History WMG / MidnightMass2021

* Nobody in the cast [[NotUsingTheZWord ever says the V word]] even when all the very classic vampire tropes show up. They call the old vampire an Angel and praise the miracle it brings when religious nuts like Bev Keane traditionally do the opposite in media.
** This is what I thought at first, but in episode 6 there is a brief mention of "those legends" being inspired by people with photosensitivity, which is pretty clearly an allusion to existing vampire stories.
** A major theme of the story is lengths to which people will go to delude themselves in the name of faith. It's entirely possible that many of the people realize what they are becoming, but are in varying levels of denial about it. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Sarah Gunning doesn't bring it up because she's utterly focused on rationalizing what's happening through scientific example and observation, and to her vampires aren't any more real than angels. Also, religious people on a secluded island may not have much access to media about vampires in the first place (especially as there are real-life Christians who view stories about the supernatural as being harmful, un-Christian or even Satanic), so their unfamiliarity with the tropes of vampire fiction is more justifiable.
*** The second half of this paragraph has the same effect of my original theory up top. My point was that the islanders didn’t have the same exposer to vampire media that we do.
*** There's a big difference between "vampire media doesn't exist at all" and "extremely isolated and traditionally religious population has no desire to engage with vampire media and thus doesn't immediately think of it when something weird happens."

* Bev mentions in the first episode that it's the 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time, which means it's either 7 Sundays after January 6th or 31 Sundays before Christmas. Because Ash Wednesday is strongly implied to only have been 3 days later, this means it must take place in a year when Ash Wednesday was between February 21st and February 27th. 2020 is the most recent year when this was the case. This is contradicted slightly by the use of Psalm 27 at the end of the second episode, which ''is'' in the lectionary for the 2nd Sunday of Lent, but only for year C (years which are divisible by 3). We also know it takes place after 2011, because the new translation of the mass exists, so the earliest it could take place if you assume Psalm 27 was the correct reading is 2031. Although given Fr. Paul was purposefully wrong with the gold chasuble, it's just as likely (if not more likely) that the show takes place in 2020, and that was just another purposeful decision.

* His body was rejuvenated but not his mind. That's why he still seems a little off, with a strange cadence to his speech and abnormal reactions to other people. That's also why he fell under the "Angel's" influence to easily; he simply doesn't recognize this monster for what it really is.

* Nobody says that angels have to be beautiful or good people. It is possible that the vampire was really an angel, but it was not the type that Christians envisioned.

* The reveal that the Angel is in fact an impossibly old, [[Film/{{Nosferatu}} ''Nosferatu''-style Vampire]] is covered up by the heavily Catholic sensibilities of Crockett Island and its people. Surely all the crosses, holy water, etc. would have deterred them? Unless...in this world...that's just what they ''wanted'' you to think...
** More on that: ''Midnight Mass'' [[SmallSecludedWorld rarely leaves Crockett Island]] except in flashback (such as the tale of Monsignor Pruitt's unfortunate pilgrimage). The only meaningful reference to the wider Catholic church is the portrait of Pope Francis in Pruitt's cabin. So... the possibility that this Vampiric outbreak has happened elsewhere, or could happen again]], is not unlikely -- and we know for certain that, rather than deterring such an event, the symbols of God and Christianity would actually ''help'' it.

* At least not when they [[FaceDeathWithDignity embrace it willingly]]. None of the vampires [[spoiler: (who aren't [[AssholeVictim Bev]])]] seem to react to be incinerated in sunlight by screaming in pain or show agonized body language like you would expect someone being [[CruelAndUnusualDeath burned alive]] to. Even when inside the perspective of [[spoiler: Riley]] as the sunlight touches him, he braces for pain but none ever comes, instead [[spoiler: being greeted by a compassionate vision of the woman he accidentally killed]], symbolic of him being forgiven/forgiving himself for what he did and finding peace. This could metaphorical for the peace they find in accepting their fates allowing them to face death without fear, while [[spoiler: Bev's screaming death]] could be a result of her being unwilling to let go of her "power" and her fear of death. It's possible even [[spoiler: Bev's]] death wasn't physically painful either, simply a result of her sheer terror at her imminent death. [[spoiler: [[TakeAThirdOption Or she could be going to Hell]].]]

