Uncover the history behind the original Nightman, from the famous villain on the show “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”, to the supernatural being from historic folklore and mythology. You would never guess where this character came from throughout different cultures across history. Let’s explore the background and impact the Nightman has had on popular culture in this article.

Who is the Nightman?

The nightman that you are thinking of is a fictional character created for the television show called “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”.

The Nightman Cometh:

The Nightman that you are expecting to learn about is the fictional character from the TV show that we all know and love, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”. The character is best known as the villain from the musical episode entitled “The Nightman Cometh”, which first aired in the 4th season. This 2008 episode showed us the shadowy character that sneaks in and visits one of the main protagonists named Charlie. He slips into Charlies dreams and starts a battle for his soul. Charlie created the musical in order to show his encounter with the antagonist known as the Nightman.

The antagonist is portrayed as a dark and mysterious entity that dresses in all black with a cape and a top hat. He is ominous and is specifically seen as a sexual predator who looks to control and corrupt Charlie. Charlie day created this character to show its predatory nature specifically.

This character has become a reference seen and heard many different times throughout the series, and is often an inside way of describing evil and predatory behavior. The character has become somewhat of a pop icon, as the Nightman has been parodied in several other forms of media. This role was not only written and directed by Charlie Day, but it was also created to get this boys soul. You will get that reference if you have ever watched the actual show.

He also created the opposite character name the Dayman. The Dayman role was played by Glenn Howerton AKA Dennis, and it added a great deal to the comedy factor in this episode. They battle for the boy (Charlie), and eventually one of them wins. I won’t spoil which one wins for you here. Go watch the thirteenth episode of the fourth season to find out for yourself.

The Real History and Mythology Behind the Nightman:

There are plenty of stories to be found within folklore from different cultures from around the world. There are even some real roles that people have played that may have lead to the creation and backstory of this character. Some of this may be a little bit speculative, but it is fun to look at real folklore and stories that could be the root cause of this famous villain from “It’s Always Sunny”.

The Irish Folklore History of the Nightman:

In some cultures, there is a sort of Nightman that is associated with death, ghosts, and other supernatural topics. In Irish cultures the colloquially named “Nightman” is known to be a mischievous fairy, or group of fairies, that often plays tricks on people while they are asleep. These fairies are named  Túatha Dé Danann, and they are most often associated with nightmares and dreams. There are rituals in which these supernatural entities can be invoked to help ward off evil spirits.

Just like in the TV show, this character is often depicted as a shadowy figure that is shrouded in darkness as well as mystery. They prowl the streets and homes during the nighttime, hence the name the Nightman. They are correlated with the underworld and have been said to have the power of shapeshifting. Often, they are also considered to have control over weather and other natural elements as well.

This is the most likely place that the origin of the Nightman character came from for the TV show, as the main driving culture behind the group, bar, and show in general is of Irish descent. It would make sense that a creature based on the Irish folklore would be included in the show like this, due to the heavy prominence that its background plays throughout the rest of the episodes and seasons.

These fairies are said to be incredibly skilled in magic and they also had many magical weapons such as spears. They are also said to be extremely crafty and smart, being adept in skills such a poetry and metalworking. All of these aspects, plus the fact that they are popular and prominent in Irish stories and folklore, make them a perfect fit for the reason why the Nightman was created in the TV show.

African Mythology and the Nightman:

In a similar fashion to the Irish stories of a sort of “Nightman”, the African cultures version of this character is well known to be associated with dreams and the spirit world. For the Bantu people in Southern Africa, the Nightman is known as Isanusi AKA the “Dream Master”. This is said to be a powerful sorcerer that is able to actually enter into peoples dreams in order to influence their actions as well as their very thoughts.

Sometimes Isanusi is able to enter into the dreams of individuals by using herbs, music, or even spiritual possession. They are often known to be good spirits, however, providing protection, healing, and learning about a person’s spiritual state of being.

While there are some similarities between this character in African folklore and the one from the TV show, this is likely not the reason behind the creation of the protagonist.

Native American Mythology and the Nightman:

There is an incredibly sacred ritual that is done in the Lakota Sioux communities called the “Night Chant”, and it is considered to be a healing time for those involved. It includes singing, dancing, prayer, and other rituals in order to perform the ceremony properly and help heal both physical and spiritual ailments that anyone present may have.

This ritual process lasts for several days and is most often carried out during the summertime during the night. This is most likely not the reason, nor does it have anything to do with the character in the show, but it is an interesting bit of information in a sort of comparable tangent way.

German Mythology and the Nightman:

In Germanic mythology there is a creature known as the Nachzehrer, which is also known as Nachtschrat and Nachtalb. This is said to be a malevolent creature that is often times associated with death and the undead. The name of this creature translates into “the after-feeder” which is specifically referring to the way in which it eats its own family members after they have passed away.

It is described as a sort of ghoul or vampire in a way, and it can only be killed by destroying its head or by driving a stake through its heart. Very similar to a vampire in this way, it also is able to shapeshift and take on the physical form of a pig, cat, dog, and more.

This creature is also prominent in the Germanic neopaganism. It is said to be similar to the wind  when it enters your home and you can hear the sounds of creaking doors as it enters through small cracks in windows and/or doors. Once it is inside, it can cause you sleep paralysis and cause nightmares.

While there are a couple of similarities between this creature and the one from the “It’s Always Sunny” TV show, this is likely a creature that has nothing to do with the protagonist called the Nightman.

Slavic Mythology and the Nightman:

The Kikimora is a female spirit within the Slavic mythology, and she is said to live in your house with you in order to cause mischief during the night time. Similarly to some of the other stories of creatures in this article, Kikimora is said to have shapeshifting abilities and is known to take the form of a bird, cat, and many other animals as well. This creature is described in folklore as an old woman that is hunched over with tangled up hair and a long tail. She lives in dark corners of your house such as closets, pantries, under beds, and more.

Kikimora is also considered to be a prominent figure in the Slavic neopaganism folklore and is mostly seen as a symbol of domestic life and the home. While she is known to beak things, make scary noises, and cause illness or death, she has also been known to protect the house that she resides in at the time as well as the family from other evil spirits.

There is next to no chance that this creature is the reason behind the TV show character, but yet again it is interesting to learn about another sort of “Nightman” like character from historical folklore across different cultures.

The Night Soil Collector: 

From ancient times, until the early 20th century, the role of the “night soil collector” was of major importance. In some countries it is still a necessity. This job consists of collecting human waste (also known as night soil) from the homes of other people in order to transport it to another location. This is done in locations that don’t have functioning sewage systems in place, and the waste needs to be removed and disposed of elsewhere.

The job is carried out at night most of the time, while the homeowners are sleeping, as to avoid the traffic and attention from daytime activities. Clearly, this job is considered to be a dirty and nasty job, and thus it is generally done by lower-class individuals.

This human waste is often used as fertilizer, but it is also discouraged due to health risks potentially arising as a result. Sometimes the Night Soil Collectors are/were stigmatized because of the nature of their work. Even though they were ostracized at times, the job was still a necessity in pre-modernized civilizations in order to remove the human waste. The job decreased the spread of diseases such as typhoid fever and cholera.

Recap & Summary:

There are many different stories across many different cultures in which a correlation can be made towards the Nightman, but only one stands out as the obvious real background for the character in the TV show. The Irish mythology has a mischievous fairy known to sneak around in the night to cause mayhem and mischief as well as nightmares in those that sleep. You got to learn a great deal about the character in the actual show ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ as well as some of the stories told throughout history about similar creatures.

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