Podcast Summary: So Supernatural – Episode "DARK WEB: The Elevator Game"

Introduction

In the episode titled "DARK WEB: The Elevator Game," hosted by Yvette Gentile and Racha Pecorero, so Supernatural delves into the eerie urban legend known as the Elevator Game. This modern-day folklore, which gained traction on the dark corners of the internet, is purported to grant participants passage to an alternate realm—or the "shadow side." The hosts explore the origins, rules, and chilling accounts associated with this game, culminating in a discussion of the mysterious disappearance of Elisa Lam and its rumored connection to the Elevator Game.

Origins and Explanation of the Elevator Game

The Elevator Game is described as a paranormal ritual requiring a standard elevator in a building with at least ten floors. According to the hosts, the game's origins are murky, with the earliest documented rules appearing online around 2011, possibly originating from Korea or Japan. In their own words:

Yvette Gentile [04:48]: "It's a paranormal ritual game that can transform an ordinary elevator into, I don't know, a sort of a vehicle. Right? One that can travel through space and time, crossing over into alternate universes."

Rules of the Elevator Game

The hosts meticulously outline the steps required to play the Elevator Game, emphasizing precision and solitary participation:

1. Start on the Ground Floor: Enter the elevator alone or with one companion, ensuring no additional passengers join.
2. Floor Sequence:
   • Ground Floor → 4th Floor
   • Press button for 2nd Floor
   • Press button for 6th Floor
   • Press button for 2nd Floor again
   • Press button for 10th Floor
   • Finally, press button for 5th Floor
3. Interaction with the Mysterious Woman: Upon reaching the 5th floor, a non-human woman may enter. Participants must remain silent and avoid eye contact, continuing the sequence by pressing the 1st-floor button.

Failure to adhere strictly to these rules is said to result in dire consequences, with participants potentially becoming trapped in the shadow side forever.

Racha Pecorero [07:02]: "If you don't follow those rules, awful things will happen. Except nobody's entirely clear on what those bad things are. But supposedly, that's because the people who break the rules never return."

Chilling Accounts and Video Evidence

The episode features several firsthand accounts illustrating the unsettling nature of the Elevator Game:

1. Reddit User Sami's Experience (2018):
   • Sami followed the game's instructions in their 11-story apartment building. Initially uneventful, Sami began experiencing disturbances such as animal shrieks and mysterious wet footsteps leading back to the elevator.
   • Desperate for relief, Sami attempted various protective measures, including burning sage and sleeping with a crucifix, but the disturbances persisted until they eventually moved away.

Yvette Gentile [15:06]: "They were certain they'd opened up some gateway to another dimension. So just like you and I would do, Raj, they burned some sage in their apartment and they slept with a crucifix under their pillow."

2. YouTube Creator Marlon Chan's Attempt (2020):
   • Marlon, with companions Jonathan and Drew, documented their attempts to play the Elevator Game. Initial attempts were unsuccessful, leading to frustration and multiple tries.
   • During one attempt, Jonathan experiences strange occurrences—multiple unexpected descents to the lobby while recording inside the elevator. Upon reuniting with his friends, discrepancies arise between the footage and their perceptions, suggesting a possible passage to another dimension.

Yvette Gentile [17:31]: "While Marlon and Drew wait in the lobby and film from their end. Inside the elevator, Jonathan shows that he's following all of the instructions to a T. He doesn't get interrupted, he doesn't miss the sixth floor again, and he doesn't see the woman on the fifth floor either."

The Elisa Lam Case: A Mysterious Connection

A significant portion of the episode examines the infamous disappearance and death of Elisa Lam, a case that has spurred extensive speculation regarding its potential ties to the Elevator Game.

1. Disappearance and Initial Investigation:
   • Elisa Lam, a 21-year-old from Vancouver, disappeared in February 2013 after checking into the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles. Her last known location was the hotel's elevator, captured in a now-viral four-minute security video.

Yvette Gentile [25:02]: "So if you've seen this video clip, it's actually quite disturbing."

2. The Security Footage:
   • The footage shows Elisa entering the elevator, displaying erratic behavior such as hitting multiple floor buttons and stepping in and out of the elevator without apparent reason. Notably, the elevator remains stationary for the majority of the video.

Racha Pecorero [25:44]: "Elisa steps out of the elevator again and starts gesturing with her hands. It's hard to tell, but it almost looks like she's having a fully animated conversation with someone in the hall. Except there's no one else on screen."

3. Discovery of Elisa's Body:
   • Two and a half weeks after her disappearance, Elisa's body was found in one of the hotel's water tanks on the roof, an area difficult to access. The circumstances of her death—drowning with no signs of violence or forced entry—fuelled conspiracy theories.

Racha Pecorero [32:35]: "She could have pulled the lid off and climbed inside to escape whatever she thought was following her. And without a ladder inside, Elisa might have gotten stuck with no way to climb out."

4. Link to the Elevator Game:
   • Conspiracy theorists suggest that Elisa may have played the Elevator Game, considering the elevator's floor count and her erratic behavior as consistent with the game's rituals. However, the hosts present counterarguments highlighting discrepancies, such as incorrect floor sequences and the elevator's higher starting floor.

Yvette Gentile [34:07]: "So maybe when she made her way onto the roof and saw those big concrete water tanks, maybe they looked like the perfect hiding place to her. She could have pulled the lid off and climbed inside to escape whatever she thought was following her."

Alternative Theories: Mental Health and Medication

The hosts also explore official explanations attributing Elisa Lam's death to mental health issues exacerbated by improper medication adherence. Elisa had a history of bipolar disorder, and evidence suggested she was not following her treatment plan during her stay at the Cecil Hotel.

Yvette Gentile [35:31]: "Instead, the police believe Elisa's cause of death was actually related to a mental health episode."

Conclusion: The Allure of Supernatural Explanations

The episode concludes by reflecting on the human tendency to seek supernatural explanations for inexplicable tragedies. The Elevator Game, while providing a compelling narrative, underscores deeper issues of mental health and the vulnerabilities individuals face.

Racha Pecorero [39:18]: "We never know what people are truly going through. And it's easy to look for wild explanations sometimes even in the supernatural, to sort of mask the reality that life can be cruel and harsh for so many of us."

Notable Quotes with Attribution and Timestamps

• Yvette Gentile [04:48]: "It's a paranormal ritual game that can transform an ordinary elevator into, I don't know, a sort of a vehicle. Right? One that can travel through space and time, crossing over into alternate universes."

• Racha Pecorero [07:02]: "If you don't follow those rules, awful things will happen. Except nobody's entirely clear on what those bad things are. But supposedly, that's because the people who break the rules never return."

• Yvette Gentile [15:06]: "They were certain they'd opened up some gateway to another dimension. So just like you and I would do, Raj, they burned some sage in their apartment and they slept with a crucifix under their pillow."

• Racha Pecorero [25:44]: "Elisa steps out of the elevator again and starts gesturing with her hands. It's hard to tell, but it almost looks like she's having a fully animated conversation with someone in the hall. Except there's no one else on screen."

• Racha Pecorero [39:18]: "We never know what people are truly going through. And it's easy to look for wild explanations sometimes even in the supernatural, to sort of mask the reality that life can be cruel and harsh for so many of us."

Final Thoughts

"So Supernatural" effectively intertwines the lore of the Elevator Game with real-world mysteries, offering listeners both a spine-chilling narrative and a contemplative look at how legends are formed and perpetuated. By examining individual experiences and high-profile cases like Elisa Lam's, the podcast invites audiences to question the boundaries between myth and reality, ultimately highlighting the profound impact of storytelling on our understanding of the unknown.