Why Is Unus Annus Getting Deleted? The Hosts Teased the End of the Mysterious Channel

While many YouTubers post videos on a regular basis for years on end in the hopes of accruing followers, the Unus Annus channel has a far different goal. The mysterious vlog channel, which is run by Mark Fischbach (Markiplier) and Ethan Nestor (CrankGamePlays) is set to be deleted on Nov. 15, 2020, which is the exact one-year anniversary of its creation.

Though the channel has amassed more than 3.53 million subscribers, the hosts are insistent that all of the videos will be deleted, and they will never be reposted again. 

Why is Unus Annus ending? Keep reading to find out what the goal of the movement was in the first place, and to learn what Ethan and Mark have said about "the beginning of the end."

When Mark and Ethan first launched the channel, they put an expiration date on its existence. The hosts emphasized the importance of living in the moment, and that they wanted to make "every second count" in the yearlong deadline. The phrase "Unus Annus" literally means "One Year" in Latin. 

In the months since Unus Annus was created, the pair has posted a new video each day. The topics have ranged from vlogs to hypnosis, to competitions, to food challenges. They've also encouraged viewers to look within themselves to determine whether they are an Unus (which Ethan identifies as) or an Annus (which Mark says he is). 

Between the mystery behind the imminent disappearance of the channel to the personality tropes associated with being an Annus or an Unus, viewers have flocked to the channel to view videos before they leave the internet for good. 

Every so often, Ethan and Mark post a video to remind viewers that time is running out. 

On Aug. 5, the content creators posted "This Is Goodbye," which soon became the No. 1 trending video online. In the 77-second video, they explained that there was only 100 days left until the channel (and all of the videos) would be gone forever. 

"The last 100 days," Ethan starts off in the video. 

"There's a lot you can do in 100 days," Mark says. 

"It's time to start making the proper arrangements," Ethan remarks.

"It's time to start saying goodbye," Mark explains. 

The hosts then tell the audience that this will be the last time they will post a reminder video before the end. 

"Time always seems to move faster when it's running out," Mark says as the video cuts out. 

The creators sign off each of their videos with another Latin phrase, Memento Mori. The words translate from Latin to mean "Remember that you have to die," which is meant to be a reminder of human mortality. 

The concept of deleting the entire platform is the hosts' way of reminding viewers that there are few certainties in life. One of these certainties, they assure subscribers, is that the channel will delete on Nov. 15, 2020. 

"In exactly 365 days this channel will be deleted along with all of the daily uploads accumulated since then. Nothing will be saved. Nothing will be reuploaded. This is your one chance to join us at the onset of our adventure. To be there from the beginning. To make every second count... But remember... everything has an end. Even you," the "About" section of the channel reads.

While Ethan and Mark have said that the Unus Annus channel will be deleted so people can live in the moment, there's a popular online theory that the two are really experimenting to see how much they can push the boundaries on YouTube's Community Guidelines. 

The pair has promised to delete any and all fan reuploads of their videos. 

The two had previously collaborated on the Norbert Moses YouTube page, which was an attempt to break the record for getting one million subscribers in less than one day. The channel was subsequently deleted once it failed to beat the record.  

It remains to be seen if Mark and Ethan will be able to delete any and all trace of Unus Annus once November of 2020 comes around. Based on how successful the experiment has been, it's unlikely that this will be their last collaboration on YouTube.