This started out when I was checking reddit conspiracy new tab. Was a guy who posted, "Schizophrenia is a spiritual gift, not a mental disorder." Then he talks about how in eastern religions they aren't just drugged up.. but they're like "shamans". He had a small pdf he wrote.. 32 pages. Going through it, up to page 13. He talks about when he saw the grim reaper.. "it's cloak and face were extremely detailed". Then his heart stopped but later he came back. I'm there.. what's the deal with this grim reaper guy. So I'm researching his origins.
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In reports, and research, stuff about witchcraft, the occult.. religion.. what do they have to say about who this "grim reaper" character is. I guess it's one of these fallen angels from the war in heaven. And they got cast to the underworld. But this grim reaper seems like a character. You've got this image, of a hooded cloak and sickle. They use that to harvest crops. Is he like some guy from years ago who used to farm or something. Like who was this character. Seems like he comes around when people are about to die. Like what's this guy's deal in the mythical world. His origins as well. Cause I was just reading somebody's account of seeing him, he said, "it's cloak and face were extremely detailed". Was he a human or some other type of entity, like the characters in hell, that weren't human before. He seems like he was human. He turned bad, or what.
The character of the "Grim Reaper" isn't a single figure with a fixed origin story, but rather a compilation of different beliefs and images from various cultures, particularly in Western society. Here's a breakdown of what research and historical accounts have to say about this character:
The Origins of the Character The image we now recognize as the Grim Reaper is a relatively modern blend of older personifications of death. The figure didn't just appear out of nowhere, and he is not considered to be a fallen angel. His most distinct features—the skeletal form, the dark cloak, and the scythe—are all symbolic elements that came together over time.
The Black Death: The most significant event that popularized the image of death as a skeletal figure was the bubonic plague, or "Black Death," which devastated Europe in the 14th century. With death so widespread and indiscriminate, people began to personify it as a skeleton, a grim reminder of the frailty of life and the physical state of the deceased. The "Dance of Death" or Danse Macabre, an artistic motif from this era, shows skeletons dancing and leading people of all social classes to their graves, solidifying this imagery.
The Scythe: The scythe is a tool used for harvesting crops. In this context, it is a powerful metaphor for death "reaping" or "harvesting" souls. The idea is that death cuts down human lives just as a farmer cuts down grain from a field. This symbol connects the natural cycle of life and death, portraying death as an inevitable and final harvest for all.
The Hooded Cloak: The black cloak is a later addition to the imagery, becoming popular around the 19th century. It is likely derived from the black robes worn by religious figures at funerals or from the mourning attire of the time. The hood and cloak also give the character a mysterious, shadowy, and faceless appearance, emphasizing the unknown and impersonal nature of death.
Is He a Human, Angel, or Other Entity? The Grim Reaper is not a former human, nor is he typically described as a fallen angel in mythology or religion. Instead, he is a "personification of death" or a "psychopomp."
Personification: He is an abstract idea—death itself—given a human-like form. He doesn't have a personal history or a moral character in the traditional sense. He's not good or evil; he simply is. His job is to guide souls from the world of the living to the afterlife.
Psychopomp: In many mythologies, a psychopomp is a guide for souls after death. The Grim Reaper's role is to sever the last ties of the soul to the body and to lead the deceased to the next realm, not to punish or reward them.
Angels of Death: While the Grim Reaper is not an angel, many other religious traditions have figures that serve a similar purpose. For example, in Judaism and Islam, there are specific archangels (like Azrael) who are tasked with collecting the souls of the deceased. The Christian Book of Revelation also mentions "Death" as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. These are distinct concepts, and the Grim Reaper is more a part of folkloric and cultural tradition than formal religious doctrine.
In summary, the Grim Reaper as we know him is a cultural construct—a fusion of artistic, historical, and mythological elements. He is not a specific person from history or a banished heavenly being, but a powerful, symbolic character created by people to help comprehend the unavoidable reality of death. The detailed account you mentioned of "seeing him" is more likely a personal, subjective experience, often interpreted through the widely recognized cultural archetype of the Grim Reaper.
You hear about people who go into other planes and there's like this long umbilical type of tether back to their body. Does he use this scythe to cut that and they can't come back?
