production staff of MarbleHornets, and that the channel was really The Operator trying to use them to speak out to Jay. Or maybe some other entity, since it seems like the TTA cult and The Operator are opposed. I'm hoping this season maybe clarifies the relationship established in season 2 between them.

big mean giraffe
Dec 13, 2003

Eat Shit and Die

Lipstick Apathy

Stottie Kyek posted:

SkiMasky watched Jay while he was sleeping in the boot of his car IIRC, they can't be the same person.

It was a completely dark figure and it was definitely TTA, but we don't know who for sure. Also Joseph was the one who filmed it, but "Alex" didn't.

Liar Lyre
Jun 3, 2011

Here to deliver
~Bad Opinions~

Wait a second. Is skimasky also the second masky? Or is there just a lot of dudes who wish to remain anonymous?

Docjowles
Apr 9, 2009

Liar Lyre posted:

Wait a second. Is skimasky also the second masky? Or is there just a lot of dudes who wish to remain anonymous?

I think we're aware of two masked people, someone chime in if I'm full of crap as usual. 1) Tim. 2) "Skimasky", a new masky introduced in S2. We see him/her return Jay's camera to his car after he drops it in the woods following an encounter with the Operator. Also I think we see him/her again when Alex chases the masked pair into the woods and Tim pretends to brain Alex with a rock.

Liquid Dinosaur
Dec 16, 2011

by Smythe
I watched the S2 commentary the other day, and was quite surprised that the "condemned people were stretched on trees" story wasn't intended to be an origin story. I mean, I personally don't WANT there to be an origin story for The Operator, but if they really did just want Alex to tell Jay a spooky story for the hell of it, they really could have used a story that doesn't involve people having their limbs stretched by a magical forest or children dismembered and hung from trees, which IIRC is straight out of one of the original Victor Surge Slenderman stories.

Dickweasel Alpha
Feb 8, 2011

Mod Secrets #614 - Experto Crede is the one who bought most of those frog avatars

Liquid Dinosaur posted:

I watched the S2 commentary the other day, and was quite surprised that the "condemned people were stretched on trees" story wasn't intended to be an origin story. I mean, I personally don't WANT there to be an origin story for The Operator, but if they really did just want Alex to tell Jay a spooky story for the hell of it, they really could have used a story that doesn't involve people having their limbs stretched by a magical forest or children dismembered and hung from trees, which IIRC is straight out of one of the original Victor Surge Slenderman stories.

They do a lot of little touches like that to relate to Slenderman "origin stories" written on the forums, that was just a pretty blatant one.

Pope Guilty
Nov 6, 2006

The human animal is a beautiful and terrible creature, capable of limitless compassion and unfathomable cruelty.
Yeah, a lot of the early Slenderman stuff depicted him either in woods or as a thing associated with them.

Docjowles
Apr 9, 2009

IIRC Slenderman was frequently related to fire in the old Victor Surge thread, which ties in nicely with the forest fire painting in Alex's apartment and also the loving awesome burned-out buildings the guys get to film in.

Was there also an association with floods, or did that come in with Marble Hornets and later EverymanHYBRID? A lot of the early TTA videos had naval imagery, sounds of rainfall, "you are drowning" in the description etc. And if you've followed EMH, water and drowning is a constantly recurring theme. Just can't remember if that followed from the original Paranormal Images thread or not.

Pope Guilty
Nov 6, 2006

The human animal is a beautiful and terrible creature, capable of limitless compassion and unfathomable cruelty.
All I remember from Create Paranormal Images are the images where it's unclear what's a tree and what isn't, except the face...

Vault Zero
May 3, 2007
a product of The Coca-Cola Company
Anyone else think Tim's invitation for tapes is a trap?

MeccaPrime
May 11, 2010

I am in the camp that thinks that Tim is fully aware of what's going on and an amnesia ploy is just his way of throwing off Jay in some way.

I don't know if the invitation for tapes is a trap, but at the very least, it isn't as innocent as it seems.

Liquid Dinosaur
Dec 16, 2011

by Smythe
This is most likely a complete coincidence, but in Entry 52, you know how the Operator lifts up his arms right before Jay either charges him or gets sucked into him?

