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On March 17, 2015, Twenty One Pilots<\/strong><\/a> released the first single from their third studio album, <\/span>Blurryface<\/span><\/i>. The song, titled \u201cFairly Local,\u201d was the first introduction to the named character, Blurryface, from which the album got its namesake and the first puzzle piece in what would become a decade-long story told through music videos, album artwork, hidden websites, and live shows.<\/span><\/p>\n What started as a cryptic visual soon evolved into a sprawling narrative about Clancy, a resident of the oppressive city of Dema, and Torchbearer, leader of the rebel group called the Banditos. The ten year long journey that followed the story of Clancy and Torchbearer, created by the band\u2019s frontman Tyler Joseph, is perfectly cracted as an interconnected world filled with coded messages and elaborate lore with battles between freedom and control.<\/span><\/p>\n For casual listeners, curious fans, or even those eager to catch up in the lore, this is your guide through the key chapters of the Twenty One Pilots lore, from its first appearance in 2015 to the upcoming\u00a0Breach\u00a0<\/em>era.<\/span><\/p>\n Released: <\/b>May 17, 2015<\/p>\n The character of Blurryface,<\/em> introduced in this album through visualization of red eyes and a deeper voice that mimics Joseph, can be heard in the songs \u201cFairly Local\u201d and \u201cStressed Out.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t until the release of the \u201cHeavydirtysoul\u201d music video that the story truly began. The video reveals Joseph\u2019s second escape attempt from Dema, an isolated city ruled by nine Bishops. The Bishops, who enforce a religion called Vialism, preach that ending your own life is the only path to paradise.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n In the \u201cHeavydirtysoul\u201d video, Joseph is seated in the back of a car being driven by an unknown figure. Throughout the video, the car begins catching on fire and breaking down, while narrowly swerving to avoid Josh Dunn (the second member of twenty one pilots), who is playing drums in the middle of the road. At the end, the car finally breaks down and explodes.<\/span><\/p>\n Released: <\/b>October 5, 2018<\/p>\n Important Characters & Terms<\/b><\/p>\n On April 21, 2018 a fan found a URL hidden in a GIF on the Vessel page of the Twenty One Pilots store, which led to them finding a website, <\/span>dmaorg.info<\/span><\/a>. Through the website, fans discovered violation codes warning of being discovered by an unknown group that was later identified as the Bishops, who ruled over Dema. <\/span>Found June 18, 2018 months before the release of <\/span>Trench<\/span><\/i>, letters from someone named Clancy gave fans the initial information about Trench, Dema, and the Bishops.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n July 11, 2018: Almost a month after the discovery of\u00a0 the website, Twenty One Pilots ended their year-long hiatus and released the video for \u201cJumpsuit.\u201d <\/span>Continuing the story line after \u201cHeavydirtysoul,\u201d Joseph is seen crouching on the same car telling fans \u201cit was time to wake up.\u201d The video then cuts to Joseph waking up in a stream surrounded by mountains. As he walks, we learn that not only is he being chased by a figure on a horse, but there are people watching him from the cliffs. The person on the horse, who we now know as the Bishop <\/span>Nico, finally catches up to Joseph. Nico then attempts to \u201csmear\u201d Joseph, but just as he\u2019s about to capture him, the figures from the cliffs (the Banditos) throw down yellow petals that inspire Joseph to run. He ends up falling and being captured anyway.<\/span><\/p>\n The story continued two weeks later with the release of \u201cNico and the Niners,\u201d (July 26, 2018) where the Banditos infiltrate Dema to help Joseph escape through secret tunnels beneath the city. <\/span>Shortly following on August 8, 2018 the third and final part of the story was released through \u201cLevitate.\u201d Joseph has officially joined the Banditos, given their colors and taught their traditions. However, by the end of the video, one of the Bishops grabs Joseph and the screen cuts to black.<\/span><\/p>\n The Takeaway: After two escape attempts, Joseph has finally met the Banditos and joined their ranks. However, he is now back in Dema after being captured yet again.