Siberia in Retrospect

While I've theorized, researched and hypothesized Siberia inside and out, I find that it is always important to take a final look back over everything we've discovered, especially with so many questions still left unanswered, and view the season as a whole hence Siberia in Retrospect.  This post is a glance back at all the mysteries presented over the season, the finite answers that have been uncovered as well as theories and thoughts on all the rest.  Even I was surprised at how many small occurrences I had forgotten about while composing this post!  If nothing else I think this is a great way to end the Siberia season and get ready for a plethora of new fall shows, mainly starting this week, as well as provide a great reminder if or when a second season begins.  Without further ado let's take a look at Siberia in retrospect with everything we now have discovered!

I would like to begin with the smaller questions as there are many and while most have simple explanations that were uncovered during the season, there are still others with easily deduced logical theories lurking in the shadows!

The Smaller Questions: 

1. What do the cave drawings represent and why are they important?
• These represent the Evenkis' feud with the Valleymen.  While there are doubts as to their age, we know they've been around since at least 1908 as Merilik confirmed the Valleymen had been present for over one-hundred years.  I think an important aspect to take from the image is that the Valleymen appear to have entered through a second sun, represented by the spiral, or at least appeared simultaneously.  As eye-witness reports of the Tunguska Event described a "second sun", it is plausible that the cave drawings represent the Valleymen emerging during the 1908 event.
  
  
  
  
  
2. What secrets can be deduced from the mutated frog?
• This is most likely a product of the genetic testing at the Russian science center.
3. Who is Sabina and does she have the gun?
• We now know that she was an Israeli soldier who used her skills to pillage the producers' camp and hide her stolen supplies in a cave in order to gain an advantage in the competition (surviving the winter).  It is also possible that she has some connection to Siberia through her lineage.
• Although she wasn't in possession of the gun as early as I first thought, ultimately she was the only one to ever have the gun as it remained hidden until she finally uncovered it in the episode "One by One".
  
  
  
  
  
4. What is the importance of Victoria's vision and the mushrooms?
• The fungi was revealed as a spiritual tool used by the Evenki shamans to see the future.  While some of Victoria's prophecy proved to be true, such as the "fire in the sky", it is yet to be known whether her claim that the contestants will all die will also come to fruition or if it is possible for the group to overcome this troubling omen.
5. What is Carolina hiding?
• We learned fairly early on that Carolina is actually Joyce, an actress planted by the producers to drive the storyline, create conflict and pursue love interests.  This fact provides backing for my theory that, while the show was a ruse for ulterior motives, the majority of the people involved believed that it was an actual television production that would at sometime air thus they hired an actress from maximum entertainment value.
6. What is the significance of the symbol that appears in credits?
• Near the end of the season we learned that it marks the Valleymen's territory and is a symbolic representation of them. 
• It may also represent a compass as it led Miljan to his discovery of Kulik's journal. 
• Another interesting fact is that it matches the Mesopotamian symbol Anu for "God" which provides some traction for my theory that the Valleymen are actually the origin of the Evenkis' belief in Ogdy.  It also connects Valleymen to the cauldrons with cuneiform wedge marks.
  
  
  
  
  
7. What happened to the producers?
• I believe they were attacked by the Valleymen after the "fire in the sky" incited the beasts to take vengeance on those camped in or near their territory.
8. Who are the children in the woods?
• The child Sabina saw was later identified as Sasha, an English speaking blonde girl being cared for by the Evenkis.  However, there still lies a mystery as to who her American scientist father is as well as her mother. 
• In addition, multiple contestants experienced children laughing in the woods and, as there didn't seem to be other children Sasha's age at the Evenki camp, I'm still not sure who or what the contestants heard.
9. What happened to Natalie?
• While whether or not she actually decided to leave and return to her likely abusive boyfriend is still a mystery, I believe she was ultimately killed by the Valleymen.  She had similar wounds as the tiger and also was returned to the area around the settlement as the animal was which I took to be a warning from the Valleymen to not enter their territory.  However, her frostbitten hands suggest she was alive after the first show implying that she may have been captured and held hostage before she was killed.
10. What's with Sabina's necklace?
• We learned Sabina's locket was of great importance to her as it contained a picture of the most important person in the world to her, her son.  We also found out that due to rough circumstances her son was taken from her custody which was the reason she joined the show and needed the money.  What was not clear was why the possessed Miljan took a sudden interest in it after finding Kulik's journal.  My best guess is that it somehow connects her to Siberia possibly through relatives as well as its presence on the skeleton she later finds.
  
  
  
  
  
11.  What made the trap and did Miljan know about it?
• I believe the trap was made by the Evenki tribe as a sort of security system should the Valleymen cross into Evenki territory.  It would also explain why they took in Irene and healed her as the Evenki felt responsible for her wounds.  I honestly don't think Miljan knew about it since he seemed genuinely surprised and his goal appeared to be simply to lead her away from the Ogdy statue rather than harm her.  Although it is a possibility as he later attempted to kill her himself and I don't believe his plan when taking her into the woods was to aid her, but rather to hand her over to the Valleymen however the Evenkis arrived first.
  
  
  
  
  
12. Who fired the gunshots Sabina heard in the woods?
• I feel like this question is unclear as there were no real clues that can lead us to an answer.  We saw the Evenkis carried guns so they might've been hunting or it could have been the military-like presence executing the scientists.
13. What's going on with Miljan and what is the importance of his journal?
• Although this was a bigger question in the show as the mystery spanned over the majority of the episodes, I think that we gained enough clues to have a pretty good understanding of his situation.  Something that was very telling to me was the fact that when Miljan found the Ogdy statue he intuitively knew its name.  As we now know he is connected to the Valleymen as the symbol he was moved into carving on his arm is theirs, it strengthens my Alien Vs. Predator theory regarding the Valleymen being the basis of the Evenki belief in Ogdy.  Once the "fire in the sky" began Miljan watched in amazement like a child experiencing fireworks for the first time as his entire demeanor changed, he made a beeline back to Ogdy and then disappeared from the camera.  Thus as far, as his possession is concerned, I think that the Valleymen are the origin of the Evenkis' belief in Ogdy and their belief that the shamans and Ogdy are good friends, remember Miljan called the totem pole his old friend, as well as that a previous shaman's spirit that lives in the lower world with Ogdy (see Siberia: Facts Edition) can inhabit a descendant comes from their alien technology or abilities which is what has happened to Miljan.  On the subject of the journal, I think his possession allows him to understand it without reading Russian, but what I find most interesting is that it's not a previous settler's writings rather Kulik's, a famous studier of the Tunguska Event and the same man who's expedition is being studied at the Russian Science Center.  What's also intriguing is that Kulik faced many of the same predicaments as the contestants such as uncovering the lore of the Valleymen and a large snow forcing him to turn back and postpone his expedition.  While we know what's going on with Miljan, the importance or relevance of Kulik and his journal as well as the specifics of Miljan's possession are still a mystery.
14. Are the contestants wrapped up in this by accident or is there a reason for their presence?
• I personally feel that there is a large motif of fate or purpose to the story relating to the contestants on the show.  Sabina and Sam both have cultural ties to Russia, Miljan's possession that is said to only pass to descendants of the Siberian locals, the mystery of Sasha's lineage and the enormous amount of what seems to be luck along with a perfect skill-set allowing them to overcome the massive number of predicaments they've faced all is too much to blame on coincidence.  One thing that sealed it for me was the imaginary footprints Joyce hallucinated in the episode "A Gathering Fog" just when they were hopeless and had no idea which way to go, this "vision" set them on the perfect course towards the science center.  Again, when Sam seemingly came back from the dead to save Johnny as he was the only one who had knowledge of the life-saving maneuvers needed in the moment.  How this idea would or will play out and whether it's through relation or some other divine plan is still unknown.
15. What was the large decimated area at the end of "First Snow"?
• This is the effect of the second event, likely caused by the cauldrons, during the "fire in the sky".  The area is similar in appearance to Hiroshima where the trees in the middle of the site stood upright stripped of their branches and as it spanned out, over 2,150 kilometers, the trees farther away were knocked down pointing away from the center.  The original 1908 Tunguska Event had the same outcome but over the years the foliage has regrown, so unless they traveled back in time and are witnessing the effect of the 1908 event, which I do not believe to be the case, this is most likely a part of the event they witnessed.
  
