Afton Brothers

Afton Brothers is the familyship between Michael Afton and the Crying Child from the Five Nights at Freddy's fandom.

Canon
Michael Afton isn't one would call a "good brother," with him picking on his little brother and even leaves him behind on the street rather than picking him up, or looking after him like an older brother should. He enjoys scaring his crying little brother with his red fox mask, and even gets his friends to laugh at him for always crying. Although their father has cameras all over their house and within his crying son's golden Freddy doll, he does nothing to stop Michael's bullying towards his bother.

On the day of the crying child's birthday, Michael has his friends wear masks of the other Freddy mascots as they watch his bother cry at his own party. Knowing that his brother is scared of the animatronics, even though he doesn't know the reason why that is, Michael thought it would be funny to place his brother's head in the Golden Freddy's mouth. What was meant to be a prank goes terribly wrong as the animatronic's mouth ends up crushing the poor boy's skull and gets placed into a coma. Michael was horrified of what he did and tried to tell his bother that he was sorry when he woke up for a brief moment. Before succumbing to his injury and dies, leaving Michael haunted and riddled with regret of what he did.

Fanon
Due to what Michael did to his little brother before causing his death, even if was an accident from a cruel prank that went tragically wrong, this FNAF familyship has some fixed feelings. It is mostly looked into by those who are interested in the origins of the Afton family and the pizza party place their father co-owned. Knowing that the brothers' story plays a key role that leads to the cause of tragic events that befell upon Freddy's. As one accidental death that leads to the violent deaths of many other people, mostly children by their father's hand.

There are theories that the crying child's soul ends up in the Golden Freddy that "bit" him. Due to Michael's actions towards his bother, fans believe that the crying child has become angry and twisted within Golden Freddy. With Michael working to atone for his past and to stop their father from killing any more people, the Crying Child is believed to have become a parasite and would probably end up killing Michael if their paths were to cross. Just as their father and sister became darker in the animatronics their souls inhabit.

There have been a few AUs that don't have the crying child die at all, or at least have Michael be kinder towards him. There are theories that the youngest Afton son had saw what happened to their sister and wasn't allowed to tell anyone about it. Leading some to believe that Michael's attitude towards his bother would have changed should he learn the possible reason for his brother's tears, years before the events of Sister Location. Or at least days before the crying child's final birthday party, preventing that tragic event that turned their father into a killer.

Just as there are theories to explain the reason behind the Crying Child's endless tears, there are those who have wondered about Michael's reason for picking on his brother. From not wanting to believe that he is a terrible person like he was first made out to be, and that his actions weren't directly towards his brother. With their mother out around, not knowing what happened to their sister and their father spending more time in his room than with his sons. While Michael is told by their father to look after his brother. Along with the fact that teenagers tend to act out and find ways to work off their negative emotions. It doesn't excuse Michael for his cruel actions and pranks towards his little brother, or for causing his death, but there are those who do feel sorry for both Afton brothers. They could see that Michael wishes to do right for what he did.

Among those who believe that Michael's soul somehow ended up in Glamrock Freddy, to explain the humanity Freddy displayed towards Gregory in Security Breach, assume that Michael's essence within Freddy sees his little brother in Gregory. Wanting to atone for his past by protecting Gregory, like he should have protected the crying boy he tormented and ended up killing. Believing that he would make a far better father than a brother to Gregory, through this second chance he is given. In some versions of this theory/AU whenever someone calls Freddy a "brother", Michael has Freddy tell them to not call him that. Not wanting to be reminded of the person he once was.

Fandom

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Variations

 * Afton Family refers to the family ship between the Crying Child, Michael Afton, Elizabeth Afton, and William Afton