While almost all of Red One's festive characters are based on holiday-themed mythology, there are some key differences from the real-life legend fans should watch for when it comes to the film's take on Krampus.
The new Yuletide blockbuster stars the likes of Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans as a pair of North Pole-dwelling heroes who are tasked with retrieving a kidnapped Santa Claus in time for Christmas.
As a part of this snow-capped adventure, the dashing duo crosses paths with Krampus (played by Game of Thrones star Kristofer Hivju), a villainous mythological creature known as the shadow of Saint Nick.
Differences Between Red One's Krampus and the Real-Life Myth
Krampus Isn't Usually Santa's Brother
In the lore of Red One, Krampus is portrayed as the brother of J.K Simmons' Santa Claus (described as the "definitive Santa" by its stars).
While the real Krampus myth sees the figure as a shadow of the jolly holiday gift-giver, he is not traditionally Santa's brother in the real-life stories centered on the character.
He is, however, occasionally referred to as Santa Claus' evil twin, not necessarily making him family with Jolly Ol' Saint Nick but acting as his foil at times in traditional interpretations of the Krampus story.
The Krampus figure dates back to 11th-century Germany, being derived from a pagan devil figure who was assimilated to become the Christian lord of the underworld.
Krampus was eventually paired with Saint Nicolas in German and Austrian festive legends as a devil figure, often depicted as a fur-covered half-man-half-goat being, used to frighten naughty children into behaving themselves during the yearly pagan Winter Solstice celebration.
He would eventually work his way into the region's celebration of Christmas, being an evil counterpart to St. Nick who would chase naughty children through the streets if they were not good (via History).
Krampus Didn't Invent the Naughty List
One of the key plot points in the box office disaster that has been Red One is the reveal that Krampus invented the naughty list and the evil plan of the movie's villain Grýla to make every naughty child ever disappear.
Krampus, however, does not have anything with the invention of the Naughty or Nice List when it comes to the holiday season.
The idea of being naughty or nice dates back to 1600s Holland.
Parents of the region would place children's clogs by the fireplace around the winter solstice (a tradition that would eventually turn into the hanging of stockings by the fire), where good kids would find gifts and small sweets to ring in the season while bad kids would get the now-infamous lump of coal.
Santa's list itself did not come into the modern-day holiday lexicon until J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie's 1934 Christmas hit "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," where the renowned songwriters mention "He’s making a list. He’s checking it twice" (per National Day Calendar)
Krampus and Grýla Aren't Connected
Red One's Krampus is closely connected to Kiernan Shipka's Grýla. In the movie, Krampus is said to be a jilted lover of the fellow figment of festive folklore.
That is not the case in real life, as the pair are not connected in any way. Grýla originates from Icelandic folklore, being seen as a menacing giant or troll used to deter children from misbehaving.
While other characters in the holiday canon will torment naughty kids or leave them undesirable gifts, Grýla is known for roaming from settlement to settlement and physically kidnapping children the adults deem have not behaved themselves.
The legend of Grýla das far back as the 13th century, appearing in a medieval Viking written by Icelandic skald Snorri Sturluson. It would not be until the 17th century when Grýla became associated with the holidays, being used in Icelandic stories surrounding the season to promote good behavior.
Red One is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