  
  
  
  
16. What did Miljan do inside the girls' cabin?
• This is purely a guess as we weren't given any clues as to what Miljan actually did, but I don't believe he raped or hurt Irene in anyway.  I think that he was likely guided by the voice in his head or his Valleyman possession to inspect Irene's wound and her condition in order to determine his next steps.  However I'm open to your ideas as well so please comment below!
17. What is the significance of the inscription inside the Revealer?
• This just solidifies the fact that the game-show was a ruse for a bigger experiment.  The fact that they located the Revealers for Test Group A and B leads me to the idea that the scientists previously attempted their experiment using behavioral modification techniques with the Revealer providing rewards for staying at the settlement and the speakers in the woods scaring the original subjects likely monkeys, from wandering away.  When this wasn't successful they decided human test subjects were needed and thus invented the show to get them there.  See bigger questions below for more on the testing.
18. What is causing the radio to be jammed?
• This was likely caused by the Tesla Tower at the Russian Science Center.  See Siberia: Facts Edition for more information on its capabilities.
  
  
  
  
  
19. Where did Miljan go and what did he do with Irene?
• We now know that he was guided by the voice in his head to take her into the woods to save her.  While it was ultimately the Evenkis who rescued her, I don't think that was the initial plan as we also discovered Miljan is connected to the Valleymen rather than the Evenkis and the fact that their presence terrified Miljan into simply leaving her out in the woods alone.  Had his plan been to give her to the Evenkis for safety I think their appearance would've felt right or comfortable to him opposed to scaring him away.  It's more plausible that he intended to hand her over to the Valleymen but the Evenkis arrived before he was able to do so.
  
  
  
  
  
20. What did Esther steal from the Revealer?
• The money!  When I first hypothesized about this before it was revealed I mentioned that it would make perfect sense for the winter to have passed and the final Revealer horn sounds presenting the prize to the remaining contestants.  Now that we know this to be true while there were ulterior motives for the show, they intended it to be real and for someone to win.  However, things went awry and the plan changed with its new goal to eliminate everyone who had uncovered the secret experiment.
21. What is the beacon?
• A radio tower for a Russian science center studying Kulik's 1927 expedition, likely to search for the cause of the Tunguska Event in order to recreate it, as well as conducting genetic experiments manipulating animals.  We also know the science center is connected to the show as two Revealers, similar to that at the settlement were found.
22. Why did it snow?
• This one is tricky.  I have a few different thoughts; as Kulik seems to be an important aspect of what's going on as the scientists were studying footage of his expedition and Miljan found his journal I find it very strange that his trip was also impeded by an unusual snowfall which makes me wonder if somehow he is tied up in the strange series of events.  Another possibility is that the scientists at the outpost used the weather manipulating ability of the tower to keep the "hikers" from continuing towards the beacon.  This also could tie into Kulik as the scientists mat have been inspired by his expedition as the snow caused him to turn back.  They may have hoped the group would return to the settlement or simply perish in the snow.  Lastly it could be simple coincidence as large shifts in weather are normal in that region, but I favor the tower theory above all.
  
  
  
  
  
23. What caused the helicopter to explode and what happened to the bodies?
• I don't think the helicopter was an elaborate stunt.  I never really took the charred clipboard of host Jonathon Buckley to mean he died or was on board.  Instead I believe that because the chopper was quite close to the decimated forest area, which was caused by the bright spotlight we saw in Johnny and Joyce's recovered footage, it's most likely that the beam set the helicopter aflame while the lights distracted the pilot thus it crashed.  As we have seen the Valleymen remove the bodies of the tiger, Natalie and probably the production camp it is plausible they did the same with the victims of the crash.
24. What happened to Annie and Esther?
• We now know that they were captured by the Evenkis who later also took the remaining contestants at the settlement.  Under the advise of the shaman who consumed the mushrooms in order to look into the future they were released and guided to the Russian Science Center to reunite with the others.
25. What is the significance of the falcon in the lab?
• I believe the falcon was there because the scientists were attempting to genetically recreate the Valleymen.  After multiple tries using reptiles, hence the mutated frog, along with other species they discovered falcon DNA was needed.  I think they kept it alive to have fresh blood samples for their experiments.
  
  
  
  
  
26. What is the significance of the jets?
• This was a strange event that didn't make much sense to me and seemed odd and out of place.  The only idea that I can think of is that the jets were taking aerial footage of the area.  This connects back to the real Tunguska Event because aerial photos were also captured of the outcome of the event but were later ordered to be burned.  This screams cover-up and perhaps the powerful people behind the experiment have been working on discovering the cause of the Tunguska Event for decades in order to recreate the weapon used as well as the beasts that appeared simultaneously in connection to the event.
27. Are the Evenkis good or bad? & What is the significance of their snow shoes?
• I believe the Evenkis are good-natured people who simply keep to themselves and practice their age-old traditions and beliefs similar to the Amish.  The only reason they got involved is because the contestants and producers violated their lengthy truce with the Valleymen putting their tribe in jeopardy.  I do question their involvement with the experiment as Sasha's, the young girl residing with them, father clearly integrated himself into the tribe teaching Merilik English and ultimately leaving his daughter with them.
  
  
  
  
  
• We learned that their beast-like snowshoes are a deterrent as they match the footprints of the Valleymen in order to trick them into not following their tracks.  This makes me question the Valleymen's intelligence as the marks made by the Evenki are clearly made by someone with a smaller gait thus an easily spotted fake.
  
  
  
  
  
28. What knocked over the beacon and why?
• I believe this could've been done by either the scientists after discovering the snow had not caused the contestants to turn back or the military group sent in to clean up the mess by murdering the scientists and destroying the beacon to ensure the contestants wouldn't be able to radio out for help.
  