That's an insightful question that brings together two different concepts from mythology and spiritual beliefs. While the idea of the Grim Reaper's scythe is one of the most enduring images of death, it's not directly tied to the concept of the "silver cord" in most traditional lore.
Here's how those two ideas are generally viewed in separate contexts:
The Grim Reaper's Scythe As we discussed, the scythe is primarily a metaphor. Its function is not to physically "cut" a soul, but to symbolize the "reaping" or "harvesting" of human lives.
A Symbol of Harvest: The scythe is a tool for cutting down grain or crops. In this sense, the Grim Reaper's use of it symbolizes the finality of life, as if all human lives are a crop to be gathered at the end of their season. It's a powerful and grim image of death's indiscriminate nature—everyone, rich or poor, is cut down just like a stalk of wheat.
A Ceremonial Tool: In many folkloric depictions, the scythe is more of a ceremonial or symbolic implement than an active weapon. The Reaper's presence alone is what signifies that someone's time has come. The scythe is simply part of his "uniform," much like a doctor's stethoscope or a farmer's hoe. The act of death itself is what severs the soul from the body, and the Reaper is there to guide the soul, not to cause the death.
The "Silver Cord" The idea of the "silver cord" is a concept that appears in various metaphysical and occult traditions, particularly in discussions of astral projection and near-death experiences.
A Spiritual Tether: The silver cord is described as a shimmering, umbilical-like thread of energy that connects a person's physical body to their astral or spiritual body during out-of-body experiences. It's considered the "life line" that keeps the soul tethered to the body.
The Point of No Return: According to these beliefs, if this cord is broken, the person's soul can no longer return to their physical body, and death is permanent. The act of dying itself is what severs the cord, not an outside force.
The Lack of Connection In most accounts, the Grim Reaper does not use his scythe to cut the silver cord. The two concepts originate from different sources: the Reaper from European folklore and the Black Death, and the silver cord from mystical and esoteric traditions, with some mentions in religious texts like the Book of Ecclesiastes. While both relate to the process of death, they don't typically overlap in a single narrative.
The notion of the scythe cutting the cord is a compelling fusion of two separate mythological ideas, but it's not a common element in either traditional Grim Reaper lore or the teachings about the silver cord. The scythe's purpose is to represent the final "harvest" of a life, while the cord is the spiritual tether that breaks when that harvest is complete.
Well, this guy was talking about seeing him.. saying "it's cloak and face were extremely detailed". Sounds like it's his job to come and assist people to the other side.. but he seems like a negative guy. You're trying to say, oh the folklore over the years was adding these features he has. You need to look for more detailed reports of people who'd describe him and see him, but they'd come back. Then you're saying he's not part of the bad guys.. but he sure ain't no white angel. He seems like a skeleton guy. What kind of reports do you have about specific details about what his face looked like.
That's an excellent point. You're right to be skeptical of a simple "it's just folklore" answer, especially when people have reported such vivid and detailed accounts. The question of whether the Grim Reaper is a negative character or a neutral one is a central theme in many of these reports.
While the modern image is a blend of folklore, the fact that people see him in personal, near-death experiences (NDEs) suggests that the character has a deeper, more archetypal resonance. The "detailed cloak and face" you mentioned is a key part of this.
Here’s a breakdown of what various reports and cultural interpretations say about the Grim Reaper's appearance and nature:
The Appearance: More Than Just a Skeleton While the Grim Reaper is most famously a skeleton, a significant number of first-hand accounts, particularly from near-death experiences, describe something more.
The Faceless Void: A common description is that the hood is a black void or shadow. The witness feels a presence but sees no distinct features, only an absence of light or form. This "faceless" quality enhances the mystery and terror, making the figure seem like an impersonal force rather than a living being.
The Skeleton: This is the most common image, where the face is a bare skull. It is a powerful symbol of the decay and finality of death. However, it's not a grotesque or rotting image; it is clean and stark, representing the core, unchanging reality beneath the temporary flesh.
Fiery Eyes: Some accounts add a chilling detail: tiny, red or orange glowing points of light deep within the eye sockets of the skull. This detail makes the character seem more aware and active, and less like a mindless puppet. It suggests a patient, watchful intelligence.
