The Monument Mythos
The Monument Mythos (stylized in all uppercase) is a YouTube analog horror alternate history webseries created by user Alex Casanas under the alias MISTER MANTICORE. The series, formatted as found footage and mockumentaries, is a satire of government corruption and conspiracy theories set in an alternate universe.[1] [2] The Monument Mythos is well known for its episode titles, which contain alliteration, are written in all uppercase, and contain no spaces between words.
The series' plot centers on the idea of the U.S. government containing incomprehensible monsters, life forms, and human beings within famous American monuments.
The series ran from November 26, 2016, to February 29, 2024, running for a total of 3 seasons.
A spin-off show, The Nixonverse (also stylized in all uppercase), which followed a universe in which Richard Nixon was elected as president instead of James Dean, who was President in the original universe, ran from May 13 to August 13, 2022. A compilation film, The Absolute Nixonverse (also stylized in all uppercase), which added new sections and removed certain sections from the original series, was released on October 1, 2023, on the Dwight Comics YouTube channel.
Development
Casanas had written the series in its entirety before it was released, although he began to make substantial rewrites beginning in May 2021.[1]
Original music for the series was composed by Andrew Wilson, a childhood friend of Casanas.[1]
Plot
The series takes place throughout three fictional universes, each containing its own narrative, with an overarching theme of US historical monuments being used in government conspiracies.
The primary universe, dubbed by the fanbase as the "Deanverse," takes place in an alternative universe where actor James Dean becomes the 37th President of the United States following a landslide election (among other changes). His detractors form a terrorist group known as the Anti Dean Association (later the Anti Device Association), aiding in the eventual destruction of the universe known as the Great Division. The events that led up to the Great Division, which were documented by a former inhabitant of the Deanverse known as Cthonaut A, involved two godlike being engaging in a battle that destroyed the earth, releasing a massive snake-like creature dubbed "The Horned Serpent" that had been incubating in the Earth like an egg, before finally destroying the universe, reducing it to nothing but glowing spheres of structures called special trees.
The Special Trees are a massive collection of growths sprouting from the Horned Serpent, which protrude through the surface of the Earth. Special Trees resemble trees with no limbs or branches and are supposedly indestructible. The trees display minor sentience and electrokinesis. They serve as a sort of portal, sending their victims to an alternate dimension known as the "Horned Serpent Metastructure" (colloquially referred to as the American Wonderland).
The second universe, dubbed the "Montyverse", acts as an alternative reality to the Deanverse, where actor Montgomery Clift becomes the 38th President of the US with James Dean as his vice president. Cthonaut A, using his knowledge of the events in the Deanverse, interferes with this universe by aiding in the prevention the Great Division. He later influences the prevention of an interplanetary threat, saving the Earth.
The third universe, under the moniker The Monument Mythos: Modern Day, takes place in an alternate version of the 2020s where English actor Robert Pattinson becomes the 46th President of the US under the influence of beings that have been manipulating American presidents for malicious purposes. Towards the end of his term, a now-insane Pattinson launches "Parasite Rocket" nuclear ballistic missiles secretly hidden inside monuments by the American government, causing widespread death and destruction, which some survivors escape by becoming trans-dimensional beings.[3][4]
Spin-offs
Alex Casanas has also created other analog horror series, some of which were later adapted into episodes of The Monument Mythos and recontextualized to fit within the series, including the Nixonverse, American Anatomy, the Trinity Desk Project, The House on the Ocean, and CORNERFOLKLORE.
Additional projects
A few of the previously mentioned projects that were made by Alex Casanas were never contextualized to the Monument Mythos, these being "The Ningen" and "Real Cavemen".
The Ningen
The Ningen was a 3-episode series on a species of creatures called the "Ningen" which are described as highly intellegent bipedal beings that are supposedly native to the coast of Antarctica.
| Episode | Release | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| E1 "The Ningen (1990 Sighting)" | June 4, 2023 | Footage from the 1990 Japanese International Trans-Arctic Expedition. |
| E2 "The Ningen (1991 Deep Sea Video)" | June 17, 2023 | A description and history of the Ningens. |
| E3 "The Ningen (1992 Ship Analysis)" | July 2, 2023 | An explorer recounts his findings of what is left of a missing professor. |
Real Cavemen (Series)
"Real Cavemen" and its following video, "Our Evolutionary Friend", depicts a world with very little humans and another species called "Homo Malus".
| Episode | Release | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| E1 "Real Caveman" | March 12, 2024 | An alternate universe where cavemen exist in the modern world and rule over it. |
| E2 "Our Evolutionary Friend" | March 22, 2024 | A history and description of Homo Malus. |
Pilot episode
The pilot episode of the series, "CORNERFOLK"[5], was released on August 26, 2020. It follows the "footage" recorded by a man named "Riley Tillon" who has been studying and documenting transdimensional creatures named "Cornerfolk" that have infested his house.