  
  
  
  
29. Who killed the scientists?
• We now know from Sam's translation of their militant "rescuers" that they murdered the scientists and likely destroyed the computers with proof of the experimentation as well as destroyed the beacon.  The fact that the doors were locked after the fact provides proof that whomever they work for understands the risks of the contestants escaping with knowledge of the experiment and has ties to the science center as they provided the location as well as possessed keys to the outpost.
  
  
  
  
  
30. Why did Esther insist on returning to the settlement?
• To retrieve her money!  Understanding that they very well were about to be rescued, she had no intention of abandoning her cash prize at the settlement.
31. Who is Sasha?
• This one puzzles me.  While she is cared for by the Evenkis she explained her father was a scientist who lived with the tribe and she has no memory of her mother.  One thought is that because she only says her father is gone but not specifically dead is that he is the leader of the experimentation or at least part of it.  Sasha also informed Sabina that he was American so I don't believe we have met him yet.  The identity of her mother is a complete mystery so I hope if there is a second season this is one of the questions that we will obtain an answer for.
  
  
  
  
  
32. How did Daniel know the mine was a dud?
• Another puzzling question.  While I have received a few comments explaining that had the mine been active it would have exploded when Irene initially stepped on it as well as information about the map the contestants found at the science center had the mines plotted out, I still have doubts.  However, I'm no expert on minefields and as the internet search I did came up empty this is one of those questions I feel I would be guessing at rather than providing a concrete answer or logical theory.
  
  
  
  
  
33. Why did the Valleymen attack?
• While I predicted this would happen due to Miljan's connection with them, there is also another reasonable explanation; they simply followed the group's footprints.  Their timing is suspicious as it happened right as the armed men were about to shoot Joyce which lends credence to the idea that for some reason the Valleymen want to protect the group or select members.  Hopefully, we will be granted a second season in which who or what they are as well as their motives are uncovered, but for now it makes sense to me that the Valleymen value some of the contestants as they did not attack them as they did the producers.
34. What was the weapon the military group was searching for?
• Sam translated the Russian men's conversation and uncovered they were at the science center looking for a weapon.  If the scientists were responsible for attempting to duplicate the Tunguska Event and the tower is in fact a copy of the Wardenclyffe tower (see: Siberia: Facts Edition) it would be a powerful directed-energy weapon that could also explain some of the other mysteries in this episode.  However, if opposed to my original theory that the science center was responsible for second Tunguska blast and in fact it was the cauldrons, which very well may be the writers' explanation for the original Tunguska Event as well (see: Siberia: Facts Edition), I think that yields a plausible theory that the men were looking for the cauldrons.  While I'm not sold that these metal huts are alien weaponry left in the Siberian wilderness, it is a logical direction for the show.  I believe they are looking for what caused the "fire in the sky" as before they were researching a one hundred year old event and footage from 1927, when now they know that it is in Tunguska and was used more recently so they have set out to find it.
  
  
  
  
  
35. Why was the town evacuated?
• I think that this fits perfectly into the weapon the armed men were searching for.  Had a powerful blast like that occurred it is feasible that nearby towns would be evacuated for safety reasons, as it could have been a misfire or a test run, as well as the continuing danger that would exist had a weapon of that nature deployed aimed at the town.  However, this theory also comes with the question: Wouldn't the Russian military be searching for the cause?  I'm at a dilemma with that one because I don't believe the armed men are Russian military.  I don't think the military would have killed the scientists inside or damaged the equipment and locked the door behind themselves.  I think that the idea that this group is working with the science center is the most plausible answer, they killed the scientists and destroyed the radio tower so no one could communicate out.  They asked if this was all of them as they didn't know which contestants had made it through the harsh conditions.  If this is the case, it backs up the theory that they didn't want the group to ever leave Siberia as they were ready to execute them.  This also means that the tower didn't cause the second event as if they had deployed their own weapon, they probably wouldn't be looking for it.  What I obtain from this line of reasoning is that while they were attempting to recreate the event, they did not succeed thus the second event must have been caused by the cauldrons.
• While I do still think that time discrepancies play a part in the show, I don't think this is the case involving the second Tunguska-like event.  If they had flashed back to 1908 and were experiencing the original Tunguska Event it would mean that the entire world or at least Russia was jumping back and forth with them.  I've come to this conclusion because for the Russian government to evacuate a nearby town would mean they witnessed the effects as well miles away, so while I do think time disruptions are involved I don't think the "fire in the sky" was a trip back to 1908.
  
  
  
  
  
36. Where did Esther go? & Did she collude with others for the cash prize?
• Esther didn't seem to know about the nearby town so I'm not sure about the idea of her planning to meet up with someone there however, Esther is a pro at lying so she could have just been plying dumb.  While I think that a reasonable twist would be to have her working with the cameraman who she blackmailed or even the host to get out with the money, there aren't really any facts or clues to go by so these ideas are nothing more than a guess.  If the goal was for Esther to get out and meet with someone, I'm not sure how she could've planned to escape and trek over a hundred miles alone.  I honestly think Esther is on her own, on the run attempting to get as far away with the money as possible!  Recently in some discussion with other Siberia fans, I realized I didn't really make hich my beliefs clear in this section.  I don't think Esther stopped in the town to meet someone, I believe it's more likely she was unaware of her surroundings and driving a stolen military truck which uses a lot of gas is too conspicuous.  Being the smart, conniving girl that she is it is plausible that she stopped for supplies, most importantly a map so she can escape Siberia, and possibly steal a smaller car.  While I think/hope that in season 2 we will run into her again after being caught by the military presence or swindled by another as she will have to face the very people she abandoned.
  
  
  
  
  
