How Did Freddy Krueger Die? (& 9 Other Questions About Him Answered)

Wes Craven’s horror masterpiece A Nightmare On Elm Street had a huge impact on the genre. The story of teenagers being killed in their dreams by a man with a burned face and claws for hands is definitely unique, and it’s still scary all of these decades later.

Freddy Krueger changes a lot in this film franchise, and fans want to make sure that they know everything there is to know about him, as he has a terrifying but interesting backstory. From his death in the human world to what kind of powers he has, fans can learn many details about this character.

10 How Did Freddy Krueger Die?

Freddy has appeared to die several times in this film franchise. But when he was human, he was a serial killer who went after children called the Springwood Slasher. When he was found out, the parents of children living on Elm Street weren’t content to let him get away with it.

The parents burned him to death by throwing gasoline on him. Dream demons didn’t miss the opportunity to get him, which is how he’s able to visit children in their dreams.

9 How Did Freddy Become A Killer?

According to Looper.com, Freddy’s mother, a nun named Amanda, was beat up and raped. Freddy was “the bastard son of 100 Maniacs.”

Mr. Underwood, a man who was an alcoholic, was the one to adopt Freddy as a baby, and he physically hurt Freddy as he grew up. Freddy became violent, hurting animals and then his own adopted father. He became the Springwood Slasher when he was married and had a family, as he hid this from his wife and daughter.

8 What Are Freddy’s Powers?

According to Looper.com, Freddy Krueger can make objects move with his mind. He can also target someone in their dreams and make sure that the same thing is happening in reality.

Freddy can also appear in different shapes if he wants, although his most famous look is the clawed hands, striped sweater, and hat. His iconic costume is one of the scariest things about him.

7 Was Freddy Supposed To Speak?

Fans know that as the movies went on, Freddy Krueger would talk, and he wasn’t supposed to speak in the first movie because Wes Craven wanted him to be a “silent serial killer,” according to IMDb.com.

Craven was thinking of other killers such as Michael Myers and Jason Voorhies who don’t say anything. IMDb.com notes that Freddy ended up having a sassy personality, and many fans would probably say that it works well.

6 Was Freddy A Molester In The First Film?

The 2010 remake of A Nightmare On Elm Street was bad, and in that movie, Freddy Krueger was a child molester when he was alive and human.

Fans are curious if Freddy was a molester in the first film. A discussion on Reddit explains that the first movie did suggest that he was in the fifth movie, there’s a newspaper clipping that actually mentions it. The general conversation by fans of the franchise is that the original film didn’t come right out and say it, but it was always there under the surface.

5 How Did Freddy Get His Glove?

Freddy Krueger’s glove is definitely the most famous thing about him. It’s like Ghostface’s classic mask and white cape.

People are curious about where he got it. As it turns out, he made it, according to Horror.fandom.com. While he was in his boiler room, he took a leather glove, rivets, fishing knives, pipes, and sheet metal.

4 Is He Scared Of Anything?

Robert Englund may have played some other parts, but A Nightmare On Elm Street fans think that he did an incredible job as Freddy Krueger. According to Horror.fandom.com, fans who watched Freddy vs. Jason learned that Freddy Krueger definitely has a big fear: fire.

3 Was Freddy Krueger Based On A Real Person?

Some horror films are inspired by real stories, and that can definitely make them a lot more horrifying. People have probably heard that Freddy Krueger was based on a real person, but it turns out that was a prank. There have been two people who have claimed that he was real, but only one admitted it was a joke.

According to USA Today, a man named Lamaur Foster posted on social media in October 2017. He shared pictures of a grave that said “Frederick Kruger” and said he was a serial killer from the 1800s… and then wrote it was a prank. He said, “Actually, I just found this picture and made all that … up. Happy October everyone!” The publication mentions that someone else named Michael Phariss also talked about the “real” figure on social media and wrote, “DID YOU KNOW… That the Horror Film Character Freddy Kruger (sic) was based on a real-life serial killer who lived in Lightning Creek, Oklahoma in the 1800s.”

2 Why Does Freddy Krueger Wear A Striped Sweater?

Many people dress up as Freddy Krueger for Halloween because as soon as someone puts on a red and green striped sweater and a hat, it’s pretty clear who they are.

It turns out there’s a reason for this costume choice. When Wes Craven was deciding what Freddy would wear, he came across a Scientific American article that said that people find red and green tough to look at together, according to Mental Floss. This meant that viewers would feel weird looking at Freddy’s costume.

1 Did Freddy Krueger Or Jason Win?

Freddy vs. Jason isn’t the best horror movie ever, as it’s pretty campy and silly. But fans couldn’t miss the chance to see Freddy Krueger go up against Jason Voorhies.

A popular question is whether Freddy or Jason won the battle. At the end of the movie, Jason used his machete to chop Freddy’s head off. But audiences saw Freddy’s head, and Freddy winked. This proved that he might not be dead after all. So while Jason technically won against him, Freddy seemed to have been victorious as well.

About The Author

Aya Tsintziras
(1730 Articles Published)

Aya Tsintziras is a freelance writer who writes about pop culture and TV. She has a Political Science degree from the University of Toronto and a Masters of Journalism from Ryerson University. She loves coffee, reading, working out, and watching TV. She lives in Toronto with her husband.

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