How Lock, Shock, and Barrel's Origins Change the Nightmare Before Christmas!

[@TheLuckyBlackChat]

im on the bandwagon of their names correspond with how they died. My therories are more of: - Lock was locked outside in the cold, hence why he looks like he was frozen to death. Couldve been malicious, or accidental. Heck, if it was purposeful, it may of been as punishment by his guardians for being a "little devil". Or, in general a brat. It's not an uncommon punishment to lock a chikd in the backyard when they misbehave too much, sadly. Perhaps one night it was just too cold, or worse, Lock was forgotten entirely out there... -Shock was likely electrocuted, judging from how her hair can resemble an old cartoon's rendition of hair after electrocution. Black and spiky strands in every direction. Not to also mention her ashy complexation, like said electrocution burned her as well. More likely an accident as well, and a very good chance of lots of neglect from guardians for such a thing to happen. -Barrel...well...its my theory he was thrown into a barrel of acid. Acid is a usual way for some murderers to dispose and dissolve away bodies, but the hardness and rich calcium of bones makes them much harder to dissolve than soft flesh. Hence why his costume is a skeleton. Acid is usually portrayed as green in cartoons, which may also explain his sickly, sunken complexation and hair color. He's a dissolving, decomposing body in a barrel! Whoo... i can hardly see how a child falling into a barrel of acid on accident makes sense...im afraid the most likely conclusion is murder and body disposal. It could explain why he allows himself to be used as a guinea pig... poor Barrel may have always been used to the torture and abuse from others. im not sure if these theories have been stated elsewhere, these have just been my ideas since i was younger watching the movie. I only commenting now cause im surprised i didnt see much like this even mentioned. But very entertaining, and gave me a new light on them all as a whole! i havent seen these analogies and theories before and i think theyre experimentive and great, personally! Keep up the great work!

[@Neon99]

Cool ideas!

[@7n154]

I like this theory a lot. I'm gonna cite it when possible.

[@PrincessSnowbelle]

I actually like your theory better.

[@tanandalynch9441]

I like this but there's a slight issue. The "they're all dead and died in x way" is debunked by Sally, the swamp monster, the witches and the werewolf. However for these three exclusively? Makes sense

[@beez9372]

@@tanandalynch9441 How is it debunked?

[@phirerising]

Honestly, I thought they were just abused kids, who died at the hands of their parents. This explains why they prefer oogie to the others, because most of them are adults. I assumed Lock froze, Shock was electrocuted, and Barrel... My best guess would be tortured to death. It's extremely grim, but kids do get kidnapped on halloween.. And it definitely changes the movie due to that.

[@lovelycloudyskies]

I also thought they were abused kids as well. I can see Jack as a parental figure to their eyes.

[@omegasynth2775]

... Jesus.

[@Jenacide]

I thought they just all died from various pranks they tried to pull that went wrong.

[@impofstpete727]

Kids don't get kidnapped on Halloween. That's a myth started by evangelical fear mongering.

[@SN.T.V]

Alright here’s something that fits with your theory for barrel if he was beat to death maybe he got thrown into something and drown so no one would know he had died of there abuse I don’t know 🤷🏾‍♀️

[@BatAmoungBirds663]

Not sure how this applies to the video, but just wanted to share something I learned while reading the Nightmare Before Christmas: Zero's Journey graphic novels. In Zero's Journey, the trio happen to run into old St. Nick again while searching for Zero. He asks them why they're always being so naughty, they say they're not and that they're 'just having fun'. He then asks if they even know the difference between what is considered good and bad(or naughty), to which they simply reply 'no'.

[@lenbutdrip6996]

Maybe they're morally corrupt due to either neglect or just the embodiment of the trick part of halloween

[@m0bz0mb39]

I'm not sure how that tracks either, but that is definitely interesting.

[@dannahbanana11235]

Aw, that makes me sad :( They're just being normal kids and no one's there to help them figure out right and wrong. I mean I never disliked them before, they always kind of just seemed like bratty kids. You know, all kids get that way sometimes.

[@Totally_notagod5]

Cool

[@jenniswatching7]

Okay so this indicates that they never had parents.

[@SollidnitrogeN]

Given Barrel's green hair and undead costume, I'd assume he's a zombie. That also makes sense for why he's used as a guinea pig so much, is because, being already dead, he can't really die.

[@McBean1331]

Indeed.

[@jokerlyzermedia6603]

Dude, that's what I always thought too!!! He's gotta be a zombie

[@mewmew6158]

I thought the same:)

[@bellaa1474]

I kinda thought he looked like beetle juice

[@DrakeKnight99]

@@bellaa1474 Maybe he's his son???

[@awkwardtonberry5459]

I always thought they were changlings. Tiny little shapeshifters who prefer the forms of children because many people would find them unassuming. Changlings typically love mischief and have a tendency to follow the orders of anything that has a show of intimidating energy about them (Oogie-Boogie).

[@starlabradshaw2969]

Aw I love Tonberrys!!!

[@awkwardtonberry5459]

@@starlabradshaw2969 They are literally the cutest things ever! I want to buy a plushie so bad!

[@corvidalexander3618]

This reminds me that my mom thought I was a changeling when I was like 4 because I creeped her out so much and weird creepy things would happen (we had a demon infestation)

[@leannkennett905]

Changelings in legend are said to snatch children from their beds, devour them, and then take their place and torment their families. So channelings could be a possible option.

[@sneakygoomba5042]

That could explain why we see them in Holloween Town after Oogie Boogie is defeated! They see that Jack Skellington defeated Oogie Boogie, so they then see him as more intimidating because of it!

