These characters made a name for themselves by not having one
This week’s entry: Fictional characters without a name
What it’s about: The Man With No Name. He Who Must Not Be Named. Ol’ What’s-His-Face. Throughout history, storytellers have been giving certain characters an extra bit of mystery by not giving them a name.
Biggest controversy: We do eventually learn the Cigarette Smoking Man’s name. When The X-Files premiered in 1993, it quickly vaulted from spooky cult hit to pop culture juggernaut on the strength of its complicated web of mysteries. Chief among them was the identity of the series’ main villain. William B. Davis’ tobacco-dependent government agent only speaks four words in the entire first season, and is referred to by other characters with euphemisms like “our chain-smoking friend.” But in season six, Agent Dana Scully uncovers his real name—C.G.B. Spender, along with a wife and son who share his surname. Except in the show’s current reboot, CSM (who inexplicably survives being blown up by a missile in the original series finale) gives his name as Carl Gerhard Busch. So he has a real name after all maybe? (Feel free to argue whether or not the reboot seasons are canon in the comments.) Give the Well-Manicured Man credit—we never found out his name, and when he blew up, he stayed blown up.
Strangest fact: Samurai Jack is an unnamed samurai… named Jack. Granted, we never learn his real name. In the animated series of the same name, someone addresses the character as Jack in a generic “Watch it there, Jack!” sense, and it sticks. But a name someone adopts and uses regularly seems like it should still count as a name. Likewise, Batman villain Bane has a name, it’s Bane. We just don’t know his secret identity. (Oddly, the Joker doesn’t make the list despite being in the same situation, outside of Tim Burton’s 1989 film. Feel free to argue whether or not “Jack Napier” is canon in the comments.)