MAG 184 - Like Ants
Added 2020-10-21 15:00:05 +0000 UTCCase ########-24
An examination of hive mentality.
Recorded by the Archivist in situ.
Content warnings:
- Insects & infestation (inc SFX)
- Claustrophobia
- Anxiety / Panic / Pleading
- Pain (inc SFX)
- Trypophobia
- Non-consensual supernatural actions
- Mentions: Blood, body horror, crushing, loss, futility/inconsequence
Thanks to this week's Patrons: Dakota Hardy, Julie Forsberg, Haven, Michael Pankowski, glyphsinateacup, Grace Moraca, Felicity, Alex Quitevis, Crystal Hoover, Dylan Robinson, Andrew Jones, Timb58, Griffin Irradiatedsnakes, Fearmonger, Lina Biryukov, Sara M Dozier, Aft, R.T. North, Klara, Lee!, Adam Salem, Stephanie Hedge, Dmitri Molotov, Tucker Rossman, belated, jonathan simps, Riley Lulich, Lily N, Lucy Snow, Carolina Orihuela, Genia ZC, Cyd Troupe, Angusbef, Vanessa Chang, String_and_bone, steve martin, Ferris the Wheel, Ariel Murawski, peony foxburr, Ariel Fisher, Mikmed13, Mary Angela Rowe, ourdivineashes, Natasha Kavina, Caroline, MorteLise, Elisar Haydar, Alexandra Davies, Maddie Phelps, Anne O'Connor
Edited this week by Nico Vettese, Elizabeth Moffatt, Maddy Searle, Brock Winstead & Alexander J Newall
Written by Jonathan Sims and directed by Alexander J Newall
Produced by Lowri Ann Davies
Performances:
- "Martin Blackwood" - Alexander J. Newall
- "The Archivist" - Jonathan Sims
- "Jordan Kennedy" - Tim Ledsam
Sound effects this week by szczur_banshee, Manuel Calurano, dheming, dav0r, khenshom, SilentStrikeZ, daboy291, leonelmail, FocusBay, ABouch, NeoSpica, oscaraudiogeek, ABouch, lzmraul, _stubb, jorickhoofd, vckhaze, burbujafilms, jorickhoofd, bevibeldesign, Eelke, sophiehall3535, jacksonacademyashmore, Pogotron & previously credited artists via freesound.org
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Comments
can't ANYONE be grateful that the big scary eyeball man is TRYING to help??? "Just leave I want to be alone" "what if I ordered the ants to attack you?" how about THANK YOU. Just rude honestly.
Rurrie
2025-04-11 17:39:34 +0000 UTCThis one always guts me. Like the Archivist is trying to help, but it's just choosing the lesser of 2 evils & my heart just goes out to Jordan. Incredible storytelling.
Miss.Katonic
2023-09-24 05:09:44 +0000 UTCoh no baby what is u doing
red
2020-10-29 01:29:32 +0000 UTC"damned if you do, damned if you don't (which is actually a good summary of the entire show to be quite honest)" OMG. That'... yes.
Amélia Brouillard
2020-10-24 00:16:28 +0000 UTC???
ThirdFromTheLeft
2020-10-23 15:18:11 +0000 UTCEven the kindnesses the Archivist does for people have negative consequence. But still, I think I'd rather be part of it than to be tortured by it. It was the kindest that he could be given the circumstances. Which means he still has a heart. But that last line "No. Nothing can really touch us anymore" THAT's some foreshadowing.
Heather MacKenzie
2020-10-22 16:57:16 +0000 UTCThere are so many reasons I loved this episode, but my mind went completely blank at Alex reading Jonathan Simps and I have been laughing for five minutes.
Anja Rendbæk
2020-10-22 12:55:28 +0000 UTCI said this before, and I think it still stands: by the time Jon gets to the Panopticon is he going to be human enough to even want to save the world?
James Rule
2020-10-22 12:05:21 +0000 UTCfirst of all, thank you for the corruption vibes. second, oh lord oh god jon what are you doing oh no jon please stop
Paola Ivanna
2020-10-22 04:59:01 +0000 UTCOh no. Oh, Jon. Unwilling need to feed on fear is not a cycle that should be passed on. This bodes poorly for the future. My heart aches for everyone here. Also, kudos on the writing for that parallel between the other guy in the tunnels, with his fear was of his inability to exist without hurting other beings, and the moral dilemma at the end. Kudos to the sound design for being REALLY UNSETTLING.
