The Millennium Group

[Beerbelch]

BEER----> I don't know if this was ever discussed before, but here is a description by Wikipedia.

BELCH

Millennium Group

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The Millennium Group is a fictional centuries old secret society and criminal investigative consulting firm in the Millennium television series. The Group is made up of a diverse mixture of personnel, drawn from ex-law enforcement and religious backgrounds. The organization dates back to ancient times, and grew out of a millenniallist Christian sect which was eventually co-opted by elements within the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Contents [hide]

1 Overview

2 History

3 "This is who we are"

4 Factions

5 The Structure of the Group

5.1 The Old Man

5.2 The Elder

5.3 The Inquisitor

5.4 Patrons

5.5 Consultants and Candidates

6 The interest in evil

[edit] Overview

In common with many authority figures in conspiracy fiction, the group is claimed to be in possession of a substantial body of secret knowledge - hoarding it until such a time as they think it would be opportune to disclose to the public. Through the years they have been a group of determined and (at times) desperate people trying to find the hidden motivations and agendas in the "events" of our history, looking for moments when the human and the inhuman intelligences have crossed paths, studying whatever clues they can find, and attempting to piece together the future. They are trying to find the appropriate branch of the future to take, the branch which will shift the control from these inhuman elements and into their hands. These objectives have forced them to ignore conventional ethics governing individuals in exchange for the responsibility of ensuring the survival of mankind. Some junior members of the organization are unaware of this agenda, having not yet been initiated into full membership.

The Group is led by the Elder with the Old Man acting as a type of spiritual leader. The symbol for the Millennium Group is the ouroboros, a snake eating its own tail. Time, life continuity, infinity, and the endless cycle of life, completion, the repetition of history, and the self-sufficiency of nature and the rebirth of the earth can all be seen within the circular symbol of the ouroboros. Perhaps the key meaning of the ouroboros is that every "end" is also a new beginning. The Group chose it as their symbol for this reason.

The theme of large, quasi-governmental organisations with storehouses of dreadful, arcane secrets, with staff being unknowningly used to further a hidden agenda and an interest in secretly controlling the path mankind will take into a threatening future is also an echo of Millennium creator Chris Carter's earlier work on The X-Files.

[edit] History

The Millennium Group was formed around AD 100 by a group of Christians avoiding persecution. They formed the Group to defend the world against the forces of Satan, and other evils, as the years draw closer to the next Millennium...and beyond. However, Group members began to turn on each other when the Hand of Saint Sebastian was discovered in the year 998 CE. It was believed that whoever had possession of the Hand would have the power to destroy the Devil and win the battle of good vs. evil at the end of the Millennium. Many Group members wanted that Hand. Some were willing to betray each other for it. Despite the fact that this infighting had eventually been resolved, this theme of conflicting views and beliefs would come back centuries later to haunt the Millennium Group.

Throughout their history, the Millennium Group had access to scientific breakthroughs, that were banned, or withheld, by those in power at the time. Examples include the work of Copernicus, Galileo, and the German physicists. This enabled the Group to leap generations ahead of mainstream research. It also divided the Group into two factions: the Roosters (the "theologians") and the Owls (the "secularists"). Both factions share the same basic belief - that the world is coming to an end - but each has its own views regarding the source of this apocalypse.

In the 1940s, with the world on the verge of nuclear Armageddon, the two top officers of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, and Clyde Tolson, decided that there needed to be an independent group that could go above the law. A group that could do what the government and law enforcement couldn't.

Hoover, who was already a member of the original Millennium Group, Tolson, and their assistant Lily Unser decided to create their Group. Hoover adopted the ouroboros insignia of the Millennium Group, claiming that he discovered the symbol from a scientist named Kekule. However, he was really creating his own version of the Millennium Group.

Hoover and Tolson began to recruit members for their Group straight from the FBI. Eventually, however, Hoover's Millennium Group merged with the descendants of the original Millennium Group to form a larger, more diverse Group mixed with ex-law enforcement personnel and scientists.

