Origin
(Note: Freddy’s origins were only subjected to different writers at the time so nothing about his backstory is set in stone other than how Craven may have originated envisioned vs what Freddy’s Dead established).
Amanda Krueger was a nurse at the local state hospital. When counting the inmates before the lock down for the Christmas holiday, Amanda was accidentally locked in a room of 100 inmates. When everyone found her, she was beaten and raped and with child. She gave birth to Fred Krueger.
As a child, Freddy was tormented by other children driving him further insane. The other school kids often referred to him as the “Son of a Hundred Maniacs”. Freddy was an easy target for bullies and was often alone on the playground. He took pleasure in torturing small animals like mice and hamsters. Life at home wasn’t the easiest, especially with his often drunk and abusive father. Freddy eventually snapped and stopped feeling pain. He was 18 when he murdered his father.
Krueger then drifted town to town as a nomadic hobo (Jeffery Cooper novels, and Confession of Fred of Krueger) until he eventually stumbled into Springwood where he passed out drunk in a allyway nearby a elementary school where he was awoken by Five boys, laughing and spitting on him which in a fit of drunken rage he snatched one of the boys by the pant leg while the other Four boys ran away in fear of him while he smashed the his beer bottle on the boy’s head and then using his stepfather’s switchblade he carved four cuts on the boys exposed belly as he wanted to kill them all but he only had one which the fear running away from him only inspired him to become the Springwood Slasher, to rob perfectly good children of their future.
Krueger then found his way to Springwood’s local powerplant where he squatted in the boileroom where it became his base of operations to carry out his murders and also here he built the glove (in the opening scene of Nightmare 1). Freddy’s Revenge states that he worked there so it’s highly likely possible that the Powerplant’s owner (or one of the workers) found Krueger one day and then offered him to “Earn his Keep” by maintaining the boilers or else he’ll be thrown back to the streets which Krueger agreed to the former of course.
Krueger’s reign of terror as the “Springwood Slasher” would continue until 1973 until he was eventually caught by the authorities where he killed 20 victims beyond this point.
In an alternate universe according to Freddy’s Dead he was married to Loretta, and had a child of their own, during which he killed many teenagers under the alias of the Springwood Slasher. When his wife finds out about his secret, he kills her in front of their young daughter, Kathryn. Freddy tells the young girl “that mommy needed to take her medicine” and makes his daughter promise to keep his statement secret, but she doesn’t listen.
During the trial, Fred’s lawyer’s found an error in the search warrants. The judge was forced to release Krueger on the spot. When the judge lets him walk, the friends and family of the murdered teenagers take matters into their own hands where they burned him alive in his boiler/lair.
According to Freddy’s Dead of course, while his whole place was burning down around him 3 dream demons offered him the chance of another life in the fear and dream of teenagers for eternity, then the real fun began! And every time Freddy is about to appear, three girls and a boy show up jumping rope (probably his first few victims) and singing “One, two, Freddy’s coming for you. Three, four, better lock your door. Five, six, grab your crucifix. Seven, eight, gonna stay up late. Nine, ten, ever sleep again.”
Major Story Arcs
The First Nightmare (Freddy’s Dead Timeline)
Years after Freddy’s physical death, and after his daughter is taken away and all records of her true identity are done away with, a new family moves into Freddy’s old house… 1428 Elm Street. It was always in this house where Freddy committed most of his murders. Through the use of Nancy Thompson Freddy kills teens through their dreams and most of all their fears. He used their souls to strengthen his powers and their fear of him to live on through their dreams. For ten years he continued his slaughter of teens, each time seemingly defeated by teens with unusual dream powers. He survived until he found his daughter. Katheryn managed to pull Freddy out of her dream. With the help of a few friends she managed to “finally kill Freddy”.
Freddy vs. Jason
Eventually, the parents of Spring Wood, Ohio found a way to “erase” Freddy from existence. All the kids that had been in contact with him were sent to Western Hills, and given a dream suppressant, Hypnocil. They blacked out all obituaries concerning the Spring Wood Slasher. During this time, Freddy brought back Jason Voorhees, Crystal Lake Killer, to help make the children of Elm Street remember him. His plan works too well, and Freddy can’t stop Jason from killing “his children”.