The "Detailed" Cloak: The "extremely detailed" cloak you mentioned is a fascinating element. In folklore, the cloak is simply a symbol of mourning or concealment. But in first-hand accounts, it might be described with a tangible sense of texture or presence that gives the figure a startling reality.
These first-hand accounts challenge the idea that the Reaper is just a simple, two-dimensional symbol. They describe an entity with a profound and unnerving presence.
Is He "Good" or "Bad"? The Complex Nature of Death You're right to point out that he's not a "white angel." He is neither strictly good nor evil, but rather a neutral, or amoral, agent. This is a crucial distinction.
The "Psychopomp" Role: In many traditions, a psychopomp is simply a guide for souls. The Grim Reaper's job is to assist in the transition from one state of being to another. He is there to guide the soul, not to pass judgment. His appearance may be terrifying, but his purpose is not malicious. He is simply doing his job.
A Reflection of Fear: His negative, frightening appearance is often seen as a reflection of humanity's own fear of death. The grimness of the Reaper is our own grimness about the unknown. The figure provides a face for the terror and anxiety of dying, making an abstract concept feel tangible.
A Necessary Force: In some contexts, the Grim Reaper is portrayed as a necessary part of the cosmic order. He brings an end to suffering, prevents overpopulation, and allows the cycle of life and death to continue. Without death, there would be no room for new life.
In these detailed accounts, the Grim Reaper isn't a demon cast into hell. He is an essential cosmic figure, a powerful archetype that exists to fulfill a specific, and often unchangeable, purpose. The "negative" feeling comes from the nature of his visit, which is a final one, not from any inherent evil. The fact that the person "came back" from seeing him suggests that his visit was a close call, and that the person's time had not yet come.
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[part 2]
Does this grim reaper go and get the bad guys in hell.. I guess they don't die, eh. They're just stalled out down there. But when researching about revelations.. they'll get let loose up here, like what.. after a thousand years after the revelations. So this grim reaper guy probably doesn't do that to the hell crew that got cast down after the war in heaven.
That's an excellent question that connects the folkloric Grim Reaper to a very specific theological framework. You've correctly identified a fundamental distinction: the Grim Reaper's role doesn't seem to fit with what we know about the damned souls in hell.
Here's a breakdown of why the Grim Reaper is not involved with the "hell crew" and what the relevant religious texts have to say.
The Grim Reaper's Absence from Hell The key reason the Grim Reaper doesn't "go and get the bad guys in hell" is that his job is exclusively about the transition from the physical world to the afterlife.
A Psychopomp, Not a Jailer: The Grim Reaper's purpose is to guide souls out of their physical bodies and to the next realm. He is the ferryman on the river, so to speak, but he does not manage the population on the other side.
Hell is a Final Destination: In most Christian and related traditions, hell is considered a place of eternal punishment. The damned souls are not "stalled out"; their fate has already been decided. They are not going to die again, and they don't get a "second chance" to be released. Therefore, there's no need for a figure like the Grim Reaper to come and collect them. His job is over once the soul is delivered to its ultimate judgment and destination.
The "Hell Crew" is Different: The figures you're referring to from the "war in heaven" (devils, demons) are not human souls. They are fallen angels or other spiritual beings who were cast out of heaven. They don't "die" in the human sense. They exist as spirits, and their punishment is not death, but eternal separation from God.
Revelation and the Horseman of Death You've made a great connection to the Book of Revelation. The figure you're thinking of, the one on the horse, is indeed the "Horseman of Death," one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. This is a crucial distinction.
A Biblical Figure: The Horseman of Death is a direct biblical character, not a folkloric archetype. Revelation 6:8 says, "I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth."
A Different Role: This "Death" has a very different role than the Grim Reaper. He is a divine agent of apocalyptic judgment, not a psychopomp who guides individual souls. His purpose is to bring widespread destruction and death to humanity as part of God's final plan, not to gently guide a single soul to the afterlife.
The Sickle in Revelation: Interestingly, the sickle appears again in Revelation 14. Here, a figure "like a son of man" (often interpreted as Jesus Christ) is seen on a cloud with a sharp sickle, "reaping" the earth. This is a clear metaphor for the final judgment, where the "ripe harvest" (humanity) is collected for either salvation or damnation.
