You’ve probably seen the yellow bear and the golden rabbit a thousand times. They’re everywhere in the Five Nights at Freddy’s (FNAF) fandom—fan art, theories, even memes. But honestly? Most people still mess up the basics of Spring Bonnie and Fredbear.
They aren't just "the yellow versions" of Freddy and Bonnie. They’re something way weirder.
They are the foundation of a fictional empire built on pizza, child murder, and some of the most frustratingly complex lore in gaming history. If you want to understand why Fazbear Entertainment is such a disaster, you have to look at the 1970s and 80s. That’s where the "springlock" nightmare started.
The Springlock Problem
Let’s get one thing straight. Fredbear and Spring Bonnie were designed to be "hybrids."
Scott Cawthon, the creator of the series, introduced a concept that is objectively terrifying: springlock suits. These things had two modes. Mode one? Animatronic. Mode two? A wearable costume for humans.
Basically, you’d use a hand crank to pull all the robotic parts—the wires, the crossbeams, the heavy metal endoskeleton—back against the sides of the suit. This left just enough room for a human to climb inside.
But there was a catch.
If those springlocks got damp or if the wearer breathed too hard on them, the locks would snap back. All that metal would slam into the person inside. It wouldn’t just hurt; it would basically turn the human into a pincushion of steel. This isn't just a theory—Phone Guy literally explains this in the training tapes in FNAF 3. He mentions an "unfortunate incident" involving multiple springlock failures.
It’s grizzly. It’s weird. It’s the reason these two characters are so iconic.
Fredbear: The Bear That Started It All
Fredbear was the face of Fredbear's Family Diner. This was the "original" location before the Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza we see in the first game ever existed.
Many fans confuse Fredbear with Golden Freddy. While they look nearly identical, the lore suggests they are distinct entities. Fredbear is the physical machine from the 80s. Golden Freddy is more of a ghostly, non-corporeal hallucination or a different version of the character altogether.
The biggest moment for Fredbear? 1983.
The "Bite of '83" is the definitive turning point for the franchise. You see it in the FNAF 4 minigames. A group of bullies (including the protagonist's own brother) shoves a crying child into Fredbear’s mouth. The kid’s tears likely triggered the springlocks. Crunch. That single event effectively ended Fredbear's career as a mascot. The diner closed. The brand was tarnished. But Fredbear didn't disappear—he just evolved into the nightmares that have fueled a decade of internet theories.
Spring Bonnie: The Murderer’s Choice
If Fredbear is the tragedy, Spring Bonnie is the horror.
Spring Bonnie was Fredbear’s partner on stage. A golden rabbit with a purple bowtie. But he wasn't just a backup singer. He was the favorite tool of William Afton, the series' primary antagonist.
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Afton used the Spring Bonnie suit to lure children into the "Safe Room"—a room hidden from the animatronics' digital maps and security cameras. Since the suit looked like a friendly mascot, the kids followed him.
He didn't just use it once. He used it for years.
Eventually, karma (or a leaky roof) caught up with him. In the climax of FNAF 3's backstory, Afton hides in the old Spring Bonnie suit to escape the ghosts of his victims. It’s raining. The roof is leaking. A drop of water hits a springlock, and Afton is crushed inside.
He didn't die, though. At least, not completely. He became Springtrap.
Why the Designs Keep Changing
One thing that drives the community crazy is the inconsistency.
- In FNAF 4, Fredbear has a purple hat and bowtie.
- In the "Stage 01" minigame, he’s just a yellow sprite.
- In Ultimate Custom Night, he looks like a slightly wider Freddy.
The same goes for Spring Bonnie. Is he the "Scraptrap" design from Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Simulator? Or the "Glitchtrap" version from Help Wanted?
The reality is likely that Fazbear Entertainment had multiple suits. They weren't just making one bear and one bunny. They were a growing business. They probably had a "v1.0" suit, a "v2.0" suit, and various stage-specific costumes. It makes the world feel more grounded, even if it makes the timeline a headache to map out.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're trying to keep the lore straight, here are the three things you need to remember about these two:
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- They are not the "Withered" animatronics. The Withered Freddy and Bonnie from FNAF 2 are completely different models from the original springlock pair.
- The colors matter. Purple accessories (hat/bowtie) almost always indicate a Fredbear/Spring Bonnie era character, whereas black accessories belong to the later Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza era.
- The "Spring" prefix is technical. They are called "Spring" characters because of the springlock mechanisms. It’s not just a cute name for the season.
The story of Fredbear and Spring Bonnie is a story of corporate negligence and individual malice. It’s the core of the FNAF mythos. Whether you’re a casual player or a deep-lore investigator, understanding these two is the only way to make sense of why the animatronics are so angry in the first place.