History WMG / WelcomeToNightVale

Think about it. In both places, we find beings that shouldn't exist, including troblins, and people with abilities outside of the human norm. It would explain why Carlos has appeared seemingly out of nowhere-in Mystic Force, you can get into Rootcore via trees. The appearance of magical dimensions is nothing new within ''Franchise/PowerRangers''; Rita and Zedd both make rather liberal use of them throughout ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers''. Alternate dimensions within the Power Rangers universe doesn't end with Mystic Force; [[''Series/PowerRangersRPM'' several]] [[''Series/PowerRangersDinoCharge'' different]] [[''Series/PowerRangersBeastMorphers'' seasons]] take place in alternate dimensions the entire season and ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaSteel'' has an episode that takes place in a completely different dimension from the primary timeline. There's also the ''Film/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' 1995 film. If Night Vale doesn't exist within the main Power Rangers universe, it's possible that it's in one of the aforementioned or otherwise unmentioned dimensions.

Similar to Rei of Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion and Sam and Dean of WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers, there is an army of replacement Cecils for whenever the current one dies (as he may have more often than he lets on) or becomes too uppity for Station Management or, now, Strex Corp. There are many situations where Cecil manages to get out alive where others haven't and for reasons that he can't explain, like in the episodes Station Management or Subway, so he may not have actually lived but a replacement Cecil was used. Also, in episodes like Yellow Helicopters and Missing, Cecil has fierce disagreements with how the station or town is run and then suddenly in the next episode he insists that everything is fine -- almost as if he had been reset. There may be a Cecilquarium under the studio or something.

* A member of Strex Corp; not only would they own the radio show (along with apparently other businesses in town), but they would also own [[spoiler: NVCR's host too]]. And after the last episode...

* The Man in the Tan Jacket. [[spoiler: pretty much CONFIRMED as of episode 63]]

* Episode 70B reveals that it was actually [[spoiler:Hiram [=McDaniels'=] violet head]].

At the end of episode 3, [[EldritchAbomination Station Management]] has been ticked off on an epic level due to Cecil fighting to [[spoiler: keep his show]]. Station Management threatened to absorb Cecil into itself if they caught him. [[BolivianArmyEnding The end]] of the episode leaves things kind of ambiguous, but considering all the episodes between then and now, Cecil survived. [[TheEndOrIsIt But, did he really?]] Sure, Cecil has continued his show, but that doesn't mean he escaped Station Management unscathed. Station Management are the reason why Cecil doesn't remember his childhood, because this Cecil is a [[ChangelingTale copy created by them]].

The process that the young Cecil went through, beginning with his mother and brother's [[spoiler: disappearance]] and ending with [[spoiler: the mysterious attack at the end of the Cassette tapes]] was part of a ritual to grant the town a voice. This ritual may have been conducted by city council or by the town itself, but as prophesied, the ritual created a new 'Voice of Night Vale'. The Voice of Night Vale is not a title. It is a literal description of the NCVR Radio host, whose grooming connects them to the city until their prophesied replacement. The incidents involving the mirrors and the [[spoiler:mysterious attack]] were necessary to groom Cecil to speak for Night Vale. What happened with [[spoiler: Leonard's death]] represents the city deciding to change out its voice.

[[spoiler:When Steve Carlsberg flips out and throws Kevin back through the door, he mentions specifically "you will not change my stepbrother". Two possibilities: either he's just concerned that his stepbrother has a creepy doppelganger who can just waltz into his studio and menace him or something like that, or else maybe Kevin's remarks about Janice made him get defensive of Cecil because Cecil is also disabled, and Steve is worried that [=StexCorp=] might feel like he needs fixing too.]]
* I think he actually said [[spoiler: step DAUGHTER, as Cecil is his brother-in-law not his stepbrother.]]
** Maybe, but the [[http://cecilspeaks.tumblr.com/post/90446496226/episode-49-old-oak-doors-part-b-not-color-coded transcript here]] says he said [[spoiler:step-brother. It's possible to be both brothers-in-law and stepbrothers.]]

