An epic journey through the land of the Internet

Jonathan is a young man, who spends most of his time in the Internet. But one evening, he suddenly starts to receive strange messages on his computer, most of which are asking help. After a while of wondering, he realizes something strange is happening - he is DRAWN into the kingdom of the Internet, and his mission is to save it from a destruction looming above it: the Ultimate Meme, generated by The Anonymous.

And the adventure is GO. Attached you will find the Map of the Internet, where Jonathan finds himself.

The rough ride into the world of the Internet stops abruptly, as Jonathan loses his consciousness. He is being awakened by something licking his face - a puppy. But this puppy can talk, for he is the Suggestion Dog, and he will accompany Jonathan on his journey to save the Internet.

During his epic adventure, Jonathan needs to visit the Kingdom of FaceBook to find a blacksmith and visit the Wikipedia Mountains to retrieve some information to build himself weapons to fight. Then, his journeys take him to the ever-quarreling kingdoms of Reddit and Digg, where he must solve their problems and unite these two kingdoms. As a reward, he is given a ship which he and his companions take to the World of Warcraft, and find there the greatest fighter of all the Internet.

Accompanied now with the Suggestion Dog shooting bad ideas and the warrior from the World of Warcraft, they sail to the island of the Nation States of Four Chan (find the map attached), into the Newfag Village.

There, they find out that there's something happening in the barren lands of the Anonymous Military Grounds. That the rumors tell that the Anonymous are gathering their forces for a final blow against the Internet, and that they have created something called The Ultimate Meme, that will make every meme on the Internet obsolete.

All of the popular memes have gathered to a meeting in the Newfag Village, which is still the safest place in the Nation States of FourChan. Everyone is there - Boxxy, Rick Astley, Tay Zonday, Epic Fail Guy... Everyone. And Jonathan, and his companion from his travels.

They all agree that even their combined forces won't be able to beat the forces of the Anonymous, and that they will need reinforcements from the...

...Troll Caverns. Jonathan and his companions are sent on a mission to the Troll Caverns, on a mission to reunite the FourChan for a moment to fight the biggest threat growing in the East.

As Jonathan arrives to the mountain territory of Troll Caverns, he is ambushed by the trolls, and taken as a prisoner, to meet the Leader of the Trolls, Sarah Palin. There, in front of her, Jonathan requests for her help, and she says that even though she will help, she knows that not even their troops of trolls will be able to beat the Anonymous new forces. But she says that they need the ultimate, forgotten Meme to fight the new meme.

So, they move onwards, into the Island of Dead Memes. This harrowing landscape is full of the ghosts of the Memes past, but bravely they trod on, and finally come to see a...

...CAMPER VAN in the middle of the graveyard of the Dead Memes. As they enter it, they find it out to be the Winnebago Camper Van, and then Jonathan realizes - it's the Winnebago Man, the Original Meme, who they need. And they find the Winnebago Man inside - shouting them obscenities and driving them away.

Beaten, they return to the main island of the Nation States of FourChan, and continue their mission to the land of the Anonymous.

There, they find nothing, only empty military compounds. They move on, and descend into caves, where they start hearing very scary massing. They enter into a cavern - almost like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - where they find the troops of the Anonymous, masked, chanting. In the middle of them is their creation, an aberration, the Ultimate Meme (what it is, I yet don't know).

They are revealed, and the desperate fight against the Anonymous begins. Jonathan and his few companions are getting a serious beating, when suddenly: the armies of the Trolls, led by Sarah Palin, and the Good Memes of the land of the Internet all join the fight.

The Anonymous is almost beat, the battle rages on, when Jonathan finds himself face to face with the Ultimate Meme. Its powers are astounding, and they fight on. Jonathan has almost lost it, when suddenly...

...something attacks Ultimate Meme's throat. It's the Suggestion Dog - but it's not a dog anymore. It has grown up, into Courage Wolf, and it's tearing the Ultimate Meme apart.

