Digital Horror: Rebirth of Creepypasta

[@Notnotnotnotnotnotnotnot]

No wonder slender man teleports, if he’s twenty feet tall could you imagine how goofy he’d walk with those cartoonishly long legs?

[@hadleighlewis6989]

That's an amazing image thank you

[@josephuuqt]

Actually makes it kind of creepier if you think about it in a way

[@Benoyn.Boyskhar]

maybe he would walk like the giants from attack on titan found footage videos

[@samtinkle9076]

There's an alternate take of Entry 27 of Marble Hornets (on the Season 2 DVD extras) where The Operator walks. It's exactly as goofy as you think😂

[@TrulyAndasen]

Octodad walk

[@shockdoggo6889]

The morley man wont be able to erase me if i eat the mona lisa

[@masterklaw4527]

That’s one way to leave a legacy.

[@Actinide5013]

masterful gambit

[@Chillipeffer]

oops

[@lemone630]

I'd say you're wrong, but like... Fair enough, honestly.

[@LocoRoco2009]

Morla Nisa

[@AurorasAura4417]

Chainmail Chasers is crazy bc it goes from "What are the origins of these classic creepypasta images?" to "Memes are beacons of Hell itself and will cause the rapture"

[@notaprogamer2782]

Yeah. Almost IMMEDIATELY, also.

[@lemondollie]

It’s hilarious. love it

[@thatpurpledaddy6731]

Am I the only one who feels like they've seen some of this series before it came out?

[@thatpurpledaddy6731]

I distinctly remember when smile dog rips open the virtual machine window but even in my history I've never watched them before. I went back to look.

[@8tober]

​@@thatpurpledaddy6731Yeah i felt that as well. Weird

[@corey_clip]

Okay, Dustin's face being blurred in photos then having a blur in the dark corner of that kitchen is one of the most genius and effective things I've ever seen in analog horror. No jumpscare, no really scary visuals even. Just the knowledge that *something* is there...

[@lukamladenovski]

Time stamp?

[@cumcumcum148]

​@@lukamladenovski 15:55

[@cumcumcum148]

It's just like the face recognition for smartphones. Sometimes it fucks up and targets the darkness

[@matthewharner1744]

@@lukamladenovski 15:54

[@kylebear8101]

@@cumcumcum148bold of you to assume it made a mistake

[@Future_Doggo]

You never truly leave your creepypasta phase.

[@fortnitesexman]

uhhuh, speak for yourself

[@BigJoe6464]

​@@fortnitesexmanThanks fortnitesexman

[@joshjimmens3215]

I think we more a less we evolved a little bit

[@Eomma2023]

I still go & rewatch older creepypastas...still love them and I'm 40!

[@Parzivle]

If y’all are watching this video you’re still in your creepypasta phase. The things that drew you to creepypasta never left otherwise you wouldn’t be interested in this silly spooky stuff. I feel like creepypasta is treated like a dirty word because of the “cringe” connotation but you really gotta get past that shit and take up for what you actually like. It’s unhealthy to deny it

[@chadlancer6107]

1:17:00 the implication that jerma is a demon is the funniest thing to me.

[@QuestionableObject]

whn the i s sus

[@MelRosewood]

Always was he threw grillmasterxxx into the meat grinder live on twitch everyone was laughing in chat, but some where genuinely concerned and confused i just watched in horror as the meat grinder crushed and crunched the carcass of a former KZbin drama channel creator. He was laughing like a crazed animal, pointing and belly laughing, Only punctuated by him yelling at how much it hurt to laugh so hard. It was weird but seemingly i couldn't look away anyway im looking forward to what else he will make soon! :D

[@bleedmagic88]

“Implication”?

[@БруноБуччелати-н6б]

Thanks God, Jerma isn't real.

[@GentleWruzzPuppet]

You can never escape once you see him.

[@santo2sexy]

Started dying hearing "You are my sunshine" only thing I could think of was Lebron

[@murtazashakeel5704]

SAME😭

[@atomicwarlord8]

LeMorleyman

[@viktorvaughn8007]

IKR LMFA9

[@AltKaxREAL]

naaah our humor is *_so_* done 💀

[@TrendingFrog]

You are my special

[@Bonkpunktexe]

"im not talking to a jpeg" is honestly one of my favourite quotes ever and i think that chainmail chasers, even if it is a little goofy at times, is just great for having moments like this. it's genuinely kinda spooky at times, but it also has the capability to be funny as well

[@LucaTheStar]

Grace turned it into a gif later so it wasn't wrong.

[@Kayawtiku]

26:37 I tend to get paranoid about chain letters and the such even tho I know that the things they say will happen won't, so I really appreciate the inclusion of the protection wizard. 😭 Ur a real one, Mr. Wizard. I appreciate you.

[@chuck_tanner]

same!! we appreciate you wizard 🧙

[@sabresister]

Yep, I have OCD and those things sent me spiraling as a kid lol

[@dishfishes]

@@sabresistersame here, I couldnt get into any args or digital horror till a few years ago cause of it. It’s kinda nice to know other ppl had that experience too

[@Parzivle]

I really feel seen reading this thread. I’ve always wondered what causes this, I know it’s not plain gullibility because I know these things won’t happen logically but like the anxiety of the hypothetical situation is very real. At the same time though simple things like Mr wizard make me feel heaps of relief like a spell so maybe I am just suggestible

[@sebastianturner2458]

@@Parzivle I mean, I figure your brain just gets a nasty little idea, and even if you _know_ it's not real, it _feels_ real. But the wizard exists at the same level as the scary idea, and so it's equally "real", and since in the end you know that it's all a story and you shouldn't be worried, the wizard in your head has an advantage and wins.

[@LilacStarbloom]

25:18 "everyone is destined to fade" Ea-nāṣir, who sold shitty copper over 3000 years ago: "well obviously fucking NOT"

[@WishBone-ht2mx]

The fact I know the context for this while reading it makes it all the funnier

[@quaelgeist3337]

@@WishBone-ht2mx being a tumblr user makes many jokes make sense and funnier

[@ASlickNamedPimpback]

@@quaelgeist3337 at the cost of being a tumblr user

[@user-fx4iw7wp9v]

Can you explain, please?

