“Red One” villains explained: All about Grýla, Krampus, and the terrifying Christmas legends they're based on

The film's fearsome baddies are inspired by legends that go back centuries.

Just when you thought Hollywood had run out of Santa mythos movies, Jake Kasdan's Red One proved us wrong.

Borrowing a bit from Kasdan’s recent Jumanji reboots, the film stars Dwayne Johnson as a mercenary tasked with saving Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons) after he’s kidnapped by the evil Grýla (Kiernan Shipka).

The holiday romp is notable for its many mythical villains, which draw inspiration from real folktales. In addition to the Icelandic ogress Grýla, the half-goat/half-demon Krampus (Kristofer Hivju) figures prominently in the story. But Kasdan gives Krampus a subversive spin (and a surprising connection to Santa) that differs from the German legends.

Just in time for the holidays, let's dig into the folklore that inspired the villains in Red One.

Related: J.K. Simmons calls Red One 'redemption' for playing a mall Santa in his 20s

What is Red One about?

In a plot to destroy Christmas, the evil witch Grýla kidnaps Santa Claus and stows him away in a secret vault. Callum Drift (Johnson), the disillusioned lead commando of Santa’s E.L.F. (Enforcement Logistics and Fortification) security team, is tasked by director Zoe Harlow (Lucy Liu) to rescue the big guy.

Meanwhile, Callum has become increasingly pessimistic about the state of Christmas, as evidenced by the ever-growing naughty list. In order to bring Santa home and save Christmas for the rest of the world, he reluctantly teams up with notorious hacker-cum-bounty hunter Jack O’Malley (Chris Evans).

Who is Grýla in traditional folklore?

Grýla is a notorious figure in Icelandic folklore, being a towering ogre witch with many tails who punishes children for their transgressions. Legend says that she spies on the youth all year round, logging their behavior and descending upon Iceland in the winter to kidnap the ill-behaved. Grýla collects them in a gigantic sack not dissimilar to Santa’s toy bag and brings them back to her mountain cave, where she cooks them into a gruesome stew and feasts upon them until the next Christmas.

Her 13 sons are a band of disfigured, dimwitted trolls called the Yule Lads who do their mother’s bidding. While they don't partake in eating children, the Yule Lads are still feared by Icelandic children for their rumored havoc and connection to Grýla.

What does Grýla do in Red One?

In Red One, Grýla appears to be a young woman (who looks a lot like Sally Draper...) but is actually an old, shape-shifting ogre. She and her hideous sons, trolls dubbed the Yule Lads, keep Santa in a vault and siphon off his magic, rendering him comatose.

In addition to kidnapping Ol' Saint Nick, Grýla swipes a machine from Santa’s workshop that clones toys and takes a snow globe that she can trap humans inside. Grýla plans to use the cloning device to produce infinite snow globes for imprisoning all of the world’s naughty children (which is, arguably, not the most evil plan of all time).

Related: Red One director on how the action-comedy is a Christmas film, but 'a little more kick-ass' and 'epic'

What is the legend behind Krampus?

Britannica describes Krampus as “the devilish companion” to Santa Claus. Indeed, ancient legend told that Krampus would go on yearly trips with St. Nicholas, who gave gifts to all the children on Dec. 5. The catch? Krampus would punish the naughty ones by pummeling them with sticks. The next morning, bright-eyed boys and girls got to unwrap their treasures or, alternatively, “nurse their injuries.”

Krampus isn’t all bad, though, as his deployment of corporal punishment is intended to drive troublemakers into a life of virtue.

His exact origins are unclear, according to all tellings, but the half-goat/half-demon horned beast likely originated in German folklore. It’s believed that Krampus was involved in pagan rituals conducted around the winter solstice. The creature’s father is the Norse god of the underworld, who’s appropriately named Hel.

With the spread of Christianity and Catholicism throughout central Europe, Krampus became increasingly associated with Christmas, serving as a model for children to behave themselves.

How is Krampus portrayed in Red One?

In Red One, Krampus (Kristofer Hivju, Game of Thrones) is Santa’s adoptive brother, though their relationship is strained and they haven't spoken in years.

Early in the film, Callum deduces that Grýla may be working in conjunction with Krampus to exact revenge on his estranged sibling. Callum and Jack break into Krampus’ fortress, where the mercenary attempts to recruit Krampus to their rescue mission. Krampus refuses but allows Callum and Jack to leave instead of murdering them.

In the end, Callum and Jack infiltrate Grýla’s headquarters and locate Santa. A hectic battle ensues in which Grýla gains the upper hand over our heroes. Just as all hope seems lost, Krampus appears and helps defeat Grýla, trapping her for eternity in one of her snow globes. Santa and Krampus finally put their differences aside, deciding that brotherly love is more important than opposing views on Christmas.

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