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[TheBioGuy]

Defining "Masky"

[EBFizex]

Great idea to open this thread. I agree that Masky/TTA are one in the same, but until anything is proven, separation is a good idea.

Another thing to add to the list of speculation is what Tim needed the pills for. I wonder: could "Slendersickness" be a way the Operator "creates" a Masky? Perhaps it's a way he gains influence over Tim. If Jay was one as well, he had quite the cough, along with Jessica.

[Kilo]

I've been fond of the idea for awhile that the Operator has a very... chaotic way of affecting people. It'd be pretty hilarious if his effect on Tim was just that Tim went nuts and sought to somehow "protect" the Operator.

[JKatkina]

My two cents: "Masky" as we refer to him isn't a character unto himself. There are the characters we know, and then sometimes there's a mask. Usually it's Tim, though I'm convinced the twitpic with the mask is Jay (check out the distance between those eyes, man). I don't think there is any evidence whatsoever for any other character donning the mask, however.

The mask itself is a tool, not a magical macguffin or amazing split-personality-generator. It's hard to say what exactly the tool's for, though I'd tend to suggest that it's used as some sort of protection from the Operator, maybe to keep the Operator from quite catching on to the wearer's identity. It could as easily be a tool to keep Jay or even the audience from realizing the identity of the wearer for some reason. (There are other things it could be, but I'll let other people elaborate on their own theories.) I don't think there's a personality change with or without the mask -- I think Tim's just nuts in either case, though a functional enough nuts to live in the real world too (see Entry #15).

I think the pills are seizure medication, due to the fact that when Jay ganked them from the house in Entry #16, the next time we see Tim in entry #18, he straight up has a seizure. That's the only time we see that particular symptom in him, or anybody. Seizure medication messes with the brain's electronic signals -- inhibits them to some degree and in some form, which is exactly what prevents a seizure -- and crossing that with the theory that the Operator has an effect on electrical currents or fields, we have a reason why the pills are relevant to the story. They could be protecting Tim to some degree against the Operator, maybe preventing the memory loss that the others have suffered, which seems like it'd be a totally legitimate reason for someone to quietly lose their mind. Imagine being stalked by the Operator for years simply because the meds that keep your brain working also make sure you're going to be continually stalked by an eldritch horror!

Ugh, there is so much more, but I just don't have time. :c Maybe I'll visit this thread again later.

[ChangoLaton]

My honest opinions based on what information there is
There is more than one Masky (well either that or he/she/it can do some verry limited shape shifting at least to me it seems like there are slight diferences in body size and type not much thought but unless masky is constantly going in and out of diets it's gotta be plural)

The masks have no powers they are just masks (ok and that guess comes from the fact that one of them was left just hanging on the house I'm sorry but I don't care how crazy I am if I have a magical power giving mask there is no way it's gonna be out of arms reach)

TTA is a masky (but like I said I think there is more than one)

Maybe I am missing something but I have seen no evidence that proves what I just said as false.

The cult idea seems sound but I haven't seen anything to fully colaborate that so I reserve the right to take that back

[Zarggg]

My main issue with the "multiple Maskys" theory is that we have exactly zero evidence to corroborate it. Every time we have seen "a Masky" in the series, it has been Tim.

[TheBioGuy]

Before this goes where I see it going, let's make sure that we are treating each other's opinions as valid, no matter what they are. ChangoLaton, please present your evidence, since you claim that there is some. Zarggg, feel free to analyze the evidence when CL presents it, as I'm sure many will, and respond politely afterward. I just really want this to stay civil. I'm sure you weren't going to be excessively rude or anything, Zarggg, but I have seen these discussions go in that direction.

[RazENyter]

I saw an idea that Tim wears the mask to hide his face from the camera. I thought that idea was interesting. As to why he does this, another idea i saw (none of this is mine) was that the operator "sees" through the cameras...and somehow travels.

[axilog14]

a theory, not necessarily evidence

[TheBioGuy]

Axilog, I've proposed a theory in the past that could jive well with yours. A name for a medicine that came up in the past when discussing the pills in season 1 was Piracetam.

The theory is that Tim took Piracetam for a preexisting seizure condition (explains the seizure in #18 ). However, one of the uses of piracetam is assisting patients with dementia or Alzheimer's. In other words, memory problems. The thought is that while the presence of the Operator makes many forget him afterwards (such as in #17), Tim's medication caused him to remember.

He may have used this at first in hopes of fighting the Operator, and one instance may have been directly before #20. He shows signs of an operator experience, chills, coughing, foggy focus, irritability, etc. So what does he do? He takes the pills. After a while, though, his dealing with the operator without the release that others had in forgetting the Operator.

This drove him insane. Not necessarily batshit crazy, but perhaps he willingly fragmented his personality to deal with the maddening effects of the Operator. One personality, Tim, to live in the regular world and interact with regular people, and Masky (totheark?) to fight the Operator and guide those who may be doing the same.

The pills were taken by Jay in #16, well, at least some of them. And perhaps Masky used that opportunity to take them even when he was stopping in on Jay, and that explains their disappearance, or perhaps he was force-feeding them to Jay in his sleep or something.

Could that help?

[axilog14]

[Geneaux486]

[axilog14]

[tbot2012]

I agree with the mask being a tool. In one of the TTA vids, return I think, J's all laid up against a door with his face covered in paint (looking like the mask) and the operator moves -right- past him. I think the mask, for whatever reason, protects you from the operator. It also looks like in the videos the mask has evolved over time. The first one might well have been in entry...26? The one with Amy and Alex running from the operator. That one kinda looked like a Grim Fandango character.

Seperate thought here, if Tim is indeed TTA-

I think what's significant is that the TTA vids are all...different in tone. Some warn him, some seem to taunt him, and others just..don't make sense. I think what stands out the most is that Tim always attacks J, but never wants to hurt him. He stabs Alex in the most recent one, yes.. but if Tim = TTA, he would have had the drop on J when he went to any number of places. Thing is, we see a TTA vid with footage of J collapsing on the floor. If there was a malevolency about luring J to that house, you wouldn't simply watch your target collapse on the ground.

[TheBioGuy]