[@ASlickNamedPimpback]

@@user-fx4iw7wp9v Ea-Nasir was a copper merchant in ancient mesopotamia who is the oldest person ever mention in any document whatsoever, that being stone tablets found in his house that had complaints about the copper he was selling being of low-quality.

[@myfriendkirby]

YOU DONT UNDERSTAND HOW FUCKING HAPPY I AM THAT THIS IS A SERIES

[@inarichannelEN]

I know right I jumped from happiness then I saw it uploaded x3

[@CFGalt]

SAMEEEE (I love this series so much

[@bigcooltony437]

SAME RAAAAAAAAAAHHH ❗️❗️❗️

[@PENTAGONEARTH]

Big Black C

[@PENTAGONEARTH]

Cone

[@yarnshoes]

Chainmail chasers reminds me a LOT of monument mythos. From how bizarre it is, to the style of terminologies that they use.

[@BobbinRobbin777]

The viewer overlap between you and me is insane.

[@BobbinRobbin777]

Crescent king & Bisected king are practically the same character.

[@PhantomOfTheFlopra]

Paranormal Prickheads reads practically the same as something like Giza Glass or any other alliterative term MM has

[@grigoriweavertrophyhusband]

I know this is a little stupid but I wanted to thank you for the addition of the protection wizard, I suffer from intrusive thoughts and a lot of the time chainmail or those 'use this sound for good luck' gets me and I get worried. Having a little wizard disclaim that these things won't hurt me means a lot even if it's little. Thank you so much :)

[@VultureSkins]

That’s not stupid at all :) I appreciated the addition too. I’ll always feel a little safer with a preemptive protection wizard!

[@milanesadearsenico]

I suffer from psychosis so even if I know it is fake I end anxious. The little wizard helps a lot

[@ThatGorl8]

The cognitowizard is a blessing

[@quincey5917]

same, i have ocd and although this stuff doesn’t affect me that much anymore i understand how awful it is for others with similar issues. thank you cognitowizard!

[@LionPride3345]

Big same! I've had an overactive imagination since I was little and it can lead to some intrusive anxiety, so it meant so much to see that in the video.

[@wubwubdododo5656]

Okay but the line "Your brain stores images too." is really fucking cool, because its true! Images are saved physically on our body in some capacity.

[@PANCAKEMINEZZ]

Wish it came with a delete button that didn't require lobotomy

[@aspiringadonis1253]

This upsets me deeply, because the thought of all the porn that is semi physically walking around is massive, just hope the aliens can't see that shit

[@NosFurRatTou]

@@aspiringadonis1253Porn was actually our secret weapon to prevent an alien invasion, and they turned tail and ran when they scanned our global consciousness. Now their intergalactic empire has been reduced to an intergalactic orgy. All thanks to porn.

[@TazAlonzo]

​@@aspiringadonis1253nah for real 😭. Let's also pray that the technology to see into our memories after death doesn't become a thing 💀

[@mea6971]

just got flashbanged by jeff while in bed with my phone all up in my face

[@clowntown3]

Now that I'm older the scariest thing about him is the flashbanging, he's a literal blinding light

[@emmathornley4745]

This has got to be the best comment I've seen so far

[@scylloid]

white boy jumpscare!

[@fox-kittystudios4217]

@@scylloid go white boy go white boy

[@ProfiteerProphet]

Jeff the Killer...of retinas

[@erebusthemothking6494]

I think ChainmailChasers calling the meme demons “basilisks” is supposed to call back to “Roko’s Basilisk” aka “the most dangerous thought experiment”

[@sirvalhart7464]

yeah the moment i heard basilisk i knew exactly where it was going because of that

[@erebusthemothking6494]

@@sirvalhart7464 I only thought about it cuz I think I remember seeing Wendigoon call Roko’s Basilisk a memetic hazard, I suppose they could also be called basilisks because all it takes is one look and they have you

[@benwissett]

Also could be a reference to the short story "BLIT" by David Langford which is about fractal patterns that can break the human brain. One of the patterns mentioned is called The Parrot and kind of reminds me of the dog demon.

[@exyzt9877]

the name of Roko's Basilisk itself is actually a reference to the Basilisk images from BLIT. the Berryman Langford Imaging Technique, in that universe was an accidentally discovered technique that produced these "Basilisk" images that, as it turned out, could run "Programs" in the brain, rewiring it to produce different effects. Most of them Lethal. The original story had a villainous protagonist called Robbo. A bigoted terrorist trying to use one specific Basilisk, the "Parrot" as it's called, which induces an instant seizure, to kill people in minority communities. He uses special "Shatter Goggles" to disrupt his vision, so he can't see the image clearly as he's drawing it. When the cops manage to arrest Robbo for the basilisk, they realize that since there's no laws yet against the proliferation of basilisk images, they can't really do anything about it... but then they realize that since he's seen the Parrot so many times through the goggles, his brain is capable of decoding it in his head, and therefore, they can just... leave him in a holding cell and have him die from that, and the cops can't be charged for negligence over it... he dies in a holding cell, begging a guard for alcohol to disrupt his short term memory. obviously, this is a lot more Sci-fi-esque than the more Occult basilisk images in the CC verse, but there are a lot of similarities in the idea.

[@bennelong8451]

@@erebusthemothking6494it makes 0 sense like why would an AI just waste processing power making pain for a digital version of you which itself made. Completely illogical

[@OverflowingWithIdeas]

i’m willing to bet that one day he’s gonna upload a video, still labeled digital horror, but it’s not gonna be other peoples horror. It’s secretly going to be his own digital horror ARG. It just makes sense because in every video in this series, he does a little horror, skit, and they keep getting better and better. this makes me think that he’s practicing for when he makes his own digital horror ARG. Stay vigilant, folks.

[@serenitymoon825]

I genuinely hope so

[@someguy8375]

he drops an analysis for a horror series that someone else supposedly uploaded but that doesnt actually exist

[@garuccadraws]

@@someguy8375 what video was it?

[@someguy8375]

@@garuccadraws i was just thinking about what could happen (and perhaps wishing for it to happen)

[@garuccadraws]

@@someguy8375 ohh gotya!

