The Haunting Truth Behind FNAF 3's Phantom Animatronics

The security guard of Fazbear's Fright: The Horror Attraction is constantly plagued by the phantom animatronics, who are hallucinations of some of the original animatronics from the Five Nights at Freddy's series. Besides being an annoying threat to face each night, what else is hiding behind their seemingly burnt shells?

Thank you so much for watching!

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All music and sounds are owned by Scott Cawthon, Steel Wool, and the Five Nights at Freddy's series.

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Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro
00:47 - Teasers
02:00 - General Analysis
03:18 - The Phantom Animatronics
08:04 - The Significance of the Phantoms
10:25 - Speculation ('What We Found')
13:48 - Problems Arise
14:48 - Conclusion/Outro

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If anything in this video is un-official/fan-made, please contact me on my Twitter DMs, and I'll make sure to give proper credit ASAP!

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Tags:
#fnaf #fivenightsatfreddys #phantom #securitybreach #sisterlocation #fnaf2 #fnaf3 #fnaf4 #fivenightsatfreddy #fivenightsatfreddyssecuritybreach #freddyfazbear #freddyfazbearspizzeriasimulator #fnafgameplay #fnafgames #fnaftheories #theory #fnaftheory #animatronics #character

[onlookerofthings]

I think the hallucinations are referring to actual Springtrap hallucinations more than the Phantoms. If a ventilation error happens, you can see multiple Springtraps on the cams and in the vents

It's a game mechanic that isn't as well-known as it should be

[superkidsabi]

A video on the phantoms? This is different from every other FNaF video.

[gabriele]

I never realized they weren't on the thank you teaser, I actually like their designs though, fnaf 3 is criminally underrated

[Sopsy_Hallow]

it's interesting to note that the puppet mask in cam 8 is likely not THE puppet mask, because well, puppet is fully intact in lefty in pizza sim, so unless pizza sim happens before fnaf 3 (extremely unlikely), or the puppet somehow reassembled itself after the building burnt down, it has to be a different mask

[imalright]

It's crazy how I didn't even realize there was a phantom mangle and I've been into this series since 2014

[lanafaiez]

I always see people overlook the phantoms in lore videos or about something else such as merch. Really don’t see people like them just cause they are reskins off of their Fnaf 2 forms (except chica) but I really love them, even if they have burnt marks all over them with cloudy pupils I still like them. Hope they use them in more games but it looks like it’s not happening anytime soon

[TrifectShow]

You just made me have a revelation!

The Phantoms have the same eye texture as Springtrap...
Even Scott puts emphasis on this in the FNaF 3 trailer as it zooms into his eye.

It seems he created these illusions. I think Scott intentionally tied them together this way.

[plutoandpolaris]

I always assumed they were manifestations of whatever remained of the missing children’s souls after their bodies were mostly destroyed, considering how much emphasis this game places on freeing them.

However, I also really like your idea of Springtrap using them as tools to whittle down the minds of his victims. Honestly, I think both options work together because Springtrap, despite being a physical being, is also haunted. William Afton is a spirit now, technically a poltergeist, and I imagine at this point his spirit was probably stronger than the children’s considering that his “body” was still mostly intact.

With the movie’s emphasis on William “controlling” the children’s spirits somehow, I can imagine him basically using his stronger will to direct their anger at whoever he wanted, until of course they were (mostly) freed at the end of this game, which would explain why he can’t do that in FFPS.

[zamzamhassan]

Another thing worth noting is that the Phantoms are present in UCN, which would be weird if they’re just hallucinations.

[Porygonube]

10:00 If the phone dude mentions crazy hallucinations on Night 1, wouldn't that imply they are separate from Springtrap and are attached to the objects in the building? (like Foxy's hook, which I never realized was there and missing from Phantom Foxy until you pointed it out)

[tinaherr]

To add on to your ending statements, there is the existence of Agony (or Dark Remnant as it is called in Fnaf AR). First talked abour in the books (#3 of FF if I recall), it is the emotions of human suffering having an effect on its surroundings. The Phantom animitronics could very well be beings created from the Agony of the props

[Pygarguefr]

Had always saw them as the missing kids trying to scare you away to burn the place down and kill springtrap. At least this seemed to have been the original intention when fnaf 3 came out. Afterall, "Phantom" is a French term for "something that came back from the dead"

[itsNatalieAtLeast]

6:00 I always love when people use both he/him and she/her for Mangle within the same sentence. It's a small detail but I love that people are continuing the bit from UCN

[ilikepigeons]

I think you're explanation is definitive, nice job. I assumed that the phantoms are just remnants from Scott's old lore before he shifted the entire story for the Aftons.
The phantoms being horribly burned is a nod to me that the guy you play as barely knows who these animatronics are, hence he doesn't exactly know what they look like, hence why their designs are so dark and obscured by fire markings. This is why to me that Phantom foxy doesn't have his hook, the player character knows what that part of foxy's arm looks like as it's on the box in the office, and why there's no phantom bonnie and phantom fazbear, the protagonist knows what they look like enough based on the suit mannequins being outside his office and in one of the cams

[burner]

What are the chances the reason Phantom Chica is based on Classic Chica is because she has hands and Withered Chica doesn't

[GreenThasm]

As a phantom fan
I believe that the Phantoms have an importance
I believe that the phantoms represent the childrens souls that are haunting William since he killed a second group of children in FNAF 2 maybe those children ARE the Phantoms and instead of being given life by the puppet they instead choose to haunt william

[suspense_comix]

9:59 This is also part of the story/lore behind FNAF 3: in Night 1, Phone Guy mentions of a boarded up room with a Springlock Suit inside and that they'll break open the room when it turns to day and the Attraction gets set up. This is why in Night 1, Springtrap is not on the prowl. Because he's locked up in a boarded up room.

[datajacked]

For the question at 14:00, Keep in mind that we see Dark Springtrap after the Fazbear Fright's fire, and it's clear that he was damaged because of the fire.

I think the reason why Scraptrap can't create Phantoms is because he was weakened from the Fazbear's Fright which probably burned away some of his remnant that probably took some of Springtrap's Supernatural powers with it.

[bitterman]

Definitely more going on than some nasty mold in those vents. Phone dude has no clue / is softballing.

[monstrdog]

I always thought the phantoms were hallucinations, but brought on by the child souls, clinging to what's left of their bodies and frenzied by their killer, adding to how you can free them with happiest day