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| Alpe | |
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| Notables: |  Beverly Garwood
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An Alpe (ALP; Ger. "nightmare"; pl. Alpen) is a nightmare Wesen that appeared in "Breakfast in Bed".
Characteristics[]
The Alpe has a slender body, covered in short, green-brown fur, and is very stealthy, capable of sneaking up on a sleeping victim. The major characteristic of the Alpe, however, is its head. The Alpe has glowing green eyes, with black sclera, along with a huge mouth that can separate into three distinct, almost petal-like shapes. In its mouth are several rows of what resemble, yet aren't quite exactly teeth, though they aid in the ability of the Alpe to feed on one's sleep. In their woged form, their ears are also significantly smaller and nearly turn into holes on the sides of their head, they lose the hair they have on their head in their human form, and their fingernails elongate slightly and turn a dark green-brown color.
In German folklore, the Alpe is responsible for sleep paralysis and insomnia. The Alpe is also known to release a paralyzing gas at its victims so it can attack without trouble. This gas has given them the distinguishing characteristic of having bad breath as well. Although their victims are paralyzed once the gas is inhaled, they are still conscious and aware of what is happening to them. The Alpe feeds off of melatonin produced in the brain and will go insane if they don't feed nightly on the proteins produced in the brain that are created during REM sleep. They must do so because they don't (and can't) sleep themselves. Alpen prefer heavy sleepers because they produce the most melatonin. The Alpe will then use the paralyzing gas to paralyze its victims and proceed to attach its mouth to the unmoving person's head and feed on their sleep. Due to the traumatic experience, their victims are often driven to insanity. They also have a very acute sense of hearing.
Behavior[]
Alpen are clever, cunning creatures with a bit of an arrogance in the way they carry themselves. They view their sleep feeding behavior as a biological necessity and don't necessarily enjoy the harm they cause their victims. Even when faced with the two choices of giving up their lifestyle or being killed at the hands of a Grimm, they would rather opt for the former. Regarding Grimms, Alpen fear them, but they will attack them as a last resort if they see no other viable option.
As they are attracted to areas where they have plenty of sleeping victims to choose from, they will often reside near such places as hotels. However, either to keep up appearances or disassociate themselves from what some may consider to be a criminal environment, they live much more lavish lifestyles than that of their victims.
If the relationship is mutually beneficial for both Alpen and another individual, it is not unusual for them to be allies with other Wesen with notorious reputations, such as Hundjägers.
Season 6 Blu-ray Grimm Guide Profile[]
| “ | The Alpe is the cause of insomnia and sleep paralysis in Germanic folklore. It first paralyzes its sleeping victim before using its tendrils to invade their brain and suck out the proteins that cleanse the brain in REM sleep. Without these nightly feedings, the Alpe goes mad. Unfortunately these attacks have just that effect on its victims. | ” |
Images[]
Trivia[]
- It is based on the Alp in German folklore.
- Also, their mouth formation loosly resembles a Starfish.
- It bears a similarity to the Mad Gasser of Mattoon, an urban legend dating back to the 1930's and '40's about an assailant who supposedly snuck into people's homes and drugged them with a gas that left them conscious but unable to leave their beds. According to one report, the gas left a foul odor.
- Alpe is the shortest name for a Wesen featured on the show or in any other Grimm media.
| Season 6 Appearances | ||||||||||
| "Fugitive": X |
"Trust Me Knot": X |
"Oh Captain, My Captain": X |
"El Cuegle": X |
"The Seven Year Itch": X |
"Breakfast in Bed": ✓ |
"Blind Love": X | ||||
| "The Son Also Rises": X |
"Tree People": X |
"Blood Magic": X |
"Where the Wild Things Were": X |
"Zerstörer Shrugged": X |
"The End": X | |||||