* WTNV has had two distinct [[StoryArc story arcs]] so far, each taking up roughly 25 episodes. The first was mainly about [[spoiler: the tiny civilization under Lane 5 and Cecil and Carlos' relationship.]] The second was concerning [[spoiler: [=StrexCorp's=] gradual takeover of Night Vale and its defeat.]] Since Cassette and The Auction are the two episodes that are leaving us obvious loose threads after both One Year Later and Old Oak Doors, the "season finales," I've got a feeling we'll get to know Cecil better in the coming 25, or perhaps the 25 after that if we're lucky enough to have more. At the time of writing, Episode 50 is yet to come, but that would really only have the possibility of resolving [[spoiler: who bought Cecil,]] and not have time to fully touch on who (or what) Cecil might ''be.''
** [[spoiler: as of episode 63 it seems to be shaping up to this.]]

* Jossed by [[spoiler: Steve Carlsberg]] in episode 53. He mentions having listened to the weather on the day of his wedding, and that everyone had to sit around awkwardly until the music stopped.

Since in episode 36 [[spoiler: Strexcorp shut down Cecil's show.]]

* It's likely Kevin will narrate the episode following [[spoiler: Parade Day]], though. [[spoiler: Since Parade Day ends with Cecil being dragged off by Strex Operatives. More, a moment before he hints strongly that Kevin entered the studio... I fear for Night Vale. I fear for Cecil.]]
* [[spoiler: That part was confirmed. He co-hosted with Lauren.]]

Cecil [[spoiler: and Kevin]] narrate everything that happens, even in times of great stress. Cecil [[spoiler: and Kevin]] got away with so much from whoever was in charge, be it the Station Management, City Council [[spoiler: or even Strex]]. Regardless of the body count, regardless of the vulnerability from it, Night Vale, and possibly Desert Bluffs, MUST HAVE A RADIO SHOW. ... Just not sure why.

** Expanding off this, the Apache Tracker actually used to be a co-writer for the show of sorts, [[spoiler: but had to leave shortly after finishing up Episode 24. This is why he "dies" in the next episode, "One Year Later".]]

* Desert Bluffs is the domain of the City Council's Fae rival (the CEO of [=StrexCorp=]). [[spoiler:Strex moving into Night Vale and buying the radio station? All part of the Legend.]]
* The Dog Park is actually the exit to the Hedge. [[spoiler:Dana]] is currently walking back towards the mortal world.

Perhaps the founders of the town had done something to really tick off someone/thing they [[EldritchAbomination really should have left alone]], and he/she/it punished them by cursing the town. Things like Street Cleaning Day, Valentine's Day, the Mayor, Station Management, [[spoiler:[=StrexCorp=]]] and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking the Apache Tracker]] are all part of the curse.

A number of recent developments have reduced the number of supernatural phenomena that beset Night Vale... [[spoiler: The disappearance of Old Woman Josie's angel friends, Meghan's corrective surgery turning her into a hand attached to a man, the absence of the Mysterious Hooded Figures since Strex's takeover, and the implication that Khoshekh has been forced to become a regular, non-floating cat since the events of Episode 43. Gradually, the show will become more and more about the excesses and social injustices that Strex Corp inflicts upon Night Vale, with the occasional use of a supernatural element when the story / mood calls for it. Perhaps we'll learn that Strex has been behind this, reducing the number of powerful other-worldly elements that could possibly stop them. Cecil eventually has the option to prevent this from continuing, but is conflicted whether or not he prefers "normal" existence to the oddball one he is so familiar with.]]
Consequently, Night Vale is slowly, part by part, rejecting Cecil - this is why [[spoiler:Carlos disappeared into the otherworldly desert dimension, he was the first part of Cecil's existence/influence to be rejected. Also, why Cecil was sold off in the auction.]]

