The Magnus Protocol Theory - Tumblr Posts

So guess who went down the rabbit hole of Magnus Archives/Magnus Protocol lore. Me! (Also spoilers for the Magnus Archives I guess?)

                                        THEORY 1 (AUs are canon?)

So, in the Magnus Protocol, the institute burnt down in 1999 and there were no survivors. (https://rustyquill.com/show/the-magnus-protocol/ me? citing my sources? shocking!) 

But we know for a fact that this didn’t happen in the Magnus Archives as we still have an institute and Gertrude was murdered years later by Elias, and so couldn’t have possibly died in 1999 like she would have if the institute burnt down while she was working there.

There is also the fact that in the Magnus protocol the institute is in Manchester while the fandom wiki (https://the-magnus-archives.fandom.com/wiki/The_Magnus_Institute) says that it was originally in Edinburgh but was then moved to Chelsea in London. Neither of those place are Manchester so it’s either a continuity issue or another piece of evidence for this theory.

Given that both of these things don’t line up with tma canon, and at least the fire one is definitely intentional, I think that the Magnus Protocol is set in some sort of alternate universe (and it’s not impossible bc similar things have happened before in tma, but we’ll get back to that later). That’s not my full theory though.

                         THEORY 2 (Sometimes you gotta commit arson)

Now, we know that the Magnus Protocol is an alternate universe because of the fire, but what caused the fire to happen in the Magnus Protocol but not in tma?Welcome to the 2nd part of my theory (where I felt like a god bc all the pieces were connecting but it was like 2am and I wasn’t really thinking about things like evidence or proof) 

See, it could be that a random event happened/didn’t happen in the Magnus Protocol and we just never hear about it in tma (and I’m not willing to rule out Agnes Montague just yet considering she would have been alive at the time) but I like to think that the clues would be there for us to find, both because mysteries with clues hidden throughout are kinda the name of the game for tma and I imagine that would hold true for this, and because it’s fun.

So, if the clues are hidden throughout, then what happened in 1999 in the Magnus Protocol universe that didn’t happen in tma?

According to the timeline for tma on the fandom wiki, (https://the-magnus-archives.fandom.com/wiki/Timeline#2000 again not sure how much I trust the details to be correct but I am not going through 200+ episodes to try and assemble a timeline) only three things happened in 1999 that we know about (Copypasted bc I’m lazy)

A number of the Magnus Institute's files are leaked to the press, causing widespread derision (MAG 68).

September - Mikaele Salesa sells a meat grinder to the cook on his ship. The cook begins serving his own meat to the crew, healing himself with the meat grinder. Mikaele fights the cook, who is thrown overboard (MAG 115).

October - The Bright Lake amusement park closes its doors for the last time (MAG 156).

I doubt that the meat grinder had anything to do with the fire considering that they weren't even in the area of the Magnus Institute, and pretty much had nothing to do with it, so we can rule that one out. Which leaves us with Bright Lake closing and files being released.

I considered that Bright Lake might be involved as they’re one of the only solid Extinction phenomenon, but fire doesn’t really seem to be the Extinction’s thing, (though alternate universes, of a kind, are so maybe they are involved) and again, it’s just not in the right area of the world. (also, fun fact, there is a real Bright Lake amusement park in I think the same place as in tma, and it’s open, so that’s fun)

That leaves us with the files being released. Off the bat this one is the most likely simply because it takes place at the Magnus Institute. It was also probably meant to be an act against the Magnus Institute, which increases the likelihood of the fire and the file release being related. After all, someone who is already pissed at the Magnus Institute could easily choose to seek their revenge in different ways in different universes. The intentions behind releasing sensitive information and burning a place to the ground could easily be the same. Plus the files being released is something that’s mentioned more then once, (I think, considering that I actually vaguely remember it, it probably was) whereas the meat grinder is a statement that never comes up again, and the Bright Lake thing is a single sentence in a statement that doesn’t even take place in 1999.

