Welcome to Night Vale is a podcast about a fictional town in the U.S. where the strange and weird are considered normal and the weather is music. The pilot episode introduced Cecil Palmer as the radio host of Night Vale updating and telling the stories of Night Vale news and its citizens. Since Night Vale is a podcast there are some descriptions of all the characters, but for the most part with the descriptions given, how each character looks are all up to you, the audience. Some of the main characters throughout the ongoing podcast are Cecil whose archetype is the Narrator, Carlos as the Sage, Dana as the Innocent, Steve Carlsberg as the Show-off, and Kevin as the Shadow and Doppelganger.
Cecil has a beautiful deep and calming voice fit for radio. He is the main character that the audience hears through most of the podcast. He updates citizens about news in Night Vale as well as his personal life. Cecil’s archetype is the Storyteller because he tells stories. He informs the audience of everything that just goes on in Night Vale. Cecil loves his job and would not want to trade it for the world. One example in which Cecil tells Night Vale about the life of a citizen in Night Vale is in the episode “A Story About You.” In this episode Cecil talks about a day in the life in this particular person is who is referred to as “you.” For some reason, everything that this person does is broadcasted throughout all of Night Vale. Cecil is the main voice of the podcast and there are few times where the audience gets to hear other character’s voices. The entirety of Cecil’s archetype is heavily heard throughout the podcast. Cecil can also show other archetypes, but his dominant one is the Narrator since he is the main person the audience hears and becomes familiar with when listening to Welcome to Night Vale.
Carlos is also introduced in the pilot episode and is described as having a square jaw, perfect hair, teeth like a military cemetery and Cecil fell in love instantly. Carlos is a scientist and non-native to Night Vale. Carlos’s archetype would be the Sage because he seeks the truth and that is to understand just what is going on in Night Vale. Carlos called Night Vale the most scientifically interesting town in the U.S. Throughout the podcast Cecil talks about Carlos as always doing science. A couple of examples the audience hears that depicts Carlos’s archetype the Sage is when he is with a group of scientists trying to figure out if a house is really there because according to their equipment the house does not exist but they can see it. Carlos explained it in the Pilot episode as, “It seems like it exists…Like it’s just right there when you look at it. And it’s between two other identical houses, so it would make more sense for it to be there than not.” Carlos often asks Cecil to ask his audience about various things relating to science such as his discovery that the time is different in Night Vale and the sun sets later than it is supposed to. A situation that depicts Carlos as the Sage is when he is trapped in a Desert Otherworld in the episode “Old Oak Doors Part B” and helps people return to Night Vale from the Desert Otherworld. After everyone had returned, the door vanished and since Carlos is not native to Night Vale, he was unable to pass through. Carlos now being stuck in the Desert Otherworld has to figure out a way back home, but while he is there, he seeks to understand the Desert Otherworld. An example of this is when he tries to understand where the Desert Army came from. Carlos seeks to understand everything that goes on in Night Vale because he called it the most scientifically interesting town in the U.S. and there is a lot to seek and understand about Night Vale.
Dana started as an intern at Night Vale Radio, then she killed her double and no one is sure if it is the original Dana or her Double. Later on in the podcast, she becomes mayor of Night Vale. Dana’s archetype is the Innocent because she is faithful, optimistic, and trusting. One example that depicts this is when Dana or her Double gets trapped in the Dog Park. Dana describes the Dog Park as endless and somehow goes to the house that should not exist and ends up going to the Desert Otherworld where she discovers her phone never dies and can make calls to Cecil. Dana has faith she will return home and that Cecil gets her voice mails. Dana’s character is trusting because she sought a position as an intern and after returning home from the Desert Otherworld and saw her future self; she trusts she will have a good and important life. When Dana became Mayor of Night Vale, she trusts that the people will support her. Dana as the Innocent is heard in the podcast and her archetype is heavily heard when the audience gets to hear Dana speak.