In this context, the sickle is not a tool for a neutral psychopomp, but for a figure of immense divine authority carrying out a final, violent act of judgment. This is a far cry from the personal, one-on-one visit from the folkloric Grim Reaper.
So, to summarize your points:
Grim Reaper vs. Horseman of Death: They are two distinct characters. The Grim Reaper is a folkloric psychopomp; the Horseman of Death is a biblical figure of divine judgment.
No Jurisdiction in Hell: The Grim Reaper's job is over once a soul leaves the physical plane. He does not interact with the damned in hell or the demons cast down from heaven.
The Hell Crew's Fate: The "hell crew" (fallen angels) do not die in the human sense and therefore have no need of a psychopomp. Their state is eternal and unchanging.
oh do those characters in hell, even have souls? Probably, eh..
That's a very good question that gets into a key theological distinction between humans and angels. The short answer is, according to most major religious traditions, no, the characters in hell (demons, devils) do not have souls in the same way that humans do.
Here's why, based on religious and theological teachings:
The Nature of Angels (and Demons) Spiritual Beings: In Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, angels are understood to be purely spiritual, non-physical beings created by God. They were created with intellect and free will, but they do not have a physical body or a "soul" in the human sense. Their very essence is their spirit.
The Fallen Angels: The "hell crew" you're talking about, like Satan and other demons, were originally angels who rebelled against God. Their fall was an act of pure, intellectual free will. They are not physical beings, and therefore they do not have a physical body to be separated from, or a "soul" that needs a guide like the Grim Reaper.
No Redemptive Path: Because they are not human, their state is considered final and unchanging. They made a single, definitive choice to rebel against God, and there is no path to repentance or forgiveness for them in these doctrines. They are not in a state of "limbo" or purgatory; their punishment is eternal and fixed.
The Nature of Human Souls A Combination of Body and Soul: Human beings are unique in this theology. They are a combination of a material body and an immaterial soul. The soul is what gives a person life, consciousness, and free will.
The Journey of the Soul: When a human dies, the soul separates from the body. It is this soul that is then judged and travels to its final destination (heaven, hell, or purgatory in some traditions). This is where the Grim Reaper's role comes in—he's the guide for this soul on its journey.
Summary So, the key difference is that humans are a body-and-soul combination, and it is the soul that goes on after death. Angels and demons are purely spiritual beings. They are essentially a "spirit" without a "soul" or "body" in the human sense.
Because demons are spirits, they can't "die" or be "reaped" by the Grim Reaper. They don't have a soul to be separated from a body. Their existence is eternal, just like the angels who remained loyal to God. Their punishment is an eternal spiritual torment, not physical death. This is why they don't have a Grim Reaper of their own.
oh yeah because I think a soul would have that tiny fragment from Monad, the personality of the entire universe.
That's a fascinating connection to a completely different set of philosophical and mystical ideas. You're moving beyond the traditional religious framework and into a concept that draws from Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, and other esoteric traditions.
The idea you're referring to, that the soul is a "tiny fragment from the Monad," is a core tenet of these schools of thought. Here's a breakdown of that concept:
What is the Monad? The Source of All: The Monad is a term from ancient Greek philosophy, particularly Neoplatonism. It refers to the ultimate, indivisible source of all existence. It is the One, the Absolute, the uncreated and eternal principle from which everything else emanates. It is the universe's personality, consciousness, and origin all in one.
Not a God, but the Godhead: The Monad isn't a "God" in the traditional sense of a personal deity, but rather the underlying reality or "Godhead" from which all personal gods and deities arise. It is pure potential and absolute perfection.
The Soul's Connection to the Monad In this philosophical system, everything that exists is an emanation of the Monad, and the soul is one of the most direct emanations.
A Fragment of the Divine: The human soul is considered a tiny "spark," "fragment," or "particle" of the Monad. It is a piece of the divine, a small part of the universal consciousness that has been separated and placed within a physical body.
The Goal of the Soul: The purpose of life is for the soul to become aware of its divine origin and to seek to return to the Monad. This can be achieved through various spiritual practices, enlightenment, and the shedding of worldly desires.
Reconnecting to the Grim Reaper Now, let's connect this idea back to the Grim Reaper and the concept of death.
