mytharc

M3Y4T1H4A1R1C3

noun

The ongoing story arc that underpins all episodes of a television series.

Scrabble 17

Meanings

nounmytharc (plural mytharcs)

plural mytharcs

  1. slanglifestyleThe ongoing story arc that underpins all episodes of a television series.

    The mytharc is a continuous story line about the government's involvement in a plot to cover up the presence of extraterrestrials on Earth.

    2008, J. P. Telotte, The essential science fiction television reader, page 234
    2 more examples

    This [Neon Genesis Evangelion] is one show that -really- has me sucked in. And yes, their mytharc has to be the most perfectly constructed thing I've ever seen. :)

    1999, Heath Smith, “TAN: Neon Genesis and how to do the mytharc properly”, in aus.tv.x-files (Usenet)

    I think this is what you seek to avoid in mytharcs - a plot that drowns out the character-based drama and morality plays that are still Gene's finest legacy.

    2000, Allronix, “An open letter to Ms. Roddenberry”, in alt.tv.earth-final-conflict (Usenet)

Origin

Blend of mythology + story arc, used originally and most commonly in reference to The X-Files.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

mytharc. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mytharc

MLA

“mytharc.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mytharc. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mytharc,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mytharc.

Source: mytharc on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.