Horror films are some of the best to analyze concerning antagonists. Though many of these films hold quirky and sometimes over-the-top scripts due to the time or genre constraints–many of them have a deeper layer or motif worth highlighting. 1984’s A Nightmare On Elm Street, and the franchise are excellent examples.
Say what you want about the franchise; no one can deny Freddy Krueger's influence on pop culture. Through the countless films, comics, video games, and fan theories, there’s much to learn about the character and what makes him such an iconic antagonist.
Still from 'Nightmare on Elm Street'. Photo credit: IGN
Freddy Krueger
What’s a horror antagonist without a proper origin story? In life, Freddy Krueger was a serial child killer. Still, in death, he metamorphosed into an evil spirit with the ability to slay his victims within the confines of their dreams, which has been parodied and talked about in pop culture since the film’s release in 1984.
Freddy's personality is marked by psychopathy, twisted motivations, and an insatiable desire to kill. Reveling in brutality, he takes delight in instilling terror in his victims before delivering the fatal blow, often manipulating their dreams for weeks beforehand.
Despite his role as a professional killer, Freddy lacks composure, frequently succumbing to emotional extremes such as joy and rage. Impervious to reason and deaf to pleas for mercy, he embodies a nightmare-given form, making him a perfect antagonist for a slasher franchise.
As an evil spirit, Freddy's flamboyant personality and depraved sense of humor stand out as notable traits. He exudes confidence, frequently indulging in bombastic behavior and delivering puns and jokes while subjecting his victims to torment. There's a hint of pretentiousness in his character, evident in his comments that suggest a god-like perception of himself.
Despite his monstrous nature, Freddy possesses a superficial charm. In his mortal life, he concealed his identity as a child murderer by adopting the facade of a loving husband and mourning father. Even after murdering his wife, he managed to evade legal consequences, adding a layer of complexity to his character, which we learn as the franchise progresses.
His appearance, resembling a deformed, burned corpse, is a deliberate choice aimed at instilling fear in his victims. Freddy manipulates his image at will, embodying evil in a form that maximizes the psychological impact on those he targets.
In contrast to typical slasher villains, Freddy Krueger revels in killing for the sheer pleasure it brings him. External or personal reasons do not drive his motives; instead, he takes lives because he relishes every moment.
Making an Iconic Antagonist
Part of what makes Freddy Krueger so appealing as an iconic antagonist is his ability to infiltrate people's dreams, orchestrating their death within the realm of nightmares, which has the real-world consequence of ending their lives.
His instrument of terror is a clawed glove (as we’ve seen). Yet, his command over the dream world extends to manipulating it in many ways–drawing victims into beds, comic books, or video games, inducing falls, elongating himself, or transforming individuals into insects.
In the Dream World, Freddy is impossible to defeat but is mortal in the real world because he’s stripped of his powers (though he retains the ability to assume a human disguise).
As with so many slashers and classic antagonists, the franchise knows the importance of having a designated area deemed a killer’s playroom. In this case, Freddy's favorite manifestation of the dream world is the Boiler Room, a twisted and personalized playground.
Physical contact with fire or anything intensely hot can remove individuals from the dream world. Additionally, Freddy's reach is confined to Springwood unless he is within the dreams of someone connected to him, and even then, he cannot invade the dreams of others unless directly related to the dreamer. Notably, Freddy harbors a deep hatred of fire, a visceral reminder of how his parents once burned him alive.
Fear
As quirky or over-the-top as the initial franchise is, the deepest layer within relates to fear. There’s a recurring message of not falling asleep because of the apparent damage and potential death that’ll occur from Freddy. With this in mind, consider a reality where you can’t escape the problems of the natural world while resting or sleeping.
What if the true horrors reside within the recesses of your mind, because who’d want to sleep if they knew there’d be a chance of death from a foe like Freddy? Is there a more chilling concept than the idea that the most comforting place turns out to be the most terrifying realm of all?
After all, vulnerability reaches its peak during sleep, and one is left entirely alone with the unconscious, where there’s still much to discover. Many ponder that the biggest threats to our happiness, sanity, and existence do not originate from the external world but from internally.