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Tonight, we are going to explore the truly chilling legend
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of Bloody Mary. Will dive into the haunting stories of
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cursed mirrors and the historical figures that fuel this myth.
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There's a truth behind every legend, and we're looking into
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this one tonight.
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About what you were about to take is burd to
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you based on witness accounts, testimonies, and public record. This
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is terrifying and truth. Truth.
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I don't know about you, but Bloody Mary played a
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major major role in my forma of years, especially on
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the occasions where I might be invited to some kind
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of sleepover. Yes, yes, yes, boys sleepovers did have things
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like Bloody Mary and light as a feather, stiff as
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a board. We may have even painted each other's nails
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for all I remember. But Bloody Mary was a definite
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challenge because it was something spooky that no one wanted
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to do, but that could be done by just going
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to the nearest mirror. I remember many chilling evenings trying
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to get our friends to head into the bathroom, close
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the door behind them, and say those terrifying words. So
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we're gonna learn what the truth is behind Bloody Mary.
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Right after this, the legend of Bloody Mary is one
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of those eerie tales that has been whispered in schoolyards
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and at sleepovers for generations. You might remember hearing it
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as a child, the same story now circulating among your
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younger siblings and relatives. Rooted in a blend of urban
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myths and folklore, It's said that if you dare to
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stand before a mirror in the dark, enchant Bloody Mary
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three times, or sometimes thirteen for the particularly daring, the
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specter of a woman may appear. This isn't just an apparition.
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She's often described as a ghost, a ghastly figure, sometimes
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covered in blood, with an expression twisted in rage or
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eternal torment. But who exactly is Bloody Mary. Well, that's
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where things get quite murky. Her origin story is not
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clear cut. Instead, it's a patchwork of history and horror. Initially,
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the legend may seem like a simple ghost story, but
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it unfolds into a narrative filled with darkness and terror,
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involving witches, mysterious disappearances, and the brutal revenge of a
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bygone era. So now it's time to learn a little
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bit more about the scary reality of Bloody Mary to
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find out where exactly it came from and why it's
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still not a good idea to repeat Bloody Mary three
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times in front of a mirror. One prevailing theory suggests
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that Bloody Mary is none other than Queen Mary the
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First of England, whose tragic life and untimely death might
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have trapped her spirit between the mortal realm and the afterlife,
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seeking to emerge through the mirror's glass. Mary Tudor, better
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known as Queen Mary the First of England, was consumed
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by her duties to her kingdom and her steadfast beliefs.
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Plagued by the political and religious turmoil that defined her reign,
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Some speculate that her restless spirit may be the one
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summoned by the incantations of Bloody Mary. Born into the
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tumult of Tudor politics, Mary the First Queen Regnant of
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England ascended the throne in a time fractured by religious strife.
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Her ascension marked the beginning of a reign that would
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be remembered for its zealous attempts to reverse the Protestant
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Reformation initiated by her father, King Henry the Eighth. Mary's
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conviction to restore Catholicism as the state religion, set the
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stage for a period of intense persecution, etching her name
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into history which the moniker Bloody Mary. Mary's reign was
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characterized by the Maryan Persecutions, a dark era during which
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over two hundred and eighty Protestants were executed. These executions
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were most commonly by burning at the stake, a method
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chosen for its public spectacle and the belief that it
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cleansed the soul of heresy. Historians recount harrowing tales of
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men and women, clergy and lay persons alike, who were
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condemned to die in flames for their refusal to renounce
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their Protestant faith. The infamous burnings, many of which took
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place in prominent public spaces like Smithfield in London, were
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designed not just to punish heretics, but to deter others
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from following in their footsteps. The memory of these events
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cast a long shadow over Mary's reign. The accounts of
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smoldering pyres and the smell of burning flesh forever associated
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with her efforts to unify England under the Catholic Church.
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Beyond the public and violent spectacle of her religious persecutions,
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another more personal tragedy colored Mary's rule, her desperate and
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ultimately fruitless desire for an air. Mary's two phantom pregnancies
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are well documented phenomena where her fervent hope and belief
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that she was carrying a child led to physical manifestations
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of pregnancy that ultimately ended in disappointment and confusion. These episodes,
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occurring against the backdrop of her persecutions, added a layer
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of pathos to her legend. Mary's deep yearning for a
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child was not just about continuing her line. It was
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tied to her vision of a restored Catholic England and
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England where her child would solidify the return to the
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faith she fought so hard to enforce. The absence of
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an heir left her throne and her religious campaign vulnerable,
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a weakness that her half sister Elizabeth would have no
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problem exploiting to usher in a Protestant England after Mary's death.