<\/strong><\/p>\n Released:<\/b> May 21, 2021<\/p>\n Important Characters & Terms<\/b><\/p>\n The \u201cScaled & Icy Livestream Experience<\/a>\u201d introduced us to \u201cGood Day Dema,<\/span>\u201d a propaganda program for the citizens of Dema where Joseph is forced to perform for the citizens by Sally Sacarver and Dan Lisden, both actively decaying during the entire show.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSaturday\u201d (July 8, 2021) takes place following the Scaled & Icy Livestream, where Joseph and Dunn are forced to perform on a submarine for Dema. While playing, Trash the Dragon swims by the submarine where Keons seizes Trash the Dragon, and destroys the submarine to free Joseph and Dunn. This also results in the Bishops killing Keons for his betrayal.<\/span><\/p>\n Immediately following the death of Keons and subma<\/span>rine crash, \u201cThe Outside\u201d shows Joseph and Dunn washed up on the island of Voldsoy where they find a group of strange creatures that gift Joseph a set of antlers. Using these, Joseph is able to seize the body of Keons and prove to the Bishops that they are not the only ones with the power.<\/span><\/p>\n The Takeaway: Joseph is back in Dema and being forced to perform for the citizens of Dema on a broadcast called \u201cGood Day Dema.\u201d One of the Bishops betrayed the others in order to help Joseph and Dunn escape. Following their escape, Joseph received a powerful ability to sieze.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Released: <\/b>May 24, 2024<\/p>\n Important Characters & Terms<\/b><\/p>\n On February 22, 2024 \u201cI Am Clancy\u201d confirmed that Joseph was Clancy and explained everything up to the release of \u201cOvercompensate,\u201d (February 29) the first single from the album <\/span>Clancy.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u201cOvercompensate\u201d shows Clancy and Torchbearer leaving Voldsoy and educating the citizens of Dema about the Banditos, recruiting rebels marked with red tape instead of yellow. At the very end of the video, however, we realize that Clancy was not actually there and was instead seizing a citizen. We learn that both Clancy and Torchbearer had just arrived back on the continent, now with more support from their fellow rebels.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNavigating\u201d (May 24, 2024) follows Clancy\u2019s journey across Trench to reunite with Torchbearer, who has been growing the Bandito army. At the end of the video, he meets with Torchbearer and we realize that Clancy has been alone since the events of \u201cThe Outside\u201d while Torchbearer has been leading the Banditos on Trench and building their numbers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Preparing to destroy Dema from the inside, \u201cPaladin Strait\u201d show<\/span>ed there was a war about to begin between Dema and the Banditos. The Bishops resurrect the Glorious Gones to battle the Banditos, while Clancy infiltrates Dema\u2019s central tower, where he defeats the Bishops, only for Nico to appear and grab him by the neck. There is a moment where it appears Clancy succumbs to Nico, only for him to open his eyes and the screen cuts to black.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dates: <\/b>August 15, 2024 \u2013 May 14, 2025<\/p>\n During the first leg of the Clancy World Tour<\/a>, we learned that the Bishops knew of the plan to attack them and had been intercepting letters between Banditos. They issued a letter to the people of Dema before the events of \u201cPaladin Strait,\u201d promising protection from the Banditos.<\/span><\/p>\n They even destroyed the Bandito camp and left letters with \u2018Dear Clancy\u2019 written on them in red in order to taunt him.<\/span><\/p>\n At the final show of the Clancy tour, a letter from Clancy to Torchbearer is found where it appears that Clancy has intentions of becoming the leader of Dema. During that same show, he rejected the Bandito uniform jacket offered to him by Torchbearer.<\/span><\/p>\n The Takeaway: Clancy and Torchbearer have built up their forces to attack the Bishops. We do not know what happened after Clancy confronted Nico, but letters found in the FPE exhibit on tour show that Torchbearer is trying to get Clancy back to the Banditos after the confrontation.<\/b><\/p>\n What we know so far: <\/b>Breach<\/i><\/b><\/a> \u201cThe Contract<\/a>\u201d is the first single from <\/span>Breach<\/span><\/i>, which many fans believe will be the conclusion to the story. The video shows Clancy\u2019s internal struggle between returning to the Banditos or joining the Bishops. We see imagery of red-eyed figures and Torchbearer offering Clancy a jacket, which we learned during tour was Clancy accepting his place among the Banditos as their leader. The video ends with Clancy opening his eyes and we see he is still in the tower with Nico.. exactly where \u201cPaladin Strait\u201d left off.