                            THEORY 3 (The timeline works, so why not)

So, we’ve figured out that the Magnus Protocol is most likely set in an alternate universe, and that whoever released the files in tma was probably the one to set the fire in the Magnus Protocol, but remember how I mentioned that alternate universes have happened before in tma? (I haven't finished season 5 bc procrastination is a bitch, but I think they may be mentioned there too? idk) So in tma there’s this lady called Anya Villette. Now she makes a statement in MAG 114 and it’s basically about how she was hired to clean Hilltop Road (the house, not like the entire street) and she got transported from her universe to tma. Now this confirms that alternate universes are a thing in tma. (I think it’s also confirmed in the end of season 5 bc there were a lot of jokes about it) 

Now this next bit isn’t really a theory, but what if Anya’s universe is also the Magnus Protocol Universe. There isn’t really any evidence for this, so again, not really a theory, just a claim with a decent timeline, but basically Anya says that she’s never heard of the Magnus Institute before when making her statement. She gives her statement in 2009. (And there are some time shenanigans but it doesn’t impact the year so we’re just gonna ignore it) In the Magnus Protocol, the institute burnt down in 1999, so if the file release never happened, (which I think was said to be why everyone knew what the Magnus Institute is? I feel like I remember that but I could be completely wrong.) and the institute ceased to exist in 1999 then it’s entirely possible that Anya wouldn’t know about it, despite it existing at one point in her universe.

The Magnus protocol spoilers 

TMP theory 

A TV show. Reaching out into the homes of millions, giving the more vulnerable ones a subtle nudge towards terror. Probably something for children. It never went anywhere, of course. These things rarely do. -Annabelle Cane MAG 197

My theory is that Mr. Bonzo  is a manifestation of the web it in someway  just with his creator talking about how he feels like he’s being controlled by him and of course this quote by Annabelle Cane.

I’ve seen a lot of people theorizing about which of the fears Alice might fall into if any, but I don’t know if I’ve seen anybody say this (somebody probably has but whatever) I really think that she’s going to succumb to the lonely, or the protocol equivalent. The way she pushes everybody away with jokes and crude remarks it’s very self isolating behavior to me. Even when she’s hurting, she has like this tendency from the little that we’ve seen of her to just make jokes about it and try and laugh it off even though we see that she cares deeply. 

So I meant to send this the day the episode came out but I have a theory.

In TMA technology and statements did not mesh well, though it could be different in TMP. Colin knows something is up with Freddie. I think it’s more than the Eye though. You know which fear is perfect for the idea of technology? One that hasn’t been explored thoroughly yet, the Extinction. Plus, it’s odd that Colin said “extinct itself” rather than “shut down” or “break”. Saying “extinct itself” stands out and leads me to think it’s a hint to Freddie being linked to the Extinction somehow. It could still be linked to the Eye possibly, but I think the Extinction is a big possibility.

Posting the autographs I got at the festival [which I am sosososo grateful for, Anusia & Ryan & Shahan are the sweetest and I’m so glad I got the chance to meet them!!] a with a little ramble underneath [i swear it’s something!]

There was a great Q&A held where people honestly asked fantastic questions I wouldn’t have thought of, I had my hand raised but honestly the only question I could think of in the moment was did Colin eat his fish.

He totally did, if you ask me, anyway

Back in the hotel and KICKING myself over forgetting my biggest question / thought about the Magnus universe in general, so I’m gonna share it!;

The extinction was made prominent as an up and coming fear in archives, obviously, and it was also made clear that there was no counter power or whatever — until protocol.

Jon, The Archivist, Chester, whatever you see them as, is the extinction. Ready to end everything for everyone on a whim.

Martin, Norris, A Vessel To The Lonely, the opposite.

Yes, he spread the fear — but he also spread humanity, humanity thrives and grows and is meant to be shared, and it is far from perfect.

Martin is humanity.

And Jon, is the extinction coiled around it.

Maybe in every universe the embodiment of the extinction and humanity fall inlove. Maybe in one of them it doesn’t doom their world.

— 👁️☁️ —

Honestly !! A concept I need people to write about, Christ, it’s just so MMM. Anyway. Thank you for listening =w=