Before the actual release of the Dread Architect video, a sort of short film was published to preface it. This would re-define our understanding of this ARG, giving a new sort of context to multiple aspects of it.
This video is pretty entertaining and different in the sense that it comes off as like a snippet from a movie, and is much longer compared to the other videos we’ve seen with a different kind of polish to it. It answers quite a few questions, whilst also raising many.
A summarization this one due to it’s size and content would be difficult, so instead I will just voice some general takeaways I have. The read is optional, but I think it'd be helpful to lay out what I've noticed for anyone who'd be confused.
- Firstly, it appears that this event was foreshadowed as early as Part 18 of GNS, with Dr. Y mentioning that it was their mission to identify the "universal void synthesizer" and guide them to their destiny. Speculative rant (warning: long)
- One of the other biggest revelations to come out of this video is that Phae, Reven, Call, and other characters are all implied to be alternate-universe counterparts of real actors. Somehow, this is achieved with the use of "Plato II" and allows someone to link their consciousness to another.
- The party made up of II Sky employees seems to be occurring in the “true universe” that The Arm had alluded to prior.
- Phae and Reven seem to be directly viewed as “characters” in this “game.” When Reven possesses Sydney, it appears that seeing posters around of herself in this context infuriates her.
- The "Dread Architect" as alluded to in earlier puzzles is Mark Otherman, CEO of II Sky Interactive. Mark is also just what appears to be a persona for this character, with his real name being "Marok Ozer"--if this is spelled correctly. It is implied that he holds more outreach than just his identity as a CEO, but the extent of this is unknown. He also has a forehead scar, but it’s notably “cleaner” / seems more surgical than Phae and Revens.
- As for these realities, were they constructed, or had “already existed” and been exploited? I'm inclined to believe in them being “constructed” in canon for various reasons; The use of the word “Projections” from the real-life actors, the “Dread Architect” title, and finally “Plato/Plato II” being needed to “produce” this. This is pure speculation though and I can be wrong. Regardless, Plato seems to be required to link Sydneys' consciousness to these alternate counterparts.
- Why did Mark insist on referring to Reven as Phae? His motives regarding Reven specifically are a little unclear, and he doesn't even appear to be too disturbed by the slaughter of II Sky employees. He clearly recognizes a potential in Reven, or he wouldn’t have asked for her to join him.
- “Mark Otherman” is definitely a play on the name “Matt Stephenson.” The other band members; Sean and Lucy as well as other real-life people are seen in the video, even credited as “theirselves,” which makes this weirder. You would think this to be an “alternate reality version of Matt” ..but this was clarified not to be the case, and I cannot tell whether it’s sarcasm in the next part, which is about the ARG AMA.
- Angel showed up previously within the plato interception series, and as it turns out, they seemed to be the figure in the gas mask/suit searching for Phae even prior to this ending. Did they also know what’d happen? They allude to Revens’ origin as being complicated.
Lots of other good theorizing occurs around here within the discord in relation to the video at the time.