Pierce Arnold - A Second Self Motif That Doesn't Exist 4/26/2026

When learning about the motif of the second self, the last place I thought I would ever end up finding it was in a Minecraft YouTube video. However, recently a series was released on YouTube that is more akin to a low budget found-footage documentary than a traditional YouTube video which follows the story of two characters trapped in a Minecraft world with an evil supernatural entity. Even though I suspect Wifis, the creator of the series, is not familiar with the second self motif, it is still very present in this series. The main character, Derik, is the smarter of the two. He is quick to solve puzzles and thinks of solutions to traps and problems easily. Avery, on the other hand, is not nearly as smart, but far more determined and brave, with a willingness to try to save Derik even when it risks unnecessary harm to his own mind. The plot, you see, of the story is a spin off idea of the 1895 collection of short stories about the “King in Yellow”. The idea of the original books is that there is a cursed play that, when the script of which is read, overflows the mind of the reader with a staggering amount of knowledge that drives them insane. In the YouTube series, this idea is not expressed through a play script, but rather a certain section of the Minecraft world. When Derik reads the play it traps his mind within the game, and Avery explores the world, trying to find and save Derik while also avoiding the malevolent King in Yellow. The second self motif is prominent here because of how different the abilities and personalities of Derik and Avery are, with Avery almost expressing the “Wild man” part of the motif in his more basic mental and emotional state. Ultimately the King is not defeated until they both have found each other and strengthened their connection, with Derik’s death signaling the end of the series and the motif.

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