These creatures are shown to have originated from an alternate dimension dubbed the "Cornerworld", which is described as being a world comprised entirely of corners. The Cornerfolk supposedly travel throughout their world by leaping between the corners in our world (i.e. walls, vertices, etc.).
The episode with Tillon following a Cornerfolk into the Cornerworld before the camera feed cuts out. It is then shown that Riley was later found unconscious in his home by paramedics, who discovered that his internal organs had been folded in many different directions. He survived this, however he was reported to have gained an unexplained knowledge of origami.
The Deanverse: Season 1
Season 1[6] began with the premiere of "LIBERTYLURKER"[7], which released on September 12, 2020.
| Episode (Season 1) | Release | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| S1E1 "LIBERTYLURKER" | September 12, 2020 | A creature, known as the "Liberty Lurker" has been hidden beneath the Statue of Liberty. |
| S1E2 "LINCOLNLOOKER" | September 25, 2020 | A woman alleges that she was kidnapped to be placed inside the Lincoln Memorial. A man discovers something sinister within the Lincoln Memorial. |
| S1E3 "RUSHMOREREVENGE" | October 3, 2020 | A park ranger records anomalous activity surrounding Mount Rushmore. |
| S1E4 "ALCATRAZATTACK" | October 16, 2020 | Footage depicting radiation therapy conducted on Alcatraz Island, which is a living and multiplying organism. |
| S1E5 "AIRFORCEONEANGEL" | October 31, 2020 | Air Force One is hijacked, flies over multiple national monuments. The hijacker is known as the Air Force One Angel. |
| S1E6 "DEANDEMOCRACY" | November 10, 2020 | A documentary on the presidency of President James Dean, who won the 1968 election in a landslide. |
| S1E7 "WASHINGTONWORMHOLE" | November 30, 2020 | There is an urban legend surrounding the Washington Monument, that people are sacrificed into it. |
| S1E8 "DELAWAREDOUBLE" | December 27, 2020 | The Delaware River Journal releases a report about two fishermen who discover George Washington, frozen in ice. |
| S1E9 "ROCKEFELLERTREETRAGEDY" | December 31, 2020 | A woman describes her experience as a young girl who was teleported to an alternate dimension by a special tree in the Rockefeller Center. |
| S1E10 "CANYONCROWN" | January 30, 2021 | A home video depicting a trip to the Grand Canyon, with the discovery of an odd entity which lives within it. |
| S1E11 "FREEDOMFALLER" | February 28, 2021 | Documentary on the sinister origin of the Statue of Freedom, and the revelation that it is a living being. |
The Deanverse: Season 2
| Episode (Season 2) | Release | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| S2E1 "MAIZEMOVIEMAKER | March 25, 2021 | An introduction to the company, Maize Machines, which is responsible for much of the universe's technology. |
| S2E2 "SUEZCANALCRAB" | April 29, 2021 | The aftermath of an attempt to dislodge the container ship Ever Given from Egypt's Suez Canal. |
| S2E3 "FALLENFATHER" | May 14, 2021 | A continuation of CANYONCROWN in which Dr. Disturbing explains the aftermath of the Arnoldsons' trip to the Grand Canyon. |
| S2E4 "DEANDISASTER" | June 10, 2021 | The United States experiences a mass domestic-terrorist attack by the ADA (Anti-Dean Association) which is handled by the James Dean administration. |
| S2E5 "GIZAGUARDIAN" | July 4, 2021 | A depiction of an alien event occurring at the Sphinx, followed by a documentary regarding the Statue of Freedom and Giza Guardians. |
| S2E6 "ROCKEFELLERREVELATION" | August 11, 2021 | The origins of the Air Force One Angel as a result of Operation Pyramid Plasma. |
| S2E7 "STARRYSPHINX" | September 12, 2021 | An ADA video depicting the alien nature of the Sphinx and Great Pyramids. |
| S2E8 "CORNERGIRL" | October 31, 2021 | A mysterious man threatens the creator of the series, revealing that he was the inspiration behind Riley Tillon from CORNERFOLK, before sacrificing a woman to the corner-world. |
| S2E9 "WASHINGTONWONDERLAND" | November 10, 2021 | Virginia Arnoldson gives a further explanation of her time in Wonderland and how she returned to her universe. |
| S2E10 "AIRFORCEONEFALLENANGEL" | December 31, 2021 | Further insight into the Air Force One Angel & ADA within the United Zones of America. |
| S2E11 "LIBERTYLURKERS" | January 15, 2022 | An insight into the Liberty Lurker, as well as what is beneath the Statue of Liberty. |
| S2E12 "ALCATRAZAPOCALYPSE" | February 22, 2022 | The season's climax, depicting Dr. Disturbing's final video, Leonard Morlin's final speech, and The Great Division. |
The Nixonverse
Following the events of the Great Division, Casanas released a new spin-off series known as the Nixonverse, which takes place in a universe similar to ours with James Dean dying in a car crash and Richard Nixon being elected president.