[@thanatoast]

I really love Morley Grove Specters. The re-imagining of the Slender Man lore as a creature capable of basically un-personing you and avoiding playing into the Marble Hornets lore too much makes it really effective. Also the idea of Slende Man as the incarnation of death and it's effects on our memories is pretty raw ngl.

[@Sunny64123]

As a kid I was traumatized by the “don’t speed” PSA video where a guy loses his control on his car and crashes into a preschooler group

[@gravymakes]

That video was and still is horrifically funny to this day

[@clowntown3]

Ireland gave us that thing

[@marianokaz1503]

"BAZINGA!"

[@AltKaxREAL]

​@@marianokaz1503**wacky cartoon sound effects**

[@rynemcgriffin1752]

@@AltKaxREAL* *falling pipe sound effect* *

[@lurkingmoth]

As someone with ocd thank you so much for the wizard of protection it makes it so much easier to engage with "cursed" media without spiraling into paranoia. I LOVE horror focused around cognitohazards but it's also one of my biggest triggers. Also, super glad to see chainmail chasers covered! It's an awesome series.

[@nothingrhymeswithorange5294]

Sorry babe, I can't tonight. Sagan Hawkes just uploaded a feature length video about things I haven't heard of before

[@NickInTheField]

Like a Siren’s Call for us 😂

[@ChristopherSadlowski]

​@@NickInTheField if my death is to be battered against the rocks of the shore of this channel, I'm okay with that...

[@parsley2641]

Thank you for the wizard message! I suffer from paranoia and OCD and while logically i know those chainmail things are fake, I used to be terrified of them, so I still have that inkling of fear in the back of my mind. Things like that little clip, or posts shared around, were what helped me get over the fear of them.

[@naeka9752]

Same!!! I wish more horror youtubers would do that

[@tylociraptor8131]

Me: Looking for something good to watch while I work on art and struggling Sagan Hawkes: swoops in like a real one.

[@miagosha7756]

Literally exactly what I'm doing 🙏

[@ketomine.]

hehe. swoops. like a hawk

[@IndicatedGoodLife]

Keep struggling man, don't let AI eat you up

[@iZaNull]

YEAH YEAH. Sagan saving me while i do this commission fr...

[@smartistnerd366]

REALLL

[@Captainhogthrob]

"Ice cream Monkey Fan became the Bisected King" is a line that made me question what I'm doing with my life

[@SwaggyG_2102]

I'm SO glad to see you covering Morley Grove! It's such an interesting take on The Slenderman Mythos, and this, alongside Fazbear Toddler Fun, deserves more love and attention, honestly.

[@K3N0PSIA]

MORLEYS A TAKE ON THE SLENDERMAN MYTHOS?????? i feel dumb i thought it was somethin else for the longest time ToT though i think thats mostly because i didn't really catch up w/ the series for the longest time. (or i just didnt notice certain stuff)

[@RedSpade37]

Me too, Swaggy, me too!

[@Zaieko]

Oh! You're the guy at 21:24 who commented about the title of Morley Ghost originally being Morley Drive 2!

[@williamdell-price2349]

Digital/analouge horror really makes me realise how limited creepypastas were back in the day. Despite being internet horror stories, their format never reflected the systems used to share them. It's amazing watching artists now prioritsing the 'internet' in internet horror. We have evolved past just words on a screen and doing things that couldnt be done anyhwere else except online. Its fantastic to see.

[@LovroV-od4xg]

when i watched the video sagan came out of my pc with HYPER REALISTIC BLOODSHOT EYES

[@RedSpade37]

Lucky.

[@EnderBoy_11]

And then HYPERREALISTIC BLOOD CAME OUT OF THE HYPERREALISTIC FLOORBOARDS AND THEN I HYPERREALISTICALLY DIED

[@ChristopherSadlowski]

Perfect comment, very funny, no notes. 😊

[@Minto8384]

And I am writing this from a computer in hell 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@Julia-qt5wd]

A SPOOKY FREAKY SPONGEY GUY

[@HawkTeevs]

Morley Grove is genuinely the most haunting iteration of Slender Man I have ever seen. Children don’t just get taken. They are forgotten. And they are forced to watch as they are erased from history entirely. They see their faces fading from the minds of their loved ones, and even from their own photos. Until eventually, it’s just them. All alone with the Morley Man.

[@modernmusic52]

as much as i loved marble hornets and the like when i was a kid, i have to agree as an adult i love this so much more. its refreshing

[@snosibsnob3930]

"They fell upwards during the rain and fell with grins on their faces" *shows a trollface* Oh, I see. They must have had some oil on their skin.

[@RideFlight]

why is your profile picture the powerhouse of the cell?

[@BigJoe6464]

​@@RideFlightshe used to call me on the cell phone

[@jpsylvy7598]

But was he truly, entirely covered in oil?

[@miniespeon158]

I read this comment at 5:18am after waking up from sleep and reading it truly feels like a fever dream 💀💀💀

[@mecharobby]

​@@miniespeon158that will do it

[@Sortofmac]

The part about internet trauma is so real! I’ve always been into horror I guess and that Russian sleep experiment photo sent me into a panic attack when I was younger. Then when I was a little older and into true crime I’ve seen real crime scene photos of women attack by home intruders and to this day I hear a noise home alone? I’m scared. Really interesting idea that you explained perfectly

[@americanredstart]

dude the russian sleep experiment picture scared me SO MUCH when i was a kid. i was so pissed when i found out it wasnt even clever art or editing, just a limited run spirit halloween prop

[@theemeraldking3251]

I love all of these, the concept of the "Smile" images mutating and evolving into various creepypasta images like 😤 It's so good

[@covanentsbane]

I just want to say how glad I am that you provide thematic analysis of these, rather than just theories about what's going on in the plot? Thank you so much for including it; I find it really valuable to an understanding of media, especially cryptic media like most horror/arg/unfiction series.

[@pining_tree6788]

Something that I’ve seen a bit in this age of digital horror that I wish I could see more of is series with a ‘layer of seperation’ from the horror. I think the best way to describe it is the first video for crow 64, presenting an alternate reality not as something different but instead could be mistaken as real. Using the guises of commentary and review to mask the depths of horror. Even if not super horror per say, it’s something I respect hazel’s “normal creepypasta retrospective” for playing with, building and reflecting on these creepypastas that you have no memory of despite their supposed popularity, and the way they would just comment then brush aside popular creepypasta figures like they’re obscure and uninteresting, only for it to click that nothing is quite lining up with reality, and only then do you realize that these reviewers are not safe.

