Freddy Krueger

Freddy Charles Krueger, or Freddy, is the central villain in the A Nightmare on Elm Street series of horror films and the television series Freddy's Nightmares. Robert Englund portrays the character in all of the films. He is the spirit of a serial child killer who can attack children supernaturally from within their own dreams. Basic details are revealed about him in the first film, while additional backstory is added in following films.

Freddy was born to Amanda Krueger (who later became a nun and changed her name to Sister Mary Helena). She was raped in an asylum by one hundred inmates, and gave birth to Freddy, whom she raised. Freddy tortured several animals as a child, and exhibited psychotic behavior. He was given to a foster home after attacking his mother, and later moved to a home in Springwood with his surrogate father (portrayed by Alice Cooper), whom he killed at the age of seventeen.

After working as a high school janitor, he met Loretta Johnson, a waitress, and married her. She gave birth to a daughter, Katherine. Freddy lived with his family in a modern suburban house on 1428 Elm Street, located in Springwood, Ohio.

He was also a serial killer who preyed on children, and kept his activities secret. In his basement he constructed various torture devices, including gloves with blades on each finger that he used to murder children. His activities were discovered by his wife Loretta, whom he killed. Katherine witnessed the event and ran away from home.

Freddy's crimes were later discovered by the police and the town of Springwood, where he was dubbed "The Springwood Slasher." He was not convicted due to a technicality, and enraged parents of the slain children set fire to Freddy's factory, burning him alive.

In death, three dream demons contacted him and allowed him to continue his killings. Freddy took on a form that resembled his last moments being burned alive: charred and disfigured flesh, a black and red sweater, a fedora, and his clawed glove.

He continued slaying the children of Elm Street through their dreams. He specifically targetted the children of the mob that burned him alive. As long as a victim was dreaming, he could inhabit and control their dreams, twisting them to his own ends. Any physical harm done to a person in this dream world would suffer the same consequence in the real world, allowing him to easily injure and murder others. Krueger often toyed with his victims by changing his form and surroundings, usually resembling the factory where he was burned. Kruger's powers increased whenever children believed he existed. At the height of his powers, he could cause severe damage in the real world.

In a person's own dream, Freddy would use their fears and personality against them. A few victims managed to use their own imagination to consciously manipulate their dreams against him (a technique known as lucid dreaming), but this had little on Freddy, who was completely in control of their dreams already. Another power involved sucking the souls of his victims in to his own body.

Freddy was eventually brought into the real world by Maggie Burroughs, where he was physically killed by an explosion. Maggie was actually Freddy's daughter, Katherine, who had since been raised by adoptive parents and had suppressed the horrible memories of her childhood. Children soon forgot Freddy's existence, and Springwood remained at peace for some time.