‘1899’: 4 Questions We Have Before Even Starting the Netflix Series

The new Netflix series 1899 hits the streaming platform on Nov. 17, and fans are already theorizing all the possibilities about the direction the show may take. With the creators of Dark at the helm, there’s no question the series will take the audience on a mind-bending journey. The full-length trailer for 1899 honestly left us with more questions than answers, so let’s jump right into it. Here are four questions we have after watching that creepy trailer.

What does the triangle symbolism mean in ‘1899?’

If you didn’t catch it (and we don’t know how you missed it), the symbol of an upside-down triangle is clearly going to play a large part in the Netflix show 1899. Everywhere we looked, we saw another triangle hidden in everything from clothing to the odd strip of paper printed out on the ship. But does that symbol mean anything in the real world?

In our very scientific research of asking Google, “What does an upside-down triangle with a line through it mean?” we discovered it does actually have some meaning. Oddly enough, the shape represents “earth” in witchcraft. Why use a symbol that means earth in the middle of the ocean?

Does hypnotism play a role in the story?

In the previous teaser for 1899, we saw a woman wearing a green dress (with several triangles in the pattern of her dress, we might add!) sitting down to speak with Maura Franklin (Emily Beecham.) In a voiceover, we hear someone ask, “Why do you think they’re all here?” In response, another woman says, “They’re all running away from something. Why else would someone want to go somewhere different?”

Shortly after we hear that conversation, we see the woman wearing the green dress pick up her cup of tea, and the entire dining room does the same. They all set their cups down simultaneously. The cup of tea obviously gives us Get Out vibes and makes us think of hypnotism. Then, to add to our suspicions, we hear the phrase “wake up” said a few times in the newest trailer. Has someone hypnotized the people on the ship?

Does the black pyramid possess supernatural powers in ‘1899?’

Yes, we’re back to the triangle symbolism again, but surely you understand. In the 1899 trailer, we see a man, dripping with water, holding out a black granite-like pyramid-shaped object. That’s not something you see in a run-of-the-mill series, so we have several questions about it. First of all, what connects it to the ship? Second, it seems important, so does it possess some sort of power? It reminds us a bit of a puzzle box, but the trailers never show the pyramid contort in any way.

Are the ships’ names a hint at a much darker fate for the passengers?

In 1899 we know the ships’ names are the Kerberos and the Prometheus. We did a little digging because there’s just no way those don’t have a deeper meaning. It turns out the name Kerberos is a play on the name Cerberus. In Greek mythology, Cerberus, a three-headed hound, guarded the gates of Hades. The beast kept watch to make sure none of the dead made their way out of the underworld. That certainly doesn’t bode well for our travelers, now, does it?

On the other hand, the Greek titan Prometheus essentially defied the gods by giving fire to humans. The fire represented technology and knowledge. Now, it all depends on whether or not the missing passengers on the Prometheus used that technology and knowledge for good or evil.

Netflix’s 1899 premieres tomorrow, Nov. 17, and we can’t wait to dive into the mystery!