Why Does Five Nights at Freddy‘s Villain William Afton Appear Purple?

The first question many FNAF fans and theorists ask when they see the franchise‘s central antagonist is – why is William Afton purple? This iconic coloration sparks endless discussion in the fandom about its meaning and implications. Today, we‘ll analyze the possible reasons behind Afton‘s ominous purple design.

The Simplest Explanation: Shadows

The most straightforward reason is lighting. Much of the time, we see Afton portrayed in darkness or shadows, like when he attacks children in 8-bit minigames. Limitations of these pixel graphics bathe him in purple shadows that obscure his true identity. According to the official FNaF wiki:

"He is seen as having a cleft chin outside of the mini games."

So William Afton likely doesn‘t have naturally purple skin. His lurking in shadows creates this unsettling aesthetic. As a passionate gamer myself, I admit the darkness makes Afton way creepier and more sinister!

But could there be more to this color choice than simple lighting and graphics limitations? Let‘s dig deeper into Afton‘s history and crimes for more clues.

Rotting Away Inside Spring Bonnie

Another potential source of Afton‘s purple pallor comes after his first mortal demise. In Five Night‘s at Freddy‘s 3, we witness Afton‘s excruciatingly painful death by spring lock failure inside the Spring Bonnie suit:

"Afton hid in the Spring Bonnie suit, but the spring-lock mechanisms within the suit activated, crushing his body and causing him to die a slow and gruesome death." (Source)

Rather than crossing over peacefully, Afton‘s twisted soul clings to existence. His mangled corpse remains trapped inside Spring Bonnie, festering and rotting for decades in the darkness of a sealed off room.

When he is eventually discovered and brought into the light, the putrid, gangrenous remains of the man formerly known as William Afton emerges in the Springtrap animatronic as a walking, oozing corpse.

So in his reanimated state, Afton‘s pallid purple shade stems from his necrotic, decomposing flesh! It creates a memorably creepy, nausea-inducing appearance befitting this zombie-like incarnation.

But the purple may represent more than just graphical necessity or gore…perhaps it hints at a deeper metaphor in play as well.

Purple as a Symbolic Color

Beyond technical and literal explanations, using purple as Afton‘s signature color feels intentionally symbolic by creator Scott Cawthon. Media and literature often utilize color psychology, tying certain hues to specific themes or emotions.

So what feelings and concepts does purple represent? Some associations include:

• Royalty – In medieval times, Tyrian purple dye could only be afforded by elites like kings and nobles. Purple garments became synonymous with status and ambition for power. Afton as a murderer seeking immortality feeds into themes of dangerous megalomania.
• Corruption – Mixing the "purity" of white with the "darkness" of black creates muddled purple, representing moral compromise and spiritual pollution. As once a beloved family restaurant owner turned child killer, William Afton embodies profound corruption.
• Death & Mourning – Purple also evokes imagery of death, coldness, and the supernatural. Before chemical embalming, bodies would turn purplish as blood pooled and coagulated. Victorians dressed widows and mourners in saturated amethyst. Afton‘s purple skin echoes both the death he causes and his own undead reanimation.
• Evil & Cruelty – From Disney villains like Maleficent and Hades to the sadistic Violet Beauregarde in Willy Wonka, purple marks fictional baddies and psychopaths. For FNAF fans, seeing this ominous shade lets us immediately recognize something wicked emerging…

So in addition to environmental causes like shadows and rot, the purple coloration serves as visual characterization. It flags William Afton as tainted by mortal sins and supernatural malevolence before we even learn his name or backstory.

What Do You Think?

Does Afton‘s purple hue symbolize something meaningful? How does it impact your first impressions playing FNAF? I‘d love to hear theories from fellow fans in the comments below!

Additional Theories on Why William Afton is Purple

The interpretations above come from official FNAF canon and analysis of color psychology in fiction. But the mystery still inspires endless debate and speculation in the fandom. What are some other popular fan theories about the Purple Guy‘s complexion?

Michael Afton Was Purple First

One alternative idea proposes that the Purple Man we see murdering children pre-FNAF 3 isn‘t William himself. Instead, some think we play as his eldest son Michael Afton in the 8-bit mini-games:

"The second Purple Guy is Michael Afton, William‘s son." (Source)

In Sister Location, Michael gets violently gutted and remnant-infused by Ennard. He becomes an undying flesh golem seeking to undo his father‘s misdeeds. So fans suggest we play Michael all along, not realizing he is the Purple Man we see in earlier games.

While an intriguing concept, most evidence points to William himself behind the killings both before and after becoming Springtrap. But it still makes for fun theorizing!

Experiments With Remnant

Ah yes…FNAF‘s magical mineral "remnant." This mysterious substance stains everything purple and allows possession of inanimate things.

Some fans postulate that William‘s obsession with experiments on harvesting remnant could have literally dyed his body this color over time. Maybe direct exposure to the supernatural essence permeates one‘s flesh and clothing!

While remnant lore remains fuzzy, I admit the image of Afton injecting himself with gallons of purple goo like a mad scientist is pretty amusing…

Decaying Purple Clothing

Alternatively, his signature purple hue could come from his night guard uniform literally decaying off his body. We know guards wear purple – so as William festered inside Spring Bonnie, perhaps his rotten clothes crumbling to dust stained his skin this shade permanently.

It‘s a simpler explanation relying less on symbolic meaning. But in my opinion, the purple as characterization theory still holds the most water.

What Are Your Theories?

Those are just a few prominent ideas floating around FNAF spaces like Reddit and Tumblr. Maybe you have an original concept for why William Afton appears purple! If so, don‘t hesitate to share your own (perhaps even better?) theory in the comments.

I love how much intrigue and discussion one simple color choice has spawned within the FNAF fandom. It really shows how invested we‘ve all become in the series over the past decade. The mysteries keep us coming back for more with each new game release!

Conclusion: Why Does William Afton Look Purple?

So in summary – why is William Afton, the famous Five Nights at Freddy‘s villain, depicted as purple instead of a natural skin tone?

• He lurks in dark shadows, obscuring his true appearance
• His flesh rots away inside Springtrap, becoming gangrenous and moldy from decay
• Purple symbolizes corruption, evil, and the supernatural – highlighting his malicious essence
• Potentially other theories like remnant exposure or Michael‘s wounds

Ultimately, without Word of God from Scott Cawthon himself, the exact inspirations remain ambiguous. But the Purple Guy‘s chilling coloration makes for endless intrigue and theorizing to keep the FNAF fandom engaged for years to come! We may never agree on one single origin for William Afton’s palette. But the mystery itself has become as central to the lore as Freddy and friends themselves.

Thanks for reading my deep dive on this iconic gaming baddie. Let me know your thoughts in the comments! What other gaming mysteries should I tackle next?