The Courage Wolf beats the Ultimate Meme, but gets terminal blow in the fight itself. It passes on its great bravery on Jonathan just before it dies.

Jonathan is celebrated by everyone on the Internet for saving it from the clutches of the Ultimate Meme. He is taken to the Newfag Village and celebrated as a hero. Then, he's given a small cat - "World's Funniest Cat", they say, a cat that can do all kind of funny stuff, just film it and you'll be the King of the YouTube and soon a millionaire.

Then, he's sent back to his world.

Jonathan snaps awake. He's still in front of his computer. It's almost as if he was fallen asleep. Was it all just a dream? Nothing on the Internet indicates that it was not, everything is as it normally is.

It's almost the end of the Opera. Jonathan goes to bed, and closes his eyes.

Then, he hears the slightest sound from the corner of the room.

"Meow".

It's the World's Funniest Cat.

Everything actually DID happen.

Fascinating ideas.

Can I just say, I think Iron Sky could be a massive hit- a fantastic idea; a real original twist.

I like the way that all the stories have been put together- that's great. As an opera, I am a little bit worried about how so many things can take place on stage in such a short time span (I might be wrong but I am assuming that this will be a stage performance). Does Jonathon need a (human) companion or to meet someone who he form a closer relationship with?
My biggest concern is number of specific references to elements on the internet. Someone like me who uses the internet all of the time can see the humour in this but someone like my wife who uses it fair amount won't have heard of half of the stuff you mention. It could end up being a bit of an 'in-joke'.

New tasks

Hello writers!
The operatives are eagerly waiting for new comments and ideas here at the new tasks! You can still brainstorm freely. The questions are made to help you on your way creating an opera. After all it’s an opera by you! Your libretist will be checking for new comments on Monday and give you more help.
Keep up the good spirit!
Iida

Earlier comments

These are the suggestions that have been already made in the create the story task:

David Yacobus:
Be aware that opera requires special mask that will not make the singer hard to breathe or making the voice hard to hear...

Lizette Stenqvist:

Totally digg the idea and would love to be a part of it. I've even written a paper on "Anonymous" so I think I have enough knowledge ;)

This might be a tacky idea but I'm gonna suggest it anyway:
The opera starts in the guys room, he sings of the dull world outside.
Things like studies, crime, poverty, the general failure of the system where he doesn't feel that he fits in, he has too many choices and so on.
Then he dives into his computer, the internetz and enters the castle.
(heres the cheesy idea)
In the castle he's the king and behind every door is a new posibility.
In the garden he can play games (wow for example). But then something starts lurking, pedobear and such... also add the general annoying government guy that walks around half confused and points a gun att everything he sees.

Apply what ever ideas you like, I'm just brainstorming, hope you like it ;)
Since it's the intertentz we're basing this on, it should have some BAD picture work, like lolcatz ect. Though since I'm a fan of CGI etc I don't mind spending my summer on doing some nice stuff for this production^^

Iida Hämeen-Anttila:

Hello writers, this idea has gathered a lot of thumb-ups. Now it's time to create the story. There have been suggestions for themes that could be interesting for people who aren't so familiar with these characters. Who would like to develop this idea towards a story?

Marco Antonio Salazar Moreno:

It's a interesting idea but... a Pedobear into the castle? Well, if you got a great concept, you must have a weird-fenomenal-explosive new Opera.
Perhaps, you must see also the impact on the public and rescue some values. Pedophilia is not one.

Kim Itkonen:

Love this idea! Add walruses with buckets! and LOLcats.
Yes, merging some of the other ideas into this one seems very promising.
Also, the net is a great motivator or time-waster. A Russian Roulette of ideas over a cup of coffee in the morning! To say nothing of it's value as a God-like answer machine. A great deal of confusion could come about by following a thread of an idea expounded by some site or other which turns out to be erroneous. What people come to believe as a result of chain emails that have been circulating for years is also a source of comedy or tragedy!

