Angel or vampire: The unholy dichotomy of Midnight Mass.

This article analyzes the Netflix series *Midnight Mass* (2021) for its engagement with universal existential anxieties about mortality and meaning, while simultaneously addressing specific contemporary American cultural concerns such as political division, ideological extremism, and the harmful impacts of organized religion. Central to the series is the ambiguous supernatural entity—depicted as either an angel or a vampire—that catalyzes moral and social conflicts within the isolated community of Crockett Island, reflecting tensions between faith, doubt, and dogma. Employing Terror Management Theory (TMT), the analysis highlights how the series integrates psychologically universal fears of death with culturally specific issues like religious intolerance, consent, and pandemic-related divisions, illustrating how existential anxiety can fuel social hostility. Ultimately, *Midnight Mass* uses horror to prompt viewers to critically examine their beliefs and the consequences of ideological certainty in a fractured society.