JEFF THE KILLER: ORIGIN AND HISTORY - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Jeff the Killer, Jeffrey Alan Woods or simply Jeff, is a fictional character from horror stories and video games, very close in popularity to the character Slender Man (created in 2009), who became known thanks to fandoms and forums in Internet.

According to the origins of the character and his disclosure of the versions in the creepypasta (or horror stories), it is about a teenage boy who suffers a tragic accident that transforms him into a serial killer who attacks his victims; these attacks are usually at night.

There are a series of subplots linked to the main story, and even sequels that explain events after Jeff became a murderer.

Despite the multiple versions and contradictions of stories and origins, Jeff the Killer continues to be an inspiration for all kinds of material, including urban legends.

Origin

There are several versions about the appearance of this character:

-It is estimated that the first images of the character appeared in October 2008, in a video uploaded to YouTube by the user Sesseur. The video was titled Jeff the Killer (original story). The material aroused the curiosity of thousands of Internet users about the history of this character.

-In that same month, the author published the original video on the Newgrounds website, which allowed the story to be more widely disseminated. At the same time, a series of stories, videos and even fanarts began to be proposed, generating a movement around the character.

-Another version of the origin of this character has to do with the suicide of Katy Robinson who, after posting a photo on 4chan, was a victim of cyberbullying.

-Despite the terrifying images of Jeff the Killer (where you can see the pale face, black eyes and creepy smile), it is believed that the original photo was retouched with Photoshop for fun.

-The publication of an article in 2006 showed the supposed existence of Jeff the Killer, although its falsehood was proven shortly after. However, this was enough for the community of forums and creepypastas to create a network of stories and discussions about it.

Main character traits

Physical appearance

Prior to the incident, Jeff is described as a 15-17 year old boy of ordinary physical appearance.

However, after the accident his appearance completely changed to have an excessively white complexion, a cut nose, no lips (which show a sinister smile), no eye color or pale blue, no eyelids and black burns.

As for clothing, he always wears a dark sweatshirt, jeans, and black sneakers.

Behavior and personality traits

Jeff went from being a quiet boy from the suburbs to being a serial killer who prefers to kill his victims in their sleep.

According to some creepypastas, Jeff prefers to kill with a butcher's chick, although he also does it by burning his victims with chlorine or gasoline.

In addition, and as a result of the accident, the psychological transformation was even greater, since he shows signs of schizophrenia, narcissism, sadism and other behaviors of a psychopathic nature.

Family relationship

In the story, there is not much mention about Jeff's family, except for some essential features:

-The relative that is named with some frequency is Jeff's older brother, Liu. There are several aspects of this character; in some cases they show him as another murderer, while in others he rather makes the effort to save his brother.

-As for parents, Jeff has a strained relationship with his mother, Margaret.

-Jeff's father, Peter Woods, is almost never named in history, so its relevance is minimal.

History

There are two main approaches:

According to Sesseur

The story of Sesseur, believed to be the starting point for the birth of Jeff the Killer, centers on the accident that Jeff suffered one day when he decided to clean the bathroom in his house.

Due to a slip, a gallon of acid fell on his face, burning his skin. Despite the help that a neighbor gave him and the support of his older brother Lui, it is from this moment that it is known that Jeff will never be the same.

According to Creepypasta Wiki

In the wake of Jeff's appearance on the web, it didn't take long for fans to create their own version of the story as well.

This time, the plot centers on the Woods' move to a new neighborhood, due to his father's work. Despite the change that would represent, brothers Jeff and Liu were excited by this fact.

However, a few days later they both become victims of ridicule and harassment by bullies at school.

After several attacks, Jeff decided to confront them to such an extent that he injured two of them. In view of the situation, the police made the appropriate investigations and Liu took the blame for the incident.

During a barbecue celebration (or birthday party, some versions vary), Jeff was attacked again, this time with bleach and fire. Shortly after, he was sent to a hospital to treat his burns.

The birth of Jeff the Killer

After several operations, the doctors called his parents to inform them that their son had suffered severe burns and that, as a result, it would be almost impossible for him to lead a normal life.

Jeff managed to see his disfigured face in the mirror of the room that was in the hospital. Looking at himself in that state, he chose to cut his eyelids and lengthen the corner of his mouth so that it seemed that he was always smiling.

In the end, Jeff finished mutilating his face and killed his parents. In the same frenzy, he sought out his brother to end his life, and it is at this point that Liu's fate is considered uncertain: in some versions Liu dies at the hands of Jeff, and in others Jeff leaves him. free.

References

1. Jeff the Killer. (sf). In Creepypasta. Retrieved: April 4, 2018. In Creepypasta from creepypasta.com.
2. Jeff the Killer. (sf). On Creepypasta Wiki. Retrieved: April 4, 2018. In Creepypasta Wiki of es.creepypasta.wikia.com.
3. Jeff the Killer. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: April 4, 2018. In Wikipedia at it.wikipedia.org.
4. Legends of the Internet. (sf). In The Pensante. Retrieved: April 4, 2018. In El Pensante de elpensante.com.
5. Newibts, Annalee. Who is "Jeff the Killer"? And is his picture haunted by a real death? (2013). On Gizmodo. Retrieved: April 4, 2018. In Gizmodo of io9.gizmodo.com.