Evidence: Cecil describes his voice as "oaken tones", [[spoiler: but when we hear Carlos's voice in Ep. 16 it sounds fairly ordinary. Both actors who play Carlos have crisp tenor voices.]] Carlos is probably good-looking, but not to "Brazilian supermodel" levels, and Cecil has simply been exaggerating out of adoration.

[[spoiler: In the events of ''Dana'' our intrepid intern wandered out of the Dog Park and into another plane of existence, unseen and unknowable by Night Vale citizens.]] When she did this, she crossed over into our reality, which inhabits the same space on a different plane than Night Vale proper. This is why Cecil is aware that Night Vale is an American town without having seen anywhere else in America, and why none of the European countries he visited are real. Carlos and the science team journeyed out into the desert to investigate paranormal occurrences and wandered through the same wormhole.

[[WMG: Dana was [[spoiler: saved by the angels]] from the underground caves in episode 42.]]
She was [[spoiler: guided outside the cave system with the growing triangles on the wall by a beam of black light. The same kind of light that protected Old Woman Josie when Strex first showed up in Night Vale.]]
* Additionally, [[spoiler: the settlement Dana found is related to [=StrexCorp=], which has an S in a triangle as its symbol.]]

In Episode 44, we learn that [[spoiler: Dana has the ability to travel through space and/or time and/or dimensions. During the course of the episode, she mentions meeting her older self, who is described as important-looking, glowing, and "smiling." People obeyed and clearly respected her, and Dana was suspiciously warped back to the desert before she had the chance to ask her future self what it was that she did for a living. It's not inconceivable that she gained additional powers during the seven year skip, or simply became omniscient by virtue of her ability to travel practically anywhere and anytime, and as a result became [=StrexCorp's=] oft cited Smiling God.]]

* Additionally, the tiny people under Lane Five will also join the war against Strex [[spoiler: perhaps because StrexCorp has been stealing their buildings?]]
* And Carlos will let them inside Night Vale [[spoiler: since it seems the doors randomly appearing in Night Vale in episode 46 and the House That Does Not Exist are somehow linked, and Carlos is investigating those.]]

[[WMG: The Angels decided to put Josie in charge of [[spoiler:Strex Corp]].]]
And her first order of business was to [[spoiler:demote Lauren all the way down to janitor for ''daring'' to [[MamaBear hurt Cecil]]]].

[[WMG: Steve isn't actually [[spoiler: Cecil's brother-in-law.]]]]
We've never had any indication that Cecil had a sister, and never called Janice's mother his sister either. Maybe she was married to [[spoiler: Cecil's brother from Cassettes]] (you know, the one he doesn't remember, but we at least know he was around at some point). Janice's mother is actually his sister-in-law, and Steve is her second husband, after [[spoiler: Cecil's brother and mother left for whatever reason.]] It would just be another great reason to hate Steve. Cecil just doesn't question why he has a niece.
* [[FridgeBrilliance Obviously the answer]] is Steve Carlsberg must be married to [[spoiler: Cecil's brother]] and Janice is their daughter through a previous marriage. The mother he was referring to in Cookies is the ex-wife who is still involved with Janice's life. Whether [[spoiler: Cecil's brother]] is actually in the picture and Cecil continues forgetting he exists, is dead, or whatever, Cecil is still aware of how he is really related to Janice and Steve Carlsberg.

** [[spoiler: Jossed, though Cecil does (somewhat begrudgingly) gain a new perspective on Steve during the second half of the episode.]]

During the episode "Cookies", Cecil criticizes Steve about his gambling. In "The Drawbridge", the horoscope references gambling twice; one sign was even instructed to gamble their life savings on a street game. In "Old Oak Doors", Steve tells Kevin that he got more work done at the company picnic than he ever had in his life; it's possible that he was forced to spend every hour of the night for two weeks interpreting the stars, which is probably why [[spoiler: the horoscopes in "Rumbling" are better put together than the ones in "The Drawbridge"]]. Him being the astrologist also helps explain why the horoscope is rarely broadcasted, even though in "The Drawbridge" it was called a weekly horoscope; Cecil doesn't approve of a lot of what Steve believes in (said in "Old Oak Doors"); astrology could be both one of those beliefs and something he can reasonably not give airtime to.