[@froggyfriend2744]

There's also an interesting theory that the three kids were trick or treaters that froze to death during holloween night when it started snowing and the kids got lost finding their way home in the dark and no one would let them inside. The theory goes that this is why they have white skin, pale blue lips, and frozen hair like Shocks.

[@shimerrill967]

Sounds believable, i mean.. it has been known to snow in October before

[@kelsedraws5141]

​@UC22CUeL7gWbOmCi-w4sxRzw I'm sorry, but I have to make a dark joke. Husband: Honey, the neighbor's kid is climbing the fence again Wife: Eh, just turn it on Husband: Already on it **Screams can be heard in the background**

[@shanedaniels6447]

@@shimerrill967 It almost always snows in October in Alaska ^_^

[@Jenacide]

But that coloring could also just be from being dead in general and unrelated to how they died. I also find it hard to believe no one would help 3 young kids on a cold night, getting lost is one thing but I doubt the no one letting them inside part.

[@tylerredforge5563]

Yea your right some of the theory’s are so disturbing I hope this is canon

[@dyladino]

This isnt an origin, but i think they represent trick or treaters themselves in the same way sam does from trick r treat

[@torazely]

Okay, but considering what Sam is capable of, that's a terrifying thought.

[@lucy.lem13]

@@torazely lol yesss

[@TheNonameHousehold]

Sam follows the tradition of trick or treating but they don't represent that, their the living embodiment of Halloween... the spirit itself

[@torazely]

@@TheNonameHousehold k. i still wanna see Sam get in to shenanigan's with the trio. plus, he'd fit right in in Halloween Town.

[@PapaGinzer]

@@torazely he’d be more of a overwatch like he does in the movie unless someone does stuff outside the bounds ( jack gonna get his )

[@moss0428]

everyone: omg christmas is almost here! abitfrank: h a l l o w e e n

[@atlas1919]

Nightmare before Christmas is both a Halloween movie, and a Christmas movie. And it's not like she's gonna change up her whole spooky theme to be more merry.

[@icecreamlover1985]

@@atlas1919 I agree with you why would she and plus it's probably the only video that she completed that was a bit christmas and spooky

[@bitchpleaseiamunicorn7256]

Ok but that's mood

[@VaqueroCoyote]

Every night it's Halloween with +abitfrank.

[@borbleborb4586]

*e x a c t l y*

[@Wandervenn]

Considering Christmas Town was just a manifestation of our idea of the North Pole and Christmas year round to the nth degree, I feel like Halloween Town is that logically, showing aspects of Halloween Holiday in total and not just the spooky undead stuff. Trick or treat is a big part of that. And Lock Shock and Barrel are. In my belief, manifestation of that tradition. They lack boundaries, play pranks, act nice if they think they're getting something... and naughty any other time. They're literally costumed children. That to me feels like their origin. They exist because they are an important part of Halloween. Naughty Trick or Treaters year round would give me anxiety of I were the mayor and being naughty, of course the only one who can keep them in line are the two scariest guys around... especially the guy who is based on someone who steals bad kids. This world knows Santa Clause is real and willing to accept a skeleton running around. There's a giant rabbit that hides eggs and presumably has a world catering towards egg decorating, so I dont think it would be too crazy to think that these kids were always what they are now.

[@coyraig8332]

Also, Oogy Boogy is a sack

[@pipermeh3350]

This was always my thought as well.

[@BruggleStar]

Yeah, I just always figured they were just a representation of trick or treaters.

[@enderwalkgang]

Funfact if didnt know, people adults too used to dress up to diguise themselves as the creatures and leave out treats for said creatures- treats to please the creatures that go bump in the night and disguises to trick them into thinking theyre just another monster if they just so happen to bump into them. Also customs were super creeoy back then compared to todays, often cheaply mass produced. Not scary, just creepy.

[@kirawoodhouse9535]

What does the mayor represent then?

[@thefakerth]

- Permanent grin - Sunken eyes - Skeleton costume - Short Guys I think Barrel is Sans

[@thefakerth]

@SonicKen Willett You fool. You absolute fool. Do you truly wish for Barrel to unleash his final form unto Halloween Town? Do you crave the chaos, the total destruction you speak of? Naught a gremlin or ghoul would be left in his wake, should Barrel reveal his true power.

[@davidspring4003]

And Sans is Ness

[@corvidalexander3618]

*not again-*

[@aircraftcarrierwo-class]

But that's just a *_theory_* ...

[@pamelagreco4942]

@@aircraftcarrierwo-class A GAME THEORY. Thanks for watching.

[@darkkitty2830]

Me, an intellectual: The most horrifying monsters are small children.

[@gizoid1124]

How does this have 176 likes but no replies

[@myffyandlutube37]

@@gizoid1124 it does now

[@gizoid1124]

@@myffyandlutube37 I will destroy you so there will be no replies

[@myffyandlutube37]

@@gizoid1124 ok lol

[@hackman669]

Bad school kids are frightening!!!!

[@Yaahello]

Jack references them as "Halloween greatest trick or treaters" What if Jack or Oogie Boogie actually did kidnap from the mortal realm because they possessed such Halloween spirit. I'm thinking Oogie may have kidnapped them AFTER he was banished so he can puppeteer then to cause chaos on his behalf to take the throne from Jack, cause that's what they tried to do. But also in oogies revenge they succeeded with necromancy (rising then skeletons from the grave) and traps and pranks to stop Jack from ever encountering Oogie boogie

[@BrightWulph]

Or maybe they died on Halloween and ended up in Halloween Town as a kind of afterlife? Like maybe Jack took pity on the kids because it was a tragedy that three talented trick or treaters died on his holiday that he brought them to Dr Finklestine to bring them back to life where they could trick or treat forever? or something?