That reminded me of this:

Victor Surge posted:


"we didn't want to go, we didn't want to kill them, but its persistent silence and outstretched arms horrified and comforted us at the same time..."

1983, photographer unknown, presumed dead.

Again, it was PROBABLY nothing but a way to make us say "oh poo poo The Operator actually changed his position for the 1st time in Season 2," but I still like how it reminded me of the 1st ever Slenderman related thing.

EvilRobot
Sep 27, 2001

Punks Is Hippies
After the ending of Season 2, I have three ideas on Tim's motives:
1) Altruistic: He may be faking amnesia (or not, it is kind of a thing) but he might want Jay to have his tapes so that he might understand exactly what they're up against.

2) Selfish: He was in competition with Alex for sacrifices to The Operator, and wants to lure Jay in so that he can get the high score.

3) Neutral: He honestly can't remember his time spent as Masky, and just wants to unload a box of junk on a guy he barely knows so he can make room for more presents.

Either or, I've been waiting for Tim's tapes since season 1 so I'm pretty stoked on this season all ready.

Feldheim_C
Oct 8, 2010

Some sort of strange mechanical man.
I wouldn't be surprised if ToTheArk turned out to be no one in particular. The creators have already stated that it was more of a side thing, that you wouldn't miss too much plot wise if you didn't watch the videos. I think that it fills more of a Greek chorus style role in providing extra information for the audience, which would explain it's access to a lot of the information that no one else seems to have.

That or it's just several members of the in game MH cast/crew dropping hints and clues.

Feldheim_C fucked around with this message at 06:28 on Mar 15, 2012

JordanKai
Aug 19, 2011

Get high and think of me.


My DVDs for both seasons came in today and I have to ask you guys something:

Where is the Operator in the picture on the inside of the S1 DVD box? :tinfoil:

A shrubbery!
Jan 16, 2009
I LOOK DOWN ON MY REAL LIFE FRIENDS BECAUSE OF THEIR VIDEO GAME PURCHASING DECISIONS.

I'M THAT MUCH OF AN INSUFFERABLE SPERGLORD
Behind you. :ghost:

MeccaPrime
May 11, 2010

Maybe ToTheArk is reaching out to us and not Jay... :tinfoil:

fullroundaction
Apr 20, 2007

Drink beer every day
Holy poo poo season 3 already :tviv:

I really hope they resurrect Tim's outfit from the gazebo scene for the archived footage.

Rambowjo
May 27, 2008

:cop: let it go dude, hail satan
ToTheArk has put out a new video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUaqrdxbZ30

I can't quite get a still of the face after the ~~bokeh~~. Seems like the video is exactly what the title says. A reminder.

DarklyDreaming
Apr 4, 2009

Fun scary
Is TTA stalking Jay stalking Tim who may have been stalking Jay as Masky?

Liar Lyre
Jun 3, 2011

Here to deliver
~Bad Opinions~

Is that last bit using the sound from the second or third TTA vid? I hope so because it looks like we might be getting some answers finally.

Dickweasel Alpha
Feb 8, 2011

Mod Secrets #614 - Experto Crede is the one who bought most of those frog avatars
This has got to be Tim. It just fits so perfectly.

JordanKai
Aug 19, 2011

Get high and think of me.




This is the face that appears at 0:10. I can't really tell who this is, but I think that patch of shadow right next to what I assume is his left eye might be a sideburn.

So I am just going to assume that this is Tim. v:shobon:v

Pope Guilty
Nov 6, 2006

The human animal is a beautiful and terrible creature, capable of limitless compassion and unfathomable cruelty.

JordanKai posted:



This is the face that appears at 0:10. I can't really tell who this is, but I think that patch of shadow right next to what I assume is his left eye might be a sideburn.

So I am just going to assume that this is Tim. v:shobon:v

Am I the only one that doesn't see a face here?

JordanKai
Aug 19, 2011

Get high and think of me.


Pope Guilty posted:

Am I the only one that doesn't see a face here?



Does this help?

