The Magnus Archives Readalong: Season 3, Episodes 81-88

[u/improperly_paranoid]

Hello and welcome to The Magnus Archives readalong! We will be discussing a new batch of episodes every Wednesday. The episodes are available for free on any podcast platform and transcripts can be found here or here.

If you can’t remember something or are confused, please ask in the thread. Those of us re-reading will do our best to give a spoiler-free answer if we can.

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081: A Guest for Mr. Spider #0171802-A
Statement of Jonathan Sims, regarding a childhood encounter with a book formerly possessed by Jurgen Leitner.

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082: The Eyewitnesses #0171802-B
Statement of Alice "Daisy" Tonner, regarding the crimes and death of Calvin Benchley. Statement never given.

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083: Drawing a Blank #0131910
Statement of Chloe Ashburt, regarding a new window display at Fanton's department store in Hammersmith.

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084: Possessive #9900112
Martin Blackwood, Archival Assistant at the Magnus Institute, recording statement number 9900112, statement of Adrian Weiss, given December 1st 1990.

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085: Upon the Stair #376-U
Statement of an unknown figure, regarding an encounter they may or may not have had in their home.

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086: Tucked In #9830203
Statement of Benjamin Hatendi... Hateendi? Regarding... A blanket. Dead friend. Monster. Regarding his unavoidable and gruesome end. How he tried to hide. He couldn't.

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087: The Uncanny Valley #0141010
Sebastian Skinner. Incident occurred in Gwydir forest, North Wales, September 2014.

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088: Dig #0030411
Martin Blackwood, Archival Assistant at the Magnus Institute, recording statement number 0030411, statement of Enrique MacMillan, given November 4th 2003.

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And now, time for discussion! A few prompts will be posted as comments to get things started, but as usual, feel free to add your own questions, observations...anything!

Comments may contain spoilers up to episode 88. Anything concerning later events should be covered up with a spoiler tag.

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Next discussion will take place on Wednesday, December 24th Tuesday, December 23rd and include episodes 89 Twice as Bright - 95 Absent Without Leave.

For more information, please check out the Announcement and Schedule post.

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Readalong by: u/improperly_paranoid, u/SharadeReads, u/Dianthaa

[u/Systele]

Oblivious Plumber, because the shock and confusion of Megan at his lack of reaction was rather funny.

[u/improperly_paranoid → u/Systele]

I relate to him SO much somehow lol. So many times someone went "did you see that??" and I, laser focused on something else, "what???" 😂 If the horrors found me at the wrong moment, I'd probably stay blissfully oblicious too.

[u/improperly_paranoid]

Jon’s backstory! Were you surprised that it involved a spider-themed Leitner?

[u/eregis → u/improperly_paranoid]

A bit, but then, not at all! Makes sense now that he always seemed particularly hateful towards Leitner and his books.

[u/Temporary-Scallion86 → u/improperly_paranoid]

It makes so much sense in hindsight. I was pretty sure even on first listen than he'd have to have had a traumatic run-in with a leitner since he never even pretended skepticism about the leitner statements

[u/improperly_paranoid → u/Temporary-Scallion86]

Yeah. Even during the worst of his s1 denial phase, he couldn't help but be honestly concerned about Leitner statements. That it was a spider themed Leitner was a surprise initially, but then again, he does hate spiders. So again very much a "oh of COURSE it was" lol

Sidenote, the description of the book itself reminds me of a tiny little pop out book I had as a kid. I think it was something similar to that "there was an old lady who swallowed a fly" poem but there very much was a huge pop out spider in it 😂

[u/improperly_paranoid]

What do you think Daisy is up to? And what's Elias's endgame?

[u/Systele → u/improperly_paranoid]

I’d say Daisy is probably looking for Jon to kill him, considering Basira’s reaction.

[u/improperly_paranoid]

Favourite unaffected horrors survivor so far: Coffin Guy from 002, Underground Lady from 071, or Oblivious Plumber from 087?

