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Volume 4, Episode 5, titled "The Mothman Revisited," Unresolved Mysteries revisits the urban legend of the Mothman, which was primarily associated with Point Pleasant, West Virginia, USA, in 1966. Unresolved Mysteries, the crime series, released the 4th volume of episodes on Netflix on July 31, 2024. This season, the series has 5 episodes that will explore the unsolved cases from around the world.
Each episode of Unresolved Mysteries aims to combine research, expert interviews, reenactments, and eyewitness testimonials to provide a brief understanding of the case to fans. The episode dives into the sightings that have happened recently and includes expert opinions on the same.
The official synopsis of Volume 4, Episode 5 of Unresolved Mysteries, reads,
"Amid eerie sightings of a tall, winged humanoid creature with red eyes, paranormal investigators explore the Mothman's seeming link to major disaster."
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The Origin of the Mothman legend
Between 1966 and 1967, the Mothman legend originated in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. The creature first made headlines on November 15, 1966, when two couples, Roger and Linda Scarberry and Steve and Mary Mallette, reported an encounter with a large, winged entity near an abandoned TNT plant.
As more reports started emerging, the town of Point Pleasant was all over the news. In thirteen months, more than a hundred sightings were reported, with the witnesses claiming similar characteristics about the creature. All witnesses described the Mothman as a large humanoid creature between 7 and 8 feet, with a wingspan of 10 to 15 feet. It has glowing red eyes and a wet, dark brown/black body.
Many people have linked the Mothman legend with disasters. The reports of Mothman creatures arrived at the time of the Chernobyl disaster, the Fukushima nuclear accident, and the silver bridge collapse, which happened at Point Pleasant.
Paranormal investigator, Tobias Wayland, explains in this episode 5 of Unresolved Mysteries,
"In the world of the paranormal, Bigfoot and UFOs are the most commonly talked about and researched. Close behind, you have winged humanoids — part human, part avian beings — which have been witnessed for centuries."
The Chicago Phantom and the Mothman
In recent years, 2016-2022, the legend of the Mothman has resurfaced, particularly in and around Chicago and O'Hare International Airport. The Chicago Phantom is a mysterious entity reported by residents of Chicago, Illinois. Tobias, when he got to know about online reports of this strange winged creature, teamed up with the paranormal investigator Lon Strickler to understand the phenomenon.
According to all the eyewitnesses, the creature closely resembled the Mothman. Unlike the previous sightings, the Chicago Phantom was seen during both day and night.
The Unsolved Mysteries episode 5 explores these connections with 50 years and 100+ eyewitnesses talking about these sightings. Interviews with witnesses like Sandra Styden and Stacey Ahern explore the persistent nature of Mothman sightings in Point Pleasant and beyond.
Sandra Styden said,
"About right here, I was looking at the front window of the truck, and I saw a black figure which I thought was a balloon. But it appeared to be a human. He was just floating. And I told everybody to look up in the sky."
Stacey Ahern continued,
"I saw the silhouette of what looked like Iron Man, the shine, the sheen to him, right above here, right where the clouds are now."
Stacey described how she saw the shape of Mothman's face, the pectoral muscles, and the definition of the arms. Sandra said that he just stayed straight, with no movement at all. As soon as he hit the white patch of clouds, he disappeared.
Theories and Explanations: Decoding the Mothman Mystery in Unresolved Mysteries
One of the most popular theories is that Mothman is simply a misidentified bird, such as a sandhill crane or an owl. When seen in low light, these birds can resemble the characteristics of a Mothman, including their large wingspan and big red eyes.
Ornithologists have suggested that a sandhill crane, possibly off its usual migratory path, could explain the sightings, as these birds are known for their considerable size and red markings around the eyes, which may be interpreted as the creature's iconic glowing eyes.
Another theory suggests it could be mass hysteria. The increased state of anxiety and fear in Point Pleasant, boosted by media coverage and local folk stories, could have led to widespread psychological phenomena where people convinced themselves they had seen the creature. The uniformity in describing the characteristics of the creature supports this theory, as seen in Unresolved Mysteries.
The Silver Bridge collapse added to this fear, confirming the belief that the Mothman was an omen of disaster.
Unresolved Mysteries: Volume 4 is currently streaming on Netflix.