The Time Traveler changed it. That's why he came back. Before the Traveler announced he changed the future, Cecil called her Cactus June. While the Traveler lived in Night Vale (so, after he made his changes) Cecil called her Cactus Judy. And after the Traveler [[spoiler: met his untimely end in the loving arms of the Hooded Figures]] Cecil called her Cactus Jane, because the changes the Traveler made were changed again after his disappearance! Probably [[spoiler: by the Hooded Figures themselves. Or not. Who knows?]]

* As of [[spoiler: the 3rd bonus episode]] John Peters is [[spoiler: most likely in a witness protection program for royals so it's most likely the media adding a fake occupation to the end of a probably fake name is part of that program.]]

[=StrexCorp=] has already began [[spoiler:taking over Night Vale, starting with Cecil's station.]] Time is canonically stated to work very strangely in Night Vale when it works at all, so it's not a stretch that the 'next town over' is actually a (very grim) possible future, in which our unflappable narrator has been completely broken and re-made in Strex's image.

* Somewhat {{Jossed}}, at least in part, but "Tryptich". [[spoiler:Cecil is able to communicate with Kevin before the Strex takeover, and his personality was completely different. It's also not entirely the future because the second part of the Triptych is set pre-invasion of Night Vale.]] Of Course, Desert Bluffs could just be set so far in the future its timeline is irrelevant, and any projections will be to Night Vale in the distant past.

* Towards the end of episode 34 Cecil says [[spoiler: his brother has dark hollow eyes. The picture in Kevin's office (assuming that the photo is of Kevin) is described to have eyes as dark as obsisidan. Later in the episode he says that his family has left him. Cecil, upon sparking interest in becoming the new voice of Night Vale, forgets all about his family. Kevin may have been destined to become the voice of Desert Bluffs and forgot about his life in Night Vale.]]

* Fourth Theory: Kevin is Cecil's [[spoiler: brother who vanished along with their mother]] appearing at some point in Desert Bluffs with both of them forgetting each other.

* Strex is doing '''something''' to its employees, anyway. Episode 36 [[spoiler: the Night Vale resistance took down a Strexcorp helicopter and gave this statement: Your pilot is fine. She is ours now. She will return when she is ready, but she will return better.]]
* Night Vale is annoying Strexcorp a lot. Between [[spoiler:Tamika Flynn and her Resistance]] and the crazy things that keep happening in the town... Their advert in episode 36 was actually pretty funny. [[spoiler: Strexcorp Synernists, Inc. Working hard so you can work harder. Work harder. Seriously. Work. Harder. Strexcorp. Get to work!]]

* In "Sandstorm", Kevin mentions Strexcorp just buying ''his'' studio. [[spoiler: This is one of the first steps they took when taking over Night Vale.]]
* In "The Debate", Kevin mentions how his intern Vanessa [[spoiler: died.]] There was an incident that happened where "some people never came back to work again." He seems to be very uncomfortable talking about it.

* In "Company Picnic" also, Night Vale [[spoiler: was renamed to the Greater Desert Bluffs Metro Area.]] This suggests that the town "Desert Bluffs" might have been under a different name before Strexcorp came along.
* [[spoiler: Confirmed as of episode 73. Though it seems Desert Bluffs has always had that name.]]

* The Strexcorp takeover is only one part of it, this, along with the fact that the eponymous traveler in episode 18, "The Traveler" wears a Desert Bluffs uniform, as well as making a big deal out of being a time traveler. In the Night Vale end of the episode right after that, "Sandstorm", when [[spoiler:Kevin from Desert Bluffs enters Night Vale radio via a portal]], he asks if he has gone back in time. And this ultimately ties into what seem to be the ArcWords - "Past performance does not guarantee future results."