Powers and Abilities
While his “avatar” was dreaming, Freddy could control their dreams to his whim, manipulating them to his liking. Any physical harm done on a person in their dream would become a reality and carry on into their real lives. For example, if he cut a person’s stomach, when that person woke up he/she would have cuts on their stomach. With this ability, it’s easy for him to commit numerous murders, hence why he has harmed and killed multiple people. Freddy constantly plays with his victims appearance and his surroundings, most often resembling their real world home. His powers increased at the rate of kids believing he existed. At his prime, he could cause critical damage in the real world. Among this variety of options included possession of humans (as shown in the second Nightmare film and Freddy vs. Jason) or his corpse (as shown in the third). If Freddy is in close contact with someone he’s affecting, (i.e, choking someone in their sleep etc.), Freddy comes into the real world along with his victim where he has superhuman strength and durability. This was used for a long fight in scenes of “Freddy’s Dead” and “Freddy vs. Jason”.
In his victim’s dreams, Freddy could use their fears and personalities against them, which became a trademark in his movies. A few of his victims somehow managed to use their imagination to manipulate their dreams to battle him (imagine you going to sleep and becoming aware that you’re dreaming. This is what they did) but this did little to Freddy, who was already in control of their dreams to start with. These people were known as Dream Warriors. Another of Freddy’s powers included absorbing the souls of his victim which increased his already high power. A mark of this is their faces on his chest.
Characteristics
Height– 5’8″
Weight– 160lbs.
Eyes– Grey
Hair– None
Desired Weapon– A glove wielding four 10″ blades on each finger except for the thumb.
Kills– Hundreds and counting
Other Media
TV and Movies
- A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)
- Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)
- Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994)
- Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
- Freddy’s Nightmares (1990) -aka Freddy’s Nightmares: A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series
- The Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
Video Games
Mortal Kombat 2011
Freddy is the second guest character to appear in MK 2011 behind Kratos. He is based on his look in the remake of ” The Nightmare on Elm Street”. To combat the ninjas, gods, demons, and other fighters Freddy has been equipped with two sets of his famous gloves and fights with a variety of swipes, stabs, and his dream realm powers.
Game Bio: “A malevolent spirit of the Dream Realm, Freddy Krueger preys on the souls of the living as they sleep. When Shao Kahn began to steal Earthrealm‘s souls – souls Freddy considered his own – Freddy battled the emperor in the Dream Realm. But Shao Kahn’s will was too strong. He pulled Freddy into the real world, where he was mortal, and defeated him. A badly injured yet determined Freddy fitted both his hands with demonically enhanced razor gloves. Once he has killed Shao Kahn he will find a way back to the Dream Realm, where he will torment Earthrealm’s souls for eternity.”
Signature Moves
Hell Spike:
Freddy Krueger stabs his claws into the ground which causes massive spikes to rise from underneath his opponent.
Sweet Dreams:
Freddy Krueger causes a green orb to fall on his opponent causing them to fall asleep allowing for a free shot.
Glove Toss:
Freddy Krueger launches one of his clawed gloves at his opponent.
Power Glove Toss:
The upgrade to glove toss where Freddy Krueger tosses both of his clawed gloves for double the damage.
Freddy Fingers:
Freddy Kruger lets one of his gloves walk across the ground toi damage his opponents feet.
Dream Shift:
Freddy Krueger uses his dream powers to teleport around the field. This can be done to get in close or escape his opponent.
X-Ray Move – What a Rush:
Freddy Krueger uppercuts his opponent then impales his opponents chest, breaking their ribs and puncturing their lungs. He then slashes the opponent in the face, damaging their skull.
Fatalities
Tell’em Freddy Sent Ya: Freddy Krueger disappears then reappears behind them and impales then on his gloves, he then drags them through a portal and causes a bunch of blood to gush from the hole. This is based on how he kills Glen Lantz in the orignal Nightmare on Elm Street.
Welcome to my Nightmare: Freddy Krueger summons his boiler from the ground. He then impales his opponent in the neck and stomach and throws them in. After waving goodbye he slams the door closed, which cuts off the opponents arm since they are trying to get out. This is based on how he kills Kristen Parker in A Nightmare on Elm Street 4.