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“ | I spent seven-hundred years menacing the naughty, trying to scare them into decency. I DID MY PART! The only punishing I do now...is for fun. | „ |
~ Krampus |
“ | Take your best "schlap." | „ |
~ Krampus to Cal |
Krampus is the secondary antagonist of the 2024 Christmas fantasy action comedy film Red One.
He is the evil adoptive brother of Santa Claus and the former lover of Grýla. Krampus dedicated his life to punishing all the naughty children of the world around Christmas time. During the climax, Krampus assists Santa, Callum Drift, and Jack O'Malley in defeating the Grýla, making amends with his brother in the process.
He was portrayed by Kristofer Hivju, who also played Tormund Giantsbane in Game of Thrones, Kenge in The Lion Guard, and Connor Rhodes in The Fate of the Furious.
Appearance[]
Krampus is a tall, muscular, incredibly strong humanoid goat with a long devilish tail, lion-like mains around his face, bushy beard and several horns on top of his head.
Biography[]
Background[]
“ | Callum Drift: They used to work together...back in the beginning. Red gave gifts to well-behaved children, and the brother helped keep track of who they were. Then the brother started making lists. And Red was always uncomfortable with that. He didn't like the idea of a running list of misbehaved children. But the brother became obsessed. Jack O'Malley: So you're saying Santa's brother started the Naughty List? Callum Drift: Yes. And he started to punish the kids who were on it. Red was furious. So he took the list away, and the brother never forgave him. He went out on his own, eventually hooking up with the Witch, who was also in the punishment game, working Iceland and several other Nordic territories. They were together for years, but it ended badly. Jack O'Malley: Santa's brother have a name or is it just "Santa's brother"? Callum Drift: His name is Krampus. |
„ |
~ Callum tells Jack about Krampus' history with his brother, Santa Claus and Grýla the Winter Witch. |
According to Callum Drift, Krampus initially helped his brother Santa Claus deliver presents to all the children on Christmas Eve, until he started compiling a list of "naughty" ones that didn't deserve to get Christmas presents and tried to make them behave properly by punishing them however he deemed fit. Santa believed that his brother had gone too far and took away the list, forcing Krampus to become the partner and lover of Grýla, the Winter Witch. For centuries they plotted to rid the world of those that misbehaved, until Krampus and Gryla parted ways on less than friendly terms. Eventually, Krampus gave up on his mission, whilst Gryla continued to pursue it on her own and gathered followers to join her cause.
Red One[]
After Gryla kidnapped Santa Claus so she can punish anyone who has ever been on the naughty list, Krampus supplied her with a magic snowglobe called Glaskäfig that imprisoned those on the naughty list. Callum Drift and Jack O'Malley arrive at Krampus's kingdom to ask for help, only to be captured and thrown in a cell by Krampus's guards. They are eventually brought to Krampus and see him beating his people at a slapping game called Krampusschlap, where they have to slap each other until one is knocked to the ground. Krampus refuses to help them save his brother, but offers Jack his freedom if Callum stays in the dungeon as his prisoner for life. Refusing to abandon Callum, Jack tricks Krampus into challenging Callum to a round of Krampusschlap for their freedom. Callum loses the first round, but Jack recovers Callum's magic gauntlet and activates it to increase his strength, allowing Callum to win so they can escape.
Later, when Gryla is fighting Jack and Callum in her true form as they interrupt her takeoff on Santa's sleigh to spread the snowglobes, Krampus arrives to their rescue, having changed his mind after being inspired by Jack. He tried to reason with Gryla through their past, but Gryla lost all sentiment she had for Krampus and is more than willing to kill him too. Fortunately, Santa wakes up and summons his reindeers to throw gift-like bombs at Gryla, causing her to fall into her own wagon of Glaskäfigs and be forever imprisoned as a snowglobe figurine, ending her reign of terror and saving Christmas.
A changed man after Gryla's defeat, Krampus finally reconciles with his brother and apologizes for having assisted Gryla in the past. He even assists Santa in his route as well as giving Jack and his son Dylan a ride home on Santa's sleigh as a reward for their assistance in saving Christmas.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Kistofer Hivju previously worked with Dwayne Johnson in The Fate of the Furious. Although, unlike Red One their characters do not interact with each other in that movie.