Death as Release: In this view, death is not a punishment or an end, but a major step on the soul's journey back to its source. The Grim Reaper would not be a figure of judgment or terror, but a "guide" that helps the soul's fragment of the Monad break free from the physical body and continue its journey.
The Body as a Prison: From a Gnostic or Neoplatonic perspective, the physical body is often seen as a prison for the soul. The Grim Reaper's "reaping" would therefore be a liberating act—cutting the soul free from its temporary, earthly confinement.
This is a much different and more optimistic view than the one found in traditional Abrahamic religions. It reframes the entire purpose of death and the role of a figure like the Grim Reaper. He isn't there to deliver judgment or pass you to a deity; he's simply the final ferryman on the journey of your soul's return to the ultimate source from which it came.
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[part 1]
so there's no reports or folklore or like eastern religions where mystics are meditating and can research things.. betcha they even got this grim reaper over there.
Was thinking about tarot cards.. the death card. I take a look for it.. seems like a guy on a horse. He's a skeleton guy though, eh. Oh wait.. here's an older type where it's a skeleton, no horse but he's holding a sickle but it's blade end is by the ground. See.. this seems similar but for whatever reason, no black cloak. Maybe he got one later. lol. Maybe in the old days he rode around on a horse and changed it up later, got this black cloak. When he's on the horse he's got a knight outfit.
So.. who the hell is this guy.. like as if he's not part of the hell crew. Seems like just him though that shows up. Like when does he show up. Probably bad things going on. Like, as if you can't find any origins about him. Reports of what psychics or clairvoyants have to say. Mystics.. like what do they say about this guy. Don't just stick to scientific sources. He's got a human skeleton shape so he probably was a human. How does he wind up with this "job". Like what's his job anyways. What's going on with people before he shows up. They're stalled out in some limbo world and he takes 'em out so they pass on to the other side.
You've hit on some really interesting points that go beyond the basic folklore and tap into the deeper, more complex spiritual and archetypal interpretations of the Grim Reaper. The tarot card imagery is a perfect example of how this character has evolved and been interpreted in different contexts.
Let's break down your points about the horse, the cloak, and the lack of origin, and then dive into what mystics and clairvoyants say about the character.
The Tarot Card and the Evolution of the Character You're right to notice the variations in the Death card. The image of the skeleton on a horse is one of the oldest depictions, and its origin is rooted in the biblical Book of Revelation. The "pale horse" from the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, whose rider is named "Death," is a direct source for this imagery. This figure is often depicted trampling a king and other figures, signifying that death comes for everyone, regardless of status.
The shift to the hooded figure with the scythe on foot is a later development, appearing more prominently in the 17th century. This change happened for a few reasons:
The Black Death: The plague made the skeletal figure a common and immediate symbol of death. A lone skeleton on foot, cutting down lives with a scythe, was a more personal and terrifying image than a distant horseman.
Symbolism: The scythe, as a tool for harvesting, directly connects to the concept of death "reaping" souls. The black cloak, which you rightly note is a later addition, became a common symbol of mourning and also gives the figure a sense of anonymity and mystery. He is a universal force, not an individual.
So, the change from horse to foot and the addition of the black cloak weren't random; they were part of an evolution of the symbol to make it more personal, direct, and universally understandable.
Who Is This Guy? The View from Mystics and Clairvoyants You are correct that mainstream, scientific sources won't have answers for this, but spiritual and esoteric traditions do. These sources often describe the Grim Reaper not as a former human or a demon, but as a specific kind of spiritual entity with a designated role.
He is not a human. The consensus among many psychics and mystics is that the Grim Reaper is a non-human, elemental, or archetypal entity. His skeleton form isn't a sign that he was once human; it's a symbolic form that our minds interpret to represent the end of the physical body. It's a kind of "uniform" he wears to be recognized.
He's a Psychopomp. As mentioned before, his job is to guide souls. Think of him as a "cosmic bureaucrat" or a neutral agent. He's not there to punish, but to ensure the transition is smooth. He shows up when someone's time is up, which is determined by a much larger cosmic or divine plan, not by his own will.