  
37. What happened to Johnny & Joyce during their memory lapse?
• While there are a lot of people out there wondering if the cauldrons caused the two's confusion in the episode "Fire in the Sky", I felt like the tape gave my theory concrete proof that it was not the cauldrons but the lights in the sky.  In this episode we saw the tape of what happened to the two while alone in the woods which provided answers to at least a few of the lingering questions out there.  We witnessed that as the two argued they came across a cauldron with unusual markings, after studying it the continued forward and didn't show any sign of confusion or disorientation.  Suddenly they were attacked by the beast, our first glance at the Valleymen which was a terrifying one (see picture below), this is what caused Joyce's abrasions and Johnny's battered hand was from nothing more than punching a tree.  After the lights in the sky progressed the two suddenly didn't remember the cauldron, the Valleyman or how they became injured, so ultimately it was pretty clear to me that the event caused their confusion.
38. What was Buckley doing in the evacuated town?
• The host's arrival with the armed men combined with the look on his face and his tone of voice makes me think that he is in cahoots with the scientists.  Possibly, that he was placed there to keep an eye on the progress of the experiment.  It is possible that he is the mastermind behind the show and the testing as he looked on the contestants with disapproval.  I've put a lot of thought into this question and I don't believe that his clipboard in the helicopter means that he was aboard when it crashed.  In addition, he wasn't like the Jeff Probst of the show where he needed to be present at the producers' camp as he rarely interacted with the contestants.  He also lied to them about Tommy's "accident" which adds suspicion that he knew what was actually going on.  There are only two possibilities of where this could lead, either he helps the contestants or he attempts to capture and kill them once again.  The only logical reason I can deduct from him having an apartment with keys in the only building with power in an evacuated town is that he is there to oversee the experiment at both the science center and the progress of the show.  I think his final line was both telling and confusing as he didn't embrace Joyce nor did he seem pleased that the group was alive and well meaning that he knew of the events that had transpired and believed them to be dead.  I don't believe that he is part of Esther's betrayal as she wasn't aware of the town or had any assurances she would be able to escape and travel over one-hundred miles to a rendezvous point with Buckley, I think it's much more likely he is the overseer of the entire operation.
• My husband does a lot of my editing and he included this bit, which goes along with a lot of my ideas but I thought I'd add his theory as well: What if Jonathon Buckley is "the mastermind" and he evacuated "the town" because he knew "the contestants" were getting too close to it and he couldn't risk them telling "the town-folk" about what they've experienced since "the show" started? Maybe he says "you're not supposed to be here" because he thinks they should have stayed in the settlement like his previous test groups did. I think he is in charge of the military and is in the town with "his army" who is looking for the recently-escaped contestants.
  
  
  
  
  

That wraps up all of the smaller questions we saw throughout the season and while some were answered, some have logical explanations and others are still a complete mystery, many provide a backbone to the bigger theories and storylines presented.  Let's jump into those as they represent the larger picture of what's really going on in Siberia!

The Bigger Questions:

This one is hard to sum up because my theory crisscrosses throughout all the bigger questions as I believe they are tied together.  The best way I can think of to lay this out clearly is to give simple answers and then provide a short summary or tale of what I believe is going on based on the real facts as well as what we have seen throughout the course of Siberia.  Without out further ado, here we go!

1. What caused the Tunguska Event?
• While there are a plethora of theories out there, many of which you can find in my Siberia: Facts Edition, I believe the cause adopted for the show is the ever-popular alien theory.  In 1908 when a "second sun" descended onto the Tunguska area of Siberia it was actually the alien cauldrons (see below) activating, possibly to destroy an incoming meteor. 
• Another plausible theory weaves the lore into the event as the tribes in the area were feuding, shamans sent various curses to other tribes causing disease when finally a wicked shaman called upon the god Ogdy (see below), who I believe to be based on the extraterrestrial presence in the woods, to destroy the neighboring clans.  The aliens then activated the cauldrons to aid the local tribe thus causing the Tunguska Event.
  
  
  
  
  
2. What happened to the original settlers?
• I have read that many fled leaving all their belongings including pots burning, etc. when the Tunguska Event began.  This could be the case of the original settlers, however I have another theory that not only explains more of the strange events but also leaves room for a more complex storyline in subsequent seasons:
• The effects of the Tunguska Event caused the settlers to mutate into the Valleymen.  This would explain how Sam found a bracelet from 1908 in shallow waters, as one of the beasts continued to wear it in remembrance of their old self.  It also may give credence to the idea that the reason the Evenkis began a feud with the Valleymen as described by the cave paintings as well as Merilik's tale, is because the settlers blamed the tribe for their mutation.  In addition, while the Valleymen attacked the producers' camp they left the settlement alone, possibly connecting with the contestants who now inhabited the settlers' old home.  I also saw the tiger and Natalie as a type of warning not to stray too far away from the settlement as if the Valleymen wanted them to survive.
3. What is the beast in the woods? & Who are the Valleymen?
• I feel comfortable claiming the Valleymen and the beast are synonymous.  The creature we saw attack Johnny and Joyce had the same foot structure as the footprints that Merilik explained was the mark of the Valleymen as well as the tracks Daniel found at the site of Tommy's death.  I also am pretty happy with the conclusion that they are aliens as there are many who believe both the Tunguska Event and the cauldrons are extraterrestrial in nature.  The one thing that I think is still unknown, is whether the aliens actually ever visited Siberia as the Valleymen may be the original settlers who were transformed during the Tunguska Event.  While I at first believed that Miljan was related to the Evenki tribe, he seemed terrified by their presence and we learned that his actual connection was to the Valleymen.  If the Valleymen began as humans he could still be related to one of the original settlers and through their alien technologies or abilities they are able to communicate with him through telekinesis that sparked the Evenkis belief that shaman could inhabit one's body.
  
  
  
  [image taken from CreativeCOW.net]
  
  
4. How does Ogdy tie into everything?
• I think that it is a logical conclusion that in the realm of the show, the Evenkis' belief in Ogdy may very well stem from the extraterrestrials.  Similar to the movie Alien Vs. Predator where the predators would visit the Earth every so often to show off to the humans and maintain their god-like status or even in real history as many believe aliens helped ancient civilizations build their amazing structures such as the Egyptian pyramids, Ogdy or the Valleymen have been to the area before the Tunguska Event and with their superior technology the locals believed them to be gods.  Their bird-like feet, the ability of their cauldrons to cause events in the sky and their abilities or technology that enables them to inhabit a human body all line up with the Evenkis' beliefs of what the Ogdy are capable of.   
5. What is the significance of the cauldron and its markings?
• I think the most important thing to take away from the cauldron was the sixteen dots in a circular formation.  While there is conjecture about this being related to the contestants, I don't really think that is the most plausible explanation as two were eliminated right off the bat and there were never sixteen contestants staying at the settlement.  Instead, I think it is related to the 1908 settlers.  In my first theories post, I hypothesized the possibility that the original settlers were somehow mutated through alien technology and might be the creatures in the woods.  The sixteen dots strengthen this theory as they may have engraved the cauldron after the Tunguska Event changed them, or the markings appeared on the cauldron as a result of the transformation.  In addition, I had wondered about how Sam's bracelet from a 1908 settler ended up in the shallow waters today.  One of my theories was that a beast still wore it as a reminder of who they used to be.  If this is the case and the original sixteen settlers were transformed it connects a good amount of dots to create a plausible theory, including why they became enemies with the Evenkis as they were believed to have caused the event.
• The wedge-shaped markings on the outside however are cuneiform, the first known writing system from ancient Mesopotamia.  While this doesn't tell us much, it does line up with the symbol of the Valleymen as it is the Mesopotamian icon for Anu or god which connects the cauldrons to the Valleymen strengthening the theory that they are responsible for the Tunguska Event.
  
