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| “ | I LIVE TO SERVE OUR ANGEL OF SALVATION. | „ |
| ~ A message left by CatNap. |
| “ | The Prototype... will save us. | „ |
| ~ CatNap speaking to Leith Pierre. |
| “ | Leave Playcare, or I'm coming for you. | „ |
| ~ CatNap threatening to kill the player. |
Theodore Grambell, now known as Experiment-1888: CatNap, is the secondary antagonist of the Poppy Playtime franchise, serving as the main antagonist of the first game's third chapter, Deep Sleep.
CatNap is a life-sized recreation of one of the characters from Playtime Co.'s "Smiling Critters" lineup. Originally an orphan from the company's Playcare orphanage, Theodore was experimented on as part of the Bigger Bodies Initiative after suffering a near-fatal accident, thus turning him into who he is today. CatNap is completely loyal to the Prototype due to him saving his life when he was still human, worshipping him like a god and killing the "heretics" who don't follow him.
As Theodore, he is modeled after the games' sound designer Ben Rooker. As CatNap, he was voiced by an uncredited Neil Ross, who also voiced Green Goblin in Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Cyclops in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, Colonel Volgin in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, Morhurl in Forestia, Mad Bomber in Spider-Man 3, and Grandfather in Codename: Kids Next Door: Operation: Z.E.R.O.
Appearance[]
As CatNap, he takes on a more distorted and monstrous version of the docile and cartoonish character from whom they derive his features. Retaining the toy's cat-like traits, such as triangular ears, a long tail, and a diamond-shaped nose, CatNap is also less anthropomorphic, walking on all fours (though he is perfectly able to stand on two limbs), having feline-like paws that don sharp black claws on each digit and purple fur covering all of his body. Similarly to Huggy Wuggy, his limbs are slender to an almost skeletal degree. His eyes are also pitch black with white irises and his mouth, like his toy counterpart, is kept in a perpetually wide grin. CatNap also wears a gold crescent moon-shaped charm on his collar, has loose black stitches on his limbs and has slight scarring on his right ear. It is also worth noting that CatNap has an emaciated and skeletal appearance as you can see his rib, vertebrae and joints in his limbs. It appears that this is his natural appearance as CatNap looked the same during the Hour of Joy, though he appeared to be missing the chips on his ear.
When the protagonist is hallucinating upon exposure to the red smoke, CatNap's becomes even more monstrous and nightmarish. His fur disappears, revealing its pale, skeletal skin underneath, his moon charm turns silver and becomes a collar instead. He becomes larger, having protruding vertebrae and hands with visible bones. His grin has now been elongated to an unnatural degree, extending all the way to his forearms.
As Theodore, he was a relatively average looking boy with light skin, curly, but well-kept hair and brown eyes. In the sole photograph shown of him, he is seen wearing a blue, flannel-patterned shirt. As the photo only depicts his upper body, it is unknown what the rest of his attire looked like.
Personality[]
| “ | That... thing... CatNap. The Prototype is his god, and this is what he does to heretics. | „ |
| ~ A mutilated DogDay warning the protagonist of CatNap. |
As a human, Theodore was a kind but troubled orphan who lacked any friends or family, later on finding companionship in his only friend, the Prototype. The two would often spend time together, with Theodore cherishing him as a good companion and the Prototype likewise showing affection to him, even saving him after Theodore was electrocuted in a botched plan to help the orphans escape Playcare, sacrificing his freedom to get Theodore to safety.
However, this incident would soon cause Theodore to change for the worse upon becoming CatNap. Though he was initially accepting of his purpose of guarding children and safeguarding Playcare, CatNap would soon be consumed by his admiration and gratefulness to the Prototype, becoming a fanatic to the experiment, as a result heeding his every call. Becoming extremely fervent to the Prototype's commands, CatNap would ruthlessly slaughter all adults present in Playtime Co. and begin enforcing the worship of him, forcing all toys to join CatNap's cult to the Prototype or be killed. CatNap would also gain a violently sadistic personality, as shown by how he torments the protagonist throughout the chapter via numerous plots and eventually threatens the protagonist to leave or face his wrath.