Now, in modern times, the Millennium Group appears at first glance to be a private law enforcement consulting firm of mostly former FBI agents who offer consulting services to police departments and other law enforcement agencies. However, this is only a fraction of what the Group does. In reality, the Group comprises many different experts in the law enforcement, legal, technology, medical, and scientific fields.

[edit] "This is who we are"

The mysterious phrase, "This is who we are", is often uttered by Group members to one another. It holds a meaning that only members truly know. Such a seemingly simple phrase, and yet, it stands for something much deeper. A code, symbolic of the ourobouros. The Millennium Group separates itself in that way. "This is who we are", represents those on the inside of the circle, the gifted ones who know the dangers of the Millennium; "this is who they are", refers to those on the outside, unwitting peasants, oblivious to a greater struggle and the peril their lives are in.

[edit] Factions

The Millennium Group comprises a number of extremely intelligent individuals who want to save the world. However, not all of these members share the same beliefs.

The Owls have a secular view concerning the end of the world. The Owls' belief is based on this leading-edge scientific research unavailable to the general populace. They claim that six billion years ago, before the formation of the Earth, two neutron stars collided six billion light years away. That collision released cosmic rays, particles of such extreme energy, that a collision of these particles could transform the vacuum of space and create a tear in the fabric of our universe. The Owls claim to have proof that such a tear, an expanding cosmic bubble, will eventually reach our solar system and a new universe, its properties calculated anywhere from apocalyptic to inconsequential, will be created. They believe this apocalypse can only be avoided through the use of applied science. The Owls are the smaller and less influential of the factions. They believe the Roosters create hysteria crowing about the impending dawn; and that their beliefs endanger the world.

The Roosters are the dominant faction. The majority of the Millennium Group's members, they follow the Group's original teachings. They see Armageddon in specifically religious terms. That is, they believe that the world is facing the eschaton foretold in the Book of Revelation, threats and disaster of biblical prediction and proportion. They believe that this end will come from something beyond the understanding of man. No one really knows what this threat is, but it will likely be directly related to the influence of Satan and the wrath of God. In this understanding the Millennium Group's role is to offer guidance for a struggling humanity.

The rooster is probably used as a symbol because of its association with the dawn. In Christian symbolism the rooster is also often used to signify the resurrection of Christ. A rooster's crowing to herald the sunrise is also sometimes likened to a preacher or prophet crying out to awaken people to the light of God. The owl is traditionally the totem of the goddess Athena, and is often used as a symbol for philosophy. Athena was goddess of wisdom and patroness of philosophers. It is an apt symbol, as all-night discussion sessions have long been a part of philosophic discourse.

The imagery of owl and rooster is interesting because these birds are emblematic of different periods of the day. The owl is nocturnal, and the rooster diurnal.

In recent times, a small "Representative Board" has been formed where Owls and Roosters can both sit and appeal their ideas to the Elder.

[edit] The Structure of the Group

[edit] The Old Man

In the Group, one wise man is chosen to be the spiritual leader. This chosen one is dubbed the "Old Man" (usually because it is an old man who is chosen). The Old Man has a number of tasks which include (but not limited to) initiating candidates, providing moral guidance, making predictions, and providing any high priority consultation. The Old Man commands the utmost respect in all Group members, and his say is prime over all others.

[edit] The Elder

The Elder is essentially the leader of the Group. The Elder makes decisions, approves the acceptance of Group candidates, gives orders, and is the head of the Representative Board. All Group actions must have the Elder's approval. The Elder may consult the Old Man at his discretion.

[edit] The Inquisitor

The Inquisitor is the judge of a candidate's merit. He is the chairman of a review board that reviews the candidate's progress and achievements.

[edit] Patrons

Patrons are special Group members who are assigned to recruit consultants to the Group, then guide and educate them in the ways of the Group when the consultant is accepted as a candidate. Some Group members will spend many years as a patron.