[@Yaahello]

@@BrightWulph that's a fair point using Dr Finkelstein since he did reanimate the reindeer with little to no problems

[@megalisa830bright6]

lol! Actually, Jack calls Lock, Shock, and Barrel 'Halloween Town's finest Trick-or-Treaters'! ^_^

[@tylerredforge5563]

This is just gonna be a dumb theory But I think it’s possible hey died on Halloween instead of being abused they just had parents that don’t pay attention so they were all trick or treating but they got kidnapped And you might have saw this in a other comment but shock was electrocuted Barrel was dunked in a barrel of acid kidnappers use that the hide bodies Lock was probably froze to death and the masks they have I think are just what they were wearing on the night And oggie could be there kidnapper that they View like that at the end of the day there still kids

[@tylerredforge5563]

@@megalisa830bright6 yea in the original script he was going to be oogie

[@nicholasandrade363]

Considering that we're shown how mortal children look in the film, the likelihood is that they're dead or some sort of creatures within themselves. I may argue and say that they are indeed victims of the 'Boogeyman' Mr. Oogie Boogie, and are in death his lackeys. Similar to the concept of the film Sinister in a way. They're victims, but also minions who more often than naught wreak havoc and cause mischief to the town. Essentially, the type of ghouls who are said to cross into our world during Halloween night - which is why we hold traditions of warding them off by Jack O Lanterns, treats, and costumes.

[@llewysznideric2169]

Just like Jack wards them off 🎃

[@XdarzethX]

they could also the names of how they died, -Lock was locked into a closet without food or was locked in a box and suffocated. Maybe found a coffin and thought it was funny to goin it. -Shock Maybe died from being scared to death or something similar. Maybe was even framed for being a which by her own parents. IE shock then drowned after. -Barrel has a few options. May have went into a barrel and as accident killed by being throw into the water or falling off the delivery cart or maybe ate or drank something in a barrel he wasnt suppose too. But ultimate suffocated as well inside a barrel

[@harsinsinquin4032]

Lock could also have been locked in a fridge and been frozen to death giving him his blue lips.

[@morganpaul421]

that would be cool

[@mysticalturtle9889]

Shock could have also been electrocuted

[@zachkaiser6825]

Barrel is also a part of a gun, suicide/bieng shot is a real option

[@zachkaiser6825]

Never mind, I didn't realize "lock stock and barrel was the original phrase. Sorry

[@britanyturner9203]

I think you may have overlooked a major part of spookiness: possession. It is almost as if they have become part of the costumes they are wearing - as if possessed by the essence of the costume. There are plenty of stories of people possessed by putting on a mask or garment. It also does seem like the costumes have merged with their bodies and appearance in ways. Now, this could be their entire story - or you could still say Oogie Boogie kidnapped them and brought them back alive, and being in Halloween town is what brought their costumes to life to consume their bodies - so they are both alive and no longer quite human. But that's just continued expansion as one wants to dwell on the idea.

[@interestingrobot9247]

That is one hella interesting, underrated theory 🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@galaxyskeleton]

Yesssss! That is the best theory yet.

[@annamartinez9495]

Or.. they just got masks and costumes that fit them?

[@pinkdarkman]

This has always been the vibe I got from them and I think is the intention behind their designs. They have masks and they take them off and we're supposed to be shocked that their faces are the same as their masks. It seems likely they're supposed to be normal kids who got morphed into their Halloween costumes and now they're monsters.

[@Applepoisoneer]

I had always just assumed they were trick or treaters who either: A. represent that aspect of Halloween, a la the werewolves and vampires. Or B. Were mortal, died doing something stupid while trick or treating, lived in Halloween Town, annoyed everyone there, discovered Oogie Boogie, and took on a job as his permanent stooges, because they had a kindred appetite for chaos and mayhem.

[@Applepoisoneer]

@Lara SCHROEDER They'[re totally afraid of him, and Jack. Maybe as children, they see the two of them as authority figures, but Boogie is an authority with goals they can get behind. So they just choose him. Like, kind of how children might occasionally pick one parent to be their favorite because they let the child do things the other doesn't. Something like that?

[@MinnieMu621]

Lock froze to death, shock was electrocuted, and barrel was abused and poisoned.

[@bishop2286]

Stock, not shock, she just pronounces it wierd

[@MinnieMu621]

@@bishop2286 No, its Shock. The saying is stock, but the kids name is Shock.

[@bishop2286]

@@MinnieMu621 if you say so, all I know is what I read and what I read was stock, not shock

[@ashleyjensen8722]

@@bishop2286 the kids name is shock. Shes just using comparisons to phrases to try to explain the characters and their origin.

[@bishop2286]

@@ashleyjensen8722 eh, in all honesty I should probably just re-watch the movie to see for myself

[@CosmicBlueRavenEntity]

1:56 There are moments when the tail moves (and not just because of costume physics). There are times when lays on the ground, raise back up, and even sway

[@jokerlyzermedia6603]

YES. I ALWAYS NOTICED THAT TOO!!! I always believed Lock was a real devil, cause his tail moves on it's own!!!

[@spaceunicorn6000]

I remember hearing some official source years ago, saying that they basically 'won' Trick or Treating, and Jack offered them to live in Halloween Town, and they obviously took him up on it. It was so long ago, I don't remember the source, and I don't know how someone 'wins' Trick or Treating. But there you go.

[@LuxValkyrie]

Jack literally says it: Halloweentown’s best trick-or-treaters.