[[WMG: Tamika Flynn's militia was formed to fight [[spoiler:Strexcorp.]]]]
Tamika's comment to the press regarding the army she's building: [[spoiler:"We do not look around. We do not look inside. We do not sleep. Our God is not a smiling God. And we are ready for this war." Compare with this piece of Strexcorp propaganda: "Look around you. Strex. Look inside you. Strex. Go to sleep. Strex. Believe in a smiling God. Strex. Strexcorp. It is everything."]] We have no idea what Cecil is or isn't telling us about [[spoiler:Strexcorp's invasion of Night Vale,]] and it makes sense that there would be factions within the town responding to this encroachment. Perhaps Tamika--surely among the least complacent of the town's citizens--would be involved. So not only is she reading above her grade level, she's civically minded and demonstrating excellent leadership skills!
* [[spoiler: Confirmed as of episode 36.]]

[[WMG: The Summer Reading Program was a plot by the Librarians to try and stop [[spoiler: Strexcorp]]]]
They knew that they were coming, and they knew that they would be unable to defy them as they can defy the City Council and the Sheriff's Secret Police. Also, to them, life under [[spoiler: Strexcorp]] would be unbearable. Censorship, mandatory sponsorship, and other library horrors. They knew they couldn't stand up to them, and that the adults would be no match, but they could train up the youth. Thus, the restarted the Summer Reading Program. The idea was to weed out the weak children, and get the rest under their firm control. However, [[GoneHorriblyRight things went differently]] in the form of [[LittleMissBadass Tamika Flynn.]] They didn't count on the devastation, and decapitations, that she would inflict. Much less the idea that their child army would be led by a child. Still, she's getting her forces ready to face [[spoiler: Strexcorp,]] so everything is still JustAsPlanned.

The submarine visit from Nulogorsk was organized by Tamika, who wishes for Megan to join [[spoiler: her child army against Strexcorp]]. Now that Megan [[spoiler: has a (very strong) adult man's body,]] Tamika will take her away to wherever the [[spoiler: army]] is hiding out after Megan [[spoiler: completes the therapy she needs to control her new body]]. And on that note, [[spoiler: Tamika may want to resurrect Megan's computer friend to help them out as well....]]

In the Sandstorm episodes, which were ostensibly simultaneous, it was daytime in Desert Bluffs and nighttime in Night Vale. As [[spoiler: Strex started to move in to Night Vale]], the sun started to rise with more regularity, and the months before even seemed to herald this with loud sunrises. They brought their yellow helicopters, counterpointing the Sheriff's Secret Police's blue ones. The Angels, to [[spoiler: hide Old Woman Josie from them]], cast darkness and shadow, they even [[spoiler: took Intern Vythia]] with a dark glow.

The [[spoiler: bloody, viscera-laden studio in Desert Bluffs]] recalls the sacrifices of ancient sun worshipers. Even the slogans, "Imagine a Smiling God", and "Look Around You. Strex." "Imagine Meadows. Meadows Are Important." It's likely they follow a terrifying sun god named Strex.

* That last past is presumably {{Jossed}} now that [[spoiler: StrexCorp has started moving in on Night Vale.]]

* [[spoiler: Confirmed.]]

[[WMG: As of episode 38, [[spoiler: [=StrexCorp=] is winning.]]]]
Just think about it. Old Woman Josie and her angels: [[spoiler: gone]]. Station Management? [[spoiler: Taken over by Strex.]] John Peters, you know, the Farmer? [[spoiler: Stuck somewhere in the house that doesn't exist and replaced by John Peters, you know, the ''Impostor.'']] The City Council: [[spoiler: announced they would leave in episode 38.]] The Sheriff's Secret Police [[spoiler: even listens to Strex!]] It's a bad time for Night Vale.
* According to episode 39, [[spoiler: Strex owns almost all the businesses in Night Vale]]. An ice-cream shop is a lone holdout but, by the end of the episode, they've been [[spoiler: merged with Strex and it isn't pretty]].
* In Episode 40 they even [[spoiler: threatened Carlos!]]
* Episode 45... [[spoiler: "They pass by City Hall, which is covered in a yellow tarp, stamped with an orange triangle."]]