[@persocomz]

i wish i could like this comment twice, the way you sum up how amazingly deceptive and gaslight-y both of those retrospectives are is so good and put it into words how exactly they're effective. or maybe i'm just a hardcore arg and metafiction fan.

[@social_ghost]

This is exactly why I love the movie Savageland, because it keeps a degree of separation from the horror by being a documentary where the only evidence we get to see as an audience is photos taken of the event by the lone survivor. Its a brilliant movie.

[@LionPride3345]

As someone who has really struggled with intrusive paranoia from chain letters - thank you for the Wizard, that made it much easier to enjoy the video.

[@styfen]

You want a really fun Slender Man related tidbit that you probably don't know? The Slender Man has made it into board games, the horror boss battler "Kingdom Death: Monster" has an expansion entirely designed around fighting the Slender Man in a 4v1 cooperative boss battle.

[@SetariM]

Probably because that game is literally Monster Hunter in board game form, which literally no one knows about besides like 7 people on this planet lmao

[@BobbinRobbin777]

Cool!

[@harmonypon7380]

He also appeared in the background of My Little Pony lolol. It’s for a split second in the background but it’s a silly easter egg

[@BobbinRobbin777]

@@harmonypon7380 Oh right. He has also been featured in Gravity Falls. Initially as a fake screen-shot of a existing episode, and then officially referenced within the Gravity Falls; Lost Legends comic as a background character.

[@Raichu159]

​@BobbinRobbin777 he appears on a map in the background in plants vs zombies garden warfare

[@maind7132]

as a native german i kinda love your attemps on german words like "ritter" and "drache" - english feels very floaty compared the german sharpness (if that makes any sense)

[@eepysleepy_]

that's probably why so many of us english speakers view german as an aggressive language when it truly isn't lol

[@GameNatore]

Welp, scheinbar klingt unsere Sprache hart.

[@J0hnzie]

AS IF I need some SILLY WIZARD to cast a spell upon me. I have already witnessed the Golden Monkey.

[@andyghkfilm2287]

The golden monkey is a scion of the wizard, you knave-hold your tongue about such matters if you do not understand them! Lest he revoke his safety and monkey from you!

[@J0hnzie]

Fact: @@andyghkfilm2287 is a Wizard-state-funded media outlet.

[@smiilemusic]

brass monkey... that funky monkey

[@stillsleeping1080]

I remember opening r/nosleep like the daily news paper. Keeping track of multi-part stories, taking part in solving mysteries. Loved the culture around that era. Wish reddit still existed 😌

[@chucklebutt4470]

It was a cool website. RIP reddit.

[@CERTAIND00M]

Same🙁

[@WomanRespecter87]

unfortunately Reddit does still exist

[@stillsleeping1080]

@@WomanRespecter87 nah, reddit stopped existing the moment baconreader stopped working.

[@modestMismagius105]

needlemouse, chainmail chasers, and vibingleaf heck yea!! creepypastas were a big part of my childhood and are the reason im so into horror, i love this kinda stuff (and longform content talking about it lol)

[@BigJoe6464]

Same bro!!! Creepypastas are definitely the reason im such a horrorhead nowadays

[@SaintSalem]

sagan, this is my personal favorite video you’ve ever made. you always knock it out of the park. as a person who had unsupervised access to the internet as a child, slenderman terrified me and i had a lot going on as a kid to a point he started to infiltrate my real life and mental state. thank you SO much for talking about it, i feel like people don’t really talk about it much. but the world building you create in your videos with the mid-sections between stories. you change the game every time!!! thank you, from one traumatized internet fan to another 🖤🖤🖤🖤

[@Parzivle]

I don’t really know what to say because it’s something I don’t ever talk about either because idk if it was just like a maladaptive fantasy (funny name considering how terrifying it was) or like a genuine delusion I should factor in considering mental health struggles recently. Thinking abt that time in my life in general makes me feel less stable. Really all I want to say is you certainly werent alone in slender man having a very real impact on your life and I think you’re brave for talking about it

[@isabellamorris7902]

If you don't mind me asking, and if it's not too rough for you to describe, how did that manifest? (I have also experienced intense anxiety over fictional horror stuff that got in the way of my life -- hi, This House Has People In It and its monster which is a personification of health anxiety)

[@SaintSalem]

@@isabellamorris7902 Sorry for late response!! My parents split and I was really unstable and more susceptible to the things I saw online. I was also a kid so I was already really imaginative and my brain just worked against me. I wasn’t supervised at all on the internet so I stumbled across all sorts of stuff.

[@jorgeskuf]

I remember going down the rabbit hole when I first discovered slender man in elementary school and being the most scared I ever was. I don't remember what I watched but I remember reading a comment that said slender man didn't care if your parents were with you, he'd still take you away. imagine telling a kid theyre not safe even with adults around... that was a pretty rough week

[@Parzivle]

@@isabellamorris7902 hey I thought I might put in my 2 cents as well. When I was young my parents were fighting all the time as well, however they wouldn’t break up due to their own personal hang ups about finding anyone else. I had a passion for the occult and psychic phenomena, always reading about real religious beliefs and weird stories that people posted on the internet of them being able to do things like control the wind or move stuff with their minds and I jumped into it wholeheartedly as a kid that had a really hard time connecting with others. I practiced techniques for sharpening these powers for a few years, fully believing I was making real progress. Eventually some of the people I read stories from introduced me to the concept of the slender man and that I could protect myself from him using these techniques, from there I was spooked as hell. I would spend a lot of time on my balcony looking into the woods and convincing myself I had seen him prowling. I stopped all of this around the age of 13 when I actually ended up making real friends for the first time in my life. If it helps anyone else in the thread I’ve actually been to a mental health facility recently and confirmed I’m not schizophrenic, I was probably just a sheltered kid with with various traumas, a big imagination I didn’t know what to do with, and unfettered internet access. Today I’m very lucid, perhaps too much so as I find a very hard time having faith in anything I don’t have empirical evidence about.