| Episode | Release | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| E1 "THE LAST SON OF ALCATRAZ" | May 13, 2022 | The Last Son of Alcatraz interferes in the Korean War, getting the opposing armies to sign a peace treaty. |
| E2 "THE D-DAY KNIGHT" | May 23, 2022 | During the Normandy landings on June 6th, 1944, The D-Day Knight goes on to save countless lives who were otherwise destined to die on that day, acting in complete defiance of Fate and Determinism. |
| E3 "THE QUEEN OF THE LUNARIANS" | June 7, 2022 | Apollo 11 is met with The Queen of the Lunarians, who informs the crew about a "Great Division" that will come to Earth and how it will cause heavy casualties due to humanity's inability of learning how to live according to her visions. |
| E3 "JESUS IN VIETNAM" | June 16, 2022 | A bastardized impersonator of Jesus Christ is sent to Vietnam to act out his first "Sweep and Redeem" Trail, cutting a path of divine retribution throughout the country, slaughtering millions and singlehandedly conquering the nation, which thereafter became known as Bethlenam, "The First Saved State". |
| E4 "THE MISSING EYE OF JESUS CHRIST" | June 24, 2022 | After the Korean War, The Last Son of Alcatraz retreats to his solitary fortress in Alaska, only for nuclear missiles sent by the US Government to follow him home, reducing the whole state into a dark, irradiated, wasteland with its fiery holocaust. The Last Son is wounded by the blast, losing his eye in the process. The US military is able to capture and neutralize the weakened hero. The United States would use both brainwashing indoctrination and a Lunarian Eye implantation to convert The Last Son into a form more suited for their interests: Jesus Christ. |
| E5 "THE HOUSE IN THE OCEAN" | July 4, 2022 | A video compilating a series of familiar urban legends. |
| E6 "SEA OF THE LAST SON" | July 8, 2022 | Before the US military could use their holy weapon for further destruction, The Last Son of Alcatraz breaks free of his brainwashing and regains his senses. Devastated by his actions, he vows to be peaceful and flees to the irradiated coast of Dark Alaska. Like Jesus, he became a carpenter, changing his body into a copy of his childhood home, as that was how he wishes to present himself to those he had hurt. |
| E7 "THE D-DAY KNIGHT RETURNS" | July 13, 2022 | In a last ditch effort to save The Last Son of Alcatraz, Alice Avenue makes one final broadcast detailing a much simpler time in his life. The D-Day Knight catches word of this, and is not happy with such information being revealed to the public. |
| E8 "D-DAY KNIGHTFALL" | July 23, 2022 | The D-Day Knight mourns the death of Alice Avenue, who he murdered after "losing his temper". |
| E9 "NIXON IS GOD" | August 4, 2022 | Ed Dwight interviews Richard Nixon after gaining god-like powers. Nixon explains that he would run a experiment to see how humanity would react to beings such as him in the form of three beings, all extensions of himself: The Last Son of Alcatraz, The D-Day Knight, and The Queen of the Lunarians. He would send the former two to Earth, where they would serve as super-hero vigilantes, using their powers to aid in multiple wars, whereas the latter would rule the Lunarians. |
| E10 "THE ED DWIGHT PARADOX" | August 13, 2022 | The Queen of The Lunarians approaches The D-Day Knight and offers him a place in their kingdom as their Prince. Completely full with anger, the Knight quickly denies the offer and murders the Queen alongside the entire Lunarian race. |
The Deanverse: Season 3
| Episode (Season 3) | Release | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| S3E1 "WASHINGTONWANDERER" | February 20, 2023 | Something has changed within Wonderland. Howard Melrose discovers that Wonderland keeps copies. |
| S3E2 "MONUMENTMYTHOLOGY" | February 22, 2023 | A documentary explaining the mythological origins of the Horned Serpent. |
