One of Fallout 76's most appealing traits is that it is filled to the brim with iconic cryptids. From gangly wendigos to extraterrestrials from the great beyond, the game has no shortage of variety. But one cryptid stands above the rest for being the creepiest by far, and it isn't even close.
The Smiling Man, also known as Indrid Cold by the community, is a somewhat recent addition to Fallout 76. Being a cryptid, he shares much of the spooky traits that the others do. But in many ways, he goes above and beyond in defining what it means to be a cryptid in Fallout 76.
Fallout 76’s Smiling Man is Horror Incarnate
For context, the Smiling Man has real-world origins in Appalachian urban legends and is often associated with the Mothman himself. This connection is not fully understood, but it means that this iteration of the Smiling Man will also share some kind of relationship with the Mothman. Upon finding him in the game, the Smiling Man will have many things to say to the player, but most striking thing he will say is the suggestion that he is returning to Appalachia after quite some time. While his comments alone definitely makes him one of the scarier cryptids to be found in Fallout 76, but there's one unique feature he has that makes him special, even among other cryptids.
After witnessing many of his creepy and foreboding comments, players may feel the slight inclination of wanting to shoot the Smiling Man. After all, that's how most problems are solved in the wastelands of Fallout. But upon shooting the Smiling Man, he won't sustain any damage. Instead, he will disappear into a puff of black smoke. This black smoke is actually similar to the one that the Mothman emits, solidifying their connection. However, it does bring into question of how exactly the Smiling Man was able to do this. But more importantly, it begs whether this is another one of Fallout's paranormal events.
There have been several instances of creatures and humans being able to teleport throughout the Fallout franchise. Both the Big MT from Fallout: New Vegas and The Institute of Fallout 4 have access to teleportation technology, so it isn't out of the realm of possibility. However, the Smiling Man is distinctly different because of his connection to the Mothman. Bethesda seems to be suggesting that this isn't the work of high science or a mutation, but because of real paranormal activity. Lovecraftian horrors have already been confirmed to exist in Fallout, so the Smiling Man could be just be another one.
And for that reason, the Smiling Man is arguably one of the creepiest cryptids in Fallout 76 yet. Cryptids like the Wendigo and Grafton Monster can be explained away as being horrific mutations, but the Smiling Man is more than that. Unlike the others, he's the real deal, and he seems like he has something in store for the future of Fallout 76. Bethesda could potentially be building up a storyline that utilizes many of Fallout's horror elements like never before. Whatever the case may be, players should keep an eye out for the Smiling Man the next time they go venturing out into Fallout 76's Appalachian wasteland.
With that said, the Smiling Man is one of Fallout 76's many rare encounters. But him being harder to find may actually be a good thing, considering his potentially malevolent nature. Hopefully, players will see this storyline continued through future updates to the game.
Fallout 76 is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.