Elmo is a Vampire Slayer in Viral Sesame Street Fan Fiction

The Count’s status as a low-key vampire on Sesame Street is seldom addressed. But, assuming the Count is a legit Dracula-esque figure, it stands to reason that at least one of the other muppets is the Sesame Street version of Van Helsing or Buffy, a vampire slayer sworn to defeat the math-obsessed, monocle-wearing Count. And one piece of fan fiction, by way of a viral tweet, imagines just that.

On Sunday, apropos of nothing, comedian Matthew Highton dropped a tweet thread which finds Elmo, at long last, slaying his hated enemy, the vampire known as “the Count.” The story opens with these lines:

“It had been over 20 years since Elmo had last set foot on Sesame Street. Here he was again, clutching a wooden stake, frozen with fear at the steps of the Count’s mansion. Here to finish what once he could not. Sunny days, he whispered and stepped into the dark.”

A source of some irritation among parents, Elmo would never be called a dark or moody muppet, and yet, in Highton’s story, even the biggest Elmo-hater will suddenly be rooting for the furry-red vampire slayer. The idea that Elmo’s silly persona on Sesame Street might just be a shrewd cover which allows him to get closer to the Count is awesome.

Plus, the idea that the Count is a vampire, and no one ever talks about that is a great concept to poke fun at. Highton brings it all come with a brooding reference to the famous Sesame Street theme song. Now that the reign of terror of the Count is over, sunny days can return.

As of this writing, The Sesame Workshop has not responded to any claims that the Count is an actual vampire, retired or otherwise.