[@Roiditron]

Thank you sagan for the chainmail wizard summon, so that way I don't have to sweat in bed tonight at "what if I am afflicted for reading that chainmail??!"

[@cumcumcum148]

I will announce this to you, and only you. I killed the wizard. I put on a new curse. Every chainmail you read will affect you twice as much and there is nothing you can do Sincerely yours truly - the evil wizard guy

[@Roiditron]

@@cumcumcum148 nnnNNNNOOOOOOOooooOOOOOooooooooohhhhhhh... .. ... . . .

[@myrkuuma]

i really like these stories but i HATE having to go out of my way to look for secrets outside of the videos so your channel is a fucking godsend lmao

[@trashrat3204]

I see Sagan hawkes, I click. Also I really like the rebrand you've done for your channels intro and avatar.

[@BobbinRobbin777]

POWWYYYY!! :D (based pfp)

[@dani.5087]

I was halfway through typing a comment about how the dancing video feels much more like an emo teenager pretending to be possessed than an actual possession, but I was so glad to backspace that as you continued to explain the plot of the film. It's such a poignant reflection on the way that this kind of viral internet horror story can intersect with adolescence and poor mental health. I'm reminded a bit of that Jeff the Killer fanfiction that Jenny Nicholson read in one video--where the obviously teenage author enacted violent fantasies against her classmates and family within the fiction of Jeff and this creepypasta-based world. I'm also reminded, to get super serious for a second, of the slenderman stabbing incident and how the perpetrator's mental illness resulted in her latching onto the idea of the slenderman as a real entity. IDK what I'm even getting at with this but I think it just hits on the fact that troubled people--troubled *young* people especially--often lean into horror as a means of escapism and catharsis. It's a genre in which suffering is par for the course, violence is a standard narrative beat, fear is a part of life, and I guess that can be a comfort to some people, but sometimes (as in the case of the slender stabbing) that belief in and reliance on horror can harm people deeply, physically and mentally.

[@ChristopherSadlowski]

Which is why I get so bent out of shape over the US not having universal healthcare. It would, if anything, reduce the amount of problems that occur like this. Everyone living here should be able to see a doctor without trying to figure out first if it's going to bankrupt them. They should be able to seek emergency care and not get slapped with hundreds of thousands of dollars in charges in a situation in which you can't sit down and try to find the cheapest hospital to have your heart attack in. That starving could have been avoided if that family could just...take their kid to a doctor without having to think twice? As a deeply sick person myself with multiple chronic health problems I see how awful the US healthcare delivery system is. It actively kills people and most of the country is either apathetic or outright hostile to taking care of sick people. It's gross, and people here walk around like the US is heaven on Earth when what it actually is is a deeply corrupt place that's more of a meat grinder than anything else.

[@crypticcorvid]

I know this comment's pretty old, but I was actually one of those kids who latched onto creepypasta and horror as a form of escapism. Specifically, I would stay up at night looking out my window in the hopes of meeting Slenderman since, back then, there was a community of (typically troubled) kids who saw Slenderman as a father figure of sorts. I think you really hit the nail on the head in your idea of why troubled people use horror as escapism. Horror has been a big part of my own coping technique and seeing the horrifying elements play out make you feel seen, like your fears become tangible and external, and it's easy to relate to when a lot of people just don't understand the constant fear or worry you might experience.

[@modernmusic52]

i think a lot of people forget how malleable and easily influenced human brains can be, especially during puberty/teenage years. most people "turn out fine" but others with a twinkle of mental illness can go down the wrong rabbit hole on the internet and get totally warped. i can attest to being one of those people. maladaptive daydreaming, relying heavily on media as comfort and an escapism, horrible identity issues, all of the fun stuff.

[@CalamitasCalliope]

I love Chainmail Chasers so much. The framing of the story is genius, and the acting is some of the best I've seen in this genre. Grace's actress does such a good job, and she's probably my favorite digital horror protagonist we've seen in the genre so far

[@EnderBoy_11]

Alright as PEAK as Chainmail Chasers is, I gotta admit, the acting is god awful (in my opinion) I still love ChainmailChasers none the less

[@MigWith]

​@@EnderBoy_11agree

[@TafuTofu]

Yeah I gotta say it's one of the only acts that I sort of buy?? Because she's not over reacting intensely in character, she's just like "bro wtf" and that just feels more grounded! :D

[@cheezitza9639]

@@EnderBoy_11 yeah, the acting is borderline unbearable.

[@EnderBoy_11]

@@cheezitza9639 you know the series is good when it manages to get away with acting that’s THAT BAD and I still don’t give a crap.

[@blaineishere3851]

you have the incredible opportunity to start an insane internet mystery by someday covering something that doesn't actually exist, complete with fake footage and everything.

[@DJGumm3yG4t0r]

There is a really great creepypasta "retrospective" that is basically alt history creepypastas where things feel familiar but every story featured is actually original content made for the video

[@notamberlee]

i like your videos because it seems like such a specific niche. horror deep-dives and video games deep-dives aren’t new, but a channel centred on combining the two is pretty rare. i hope you grow and grow and grow, it’s evident how much time, effort and thought you put into your work.

[@stardustjessie]

Polybius is a Urban Legend from 2000 actually, not the 1980's. The 1980's is the date in the story, but the earliest source there is, is from 2000.

[@stormveils]

First off, excellent video as always! Every upload just shows your progress as a creator and I'm so excited to see where you go from here. Secondly, this may seem silly, but thank you for the little "you are immune to all chain letters and etc." message at 26:37, it really does mean a lot; even just hearing about such things can really set off my anxiety and paranoia, so the goofy wizard bit actually did help put me at ease to finish the section. Apologies for the ramble, and thank you again for another amazing upload!

[@dishfishes]

I loved chainmail chasers so much, but as a Grace that was absolutely terrified of chain letters and smiledog as a kid I felt so called out the whole time Edit: WOW the thematic analysis bit of this really got me. I’ve got OCD and had awful intrusive thoughts due to creepypastas when I was a kid, so I’m personally really hoping they go in the direction of Grace having a form of supernatural OCD.

[@lilylohmann614]

Think of it this way, you have an entire series dedicated to you!