* Update: As of episodes 48 and 49, it appears that [[spoiler:Night Vale is slowly fighting back...and they're getting close to winning! So far we have Cecil returning and getting the station back from [[BigBadDuumvirate Lauren and Kevin]], the revelation that Dana and Old Woman Josie have an entire army at their disposal now and OWJ has her Angel friends who may or may not exist back, Tamika Flynn is alive and kicking, etc.]]

At the end of episode 46, after [[spoiler: Tamika has been captured and the rebellion has been stopped]], program director Lauren and a man enter Cecil's studio. They are very unhappy but seem to be smiling, and Cecil describes their expressions, but when he sees the man, he says "Wait... I have seen this man before... Where have I seen YOU before?" What if this is Kevin? After [[spoiler: Cecil tries to help Tamika Flynn stage an uprising, Strex must realise that they must replace him with someone who would listen to them completely]]; who better than Kevin? Plus, it would explain why Cecil reacted so violently to him, as he seems disgusted by what he sees.
* [[spoiler: Confirmed.]]

* Support: When Dana is [[spoiler: stuck outside of reality or whatever is currently going on with her]], she tells Cecil that something is coming, and that it's big...

Her voice sounds disturbingly like Summer Glau's, and her statements sound very much like River-isms. Perhaps she was [[spoiler:programmed]] with River Tam in mind, or perhaps an iteration of River was detached by the Alliance and somehow found its way to Night Vale.

The sale itself is suspicious, as Cecil ''forgot to bid'' and everyone else also did except the buyer. This implies strong memory altering powers. While there are many residents of Night Vale capable of this, there are other occurrences of this happening every time Cecil is sent out to defend Mayor Dana against his will. Cecil always forgets who sent him there and why, and the reason for these hijackings of his free will is always to ''defend Mayor Dana and the city''. The Man in the Tan Jacket has many times before stepped forward to stop threats against the city, many from the same origin as those attacking the mayor, [[spoiler: namely Hiram [=McDaniels=] and the Faceless Old Woman.]]
* Jossed. [[spoiler: It was Violet, Hiram's purple head to protest against the other four because it has so little control over its own life.]]

* Jossed. Thanks to the novel, we now know he's [[spoiler:the mayor of King City.]]

We know that he took on a lot of jobs, and, well, the NamesTheSame.

[[WMG: Alternatively, The Man in the Tan Jacket works for the Wiki/SCPFoundation.]]

[[WMG: Carlos actually works for the Wiki/SCPFoundation.]]

Similar to Rei of Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion and Sam and Dean of WesternAnimation/VentureBrothers, there is an army of replacement Cecils for whenever the current one dies (as he may have more often than he lets on) or becomes too uppity for Station Management or, now, Strex Corp. There are many situations where Cecil manages to get out alive where others haven't and for reasons that he can't explain, like in the episodes Station Management or Subway, so he may not have actually lived but a replacement Cecil was used. Also, in episodes like Yellow Helicopters and Missing, Cecil has fierce disagreements with how the station or town is run and then suddenly in the next episode he insists that everything is fine -- almost as if he had been reset. There may be a Cecilquarium under the studio or something.

* [[Franchise/ArchieComics Riverdale]]

Evidence: Cecil describes his voice as "oaken tones", [[spoiler: but when we hear Carlos's voice in Ep. 16 it sounds fairly ordinary.]] Carlos is probably good-looking, but not to "Brazilian supermodel" levels, and Cecil has simply been exaggerating out of adoration.

* Hawkins (both of them) from StrangerThings

* "[[CaptainObvious Mayor]]?"

[[WMG: Carlos is the same person as Carlos from TheMagicSchoolBus.]]

[[WMG: Carlos is actually an amnesiac [[HarryPotter Gilderoy Lockhart]].]]