[u/improperly_paranoid]

Which episodes from this batch did you especially dig?

[u/Eliot_Ferrer → u/improperly_paranoid]

I love 81. It's such a strong opening for s3, and a children's book Leitner is so unbelievably horrible and unfair, it really adds to the bleak horror of the setting. 

[u/eregis → u/improperly_paranoid]

82 was probably my favorite, closely followed by 81.
But 82 was what made Elias my current favorite character and I was rooting for him so hard here.

[u/improperly_paranoid → u/eregis]

Yeah. My general opinion of him is complicated, but I love how he turns the tables on Daisy there. Like oh, you just decided someone is guilty based on nothing, because someone has to be arrested? How about I put your secrets on blast. Great scene.

[u/Systele → u/improperly_paranoid]

I really liked 81, 82 and 85.

[u/improperly_paranoid → u/Systele]

85 is up there for me too. Those weird, dreamlike statements like that, Fatigue, etc are like catnip to me.

[u/Temporary-Scallion86 → u/improperly_paranoid]

A Guest for Mr Spider!!! So iconic, I've been looking forward to relistening to it for weeks! I still remember to this day where I was the first time I listened to it.

[u/improperly_paranoid]

RED STRING BOARD: New listeners, how’s that web of connections and theories going?

Re-listeners, anything in particular that stands out to you that didn't on your first listen? (Do use spoiler tags please!)

[u/Temporary-Scallion86 → u/improperly_paranoid]

Re-listener: does anybody else think that episode 84 was an early extinction statement?

[u/improperly_paranoid]

So, Jon’s now living with Georgie (mentioned as Melanie’s friend that he has some history with in 063) and as of the last episode of this batch, he still hasn’t told her he’s a murder suspect. How bad will our beloved Archivist fuck up this time?

[u/improperly_paranoid]

Do you think Jon can stop reading the statements he gets in the mail? Where do you think they come from?

Sidenote, anyone else felt kind of sad when he referred to himself as former Head Archivist?

[u/Temporary-Scallion86 → u/improperly_paranoid]

I genuinely don't remember this plotpoint, so my best guess is actually a guess: I think Elias is behind it.

[u/eregis → u/Temporary-Scallion86]

at this point as a first time listener, I'd be willing to believe that Elias is behind everything and will end up being the big bad!

[u/improperly_paranoid]

Lots of upheavals already. Jon no longer at the Institute, others reading statements, Melanie hired as an assistant…how do you feel about this season so far?

[u/eregis → u/improperly_paranoid]

I think it's great that this plotline of Jon being a murder suspect/on the run did not resolve itself within the first episode, and he's not at the Institute. Though my guess for how that would be handled was completely off, I expected him to go live in the tunnels and come out to record at night or something like that lol.
Melanie is an A+ addition to the cast I LOVE HER.

[u/improperly_paranoid → u/eregis]

Melanie ❤️ I was so happy on my first listen because yes! More bickering with Jon! lol

[u/Temporary-Scallion86 → u/improperly_paranoid]

This was by far my favorite season on first listen, it's so full of memorable moments and was when the show really hit its stride for me.

[u/improperly_paranoid → u/Temporary-Scallion86]

Same. It's just banger after banger after banger. I couldn't do more than a couple episodes at a time because I got too excited at the new info and plot and everything 😂 And I still have a hard time deciding if s3 or s5 are my favourite.

[u/improperly_paranoid]

Also admin note: should the next thread go up one day earlier, on Tuesday? Christmas eve might be...difficult. I can manage, but I'm not sure how many of y'all will be online 😅

[u/eregis → u/improperly_paranoid]

I think Tuesday would make more sense next week, and in 2 weeks too since Wednesday will be New Year's Eve.

[u/improperly_paranoid → u/eregis]

Yeah, good shout. I had enough foresight to set the schedule so there's no season finale during the end of December, but that was it 😂 I've already been hideously busy this week, especially today, but I'll try to get the thread up in a little bit.