Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) finally meets 4K. With the release of a 4K Ultra HD box set of the entire A Nightmare on Elm Street series, it’s the perfect time to revisit the characters that colored Freddy’s world. From Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) to Alice (Lisa Wilcox) and Lori (Monica Keena), the characters are the backbone of the series – you have to have good characters to rally behind!
Instead of looking at the characters we all know and love, it seems appropriate to celebrate the franchise’s most underrated characters. Those that stole our hearts, even with limited screentime, make for an interesting lineup of characters that deserve far more than they got.
Without further ado, check out the Top 10 picks below!
Greta – A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child
Regardless of how you feel about A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: Dream Child, there’s no denying it has some of the more interesting characters in the franchise. One of those is Greta (Erika Anderson), a socialite’s daughter held to an insanely high standard of beauty. In the little time we have with her, we learn she’s a good friend to Alice (Lisa Wilcox) and the gang and would do anything for them. Plus, she has one of the best kill scenes in the entire series.
Julie – Wes Craven’s New Nightmare
With what is essentially a reboot, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare reintroduces Heather Langenkamp in the “real” world. Her friend Julie (Tracy Middendorf) is everything you want in a babysitter: she’s attentive, compassionate, and isn’t afraid to jab a few nurses with a sharp needle. In the film’s third act, she tries valiantly to keep the hospital staff from giving Dylan (Miko Hughes) a sedative. She unfortunately fails, but she gives it her all.
Quentin – A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
You can’t not make a list like this without Kyle Gallner’s Quentin on it. The remake of the 1984 classic certainly makes some wild choices, but one that works is the exploration of microsleeps. Quentin and Nancy (Rooney Mara) suffer from severe sleeplessness and experience brief sleep episodes. Quentin proves to be a reliable friend, unlike Glen (Johnny Depp) in the original, and teams up with Nancy to figure out what’s going on. He steals adrenaline from a local hospital to keep them awake, which comes in handy in the final showdown. We all need a friend like him.
Sheila – A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
While Sheila (Toy Newkirk) has garnered a sizable fan base over the years, she still deserves more recognition. She’s charming, funny, and smart. She creates a bug zapper that proves essential in Alice’s third-act survival and helps Debbie (Brooke Theiss) with her homework (because of watching too much Dynasty). She deserved to be the Final Girl (sorry, Alice!).
Will – A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors features a group of kids just trying to survive their dreams. The entire crew is comprised of some of the most compelling characters in the series, but Will (Ira Heiden) stands out. Bound to a wheelchair, Will possesses an inner strength that gives him unwavering bravery to fight Freddy. In his dreams, he imagines himself as the Wizard Master and that he can walk. Ultimately, he doesn’t conquer the dream demon, but he gives one helluva effort.
Dan – A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 & 5
Dan (Danny Hassel) begins A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master as a stock jock character with no personality. But by his death in the sequel, he becomes a fleshed-out man trying to do right by Alice and be there for her. While he should have survived to the end, he does the most with the time he has left in The Dream Child. Perhaps, he’s not the most heroic of the series, but he’s the perfect counter to Lisa Wilcox’s Alice.
Lisa – A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge
You rarely hear Lisa’s (Kim Myers) name when discussing the franchise, but she plays a pivotal role in Jessie’s (Mark Patton) survival. When Jessie reveals to Lisa that he killed Grady (Robert Rusler), or rather, a Freddy-possessed Jessie did, Lisa doesn’t abandon him. Instead, she talks him through Freddy’s diabolical plan to possess him again. She proves herself to be quite a foil to Freddy and a trusty sidekick to Jessie.
Linderman – Freddy vs Jason
When it comes to Freddy vs Jason, Linderman (Chris Marquette) rises above most of the other characters. Not only does he do his best in the final confrontation at Crystal Lake, but he delivers the line of the film. After Kia (Kelly Rowland) once again cuts him down, he retorts: “You tear me down to make yourself feel better, because you really hate yourself, which is kind of pathetic when you actually stop and think about it. Assuming, of course, you can think, with all that make-up weighing down your head.” Icon status, plain and simple.
Debbie – A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
Debbie and Sheila are the franchise’s best duo. They balance each other out. Where Sheila is nerdy and smart, Debbie is obsessed with fitness and hates cockroaches. As bodies pile up, she agrees with Dan and Alice to meet one night to concoct a plan to kill Freddy. She might not have tons of screentime, but she leaves a mark – literally, after she’s killed as a cockroach in Freddy’s roach motel.
Carlos – Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare
Despite starring in the worst thing to happen to the franchise, Carlos (Ricky Dean Morgan) possesses a tremendous amount of heart. It’s a shame he died in one of the worst ways possible – Freddy controls his hearing aid and makes his head bleed from immense sound. Right up to his dying breath, he gives it his all to stay alive. Long live Carlos!
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