The Icons and Lore Thread

[Clive]

I think Sinist3r and Surr3al being generally more energetic and playful is actually rather fitting, considering that in the lore, they've pretty much just been born after 33 years of being manifested.

It's like how Oddfellow was a parallel to Jack- More calm, calculating and imposing to Jack's maniacal and playful nature.

Oh, yeah, I’m not knocking their energy or attitude. It’s a good differentiator from Fear. But it does make them feel more like minions than they would otherwise. Something as simple as Fear is in a dark slumber to keep the lantern sealed, clearing the way for Sinist3r and Surr3al to be born and run amok in his absence.

 

[HHN Maddux]

Oh, yeah, I’m not knocking their energy or attitude. It’s a good differentiator from Fear. But it does make them feel more like minions than they would otherwise. Something as simple as Fear is in a dark slumber to keep the lantern sealed, clearing the way for Sinist3r and Surr3al to be born and run amok in his absence.

That's fair! I am curious to see what rules they abide by, considering that as Gods of Fear, naturally they should have have their own version of the Lantern.

Part of me wonders if this 'Realm of Horror' we enter could be it, considering we know the Lantern itself is a Realm from Captured.

 

[GA-MBIT]

From what I have heard myself, and at least from the performer's side of things, Universal has pretty much not thought through the implications of Sinister and Surreal at all within the larger lore of HHN. This is effectively a completely different thing to Fear, and any connection between the three entities we see in the future will basically be a retcon.

 

[Legacy]

From what I have heard myself, and at least from the performer's side of things, Universal has pretty much not thought through the implications of Sinister and Surreal at all within the larger lore of HHN. This is effectively a completely different thing to Fear, and any connection between the three entities we see in the future will basically be a retcon.

This doesn’t surprise me in the least. Universal has never really given much energy to lore. That was J. Michael Roddy’s big thing.

 

[Blysthon]

I just realized something about the twisted tradition scare-zone, a story was released back in 2020 for it. And there’s a character named Ernst who started it. Twisted Tradition (Story)
He says something about his master, The Pumpkin Lord?!”

 

[HHN Maddux]

A parallel between themes I've noticed:

Last year, Oddfellow's speeches would often be about calling us to conquer fear, not letting it control us so that we may achieve power and serve under, as he calls himself: "The most powerful being in this universe and beyond!".

This year, however, SURR3AL's speeches are telling us to EMBRACE the fear, let it fully take grasp on our minds and control us, so that we may be tormented by it forever and serve under the Duality.

Just a neat and interesting parallel I've noticed, excited to see if they do more with it in the years to come (especially with Adaru's inevitable return for HHN 40 slowly but surely getting closer).

 

[pumpkinbot343]

Much of the HHN 21 website can already be found on the hhngraveyard.com by @Galactus but this video has a section on Luck I’ve never seen before. So out of boredom; I’ve decided to transcribe Luck’s little text monologue from the near end of this video.

I’d like to take some time to introduce myself- I bring you choice and fate. I’ve been with you since time began, when temptation tested faith. I was there when man first tasted fruit served up on golden plate. He had his choice and made it, all I did was wait.

I was there when Columbus sailed, A rival Captain as his mate. A simple coin toss seemed so innocent, then turned his crew to hate.

I look for those with fortune made, with everything to lose- a gamble here, a risky proposition, the chance for more and more. I seek out those with reputation, opportunity knocking at their door.

I watched the poet wander, more talent than those who’d come before. I offered him a choice to make and he chose Baltimore.

I am there when students cheat, or play instead of learn. “All work and no fun.” I said, “Go on and make your turn.”

Do you want utopia? Your goal is just ahead. Roll the dice, pick a card, or take an easy test. The end result is yours alone, whichever one you guessed.

Curiosity is motivation for those who have to know. I watched them ponder this and that… and which way to go. But things were not going what they seemed beneath the frozen snow.

The wealthy young newlywed wanted land to build and I offered several to decide. His final choice was a fateful one and cost the groom his bride.

The easiest are those so vane, that ego guides their way. Offered fake and adulation, the actor always play.

Some find my ways so puzzling, the purpose of my games. But it is so simple really… I am a lady through and through. And luck is my last name.

 

[Galactus]

Eek, my version of it looks terrible! Let me see if I can get it fixed this week!

But man, I didn't realize there was a ton of games on the site. I guess I shouldn't be given it was covered on the thread here. I've looked through my variety of sources and haven't found that flash file with the games having been archived anywhere. Any chance someone else has found it?

 

[pumpkinbot343]

Posting in (admittedly late) honor of the actress who portrayed Bloody Mary here; Julia Reilly, may she be missed. See also this short article about her.

 

[Clive]

Posting in (admittedly late) honor of the actress who portrayed Bloody Mary here; Julia Reilly, may she be missed. See also this short article about her.

Thanks for posting. I don't think it's hyperbolic to say her performance as Mary was really remarkable. Legitimately upsetting in a way few Horror Nights icons are.

 

[SeventyOne]

Thanks for posting. I don't think it's hyperbolic to say her performance as Mary was really remarkable. Legitimately upsetting in a way few Horror Nights icons are.