  
  
  
  
6. How many of the eerie events are caused by the producers?
• I actually think this is a smaller question, but added it here for clarity.  I don't believe the producers are the cause of any of the strange events.  I will go into more detail below, but basically I think that the majority of the producers believed the show to be nothing more than another reality/survival competition and other than employing Joyce to stir things up they had no knowledge of the other events in play.
7. What going on with the Russian Science Center, the experiment and the other test groups?
• This question is probably the most important of the bunch!  I think that the Russian Science Center was created in order to recreate the Tunguska Event or perhaps more importantly harness the power of the cauldrons to be used as a weapon and uncover the mystery of the Valleymen as they are connected to the device.  The genetic tests prove that they are trying to recreate the beast or at least study it.  The falcon adds to this as the Valleymen have bird features as well as their connection to Ogdy who is the god of thunder and related to the Ogdy birds.  I believe that the Tesla Tower is their way of using modern science to create this vast weapon, but I don't think they were successful in doing so.  The other Revealers show that the scientists have done previous experiments with primates and I think this was to draw out the Valleymen or trick them into using their cauldrons.  When that failed, the mysterious leader of this project concluded that human test subjects might be just what they needed and thus the reality competition was born.  As I said above, I don't think the producers had anything to do with the strange events but rather the scientists.  The speaker was likely a tool to keep the primates and later humans inside the test area or the settlement while the Revealer was a reward program enticing them not to stray.  However, while primates may have been easy to control, when the humans did in fact entice the beast and the cauldrons were activated this caused their support system, the producers, to be attacked.  With no reason to remain in the settlement and perish, as the Revealer did not offer enough motivation for them to stay and the unknown creature in the woods did not stand up against the fear of death, unlike the primates the contestants wandered away from the settlement and became too close to discovering the hidden agenda of the show.  Enter strike team!   
8. Who are the armed men who came to execute the contestants?
• We learned that they were the ones responsible for the deaths of the scientists and likely destroyed the beacon and the information on the experiment at the Russian Science Center in order to keep the group from discovering the real motives behind the show as well as contacting the outside world and sharing their findings.  These men had every intention on executing the contestants as well all to keep the project they work for secretive.  We also discovered they were searching for a weapon which I described my thoughts about in the above section.  I ultimately believe they are hired guns working for the experiment and the mysterious leader behind both the science center and the reality show.
  
  
  
  
  
9. Is the show real? (Not referring to the reality platform used)
• I cannot stress enough how much I believe that the reality show was real, not a huge production just put on for the contestants with faked helicopter crashes and evacuated camps and towns.  My reasoning is quite simple, why would they hire Joyce as an actress to move the story along by creating conflicts and love interests if they had no intention of eventually airing it?  In addition, now that we are certain Esther stole the cash prize inside the Revealer, why would there be a prize if the producers didn't have any intention of the show continuing as normal with an ultimate winner or winners as planned?  I believe it is similar to Argo, where a movie was made and no shortcuts were taken including promotional material, production companies, funding and even a table read in costume while the entire pre-production was a simple ruse for ulterior motives.  Similar here, I think that the creator is likely the leader of the experiment whom employed an entire television crew to make a show to further their underlining goals.  Most of the crew was probably in the dark and thought they were simply creating another show while Buckley may be the mastermind behind it all or another pawn an overseer to ensure the show continued as planned while aware of the real reason for bringing the contestants to this remote area of Siberia.   
10. What is the significance of the skeleton wearing an identical necklace as Sabina? & How does time disturbances play into the show?
• This one is tricky and probably the most pondered question of the show.  My only thought is that Sabina did in fact find her own skeleton which isn't physically possible without bringing time disturbances into the story.  I don't believe that pieces of time are flashing or anything similar to that.  I am a bit obsessed with string theory and while anything is possible in a fictional show, they often mess up the basic rules of time-travel or time-loops in television and movies so I cannot say definitively but I can present the only real possibilities that make sense.
• Time doesn't just change randomly it happens in relation to an event or possibly a portal like a wormhole.  Due to this, the only theories I can ascertain is that either the second Tunguska event the contestants witnessed pushed them through time, which I don't think to be the case as the story is very linear and had the group been pushed back in time it is likely they would run into their former selves or if they were transported to before the show began the settlement wouldn't be in the same condition and the producers' camp wouldn't have been set up yet.
• The second theory which is my favorite amongst the two is that the cauldron or some other device opens up a portal to another world or dimension in which the Valleymen originated from.  My thoughts are that when the Valleymen travel through this portal that brings them to our world as time doesn't run the same course in their dimension they could enter the portal today and when they exit it could be either the future or the past.  As we know the Valleymen remove and at times bring back bodies, as was the case with the tiger and Natalie, I think that this is what has happened to Sabina as well.  She dies at some point in the future, which we have not witnessed yet, her body is removed and taken through the portal for whatever reason the Valleymen do so.  Later the beasts then bring her body back to Siberia, however as time runs differently on their side, they emerge before the contestants have arrived at the settlement.  Thus the body decayed over time and when Sabina did come across it her death had not yet happened.  I do have to say that I'm disappointed this point was not brought up in the storyline this season, nor did Sabina ever share this information with any of the other contestants.  This idea also connects the atomic clocks as with a nearby portal the gravity the device uses to detect the time would be different thus providing two distinct readings.    

Lastly, I would like to tell the tale of Siberia from my deductions, clues from the show and the real history entangled into the story in a section named:

What really happened?
Long ago extraterrestrials visited Earth and installed the mysterious metal cauldrons which functioned as a weapon that would blast oncoming meteors and other projectiles about to hit the planet.  Similar to the movie Alien Vs. Predator the extraterrestrials became known as gods to the locals whom they named Ogdy, able to cause fire in the sky.  Over the years the shamans became close to these gods because their spirits lived in the same realm after death, this could connect to why the bodies were removed from the producers' camp, the helicopter as well as Natalie and the tiger carcass.  Possibly, the Ogdy also took the bodies of the shaman hence the belief they lived in the same place.  In 1908 while feuding with other tribes a shaman called upon the Ogdy or the aliens for help with their disputes and the result was the Tunguska Event, which not only scared away other tribes but possibly mutated the original settlers into the god-like beings.  Infuriated with the Evenki as the cause of their mutation they waged war against them and the Evenki saw the materialization of their god as a punishment for abusing their powers.  Finally able to make a truce the Valleymen and the Evenki lived in peace for over one hundred years until scientists began a project in attempt to harness the powers of the cauldrons and the genetic mysteries of the Valleymen.  While at first the Russian group used modern technology to create a Tesla Tower and genetic manipulations to study the beast, they were unsuccessful and sought out other routes.  Using behavioral modification methods, the scientists placed primates into the abandoned settlement with the Revealer providing rewards for staying as well as speakers striking fear into the animals preventing them from venturing away.  This too rendered futile as the Valleymen showed no interest in the primates nor did they activate the cauldrons during this time.  A new decision was made to use human test subjects to recreate the environment of the Tunguska Event exactly in hopes that this would finally draw out the Valleymen and force them to tip their hat and activate the cauldrons.  However, a dilemma presented itself; how could they obtain human subjects while still keeping their research a secret?  Thus a reality television show is created, with a cash prize, a slew of contestants, producers, crew, and an actress who are all in the dark about the real motives behind the creation of the show.  Luckily, the plan worked as the humans drew out the Valleymen and the cauldrons were activated but unfortunately this also caused their cover to break down as the producers' camp was attacked and no one was left to aid the contestants or keep the show running and in desperation they set out to find help.  This put the experiment in danger of being discovered and even worse leaked to the outside world.  As a preventative measure the project leader sent in a strike team to eliminate the scientists and their work as well as destroy the radio tower to keep the contestants from contacting outside help.  Nevertheless, they continued to persevere as Daniel constructed the loop antenna in which the project intercepted the transmission and went in to finish the group off.  In addition they were in search of the recently fired cauldrons, the reason they had begun their project in the first place as they were determined to see it through despite the contestants being a constant thorn in their side.    