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Queen Mary the First of England is a complicated figure
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because of her harsh religious policies and personal sadness that
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she faced. When you take away the myths and stories
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about Bloody Mary, you see a woman who was really
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fighting for what she believed was right for her country.
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This fight was very costly, leading to the deaths of
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many people and eventually overwhelming Mary herself. Remembering her attempts
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and fail to continue her family line and strengthen her religion,
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adds a sad layer to her story. It reminds us
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that underneath the title of a queen, there's a person
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with struggles and disappointments, making the scary nickname Bloody Mary
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feel more real and even more tragic. As we dig
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deeper into the dark grave of Bloody Mary's legend, it
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becomes evident that the origins of this tale are as
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complex as the stories themselves. Among the many threads that
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compose Bloody Mary's backstory, one name frequently rises to the surface.
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Mary Worth, a woman whose life is shrouded in mystery
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and darkness. Mary Worth, often associated with the sixteenth or
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seventeenth century, live on the outskirts of a village. Her
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home nestled deep within the woods. Secluded and solitary, Mary's
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presence stirred unease among the villagers. Whispers of witchcraft followed her,
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tales that grew more sinister with each passing year. It
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was said that Mary possessed knowledge of ancient rituals and
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dark arts, knowledge she used to extend her life and
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beauty through the most macabre means. The legend deepens with
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the disturbing disappearances of young girls from the village. Each
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disappearance was cloaked in mystery, with no trace left behind
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save for the whispered rumors that they were last seen
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heading towards Mary's secluded dwelling. The villagers, their fear turning
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to anger, accused Mary of using the girls in her dark,
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rich duels, an accusation that sealed her grim fate. In
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the dark of night, a mob formed their torches, casting
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long shadows as they marched towards Mary's home. They found her,
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so the story goes, in the midst of a ritual,
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surrounded by the trappings of witchcraft. Without trial, they pronounced
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their judgment, and the woods lit up with the fiery
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blaze of their vengeance. As the flames engulfed her, Mary
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is said to have uttered a curse, vowing to return
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from death to seek retribution against those who dare to
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summon her spirit. Building on the myriad of tales that
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have shaped the legend of Bloody Mary, Elizabeth bath stands
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out with a story so dark it might just eclipse
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all the others. While figures like Mary Worth remain shrouded
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in mystery and Queen Mary the First carries the weight
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of historical tragedy, Elizabeth Bathory's life ventures into the grotesque,
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further complicating the search for the true identity behind the
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Bloody Mary myth. Elizabeth Bathory, often referred to as the
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Blood Countess or the Queen of Blood, was a Hungarian
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noble woman whose existence is well documented, contrasting the speculative
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nature of other candidates tied to the Bloody Mary legend.
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Between fifteen ninety and sixteen ten, Bathory was implicated in
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the horrific murders of at least eighty young women and girls,
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although folklore an sensational accounts have inflated this number to
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as high as six hundred and fifty. The brutality of
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these alleged murders is the stuff of nightmares. Reports suggest
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that Bathory engaged in unspeakable torture practices, sowing the mouths
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of her victims shut, mercilessly beating them, and using hot
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irons to burn their skin. Perhaps most infamously, Rumors swirled
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that she bathed in the blood of these young women,
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believing it would preserve her youthfulness and beauty. The trial
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of Elizabeth Bathory brought forth a witness who claimed to
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have seen a diary maintained by Bathory herself, in which
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she tallied her victims. The number listed in this supposed
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diary far surpassed the official accusations, sparking further horror and
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fascination through the centuries. This element of personal record keeping
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adds a chilling layer to Bathory's legacy, suggesting a degree
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of premeditation and pride in her atrocities that is truly
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and deeply unsettling. Amidst the gruesome tales. However, some argue
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that Elizabeth Bathory was the victim of a conspiracy. They
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suggest that the heinous charges against her were part of
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an orchestrated effort to discredit her, possibly motivated by the
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significant debts owed to her by the Crown following her
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husband's death. This angle introduces a layer of political intrigue
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and raises questions about the reliability of his story narratives,
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especially those concerning powerful women. This backdrop of skepticism and
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horror makes Elizabeth Bathory a compelling yet controversial figure in
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the quest to identify the real Bloody Mary. Her story
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both contrasts and compliments the narrative of Queen Mary the First,
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intertwining with the broader tapestry of legends that have captivated
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imaginations for generations. Regardless of the factual accuracies of the
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charges against her, Elizabeth Bathory's legacy has undeniably contributed to
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the dark attraction surrounding the Bloody Mary legend. So who
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exactly is or was Bloody Mary, you may ask, Well,
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that's the million dollar question. Wrapped in the tattered cloak
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of history, shrouded in the whispers of folklore, and energized
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by our innate thrill of fear, she endures a spectral
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figure whose name chills the air and frosts the mirror.
