No, The Mothman Isn’t an Alien

Commentary

A Lot of Things to a Lot of People

The legendary Mothman has been a lot of things to a lot of people. And, in many respects, his mostly complex and evolving legend as a mythological creature made him one of the most unique and fascinating beings of his kind. That is until somebody – possibly a blogger on a cryptid or paranormal site – began to speculate that the Mothman is actually an alien.

To be frank, Mothman (or as many ardent fans call him The Mothman) is not an alien. He’s not a hairy beast with wings or an evil prophet of doom, either. He is allegedly a modern folklore character. And, as far as legends are concerned, he’s a very interesting one.

Brief History

The first two reports of the Mothman were made in the mid-1960s in Point Pleasant, West Virginia near the Ohio border. In one case, several frightened teens reported seeing a hairy creature with glowing red eyes hiding in the shadows of an abandoned weapons factory. The second sighting came from a motorist who claimed the Mothman was flying alongside his car on a secluded stretch of Route 62.

Since that time, he’s gone from being a local legend to an international phenomenon, thanks, in no small part, to the 1975 book The Mothman Prophesies by John Keel and the movie based on it.

Also, he took on other important characteristics, which have come to define him to a modern public. He became a creature of doom, supposedly showing up a day or two before a disaster occurred (as in the case of the Silver Bridge collapse in 1967).

Where Did the Alien Claim Come From?

The alien connection also evolved. And how this happened can be based on yet another urban legend character that emerged in the same region. Or, interestingly, due to competition between towns.

Ingrid Cold was a mysterious character. He too was introduced in the investigative writings of Keel, which predates the release of his book that introduced the world to the Mothman. He was a human who seemingly showed up during supposed sightings of the cryptid.

While many details about Mr. Cold’s origin are murky, there appears to be some evidence that he may have been a real person. But these details came from an audio recording of an interview with someone talking about meeting him. It’s a stretch to say that this is compelling evidence. But, it’s something, nonetheless.

Indrid Cold would eventually have his own narrative. Also, his origin, it would appear, was created by a rival town in West Virginia. In many respects, one town wanted to outdo the other town in being the home of mythological beings. It’s possible that one town saw the tourism money generated by the Mothman legend and decided to create their own legend. Of course, this is speculation. It’s likely both legends formed in the same unintentional ways.

Some people in the area claimed to have had contact with him, stating he was either the Mothman himself, a friend to the creature, alien or time-traveler. In many respects, the addition of Cold to the Mothman legend gives the latter more complexity and depth. It also brings out speculation among believers that the Mothman, Ingrid Cold, or both are aliens.

Another Possible Legend

Another urban legend that gained traction throughout the country during the Mothman inception was the UFO stories. Aside from the gray alien in flying saucers, another group of characters to emerge were the men in black, supposed government agents that tried to cover up evidence of extraterrestrials.

In many respects, Ingrid Cold fits the archetype. He is often described as being dressed in black and promptly arrives after Mothman sightings...

The Men in Black have a certain look: they wear sunglasses, black suits and ties ,and usually travel in pairs. Supposedly, they come out of nowhere, interview (most likely threaten) the witnesses and warn them about talking to others or going public with their sightings.

In many respects, Ingrid Cold fits the archetype. He is often described as being dressed in black and promptly arrives after Mothman sightings, sometimes asking questions of the eyewitnesses. Was this an indication that the Mothman is an alien? Again, it’s mere speculation laced with imaginative storytelling.

The Legends Combined

Often, folktales are retold with new details added to them. In some cases, they get blended in with other stories of lore. Mothman and Indrid, it appears, have had their stories blended.

This is especially true with the alien origin narrative that has recently popped up in blogs about the Mothman, Indrid, or both.

Who knows? This is the nature of folktales.

The alien claim is a bit misleading. In many cases, it was a reference to Indrid. Also, the stories of the alien origin were created long after the Mothman story was established.

Case Against Alien

Calling the Mothman an alien doesn’t seem to fit. It’s as if somebody wanted to modernize an already-modern myth. Was this mere speculation from a true believer of the Mothman, or was it created by somebody who was trying to tie the story into people’s fascination with extraterrestrials? Who knows? This is the nature of folktales.

Like many folk tales and cryptid creatures, the Mothman is mysterious and creepy. In many respects, that is why he is so appealing to the public. Since alien tales are popular these days, turning the Mothman into an alien may seem appropriate. However, the Mothman was already a legend who stood on his own. He doesn’t need to be grouped with another set of mythological beings.