* Erin's baby disappears because it was de-aging inside her body, and since it was so young it didn't have far to go before it disappeared entirely. Erin was de-aging too, as was everyone who drank the angel's blood, but because she's a young adult it was less noticeable.

* It's never made clear why exactly Paul died (the first time), only that he had been feverish and coughing up blood for a day or two and had collapsed a few times. Pike coughs and vomits blood just before he dies after eating a 1080-poisoned hot dog, and the parishioners do the same when they intentionally poison themselves. Maybe Bev accidentally contaminated food she'd made for Father Paul--or, more sinisterly, she intentionally gave him a small amount of poison with the intent of making him sick so that he'd have to leave and the Monsignor could come back.

* Erin's baby disappears because it was de-aging inside her body, and since it was so young it didn't have far to go before it disappeared entirely. Erin was de-aging too, as was everyone who drank the angel's blood, but because she's a young adult it was less noticeable.

* At least not when they [[FaceDeathWithDignity embrace it willingly]]. None of the vampires [[spoiler: (who aren't [[AssholeVictim Bev]])]] seem to react to be incinerated in sunlight by screaming in pain or show agonized body language like you would expect someone being [[CruelAndUnusualDeath burned alive]] to. Even when inside the perspective of [[spoiler: Riley]] as the sunlight touches him, he braces for pain but none ever comes, instead [[spoiler: being greeted by a compassionate vision of the woman he accidentally killed]], symbolic of him being forgiven/forgiving himself for what he did and finding peace. This could metaphorical for the peace they find in accepting their fates allowing them to face death without fear, while [[spoiler: Bev's screaming death]] could be a result of her being unwilling to let go of her "power" and her fear of death. It's possible even [[spoiler: Bev's]] death wasn't physically painful either, simply a result of her sheer terror at her imminent death. [[spoiler: [[TakeAThirdOption Or she could be going to Hell]].]]

** More on that: ''Midnight Mass'' [[SmallSecludedWorld rarely leaves Crockett Island]] except in flashback (such as the tale of Monsignor Pruitt's unfortunate pilgrimage). The only meaningful reference to the wider Catholic church is the portrait of Pope Francis in Pruitt's cabin. So... the possibility that this Vampiric outbreak has happened elsewhere, or could happen again]], is not unlikely -- and we know for certain that, rather than deterring such an event, the symbols of God and Christianity would actually ''help'' it.

* The reveal that the Angel is in fact an impossibly old, ''[[Film/{{Nosferatu}} Nosferatu''-style Vampire]] is covered up by the heavily Catholic sensibilities of Crockett Island and its people. Surely all the crosses, holy water, etc. would have deterred them? Unless...in this world...that's just what they ''wanted'' you to think...

* The reveal that the Angel is in fact an impossibly old, ''[[Film/{{Nosferatu}} Nosferatu]]''-style Vampire]] is covered up by the heavily Catholic sensibilities of Crockett Island and its people. Surely all the crosses, holy water, etc. would have deterred them]]? Unless...in this world...that's just what they ''wanted'' you to think...

Nobody says that angels have to be beautiful or good people. It is possible that the vampire was really an angel, but it was not the type that Christians envisioned.

* His body was rejuvenated but not his mind. That's why he still seems a little off, with a strange cadence to his speech and abnormal reactions to other people. That's also why he fell under the "Angel's" influence to easily; he simply doesn't recognize this monster for what it really is.