[@soren3569]

I like a combo of Numbers 1 & 3: They're 'normal' children who, upon encountering Oogedy, didn't run away screaming, but instead followed him home, recognizing in him a kindred spirit; they weren't killed, because they were so good at coming up with ideas for what should happen to the other children. Thus, the Big OB has quasi-adopted them. They're forever children because of the magic of Halloween Town, and their natural vicious streak makes them perfectly fine residents. They only go to Earth for Halloween night, both to Trick'n'Treat and to help Oogedy find more targets, so they only age a quarter-day every year.

[@TravisKerr1]

The last idea immediately falls apart when you consider that the trio clearly does not know who Santa is when asked to kidnap him - and if they existed in the real world at some point, they most certainly would know who Santa is.

[@tylerredforge5563]

Yea I suppose but if you go to the theory we’re they had a really abusive parent/guardian most abusive care takers don’t tell you about holidays so they don’t waste there time and money probably the reason why they know about Halloween is because the care taker wanted them to get out and hoped for them to get kidnapped and if you want to go deeper The care taker retired to them as “witch” “devil” “creep”

[@Scruffy-qi3ik]

@@tylerredforge5563 at the same time, even then it’s nigh impossible to not hear about Christmas or atleast see the mascot of it either from mutuals or just simply looking outside half the time

[@faylokennedy2038]

Or what if they've been in halloween town for so long that they've just kinda forgotten what human life was like and the other holidays and such. I imagine if they're kids, and have been there for decades or centuries some part of their 'normal' mortal memories would have disappeared

[@alessandro5932]

They think that easter bunny is santa

[@eryuu4016]

@@Scruffy-qi3ik What if they died before the holiday was modernly established?? I mean, Halloween used to be a pagan holiday where people used costumes to hide from evil spirits. (I'd tell you the name of it but I can't spell it.)

[@bsko5466]

Your art style is so cute - love the way you draw noses in simple lines! It's clear you put a lot of love into these videos 💕

[@abitfrank]

Oh, thank you so much!

[@Cameron-fh3iv]

@@abitfrank I didn’t realize it was a nose. I thought it was a stray piece of hair that just always somehow managed to get into your face. But then again, I thought the eyes were buttons at first.

[@cielphantomhive1479]

@@Cameron-fh3iv Now I can't un-see it thx lol

[@micaylab1]

Barrel is basically Tim Burton's Joker in child form.

[@bellaa1474]

Or beetle juice

[@lilalil.4631]

Right! I do think he was dumped in acid ngl, specially because of his costume. If something’s dumped in acid (depending on the acid) only the skeleton would remain

[@brandoncolis3841]

After seeing these acid comments, that is where my mind immediately went.

[@lakamokolaka]

I think they are just manifestations of the spirit of Halloween like jack and many of the other residents are. Halloween traditions started off with kids dressing spooky and it is normally associated with the holiday, so they aren't dead just representations of the holiday like jack is

[@Jenacide]

"Halloween traditions started off with kids dressing spooky" 🤔

[@eryuu4016]

More like everyone because they wanted to hide from evil spirits.

[@PlanetZoidstar]

It's interesting how we see the Holiday Tree doors being USED as a means to go between the different worlds...But apparently there's multiple means to go between them. 1) Jack doesn't find the doors by exiting the Halloweentown door, but he walks through the forest till he finds them. 2) We see Jack enter Christmastown through the door and he falls a long ways...But we don't see how he got BACK. Is there another way to leave Christmastown that doesn't involve the long drop or being able to fly back up? 3) Jack is able to enter Halloweentown by going into a crypt in a cemetary. This is some lore I wish the movie elaborated more on, exactly how travel between the different Holiday Worlds works.

[@coyraig8332]

Jack definitely came back some other way, hence the snow machine and trailer

[@Neon99]

Probably just walked (or drove) awhile, like when he exited Halloween town

[@elisez478]

I’ve wondered about this myself

[@freemanburnstad2602]

Barrel is a skeleton, and that's the joke, a fat skeleton. But since he is not actually his costume it suggests that Lock and Shock are just kids in costume as well. It seems to me they must be dead, based on coloration alone.

[@Cameron-fh3iv]

And he’s grinning all the time so he must be sans based on all this evidence, or at least a decedent of sans.

[@doubletroublegrays]

@@Cameron-fh3iv I wish, but it's be more likely that Sans is based off of him than vice versa, as Nightmare came out waaaayyyyy before Undertale 😭😭😭

[@Cameron-fh3iv]

@@doubletroublegrays sans is based off of me you fool

[@doubletroublegrays]

@@Cameron-fh3iv *surprised Pikachu face*

[@Apple1519]

Locks tail is apart of his body thus that is not just a costume he is wearing

[@memerman9268]

Together they make GUN. Yes that GUN. The one that employed shadow the hedgehog. These 2 universes are connected, change my mind

[@CryBlueofZ]

Pow pow pow

[@lilacpen8678]

Oh yeah, it's all coming together.

[@Quario]

Halloween Town is a world in Kingdom Hearts > Sora is in Smash > Sonic is also in Smash > Shadow appeara in Sonic's games. Sonic is cannon to Nightmare Before Christmas

[@twistedwhimsy7993]

I always thought they were inspired by the stories of people putting on masks, only to realize that their faces become identical to the masks they wore when they took them off, hence why their masks look just like their actual faces. I think there was an old black and white twilight zone episode like that, as well as a goosebumps book and a few others that I can't remember.

[@SetzerII]

Pretty sure all the original Twilight Zone episodes were in black and white, not counting a movie or two, but it's a bit fuzzy. And yes, one of the more iconic episodes (a personal favorite) is about masks leaving people looking on the outside as they were on the inside.