I mean this to give her the ultimate compliment as a scare-actor (along with the make-up artists, etc.) -- my g/f's 6 y.o. used to make me warn him whenever we drove past the Bloody Mary billboard on I-4 so he could look away, because her image alone was terrifying.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

Thanks for posting. I don't think it's hyperbolic to say her performance as Mary was really remarkable. Legitimately upsetting in a way few Horror Nights icons are.

Yeah, makes it all the more painful that she can never reappear. : /

(I'm surprised they bothered licensing her in the first place.)

 

[Legacy]

Yeah, makes it all the more painful that she can never reappear. : /

(I'm surprised they bothered licensing her in the first place.)

They didn’t plan to license her. They assumed she was fair game because she was an urban legend. But she was integrated into every house, the website, the billboards, everything. So their hand got forced.

 

[Blysthon]

A certain someone with a top hat and skull staff might be working for the Pumpkin Lord leading to 35. A symbol was spotted in a certain zone that is set on Halloween.

 

[Kichkinet85]

A certain someone with a top hat and skull staff might be working for the Pumpkin Lord leading to 35. A symbol was spotted in a certain zone that is set on Halloween.

Hmm where at? I didn’t see that yet.

 

[Clive]

Can we pump the brakes on anything even remotely HHN 35 spec related, please?

 

[pumpkinbot343]

A question to those living or familiar with Japan; here’s two little fun hypothetical questions of mine:

1) if in another timeline, HHN was brought into Universal Japan like somewhere in the 2000s (instead of 2012) and took Orlando’s icons with them there, which Icons could have worked and not worked in that park’s event?

2) Would the Bloody Mary copyright not work in Japan and would they have theoretically been free to use her there? As a follow up to that; are there any very similar legends in Japan (like La Llorona in Spanish cultures) that they could have used instead (again, in a timeline where Japan’s HHN debuted in the 2000s)?

Bringing it up again out of boredom and tagging @BatCom for this since that person seems to know very much about USJ.

 

[BatCom]

Bringing it up again out of boredom and tagging @BatCom for this since that person seems to know very much about USJ.

Just speaking on my personal opinion:

1) if in another timeline, HHN was brought into Universal Japan like somewhere in the 2000s (instead of 2012) and took Orlando’s icons with them there, which Icons could have worked and not worked in that park’s event?

Chucky is quite popular in Japan and has been featured at almost every USJ HHN in the past decade, so he's the obvious choice.

I think Jack the Clown could be popular here. Not sure if he's ever made it to Japan in any capacity, but clowns are a well known image here.

Jason, Freddy and Leatherface would have pull with a certain group of Japanese. I think these days they are considered a bit old and not super well known among younger generations (maybe the same as in the U.S. now too, haha), but they are probably recognizable among Gen X and Millennial Japanese.

2) Would the Bloody Mary copyright not work in Japan and would they have theoretically been free to use her there? As a follow up to that; are there any very similar legends in Japan (like La Llorona in Spanish cultures) that they could have used instead (again, in a timeline where Japan’s HHN debuted in the 2000s)?

As far as I know there is not a copyright on a folklore legend like Bloody Mary (am I wrong?)

But I don't think Bloody Mary is very well known in Japan.

There are tons of Japanese folklore, ghosts and legends which are well known with Japanese, and many of them are indeed used in theme attractions throughout Japan. At HHN 2021 at USJ there was a house themed to the manga series GeGeGe no Kitaro that featured yokai, as they are a main feature of that series. I seem to recall a yokai house was rumored for American HHN a year or two ago.

 

[SeventyOne]

Huge LT update, but you'll have to cross fandoms to find it. Interesting post in the Society of Explorers & Adventurers Facebook group from local legend Right Guard Ian:

"It appears as if Universal/Halloween Horror Nights is developing their own S.E.A.! The International Institute of Antiquities and Exploration (I.I A.E.) No idea how far it will reach into further lore, but Boris Shuster seems to have been busy!!! The two idols from the past two HHN Tribute Stores have vanished from his office, BUT a consiparcy bulliten board has appeared! So…time to decipher what is new in the world of Legendary Truth!"

The post is accompanied by copious pictures of the new bulletin board in Boris' office.

Personally, I have no idea what this could be leading to, but I do find this a lot of work just for intraoffice amusement or even fan service.

 

[pumpkinbot343]

Huge LT update, but you'll have to cross fandoms to find it. Interesting post in the Society of Explorers & Adventurers Facebook group from local legend Right Guard Ian:

"It appears as if Universal/Halloween Horror Nights is developing their own S.E.A.! The International Institute of Antiquities and Exploration (I.I A.E.) No idea how far it will reach into further lore, but Boris Shuster seems to have been busy!!! The two idols from the past two HHN Tribute Stores have vanished from his office, BUT a consiparcy bulliten board has appeared! So…time to decipher what is new in the world of Legendary Truth!"

The post is accompanied by copious pictures of the new bulletin board in Boris' office.

Personally, I have no idea what this could be leading to, but I do find this a lot of work just for intraoffice amusement or even fan service.

Link please?