Anyway, it's time to go into :spergin: mode with multiple dumbass theories with primary pointers from just this video:

1) TTA is Tim: This video is Tim trying to subtly tell Jay that he didn't actually forget about him. This ties in with my assumption that Youtube videos are something The Operator cannot see and as such this is a way to show Jay that he does want to help him without the Operator going "OH NO YOU DON'T" and swooping him into whatever;
2) TTA is Masky: This video is Masky trying to tell Jay that unlike his other half, he still remembers Jay and wants to continue doing... whatever he is doing;
3) TTA is Brian is Skimasky: :supaburn: (or as I like to call him, inToTheDark)

JordanKai fucked around with this message at 03:47 on Mar 16, 2012

CloFan
Nov 6, 2004

Pope Guilty posted:

Am I the only one that doesn't see a face here?

Yes? Mouth, nose, eye are pretty visible. I suck at ms paint or I'd slenderpig it.

Rambowjo
May 27, 2008

:cop: let it go dude, hail satan


http://bit.ly/xliNVH



ToTheArk's true face.

edit: I reckon this is as good as it gets. Judging from how the shadows are falling, I'd say something is obscuring the light falling on the left part of his face, while his nose and mouth obscur those right parts. This suggests the person is sitting or standing, rather than lying down. Additionally, the stark contrasts obviously suggest this is shot indoor or at night. The wrinkles on the left cheek suggest that this person is older than anybody currently in the series. One characteristic that stands out substantially is the small dent on the chin. If we are to identify this person, we should probably try to analyse previous characters' chins.

edit2: This could be the face of the Operator.

edit3: I can't figure out if the white blob around the left eye is actually the white of the eye, a reflection, or something entirely different.

Check this out!

Rambowjo fucked around with this message at 05:09 on Mar 16, 2012

Clarington Grey
Dec 4, 2007

Subtle but delightful.
Is that footage of Jay snooping around the old antique store? So TTA was following him all that time.


I thought I'd leave this here, since I thought it was pretty clever. Someone on YouTube took clips from Marble Hornets and EverymanHYBRID and edited them to sync up with the audio from the Inception trailer. Put together pretty well.

vortmax
Sep 24, 2008

In meteorology, vorticity often refers to a measurement of the spin of horizontally flowing air about a vertical axis.
I got my season 2 DVDs today (and I bought from the second(?) batch)! I can't wait to watch them. The case is very nice.

Also, updated my season 3 page with the totheark video.

vortmax fucked around with this message at 04:33 on Mar 17, 2012

Timall
Dec 20, 2008
Something I only noticed because of the DVD commentary...

In Entry 52, when Jay and Jessica are discussing putting the tapes in the safe, the first combination Jessica suggests is 1234, which Jay says would be the first thing anyone would try.

Way back at the start of the season, it IS the first combination he tries after his memory loss.

404notfound
Mar 5, 2006

stop staring at me

Timall posted:

Something I only noticed because of the DVD commentary...

In Entry 52, when Jay and Jessica are discussing putting the tapes in the safe, the first combination Jessica suggests is 1234, which Jay says would be the first thing anyone would try.

Way back at the start of the season, it IS the first combination he tries after his memory loss.

That's the kind of combination an idiot would have on his luggage!

snowfox090
Feb 24, 2007

404notfound posted:

That's the kind of combination an idiot would have on his luggage!

That's amazing! I've got the same combination on MY luggage.



:saddowns:

Stan Mr J
Nov 10, 2008
Twitter update!

quote:

No call from Tim yet. I assume he's still looking though.





Clarington Grey posted:

I thought I'd leave this here, since I thought it was pretty clever. Someone on YouTube took clips from Marble Hornets and EverymanHYBRID and edited them to sync up with the audio from the Inception trailer. Put together pretty well.

This is fantastic.

sweetroy
May 23, 2011
thats a space bar

man i hate yall
My season 2 dvd got here, time to listen to the commentary! Is it the same as last time or did they get a little bit more professional?

Liar Lyre
Jun 3, 2011

Here to deliver
~Bad Opinions~

A little more professional, but still funny and it's not broken up by entries. It's now one full commentary.

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Docjowles
Apr 9, 2009

JordanKai posted:

2) TTA is Masky: This video is Masky trying to tell Jay that unlike his other half, he still remembers Jay and wants to continue doing... whatever he is doing;

For now (aka til I am proven hilariously wrong) I am sticking with Tim being unaware of his Masky alter-ego, so I'm down with this interpretation.

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