[@kylecrawford7363]

What if they are stillborn triplets? They came from one and the same, and by dying before being born they somehow ended up in Halloween Town.

[@alphawolf2638]

Girl: He looks dressed as a skeleton but with his big grin- Sans: My son

[@tylerredforge5563]

@Xion Cinnamon Roll Princess the real theory

[@8REIS8]

The blue lips and the fact that they travel in a walking bath tube, once i hear they are 3 children drowned in their bath tube

[@ASRGRetro]

Originally, the script has Sally’s caretaker, the Doctor, as the villain. He creates the Oogie suit and wears it, which is revealed to be him inside at the end. This is seen in concept drawings and filmatics in other documentaries about the film. So, maybe he had been doing this for some time and like any mad doctor, he needs assistants for his work. I posit that hey kidnapped the kids and possibly drown them in their transport tub to keep them in Halloween Town as flunkies that are more willing to do his more sinister bidding than Sally would be willing to do. The costumes they wear are more than likely what they wore when he took them, and the drowning is evident from their homogenous pale skin and blue lips. Barrels green hair May just be blonde but from grime and dirt over the years has turned green as anyone with blonde hair dreads will attest, without proper care the hair turns green-ish.

[@funkyjozzy8096]

I feel like Barrel’s cause of death (if he really is a spirit) was drowning. So what about the skeleton part? The fish ate his flesh, leaving only bones.

[@junkpool]

"sunken eyes and manic panic green hair" well that's just me

[@jayantiraphael8655]

Or its how a dead body that drowns looks like after a few months

[@spineldinrebrick9882]

When I was little, I tired to find a graveyard that had doors in the tombstones and see if I could go to Halloween Town I was kid.... Just saying...

[@dreemurrreborn9782]

So cool I would've done the same😂

[@jojo-iy8bv]

Ok but I wanted to know so much about them but we didn’t really get anything about them😢

[@frandroid556]

In the German version they are basically called dread, fear and fright. So I'd think they are supposed to be trick or treaters? They look like they wear costumes so yeah

[@shiperofdeath1837]

in the french one, they are Am, Stram and Gram it is the begining of a counting rhyme, in english, i think it is Eeny, meeny, miny, moe (thr begining)

[@marcusblacknell-andrews1783]

I'm going with the sack man theory. They are known as "Boogie's Boys".

[@Zip_zow]

Oh yeah. Maybe they are know as Boogie’s boys because he like basically owns them or something. Or Oogie Boogie makes them do things for him because although they like causing trouble, they seen pretty scared of him and don’t want him to be mad

[@EnderWarlock]

A movie with Lock, Shock and Barrel discovering Halloween town would be a great semi-prequel to Nightmare Before Christmas.

[@Casandraelf]

personally, i think they're one of two things: a manifestation of the 'trick of treat' tradition in the form of opportunistic children who act nice if they think they'll get something(treat) and act up otherwise via pranks(trick) or mortal kids who either wandered into halloweentown and stayed there or ended up there due to dying on halloween night due to trick or treat-related mishaps

[@cieragalb4736]

To follow with the idea of lock being a mischievous trick or treater, I think he locked himself inside of a fridge. It was surprisingly common for little kids to accidentally lock themselves inside of abandoned fridges when playing hide and seek. This also fits with the common theory that he was frozen asphyxiated

[@moxwinters6165]

This isn’t really an origin but I honestly think that they’re there as gatekeepers for Oogie Boogie, it seems that Oogie is trapped beneath the treehouse and can’t leave so he needs some kind of caretaker to feed him and keep him there, this is where the trio comes in, I don’t think they serve Oogie in any way I just think they’re entertained by him, in Oogies revenge the three literally bring Oogie back from the dead, a power we’ve really only seen done by Finkelstein proving that they’re not weak in any way and honestly if they can bring someone back from the dead, or whatever Oogie was when he was squished, what else can they do

[@zambrae5830]

I think in the end scene (or really any seen with bugs) I think the bugs are just symbolism for bad kids or "parasites". So where there is bugs in the movie, it's really just kids corpses made kid appropriate. Just a thought

[@christianmarshal6117]

I think sack man victims seems to fit best. I’ve also heard that Jack Skellington in life was actually Ichabod Crane and was forced to live in servitude to the Headless Horseman in life but he managed to get his skull back and then lead a revolt against the Headless Horseman and basically “drummed him out of town” and that’s why everyone likes him, he was their liberator. As for why they all call him Jack Skellington it could be that since he had no head he couldn’t talk during his servitude so they all had to either make up a name or go by what the horseman said to call him and by the time he got his head back he was used to this new name. If you’re wondering how this connects, well if that is true then it might be that Oogie Boogie was next in line to become the leader of Halloween Town since he also had a habit of bringing lost souls into their creepy monster realm and after overthrowing the Headless Horseman the trapping of inhabitants that don’t wish to be there would be outlawed straight away, (Jack would surely see to that and the mayor wouldn’t fight him on it.) That would explain why Oogie Boogie seems to be the only one in Halloween Town that doesn’t like Jack but Lock, Shock and Barrel had already developed a sort of “Shock”holm Syndrome type relationship, (heh heh) 😏 and opted to stay.

[@ashlielaurel4501]

I think that they found "the town" but we're kicked out so, they dressed up in Halloween costumes and went back to Halloween Town saying that they were boys witch would explain why in the movie it says "his boys" or "ogie boogies boys"

[@Zip_zow]

But haven’t they taken of their masks in front of Jack before??