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It is unclear what will happen next in the story, but fans are eagerly anticipating what it means for the band and if it is truly the end.<\/span><\/p>\n The band\u2019s next release, \u201cDrum Show<\/a>,\u201d arrives this Monday, August 18, 2025. Fans are watching closely, wondering if Breach will close the book on the story that began a decade ago.<\/p>\n Breach<\/span><\/i> is out on Sept. 12. Presave and pre-order the album <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n The band is offering exclusive listening parties<\/a> to hear\u00a0BREACH<\/em>, on September 6 and 7, 2025, throughout various record stores across the U.S. With the album coming out less than a week later, they are making sure the fans are ready and excited.<\/p>\n The Clancy Tour: Breach\u00a0<\/i>Dates: This article is simply an introduction of the world created by Tyler Joseph. If you are interested in learning more, here are a few deep dives into the lore.\u00a0<\/span>https:\/\/twentyonepilots.fandom.com\/wiki\/Dmaorg.info<\/span><\/a> or https:\/\/topmasterdoc.carrd.co\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Keep up with Twenty One Pilots:<\/b> Instagram<\/span><\/a> \/\/<\/span> Facebook<\/span><\/a> \/\/<\/span> YouTube<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\nThe Story behind Blurryface<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"YouTube](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/r_9Kf0D5BTs\/hqdefault.jpg\"\/)
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe Story behind Trench<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.melodicmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/failed-perimeter-escape-1.jpeg\")
<\/b><\/p>\nThe Story behind Scaled & Icy<\/i><\/b> \u2013 (an anagram for \u201cClancy Is Dead\u201d)<\/b><\/h4>\n
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<\/span><\/li>\n![\"Scaled](\"https:\/\/i.redd.it\/x0etia4tler61.jpg\"\/)
<\/p>\n![\"YouTube](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/eNcvblM8-_o\/hqdefault.jpg\"\/)
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe Story behind Clancy<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
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![\"YouTube](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/ozlHHR_eSxc\/hqdefault.jpg\"\/)
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.melodicmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Paladin-Strait-500x333.jpg\")
<\/b><\/p>\nWhat we found out from the Clancy World Tour<\/b><\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.melodicmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_6629-2-e1754577206942-500x336.jpg\")
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Releasing: September 12th, 2025<\/b><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.melodicmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/TOP-tour-500x624.jpg\")
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<\/strong>9\/18 \u2013 Cincinnati, OH \u2013 TQL Stadium
9\/20 \u2013 Toronto, ON \u2013 Budweiser Stage
9\/23 \u2013 Milwaukee, WI \u2013 American Family Insurance Amphitheater
9\/24 \u2013 Tinley Park, IL \u2013 Credit Union 1 Amphitheater
9\/27 \u2013 Hershey, PA \u2013 Hersheypark Stadium
9\/28 \u2013 Burgettstown, PA \u2013 The Pavilion at Star Lake
9\/30 \u2013 Hartford, CT \u2013 Xfinity Theatre
10\/1 \u2013 Bangor, ME \u2013 Maine Savings Amphitheater
10\/4 \u2013 Wantagh, NY \u2013 Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
10\/5 \u2013 Bristow, VA \u2013 Jiffy Lube Live
10\/7 \u2013 Virginia Beach, VA \u2013 Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
10\/8 \u2013 Charlotte, NC \u2013 PNC Music Pavilion
10\/10 \u2013 West Palm Beach, FL \u2013 iTHINK Financial Amphitheater
10\/11 \u2013 Tampa, FL \u2013 MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater
10\/14 \u2013 Orange Beach, AL \u2013 The Wharf Amphitheater
10\/15 \u2013 Alpharetta, GA \u2013 Ameris Bank Amphitheater
10\/17 \u2013 Birmingham, AL \u2013 Coca-Cola Amphitheater
10\/19 \u2013 Rogers, AR \u2013 Walmart Amp
10\/20 \u2013 Dallas, TX \u2013 Dos Equis Pavilion
10\/23 \u2013 Chula Vista, CA \u2013 North Island Credit Union Amphitheater
10\/25 \u2013 Los Angeles, CA \u2013 BMO Stadium<\/p>\n