Despite this, CatNap has shown to be not completely heartless. It's mentioned that he hid the surviving orphans of Playcare from the hostile toys during the Hour of Joy, showing a more humane and caring side of CatNap, though it's possible that he was merely following through with the Prototype's goals of safeguarding the children from Playtime Co. CatNap also seems to have a twisted sense of mercy as instead of killing them during his ambush, he grants the protagonist one last chance to leave Playcare, threatening their death otherwise. He's also shown to be extremely loyal, as he seemingly offers himself up as a sacrifice to the Prototype when defeated, showing that his devotion overshadowed CatNap's fear of death.
Biography[]
Backstory[]
CatNap was made as part of Playtime CO.'s Smiling Critters line-up of toys. However, children who bought his toy started experiencing nightmares afterwards; this is because the toys dispelled poppy gas instead of the intended scented lavender essential oil. On top of this, there was a dark advertisement for the Smiling Critters line-up, where the titular characters are scared during the night and ask CatNap to put them to sleep; he releases a stream of red gas from his mouth that causes them to start laughing hysterically until they drop dead, before CatNap sits on the couch and stares at the camera. These two incidents caused CatNap to be recalled, a news report stating "Your children are not safe with CatNap". According to the tie-in Orientation Notebook, this incident was the beginning of the end for Playtime CO., with it only getting worse from here.
Meanwhile, the Bigger Bodies CatNap is seen in the game, which shows that he was an orphan named Theodore Grambell who lived in the Home Sweet Home orphanage at Playcare. The young boy was infamous to the facility's staff thanks to having an "imaginary friend" who convinced him to sabotage Playtime Co., and was later revealed to be the Prototype. One day, the Prototype would enlist Theodore's help to free Playcare's orphans by using an electrified green GrabPack hand to open a door. Unfortunately, due to his inability to understand the GrabPack's green hand, Theodore ended up being electrocuted, injuring him badly. While the Prototype had an easy way to freedom, he gave it up in exchange for rescuing the small child, bringing him to the scientists. Afterwards, Theodore would be transformed by the workers into CatNap, being able to breathe poppy gas to put the children at Playcare to sleep. Despite his horrifying appearance CatNap was apparently very friendly to the children and quite passive as well, with his only flaw noted being his fanatic devotion to the Prototype. Despite this, the Orientation Notebook revealed there was one incident where, in an escape attempt, he had slowly and brutally massacred six employees.
At some point, CatNap had a check-in with Leith Pierre, who congratulates him for spending 4 years in his new body. When CatNap says he and the other Toys will be saved by the Prototype, Leith states that no one will save him as Playcare is his new home, telling him to get used to his new life.
On August 8th, 1995, the Prototype orchestrated a massive rebellion - referred to as "The Hour of Joy" by the toys - at Playtime Co. The experiments, including CatNap, killed all of the employees of the factory, and took their bodies to the deepest parts of Playtime Co. to eat them in order to stay alive. After the Hour of Joy, Catnap locked the school's teachers inside the schoolhouse, knowing that, in their hunger, they would murder the children who had been hidden away and then they would all turn on one another. Waiting until all but one Miss Delight survived, he confronted her and struck a deal to report anything of interest to each other and to the Prototype. For the next ten years CatNap remained inside Playcare, torturing and killing any toys who were against the Prototype, the worst being fellow Smiling Critter DogDay, bisecting him at the waist and stringing him to the ceiling as punishment for being a "heretic".
Chapter 3: Deep Sleep[]
While wandering around the train tunnels, CatNap comes across a train wreckage where he found the last employee’s body (The protagonist themselves) as the latter suffered a train crash at the end of Chapter 2. Thinking that they are dead, he then throws them in a garbage chute to be crushed, but the protagonist escapes, getting to another part of Playtime CO. With the help of a person named Ollie over a phone, the protagonist gets into Playcare. CatNap then exhales a gas called "Red Smoke" and makes the protagonist hallucinate upon entering Home Sweet Home, after the nightmare, CatNap stalks the protagonist in the darkness, but the latter turns on the backup generator of Home Sweet Home and gets out.
