Do you hear the constant ticking? No? Then you missed one of the greatest YouTube experiences of all time. It’s too late now, for the countdown has already reached zero. However, I’d like to discuss and explain why the channel in question deeply impacted many (if not all) of its viewers. So without further ado, join me in remembering Unus Annus.
Unus Annus was a channel created by Mark Fischbach (Markiplier), Ethan Nestor (CrankGameplays), and Amy Nelson, who was behind the scenes. In November 2019 (when the channel was launched), Unus Annus had a timer that started at 364:11:59:59 on its first video. The timer continued to count down at the beginning of every video uploaded. The reason? Unus Annus means one year in Latin. That’s right! The channel was to last only a year. In fact, the group uploaded one video every single day until the clock struck zero. Then they deleted the entire channel. Yeah, you heard me right — they deleted the entire channel after a 12-hour live stream on its last day. All that work and dedication is gone, but why? Well, let me explain.
The reason for the channel was to show everyone how precious time is. How the clock never stops ticking. How everything ends and everyone dies eventually. What would you do if you knew you only had one year?
Unus Annus was filled with non-stop hilarious content, but it also had truly impactful moments. When the channel was launched, I was a brand new mom battling postpartum depression. It had become an escape and a reason to laugh with my partner. It was something we could watch and enjoy together.
Then when COVID-19 hit, Unus Annus became many of its viewers’ way of escape.
The realities of our world became too much to bear, but this channel gave us reasons to laugh when we thought we couldn’t. Personally, it impacted me deeply. Since I’m severely immunocompromised, I can’t leave my home. The Unus Annus videos were the thing I looked forward to every day. They became an escape from the harsh reality of everything happening.
We watched how Mark and Ethan handled quarantine as well. It didn’t stop them from making content while still being safe. They would video chat and find ways to make it entertaining. Once it was safe to reunite, they made sure to follow proper precautions.
From “Cooking with Sex Toys” (yes, that happened) to deep videos of Mark and Ethan discussing life under the stars in the Joshua Tree national park, the channel was really diverse. There was plenty of silliness and nonsense, but we also watched a bond between friends grow stronger with each video. We also watched the duo learn new skills, challenge themselves, deal with quarantine, laugh until their bellies hurt, conquer fears, test their limits, and cry tears of joy.
On their short-lived channel, Mark and Ethan did some ridiculous things, but they also showed us how quickly we can all pick up on new skills if we give it all we have. They learned archery, miming, fire eating, aerial hoops, aerial ropes, how to walk on broken glass, cooking, milking goats, and even goat yoga. You never knew what they were planning to do next.
Unus Annus might have seemed silly to some, but it wasn’t to its loyal viewers. We’re all mourning it like actual death. Technically, it is death — it certainly feels like one. Everything is gone. Not only the channel but every social media platform they were on. We watched it all get deleted on their live stream on November 13, 2020.
The true meaning behind Unus Annus was not only to remind us time is precious but to remember death as well. It taught us to live our lives to the fullest and make sure we do all that we’ve always wanted. I think that’s a message everyone needs to hear. What’s more, I think Mark and Ethan did a wonderful job of showing us that it’s attainable. Nothing like Unus Annus had been done before, and I don’t think we’ll ever see something like it again. The channel might be gone, but the memories and impact that it had left will always remain. The love, the laughs, and the memories live on as long as the viewers do.
Memento Mori. Unus Annus.
Featured image via MK Hamilton on Unsplash
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