I need you guys to understand something.
A slenderverse essay-rant on possession, entities, and the mechanics of Slenderman's game.
I don't say "proxy" in a serious context at all when I am talking about my slenderverse characters or even canon characters.
Proxies don't exist. Proxies are a Creepypasta-esc generalization of what the characters are. It's watered-down. It's a term I use simply because people can understand it and are familiar with it.
Here's the Villains Wiki definition of a proxy:
A Proxy (or Proxies for plural) are a given term for people who are possessed or under the influence of Slender Man [...] destroying their sanity or killing them in the process.
I've completely discarded this concept. Slenderman does not possess people, it creates networks. It enslaves entities to do its bidding, who then impose their unknowably complex and mind-shattering presence upon their victims. It's an invisible war not native to mortal beings in the slightest. It's outside of time and space completely.
Think about it; the inexplicably inhuman nature of HABIT. The Collective entities emit so much radiation that cameras/electronics physically break down the longer they're pointed at one; same with Slenderman itself. A literal Geiger counter was used as a Slenderman detector; anything it touches emits a terrible mind-bending cosmic sickness capable of destroying physical objects, not just people. It's like touching acid. It melts your brain out of your ears and disrupts electromagnetic, electrostatic and electrical waves. It can bend reality itself. It can teleport.
"Masky" and "Hoodie" don't seem to know how to communicate at all in a human-like manner and they completely disregard the identities of Tim and Brian. It's because they never were Tim and Brian. They weren't even people at all. They were things from a place outside of reality. Hoodie's crude mimicry of human communication is a huge red herring and they are both mute entirely in person.
Slenderman's victims are always nutjobs. They're already crazy, the pressure that Slenderman brings down on these select people makes them crack easily. Alex. Evan. Noah. It chooses emotionally and mentally unstable people for a reason; they're easy to terrorize and manipulate. The possession isn't done by Slenderman itself, but by these creatures it controls. No one is under the influence of Slenderman, it just keeps these entities under its thumb through intimidation and fear.
You heard me. These creatures are terrified of Slenderman. Even HABIT, despite its taunts. HABIT hates Slenderman and even acts to avoid it on several occasions. It refers to Slenderman as a "god," even. What devoted proxy hates its master? An angry one that is forced into servitude and acts out in retaliation, completely destroying Slenderman's plans for the EMH crew by doing incredibly outrageous things in an attempt to break out of the loop.
If I had to guess, Slenderman created EMH's iteration loop to imprison HABIT, and its spent hundreds of thousands of loops attempting to get out, which is why it has absolutely no qualms killing and maiming people. Why it seems to be completely calm and casual when reality begins to degrade. Excited, even. It went insane after being in groundhog day for an infinite amount of lifetimes. Though, this is just a theory based off of minimal context.
Hoodie speaks in code and hides in desolate places to avoid being caught aiding the Marble Hornets crew. Masky isn't "friends" with Hoodie at all, they're just both caught up in the same bullshit and Masky feeds on Tim's anger, turning violent at the drop of a dime. Hoodie uses him as a weapon and for protection.
Firebrand broke away from the cult and was met with the wrath of its superiors. The Collective is made of those who are either too scared to leave or genuinely subservient/obedient to Slenderman. Noah felt the influence of the Collective's presence, bringing out his worst in the extreme. The radiation made his psyche crack.
You think Slenderman has a little mansion out in the woods for these guys? They're forced into poverty. They can't keep homes, jobs, or basic necessities. Hoodie had an oil lantern and was camping out in a drainage tunnel. Abandoned buildings in the woods with what food and water they can lift off victims or steal. They aren't allowed to have relationships, kin, or a home.
Chances are, there are many, many more of these entities just swimming around off camera. Keeping all the tiny little pieces running in Slenderman's affairs. Human cults are regarded as insignificant and almost an affront to these creatures. Humans are food for the machine. They can never truly comprehend the end goal of Slenderman or those at its command. They're disposable pawns. HABIT killed many of them in EverymanHYBRID without much ensuing retaliation.
Linking these series together, there is a coherent and rather blatant war happening between these entities and Slenderman. They seem oppressed, sick, batshit, impoverished and angry. Those who attempt to leave are killed or basically sent to Super Hell.
It's not that they're good people. They're all absolutely horrid and malevolent entities, but they want to be able to do what they want. They don't really enjoy being enslaved.
It's not looking great out there for them.