Later, several plush versions of him stalk the protagonist in the Playhouse, but they are scared off when the protagonist shoots them away with the Flare Gun (Orange) Hand of their GrabPack. Upon arriving in a prison like area in the Playhouse, DogDay notices the protagonist and tells them that the Prototype is a god in CatNap's point of view, and he kills anyone who he deems heretics.
When the protagonist traverses the counselors' offices, they witness CatNap killing a miniature Bunzo Bunny, later on, CatNap appears from the shadows and knocks them out and destroys the gas mask they were using to protect themselves from his poppy gas, putting them in a flashback hallucination. After the protagonist regains consciousness, CatNap calls them over the phone, threatening to kill them if they do not leave Playcare.
After completing the gas production and going to put a new battery, CatNap emerges close by and fills the room with his poppy gas, causing the protagonist to begin hallucinating Catnap taking on a more nightmarish and demonic appearance, and chases The protagonist to the upper level. Upon arriving, the protagonist uses several mechanisms to hold CatNap off for 180 seconds (exactly three minutes) while a Green Hand outlet charges. When the outlet fully charges, the protagonist shoots their green hand to it, causing the hand to overcharge. CatNap then enters the room via a vent on the ceiling, intent on devouring the protagonist, but the protagonist shoots their overcharged green hand at him, electrocuting CatNap. When he breathes out red gas, the electricity causes the gas around him to ignite, setting him ablaze and burning his fur off. The Prototype's hand descends from the vent, apparently trying to help CatNap up. The latter goes to seemingly offer himself up as a sacrifice to the Prototype. The Prototype accepts the sacrifice and stabs CatNap through the face, killing him before dragging him away.
Powers and Abilities[]
| “ | And keep your eyes open for CatNap. Every shadow and every flickering light is a hiding spot. He always stalks his prey first. He'll take away anything you have to defend yourself. And when you're at your most vulnerable... he'll kill you. Catnap lives for the hunt. | „ |
| ~ Ollie describing how Catnap deals with his victims. |
Befitting of his role as the guardian of Playcare, CatNap is an exceptionally patient and vigilant monster with a keen predatory instinct. Highly intelligent and armed with sleeping gas, CatNap is a scarily efficient hunter who enjoys toying with his prey, torturing them and making them despair before finally closing in for the kill. As such, he's shown to be feared throughout Playcare for his ruthlessness and has thus enslaved many other toys for his cult to the Prototype.
- Sleeping gas emission: A signature ability shared by him and his discontinued normal toy line, CatNap can emit a red, opium poppy-based smoke from his esophagus which can put people to sleep, requiring a gas mask to be resisted. In higher concentrations this gas also triggers vivid hallucinations and nightmares in those who inhale it, such as a Monstrous Huggy Wuggy for the protagonist. In the final battle, CatNap also uses the red smoke to induce hallucinations in the protagonist, causing them to see him as a nightmarish skeletal monster, seemingly producing illusions of himself as well. Even other toys are effected by the gas, as a miniature Bunzo Bunny was rendered unconscious immediately after inhaling it and left open to be killed by CatNap.
- One notable weakness, however, is the combustible nature of the gas, as electricity from an overcharged Green Hand has been shown to light it ablaze.
- It's also possible that CatNap can communicate to his victims within their hallucinations, as shown by the protagonist's hallucination where in the radio's reverse message, where he talks (through the unknown spiker's radio) about them not being present during the Hour Of Joy, that they find their presence intrusive and that they should have been in the Hour Of Joy.
- Enhanced immune system: CatNap is able to breathe in the Red Smoke without being affected, being able to function properly inside it and even leveraging its hallucinogenic properties to his advantage. It is unknown, however, if he is able to resist other similar sedatives, pathogens, and poisonous substances.
- Superhuman physical attributes: CatNap is exceptionally strong and powerful, clawing huge tears into walls all around Playcare with his sharp claws and being feared for his ruthlessness. Having killed the other Bigger Bodies Smiling Critters beforehand, it's also implied CatNap has eliminated other toys such as one PJ Pug-a-pillar, showing that CatNap is strong enough to overpower them. He is also exceptionally durable, being capable of surviving a powerful electric shock and even being burnt alive.
- Night vision: Thanks to being a cat-like monster, CatNap has exceptionally good vision, being capable of stalking the protagonist in the dark and even when the surroundings are completely flooded with Red Smoke.