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The legend of Bloody Mary, far from fading into obscurity,
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thrives in the darkest corners of our culture's psyche, and
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is as robust and shiver inducing today as ever before that.
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Mary the First of England, with her heart wrenching history
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steeped in blood during her violent attempt to bring back
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Catholicism to her realm is the original face behind the
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Bloody Mary narrative. Her infamous moniker Bloody Mary was earned
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as her rule was marred by the burning of over
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two hundred and eighty religious dissenters, an act that seared
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her name in the annals of history with crimson flames.
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Then there's the elusive and mysterious Mary Worth, cloaked more
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in dark rumor than hard evidence, swirling amidst whispered campfire
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stories and eerie sleepover dares. This Mary is said to
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be a witch, executed long ago for her vile practices.
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Her story a patchwork of sinister threads that make her
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as intangible as a wisp of mist, yet no less haunting.
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But let's not overlook the blood soaked gowns of Elizabeth Bathory,
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the nightmarish figure drenched in the crimson tales of youth
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and beauty, maintained through the most grotesque of measures, infamously
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dubbed the Blood Countess, her legacy is a macabre painting
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of at least eighty confirmed murders of young women. The
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grotesque folklore suggests she bathed in their blood, a fountain
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of eternal youth at a horrifying cost a trial and
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supposed diary of Elizabeth Bathory, filled with a horrifying list
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of victims, adds a dark and serious tone to her story.
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The mix of historical figures associated with Bloody Mary makes
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figuring out who she really was both intriguing and mysteriously appealing.
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Whether you doubt the legends or think there might have
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been some truths to the tales, the mystery of Bloody
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Mary's true identity is indeed fascinating. It draws in everyone
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who loves to explore unanswered questions and enjoys a good scare.
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The legend of Bloody Mary, like an eternal curse, found
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its way through time, morphing into a ghostly game known
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by children and thrill seekers worldwide. The ritual of summoning
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Bloody Mary before a mirror in a darkened room became
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a test of courage, a rite of passage whispered about
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in hushed tones during sleepovers and Halloween parties. Yet the
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question lingers in the air, as palpable as the chill
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that accompanies her invocation. What happens when Bloody Mary answers
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the call? Reports of vary. Some see a shadowy figure
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in the mirror, Others a blood soaked apparition, and a
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few claim to hear a voice whispering dark secrets and
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warnings from beyond. The experiences, though varied, share one common thread,
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the eerie feeling that the legend of Bloody Mary and
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the Spirit of Mary might just hold a grain of truth.
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Will you light the candle and call out her name?
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Or will you heed the warnings Woven into the fabric
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of this ghastly narrative, Whether myth or reality, the tale
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of Bloody Mary endures a ghostly whisper in the dark
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that dares us to look closer, always questioning, always fearing
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what might stare back from the other side. Terrifying and
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True is narrated by Enrique Kuta. It's executive produced by
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Rob Fields, Mark Shields and Bobletopia dot com. It's produced
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by Dan Wilder with original music by Ray Mattis. If
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you have a story you'd like us to cover, send
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us an email at Weekly Spooky at gmail dot com.
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little as one dollar a month, simply go to Weeklyspooky
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dot com and click on Patreon. Your support helps us
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keep the podcast going. And growing, and speaking of I
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want to say an extra speci well thank you to
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our Patreon podcast boosters, folks who pay us a little
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bit more to hear their name at the end of