* Bev mentions in the first episode that it's the 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time, which means it's either 7 Sundays after January 6th or 31 Sundays before Christmas. Because Ash Wednesday is strongly implied to only have been 3 days later, this means it must take place in a year when Ash Wednesday was between February 21st and February 27th. 2020 is the most recent year when this was the case. This is contradicted slightly by the use of Psalm 27 at the end of the second episode, which ''is'' in the lectionary for the 2nd Sunday of Lent, but only for year C (years which are divisible by 3). We also know it takes place after 2011, because the new translation of the mass exists, so the earliest it could take place if you assume Psalm 27 was the correct reading is 2031. Although given Fr. Paul was purposefully wrong with the gold chasuble, it's just as likely (if not more likely) that the show takes place in 2020, and that was just another purposeful decision.

*** The second half of this paragraph has the same effect of my original theory up top. My point was that the islanders didn’t have the same exposer to vampire media that we do.

* Alternatively, the old vampire is capable of some form of hypnosis or mind control (an ability that some myths and stories portray vampires as having), which makes it harder for the characters to make the connection between the strange events they're seeing and what they know about vampires. If it had this [[PerceptionFilter ability]], it might also explain why the congregation doesn't notice that their communion wine has been mixed with blood, as the vampire is able to influence their perceptions just enough for these details to not cross their mind.

* Nobody in the cast [[NotUsingTheZWord Ever says the V word]] even when all the very classic vampire tropes show up. They call the old vampire an Angel and praise the miracle it brings when religious nuts like Bev Keane traditionally do the opposite in media.

* Alternatively, the old vampire is capable of some form of hypnosis or mind control (an ability that some myths and stories portray vampires as having), which makes it harder for the characters to make the connection between the strange events they're seeing and what they know about vampires.

** A major theme of the story is lengths to which people will go to delude themselves in the name of faith. It's entirely possible that many of the people realize what they are becoming, but are in varying levels of denial about it. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Sarah Gunning doesn't bring it up because she's utterly focused on rationalizing what's happening through scientific example and observation, and to her vampires aren't any more real than angels.

* Plus a poster of X-Files star Dana Scully in Riley's room, which had an episode about vampires and various vampire-like monsters.

* Salem's lot can be seen on Riley's bookshelf in the background of episode one.

** A major theme of the story is lengths to which people will go to delude themselves in the name of faith. It's entirely possible that many of the people realize what they are becoming, but are in varying levels of denial about it. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Sarah Gunning doesn't bring it up because she's utterly focused on rationalizing what's happening through scientific example and observation, and to her vampires aren't any more real than angels.

** A major theme of the story is lengths to which people will go to delude themselves in the name of faith. It's entirely possible that many of the people realize what they are becoming, but are in varying levels of denial about it. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Sarah Gunning doesn't bring it up because she's utterly focused on rationalizing what's happening through scientific example and observation, and to her vampires don't exist any more than angels do.

** A major theme of the story is lengths to which people will go to delude themselves in the name of faith. It's entirely possible that many of the people realize what they are becoming, but are in varying levels of denial about it.

* Nobody in the cast [[NotUsingTheZWord Ever says the V word]] even when all the very classic vampire tropes show up. They call the old vampire an Angel and praise the miracle it brings when Religious nuts like Bev Keane traditionally do the opposite in media.

* Nobody in the cast [[NotUsingTheZWord Ever says the V word]] even when all the very classic vampire tropes show up. They call the old vampire an Angel and praise the miracle it brings when
Religious nuts like Bev Keane traditionally do the opposite in media.

* Nobody in the cast [[NotUsingTheZWord Ever says the V word]] even when all the very classic vampire tropes show up. They call the old vampire an Angel and praise the miracle it brings when [[TheFundamentalist fundamentalists]] traditionally do the opposite in media.

** This is what I thought at first, but in episode 6 there is a brief mention of "those legends" being inspired by people with photosensitivity, which is pretty clearly an allusion to existing vampire stories.

* Nobody in the cast [[NotUsingTheZWord Ever says the V word]] even when all the very classic vampire tropes show up. They call the old vampire an Angel and praise the miracle it brings when [[TheFundamentalist fundamentalists]] traditionally do the opposite in media.

* Nobody in the cast [[NotUsingTheZWord Ever says the V word]] even when all the very classic vampire tropes show up. They call the old vampire an Angel instead of a vampire or even demon and praise the miracle it brings.