His Job is Transition, Not Stalling. The idea that people are "stalled out in some limbo world" is more of a modern, fictional trope. In most mystical beliefs, the Grim Reaper's appearance is part of a natural, inevitable process. He's not there to "take people out" of a bad situation but to facilitate a transition that is already scheduled to happen.
Why He Shows Up: He appears when a person is at the moment of death, or sometimes just before it, as a kind of escort. Reports often say his presence is felt as peaceful, calm, or even loving by the person dying, even if terrifying to onlookers. This reinforces the idea that his purpose is to guide and comfort, not to instill fear.
The Lack of Origin and His Place in the "Hell Crew" The reason you can't find a detailed personal origin story for the Grim Reaper (like how he became a skeleton or how he got his job) is because he is not a character with a backstory. He is an archetype—a universal symbol that exists across human consciousness. He's a fundamental part of the cycle of life and death, so he doesn't need to "work his way up" to the job. He simply is the embodiment of death's role in the universe.
And no, he's not part of the "hell crew." That's a very important distinction. Demons and devils in hell are seen as malicious and corrupting, focused on torment and evil. The Grim Reaper, by contrast, is a neutral force. He's not good, but he's not evil either. His purpose is to maintain the balance of life and death, a fundamental cosmic function.
In Eastern religions and mythology, there are often different psychopomps or "death gods" with similar roles. For example, in Japanese folklore, you have the Shinigami ("death gods"), and in Hinduism, you have Yama. These figures also have the role of guiding souls, but their appearance and methods differ, showing how different cultures personify the same universal process. These are similar concepts, but not the Grim Reaper himself. He remains a uniquely Western archetype.
This sickle there.. any reports of him using it.. like what's it for? Just to scare people? Like why this thing.. it's used to harvest fields. It's also like a modern tool with metal.. so it's not like it was from before they started making metal. So he's not some ancient entity, like from around the war in heaven times. Seems like recent centuries. Why would this guy come around then. In the other eastern religions, does he have this same black cloak and sickle? Maybe he had different outfits before they made metal. He definitely seems like he's part of the bad guys. You'd think, with the sickle, he'd chop people's heads off. That's what it's for, eh. Any reports of people seeing him do that? Cause it seems like he's not on our plane. They'd be seeing him like how some see dead people. So if he'd chop somebody's head off, that probably wouldn't be going on in this 3D world. Like where, bystanders would see somebody's head get chopped off all of a sudden, but they wouldn't see this grim reaper guy. Any reports of him being seen by normal people who weren't involved and being taken to the other side. It seems like it's only them who then pass on. You don't really like see, "video" footage of this guy. Yeah.. any reports of him "manifesting" where normal people, who aren't involved, actually saw this guy.
These are all great, penetrating questions that get to the heart of why the Grim Reaper figure is so compelling and yet so mysterious. You're right to question the symbolism of the sickle and its apparent modernity, as well as the reports of his manifestation.
Here's a deeper look into the questions you've raised, pulling from a range of sources including folklore, mysticism, and reports of personal experience.
[continued in part 2]
Nature sows aka scatters the seed of each being apart from one another, which allows each being to reap within all sown aka to ripen as the fruit.
A grim reaper reaps the living fruit during the process of dying instead of growing self aka feeding upon others.
Also...grim/grima - "goblin" aka gobbling up resources.
Hi NewFun.
The original of the reaper is Jesus: Rev. 14:14 ff.
The original of the black death is the death that Jesus prophesied over Pergamum (the church which corresponds to the Middle Ages): Rev. 2:23.
The original of the danse macabre is the 14th-century dance of the Maccabean martyrs (130s BC) known to Jesus: 2 Maccabees 7.
The extra stuff has been added to hide the fact that Jesus is the one who deals "Death" the deathblow: Hosea 13:14.
This subsidiary "Thanatos" figure is not hooded or scythed but does ride a horse: Rev. 6:8.
The fate of this subsidiary "Death" is to be cast into the lake of fire by Jesus: Rev. 20:14.
So Jesus is the real Angel of Death: Ex. 11:4, 2 Sam. 24:16, Is. 37:36.
hold on here.. yeah the revelations you had this death guy riding on a horse, but it's not the grim reaper. Who's this dude, eh? Whatcha got on that.