[@Sunnysketchster]

I love Lock, Shock, and Barrel! My friends and I have our own theories too! So the hints are in their names! They're all dead, Shock was struck by lightning, Lock was locked out and left in the cold, and Barrel drowned, and their costumes are kind of like their identity.

[@catherinealeman]

we all have our theories but mine is that - lock died from being frozen so he dresses warm as the devil - shock died of natural causes so she dresses as a witch pretending she died as someone better - barrel died of drowning and his body never decomposed so he dresses as a skeleton pretending as if it did these aren’t my theories but that’s what i think 😌 it’s a theory by annalise wood 🥸

[@jacksnow54104]

Can you send me a link of the video because I can't find it & I want to re-watch it?

[@catherinealeman]

@@jacksnow54104 i think she deleted the video bc i can’t find it either sorry

[@lunamoonstone2350]

huh i never really thought about lock, shock, and barrel as human kids that stumbled into halloween town. i know they were there before oogie boogie came because in the game that is a prequel to nightmare before christmas oogie leaves his holiday when it became less popular and stumbled into halloween town where he meets the kids. i honestly thought they were the spirits of trick or treat for jack calls them halloween's finest trick or treaters. yet maybe they could have been kids who followed jack on halloween and decided to stay. interesting theories i'll give you that.

[@kitherinekatherine1165]

I've heard that their names are supposed to represent "shock, barrel, and lock" In which you would scare someone, shove them in like a barrel, and lock them up (similar to what they did to Santa)

[@celestinedream_]

I always thought that Lock died due to freezing to death because he's dressed as a devil, and you know, the devil comes from a warm place, Shock because she was accused of being a witch, and Barrel because he drowned. But then I watched this.

[@lexclark8231]

I was thinking barrel either was starved to death ( skeleton costume and his appearance) or he was drowned playing in a barrel

[@tylerredforge5563]

Good idea if they all lived far apart timeline wise like shock could have been in the mid evil times barrel in the industrial revolution Lock in semi modern day

[@yourbeardlybro5887]

I like to imagine it started with them just being three kids who enjoyed Halloween and who enjoyed playing pranks more than treats. Each year their pranks grew more elaborate, and eventually started to go too far. At some point they were no longer innocent kids and were seen as little monsters by the locals in town. Rejected by their hometown, The three kids walked through the forest, finding the holiday trees. Their desires had drawn to only the Halloween tree, where they were welcomed by Jack and the other residents of Halloween town. Unknown to the kids that they were only granted the rare access to the supernatural holiday trees because they were looking for a purpose when they are contemplating change even when they are great at what they do (Like Jack). Prior to oogie boogie being stuck with the punishment of house arrest, Jack introduced Oogie to the kids. Jack then told Oogie to watch over the kids because they weren't welcome back at their homes. Oogie not scolding the kids for their prank behavior caused the kids to have more of loyalty towards Oogie.

[@theheroneededwillette6964]

I was told once that everyone in town are manifestations of some sort. Like the mayor is a playful manifestation of the concept of a “two faced politician”. And that these three are embodiments of the concept of trick or treaters, including the nasty tricks and pranks. With of course most of the townspeople embodying the general different kinds of spooky monsters that people have come to imagine (monster under the bed, monster under the stairs, supernatural clowns) and even general spooky phenomena (wind in your hair, shadow of the moon, voice that goes “who’s there?”)

[@thelivingfreakshow5892]

Wow you're voice is so soothing. Always happy to see a new video of yours.

[@emilyodonnell4928]

I remember seeing a picture on Pinterest that is how each character some of the main characters we see in Halloween Town have died and if you think getting electrocuted for Shock’s death was dark this one’s darker this person’s theory is that Lock died from freezing Barrel died from drowning and Shock committed suicide

[@DarkLadyJade]

My personal headcanon is that they are children who ran away from their homes one Halloween night. They got to Halloween Town, which could also be considered a sort of land of the dead, and after eating some food there it stopped them from aging, since traditionally it is said if the living eat the food of the dead they themselves die or become bound to the afterlife (the legend varies with culture of course).

[@hackman669]

Sounds like the Greek legend of Haitis

[@kamataros5172]

I like the idea that they're not "simply" mortal children, but particularly evil mortal children who strayed so far from the "normal" trick-or-treat-prank-path that the holiday world of halloweentown itself opened itself up for them, they are the worthy evil trick-or-treaters of Halloween itself.

[@aloevera765]

I was so scared of them when I watched the Nightmare before Christmas 😂

[@sheaburke5438]

As a goth preteen in the early 00s, I wrote a fanfiction about these three and their origins- they all grew up together in a small villiage in the 1600s, Barrel was poisoned and everyone thought Shock did it and were going to kill her as a witch. Lock tried to break her out of the jail and there was fire. It was not a great fanfiction.

[@kittimusicartist]

I'd definitely read tho

[@zevfeinstein2051]

I think they are just halloween spirits like everyone else in the town. They were always the way they are now and always will be. Just like Zero was always a ghost dog and the vampires were always vampires. They don't have any "origin" necessarily. Perhaps they just popped into existence when the tradition of trick or treating became possible.

[@BrightWulph]

IIRC the insipration behind Lock Shock and Barrel's creation are haunted house characters/performers who's make-up would match their masks, so it was like they were wearing a double mask. Tim Burton (or was it Selig?) always found it both creepy and cool so he decided to pay homage to it in The Nightmare Before Christmas.

