THE CAVE CONSPIRACY: CONTEMPORARY LEGEND IN HELLIER
The YouTube documentary series Hellier (2019) tracks the evidence of supernatural creatures in Kentucky’s extensive cave system. Four paranormal researchers begin their investigation of “goblin” sightings in the small town of Hellier in Eastern Kentucky. They connect their findings with two well-known legend cycles of the 20th century: the Hopkinsville Goblins and the Mothman of Point Pleasant, West Virginia. This series exemplifies how disparate legend cycles may be combined into a coherent narrative about the paranormal in the southeastern United States. The longstanding folk tradition of mysterious caves inhabited by fairy folk are entwined with yet another oral tradition: legends of Satanic cults. These narratives have been fostered by institutional, “literate” culture of the media as well as by stereotypes about Appalachian Kentucky. This article explores the intersection of these distinct sources in the development of the legends presented in this documentary series.