Alright!  I think that sums up all the questions and mysteries presented throughout the course of this season of Siberia!  Thank you all for reading and as always I would love to hear you thoughts so please comment below.  Don't forget to continue tweeting #SiberiaSeason2 as a second season is needed to wrap up at least some of these lingering questions.  I thoroughly enjoyed the show as it made me think, it was smart and well executed and unlike so many of the other television shows out there!  Keep theorizing and check back here or at skh.xi34.com for my new blogs on fall television which will begin in the next week.  Enjoy!

*On a different note, I want to thank all of the readers who were so supportive of my medical conundrum and difficulties.  The outcome of my trip was another recommended brain surgery, this time across the country which I now must decide if the benefits out weigh the risks.  Again thank you for your kind words and prayers as they are much needed and much appreciated!

above image taken from nbc.com/siberia
"Siberia in Retrospect" image also taken from nbc.com/siberia and edited by Jeremy Heavner (xi34.com)

Siberia In Retrospect Delayed

I give my deepest apologies as the amazing and comprehensive post Siberia in Retrospect will not be published Monday 9/23 but rather Tuesday 9/24.  I hate to lead you all on but with plane cancellations, having to buy new tickets on a different airlines and an entire day in the hospital I wasn't even able to take out my computer on my trip, but I'm home now and ready to finish editing so expect an awesome new post by Saturday!  While we're all anxious to close the chapter on Siberia for now and make way for the plethora of new fall shows, I am currently overwhelmed as I am frantically packing up my family to fly across the country and visit a top neurosurgeon specializing in my rare condition who will advise me on whether I will need to undergo a second brain and spinal surgery.  However, the good news is Siberia in Retrospect will be worth the wait and I will have ample time to finish it on my plane ride!  Please check back as this post will give viewers some much needed closure as the season left us with so many unanswered questions. 
Thanks for your understanding,
-Shayla
P.S. I appreciate all of you who have supported me through this week!  Your kind comments mean the world! <3

Siberia Comes to an End

Wow.  That basically sums up this week's finale of Siberia.  Filled with life or death moments, betrayal, and a glimpse of hope it offered up everything desired in a finale, except answers.  Unlike most shows, Siberia hasn't laid out all the answers for the viewers so my goal has been to gather the information by paying close attention to the events, researching the facts behind the story and logically deducing theories to bring together a plausible narrative to explain the mysteries presented.  Although this post is only covering the final episode, "...Into the Oven", the events that transpired and the questions that arose, I will also be adding a post entitled Siberia in Retrospect on Monday that will include all the mysteries we've seen throughout the season and some logical answers that tie them together.  I also encourage you to check out my Siberia: Facts Edition as well as my previous recaps before you bid adieu to the wonderful journey that is Siberia!  For now, let's jump out of the frying pan and "...Into the Oven" as this shocking episode received mixed reviews, with enough action to please but too few answers for closure, we have to wonder if this was the best way to end a chapter on Siberia. 

• Neeko, Sabina, Irene, Esther, Annie and Miljan made their way through the territory of the Valleymen as Merilik had directed them.  While I was hoping for more action, especially after Sasha's whisper last week advising Sabina not to run if she saw "them", the contestants arrived at the science center without any trouble or strange encounters.  However, as they made their final strides Neeko uncovered a sign that clearly spelled out danger as the group realized they had traveled into a minefield.
  
  
  
  
  Daniel, Sam, Johnny and Joyce ran to greet their fellow contestants but to their dismay Irene was frozen in place atop a pressure sensitive explosion device.  Although the group debated what to do and what would happen if she indeed stepped off, Daniel insisted it was a dud, without any explanation, and proceeded to help Irene move off the dangerous explosive unharmed. 
• The group shared stories of their separate journeys, including Sam saving Johnny's life after the shock of the tower and the moment when Sam thought he could no longer make it.  He spoke of closing his eyes and being taken back to the moment where he was attempting to fish and Natalie was giving him a hard time.  I wonder if for that brief moment he died or was passing through a purgatory of sorts as Natalie was the one select member he was with and as we know she had lost her life.  Annie stormed off clearly distraught and the others shared the news of the unexpected loss of Natalie.  Sam went to Annie's side and comforted her reciting his own personal experience with the death of his wife explaining that the impact she had on Sam's life would always be with him as Natalie's would always stay with Annie. 
• Soon after a truck appeared coming down the road and most of the contestants ran to greet what they perceived to be their rescue.  Unfortunately, the group was violently pushed onto their knees and held captive as the armed men argued in Russian over their fate.  Of what Sam was able to translate we learned that they were searching for a weapon, they had killed the scientists inside and they had every intention of murdering the group as well.  Joyce attempted to negotiate with the men but when she claimed their entire group was present and they uncovered her lie they strapped her to the front of the truck.
  
  
  
  
  
• As the armed men counted down to Joyce's execution, suddenly, something drew the attention of the armed men away from the group and they were able to run into one of the structures and barricaded themselves inside.  Johnny took a daring risk and untied Joyce, bringing her to safety with the others amidst the gunfire.  The group heard explosion after explosion as the building rocked with each impact.  It was clear that the minefield was active and the loud animal-like screeching implied it was the Valleymen who had come to their aid.
• The group used the Valleymen's distraction to nab the truck and take off.  However, they quickly noticed that Annie had not made it into the vehicle with them and though they stopped to let her on, she was struck by a bullet as the men redirected their shots towards the fleeing group.  The contestants mourned Annie's death while previewing her journal that contained sketches of each of them.  While Annie was not the first to die amongst the group, the fact that they witnessed her demise first-hand was something that none of them could shake.
  
  
  
  
  
• On route to the town Johnny had previously found on the map, the truck hit an ice patch and swerved off the road, leaving them stuck in a pile of snow.  Daniel informed Esther that the town was now only a few miles away and they proceeded to push the vehicle to freedom.  Unsuccessful, Esther approached Johnny who was driving and claimed they needed his strength to push and that she would steer.  Why they continue to believe her ridiculous claims is beyond me, but as the truck regained its traction Esther drove down the road never stopping or even looking back.  Miljan informed them that she had once again played them as she had taken the money from the Revealer and now was home free with all $500,000 and they were left stranded in the middle of nowhere.
• The group walked the remainder of the distance to the town but when they arrived they found everything was not as expected.  The town was abandoned.  Sam translated a sign that had been posted ordering the town to evacuate to the nearest Russian military camp and though they called out in hope of stragglers left behind no one returned their cries.
  