[@mariana-cross5403]

That would be amazing! We need more good OCD representation tbh

[@SpaceTrashHero]

I'm someone who loves KZbin video essays, but I think you're currently my favorite to watch and listen to over the past half year. Every subject you present is so unknowingly interesting in a morbid and fascinating way, and that's not only because of the subject itself, but also because of how you explain and phrase things. It creates such a fitting atmosphere that genuinely captivates you. And I also love how you compose your own music to underscore the atmosphere of your videos.

[@ashleyehrlick]

On a creative minecraft server I used to play on, they used to have these books that you could type a command to give to yourself that was full of creepy pastas. Thats the first time I heard of Jeff, slender man, smile dog, etc. there were no pictures, just text explaining the stories, so when I was like 8 or 9 I looked up the names of those creepy pastas and I was mortified. I was so scared to sleep for weeks, but after a few months I got rly obsessed with scary things on the internet and I was badly ignoring my fear to try to desensitize myself to horror things. Now, as a 20 yr old im NOT desensitized to horror and i actually cant watch any horror movies without having the scenes and images play in my head for months afterwards. I was genuinely traumatized as a kid and now as an adult I’m scared of the dark, hate being in houses alone, and have anxiety attacks whenever my dogs bark at something outside in the middle of the night or my house creaks or just anything normal that a kid would be scared of. I still love watching creepy pasta videos cause it almost heals my inner child in a way hearing things I was scared of be picked apart and analyzed and explained. Its like when ur scared of a horror movie so you watch the behind the scenes videos and see the demons or killers getting into their makeup and goofing around on set with the people they kill in the movies. Anyways, trauma from being over exposed to creepy pastas, chainmail curses, horror movies, etc. on the internet is such a real thing, and I’ve been discussing it with my therapist for a while now ever since I watched a horror movie that scared me so bad I slightly hallucinated for weeks after because I was so traumatized by it. The 2000s-2010s was a crazy time to grow up on the internet, Gen z is either traumatized and scared of everything like I am, or almost completely desensitized and not afraid of anything like a lot of people I know.

[@ashleyehrlick]

Also if anyone played on Edawg878 early days and remember this feature (it was eventually removed from the server) please lmk. This feels like such a lost experience even tho in its prime it was a very full and popular server but ive never met anyone who played on it and remembers all the cool things it had

[@ChristopherSadlowski]

You sound just like me! I was JUST about to type a message telling you there are ways to help you cope, but you probably want to see a therapist if you can. My brain used to play what felt like cruel tricks on me after watching something spooky or scary. I saw the movie "Signs" in the theatre and couldn't sleep for a month for fear that aliens were going to get me. I'm 40 now, and I can say time seems to help calm an over imaginative brain; sounds at night don't bother me because I know now it's just the house expanding or contacting. Weird cries in the night are just raccoons, possums, or foxes getting into a row. I know the chances of someone breaking in and trying to rob me are next to zero. Keep talking about it with your therapist. They're best positioned to help you than me, some random dude on the Internet.

[@breebs]

Was it edawg.878? Please tell me it was edawg, that server is such a vital part of my childhood

[@breebs]

@ashleyehrlick I just saw your second comment. This is an insane shared experience. I spent waaaay too much time on edawg, almost every day I'd come home from school and do cringe highschool role-plays and stuff. Do you remember the custom texture pack that changed all the music disks to electronic music and dubstep and stuff? Edawg was also my first exposure to creepy pastas. I vividly remember using the command and getting a short creepypasta about a creature that sneaks up on you while you shower. From that day forward I remember being terrified of being alone in bathrooms. I must've been only like 10 or 11 at most. I was attached to my mom like a baby duckling for months after, and was obsessed with scary stories and creepy pastas but it all started on that minecraft server. I could go on for ages about it tbh, so many memories. I still remember my first minecraft gfs name from that server, something along the lines of babymak followed by 2 or 3 numbers.

[@ashleyehrlick]

@@breebs OMG YES I REMEMBER THAT ONE!! I’ve mentioned edawg878 on so many KZbin comments and never have I had anyone reply before, this is crazy someone finally shares this experience. I spent years on that server, I’d come home from school every day and play on it i was OBSESSED. The family rps, highschool rps, skin contests, supernatural romance camp rps, adoption parties, speed dating, weddings, and of course /marry was the highlight. I could talk to you about this experience for hours honestly cause I’m still shocked someone was there for the og days when they had creepy pastas and custom music, that server was the first time I ever heard that monster song by dot exe lmao

[@jamesoniris2647]

I love the idea for Morley Grove, but the execution of the messed up faces make me laugh. I feel like digital horror channels have gone too far with trying to emulate the uncanny valley effect that they have completely climbed their way out of the valley.

[@ThePhantom4516]

yeah, its a good thing it was the starting topic because it pales in comparision to the other two.

[@chucklebutt4470]

Lol yeah that part was silly. 🥴

[@Coffeecat_24]

I think for that Morley Grove it works out with the topic of forgetting faces, them becoming distorded, not for spooky reasons but for forgetting your loved ones that have passed. I feel like that really saves it, it would've been stupid every other way

[@mitkitty]

Something i dont see people bring up is how Smile Dog is a take on the Steven King story 'The Sun Dog.' its not exactly the same, but it has a LOT of parallels

[@sboy2044]

The creator of Smile Dog didn’t mention anything about that when talking about how they came up with the idea

[@Inferno144]

1:24:58 That right there. That is what happened to me when I was but a wee lad watching Childs Play. I loved horror movies, I still do. And some didnt seem to really cross to me they should be scary. I was always fascinated with them, mainly creature features cause I thought monsters were cool as fuck (they are). After watching that movie, I began to have vivid nightmares of Chucky terrorizing me, I woke up in cold sweats, I could barely function at school or at home and I grew deathly afraid of dolls. It was such a 'aftershock' of trauma that I didnt even realize effected me when I first watched the movie cause I wasnt even scared during it and the nightmares didnt settle in instantly either.

[@FaLIStaff]

How does Chainmailchasers go from a creepypasta about memes to a battle manga about ancient demons and angels across time?