[@WiseWordsbyWiki]

I always assumed each townie represents some aspect of horror and Halloween, so they were the representations of troublesome trick or treaters. (Jack = Love of the season/undead lord troupe, Sally = the nature of rebellion/Frankenstein troupe, Mayor = Stress of being as good as other/two faced monster, Undead family = Family fun/Zombies, etc )

[@uniquerebeljaney3639]

I always thought the mayor was supposed to be some reference to Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

[@WiseWordsbyWiki]

@@uniquerebeljaney3639 Yeah, but he's not a perfect fit so placing him as the general troupe of 'two faced' seemed to work better for it (Since the mayor's biggest problems in his own insecurities about his ability, hence why he constantly refers to jack, while in Jekyll's case it was a lack of control)

[@hobojoe27]

my theory for these kids were that they were tick or treaters, they have THE most classic halloween costumes, but the details suggest that somehow they were murdered on halloween. shock was electrocuted, lock was frozen, and barrel thrown into acid. i suspect that oogie boogie wanted them for himself, like tiny evil chaos employees, because who sews chaos better than a group of children?. i think he murdered them and took them with him to halloweentown.

[@krmKB]

I think they are mortals that weren't afraid of Oogie Boogie, so Oogie Boogie adopted them, and maybe that's why They have a strong connection with Oogie Boogie.

[@paigechaplin5965]

A lot of people are saying they can't be alive and real children as we see real children in the film which is true - however, there is a possibility that living in Halloweentown changed them physically. They're not exactly getting nutritious meals, they're all mostly around at night and numerous other things. It is a distinct possibility that, since the other residents of the town are dead, they aren't seen to have the same affects as living in the Town as living people. I'm kind of siding on they were kids messing around in a graveyard and ended up there and living there for so long has caused discoloration/etc for them.

[@dranimations7902]

I saw this film at the cinema when it came out - and Vincent before it. - I think these three were just three delinquents that Oogie Boogie hired to covertly do his bidding in and around Halloween town - perhaps he bestowed them with supernatural powers in return.

[@randallnied2476]

I always thought that Oogie Boogie was essentially the "Anti-Santa", with Lock, Shock, and Barrel being the opposite representation of Santa's elves. They talk about staying on his good side, so maybe there could have been more minions before Oogie ate them, it makes some sense seeing as how they're trying to keep him fed with bugs, and eventually, Santa.

[@cassidyszewczyk5029]

Interesting. I never really considered Oogie to be the anti Santa, but I did consider the idea that there were kids before our main trio. Perhaps they failed a mission and were eaten as punishment? That would solidify the idea of never failing in this new crew's heads.

[@Pizzacat-xy8dj]

Could be just dead trick-or-treaters Who candy was probably poisoned 🤢🤮🍬

[@teehee93]

That is so simple it could be true

[@paco7992]

I thought lock, stock, and barrel was a reference to buying an entire business. The key to the front door, everything on the shelves, and all the merchandise stored in the back.

[@LilLadyAy]

I can't help but like those brats, my first proper villains because Oogie, Ursula and Scar were too entertaining.

[@commentdouchery2838]

Lock, died locked away for being a little devil. Shock, died due by the literal shock from her first spell. Barrel, was thrown in a barrel for bad behavior and left to rot for he was forgotten. There, dark.

[@damotoneko1500]

I'm 100% for them being kids who stumbled into Halloween town and are now themselves ageless residents. It's the finishing dash of sprinkle on the ghoulish sundae supreme that is Halloween town. Actually, now i want a prequel with them as the focus and this being their story.

[@dream_walker9726]

The tail for Lock is in fact, real I think. You can see it sputter and shake when Lock gets spooked and when these three yell *”NO!”* at Santa his tail straightens in a dramatic manner to match him yelling.

[@nxghtmaremsp]

I haven't seen the movie in years but I think I remember the three, in the song 'Kidnap The Sandy Claws', having an old metal cage and taking it with them when they go out in the bathtub? So my "idea" or rather theory on them is the following: They live further away from the other residents of Halloweentown, in a broken down wooden house, doing what they can to earn Oogie Boogie's respect. I assume they're dead and the house is maybe where they lived before their deaths. I also assume that they're related/siblings if you're going with the tallest one being the oldest and so forth because of their height differences. Now, my assumption is that when they were alive they were either abused or neglected and eventually killed by their parent(s) but before that, the kids weren't frightened of the tale of the Boogeyman (which could explain why they're with him) and liked Halloween. When they wanted to go out trick or treating (and wore their costumes) the parent(s) did not let them (or they came back from it?) and for whatever reason killed them. One by locking them in a cage, one by being drowned in the bathtub and one by being electrecuted. Then, according to their names (which I assume they did not have when they were alive) Lock would've been the one locked up in the cage (and most likely starved to death or even buried alive - people can be cruel), Shock the electrecuted one (the hair could be a hint at it) and Barrel the drowned one. If they, as I said earlier, were not afraid of the Boogeyman they maybe liked him which led to them living with him in Halloweentown. And if I remember correct the house they're in is a mess with stuff everywhere and since kids don't like cleaning up or putting toys away, the cage and other stuff they have could be their new "toys" as they're dead. Plus all the stuff they say in the song when deciding how to capture Santa really makes it clear for me that they're dead and most definetely weren't treated nicely as living kids so they know of those things because they either experienced them themselves ("kidnap the Sandy Claws, [...] lock him in a cage and then throw away the key" as one of many examples) or their parent(s) threatend to do that to them.

[@llewysznideric2169]

I always thought that what they described in that song was way too specific for them to just have it as an idea for Santa and that they were kind of reliving past experiences.

[@RonaldMcDonald-v2r]

a cool idea for Lock, Shock and Barrel name is that how they died is played into there names, Lock was probably frozen death and his name could have mean he was locked in a freezer until he died, Shock probably died from lack of air due to her lip colour so she was shocked and then choked to death, and then Barrel was most likely drowned by his lip colour so maybe he was forced into a barrel (this was an actual torture method) and then drowned while still in it. just a quick idea probably not true but a cool little idea.