Simo Raittila:

This could revolve around some ordinary Bloke. Not doing anything wrong himself, but spending a lot of time on the internet. It's joys represented by singing flowers, innovative businessmen, thriving forums and free information.

Yet Bloke ends up being framed by Pedobear and other "horrors of the Internet", jailed innocent by the abstractly totalitarian Society and then rescued by a massive demonstration of Anonymous Power - in Fawkes maskes ofcourse.

I don't think that limiting would be such a problem because it would just be too awesome. To those more unfamiliar with internet memes they would just look more abstract. They could still communicate their main meanings to even those audience members. One must remember that in opera it's the music that really tells the story.

And behind every evil - a HORRENDOUS TROLL!

Anonymous Coward:

Don't forget to mention the start of most internet phenomenons.
http://www.4chan.org

Seppo Hiltunen:

I like the idea of contemporary themes for opera. And Inrternet phenomena belongs to that category.

In fact, there could be nice themes that could be adapted in Opera -format here in wreckamovie:

- Leadin a collabotative film production -opera
- Privacy and Internet
- globalisation
- 3D gaming universes and perverted professions there (earning virtual dollard for less skilled gamers)
- human machine -interaction and social skills inside and outside Internet

But that can limit the audience, if it is strictly Internet related only. For some people it may be too scifi. Some combination of net world and real world like in Griifin project here in Wreckamovie: http://www.wreckamovie.com/tasks/show/289

By the way, it is quiteisnpirational tha Griffin, I'd like to see it combined to some storylines here on Operabyyou

"GroundingStick" Carl L.:

I like alot.
There must be like over nine thousand people who would go see this
.
But I think the play should deal with real-world problems.
Like how pedophilia is being used to try to censor the net.
(never mind imprisoning the producers of that tripe, block the net!)
Or how copyright has developed a life of it's own, and now serves giant corporations who rape the very artists they claim to represent.
Or how piracy is being used to stop free open -legal- filesharing.
There are many more...

I think, out of all the ideas this one is the most promising.
Though I'd love to tackle the Banksters. Maybe we can tie that one in somehow? (Lies. Seriously, If you don't want it accessed, don't hook it up!)

Perhaps a grand tale of the opposition of the 1337 (them) to Anonymous (us)? But it should not take the center stage. The real-life issues should.

Peter Vesterbacka:

Sounds like a nice way to bring together something new and something old, always a nice contrast.

Tobias Wacker:

Relevant idea. We are currently in times of media revolution, and don’t find enough time to reflect what that actually means to society and humanity.

Anonymous Opera by Timo Vuorensola

Here's my idea for the plot.

Take some of the best Internet memes - Epic Fail Guy, Tay Zonday, Pedobear, Courage Wolf... You name the meme. Then slam them together to make the most Epic opera ever made. An opera that would truly thrive on the Internet.

I'm thinking of huge male choirs singing with masks on on stage... Wow.

I'd go see that. Oh hell yeah!

The Angels' scool

Besmiel and his comrades Hamaliel and Hamied are discussing as scool boys do. One idealises braveness, warfare and sacrifice, one statemanship and diplomacy, the third is youngest and his wings are still only humps. They declare their ideals.
The androgyne girl roles have to be frenetic, in black. Their output is energy, electric charm, ironic expressive apetite of life. "We are the champions".
As this is a symbolistic rockopera ther cannot be any historic threat, as of owerthrowing of power in a country, occupation or treason. The threat must be a challenge of the young persons boldness and character. They must protect themselves against what is cheap and mean. Maybe bad style, slander, seduction.
The angelboys and the (rock?)girls are supporting each other morally in turns. The boys are white and wise, the girls brave and fierce.
The admiration between Besmiel and Amarca is growing within the disco-rock-coral music. Noone knows the end. Could it be as Romeo and Julia? Or can an angel kiss a rocky baby?