[@Wnick1996]

I'm glad to see a genre that captivated me in the early 2010s coming back in a strong way

[@onedumbgamer9672]

Technically its analogue horror but Ted's Caving Journal (which adapts Ted The Caver, considered The First Creepypasta) is one of the best adaptations of a creepypasta ive ever seen

[@pophassistant1]

When I saw you were talking about We’re All Going To The Worlds Fair I audibly cheered. Thank you so much for covering one of my favorite modern horror movies!!!!

[@gamingsoups]

something that i dont think is talked about enough is the connections with creepypasta and the whole twitter arg phase with things like TheSunVanished and the house in the woods and stuff

[@js9587]

Every time you said bisected king, I could only hear bisexual king. So, slay bisexual king

[@BobbinRobbin777]

Icecreammonkeyfan BI-con?!?!?

[@bitzthe8bit668]

Horrors beyond human comprehension yass-ified

[@cloed0ll]

​@@bitzthe8bit668 LMFAOOOOOOOOO

[@firstcanonkill1767]

Thank you for the little chainmail/cognitohazard/copypasta protection joke! I don’t suffer with it as much now but when I was a kiddo getting into creepypasta those “share or you’ll DIE TONIGHT” photos or whatever used to set of my undiagnosed paranoia SO hard. I’m medicated now, but a lot of people out there still struggle with it. You’re so sweet to add it.

[@runeofnoweyr]

"huh. Haven't seen anything new from Sagan in a while-" *ding* "Ah, nice. ... Why is it over two and a half hours long"

[@Clairevoyant101]

i cannot take the "Hi my name is Carmen Winstead" thing seriously because of the avengers ass line "did i mention that i'm dead" like cmon thats silly

[@rudolfambrozenvtuber]

Unfortunately wizard my head is already the Basiliskcon 2024 venue but I appreciate the sentiment

[@RandomShortGuy528]

All these series (well the first two at least I’m only half way through the video) bring me back to 2013 as a kid being afraid of Slenderman teleporting into my room, having ghost kids in my house, or talking about smile dog or lavender town it’s just this weird horrifying nostalgia that occurs when watching these series

[@whalesarefromspace4260]

...is that one of the scary jerma images on the bottom right side of the leftmost screen. in the chainmail chasers analysis section. i'd recognize those eyes anywhere

[@citrinide]

I THINK SO YEAH LMAO (you're the only other person I've seen who's noticed it too 😭)

[@thehorroranalog2943]

Really like to think that Local 58 is a expation from the mention of Channel 58 in Candle Cove.

[@casanovafunkenstein5090]

It is: the same person came up with both the original creepypasta and the KZbin channel.

[@JamesKessler979]

Just wanted to say I really love your videos, every time you upload it always makes my day. Great work once again, I already cant wait for the next one!

[@Ieatdirt___]

Ok

[@Mayisjustvibing]

Doing my final on the evolutions of creepypastas, so I'm glad this popped up when I'm researching

[@Chillybara]

god the touch of even the intro being low quality is so good. legit made me double check my settings looool

[@BananaWrathful]

I really liked the analysis during the Chainmail Chasers segment, especially the part about young children running into scary stuff. Admittedly I do get scared pretty easily but i was on one of those flash game websites with a chat and I clicked on a link when I was 7 leading to a Jeff the killer screamer. I’m in university now and whenever I see Jeff he still makes me jump a little but luckily he doesn’t show up whenever I close my eyes anymore lol, I used to never close my eyes in the shower for years after that jumpscare link

[@Fuzduf]

Me when I see Sagan uploaded a 2 hour long video 😩😩😩

[@Rezafeild]

😩😩😩

[@Electrospexy]

8:24 Lebron, Lebron, Lebron, where do i even start...

[@x1joyboy]

LMFAOOO WE CANT ESCAPE IT OMG

[@Electrospexy]

​@@x1joyboy at first I thought your pfp was uncanny

[@altradecull9149]

These videos are so well made. I love the fantastic editing and your thoughtful reflections on the series you present. The digital horror videos are my favourite and I'm very happy this is a series. You totally deserve to be more popular. Keep it up!

[@NinjasticFlare]

I’ll come back to the video after watching “we’re all going to the world’s fair”. But MAN, the video so far has been absolutely amazing. Great editing, good and insightful commentary, and the little “bits” you do with the bootleg operating system is fun. I can’t believe I’ve never seen any of your content before Edit: World’s Fair was pretty fun. Good film concept.

[@gn4rpz-the-c4t]

seems like worlds fair would hit really close to home. when i was a kid i'd get horribly nauseous sometimes and i was convinced it was slender sickness, but in hindsight they were more likely panic attacks. pages that talked about slender sickness didn't have any disclaimers that what they were talking about was purely fictional, but now they do. i'm glad for that.

[@typing4mylife]

I’m a writer, and one of my major goals (once I’ve wrapped up some other projects) is to try my hand at writing a horror story collection my own. Channels like Sagan Hawkes have been a huge inspiration for me on that front, providing an accessible way for me to experience various modern horror media despite my relatively busy schedule.

[@finchbewitched]

Creepypasta is probably as close as we can get to modern folklore these days. It spreads organically, it can be monetized through derivative creation but it's usually not from the start (letting it be exempt from other formal methods of storytelling being sold and packaged), it changes overtime with each iteration being different depending on who you heard it from and your own faulty memory, and it blends fiction and reality to a degree that leaves a listener/reader questioning how much is fake and how much is real. All and all, it's a pretty interesting evolution of storytelling.

[@Krownss]

You are on the fastest available route is my FAVORITE horror piece ever. The idea of your gps being infected by a monster, and then leading you to it is one of THE MOST CREATIVE IDEAS IVE EVER SEEN. The voice used by the gps is unnerving. and driving in the night on it own is creepy and most everyone has experienced it at one point. the darkness surrounding the vehicle makes it hard to see what is surrounding the character, it is impossible to know what threats could be in the bushes, it ties into a core human fear of the unknown, and since we never get a good view of the monster we have to imagine what it is ourselves. It is my eyes, a master piece.