[@charw.1337]

ok I agree with lots of this but I'm finding the lack of no one notices his tail move during the movie, locks tail is seen moving in some scenes

[@mattvirginia8501]

The idea of Lock Shock and Barrel following Jack home is a splendid one. I can imagine him trying to return them but they make it difficult so everyone just decides to hand them over to Boogie (most likely everyone but Jack hopes he eats the troublemakers) but instead they give them someone who enables their chaos.

[@riakun]

I personally like your last theory the most. I think that makes the most sense to me. Love your videos and fun ideas as always. Your little drawings of Lock, Shock, and Barrel are also super adorable ❤️

[@oyonan]

I never questioned that they were one of the most common, but overlooked elements of Halloween. Just like all the other inhabitants of halloween town. the spirits of trick or treaters. Maybe they were three kids who died together one Halloween night. Or found each other, as kids do, once dead and in halloween town.

[@eyeball_freak]

Take this with a grain of salt, but I think it was confirmed that Lock(?) froze to death in a locked freezer.

[@hackman669]

So the three children are actually undead!!!

[@torazely]

i always assumed they were meant to represent Trick or Treaters, but got kidnapped by Oogie when they stopped by his house.

[@lucy.lem13]

I feel like you could also combine 2 of those, then sack man kidnapped them and was gonna eat them or whatever, but they made a deal that they would serve him in exchange for their lices

[@alxade6698]

From a story perspective, the kids represent something that the town is scared of, a passive antagonist (if you can imagine). The Halloween town seem derive pleasure from scaring people and children are probably their greatest victim. But Lock, Shock and Barrel seem to actively enjoy these types frantic, so they represent a nightmare for the Halloween town.

[@dawngleason5325]

Idea: lock shock and barrel all died on Halloween shock giving her name was most likely electrocuted while she was seven years old lock died next when he froze to death while going trick or treating while he was 9 and barrel died from a explosion or something close to that while he was 6 and as I am a horror story reader I see a lot of story's called "people aren't aloud to die on Halloween" maybe there just lost souls who all want to impress there big brother aka father figure oogiee boogie

[@ShogaiDeZpair]

In German they are called Furcht, Angst and Schrecken What Translates to Fear, Anxiety ("Angst" actually is also translated with "fear" - it means to be scarred) and Terror

[@ronpanco6246]

oogie boogie died from being thrown into a bag and bugs ate him alive devil kid froze to death so he had the devil costume to be warm skeleton kid uhm lets say sunk so he has a skeleton costume since he never could really be one idk about the witch kid though

[@sacredsin7282]

I always assumed that the trio were trick or treaters that died on Halloween night in their costumes, perhaps from stumbling across some hostile member of Halloween Town (which might explain why they seem to avoid interacting with much of the town and it’s inhabitants.) I also saw someone mention below that they could have frozen to death while out trick or treating after they’d gotten lost, and I could see that as well. As to their closeness, I always believed they’d been incredibly close in life and death brought them even closer together.

[@atlas1919]

I loved seeing the Night in the Woods clips, it doesn't get enough recognition!

[@freshfood3308]

They've always reminded me of a Twilight Zone episode involving people putting on cursed masks that transform their faces to match their personalities

[@tomboyangel78]

Loved the "A Night in the Woods" bit lol Great theories, and I think the last one fits. (Ripping off Monsters Inc here) Perhaps the Halloweentown folk are afraid of them because they are the only people (let alone kids) who are not scared of them, let alone are involved with Oogie Boogie, who is clearly ostracized for good reason. Perhaps the reason they favor Oogie Boogie is because he's like them: scary, but in a sadistic way (whereas the rest of the chars are scary in the fun way, hence the "but we're not mean" line of the opening song) and that's the kind of thing they're into. ...man, I pity their parents.

[@orionfettes5501]

I think a really fun book for a potential sequel to long live the pumpkin Queen would be a story about lock shock and barrel going up against karmups to save all of Halloween and Christmas maybe I'm just crazy but it sounds like a really fun idea

[@Apologygirl-j5r]

I’ve been looking forward to you posting for soo long I clicked as soon as I saw✨

[@thelion7929]

I think they're evil kids who were kidnapped by Oogie Boogie on Halloween because he likes how devious they are.

[@somegirle0nthe1nternet48]

Hi! Nightmare Before Christmas is my favorite movie and I love hearing you talk about it! ❤️❤️❤️

[@bloopsignal4480]

I just always thought they were the spirits of trick or treating. Like, that's what they are. Trick or treaters. They were born as trick or treaters.

[@emo_ghost_boi_4901]

Jealous, I want to live in Halloweentown forever

[@AnakhaSilver]

I always thought they were all bug-creations. A scorpion, a moth and a slug. They're golems.

[@you_need_help7067]

I love how my dad sent this to me

[@cutiegalore5376]

When the movie first came out, there were people saying that Jack Skellington is in fact the Slenderman who takes children as a prize. Jack took these kids to Halloweentown to use them as lure and that's how he created this town and why there aren't any kids like them.. they would sacrifice them/eat them.

[@firewolf278]

I THINK BARELL IS BEATLE JUICE (IN A WAY)

[@enderwalkgang]

He looks like a kid beatle juice. Both are tim burtin films so it make sense old timmy got a style to his corpse...however, it should be noted canonically juicy boy hung himself hence his pale, blue lipped appearence- he sufficated till hes blue in the face.

[@andriesoliviier9529]

I always thought that they were kids who met a sad demise while trick-or-treating.