| S3E3 "ANGELASHES" | February 23, 2023 | The Air Force One Angel seeks a way to fix The Great Division. |
| S3E4 "AFTERANGEL" | February 25, 2023 | The Air Force One Angel prevents The Great Division. |
| S3E5 "MUSKMARS" | March 3, 2023 | Elon Musk goes to Mars, creating the largest American monument. Musk then nukes Mars and releases a new horror. |
| S3E6 "GOLDENGATEGIRL" | March 9, 2023 | Howard Melrose receives a call from a mysterious woman. James Dean is too distressed to run for President. |
| S3E7 "DEANDEVIL" | March 15, 2023 | The FBI is hunting Howard Melrose for his involvement with the death of Eunice Dean. James Dean seeks revenge. |
| S3E8 "CTHONAUTC" | March 24, 2023 | Cthonaut C is sent into Wonderland to investigate. |
| S3E9 "CLIFTCHAOS" | April 5, 2023 | Unforeseen consequences occur as a result of a community's decisions. |
| S3E10 "ARNOLDSONALONE" | April 16, 2023 | The tale of Everett Arnoldson. |
| S3E11 "FREEDOMFOREVER" | April 30, 2023 | A more perfect union forms. |
The Monument Mythos: Modern Day
| Episode | Release | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| E1 "AMERICAATTACK" | September 1, 2023 | A look into one Operation Seed and how it relates to various monuments. |
| E2 "DEBATEDEMON" | September 16, 2023 | An investigation into an anomalous entity's effects on politics throughout the last couple of decades. |
| E3 "PRESIDENTPATTINSON" | October 6, 2023 | A look into the Presidential campaign of an unlikely candidate. |
| E4 "THE SPECIAL TREE" | October 31, 2023 | Accounts from some familiar figures, and an update on Operation Seed. |
| E5 "THE MONUMENT MONSTER" | November 17, 2023 | A statement from former president Donald Trump, and an analysis of drawings related to the presidency. |
| E6 "VIRGINIA'S WINTER WONDERLAND" | December 20, 2023 | An investigation into Virginia's early life and subsequent development. |
| E7 "THE MURDER OF MICKEY MOUSE" | January 1, 2024 | A story about a boy who thought he could rule the world. |
| E8 "FOOTAGE OF FINAL TRUMP RALLY" | January 6, 2024 | Various recordings documenting the last days of a former president's life. |
| E9 "ALCATRAZ,ALWAYS" | January 19, 2024 | The record of a cthonaut's fateful trip to a certain island. |
| E10 "THE TRINITY DESK PROJECT" | February 9, 2024 | The return of an old friend. |
| E11 "CORNERWORLD" | February 22, 2024 | The belated conclusion to a familiar story. |
| E12 "A MONUMENT MYTHOS" | February 29, 2024 | A post-script. |
References
- ^ a b c Kok, Nestor (2022-01-21). "Ghosts in the Machine: The Star-Spangled Monsters of Mister Manticore's "The Monument Mythos"". F Newsmagazine. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
- ^ [1]Armstrong, Jenna Claire. “What Is Monument Mythos?” Tribal Media, 3 Mar. 2022, dctribalmedia.com/5346/entertainment/what-is-monument-mythos/. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.
- ^ Saab, Hannah; Cabezas, Nikolas (2022-10-24). "12 Creepiest Analog Horror Series on YouTube". Collider. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ Heath, David (2023-01-24). "12 Scariest Analog Horror Series". Game Rant. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
- ^ [2]“Summarize.tech Summary For: CORNERFOLK | the Monument Mythos.” Www.summarize.tech, www.summarize.tech/www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzSMHFFRi8I. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.
- ^ One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates material derived from the "The Monument Mythos Season One" article on the The Monument Mythos Wiki at Fandom (formerly Wikia) and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License (21 Mar. 2024).
- ^ One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates material derived from the "LIBERTYLURKER" article on the The Monument Mythos Wiki at Fandom (formerly Wikia) and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License (21 Mar. 2024).