[@VultureSkins]

If you really enjoyed this video, the channel Hazel has a creepypasta video (with a complimentary video linked in the description) that you may also like! Along with StrangeAeon’s creepypasta videos (one about slenderman specifically, and another about creepypasta generally (in which she also argues for the validity of creepypasta as a form of folklore)! They all have a similar, reflective quality like this video, the kind of perspective that you only really get from having been on the internet during the peak creepypasta era

[@Ohdeerohman]

The WAGTTWF movie hit home for me, like it emulates being 12 with unrestricted internet access + untreated mental illness. I remember listening to that Pokemon Lavender Town song & being so delusional that I 100% believed I was going insane and being driven to 💀 myself by supernatural forces. That movie is almost a hard watch because of how relatable I find it but it’s definitely my favorite for it.

[@lizardqueen273]

For anyone who's interested in something a little more "short form" (its still lengthy, but it's not a full series) content that shares some similar ideas to some of the stuff talked about in the video (I wouldn't really call it "digital horror" because even though its about creepypasta its not really meant to actually scare or unnerve you) check out "a normal creepypasta retrospective" from the channel "hazel" and the video in the description where they break down what went into the video's creation.

[@VultureSkins]

I was thinking about that video the entire time I was watching this one! I think they’re good compliments to each other :)

[@lizardqueen273]

​​@@VultureSkinsFunnily enough this is the second time in like two weeks I've come across a video that makes me think "wow I should really shout out that great video." (The other one was from Super Eyepatch Wolf which was about fake video games)

[@BobbinRobbin777]

@@lizardqueen273 AYYYYYY, A FELLOW SUPER EYEPATCH WOLF FAN!!!! I gotta say... between Sagan Hawkes, Hazel, (maybe) Emplemon, Jacob Geller and him, we might as well be in *the "Great Video-essay Era".* Now there's only _one_ question: _WHAT WILL BE OUR ONE PIECE?_

[@MigWith]

​@@lizardqueen273 aha! another super eyepatch wolf fan

[@DylanPackard]

Holy shit, Gödel Escher Bach!? I got a copy of that book when I was in 6th grade and absolutely fell in love with his writing. The dialogues are always a kick too. The inextricable link of art, music, and the sciences and how meaning and self come out of nothing is such a good message. Excellent analysis as always btw!

[@SammyEdgeINC]

The moment you said that it was made by the guy who made Gemini i knew it was gonna be a banger

[@TheSkillerest]

genuinely one of the best video essay style videos i've seen in a while. Excellent work.

[@gayidek]

thank you so much for the acknowledgements of OCD, a lot of horror youtubers tend to ignore how this type of content can effect people and it is really nice to know that you care

[@ampling]

Man oh man, I just got done listening to your videos. Thinking "What am I going to listen to at work today, I've seen em all". Sagan strikes back once again. Thank you.

[@celelelery]

You are the only thing getting my dishes done today, It's been a while since I caught a fresh upload lol, gonna make the most of it

[@reges-mortis3100]

The last 40 minutes of this video seems like it should honestly be prize winning for the rundown it gives regardless of the stories that come before it. A masterpiece in its own in some ways for the analytical skills within it. Feel much rewarded for having stuck through the entire video and really just a remarkable explanation of what really entitles a Creepypasta. Much love for all the aestethic throughout the video in full ofc. But that last leg of the video really sums it all upp in a very good way. You earned a new subscriber. Not just any subscriber, but one that will be here to really appreaciate all the work put into the craft of video making and storytelling. ♥

[@Jm-ki4su]

even without the visuals, your storytelling through audio is phenomenal

[@JimtheFish0451]

The digital horror stuff is how I found your channel, and I must say, I’m so glad I did. Keep on dropping these BOMBS of content man, everything from your style to scripting is simply incredible!

[@sagansmom34]

your quote about dying twice, when you take your last breath and the last time someone speaks your name.... very powerful and so sad.

[@harleyrobison]

I just want to commit and say how thrilled I was to sit down and watch this video. It was absolutely amazing and exposed to to some new channels that I had no idea about! Growing up, I used to adore creepypasta as a kid, and now that I'm older, I feel very drawn to analog horror and the stories that unfold with it. It has been a wonderful nostalgia trip to see Creepypasta revamped and shown a new sense of love. Obviously, the creepypasta fandom was far from perfect, and not everything written was gold. But I'm glad to see that people are still doing their best and pouring love into these projects, whether it's reintroducing an old story, or developing a new one altogether. Your video essay was a wonderful watch, and extremely thought-provoking. It was incredible to see both an analysis of some of these channels and a breakdown of creepypasta itself and its history. I've had similar ideas about analog horror and creepypasta's connection, and it's thrilling to see it discussed in such detail. You did such a wonderful job, and I can't wait to share this video with all my friends! You are an absolute delight, and I thank you for making my night filled with joy!

[@PurpleXero]

is that…jerma…as one of the chainmail pics behind you during the ChainmailChasers analysis?? if so thats hilarious

[@catticorner]

i swear the production value just gets higher and higher with each upload. there is clearly so much care, effort, and passion put into every project; each one is practically its own documentary film! also shoutouts to the wizard keeping me sane during the chain letter section

[@moosekababs]

thank you for how well you handled the bit at 1:26:34. I have OCD with the scrupulosity subtype, which is very common in religious people and especially pastors/priests etc. i very much appreciate the care you put into that bit. It's very easy for discussions like that to trigger my OCD and i was pleasantly surprised that this was not the case here :3 ty!

[@rudolfambrozenvtuber]

You know, it's not that much of a jump for a reptillian face to start looking vaguely canine, now that I'm thinking about it

[@shaojunqingjiu]

you uploaded this when i was wicked high and i literally almost shit myself over the thumbnail lmao vid is fantastic though! i love your editing style and the multiple 'locations' you use when filming, it keeps me soooo immersed. keep up the good work!

[@nu80sdiscofunk]

new viewer here! i REALLY enjoy your analytic and chronological approach to covering these stories. it seems to come from a place of genuine appreciation for the storytelling and characters. (rather than just reporting on a new spoop, bulking up the script with baseless theories i guess?) horror is so often tied to isolating experiences and mental health/illness that not many navigate with tact or understanding. being able to touch on those topics respectfully is awesome enough but after hearing your well-said disclaimer in the last video, going that extra mile is what sold me. all this and the production value really set your videos apart from many channels for me and yeah. great work, i am looking forward to the next one!