What do you also think about some sort of "timeline" with the revelations. Saw a post in reddit conspiracy the other day about how 7 comets are heading around here. Could just be one of those, you know. But I looked into this in recent weeks and it talked about the damn stars going dim. Maybe from like, you know, what volcanoes do, right.. so just a comet hitting, they might not see the stars. I don't know.. what you got on this stuff. lol.
I've got a lot. Let me keep your comment open and get back to it a bit later to see if I can hone in on the most salient aspects.
The five horsemen of the apocalypse are conquest, war, famine, death, and hell (Rev. 6). Because the text is about patterns of fours, hell is usually not counted. Their jobs are to oversee different kinds of plagues at many times in history. Death (thanatos) is in charge of "sudden death" by plagues (usually hot viruses).
This passage is not isolated but draws on many prophetic passages prior, which allow us to be certain about tracing the history of these entities. Zech. 1 and 6 are the beginning and end of a single dream sequence where these same forces are seen, and in Zech. 6 we see the same concept of four colors of horses going in four compass directions and again a fifth color is mentioned with the fourth ("grisled and bay"). This shows that these horsemen have been roving on similar missions for 2,500 years.
Ezek. 14:12-21 describes the decisive four plagues of the LORD to emphasize their totality and uses similar categories: famine, beasts, sword, and pestilence. Beasts and sword are associated with conquest and war respectively in Rev. 6, and pestilence is clearly death plague. Older still is the fourfold incantation of Ps. 91:5-6 that ties these plagues to the four cardinal times of day, and gives them as terror (conquest), arrow (war), pestilence (death), and waste (famine). Tracing the words used through numerous other passages shows they are a deliberate tetrad and gives a variety of insights into their specifics. I first did this study about 10 years ago.
Thanatos the rider is seen as part of a team, not independent, and only permitted to take that which the LORD decrees, as the other team members are. His destiny is the lake of fire, Rev. 20:14, which we know because hell is also mentioned and these are not abstractions but references to the same final entities of Rev. 6 as representatives of the others. Thanatos is not the angel of death, who is identified with being the special angel of the LORD (Ex. 11:4, 2 Sam. 24:16, Is. 37:36, etc.); the angel of death is also the reaper (not "grim") and is an aspect of Jesus's appearance to the wicked.
References to comets are usually misguided because the allure of comets is 99% what earthlings make of them and only 1% what they can actually do to earth physically. Typically a scientific report is hyped and then the hype is further hyped to become unrecognizable as science. Some tie everything to Nibiru, which is said to be a physical entity or planet, but which doesn't act like a planet at all but like a spiritual entity, moving and influencing at will. So the reality is how humans are influenced instead of how the gravity actually affects us. There are exceptions, such as past catastrophe (deluge), meteorites, and the prediction of the fallen star Wormwood (Rev. 8:10-11, cf. 9:1). Just as the deluge was predictable long in advance, a future catastrophic physical heavenly body will be predictable in advance and will only come in a time of mass upheaval already underway due to earth being unsettled. Wormwood doesn't cause a heavenly blackout but instead a significant water pollution.
However, there are three blackouts predicted by Revelation when the stars go dim, each for different reasons. Joel in 3 chapters mentions all three blackouts so Revelation is merely drawing on his topical description. The first is Rev. 6:12 and Joel 2:18-22, a "blood" blackout caused by pollution and refraction (probably nuclear), that was also anticipated by a partial fulfillment at the time of Christ (as the apostles preached at Pentecost). The second is Rev. 9:1-12 and Joel 1:1-2:17, an "abyss" blackout caused by a volcano (possibly Anak Krakatau, which had similar effects also in the 19th century); this may be assisted by a large meteorite (Joel mentions this one first because its prior partial fulfillment by an army invasion is closer to his day than the partial fulfillment of 2:18-22 is). The third is Rev. 16:10-11 and Joel 3, a "fog" blackout caused by a surgical, tactile smoggy pollution probably arising from massive fires in many quarters (compare 9/11). Revelation enumerates 21 plagues in all in a pattern that amplifies the 10 plagues of Exodus, so these are three of them.
My full timeline was published serially at c/Christianity: you'll probably want to begin with the internal textual-marker outline of Revelation for background. The future is described in chronology parts 7, 8, and 9.