Midnight Man

 

Some kind of Bloody Mary stuff. The YouTube clip above is about a "paranormal" game called Midnight Man, supposedly an ancient pagan ritual. In reality, it´s an internet phenomenon from circa 2010. Another urban legend mentioned in the clip is called the Elevator Game.

Here is what ChatGPT says:

What is the magical ritual known as "Midnight Man"? Is it really an ancient pagan ritual? It seems to be connected to 22 tarot cards, but tarot isn´t really ancient.

The Midnight Man ritual is not an ancient pagan rite, despite some online claims to that effect. Instead, it's best understood as a modern creepypasta or internet urban legend—a fictionalized horror ritual that gained popularity online, particularly around the early 2010s.

Overview of the "Midnight Man" Ritual

According to the lore, the Midnight Man ritual is a game in which participants summon a malevolent entity known as the Midnight Man into their home at exactly midnight, usually by writing their name on a piece of paper, pricking their finger to mark it with blood, and then placing it in front of a door with a candle.

Participants are then supposed to walk around their home in the dark with the candle lit, trying to avoid the Midnight Man until 3:33 a.m. If the candle goes out, it's said the Midnight Man is near—and you must relight it within a short time or risk hallucinations, harm, or spiritual possession.

Connection to Paganism?

• The ritual is often falsely described as an “ancient pagan banishment ritual,” but there’s no credible historical evidence supporting that claim.

• No known pagan culture practiced anything resembling this game.

• The "ancient ritual" framing is part of the horror narrative style, meant to enhance the mystique and danger of the game—it’s fiction, not folklore.

Connection to Tarot?

• Some versions of the Midnight Man story have included a connection to the 22 Major Arcana cards of the tarot, supposedly as symbolic representations of the Midnight Man's moods or stages of the ritual.

• But as you rightly noted, tarot cards are not ancient—they originated in 15th-century Europe as playing cards and only later became associated with mysticism and divination in the 18th–19th centuries.

• The use of the tarot in connection with the Midnight Man is a modern invention, likely meant to add an occult or esoteric flavor.

Bottom Line

• The Midnight Man ritual is fictional, created as a scary game or test of courage (much like Bloody Mary or the Elevator Game).

• There is no historical or pagan origin for the ritual.

• Any connections to tarot or other occult systems are modern embellishments with no authentic tradition behind them.

Would you like a breakdown of the ritual's steps or a comparison to other "paranormal games" from internet folklore?

What is the Elevator Game?

The Elevator Game is a well-known urban legend and supernatural game that allegedly allows a person to enter a different dimension or alternate reality by using an elevator in a very specific way. Like the Midnight Man ritual, it's part of modern internet folklore (often labeled as "creepypasta") and has no basis in real occult practice.

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🕹️ How the Elevator Game Works (According to the Legend)

To play, you need:

• A building with at least 10 floors.

• A functional elevator that no one else will use during the ritual.

• To be alone while performing the game.

The Basic Steps (Summarized):

1. Enter the elevator on the first floor.

2. Press the buttons in this exact order:

   • 4th floor

   • 2nd floor

   • 6th floor

   • 2nd floor

   • 10th floor

   • 5th floor

3. At the 5th floor, a woman (or "other entity") may enter. You must not speak to or look at her.

4. Press the button for the 1st floor. If the elevator instead goes to the 10th floor, the ritual is working.

5. When you reach the 10th floor, you may choose to step out—this is the “other world.”

   • The “other world” is usually described as empty, dark, and eerie, with red lights outside windows and no signs of life.

   • If you step out, you may have difficulty returning.

To Return:

You must reverse the steps precisely, and even then, it's said that you may find yourself in the wrong version of reality, with subtle or disturbing differences.

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👻 Themes and Interpretations

• Isolation, thresholds, and liminality are key motifs: you're in a confined space, moving between levels, crossing into the unknown.

• The “woman” on the 5th floor is often likened to a ghost, demon, or test—much like the "stranger" figure in many myths.

• It's part of a modern fascination with forbidden knowledge and hidden portals, especially in online horror culture.

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🧾 Origins

• The game originated in Korea or Japan, where it circulated on online forums in the early 2010s.

• It gained wider attention after being translated into English and shared on sites like Reddit, YouTube, and creepypasta wikis.

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🕯️ Real or Not?

• There is no evidence that the Elevator Game leads to anything paranormal. It's a narrative experience, a way to evoke fear and curiosity.

• However, like many urban legends, the story endures because it taps into psychological fears—elevators, being alone, other realities, and the unknown.

Would you like a comparison between the Elevator Game and mythological themes like the descent into the underworld?