  
  
  
  They located the truck Esther had escaped in unfortunately with no Esther and no money.  While the contestants pillaged the open storefronts for a way to contact help (again) they were met with the familiar dilemma of no electricity and no phone service.  In the distance Christmas lights shone off a balcony and the group raced to the building to see if it was inhabited.
• Although the apartment was abandoned, they were blessed with electricity and a fridge filled with fresh food that they quickly took advantage of.  Miljan came across a gun which he hid on his person and Daniel finally mustered up the courage to kiss Irene.  While they all were eating, drinking and seemingly enjoying each others' company like a family at Thanksgiving, Joyce noticed a tape Sabina had pulled out amongst the things she had stashed.  Recalling that while she and Johnny lost their memory in the woods the footage was said to have gone missing, they immediately inserted the tape into the television.  The scene before them flickered to life beginning with the two arguing as we had previously seen, they then came upon one of the cauldrons in which they noticed what looked to be cuneiform (same as the symbol of the Valleymen) writing along the edge and a circle composed of sixteen points within.  The two continued back to the settlement, non-afflicted, when out of frustration Johnny punched a tree explaining the marks the others had noticed on his hands.  The camera cut out and when the picture reappeared it was night, the two were obviously spooked as they hid behind a tree listening and watching for any movement.  Suddenly, a beast appeared between the trees and began chasing the two and as they barley escaped when a bright spotlight flashed in the sky followed by the entire atmosphere lighting up in a green cross-stitch pattern as the contestants had witnessed at the camp distracting both them and likely the beast.
  
  
  
  
  It wasn't until after this that the two became agitated and confused not remembering the strange creature or the cauldron that they had just encountered.  Before they had time to analyze the intense video they had witnessed, a commotion outside led the group to the window where they saw a group of men similar in appearance as those whom they had just fled from at the science center entering the very building they inhabited.  The group hid in anticipation and a rattling of keys could be heard as the door swung open.  Rounding the corner was the last person they expected to see, host Jonathon Buckley appeared before them and with a perplexed look he sternly uttered a final line to last through the ages: "You're not supposed to be here".
  
  
  
  
  

The season finale of Siberia had viewers on the edge of their seats, however, the jaw-dropping ending left the majority of the audience confused and wanting more.  "...Into the Oven" made for an excellent ending with a jam-packed episode that kept viewers on their feet and while this sounds like a good thing, with no news of a second season it left us with few answers and even more questions.  Personally, I feel both ways as it was an amazing episode, but I was disappointed that the group traveling through the Valeymen's territory didn't have some encounter with them and the surprising ending left me mainly with guesses rather than logical clues to follow like the rest of the season provided.  Overall Siberia was an interesting ride; at first the reality competition aspect of the show had me bored and came out of the gates a little slow for my taste.  However, as the season progressed each episode became more and more intriguing as subtle clues were presented and discovering the wealth of truth behind the show was an ingenious move by the creators.  Siberia is the type of show where answers were not laid out on a silver platter for the audience and while it was a hit for the inquisitive viewer, I fear that it also had a large portion of its target audience turning away as they didn't want a show that engaged their minds.  It's competition, the television remake of Stephen King's novel Under the Dome, presented the answers to the questions that arose in an extremely slow manner that turned me away as there wasn't much thinking involved and the results were often obvious and took entire episodes for the characters to solve.  This classifies Siberia in my book as a smart series with mind-bending storylines, characters that we loved to love or loved to hate and an unusual number of unknown outside forces that effected the contestants.  This was a great episode for a confirmed return of the series next summer but I'm concerned that without another season we will be left with nothing more than conjecture and theories which is a huge let down.  I wish that the audience was provided with more concrete information to go on as as it stands there is a whole world of possibilities.  However, that won't stop me from taking what we were given and hypothesizing just where this story is leading us, so let's move right on to the new questions that arose and just what might be going on in Siberia!

I've learned from reading the various message boards and comments that no matter how logical an explanation I offer, people will ultimately believe what they want to believe, as I got a lot of slack in the beginning for offering up aliens as a possible cause of the Tunguska Event.  This combined with the fact that various television shows over the years have failed to create that perfect story with no loopholes means that even if my theories can logically explain everything, that doesn't mean that's necessarily the direction the show will choose.  Nevertheless I will conclude my Siberia chronicles with a quick recap of the questions and some final theories as to what has happened in this episode for you to make your own decision.

1. How did Daniel know the one mine Irene was on was a dud?

• Short version: luck?  I couldn't find anything online about determining a dud from an actual explosive, so I really can't answer how Daniel came to that conclusion.  I thought maybe the snow or the cold could effect its capabilities but as the minefield was clearly active shortly after Irene successfully stepped off the device I have no real answer for this particular question.  I'm open to hearing your thoughts and theories about this so please feel free to comment below!

2. Why did the Valleymen attack?

• Although I predicted the Valleymen attacking the armed men to help the contestants escape, while watching I wondered if I was on point or if there was another possibility.  Due to the fact the group was travelling through the Valleymen's territory on top of Sasha's advice to not run if they saw them I was expecting some sort of encounter between the two.  Unfortunately, this did not happen.  I originally theorized that because Miljan obviously has a connection to the beasts they would not want to see him harmed, thus when the rescue team threatened his life, they would attack in order to help him.  This very well could have been the case.
• However, a second idea crossed my mind.  The Evenkis used the snowshoes that matched the mark of the Valleymen so the beasts would not follow them.  I wonder if instead, the Valleymen simply followed the group's human footprints to the science center and coincidentally had impeccable timing.  Given a choice, I like my original theory better, it provides more of a storyline between Miljan and the Valleymen that we did not get to see played out albeit the Valleymen simply following the tracks is quite possible as well.

3. What was the weapon the military group was searching for?

• Sam translated the Russian men's conversation and uncovered they were at the science center looking for a weapon.  If the scientists were responsible for attempting to duplicate the Tunguska Event and the tower is in fact a copy of the Wardenclyffe tower (see: Siberia: Facts Edition) it would be a powerful directed-energy weapon that could also explain some of the other mysteries in this episode.  However, if opposed to my original theory that the science center was responsible for second Tunguska blast and in fact it was the cauldrons, which very well may be the writer's explanation for the original Tunguska Event as well(see: Siberia: Facts Edition), I think that yields a plausible theory that the men were looking for the cauldrons.  While I'm not sold that these metal huts are alien weaponry left in the Siberian wilderness, it is a logical direction for the show.  I believe they are looking for what caused the "fire in the sky" as before they were researching a one hundred year old event and footage from 1927, when now they know that it is in Tunguska and was used more recently so they have set out to find it.