Kate Sparrow
2020-10-22 00:23:45 +0000 UTCAnother great episode! My skin is itching from this! Love it. I also like seeing how John's acceptance of himself is going. I definitely don't see season 5, episode 1 or even 3 John doing this
Tahir Raines
2020-10-21 23:07:04 +0000 UTCLOVED this episode- however, maybe it's a bit specific, but could there be some kind of way to accurately phrase a content warning along the lines of "mentions of guilt/panic over accidental animal (insect?) death?" I know it's just bugs, but the emotional response the character has takes it to a level where I would have benefitted from a heads-up as someone who experiences intrusive thoughts about that kind of thing, which I think is relatively common. That aside, holy shit, I am FASCINATED by all of this and cannot wait to see how Martin feels about Jon echoing Elias...
Callum Riggs
2020-10-21 22:11:27 +0000 UTCme this entire episode: i like your funny words magic man :)
james
2020-10-21 19:27:14 +0000 UTCNow that we know jon can take a penny, leave a penny avatars... martin is about to get real salty
Sadie Moon
2020-10-21 18:40:57 +0000 UTCalso very interested that daisy could hurt jon but jordan/ants can't- definitely seems like jon basically warps reality to his desire at this point...
gojo fujoshi
2020-10-21 18:39:35 +0000 UTCOH FUCK! OH FUCK! WHAT THE HELL! JESUS! THAT IS HAPPENING SO MUCH. jesus christ
gojo fujoshi
2020-10-21 18:39:11 +0000 UTCWhat the frack jon?!?!?
Sadie Moon
2020-10-21 18:29:04 +0000 UTCME TOO, mixed with WHAT ARE YOU DOING WHAT STOP WHAT WHAT
Juls SK Vernet
2020-10-21 18:16:11 +0000 UTCwhen jon was doing his Speech i was literally screaming "wait A MINUTE. WHAT. HE CAN DO THAT? WAIT A MIN HOLD ON A MIN"
Jennyclart
2020-10-21 18:12:25 +0000 UTCI am positively SHOOK. This is HUGE. And the invocation. And Martin trying (very) ineffectively to gauge the situation/stop Jon/make sense of what was happening oh God. Poor Jordan, damned if you do, damned if you don't (which is actually a good summary of the entire show to be quite honest). My mind is still reeling from the power of this episode. A spontaneous image came to mind after the invocation... and it's a scary one. I was very much reminded of David Tennant's Tenth Doctor in 'The Waters of Mars', desperately and uselessly trying to save the life of Adelaide Brooke then dubbing himself 'Time Lord Victorious'. There's a word that comes from Greek Mythology and means "God-defying pride" and is usually compensated with a very heavy comeuppance. That word is Hubris. Be really careful Jon.
Juls SK Vernet
2020-10-21 17:09:23 +0000 UTCFEELING VERY SCARED OF JON’S APPARENT ABILITY TO CREATE AVATARS ON THIS FINE WEDNESDAY
carlee
2020-10-21 17:08:07 +0000 UTCLove to hear a cameo from our good friend Gunpowder Tim
carlee
2020-10-21 17:07:06 +0000 UTCThey've done it again! My mind is blown. Major kudos to the writing, acting, and audio for this one. Wow!
thenonsensearchives
2020-10-21 17:02:18 +0000 UTCGUNPOWDER TIM LEDSAM
Derek Duval
2020-10-21 16:58:44 +0000 UTCOooh!! What an interesting ep! Safe to say I wasn't expecting any part of it so thats fun. I am having Thoughts and Feelings. Oh martin, ever the optimist huh? Goddamn tho, thanks for the ep!!