- Dexterity: Also owing to his feline physiology, CatNap is capable of extreme speed, shown when he performed a hit-&-run on the protagonist in the Counselor's Office, quickly tearing off their gas mask in the blink of an eye. He is also shown to be flexible enough to easily deal with the transition from a crawling position in a cramped space from above to a normal position in a more spacious area at a lower position, as seen in the Safe Room during the final battle when he periodically attacks from a hatch in the ceiling that leads to a ventilation shaft as well as when the protagonist overcharges their Green Hand to deliver the final blow.
- High intellect: While mostly bestial in behaviour, CatNap is in actuality extremely intelligent and cunning, being able to lay traps to slowly hinder and bewilder his prey before going in for the kill. He's also extremely patient, enjoying to stalk the protagonist throughout the game, toying with them as he repeatedly mocks their weakness and threatens their death. CatNap also seems to be a good negotiator, being able to convince Miss Delight to help him kill the protagonist despite their previous animosity. He also seems to at least have a concept of belief, shown when he worshipped a statue of the Prototype in the cave where the protagonist finds an Orange Hand. It is also likely that CatNap built the statue himself, showing a degree of craftsmanship as he manages to assemble the bodies of toys (and one worker skeleton) into a crude idol that is somehow still stable.
- Intimidation: CatNap rules over most of Playcare with an iron fist, forcing toys to join his cult to the Prototype and leaving those punished for not following him in mangled states as examples. One example of this is DogDay, who CatNap left barely alive and bisected in the Playhouse as an example to any who dared betray him. The shrine made of the corpses of other toys might also serve as a warning to the toys of CatNap's cult.
- Stealth: CatNap is extremely stealthy, with Ollie claiming that he is able to hide almost anywhere. He's seen silently stalking the protagonist in numerous places, always vanishing seemingly instantly and can emerge from the shadows extremely quickly to strike them by surprise. Even as Theodore Grambell, CatNap possessed a keen sense of stealth and sneakiness, often being encouraged by the Prototype to sabotage Playtime CO. in acts such as stealing files & eventually escaping Playcare, which gained notoriety from the Playcare staff.
- Wall-climbing: By entering the third-person view, it's revealed that CatNap can climb on walls and even the ceiling during his final chase, though this could just be a case of the developers placing his model in awkward positions to make him "disappear". He IS a cat with razor-sharp claws & brute strength, though, so don't rule it out.
Trivia[]
- CatNap is the first Poppy Playtime main antagonist to not be defeated in a chase sequence, instead being defeated after being held off by the protagonist for a specified amount of time.
- CatNap is also the first main antagonist of Poppy Playtime to not be defeated by the protagonist at all, being eliminated by the Prototype instead.
- Some believe that instead of CatNap sacrificing himself to 1006, CatNap thought that his master would save him like he did long ago, only for 1006, likely disgusted at CatNap's failure, to change his mind and kill him so he can amass more parts.
- It's also possible that this injury damaged CatNap beyond repair and the Prototype, remembering how Theodore was similarly electrocuted in the past, decided to grant him a quick and merciful death to alleviate his suffering.
- CatNap has been confirmed to appear in Project: Playtime likely as a playable monster.
- In CatNap's shrine to the Prototype, one can find a CatNap plush with a pipe impaled into its throat, foreshadowing the monster's eventual death.
- If one leaves through the door of the Gas Production Zone during CatNap's final chase, he will look at them before disappearing into the doorway, only to pounce on the protagonist a short while after and kill them.
- Although CatNap pretty much rules Playcare with an iron fist, one place he doesn't go to is the school, as it is implied that even he is greatly disturbed by its only living denizen and her insanity, likely hinting that he has at least some standards.
- His Nightmare version, just like Nightmare Huggy, was likely inspired by the Nightmare Animatronics from Five Nights at Freddy's 4.
- According to some concept art, CatNap's Nightmare form was initially designed to have amalgamated human faces and bodies jutting out of his skeletal body, amping up the fear factor even more.
External Links[]
- CatNap on the Poppy Playtime Wiki
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 Villains
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Playtime Co. Toys Hallucinations | ||