One of Fallout 76's most appealing features is that it's filled with iconic stealth creatures. From long, skinny snow monsters to aliens from a faraway land, the game has plenty of variety. But one mysterious creature stands out as the creepiest to date, and even that's a far cry from the rest. Players can prepare enough Fallout 76 Caps in the game.
The Smiling Man, also known to the community as Indrid Cold, is the newest addition to Fallout 76. As a mystery man, he shares many of the same creepy traits as the others. But in many ways, he goes beyond what defines what it means to be a mystery man in Fallout 76.
Fallout 76's smiling man is terror incarnate
In context, the Smiling Man has its roots in Appalachian urban legend and is often associated with the Mothman himself. This connection is not entirely clear, but it implies that this iteration of the Smiling Man will also be somehow related to the Mothman. After finding him in the game, Smiling Man will say many things to the player, but the most striking thing he will say is to imply that he will be returning to Appalachia after quite some time. While his comments alone certainly make him one of the most fearsome mystical creatures in Fallout 76, he has a unique trait that sets him apart, even among other mystical creatures.
After witnessing his many creepy and ominous comments, players may feel a slight inclination to want to shoot the smiling man. After all, that's how most problems are solved in Fallout's wasteland. But when shooting the smiling man, he won't take any damage. Instead, he will disappear into a cloud of black smoke. The black smoke surprisingly resembles the black smoke emitted by the Mothman, solidifying the connection between them. It does, however, call into question how exactly the smiling man did this. But more importantly, it questions whether this is another supernatural event in Fallout.
There are several examples of creatures and humans being able to teleport throughout the Fallout franchise. The Big MT in Fallout: New Vegas and the Fallout 4 Institute both have access to teleportation technology, so it's not impossible. However, the smiles are noticeably different due to the connection with the Mothman. Bethesda seems to imply that this is not the work of higher science or mutation, but rather due to genuine paranormal activity. lovecraftian horror has been confirmed to exist in Fallout, so the smiling man could just be another one.
For this reason, the Smiling Man is arguably one of the creepiest mysterious creatures in Fallout 76. Cryptids like Wendigo and Grafton Monster can be explained as terrifying mutations, but the Smiling Man is more than that. Unlike the others, he is the real deal, and he seems ready for the future of Fallout 76. Bethesda may be building a storyline that utilizes many of Fallout's horror elements in ways never seen before. Regardless of the situation, players should keep an eye out for the Smiling Man the next time they venture into Fallout 76's Appalachian wasteland.
That said, the Smiling Man is one of Fallout 76's many rare encounters. But given his potentially malevolent nature, it may actually be a good thing that it's hard to find him. Hopefully, players will see a continuation of this storyline in a future game update. See wokgold.com for more details on the game guide.