Steve Carlsberg is brother in law to Cecil and is often depicted by Cecil as the Show-off. That archetype still applies to him because he likes to be the center of attention, has a need to display his intelligence, deeply insecure, overcompensating for a deep need to be loved or have a connection, can be dramatic, easily upset, and flaky. Cecil first depicts some of these qualities, later on, the audience gets to hear Steve talk in “The September Monologues.” Steve talks about the lights in the sky and starts to feel like has insecurities. Steve has a need to tell others much-needed information to both Cecil and Kevin. They both have very different views of Steve and once the audience hears Steve’s side all of these qualities come together to fit into this archetype. An example that shows these qualities is when Cecil describes him. With one description as he cannot take care of a tan corolla, Cecil makes it seem like Steve is not competent. Another is on Kevin’s show when Steve said the government controls certain things. Lastly, the audience hears him talk about the lights in “The September Monologues.” Steve knows no one really listens to him and he can see glowing arrows in the sky. Steve is nice to Cecil yet Cecil is always picking on him. Steve says Cecil hates him, but he does not hate him because Steve understands Cecil, but Cecil will never understand him. The only person that listens to him is Kevin from Desert Bluffs. Steve fits into this archetype very well because he wants the attention so that he can be loved or have a connection with others. Steve has insecurities because he mainly has negative views from his brother in law. He is often described as flaky when it comes to taking care of his daughter. All of these qualities are depicted making Steve the Show-off.
Kevin is the radio host for Desert Bluffs the opposing town of Night Vale and said to have a Smiling God. Kevin is first introduced in the Sandstorm Episode Part A and B. Kevin is depicted as Cecil’s Shadow and Doppelganger. This episode introduces the citizens Double. Kevin’s character started off the bat as Cecil’s double, but there are other moments shown where Kevin is the Shadow and Doppelganger to Cecil. Another incident that depicts this is when Strex Corp owns Night Vale Radio and Kevin’s personality is heard more. Comparing Cecil and Kevin their personalities are opposites and clash. Kevin is seen as cheery, likes blood, gore, violence and believes in a Smiling God and has black eyes. Kevin’s goal is to get people to believe in a Smiling God, but after he insults Steve by saying his daughter, who cannot walk, will be “fixed.” Steve flung him into a vortex that leads to the Desert Otherworld. Kevin is seen later on as starting a new radio show in “New Desert Bluffs“ in the Desert Otherworld. One reasoning as to showing Kevin and Cecil as opposites is that Kevin acts cheery and seems like a nice guy, but his actions show a darker side to him. Cecil on the other, hand does not like blood and gore. Cecil is a decent, kind, and ethical person who can switch from enthusiastic to being serious. One example that shows the opposites of both characters is in the Sandstorm episode Part B. This episode shows everyone’s double. Cecil’s and Kevin’s first meeting is when they go through a vortex and the audience knows the two have switched places. Throughout the two episodes, the audience hears Kevin’s and Cecil’s experience when they met. For Kevin, as they passed through the vortex, Kevin said they shard a hug. Cecil’s experience was quite different. What Cecil said that happened is tried to strangle him, then he remembered what he told his audience about not killing your double and Cecil let him live. After they passed through the vortex Kevin goes back to his radio station in Desert Bluffs and Cecil to his in Night Vale.
And now the weather
Even though Welcome to Night Vale is a podcast they show the characters archetypes well. As well as many other archetypes with some characters could possess more. It is likely for Cecil to have another archetype, but his most dominant archetype is the Narrator. He informs the audience of everything in Night Vale, everything from the news, traffic, weather, events, his personal life and the lives of other citizens. Carlos is mainly seen as a scientist and making new discoveries and wanting to learn and understand how Night Vale works, which makes him the Sage. Dana is very optimistic when faced with tough situations and keeps her faith that she will make it through the Dog Park and the Desert Otherworld which makes her the Innocent. Steve Carlsberg is always seen as the Show-off because he seeks attention and to connect with others, needs to display his intelligence, is insecure and can be easily upset and flaky. Lastly, Kevin is the exact opposite of Cecil in terms of personality which makes him Cecil’s Shadow and Doppelganger. More archetypes can be explored in the podcast, but these five are the main characters and some of the most common archetypes.
Want to know more about Night Vale? You can listen to it here.
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