Editing Kenos (section)

==History==
===The creation process===
The first preview video of Kenos was uploaded to YouTube by Bianox on 6 December 2016, showcasing 0-18% (now 13-28%) in its decorated state.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJy3Wk6zIQI</ref> About one month later, ChiefFlurry, [[EndLevel]], and DuaL KiKi created gameplay for the rest of the level and additionally an extension to the opening. DollarC uploaded a full montage video of the initial iteration of Kenos ('''Old Kenos''') on 11 January 2017.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37QuXkrSBBo?t=26</ref> Bianox was forced to remove 56-64% from the level for unknown reasons; to replace the section, ChiefFlurry held a creator contest in February 2017. The contest's results were published on 17 March 2017.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9eBcIfWAQQ</ref> In fifth place was Leptonic; in fourth place was Ilrell; in third place was Drift; in second place was Andro3d; and in first place was SlimJim, whose part was integrated into the current level. ChiefFlurry later uploaded a second teaser for Kenos, revealing the 64-74% decoration. All parts of Kenos, except for SlimJim's, were later replaced with decoration utilizing features introduced in Update 2.1. ChiefFlurry uploaded the third teaser for Kenos, showcasing the new decoration while previewing additional parts that have been decorated. Other players uploaded videos of their parts, including [[Pennutoh]],<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjiYqftv4IA</ref> Zimnyte,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1pngZFA1IM</ref> Splash,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeYgIqDn44U</ref> Salaxium<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g91EYBGwXuc</ref> and Spectex.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ63NX9H90I</ref> The level was finished on 29 April 2018, with Zimnyte,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E43Mc-NKpUw</ref> Pennutoh<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFUe1GQIUgc</ref> and Combined.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN2CuONldSM</ref> showcasing the completed level. Kenos received significant buffs from Bianox, who added random gravity portals throughout the waves.

===The verification process===
ChiefFlurry was initially signed on to verify the level but passed it on to Combined shortly before the level's completion. Combined was initially hesitant to upload progress videos, but later uploaded the first on 1 August 2018 under pressure from fans, in which he achieved 71% for the third time.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p326x093gSo</ref> His next progress video was uploaded on the same day,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U2Q8_y7j-s</ref> in which he achieved 90%. On Halloween 2018, Combined died at 97% on the level.<ref name="Combined's first 97% Fail">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGh6n2dL46c</ref> Following this progress, he buffed the level; one change was 28-31% to quadruple-speed. However, on 10 February 2019, Combined uploaded a video titled 'Why I stopped playing Kenos', with the video showing him dying at 97% once more.<ref name="Combined's second 97% Fail">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhqKwDXxASw</ref> Bianox then passed Kenos to the player Crazen, who nearly immediately dropped it in April 2018 after achieving 34%.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE7SVcKu7P0</ref> After this, it was passed onto a player named MirQ (now known as Miro), who also dropped it after achieving 70%. Kenos's verification was up in the air for about a year until Bianox passed the level to npesta, then known for verifying [[Deimos (EndLevel)|Deimos]] by EndLevel, a buffed remake of [[Phobos]], and [[WOW]], one of [[TrusTa|TrusTa's]] mega-collaborations.

npesta started verifying the level in late April 2019, when he immediately achieved a 64-100% run.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXnFFsAcjHQ</ref> During one stream, npesta ate a Cliff Bar and proceeded to play past 46% twice and then died at 53%.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOT4-kxqtac</ref> After npesta achieved 53%, he attempted a 31-100% run on the level, which he accomplished on 23 May 2019.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11XpLVjuoNg</ref> His later deaths would include 70%,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DktJLw6Deo</ref> 83%<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nwLqBleWjY</ref> and 88%.<ref>https://youtube.com/post/UgxRm_K7s64-141IHwR4AaABCQ</ref> In early October 2019, npesta acquired a 240Hz monitor. This change prompted npesta to buff the level, as his 240Hz monitor 'made the level much easier'.<ref>https://youtube.com/post/Ugy7GctRu6E1_fJ3d8F4AaABCQ</ref> He finished buffing the level a few days later,<ref>https://youtube.com/post/UgxVY9ixzkd4Xma-DLN4AaABCQ</ref> then attempted a 17-100% run to achieve consistency on the level again; he would accomplish the run two weeks later. His worst fail on the level would be at 90%,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sr9PedyBy_Q?t=6780</ref> after which he would become demotivated and stressed by the verification. During an eight-hour stream, npesta announced in the stream that if he could not verify the level that day, he would nerf 79-84% (Spectex's part) due to his desire for the level to be published before [[Update 2.2]].<ref group="Notes">Before its December 2023 release, [[Update 2.2]] was speculated to be released numerous times between 2017 and 2023.</ref> He would ultimately fail to verify the level and nerfed Spectex's part, stating he felt bad for doing it.<ref>https://youtube.com/post/UgwkNvXOjXXpBgnEdhJ4AaABCQ</ref> On 14 December 2019, npesta stated he would attempt the level for one more day before nerfing it once again; the same day, he verified the level after 135,320 attempts and 117 streams.

===Kenos reaction meme===
Upon verifying the level, npesta began hyperventilating and loudly cheering in elation. On Christmas Eve 2019 (10 days after the verification), Reddit user u/AGT-AM posted a video of someone beating Stereo Madness in practice mode, with npesta's reaction in the corner. This edit inspired numerous more edits, including the c**k island speedrun,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keTQSU-aj-s</ref> the Google Earth Cat speedrun<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckLM_UBk38A</ref> and the black emoji speedrun.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxGynpQxWcQ</ref> The meme led to the creation of a page on ''Know Your Meme'',<ref>https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/npestas-kenos-verification-reaction</ref> and even recognition by YouTube figurehead [[Wikipedia:PewDiePie|PewDiePie]].<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq8QxKnN_5I?t=75</ref> PewDiePie erroneously labelled npesta as an '[[Wikipedia:The Impossible Game|Impossible Game]] Speedrunner', prompting RobTop to call him out on Twitter.<ref>https://twitter.com/RobTopGames/status/1236071032571785216</ref>

npesta's reaction to verifying Kenos is often considered the most iconic reaction in Geometry Dash.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvxuzmP4QmA</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4gYfTqrhCY</ref>