4. Why was the town evacuated?

• I think that this fits perfectly into the weapon the armed men were searching for.  Had a powerful blast like that occurred it is feasible that nearby towns would be evacuated for safety reasons, as it could have been a misfire or a test run, as well as the continuing danger that would exist had a weapon of that nature deployed aimed at the town.  However, this theory also comes with the question: Wouldn't the Russian military be searching for the cause?  I'm at a dilemma with that one because I don't believe the armed men are Russian military.  I don't think the military would have killed the scientists inside or damaged the equipment and locked the door behind themselves.  I think that the idea that this group is working with the science center is the most plausible answer, they killed the scientists and destroyed the radio tower so no one could communicate out.  They asked if this was all of them as they didn't know which contestants had made it through the harsh conditions.  If this is the case, it backs up the theory that they didn't want the group to ever leave Siberia as they were ready to execute them.  This also means that the tower didn't cause the second event as if they had deployed their own weapon, they probably wouldn't be looking for it.  What I obtain from this line of reasoning is that while they were attempting to recreate the event, they did not succeed thus the second event must have been caused by the cauldrons. 
• While I do still think that time discrepancies play a part in the show, I don't think this is the case involving the second Tunguska-like event.  If they had flashed back to 1908 and were experiencing the original Tunguska Event it would mean that the entire world or at least Russia was jumping back and forth with them.  I've come to this conclusion because for the Russian government to evacuate a nearby town would mean they witnessed the effects as well miles away, so while I do think time disruptions are involved I don't think the "fire in the sky" was a trip back to 1908. 

5. Where did Esther go? & Did she collude with others for the cash prize?

• Esther didn't seem to know about the nearby town so I'm not sure about the idea of her planning to meet up with someone there however, Esther is a pro at lying so she could have just been plying dumb.  While I think that a reasonable twist would be to have her working with the cameraman who she blackmailed or even the host to get out with the money, there aren't really any facts or clues to go by so these ideas are nothing more than a guess.  If the goal was for Esther to get out and meet with someone, I'm not sure how she could've planned to escape and trek over a hundred miles alone.  I honestly think Esther is on her own, on the run attempting to get as far away with the money as possible!  

6. What is the significance of the cauldron & it's markings?

left: outside of the cauldron found by Johnny & Joyce;  right: inside

• I think the most important thing to take away from the cauldron was the sixteen dots in a circular formation.  While there is conjecture about this being related to the contestants, I don't really think that is the most plausible explanation as two were eliminated right off the bat and there were never sixteen contestants staying at the settlement.  Instead, I think it is related to the 1908 settlers.  In my first theories post, I hypothesized the possibility that the original settlers were somehow mutated through alien technology and might be the creatures in the woods.  The sixteen dots strengthen this theory as they may have engraved the cauldron after the Tunguska Event changed them, or the markings appeared on the cauldron as a result of the transformation.  In addition, I had wondered about how Sam's bracelet from a 1908 settler ended up in the shallow waters today.  One of my theories was that a beast still wore it as a reminder of who they used to be.  If this is the case and the original sixteen settlers were transformed it connects a good amount of dots to create a plausible theory, including why they became enemies with the Evenkis as they were believed to have caused the event.

7. What happened to Johnny & Joyce?

• While there are a lot of people out there wondering if the cauldrons caused the two's confusion in the episode "Fire in the Sky", I felt like the tape gave my theory concrete proof that it was not the cauldrons but the lights in the sky.  In this episode we saw the tape of what happened to the two while alone in the woods which provided answers to at least a few of the lingering questions out there.  We witnessed that as the two argued they came across a cauldron with unusual markings, after studying it the continued forward and didn't show any sign of confusion or disorientation.  Suddenly they were attacked by the beast, our first glance at the Valleymen which was a terrifying one (see picture below), this is what caused Joyce's abrasions and Johnny's battered hand was from nothing more than punching a tree.  After the lights in the sky progressed the two suddenly didn't remember the cauldron, the Valleyman or how they became injured, so ultimately it was pretty clear to me that the event caused their confusion.   

8. What can we take from the final visualization of the beast?

• I feel comfortable making the Valleymen and the beast synonymous.  The creature we saw attack Johnny and Joyce had the same foot structure as the footprints that Merilik explained was the mark of the Valleymen as well as the tracks Daniel found at the site of Tommy's death.  I also am pretty happy with the conclusion that they are aliens as there are many who believe both the Tunguska Event and the Cauldrons are extraterrestrial in nature.  The one thing that I think is still unknown, is whether the aliens actually ever visited Siberia as the Valleymen may be the original settlers who were transformed during the Tunguska Event.  While I at first believed that Miljan was related to the Evenki tribe, he seemed terrified by their presence and we learned that his actual connection was to the Valleymen.  If the Valleymen began as humans he could still be related to one of the original settlers and through their alien technologies or abilities they are able to communicate with him through telekinesis that sparked the Evenkis belief that shaman could inhabit one's body.
  
  
  
  above: Valleyman chasing after Johnny & Joyce
  [picture from CreativeCOW.net]

9. What was Buckley doing there?

• The host's arrival with the armed men combined with the look on his face and his tone of voice makes me think that he is in cahoots with the scientists.  Possibly, that he was placed there to keep an eye on the progress of the experiment.  It is possible that he is the mastermind behind the show and the testing as he looked on the contestants with disapproval.  I've put a lot of thought into this question and I don't believe that his clipboard in the helicopter means that he was aboard when it crashed.  In addition, he wasn't like the Jeff Probst of the show where he needed to be present at the producers' camp as he rarely interacted with the contestants.  He also lied to them about Tommy's "accident" which adds suspicion that he knew what was actually going on.  There are only two possibilities of where this could lead, either he helps the contestants or he attempts to capture and kill them once again.  The only logical reason I can deduct from him having an apartment with keys in the only building with power in an evacuated town is that he is there to oversee the experiment at both the science center and the progress of the show.  I think his final line was both telling and confusing as he didn't embrace Joyce nor did he seem pleased that the group was alive and well meaning that he knew of the events that had transpired and believed them to be dead.  I don't believe that he is part of Esther's betrayal as she wasn't aware of the town or had any assurances she would be able to escape and travel over one-hundred miles to a rendezvous point with Buckley, I think it's much more likely he is the overseer of the entire operation.

I think that this encompasses all the questions arose in the Siberia season finale.  However, as there were so many questions presented over the course of the season I will be doing an additional post that will come out Monday as an attempt to fill the void entitled Siberia in Retrospect. There I will revisit all the mysteries from the season with the finite answers we have, my logical deductions of what else is going on and the conundrums that left no real clues allowing the imagination to run wild!  Don't stop theorizing yet!  Keep tweeting #SiberiaSeason2 as even if NBC doesn't renew it, a confirmed fan base increases the chance of it being picked up by another network and we may still gain answers.  As always, please comment below with your thoughts and if you haven't checked out some of my older posts, click around for more theories, facts and recaps!  You can also check out my website, still under construction, skh.xi34.com, which will serve as a hub for all my blogs covering a plethora of networks!  Enjoy!