| Perhaps you noticed something strange yesterday. And perhaps you have forgotten it. Welcome to Night Vale. |
| — Cecil |
"Cassette" is the 33rd episode of Welcome to Night Vale. It was released on October 15, 2013.
Synopsis[]
Cecil finds an old cassette tape of himself at age 15, and he is surprised at what it contains. Plus, a new exhibit at the Museum of Forbidden Technologies, Children's Fun Fact Science Corner, and an important message from new station management.
Summary[]
Cecil finds some old cassette tapes marked "Cecil Radio Tests—Age 15," containing the voice of his younger self. This is surprising because Cecil does not remember recording the tapes, nor the brother his younger self complains about, nor the internship at the radio station his younger self is so enthused about, nor the strange flickering movement at the corner of his eyes that first appears only when he is recording, and then begins to follow him even when not recording. At the end of the episode, the flickering movement apparently catches young Cecil, leading to some odd strangled noises followed by a loud thump that seem to insinuate the flickering movement has strangled young Cecil. An audibly distressed present-day Cecil destroys the tapes.
The episode also contains a bulletin on a new exhibit at the Museum of Forbidden Technologies, a message from an anonymous sponsor, a segment of Children's Fun Fact Science Corner on measurements, and an important message from the radio station's new owners, StrexCorp Synernists Inc: "Think Deeply About Meadows. Meadows Are Important."
Plot Developments[]
- Cecil states his full name as Cecil Gershwin Palmer. This is one of the first hints that he is Jewish, along with the fact that his mother has covered the mirrors in their home (consistent with the shiva mourning tradition). The name Gershwin is an Anglicization of Gershowitz which in turn is a Russian adaptation of Herschowitz, meaning "of the Hirsch family". Hirsch comes from a German word for deer.
Recurring Segments[]
Trivia[]
- The segment on the exhibit at the Museum of Forbidden Technologies was originally featured in the live show "Condos". "Condos" was confirmed by Jeffrey Cranor to be a future episode that audiences at the live shows get to experience early and out of sequence to the main series. Presumably, the segment will be replaced with new content when the episode is broadcast.
- Error: When naming the cardinal temperatures, Cecil says "10 degrees Kelvin". This is technically incorrect as temperatures given in Kelvin should not include the word "degrees".
Proverb
| You can lead a horse to water, and you can lead a horse into water, and you can swim around with the horse and have fun. |
| — Proverb |