[edit] Consultants and Candidates

After being introduced to the Group by a Patron, one can begin to work for the Group as a consultant. Consultants have limited access to the Group's resources and know nothing of the Group's origin, although they are led to believe that they have full access and knowledge.

After an unspecified period of time, and once the consultant has unknowingly proved himself "worthy," the consultant will then become a candidate for membership into the Group. At this phase, the candidate's Patron will gradually and carefully reveal the Group's origin and wider purpose. Candidates will be given a higher access to the Group's resources. A candidate will be sent to meet the Old Man. Then, he/she will go through unspecified "tests" at determining what "evil" is as well as election sessions in which a small handful of Group members will interview the candidate and assess his or her candidacy and loyalty to the Group. If the candidate passes the elections and the tests and has the Old Man's approval, the candidate will now be accepted as a full member and all the Group's resources and secrets will become available.

[edit] The interest in evil

The Group struggles to understand evil, in both biblical and scientific contexts. Biblically, they research cases where a supernatural evil is assumed present to understand true evil. Scientifically, they promote the study of the minds of serial killers, even going so far as to recreate some. The Group continues to fund research into bio-genetic science that may someday allow a lifeform to be physically separated into

[Earthnut]

Earth----> Beer----> Great post, thanks for taking the time to look it up and post it. BELCH

NUT Your name is so much fun.

[ethsnafu]

What a joy that was to read.

That was part of the brilliance of Millennium for me, that the vast majority of the above could be established not only in a single season but in a handful of that season's episodes.

I truly understand that all three season's have an allure of their own but The Millennium Group of season two was a huge reason why this show has become the focal point of my obsessions over the years.

This is who we are!

Eth

[Guest WaveCrest]

I've looked on Wikipedia in the past but have not been on there in ages, because some of the information posted on and added there is incorrect. There's certainly detail about the Millennium Group on there!

[ethsnafu]

I used to pop by there all the time in my campaign days but for the life of me I could never get any additions I made to the page to last longer than a day till someone came along and removed any links or mention to the campaign from the page. I guess someone didn't like us. I think I'm right in saying that Graham had some problems getting a link to M-TIWWA to remain on the page.

Eth

[Guest WaveCrest]

They probably didn't like Millennium and preferred other TV shows instead.

[ty7du]

You can thank Wikipedia for bringing this campaign to my attention.

It must have been there long enough for me to see, if it isn't up there anymore.

[Raven Wolf]

WOW! That was well-done! Nice to see that someone took the time to do all of that, as it shows that at least NOW, Millennium is getting the respect it Should have gotten when it was on the air!

[ethsnafu]

Erin!!!

I can't tell you how chuffed I am to see you home. Here's hoping the internet fairy has delivered you a connection after all.

I think it's fair to say that most works of genius are rarely recognised at the time in any sphere. Millennium commands a huge amount of respect and adoration these days and its influence continues to be felt in the media and in such surprising places as our classrooms. When I was involved in the campaign I lost track of the number of writers, teachers, musicians, film makers and so on who were inspired by Millennium to introduce elements of it into their own work. I know one such lecturer who based an entire lecture around the episode "Luminary" though I fail to recall the context of his teaching session.

Millennium may have been, and may remain, enjoyed by a niche audience but it has outlived many of its contemporaries in terms of its enduring appeal and new members of this forum can attest to the power of the show and the effect it continues to have on viewers.

Eth

[Guest WaveCrest]

It is great to see you back Erin. Hope your internet connection is better.

I would liked to have been there when that lecture took place Mark! Sounds fascinating.

What you said Mark, about Millennium outliving most of it's contemporaries was so true. There are shows these days who have copied Millennium and not the other way round (which was said I think in a thread I started on the SFX forum for the BTFB campaign). It's influence has reached far and wide and has lived on through the years.