The Thing (Hello Neighbor)

The Thing, commonly known as the Shadow, is the secondary antagonist and final boss of Hello Neighbor. It is a mysterious shadow that first appeared in Alpha 3.

Appearance
The Thing appeared in a build of Hello Neighbor, prior to the full release, appearing as a two-dimensional figure that could've only be seen using cheats or certain camera angles. This rendition of the Shadow seemed much shorter than the player and seemed to have a large bundle of curly/messy hair. By the full release of Hello Neighbor, The Thing appeared to be much taller, had much less hair, and larger white eyes. In the final release, The Thing is three-dimensional, with the particles around it being the only thing two-dimensional.

Biography
Not much is known of The Thing, other than the fact that it's not human. It's possible that it represents Nicky Roth's fears, as hinted in one of the achievements the player receives once it's defeated. It is unclear if The Thing has any correlation to Mr. Peterson, but one can assume as it can be found in the opposite side of a door at the ending of the game, where it seems like Mr. Peterson barricaded himself from it. If true, then it's possible that The Thing represents Mr. Peterson's guilt, or something else entirely.