Owleics
2020-10-21 16:33:05 +0000 UTCOhh the audio effects were SICKENING and Jon’s decision was so heavy and complicated and messed up, I love it. This show is just full of moral questions that leave me stewing and unsatisfied in the best way.
thecrowsoundtrack
2020-10-21 16:30:14 +0000 UTCAre you on the discord or tumblr? I'm the same name on both, very happy to drop you a summary if you want! Just message me on either and I'll give you the overview :)
MuddyHippy
2020-10-21 16:27:39 +0000 UTCALL the ants being an avatar made me so gleeful like yell heah look at them funky lil things go. Stay away tho
Roggepan
2020-10-21 16:18:55 +0000 UTCI'm busy relistening earlier seasons (for the umpteenth time) and listened to his original live statement just this weekend. So this ep was a surprise! Jordan is just a nice guy with a moderately unpleasant job who didn't deserve any of this. Wonder if we'll be hearing from other statement givers? Anyways, great work as always
Lurkin
2020-10-21 16:13:17 +0000 UTCSo we’ve got to e184 and thanks Jonny, the first one I’m not going to hear. I knew I’d have an issue with something and it turns out you’ve found my deep seated hatred, ants. I’m noping out on this one and will wait for someone to tell me the basics so I don’t miss any vital info. If anyone wants to message me a synopsis it’d be really appreciated.
Lulu Last
2020-10-21 16:12:52 +0000 UTCWHOA, between the crawling noises and the heavy emotional implications of this episode, I am a lil shook up. High quality, absolutely wonderful as always, just.... ouchyyyyy Thank you Jonny & Alex & RQ!!
Ellie Fogleman
2020-10-21 16:04:59 +0000 UTCOh damn, talk about an episode about twisting morality!
Rebecca Dupont
2020-10-21 15:57:54 +0000 UTCThis is so well said, the implications it the twist are echoing in my head!
LainyJP
2020-10-21 15:53:32 +0000 UTCheaVY. this was so heavy. the sound design was fantastic (as always)!! the voice acting.. god. I can't. I froze up.
ElolaWhen
2020-10-21 15:45:28 +0000 UTCsaw the relatively short list of content warnings like oh, looks like a lighter one! i was a fool
Griffin Irradiatedsnakes
2020-10-21 15:44:46 +0000 UTCWait, so was this episode written before or after fandom made noise about Jordan Kennedy? 😏
Kirsti S
2020-10-21 15:39:48 +0000 UTCJesus Christ. That said, new favourite episode!
GriffinsTreehouse
2020-10-21 15:39:35 +0000 UTCI'm incredibly happy to learn that Amherst died in that pit
Adam Honeyman
2020-10-21 15:34:37 +0000 UTCYou guys have smashed it once again, this was a devastating episode, superbly acted by eberyone but special shout out goes to Tim Ledsam for breaking my entire heart in less than 3 minutes.
MuddyHippy
2020-10-21 15:33:05 +0000 UTCAnd hellloooo gunpowder Tim!!!
Lavanya Annette
2020-10-21 15:31:36 +0000 UTCWooo anti avatar incantation!
Lavanya Annette
2020-10-21 15:31:06 +0000 UTCAnother fear soup episode! 🥣🥣🥣
aarcade
2020-10-21 15:29:40 +0000 UTCHoly (good) cow!
Juls SK Vernet
2020-10-21 15:28:55 +0000 UTCNope. I don't like ants. Need to go scrub my skin raw now
LainyJP
2020-10-21 15:28:23 +0000 UTCWOW. WOW WOW WOW! WHAT AN EPISODE! What incredibly well done, complex, and emotionally powerful episode. The statement was really well done. Love the symbolism....and it also seemed to have some concerning plot implications. And Jordan's return. omg. so well done. his changing reactions and his reactions to everything were so so well done. And omg I love how this show doesn't shy away from moral complexity. It really raises interesting and difficult questions. And goddd. The anguish in Jon's voice and the resignation. Martin still believes they can just put everything back and is trying to close his eyes but Jon seems far less sure. And omg that moment. What a twist. this show is SO good. just. so good in every way.
ThirdFromTheLeft
2020-10-21 15:26:32 +0000 UTCJON U LIL SHIT
PaganPrince
2020-10-21 15:26:11 +0000 UTCSo Amherst is really just shriveled up in some concrete huh. Sucks for him.
The Leo!
2020-10-21 15:23:09 +0000 UTChnnng corruption time,,,, yes
Holly C.
2020-10-21 15:21:46 +0000 UTCBig f for jordon Kennedy. That’s rough buddy!
Isabelle
2020-10-21 15:21:03 +0000 UTC"NOTHING BAD EVER HAPPENS TO THE KENNEDYS"
Ronan Rogers
2020-10-21 15:19:45 +0000 UTCUgh, insect noises 😱😱😱
Casper Muir
2020-10-21 15:07:42 +0000 UTCthat title... that thing scares me
giantenemykat
2020-10-21 15:02:19 +0000 UTC
